With thanks to Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux, and Balzac Communications who organized the 2007 Tasting at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan, on January 22, 2010, here is my take on the vintage. Keep in mind I only was able to get a feel for the vintage from what I tried; all communes were not represented, nor did I taste everything that was available, as I only had about two hours, trying about 20 wines to get a sense of 2007, rather than critique individual efforts.Overall, the vintage for reds seemed soft, but very serviceable, drinking well now and certainly for a few years. To me, St. Emilion was the gem, with Pomerol close behind. These right bank merlot based wines seemed more balanced between fruit, body, acidity and structure than the Medoc. From St. Emilion, I particularly liked Ch. Canon-La-Gaffeliere, with only 5% Cab. Sauvignon, very fat and juicy, with some milk chocolate at the finish. Ch. Angelus was a close second, whereas Ch. Canon seemed a bit lighter and acidic right now, but was still appealing. From Pomerol, Ch. Clinet had a very nice nose, plenty of fruit and solid, but approachable tannins, which should hold up well. Ch. Gazin was fuller, larger tannins and edgier acidity. A big effort, especially when compared to Ch. La Cabane, which had the tannins, but was light on the front end and a bit disjointed. If you like more wood, try Ch. Conseillante.I did not have too many from the Haut-Medoc, but did try some Pauillac and Margaux. They were OK, but not blockbusters. Not overly structured, there did not seem to be much fruit available to become exposed as they age, but, only time will tell. Ch. Lynch-Bages and Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande were more of what you expect from Pauillac, and should mature nicely, but soon. Ch. Pontet-Canet was very soft, and should be consumed now. Ch. Ferriere, from Margaux, would also be ready on release. If the pricing is not crazy, there may be some values for current and short term drinking. I didn't see any needing much aging, though, as I said, some might benefit from a few years. From Pessac-Leognan, Ch. Haut-Bergey was very nice, dominated by bell pepper. Ch. Olivier was less vegetal, bigger on black fruit and Ch. Pape Clement was similar, not as fruit forward, but very balanced and enjoyable.Since I have not had many Bordeaux whites in a long time, except an occasional mediocre Entre Deux Mers, kudos go to Terence Gibbs, who is a big fan and urged me to have some of his favorites. The body, concentration, length and acidtiy of most were superior, and I have to start seeking them out. These included a grassy, delightful Ch. Carbonnieux; a very full, long citrus/lemon Ch. Bouscat, with some petrol up front; a crisp Domaine de Chevalier (perfect for oysters); and superb Ch. Smith Haut-Lafitte, concentrated, balanced, and with more length than one has a right to expect. Finally, Sauternes and Barsac: I had a train to catch, and squeezed in a delightful Ch. De Rayne Vigneau, which was not as concentrated or honeyed as expected, but was nonetheless extremely well balanced and nuanced. Ch. Climens with some bleu cheese, all that was left of the nibbles, was an excellent way to finish off the afternoon. Prior to the show, I resisted doing any research on the vintage, but did a quick look up of 2007 Bordeaux from WS and another source afterwards. Seems we are in pretty close agreement. The whites were superior, right bank the class of the region, and the left bank drinkable and fine, but not big keepers. Rain and cold was a problem early on, but a later, dry September was the savior. In retrospect, it might be better to look at 2007 Bordeaux, not in terms of right/ left bank, but rather north/ south. Perhaps being away from the mouth of the river gave a measure of protection from the earlier bad weather, if it came in more from the north.This year's event is going to be on January 28, showing 2008 releases. My report will soon follow.
