Wine Community

BORDEAUX 2010


March 29th, 2010

I managed to speed up my week and schedule some appointments on Monday, why I did not do this in the first place I do not know, none the less, I was impressed with what I tasted.

2009 Ducru Beaucaillou
Since the 2003 vintage they have been selecting grapes from the vineyards closer to the rive, prior to that they were sourcing grapes from the other side, these now go into their second label, Croix Beaucaillou, this had paid off massive dividends. A magnificent wine, the best I have tasted in the ten years of visiting the estate.

Immense layers of deep fruit, yet with refreshing acidity, massively coloured, they have this wine really dialed in. Balanced and provocative, better than’ 82, why, because the yields where massively high, today, they understand the vineyards, winemaking and all aspects of what make a great wine. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Merlot. Lovely


2009 Cos d’Estrounel
As one of my negociant friends told me, who tastes extensively with Parker. Parker told Jean-Guillaime Prats, the Pagodes, second label to Cos, is better than any Cos made by Bruno Prats, Jean-Guilleums father

I asked Jean-Guillaime Prats to compare some of the best wines Cos had previously made to the 2009, I specifically asked him about the 1928 & 1929 vintages. His comparison was to that of the 1945, this was at the end of the war, the vines were in disrepair, winemaking rudimentary yet this vintage is legendary...

Over the past ten years I have seen the steady improvement at Cos, 2009 is the pinnacle of great weather conditions and the 2nd year of their new state of the art cellar. They know far more about all aspects of wine making than they did in the 1980’s. While it is too early to say, I have not yet tasted at Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Leoville Las Cases, or Haut Brion, 209 Cos could be one of the top wines of the vintage. I am reluctant to give out numerical scores, especially a perfect score, but if I did it would be 99pts.



LEOVILLE POYFERRE
Didier Culvier was very pleased with the 2009 harvest, everything was perfect. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% to keep Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. What’s not to like about this wine, like with most 2009 the colour of the wine has vibrant blue notes, firm fruit on the note, not overripe at all. Great volume and freshness, drinkable now and in 25 years. Superb


TUESDAY MARCH 30, 2010

Montrose
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% to keep Verdot. The densely coloured massive wine is vibrant, alive and fresh, lifted with its gravelly notes which follow through on the palate and hold the wine together. The wine sneaks up on you and explodes on your palate with a long, long finish, a definite step up from 2008.

Calon Segur
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% to keep Verdot. Very intriguing wine, layers and layers of complex fruit intertwined with classic St. Estephe mineral notes – simply incredible. Perhaps a touch sweeter than Montrose, but is not overdone it defines the wine perfectly. The slate mineral dusty notes envelope the fruit and provide the drinker with a superb line the swine as breed and doubts and believes greased flee for many years


Pichon Baron
60% Cabernet Sauvignon 33% Merlot. Again like most 2009 wines superbly coloured with vibrant blue fruits you tack on the palate is soft and round, firmly structured and the fine tannins create a line which is seamless the bittersweet cocoa chocolate finish also lifts the wine - no potentially outstanding.

2009 Lynch Bages
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdotl. This is one of the most densely coloured Lynch Bages I have tasted over the last 10 years. Again, one would think that the wine would be over ripe but that is not the case, which is a hallmark of the 2009 vintage, excellent acids which help a wine to age. A brilliant wine.

2009 Talbot
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% to Petite Verdot, finally a Talbot which reflects its great stature. Think of St. Julien with soft fruit yet enveloped within and iron glove – I wish they could do this more often.

2009 Saint Pierre
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 19% Merlot the wine has personality and structure. Saint Pierre is always a sleeper and offers extremely good value - superb

2009 Leoville Barton
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22.5% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc, I have to admit I have a soft spot for Anthony Barton and his wines. Like the gentleman himself, they have class breed and distinction. 2009 is densely coloured again with bright vibrant fruit, the wine is seductive flashy and sneaky it starts a little bit light and one would think this is not 2009 but then it picks up enters the palate and becomes a classic Leoville bar,




2009 Lagrange
73% Cabernet Sauvignon 27% Merlot this wine seems to be the antithesis of Saint Julien a big tight Lgrange yet it’s full  of fruit and layers and layers of comlexity.

2009 Branaire Ducru
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% to keep Verdot. Incredibly aromatic, sweet fruit, sweet tannins and layers of complexity, fine, elegant, firm robust an iron fist within a velvet glove. The work they have been doing at this an estate over the last 10 years has finally paid off, bravo!

2009 Mouton Rothschild
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. This is an elegant Mouton, while not the volume of the 2008; it has richness, fineness, fruit and length, delicate yet powerful and intense. I was impressed with the balance, power and structure of the wine, a tour de force.

2009 Beycheville
46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc & 4% Petite Verdot. Simply astounding, best wine of the day.

A Note on Second wines.
Historically, second wines were produced when fruit was not quite good enough to go into the Grand Vin. Today second wines are treated almost as well as the first wines in they have their own vineyards sites, and what does not make the cut is either sold off or goes into a another wine we in North America will never see. Examples that come to mind are Pagodes de Cos, Petite Mouton and Alter Ego.

Pricing
Really at this point who know. The vinatge is superb & the Bordelais know the state of the global economy. The wines will not be priced like 2008's, that si for sure - we have to wait and see.

Videos
I took my Flip Video and have recorded some great interviews. Unfortauntely  I upgraded my computer to Windows & and the two are incompatiable - frustrating indeed. I wil post them when I get back.

PARIS FEBRUARY 2010




I always seem to think of witty things to write when I am half asleep, dreaming at three in the morning, or while imbibing in a good bottle of wine with friends. This is when a blank sheet of paper (my brain) is ripe with ideas, but when I wake up they all seem to disappear! No wonder some writers go mad.

I have had the great fortune to visit Paris countless times, thirty years ago on my own, and since married, with my wife. This time was different. I had my two teenage children with me. Firstly, my daughter who is a high maintenance fashion diva (whom I can’t afford!), and then my son who is a pretty easy guy to be and travel with.

We arrived in Paris at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and took the train into the city and walked to my usual hotel, the Hotel des Grands Ecoles on Rue Cardinal Lemoine in the 5th. A quiet spot not far from the hustle and bustle of Paris, you can actually get a good night’s sleep. The hotel is always busy, so book your room well in advance. Avoid rooms 2, 3 & 4 on the ground floor, since they are right by the reception and lobby. The comings and goings early in the morning are plainly heard; rooms 3 & 4 are right by the elevator shaft, which sounds like someone with bad gas when it arrives on the ground floor. My advice is to get the larger rooms across the courtyard, or at the very least on the upper floors. One word of advice – be prepared for the wallpaper in the rooms!
Our plan was to have dinner and a smart bottle of wine and get ourselves sufficiently tired and a bit tipsy (the adults that is) to somehow avoid jet lag.

I typically avoid all hotel breakfasts as no matter how good they are I can only exist on so many croissants (or white flour products). My favorite haunt is a little diner called “Breakfast in America” on Rue Grand Ecoles, a short walk from the hotel.

An American Film maker was living in Paris, and while he loved the city, he missed a classic North American place for breakfast. After two years of searching he found his spot and opened his doors in 2003. I am big breakfast person, I know what homemade is and this is the real deal- great pancakes, farm fresh eggs, and fresh squeezed OJ (this keeps me going until lunch).
The latest scam on the street by the local hucksters, took me by surprise, just for a second, and then I realized what was going on. The four of us were walking across the Quai to cross the Seine and head towards Notre Dame Cathedral. Out of nowhere, a fellow walked up beside us, bent over and picked up a gold ring off the street and asked my wife if it was hers.
When he showed us that flashy piece of crap I realized what he was doing. I shook my head, said No and kept on walking. My children turned around and watched him walk down the street repeating the same routine.
On the right Bank, two clueless tourists were being shown the exact same ring by an older lady, and as we walked by the scene I told them it was a scam. The street huckster was furious, she swore at me, made various gestures with her hands and was in for a fight. I was carrying a large umbrella, imitated my best fighting stance, grimaced and stared her down which seemed to work.



SHOPPING

Paris is full of great shopping which may produce results, but if you attack the City with a plan, knowing what you want to do and where you want to go you - will be dutifully rewarded.


Shoes
There are only three companies left who still hand make their shoes in France, Weston, Repetto and Paraboots. This is something the new generation seems to forget- hand made products, crafted by passionate artisans. Yes they are expensive, but you will be rewarded with comfort and longevity. http://www.paraboot.com/

However, if you’re merely into the here and now and don’t want your shoes to last forever, visit Galeries Layfayette (women’s’ downstairs, men upstairs), where there are enough shoes on display to keep you looking (or waiting) for hours…….as well, the washrooms are delightful!

Shirts

JLR

I hate giving away my secrets, but I’m not greedy. On Rue 28 St. Sulphice, there is a small store called JLR, where they make custom shirts. On display are samples of fabric, buttons, cuffs cuts, thread colors, button holes and shirt samples for you to try on. Shirts are truly made to measure for 91 Euros. Each attentive staff member measures you up and records your details on a card. The shirts take about two weeks to make and they can be mailed to you, but the price is dear at 90 Euros. If you are in France for more than two weeks hit them on your first day and they will have them ready for you when you leave the country. The quality is outstanding. Your records are kept on file so you can order them before your next visit.

http://www.jlrparis.com/index.wait.php

Cotton Doux

If you cannot wait for your custom shirts to be made, another great store with ready made shirts (both ladies’ and mens’) in a fabulous array of designs and colors. The quality is good, the fabrics fun. Slim fit and traditional, with different cuff styles too. There are various locations around Paris; my favorite store is in the 4th, the Marais District.

http://cotondoux.fr/


RESTAURANTS

Honestly, what is Paris without the dining experience? One could spend the rest of their life visiting local bars, brasserie and such. Here are some of the places I like to visit when I am in Paris:

Willis Wine Bar

This is one of my perennial favorites, always a stop on my stay over in Paris and it never seems to disappoint. The wine list is excellent, the food is fresh, well presented and the service is always attentive and informative.

http://www.williswinebar.com/

Fish la Boissonnerie

Owned by American Janu Sanchez, this bustling bistro has creative food. This visit, we arrived early without a reservation, (not recommended) but we were seated and soon after the restaurant filled up, and people were turned away at the door. The bread is fresh, baked across the street in his bakery and carried over (try doing that in Vancouver). La Boissonerie is a cozy, intimate lively place, and worth the visit. Note, I had emailed them for reservations and no one got back to me (first time) so we just showed up.

69 Rue de Seine Tel: 1 43 54 34 69

Brasserie Balzar

The first night we arrived we walked to Balzar only to find it packed. We walked to another non-descript restaurant not worth writing about. Reservations were wisely made the next day at Balzar. I first ate there in the mid 80’s and enjoyed my meal. These were the days of smoked filled restaurants and poor service. I am pleased to say it has changed little. The walls seemed tarnished with years of smoke, great 50’s period art pieces, black-tied waiters, scurrying around the room gruffly taking orders – I love it.

Room is tight, and seating is compact but that adds to the ambiance. Food is good and the service, albeit curt, is efficient – worth a visit or two.

http://www.brasseriebalzar.com/

Atelier Maitre Albert – Guy Savoy

I am not a writer by profession, as I am sure you can tell! I find it hard to describe the restaurant. Firstly there is the classic French exterior, then the aroma of a wood fired rotisserie which sets you at ease as soon as you open the front door. The modern look of the restaurant ties in perfectly with the age of the building, the old fireplace is still there, as are the walls, the perfect balance between old and new. The menu is smart and well chosen. I was excited to go back to the restaurant and we arrived a day early for our reservation, not a problem, they easily accommodated us, not in the section of the restaurant I wanted but who cares, the food was fresh, service good and the wine list decent, but a tad pricey for what the quality of the wines.

http://www.ateliermaitrealbert.com/