Winophilia

It isn’t often that Bordeaux has a vintage as good as 2009—or one that’s likely to be so easy to drink in its youth.  While the superlative quality of many 2009s is sure to drive prices for the big names into the stratosphere, plenty of other châteaux that made some of their best wines ever will be far less expensive.  In fact, I suspect that their prices will seem downright cheap compared to what you’d pay these days for red wines of equal quality from Napa Valley.

I should emphasize that the 2009s are somewhat atypical for Bordeaux in that they were already fleshy and appealing six months after the harvest, when I tasted them from the barrel with journalists and wine merchants from around the world.  In other words, these young wines are a far cry from many past vintages in which brutal tannins and high acidity levels made most of the cabernet- and even merlot-based wines of Bordeaux tough going for most drinkers for a minimum of several years after their release.  The 2009s are all about upfront, glossy fruit, even if the best of them should enjoy a decade or three of development in bottle.

The growing season of ’09 was almost textbook perfect, with sunny days, cool nighttime temperatures, and a warm August and fall that were blessedly rain-free.  In fact, the lack of rain may have hampered the potential of some wines made from young vines grown on quickly draining gravelly soils, as young plants are far more likely to suffer heat stress than are older vines with more extensive root systems that can reach moisture deep in the subsoil.  Some well-timed rain showers in September helped to revive the metabolism of the vines.   Overall, the wines of 2009 will long be remembered as some of the best wines Bordeaux has ever made.

Although not all Bordeaux châteaux have yet released their opening prices for the new 2009 wines, enough have done so for us to have a good idea which wines may be worth buying en primeur (i.e., in advance, as “futures”).  Buyers of wine futures pay now for wines that will not even be bottled until sometime in 2011 and will be shipped here in 2012.  In theory, wines rated highest by the critics, as well as other desirable items made in very small quantities, often cost considerably more by the time they reach retail shelves—and can also be harder to find.

That should not be case for the relatively inexpensive wines I’m recommending here, which are not big names, but futures prices appear to be so reasonable that it may still be a good idea to lock in these wines at opening prices.  Tracking down merchants who are offering these wines may require a search of the marketplace, but they should all be available.  And you should be able to find them for no more than $300 per case of 12 bottles.

One caveat:  In difficult economic times, it is more important than ever before to buy from trusted wine retailers with a track record for delivering on their promises—preferably those who have been playing the futures game for many years.  After all, they’ll be holding your money for two years.

Below I’ve provided five of my favorite choices among little-known estates that are terrific buys in light of their quality.  In a future article, I’ll highlight some better-known names that did very well in 2009 but will still offer excellent value.  (For as little as $19.95 for two months of unlimited access to the International Wine Cellar site, you can see my detailed tasting notes on virtually all of the most important 2009s in the current issue of the IWC, from terrific values to the region’s great first growths.)

Château Haut-Ballet Fronsac:  Owner Olivier Decelle also makes the excellent Château Jean Faure in Saint-Emilion, but at $40 a bottle or more en primeur, it’s a bit beyond the scope of this group.  Still, in Haut-Ballet you get a taste of the house style:  a pure, well made, firmly acidic Bordeaux with flavors of small red berries that will match perfectly with steak.  This wine comes from the less-known Right Bank appellation of Fronsac, which benefited from its slightly cooler temperatures and higher altitude in 2009.

Château Marjosse Bordeaux:  Made by Pierre Lurton, the general manager of both Châteaux Cheval Blanc and Yquem, Marjosse offers an excellent red wine, not to mention a white and a rosé, at a tiny fraction of what those great names will cost.  All three wines made at Marjosse are delicious:  this property could offer one-stop shopping for your upcoming summer parties and barbecues.

Château Puy-Blanquet Saint-Emilion:  This mainly merlot wine, made in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Saint-Emilion (which is not just the name of a major appellation but also one of the most romantic little hill towns anywhere), isn’t as well known as some of the big names of the area but offers silky, generous fruit and considerable style.  It’s made by the people at the firm of J. P. Moueix, who are also responsible for superstars Pétrus and Trotanoy.

Château de Sales Pomerol:  It’s never easy to find a good inexpensive Pomerol, as the estates in this appellation are small and the wines highly sought.  De Sales is the largest property in Pomerol, and one of the most beautiful, with a fairy tale castle that’s worth a detour.  This mainly merlot wine is light and easygoing.  If it doesn’t have the fleshy sex appeal of many other Pomerols, it offers lovely purity and accessibility at a fraction of the cost of many of its peers.

Goulée Médoc:  This wine, an 80/20 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, is made by the same folks that make Cos d’Estournel, one of the great names in Bordeaux.  It’s an entry-level effort that drinks like anything but.  It’s also made in a richer and creamier style than some of the wines I have listed here, and thus should please drinkers who like bigger, fleshier wines.