Another very successful Bordeaux Grande Wine Tasting was held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort three weeks ago in Orlando. Thirty chateaux from Bordeaux dazzled the crowd with the new 2011 vintage wines, as they started an American tour that would also take them to Toronto, New York City, Washington, Chicago and then out west to Los Angeles. This annual event has become a wonderful opportunity for wine lovers to get a sneak peek (taste) of the new vintage wines from Bordeaux long before they hit the retail shelves.  

The wines from 2011, in my opinion and that of many of the winemakers and owners I spoke with, are going to show themselves sooner than the previous vintage of 2010. So while you wait for your 2009 and 2010s to reach their peak, you can be enjoying the great wines from 2011. I had a chance to speak with Philip O’Conor, representing Gonzague & Claire Lurton Vineyards and pouring Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal and Chateau Ferriere, about the vintage and he agreed that though the wines will certainly have much staying power, they are much more accessible earlier than some previous vintages.

Chris Thompson and Nadia Galati of Abrello Imports enjoying wines at the Bordeaux Grande on January 15.

A couple of my favorite wines of the evening were the Clos Marsalette from Stephan von Neipperg. This wine was by far one of the best values of the show. Another wine I thoroughly enjoyed and had never had in the past was the 2011 Chateau Berliquet being poured by Cyrille Thienpont. And although there were many fantastic wines to choose from that night, the wine that I ended the evening with was a real show-stopper…the 2011 Chateau Suduiraut from Sauternes. This viscous, honeyed, floral wine will last forever both on the finish and in your wine cellar…a real stunner.

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinekena