Bordeaux En Primeur 2007
Without doubt 2007 vintage was saved at the 11th hour. The damp, wet summer caused severe
problems with mildew. Many top chateaux had to spray at least 10 times as well as do extensive
work in the vineyards. However, there is a silver lining, the Sauternes and dry whites flourished
in the conditions and have produced some excellent wines.
Robert Parker sums this up well. "The vintage presents itself better than I had thought it would,
based on the miserable summer Bordeaux endured. The dry, warm, sunny month of September seems to have
saved the vintage from being poor. Overall, the very best estates, where they had the financial resources
to do extensive work in the vineyards and make a relatively strict selection once the wines were fermented,
produced wines that are fruity, soft, very charming, and flattering to drink at an early age. Of course,
the wines don’t have the density, structure, and power of the greatest vintages, but they do have finesse,
elegance, and generally good balance. At the lower levels, which is where the bulk of the production is,
the wines are much thinner, herbal, even vegetal, and largely disappointing." He goes on to say that the
wines are better than 1997 and compares them to the 1999 vintage.
Should I buy the 2007 vintage?
Our recommendations for the 2007 vintage are to stick with the cream (Grand Cru Classé and classed growths,
as per our vintage review with estimated prices shown below). Unfortunately the Cru Bourgeois are fairly
disappointing, most are thin, slightly green and unexciting. We recommend that you stock up with 2005 Cru
Bourgeois. For the top Chateaux price is likely to be the key issue. If the top Chateaux are cheaper than any
other vintage on the market then they are worth buying but mainly for drinking rather than investment.
Key:
JR is Jancis Robinson MW (UK's most influencial wine critic) http://www.jancisrobinson.com
JS is James Suckling – Wine writer for Wine Spectator (No 2 most influencial wine critic) http://www.WineSpectator.com
NM is Neal Martin – Robert Parker's side kick – Writer for Wine Advocate. http://eRobertParker.com
RP is Robert Parker – World’s No 1 wine Critic.
All scores are out of 100 apart from Jancis Robinson's which are out of 20.
Recommendations
Sauternes
| Coutet |
JR 18.5. JS 91-94 |
Est £250-320 |
| Brilliant wine and 'our pick of the year' for Sauternes. Full styled Semillon with fantastic finesse, Exotic fruit and pure class. RECOMMENDED. |
| Guiraud |
JR 16.5 JS 91-94 |
Est £200-£250 |
| Brilliant. Elegant with a tight, almost citrus freshness yet an extreme concentration of delightful botrytis characters. |
Graves / Pessac Leognan
| Domaine de Chevalier Rouge |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 88-87 |
Est £200-£260 |
| A property on the up and probably producing the best value Pessac Leognan wines. Very good wine. Recommended. Drink 2012-2018 |
| Haut Bailly |
JR 16.5, NM 90-92 |
Est £260-£320 |
| Now being advised by Jean-Bernard Delmas from Haut Brion. Classy wine. Drink 2013-2020 |
| Haut Brion |
JR 18, JS 89-92, NM 93-94 |
Est £1500-£3000 |
| Very good for the vintage. Very low yields. Only 8800 cases in 2007. 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43 % Merlot, 13 % Cabernet Franc. Drink 2015-2025 |
| La Mission Haut Brion |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 93-95 |
Est £1200-£2000 |
| Very much first growth quality. Almost as good as the Haut Brion. Drink 2015-2025 |
| Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge |
JR 16, JS 88-91, NM 90-92 |
Est £300-£350 |
| Brilliant property owned by Daniel & Florence Cathiard. Silky & Seductive in style. Drink 2012-18 |
| Domaine de Chevalier Blanc |
JR 16+, JS 91-94, NM 92-94 |
Est £350-£450 |
| Pape Clement Blanc |
JR 17, JS 92-95, NM 92-95 |
Est £400-£600 |
| Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc |
JR 17, JS 90-93, NM 92-93 |
Est £280-£380 |
St Julien
| Beychevelle |
JR 16.5, JS 84-87, NM 91-93 |
£260 Released |
| 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. This price works. The 2001 & 1999 vintages are at £320 and 2003 at £400. Well made with neatly packed Cabernet. A Good Beychevelle for early drinking. Drink 2012-2020 |
| Ducru Beaucaillou |
JR 17, JS 89-92, NM 92-94 |
Est £500-£650 |
| Very low yields. 90% Cabernet sauvignon & 10% Merlot. Serious wine, getting close to the premier league. Drink 2015-2025 |
| Sarget de Gruaud – Larose |
|
£115 Released |
| 2nd wine of Gruaud-Larose. Always great value |
| Gruaud Larose |
JR 16, JS 88-91 |
Est £240-£300 |
| 71% Cabernet Sauv, 21% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Good wine for early drinking. 2012–2017 |
| Lagrange |
JR 15, JS 84-87, NM 90-92 |
Est £180-£240 |
| Chateau to watch but not as good as the 2006. Early drinking 2012-2017. |
| Langoa Barton |
JR 16, JS 88-91, NM 90-91 |
Est £220-£300 |
| Sister Chateau to Leoville Barton. Very much on terms with Leoville Barton. Excellent wine for the vintage. Drink 2013-2020. |
| Leoville Barton |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 90-91 |
Est £300-£350 |
| Consistently Brilliant and very hard to get hold of – Almost Dead man shoes. Worth buying if anyone doesn't want their allocation. Very Good. Drink 2015-2022 |
| Leoville Lascases |
JR 16, JS 89-92, NM 94-95 |
Est £600-£900 |
| We haven't bought this for a few years as it's been too expensive – They have made a very good wine. Drink 2015-2022 |
| Leoville – Poyferre |
JR 16, JS 86-89 |
Est £300 - £360 |
| 65% Cabernet Sauv, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cab Franc. Neighbour to Leoville Barton. We liked this. Good wine – Excellent velvety texture, almost polished. Drink 2012 to 2020 |
| Talbot |
JR 16.5, JS 87-90, NM 88-89 |
Est £200-250 |
| A good Talbot for early drinking. Excellent Red Berry / plum flavours with a little floral lift. Good wine. Drink 2012-2018 |
Pauillac
| Carruades de Lafite |
JR 16. JS 86-89 |
Est £400-£500 |
| This has become a cult wine in China. 2006 is now trading for £900 per case. Could be a good short term investment. Drink 2013-2018 |
| Clerc Milon |
JR16+, JS 88-91 NM 88-91 |
Est £200-£250 |
| Good wine from Clerc Milon – owned by Mouton Rothschild. Plummy wine with good depth. Drink 2013-2020 |
| Duhart Milon |
JR 17, JS 86-89, NM 83-85 |
Est £200-£240 |
| Made by the same wine making team at Lafite. Better wine and better value than the Carraudes. Drink 2012-2019 |
| Les Forts de Latour |
JR 16.5, JS 87-90, NM 88-90 |
Est £400-£480 |
| Consider to be the 2nd wine of Latour but it actually comes from a separate part of the vineyard. 41% Merlot, 59% Cabernet. Good FDL but light and easy to drink. |
| Grand Puy Lacoste |
JR 17+, JS 88-91, NM 88-90 |
Est £280-£340 |
| Excellent GPL. On Par with Lynch Bages at a fraction of the price. Drink 2014-2022 |
| Haut Batailley |
JR 17, JS 87-90, NM 86-88 |
Est £160-£200 |
| Under the same ownership as GPL. Excellent wine – One of our star buys |
| Lafite |
JR 17.5, JS 89-92 NM 89-91 |
Est £1500-£3000 |
| One of the wines of the vintage. Possibly a good investment. Lafite is the star wine in China and has result in buying an excellent investment – Drink 2015-2025 |
| Latour |
JR 17.5+, JS 89-92, NM 90-92 |
Est £1500-£3000 |
| Highest percentage of Cabernet ever (91%). Normally all under allocation. Chance to get a foot in the door. Drink 2015-2025 |
| Lynch Bages |
JR 15.5, JS 85-88, NM 91-93 |
Est £320-£400 |
| An early drinking Lynch Bages and if Under £400 will be the cheapest Lynch Bages on the market. We think this is a good wine. Drink 2013-2022 |
| Mouton Rothschild |
JR 18, JS 90-93, NM 94-96 |
Est £1500-£3000 |
| Considered by many to be the wine of the vintage. Mouton is at the top for the second year running. Drink 2015 to 2025 |
| Pichon Baron |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91 NM 90-92 |
Est £350-£500 |
| Almost at 'Super second' status. Excellent wine for the vintage. It's hard to find Pichon Baron at Under £500 these days. Drink 2013-2020 |
| Pichon Lalande |
JR 16, JS 88-91, NM 90-92+ |
Est £500-£700 |
| Big wine for the vintage but still elegant. A notch above the Pichon Baron. |
| Pontet Canet |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 94-96 |
Est £350-£400 |
| Brilliant wine – One of the star buys of the wines. Low Yields. Star Buy. Drink 2014-2024 |
Margaux
| Du Tertre |
JR17 |
£185 Released |
| Very Good 59% Cabernet – Very juicy in style. "Dark slightly brownish crimson with a weak rim. Luscious fully ripe Cabernet Franc aromas to me Very round and plush and easy. Soft and gentle with good refreshment factor. Very appetising. Nicely balanced. And Margaux gentleness" JR |
| Lascombes |
JR 17+, JS 85-88, NM 87-89 |
Est £280-£380 |
| Good wine but not typical to the Terroir. Making a modern styled wine more in tune for Robert Parker's palate rather than the appellation. Judgement Reserved. Drink 2014-2020 |
| Margaux |
JR 18, JS 89-92 |
Est £1500-£3000 |
| Brilliant wine. Excellent First growth. |
| Palmer |
JR 17, JS 88-91, NM 91-93 |
Est £800-£1200 |
| Without doubt a good wine but not worth the price tag. Drink 2014-2022 |
| Pavillon Rouge |
JR 16.5, JS 85-88 |
Est £280-£340 |
| 2nd wine of Margaux but often in the top 5 Margaux. Very good. Drink 2013-2018 |
| Rauzan Segla |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 92-94 |
Est £280-£360 |
| Really now a super second for Margaux. Excellent quality...now all down to the price. Drink 2013-20 |
St Estephe
| Calon Segur |
JR16.5, JS 87-90 |
Est £280-£340 |
| Always a good buy En Primeur. This wine is worth following and hard to get allocations in the lesser vintages. Recommended. Drink 2012-2018 |
| Cos d'Estournal |
JR17, JS88-91, NM 94-95 |
Est £500-£750 |
| Quality is first class. Likely to be expensive but fingers crossed !! Drink 2014-2020 |
| Montrose |
JR 16.5, JS 87-90, NM 91-93 |
Est £350-£500 |
| Great wine on par with Cos but at a reduced price. Now being made by Jean-Bermard Delmas (formally of Haut Brion). |
| Ormes de Pez |
JR 15.5, JS 84-87, NM 88-90 |
Est £135-£160 |
| Owned by the Cazes family from Lynch Bages. One of the best value St Estephe |
Haut Medoc
| Cantemerle |
JR 16+, JS 84-87 |
Est £120-£145 |
| Normally the best value Cru Classe and I have to agree this year. Good wine for early drinking 2012-2017 |
St Emilion
| L'Arrosee |
JR 16, JS 85-88 |
Est £200-£260 |
| Property very much on the rise and one to watch. This wine exhibits great purity. Drink 2013-2020 |
| Ausone |
JR 17.5+, JS 90-93, NM 94-96 |
Est £4,000-?? |
| One of the wines of the vintage but hard to get excited at this price tag !! Drink 2013-2020 |
| Cheval Blanc |
JR 18, JS 89-92, NM 93-95 |
Est £2500-£3500 |
| The most famous chateau of St Emilion. Hard to taste En Primeur. Good but needs but needs to be at this price. Drink 2013-2025 |
| Larcis Ducasse |
JR 15.5, JS 87-90 |
Est £200-£300 |
| Situated next to Pavie on the best slope in St Emilion. A Chateau very much to watch. Good, 2012-20 |
| Moulin St Georges |
JR 16, JS 86-89, NM 89-91 |
Est £200–250 |
| Without doubt one of the best value wines in St Emilion. Described by Robert Parker as a Junior Ausone. Drink 2012-2018 |
| Pavie Macquin |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91, NM 89-91 |
Est £260-£340 |
| Described by Robert Parker as the Lafleur of St Emilion. Excellent concentration for the vintage. Likely to be one of the best value St Emilions. Drink 2013-2020 |
| Troplong Mondot |
JR 16.5, JS 88-91 |
Est £280-£450 |
| Impressive for the vintage – Dark, rich with power. Some people prefer this to Angelus & Pavie, Drink 2013–2020. |
Pomerol
| La Conseillante |
JR16.5, JS 88-91, NM 91-93 |
Est £500-£700 |
| Situated next to L'Evangile & Cheval Blanc. 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, Great purity and class. Impressive. Drink 2013 -2020 |
| L'Evangile |
JR 17.5+, JS 89-91, NM 93-95 |
Est £650-£900 |
| Owned by Lafite and an excellent wine but the price is the big question. Drink 2015-2025 |
| La Petite Eglise |
JR 16.5, NM 90-92 |
Est £130-£160 |
| 2nd wine of Eglise Clinet – This is likely to be our Best buy from Pomerol Drinking 2011-2018 |
| Vieux Chateau Certan |
JR 17.5, JS 88-91, NM 90-91 |
Est £500-£750 |
| 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc. Not a blockbuster wine, more charming and elegant for short term Drinking 2011-2016 |
Click here to view a list of all currently available 2007 En Primeur Wines.
| Top Recommended Buys |
Best Value Buys |
| Pontet Canet, Pauillac |
Du Tertre, Margaux |
| Leoville Barton, St Julien |
Cantemerle, Medoc |
| Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac |
Haut Batailley, Paulliac |
| L'Arrosee, St Emilion |
Talbot, St Julien |
| Coutet, Sauternes/Barsac |
Petite Eglise, Pomerol |
The China Factor!!
| Carraudes de Lafite |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Release price |
£220 |
£190 |
£245 |
£200 |
£335 |
£360 |
| Today's Market Price |
£900 |
£980 |
£1250 |
£900 |
£1350 |
£875 |
| Current Percentage return |
68% |
103% |
128% |
150% |
201% |
243% |
| Lafite |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Release price |
£890 |
£680 |
£1550 |
£880 |
£3200 |
£2900 |
| Today's Market Price |
£3150 |
£3200 |
£7700 |
£3200 |
£9400 |
£3750 |
| Current Percentage return |
58% |
94% |
124% |
121% |
147% |
29% |
Lafite & Carruades de Lafite are now the fashionable wines in China. There are no guarantees but it's hard to find any market
that has given such returns in recent years and is also free of capital gains tax.
