Bordeaux En Primeur Tastings 2012
Welcome to our Bordeaux Blog – Tuesday
Following the Grappa tasting on Monday evening, we got an invite up to Eglise Clinet to taste the Wines of Denis Durantou who's wines of Saintayme (St Emilion Grand Cru) and Chateau Les Cruzelles and La Chenade (Lalande the Pomerol) often listed amongst our star value buys and this year was no exception. Denis commented “wines have a lower acidity and higher PH that will make the wines more approachable early” His wines had a lovely purity and elegance and really liked the La Petite Eglise (second wine of Eglise Clinet).
From Eglise Clinet it was back to Bill's for a bite to eat and we were joined by some more American's including a Film Director called Bob Bajorek, nice guy and made me look small...
Tuesday was a bit of a rush as it was “Pavie for breakfast” time and we were due at Pavie for 8.30am where we tasted all of Gerard Perse's wines. It was raining hard when I left Bordeaux. My little car, didn't enjoy all the spray on motorway but we made it just in time. These wines had been toned down this year and were much more approachable (no aggressive tannins that attacked us last year). Espirit de Pavie, made in the Clos Lunelles (Castillon) and the second wine Pavie and Monbousquet. The big names where Pavie, Pavie Decasse, Bellevue Mondotte and Monbousquet, my favourite out of these was Pavie Macquin.
From Pavie, it was a 5 minute drive to Chateau Canon where we tasted a very elegant, precise wine. We were told they got all their grapes in (including the Cabernet Franc) as their vineyard elevation on top of the plateau helped early ripeness.
From Canon we went across to the Union des Grands Cru tasting at Chateau Soutard where some of the big names where Figeac, La Dominque, Canon La Gaffieliere, La Gaffeliere, Troplong Mondot. La Dominque was probably my favourite although the Troplong Mondot I liked but it was a bit of a Parker wine. Interesting data on the Troplong Mondot, They started picking the young merlot (9th – 12th October) Old vines Merlot between 15th-17th October, Cabernet Franc 19th October and the Cabernet Sauvignon on the 23rd October. This is 2-3 weeks behind the norm.
From Soutard we went a small tasting called 'Les Estampes' at Chateau Haut Sarpe where we tasted about 30 wines ranging from St Emilion Grand Cru, Lalande de Pomerol and Montagne-St- Emilion.
We then headed back to Pomerol for a tasting at VCC (Vieux Chateau Certan) with Alexander Theinpont who said “ if I had to compare the 2012 to another vintage it would be 1985. It's a vintage all about balance and pedigree”. The VCC was gorgeous, slightly polished but just as good as Cheval Blanc.
From VCC we popped next door for the Pomerol UGC tasting at La Conseillante where we had a lunch and tasted all the UGC Pomerols. My favourites were La Croix de Gay and Gazin. I was impressed by the overall quality.
After Chateau La Conseillante we went to the Sydnicat de Pomerol tasting in the town hall in Pomerol which was mainly all the small Pomerol properties – About 80 in total, Favourites were Clos Rene, Clos St Andre and Ch Gouprie to name a few but the overall quality was really good (looks like the Merlot has done well).
From the Town Hall we headed to Lalande de Pomerol to taste Angelus at Chateau La Fleur Bouard plus all of the Hubert de Bouard portfolio. From La Fleur Bouard we headed back to taste Evangile which was a well crafted 2012. Recommended.
Back to St Emilion to taste the Chateau Teyssier wines, including Pezat (Bordeaux Superier), Teyssier, Laforge, Le Carre, Vieux Chateau Mazerat and la Dome before dashing to the Entre-deux-Mers to Chateau de Sours to taste Martin's Le Source, Petit Cantenac and Clos Cantenac which were all very good.
Right bank is now finished. It's an early start again (for Wednesday) as I have to be ready for my first tasting of the day in the Medoc at 8.30am at Calon Segur followed by Montrose (9am), Cos D'Estornel (9.45am), Lafite Rothschild 10.30am, Mouton Rothschild 11.00am, Grand puy Lacoste (11.30) and Pontet Canet at (12pm). So it's a little mad, what we call Chateau hopping!
