Tasting of  2006 Bordeaux

Last week I flew up to Dallas for “The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux” 2006 tasting. This was a chance to taste over 110 wines from 94 Bordeaux producers all from the 2006 vintage. The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux is basically a marketing association for the selected members. They host large structured tastings several times a year throughout the world and last month it was time for Texas. The last time I had this opportunity was in 2001 to taste the spectacular 2000 vintage, which took place in Bordeaux. There, more than ever, did I learn the healing power of Champagne, but that is another story.

This tasting was held at the Museum of Flight building at Love Field, which was a very impressive backdrop. Imagine four rows 25 tables each with a separate Chateau on each table, divided into 13 sub regions of Bordeaux, and you get the idea. Luckily the tasting was from 2-6 pm. Plenty of time to taste and visit with not only the Chateau’s owners but many other wine professionals that were there. 2006 is considered a good vintage but not a great vintage, though these classifications are always declared by wine writers that taste every vintage several times, sometimes going back decades. So, for the average consumer, I have always felt that vintages really do not matter; they only seem to cause confusion. Great producers always manage to produce great wines. So, unless you regularly taste multiple vintages of multiple producers multiple times throughout the last few years, you will not have a sound reference point on what is a great year verses a poor year. In other words, just ask us what a particular wine is like rather than worry about a specific vintage.

During the tasting the wines were showing a large spectrum of flavors, and some of the wines defiantly showed better than others right then, but these wines will not be on our shelves until later this year so they will have a chance to settle down. Some of my favorites were:

Whites –  Ch. Bouscaut Blanc, Ch. Olivier Blanc both from Pessac-Leognan

Reds –  Ch. Troplong Mondot St. Emilion, Ch. Petit-Village Pomerol, Ch. Dauzac Margaux, Ch. Kirwan Margaux, Ch. Lascombes Margaux, Ch. Brainaire-Ducru St. Julien, Ch. Talbot St. Julien, Ch. Pichon-Longueville Pauillac and Ch Climens from Sauternes. 

Keep a look out for my posting of which 2006’s we get in. We also still have many 2005’s and 2004’s.

Martin K, Houston CM Resident Wino