Bordeaux Has Some of the Best Terroir on Planet Earth As the plane made its final sweep and began a steady descent, the only thing on my mind was Bordeaux. Peering through the tiny window with the city of Paris twinkling before me, the heat of Dallas became a distant memory. For the next week, I traveled throughout my favorite wine region, Bordeaux, France, to tour many of the leading Chateaux and meet its prolific owners and winemakers. We focused on the 2007 vintage, tasting barrel samples for the red, white and sweet wines of Bordeaux. While the 2007 vintage does not have the legendary reputation of the acclaimed 2005, I remained intrigued by the local topography, walking through the vineyards and experiencing first-hand the passion, mystique and history that comprises Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is located near the Atlantic ocean in the southwest of France. The city is divided into two along the Garonne River, with the right bank to the East and the left bank in the West, this climate is perfect for the grapes that the wines of Bordeaux are comprised of (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec) to grow and fully ripen.
While some may argue that the climate is the most important reason that Bordeaux is so great, most would say that the reason Bordeaux is so great is because of its terroir. The basic idea of terroir is the idea that a certain plot of land and the slope of the land contributes to the distinctive character of a wine and that the character given to the wine from the soil is different from the same grape grown on a different plot of land. While the notion of terroir may be difficult for some to comprehend, I am a firm believer in its principal and truth. Furthermore, I believe that Bordeaux has some of the best terroir on planet earth. A bottle of Bordeaux has so much distinctive character, both aromatically and in its flavor profile that it almost seduces you and in doing so, it sets itself apart from virtually every other wine region in the world.
As for any wine region in the world, the weather throughout the year, especially during the growing season is very important as it can play a role in determining the quality of the wine that is produced in that year. For 2007, the weather in Bordeaux was less than ideal during the summer months due to the amount of rain that fell, which caused mildew and hurt the quality of the fruit. However, the weather in September was very hot and dry, which ended up saving the vintage from being a disaster.
After tasting hundreds of red, white and sweet wines from the 2007 Bordeaux vintage, I found that the best red wines from the vintage were made by the Chateaux that practiced vigilant pruning in the vineyard and then followed with a strict selection process at the sorting tables during the harvest. Those attentive Chateaux produced wines that are charming, soft, fruity and easy to taste in their youth. Those that did not follow those steps produced lean, thin, diluted, green wines. The real successes of the 2007 Vintage are the dry white wines of Pessac-Leognan and Graves. These wines provide great bouquet, body, texture and fruit in the mouth. In addition, the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac possess great concentration, delineation, purity, and freshness of fruit. Certainly, this is a noteworthy vintage for lovers of hedonistic sweet wine.
My journey began at Chateau Angelus, early one Monday morning in late March. My feelings of apprehension dissolved as I met and encountered the warm smile of Coralie de Bouard, the daughter of Chateau Angelus owner, Hubert de Bouard, Coralie gave me a brief tour of the property, offices and the cellar before escorting me to the tasting room. We tasted several of the family’s wines, including the 2007 Angelus. I was very impressed with the 2007 Angelus, which was rather plush and charming, with soft round fruit. Lesser estates were challenged in 2007 to produce wines of pleasing ripeness. I remember thinking that tasting Angelus was a stellar way to start my trip!
Visiting famous chateau after chateau during the next few days was something I had wanted to do ever since I developed my passion for the great wines of Bordeaux. Two of my most memorable visits were to Chateau Lafluer and Chateau Le Pin. At Chateau Lafleur, I was able to taste in the cellar with the owner! We tasted not only the 2007 Lafleur, but also the recently bottled 2006. Chateau Lafleur produces a super sexy, complex, round and plush style of wine that is very difficult to find as the production is only 1000 cases for the whole world! Tasting at Chateau Le Pin is like tasting wine in somebody's basement. Simple surroundings, but well worth a visit. Le Pin has become one of my favorite wines of the world, not to mention one of the most expensive as this wine has a huge following from collectors worldwide. The wine is super rich, exotic, round and lush with layers of concentrated fruit. I was fortunate enough to taste both the 2007 and the 2006 Le Pin, which were some of the best wines of the trip.
From standing next to the dome at Chateau Latour, to seeing the soil at arguably one of the greatest terroir on the planet, Chateau Ausone, and then dinning with the charming Juliette Becot at Beausejour Duffau, the trip could not have been more memorable. But like all good things, my trip came to an end, and before I knew it I was back on a plane headed to Dallas, with memories that will last a lifetime. And while there is no substitute for my experience and journey in Bordeaux, a bottle of Bordeaux with a home cooked meal is the next best thing. Richard O'Neil
Wine Consultant
Centennial Fine Wines & Spirits
8123 Preston Rd
Dallas, TX 75225 |
