2010 UGC Bordeaux Tasting
Palace Hotel, SF
Tasted Saturday, January 19, 2013 by aagrawal with 1,011 views
Introduction
This was the UGC Tasting for the 2010 vintage in SF. Overall, the red wines were solid but much tougher to evaluate than last year. They are more tannic and unwieldy, but the fruit in most of the 2010 vintage is almost as ripe and concentrated as that in the 2009 vintage. This certainly surprised me a bit given this vintage's reputation. Because the wines were so difficult to evaluate, I tried to use wide point ranges and really just focus on my favorites in each region. It is likely that I have underscored each of these wines by a point or two, but I won't know until I see how they settle down and develop over the next decade. The sauternes were stellar... more details on those to follow. Of note, I tasted the sauternes in the middle of the tasting, before my palate got tired, so that I could accurately write notes on those wines.
Flight 1 - White Bordeaux (1 Note)
Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has been getting great press over the last few vintages, and it is well deserved. The wine is stellar, and I would love to try it again in a decade. Great richness and balance.
Flight 2 - St. Emilion (2 Notes)
I just tasted two wines here since St. Emilion is not historically one of my favorite regions. The Figeac seemed like it was more closed and less impressive than last year. The Clos Fourtet had a modern feel to it but was very well made. Neither wine makes my list of top wines.
Flight 3 - Pomerol (2 Notes)
I rarely get to try Pomerol, and that's a shame because these wines were great. The Clinet does the modern style so well, and the La Conseillante is a worthy equivalent in a more traditional complex style. I would recommend both, but for my palate my money will go towards Chateau La Conseillante.
Flight 4 - Margaux (6 Notes)
The only truly disappointing wine of the whole tasting was the Brane Cantenac, which seemed thin. Most other Margaux showed variability but overall decent quality. The 2010 Lascombes was stellar; a Margaux made in a traditional style with great aromatics. The Malescot is always a lovely wine made in a riper modern style, but I would recommend focusing more on the Lascombes if you match my palate.
Flight 5 - St. Julien (3 Notes)
One of my favorite regions, and this year does not disappoint. The Leoville Poyferre is truly stunning and is one of my highlights of the tasting. The Leoville Barton was a little more reticent but I have confidence that it will improve and use the stuffing it was given.
Flight 6 - Pauillac (5 Notes)
Another strength in the 2010 vintage. The Clerc Milon is always a fantastic value for the price. The Pichon Baron was stunning... also one of my wines of the tasting. The Pichon Lalande seemed a little closed.
Flight 7 - Sauternais (9 Notes)
A wonderful lineup of wines. 2010 is a great vintage to own, though I suspect that a few years in bottle will improve the wines substantially. The 2010 Coutet and the 2010 Chateau de Fargues were both stunning. The Climens was enjoyable but has never been my top favorite, though my experience is limited. The Doisy Daene would still be a great QPR buy. The Lafaurie Peyraguey has a great floral component to it that makes it appealing as well. The Suduiraut is fantastic in a thicker, viscous style.
Closing
Top wines:
Chevalier Blanc
Chateau La Conseillante
Chateau Lascombes
Chateau Leoville Barton
Chateau Leoville Poyferre
Chateau Clerc Milon
Chateau Pichon Baron
Top Sauternes
Fargues
Coutet
Climens (secondary to the two above)
This event was a lot of fun, though it was harder to evaluate this year than last year. This will require some revisiting after 4-5 years.
2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Citrus, gooseberry; oily but fresh, burst of citrus fruit, excellent acidity, long finish, superb on the palate with a tingly component. 93-96+
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