“I used to be a renegade, I used to fool around
But I couldn’t take the punishment, and had to settle down
Now I’m playing it real straight, and yes I cut my hair
You might think I’m crazy, but I don’t even care”.
Bordeaux, long the uncle in the armchair, falling asleep whilst the kids slipped out to party, has been suffering for years. Unsold primeur sitting in warehouses waiting for the right price, a new generation disgusted with the greed and a posse of disgruntled buyers, persuaded to part with 10K for a case of Lafite sold as a ‘blue chip’ asset only to see their ‘investment’ fade from blue to red. It hasn’t been pretty.
Whatever. The terroir and the expertise to make age worthy, complex and profound wines is the same. What has changed has been the world’s reaction to the wines and an influx of money that put these reactions into sharp relief.
The twin hip bastions of the Clove Club Restaurant and Noble Rot Magazine decided now would be a good time to swim against the tide and showcase the eternal relevance of Bordeaux. The food and wine choices were designed to showcase Bordeaux at the table and worked superbly with the pared-down, technically (and emotionally) brilliant food from Issac McHale.
We worked through the following:
2009 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
Notes of exotic fruits that you associate with the vintage but not overdone. Vibrant acidity. Oak influence quite dominating, and worth revisiting in a few years time. Young DdC is like a mouthy teenager, who turns out to be quite a nice guy when he gets back from university.
1996 d’Yquem
A nice, exotic and well botrytised vintage, very intense.
2004 Pontet-Canet
A classical style but lacking a bit of mid-palate fruit. Lovely nose though. You usually know what you’re going to get with 2004. Nice, well-made wines, but not fireworks.
1988 Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Clearly a long way behind vintages like 1989, but was drinking very nicely, in a meaty, mineral style, quite distinct from the more focuses, cassis style of the 1989 and 1990.
1990 Certan-Giraud
I’ve always had a lot of affection for good vintages of this wine, where the extraordinary terroir, now incorporated into Hosanna, can create admirable intensity. Undervalued on the market I think.
1985 Montrose
Really mellow in a perfect plateau of maturity. Not powerful and in keeping with the general character of the 1985 vintage but very very good.
To follow, we decamped to Sager + Wilde and consumed a few bottles, running into Matt Licklider from much admired winery Lioco from California who was great company and a kindred spirit in wine appreciation (as well as a top blind taster, it seemed)
2006 Clos de Neore Vatan
Quite herbal, mineral style but with fabulous length and freshness.
2004 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Clos de la Marechale JF Mugnier
This was quite advanced, I actually thought this was late 1980’s when I tasted it blind, but was a really lovely, light 2004, with no hint of the maligned vintage character.
A really great lunch, with thanks to Noble Rot Magazine, who continue to offer exceptionally diverse, articulate and punchy vinous opinion (as well as hosting a damn good lunch)