Bordeaux 2009: The Greatest Vintage Ever?

I don’t have a lot of time to write this. I leave for the Medoc of Bordeaux from my friend’s house in about 20 minutes. I had no time to write a blog last night as my plane was cancelled from Rome to Bordeaux and my journey diverted via Paris. Lost my luggage as well.

I am not upset in anyway because I am sooo excited to taste wines today. I can’t wait to taste what I believe is the greatest modern vintage of our time. It certainly seems to be the greatest vintage in my career, and I have been a wine critic since 1981 when I joined The Wine Spectator. Of course, the Spectator days are long gone. And my tasting notes are posted here and in Hong Kong Tatler and its sister publications throughout Asia.

What makes the 2009 vintage so extraordinary is the combination of beautiful fruit and ripe tannins with lively and intense acidity. There’s nothing like it.

I hope this first tasting today proves the above. I have already tasted a handful of wines during an event in Hong Kong and they were glorious. (Click here to read the report.) But I need to taste 300 or 400 wines to have a more global view. Today, it’s mostly first and second growths, so I am starting with the best.

Last night, I was flying over Paris with Air France and it was a crystal clear night and I could see the Effiel Tower with its beacon of light flashing above the brightly lit city. It was a breathtaking sight and made me think of when I lived in Paris in the mid-1980s and used to come to Bordeaux just about every other week. The visits are less now, but the fascination with the region is even stronger – especially now on my way to taste the amazing 2009 vintage.