BORDEAUX 2005: JUBELZANGEN ALOM |
BORDEAUX 2005: JUBILATING SONGS ALL AROUND |
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"Het Beste wijnjaar van de afgelopen vijftig jaar ? De toekomst lacht ons toe." Zo meldt wijnhandel Caves de France op zijn website http://www.cavesdefrance.be. Meteen volgen enkele zeer lovende persuittreksels, en niet alleen over rood, maar ook wit én zeker ook likoreus.
Maar er is een verschil: de unanimiteit van wijnmakers, wijnschrijvers én enkele vrienden die ter plaatse gingen proeven is verrassend groot. Jean-Philippe Janoueix van o.m. Chateau La Croix St. Georges in Pomerol, La Confession in St. Emilion, Chateau Chambrun in Lalande en Le Conseiller in Bordeaux Supérieur zei het ons bij herhaling: "nooit in mijn leven zo'n oogst meegemaakt. Onthou vooral het volgende: rijpheid én fraicheur én tannines houden elkaar nu al volkomen in evenwicht" En dit is wat R. Parker schrijft: "2005 will not be over-hyped. It is that special, the wines are unlike any I have tasted in 28 years of doing these March tastings. They show the highest tannins ever measured, among the highest dry extracts ever measured, the highest alcohols ever: 13.5-14.5% is normal." En dan een sneer naar Britse Masters of wine (zoals zijn non-vriendin Jancis Robinson): "can't wait to hear the whines from the British MWs. Very crisp acidities which is the anomaly in a year of such massive richness. I predict there will hundreds of potentially top wines at reasonable prices...but the prestige labels will be absurdly priced " De man die, in de bekende "barrel tastings" ofte "proeven van het vat" allicht het verst ging was James Suckling van Wine Spectator. In het nummer van maart 2006 bericht hij over de zowat 600 geproefde wijnen (jawel) het volgende: "
Bordeaux's 2005 vintage is going to be a record-breaker on every level.
Extraordinary wines are everywhere. Demand is unprecedented. Prices are
expected to be astronomical. " En hij levert ongeveer hetzelfde commentaar als Parker. Met één uitzondering: hij wijst erop dat het ondermaats presterende Margaux (vanaf 2001) nu tot het allerbeste behoort: "straks zullen een aantal wijnen, Chateau Margaux op kop, 100/100 halen". En de prijzen? Voor de grote kastelen spreekt men doodleuk van een verdubbeling. Op het beroemde Chateau Ausone zei men aan een Belgische wijnhandelaar: "reken maar op ongeveer 500 Euro per fles". De conclusie uit dit alles: 1. Bordeaux 2005 wordt absolute topklasse, al kunnen we nog geen definitieve uitspraak doen 2. De grote domeinen zullen "zotte" prijzen vragen 3. Het wordt dus zoeken naar "kleine namen met grote klasse". Iemand verwees ons vooral naar Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux Supérieur. 4. Misschien kunnen de kleine noodlijdende wijnboeren profiteren, mits ze goede kwaliteit tegen redelijke prijs brengen 5. 2005 was niet alleen een topjaar in Frankrijk. Zie daarvoor ons artikel over de vooruitzichten voor 2005
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"The best vintage of the last 50 years" This is what we hear, read and see about Bordeaux 2005. Haven't we heard jubilant prospects about Bordeauw before - remember 2000 and 2003.? But then, there were sounds of discord as well, as we noted in our own eye-witness reports. What is striking this time is the near total unanimity among winemakers, wine writers, merchants, and a few friends who participated in this year's barrel tastings. Jean-Philippe Janoueix of, among others, Chateau La Croix St. Georges in Pomerol, La Confession in St. Emilion, Chateau Chambrun in Lalande and Le Conseiller in Bordeaux Supérieur told us repeatedly: 'I have never seen such a qualitative harvest as this year. Retain this: there is a unique high level balance between ripeness, fraicheur and tannins. And I am not alone to say this" He is joined by all wine writers. This is what R. Parker has to say: ""2005 will not be over-hyped. It is that special, the wines are unlike any I have tasted in 28 years of doing these March tastings. They show the highest tannins ever measured, among the highest dry extracts ever measured, the highest alcohols ever: 13.5-14.5% is normal." And then a sneer to British Masters of Wine (such as his non-friend Jancis Robinson): "can't wait to hear the whines from the British MWs... Very crisp acidities which is the anomaly in a year of such massive richness. I predict there will hundreds of potentially top wines at reasonable prices...but the prestige labels will be absurdly priced " The journalist who may have gone farthest in barrel tasting is Wine Spectator's James Suckling. He tasted about 600 wines from the barrel or the weel known half-bottles with no label except a handwritten one. His comment:" Bordeaux's 2005 vintage is going to be a record-breaker on every level. Extraordinary wines are everywhere. Demand is unprecedented. Prices are expected to be astronomical. " There is one special note I found interesting in his report: Margaux, which under-achieved between 2001-2004, is now among the absolute top. Domains like Chateau Margaux or Palmer may be expected to score 100/100. And what about the prices? The great castle domains simply speak of "doubling the price". This was what one wine merchant heard at famous Chateau Ausone: "for the client, it will be 500 Euro a bottle"... So, let's conclude: 1. Bordeaux 2005 is and will be absolute top class, though we will know only in about 5 years from now 2. Great chateaux will ask horrendous prices 3. The search is for "small names with big quality". Someone told us: watch out for Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Castillon, and many a Bordeaux Supérieur. 4. Small suffering wineries could profit from the price hype, provided they bring good to excellent quality for a reasonable price 5. 2005 is not only top class in Bordeaux, it is in many other regions as well. See our article about prospects for the year 2005
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