The Sampler opens up Bordeaux 2009

Didn’t manage to make the pilgrimage to Bordeaux this year? Assess the 2009 hype for yourself at The Sampler in Islington, north London, which will be offering barrel samples of 30 Bordeaux wines.

Available for tasting over a two week period from Saturday, 24 April, the selection will feature 2009s from both cru bourgeois and cru classé properties, including Brane-Cantenac, Léoville Barton, Lascombes, Batailley, Domaine de Chevalier, de Fieuzal, Doisy-Daëne and Guiraud.

This tasting opportunity marks The Sampler’s first foray into the en primeur market, offering customers the chance to order allocations of around 50 different wines.

Bibendum’s own sold-out en primeur tasting later this month demonstrates the understandable appeal to consumers of being able to judge for themselves whether Bordeaux 2009’s quality stands up to the hype.

After all, it’s ultimately consumers rather than critics who will be putting their hands in their pockets to buy the wines.

However, as with other democratic gestures which appear so laudable in theory, in practice this open approach may simply create additional complications and confusion.

Tasting immature Bordeaux is hard work and judging how the juice in the glass is going to taste in several decades time is even harder.

Arguably, chewing your way through a roomful of these wines will only make the prices presented at the door even harder to stomach.

The whole set-up seems more likely to send consumers running into the arms of some soft and perfumed Kiwi Pinot Noir – or just a cold beer.

Gabriel Savage, 08.04.2010