CLUBHOUSE | LIQUID ASSETS
BORDEAUX – THE MIGHTY WON'T FALL AS FRANCE'S MOST FAMOUS WINE REGION FACES CHALLENGING TIMES, ITS CHATEAUX ARE BEHAVING LIKE TRUE LEADERS, REPORTS JULIEN YUNG MAMEAUX.
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ordeaux wine prices are adjusting – for the better. Culminating on decades of nearly immaculate reputation, two vintages broke records when wine critic Robert Parker gave perfect 100-point ratings to fifteen chateaux in 2009 and ten in 2010; prices jumped by 20 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. But as the world caught the Bordeaux fever, a tough era was ushered in with the 2011 and 2012 vintages performing below expectations. With stock piling up and a demanding client list threatening to seek value elsewhere, chateaux and negociants were forced to lower prices and embrace change. They took it well, and it is this attitude that continues as the 2013 “en primeur” campaign begins. WHEN TO HOLD, WHEN TO FOLD Bordeaux chateaux master the power of tradition, and quality will not be sacrificed for the sake of booming demand and rising production costs. First growth Chateaux Lafite Rothschild and Latour keep ancestral winemaking savoir-faire in their cellars, like the racking process where young wine is carefully transferred from one barrel to the other. At the reputed Sauternes Chateau d’Yquem, the same fingers pick the grapes year-on-year, in a sophisticated process of delicate gestures. And first growths Chateau Margaux and Haut-Brion still have their own cooperage where a specialist handcrafts the barrels where the wines gain in character. However, prestigious chateaux do make tough calls when needed in order to maintain high standards. If the produce does not meet their requirements, they do not hesitate to throw away a whole season of hard work: for the first time in 20 years (and the fourth in 60), Chateau d’Yquem did not release any 2012 vintage as the unfavorable weather prevented the necessary noble rot to infect its white Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. More recently, Pomerol-based Chateau Le Pin decided not to produce any red wine in 2013. A TOAST TO INNOVATION Both long-term vision and recent challenges are leading Bordeaux and its chateaux to a new era. The world wine capital has started the construction of a majestic “City of the Civilizations of Wine”. Set to open in 2016, this 14,000-square-meter cultural complex will be entirely dedicated to wine culture. Saint-Emilion icon Chateau Cheval Blanc has erected breathtaking facilities that bring modernity to the winemaking process and beauty to the vineyards. Cos d’Estournel, the “super second” and member of the “100-point club”, and Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, recently praised as the “world’s best cabernet blend”, both enjoy innovative and creative leadership with Aymeric de Gironde and Bruno Borie. The new dynamic is also found in new chateaux and lesser-known appellations putting pressure on the long-established Medoc and other Graves. My personal
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favourites include Cotes de Castillon, spearheaded by Domaine de l’A owner Stephane Derenoncourt (when he is not consulting for prestigious Bordeaux or Napa wineries). Its 2009 vintage – a 70 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc and five per cent Cabernet Sauvignon blend – is smooth and silky with wonderful notes of dark berries, plums and licorice. Another one is Chateau Marjosse, from the Entre Deux Mers area, with a 2008 wine that is rich on the nose and elegant on the palate. And the appellation Bordeaux Superieur is also one of the seven affordable and 'easy drinking' “Revelations" – branded wines created by Hubert de Bouard, owner of top-ranked Chateau Angelus, together with negociant Yvon Mau. Bordeaux is changing, but by joining forces and bettering itself, you can never rule it out. Bordeaux hosts some of France’s best golf courses. To play there and drink fine wine, contact Julien, in charge of The Experience Company (www.TheExCo. com), Asia’s premier travel concierge offering tailored experiences around fine wine. Reach The Experience Company at +852 2179 3307 or Julien@TheExCo.com. Quote “HKGolfer” for a special treat. HKGOLFER.COM