Bordeaux '85
THE great Bordeaux vintage roadshow is back. Yes, folks, 1985 was another 'very good' vintage (let's leave it at that con- servative estimate for the moment, though don't be surprised if you hear words like `superb', 'exceptional' and, inevitably, `great' circulating in the next few weeks). So, as many had predicted, the mediocre 1984 vintage proved to be a mere hiccup and now four out of the last five vintages have been, or have been claimed to be, at least 'very good'. The only parallel I can think of in living memory (not mine, as it happens) is the string of good vintages after the second world war, '45, '47, '48, '49.
What kind of year, in any case, was 1985? There were the appalling frosts at the beginning of the year, and then an exceptionally dry summer (in Bordeaux anyway) — and, for what that was worth, it was a 'year of the comet'. For much of last year the Bordelais were predicting a very small, concentrated vintage. One especial- ly remembers such predictions this time last year when they were trying to sell the '84s. Well, things didn't turn out like that: 1985 was, surprisingly, a large vintage. The frosts, we are now told, affected vineyards on the fringes of production in places like Listrac and the Montagne St Emilion rather than the top sites — though some famous names in Pomerol were badly hit. All the vines affected were merlot, and this, combined with the failure of the merlot crop in 1984, led to the confident prediction that such merlot wines as were made in 1985 would be extremely good, benefiting from the year's rest and en- forced concentration.
The year 1985, however, seems to defy prediction: the right-bank (St Emilion and Pomerol) wines have been successful — the respected voice of M. Christian Moueix gives the vintage 16 out of 20 as opposed to 18 out of 20 in 1982 — but not necessarily more so than the Medoc. Some of the best wines of all seem to come from Margaux, more of a cabernet than a merlot strong- hold. Perhaps Simon Loftus of Adnams has it right when he says that 1985 is difficult to characterise precisely, because of the very wide differences of quality. At best, it may combine the soft merlot voluptuousness of '82 with the firmer, structure of '83: that would be an idea' indeed. The top end of the bordeaux market, of course, has more to do with money than with wine. Opening prices for the '85s are materialising earlier than usual, and the reason is not far to seek: lumbered with ,", large stocks of '84s, which hardly sold at all in the UK, the Bordelais are keen to begin cashing in an unquestionably better pro- duct. The first growths have not yet been put on the market, and so attention is focused on the so-called 'super second growths', Palmer, Ducru, Phiche11 Lalande, Cos, and the latest recrul,,', Greaud-Larose. Cos was offered to the UK trade last week at 100 francs a bottle, roughly the same price as the 1984. Offered, but in tiny quantities: those, wishing to rebuy now will be paying arourin5 143 francs. These figures (taking francs to £1) would mean prices to the consumer of around £143 and £204 per dozen respectively, ex-cellars Borden et Adding on shipping, duty and VAT, we ge,.. figures of £178 and £248 for young second growth claret which will take at least ten years to mature. What explains these crazy prices and the exiguousness of the quantities being offered, first time round, over here (which is creating the secondary market of re- offered wines)? The answer is Americ. The American market has taken to 1985'11_ the same way that it did to 1982, perharr because it is being heralded as anothe predominantly soft, merlot vintage, ii.hee style that is preferred in the States. Bordelais, on their part, are happier tole e." to the Americans than to the Brith,: because the big US wholesalers buy in larger lots, and also because they were prepared to buy some of the 1984 vintage' The question that the thoughtful Bar; deaux broker Bill Bolter asks is whethe.., anybody, even immensely wealthy Aireis icans, can be buying wines at these price,, to drink. As far as the Americans at concerned, they might look in their owi: backyard (if California can be so called): drank a bottle of Jordan's 1979 Cabernet the other day, and thought it as a good as , not better than Latour '76 (no mean wine). immeasurably better than the '76 Lascase51 At about £15 a bottle retail, it must, suppose, be a bargain.
Ausonius
Previous page
