2015 Bordeaux. Is The Hype True??

The Wine Pundits Are Raving!

I have seen it with 2010 Brunellos, 2012 Oregon Pinots, 2007 Chianti Classicos and 2011 Porto and the Douro to name a few. I haven’t seen the big reviewers in a long time go crazy over Bordeaux in years. 2015 is that year. Robert Parker Jr. said “There will be more 100 point scoring wines from Bordeaux in 2015 than any vintage ever” Wine Spectator Magazine scored the vintage 97 Points and said Right Bank Bordeauxs especially near or in St. Emilion would be the “Sweet Spot” of the vintage.

I Had To Test An Old Favorite

1- Notice where it says DRINKABILITY. It doesn’t say Drink/Hold it says “HOLD”

2- I try to avoid expensive Classified Growth Bordeaux and usually try to keep them around $20. I was wondering since the reviewers said “HOLD” if any of these 2015’s were ready to test at this early stage?

3- In my archives, I wanted to pick a wine I have reviewed for 7 straight vintages now but the last one I wrote about was 2008. This would be the best way to test the vintage since I strongly remember my opinion on all the previous years.

Close To St.Emilion at 1/2 The Price

Myself and Reviewers have always called Chateau Feret-Lambert one of the best values for Right Bank Bordeaux at $18.99.

This Chateau is a Family business for four generations, Chateau Feret-Lambert, under the direction of Valerie Feret, produces only red wine in Bordeaux Supérieur appellation, elegant, fruity and balanced. The area of the property is 13 acres of vineyards. The vines are composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The area is part of a qualitative approach with a high density planting, leaf removal, green harvesting, low yields and manual sorting of the grapes. The wines are aged 16 months in French oak barrels in the limestone quarries under the vineyard. The wines are regularly recommended by critics: “A consistent winner … good value”, R. Parker, vintage 2006 “Always well made …”, R. Parker, vintage 2008. 2012 ME!! (Larry The Wine Guy A Total Steal.. 2014 Not My Fave But Still A Good Wine)

You can stay at the Country house of Bordeaux merchants, this chartreuse eighteenth century is fortunate to be passed next to repairs in the nineteenth century and has never undergone any transformation. Everything is original, floors, woodworks, some walls are partially collapsed, the steps are woobly and foam invaded the stones. At the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards and 10 kms from Saint Emilion. you will enjoy the quiet charm and an exceptional nature. The house has 2 bedrooms with bathroom and wifi: the yellow room and the red room (bed 140 x 200 ). And this Chateau is only 10kms from St Emilion and yet the wine is 1/2 the cost.

2015 Chateau Feret -Lambert Review

Because this was marked as a vintage to “HOLD” I went with a 1 hour decant and reviewed again after a 2 hour decant. More approachable at this early stage from the get go but I disagree with others that say they are ready to go now. I agree with the “HOLD”. The wine is more than approachable as others from this vintage and that alone makes me believe the hype but they certainly should be re-tasted in about 4-5 years as I think they need that time.

A dark purple/ruby red with maximum amount of maceration with the skins. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14.5% ABV which is typical for this wine year after year. Spicy, dusty cherries on the nose with lots of rare roast beef juices and shavings of dark bark chocolate and sandalwood. It’s mostly a classic Merlot Nose with some fig and blackberry coming from the  10% Cabernet. Way more aromatic than any of the previous vintages of this wine.

On the palate…Boom! It hits you with major black fruits and a rich mouthfeel. It is a very juicy wine with good acidity pushing the fruits of bitter cherries, plums, blueberry and blackberry that awakens your mid palate finishing with a slightly green tobacco , savory herb finish and moderate tannin grip. All the fruit flavors from beginning to end are on the tart side so Napa Drinkers beware! One heck of an under $20 Bordeaux. I would score this wine 89 Points as Wine Spectator did. 

The Summary

Some may be thrown off by the tartness and the savory herbs on the finish. Then again that has nothing do do with judging this vintage as that consumer shouldn’t be drinking Bordeaux in the first place if they are looking for a syrupy style profile of wine. I would recommend buying minimum 4 bottles of 2015 Feret Lambert. One with a 2 hour decant to take the vintage out for a test drive and the other 3 can be opened after about 3-5 years one per year to see how this evolves. I would have to say on my recommendation this would be a “DRINK/HOLD as I am drinking one now and it is darn good but it will evolve and soften up the tannins if you Lay Some Down. So Mr Parker and Wine Spectator and My Somm Colleagues… Is this 2015 Right Bank Bordeaux Hype True… well you made me a believer!

Grape-fully yours, Larry