Bordeaux Trip, 4 days, 1st and 2nd Growths

Bordeaux
Tasted Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - Friday, June 17, 2011 by rocknroller with 1,277 views

Introduction

This was an absolutely glorious 2 week trip to France capped by 4 days in Bordeaux visiting many of the greatest Chateaux in the world and many of my personal favorites. It was our pleasure to have the opportunity to barrel taste many of the 2010 vintage offerings, they were truly impressive.

Flight 1 - Day 1 Pessc-Leognan (5 Notes)

Visits to Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion, and Domaine de Chevalier (with winemaker Remy Edange who is remarkable by the way)

  • 2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (6/14/2011)

    Very dark red color. A blend of 48%M, 43%CS, and 9%CF. This has a gorgeous nose, oozing chocolate, tobacco leaf, cedar, cassis, ripe berries and earth. I find the palate equally inviting, well structured with sweet, integrated tannin, dark red berries, cassis, tobacco, and a subtle scorched earth element. Showing much better right now than the '07 Haut Brion. 94pts.

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  • 2007 Château Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (6/14/2011)

    Very dark red color. A blend of 44% CS, 43%M, 13%CF. This was far more brooding, not ready to reveal itself yet. Drank side by side with the '07 La Mission Haut Brion. I really waited this out, but it never got close to the aromatics on the LMHB. Nose shows darker fruits, plum, cassis, cigar box, cedar. The palate shows there is some stuffing here: tobacco, plums, cedar, cassis, gravel. The tannins are pretty well integrated and this does have a long finish. 92pts right now, but I expect this to improve 1-2 points with time.

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  • 2004 Domaine de Chevalier 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (6/14/2011)

    Very dark red color. 65%CS, 32%M, 1.5%CF, 1.5%PV. Nose is open, bright and fresh with cedar, cassis, black cherry, earth, crushed gravel. Good depth here, fine tannins that are round, good dark fruit, minerals, tobacco, smoke and cedar, nicely balanced, medium plus finish. I found this to be quite approachable and quite enjoyable now.

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  • 2010 Domaine de Chevalier 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (6/14/2011)

    Dark red purple color. This a blend of 63%CS, 30%M, and 7%PV. Tasted from the barrel, the nose is remarkable, open and showing sweet cassis, florals, blackberry, burnt embers, cedar, and spice. The palate is velvety, the tannins are sweet, prominent, but not gripping or obtrusive, impressive at this stage. Deep, with richness and power. Long finish, really impressive. Loved this. 95-96+pts.

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  • 2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (6/14/2011)

    Medium Gold color. Blend of 85% Sauv Blanc and 15% Semillion Blanc. This is certainly the finest white wine I have had to date. Tasted from the barrel, this was an absolutely ethereal experience. The nose is simply glorious, ridiulously complex, bright, vibrant fruits waft from the glass, incredible white peach aromas, pear, crisp green apple, tropical fruit, minerals, and the florals are amazing. So while I could sit and smell this all day, when this hits the palate it just sings. The fruit bursts like a laser beam, so bright and pure, peach, pear, citrus, tropicals, pineapple - WOW. Then there is this streak of minerality and such crisp clean acidity. Impeccable balance. No bitterness, no edges, and the finish is very long. It is hard to imagine anything better than this. Fabulous, Kudos, 98-100pts.

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Flight 2 - Day 2 Medoc (9 Notes)

Visits to Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Chateau Leoville Poyferre, and Chateau Lascombes

  • 2006 Château Pibran 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/15/2011)

    Deep red color. A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% CS. The nose featured cassis and blueberry with some minerality. The palate was medium deep and there was a good tannic structure and balance with a medium finish. This was better than I expected and appears to be making progress.

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  • 2006 Les Tourelles de Longueville 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/15/2011)

    Rich ruby red color. A blend of 50%M/30%CS/20%CF from younger vines of the Pichon Longueille Baron Estate. The nose shows cassis, coffe, cedar, anise, and subtle earth. The plate is quite elegant, cassis, blackberries, cedar, and anise, minerals. Very nicely balanced, quite elegant in the mouth. This evolved over about 20 mintes from an 89 to a solid 90 pt wine. While not really a surprise, I was quite pleased with this wine.

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  • 2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/15/2011)

    Rich dark ruby color. Blend of 75% CS and 25% M. Nose is lovely with nice earthiness, creme de cassis, blackberry, blueberry, minerals. Palate shows nice round structure, lovely rich black fruits, soft in the mouth, yet full. Very good length. This really is nice 93-94pts.

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  • 2007 Château Moulin Riche 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    (6/15/2011)

    Deep red color. This is the second wine of Leoville Poyferre. The recommendation is to give these wines 4 years of bottle age and then drink over 10-15 years. This wine showed subtle earth, cassis, berries, and oak. Really quite nice for a 2007, it has evolved nicely. 89-90pts. Great QPR.

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  • 2010 Château Moulin Riche 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    (6/15/2011)

    Purple dark red color. Second wine of Leoville Poyferre. Barrel sample. Rich colors, bright nose with earth, black fruits. Concentrated on the palate, balanced, nice tannins. This is outstanding for a 2nd!

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  • 2006 Château Léoville Poyferré 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    (6/15/2011)

    Very dark red color. This wine was all about class. Maybe it was the environment, but I thought this was drinking wonderfully. The mouthfeel was gorgeous, soft and round. Classy all aound. Well balanced, I did not find it backward at all. Drank over about 45 minutes side by side with the 2010 barrel sample. As great as the 2010 is, this did a more than ample job of comparing. Beautifull damp earth, cassis, espresso, blackberry, cedar.

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  • 2010 Château Léoville Poyferré 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    (6/15/2011)

    Dark purple/black color. 61% CS, 30% M, 3% CF, 6% PV. Barrel sample. Drank over 45 minutes. outstanding concentration and depth. What a nose, open and lush, creme de cassis, Black raspberry, lovely florals, some smokiness, cedar, and chocolate. The wine looks huge, and to a point it is, but there is silkiness on the palate that coats the mouth, sweet round tannins power this but do not overwhelm. Long lush finish. Great wine, 95-97+pts.

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  • 2004 Chevalier de Lascombes 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    (6/15/2011)

    Dark red color. Second wine of Lascombes, 55%M and 45%CS. Nice nose, floral, forest floor, raspberry, vanilla. the palate is medium bodied, somewhat drying tannins and a medium short finish. Nice. The nose is the star here.

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  • 2006 Château Lascombes 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    (6/15/2011)

    Very dark red color. Blend of 50%M, 45%CS, 5%PV. Love the perfumed nose, violets, earth, ripe berries, smoky, coffee, cigar, and meaty. The palate has good concentration, wood, spice, black fruits. Nice finish, good balance. Also, I did not find this overtly tannic. This is the first time I have had the '06, and it is a winner. 93+pts.

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Flight 3 - Day 3 Medoc (6 Notes)

Visits to Chateau Pontet-Canet, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, and Chateau Cos d'Estournel

  • 2007 Château Pontet-Canet 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/16/2011)

    Very dark purple red. The nose shows is lovely, with rich cassis aromas, followed by pencil lead, subtle earth, and blackberry. The palate shows sweet, well integrated tannins, velvety mouthfeel, bright fruits with good acid and a beautiful intense finish. I was really impressed by this 2007 effort. Pontet Canet is doing everything right. 93+ to 94pts.

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  • 2010 Château Pontet-Canet 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/16/2011)

    Black purple color. Barrel sample, tasted over 45 minutes. This wine shows amazing color, rich, dark, with a purple color that just hangs on the glass. I could literally just swirl it and stare at it. The nose is really effusive already, showing vivid florals, creme de cassis, anise, minerals (not much earth yet). The concentration is impressive, depth and purity of fruit, cassis, plum, blueberry, followed by tobacco, cedar, gravel. It just coats the mouth and keeps on giving. Incredibly complex, with sweet tannins that have already reined in impressively. Seriusly, I could drink this now. And this is very long on the finsih with creme de cassis and chocolate notes. Shockingly approachable, with power, finesse, purity, depth--this has it all. A legend in the making. 97-99+pts.

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  • 1995 Château Lafite Rothschild 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (6/16/2011)

    Dark red purple color, no bricking Blend of 74%CS, 18%M, 8%CF. Drank over 30 minutes in the the gorgeous second year barrel room at the Chateau. This was an incredible treat to drink this wine in this setting. The wine had been decanted for about 2.5 hours. The nose exudes the pedigree, complex aromas of forest floor, truffle oil, cassis, pencil lead, blackberry, chocolate, with soft floral notes that rise up a times. Serving temp was impreccable as we were in the cellar. This just dances across the taste buds hitting on all cylinders with cassis, tobacco, gravel, graphite, blackberry, and chocolate notes in the forefront. Elegant and silky in the mouth, long finish, impeccable balance. Youthful, yet very distinguished. 96+ to 97pts.

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  • 2008 Les Pagodes de Cos 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    (6/16/2011)

    Medium dark red color. Second wine of Cos, a blend of 53%M, 45%CS, and 2%PV from the younger vines of the estate. The nose was quite nice with cassis, spices, raspberry and strawberry, subtle earth, and somewhat herbaceous/slightly green quality. The palate displayed silky tannins, good concentration and complexity in an impressive second wine. 90+pts.

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  • 2008 Château Cos d'Estournel 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    (6/16/2011)

    Purple black color, very dark. Blend of 85%CS, 13%M, 2%CF. Nose shows brooding black fruits, cassis, blackberry liqueur, chocolate, damp earth, minerals. Excellent depth, round, full tannins, fresh and lively on the palate, black fruits, cedar box, dark chocolate and spices on the finish. 93+ to 94pts.

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  • 2010 Château Cos d'Estournel 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    (6/16/2011)

    Purple black color. Barrel sample that had been decanted for 2-3 hours. Black currant, blackberries, florals, cedar, anise, slightly smoky, moist earth. Dense in the glass, almost chewy on the palate, immense concentration and purity. Complex flavors of currants, anise, cedar, crushed rocks, and smoke, and big sweet, ripe tannins. Very impressive. 96-98pts.

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Flight 4 - Day 4 St. Emilion (2 Notes)

Visits to Chateau Angelus and Chateau Figeac

  • 2008 Château Angélus 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    (6/17/2011)

    Dark red color. Drank over 30 minutes at the Chateau. The nose is beautiful with blueberries, boysenberry, currants, loamy minerals, and soft earth notes. The palate is elegant, sensous, concentrated and balanced. Long finish showing off espresso notes. Outstanding, and every bit as good as the 2006. 94-95pts.

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  • 2001 Château Figeac 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    (6/17/2011)

    Dark red/maroon color. Blend of 35%CF, 35%CS, and 30%M from gravel and sandy soils. Decanted for 30 minutes and drank over 30 minutes at the Chateau. Fabulous nose with fresh cut flowers, lots of earth, black cherry, cedar, oak. The palate is evolved with good concentration, black cherry, strawberry, earth, cedarbox. Sweetish tannins, nice balance. I loved this, classy and elegant.

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Closing

At some point, I would love to add some of the many other wines we drank along the way and in restaurants, there were so many that were quite good. We had some great Sancerre and Chinon while in the Loire. I'm going to miss all the great restaurants in France and Bordeaux, but in particular, Philippe Etchebest 's Hostellerie de Plaisance which was heavenly and Le Saint-Julien with the gracious and talented chef Claud Broussard.

As for the wine of the trip. Well, there were many, and I don't think i could name just one. I will highlight a couple though. The 2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc was literally an ethereal wine, pure joy. All of the 2010 offerings were staggeringly good, but the Pontet-Canet stands out the most. Finally, the 1995 Lafite Rothschild was an absolutely beautiful wine.

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