Wine

The best of Bordeaux 2008

Bordeaux was less busy than usual this year, for all of the obvious, gloomy, financial reasons. I don't remember hearing a single American accent all week. But the Brits were there in force, hoping, as one, that prices would fall (as they must) and that the quality would perhaps surprise us all.

Like last year, Far Eastern buyers are becoming more conspicuous: the Bordeaux region makes a lot of wine in a good year, but yields are down drastically and new markets are opening up like wildfire. The Bordelais are a cunning breed. Even though they know they must drop their prices to boost sales in a tough climate, they know there are still people around with a lot of cash to spend.

This vintage was, until the middle of September, going to be one of the worst on record. Cold weather, hail and uneven flowering last spring gave the merlot vines on the Left Bank a hammering and yields were immediately down. Cabernet sauvignon flowers later and it fared well, but when the summer failed to turn up, and rot pervaded, only those with very well-situated vineyards and incredibly hard-working teams stood a chance of making serious wines.

Come September all was lost, until an uninterrupted, month-long sunny spell saved the crop. The nights remained cool, harnessing vital freshness and acidity in the grapes, while the sugars rose steadily and evenly. Many were still picking in mid-October – a fortnight later than normal.

So, with this late harvest and the sunny day/cold night combination, the extended 'hang-time' allowed the grapes to reach maturity gracefully, retaining aroma and a sleekness of flavour, with a fineness of tannins and lack of overt alcohol, which really appeals to my classical palate. Only an exceptionally long growing cycle can provide this. "I adore the freshness and acidity of this late vintage," said Patrick Maroteaux, president of the Branaire-Ducru château. Christian Seely, managing director of AXA Millésimes, and the man behind Pichon-Longueville (see below for two of his incredible wines), said that there were three crucial factors that made his wines so stunning – "naturally low yields, loads of work in the vineyard and great terroir". François-Xavier Borie at Grand-Puy-Lacoste told me that he thought that 2008 has "more fruit than 2001 and less tannin than 2006, less overt alcohol, too. It is better balanced than both of them, with finesse and charm." But, with a wink, he also added, "Choose well!"

This is true because there were many châteaux in 2008 who dropped the ball, over-oaking and over-extracting astringent flavours in their wines. And many of these are very well-respected names indeed, so beware. Robin Kick, buyer for fine wine expert Goedhuis & Co, said: "There are plenty of good wines here, if you are very switched on, but the prices must come down and reflect true value for money." This is not a simple vintage to explain and it is one that favours neither the Left Bank or the Right Bank. But for the first time in my career, Lafite-Rothschild is my wine of the vintage, and Charles Chevalier, managing director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild, summed up his reason why succintly. "A tricky year during which the spirits of those involved were very much put to the test."

How right he was. It is a vintage that rewarded the most fastidious of managers and hardworking of teams and there are plenty of surprises to be found. (See below for my other picks, with my mark out of 20.) The prices will all hit the market very soon and I am hoping that we will see a return to the common sense and qualité/prix (a super French expression for value for money), which once made this region the most famous of all in the wine world.

• Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year

My favourite great value wines

(assuming prices are fair)

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 5ème Cru (Pauillac) 18/20 
Château Talbot, 4ème Cru (St-Julien) 17.5/20
Château Branaire-Ducru, 4ème Cru (St-Julien) 17.5/20
Château Rauzan-Ségla, 2ème Cru (Margaux) 17.5/20
Château Calon-Ségur, 3ème Cru (St-Estèphe) 17.5/20
Château Larcis-Ducasse (Saint-Emilion) 17.5/20
Château Haut-Batailley, 5ème Cru (Pauillac) 17.5/20
Les Tourelles de Longueville (2nd wine of Ch. Pichon-Longueville) 17.5/20
Blason d'Issan (2nd wine of Ch. d'Issan) 17/20
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan) 17/20 

My favourite wines

(at any price)

Château Lafite-Rothschild, 1er Cru (Pauillac) 19/20
Château Latour, 1er Cru (Pauillac) 19/20
Château Ausone, Grand Cru Classé 'A' (St-Emilion)  19/20
Château Margaux, 1er Cru (Margaux)  18.5/20
Le Pin (Pomerol) 18.5/20
Château Pichon-Longueville, 2ème Cru (St-Julien) 18.5/20
Vieux-Château Certan (Pomerol) 18.5/20
Château Pontet-Canet, 5ème Cru (Pauillac) 18.5/20
Château Cheval Blanc, Grand Cru Classé 'A' (St-Emilion) 18.5/20
Château Trotanoy (Pomerol) 18.5/20 

• See www.matthewjukes.com for a full list of scores