Eric Asimov just Tweeted: “Kick out the jam! '07 Chateauneufs http://bit.ly/5ga8fy” onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; "
In his story in Wednesday’s NYT, now available, elaborates:
We found some wines we liked very much, yet on the whole the 2007s left me unexcited. Stylistically, they presented Châteauneuf’s too-friendly side. Châteauneuf is always a big wine, but these wines were huge — full of lush, opulent fruit with powerful, jammy flavors.
If you like fruit-bomb wines, you will love the ’07 Châteauneufs.
Personally, I prefer more focused and angular Châteauneufs, like the 2004s, which balance spicy fruit flavors with earthiness, minerality and whiffs of flowers and herbs. Even Châteauneufs that I’ve had from 2003, the heat-wave year in Europe, managed to balance concentrated fruit flavors with the sort of earthy, herbal, leather and tobacco character that I have always enjoyed in Châteauneuf. These came down resoundingly on the side of fruit.
Click through for his picks. http://bit.ly/5ga8fy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I tasted through a large assortment of CdPs in Paris 2 weeks ago at Maceo. In general, my assessment mirrored Asimov’s, these wines are big, sweet, roasted fruit bombs, with little minerality to back them up. Then again, I am a fan of the 2004s, like Asimov. So our palates are very much aligned, and I agree with him.
I don’t think you can generalize about the 2007 vintage. There are a lot of good to great 2007s and there are a lot of wines I wouldn’t drink if they were free. Eric I think had a more balanced view.
Parker’s comments and scores are unfortunate in that it will only push more domaines to make this jammy overbearing style.
BTW, the wine they really enjoyed. Monpertuis, is one of my under the radar wines that doesn’t get a lot of attention. I’ve been enjoying the 2001 Tradition this past year. Probably opened 3 or 4 bottles.
Paul,
In years past, I would have agreed with this statement.
These days, I’m not as sure.
Do you think that his comments and scores have as much influence on wine styles today as they did, say five years ago?
Best, Jim
If people buy as a result of Parker’s deification of 2007 CdP, my thought is that this will likely have an impact on style.
We know that prices have moved-up in response to Parker’s comments… the question remains whether CdPs are selling-through at these prices (or not). What can the retailers here tell us about consumer buying of '07 CdP?
I can tell you the wineries are using RMP’s comments to try to move their wines. At the Maceo tasting, one winemaker told me he’d received 89 pts for his basic cuvee. I told him (politely but firmly) that I didn’t give a damn what RMP said, that I trusted my own palate. And my own palate was quite disappointed in the 2007s.
That will probably depend on whether Parker becomes popular in Hong Kong [he ought to think about hiring someone to translate TWA into Mandarin/Cantonese - or whatever you call it].
As you indicate, over the course of the last five years, the NYC crowd has waged a pretty relentless [frankly, scorched-earth] campaign against Parker, and that campaign is probably starting to take its toll on his reputation [at least in the upper echelons of fine wine circles].
And, of course, status-post the CRA/redlining/subprime debacle, most Americans [who don’t work for Goldman Sachs] just don’t have all that much disposable income to waste on fine [-er- expensive] wine anymore.
Jim, I still think the general public (non-wine geeks) chase points. I don’t think much has changed. The 2004 and 2006 vintages in general are not as ripe, sweet or hot and I’m finding really good bargains from these vintages. For example 2006 Janasse VV for $60 while the top five prices on the 2007 version on wine-searcher are $138 to $225. Probably too early to say if these prices will stick but I’m sure the floor is around $100 which is still a huge increase. There is nothing else to account for it except for the hype caused by RP. I also find more domaines are changing styles which becomes a spiral. Riper wines, more points, bigger price.
My guess would be that anyone that has had Marcoux VV or Hommage from a spectacular vintage that has been aged in solid conditions doesn’t need anyone to tell them (including Parker) that they are worth the money.
Can you get 05 Hommage at a discount - yup - and at $295 from Rare Wine I think it could be the deal of the year…
Good heavens.
While I don’t dispute it (not having either experience or knowledge of such cuvees), I am appalled that a $300 current release, wine could be considered “a deal.”
Best, Jim
Jim - please don’t join the fake outrage party. There is of course nothing appalling about a wine for $300 any more than there is about a wine for $30.
A deal is a deal as it relates to quality and value - here you have one of the top wines made on the planet from an off the charts vintage for 40% off…I consider that a deal…but that may just be me…
Also - if you’ve never had it, don’t knock it till you try it You may find you think it is worth the coin…
I had someone describe the 89 Hommage from Magnum as “celestial”…