I was fortunate enough recently to have attended two Trade Tastings of the wines from Bordeaux.  One organised by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, the other Decanter Magazine's Grands Vins de Pomerol Tasting, with the latter, as its name suggests, dedicated to just the district of Pomerol.  On show at both events was the record breaking 2005 vintage from well over one hundred and fifty wines.  I say record breaking both in terms of the overall quality of the vintage, which is excellent, and also of the subsequent high prices demanded by the wine growers which unfortunately puts the wines out of reach financially for many of us. 
 

The wines are truly a delight to taste and the event is a welcome opportunity to meet and discuss the wines with the growers themselves.  Having made my way around the tasting in a hurried four hours I made a number of observations:
Interestingly, I sense that many winemakers are now making their wines much more approachable at a younger age.  That is not to say the cellar potential is not there with the 2005 vintage, it undoubtedly is, but even classics like Lynch-Bages, which in the past have been difficult to drink young, are now much softer in style than in earlier years. 
 

I was also reminded as to just how good the Bordeaux Blanc is, both the dry Sauvignon and Semillon blends, but also the stunning sweet dessert wines from Sauterne, Barsac, and neighbouring districts.  Dry white Bordeaux from a good property is world class, but is unfortunately overshadowed by the rich, powerful, and highly sought-after reds and sweet whites.  Nonetheless I will make it my mission to drink a lot more of the Blanc Sec in the coming months.
 

So which wines stood out from the crowd?  The Smith-Haut-Laffite red in particular warrants a mention.  It is a stylish wine delivering excellent quality at a reasonable price.  The wine is deeply rich with sweet tannins, minerals and prunes topping a complex palate and a very long finish.  Of the whites, Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion was tantalisingly warm and spicy with rich green fruit and subtle tones of gooseberry, mild and round in the mouth like a delicious vanilla ice cream.
 

Overall, Pomerol retains its top spot for its sheer consistency of high quality among the Bordeaux wines, demonstrating the excellence that can be achieved with grapes like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  My award for the top Pomerol wine, in terms of quality and value for money, goes to Château Gazin.  I tried both the 2001 and 2003 in addition to the 2005.  The wine is complex and dry with rich dried prunes and fresh plums, cigar and spice, while the nose is floral with concentrated herbs and cinnamon.
 

Finally, my top dessert wine goes to Château de Fargues.  Wonderfully silky smooth on the palate, creamy sweet with apricot and melon undertones.  Superb!