Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

It's that time of the year again and yesterday I attended the UGC tasting in New York. I think that tastings of this nature are invaluable as you get to taste a bunch of properties from each of the appellations which in turn allows you to form an opinion on the vintage and which wines fared better. Please note that not all properties are members of the UGC and therefore this is not a comprehensive tasting of 2014's and also not all members attend each year (ie. notable missing properties from NYC were Figeac, Pavie Macquin, Larcis Ducasse, Troplong Mondot, la Conseillante, Malescot St Exupery, Pichon Lalande and Climens). I think that the 2014's will bring pleasure to those looking for good drinkable Bdx vintage at relatively affordable pricing. While I generally preferred the left bank Medoc wines to those from the right, the sweets from Sauternes and Barsac once again stole the show for me.

Wines of the day for me which would rate in the classic range of the scoring spectrum were the Pichon Baron, Haut Bailly, Pape Clement Rouge, the Domaine de Chevalier Blanc as well as a number of sweets such as Doisy Daene, de Fargues and Suiduiraut and unfortunately the Coutet was tapped by the time I got to it ;(

Wines I really liked and would score in the 92-94 point range and in order of preference
Grand Puy Lacoste
Leoville Poyferre
Canon
Giscours
Rauzan Segla
Gruaud Larose
Clerc Milon
Leoville Barton (perhaps the sole backwards wine of the day that was not giving much)
Clos Fourtet
Lynch Bages
Beychevelle
Le Bon Pasteur
Clinet
Domaine de Chevalier
SHL

I would be curious to hear what others thought and if the same estates were present at each of your cities events.

Oh and I know that a number of you like the wines of Lafon Rochet and this is one to jump on as it was really quite good and will be in a great place in 5-6 years.

I'm not sure all the other cities have as extensive events as the NYC one.

I looked at the SF list and the list of estates seemed smaller, and given the price tag of $275, it was a pass.

Somehow I was usually able to attend the NYC gratis.

2014 = 2001

I am a buyer.

AKR wrote:I'm not sure all the other cities have as extensive events as the NYC one.

I looked at the SF list and the list of estates seemed smaller, and given the price tag of $275, it was a pass.

Somehow I was usually able to attend the NYC gratis.

ARK, the SF tasting this Friday is only $65 with only 3 tickets left
http://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1284406
The $275 is for the fete dinner

Posted elsewhere:

Just came home from the afternoon version. Some nice wines, some mediocre. Overall I liked Pauillac. Biggest surprise though was Gruaud Larose. I talked to them for a while about the new style - it used to be a bretty, old-school wine but now it was more like something from Napa. Really different from what it used to be pre - 2008.

Sounds like an unwelcome change in direction. Would any of you that had a chance to taste the Gruaud care to offer an opinion?

DavidG wrote:Posted elsewhere:

Just came home from the afternoon version. Some nice wines, some mediocre. Overall I liked Pauillac. Biggest surprise though was Gruaud Larose. I talked to them for a while about the new style - it used to be a bretty, old-school wine but now it was more like something from Napa. Really different from what it used to be pre - 2008.

Sounds like an unwelcome change in direction. Would any of you that had a chance to taste the Gruaud care to offer an opinion?

Strange on berserkers (re:GL, 3 different tasters) say its the return of cordier funk, animale and some dudes girlfriend said it was like licking a wet rabbit.

Sounds like heaven to me

Goooulet

Cordier funk sounds good to me.

I did noy buy any 2014 futures... And now I feel sad by reading that post.

I'll wait to see what will happen to the prices when they'll appear in stores.

Nic

I will repost what I did over on winebeserkers when this very topic arose: I tasted the Gruaud Larose several times and I did not pick up any funk whatsoever granted I drink a sh*t ton of CdP but still. My limited notes stated that it had a really nice earthy nose and was lighter styled and dare I say elegant on the palate yet still very Saint Julien.

That too sounds good. And not like something from Napa.

I swung by Grapes on the way home from work last night and tasted through several David Bowler distributed wines which were being poured before chatting with Daniel Posner for a bit. Having seen him most recently at the UGC 2 weeks ago that was the first topic of conversation on the agenda. He opened by asking what I thought so I responded with the fact that I thought it was a good vintage but not a great one based on what I had tasted. He then responded stating that he liked the vintage quite a bit while also adding that we are not really tasting Bdx's best wines at the UGC tastings but only a sample and that the number of properties pouring at this event has continued to diminish year after year which is something that I have previously commented on (i.e. missing properties). Point taken. We also touched on Galloni's ratings which were recently released and the exchange left me feeling that we'll be seeing a bunch of 2014 offers from him soon.

2014 = 2001

If you like 2001, don't sleep on the '14's....left bank of course.

The prices seem decent for '14, no?

I am a buyer....

A bit of a selfish assessment....always looking for vintages that don't require a lot of age (2012...love it) but keep well over the medium term.