A not so moving experience . . .

I am that guy who does not love Bordeaux. On occasion, I will select Bordeaux, for certain applications, but they are not first on my list. I will usually say when asked to rank favored regions of France that the Rhone Valley and Burgundy rank higher than Bordeaux for me. That written: when it works it works. Recently I had a chance to sample both ‘61 Petrus and ‘59 La Mission Haut Brion and both were certainly as perfectly expressive and unassailable as could be imagined.

I think I’m a good objective assessor of Bordeaux as I don't get caught up in the wines emotionally. In the end, only outstanding quality moves me. But…after tasting 60 or so Bordeaux yesterday from ‘06 (barrel samples) and many more today…I am unmoved.

The uneven ripening of the merlot in all districts has made for very inconsistent wines that must be tasted before purchasing. Many have green tannins, are lean or have firm, firm tannins that make them more like many 1970's Bordeaux than more current years. No amount of oak aging or micro-oxygenation can fix the problems. Most of the Cabernet-based wines carry vegetal flavors (I'm reminded of 92's with riper tannins and more fruity character) and I do not expect great improvement in the barrel. The estate that selected well is not worth anywhere near the price asked. On a value for money basis I would ignore the ’06 vintage.