All regions have exceptions that prove the rule. Even Bordeaux. I agree that there are bargains - Deyrem-Valentin 08, Cambon La Pelouse 05, Labégorce-Zédé 04 to name a few, even the odd Cru Classé, like Durfort-Vivens or Pedesclaux 2004. But, no one can hope to justify the price increases experienced since 2005.

Just to completely and utterly bury myself in shit, I would like to state for the record that I don’t rate either 2009 or 2010 very highly. 2009 are generally over-ripe. and the 2010 won’t in my opinion age. Not in the way virtually everyone else thinks.

When the winemaker left Margaux to work at Rubicon Estate in the Napa, I imagine it was because he didn’t like the way wine making is going in Bordeaux, and wanted to make less ripe wines with finer tannins and lower alcohols. 

If you want ripe, fruit-soaked, tannic blockbusters, why are you looking at Bordeaux at all? Buy Penley Estate Reserve Coonawarra Cab, or Leeuwin Art Series, Phelps Insignia, Ridge Montebello Cab. The list is long. If you like claret at all, then vote with your wallets and drink the delicious, reasonably priced, silky, ‘clarety’ 2001s, 2004s and 2008s. From where I’m standing they are consistently more delicious.