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In this video, I talk and taste differences and similarities between Bordeaux and Super Tuscan wines.
**WINES TASTED IN THIS VIDEO:
🍷 2020 Podere Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore, Bolgheri, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/podere+grattamacco+superior+bolgheri+tuscany+italy/
🍷 2021 Château Pichon Baron, Pauillac 2021, Bordeaux, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/pichon+longueville+au+baron+de+pauillac+medoc+bordeaux+france/
🍷 2022 Ornellaia ‘Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia’ Bolgheri Rosso, Tuscany, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/ornellaia+le+serre+nuove+dell+rosso+bolgheri+tuscany+italy/
🍷 2019 Chateau Palmer Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux, Bordeaux, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/palmer+alter+ego+de+margaux+medoc+bordeaux+france/
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**CONTENTS OF THIS VIDEO:
0:00 Premier Cru Chablis – the Real Value Wineof Burgundy?
4:40 The Tasting
15:44 The Reveal
#winetasting #wineeducation #wine
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32 Comments
Dear Agnes, 2:weeks ago I had the chance to cross Bolgheri appelation while coming back from my vacation at isola d Elba (which has some interesting dOC wines to be discovered) and i paid a visit 2 these villages. Unfortunateky most of wineries wete closed on saturday.but I found One producer open. It was Campo alla Sughera and i had a magnificente 2 hour maison tour and It was fantastic. I enjoyed the bordeaux blend riserva Arnione but also second kabel Ardeo for less than 20 EUR was pretty worrh the case. 🍷🍷🍷
A couple of months back, well almost half a year ago, I wrote an essay under the headline: "What makes a Tuscan Super", where I did a lot of research, even got in touch with some who promotes wines, that are considered "Super-Tuscan". I did it after reading the comment section under a Facebook-add, selling a "100 points Super-Tuscan" for under 10 Euros. Alone from many of the comments, I could conclude, there wasn´t a clear definition of what makes a Tuscan – Super".
I published it on a Danish wine forum, and got a lot of interesting feedback, mostly positive, and it sparked a bit debate, but overall the concensus agreed with conclussions.
Awesome inspiring tasting, thank you!
Great tasting Agnese. It’s hard not to love these areas and stiles.
For the Pichon Baron, that neighborhood is for me the holy grail of Bordeaux. Right across the street from Latour, and in close proximity to some of the greatest wines of Pauillac and Saint Julian, the roster of chateau within a mile is legendary: Lynch Bages, the Leovilles, Gruaud Larose, Beychevelle… this was the area that taught me that everything starts with terroir.
Apologies if this is a silly question, and it is not related to the video, but I always wondered, why do sommeliers never talk about vermouth? Now admittedly I'm coming from a cocktail background, but I always thought sommeliers would talk about vermouth due to its myriad of flavours coming from botanicals to the various wines, whether it's Jacquere to Ugni Blanc to Barolo to Riesling. They can be both aperitifs or digestifs and can have a ton of complexity.
I have tasted a lot of Palmer during my visits there. And I always say that a good vintage Alter Ego beats Palmer in an okay vintage.
2019 is one of my favorite vintages from the Margaux appellation, and 2019 Alter Ego beats 11, 14, 17, and 11,14,17,21 of Grand Vin Palmer. So I am happy and not surprised that Alter Ego 19 came out on top. Good job 🙂
Maybe Pichon Baron 21 needs more time to reach its prime drinking window in comparison to Alter Ego 19. All four wines seem quite young. Loved the video ❤
You've done it again. 👍🍷 The Palmer is now on my shopping list. Thx!
I'm much more familiar with Bordeaux wines than Super Tuscans, partly through a family friend who consulted to many of the most well-known Bordeaux chateaux. My favorite — even though it has been years since I last drank it — is Leoville Barton, from St. Julien, but the choice is also inspired by factors tangential to the quality of the wine. In 1999, my wife and I spent some vacation time in Bordeaux, where our friend arranged for some visits at chateaux that were not, back then, easily accessible (if at all) to the public. One of them was Leoville Barton. We rang the bell at the gate (posted "no visitors"), and when we identified ourselves over the intercom, none other than Anthony Barton himself came to open the gate and proceed to give us a wonderful private tour. His daughter, meanwhile, was hosting a group of major wine buyers from Asia. In the tasting room, we were joined by their dog, Laika, whom we instantly fell in love with. Anthony very proudly set about to demonstrate a unique behavior of Laika's. He had Laika position herself on the opposite side of the enormous pottery spittoon in the center of the room. Then he said, "watch this!" and took a mouthful of the wine we were tasting. He launched the wine across the spittoon, but alas, that was just as his daughter and her guests entered the tasting room. Laika, distracted by the new arrivals, ignored the wine — which Anthony had assured us she would catch and swallow whole — and the wine instead landed squarely in the center of his daughter's white blouse. Fortunately, everyone had the sense of humor required to compensate for the embarrassment, even though the buyers were initially nonplussed. It's hard to drink a Leoville Barton without recalling that we never saw proof that Laika enjoyed the wine… (Wine is unhealthy for dogs, and Laika only demonstrated her talent on rare occasions; she lived to a fine old age for her breed.) Quite apart from the Laika incident, we enjoy the perfect balance between Pauillac's structure and Margaux's lushness that St. Julien offers…
Sometimes the “big” super toscans and alike tend to go towards power and richness… at least to my liking tend lack some elegance, freshness or lively acidity…. It would be interesting to seek out ones made by younger winemakers/wineries not targeted a specific market, but rather making the best wine they can
So the second labels were more drinkable than the flagship labels? I'm not surprised as I expect a second label to drink well at a younger age than a top label that should require more aging. Fun tasting. From your descriptions, I did know which were Bordeaux and which were Super Tuscan.
Well done. I really enjoy these blind tastings!
cool video, thanks! in some vintages the serre nuove is not far away from the ornellaia
As always very interesting 😊
The Bordeaux didn‘t seem to show any signs of closure. Do you expext this to yet happen or do you think they are already in their drinking window?
This could be an interesting yet difficult topic for a video.
Thank you once again for doing this blind. It’s the only way I personally respect a person’s tasting opinion. Also it is difficult to get the best from these wines that usually need 20 years before they shine.
The first great wine I had the chance to taste was a 2015 Alter Ego … 5 years ago you could find a bottle for 60 euros, unfortunately it's not the case anymore…
I am a Saint Emilion guy. Without talking about the very high end, (Cheval Blanc, Ausone, etc…), one of my favorites is the Canon La Gaffeliere.
Thank u,agnes. Comparing a second wine makes sense for most of us who cant really buy flagship wine. This is a good series!!
I love the wines of both regions. I prefer to enjoy Sangiovese from places like Chianti Classico that really transport you to the region, so the Supertuscans I’m interested in are primarily from those coastal regions.
I like this format a lot. Two different level wines compared to similar choices from a 2d region gives a little more depth than 4 wines from 4 regions … and is probably a fairer comparison of the regions.
Not surprised to see the second wines perform so well. These wines are all so young and I know you don't like decanting, so these are meant to be drink early.
Do you think the vintage affected the tasting?
Awesome tasting, i remember having 2017 Grattamacco early in february 2025 and it was a thing of beauty, i imagine it could have “less alcohol” being perceived as per time in bottle, i can definitely see younger vintages being more “powerful”.
Keep them coming, always good to see you Agnese.
Do you know this person, and video? Thought you might like it.
Michel Chasseuil: The Man Behind a 50M€ Wine Cellar | FULL DOCUMENTARY
Two of my four favorites!
I have liked 03 Pavie, 03 Leoville Barton, 05 Clerc-Milon, 16 Fonplegade, 15 Labegorce; and, on the other side, 07 Ruffino Modus, Have but have not had my 10, 16 L’ville Bartons, 05 Tignanellos, or 12 Saffredis yet.
Decanter, Jeb Dunnock, and Vinous all gave the Alter Ego 94 pts. Cool
Very interesting blind tasting and has tempted me to open my 2020 alter ego! Recently tried the 21 Serre Nuove and it was delicious, however it was perhaps slightly too early to drink in my opinion. Cheers 🍷
Great wines and tasting. Except Alter Ego, they are a way too young or at least deserve a good decant to shine.
Thanks for the video. It gives a lot more confidence in looking and getting an Alter ego. I have read good things about Alter ego. Usually I am wary about 2nd wine because they may not do justice to the producer and their prices are not insubstantial. Now I feel relieved and ready to try them.
Seems like your camera man is a hell of a master of wine as well 😅
“Because well, money” is the best answer. Always!! Really appreciate your knowledge. 🙏🏾 🎉
The pichon baron are we drinking it too young?
Great again! Thank you so much. You make it possible to really imagine tasting these wines!