Sunday, May 27, 2007

Bordeaux 2006

I did not attend this year en primeur campaign in Bordeaux. However, I have done the research based on the weather report from Bill Blatch of Vintex (almost everyone in the field uses his vintage assessment), 2006 Bordeaux reviewed by Parker , James Suckling and Jancis Robinson to providing the following overviews of this quality-mixed vintage.

There were several events that took place which characterized the vintage of 2006. First of all, this is a weather-delayed vintage, which generally produces more classic-Bordeaux style of restrained, elegant, tannin wines. This vintage has started-off optimistically and look to be another return of the glorious 2005 quality. Since the vines has still not recovered from the previous drought years of 2003, 2005, the vine recognized to keep the same output as last year in order to fight for another possible drought for survival. So, the potential yield has been low from start, which indicated from the number of embryo bunches. 2006 winter is the cooler of the last 25 years, which results in late, but healthy budding. The spring rainfall was lower than average, but the longest heatwave that lasted 19 days looked as though it was another return of the extreme weather of the exceptional 2003. The véraison (grape changing of color) started early, especially for the early-ripening Merlot, however it was blocked and spun out longer than usual due to drought where the vine naturally shut down the vegetative circle. It has result in uneven ripeness of grapes, which account for some greenness found in some 2006s. The best 2006s are those with well-financed Châteaus that can afford to do severe sorting. However, August changed things dramatically. The gloomy August swelled and weakened the grapes with its cool and damp weather. The best Châteaus are those that work hard throughout August to do de-leafings, crop-thinnings, preventing the risk of rot as well as reduces the crop load in order to encourage better ripeness. After a moist August, the early September saw the weather changed, the hot and dry September helped to build up the grapes sugar levels, which also explained some exceptional dry graves being produced due to their early ripening. The earliest Merlots in Pomerol and Graves that picked before the heavy rain of September 11 have been the most successful category of 2006 reds. From September 11th-25th heavy rain fell across the region, exception for Cabernet Sauvignon, which resisted well with the rain, however, both Cabernet Franc and Petit-Verdot struggled to ripe. Cabernet Sauvignon has further concentrated when the return of ideal warm weather in late September, early October. In general, Cabernet Sauvignon also fared better than the Merlots, particularly for the late-picked Merlots in St.-Emilion, which appears to be the wild card in this vintage, according to Parker.

Here are some remarks from famous Bordeaux vignerons during the recent interview by James Suckling;

"This is a year when great terroir (in this case referred as vineyard) triumphed" said Denis Durantou of L'Église Clinet.

"Only producers with great vineyards who worked seriously made serious wines...it wasn't a great year," said Jean-Philippe Mascles, cellar master of Haut-Brion.

"If we had this year 10 years ago it would have been a very average year, but these days, we have the resources to make excellent wines now in such vintage," said Thomas Duroux of Château Palmer.

"The 2006 is a great classic but in a modern way. It is not closed, like the old classics. They are more dense and open," said Paul Pontailler of Château Margaux.

" I would have loved a little more fun in this wine. It is a little serious," said Frédéric Engere of Château Latour.

"These are not modern wines by any means, they are wines that are going to need lots of aging," said Charles Chevalier of Château Lafite

For those who are keen about the latest Bordeaux scene, I am pleased to update you the following changes. L'Arrosee of St.-Emilion has changed ownership, new owner Roger Caille has hired oenologist Gilles Pauguet (same consultant for Cheval Blanc & Figeac) as their consultant; Pierre Seillan and Californian vintner, Jess Jackson St.-Emilion project has released their first debut of Lasseque from St.-Emilion; Montrose has welcome the new winemaker onboard, Jean-Bernard Delmas, former winemaker of Haut-Brion, La Mission; Pichon Lalande after acquired by Roederer Champagne has seek advise from Hubert de Boüard of L'Angélus as consultant; La-Tour-Haut-Brion has ended their production this year. All the fruit of this once famous Château will eventually goes into La Mission Haut-Brion and it second wine.

Am I MAD?

In the eye of all parents. All their children are special, unique of their own. They do not pose judgment on whether one is better than the other and neither do they ask one to be resembling another. They're all different, however, unique in their own way. The case with winemaker and their wines (or should I say, their child) resembling all parental attitude toward their child. They view all their wines no different from one to another despite coming from different sites. They raise them equally with their skills and knowledge, and acknowledge that, due to their differences of fruit sourced may result in difference in character. However, it is difficult for them to say, which wine (or vineyard) is better than the other. My recent tasting with Kai Schubert of Schubert wine from Martinborough of New Zealand clearly echos that.

Schubert Pinot Noir 2004 was recently voted the best wine along with 1999 Comte de Vogue Musigny in a blind tasting in Berlin. That give you some idea on my anticipation when I come to meet Kai Schubert on one Saturday afternoon. Schubert sourced his fruit from Wairarapa, the North Island of New Zealand, just north of Wellington. This unique area is protected by surrounding mountains, which is rainless during summers and autumns. The relatively cool and windy condition is best suited to the growth of Burgundian's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Schubert Pinot Noir came primarly from three different clones; the Marion's Vineyard used predominantly "Able" clones, similar to those used by Ata Rangi, as well as "Pommard" clones, which Schubert told me was from the original cutting of DRC. As for the "Schubert" pinot noir, it consists mostly with "Dijon" clones. All the pinot noir are 100% destemmed and cold macerated for one week prior to the alcohol fermentation. Fermentation/maceration lasted for 3-4 weeks and the wine is subsequently aged in French oak barrel for 15 months (oak from the French forest of Allier, Trançois, Nevre by three different cooperages of Rousseau, François Frères & Remond). Schubert's pinot noir is clearly marked by cold-soak character of syrup-like sweetness and suppleness palate feel. The wine often has a strong pronounce of raspberries fruit and earth, with their 04 Schubert carrying an interesting mint element. All his 05s clearly coming from a warmer vintage and fruit leaning toward more jamminess. I found his pinot noir generally lacking verve and structured to hold that pliant and slightly overwhelming sweet palate. I however enjoy his Syrah, with its unique, Côte-Rôtie like of white pepper and smoke, which I thought was his best wine of that afternoon tasting.

Schubert is proud about his pinot noir, despite I've shown more enthusiasm over his Syrah. In the past, I have encountered the same experience with winemaker like David Ramey with his Hyde over his Hudson Chardonnay, with Eric Sussman of Radio Coteau's Hellenthal versus his Savoy pinot noir. Being an outsider, which I have no sentimental attachment. I realized I have the ability to look beyond the wines and discovered the most unique among, better than the winemaker themselves. Sandro Mosele, winemaker of Kooyong in Mornington Peninsula has perhaps value my view and he has suggested that I visit him in his cellar one day to formulate my ideal pinot noir. That is how we all started the making of MAD pinot noir.

M.A.D. consists of Michael, Andy & David, which were the initial group of people that conceptualized the idea of making the best pinot noir from Australia, taking the burgundian as an yardstick, and since, Burgundy is all about lieu-dit, we focus our source primarily from Kooyong single-vineyard pinot noir. Of all Sandro's pinot noir single vineyard bottling, Sandro preferred his Haven, which I clearly agree with him when aging ability is concern. I however found Haven pinot noir to be too severe and charmless during their youth, behave much like a young Pommard. His Meres pinot noir is clearly the lighter, more elegant style. Often lack the middle materials to be grandeur. Is like, no matter how hard the Le Grand Rue is trying, it can never taste like a La Tache! I have always been fond of Kooyong's Ferrous vineyard. The slightly shaded vineyard, which prevented the direct sunlight, along with it unique iron-encrusted sandstone which give-off both mineral and finesse from such well drained, low-vigor soil. The light soil generally lead to perfume, elegance and femininity, which is what you can expect from Ferrous pinot noir. It has the unusual high-pitched black cherry and almost Vosne's like spice, along with juicy palate, but keeping the focus and precision. The underlying acidity also give-off good verve as well as the tangy feel, which is a rare show particularly for Aussie's pinot. M.A.D. pinot noir was selected from 2004 harvest of Ferrous vineyard. The selection was made by myself of two special barrels (unblended) from François Frères of Trançois forest. The remaining Ferrous pinot noir (assemblage before bottling) want into Kooyong bottling and was later awarded by Tanzer a high 92 points.

1996 Burgundy

Burgundy seem to have many succession with vintages ended with a "6" (66, 76, 86 & 96). Our hard-core burgundy table at Kheam Hock has decided to host a tasting of Burgundy 1996. The following is a brief vintage background of this vin de garde year.

Weather - the season started off cool and with dry growing conditions, but was recaptured by warm weather and sufficient rain to a fast and uniform flowering that set the stage for a large crop. Summer was not particularly hot or sunny, despite significant rain fell in late August, but the north wind blowing ensuring the grape to stay dry and at the sometime keeping the night cool for better acids preservation. September weather remained dry and sunny, but the continuation blowing of north breeze reinforced the grape to hold high level of malic acid. Conditions remained excellent throughout the harvest, which means, growers can take their leisure to harvest as and when they want. The key concerned for 1996 was abundant crop, as like the case of 1990. And since the grapes were all healthy with absence of rot, which meant, there is little crop load to be eliminated. Added to that, the overloaded grapes with moderate day temperatures and cool nights, the vine struggled to bring the bunches to adequate maturity. The best 96s are those growers that work to keep their yield reasonable and waited extra hang time for the grape to gain more through ripening (end of September). In the cuverie, since the overall ripening are less than ideal, it is also necessary not to overly extract to avoid the excess acid/tannin, which results in an unbalanced wine.

The Wine - The high levels of malic acidity is the feature of '96 wines. The wine crisp acids, which gives off wonderful transparency and vibrancy but at the same time, their firm acids, which meant, they will go through some awkward stage before it finally wakes up. Those '96 that lack of middle palate flesh to support their acidity/tannin are the result of wines made from overcroppers. However, the best examples are wines offering elegance and pure aromas (predominantly red fruit) with unmatched "terroir" definition and adjectives like sappy, penetrating, vibrant, bracing, and sharply delineated.

The first pair to serve was 96s Corton Charlemagne from Bruno Clair & Remi Rollin. Those who are familiar with Corton Charlemagne would agree with me. This grand cru is among the hardest to access during their infancy. The large-scaled, reserved, austere, lackluster personality could sometimes come across as simple as a bourgogne blanc during their youth. However, given time (minimum ten years at least), when the weight improves, the secondary nuance emerges. The combination of dried fruit, honey, along with that crisp, well delineated, Chablis-like penetrating acidity, is among one of the most unique grand cru of white burgundy. Clair's version has shown deeper straw gold in color. Some yeast and unclean aromas along with mineral-like lemon, which still comes across fresh and vibrant. More honey, caramel emerged with air. Clearly, this sample has shown the weight of an grand cru, and the complexity of secondary aromas like fino sherry, honey, peach and cinnamon spice. The malic-lime-like acidity that cut through the palate, keeping the wine crisp and well delineated. However, toward the end of the dinner, when I revisit the wine, I've found traces of oxidized, maderized character, which I would recommend owner of this bottle to drink them soon. Rollin's bottle is clearly fresher, more pristine, but at the same time less precautious and simple. Very attractive, yet primarily sweet, almost cherry-syrup like nose. More compact, leaner, unforthcoming personality. Nonetheless, this stylish, discrete, beautifully balance white will ultimately prove its value in time to come.

Before the first pair of red was served, the host tricked us with a blind bottle Henri Jayer Nuits-St.-Georges 96. I must say, I was lucky that night and tracked down the blind well. The wine initially show some reductive nose but was quickly turned into the telltale Nuits-St.-Georges personality of earth and rustiness. However, I was confused later by the amongst of sweet oak treated that somehow smoothen the frame and turned Vosne's like sweet dark raspberry note, and in fact quite candied and sexy. So, from my initial thought of Nuits-St.-Georges, I turned my guess to Vosne-Romanée. Based on the extract and oak handling. I was pretty sure is a premier cru (it somehow lacked a good middle to be a grand cru, despite some of the attendant thought it was a grand cru). The answer was however, a straight NSG made by a Vosne-Romanée producer. And, Jayer treats all his wines (regardless straight or grand cru) with the same 100% Tronçais new oak.

The duo Corton Rouge, Tollot Beaut Corton Bressandes & Meo Camuzet Corton-Clos Rognets are complete different species. It also proves that, the inheriting local influenced and house-style can at times outrace the vineyard characters. Méo's Corton is clearly, has much in common with Vosne-Romanée rather than Corton. More noticeable oak influenced, with Vosne's like spice and dark raspberry. Dense and powerful, at the same time, the firm's structured and sounding acidity keeping the palate fresh with the sense of elegant. Tollot Beaut's Corton shows the reductive nuttiness. More red pinot fruits and feminine. This is a finer, more elegant Corton, less wood-infused, more pure and detailed. I was however slightly let down by the traces of herbaceousness toward the end.

Allen Meadow once said, wine of Morey-St.-Denis is among one of the most age-worthy of all burgundy with wine featured finesse, elegance and distinctly reddish fruit. Indeed, exceptional for Hubert Lignier & Lécheneaut Clos de la Roche which have the both power and weight. The following two wines clearly displayed those qualities. Dujac's Clos de la Roche has too much of that Jacques Seysses' signature. Clearly with stalk influenced, that unmistakable Dujac's animal-like, plum-scented nose that can be sometimes overwhelming exotic. Almost stewed raspberries like sweetness and spices, the gentle oak handling in a smooth, delicate palate. Very gentle and feminine, however, very atypical for 96 based on how accessible this wine is. Ponsot's Clos de la Roche Vieilles-Vignes is perhaps the simpler and one-dimensional wine of the night. Apart from that clean, earth, and pure-red fruit quality. The wine lack depth, length, and is neither has that built to warrant any future promise?? A rather disappointing effort from this highly sought after producer.

Clearly, the stronger flight of all that night was from Vosne-Romanée. DRC Romanée-St.-Vivant carry that exclusive DRC's stylishness. The wine appear to be quite ready, with blackberry, black raspberry that are already quite sweet and fat. Also the mid-palate density which clearly indicates its grand cru status. Although impressive, it is still far beyond reach for my best bottle RSV from this house - 2001 vintage. It lacks the vibrancy, the complexity of red and black fruits, as well as the seductive sweetness. The overall 96 also seem to be not as linear as I would expect, somehow brutally masculine, lack finesse. Drouhin Grands Échezeaux could well be the best wine of the night. Clearly fresher, more vibrant. Marked by red raspberry fruit as well as that spices that this village is so capable of delivering. The palate is quite juicy, as well as that grand cru's depth, however, it retained the elegant and stylishness of this house. Wonderful sap and finely delineated, and what a beautiful balance this juice has delivered. This wine is almost flawless!

We all have the highest hope for the last flight, which was the reason why it was saved towards the end. Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes is in no way comparable with this domaine top-wines like Le Chambertin, Clos de Bèze ever the 1er cru Clos-St.-Jacques. It lacks the power and structure of Gevrey and comes across somehow too feminine and soft, especially for 96, the tannin is already quite ripe and integrated. The wine however has lovely purity, supple palate feel and good sap. Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Trè Vieilles-Vignes also has none of that size and depth of their 97 & 98. The wine display the usual Roty's sweet crystalline black cherry, licorice, and shown good purity fruit, as well as sappiness. However, the wine lack the usual volume and come across unusually elegant from this house. I am not entirely too sure if it is because the natural high acidity of this vintage that given that deception? Nonetheless, the wine is in good sharp and is among the more elegant Roty I have tasted to date.

Our generous host has treated us with the final bottle of blind. The bottle was amazingly fresh and youthful for being a 1985 and no one got it right (I thought it was a 95). High-pitched (which I thought it was from the north), at the sametime rich and velvety. Marked with ripe raspberry, as well as currant-like note. You can feel the density of the wine but at the sametime weightless. The well-buffered acidity also give off the mineral feel as well as the well energize palate. The balancing is impeccable except that dusting tannin finishing. The answers is, 1985 Chandon Briailles Corton Les Bressandes. One of my best Corton Rouge encountered.

Biodynamics - is this for real?

Before I put my stand on whether I believe in this Austrian philosopher, scientist and social reformer of his breakthrough concept of Biodynamic agriculture? I must give my hat to him after reading his famous quote on Anthroposophy (Greek for "wisdom of man), " Anthroposophy must come forward because the Spirit impels it to come forward. It must show forth its life because life cannot but reveal itself in existence. But it must never force its existence upon people. Waiting always for those to come who want it, it must be far removed from all constraint even the constraint of persuasion". How cool is that? It sounded like a spiritual leader making a speech. And, look at his interpretation on the word, "concepts", "Concepts are not derived from sense experience. The idea of a straight line does not come from the physical world. We are able to recognize straight thing because the idea, a nonphysical thing, lives within us. Concepts do not come from seeing the physical world but from an "inner seeing." He disagreed with Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) that "concepts" without perception are empty and any perception other than of the physical world is not known to ordinary consciousness. It so, my previous defense on "concept of terroir" could easily justify my belief. I already like this guy!

So, what is biodynamic? Is it for real? or some sort of mambo-jumbo attention seeker?

In 1924, a year before Steiner's passing. He was asked by a group of farmers on the subject of agriculture. He later gave a series of eight lectures known as Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture which remained as the foundation of "biodynamic farming" that is practicing till these days. Clearly, Steiner is a spiritualist (he created a new spiritual science known as "anthroposophy"), his thought on biodynamic farming was a combined of self-sustaining viticulture, along with his interest and belief on spiritual science (where earth itself is a living being and interconnected to everything in the universe) and homeopathic medicines, which he has benefited from his early days teaching from Felix Kogutski on medicinal plants.

Cosmic Rhythms & Astrology - In the eye of Steiner, plant life, as well as all living being dependent strongly on Cosmic and Earth rhythms. Biodynamic agriculture believe soil itself can be alive and if the farming activities could be aligned with Cosmic and Earth rhythms, the living soil will enhanced it life force/vitality/nutrition. A six different rhythmic cycles of Planting Calendar was introduced - e.g. Full-New Moon is said to enhance moisture content of the earth, which results in rapid growth of plant vegetation and it also promotes the idea condition for fungus growth. The Moon Nodes which similar to that of an eclipse of Sun by the Moon. All farming activities are forbidden during this brief period. Perhaps the most interesting of all is the Moon in Zodiac Constellations, which believed that, when Moon is passing in front of the zodiac constellations (each zodiac is a belt of fixed stars which are in grouping into what was known as constellations), it collects the energy of each constellation, reflected by the Moon and focuses it to the earth. Each three constellations, are responding to a part of 4 classical elements of nature - fire/warmth, air/light, water and earth (e.g. Virgo, Taurus, Capricorn are Earth, while Leo, Aries, Sagittarius are Fire...etc.) that gives the indication the days what best work to be done in the vineyard to achieve the maximum results. Within the Calendar, each day is also marked as Root, Leaf, Flower and Fruit day that corresponded to a part of the 4 elements - e.g. Earth - Root, Water - Leaf, Air - Flower, Fire - Fruit. For instance, root days are best to do anything connected with roots or soil, because the energy of the constellations are right for them. According to Allen Meadows, some of the burgundy biodynamic practitioners even goes as far as to suggest that only the days of Fruit and Flower that their wines are best shown....

Biodynamic Preparations (homeopathic medicines) - the homeopathic composts created for biodynamic farming are largely divided into Compost Preparations, which made from six well known medicinal plants - yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian, placing them in selected animal organ parts (Cow horn, Skulls, Stag's Bladder) and fermenting (buried) them in the soil during a certain part of lunar cycle. Spray Preparations are made primarily from cow manure and quarts and are known as "Horn Manure" and "Horn Silica" respectively. When those compost or manure treated on the soil, the plants are said to become more sensitive to their environment and responsive to the rhythms of cosmic and planetary.

The following are words from their producers in support of their belief for biodynamic.

Nicolas Joly of Coulée de la Serrant in the Savennières is perhaps the most famous earlier spokesman of Biodynamic (he discovered it in 1981). He has fully subscript to the use of animal manure in his vineyard and he thinks each animal manure produces very different forces - horse is fire, cow is earth, boar and pigs are root. According to Joly, many vineyards in France are overly treated with herbicides, pesticides and fertilizer, which kills all micro-organisms in the soil, another word, the soil is dead. Those homeopathic composts help to restore and stimulate soil life.
Beside Joly, burgundy is perhaps the region that owns the most aspiring biodynamists. Lalou Bize-Leroy is probably the first vigneron in burgundy to subscript to Biodynamic (since 1989). Her famous statement of "Le vin est d'inspiration cosmique, il a le goût de la matière du monde" (wine is from a cosmic inspiration, it has the taste of the world matter) says it all in her belief! Anne-Claude Leflaive of the famous Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet has converted her family's estate to 100 percent biodynamic since 1997 also supported the idea of the used of manure in her vineyard, which has overtime encourage the deep and wide of the root growth. Benjamin Leroux of Domaine Comte Armand in Pommard firmly believe in the influence of the cosmic calendar on his wines, whether in barrel or bottle, " it may not be scientifically explicable but is obvious nevertheless. I don't just see it every month. I see it every day. The key is to work with these rhythms - not to put man in the centre of the universe. And it's not just the moon but the weather."

What do I think about Biodynamic?
Today, there are about 230 certified biodynamic wineries worldwide. Apart from the above world-famous producers, there are many more high profile producers such as Comtes Lafon of Meursault, Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Jean-Louis Trapet of Gevrey-Chambertin, Marcel Deiss, Zind-Humbrecht of Alsace, Chapoutier and Marcoux of Rhône Valley were all gone into biodynamic. If there is nothing substantial in it, why would those guys risk their reputation on this technique which today remained controversial?

First of all, let me highlight that, the fundamental of biodynamic work very similarly with self-sustaining agriculture and naturalistic winemaking (or traditional winemaking). Like all self-sustaining agriculture, let it be the organic farming led by Lady Eve Balfour, Sir Albert Howard, or Masanobu Fukuoka's natural farming. They all believed soil is a life form and wild plants should be self-sustaining within its given environment (like the cycle of life form and plants. Plants feed the animals, in turn when the animal is dead, it will decompose and return the nourishment back to the plants). Any man-made intervention like pesticides, herbicides will ultimately destroy the natural balance (the microbic activity in the soil will attract the related insects to takecare of the plants disease and parasite. In other words, nature had it all figured out), killed all microorganisms in the soil and the soil can no longer support plant growth. Eventually, it has to rely on synthetic fertilizers for nourishment.

In the article written by Michèle Shah on Nicolas Joly pointed out one interesting aspect that, the modern progressive agriculture, which rely on chemical herbicides, fertilizers will eventually kill the principles of life through which the vine captures its uniqueness. Joly states that, "A vine in its right place should bear within its fruits the truest and most faithful image of the environment in which it lives." He also suggested that the roots of a vine cannot be linked to the soil except through microorganisms and diversity in wines comes firstly from the soils on which the vines grow. Which explains why modern viticultural methods actually precludes the expression of terroir, or diversity.

Apart from the cosmic and astrological aspects, which best leaves it to psychic or astronomers, biodynamic method of building up stable humus in soil through animals manure work quite similarly with those organic farming of green manure and mulching. Pesticides, herbicides change the food-chain of the plants environment and the plants are exposed to more new disease and parasite that eventually requires more chemical treatment. The life span of the plants are compromised as well as the immune system and health of the plants. Those chemicals work similarly like antibiotic for human. They killed both good and bad bacteria in the body, which this case, microorganisms are destroyed at the same time. Jancis Robinson observed that, Leroy's vines were much healthier and livelier than those of its neighbors. Besides the health of the vines, many biodynamic producers also happen to be those who firmly embraced in traditional winemaking (people like Aubert de Villaine, Jean-Louis Trapet, Dominique Lafon, Anne-Claude Leflaive all are members of Les Domaines Familiaux de Tradition), which they focusing their energy in the vineyards rather than the winemaking techniques. They prize diversity in their wines and work hard in bringing out the tipicity of their terrior and house style. Allen Meadows also pointed out, most biodynamic practitioners are fanatical and pay attention to detail, which maybe explains, it was such obsession with details that biodynamics generally make better wine. Perhaps Matt Kramer has put it in a better prospective that, it was not the matter of whether biodynamic system works, but rather is the result worthwhile? My answer is - YES!

Appellation in Wine

Appellation in wine, works more like the identity of wine. It gives you the particular area, where vines are grow, how the sunshine, rainfall, soil type (and structure), exposure, and elevation that attributes the character of the resulting wine. "Without it? Wine is existent in a gravity-free state, without the pull of place that allows us to trace and track the possible reasons for its distinction", Matt Kramer has so correctly pointed out.

European (or Old World) has long been the pioneer in mapping their appellation. They understood the uniqueness of the wine lies on the piece of earth, not in the hands of man. Let ask ourselves, how many given years can a winemaker make his wine? Thirty? Forty? How many wine he made he could possibly see the maturity? Maybe half. The collective knowledge of each appellation requires generation after generation, man can only learn and discover which grape varieties is best suited for which location. In this case, winemaker is merely a servant here rather than the master. The immortality lies on the appellation. Obviously appellation must be able to deliver some sort of goodness in order to worth a while. This means, when both isolated land and grape are well match. It can produce the uniqueness that is equal by no others.

All old world wine-growing nations like France, Italy and Spain have their appellation origin system. However, what makes them different with new world's appellation system is, the old world, "controlled" the appellation of origin (France - appellation d'origine contrôlée; Italy - denominazione d'origine controllata; Spain - denominacion de origen calificada), in other words, they guarantee the authenticity as well as the quality of where the wine is from, which all new world geographic indications failed to address. Unlike old world, new world do not have the luxury of time to study and delineate their sites much like those exquisitely detailed appellations of Burgundy (burgundy's vineyard existed since sixth century), where not only they have isolated which grape suit for which soil, but which vineyard is superior than the one next to it, with their best vineyards are designated grand cru, then come the second, premier cru. Timescale is needed for the new world, much like when it took the old world decades, centuries to see the turning of the wheel. Perhaps what has been observed by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1880s, when he first arrived in the virgin land of California will one day translate into reality.

"Wine in California is still in the experimental stage....one corner of land after another is tried with one kind of grape after another. This is a failure; that is better; ...so, bit by bit, they group about for their Clos Vougeot and Lafite...yield inimitable fragrance and soft fire; those virtuous Bonanzas, where the soil has sublimated under sun and stars to something finer, and the wine is bottled poetry; these still lie undiscovered...undisturbed. But there they bide their hour, awaiting their Columbus; and the nature nurses and prepares them. The smack of California earth shall linger on the palate of your grandson."
The following are some of the unique vineyards in California that should earn their appellation.

Spottswoode - Sense of the Woman
The team behind this family-owned estate is almost entirely woman. Current president of Spottswoode, Beth Novak Milliken, is the youngest daughter of Mary Weber Novak. Recently, Jennifer Williams has taken over from Rosemary Cakebread as the estate winemaker and vineyard manager, while Rosemary remained as the consultant winemaker. Spottswoode estate vineyard is located just off Rutherford, after the town of St. Helena along highway 29. The organically farm vineyard consisted of sand and clay loam soil is making some of the most sumptuous yet refine elegant Cabernets in California. Whether is due to the touch of the ladies or simply is the "terroir". Year-in-year-out, apart from the mother's nature would shown her temperament on the wine, you can always expect that sense of feminine, that weightless grace from this Cabernets. With the 2003 vintage, Spottswoode is releasing their "second-vine" label called, Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvigon. This wine is fruit sourced from the estate grown vineyard where the vines are younger. Despite that, they received no less rigorous vineyard treatment as the estate Cabernets.
Forman - Euro-Beautiful
I knew Ric Forman for nearly a decade. He has always come across as one of the most honest winemaker in California in terms of the way he price his wines. He often criticized his peers for over charging their wines and he value the important of wine being part of the culture, part of the dinning experience, but not a commodity nor the product for the rich. Forman winemaking approached has a huge influence from the European wine style. He cherish brightness, vibrancy, elegant and finesse. His early style of wine often started it life slowly, with austere and tough when young, turned mallow and soft with age. He is also among the pioneer in blocking the malolactic, in order to preserved the natural acidity to portrait his idea Chablis-style Chardonnay. Despite recently his Cabernets is moving toward much riper, fuller style. However, the elegant, the mountain-vineyard wine structured, is still evident everywhere in his wine.
Philip Togni - The Mountain Goat
Philip Togni is among one of the most experienced winemaker in California. His is one of the student of the famous French oenologist, late Emile Peynaud (the same person that taught Michel Rolland) and has produced a vintage in Chateau Lascombes in Margaux. He has made wine in France, Algeria, Chile before returning to California where he produces wines for Chapellet and Cuvaison. He eventually set his foot in Spring Mountain and made his first vintage of 1983 with only 300 cases. Togni despite his small built, he is a real fighter. He has in the past fought for Phylloxera, pierce's disease (vine disease), grassy-winged sharp-shooters, despite he has pull-out and stop making his delicious Sauvignon Blanc, but his Cabernets has never been better and among one of the most unique Cabernets of California. One tasted his opulent, voluptuous Cabernets, it would be hard to imagine they will age well. However, having tasted several time of his vertical that goes back in the mid 80s, I am convinced that his Cabernets not only aged gracefully, it has overtime trimmed off the early baby-fat and turned more classic Bordeaux like.
David Ramey - The Wine Guru
I first met Ramey, it was during his stint at Dominus Estate (owned by Christian Moueix of Petrus). We have subsequently met again in a Chardonnay seminar where he spoke to me lengthily on indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation. His work on selection massale or mass selection of old Wente, Robert Young & Long Vineyard clone for his chardonnay, also inspired others to work beyond the clonal select. I have always been a great admired of Ramey Hyde Vineyard chardonnay, in fact, we have such argument each time we meet, whether his Hudson Vineyard was better than his Hyde. Obviously, I've won the debate, where the unique cool-pitched, earth-mineral of Hyde vineyard was later acknowledge by most American critics as the higher rated chardonnay from Ramey's portfolio. All Ramey's wines are vineyard designated. He has adopted the old world concept into his new world materials. Currently, added to his existing portfolio are Cabernet Sauvignon from Larkmead Vineyard (valley floor vineyard that set between Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain) and Pedregal Vineyard (vineyard next to Rudd, Dalla Valle, Phelp's Backus and Screaming Eagle). Ramey's wines are immensely sex-appeal style. However, it does not collapse like most Californian wine that made in the similar approached. The persist length of flavors that found in his wines have everything to do with his admirable work in those unique site as well as his traditional winemaking approached.
Cathy Corison - The First Female Winemaker
Corison is among the very first female winemaker in California. She has spent 10 years working with Chappellet Vineyard before launching her own label. She might not come across as tall as you would expect, but she certainly has a braver heart than anyone with twice her size. Where Californian wine is concerned, she is my hero! She always said to me, "I made wine for myself !" Indeed, do not expect the usual big fruit, judicious oak, diluted cassis-liqueur Cabernets from her. She don't make statement wine that would succeed commercially, but wine of conviction, wine of true soul. Her restrained, discreet, that classic-St.-Julien mineral-earth scented palate that give off crystalline fruit purity and elegant is both unique and unmatched by those cosmetically enhanced, steroid-booster Cabernets that so commonly found in Californian these days.

The Blood of Jove

In the world of wine, there are wines that dedicate their name to Christianity, like Bouchard in Burgundy, called one of his Beaune 1er Cru, Grèves Vigne De L'Enfant Jésus (direct translated as vine of Jesus Child (despite the true tale on how the wine was named was however different), and in Italy, one of the famous Campanian wine also called itself, Lacrima Cristi (the tear of Christ).

Sangiovese grape, the soul of Tuscan, was actually name that was derived from sanguis Jovis, or "blood of Jove". Sangiovese is perhaps the most common and widely planted grape not just in Tuscan, but the whole Italy. It accounts for 10% of the entire grape crop of Italy, some 247,000 acres planted. Sangiovese has many blood-line, it is known as Sangiovese in both Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna (one of the most overrated DOCG wines), but the better Sangiovese in Tuscan is however the low-yield, smaller berries clone known as Sangiovese Grosso, or Sangioveto, closer to those that grown in Montalcino, which locally called, Brunello. In Vino Nobile di Montepulciano it is however known as Prugnolo Gentile, in Maremma, is called, Morellino, which made the famous Morellino di Scansano.

When you think about Sangiovese, Chianti come immediately in mind. Before Baron Ricasoli introduces the basic Chainti blend in 1890s. Chianti was once made entirely from Sangiovese grape. However during then, wine made solely from Sangiovese were somewhat hard and acid, observed by Cosimo Trinci in 1738. Baron Bettino Ricasoli found a way to tame the hard Sangiovese by adding the softer Canaiolo grape, along with some white grape like Trebbiano and Malvasia to improve the fragrance. The governo style (mostly discarded these days), which then popularise the technique in Chianti (remember when Chianti was used to be packed in straw-covered fiasci bottle?), by blending the unfermented grape juice to young wine to sweeten and compensate the high-acid Sangiovese. The Ricasoli's century-old formula was in 1966 (oddly, after nearly a century later) codified into law as the official blend for Chianti. However, the once poor countryside of Chianti became prospered after Autostrada (freeway) was build in 1960s. The situation changed. The newly arrived owners, were mostly the new rich from Rome and Milan, with their ambition and money, they have brought along their attitude towards their success in the city and applied to their vineyard. Since they know nothing about winegrowing, they have to rely on their consultant winemakers, which many of them were well-traveled, trained, quality-oriented, ambitious individual that strive to make a statement for themselves. The old-fashion Ricasoli's formula became the obstacle in the pathway. In 1980s, those quality-driven, most ambitious growers have told the government of Chianti-Classico that they would be abandoning the DOCG system and declared their wines as the lower, most generic designations of Vino da Tavola in return to have the freedom to make what they want. Thus, Super Tuscan was born!

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Super Tusacn, and in fact, some well site Super Tuscan can be equally thrilling. Name like San Guido's Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Antinori's Solaia, Isole e Olena's Collezione de Marchi...etc. However, there are more Chianti producers, conveniently tapping on the international demand for such new sensation, have all launched their so called, supertuscan (to give them the excuse to charged more - while, someone got to pay for those pricey French oak barrels), where many of them are excessively oaked and since their "international" grapes (Cabernets, Syrah, Merlot) blend were louder than their more subtle indigenousness Sangiovese. They all fall into the undistinguished "international-style", where the soul of Sangiovese has completely been buried and the wines have nothing in common with Chianti.

Like all emerging wine region (despite being an old wine producing country. the true quality revolution in Italy only begins in the last two-three decades ago), Tuscan also struggle to find its identity. The early blend of Sangiovese with international grape such as Cabernets, Merlot, Syrah despite enjoying quick success due to their modern, familiar international outfit. However, the audience soon realized that, those "international" were boring in the same way that all airports, despite well designed, but look alike (famous quote from Matt Kramer). During than, the better foresight producers such as Isole e Olena (with Cepparello), Fontodi (with Falaccianello), Monsanto (Il Poggio Riserva), Montevertine (La Pergola Torte), Riecine (La Gioia) were all opposing the use of "international" grape in their blend, but chose instead to stand by their very own, Sangiovese. They are convinced, the uniqueness of Sangiovese, which behave much like the tricky Pinot Noir, does not strive well outside their home land, but found it best here in Tuscany, which will ultimately be the answers to their future for Tuscan's wines.

Today, the image of Sangiovese in Tuscan has been restored and more and more Tuscan producer has returned to their indigenous grape and rediscovered its beauty!




Weather or Not?

Tiger Woods has won another World Golf Championship last week at CA Championship in Doral. He has so far won 13 out of the 24 WGC events since it was renamed in 2000, which was previously known as World Cup of Golf. Despite Woods talent, he does not capture every single event he plays, not as frequent as Roger Federer did in Tennis. The reason for that (not because he is less talented than Federer, however, I think the reverse is true), is he has to contend with the biggest force on earth - weather. As a simple physics logic will give you, things that are further away from your body, smaller the object, is harder to control and manipulate. Golf requires a big physical movement but the hitting object is as small as it targets, which demands tremendous accuracy and physical ability, not to mention the talent required and a lot of imagination. For those who think golf is a waste of land with few golfers chasing a small ball in a big field? Dude! you are missing one of the most challenging game in all games! In golf, you will never play the same situation twice despite the same course being played. Apart from the common target that will be shifted each time you play (target hole is moved each day), you have to contend with your own physical ability, but the most challenging of all - the weather. You can be playing in the condition whereby it is either wet or sunny (which will affect the course, particularly the speed of the green), but the worst of all, if the winds are gutsy, you have to alter your swing, the ball-flight trajectory to off-set the wind direction. Another word, you might not be swinging your usual swing path.

By the way, I am not here to promote the game of golf (despite I am equally passionate about it), but rather to emphasize that, weather is the hardest thing to contend, which nothing can be consistent under the influence of mother nature.

Now, let discuss about consistency in wine. Where is the most consistent wine region in the world? I think no one would ague is Australia. Why make Australian wine so consistent, while, apart from the weather, which they enjoy adequate sunlight to ripen their grape. One of the biggest advantage is - there is no rule of blending, where grape source could literary coming from anywhere! Take Aussie nation pride - Penfolds Grange for example, it is known today as a multi-district blend that fruit could possible coming from anywhere in South Australia. The goal for Grange is no longer about vineyard, site, but rather the wine style that the house is trying to portrait, much like the way the Champagne houses are doing. There is no question about the consistency, year-in-year-out Penfolds Grange has displayed, having had the advantage to blend more than a dozen of fruit-source stretching from Eden Valley to Coonawarra. Obviously, you could come up some sort of concoction to counterbalance the deficiency of each source of the grape. Even the worst vintage, Grange is way up the top of the league! So, what is problem with wine like that? While, to me, they are too predictable, they lack the excitement (no offend to the Grange lovers out there)!

What made wine so fascinating apart from the well-site vineyards that are capable of delivering the "sense of place", it was in fact the vintages that create those excitements, those diversity. Take European vineyard for example, their weather variation are obviously much greater. As a result, vintage signal is more obvious when compared to wine from the sunny California, Australia (my Euro-beautiful syndrome!). Weather can potentially affect the yield (drought, hail storm, humid - which promote wine diseases) the quality (overripe or underripe), the wine style (featured more acid or sugar ripeness), which creating a range of vintage character in a single given wine. Especially if the wine came exclusively from one single vineyard source, even more so, one single grape variety. Like color, the more you mix, more bluer it gets! If you blend multiple fruit sources, not only is the uniqueness of each vineyard destroyed, and since each source may receive different weather treatment (due to their various location, terrain, harvest time) despite coming from the same vintage. The characteristic of the vintage can also potentially be altered. To give a good example on how vintage (weather) dictate the wine style. Take the recent vintages of Bordeaux for example (all Bordeaux-Chateau are wines made exclusively from their own estate-grown vineyards), 2003 featured extreme weather, thus resulting atypical fruit profile, featuring more jammy, darker, cassis-liqueur fruit. To balance such a lush personality, many Chateaus opt to increase the wood treatment to provide some sort of grip and structure to balance the acid-deficient year. 2004 being an delay vintage (cool), which feature sounding acidity, purity and wine details is the extreme opposite of 2003 heat-laden year. Very elegant, plenty of red fruit and as transparence as one gets from Burgundy. 2005 is perhaps unusually a combination of both vintages characters, with richness without compromising the acidity, full, yet equally details, obvious alcohol, but with unusually high-pitched. The best I have seen since my short three years en primeur tasting experienced. All those vintages are the testament of what weather can do to your bottle of wine. Added to that, there are no bad wines made these days, since the knowledge of science and modern technique have taught us how to control the winemaking. These days, is the choice of preference, the mood of drinking, the occasion...etc. I would drink 2003 Bordeaux anytime, anywhere (anyone), and need not to have a fancy dinner to crack a bottle. 2004 I will drink with a delicate meal, a comfort and quiet place, with someone equally appreciative of elegant, details and purity. Is like listening to classical music, to hear every subtle pitch of each musical instrument, whispering in your ear...nice! 2005, is the "Grande", since it will not come cheap (by the time it releases), you need to find yourself a reason to open, especially your life-time companion is not a wine drinker (and why she/he is not invited - don't waste!), but definitely drink across a long meal, decant them, slowly see the wine evolve, see the wine interact with various dishes, and obviously, those are privileged to be invited, must be some of your closer buddies - What else do you want in life?

The Story of Wine

The highly anticipated movie "300" is probably the visually most stunning movie I've ever watch. This epic movie that inspired from Frank Miller's (yes, the same author for Sin City) graphic novel not only makes every scene capable of being a painting in the ceiling of Palais de Versailles, even the violence blood spreading (more like a drop of rose petal) battlefield, the dead corpses sculpted wall were all work of art, beautiful as poetry, and who can forget the erotic dance of the most beautiful Greece maiden. Despite all the six-packs, perfect body-sharp of the Spartans, the flawless CG effect, it was however underscored by a strong and convincing story that made this movie worthwhile.

Interestingly, wine share the similar path of success. All great wine almost inevitably has a great story behind. Whether is it a grand tale, or sometimes more humble, but like movie, they can emotionally move the audience and make them part of the movie. We all heard about the fascinating story of such great vineyards like Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, La Romanée.., the up and downfall (some later resurrected, others just disappeared) of such historical families like Liger-Belair, Comte George de Vogüé, Marey-Monge...etc. Both their wines and story have lived through the history, tested by time, and continue to inspire the rest till these days. Are there similar example in California? The answer is yes!

Anyone who is familiar with the wine history of America heard about the legacy of Inglenook Vineyard, which during then, was the only quality-driven winery in Rutherford. It was founded in 1879 by Gustav Niebaum. In the hand of his grandson, John Daniel Jr., it has achieved the quality height that's unparalleled by others. Today, the original estate is sold to famous Hollywood filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola that renamed it as Rubicon. The Inglenook vineyard, Napanook was later sold to Christian Moueix of Château Pétrus, which form the Dominus Estate. The daughter of John Daniel Jr., Robin Lail want on to co-found the Merryvale Vineyard with Bill Harlan and others. She later departed the partnership and started her own Lail Vineyard with the help of Philippe Melka, the same winemaker for Bryant Family.

How was this story for a start? Let me tell you another highly inspiring story of Harlan Estate.

In some angle of Harlan, he reminded me a lot of Clint Eastwood, that no-bullshit, that focused look, with his pair of hawk's eye that can almost read through your mind. That was my first impression when I first met the giant himself. The real-estate developer of Pacific Union has always had that keen eye and foresight for many good things to come. Whether is it from his early training days in the real estate business, or his natural instinct. His decision to start a high profile boutique hotel called Meadowood in the middle of wine country (at Silverado Trail) has proven to be a real success. When he was first beaten by the wine bug and joined founded the Merryvale Winery. He realized ahead of him, will be another fascinating journey, but what he didn't know, he was actually making history while persuading his dream.

Harlan was always fascinated by those great Châteaus in Bordeaux. With the help of his new found acquaintance, Bob Mondavi, he took a trip to Bordeaux and Burgundy, that is where he learn that, all great wine lies on it's vineyard, not on the hand of man, that the great vineyards are to be found not to be made. Upon returning from France, he and winemaker, Bob Levy started to search for the site. During than, when self-expression was better appreciated by the American critics rather than the site, winemaking become more important then where the wine is grow, and hiring star consultant winemaker like Tony Soter, Helen Turley, Heidi Peterson Barret has become the short path for success. Out of sudden, like winter saffron, there are new "cult" wine appearing in every new vintage. Little do people notice that, it was in fact the uniqueness of vineyard that contributed to the success of those flying consultant. Tony Soter became notice because of his work in Spottswoode, Helen Turley becoming hot commodity due to her involvement with Bryant Family, Heidi Barret must be grateful to have her name associated with Grace Family vineyard. Look at today, after they have all left those vineyards, have their quality disappeared with them? Harlan is fully aware of that, he started looking back history, and soon he discovered, two particularly areas - Rutherford & Oakville, were in the past, the best quality Cabernets found it's best there. He later acquired a hillside vineyard in 84s at western Oakville , overlooking Martha's vineyard, where David Abreu was put in-charged of constructing the vineyard from scratch. Due to the steepness of the vineyard (the steeper slopes at 45-degree angles), only hand-harvest is employ. Despite the first grape was harvested in 1987, and first wine was bottled in 1989. But the perfectionist Harlan has patiently waited till 1990 vintage to show the World his First-Growth Cabernets of Napa Valley. Over the years, Harlan Estate has proven itself for not just another come and gone Cult Cabernets. It has continue to deliver the unique nuances and that combination of European wine's graceful and elegant in addition to that luxurious ripen Californian Cabernet fruit quality. When compare Harlan Estate among the rest of the "loud" (big fruit, big oak) Cult Cabernets, one could easily spotted which is the real "First-Growth"!
Recent Vintage - A shift of Americanization Palate
I have previously said about the influence of media & press. However, what really causes the industry shake up was in fact two wine-focus movies. The Frenchmen Jonathan Nossiter's documentary "Mondovino" and the Alexander Payne's Sideways. Mondovino has put the global-trotter wine consultant, Michel Rolland on the trial, questioning him for globalization of wine style. Rolland in his recent interviewed by Tanzer was forced to half-demote himself for consultant winemakers to master blender to avoid being ask how he could possibly make 400 different wines in 33 countries, 3 continents in one given vintage (easy done! u need a laptop with well calculated formula and a cellular phone). Sideways on the hand, has taken away the American beloved Merlot to replace the earth's vocal Pinot Noir grape. And out of sudden, the usual Americanization palate, which they previously celebrate wine of instant gratification, wine of obviousness (big fruit, extreme ripeness, oak toastiness, alcohol) and now, we start hearing the emphasis of balance, varietally accurate, clearer site character and better preservation of natural acidity. This new move can be further witnessed from our friends in Wine Spectator. Previously, 1996s and 1997s where vintages were under the similar influence of extreme heat, despite the condition might have been better with 1997s (crops were larger), with both vintages receiving a much higher scored by Wine Spectator (1997 went on to won the vintage of the century by Wine Spectator) than the current two heat-laden vintages of 2003s & 2004s. Is there really such a huge difference, or simply those folks have evolved their palate since? U be the judge! 2003s and 2004s vintages in California (North Coast to be precise) was characterized by heat-spikes and September east winds that concentrate the wine through dehydration. Obviously, such ripening is easily cause the soaring sugar to outrace the phenolic ripeness. But the best sites with their low-yields were able to ripen the sugar more thorough and evenly, produces wines of immediate sexiness and voluptuous personality. As a rule of thumb, 2004, due to its small crop, fruit can be more extreme (more rapid growth due to excess energy distribution of vine), which can be witness from the slightly jammy fruit profile and one of the higher alcohol in record. 2003 despite equally ripe, are somehow fresher, more precautious, with number of example even shown good tannin and acidity, which translated to better freshness and equilibrium.

2004 Rhone Revisit

Tanzer has releases his final though on 2004 Rhône. Here are the points worth considering if you are looking to buy any of the following offers.

The early report has shown more promising for Southern Rhône rather than Northern Rhône in 2004. However, Tanzer is equally optimistic with 2004 northern Rhône, despite it will inevitably under the shadow of 2005, which almost across-the-board in France, produces exceptional wines. Unlike the 2003, which wines are influenced by the heatwave (especially the hot southern region, which was more affected by the drought and produces extreme wines) that offers juicier and more obvious ripeness. 2004 is considered by many growers as a classical vintage, with better freshness in fruit, structured, more focused wines.

Obviously, the media world are today divided into two distinctive camps. Those who led by Parker, which favoured obvious ripeness, textured, size (richness & weight) and the opposite, Tanzer, which access his wine based on the principle of burgundy in mind. He look for balance, details (result of well buffered natural acidity) and structure in wines, that is so called classical style. There is obviously no right or wrong here, but rather the matter of preferences. Fan of more immediate gratification and seeking for richness and weight can well follow Parker's advice. Likewise, Tanzer's reviews are for those with patience, those who believe food is the meaning of wine, rather than wine is food itself.

Negociant versus Domaine

Négociant Éleveur - Syndicates of Merchant.

Récolté, Vinifié, Élevé et Mis en bouteilles - harvest, vinify, upbringing and bottled.

Mis en bouteilles à la propriété - estate bottling.

While, those were the little lines that lies at the bottom of every burgundy you pick up from the shelves, which indicates to you if the bottle of burgundy you bought is belonging to a domaine bottling or bottled by merchant. The first two lines referred to the later one.

I was recently being asked, if the domaine bottle was much better than those bottled by merchant? Let's first look at the formation of these two practices in burgundy.

Background
Traditionally, the grape growers, or the vignerons spend the year round nurturing their vineyard and harvesting their fruit. They vinify their wines, using mobile bottling plants (till these days, such practices are still very common in burgundy, as not many burgurdian owns a bottling line) to bottle the wine and sell right away to merchant and get paid immediately. Despite traditionally, the vignerons would bottled a few cases themselves, selling to occasion tourist who visited the area.

Négociant, or merchant will gather those wines where they purchased from various vignerons, aged them, later make the selection and provide adequate stock to supply to the market. Like Champagne, such négociant roles are essential for the economy health of burgundy. As most vignerons does not have sufficient production or the financial ability to market and sell their wine independently. Their tiny few cases of production were unable to satisfy the demand from those chains of hotels and shops, which requires regular supply. Neither can they make any significant impact of winning any return customer or customer abroad. Where else, the négociant can or will fill in such gap.

In the 70s, private consumers and foreign buyers (mostly Belgians, the Swiss and later, the British) realized they could go direct to the producer, cutting off the merchant middleman role and paying less from those "hand-crafted" domaine bottling. They also soon realized, those domaine-bottling were more individualistic compared to those négociant bottle. As what Anthony Hanson has so accurately put it, " In theory, a négociant cellar should be able to express the multiple subtleties of Burgundy's sites with more diversity than a group of growers' wines. But in practice, this has been hard to achieve, and most négociants' ranges have sameness to them, and an overriding family resemblance....sometimes be ascribed to a lack of imagination by the cellar-master ...handle from Chablis through to Pouilly-Fuissé in the same way".

However to assume all domaine bottling to be a quality assurance is also a mistake. Before the technical education became value, most vignerons learn their winemaking skills through trial and error, from father to son. Unlike vineyard work, where the length of year enable the vignerons to think and correct their mistake. In the cuverie, one must act fast, and many vignerons only have thirty or forty times in their life to learn, whereby conditions and raw materials can vary from year-to-year. Many mistakes can be made through lack of training, sloppy winemaking. Added to that, not many vignerons are able to cope with the cashflow issue required by domaine-bottling, with 18 months or longer without getting paid, buying new equipment, new barrel. They would have to sell quite substantial of their holding to négociant in order to finance the expenses for such money tied-up. The case with Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, which took him a long time to bottle his own domaine-bottling and till these days, he still sells a big chunk of his crop to négociant. Many growers also chose to lease some of their holding (like the case with Frédéric Mugnier that only recently took back his family vineyard of Clos de la Maréchale when the lease expired with Faiveley) or making their wine through share crop (métayage) arrangement in order to have the luxury for owing their label. The famous métayage arrangement are those of Henri Jayer with Méo-Camuzet and Ponsot with Chézeaux. So, domaine-bottling continue to remained as a rarity and only fewer who could afford (people like Henri Gouges, Marquis d'Angerville, Armand Rousseau..).

The proliferate of wine critics in the 80s have resulted an increased number of domaine-bottling, since there are more growers in burgundy than négociant firm for the media to write about. In the past, the export market has been dominating by those well-established négociant (name like Louis Latour, Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, Bouchard). With the change of focus for consumer who now look upon domiane-bottling has encouraged many families to practice estate-bottling and younger member of the family return to their family business with this new found fortune. This group of new generation winemaker with their open thinking and well-traveled background, people like Dominique Lafon, Anne-Claude Leflaive, Christophe Roumier, Jacques Seysses where they constantly meet together in exchanging winemaking information and experienced. Over time, they have become the driving force behind all the quality-driven, domaine-bottling producer in burgundy.

Conclusion
It's really hard to pen down if domaine bottling is so much better than négociant bottling. Obviously in burgundy, there are such things as Gevrey-earth, Vosne-spice, and a good négociant bottling should underline those subtle differences where the wines are from. In the case of Domaine-bottling, to translate what their respective village the vignerons are resided in, look to be easier, as they seem to live and grow with the vines for generations where culture and history influenced is inevitable. However we all know that, it all scales down to the skill of the winemaker and his personal agenda. Whether or not, he permits the house-style or terroir to show through in his wine instead of his personal ego. Those are the critical elements for a truly memorable burgundy. Otherwise, we must as well drink Oregon or New Zealand Pinot Noir.

This issue, I am pleased to introduces you two of my favorite négociant films. One is the well-established Louis Jadot, the other, being the new emerging Frédéric Magnien, which operates a small négociant business as well as his family domaine, Michel Magnien.

Louis Jadot
When spoke about Jadot, the current winemaker and technical director, Jacques Lardière comes immediately in mind. I have always wondered, how can a guy like him handle 90 different wines a year and still keep everything tasted so different? From the humble Beaujolais Village to the great Le Montrachet, all with their distinctive terroir and yet retained that sense of house-style, which is elegant, with great fruit purity and details. Always austere at start, but achieve fullness and depth with age. I have always been fascinated with what Lardière once said, "I only used more new wood in lesser vintage and lesser wine. When the raw materials are less sounding, the additional wood tannin and aeration from new wood will supplement those deficiency. Lardière red wine winemaking favor higher temperature at 35-40°C, he destems 100% and vinification take place in open-top wooden vats with two pigeages (punching down) a day. He does practice pre-fermentation maceration, however he does not intentionally cool the soaking and it can last for a month. He used only natural yeast for his primary fermentation and as said earlier, he is not particularly keen on new wood treatment for his better cuvée. Unlike many of his peers, he does not believe in débourbage (cold settlement) for his white wine to separate the gross lees, instead, the juice is press directly to barrel for fermentation. Minimum new wood is used and unlike many, he habitually blocks the malolactic fermentation to conserve the natural acidity. Increasingly, he also elected not to bâtonnage (lees stirring) his white, especially in the rich and fatter vintages. Jacques Lardière is a highly talented and passionate winemaker. To him, winemaking should never be a formula, "you must use your tastebuds, your imagination, your intelligence. Not a rule of book!"
Frédéric Magnien
I first met Frédéric some two years ago in his facility at Morey-Saint-Denis. Unlike many domaine I visited, most of my tasting of young wines were all conducted in the barrel room and drawn directly from barrel, in the environment that sometime filled with smells of sulphur, charred wood, ethanol (alcohol). In Chez Magnien, I was offered to seat in the long bench that crowded with many demi-bouteilles with chalk marking code. Frédéric is from a fifth-generation grape grower in Morey-St.-Denis. He managed both his family, Domaine Michel Magnien and his small négociant operation, where he sourced his fruit from various growers that followed his strict prescription of low-yield fruit through severe pruning, green harvest. He also very fond of old-vines, with many of his cuvées indicated vieilles-vignes on the label. Nothing systematic in Magnien winemaking approach. I used to think he produced modern burgundy that was filled with big fruit and oak after tasted his 2002. He later confronted to me that 2002 was perhaps more extracted (fermentation lasted for 21 days instead of previous 12 days), which featured ripe and round, almost sweet palate. He generally preferred his 01 for better terroir definition, however he like his 2002 for it immediateness and density. He told me that 2004 was a challenging vintage for winemaker. In the vineyard, he did three green harvests in order to bring down the yields, especially dropping those grapes that were infected by oidium and hail. Eliminate those inferior grapes were the key to succeeding in this vintage. In the cuverie, one must focus on the juice not the skins, as the skins is relatively thin and fragile, which require very gentle extraction. Fermentation lasted for 12 to 14 days and only one punch down per day. One could easily notice that, 2004 has a significant quality gap when compare the village cru to the primer/grand crus and this vintage has a good terroir definition, added Magnien. I like Magnien's style. It is neither old or new, there are some old-fashion rusticity and earth, underbrush notes with occasion leather, sauvage that closely recalled those Nuits-Saint-Georges from Henri Gouges. However, equally, one could be seduced by the deliciously sweet, crushed red berries, red pinot fruit that is dense, sappy and well delineated. Much like those made from Jean-Marie Fourrier. One of the highlight on my trip is to be able to taste Magnien's Montrachet. I must confess, I have very little experience with Le Montrachet. The lofty price tag is simply out of my reach (if is from Leflaive, Sauzet, Lafon it can cost anything from 1000-3000 a bottle). The white initially tasted quite telltale Puligny-like, with its stylish, refine elegant, chamomile, barley subtle like flavors. When it goes down-the-gullet, the favors expanded and turned bigger, richer, more powerful, muscular that filled with explosive favor of peach, honeyed, hazelnut, pain grillé that stained the palate and lasted in my memory for days. This is perhaps the most incredible white I have tasted from my wine journey! What a monumental effort!
Vicomte Liger-Belair
Under the request of my faithful burgundy buyers in Jakarta. I have made a trip there to host three separate tastings. Over the past years, Jakarta has emerged to become one of my most important market for fine & rare burgundy. Initially, those second generation entrepreneurs buyers of mine were mainly focused on "Cult" Californian, since many of them were formerly educated in States. Over time, due to their desire for quality and immense opportunity given, they have quickly realized the only wine that truly speaks for its earth was in fact in burgundy. Since then, they drink nothing but wine from the golden slopes.

The afternoon tasting took place in one of my client's Miele showroom, which I have previously hosted several tasting here, and enjoying the food prepared by Chef Antoine Audran of Java Bleu Traiteur.

Before I go on with my tasting notes, here are some background of the part-one tasting.

La Romanée Vineyard
The story of this rarest vineyard of burgundy (annual production of 250-350 cases) has always been closely tied with La Romanée-Conti.

The prime section of La Romanée-Conti is said to have nine owners during eight and a half centuries ago. In the twelfth century, it was in the hand of Vergy family, and in 1232 Alex de Vergy donated the land to Abbey of Saint-Vivant. During then La Romanée-Conti was part of Romanée St. Viviant that was owned by the Abbey. In 1584, La Romanée-Conti was separated from Romanée St. Vivant and eventually sold to a Monsieur de Croonembourg that later change the name to Romanée. Croonembourg family at that time also bought the neighbouring vineyard of La Tâche, and it was through their ownership that the vineyard became well known.

In 1760, the Croonembourg decided to sell the vineyard, which was by that time, already regarded as the finest vineyard in Burgundy. The sale eventually went into the hands of Prince de Conti, who later attached his name to the vineyard and renamed it - Romanée-Conti. After the French Revolution, La Romanée-Conti vineyard was confiscated from the Prince de Conti and sold "for the good of Republic". The purchaser was a Parisien, a Nicolas Defer de la Nouerre. However, the vineyard was subsequently acquired by Liger-Belair family, which put all the 6 parcels of Aux Echanges together and formerly declared them La Romanée and since then, it has became the monopole of the Liger-Belair family. Despite the Liger-Belair family firmly believing that La Romanée was one time part and parcel of La Romanée-Conti. However, the current owner of La Romanée-Conti, De Villaine has a different explanation. It was said that, the original La Romanée-Conti was a separate parcel of lieu-dit called Au-Dessus-de-La-Romanée, which was sold to Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet after the Revolution. Aubert de Villaine, the current co-owner, also the descendant of M. Duvault-Blochet eventually inherited the vineyard.
Domaine du Vicomte Liger-Belair
Much like the Gros family, many family vineyards was forced to split to multiple ownership due to the French taxation. So today, you see Jean Gros, Michel Gros, Anne Gros, Gros Frère et Soeur were all previously belonging to one origin family. The case with Thibault Liger-Belair in Nuits St. Georges and Vicomte Liger-Belair were all part of the Liger-Belair family that also co-owned a négociant business called Maison C. Marey et Comte Liger-Belair (1852-1982). The ancestor of the current owner Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, Louis Liger-Belair was a general to Napoléon that started his domaine in 1815. Together with his son, Louis-Charles, they put together a holding of vineyards that includes La Romanée (Aux Echanges was acquired through marriage), the original La Tâche (1.45 ha at that time, when Edmund Gaudin de Villaine acquired that in 1933, he merged it with his parcel of Les Gaudichots and became today's holding of 6 hectares) and Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Reignots. At their prime, the Liger-Belair also owned a large parcel of Richebourg, Les Malconsorts, Les Gaudichots with a total vineyard holding of 40 hectares. After the passing of Louis-Michel Liger-Belair's great grandfather in 1924, the vineyard holding was passed down to his wife. However, during 1933 when Louis-Michel Liger-Belair's great grandmother passed away, the grandchildren were too young to take ownership by the French law. It was during then, the other members of the Linger-Belair family that have no desire to continue the family business and were anxious to receive their lawful shares that forces the sale of their vineyards properties. Fortunately, Juste Liger-Belair, one of the member of the family decided to retain a portion and purchase both La Romanée and Reignot from the public auction. The vineyard was subsequently passed to Juste Liger-Belair's nephew, Michel, who was also Louis-Michel's grandfather. He was however killed in 1941 during World War II. Louis-Michel's father did not want to be involved with the wine business and he later signed an sharecropping arrangement with the Forey family. From 1946 - 2001, the Forey tended the vines and raised the wines, until 2001, Régis Forey, son of Jean Forey returned the vineyard to Liger-Beliar family when the sharecropping agreement expired.

Louis Michel Liger-Beliar
For a number of generations, not until Louis Michel took over the responsibility. Liger-Beliar family was not directly in the wine business, they opted to rent out their prime vineyards in exchange for money to deal with their inheritance tax-bill for the land. So, Maison Leroy bought the wines of La Romanée from 1951 till 1961, with Maison Bichot following the lease until 1975 and Bouchard Père et Fils from 1976 until 2001 as the exclusive agents for La Romanée wine. From 2002 until 2005, there were actually two different bottling of La Romanée as Bouchard was entitled half of the production, the remaining half want into Vicomte Liger-Belair. Little has been told that, Louis-Michel Liger-Belair actually handles the vinfication and élevage of both Bouchard and his own version. He however clarifies that, Bouchard has their instruction along with their own barrels supply.

2003 Vosne-Romanée "La Colombière"
Louis Michel's style has always have that refine, polished feel. This village lieu-dit perhaps is the only 2003 I got a trace of dehydrated element. Very profound sexy, with candied sweet, almost currant, but mixed of dark and blue berries fruit. There is however good underlying purity despite the somehow exotic, ripe personality. The lighter of all the line-up with traces of chalk dry finish.

2003 Vosne-Romanée "Clos du Château"
This cuvée has always been the best value from Vicomte Liger-Belair and the fruit source was entirely from the vineyard surrounded the estate - Château Vosne-Romanée. Showing more smoked stock element, but cooler pitched, more cherry, Vosne's spice. This beauty has clearly better define, shown better purity and sappiness, which I was surprised by how the 03s has evolved. The wine also offered better details and outline, which clearly, there must be some acidification adjust here, since most malic & tartaric acid were burned from this heat-laden vintage.

2003 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru "Chaumes"
This premier cru lies on the border of Nuits St. Georges, which explained, this cuvée drawn some neighbor stern, muscular personality. More tightly wound, structured frame, with the usual black fruit of this vintage, but less sexy, somehow shown more extracted, mouth coated tannin feel. Only two barrels being made, from vines planted in 1945.

2003 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru "Reignots"
This wine is clearly denser than any of the previous cuvée. Some cold soak, anthocyans-purple trace on the color. This clearly shown darker fruit, with more roasted exoticness. More creamy, layers and hard to say "no" kind of seductiveness. I however found some trace of Brett? But the unusual combination of lift with rich palate somehow overcome the deficiency.

2003 Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru La Romanée
There is no question, along with de Vogue Musigny, both are the finest 2003 burgundy I have tasted. If one think that, this beauty is going to throw me more richness, more profoundness. The answers is exactly the opposite. This discreet, subtle beauty came as unnoticed at first, in fact, any of the earlier premier crus could easily taken the attention from this wine by their sheer size. However, oxidation will unveil it true potential. The intensity of this wine, with it persist flavor that lasted throughout the tasting. Nothing is fade away. In fact, toward the end, when we compared this elegant beauty with the rest of the early cuvées, the refinement of La Romanée somehow made the rest of the wines tasted rough and clumsy (some of the early bottles were already deteriorate with aeration). This old style (same spoke for Romanée-Conti) burgundy, patience is needed to truly display it greatness. Amazing stuff!

de Vogüé Musigny Vertical

Allen Meadows called Musigny, "one of the two of three most gifted pieces of dirt in Burgundy".
Anthony Hanson said, "subtle nobility".
Clive Coates noted, "a great Musigny is heaven in a glass".
Matt Kramer, "the most convincing wine of Burgundy".
Remington Norman wrote, "the epitome of the finesse of which Burgundy is capable".

In Burgundy, Pinot Noir grown on clay soils gives more weight and body, as opposed to those from the lighter soils of more limestone, rock, which offers more finesse and aroma complexity. The Bajocian rich Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges (most prime vineyards) display richness and structured, where else, the Bathonian dominant of Vosne-Romanee, Volnay and especially Chambolle Musigny, is all about perfume and finesse! As what Matt Kramer has wrote, Romanée-Conti or La Tâche of Vosne-Romanée is known for their dramatic, opiatic spice qualities and Allen Meadows' would unapologetically called Volnay as among the purest, most elegant wine that build on the base of finesse and minerality. But, for Musigny, it seem to combine the very best of both. It has the seductive red fruit of Vosne-Romanée but without the forcefulness spice; it shares the same finesse and minerality of Volnay, but is more substantial in power and richness. The sweetness found in Musigny is unlike grand crus of Vosne-Romanée, which they literary knock you on your face. It is more subtle, ethereal and builds slowly, eventually it leaves your palate with the sweet impression that lingers in the memory for days. Equally can be said about the richness found in Musigny. Whether is it due to its underlying body, or the highly pitched personality, it comes across as more subtly and finely balance. A supreme sense of richness without weight.

One talk about Musigny, is unavoidably, Domaine Comte de Vogüé will come immediately in mind. The ancestors of the family has been occupying the 66.5% of the entire Musigny vineyard since 1766. The lieu-dit of Les Petits Musigny is a monopole of the family. To many fanatics of burgundy, Musigny literally means, de Vogüé!

On the night of February 4th, 2007. I have co-organized a charity dinner featuring six vintages of de Vogüé Musigny. We also have the privilege of having the estate manager, Jean-Luc Pépin as our guest of speaker for that evening. The following are highlights of my tasting note.

2003 de Vogüé Bourgogne Blanc (previously Musigny Blanc)
According to Jean-Luc, the last Musigny Blanc was produced in 1992. Since then, due to the previous old vines being replanted with younger vines, and winemaker François Millet felt that, the current white did not live up to the grand cru status and decided to declassified all to Bourgogne Blanc. However, having tasted this chardonnay again after 4-6 months. I found them developing nicely. The early Chablis-like austerity has gave way to a more oily, fat, glycerin-coated palate. Still, the wine is pure and crisp at start, with attractive ginger, coconut-toasty aroma. It has however turned more fleshy, with some aging honey-caramel sweetness emerged with air. Very little evident of acidity, however, quite viscous.

2000 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
Beautiful crushed berries aroma, that is both pure and fresh. The nose could easily be mistaken for being a Vosne-Romanée due to its spicy qualities. This wine does not have the usual depth and scale, but has the Musigny hallmark of delicacy and elegance. It was nonetheless sexy and gorgeous to drink, and it went down my gullet effortlessly. 2000 vintage is characterized by the abundant crop that can potentially dilute the fruit quality.

1998 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
Initially more underbrush, tarry, stalky element, with aeration, turned more pristine. Its clearly more massive and has more impressive density. The fruit is also leaning towards more intense black fruit, with obvious viscosity and spirit-like palate. However, there is good balance in this wine, as well as the sap showing up at the end. According to Jean-Luc, the key to success in 1998 is grape sorting. There were uneven grapes ripeness within a cluster of grape.

2001 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
This vintage is everyone's favorite. It has the captivated ripe, candied fruit character, the thickness and lace of fruit that is so irresistible. Layer-after-layers and cool, seamless, gorgeous, palate-caressing sweet, blackberries fruit that keeps hitting every sweet spot of your palate. Amazingly, your palate is not fatigue, the balance is amazing, and despite the wine generosity, there is this sense of precision that kept the wine well together. I remember François Millet considering the 2005 vintage to be a wine that combines the warm and cold effects (concentration of sweetness, with precision and energy), which he describes his 2005 reds as - vintage of sorbet! I think, he would agree with me, his 2001 is equally reminded of those qualities.

1991 Musigny Vieilles Vignes

The bottle tasted that night was clearly less fresh and somehow tired. Very tarry nose, with unclean meat-stock, smoke element. The palate also shows a sense of rusticity, more pliant, and fruit has more oxidized influenced of plum rather than berries. It was however rich, and quite massive. There are some aged game quality and noticeable acidity that gives the palate some chewy feel. The finish is however dry, which was clearly coming from dehydrated grape, or what would be said, a taste of hail caused by damaged grapes (goût de grêle, or goût de sec)?

1999 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
This wine clearly has a lot of reserved! Dark black and raspberries, but tangy and transparence. Clearly larger scale than all the previous Musigny. The huge intensity and power were somehow trapped at this point, but one should not have any trouble to spot the potential. The current sounding acidity has give the wine detailed personality, and so does the unmistakable Chambolle-mineral quality. Here, we are not talking about Orlando Bloom, more promising than happening. 99 is more like Colin Farrell, a putative star who has yet to produce a major hit. Only time will reinstate it glory.

1996 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
This clearly is more linear, details and edgy. The density and potential of this wine is buried by the formidable frame, making this wine more in common with the late-show grand crus from Morey-St.-Denis. This is backward, larger-than-usual scale Musigny. However, the wine is both very fine and elegant. Slightly more four-square, chewy than usual, but the mix of red and black berries fruit indicates that, there is no sign of decline and still remained fresh and vibrant at this age. This is a serious Musigny that will age for a long time.

Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay

Among all the Chardonnay made in Australia. I admire the recent work of Sandro Mosele racy, chalky, Chablis-like Fautline Chardonnay; Rick Kinzbrunner delicious, leesy Giaconda Chardonnay; Geoff Weaver's restrained, aged worthy Leeswood Chardonnay; Turbo-charged, oaked, Meursault-like Vanya Cullen's Chardonnay; Recently, Jeff Grosset has also been turning out some sumptuous, almost Giaconda look alike Piccadilly Chardonnay and with some luck, you might find a bottle or two of European-inspired, very fine Chardonnay from Sorrenberg. However, there are still many monotonous, one-dimensional, overly-wooded, overly-acidified, yeast-driven fruit cocktail, uninspiring chardonnay coming out from Australia. Also, some over hyped, over priced chardonnay such as Penfold's Yattarna Chardonnay and Mount Mary Chardonnay, which try to emulate burgundy, making more subtle, elegant, so-called Puligny-Montrachet-like chardonnay. However, beside the obvious acidification, which could somehow resemble the 04 white burgundy malic-component, they lack the real material to support and balance those acidity! Ridiculously, they are charging for a primeur or grand cru burgundy price.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate Chardonnay made by Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River. Granted, there were years that, the chardonnay could be too full-blown, too fat, too butterscotch-ish (too much batonnage) for my liking. However, they have witness their chardonnay aged amazingly well, despite the precautious personality. Having been tasted in few occasion of their 1980, 1984, 1987, 1990, and interesting, either due to their fruit has better integrated with the woods, or the early oily, fatty baby-fat has disappeared? Those chardonnays seem to turn more refine and elegant with age. In a number of occasion, I have even mistaken it for burgundy!

Few years ago, I have the privilege to be invited by Leeuwin Estate to participate in the chardonnay blending exercise with the former serious winemaker of Leeuwin and now, winemaker for Chalice Bridge Estate and consultant for Leeuwin, Bob Cartwright. Bob is the guy that largely credits his success of creating one of the nation best chardonnay. He told me that, he has adopted all the burgundian technique when it comes to making his chardonnay. That means, preliminary cold soak, cold settling before fermentation takes place in barrel. Several yeast strain is inoculated. Malolactic is carry out but rarely 100%, in year, they might block the malos to preserve better acidity. After fermentation, the must remained with its lees, and batonnage (yeast stirring) is constantly carried out for the next 12 months. For Leeuwin estate Chardonnay, each plot of fruits is vinified and treated separately. Toward the end of elevage, the team of Leeuwin winemaking team will come up with the final blend. However, block 20, due to it's old-vine quality (30 over year-old with clone that's originally from Houghton vineyard) has consistently been the backbone, component blend for Leeuwin Chardonnay.

Bordeaux 2000 & 2004

Our second half of 2000 Bordeaux took place at my favorite Sage Restaurant in Robertson Walk. Due to the highly satisfying part-one 2000 Bordeaux tasting conducted some months ago. The part-two, which featured wine mostly from the right bank and three first-growth from Medoc, came with high anticipation and expectation. However, to some of the attendees, it was a letdown!

First of all, 2000 vintage despite suffering from hydric stress. It was nothing compared with the heatwave of 2003, with super-ripe, sometime baked fruit character. In my view, it also lack the profoundness, the immediate sexiness that contributed by the over-achieved Merlot in 2005. 2000 to me, is a classical vintage that's more in-line with say, 1995. The flamboyance and profoundness of 2000 Chateau Margaux was an exception. The 2000 Latour, Lafite & Mouton were all made in long haul, less precautious style. However, one is not difficult to detect the intensity, the concentration of fruit that await to be burst, if only, they were not been stop by the sounding acidity and formidable structured. 2000 Mouton display their usual cedar, blackcurrant, spice and mineral. Very well pitched, thanks to the adequate acidity, which also give the wine that sense of elegance. 2000 Lafite give off that neat, refreshing, burgundy-like purity. Showing more pure currant, less of that Mouton's cedar, leather element. More austere, but better precision and burgundy-like transparence and details. Not a wine for weight and textured, but instead elegance and finesse. 2000 Latour is obviously the most massive of all. More cassis, mint and hint of bitter-chocolate. The dense and lush palate, making the tannin less noticeable and suave. This is clearly the most powerful, more obvious alcohol first-growth of all. I will be brief on the following garagiste, 2000 Clos L'Eglise, more hyper-ripe element, liqueur-infused blackfruits. Lush, creamy, seamless, yet surprisingly structured. I agreed with Jancis, the dark raspberries, blackberries, with spice and sexy personality does recalled some of Domaine Leroy's Vosne-Romanee. 2000 Pavie-Decesse, I knew Jancis hated this wine, she called it, "one is experiencing human effort rather than nature, it's a formula"! To me, more chocolaty, more-port-ish, pruney, almost band-aid like nose. Tarry, medicinal, viscous, and evolved rapidly in the glass. Drink-up! 2000 Canon La Gaffeliere, Thank god! We are back to more classic St.-Emilion. Satin smooth, with lovely sweet-berries fruit that is both gentle and edge-free on the palate. Quite floral, with Vosne-like spices, and marked by liveliness and exclusive balance, especially after the two chunky garagistes. 2000 Angelus, initially look like one of those garagiste dark-raspberries, mocha element. Fortunately, more steel-like-mineral kick in. On the palate, is mouthfilling rich and fat, yet, it has the precision and inner-mouth energy to bring back the wine in focus. In fact, after some aeration, it shown better purity and acid-spine. 2000 La Conseillante some how brought back the La Conseillante I remembered. I must said, I am less enthusiast with the current Rolland's regime style. Thick and sexy, at the sametime, firm and structured. Quite kirsch-like, yet the blackraspberry/ blueberries fruit look tangy, bracing. This reminded me a lot like the 1985 La Conseillante, which I enjoy immensely for many years.

2004 vintage has being sandwiched between the two of the more illustrated vintages of 2003 & 2005, is destined to be over shadowed. However, the British press has, from the start supported this rather classical vintage of Bordeaux, which featured extreme lateness of harvest, and produces more traditional-style Bordeaux for their firm tannins, vibrant acidities, food-friendly style. Since 2003, and especially 2005 announced their exorbitant opening price, for the fraction of price, 2004 came as an good value today, much like the previous 2001 & 2002 vintages. In the recent Wine Spectator Insider, many 2004 were given a higher-than-previous score, Ausone (95 points), Latour (95 points), Haut-Brion (95 points), Leoville Las Cases (95 points), Cos d'Estournel (94 points), Pontet-Canet (93 points). James Suckling in his personal blogs has also shown optimism how 2004 has developed since it was bottled. "I think that 2004 is going to please a lot of people. They are typical Bordeaux with lovely perfumes of berries and flowers and medium to full-bodied palates, with refined tannins and a long finish". Let look at some of the crucial element that make-up the stylistic and quality of 2004 Bordeaux.

The 2004's features extreme lateness and extreme abundance, accordingly to Bordeaux wine merchant Bill Blatch, which is the person that provides Jancis Robinson, Robert Parker, James Suckling (and, everyone else) the primary assessment on each vintage of Bordeaux. Here is the summary of 2004, where I gather the information from Jancis Robinson & Bill Blatch - Lateness in vintage, translate better accumulation of acidity, often produced wine of traditional-style that features firm tannins, refreshment and elegance. Unlike such early-harvested years like 1989, '90 & '03, where the hot vintages produces warmers-style of softness, fatness, obvious ripeness and profoundness. 2004 also suffered from some downpour in August, with 11 mm above average of rain, which explains the vintage favored well-drained, heat-retentive, warmer gravel soils rather than the heavier, cooler late ripening clay soils (the opposite scenario of 2003). The vintage started off with very late budding (three weeks behind) due the low pressure coming from northerly wave, which lasted till mid-March. This early sign has already shown the delay-harvest vintage for 2004. Despite late-budding does not necessarily mean inferior vintage. However, by the end of April, the over fertile budding (there was even a third bud) has indicated a potentially huge-crop ahead. For Chateaus who remove those excessive buds, appear to make better wines this year. The flowering was effective and rapid due to the early June heatwave. However, vineyards were suffering from drought. July and August were depressing, with showers and overcast weather. The interchange of heat and damp weather has caused the grapes to swell, the enormous load of grapes, which required the eclaircissage - second crop-thinning. However, fewer Chateaus could afford to thin and crop their vineyard, especially, most Frenchmen believe in holidaying solidly rather than working solidly in July and August - said Alain Vauthier of Chateau Ausone. The delay vintage of 2004 has caused some major shortage of vineyard workers (of-course, all on holiday). "Once again, as in 1986 and 2002, Bordeaux made a vintage that was saved by the bell", said Bill Blatch. The return of high pressure in September that lasted till October 10th gave the grapes its well needed heat to evaporate the excessive water, and to diminish the size, further concentrate and as well as ripening the fruits. The very cold nights of September 16, 17, 18, also said to have gave the wine freshness, which is the hallmark of this vintage. Merlot and Cabernet Franc were brought in at idea ripening condition, avoiding the October heavy rain. However, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon was picked during when the rain started, and finish at around 14-15 October, before the rain ended. "If you find anyone in the Medoc who claims that they didn't pick in rain, then send them to me," said, manager of Chateau Latour, Frederic Engerer. This is the vintage favor those who work hard in their vineyards, doing shot pruning, de-budding, crop thinning. In addition, those Chateaus whose wines sell at the higher prices, whose could afford the luxury of paying pickers to wait for the right moment to pick and harvest parcel-by-parcel made the best wine of the vintage. "The best 2004s are just so delicious, even if they may not have the intensity of the 2005s, and offer refreshment rather than opulence," said Jancis Robinson.