Pete Townshend's arm whirlwinds through the air as he plays the first few chords to The Who's, Baba O'Riley, while Jimmy Page races his way through the opening riff of Led Zeppelin's, Black Dog. Classic songs capture our attention right form the opening few notes and leave us salivating for more... but it is only the beginning. The excitement of an amazing song makes us want to jump right in, but we can’t. We wait, we listen, we sit on the edge of our seats savoring the music as it is revealed to us. It’s this anticipation and wondering where the music might take us that’s half the fun.
This week I have been in Bordeaux sampling the new 2010 vintage , straight from the barrel. For three days winemakers allowed importers, critics, somms and enthusiasts to taste their wines. Nearly 200 wines later, I’ve fought tannin, wrestled with acidity, and struggled at times to find even the slightest trace of fruit. So why do it? Why gather wine geeks and cork dorks from around the world to taste juice that won’t even be bottled for another year and many that won’t be ready to drink for another ten?
Well, this is the opening to the 2010 Bordeaux symphony. Although this first layer might not tell the whole picture, there is depth of information that we can learn even now. 2010 is an excellent vintage! It might not rival the classics of 2009, 2000 or 1982, but it will be a wine that we certainly enjoy, and perhaps a bit sooner. Many from the right back of Pomerol and St. Emilion might be ready to drink in 4-5 years while many from the left bank such as Margaux and St. Julien should be ready in 8-9. Considering the history of this storied region, that’s pretty exciting! Pomerol should present a bit of value with consistent wines showing perfume, black cherry, casis, and cedar. The left bank shows amazing promise but will undoubtedly come with a higher price tag. Margaux showed excellent promise of violets, figs, black tea and licorice.
Bordeaux is a beautiful region of royalty, opulence, and bold flavors. It is the quintessential wine that requires you to listen to the entire score and with this entry, I think they certainly are making beautiful music with the early 2010 vintage. Over the next few years we will continue to taste, evaluate, and debate as we unravel the entire song. If there is this much excitement and anticipation just from the opening riff to 2010, just wait to where this wine can grow.
We don’t just wait for wine in the grand regions such as Bordeaux. Think of the anxiety after even ordering a bottle of wine. What will the the bottle look like? Will it be corked? How will it taste and most importantly, will you enjoy the wine? Ultimately, will it be worth the wait? This isn’t like ordering a pint of lager, there much more uncertainty here. One wrong note has the potential to damage the entire experience.
I’m not a fortune teller and I can’t tell you all the tasting notes or scores of a wine that is just in its early states. More importantly, you have to decide if you’re ready to listen to the music music, start to finish, and take the risk with wine. Before we’re all head-banging to Queen’s, Bohemian Rhapsody, the opening lines sing, “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” Well I’ll certainly be dreaming about the 2010 Bordeaux wines and I can’t wait to see where they might take us.
Wine Recommendations
2010 Chateau Figeac, Saint Emilion
2010 Chateau Clinet, Pomerol
2010 Chateau Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Leognan
2010 Chateau Gloria, Saint Julien
2010 Chateau Lascombes, Margaux
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