Bordeaux re-asserts its primacy with 2005 line
Long before Napa, the Land of Oz and other New World regions, Bordeaux was the wine world's Big News.
Located in southwest France, Bordeaux first made headlines in 379 A.D. when Latin poet Ausonius praised his 100 iugera (about 75 acres) of vines. Today, print media, the Web and blogosphere are crammed with news from Bordeaux, specifically the roll-out of the Vintage of the Century -- 2005.
(Please note the previous "Vintage of the Century" was 2000. The phrase should be taken in the same way that Chicagoans take weather: even though it's colder/hotter/wetter/ drier than it's ever been, it will certainly be more so soon.)
Bordeaux has been the largest, most diverse and economically most powerful wine region for centuries. Currently, 10,000 producers (including Chateau Ausone) tend its 300,000 acres to bottle good to great whites, reds and roses, ranging in flavor from bone-dry to ambrosia-sweet.
Among dry reds, the best-of-the-best (officially rated Classified Growths) command prices that -- while always lofty -- have tripled for the 2005s and continue an astronomic trajectory as quantities shrink. For example: $4,000 per case of 12 en primeur (invited guest "first tasting" from barrel); $10,000 per case in "futures" (public sale a year or so before delivery.) Even so, pundits advise serious collectors that skipping a sizable purchase would be "reckless."
Clearly, my circle of friends tends to be less serious or more reckless. But Bordeaux is big business for France and the country that convinced Americans to eat snails and pay for water isn't about to let details of a falling dollar and international recession stand in the way of enterprise.
On Feb. 14, the Bordeaux Wine Bureau released a shopping list of "Today's Bordeaux: 100 Classic, Contemporary, Affordable Wines," selected in blind tasting by America's top palates, including Chicago's own Barbara Hermann, wine director for Binny's Beverage Depot. While the list represents several vintages, more than half hail from 2005s, and have price stickers under $30 a bottle. Visit www.bordeauxwinebureau.org for details.
While most Bordeaux-lovers have long since placed their orders, the 2005 vintage offers newcomers an excellent opportunity to explore a classic wine style.
Like all wine, Bordeaux is an interplay of four factors: grape, soil, climate and culture. Dry reds are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (with handfuls of Petite Verdot and Malbec).
Located near the Atlantic and divided by the Gironde estuary and Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, soils range from sandy to clay. The maritime climate, here warmed by the Gulf Stream, protects vineyards from extremes; chief hazards are excessive rain (which dilutes grapes) and dampness (which fosters fungal disease). Each wine property (often called "Chateau") grows its own grape blend -- here primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, there Merlot, etc. -- to be matured in barriques (small oak barrels) for a few months to several years.
Eyes were on 2005 as early as April of that year, with sunny days and cool nights interspersed with average rainfall. In July, however, the region headed into the driest growing season since 1949, with water deficits up to 57 percent. Excessive heat would have cooked grapes on the vine, but it never came. Instead, cool temperatures and drought produced tiny grapes, completely ripe and free of fungal disease.
Producers translated Mother's Nature's gift into wines of concentration and power, not lacking in refreshment. Ripe tannin and years of cellar aging will reward patient wine lovers, but rich fruit flavor and texture won't disappoint those seeking immediate gratification.
The seeming perfect vintage even has something for argumentative types. A heat spike in September caused acid to plummet in early-ripening Merlot. To pick (as early as Sept. 7) or not to pick (and wait 'til Sept. 22) -- this will be debated as wines mature over the decades.
Otherwise, everyone agrees: 2005 red Bordeaux offers wine drinkers of all stripes exceptional opportunity to experience classic wines in many price ranges and in this contentious world, that's Big News.
© 2008