Bordeaux wines are unique and inimitable. Few argue against that. Of the rare wines sold at auction today and over the past decades, almost all were from Bordeaux and fetched prices as high as $156,000 for a single bottle. A few outliers spice up the mix—such as dessert wines from Hungary and old Trockenbeerenauslese from Germany. But no dry table wines have successfully competed with the red wines of Bordeaux for longevity and increasing value with age.
A little history
The wines of Bordeaux came to prominence in the mid-19th century when they became so popular with the English that the French government officially rated each producer according to the prices they achieved in 1855. This official classification pertained only to the wines of the left back of the Gironde (Médoc, Graves, Sauternes) and excluded the still relatively undiscovered glories of St. Emilion and Pomerol. Flagship wines of Ch. Cheval Blanc, Ausone, and Pétrus were granted top status a century later in 1955.
Four red wines dominated the classification of 1855: Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Haut-Brion. Mouton was added to the top class in 1973. It bested all of the “first growth” Bordeaux reds at the famous Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976, losing only to Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon from California. Bordeaux wines have always dominated rare wine sales and continue to do so. Why? Why not the great California Cabernet Sauvignons that have compared so favorable with those aforementioned contenders?
The uniqueness of red Bordeaux wines
The red wines of Bordeaux are, in fact, unique. They are widely mimicked worldwide with considerable success. But the facts of the matter are revealed by the cellar. Young Cabernet Sauvignon from California vastly outperforms the best red wines of Bordeaux for at least the first ten years of their respective lifespans. California Cabernets reach their peak of maturity in 5-10 years with a few examples continuing to mature over the next decade. By contrast, the best red Bordeaux takes on increasing characteristics of tobacco, tea, truffles, dried fruits and spice for many decades. Great red Bordeaux offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience after a century of proper cellaring.
Young Bordeaux reds
Simply stated, Bordeaux reds should not be drunk in their youth. They are typically “tightly-wound” and inexpressive. Many will go through a “dumb” stage during their first decade of life, during which aromatics decline and flavors refuse to reveal themselves. Decent examples will need ten years or more of cellaring; great examples should be given twenty. After emerging from their cocoons, these wines begin to display the wide spectrum of aromatics and flavors that connoisseurs favor and the wealthy will lay down hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for the experience.
Tradition challenged?
Traditions die slowly. Very slowly. We still have the original Classification of 1855. It was privately reorganized by Alexis Lichine in 1959 but the original classification still stands officially. The cutting edge of Bordeaux is beginning to develop with new proprietary-labeled wines that ignore classifications. One of these is an unclassified Merlot from the owner of the world’s most prestigious Merlot, Château Pétrus:
Christian Moueix Merlot Encore Bordeaux; $18.79
An outstanding introduction to the Bordeaux style. Velvety smooth, this lovely wine possesses the typical aromatics and flavor profile of aged, expensive Bordeaux, although in miniature. Very drinkable upon release and recommended.
Alan Boehmer - Alan Boehmer has conducted regular wine seminars and wine tours since 1967. Originally based in Los Angeles, he served as a consultant for ...
Join the Conversation