CT李王的領域

若說台灣葡萄酒界這幾天有什麼盛事 那麼搶08預購酒應該算其一 照理講這類搶預購的行為應該離我遙遠 一來買不起 二來也擺不起 前天壞朋友Gary轉報價給我 雖然著實考慮了一番 最後還是毅然決然把檔案刪掉

那麼為什麼要寫這篇呢~~一切都是今天早上來自惡魔世界的message~~

K桑:CT 聽說Parker對08年的看法出來了 可以查一下嗎?!

就這樣 命中注定我非淌這渾水 就算公司MIS盡責的擋住網站 還是托人查到Parker對五大堡的評分(嚇到我了) 歐教授的blog對波爾多08年有詳盡介紹 卻獨缺這討厭鬼的意見 讓我這好事之徒幫忙補上吧!

在我有限的英文解讀下 原先Parker也對08年不抱任何期待 有關08是鳥年的傳聞還時有耳聞 不過他卻對很多阿哩不答blog的不負責發言頗不以為然 在他看來 酒~就是喝到嘴裡才知道 如此而已! 反正滑鼠右鍵很方便 我把他品嚐之後對這年的感想 嚕在下面給大家參考:

It did not take me long to realize that the 2008 vintage was dramatically better than I had expected. It had all the qualities that make an excellent and in some cases, a great vintage so special: exceptionally dark opaque colors, gorgeously ripe fruit, stunning purity almost across the board, great freshness (because it was a cool year), slightly higher acids than normal, and remarkable density as well as concentration. Moreover, one of the significant keys to evaluating quality is the maturity of the tannins. In 2008, the tannins are unusually velvety, even in wines that may lack concentration. By day three I was thinking about how this could have happened. When you look at all the facts (not the rumor-mongering from irresponsible bloggers), it seems clear that after the vinifications were done in late October and early November, something excellent had been produced. The wine producers all knew it, but Bordeaux is always the first to be accused of over-hyping their wines, and the global economic crisis had begun in earnest by November, 2008.

在接下來的文章中 他老兄舉了三個理由支持08是個好年 1.葡萄在樹上的時間夠長 2.該冷的時候更冷 該曬的時候太陽多 3.比以往乾
文章中特別提到了Pomerol區甚至比05/01/00都好 同時 身為酒評家 雖然他覺得不應該對訂價做出建議(明明就是他害酒都變貴) 不過在文章的最後還是說了:任何太過樂觀的酒莊最後都會栽在經濟大海嘯之下!

說了一堆 直接看分數吧 產地先來
Pomerol:96
St.Emilion:92
Grave:91
St. Julien/Pauillac/Estephe:91
Margaux:90
Barsac/Sauternes:87

五大堡
Lafite-Rothschild:98~100($205-$238)
Latour:96~98($205-$259)
Haut Brion:95~97($215-$236)
Margaux:95~97($200-$220)
Mouton:94~96($190-$220)

再貼幾支有在預購的
Palmer:95~97($128)
Calon Segur:90~93($39-$41)
L'Evangile:93~95($81-$90)
Léoville Poyferré:92~94($36-$50)
Gazin:94~96($39-50$)
Lynch Bages:91~93($43-$66)
Château Pichon Lalande:94~96($53-$77)

好消息是 看起來價格真的比過去幾年便宜 好年+經濟大海嘯=危機入市 現金是王道啊!
壞消息是 如果你跟我一樣被100分打動 想訂一根30年後喝 那麼可以把手上的電話放下了 因為台北四家的五大堡預購早被掃光光囉 除了一家要抽籤的 還有現貨的那家很聰明的調漲了一兩成

細看一下100分的酒評:This wine should evolve for 30-40 years and last 50 or more.... 就算二軍Carruades de Lafite 也建議等上15~20年 打開電視看到WHO剛把豬流感提升到第五級........看來想等08年好酒到適飲階段 還真的要有一點性命呢!! 

隨文附上癡心哈利等著吃栗子蛋糕玉照乙張

今天五一勞動節 特開放call in一名 以下酒評由來自關山的K桑所點播

The 2008 Lafite Rothschild is one of the most profound young wines I have ever tasted. From a taster’s perspective, it is reminiscent of a blend of the 1996 and 2003, but when you compare those vintages analytically, that makes no sense whatsoever. Representing only 40% of the production, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc boasts an opaque ruby/purple color (one of the darkest Lafites I have seen in 30 years) as well as an extraordinary, blockbuster aromatic profile of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, black fruits, licorice, and a hint of unsmoked, high-class cigar tobacco. In the mouth, a massive richness is accompanied by a freshness, delineation, nuance, delicacy, and mind-boggling density. Even after three decades of tasting, I am still astonished when tasting such a prodigious wine as this. Full, inky, and rich with creme de cassis and spice box characteristics as well as a length that I stopped measuring after a minute, the wine reveals a sweetness to the tannin and an opulence to the fruit that suggests a hot, sunny vintage, but again, that was not the case. There wasn’t a great deal of heat, but there was more sunshine than the negative press reported at the beginning of September. This is a great, great wine. The harvest at Lafite took place between October 1-7 for the Merlot grapes, the Cabernet Franc was picked in mid-October, and the Cabernet Sauvignon between October 7-14 - an unbelievably late harvest for this estate. This wine should evolve for 30-40 years and last 50 or more. As I have indicated before, Lafite’s second wine is now one of Bordeaux’s finest second wines, and is made very much in the Lafite style.(跟兩個一百分的年份相比 不遑多讓)  

Damn me for saying it, but I actually think the 2008 Latour will turn out to be even better than the 2005 or 2000. I still have a weakness for the 2003, but it is somewhat atypical in how forward, fleshy, and opulent it is. The 2008 Latour is a more concentrated version of the 1996, and that’s saying something. The harvest took place between September 29 and October 7 for the Merlot, but the Cabernet Sauvignon finished around the 19th of October. The natural alcohol of 13.48% may be the highest ever achieved at Latour. The final blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Moreover, in a low yield year, only 40% of the production made it into the grand vin, so even with the global economic crisis, this is going to be a tightly allocated wine – with under 10,000 cases produced. A fabulous infant, it exhibits an inky/purple color as well as extraordinarily pure notes of creme de cassis, crushed rocks, and flowers. The fact that there is no hint of oak is a testament to the vintage’s density and richness. The wine possesses full-bodied power as well as a boatload of tannin, and it is even more backward than Lafite Rothschild. Nevertheless, the hallmark of a great wine and potentially top-notch vintage is the sweetness of the tannin, and that is evident. The wine is young, unevolved, and incredibly pure (another hallmark of this unexpectedly magical vintage) with an amazingly long, textured, layered finish. It should be forgotten for 5-8 years, and consumed over the following four decades.(比05/00都好!! 買到賺到) 

Production for the 2008 Haut-Brion represents only 35% of the grapes harvested, and while production can be over 12,000 cases in an abundant vintage, 2008 will be one of their smallest ever, with only 7,000 cases produced from a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. The 2008 reminds me of a hypothetical blend of the 1996 and 1998. It is a classic, elegant, but substantial Haut-Brion with a dense ruby/purple color as well as crushed rock, spring flower, blueberry, and black currant characteristics presented in a vivid, vibrant, full-bodied style that cuts an ethereal feel across the palate. Haut-Brion is somewhat akin to Cheval Blanc in that it can be seemingly light on the palate, but very intense in flavor. That is the case with the 2008. There is plenty of tannin, but it is very ripe. This impressive, deep wine requires patience, and a ten year wait is mandatory. This formidable Haut-Brion should have a 40-50 year lifeline. (好像還是樓上兩支厲害)  

This is a superb vintage for Chateau Margaux, and while it may be too early to say this, the 2008 appears superior to the 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001. Only 36% of the crop was utilized and the yields were 40 hectoliters per hectare. An exceptionally late harvest for this estate began on October 3 for the Merlot, and finished on October 23. The final blend includes a whoppingly high 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As always, the first characteristic one notices is the extraordinary floral component as well as the sweet black currant fruit allied to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and superb freshness and delineation. In many ways, the 2008 is reminiscent of the 1996, but the former wine is showing even more density and concentration than the 1996 did at the same point in its evolution. The 2008, which appears set for 30-40 years of longevity, is a remarkable effort from this great estate. (96年是99分 看到最後一句就覺得應該買來擺) 

Mouton’s vineyard was harvested between October 2-15, and the wine possesses an unexpectedly high pH of 3.85 (high for this vintage, but normal for a riper year). Made from low yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare, it achieved a natural alcohol content of 13.2%, one of the highest ever for this estate. Made from 54% of the production, the 2008 Mouton Rothchild’s final blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot has resulted in an atypically sweeter, more direct and opulent, fleshy Mouton. Keep in mind that this cuvee, because of the high Cabernet Sauvignon content as well as the terroir, is often backward, structured, and nearly foreboding in its youth. However, I do not think the 2008 will behave in that manner. There is plenty of tannin and exceptional density and ripeness, but the tannins are velvety, and I was amazed by how charmingly forward and fleshy this wine already is. A deep purple color, sweet aromas of creme de cassis, smoke, cedar, and an unmistakable floral component (another characteristic of the Cabernet Sauvignon in 2008) are found in this precocious, succulent Mouton that should firm up and put on more weight with aging. My score is somewhat conservative because it is hard to forget their prodigious 2006, but the 2008 will provide far more enjoyment and pleasure over the near-term than the 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.

For California enthusiasts, while visiting Mouton Rothschild, I had the opportunity to taste several vintages of Opus One, which has taken on new, dramatically high quality now that the Rothschilds are sole owners. I’ll just say that the 2007 Opus One promises to be the greatest example of that wine ever produced. More details will be published in the December issue on California wines(這位阿伯也在奇怪 人家問你西瓜甜不甜 你回答香蕉很大支...查2008 Mouton的資料 卻見他大推2007 Opus one......不過看樣子要預購Mouton不如去預購Opus one)  

In Bruno Borie’s words, the 2008 Ducru Beaucaillou is “well above 2004, with much more structure than 2007, and more sensuality than 2006.” I would add that it is even better than that, and as profound as the 2005. Approximately 33% of the crop made it into Ducru, which came in at 13.1% natural alcohol. This 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot blend reveals a dense opaque purple color as well as a gorgeously sweet bouquet of spring flowers, creme de cassis, blackberry liqueur, licorice, espresso roast, and spice. A testament to the density and richness of this wine is the fact that no oak is apparent in the aromas or flavors. The wine is unctuously textured, but analytically, it has a good level of total acid and sound pH. This fabulous offering will age effortlessly for 30-40+ years.

Bruno Borie deserves accolades for the remarkable things he has accomplished at Ducru Beaucaillou over the last few years(兩三天前剛好試到一點它的96年 香氣低調淡雅 但我不甚喜歡) 

A wine for our children’s children. Nobody in Bordeaux is more attentive to detail than Alfred Tesseron is at Pontet-Canet. Fashioned from incredibly low yields, a very late harvest, and a Draconian selection, the 2008 will not be close to drinkability for at least a decade, and it should still be in superb form circa 2060. An absolutely amazing effort, it boasts an inky/black/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of creme de cassis, graphite, charcoal, and incense, blockbuster depth, and full-bodied power. The tannins are high, but they are remarkably velvety as well as well-integrated. Sensational acidity gives the wine precision and vibrancy, but the impression is one of massive concentration and power. The 2008 Pontet-Canet, a candidate for the wine of the vintage, is a tour de force in viticultural precision and winemaking savoir faire(第一句嚇到我了....)