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Avoid the uproar: Buy now, drink now
Equipo Navazos La Bota de Fino #15
No surprise that there was a six page special section on Wine Collecting and Investing in the Financial times. The news was not surprising but seriously compiled: The 2009 Bordeaux will set records and the Chinese will buy without restraint for Lafite.
Intriguingly Jancis Robinson ignored it as much as she could. What great drinks can you buy and drink now for 50 pounds ($75 to us) according to JR.
Run away from the future-mad bulls to under priced grower champagnes, brilliant Rieslings, fine artisan sherries and zinfandels. We agree and like some of her particular choices, including Equipo Navazos of rediscovered rare old soleras (No. 15, $39.99, and No. 17, $99.99) and especially Ridge Geyserville, a robust blend of Paul Draper favorites, zin, carignan, petite sirah and even a splash of mataro, for a remarkable $27.99
2005 Chateau Chapelle Segur (Montagne Saint-Emilion, France)
2005 Chateau Chapelle Segur (Montagne St-Emilion) 17.99
For the last 2 years we have lit out toward Bordeaux in January to find value to deliver to you. It has been a very successful idea that I’m sure will continue, the bounty of this last outing so simply superlative. Chapelle Segur is the only wine we have bought on both trips, this being the second vintage. Finding a 2005 this good in the after market is insane, and that’s before mentioning the price! This wine really delivers the goods in a very traditional manner. Made from 70% Merlot, 20% Cab S and 10% Cab F, this wine shows a nervous energy, cut and delineation attributed to the limestone sites. The texture of the wine is supple but sinewy still, the black cherry and red plummy flavors are lifted by a mouthwatering acidity and fine tannin structure. This is a Bordeaux wine of old and is elegant and for the drinker who is ready to get back to basics and away from the modern. If this property would have sold the wine 3 years ago it would no doubt have been 30-40% more expensive. Good for us all!
91 Points, Rhett Beiletti
Staff Selection, July 2010
Don’t let the futures distract you from the 2005s: Past perfect
You’ve got to get in on the 2009’s but it will be two to three years before you can open them — and longer before you should.
They will either be as good as the 2005s or some not as good. So what reason is there not to buy 2005s that you can drink now?
None.
2005 Chateau Fougeres 'La Folie' (Graves)
Sure, top labels from 2005 are gone so now is a good time to review a key principle of vintage wisdom, which is that its a given rain and sunlight, like mercy, fall on the just and the unjust alike. So the wise and frugal wine buyers know that in great years, the top growths will be heroic, and even the ordinary crus will be exceptional. Keep that in mind on the 2009′s and remember the corollary is that in lesser years, top crus do the best job with the hand dealt — and are great buys).
There are indeed 2005’s left and at great prices in B-21’s current 2005 sale.
Consider the Haut-Bergey, from Pessac-Leognan, worth a 92 from Parker’s Wine Advocate, now $29.99 and Moulin Haut-Laroque from Fronsac, same price and rating.
Check out the full list. Me, I can’t resist the soft and dreamy La Folie de Montesquieu from Chateau Fougeres in Graves. Grape is merlot and devil in the details here is Stephane Derononcourt as well as the ghost of the best known Bordelaise in America. Historic juice and juicy history, $25.99.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
Btw, just what is a gaffeliere?
2005 Chateau La Gaffeliere (Saint-Emilion) $99.99
The word appears on two legendary estates Chateau La Gaffeliere and Canon La Gaffeliere but the term escaped all the French speakers, native and well-schooled, at our dinner. I guessed that the old chateau could have been named for some kind of tree, say a grove of oaks. Or maybe a specialized kind of warrior, say a knight armed with a crossbow and a sling shot.
Not close, according to the one man who had the answer, Mr. Davies. The name meant a form of leper colony (gaffet was an old French term for leper), and the property had served as a leper estate in the 17th century. A quite charitable use although not appetizing enough that the name would pass muster in a modern marketing department, even for a crazy new zinfandel/semillon mix with a Ralph Steadman label.
There have been great advances since then developing treatments for Hansen’s disease that have replaced segregation in much of the modern world.
So I’ll drink to that.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
But what about 2009, really? C’est vrai.
The French emissaries who did arrive had no doubts about the 2009. Mais oui, the Americans make a big fuss over famous vintages and ignore others. This time the French agree that this is the big one.
How does Emilie, who grew up in Bordeaux feel about 2009? “Exciting,” she says with a big smile. She returned to Bordeaux for Christmas with her parents and tasted the vintage when it was three months old. ”It already tasted like wine, fantastically balanced, it is never like that.”
“Wonderful” was the word from Coralie de Bouard from the great Chateau Angelus, her eyes widened with surprise. How could I not know or did I somehow doubt. Again, she cited the balance in the wines en primeur; yes they have strong alcohol but they do not taste so.
2009 Chateau Lilian Ladouys (St. Estephe) 19.99 (Futures)
The explanation is in the weather, of course, which Jeffrey Davies explains was optimal in all aspect and exceptional in one — cool nights, “We turned the air conditioning in our house on only twice.” The Bordelaise and their grapes enjoyed long hot days and slept in refreshingly cool nights, giving the vintage more hang time and long slow ripening.
Davies cautions that not all the wines will be terrific and require careful selection but, “The best of them will be the best of my career.”
I’m happy that our selection is in the hands of Messrs. Sprentall and Bieletti, who have already scouted out three smart buys including a rare rosé of merlot from Larcis Ducasse ($9.99) to Ch. Lilian Ladouys in St. Estephe, a spicy cabernet James Suckling calls “a gorgeous young wine”, 92-95 points ($19.99). That’s a a bet I’m happy to make.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
The French are coming, The French are …
NOT (all of them) but B-21 still had a barrel of fun!
B-21's Dinner with Jeffrey Davies at Currents in Tarpon Springs
The ash cloud over Iceland cast its long shadow even over the Tampa Bay area last weekend. Flight cancellation to the U.S. grounded some special guests coming to the annual Bordeaux tasting, both celebrated winemakers and consultants, and their infant prodigies, barrel samplings of the beloved new 2009 vintage.
Several stalwarts were in the U.S. before flights stopped including Coralie de Bouard of Chateau Angelus, negociant Jeffrey Davies and Emilie Riebel-Dombey representing Chateau Le Gay.
And the 2009’s arrived in spirit and starred in the table talk at the Bordeaux dinner at Seasons 52. “Good as they say?”, “That’s not what I read.” “I’m absolutely going to buy,” but when and at what price? Will the prices be highest for the first futures or later tranches? Will the dollar buy more now or later?
Actually if the samples had arrived, they might have distracted our conversation.
Besides we had 2005s in our glasses and they were not abstractions. They set a high standard for the ’09s to match and sparked their own debate.
Smith Haut Lafitte (Pessac-Leognan) $89.99
The winners were Smith Haut Lafitte ($89.99) and La Gaffeliere. ($99.99) I put the left-banker first because it was so big and smoky and friendly like a coat by the fire. Smart and passionate tasters went for the La Gaffeliere from St. Emilion, with more berries and chocolate, in five years I may switch sides. A strong minority report supported the neighboring Canon La Gaffeliere ($109.99), which was the sleekest and most approachable. If you ask one to dance tonight, the Canon is your partner.
Seasons 52, Tampa’s “it” restaurant of the moment and the newest location of the Orlando concept was luminous that night and the menu had all its vaunted style and spunk. “I‘ve been to many wine tastings in my career but I’ve never had chiles relleno,” confessed importer Greg Miller, “and I think the Bordeaux stood up well.”
He’s right. Nothing timid about husky smoky ancho chiles with goat cheese and punchy pico de gallo, smoke fire and a pinch of sour. Yet first quality right bank 2006’s were bold enough. My choice was the 2006 La Croix St. Georges, ($59.99) from Pomerol, a spiced creamy fudge that made a mole with the chiles.
But as a Tuesday night go-to Bordeaux for Mexican spice and big flavors like Seasons 52’s crackling flatbreads , the 2008 Croix Mouton ($10.99) has value and excitement. Jean-Philippe Janoueix makes this in the Bordeaux Superieur appellation on the left bank; a merlot for all seasons with more guts and finish than you expect.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
How do you top off a weekend of wine? By opening another bottle!
It has been a long weekend filled with wine. We had a wine tasting in-store on Saturday with wines of Argentina, then a dinner at Currents with Jeffrey Davies on Saturday evening, and to top it off a day chocked full of seminars and Bordeaux that some people only have a once in a lifetime chance to taste! My favorite was the Chateau Pavie seminar put on by Jeffrey Davies. We had the fortunate opportunity to taste the 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, & 2005 Pavie all in one seating with the ever entertaining Davies to guide us through them all. My favorite was the 2000 … or will be in a few years when it is ready to come back to! I was also impressed with the 2004. Its a great wine and I think its greatly underestimated. Needless to say the weekend was winenormous!So how did I wrap up the night? With a juicy steak and a bottle of the 2007 Laurel by Clos Erasmus. All I can say is ”Wow!”. I think its better than the 2006 from my recollection. Very big and velvety with blackberries and licorice. It was the perfect ending to a great wine weekend.
2007 Laurel by Clos Erasmus $49.99
Some history on Laurel:
The Laurel cuvee is produced 100% from the Clos Erasmus vineyards but from the more recent plantings and is the result of declassification of some of the barrels of Clos Erasmus. It is approx. 50% grenache, 30% syrah, and 20% cab. In 2005, Clos Erasmus was chosen by Robert Parker (the million dollar nose) to be included among the 175 estates in his book “The World’s Greatest Wine Estates”. That says a lot, especially being that only six of the estates chosen were from Spain.
- Summer Martin, B-21′s Spain & Portugal Advocate
Back label secret comes to life: Jeffrey Davies in person
2007 Chateau Rigaud $11.99
One of the tricks to sorting out unfamiliar bottles is to turn them around to see if the name of the importer in small print is a name you trust.
Like Jeffrey Davies.
If you don’t know the vineyard or the appellation, Davies does and you’re set. I first sipped with him a few years ago and realized he knew everything I needed to know. A sunny Californian AND a 20-year resident of Bordeaux, he has a nose for the underappreciated cru or the one that needs a only a small touch to elevate it.
You can find out yourself when he comes to Tarpon to host a Grand Dinner and a Tasting of 2009 barrel samples during B-21’s star-studded celebration of Bordeaux and Beyond this month.
Life has changed since 1855 and Davies knows it.
From the right bank he has revived and promoted names like Ch. Valandraud and La Gomerie and he’s found even more treasures in the lands beyond Lalande: the Cotes de Bordeaux, Blaye , Bergerac, Fitou and Minervois. All the places I wish I knew better, Davies has already explored and found the best.
There are still a few tickets left for the April 17th dinner and barrel sampling at Currents in Tarpon with Davies and two of our other star guests from France, Jean Christophe Meyrou and Francois Villars. It kicks off at 4 p.m. with twelve count ‘em, 12 barrel samples from the much-buzzed 2009 vintage, followed by a grand dinner at 5 p.m. The price for the evening is $65.
If you can’t make the dinner, come to Sunday’s tastings and seminars. If you miss them both, buy a bottle of 2007 Ch. Rigaud, a Davies prize from Faugeres, made from syrah, grenache and the help of Claude Gros. Not the usual ingredients, but unusual quality: earthy black fruit and smoke and satiny on the palate. Maybe the best of the southwest — and a taste of Davies’ imagination. ($11.99).
2009 Bordeaux Barrel Samples: Taste them yourself!
C’est vrai! The vintage everyone is talking about will come to Tampa Bay next month so B-21 fans can have a rare advance taste of the Bordeaux buzz.
We knew great names of the Bordeaux wine trade and great wines were coming to Aprils Grand Bordeaux Tasting and Sale. As a bonus they are bringing 2009 barrel samples of the likes of Haut Bages Liberal and La Confession to taste at our two grand wine dinners Saturday April 17th.
Jeffrey Davies of Signature Selections
This year we will hold two dinners, one at Currents in Tarpon Springs and the other at the new Seasons 52 in Tampa, and each will feature a 2009 barrel sampling plus a multi-course meal paired with seven top French labels from recent vintages, and a chance to meet the great names and faces of modern Bordeaux.
Jeffrey Davies, negociant extraordinaire, will headline the Bordeaux and Beyond Dinner at Currents, our intimate, favorite, close to home base in Tarpon. Davies will be joined by Jean-Christophe Meyrou of Chateau Le Gay and Francois Villars of Gruaud- La Rose. They’ll pour an exciting range from St. Emilion, Minervois, Fitou, Bergerac and the south of France, including Davies’ own 2007 Chateau Rigaud. Reception and barrel sampling begins at 4 p.m, dinner at 5 p.m.; cost is $65 per person, all inclusive.
The Bordeaux Revealed Dinner will be held at Seasons 52, the sleek wine-savvy restaurant at Westshore Plaza. Here our stars are a trio Bordeaux of innovators, consulting wizard Stephane Derenoncourt, wine grower Jean-Phillipe Janoueix and negociant/vintner Christophe Reboule Salze. The wines will come from their own properties and also Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Reception and barrel sampling is at 6:15 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m.; cost is $85, per person, all inclusive.
What a choice. I‘d love to be at both, but duty summons me to Seasons 52 (and it’s closer to home). I’ll see some of you there.
Either dinner and barrel sampling is a lot closer than the quais on the Gironde.
And if your Saturday night’s booked, all our guests will be at the Sunday tasting and sale ($25) in Tarpon with the addition of Coralie de Bouard of Chateau Angelus and La Fleur de Bouard.
De Bouard will preside over a bonus tasting, a rare vertical of Angelus, four years of great St. Emilion: 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. A real flight of fancy with Angelus providing the wings.
Reserve a spot now at B-21.com
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
2009 Bordeaux: The wows keep coming.
HRH Prince Robert of Luxembourg, Bill Blatch, and now James Suckling from Wine Spectator, all agree the 2009 vintage was perfect conditions and beautiful wines already. Suckling reports he’s tasted first-growths throughout the Medoc, all excellent and the Latour and Mouton Rothschild “amazing.” This follows a good decade and the great vintage that kicked off the millennium; 2009 is apparently the most intense wine in decades.
As always, B-21’s own exceptional palate, Bob Sprentall, will be in Bordeaux shortly for barrel sampling and will to report direct to us on this exciting vintage. He and our French correspondent Rhett Beiletti left for France on Friday, March 26, to find the best. This is a vintage you’re going to want to buy in futures that we’ll have in soon. Then you’ll want to hold on.
But, if you can’t handle the wait, we’ve got plenty of the gorgeous 2005’s on hand.
P.S. Monsieur Parker gives pretty fine marks to the 2008’s as well, especially Pomerol, so keep an eye on them.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler