Bordeaux - Robert Parker

Who is making Bordeaux's best and worst wines? What has a specific chteau's track record been over the last 40 years? Which chteaux are overrated or underrated?
These are the questions Robert Parker answers fully in the new edition of his comprehensive and authoritative guide to the wines of Bordeaux.
His vintage-by-vintage reports demonstrate thoroughness and discernment; he has set uncompromising standards in assessing each vintage from 1961 to 1997 for every major chteau.
Each vintage is described in detail for taste
colour
texture
quality and anticipated maturity
so you can see at a glance which wines are ready to drink now
and when to enjoy those that are still maturing. For each chteau
Parker also provides details of how the vineyards are planted
yields
annual production
and style of vinification.
Parker takes you through each of the famous Bordeaux regions: St.-Estephe
Pauillac
St.-Julien
Margaux
the Mdoc
Graves
Pomerol
St.-Emilion
Sauternes
as well as lesser-known areas like Lalande-de-Pomerol
Canon-Fronsac
and Barsac.
The official 1855 classifications
the crus classs and crus bourgeois
are given for each chteau
but Parker also offers his own appraisal of each one. Many chteaux long regarded as producing high-quality wines receive surprisingly low evaluation
and Parker argues that many little-known chteaux ought to be upgraded on the evidence of the wines they have produced in the last 40 years.
His assessment of the value of Bordeaux's top wines
including second labels of major chteaux as well as hundreds of under-publicised estates
makes this book indispensable for the wine buyer.