Cellar Journal – Bordeaux to Start…
BY NEAL MARTIN |
The Japanese have a custom called “fukubukuro”. It literally translates as “lucky grab bags”. Every New Year, department stores sell these bags giving no indication what they might contain. Such is the popularity of fukubukuro that people queue for hours in order to purchase a bag, take it home and see what is inside. In a sense, we see “Cellar Journal” as a vinous “fukubukuro”. Think of it as your lucky bag. Of course, there will be a theme, more often than not, Bordeaux or Burgundy, but the exact bottles contained within each article will be a surprise. These articles comprise miscellaneous bottles that do not merit standalone pieces, lest I bore readers with an article every hour. Almost every day I encounter fascinating wines, many of which serve to update old reviews and fill in gaps in the database, not least esoteric producers and forgotten vintages. They are all part of the tapestry of our vinous experiences and coverage of a region should embrace not just its historical highs but also the lows. Off vintages often have as much to offer as fêted seasons, often a truer test of a property’s performance than one where everything was easy.
A good example here is the 1972 Château de Pez. It is a lesser-known Saint-Estèphe from a derided decade born in an appalling growing season. The chances of readers encountering the same wine are small, therefore, why record it now? Two reasons. Firstly, it is because nothing can be gained not recording my opinion for posterity. Secondly, because the wine was served blind and defied not just my own, but every participants’ expectations. That is something that should be shared with readers, whether these stragglers are mighty legends or complete unknowns. At the end of the day, this pick ‘n mix may include a bottle gathering dust in your cellar or about to appear at auction.
Venturing to vintages others dare not go
Before broaching the wines, readers should note that many of these bottles were tasted and reviewed blind, even some of the most expensive ones. This will always be mentioned in the note, just in case you might erroneously assume label or age swayed judgment. Also, I always note where the bottle was encountered because as time passes, the same wines crop up repeatedly and it is vital to differentiate one from another and account for any changes. Some might be tasted at the property and others, like the so-called “Philip’s Belated Christmas Lunch”, are more informal but just as informative (this particular blind tasting boasting a number of esoteric wines that I had not seen for a long time.) By noting the time and place of the review, if queries subsequently arise, then I can always explain how it might have been served, the provenance and so on.
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The Japanese have a custom called “fukubukuro”. It literally translates as “lucky grab bags”. Every New Year, department stores sell these bags giving no indication what they might contain. Such is the popularity of fukubukuro that people queue for hours in order to purchase a bag, take it home and see what is inside. In a sense, we see “Cellar Journal” as a vinous “fukubukuro”. Think of it as your lucky bag. Of course, there will be a theme, more often than not, Bordeaux or Burgundy, but the exact bottles contained within each article will be a surprise....
