Weekly Tasting Report (Nov 30-Dec 6, 2021): Bright Future for 2019 Bordeaux, a Refined Salon Champagne and an Incredible California Pinot

I am starting to rate 2019 Bordeaux in Hong Kong with hundreds of bottles in our cellar waiting to be tasted. I have very high expectations for the year, which should come out as the best of the great modern trilogy for the region – 2018, 2019 and 2020.

“I prefer 2019 to 2018 as the wines have this depth and density of the 2018 or 2010 [maybe a little less power] with the sensuality and sexiness that you really liked in 2015,” Thomas Duclos, who makes refined and polished wines as one of the most popular consulting enologists in Bordeaux, said during a call I had with him.

“The great evolution of Bordeaux in recent years seems to me to be this ability to make great wines more accessible in their young years. And I think 2019 is a very good example of this.”

I also slightly preferred the 2019 Bordeaux to 2018, at least from barrel. In general, the 1,035 barrel samples of 2019 Bordeaux  tasted in early spring 2020 in Hong Kong should show slightly fresher acidity and firmer tannins than the 2018. And the same could be said for the 2020 vintage, which is more in the fruit-driven style of the 2018.

As Duclos pointed out, the 2019s are more classic – traditional in personality but in a more precise and modern way. In fact, 2019s such as the Chateau La Conseillante, or Palmer, had an incredible transparency, showing the true character of their respective regions and vineyards in my tastings. The wines seemed wonderfully tailored and fine cut, with ultra-long and fine tannins that give the young wines definition and length. They clearly live up to their barrel samples, or even better. Stay tuned

I think the 50 or so 2019 Bordeaux I rated for this report are wonderful indications of the future of this great vintage, which should rival such recent great years in bottle as 2015, 2016 and 2018. Check out all the 2019s in the report, including Figeac, Larcis Ducasse, Pavie Macquin, Peby Faugeres, Trotte Vielle, Grand-Puy-Lacoste and others.

The same excitement came from another highly anticipated release: Salon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs 2012. Champagne lovers wanted to know if it could reach the same levels as the structured 2008, and it did last week when Associate Editor Claire Nesbit tasted and rated the wine. The 2012 is refined and layered, with beautiful aromas of jasmine, biscuits, apricots, juniper and tangerine. It is 100 percent Grand Cru chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, as it has been since 1905  – the first single-cru blanc de blancs to be produced in Champagne. 2012 has excellent cellaring potential but is more integrated and approachable compared with the 2008 or 2007.

Claire also rated three wines from Salon’s sister house, Champagne Delamotte: their non-vintage blanc de blancs, their blanc de blancs 2014, and their non-vintage rosé – a vinous rosé de saignee made from 80 percent pinot noir and 20 percent chardonnay. These displayed outstanding freshness and elegance.

I found two really great reds from Northern California last week. One is the late release of a special selected pinot noir from Joseph Phelps: Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast Freestone Estate Proem No.1 2018. It’s an exceptional quality single plot, single clone pinot from Joseph Phelps’ coastal Sonoma vineyards near Bodega Bay. It is made from the calera clone of pinot, which was said to have been from vine cuttings brought to the United States from France (Domaine de la Romanee Conti) in the suitcase of the winemaker/owner in the 1980s.

Whether that tale is true or not, the JP Proem No. 1 Pinot from 2018 is incredible on the palate, with a fabulous combination of ripe berry and citrus and an electrifying acidity. I love the contrast and brilliance to the wine. Only 400 12-bottle cases were made.

READ MORE: OUR TOP 100 WINES OF 2021

EQUAL TO A LEGEND?

I also thought the Quintessa Napa Valley Rutherford 2019 was pretty fabulous and equal in quality to its legendary 2018, although it might have slightly more intensity and fruit depth. But the same unique character of forest flower, bark, wet earth and mushroom come through clearly in the wine, and this can be attributed to the Quintessa team’s impeccable vineyard management and winemaking. The vines are biodynamically farmed. We are still tasting plenty of 2019 Napa reds and we really like what we are rating, even if they are a little more opulent than the great 2018s.

I also rated a range of reds from Etude, both pinot noir and cabernet, and I loved all of them. Check out the scores. I was particularly impressed with the 2019 pinot noir from Grace Benoist Ranch and the 2018 Etude cabs from their vineyards in Coombsville and Oakville. The wines have an uncanny way of being opulent yet precise and structured with fine tannins that spread across the palate, giving  them freshness and definition.

The same sort of precision with opulence comes from the top wines of Barossa Valley’s The Standish Wine Company. And Contributing Editor Nick Stock loved the new releases this year of their top shiraz, particularly the 2019 single-vineyard marvel Shiraz Barossa Valley The Standish. Check out all the wines. Nick also rated a super, rarified red from Western Australia that you should check out: the Cullen Margaret River Vanya Flower Day 2018.

Please don’t miss the excellent wines rated from Virginia in this report. Associate Editor Nathan Slone and Director Bill McIlhenny were in the state to taste at a handful of the best wineries, such as Barboursville Vineyards, Early Mountain and Linden. There are some top-rated wines, including a nebbiolo and a few single-vineyard cabernets.

I also started tasting a large selection of new Beaujolais from Georges Duboeuf. All were from the very good 2020. The reds seemed to have a solid core of fruit and slightly firm tannins. It’s hard to generalize but it seems that 2020 is not at quite the same quality level as the superb 2019 and 2018. The young Beaujolais have less depth and richness.

We have found the same sort of characteristic for hundreds of South African wines. So many are pleasant and rather humble in quality but should still satisfy at a their normally value-oriented price. Check out the ratings.

There are also lots of Italian wines rated, with a focus on the south, such as Abruzzo. Plus, we tasted a dozen or so Chinese wines, and don’t miss out on the ratings for the new releases from New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay. We tasted 514 wines in total, and they had an average score of 92.

All in all, it’s been a solid week for tasting and rating wines.

– James Suckling, Chairman/Editor

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated during the past week by James Suckling and the other tasters at JamesSuckling.com. They include many latest releases not yet available on the market, but which will be available soon. Some will be included in upcoming tasting reports.

Note: You can sort the wines below by country, vintage, score and alphabetically by winery name. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.