Past Issues: Tasting Bordeaux - Introduction

by Robyn Tinsley, Managing Editor
Part I: Bordeaux AOC ("Generic" Bordeaux) & Tasting Notes
Part II: Medoc & Haut-Medoc & Tasting Notes
Part III: Listrac & Moulis & Tasting Notes
Part IV: Margaux & Tasting Notes
Part V: Saint-Julien & Tasting Notes
Part VI: Pauillac & Tasting Notes
Part VII: Saint-Estephe & Tasting Notes

I have a confession to make… I have recently found myself in several conversations which made it painfully clear that my Bordeaux knowledge was, shall we say, lacking. Well, not so much my knowledge on the subject – I can rattle off a respectable amount of information on these wines. Rather, it is my experience that comes up short. I simply haven’t tasted a lot of Bordeaux. As a result, I just don’t really get them.

Certainly, part of the reason is price. I see the prices of some of the most well known wines (Latour, Lafite, etc.) and just have to laugh. Let me say right from the beginning that there is no way I’m forking over that kind of money on any kind of remotely regular basis -- if ever! I understand the history and lore of it all, and I believe they are fantastic wines – I’m just not doing it. (For the record, I also believe it is in part thanks to a handful of wine writers that these prices are so inflated, but that’s another article…)

After a bit of research and consultation, I believe it is possible to explore Bordeaux and build a meaningful, working knowledge of the wines without being either independently wealthy or particularly well connected in the wine world.

So, the tasting series that follows will try to connect the dots between appellation, producer, and wine style. My basic goal is to really get a feel for these wines! Not necessarily an exhaustive technical knowledge – if I could just feel more comfortable making buying decisions, that would be a win. More specifically, I want a broad understanding of how the various wines taste – how they are similar and different from each other and why. (For an outline of the grapes, blends, and appellations of Bordeaux, check out our Skinny Guide to French Wine on Bordeaux.)

About vintages… Frankly, I’m going to ignore them for now. First of all, I feel that I’ll get a better understanding of these wines if I have a range of quality levels to compare. Second, I intend to taste from the different vintages available so I can see how bottle age affects these wines. Finally, there is so much discrepancy amongst vintage rankers that trying to pick a vintage strategy begins to suck some of the fun out of this whole thing! Once I have a better understanding of the big picture, then maybe I’ll get excited about a great vintage.

One final note. I’m going to be buying and tasting these wines right along with you. I won’t be relying on winery samples or trade tastings. I’ve rustled up a couple of willing friends and picked a local wine store with a large Bordeaux selection. We’ll introduce a new wine each issue and then report our tastings and findings from the previous month. Here goes!

Part I: Bordeaux AOC ("Generic" Bordeaux) & Tasting Notes

Part III: Listrac & Moulis & Tasting Notes

Part IV: Margaux & Tasting Notes

Part V: Saint-Julien & Tasting Notes

Part VI: Pauillac & Tasting Notes

Part VII: Saint-Estephe & Tasting Notes