Introduction
Based on only two days of participating in En Primeur, I feel that the 12 is a slightly better vintage than the 11 in the right bank and equal or slight less in the left. It is another vintage of Merlot, also good Cabernet Franc. Some of the lower end wines seem to show dry tannins perhaps due to too much extraction, too much oak not having the terroir to deal with the extremely hot and dry summer that caused the vines to stress. You can almost taste the weather in this vintage as the fruits are quite ripe, although not as ripe as the 03s, yet some of the wines have not achieved the physiological ripeness which resulting in ripe plumy green note without freshness.
A few of the classified growths from northern Medoc tasted were simply uninspiring. I thought Margaux commune has done well, especially Chateau Palmer and Chateau Margaux. This was the vintage with the highest percent of Merlot at Haut Brion, resulting in elegant and charming wine that slightly lacks concentration and vibrancy. La Mission Haut Brion as usual was fresher showing more red fruits and more masculine although it too lacks a bit of concentration and complexity compare to the 09 and the 10. I only got to taste a couple dozens of second tier Pomerols. Contrary to Pomerol being exceptional in this vintage, I thought they were showing more dry tannins and I much preferred St Emilions which were fresher and showing better integrated tannins. I thought the dry whites were poor except at the top level like HB, LMBH and Pavillon Blanc, lacking acidity, concentration and ripeness. I didn’t notice Botrytis in Sauternes, really simple fruity nose without much complexity.
Realistically, I don’t see much activity for the 2012 EP. IMO, the FG prices have to be down to around $300 and I don’t see that happening. Meanwhile high prices of the top 40 wines are giving the bad image of the entire region and causing the consumers to move away from Bordeaux. Once they do, they seem not to come back, being happy with the new discoveries. Meanwhile, the other 90% of Bordeaux are suffering, big inventory without much new prospects.
Flight 1 - Tasting Balthus and Reignac at Chateau Reignac’s tasting room (11 notes)
We had a nice lunch at a local bistro hosted by Marion with the 04 Reignac and Balthus, both were still youthful and drinking nicely although the acidity was a bit disjointed on Reignac. After a quick siesta, we walked to the tasting room which was a completely update pigeon tower. This is where the blending tasting takes place and Kelly and I got to pretend like we were the master blenders. Then we were served the property's three red wines but they were easy to identify.
Tasting two samples of Balthus from two different types of soil was interesting. They were very different. We then tasted four samples of Chateau Reignac with different barrel makers and soil types.
Red
2012 Château de Reignac Balthus
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Clay soil sample– lighter and fresher, chalky, floral, crushed red and blue berries. Good concentration.
Red
2012 Château de Reignac Balthus
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Gravel soil barrel sample– Coffee, a hint of green, a bit bitter, silky, round but noticeable tannins.
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Sample 1 – Bluberry jam, baked fruits, black pepper, round mouthfeel, a hint of soy, round tannins, a bit too ripe. 88
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Sample 2 – Coffee, cool fruit impression, good precision, lead pencil. Silky and round palate.
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Sample 3 – Mint, cassis, subtle, silky, round and warm palate, quite enjoyable
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Sample 4 – Big, black fruits, blackberry liquor, a hint of green, dry tannins.
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Cabernet Franc barrel sample - Black pepper, blackberry liquor, lavender. Excellent concentration, dense, warm and round. Opulent fruit masks the tannins which is only noticeable as the end note.
Red
2009 Château de Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Soft red fruits, cherry, strawberry, light and easy quaffer. Very well made restaurant wine.
Red
2009 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Black fruits, crushed blackberries, chocolate, cool fruit impression, round silky palate and sweet tannins.
Red
2009 Château de Reignac Balthus
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Vanilla, coffee, opulent black fruits, bright acidity, excellent concentration, silky palate, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château la Bienfaisance Sanctus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Expressive nose displaying bright blue fruits, excellent concentration, silky, nicely integrated tannins, big scale wine showing wonderfully
Flight 2 - Dinner at Reignac (4 notes)
Marion expertly prepared exceptional scallop tartar, perfectly roasted beef and delicious not so sweet tarte tatin. Three 2009 reds were served blind then another bottle also blind.
Red
2009 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Initially guessed as Chateau de Reignac, with time definitely showing more concentration and depth. No guess.
Red
2009 Château Gruaud Larose
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Initiallly guessed Chateau Reignac, with time ash, a hint of green, and black fruits. No guess. Once revealed, the note of green that I associate with Gruaud Larose was noticeable, ripe but green, noticeable dry tannins.
Red
2001 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
I thought this was served double blind but Kelly told me later that Marion informed us it was a Reignac. Still youthful nose, a hint of red fruits followed by intense sweet dark fruits, cedar and dark sweet spices. Excellent concentration, intense dark fruit driven silky palate, bright acidity and long finish. Even served double blind, it seems like Reignac and a bit of parlor trick lead me to the 01 vintage. Chateau Reignac seems to age well.
Flight 3 - A quick drink at Chai Pascal (2 notes)
Every year between the first day tasting of CRD and a dinner hosted by CRD, three Italian amigos, Christian, Roberto and Oratzio, Kelly and I go to St Emillion to check if Alan Vauthier is drinking beer with his friends at Chai Pascal. We were joined by Otto Geiser, a great german chef, wine writer and one of the leaders of the European slow food movement.
It is also a routine that Orazio and Roberto visit the wine shop to buy wines drink at the dinner. Unfortunately the selection was limited and the prices were high. Orazio managed to pick the 07 Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin.
White
2009 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Served blind, very ripe and beeswax, round and oily palate, I thought a Chenin. It showed a bit more Chardonnay characters with air but still would have guessed something other than Meursault.
Flight 4 - Dinner hosted by CRD at Grand Barrail (2 notes)
The dinner hosted by CRD was held at Hotel Grand Barrail. It is a beautiful space and the dishes were wonderful. I checked out the wine list and it was pretty uninspiring and expensive.
Red
2007 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
I have been very impressed with the recent vintages of Rousseau’s Ruchottes and this is no exception. A lovely wine and classic Rousseau, raspberry jelly, delicate red fruit that is almost yellow, delicate yet decadent, sweet and airy palate. Medium concentration, excellent balance and lovely length.
Flight 5 - Dinner at the Restaurant of Troplong Mondot with Jeff Leve (2 notes)
We were originally scheduled to be at Chateau Le Gay for dinner but for the obvious reason it was cancelled so we met up with Jeff at the restaurant of Troplong Mondot. The restaurant is situated in the property. It is a lovely restaurant, very spacious with very comfortable big chairs and tables. The dishes were superb and it is an exceptional value at 50 euros for a three course meal. Unfortunately the wine selection is very limited and the only reds offered are from the property which were priced very well.
Red
2000 Château Troplong Mondot
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Extremely ripe style, blackberry liquor, anise, molasses and truffle. It is a very ripe style of wine with beautiful silky palate, ripe intense dark fruits, slightly lacking acidity and nicely integrated tannins. I would like to see a bit more definition. Very hedonistic wine.
Red
1998 Château Troplong Mondot
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Dark fruits, caramel, bitter chocolate, cedar and mocha. A big scale wine with ripe fruits but also with good acidity that freshen up the wine. This bottle is drinking well.
Flight 6 - A few drinks at L’Envers du Décor (2 notes)
We tried to get a table for dinner but we were informed that there was a private dinner. Once we arrived, we realized that the dinner was for the remembrance of Madame Pere-Verge. There were a number of familiar faces. I really love this restaurant and always try to eat here once. The wine list has been always exceptional but the prices seem higher than before.
White
2010 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
This is one of the biggest Chablis of my life. Pop and pour, lemon oil, honey and a hint of saline. Oily palate, incredibly intense and sweet fruits mask acidity and mineral expression. With air, open up nicely, complex white fruits, perfectly ripe white peaches and pears, lemon oil and saline. Big and intense palate, bright acidity and minerality. I would recommend to wait for minimum ten years but if wish to serve now, a couple hours of decanting is must. I prefer the 08 to this. 96 pts now but will improve.
Flight 7 - Circle de Rive Droit tasting at Chateau Barde Haut (32 notes)
Every year, the first EP tasting for us the Circle de Rive Droit tasting at Chateau Barde Haut, a beautiful property at the heart of St. Emilion. Perhaps these aren’t the most sought-after wines but there are some excellent values. Also CRD facilitates the best tasting environment with options to taste blind or none. I was lazy so opened the excel file and create a column to put my tns.
Red
2012 Reignac
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Silky, excellent concentration, red fruits, lead pencil, cool fruit impression, noticeable but controlled tannins.
Red
2012 Château La Fleur de Boüard
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol
Fresh blueberries, silky, exellent concentration, nicely integrated tannins, will be very enjoyable.
Red
2012 Château Lecuyer
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Blue fruits, mineral, floral, a bitter finish, stemmy, medium body
Red
2012 Château Fayat
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Black fruits, mineral, high level of glycerin, dense, extracted, noticeable tannins, bitter, stem, a bit green.
Red
2012 Château La Clémence
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Fresh blue fruits, cassis, round and opulent palate, nice silky mouthfeel, a bit bitter, good integration of tannins.
Red
2012 Château Vray Croix de Gay
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Truffle, floral, silky and cassis, not heavily extracted, black fruits, good acidity, long length, medium concentration.
Red
2012 Château Montviel
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Sweet candied fruit, blackberries, blackberry liquor, floral, lovely, noticeable tannins but not dry, good concentration.
Red
2012 Clos Vieux Taillefer
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Blackberries, black cherries, angular, medium concentration, a hint of alcohol.
Red
2012 Château Bourgneuf
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Truffle, cool mouth feel, crushed blackberries, the fruit is not sweet, good balance, silky, a hint of dry finish
Red
2012 Château Rouget
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Cassis, good concentration, blueberry jam, silky, a bit of dry tannins.
Red
2012 Clos l'Église (Pomerol)
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Blue fruits, sweet fruit, licorice, cool impression, sweet spices, a bit of dry tannins, not green.
Red
2012 Château Feytit Clinet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Coffee, silky, a hint of green, dry tannins, good concentration, silky palate, cool blue fruits.
Red
2012 Château Bonalgue
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Blue fruits, fruitcake, silky, blackberry liquor, oak, sweet spices,mint, cassis, good concentration.
Red
2012 Château Mazeyres
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Fresh blackberries, blakcberry liquor, clove, excellenct concentration, noticeable acidity, freshness.
Red
2012 Clos du Clocher
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Violet, silky, sweet fruits, cassis, spice, some alcohol showing, high level of glycerin, oak.
Red
2012 Château Beau Soleil
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Fresh blue fruits, cardboard box, shy on fruit, good concentration, dry tannins.
Red
2012 Château Le Moulin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Black fruits, bright acidity, coffee, blue fruits, mineral, good concentration, very ripe fruits, clumsy.
Red
2012 Château Taillefer
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Blue fruit, silky, truffle, refined, good acidity, pretty, soft palate, dry tannins, good concentration.
Red
2012 Château Trianon
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, fresh, medium concentration, fresh, not much depth, good integration of tannins.
Red
2012 Château Pindefleurs
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black fruits, mint, earth, medium concentration, blueberry liquor, a hint of dry tannins.
Red
2012 Château Magrez Fombrauge
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blueberry liquor Silky and soft, blue fruits, bright acidity, violet, very ripe, very silky and opulent.
Red
2012 Château Rol Valentin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, lactic, excellent concentration, fresh, silky, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château Roylland
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
lactic, acidic, VA, big scale, highly extracted, coconut coming from oak
Red
2012 Château Croix Cardinale
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black fruits, licorice, ripe, excellent concentration, sweet spices, good round mouthfeel.
Flight 8 - Chateau Le Gay (5 notes)
Madame Pere Verge had always hosted a great tasting followed by a lunch for Grand Jury Europeen on Sunday. Kelly and I were the first ones to arrive at the property and when I got out of the car, the air seems very heavy and I felt very sad. Usually the tall grand lady would come out to greet us. When we entered the Chateau, the mood didn’t change. I didn’t notice any family members.
Red
2012 Château Montviel
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Starts with bright red fruits then crushed blackberries, excellent maturity of fruits, bright acidity, good concentration and good finish.
Red
2012 Manoir de Gay
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Truffle, elegant black fruits, silky, medium body, bright acidity.
Red
2012 Château Le Gay Pomerol
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Subtle and delicate nose expression, truffle and black fruits. Silky and round palate, excellent balance and noticeable yet nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château La Violette
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Silkier, riper and more concentrated than Le Gay. Sensual nose, blueberries, crèmes de cassis, a slight hint of licorice, sweet dark spices. Sensual, warm and polished palate, noticeable yet nicely integrated tannins. this wine tends to vary more than other wines during EP and this may have shown even better in another day.
Flight 9 - La Fleur de Bouard for Hubert de Bouard Portfolio (16 notes)
I was pretty impressed with the wines. Most of them showed nice concentration without losing the freshness. I though Chateau Angelus was showing great.
Red
2012 Château La Pointe
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Fresh black fruits, very refine palate, silky, excellent length, lovely showing.
Red
2012 Château Trianon
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Ripe but fresh black fruits, floral, excellent concentration and nice balance.
Red
2012 Château Montlabert
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black fruits, spicy oak, highly extracted, dry tannins.
Red
2012 Château Haut-Segottes
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Jammy blue fruits, fruitcake, hollow middle palate, dry tannins.Jammy blue fruits, fruitcake
Red
2012 Château Adaugusta
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, a hint of green, silky, medium concentration, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château de Pressac
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very ripe blue fruits, licorice and bright acidity. Perhaps a bit too ripe.
Red
2012 Clos des Jacobins
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
I always seem to like this wine at EP. Opulent blue fruits, blueberry jam, fresh blueberries, excellent concentration, bright acidity, silky palate and noticeable but not obtrusive tannins.
Red
2012 Château de Ferrand
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black fruits, violet, cassis, good concentration and balance.
Red
2012 Château La Fleur de Boüard
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol
Oak, coffee, blue fruits, cassis, silky and creamy palate, excellent concentration and good finish.
Red
2012 Château La Fleur de Boüard Le Plus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol
Jammy and big yet remains very fresh, fresh blue fruits, cassis and bitter chocolate. Excellent concentration, high level of glycerin, unctuous palace displaying sweet dark fruits but still remains fresh. Impressive hedonistic wine.
Red
2012 Château Daugay
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Ripe blue fruits, good acidity and concentration.
Red
2012 Château Bellevue St. Émilion Grand Cru
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Another big scale wine, opulent sweet fruit driven nose, blue fruits, cassis and cocoa, silky palate, good concentration, bright acidity and a hint of dry tannins.
Red
2012 Le Carillon de l'Angélus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion
Fresh blue fruits, silky, medium concentration, nice balance, a hint of dry tannins. This will drink well with a few years of cellaring.
Red
2012 Château Angélus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
I could be crazy but this is my highest scored wine of the vintage. Expressive nose displaying blackberry jam, crushed blueberries, cassis and coffee. Excellent concentration, fresh silky palate, nicely integrated tannins. This is an opulent big scale hedonistic wine but also displays beautiful balance.
Flight 10 - Chateau Faugeres (5 notes)
Our next visit was at Chateau Faugeres. Mr. Silvio Denz, the CEO of Lalique and the owner of Chateau Faugeres, Peby Faugeres and Cap-de-Faugeres greeted us. He told us with excitement that he and Peter Sisseck are now partnering to make the wine at Château Rocheyron. He seems to be a passionate wino who truly believes in his properties. I found the wines to be good and friendly in the past. As expected, the wines were very modern and big. The 12 Peby Faugeres was the biggest and most concentrated wine that I have tasted during the 12 EP. Although I didn’t get to visit Jean Luc Thunevin, the wine reminded me the 10 Valandraud, but a bit less polished and riper. I would think that for some, the wines are a bit too homogeneous and modern for others simply hedonistic. If you are looking for a big cult cab like experience at a decent price, Peby Faugeres might be a good wine to try. I also think that Chateau Faugeres and Cap-de-Faugeres represent very good value as there are user friendly with ample fruits and approachable young with round palate and nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château de Chambrun
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol
Crushed blackberries, noticeable oak, coffee and bitter chocolate. Good concentration and noticeable tannins.
Red
2012 Château Cap de Faugères
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Dark ripe fruits, licorice, sweet palate, excellent concentration. Great QPR.
Red
2012 Château Faugères
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Fresh blueberries, cassis, silky, highly level of glycerin, excellent concentration, modern but nicely balanced.
Red
2012 Château Péby Faugères
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
The biggest and most concentrated wine that I have tasted during the 12 EP. Although I didn’t get to visit Jean Luc Thunevin hence didn’t get to taste the 12 Valandraud, the wine reminded me the 10 Valandraud, but a bit less polished and riper. Very ripe fruits, a hint of balsamico, lactic, oak, coffee and vanilla. Big scale wine, unctuous, very ripe, excellent concentration, high level of glycerin and silky tannins.
Red
2012 Château Rocheyron
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion
A joint venture between Silvio Denz and Peter Sisseck started in 2010. The production is small and a bottle of this can be had when you buy a bottle of Pingus. Fresh blue and black fruits, a hint of cedar, good concentration, good acidity and nicely integrated tannins. I checked the price on Wine-searcher and it is selling for over $100 per bottle. The wine seems a bit simple to command such a high price. I am no expert but I would assume it will take a few years of careful vine and soil management before this property possibly producers a serious wine.
Flight 11 - Derenoncourtconsulted wines at Chateau La Gaffeliere (16 notes)
I always enjoy visit to Stephane as the wines display unique characteristics of terroir with good fresh. This has been the last visit of the first day of participating in EP every year which I have always looked forward to. Unfortunately Stephane wasn’t showing the 12 Beausejour Duffau.
Red
2012 Domaine de l'A
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
A typically ripe expression, blackberry liquor, very ripe jammy fruits, noticeable oak, silky palate, good concentration but a bit clumsy
Red
2012 Château Petit Village
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Silky, blue fruits, fresh, mineral, good balance, silky and subtle palate, one of the more elegant wines.
Red
2012 Château Lucia
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Crushed blueberries, fresh, silky, good concentration, round tannins and good length.
Red
2012 Château la Bienfaisance
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Silky, blueberry liquor, excellent concentration, a bit dull, lacking definition.
Red
2012 Château Godeau
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruit, silky, elegant, medium concentration, good length.
Red
2012 Château Rol Valentin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Fresh blue fruits, cassis, nicely matured fruit expression but not overdone. Silky palate and nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château Guadet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Fresh blackberries, silky, excellent concentration and good length.
Red
2012 Château La Gaffelière
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, crèmes de cassis lactic, silky, very refined palate, excellent concentration.
Red
2012 Clos Fourtet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Perhaps the wine to buy if the EP price is reasonable. Opulent blue fruits, silky, big scale but not overdone, lovely showing.
Red
2012 Château Brown
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh blueberries, grapy, good concentration, sweet and silky palate, nicely integrated tannins. Nice finish.
Red
2012 Domaine de Chevalier
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh, lavender, floral, medium concentration but vibrant, round palate, noticeable but nicely integrated tannins, classic.
Red
2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Blue fruits, cassis, perfectly matured fruits, silky and round palate, nice balance and good length. Another wine to buy at sub $50.
Red
2012 Château Prieuré-Lichine
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tobacco, a hint of green pepper, blue fruits, cool expression, good energy, medium concentration, a hint of dry tannins. Will need some time but may develop nice complex nose.
Red
2012 Château Talbot
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Blue fruits, cool fruit expression, cassis, nicely controlled tannins but slightly lacking energy.
Flight 12 - Univerre (9 notes)
By now, we have a tradition of dining at Au bonheur du palais. Unforutnately the restaurant closes on Sunday. Thanks to Alex R who posted a new wine restaurant in Bordeaux, I wanted to try univerre. Small world, the restaurant that Laurent V picked was univerre as he was a good friend to the chef/owner of the restaurant. Once we walked in, Kelly W also recognized the chef as he met him only a couple weeks prior at NYC La Paulee. Four of us sat down and browse through the impressive wine list. It is a serious wine list with some of the great names of Burgundy.
White
1990 Didier Dagueneau Silex
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
This is the first bottle of mature Silex of my life. First nose, I was speechless. Extremely fresh complex nose of steel, mint, sweet spices, anise and lemon. Beautiful energetic palate with exceptional concentration and minerality. It is fat but still remains precise. One of those special wines that combines subtlety, precision, complexity and core energy. This special experience is very similar to drinking a great mature yet fresh bottle of Clos Ste Hune or Coulee de Serrant.
Red
2009 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Love coming to Europe and drinking this wonderful bottle at very friendly price. It has shed the baby fat a bit. Ripe black fruits, blackberries, vosne spice, sesame, mushroom, sap and earth. Wonderful sweet and harmonious palate. Still drinking beautifully. This is a wine that doesn’t require much thinking as it is so delicious.
Red
1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The last bottle drank a six month ago was shy. Initially we debated whether the bottle was maderized. With air, it opened up a bit. Delicate pale color, almost tan with a hint of pink, coffee, mocha, chestnut, pecan, basically all tertiary with only a hint of dry cherries. The palate is sweet, some energy left but definitely oxidative note. I suppose this is where the context matter. This may have done better among the peers as this seems a bit out of place. Although my last rating was 94, I can’t recommend to buy the wine unless you are a Barolo crazy.
Red
2009 Domaine Fourrier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers Vieille Vigne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Someone told me that this is a very rare bottling. Thus far I wasn’t terribly impressed with the 09 Fourriers but this was incredibly good. En Magnum, crushed raspberries and blackberries, beautifully floral, sap, spicy spices and earth. Excellent concentration and simply seamless and delicious. This is all about purity, intensity and balance. Just darn impressive and tasty.
Red
1942 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
Laurent Vialette is not a familiar name amongst American winos but he is pretty well known in Europe. His passion is great wines and he often tells me that he exists to drink great wines and I absolutely believe him. When he is in good mood, ie after a few bottles of wine, he wants to try something really special. So…. He decided to order the 42 La Tache from the list. Clearly a correct bottle, also assurance from the owner, there is a complete moment of silence and when the cork comes out in one piece, we all breathe again. When poured, the color was worrisome, not so clear and no sign of red. The palate wasn’t any better. The owner tried very hard to convince the wine is correct although tired but we all knew better as we all have had great matured DRCs. Since it isn’t really his fault, we decided to pay, actually Christian generously picked up the tap. Laurent mentioned that the 42 La Tache could be an out of body experience.
Red
1989 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
Sweet matured dark fruits, also strawberry, cedar, caramel and only a hint of green pepper. Medium concentration, sweet subtle palate and nice long finish. Perhaps not as complex as Bordeaux but more energetic. Really enjoyable.
Red
1937 Joseph Drouhin Bonnes Mares
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Not a good day for old burgundy. The proprietor decanted the wine and left in the kitchen. A lady dumped the wine and cleaned the decanter.
Flight 13 - Chateau La Mission Haut Brion (9 notes)
As usual, our first visit of the left bank strated at Chateau Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion. Our session was held once again at the second floor private tasting room at La Mission. At least at HB and LMHB, the 12 was the vintage of Merlot. Mr. Delma informed us that Chateau Haut Brion had 65.5% Merlot, which is the highest % of Merlo in HB GV.
Red
2012 Château Quintus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Formerly known as Château Tertre Daugay that was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon. The first vintage was 2011 and Mr. Delma recognizes that it will take time to achieved the high quality which the consumers expect from the property. Blueberries, blueberry jam, spicy mouthfeel, silky palate, good concentration. Certainly softer and fresher than other right bank properties.
Red
2012 Château La Mission Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
According to Mr. Delma, one of the highest % Merlot at 62%. Sensual subtle nose displaying blue and red fruits, good mineral expression, iron and perfume. Silky palate and nicely integrated tannins. Seems soft and slightly lacking vibrant fruits.
Red
2012 Château Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
According to Mr. Delma, the highest % Merlot at 65.5%. Black fruits, very cool fruit expression, cassis, tobacco, bitter chocolate and earth. The palate is all about finesse and refinement. Excellent concentration. Lovely rather than impressive wine.
White
2012 La Clarté de Haut-Brion Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Bright and fresh fruit expression, pear, white peach, lanoline, sea salt and a hint of limestone. Medium concentration and bright acidity. Delightful and drinking nicely.
White
2012 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh and mineral driven nose, granny smith, white peach, limestone, flint and white flowers. Round mouthfeel , good acidity and good finish.
White
2012 Château Haut-Brion Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Delicate yet expressivel nose that is already quite complex, white fruits and white flowers, saline, spicy and limestone. Lovely round palate and excellent concentration.
Flight 14 - Chateau Pape Clement (6 notes)
Out next visit was at Pape Clement. Someone told me that the wines have toned down but I didn’t notice. All the wines seem typical, sweet ripe fruits, round and opulent palate and excellent concentration but a bit monolithic.
Red
2012 Château La Tour Carnet
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
This will be a nice wine to own if the price is right. Subtle blue fruits and floral. Round silky palate, noticeable but controlled tannins.
Red
2012 Château Fombrauge
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, cassis, excellent concentration and opulent fruits.
Red
2012 Château Magrez Fombrauge
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Big scale wine, ripe, unctuous, a bit of heat, not too complex. Classic Magrez style, big and ripe.
Red
2012 Château Pape Clément
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Ripe black fruits, cassis, mineral and bitter chocolate. Excellent concentration, silky palate and nicely integrated tannins. Pretty polished wine but still big, also slight lacking vibrant fruit expression.
White
2012 Château Pape Clément Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Ripe black fruits, cassis, mineral and bitter chocolate. Excellent concentration, silky palate and nicely integrated tannins. Pretty polished wine but still big, also slight lacking vibrant fruit expression.
Flight 15 - Ulysse Cazabonne (38 notes)
After the lunch, Francois arranged a tasting at Ulysse Cazabonne, a Bordeaux nogotiant. Kelly and I were lucked out as Dianne, beautiful young French lady, offered to drive us to Margaux. She may be one of the most intelligent and passionate wine professionals and it doesn’t hurt that she is also beautiful. Most of the wines from Margaux were represented and I thought they were good. I thought the classified growth Northern Medoc wines were not bad but nothing remarkable. I seem to rate all of them in 90-92 point range. Most of the wines from Margaux were represented and I thought they were good. I thought the classified growth Northern Medoc wines were not bad but nothing remarkable. I seem to rate all of them in 90-92 point range. In terms of the whites, I thought some were ripe and lacking definition. Looks like I tasted alot of wines in a relatively short time.
Red
2012 Château Cantemerle
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Fresh, blue fruits, medium concentration, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château La Fleur de Gay
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
My earlier sampling showed some heat. This is a lot better. Is it the wine or me, not sure? Blue fruits, cool fruit impression, good balance and nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Clos René
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Bright fruit expression, balck fruits, truffle, silky and round palate, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château Rol Valentin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Fresh blueberries, bitter chocolate and cocoa. Excellent concentration and nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château La Dominique
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black fruits, crushed blackberries, silky and round palate, excellent concentration.
Red
2012 Château Chauvin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted as a friend’s last name is Chauvin. Blue fruits, tannins are too dry, too extracted.
Red
2012 Château Phélan Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Fresh blueberries, soft and round palate, a hint of dry tannins. Slightly lacking energy giving the impression that the chateau made an effort to soften the tannins.
Red
2012 Château d'Armailhac
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fresh blue fruits, blueberries, medium concentration, silky, good balance and nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château Saint-Pierre
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Subtle black fruit driven nose, blackberries. Silky and round palate, good concentration and nicely integrated tannins. Very good wine.
Red
2012 Château Gloria
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Black fruits, flowers, silky, medium concentration, slight lacking energy but good overall.
Red
2012 Château Langoa Barton
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Fresh blue fruits, flower and nice mineral expression. Silky, good concentration. Will be a good wine with time.
Red
2010 Château Monbousquet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Dark fruits, excellent concentration, silky palate, very sweet but not overripe. Exactly what I would expect from this property. Still enjoyable. Need at least five more years.
Red
2005 Château Rauzan-Ségla
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
There are some back vintages in this tasting. This is a superb wine. Still very youthful but a hint of secondary notes, black fruits, lead pencil, a hint of cedar and earth. Excellent concentration and structure. I wouldn’t be surprised if this will be equal or better than the 86.
Red
2012 Château Siran
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Flower, blue fruits, medium body, nicely integrated tannins.
Red
2012 Château Rauzan-Ségla
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
I seem to like Margaux commune wines and this may be the best, other than Palmer and Margaux. Black fruits, cool fruits expression, nice maturity, round silky palate, good concentration, nicely integrated tannins and long finish. Lovely.
Red
2012 Château Rauzan-Gassies
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Sweet blue and black fruits, fresh fruits expression, medium body and nicely integrated tannins. This will be a nice claret one day.
Red
2012 Château Marojallia
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
This property once again produced monster size Margaux, taste more like a garagiste right bank wine. Cool, black fruits, ripe and cassis. Big scale wine, silky tannins, opulent ripe fruits, unctuous and silky tannins.
Red
2012 Château La Gaffelière
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very ripe fruits expression, blueberry jam, stems, good concentration and silky palate.
Red
2012 Château Figeac
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blue fruits, cassis, ripe, violet and bitter chocolate. Silky palate, good concentration and balance.
Red
2012 Château Troplong Mondot
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Another wine that displays strong style of the property, big lack fruits, cassis, licorice and milk chocolate. Big scale, excellent concentration but very well defined palate.
Red
2012 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Fresh cabernet sauvignon nose, fresh blueberries, some vegetal notes and graphite. Medium concentration and noticeable tannins. This is a traditional style of wine that will require cellaring.
Red
2012 Château Léoville Barton
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Classic Leoville Barton, black fruits, ink and lead pencil. Good concentration, cool fruits expression and silky palate. This may shut down hard and will be needing long term cellaring.
Red
2012 Château Beychevelle
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Fresh blue and black fruits, stem, cool fruit impression and cedar. Good concentration, excellent balance.
Red
2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh silky black fruits, inky, ripe but remains fresh. Silky palate and nice balance. Pretty classic wine.
White
2012 Clos Floridene Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves
I always seem to love this wine. Pear, white peach and mineral, bright acidity and mineral expression. Good concentration. Delicious and excellent QPR.
White
2012 Château Carbonnieux Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Yellow fruits and mineral. Seems very ripe. The property used to produce age worthy whites but this seems very ripe.
White
2012 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Ripe peach, beeswax and melon. Good concentration and balance. Need a few years to settle. This property is producing very good wines lately.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2005 Château Climens
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
The style reminds me the 03 but better definition. Very fat ripe fruits, yellow peach, ginger, crèmes brulées and noticeable botrytis. Excellent concentration and good acidity. It is a big scale wine that needs time to get better definition.
Flight 16 - EP crashers! Chateau Palmer (2 notes)
After our appointment at Ulysse Cazabonne, we still had some time but no scheduled appointments. I met Thomas Duroux at the Palmer dinner that Panos organized a few years back. Kelly also knew someone at the property so Dianne, Kelly and I decided to crash EP at Chateau Palmer. We first got to the Chai bypassing the reception but director Bernard de Laage kindly advised to head back to the reception. In our last session of the 09 CRD tasting, there were four visitors who were invited to observe our briefing. Lucky us, one of them happened to be the receptionist at Palmer. She welcomed us and kindly let us taste with Thomas. Although there were a bunch of folks waiting, we got the VIP treatment. Although it has been a couple years, Mr. Duroux recognized me and lead a private session for three of us. I assume being with a beautiful young French lady didn’t hurt. I have never tasted Chateau Palmer in EP but this must have been god’s will as both Alter Ego and GV were showing great.
Red
2012 Alter Ego
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Blue fruits, bright fresh fruit expression and mineral. Excellent concentration and balance, nicely integrated tannins and long finish. It is better than most of the northern GVs.
Red
2012 Château Palmer
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Blue fruits, cool impression, cassis and earth. Excellent concentration, silky palate and nicely integrated tannins. Seamless, precise and perfectly balanced.
Flight 17 - We even crashed Chateau Margaux (3 notes)
Now that we successfully crashed the Chateau Palmer EP, we made a unanimous decision to crash Chateau Margaux. When we entered the chai, Mr. Pontarlier and Madame Mentzelopoulos were greeting the folks. It is a Grand Jury European’s tradition to have a tasting session with Mr. Pontarlier and the Madame but not this year. Dianne introduced ourselves as Grand Jury Europeen in her mother tongue and Kelly and I smiled in the back ground (dumb and dumber moment). Mr. Pontarlier looked us curiously as he knew that we were not coming this year. Nevertheless, our charms worked beautifully once again and we joined a bunch of Englishmen. Kelly and I agreed that two Americans, especially me looking almost Chinese, with a beautiful young French woman can certainly open a lot of doors.
Red
2012 Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Once again elegance is the theme at Chateau Margaux. Black and blue fruits, flower and mineral. Beautiful silky palate, lovely balance and good structure. I seem to prefer this to the 11 although my ratings are the same.
Flight 18 - Nightcap at Univerre (2 notes)
Although we were stuffed, we weren’t quite done yet so Dianne, Kelly and I headed back to Univerre. It was a beautiful way to end our stays in Bordeaux.
White
2009 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Ripe yellow fruits, also pear, lemon, saline and mineral. Oily palate, rich ripe fruits, bright acidity and long finish. Although a big scale wine, very precise. Impressive.
Red
2009 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Château
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Textbook Vosne, complex nose with clear note of Vosne spice, beautiful sweet fruits, beautiful silky palate, excellent balance and long finish. Drinking exceptional well. This doesn't have La Tache like subtlety and complexity neverthelss it stillis plenty complex.
Closing
Kelly and I traveled to Paris the next morning. We originally planned to go drink a bottle of Coche CC at a restaurant but we were a bit too tired. Kelly is a hardcore and wanted to go to willi's wine bar but I was a bit too tired. After taking a nice nap, I joined Kelly and his friends for a nice dinner at bistro paul bert. It was once again wonderful, simple great ingredients that were perfectly executed. We had one last drink/Champagne in Paris at a random restaurant and headed back to our hotel. Another memorable trip sharing wonderful wines with great friends!