Grande Bordeaux Tasting, 2010
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Tasted Thursday, February 28, 2013 by DonalOB with 1,124 views
Introduction
The annual tasting of the Bordeaux vintage in bottle. Staggered around with Patty - lots of fun as always. Good to compare the '09s from last year with the '10s this year. Scores to be taken with a pinch of salt and a sip of wine.
Flight 1 (27 Notes)
Closing
Next time we might start with the stickies so that we get some.
We were very merry at the end but still headed upstairs for dinner at Grissini - woo hoo!
2010 Château de Chantegrive Blanc 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves
Lots of gooseberry. Some smoke. lots of oak on palate. Not to my taste.
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2010 Château Rahoul Blanc 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves
Lemon and smoke. Crisp. Quite full and round - seemed more Semillon dominated.
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2010 Château de Chantegrive Graves 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves
Spicy and smokey. Nice fruits - some strawberry. Quite extracted though with lots of tannins.
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2010 Château Rahoul 85 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves
Ripe cherries on the nose. On the palate, rather thin and short. Bitter tannins on the finish.
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2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Was served by the owner, Olivier Bernard - he looked a bit grumpy pouring wines for the mob but he chatted to us.
This is a 'Moon' vintage not a 'Sun' one. He double decanted the wine to open it up.
Last time I tried this in Bordeaux it had not yet been fined - now it's very clear and yellow-green.
Apple, melon and peach - just a hint of tropical fruit. Crisp as you like and mineral with it. This will last an age.
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2010 Domaine de Chevalier 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Supposedly a 'Moon' vintage (Olivier Bernard).
Cherry with blackcurrant in the background. Plenty of tannins but they seem ripe, not coarse. Good finish. Starting to develop some interesting flavours but will need 5-10 yet.
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2010 Château Haut-Bailly 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Nose of blackberries with a floral component. On the palate, quite fat with ripe fruits, not stewed though. Plenty of acidity and fine-grained tannins. This feels like it has the legs to go a long way. I'll wait 5-10 then start sampling.
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2010 Château Pape Clément Blanc 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Apparently '10 is better than '09 - someone should tell RP.
Rich smokey nose with some gooseberry but not full-on cat-pee. Plenty of fruit so needs time to integrate with the oak.
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2010 Château Pape Clément 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
I enjoyed this more then the white.
Lots of blackcurrant on the nose. Repeated on the palate with almost hidden fine-grained tannins. Very smooth - I could drink this now!
Should be a great evolution.
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2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh and clean citrus fruit with some Lychee. More mineral than I remember the '09. Easy in the mouth - smooth drinking with nice acid backbone.
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2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Lots of smoke! Plenty of cassis here as well. Smooth on the palate with well-integrated tannins. Big finish.
Apparently, the '10 expresses terroir better than the '09 which is 'vintage dominated'. The quote - "2010 is the best vintage we ever made".
This was our WOTN - we went back for more!
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2010 Clos Fourtet 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Rich, complex, spicy nose. On the palate, beautifully balanced - the tannins seem well integrated already. Not huge fruit but interesting flavours, almost coffee. Full and glycerol with a long finish.
Almost WOTN.
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2010 Château La Tour Figeac 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
"2010 is better vintage than 2009 - wait 6-7 years for 2009 (feminine vintage) and at least 10 years for 2010 (masculine vintage)"
Rich and round with a nice balance - tannins and acidity working well with the fruit.
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2010 Château Troplong Mondot 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Great balance - almost as good as the '09 with fresher acidity to cut the fruit (blackberries and blueberries) and tannins. Good length. Looking forward to this after a few years.
"2010 will age better than the 2009 due to the higher acidity"
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2010 Château Le Bon Pasteur 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Served by Didier Richer, a friend of the family.
Since '08 they have vinified in barrel. They use dry ice to control the temperature. Like micro-vinification and allows integration of the oak (100% new in 2010). This seems like the same strategy Penfolds employ for their big wines. Didier prefers the '08!
Big smokey wine but doesn't feel oaky - is that the barrel ferment thing? Great acidity cutting through the plum fruit. Nice tannins but slightly bitter on the finish.
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2010 Château Poujeaux 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
Sweet fruit, lovely early-drinking Bordeaux.
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2010 Château Chasse-Spleen 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
"2010 like 2005 - needs 10 years"
Patty liked the nose on this - forest, blackcurrant. Nice palate with easy tannins. Actually drinking OK now but needs a little time to come into its own.
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2010 Château du Tertre 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Muted nose. Easy drinking but little complexity.
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2010 Château Giscours 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Lovely nose, fresh but ripe. Plenty of body but not a lot of mid-palate interest.
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2010 Château Langoa Barton 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Earlier drinking style of the Leoville - less structured. (5-15 years vs. 10-25).
Rather ripe on the nose, smooth but a bit flat.
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2010 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Slight, muted nose. Good palate with lots of tannins but the fruit showing better than on the nose - usual cassis. Plenty of balance and long finish.
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2010 Château Léoville Poyferré 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Met Didier Cuvelier, the manager who says "2010 is more classic and for aging".
This was a real surprise - floral, delicate and sophisticated. Smooth on the palate and already drinkable.
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2010 Château Clerc Milon 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
OK nose, not overripe fruit with cedar notes. Nicer on the palate - smooth with blackcurrant. May drink early.
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2010 Château d'Armailhac 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Beautifully smooth, rich fruit and good acidity. Quite glycerol with a sweetness, possibly from the alcohol. Will develop.
"2009 is exotic compared to the 2010".
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2010 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Rich fruit nose with some oak, rather pleasant though. Smooth on the palate, well balanced.
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2010 Château Phélan Ségur 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This was the last red of the evening but held its own. A very nice claret with good balance if not very intense or bold.
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2010 Château Coutet Barsac 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
Tried to finish with all the sweeties but this was the last one left :-(
They picked '10 riper than the '09.
Honeyed nose with apricot and peach. Quite sweet, coats the mouth and has good length.
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