Bordeaux 2008 at Ten Years: Pessac-Léognan
The Pessac-Léognan appellation feels staunchly resistant to change compared to the whirlwind of take-overs and newcomers that some in the Médoc have experienced during the decade that has passed since the 2008 vintage. Indeed, there is not a single estate listed in my tasting notes below that has seen new owners in recent times, and several of them have been in the hands of the same family for several decades.
Pessac-Léognan and Graves remain appellations of great interest to drinkers, as beyond the greatest names, which naturally command much higher prices than they once did, there is also a handsome number of châteaux which produce wines which offer something increasingly rare in Bordeaux, which is exceptional value for money. One reason for this is that, despite the undisputed grandeur of the appellation and its leading estates such as Château Haut-Brion, the appellation as a whole is sometimes overlooked.
To some extent this is engendered and exacerbated by discussions – which usually begin during the primeur tastings – of whether the latest vintage favours the left bank, which prompts thoughts of Pauillac and St Julien, or the right bank, which has buyers focusing their attention on St Emilion and Pomerol. I could count the number of times I heard a Bordeaux critic say “it’s a Graves vintage” on the fingers of one foot.
