Friends,
I have been steering away from Bordeaux for the short amount of time I have been in this hobby (~6 months if you don’t know me); you know, the Chateaus, the grandeur, the snotty image; the fact that I couldn’t really wrap my head around their classification and appellation system, in short: I never got the feeling Bordeaux was calling me, so I kept away.
But, with the renewed lockdown in Melbourne - minimum of 6 weeks, likely longer (!) - and the discovery that my birthday year (1990) is one of Bordeaux’s best vintages of the last half-century, I decided to call bullshit on my preconceptions and do some good ol’ wine nerding. That’s what we do best, don’t we?
Hence-wise I started reading the The World Atlas of Wine’s Bordeaux section and did some research on this forum’s past threads. Now, I gained some basic understanding of left/right bank, the Haut-Medoc classification of 1855, and the modern rise of Pomerol and St Emilion. At the same time, I need help in grasping how the QPR works in the region, i.e. the introductory value plays, the optimal drinking ages, and what is common knowledge here.
I forgot to mention that I gravitate more towards lighter reds like Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, and wonder how I should approach the region with my tastes in mind.
That said, to make things easier I have unanswered some questions I’d like to ask you:
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What vintages and producers should I look for as introduction in the region (budget $50)? I already noted down: Cantemerle, Sociando Mallet, Chasse Spleen, Chateau La Vieille Cure, any more suggestions appreciated.
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Are second wines ever an option or should I stick to the grand vins? I don’t think I have ever seen a second vin mentioned on this board.
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In terms of classified growths, I tend to hear a lot about 5me, 2me, and 1me. Does this reflect a quality jump from 5th to 2th that makes them better QPR or I’m just not looking close enough?
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What vintages should I be looking for? I can find some 2015, 2009, 2010, and older on auction. I guess this depends on vintage and producer, but is there a bottle age ballpark for consumption?
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What about whites in the region? I have only noted Clos Floridene from my research but I heard the whites are on the upswing.
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I read that the vertical tasting is supposedly typical of Bordeaux since most Chateau produce only one wine. How far apart should the vintages be in say a three-way vertical? I wonder if going too far back would cover the vintage markers and show too much of tertiary aromas making it difficult to compare apples with apples.
As always, thanks for helping, you are the best source of wine wisdom on earth