Bordeaux | 2007 vintage
Generally, 2007 has proven to be a very classical vintage, with the typical finesse and elegance of Bordeaux. However, it has less volume and dimension on the palate than 2005 and 2006. The reds are fairly sapid, supple and fruity with nice precision and freshness, although not all of them are a success. This is a year to be remembered for white wines, particularly the sweet ones. Sauternes and Barsac fared particularly well, producing very rich wines with a lovely acidity and great aromatic potential. So far, the Barsac wines are particularly impressive. Yquem, as perfect as ever without being overpowering, deserves a special mention.
The right bank... 2007 has revealed itself as a delicate vintage for the right bank, due to its heterogeneity. The good wines are actually excellent, fine and silky ¿ the others lack freshness. A good year for Pomerol, although one without the exuberant and occasionally even exotic notes that can sometimes be found in the great wines. Classical red fruit aromas prevail this year, with plenty of elegance and finesse. The Saint Emilions are also very impressive, especially the grands crus.
The left bank... Here the wines were also heterogeneous. ¿Only the good terroirs produced expressive wines this year¿, explains Michel Bettane, those that were highly selective in the vineyards. The red Pessacs are very classical, the whites remarkable, crystal-clear with just the right amount of acidity. The Médocs are of very good quality and homogeneous. On the Garonne side there were some lovely ripe Cabernets Sauvignons, which produced some very good Crus (Pichon Baron, Cos d'Estournel, Mouton Rothschild) and Bordeaux Crus (Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Marbuzet). The Croizet-Bages are also excellent. But results were fairly predictable with very few surprises. The Margaux wine are generally a touch less homogeneous. The wines are occasionally thinner than the Saint-Juliens and Pauillacs, but this is often the case.
Lastly, will 2007 prove to be a vintage for laying down? It will no doubt take longer to mature than 2006 but it probably won't be very speculative.
