Comments on: Weekend Picks http://www.cherriesandclay.com/2009/09/18/weekend-picks-5/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:53:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jake http://www.cherriesandclay.com/2009/09/18/weekend-picks-5/#comment-352 Jake Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:52:05 +0000 http://www.cherriesandclay.com/?p=1250#comment-352 Thanks for your insight Khristian. I guess the more you taste, the more you know what to look for in the young wine and what those characteristics will translate into. That does seem like an odd practice - transporting '08 barrel samples across the globe... Thanks for your insight Khristian. I guess the more you taste, the more you know what to look for in the young wine and what those characteristics will translate into.

That does seem like an odd practice - transporting ‘08 barrel samples across the globe…

]]> By: khristian http://www.cherriesandclay.com/2009/09/18/weekend-picks-5/#comment-350 khristian Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:33:08 +0000 http://www.cherriesandclay.com/?p=1250#comment-350 I go to Bordeaux every April to the "En Prineur" trade tastings - the basis of which support the whole en primeur campaign each year. Yes, it is a Herculean task - young wine, high tannins, very volatile wines that are ever-evolving. We will taste upwards of 200 wines each day and by the end of it your tongue is black, your lips are black and cracking, and your body is screaming for a cold beer and oysters! The inetresting thing is that at each host Chateau per commune you will taste certain wines and then about 45 minutes later the wines will be tasted at their "home" Chateau and taste totally different. Is it you palate, have they provided you with a different sample? Who knows? This is what leads us to "Parkerized samples" et al. Young Bordeaux is a mystery and I don't think anybody has the forecasting down to a science. Suffice to sa ythat 2006 is a tricky vintage - basically mediocre and over priced. These are drinkers, not thinkers - and who has the money after going deep on all those kickass '05s? Choose only the best Chateaux who could afford the most scrupulous vineyard regime. Choose carefully, very, very carefully and you will be rewarded some good medium-term Bordeaux. I see Bill Blatch will be coming to Vancouver in a few weeks - he is a great source of Bordeaux information but I am shocked that the Chateaux would allow him to pour barrrel samples of the 2008 vintage here in Vancouver of a good number of wines (VERY unstable at this stage and how much " bottle shock" will these wines be going through?) Surely not representative and the wines won't even be in the market for another 2 years at which point they will be totally different animals! I go to Bordeaux every April to the “En Prineur” trade tastings - the basis of which support the whole en primeur campaign each year.

Yes, it is a Herculean task - young wine, high tannins, very volatile wines that are ever-evolving. We will taste upwards of 200 wines each day and by the end of it your tongue is black, your lips are black and cracking, and your body is screaming for a cold beer and oysters!

The inetresting thing is that at each host Chateau per commune you will taste certain wines and then about 45 minutes later the wines will be tasted at their “home” Chateau and taste totally different. Is it you palate, have they provided you with a different sample? Who knows? This is what leads us to “Parkerized samples” et al.

Young Bordeaux is a mystery and I don’t think anybody has the forecasting down to a science. Suffice to sa ythat 2006 is a tricky vintage - basically mediocre and over priced. These are drinkers, not thinkers - and who has the money after going deep on all those kickass ’05s? Choose only the best Chateaux who could afford the most scrupulous vineyard regime.

Choose carefully, very, very carefully and you will be rewarded some good medium-term Bordeaux.

I see Bill Blatch will be coming to Vancouver in a few weeks - he is a great source of Bordeaux information but I am shocked that the Chateaux would allow him to pour barrrel samples of the 2008 vintage here in Vancouver of a good number of wines (VERY unstable at this stage and how much ” bottle shock” will these wines be going through?) Surely not representative and the wines won’t even be in the market for another 2 years at which point they will be totally different animals!

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