Labelled a Bordeaux Superier and hailing from the incredible 2009 vintage, high hopes were dashed with this one.  Bland, non-fruity and boring.  Mild tannins won’t last long, neither will any traces of fruit.  Superieur is supposed to mean something, and who could screw up in ’09 from what everyone said was the ‘vintage of the [whatever]’.  I’m not buying into that.  It is proof that many French vintners are living delusional lives.  You either make good wine or you pack up, sell the farm and move on.  The sad truth is evident, in an awesome growing year, all you have to do is let the grapes mature, press them and don’t mess too much, nature has done it all for you.  These fellas didn’t get the message.  Am I being harsh?  Perhaps, but there are many wineries making sub-par wines and relying on appellation, name and vintage to get sales.  Resting on these laurels will not last long.  I will be looking for better values in the New World.  1 star and not worthy of a rating if I were a pro.

In case you didn’t read my previous post, I found some of my old treasures being used as props in Moxie’s store.  The occasion was the Annual Holiday Open House.  This bottle sits well with me, remembering it as some awfully good 2000 Bordeaux.  The Bahans is the second label of famed First Growth Chateau Haut Brion.  Let’s put this into perspective for the uninitiated-  This is one level below the top notch stuff, wines that didn’t quite make the cut to be considered the finest.  Rated an average of 89 points, we drank it several years ago, perhaps a little soon, but I remember it to be sublime.   Wine this good has to be tried, the pieces fit together and the wine is super smooth, flavorful and worthy of 5 stars.  The pro’s recommended a drinking period of 2003-2013.  I think I hit it in the middle, when the fruit was evident yet the secondary flavors were starting to emerge.  Soft tannins were evident but not powerful.  Speaking of powerful, nothing says it more so than producing a Magnum, except a Double-Magnum.  I am a keen collector of large format bottles and love to pull them out at parties.  This one was in honor of the hard working gals (and hubby’s) who man Moxie’s store and keep the clients happy.  We do an annual “Fundoo” party at Christmas time and the good stuff just flows out…..  Stay tuned for more vintage finds!

Double Magnum, 3 Litres