If you’re a Bordeaux lover, one of the biggest days in the wine year is fast approaching.
On Oct. 3 Bordeaux aficionados will line up in droves to buy what they perceive are some of the must-have bottles in the wine world from the 2012 release.
Few people know Bordeaux better than Barbara Philip, a Master of Wine and European portfolio manager for B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch. At a recent preview she said that the interest in Bordeaux continues to surge unabated.
“The state of Bordeaux is crazy. And for the type of consumers buying at the high end it doesn’t really seem to matter. We sell everything that comes in. And for the petit chateaux, especially 2009, 2010, 2005 and 2002 (vintages), there’s still crazy demand,” said Philip.
“We’re still showing incredible growth. It’s done nothing but increase since the release of 2009,” noted the wine buyer, who expects the selection of 2012s that she has purchased to sell quickly.
Her assessment of the 2012 vintage is diplomatic but candid.
Philip said that the year started with a cool and rainy spring, meaning an uneven flowering and fruit set and a reduction in crop.
May and June continued to be wet and cool, July was nearly normal, and then in August came extreme heat and drought conditions. That meant a lot of vine stress.
“Typically there’s a beautiful September and October but it didn’t really happen,” said Philip. “And although September and early October were sunny and warm, which is great for Merlot, after the first week in October, it rained, which is not great for Cabernet.”
In fact, she said, “it likely didn’t ripen.”
The early fall weather helped the dry whites considerably, but sweet whites were “a bit of a washout,” and the botrytis (a fungus) never came, she said.
Serious buyers will know 2012 as being the year when celebrated Chateau Latour stopped selling its first growth wines en primeur, a method by which major buyers, such as Philip purchase wines for the future based on barrel sampling.
Instead, the wines will be sold when the winery believes they are ready to drink.
In part, the move is a reaction to the fact that although luxury home wine cellars may be on the rise many consumers no longer have the space to cellar large quantities of wine. Or, in some cases, they may not have the desire, as in emerging markets such as Asia, where, according to Decanter Magazine, “the concept of buying en primeur is still in its infancy.”
If money’s no object and you need to spoil the wine lover in your life then you’ll already have tucked away for them a bottle of the extraordinarily balanced and integrated, peppery Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2010.
If you somehow forgot, you can still find it at BCLS Park Royal ($1,599, taxes extra).
However, if their tastes (and your wallet) are more modest, don’t despair. Nose around and you’ll still find some worthy drops to tuck away from the 2012s that (for Bordeaux) won’t break the bank.
Chateau la Dominique 2012 (St. Emilion)
Globe-trotting Michel Rolland consults on this mainly Merlot, that has juicy, moden style with bright aromas and solid mouthfeel, blue fruit and cassis, plus a little spice that develops on the palate (BCLS $68, 92 points).
Chateau Rauzan Ségla 2012 (Margaux)
Luscious fruit entry (54/44 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot) with floral notes, red currant, firm acidity, ripe tannins with some earthy notes (BCLS $99, 91 points).
Chateau Rahoul 2012 (AOC Graves)
Quite approachable Merlot /Cabernet Sauvignon (65/35) with black fruit and some herbal savoury notes, easy tannins, good mouthfeel and a touch of heat in the end ($28, 89 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. He can be reached via email at [email protected].
