The Bordeaux 2017 harvest was grueling for most wineries, to say the least. Even on Premier Cru estates, it took winemakers every ounce of effort to grow and pick a minuscule number of grapes by the end of the harvest season. In many terroirs, yields were down by an average of 41 percent, sometimes more. This means that some winemakers were left struggling to find enough grapes with which to produce wine.
Renowned wine critic James Suckling is fortunate enough to sample some of the greatest wines in the world, from legendary DRC vintages to the rarest Lafite-Rothschild. So when a critic as experienced as Suckling calls a wine “mythic,” it certainly commands attention. Suckling’s review of 2005 LaFleur Pomerol is downright gushing; he calls this wine “fine and beautiful” with a “rich, powerful palate” that continues to build long after the last drop hits your tongue. This is one of the many reasons why 2005 LaFleur is considered the best Bordeaux blend for collectors who adore a more muscular wine.
Over dinner one evening, I had an animated discussion with a group of wine-loving friends about which Bordeaux wines are overrated. None of us could agree on a producer; there was always at least one person in the group who loved a particular “overrated” estate. But when one of my friends suggested that Liber Pater is the most overrated wine in Bordeaux, it gave all of us pause. It’s surely the most expensive wine in the region–the question is whether the added expense is actually worthwhile for collectors, or if the wines are more hype than substance. Ultimately, the value of Liber Pater Bordeaux will depend on your own collection and goals. Before you invest in these bottles, consider whether the current Quality-Price Ratio (QPR) matters to you, or if you’d rather spend a little extra to stay loyal to Graves craftsmanship.
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Yquem -2001 Yquem -2007 Yquem -2011 Yquem Chateau d’Yquem’s 2001 vintage nearly breaks our rating system. It’s one of those rare wines that already tastes perfect in its youth, and only seems to get remarkably better as the years wear on. Many critics who have tried this wine aren’t even sure…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Cos d’Estournel -2009 Cos d’Estournel -Harlan -Mouton-Rothschild If you want to get a room full of shy wine enthusiasts to talk, just say the words, “2009 Cos d’Estournel.” I’ve seen collectors come close to fisticuffs over this seemingly unobtrusive vintage. This is the very definition of a polarizing wine; most collectors either…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Cos d’Estournel -Lafite-Rothschild -Latour -Mouton-Rothschild -Haut Brion -Petrus -Cheval Blanc -Angelus -Talbot -L’Evangile After spending nearly a week in France last year, I quickly learned which recent Bordeaux vintages were worth my time. I already knew which vintages critics loved best, like 2009 L’Evangile or 2005 Lafite-Rothschild, but trying these superb…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Pichon Lalande 1982 -Angelus -Latour When I asked my uncle to name his all-time favorite bottle of Bordeaux, his answer surprised me. “It’s 1982 Pichon Lalande, by far,” he said. Although he had uncorked other greats like Angelus and Latour, he loved the 1982 Pichon Lalande most of all. This vintage…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Ausone -Angelus -Cheval Blanc Close to one year after Burgundy’s devastating 2016 frost, Bordeaux went through an equally destructive cold snap that damaged up to 90 percent of the vines on some estates. On April 27, 2017, winemakers in most regions of Bordeaux awakened to temperatures as low as 24.8°F, cold…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Lafite -Latour -Haut-Brion -Margaux -Mouton Rothschild -Leoville Las Cases -Cos d’Estournel -Pontet Canet -Pichon Lalande -Lynch Bages It’s the time of year when the entire wine world is focused on one thing – Bordeaux futures. After several years of decreased demand in the U.S., the 2015 vintage ignited new interest with…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –Montrose 2009 –Montrose 2010 When I originally looked into some of the latest releases from Montrose, I assumed that the 2009 was more collectible than the 2010. After all, the 2009 costs about $100 more per bottle than the 2010. But after digging through numerous tasting notes and looking at the…
The problem with legendary vintages that are more than 90 years old is not whether they’re worth investing in–they undoubtedly are–it’s that finding an authentic bottle becomes more and more difficult every year. A wine like 1928 Mouton-Rothschild combines rarity, old age, and quality, and it’s these factors that make it one of the greatest…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: Chateau Petrus Chateau Lafleur Chateau l’Eglise Clinet The words on nearly every collector’s lips this year are “2016 Bordeaux.” I haven’t seen collectors get this excited over a new Bordeaux vintage since the iconic 2009. During the past five years, many of my closest wine loving friends have complained that Bordeaux…