Who sets the prices for premium Bordeaux wines? Buyers and journalists do, descending on Bordeaux in early April each year to taste hundreds of the classed growths and other top-level wines in a marathon week of regional travel—by invitation. Watching-read more-
Becky Sue Epstein concludes her visit to Bordeaux, where she has been busy tasting through the 2009 vintage. (If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, be sure to check them out.) Teams of buyers and journalists descend on Bordeaux-read more-
Follow Becky Sue Epstein on her second day tasting through the 2009 vintage Primeurs in Bordeaux. (You can read Part 1 here.) Teams of buyers and journalists descend on Bordeaux in early April each year and taste hundreds of the-read more-
The nose has a characteristic cigar/tobacco aroma, suggesting the wine is at or near maturity. The palate is smooth and supple and just about ready. A delicious wine and one that reinforces the excellent reputation of the 1996 Bordeaux vintage.-read more-
A bit closed on the nose though showing some cigar. Not quite ready on the palate, with some tannin to lose, though these are good and have a nice texture. This vintage of Léoville-Poyferré finishes a bit short for an-read more-
A total of 240,000 bottles were produced from a harvest that stretched from September 30 to October 18. The nose is earthy and is already showing some cigar aromas—this wine is starting to mature. Quite a smooth texture on the-read more-
At Léoville-Poyferré this great Bordeaux vintage was harvested September 26 to October 8 and produced 230,000 bottles of highly priced wine. Quite closed on the nose at the moment but the palate is sumptuous—smooth, rich, and elegant. Its luscious style-read more-
Harvested September 21 to October 7, yielding 235,000 bottles. This vintage of Léoville-Poyferré displays quite hard oak tannins and is really rather charmless, lacking the elegance and charm that distinguishes it in better years. Nonetheless the structure of the wine-read more-