Bordeaux binge

Okay, it's really expensive. But . . .

Uncorked by Thor Iverson

Red Bordeaux represents the pinnacle of quality and prestige in winemaking. At least, that's what its proponents would have you believe. What they don't tell you is that it also stands alone at the pinnacle of the price scale, and that you may need to sell your parents into indentured servitude to afford a case or two. But the highly touted 1995 vintage has finally hit the stores, and so the question for the average wine consumer is clear: is this stuff worth it?

Bordeaux's long-held position at the top of the wine hierarchy is the result of a consistent and measured approach to viticulture and winemaking, a classification of producers that acts as a sort of quality guarantee, and the early (and continuing) enthusiasm of the British for the wine they call "claret." Nearly nine centuries of acclaim in Britain laid the foundation for a reputation that has only increased as the wines have found new markets.

In fact, Bordeaux is so revered that the rest of the world has expended insane quantities of energy, money, and grapes in a fruitless (sorry) attempt to emulate it. Bordeaux is one of the very few French wines that are almost always blends (most of the others are from the Rhône Valley), and the principal grapes of Bordeaux -- cabernet sauvignon and merlot -- are grown nearly everywhere wine is made. The other three important grapes of the region -- cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot -- usually tag along.

But be warned: for those weaned on the tastes of American, Australian, or Chilean cabs and merlots, Bordeaux is something of an unpleasant shock. The huge, in-your-face flavor of cabernet sauvignon and the friendly, blueberry-dominated taste of merlot are MIA in the majority of Bordeaux. And what fruit flavor there is battles a heavy layer of tannin and a generally austere character typical of the region's wines. Otherwise unappetizing taste descriptors such as cigar box, lead pencil, leather, and tar are usually employed to describe these elements.

Worse, Bordeaux is expensive. Really expensive, due to the almost ridiculous demand for the wine in Europe and America and the exploding wine market in Asia. It's not uncommon to see price increases of 100 percent from one vintage to the next, yet there are waiting lists of buyers ready to pay whatever premium sellers wish to charge.

So why would anyone want to drink the stuff? Because of what happens to it when it ages. Mature Bordeaux takes on earthy, spicy, richly complex aromas and flavors that seemingly come out of nowhere. Yet the wine's firm structure never really disappears, which is why many people describe Bordeaux as an "intellectual" wine (versus Burgundy, the quintessential "sensual" wine). Put another way, mature Bordeaux makes you want to sip and contemplate, whereas mature Burgundy makes you want to get naked and dance around in the forest. But no matter what your state of dress, you'll have to stave off your pleasure: even Bordeaux from mediocre to lousy vintages ('91, '92, '93) can take five or more years to come around, and well-made wines from great vintages ('88, '89, '90, and perhaps '95) can be virtually ageless. Take note: people are still drinking delicious Bordeaux from the 1800s, and some of the top wines from the 1929 and 1945 vintages are not yet fully mature.

Bordeaux labels are easy to understand. There's the producer's name (often "Château something"), a vintage date, and an appellation. The appellation could be a generic, regionwide one (Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur) or a more specific subregion (Médoc, Fronsac, Côtes de Bourg), and though this is important for predicting the flavor profile of the wine (terroir reigns supreme in Bordeaux, too), for the Bordeaux beginner appellations can also help with aging potential. Good wines from the top appellations (Pauillac, St-Julien, St-Estèphe, St-Émilion, Pomerol, Margaux, and, to a lesser extent, Graves and Pessac-Léognan) have the potential to be longer agers than other Bordeaux -- and are usually more expensive. Depending on the appellation, there might also be a classification based on rankings of the châteaux done in 1855 and at various more recent times. These classifications, often expressed in French -- premier cru means "first growth," grand cru classé means "classed great growth," and so on -- are useful and surprisingly accurate in measuring potential quality. (For more detail on Bordeaux classifications and the region in general, pick up a copy of Robert M. Parker Jr.'s comprehensive Bordeaux, published by Simon and Schuster.)

Young Bordeaux is often poured at retailers' weekly tastings, but older Bordeaux is rarely available for tasting. Thankfully for the consumer, the high price of young Bordeaux often means that older bottles are a better deal, especially from off-vintages like '91 through '94 (pay close attention to storage conditions). However, if you're interested in stocking away a few young Bordeaux, here's a guide to a few of the best I've tasted this fall. All are from the '95 vintage, and prices are approximate:

Bring your wallet (under $25): d'Arhe (Haut-Médoc), Beaumont (Haut-Médoc), Belgrave (Haut-Médoc), Cantamerle (Haut-Médoc), la Cardonne (Médoc), Citran (Haut-Médoc), Cugat "Cuvée Première" (Bordeaux Supérieur), Fourcas Hosten (Listrac), Larose-Trintaudon (Haut-Médoc), la Patache (Pomerol), Poujeaux (Moulis).

Bring your friend's wallet (under $45): Beauregard (Pomerol), le Boscq (St-Estèphe), la Cabanne (Pomerol), Carbonnieux (Pessac-Léognan), la Clusière (St-Émilion), la Couronne (St-Émilion), de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan), du Glana Vieilles Vignes (St-Julien), Haut-Bages Libéral (Pauillac), Haut-Bergey (Pessac-Léognan), Malartic-Lagravière (Pessac-Léognan), Meyney (St-Estèphe), Paveil de Luze (Margaux), Picard (St-Estèphe), Smith Haut-Lafitte (Pessac-Léognan).

Bring your rich uncle's will: Beychevelle (St-Julien), Cantenac Brown (Margaux), Lafon-Rochet (St-Estèphe), Larmande (St-Émilion), Léoville Poyferré (St-Julien), Lynch-Bages (Pauillac), Pichon-Lalande (Pauillac). Thor Iverson can be reached at wine@phx.com.

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Thanks go out to all the people who made our 2nd Uncorked tasting such a success. First and foremost, we thank everyone who attended; it was great meeting all of you and hearing your opinions on wine. Second, many thanks to the retailers who supplied wine for our event: Howie and Phil from Bauer Wine & Spirits, John from Vines, Tom from Marty's, Angie from Best Cellars, and Mike from Brookline Liquor Mart. And finally, extra-special thanks to Sarah and all the staff at Cosmopolitan for hosting such a great event, and for the excellent food.

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