Neal Martin Revisits the Bordeaux 2008 Vintage

The 2009 Bordeaux vintage has been attracting attention recently with James Suckling‘s updated notes on the top 2009 wines published on his website . . . preceding the expected publishing of Robert Parker‘s in-bottle scores for 2009 in the next issue of The Wine Advocate at the end of the month.

However it’s the 2008s that interest me as this is an under estimated vintage in my opinion – and Neal Martin has started to publish his revised scores for the 08s in The Wine Journal.

Martin tasted the wines blind at the annual Southwold Bordeaux tasting and you can read his insights and scores in full here. Wines that stood out were:

Saint Estephe

Château Calon-Ségur 94 points – “has really upped its game in recent vintages”.

Château Cos d’Estournel 93+ points

Château Montrose 93 points

Château Lafon-Rochet 92 points

Château Phélan-Ségur 91 points – “their best wine since 2005”

Pauillac

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 97 points

Château Pichon Baron 96 points – “won unanimous praise from everyone around the room.

Chateau Latour 95+ points

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 95 points

Le Petit Mouton 94 points – “Raised eyebrows. Sometimes an excellent second label will seduce in blind tastings thanks to it being more approachable and generous…certainly that came into play here.

But that should not detract from Philippe Dhalluin’s great strides in improving what was once a rather humdrum wine.”

Chateau Pichon-Lalande 94 points

Chateau Pontet-Canet 93 points

Chateau Duhart Milon 93 points

Les Forts de Latour 92 points

Chateau Lynch Bages 92 points

Carruades de Lafite 91 points

Chateau Clerc-Milon 91 points

Chateau Batailley 91 points

Saint Julien

Chateau Leoville Las-Cases 94 points

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou  93+ points

Chateau Lagrange 93 points – an estate that consistently proves its worth under blind conditions

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 93 points

Chateau Beychevelle 92 points

 Chateau La Croix de Beaucaillou 92 points

Chateau Leoville Barton 91+ points

Chateau Gloria 91 points

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