Past Issues: Tasting Bordeaux -- Pauillac

We’re still in the left bank (Medoc) of Bordeaux as we plunge into Pauillac. As with Margaux and Saint-Julien, this region emphasized Cabernet Sauvignon over Merlot in the blending ratio. Wines from Pauillac are often distinguished by a specific lead pencil character – a masculine, stout, almost metallic note that seems to result from the dark, deep gravely soil. Pauillac produces many of the best wines in the world and boasts three of the five first growths (highest and most prestigious wine classification): Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, and Mouton-Rothschild.

Not surprisingly, Pauillac also offers some of the world’s highest prices. Are the wines really, quantifiably, that much better? Probably not. Part of the price tag is certainly the Chateau’s history, reputation and collector value. On the other hand, these wineries absolutely do everything that can be done to improve and maintain the quality of their wines – from vineyard to bottle. And don’t forget the cellar-worthiness of these wines! Eight to ten years from vintage date is considered best for "lighter" vintages, and the greater vintages routinely need twenty years or more to really open up.

So, if exploring Bordeaux is your goal, as it is ours, you simply must include some experience with these wines to do the job right!

And once again, off we went to a local wine store to do some big league shopping. Here’s what we picked up:

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1999 Pauillac ($193)
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron 1989 Pauillac ($60)
Chateau Pichon Lalande 1999 Pauillac ($49)
Chateau Les Forts de Latour 1999 Pauillac ($47)
Carruades de Lafite 1999 Pauillac ($35)
Chateau Haut Batailley 1998 Pauillac ($32)
Les Tourelles de Longueville 2000 Pauillac ($27)

We’ll report back next issue with our tasting notes!