Wine Treasures in the Castle -- Bordeaux Wine

Author: Lin Yushen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Perhaps because of its fame and accessibility, Bordeaux is one of the first wines many people encounter; much like my own journey into wine, Bordeaux has accompanied me through many times filled with confusion and passion. However, once curiosity about wine is sparked, it often leads people to leave Bordeaux, their first wine love, and rush into a more novel and ever-changing world of wine. Yet, this detachment from Bordeaux is often constructive. At least, in the process of leaving, I discovered Bordeaux's uniqueness and irreplaceability. Before encountering the rich and thick Cabernet Sauvignon wines of Napa Valley, California, and South Australia, I never knew how refined and elegant Bordeaux's Medoc red wines truly were. Without the recent popularity of Merlot, it would have been difficult to appreciate the importance of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux's right bank blends. Without tasting the starkly sweet and sour ratio of German Riesling's Trockenbeerenauslese, I would not have come to love the opulent and complex elegance of Sauternes' sweet wines. Through countless such experiences, Bordeaux has continuously revealed new meanings to me, making me realize how versatile Bordeaux truly is and worth exploring again and again.
Of course, as I have grown older, a more mature mindset has allowed me to appreciate the classical spirit of Bordeaux red wines: balanced, proportionate, like Greek and Roman temples. If Bordeaux has a style, it should not be too romantic. Bordeaux emphasizes grandeur and scale; lyrical, small-scale works are not considered strengths. Such wines are magnificent and regal, yet, much like the French's description of Bordeaux people—arrogant, aloof, and unemotional—perhaps it is this sense of distance that makes Bordeaux a wine that ages well, capable of racing against time forever.
Before the 2000 harvest season, I moved to Margaux, a village near Bordeaux, to begin a seven-month interview project. This was already my ninth visit to Bordeaux, the capital of the world of wine, but it was the only time I could walk through the castle, which resembled a stage set, and delve into the backstage of Bordeaux, hidden behind curtains. In the vineyards and cellars, I rediscovered the styles of various Bordeaux chateau wineries, experiencing the essence and greatness of Bordeaux wine. I found that amid the changing tides of time, the Bordeaux wine industry is in a state of unease and agitation. While Bordeaux remains one of the most important wine regions in the world, the era when it exclusively dominated top-tier wines has long passed. Bordeaux is no longer the model that emerging regions strive to imitate.
Facing the challenges and competition from the ever-expanding elite wine regions globally, the stubbornly conservative Bordeaux chateau wineries have, with astonishing speed, sparked a trend of innovation and change. The clash between traditional terroir-driven wines and international-style wines eager to sever Bordeaux's roots is now fiercely pulling the region in both directions. However, I prefer to believe that amid the chaos and disorder, tradition and modernity will intertwine and collide to forge a new, anticipated Bordeaux spirit of the new era.