WTN: Another disappointingly soft-centred modern Bordeaux.

Château Puygueraud – Bordeaux Côtes de Francs – 2002 – Nicolas Thienpont – Alc. 13% - (€13 ex-cellars for 2005) ; estate planted with Merlot 80%, CabFranc 15% and Malbec 5%.

I have lately been disconcerted by the fat refulgence of a lot of modern Bordeaux, particularly right bank, but it is particularly disappointing when the wine comes from a reputable estate owned by usually reliable family, the (Belgian) Thienpont dynasty, and from a goodish vintage in which producer skill should have paid dividends.
C: Rather insipid red.
N: Promising full rich fruit without jamminess.
P: A let down; fruit was indeed round and digestible but body was no more than light/medium and there was a lack of the Bordeaux mixture of lively acidity, refreshing green streak, firm core and tannic grip. A pleasant drink and not lacking in elegance but soft centred and not my idea of good Bordeaux; 14.5/20.

I have not had many Right Bank wines from this vintage and, just like your note, the few that I had didn't impress me much (Ch. Angelus,I thought then, was an exception). On the other hand, I found quite a few Left Bank bottlings that I tasted during release whose pronounced levels of austerity, backwardness and structure that I would associate with classic Bordeaux gave me more than enough reasons to optimistically stash a few of them away.

I have lately been disconcerted by the fat refulgence of a lot of modern Bordeaux, particularly right bank...

Well, I don't know if this is what I am experiencing as well, but my recent consumption of 2000 Bordeaux (latest one, Lagrange, posted here Friday) makes me feel there has been a sea-change from the time I began drinking these (early-mid 80's vintages). At 9 years of age from a classic warm vintage I am finding many of these surprisingly accessible. I'm not saying they won't age more, but the textures are soft and really don't need more time to round them off.

Even worse than Bordeaux, I'm finding this same softness in Piedmont wines with the very tannic nebbiolo grape, and wondering if something has changed there as well. perhaps these won't need the requisite 20 years of age on them like the many older vintages did?

I like Ch. Lanessan for well-priced, structured, tannic Bordeaux, and the Produttori in Barbaresco do a nice job with classic, reasonably priced, quality Nebbiolo (though the 2004 riservas have crept up perceptively in price).

Well, I don't know if this is what I am experiencing as well, but my recent consumption of 2000 Bordeaux (latest one, Lagrange, posted here Friday) makes me feel there has been a sea-change from the time I began drinking these (early-mid 80's vintages). At 9 years of age from a classic warm vintage I am finding many of these surprisingly accessible. I'm not saying they won't age more, but the textures are soft and really don't need more time to round them off.

I am wondering if the case of your Lagrange '00 may not be a bit different, although "softer" modern methods could also play a part (I don't think that I have tasted Lagrange since the 1989 vintage). I think that '00 belongs to the tradition of ripe Bordeaux vintages, like '90, '59 and apparently '47 and '29, whose wines were atypically gracious drinking right from the start. However, I am interested that you mention the early '80s because I would have included '82 in this category.

A lot of right bank wines are now made fat and shiny and it is interesting that my '02 was like a fat and shiny person who has undergone slimming, i.e. lighter but with no muscle, sinew and liveliness. In year like that in the past, I would expected a wine like this to be slimmer than in a "great" vintage but with good acidity and structure.

You may remember 4-5 years ago Wine Spectator annointed Puygueraud as one of the ten best wineries "in the world". I was familiar with it then and a little perplexed with that choice. It was shortly thereafter that I quit subscribing to WS, still like to pick up a read occasionally though don't buy. Puygueraud has always seemed only an average Bdx.

I subscribed to WS for several years until about 2003. I liked the photos and the articles by Matt Kramer.......

[James Roscoe]

I subscribed to WS for several years until about 2003. I liked the photos and the articles by Matt Kramer.......

These are the sole reasons I pick through WS.

I have not had many Right Bank wines from this vintage and, just like your note, the few that I had didn't impress me much (Ch. Angelus,I thought then, was an exception). On the other hand, I found quite a few Left Bank bottlings that I tasted during release whose pronounced levels of austerity, backwardness and structure that I would associate with classic Bordeaux gave me more than enough reasons to optimistically stash a few of them away.

The 2002 Armilhac was pretty ferociously tannic at this stage. (Also utterly delicious....but)