I bought this recently out of curiosity, after a rec by David Zajac on Vinous. I was not particularly optimistic - all Margaux 2003 I’ve tasted have been awful, some truly atrocious, but I was interested to see how Monsieur Boyer had got on. Well, as usual, he did a pretty fine job.
The colour is a little darker than usual, the nose also different - more peppery, with notes of violets and plums amid the blackcurrant. What really changes however is the taste.
Twenty-odd years ago, I had the privilege of having dinner with Anthony Barton. He was on fine form, regaling the table with witty anecdotes - then he got onto the subject of wine critics and more specifically, their descriptions of wines. I’m paraphrasing from memory but it went something like this:
“Give me Broadbent any day - these new ones write total poppycock - it’s a bloody wine, for goodness sake, not a fruit salad!”
I think he had a point (ouch!) but in the case of BAMA 2003 it really is a bit of a fruit salad. The attack is quite rich, but with none of the burnt flavours found elsewhere. The first surprise is the freshness of the fruit, the like of which I have never tasted in any 2003 from any part of Bordeaux. First up is the blackcurrant, very round and plump, then some rather spicy violet and plum, before just a hint of rosehip syrup, some blackberry, a wave of raspberry, a touch of wild strawberry, then a typical BAMA dusty finish. It’s not overripe, not syrupy, not even recognisable as a 2003. The fruit is spicier than usual, like Prieuré-Lichine but with more finesse and elegance.
Compared to a “normal” BAMA, it’s a little more concentrated, a little more grippy, a little less long, but perhaps this will change with a few more years, because it tastes remarkably fresh and young. I suspect he changed the blend, with a lot more Petit Verdot and Malbec.
It’s not my favourite BAMA, but I loved it and I shall certainly buy some more, not least to include a couple in one of my daughters’ birth year collection, because it shows no sign of age whatsoever.