|
Bordeaux in a
Nutshell
There are 9,000 chateaux in the French region of Bordeaux, although
only about 100 actually dominate the market and have fueled the
Bordeaux region’s reputation worldwide for more than two centuries.
Only 61 are part of the exclusive “club” of the official
classification of 1855 that rated them from First Growth to Fifth
Growth. Almost all of them are from Médoc,
except for one Graves, chateau Haut-Brion, and one Sauternes, chateau
d’Yquem.
Not all Bordeaux were classified. Only the Médoc,
Sauternes-Barsac, Saint-Emilion and
Graves regions are classified. Pomerol is too small to be worth classifying,
but in-the-know wine collectors are savvy to the name Pétrus,
among other standouts, commonly considered to be at least the equal of
the First Growths.
Bordeaux
is the largest fine wine-producing region in the world, with an annual
production of approximately 600 million bottles of which nearly 45
percent of reds and 60 percent of whites are exported. The seven major
export markets are Belgium, Germany, England, Denmark, the
Netherlands, Canada and the United States. White, red, rosé and even
sparkling wines are produced in Bordeaux, but it’s the reds and whites
that are the big stars.
The well-balanced nature and longevity of red Bordeaux wines come from
the subtle blend of five grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and to a lesser degree Malbec. The
elegant aromas, vivacity and softness of the whites also come from the
blend of five grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon,
Muscadelle and sometimes Colombard and Ugni Blanc.
Naturally, the six chateaux classified as First Growth are exceptional
(Lafite Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion and
Yquem). However, they are well out of the price range of mere mortals.
Lower-ranked classified chateaux are more affordable but still
expensive, often costing more than $150 per bottle in recent vintages.
On the other hand, some second labels, Cru Bourgeois and village
appellation wines are available at more reasonable prices. The better
reds, and whites from Sauternes, are the world champions of aging
(sometimes well over 100 years), along with vintage Port, Vin Jaune
from Jura, France, and Tokay from Hungary.
Second best
So what do the fashion obsessed turn to when they want Ralph Lauren’s
or Donna Karan’s latest but can’t quite stomach the hefty price tag?
They look to their second labels, Chaps and DKNY. Luckily, such
options also exist for wine aficionados.
Second labels of fine wines exist in many countries, both from the Old
World and the New World, but those from classified Bordeaux can really
embody the tradition, style and excellence of a grand vin without the
grand prices.
These are wines that fail to meet the exacting and very high standards
of the chateau, and are designed to use for any glut of wine or a
harvest that may not be up to these standards. In France, there can be
strict regional quotas on how much of a particular wine a winery can
sell under its top label and most of the time these wines are made
from the younger vines of the property.
Although always part of the market, the production of second wines in
Bordeaux became commercially important in the 1980s when increasing
competition forced chateau owners to select grapes more rigorously to
justify high prices.
The next time you want the opulence and splendor of a Bordeaux,
consider these great wines that just happen to be great value as
well:
First, the second
labels of the 6 First Growths:
- Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
Second label: Carruades de Lafite
- Chateau Mouton Rothschild Second label: Le Petit Mouton de
Mouton Rothschild
- Chateau Latour econd label: Les-Forts-de-Latour (Third
Label: Pauillac)
- Chateau Margaux Second label: Pavillon Rouge du Chateau
Margaux
- Chateau Haut-Brion Second label: Bahans Haut-Brion
- Chateau d’Yquem Second label: Y (although mostly dry, Y from
chateau d’Yquem has declared only 23 vintages since 1959)
Expect prices of
second labels to be generally 50 percent to 70 percent lower than
prices of the chateau. In recent vintages, since 1996, expect the
“second top guns” listed above to go from Rp 1 million to Rp 2 million
per bottle in Jakarta (available at V+, C.&C. and M)
More affordable picks
I have also spotted in
Jakarta
some excellent value for other second labels of lower-ranked chateaux.
They include:
* Duluc
2002 and 2003, the second of Branaire-Ducru, St. Julien (V+);
* Larose de Gruaud 2001 and 1999, the second of Gruaud Larose, St.
Julien (C.&C.);
* Les Fiefs de Lagrange 1997, the second of Lagrange, St. Julien
(C.&C.);
* Chevalier de Lascombes 2002 and 2003, the second of Lascombes,
Margaux (V+);
* Blason d’Issan 2002, the second of d’Issan, Margaux- (C. &
C.);
* Carillon de l’Angélus 2000, the second of l’Angélus, St. Emilion
(C.&C.).
These are
great buys ranging from Rp 350,000 to Rp 850,000 per bottle. My final
advice is that when buying second labels, always be choosy with the
vintage. In great vintages like 2000, there are stellar values. But
less than nice vintages, like 1994 or 2004, can be real stinkers.
Also, I
recently discovered an underdog, but not a second label, called
Chateau Haut-Barreyre 2003, modest Appellation Bordeaux Controlée,
which is a must-buy at Rp 238,000 a bottle (V+).
With a light mouth feel of cherry fruit, subtle oak and smooth
tannins, it is simply a terrific little wine. The label “bizarrely”
resembles the one from Chateau Lafite
Rothschild. A very good sign.
These wines are available in
Jakarta
at the following locations:
VIN + (V+)
Jl. Kemang Raya No. 45B (021) 7179 2577
CHEESE and CAVIAR (C.&C.) Plaza Indonesia
(021) 310 7577
MAGNUM (M.) Bellagio Boutique Mall (021) 300 66597
Christian Vanneque
was head sommelier of La Tour d’Argent in Paris and professor at
L’Academie du Vin in
Paris.
He served as a judge at the legendary 1976 Paris Wine Tasting
and in 2006
at the 30th anniversary of that tasting in Napa, California
Contact:
Christian@TheWineCircus.com
Home
| 
