Ban Bordeaux? - Perish the thought!

[Darrell Gibson]

This whirlwind tour of France was extremely impressive and just about all encompassing. The trip started in Paris and from there our first stop on this wine excursion was in the Loire Valley. From the Loire Valley we went to Bordeaux. Then from Bordeaux we went to the Rhone Valley. From the Rhone Valley we went to Burgundy and our final stop was in Champagne. While traveling to these different areas and wineries in France we drove over 2,800 miles. After all this traveling I realized that one could never generalize about any one area. Each area has its own distinct and varied characteristics.

The landscape we encounter while traveling from Paris to Loire reminded me somewhat of when I would look across the Hudson River while I lived in up state New York. It had rolling hills that were covered in all kinds of different broad-leafed trees. On this warm and sunny day our first stop was at the Caves of Louis Grenelle, where we tasted through numerous sparkling wines. After tasting through these sparkling wines from Saumur we had an enjoyable lunch just a stones throw from a beautiful medieval castle.

From Loire to Bordeaux the landscape was very reminiscent of the western side of Oregon with pine trees and heavily wooded areas. What surprised me the most about the actual city of Bordeaux was that it was just another big city and not acres and acres of vines. It was not until you got on the outskirts of the city that we found the endless rows of vines. Tasting and traveling through Bordeaux gave me a huge appreciation of the wines they produce.

A quick personal synopsis of what we tasted through in Bordeaux was a mixed bag. The 2003 vintage, even though they were very few and far between, were in fact very awe inspiring and absolutely divine. The 2004 vintage seemed a bit spotty. I found some absolutely great wines from the 2004 vintage and quite a few average to above average wines. Below are a few key wines I made notes of:

Chateau Haut Brion 2004

Characteristics - raspberry, strawberry, cherry with a clay or mineral like component. Very long finish, My rating 90-92.

Chateau Haut Brion Blanc 2004

Characteristics - ripe peaches with a hint of nutmeg. Very full and rich with a very long finish. The best white wine of the trip. My Rating 90-92.

Chateau Pavie Decesse 2004

Characteristics - Rich, round, and very full with crushed blackberries, black fig. Opulent with a dynamite finish. My rating 95-97.

Chateau Moulin St George 2004

Characteristics- Dark cherry, coffee grounds, mineral, plum. This wine is made by the winemaker of Chateau Ausone. Good value. My rating 89-90.

Chateau Ausone 2004

Characteristics - Coffee bean, raspberry, blueberry pie. Absolutely delicious and a finish that lasted a good 5 min. Impeccable balance. My rating 95-97.

Chateau Margaux 2004

Characteristics - raspberry, blackberry then leads into dark cherry. Elegant with impeccable balance. My rating 92-94.

Chateau Margaux 2003

Characteristics - intense cherry liqueur, rich, succulent, elegant. Great wine. My rating 95-98.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2004

Characteristics - mineral, cherry, raspberry, medium finish. My rating 90-92.

Chateau Latour 2004

Characteristics - mineral, blackberry coulis, plum, rich. Extended finish. Great wine. My rating 94-96.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2004

Characteristics - mineral, cherry, rose petals. Long finish 90-93.

Leoville Las Cases 2004

Characteristics - Cassis, dark raspberry, long long finish. Hard to tell right now, but could be great. My rating 95-97.

Leoville Las Cases 2002

Characteristics - plum, blackberry, cassis, mineral. Opulent delicious finish. My Rating 94-96.

Chateau Cos D''Estournel 2004

Characteristics - Roasted coffee, ripe blackberries, absolutely delicious. - I didn''t want to spit this one out. My Rating 92-94.

Chateau Petrus 2004

Characteristics - Raspberry, blackberry, smoke, cherry, blueberry, but fruit was still hidden. My rating 90-92.

** Please note!! When we talked to Christian Mouiex he wanted to make sure we understood that what we tasted was not the final blend.

Chateau Cheval Blanc 2004

Characteristics - Mineral, cherry, blueberry. Very rich and round. I really enjoyed. My rating 93-95.

Chateau Vieux Chateau Certan 2004

Characteristics - Plum, blackberry, rich and ripe black fruit, opulent. I really enjoyed. My rating 95-97.

Chateau Le Pin 2004

Characteristics - Blueberry, rich and succulent, impeccable balance, absolutely delicious. My rating 97-98.

Chateau Le Pin 2001

Characteristics - Blueberry, rich and succulent, impeccable balance, bitter tannins on finish. My rating 95-97.

On our way from Bordeaux to Rhone we were hit with snowstorms while climbing extremely steep and winding roads. Even though this seemed a bit dangerous at the time, once we got there some wines proved to be well worth the risk. Our first stop was at Chapoutier, then we made our way to Guigal. Below are a few key wines I made notes of:

Guigal Condrieu 2003

Characteristics - Smoked peaches, ripe nectarines, white peaches. Great balance. My rating 90-92.

Guigal La Mouline. Cote Rotie. 2001

Characteristics - Raspberry coulis, smoke, Blackberry jam. Absolutely delicious. This one floored me. Rating 97-98.

Guigal La Turque. Cote Rotie. 2001

Characteristics - Blackberry Coulis, dried black figs, rich succulent, opulent. Absolutely delicious. Rating 97-98.

Guigal La Landonne. Cote Rotie. 2003 ( Barrel Tasting)

Characteristics - This one left me speechless. Roasted meat, intense black fruit, impeccable balance. My Rating 98-100.

From Rhone to Burgundy we encountered lush green fields that were reminiscent of Ireland. No snowstorms here, in fact it was warm and sunny again. It’s amazing how different the climate and landscape changes from one area to another. Burgundy may have been my most favorite area overall. Burgundy offered the joy of exploration and enjoyment of wines as well as the more romantic landscape scenes. Here is where I was reminded of the romantic pictures of France that I previously only saw in books and paintings. Burgundy was riddled with quaint little bistros and cafes as well as the little villages in the middle of nowhere.

I was most impressed with the wines from Thibault Liger-Belair, Domaine Roumier and Perrot-Minot. However the most surprising visit was at Louis Jadot. They are much more serious and impressive than I would have ever imagined. Below are a few key wines I made notes of:

Jean Marc Boillot Puligny Montrachet 2003

Characteristics - Mineral, apricot, slight vanilla, soft, full and round. My rating 92-94.

Meo-Camuzet Nuits St.Georges “ Les Boudots”2004

Characteristics - Bright cherry, raspberries coulis, smoke. Delicious. My rating 92-94.

Meo-Camuzet Echezeaux 2004

Characteristics - Dried dark cherries, cranberries, blueberries, cassis, blackberry. My rating 94-96.

Thibault Liger-Belair Nuit St Georges “ Les St.-Georges” 2003 Characteristics - Raspberry coulis, fresh raspberries, blackberries. My rating 90-92.

Thibault Liger-Belair Clos Vougeot 2003

Characteristics - Blueberries, blackberries, blackberry coulis, rich, round, thick. My rating 93-95.

Thibault Liger-Belair Clos Vougeot 2004 (Barrel Tasting)

Characteristics - Blueberries, blackberries, blackberry coulis. My rating 90-92.

Louis Carillon Puligny Montrachet " Les Combettes" 2004

Characteristics - Honeyed nose, ripe apricots, ripe, round, with hint of fresh figs. My Rating 92-94

Domain Fourier Gevry Chambertin "V.V. 2004

Characteristics - Delicious dark berries, rich and succulent. My rating 92-94.

Domaine Roumier Chambolle Musigny 2003

Characteristics - Cassis, plum, ripe blueberries, round, supple, My Rating 92-94.

Perrot-Minot Nuits St George "La Richemone" 2003

Characteristics – Rich and round showing good acid level. Integrated wood with excellent length. Absolutely beautiful. My rating 95-97.

Perrot-Minot Mazoyeres Chambertin 2003

Characteristics - Blackberry pie, rich and well balanced. My rating 95-97.

From Burgundy to Champagne I was completely worn out – I just remember the Champagnes that we tried. This was a great way to end our tour. A refreshing and relaxing change of pace – wandering through the caves at Laurent-Perrier to a glorious lunch at Krug. Below are a few key wines I made notes of:

Laurent-Perrier Alexandre Rose 1997

Characteristics – Creamy cherries, bright strawberries. Perhaps one of the best rosé I’ve tried. My rating 94.

Krug Collection 1981

Characteristics - Maple, honey, green apple, papaya. My Rating 94 - 95. Excellent quality.

Krug 1990 Vintage

Characteristics - Caramel, cocoa powder, creamy, succulent. My rating 97.