Sunday, October 23, 2011

Valandraud 2006

I recently tasted Valandraud 2006 with a Chinese customer, which he finds changeable when he tastes it at home in China: wildly available in Hong Kong but shut tight where he lives near Shanghai!

This bottle, served in Riedel glasses, showed very well: the nose was alive, still too young, it will show best in 5-10 years, the oak is not yet integrated, the tannins relatively austere in this cold vintage, nothing to do with the “sweeter” and softer 2007. Paradoxically, this is the advantage of Bordeaux, which can be so different depending on the vintage because of its changeable and unpredictable weather, proving this point again this year.

In evening, with Murielle, the wine was much nicer, “softer”, it supports well oxidation and that’s good news as I poured it at the Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience last week.
I prefer for my first participation in this event to present a “difficult” vintage. Next year, the 2007 will definitely please them! Alas, the year after I won’t show the 2008 (which I am sold out of) but instead the 2009. We will have to bring plenty of bottles!


I also drank with a Chinese friend a cult wine from Australia, Clarendon Hills: Astralis 2002, Syrah, what a beautiful wine, still so young and fresh, to revisit in 10 years...

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