Recently, I was asked by a customer to host a tasting of Bordeaux 2000, in which, he will supply all the top achievers from this millennial vintage. Last night, the first half of this tasting took place in one of my favorite Chinese Restaurant - Golden Palace. Due the number of wines, it has already been pre-decided to split the tasting into two sessions with the first part featuring wines from the Médoc. Two Châteaus from each commune were chosen for our assessment.
Before I go on with my impression of this vintage, let's look at the following background of this vintage.
From start, the millennial vintage of 2000 is already destined to be a very special vintage. Like the millennium bug, it will continue to be the talking point for many years to come. One interesting observation from Bordeaux history, almost every alternate decade produces a great year. Like 1950, an excellent year for the right bank; 1970, great Latour, Lynch-Bages, Ducru-Beaucailou (the best since 61), Palmer, Pétrus (my favorite and greatest Pétrus tasted), Trotanoy, Figeac; 1990 (exceptional year for both side of the river), and now, the consecutive run of year 2000.
From the beginning, 2000 vintage was never shaped to be a great vintage. Till these days, when Bordelais was asked about this magical year. They would never have thought that it will turnout to be this good. Many refer this as a miracle year!
First of all, the warm and wet spring had led to one of the worst outbreak of mildew in the region. It was reportedly as the worse outbreak of mildew since the mid-50s. One disaster followed by another with heat wave in mid-June and the overcast weather in July that failed to warm up the weather. It looks to be another mediocre vintage by many Château proprietors.
However, the weather miraculously warm up in late July due to a huge high pressure system stalled over much of the Europe, with warm temperature that lasted for the next two months and grape began to gain in sugar through photosynthesis, shading the excess water, thickening the skins (due to lack of moisture). The same hot and dry months however caused some heat-stress in hill spots and well-drained vineyard, with many vines showing signs of hydric stress. It was especially serious with gravelly and sandy soil of Pomerol and St.-Emilion. Ironically, the less ideal, water-retentive soils of clay and chalk were spared from such drought, producing none of those exotic, roasted aromas and high-tone fruits found in many wines of the right bank. The hot weather continued to last the entire September, which further raise the sugar and thicken the grape skin. Merlot was harvest in dry weather of mid-September, during which, rain pour between September 29 through October 1. Many Bordelais started bringing in their Cabernets in the next 10 days before the major rain fell on October 11.
2000 wines are marked by deep color (due to the relative high skin to juice ratio) and high alcohol (result from the high sugar contained). The best 2000 wines are among the most concentrated with record level of polyhenols that will ensure a very long-lived ahead. The acidity was however low for 2000, which was evident in many Merlot-based wine that generally lack the malic acidity. The later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is said to be the best achiever in this vintage, with sounding materials and high tannin content. To many observers, 2000 is a Médoc year, with St.-Julien, Pauillac and Margaux leading the way, making many outstanding wines. Right bank of Pomerol and St.-Emilion was however a mixed bag, with numerous of wines showing jammy fruit that were clearly made from dehydrated grape. Only those later-ripening, water-retentive soils were managed to concentrate their fruit through real phenolic ripening (as oppose for dehydration) and produces interesting wine for this millennial vintage.
Before I go on with my impression of this vintage, let's look at the following background of this vintage.
From start, the millennial vintage of 2000 is already destined to be a very special vintage. Like the millennium bug, it will continue to be the talking point for many years to come. One interesting observation from Bordeaux history, almost every alternate decade produces a great year. Like 1950, an excellent year for the right bank; 1970, great Latour, Lynch-Bages, Ducru-Beaucailou (the best since 61), Palmer, Pétrus (my favorite and greatest Pétrus tasted), Trotanoy, Figeac; 1990 (exceptional year for both side of the river), and now, the consecutive run of year 2000.
From the beginning, 2000 vintage was never shaped to be a great vintage. Till these days, when Bordelais was asked about this magical year. They would never have thought that it will turnout to be this good. Many refer this as a miracle year!
First of all, the warm and wet spring had led to one of the worst outbreak of mildew in the region. It was reportedly as the worse outbreak of mildew since the mid-50s. One disaster followed by another with heat wave in mid-June and the overcast weather in July that failed to warm up the weather. It looks to be another mediocre vintage by many Château proprietors.
However, the weather miraculously warm up in late July due to a huge high pressure system stalled over much of the Europe, with warm temperature that lasted for the next two months and grape began to gain in sugar through photosynthesis, shading the excess water, thickening the skins (due to lack of moisture). The same hot and dry months however caused some heat-stress in hill spots and well-drained vineyard, with many vines showing signs of hydric stress. It was especially serious with gravelly and sandy soil of Pomerol and St.-Emilion. Ironically, the less ideal, water-retentive soils of clay and chalk were spared from such drought, producing none of those exotic, roasted aromas and high-tone fruits found in many wines of the right bank. The hot weather continued to last the entire September, which further raise the sugar and thicken the grape skin. Merlot was harvest in dry weather of mid-September, during which, rain pour between September 29 through October 1. Many Bordelais started bringing in their Cabernets in the next 10 days before the major rain fell on October 11.
2000 wines are marked by deep color (due to the relative high skin to juice ratio) and high alcohol (result from the high sugar contained). The best 2000 wines are among the most concentrated with record level of polyhenols that will ensure a very long-lived ahead. The acidity was however low for 2000, which was evident in many Merlot-based wine that generally lack the malic acidity. The later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is said to be the best achiever in this vintage, with sounding materials and high tannin content. To many observers, 2000 is a Médoc year, with St.-Julien, Pauillac and Margaux leading the way, making many outstanding wines. Right bank of Pomerol and St.-Emilion was however a mixed bag, with numerous of wines showing jammy fruit that were clearly made from dehydrated grape. Only those later-ripening, water-retentive soils were managed to concentrate their fruit through real phenolic ripening (as oppose for dehydration) and produces interesting wine for this millennial vintage.
My impression of 2000 Bordeaux somehow look to be a déjà vu vintage of 2005. There were many similar events that occurred in both 2000 & 2005. First of all, both vintages are marked by drought growing condition (perhaps less serious like 2005 and nothing compared to the destructive heat wave of 2003); Both vintages' Merlot has exceeding in quality with record high alcohol; Both vintages share the similar characteristics of deep color, rich and powerful palate, with huge tannin and underlying of acidity. Those are immensely attractive wines, yet remained classic long-lived vintage due to it's sound structured and tannin profile.
My first pair of Châteaus were Ducru Beaucaillou & Léoville-Poyferre 2000. It has become a norm for me to begin my Bordeaux tasting with wine of St.-Julien. St.-Julien represents the most elegant, aromatically pure, details and crisp acidity of all Bordeaux. Indeed, the Ducru under the hand of Francois-Xavier Borie was much similar to the style that was portrayed by the late Jean-Eugène Borie. Distinctively pure, elegant and symmetrically balance. Comparing the recent Ducru (by Bruno Borie) with 2000, is like comparing Maria Sharapova with Serena Williams in a tennis court. 2000 Ducru was so St.-Julien terrior-like, much like my other favorite St.-Julien - Gruaud-Larose. Pure red currant, red berries, with touch of Vosne-Romanee's spices. Ripe yet linear, very stylish, with pronounced mineral and burgundy-like sap. Exceptional balance and completely weightless. One of my best wine of the night. 2000 Léoville-Poyferre look more alien for wine of St.-Julien. Clearly much riper, denser with more seamless palate with almost sweet lushness. Less transparency like Ducru, equally, the details are well buried by the sweet oak (80% of new oak was used for aging). Despite attractive and coming across as more modern expression. It lacked personality and the dry tannin finish seem to be the result of fruit suffering from dehydration. The pair of Pauillac - Pichon Lalande & Pichon Baron were perhaps the weaker-link of all. Pichon Lalande (recently sold to a famous fashion house, Hermes) look to be in it's most awkward stage with fruitless under the relatively tough tannin frame. It also worry me with the relatively menthol, herbal like nose. However, the wine was silkily balance and quite pure without the intrusive new oak character. In the contrary, Pichon Baron has more cosmetic new oak sweetness. Good Pauillac's cedar nose with black currant. Not a blockbuster, in fact, quite stylish. The ripe slightly fleshy palate, with excellent outline tannin hold the wine quite nicely. In fact, a sexy juice indeed. Cos d'Estournel & Montrose were a better show. The clay-based soil of Cos also show more muscle and power than a more sandy soil of Montrose. Distinctively more earthy, dark fruit and the telltale smokiness of Cos. Quite a firm start, but it quickly give way to a lush, layers and curranty palate. Clearly more volume in this wine than the former pair of Pauillac. What amazed me with this beauty is, besides the lovely, velvety palate, there is this lift from the underpinned acidity that is keeping the wine so fresh and vibrant that, for once, I thought I was tasting the 2005. Montrose is another lovely effort, despite not being as masculine or bright as Cos. Showing more black currant, cassis, in a suave and lush palate. The gentle and fine palate almost reminiscent of burgundy. I particularly enjoy the precise and persistent palate of black raspberry and cassis fruits. The flight of Palmer & Château Margaux were among the highlight of the night. Palmer 2000 is all about finesse, subtlety and grace. This is not a wine for people who seek for power, richness and extract. Framboise, violet nose, yet is pure and pristine. Very fine and silk-like palate that nothing is instructive or over the edge. It has the similar transparency as Ducru, but perhaps denser and firmer.The will buffered acidity also make the wine tasted more chewy and at the same time, offer a more penetrating palate. This is a style of wine that is largely under-appreciated these days, which in my opinion, truly bestow what Bordeaux is all about. What can I say about Château Margaux? Clearly, the most aromatically complex wine of all. Almost Musigny-like haunting flavor of black and red fruits, cedar, leather, beef-stock, soy and mineral. Complex yet subtly sophisticated. On the palate, it has the sex-appeal denseness and layers palate, yet, is not entirely full-blown, somewhat restrained. Within the textured palate, there is this sense of elegance and refinement. The only Graves served on the nigh was, Haut-Brion and without doubt, the larger-scale, most massive of all. Not entirely in it's full force, despite my best efforts of decanting them 3 hours ahead. Very intense wine, yet remained unyielding at this stage. Good earth and graves' mineral with steel infused black fruit. The tightly-knit frame with well sap and meaty palate almost reminiscent of the sophisticated Pommard made by Comte Armand. This is a wine that I would not touch them for another good ten years. An unusual high percentage of Merlot (51%) was the result of this fine effort.
I can confirm, 2000 is an outstanding year for Bordeaux. My early fear of the over-achieved Merlot that might potentially impart those confiture, roasted, exotic aromas (which was the case in some 2005) were however spared for this flight (at least, not for the left bank). At the same time, I do not find the alcohol to be excessive or potentially threatening to the balancing and delineation of the wine, such as what was descript by Tanzer, with many wines have developed into more exotic, torrefaction, syrup-like fruits that is both chunky and monolithic (perhaps he refer more towards the right-bank). Despite 2000 is more substantial, it was for me, more on-line with 1990 and 1995. The sounding tannin combined ripe and dense palate also seemingly recall those of 2005 (despite, 2005 shown more obvious alcohol and brighter, cooler palate). There is no reason to believe, the exotic, confiture year 2003 has anything to do with the quality of 2000 and equally, 2000 is neither the like of 1996, despite sharing the same tannin frame and equally higher achieved on Cabernets. Many 1996 remained forbiddingly tight and unyielding today.
I hope the above assessment give you some idea on how 2000 Bordeaux has progressed. Before this tasting, many people told me that 2000 Bordeaux was impossible to taste. Look what has eventually turnout. My piece of advice is, don't always believe what you read or are told. Personal experience is the ultimate answer to your quest in the mystery of the wine world. Till than, see u next time.
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