21 May 2007
Hints of 2005 Bordeaux
Wine fans everywhere by now have heard of the “hoopla” surrounding 2005 Bordeaux! Buyers and critics alike agree that this could be the best vintage since 1982 or even beyond! Visiting one of my local retailers, I was surprised to see a few bottles already available of this high-hoped vintage since my 2005 futures have an expected arrival between January and July 2008. I picked up the 2005 Chateau Graves du Privera, Medoc, Cru Artisan.
The text “Cru Artisan” caught my eye, a designation I had not seen before with Bordeaux. After some quick research, I learned the following tidbits.
The denomination “cru artisan” has been part of winemaking in the Médoc for more than 150 years. On January 11, 2006, an interministerial decree was published in the Journal Officiel formally limiting the title “cru artisan” to 44 properties in the Médoc, Haut-Médoc and the area’s communal appellations. The use of the term is henceforth protected, allowing consumers to rely on it in full confidence.
The dictionary defines an artisan as “a self-employed professional who engages in manual work; the creator who bears responsibility for something.”
This definition perfectly applies to the artisan winemaker who, either alone, or helped by family or others (often salaried agricultural workers), is completely responsible for the entire production process: vineyard work, vinification, aging of the wine, bottling and packaging, and often sales. Today, behind every Cru Artisan there is an owner who is fully involved in the vineyard, in the cellars, and in the salesroom; each vineyard’s modest size (between one and five hectares) allows for such direct control of the property’s operation. These estates have jealously maintained their identity despite the various problems which have beset the Médoc’s vineyards. Even if a number of producers have succumbed to wars, economic crises and a growing migration to the cities, a shared passion for winemaking has allowed the Crus Artisans to overcome these challenges.
(above block quotes directly from: http://www.medoc-wines.com/rubriques-eng/crus-artis.htm)
With the Cru Artisan classification, these wineries/chateaus do not need to follow the stricter rules of the higher regarded clasifications and this allows for their earlier availability.
I believe my bottle of Cru Artisan well exemplified the spirit of the designation. While I don’t think it was the best example of Bordeaux, I did find it to still contain the essence of Bordeaux.
My “official” notes on the bottle:
My first exposure to 2005 Bordeaux with this Cru Artisan. On the nose, I thought of dark wood 2×4s along with sticks of butter and raspberries and blackberries. A little disjoint on the palate and very brief in finish. Not well balance nor well expressed, yet still seemed to hint to the essence of Bordeaux. If this is the low end of 2005 Bordeaux, we’re in for a spectacular vintage! + or – evals… Distinct varietal character: +, Integration: -, Expressiveness: -, Complexity: -, Connectedness: +; 85 points!
Any other first impressions with 2005 Bordeaux?