Blind tasting of Grand Cercle wines 2011 vintage: Part II

Day two of a massive 2011 horizontal of Bordeaux wines from multiple appellations, Left and Right Bank. The 60 wines tasted, outlined here in 6 flights, were tasted in two sessions: a morning session and an afternoon. The morning session was far better. Still, take note that I rarely score as high as 90. The vintage is simply challenging, and - as noted in my introduction to part 1 of this horizontal, conducted by an international panel of tasters, invited by notable French wine critic and friend Bernard Burtschy - perhaps done at a difficult time in the development of the vintage, which was showing far more structure than fruit. More details, with video and pictures: http://www.wine-chronicles.com/blog/bordeaux-2011-four-years-on/

• 2011 Château Guibot La Fourvieille 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Puisseguin-St. Émilion

  A bit vegetal but more floral, the nose is marked by freshness. A supple attack leads to mid palate weight and substance, medium body, medium high tannins. Finish lacks the lift for a higher score, but overall a nice drink.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Couhins-Lurton 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  The nose is a bit muted. The palate is marked by austerity, yet there is fruit burgeoning beneath this medium bodied wine with high tannin. A touch warm on the medium finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château du Courlat Cuvée Jean Baptiste 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lussac-St. Émilion

  Notions of brambly fruit on the nose, albeit muted. The medium bodied palate is juicy enough but somewhat hemmed in by somewhat austere tannin. Medium finish. Same winemaker at Bonalgue.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Grand Enclos du Château de Cérons Graves Rouge 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Herbal aromatics. Slightly green in fact. The attack is more tannin than fruit, light fruit flavor intensity on the medium minus bodied palate, with (some oak derived) tannin dominating. Somewhat metallic finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Ampélia 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Subtle aromatics, floral and fruit but not intensely expressed. Saltiness. The palate has subtle verve and red fruit, framed by medium high tannin. The palate is medium. Finishes medium length with a certain juiciness. Same owner at Grand Corbin d’Espagne

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Grand Ormeau 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Some oak derived aromatics that make it sweet. Although tannins dominant, the medium bodied palate shows some juice with plum fruit, albeit with an austere finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château du Cartillon 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Touch of vegetal, hint of oak stave on the nose. Palate is light-ish bodied. A bit tinny, but with light fruit flavor intensity. Tannin dominating the fruit. Short rather than medium finish. A bit lacking in character.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Saint-Robert Cuvée Poncet Deville 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Expressive nose of mint and red fruit. The palate is smooth as well with red fruit and rather fine grained tannin, in a medium plus body. A medium plus finish with lift. Nice!

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Les Tours de Bayard 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion

  Somewhat closed in nose. Medium plus body, shows balance and fine integration of tannin and alcohol but overall impression of being coiled in. Potential is there.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Fonbadet 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Somewhat sweet aromatics, with notions of white flower. Juicy and pleasant wine, medium body. Balanced with fine fruit expression and integrated tannin, medium finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Tour Seran 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  Vegetal aspect to the nose. The tannins seem under-ripe and somewhat hard. Medium body, weight. But a bit hard and short on finish. Ho hum

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château la Croix des Moines 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Red fruit and oak derivation on the aromatics. Attack is brisk, with medium body and weight, although somewhat hard tannins overall, but give it time.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Boutisse 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Red brambly fruit on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, with somewhat hard tannins however that detract. Medium finish. Bernard Burtschy liked this more.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Tournefeuille 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Seems to lack optimal ripeness. Overall feeling of metallic austerity. Smooth enough on the mid palate, but nothing to write home about, eh?

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Greysac 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  Wow... Cherry and milk chocolate notes on the nose. The palate is medium in terms of flavor intensity in fact somewhat subtle. The tannin is present but not hard or overly foreboding. But it distracts at this stage… Give this wine time, as I suspect it will be quite nice. I was very surprised when this was unveiled.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Cap de Faugères 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Smooth palate, red fruit, tannic feel on the palate, which is medium bodied yet a bit metallic in character with high acidity. Medium finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Destieux Berger 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Just to be sure, this is the Destieux, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé... A juicy nose, quite rich in fruit, with damson and blackberry for my palate. Attack borders on heady but in fact there is acidity that freshens the wine, mid palate juiciness although the finish is marked by austere tannins that perhaps time will resolve. Drying tannins on the finish detract from this being truly delicious.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Patache d'Aux Médoc 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  Lacks the fruit of the two preceding wines. A certain metallic austerity overall. Closed in. Medium body with a medium finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Clauzet 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Plum with a touch of vegetal. The palate is more closed in than the preceding wine, with tighter tannins, but I like the structure – even if medium finish recalls a certain... under-ripeness.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château de Pressac 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Touch of oak derivation on the nose, but rather bright and ripe enough plum fruit. The attack is medium brisk, with a mid palate that includes brambly fruit and rather high acidity. Medium bodied with a medium finish marked by lift. One Swedish taster called it Repasso Bordeaux! She is a natural wine acolyte too … Bernard liked it too, as did many others. Good stuff.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Vray Croix de Gay 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Brambly red and blackberry fruit on the nose. The attack is brisk, mid palate has weight. The finish, though somewhat austere has lift as well. Bernard liked this very much, too. Consultant since 2014 is former Petrus director Jean Claude Berrouet, so expect greater freshness in coming years - good news!

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château de Lussac 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lussac-St. Émilion

  Muted aromatics? Somewhat austere overall, but it has weight. A seriousness about it. Give it time even if there is a hint of drying on the finish that detracts.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Messile-Aubert 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion

  Brambly fruit nose, although with brett. I can see how it would appeal to some tasters, as it is also juicy and tasty. A bit of animal notes do detract. Same owners as La Couspaude.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Haut-Bacalan 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A touch vegetal, but also floral! Sour cherry aspect. There is medium weight, high tannin and high acidity but also ripe fruit. The wine has a lingering finish marked by red fruit.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château de Viaud 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Red fruit aromatics. The attack is supple. Juicy red brambly fruit, ripe, in a medium bodied palate. Smooth (yet present) tannin overall, leading to and medium agreeable finish. This is lovely wine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Côte Montpezat Cuvée Compostelle 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Floral aromatics. Supple tannin. Mid palate weight, medium body. The finish is medium, but somewhat metallic.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Godeau 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  One of my top 2011s tasted blind over the weekend. Red brambly fruit with slightly oak derived aromatics of vanilla lead to a palate with depth and weight, medium plus body with high tannin. The finish is not so austere as one may expect – and in fact the wine has much potential. Bravo.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Clos de la Vieille Église Pomerol 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Hint of vegetal on the nose. The overall feeling is of a wine that is not entirely ripe, with some austere tannin. Yet, the palate has weight – medium plus body – and there is “much going on” so I suspect this wine is closed down, potential for higher score.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château de Reignac 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  A consistent wine for bargain hunters of quality, proven yet again blind and in a challenging vintage. Dark fruit profile, ripe plum. The palate is rich enough, with weight, medium plus body. The texture is smooth yet the tannins somewhat austere with a just slightly hard finish. Closed in? Well, it is worth the low price of admission.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Mondorion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Metallic here. Closed in. Odd flavors? Not sure if I have an off bottle? Bitter and drying oak.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Lesparre 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves de Vayres

  A bit of volatile acidity noticeable on the aromatics. That went away, and the wine became rather soft and agreeable, overall, even if there is some austere tannin.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Ramafort 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  The nose is better than that of the Lesparre, tasted before. This has some juiciness on the palate that is rather pleasing, albeit somewhat hard on the finish – tannin comes to the fore, and for its age, that is rather normal. Overall positive impression.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Le Prieuré St. Émilion Grand Cru 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Sweet black fruit aspect to the nose that can be appealing. The attack is supple enough, leading to a somewhat juicy mid palate, with a rather finely textured tannin grain. The finish is medium length, with some drying tannin, but not too distracting.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Clos Dubreuil 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Well, here is the subjective factor :-). Nose is shoe polish like. The mid palate has substance, but what ruins it for me is the drying tannin and rather hard finish. Reached for the water.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Le Boscq St. Estèphe 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Sweet fruit on the nose. This has some body although lacks enough concentration to get a high score, with a somewhat diluted finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Brande-Bergere Cuvée O'Byrne Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  Nose has brett. And the palate is dominated by that brett… Bad sample or the way it is?

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château de Fontenille 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Ripe black fruit aromas with some sweet oak derivation. Palate is juicy in the middle, but then turns just a bit hard on the finish, with some heat. Tasted non blind with winemaker Dany Rolland - similar notes.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Clos Vieux Taillefer 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Muted nose. This is a bit light in terms of fruit intensity, as the tannic extraction takes over. I found it lacking in character, rather than having any faults as some others found, notably brett.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Siaurac 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  There is character to this wine, initially, but hard overall… tannins dry on finish and attack the gums. But overall there is juiciness on the mid palate that makes it... merely OK.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Jean de Gue 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Oak derivation on the nose. Some animal aspects, too? There is a juicy mid palate but … followed by too drying tannin.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château du Glana 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Some tasters liked this more than I did. A of reduction/sulfur at first, then red fruit. Mid palate juice, but somewhat hard and drying finish reduces pleasure.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château La Sergue 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Well, a weak 87. Red fruit, just ripe enough. Palate is juicy however. I could use a bit more ripe fruit, but the wine has juiciness and the tannins are not hard. Not bad, if not particularly great.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Clos Floridene 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Nose is red fruit. Cranberry fruit. There is juiciness that makes this appealing. Medium bodied with medium finish. A bit high toned, and a bit short on the finish, and yet I liked this more than most tasters.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château La Vieille Cure 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

  Equilibrium, juicy palate, albeit somewhat austere on the finish, that detracts. But the wine shows concentration and structure, showing more potential than most in this more difficult afternoon flight.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Clos La Madeleine 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This wine was a bit controversial in that half the room liked it, the other half did not. I was in the latter group. Red fruit, oak derived tannin. Somewhat drying with brett that annoyed me as well.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Sansonnet 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  No denying the fine terroir here. Tasted non blind as well, with consistent notes. This has mid palate sap, red fruit expression, some oak derived tannin, but overall fine structure and medium length.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Vieux Château Palon 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion

  Here we have a modern style that is well made and appealing, for fans of this style who will score this higher. Sweet nose, oak vanilla, dark ripe fruit aromatics. The palate has somewhat gum staining tannin, however, and extraction is felt: somewhat drying on the finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Fougas Maldoror 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Côtes de Bourg

  Pyrazine noted… High toned, high acidity, oak derived tannin, some drying aspects on the finish detract as well... Pass.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Haut-Carles 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

  Oak derived aromatics, ether on the nose. Tannin is a bit hard, albeit not so drying on the finish, there is mid palate sap that saves the day more or less, but high alcohol noticeable and detracts (for my taste).

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Ripe, yet rather high acidity that balances things. Clean. Some highish alcohol, too, high tannin. High toned overall, with a lifting finish. Not bad.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Pey La Tour Réserve du Château 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  A bit ... meh. Rather pleasing red fruit nose, sure, but a bit hard overall, austere, even if there is substance to the mid palate. A good deal, though.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Peyfaures Bordeaux Supérieur 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  Sweet fruit and vanilla like aromatics. Oak derived tannin: here we go again... The gums are kind of assaulted here with a hard finish, but there is high flavor intensity, with density on the mid palate.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Perron La Fleur 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  A bit of brett? This has drying tannin, even if the mid palate has some juiciness.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Tour Baladoz 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Quite nice jammy strawberry fruit on the nose here. The palate is tight enough, with somewhat hard tannin. Finish is medium.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Villars 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

  Oak stave on the nose. This has moderate intensity of flavor, again with rather dominant tannin. The finish is medium length a bit hard but not drying. 85. Score higher if you like oak.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Fombrauge 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  A weak 87. Touch of volatile? Plastic, candied fruit on the nose … The palate is better, with medium plus acidity and high tannin but ripe fruit balancing each other. Somewhat hard tannin dominates on the finish however.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Trianon 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

  Quite a bit of brett. Pleasing spice and ripe fruit on the nose do get through as well and the wine overall has a ripe aspect, and I suspect would go well with grilled meat. So, depending on the price …

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Haut Bertinerie Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux

  Some vegetative notes. The palate is smooth enough, however, with some juiciness, medium bodied, with structure. A bit more polished than the next wine, tasted just before, that is not mentioned here because it was one of the candidates wishing to remain anonymous!

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Malescasse 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Under-ripe character? Well there is some ripe enough plum… Tannins are somewhat rough – like a youthful 1994 vintage… Give it time, eh? There is substance to the medium bodied palate and medium length. Well, whatever. It's 2011.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Château Beau Soleil 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Perhaps the best wine of the difficult afternoon part of today's 6 September tasting. Red fruit aromatics. This is rather cohesive and smooth throughout. Fruit driven and even a bit elegant, which is not how I would describe many of these wines.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

As you can read on my website, including a video with some of the tasters, the 2011 vintage is a tough one in Bordeaux and it was a bit hard to assess these wines at this stage, but #winelovers should not paint the vintage with a broad brushstroke, as some diamonds can be found in the rough.