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Bordeaux trip 2007-Update #1

Bordeaux trip 2007 Update

So it is 1:50am here in Bordeaux and the trip is going amazingly well. I have been to Chateau Margaux, Le Gay, Brane Cantenac, Haut Brisson, Reignac and Cos D’estrounel. I am really excited about a lot of the wines I have tasted and I can honestly say I am absolutely floored by the quality of the 2005’s! I am extremely surprised how shockingly good the 2004 and 2006 vintages that I have tasted are. I am very worried that the 2006 prices will be high(which would be too bad since they seem good), the wines seem very strong and the 2006 Cos was a 95-97 point wine but after the huge 2005 futures rush anything short of a 35-50% reduction in price will result in a soft market. The 2004 have been a huge surprise and I am really blown away by the freshness and elegance of these wines and given the prices there will be some real steals. I will not say much about the 2005 except that the 2005 Margaux I had was the best young wine I have ever had and I scored it a 100! I have also been in many meetings tasting wines and have had a few very special dinners with friends. Below are the scores only from the trip so far.

Chateau Margaux 2005—100
Chateau Margaux 2004—95
Cos D’Estrounel 2006—95-97
Chateau Haut Brion 2003—94
Cheval Blanc 2003—94
Chateau Pichon Lalande 1996—96
Brane-Cantenac 2004—90
Brane-Cantenac 2005—92-95
Brane-Cantenac 2006—87-90
Brane-Cantenac 1985—90
Chateau Leoville Barton 2004—90
Chateau Angelus 2004—93
Chateau Montrose 2004—91
Chateau Pontet Canet 2004—94+
Chateau Pichon Lalande 2004—92
Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1962—91 🙂
Reignac 2001—89
Reignac 2002—88+?
Reignac 2003—90
Reignac 2004—90
Reignac 2005—92-94
Balthus 2004—93
Balthus 2005—94-96
Balthus 2006—92-95
Le Gay 2005—98+
Le Gay 2006—93-95

Surprises of the trip so far.

Monbousquet 2002—92 I have had many bad 2002’s on this trip but this has it going on.
Chateau Montviel 2005—92-95 Man is this winery on the rise
Couvent Des Jaconins St Emilion 2000—91 What is this?


I have had many more and at least 200+ that I scored under 86 points, I also had a slew of 1st growths that were older but need to go and look at the notes. I miss you guys. I have a WHOLE lot more tasting coming up!
Question of the Day: What are you doing without WLTV?

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  • Bobinnati

    I am not spending nearly as much money on wine without WLTV! Have a good trip.

  • OttawaB

    QOTD: Its anarchy here GV. The Anti-Chris has been overthrown. Tampa has instituted free global shipping policies (but only for himself). Hope Bordeaux is keeping you primed with good wine. Would really like to see you taste some 2004’s. Also hope you tell us the sub-86 scoring wines.

  • Bobinnati

    I am not spending nearly as much money on wine without WLTV! Have a good trip.

  • OttawaB

    QOTD: Its anarchy here GV. The Anti-Chris has been overthrown. Tampa has instituted free global shipping policies (but only for himself). Hope Bordeaux is keeping you primed with good wine. Would really like to see you taste some 2004’s. Also hope you tell us the sub-86 scoring wines.

  • Patt

    QOTD: I will answer with a question that should say it all:

    Did you know that Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies go surprisingly well with Hardy’s Wine Box Shiraz?

  • Patt

    QOTD: I will answer with a question that should say it all:

    Did you know that Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies go surprisingly well with Hardy’s Wine Box Shiraz?

  • Michael M.

    Patt, Thin Mints and box wine; man what are we going to do?

  • Michael M.

    Patt, Thin Mints and box wine; man what are we going to do?

  • Wow, what a fantastic cast of wines you are able to taste. My wife and I are definitely jealous.

    John

  • Wow, what a fantastic cast of wines you are able to taste. My wife and I are definitely jealous.

    John

  • Bill H

    Awesome report from Bourdeax, thanks! Just saw you on INHD. Nicely done. BTW, I stumbled into a 2005 Chateau Le Dôme St Emilion barrel sample the other day. I’m still tasting it! Unbelievable wine, chocolate, black olives, seamless on the palate, and drinking incredibly well already. Blown away.

  • Bill H

    Awesome report from Bourdeax, thanks! Just saw you on INHD. Nicely done. BTW, I stumbled into a 2005 Chateau Le Dôme St Emilion barrel sample the other day. I’m still tasting it! Unbelievable wine, chocolate, black olives, seamless on the palate, and drinking incredibly well already. Blown away.

  • Bill H

    Awesome report from Bordeaux, thanks! Just saw you on INHD. Nicely done. BTW, I stumbled into a 2005 Chateau Le Dôme St Emilion barrel sample the other day. I’m still tasting it! Unbelievable wine, chocolate, black olives, seamless on the palate, and drinking incredibly well already. Blown away.

  • Bill H

    Awesome report from Bordeaux, thanks! Just saw you on INHD. Nicely done. BTW, I stumbled into a 2005 Chateau Le Dôme St Emilion barrel sample the other day. I’m still tasting it! Unbelievable wine, chocolate, black olives, seamless on the palate, and drinking incredibly well already. Blown away.

  • NY Pete

    QOD… saving $$$$$$$$$$

  • NY Pete

    QOD… saving $$$$$$$$$$

  • CRZYWinemaker

    Gary, can I hitch a ride next year ? Seriously though, as a new winemaker, I would love to be able to hook up with a few of the Chateau’s in Bordeaux. That would be a trip of a lifetime !!

    QOTD: Tasting barrels samples of my wine, crying a little into the 2006 Yakima Valley Syrah ’cause I miss GV,along with the thought he’s tasting 100 pt wines, but I’ll give myself 20-30 yrs to create wines that GV is gushing about. Pickle juice is King !!!

  • CRZYWinemaker

    Gary, can I hitch a ride next year ? Seriously though, as a new winemaker, I would love to be able to hook up with a few of the Chateau’s in Bordeaux. That would be a trip of a lifetime !!

    QOTD: Tasting barrels samples of my wine, crying a little into the 2006 Yakima Valley Syrah ’cause I miss GV,along with the thought he’s tasting 100 pt wines, but I’ll give myself 20-30 yrs to create wines that GV is gushing about. Pickle juice is King !!!

  • Trish da’ Dish

    QOTD-I’ve just been working really hard (at work), and trying to recover from it (once I get home). Yes, like everyone else on here, I do miss you. I’m just chillin’ on that, though, because I know that you’ll be back soon!

  • Trish da’ Dish

    QOTD-I’ve just been working really hard (at work), and trying to recover from it (once I get home). Yes, like everyone else on here, I do miss you. I’m just chillin’ on that, though, because I know that you’ll be back soon!

  • Answer for the question of the day: I’m crying to sleep and I will probably go to France next week (which isn’t hard to do, since I base in Germany now), because I miss you so much 😉 Cheers!

  • Answer for the question of the day: I’m crying to sleep and I will probably go to France next week (which isn’t hard to do, since I base in Germany now), because I miss you so much 😉 Cheers!

  • From the NY Times ‘It Boils Down to This: Cheap Wine Works Fine’ by Julia Moskin.

    “a California chardonnay so oaky it tasted as if it had been aged in a box of No. 2 pencils.”

    Uh-oh Gary, perhaps someone’s been sneaking episodes of Wine Library TV and is adopting your trademark style?
    Kathleen

    p.s. I only think this because I find myself doing it as well. I told my boyfriend I drank a glass of popcorn the other day.

  • From the NY Times ‘It Boils Down to This: Cheap Wine Works Fine’ by Julia Moskin.

    “a California chardonnay so oaky it tasted as if it had been aged in a box of No. 2 pencils.”

    Uh-oh Gary, perhaps someone’s been sneaking episodes of Wine Library TV and is adopting your trademark style?
    Kathleen

    p.s. I only think this because I find myself doing it as well. I told my boyfriend I drank a glass of popcorn the other day.

  • Gary, did you taste any Chateau du Manure? 🙂

    QOTD: I’ve been drinking some of the wine you recommended and I’m running low. I loved that Tensley Syrah.

  • Gary, did you taste any Chateau du Manure? 🙂

    QOTD: I’ve been drinking some of the wine you recommended and I’m running low. I loved that Tensley Syrah.

  • Ben N.

    Gary, I’m jealous I would have loved to have try all of those wines, how cool is that.
    Have a great time.

  • Ben N.

    Gary, I’m jealous I would have loved to have try all of those wines, how cool is that.
    Have a great time.

  • Harley Stan

    Gary,
    Sounds like you are having a great trip so far, can’t wait for a return episode to hear all about it.
    QOTD- We usually have dinner after WLTV, so I am just slowly starving to death.

  • Harley Stan

    Gary,
    Sounds like you are having a great trip so far, can’t wait for a return episode to hear all about it.
    QOTD- We usually have dinner after WLTV, so I am just slowly starving to death.

  • Shotgun

    QOD– Tasting and enjoying WL wines, of course…

  • Shotgun

    QOD– Tasting and enjoying WL wines, of course…

  • Jennifer

    KA

  • Jennifer

    KA

  • What am I doing without WLTV? Shrinking……………………..

  • What am I doing without WLTV? Shrinking……………………..

  • Trish da’ Dish

    Gary–Matty Van should win a bottle of one of those delicious French wines you’re bringing back, for giving the “Funniest Reply to the QOTD.” (see post #67)
    I laughed and laughed my head off after I read about his…er…recent travails after losing his daily dose of Gary V. Then I showed Matty’s reply to everyone I could locate, and they laughed, too!
    C’est ridicule, non?!

  • Trish da’ Dish

    Gary–Matty Van should win a bottle of one of those delicious French wines you’re bringing back, for giving the “Funniest Reply to the QOTD.” (see post #67)
    I laughed and laughed my head off after I read about his…er…recent travails after losing his daily dose of Gary V. Then I showed Matty’s reply to everyone I could locate, and they laughed, too!
    C’est ridicule, non?!

  • Jim

    QOTD: Crying in my wine

  • Jim

    QOTD: Crying in my wine

  • Dana

    QOTD- Just hanging out waiting to see what odd thing you’ll do when you get back on the WLTV. I agree with Trish da’Dish about the best post. I showed it to my daughter and she laughed too. Doesn’t sound like much but when you can get a teenager to laugh before 8am on a school day that’s pretty huge. Enjoy the trip and GO PACK GO!

  • Dana

    QOTD- Just hanging out waiting to see what odd thing you’ll do when you get back on the WLTV. I agree with Trish da’Dish about the best post. I showed it to my daughter and she laughed too. Doesn’t sound like much but when you can get a teenager to laugh before 8am on a school day that’s pretty huge. Enjoy the trip and GO PACK GO!

  • PhilB

    Hey Gary and Vayniacs!
    Great post as usual… My plane landed in Paris at 20h15 last night and I managed to rush out of the airport to attend a great 2004 Bordeaux tasting at the Lavinia store (a must-go if you’re ever in Paris….apparently the biggest wine store in Europe…) and was quite pleased with the quality of the vintage too… Here are my favorites…

    Château Léoville-Poyferré 93+
    Château Le Queyroux cuvée Joyau (amazing stuff from Cotes de Blaye) 93
    Château Figeac 93
    Château La Conseillante 92+
    Château Le Puy cuvée Barthélémy 92+
    Château Smith Haut-Lafitte rouge 92
    Château Lynch-Bages 92
    Château Coutet 91+
    Château Brane-Cantenac 91
    Château Pontet-Canet 91
    Château Beychevelle 91
    Château Montrose 90
    Château La Croix des Templiers 90
    Château Haut-Bailly 90
    Château Grand Puy Lacoste 90

    Pichon Lalande disapointed me… 88!! Anyways, the prices for 04 should be really decent with all the hype about 03 and 05! Stock up on some really, more abordable Bordeaux folks! Anybody else had the chance to be there?? (hey, WLTV is getting to be really international, people!!!)

  • PhilB

    Hey Gary and Vayniacs!
    Great post as usual… My plane landed in Paris at 20h15 last night and I managed to rush out of the airport to attend a great 2004 Bordeaux tasting at the Lavinia store (a must-go if you’re ever in Paris….apparently the biggest wine store in Europe…) and was quite pleased with the quality of the vintage too… Here are my favorites…

    Château Léoville-Poyferré 93+
    Château Le Queyroux cuvée Joyau (amazing stuff from Cotes de Blaye) 93
    Château Figeac 93
    Château La Conseillante 92+
    Château Le Puy cuvée Barthélémy 92+
    Château Smith Haut-Lafitte rouge 92
    Château Lynch-Bages 92
    Château Coutet 91+
    Château Brane-Cantenac 91
    Château Pontet-Canet 91
    Château Beychevelle 91
    Château Montrose 90
    Château La Croix des Templiers 90
    Château Haut-Bailly 90
    Château Grand Puy Lacoste 90

    Pichon Lalande disapointed me… 88!! Anyways, the prices for 04 should be really decent with all the hype about 03 and 05! Stock up on some really, more abordable Bordeaux folks! Anybody else had the chance to be there?? (hey, WLTV is getting to be really international, people!!!)

  • Steve R

    Have a great trip! QOTD: Catching up on the older WLTV episodes… new job, fell way behind on my Vayner-fix.

  • Steve R

    Have a great trip! QOTD: Catching up on the older WLTV episodes… new job, fell way behind on my Vayner-fix.

  • KMANN

    FYI – Wine Library got a plug today in the Tastings column of the WSJ…

  • KMANN

    FYI – Wine Library got a plug today in the Tastings column of the WSJ…

  • RMD

    Damn! I *just* got back from a trip to the Burgundy region of France! I guess I just missed you at Charles de Gaulle. 🙂

    I had some GREAT wines while I was there. I took a wonderful tour of several wineries, and even got to taste a wonderful 1988 pinot from just outside of Beaune.

    Enjoy Bordeaux.

  • RMD

    Damn! I *just* got back from a trip to the Burgundy region of France! I guess I just missed you at Charles de Gaulle. 🙂

    I had some GREAT wines while I was there. I took a wonderful tour of several wineries, and even got to taste a wonderful 1988 pinot from just outside of Beaune.

    Enjoy Bordeaux.

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