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Fr 3. Dez 2010, 13:36
und dann noch seine generelle Einschätzung...die mir eigentlich viel wichtiger ist, als die Punkte! 
1.This is a classic vintage. There is a constant lament that Bordeaux has forsaken ‘classic’ vintages of the 1940s up until the 1970s, whereby the structure and austerity are equal or if not more tangible that fruit intensity. The ‘classicism’ of the 2008 had been accentuated during élevage and the leitmotivs were ones of masculinity, firm tannins, freshness and a healthy but not overbearing sense of austerity. It was as if the personality of the growing season had reasserted itself in barrel. These traits were illuminated in several juxtapositions with the 2009 vintage: a completely different beast that is overflowing with fruité, brio and opulence.
2.I found the wines to be not quite as dense or exhibit as much weight as during en primeur, yet my experience with vintages such as this tells me that it may be longer lasting than some might predict. The wines are tensile and taut and therefore…
3.…unlike the 2009s, that are going to offer pleasure straight out of the blocks, many of the 2008s will require time to soften and flesh out.
4.As indicated in my original report, Pomerol is studded with gems (see Part 3).
5.With 2010 auguring to complete the triumvirate, there are already parallels being made with 1988, 1989 and 1990. Stylistically one can draw parallels with 1988, although 2008 is more consistent due to subsequent advances in technology and knowledge. As I pointed out to the chagrin of several proprietors: that is great news for those intending to purchase 2010s next year, since the 1990s came out cheap as chips and were difficult to sell in 1991. One can dream at least.
6.Though 2008 is more consistent than 1988, it is not successful across the board and some weak wines were produced at lower levels of the hierarchy (as demonstrated in my recent report on Cru Bourgeois). This was not a democratic vintage. Estates with either poor terroir or could not afford or be bothered to undertake fastidious vineyard husbandry from the beginning of the season found that the late summer weather was insufficient to reach physiological maturity. They fell at the last hurdles. Remember that a warm clement day in October offers less sunshine hours than one in September or August.
7.Whilst one desires consistency between barrel and in-bottle scores, the ineluctable truth is that the wines change for better or for worse during élevage. A promising wine at primeur may spend too long in new oak, it may be mishandled through racking or it may coalesce against all expectations. C’est la vie. What I did find in 2008 is that some wines ameliorated from their initial showing in April 2009 and I have no hesitation in pointing this out, awarding higher scores to reflect the wine in bottle. Given that Wine-Journal seeks to re-appraise the same wine at various stages of its life, that is just part of the process. Generally, my scores moved upwards rather than down.
8.Those that purchased wisely at original release prices, in particular those that acquired First Growths, will not regret their purchase. Notwithstanding the fact that they would have purchased a ‘decent’ Claret, they would have done so at a ‘decent’ price. For the record, I suspect that may be the last time I ever write that sentence.
I have split this report into three parts. The first will focus on Médoc and Pessac-Léognan, the second upon the Left Bank and the third upon the Right Bank.
As I have already mentioned, some of the lesser Graves wines seemed to suffer during the vintage, lacking aromatic fruit intensity and cohesion on the palate and indeed and similar to some of the Cru Bourgeois, the wines were found wanting, coming across bland, austere and to put it bluntly, not much fun.
1.This is a classic vintage. There is a constant lament that Bordeaux has forsaken ‘classic’ vintages of the 1940s up until the 1970s, whereby the structure and austerity are equal or if not more tangible that fruit intensity. The ‘classicism’ of the 2008 had been accentuated during élevage and the leitmotivs were ones of masculinity, firm tannins, freshness and a healthy but not overbearing sense of austerity. It was as if the personality of the growing season had reasserted itself in barrel. These traits were illuminated in several juxtapositions with the 2009 vintage: a completely different beast that is overflowing with fruité, brio and opulence.
2.I found the wines to be not quite as dense or exhibit as much weight as during en primeur, yet my experience with vintages such as this tells me that it may be longer lasting than some might predict. The wines are tensile and taut and therefore…
3.…unlike the 2009s, that are going to offer pleasure straight out of the blocks, many of the 2008s will require time to soften and flesh out.
4.As indicated in my original report, Pomerol is studded with gems (see Part 3).
5.With 2010 auguring to complete the triumvirate, there are already parallels being made with 1988, 1989 and 1990. Stylistically one can draw parallels with 1988, although 2008 is more consistent due to subsequent advances in technology and knowledge. As I pointed out to the chagrin of several proprietors: that is great news for those intending to purchase 2010s next year, since the 1990s came out cheap as chips and were difficult to sell in 1991. One can dream at least.
6.Though 2008 is more consistent than 1988, it is not successful across the board and some weak wines were produced at lower levels of the hierarchy (as demonstrated in my recent report on Cru Bourgeois). This was not a democratic vintage. Estates with either poor terroir or could not afford or be bothered to undertake fastidious vineyard husbandry from the beginning of the season found that the late summer weather was insufficient to reach physiological maturity. They fell at the last hurdles. Remember that a warm clement day in October offers less sunshine hours than one in September or August.
7.Whilst one desires consistency between barrel and in-bottle scores, the ineluctable truth is that the wines change for better or for worse during élevage. A promising wine at primeur may spend too long in new oak, it may be mishandled through racking or it may coalesce against all expectations. C’est la vie. What I did find in 2008 is that some wines ameliorated from their initial showing in April 2009 and I have no hesitation in pointing this out, awarding higher scores to reflect the wine in bottle. Given that Wine-Journal seeks to re-appraise the same wine at various stages of its life, that is just part of the process. Generally, my scores moved upwards rather than down.
8.Those that purchased wisely at original release prices, in particular those that acquired First Growths, will not regret their purchase. Notwithstanding the fact that they would have purchased a ‘decent’ Claret, they would have done so at a ‘decent’ price. For the record, I suspect that may be the last time I ever write that sentence.
I have split this report into three parts. The first will focus on Médoc and Pessac-Léognan, the second upon the Left Bank and the third upon the Right Bank.
As I have already mentioned, some of the lesser Graves wines seemed to suffer during the vintage, lacking aromatic fruit intensity and cohesion on the palate and indeed and similar to some of the Cru Bourgeois, the wines were found wanting, coming across bland, austere and to put it bluntly, not much fun.
weinfreudige Grüße
Christian
"Even a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step"
Christian
"Even a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step"
