Have tried quite a few California Bordeaux blends and have largely enjoyed them.
Splurged on this bottle for Thanksgiving and it felt like a bit of a dud. Took a sip right after uncorking and got some pencil shaving and petroleum but no fruit. Decanted for an hour thinking the fruit may develop. It was exactly the same notes, maybe even a bit more muted. Waited an hour more and the same thing.
Is left bank Bordeaux just… not for me? If so, it’ll probably save my wallet in the long run, but I gotta say I was really looking forward to it.
by petertheeater15
27 Comments
Infanticide. Touch back on the 2021s once they hit the 10 year mark.
Age. You’re missing age.
I’d hazard a guess that it’s still massively closed off. It might be the case that it needs a super-long 3-4 hour decant, or failing that, another 10-15 years.
Super young. French wine needs a little more age on it, in my experience.
I would recommend trying some 2018 BDXs if you like California BDX blends. It was a hot year so they’re a bit riper and drinking well earlier. Would be an easy way to get the feel for the region with a relatively recent vintage that’s off-similar to what you know you like.
Yes. Time
this particular wine is meant to be drunk 10-40 years from now. and they mean it. lots of old-world wines (barolo, brunello, bordeaux, even burgundy) are pretty rough in their youth. but they’re peerless with age.
Yesterday I took a glass of the 2009 with my Coravin – absolutely stunning wine, I prefer them around the 15 year mark as i dont like too much ageing.
I personally find wines from St. Julien much more enjoyable than those from Paulliac. But the other comments about age are valid.
Bad vintage lacking concentration & ripeness
I think you drank it maybe 15-20 years too early. I am no expert but even I could see that drinking a good Bordeaux that’s 4 years old in the bottle is not a wise choice.
Didn’t the seller advise you of the above?
Big bottle, so it’s going to age slower… You need a few more years.
You don’t open any good Bordeaux until minimum 10-15 years after its vintage. That’s when the magic happens
Might be too young no?
I had the 2003. (Bought it on Future more than 20 years ago). It’s a nice wine.
Like 15 years
I’ve got some 2009 PCs and haven’t even thought about trying them.
No fruit sounds like TCA to me. Pontet Canet is usually excellent, even young.
Very young and from a pretty underwhelming vintage.
Got to meet alfred tesseron. These are killer wines.
I’m going to be real there is absolutely no reason to waste money on cru Bordeaux unless you are buying 15 years later or are prepared to store it. Lots of other better wines that are for drinking young. It’s a true waste of money
Bordeaux is a king of age worthy wines. Along with barolo. But if you want a young wine literally California wines I enjoy more as they are meant to be consumed young and are more fun and enjoyable at that age
That 2021 should probably go until 2040. And who got time for that. Nobody
Missing 10-20 years of age buddy sorry. These bottles take time
Best enjoyed between **2028** and **2051 …** from wine community. If I oppened such a young wine and did not enjoy it, I’d put a cork in it and place in the fridge to try again 2, 3, 5, etc days later. I’ve had wine hat was amazing on day 10 … that’s when I knew I opened that bottle too soon. We live and we learn.
P.S. Now … on the other hand, Opened 2014 Ridge Geyserville a week ago … amazing on day 1 … decided to save 70% of hat wine in the bottle for day 2 …… oh boy … was it dull. All the magic was gone.
Not a stellar vintage and too young
I keep getting downvoted for saying that opening classified Bordeaux before 20 years is basically throwing your money away.
Whereas California blends can be had rather young, French bordeaux need many years of age – This year I had a Pontet Canet from 2009 and it was absolutely one the best wines I’ve ever had. On top of that, 2021 was not a great vintage in France.
Is that a magnum also?
As everyone is saying, this needs time. However, a couple of other points: First, 221 is not a very good vintage. Pontet Canet is a very good producer who will have made a good wine even in ’21, but ’21 was a poor vintage for red Bordeaux. Second, if you approach Bordeaux expecting it to show like California BDX blends, you are kind of setting yourself up for disappointment. In general, California makes much riper, more fruit forward wines. It takes a lot more effort and careful site selection to make a more classical wine in California. Bordeaux is rarely going to show the kind of forward fruit you get in California. Only in very ripe years and from certain producers do you get that kind of thing. This is really the distinction between new world and old world wine styles. Bordeaux will give you a lot more non-fruit complexity, and a different fruit profile once mature, as compared to California wines (again, speaking in generalizations, there are exceptions).
I’m being contrarian and I’m far from an expert, but everyone told me I was drinking Bordeaux too young, and then I got some old Bordeaux and I didn’t like it then either. My half-assed opinion is that it’s the worst of both worlds – minimal/no fruit, but all the alcohol and tannin from hot grapes. I just don’t like the stuff. Let the downvotes commence!