We have always loved the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (abbreviated to UGCB now, formerly it was UGC) wine tasting in Los Angeles every year. Last year they offered it in San Francisco, and now that we reside in Las Vegas we didn’t want to fly there to attend. However, friends that did raved about it so guess what? We decided to make the trip last week so we could “sample the 2022 vintages from Bordeaux’s top estates, meet winemakers and Chateau owners.” We joined other press and trade (consumers came in later that evening) at the City View at Metreon and it did prove to be an afternoon well worth our time and travel.
There was a big buzz coming from the attendees, and others that we met that day, on how well the 2022 vintage was presenting. (Keep in mind that this was during the press and trade tasting – where palates may be more educated.) And the years where we are creating a buzz, of course, are always remarkable and we only want to continue that buzz for the benefit of the wineries and consumers alike. There wasn’t a single “disappointed in” comment in the room!
Was also able to have a few minutes to speak with a few Chateau owners (or their representatives) that I’ve come to recognize over my many years of coverage such as Anne Cuvelier with Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Lilian Barton with Chateau Leoville Barton and Frederic Vicaire with Chateau Coufran. All three were pleased with how well the 2022s are being received and were compared to past very good years.
When we discussed SRP (suggest retail price) with Vicaire of Chateau Coufran in Haut-Medoc we learned, and wanted to share, that the bottle prices for this area are generally under $50. Of course, once any fine Bordeaux is aged its value, and therefore its cost, increases. So, I would snatch up any 2022s you can get now, even in the areas where the costs are higher.
We didn’t have as many wines to try in the Sauternes portion of the tasting and the representative I asked about it explained that 2022 was a low-yield year for most. But the few we had were all remarkable. It’s also always the absolute perfect palate cleanser for most at the end of the tasting.
An abbreviation of our thoughts – like that most of these 2022 vintages can be consumed now and some of my favorite wines are listed below – in the section titled Social Media. Would like to add that it was grand to see (or others said they saw) fellow wine lovers: Wilfred Wong, Steve and Vashti Roebuck, George Manska, Carolyn and John Glaser, Holly Berry, Anthony Robert Mueller, and others.
Social Media
Have you tasted any 2022 Grand Crus Bordeaux yet? We just did yesterday in San Francisco and our takeaway of this vintage year from Saint-Julian, Margaux, Pomerol, Pessac-Leognan, Pauillac to Sauternes and more were that they are mostly EXCEPTIONAL TO DRINK NOW or to hold. Usually, these first tastes of the new releases need time, but the buzz in the room was all about how wonderful the fruit was now! There were far too many for me to name but I will shout out to a few: #ChateauLeovillePoyferre #ChateauLeovilleBarton #ChateauGloria #ChateauKirwan #ChateauDauzac #ChateauCoufran #ChateauLaTourFigeac #ChateauPapeClement #ChateauLynchBages #ChateauPichonBaron #ChateauPhelanSegur #ChateauGuiraud #ChateauLaTourBlanche
Photos of the day can be found here.
Find on Instagram
@ChateauDauzac @LaTourFigeac @ChateauPapeClement @ChateauLynchBages @ChateauGuiraud @UGCBWines
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.