Bordeaux: A Consumer's Guide to the World's Finest Wines (Hardcover)

by Robert M. Parker (Author) "There can be no question that the romance, if not mysticism, of opening a bottle of Bordeaux from a famous chateau has a grin and..." (more)
Key Phrases: anticipated maturity, hectare average yields, fruit intermixed, Cru Bourgeois, Cheval Blanc, Crus Bourgeois (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Wine drinkers around the world refer to Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s Bordeaux simply as "The Bible."

First published in 1985, this landmark consumer guide launched one of the most illustrious careers in wine criticism. Robert Parker's mission, in his newsletter The Wine Advocate and his many bestselling books, has always been to give wine drinkers honest, informed advice about which wines are worth their money, and which wines aren't.

The fourth edition of Bordeaux presents a complete guide to vintages between 1961 and 2001. This latest volume brings readers up-to-date on the abundance of new producers in France's most important wine region and for the first time includes more than 700 wine labels. Parker has retasted and reevaluated many of Bordeaux's finest wines -- and adjusted their ratings accordingly -- so readers of his previous editions will discover herein a wealth of new material.

Parker begins with an overview of each year, which includes insight into growing conditions and yields, notes on anticipated maturity, general price ranges, and lists of best wines. The heart of the book is the chapter "Evaluating the Wines of Bordeaux," in which he meticulously reviews wine producers of every appellation. Organized geographically, the chateaux are listed in alphabetical order, and entries include contact information, vineyard size, details about the wine-making style, and a general evaluation of the chateau's wines. Best of all, each entry includes extensive tasting notes on important vintages, all of them featuring Parker's celebrated rating system -- in which every wine is assessed on a scale ranging from 50 to 100. In later chapters, he also offers essential information about the elements of a great Bordeaux wine, practical travel information about the region, a glossary of wine terms, and more.

An invaluable guide for consumers, Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s Bordeaux provides all the information amateurs and connoisseurs alike could possibly need in their search for that perfect bottle.

About the Author
Robert M. Parker, Jr. has been the author and publisher of The Wine Advocate for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1999, Parker became the first wine critic to ever receive La Croix du Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (The Cross of the Knight of the Legion of Honor), France's highest honor, conferred on him by President Jacques Chirac. In 1993, President Mitterand had given him France's other national honor, knighthood in the National Order of Merit. He won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional in 1998, and he is now the author of thirteen books, including Burgundy, two editions of The Wines of the Rhone Valley, and six editions of Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide. He lives in Parkton, Maryland, with his wife Patricia, his daughter Maia, and numerous basset hounds and English bulldogs.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1264 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 4 Rev Sub edition (October 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743229460
• ISBN-13: 978-0743229463
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,390 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best book on Bordeaux, but imcomplete, October 18, 2004

By	Franken Sense "frankensense" (New York) - See all my reviews

I consider the latest iteration of Parker's Bordeaux book to be the best on the subject. While I do not agree with Parker or just about anyone else regarding the rating of Italian wines, Parker is right on target in his ratings for Bordeaux.

I find it interesting that Parker is a fan of the rich and opulent micro wines coming out of Pomerol and St. Emilion. There are strict Bordeaux traditionalists that don't care for these wines. I think they are great and usually agree with Parker. They simply add another dimension to the many styles of wine being made in the greatest wine producing area of the world.

Parker is extremely consistent and the only other taster that comes close is Stephen Tanzer. The Wine Spectator and James Suckling are pretty good, although I think they overrate too many wines in subpar vintages. Ironically, Spectator is not as big a fan of the decadent wines Parker likes from the right bank.

One caveat I have with the fourth addition is that useful tasting notes from some prior vintages for certain wines have been taken out and a handful of wines reviewed in the last version of the book are not even reviewed in this book. However, the book is still great if you're into Bordeaux.

Clive Coates's recent book on Bordeaux offers a good and interesting alternative, but it is not as complete nor does it have the depth of notes available from Parker.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My copy is already dog-eared, January 9, 2004

By	Stefanie N (Schuyler, VA) - See all my reviews

I just received this book for Christmas and it is already dog-eared. When many people think of Bordeaux they think of stratospherically priced wines. Actually for every $400 bottle of Chateau Latour 2000, there is a wonderful $25 bottle by an unsung producer. $25 may not be cheap, but if drinks like a $50 one I'm pretty happy. This book helps me find those lesser-known producers.

While Robert Parker certainly heaps praise on the most famous wines when they are worthy, he does not hesitate to criticize them when they fall short. He constantly points the readers to great values.

The book is organized by region and then by chateau. For many of the chateaux there is a copious amount of information: some history of the producer, a list of the wine's component grapes, and detailed descriptions of significant vintages for the last ten years.. Be sure to read the introductory sections for Parker's take on how richness of flavor is attained (strict pruning of vines, letting the fruit ripen, abstaining from filtering) and for much encouraging news about Bordeaux wine today. For one thing, he says that while the price gap between First Growths and unclassifieds can be great, never has the quality gap been so narrow. Great news for us bargain hunters !

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Be careful., March 26, 2008

By	Marc - See all my reviews

I've got two objections to what you may or may not find to be a terrific book. One. It seems that everyone is ready to cede his personal wine tastes to Robert Parker. If you have the same taste as Parker, this book is great. What would be not to love? Parker highlights some great bargains, offers some "must-drink" wines (often not great bargains), and gives a very nice general history of each area. If your taste happens to be different than Parker's, however, get ready for some surprises. Example: The 2000 Lagrange that is supposed to be within its plateau of maturity starting in 2008 appears to me to be far too closed and tannic. Ten years from now, I'm sure it will be a beautiful wine. But I think that this really highlights something about Parker's tastes; he prefers "big" wines, heavy in fruit. Again, if this is your personal taste, you'll get along nicely with Parker and this is a great book to buy. If not, you might run into some trouble. Certainly tasters like the late Emile Peynaud and Michael Broadbent do not express the same proclivities as Parker. I find it ignorant to suggest that any of these men has "better" taste than the others, but due to established biology, it is safe to say that they have "different" tastes. If Parker's taste matches yours, you're good to go. If you're in the Broadbent/Peynaud camp, you might want to reconsider.

My second objection is a shorter one, and it is a criticism of the 100 point system used by Parker. Wines taste very different under different conditions. Parker tastes all of his wines in a very carefully controlled setting. You may not, and your experience of the wine will surely be different than Parker's. And what's the difference between an 89 and a 90? An 89 and a 91? The scale starts at 50 and goes to 100, making point by point distinctions along the way that seem, to be honest, frivolous.

So why do I still think this book is worth buying? It's comprehensive and fairly cheap for what it is. If you know how your taste compares to Parker's, in buying this book you'll have a comprehensive reference point for a lot of wines. Just don't feel compelled to agree with "the Emperor of Wine" at every turn. It's easy to be influenced by the numbers Parker attaches to each wine, but the differences may not be all that substantive and, barring faults or poor wine-making, they may not be objectively negative either.