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Robert Parkers vurderinger af årgang 2007 I anledning af Parkers udsagn om 2007 som “the vintage of a lifetime” gengives her på chateauneuf,dk vurderingerne fra det sydlige Rhone: Chateauneuf
du Pape |
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Parkers generelle betragtninger om årgangen: |
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"Last year, after tasting the 2007 southern
Rhônes, especially the top wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Côtes
du Rhône, and the most hallowed appellation of the south, Châteauneuf
du Pape, I stated it was “the vintage of a lifetime.” I also
suggested it was a hypothetical blend of a very hot yet opulent,
powerful, sumptuous year such as 1990 and a cooler, drought and
Mistral-affected vintage such as 2001. Tasting the 2007s out of
bottle has confirmed my thoughts –this
is a truly historic and profoundly great vintage.
As the following tasting notes and commentary suggest, this may be
the most compelling vintage of any viticultural region I have ever
tasted. I say that because the quality of a vintage is not only
measured by what the reference point estates produce, but also by
how well the generic appellations fare. I have never tasted better
Côtes du Rhônes, Gigondas, or sumptuous, rich, complex
Vacqueyras than the 2007s. Moreover, the profoundly concentrated,
vividly aromatic, and remarkably fresh, yet substantial,
full-bodied, and flawless 2007 Châteauneuf du Papes I tasted in
the southern Rhône in late August and September were
unforgettable. It is important to recognize how much has
transpired in the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation over the last
two decades. When I first began tasting Châteauneuf du Pape
seriously in 1978, there were no more than 8-10 estates making
world-class wines. Today, there are 60-75 doing so, and several
new estates arrive with each new vintage. I have been doing this
for a long time, and the fathers and mothers I used to meet and
taste with, are now replaced by their sons and daughters. This
young generation has recognized the extraordinary terroirs and
fabulous Mediterranean climate enjoyed by this area. They also
possess a more worldly view concerning the competition they
confront. Consequently, they have raised the bar of quality
dramatically. Moreover, Châteauneuf du Pape has more young women
dominating the wine scene than any other viticultural region in
the world. The number of women who make sensational wines is
remarkable, and may be the highest number of any French
appellation. What has made 2007 so special? The great vintages of Châteauneuf du Pape are like great vintages anywhere in the world. Full phenolic maturity is achieved over a long period of time, not retarded or rushed by excessive heat, but built slowly and incrementally. The factors in Châteauneuf du Pape that can change maturity include excessive heat (which afflicted vintages such as 2003, 2000, and 1990), as well as how many days the Mistral winds blow, and whether the nights in August and September were cool. 2007 had more days of Mistral during September than any other year except 2001, 1990, and 1978, three other years which produced superb wines. It was also a drought year, but some of the most stunning statistics are that while the average daytime temperature was well above average, the average night-time temperature, when the grapes have a chance to recover and develop aromatics, was among the lowest of any vintage measured in Châteauneuf du Pape, particularly for the month of September. This month also had a record
number days of Mistral. This weather scenario has produced a
vintage with extraordinary depth of fruit, yet also laser-like
precision, brightness, and exceptional purity. In short, it was a
hotter than normal year overall, but it was also a much cooler
than normal year in terms of night-time temperatures. Moreover,
despite being hotter than normal, the year rarely had any days
over 30 degrees Celsius. For example, in 2003, during the critical
months of July and August, there were 55 days where the
temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius. In 2001, there were 37
days, in 1998, 39 days, and in 2007, there were only 24 days,
again dramatically less than in any other vintage. Moreover, in
the month of September, 2007, there were no days
above 30 degrees Celsius, which was the first top vintage since
2001 where this occurred. The other characteristic is that 2007
set an all-time record for hours of sunshine during the course of
the year. I could go on and on with more details that contributed
to the most extraordinary vintage I have ever tasted. It was also
a record year in terms of the lack of rain in both August (none)
and September (just over 2 inches). In contrast, 3+ inches fell in
both 2001 and 2000, 4.5 inches fell in 1998, and nearly 3 inches
fell in 1990. Only 1989 had less rain in the month of September
than 2007. The 2007s are just hitting
retailers’ shelves, but they will disappear quickly. In three
decades of visiting Châteauneuf du Pape, I have never seen so
many domaines, even in the worst economic recession of modern
times, that are completely sold out of 2007s. Even the handful
that have not yet been bottled or shipped, have seen their wines
completely reserved or allocated, and the demand for this vintage
was obvious on every stop I made during my recent trip. In
particular, Belgians, Danes, Dutch, and Swiss buyers were
everywhere, picking up cases of 2007 Châteauneuf du Papes. To the
extent they are still available, these wines will disappear fast
– even in these hard economic times. If you love southern Rhône
wines, which are the most underrated great wines of the world, you
need to move fast, or forever hold your peace. But remember, there
will always be another great vintage, and at the time of this
writing, 2009 was looking fantastic. Kilde til siderne om parkers vurderinger: http://www.erobertparker.com |
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Opdateret 21-11-2009 |
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