Pontet-Canet: One of the best reds in a tricky vintage

Well that was an interesting primeurs week. Bordeaux 2011 is a fascinating vintage, though not for the reasons most of the producers would have liked. It’s a tricky, difficult year for the reds, because of the topsy-turvy nature of the growing season and a series of extreme events. First was the heat of the spring, more like summer, which led to rapid and precocious development in the vines. It pointed to the earliest ever harvest in Bordeaux’s history. Continuing drought followed by rain led the vines on a stop/start cycle and bunch ripeness became irregular. Searing days of heat in June [40C] also burnt the grapes in some places. Violent hail at the very beginning of September threatened to destroy a year’s crop inside half an hour in St Estèphe and rain in Bordeaux then, and in mid-September, also threatened a spread of rot, the fear of which may have led some producers to harvest grapes lacking in phenolic ripeness. Those who waited profited. Anyone working from a recipe book in this vintage was destined for trouble. It’s being described by many as a ‘technical’ vintage. It is certainly one that seems to separate the men from the boys.

Chateau Léoville Poyferré – one of a bevy of Parker 100 point wines in 2009

What an extraordinary day yesterday! From what I could see there was phenomenal trade in top Bordeaux 2009 ahead of Robert Parker’s final scores on this vintage now it’s in bottle. It’s the final word, for now, on what is clearly one of the most remarkable vintages of modern claret. James Suckling gave it a huge thumbs up last week and from what I’ve seen reported Robert Parker has awarded no fewer than 18 perfect scores in his latest Wine Advocate published yesterday. I watched prices climb dramatically on Farr Vintner’s website and elsewhere throughout the day, particularly for the dozen or so new ‘first growths’ – the likes of Léoville Poyferré, Pontet Canet and rest that have [now] been duly awarded the Parker perfect one hundred score. What a days work that must have been in fine wine brokers the world over? It’ll be a big day again today as his scores and comments fully dissected and digested.

Overall 2007 is a good sweet wine vintage in Bordeaux. Seven sweet wines were shown by the MW Institute [the first time they have included them in their annual tasting]. The wines are pretty full and sweet if lacking the race of 2009 and 2010. Time will tell just where they sit. Chateau d’Yquem is as amazing as ever, while Chateau Climens and Chateau Suduiraut are excellent and not far behind at all.

Only half a dozen wines from Pomerol were on show at the MW Institute tasting but overall they felt ripe and full with better handled extraction and far less dry tannin than in St Emilion. Nice full flavours and some style here.