Blind Tasting Results - Bordeaux Comparison Tasting

Over the past few years, Simon Larkin MW has been keen to hold a Bordeaux Comparison Tasting, which came to fruition earlier this week and included 14 well regarded wines from the 2008 Vintage. 

You have likely read about the various global tastings at which various Bordeaux blends from outside of France have shone in blind tasting conditions when judged against Bordeaux's finest. You may recall what has become known as 'The Judgement of Paris’ in 1976 when Californian Bordeaux-style blends outshone the competition or, more recently, 'The Judgement of Berlin' in 2004 when South American estates claimed the top two positions. There have been many similar tastings since.

In Atlas' own, small way, we held our own 'judgement' tasting for 12 clients with confident palates. The aim was to challenge preconceived ideas about styles and qualities.

A summary of the results follows:

1. By a tenth of a point the highest scoring wine of the night was 2008 Mouton Rothschild, closely followed by Quilceda Creek, then Ducru Beaucaillou.
2. Parker’s top three were Quilceda Creek, Ornellaia and Ridge, while Simon favoured (not tasted blind) Diamond Creek, Ridge, Mouton and Ornellaia.
3. If looking at price per point, the top three were Montrose, Pontet-Canet and Cullen and would have Robert Parker’s top three on this same basis. 
4. The average score for the evening was 92.7 points per wine, compared to 94.5 pts per wine with Parker.
5. Quilceda Creek had the largest difference in terms of the spread of scores, from a high of 98 to a low of 89.
6. Stonyridge was Parker’s lowest scoring wine yet came joint fifth for Atlas' audience.
7. Ornellaia came joint first for Parker and yet in 9^th position for the audience. Mouton was mid-pack for Parker but was the audience's  overall winner. Ducru was another strong performer relative to Parker’s assessment.

The full list of wines included: 

Château Montrose, 2ème Cru Classé St. Estephe, Bordeaux, France 2008; Vina Errazuiz, Sena, Aconcagua Valley, Chile 2008; Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy 2008; Château Pontet-Canet, 5ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France 2008; Cullen, Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia 2008; Cullen, Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia 2008; Stonyridge Vineyard, Larose, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand 2008; Ridge Vineyards, Montebello, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA 2008; Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, USA 2008; Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy 2008; Mount Mary Quintet, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia 2008; Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow, Napa Valley, California, USA 2008; Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 2ème Cru Classé, St. Julien, Bordeaux, France 2008.