First day of en primeur Bordeaux 2013

Château Bellefont-Belcier
Tasted Sunday, March 30, 2014 by PanosKakaviatos with 948 views

Introduction

First day of a weeklong tasting of Bordeaux 2013 from barrel. Organized by the Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux at the lovely Château Bellefont-Belcier in Saint Emilion. Tasting conditions were impeccable with excellent service to all tasters. Most people have heard of the dreary weather conditions almost throughout the 2013 growing season, and the tough selections that vintners had to make. In tasting with esteemed wine author and friend Jane Anson and fellow wine writer Adam Lechmere, we got the sense that some estates chaptalized to the point where the heat and alcohol were too present for a small vintage. Other estates played it so safe that they ended up with boring and faceless wines, the worst feeling thin and even weedy. But some estates - such as Rouget and Fleur de Gay from Pomerol - did quite a fine job, stressing an "unforced" drinkability that seemed "honest" to the vintage. They certainly must have selected very carefully.

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2013 Haut-Carles 84 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

    Like other barrel samples tasted, the nose was attractive enough - even floral, but the palate proved hard and somewhat astringent.

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  • 2013 Château de la Rivière 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

    Plum fruit. A bit of refinement here, even notions of tobacco. If somewhat jammy and hot on the finish. Tannic presence. One of the more successful Fronsacs.

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Flight 2 (4 Notes)

  • 2013 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Tasted after the typically rich and heady Fombrauge (which was not that bad, mind you) and the monolithic if glossy Fonplegade, this exuded the most verve among this flight even if it lacked power or substance, but we are talking about 2013. Compare this - for example - to the somewhat faceless Yon Figeac, and you have a pretty nice drink.

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  • 2013 Château Yon-Figeac 80 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Tasted after Clos des Jacobins, which has more sap some appealing texture and a certain briskness to the finish, this sample just came across as transparent and inconsequential. Perhaps they took no risks at the estate, so the issue here is not excessive heat from chaptalization or excessive oak. But it is the opposite of excess.

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  • 2013 Château Bellefont-Belcier 84 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Now, some people will love the style, but I just think that the oak dominates far too much for this vintage's own good. Where will this wine be at age 10? I fear too much oak. But, let's just see this from bottle.

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  • 2013 Château Fleur Cardinale 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    This barrel sample exuded a rather pure expression of fruit. There is some nuance and weight. I am eager to try this from bottle as it intrigues me.

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Flight 3 (9 Notes)

  • 2013 Château Rouget 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    A successful Pomerol, as it is smooth and has juice and does not taste "manufactured", as esteemed wine author Jane Anson commented when we discussed this wine at the Grand Cercle tasting. A good choice in 2013.

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  • 2013 Château Vieux Maillet 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Tasted after the disappointing Taillefeur from Pomerol, which has alcoholic heat likely from chaptalisation and seemed forced, this barrel seemed to offer more "drinkability". While not as smooth or "unforced" as, say, Rouget, it goes in that noble direction for this vintage and even has some edgy character that appealed to me on the finish.

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  • 2013 Château Montviel 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Coming after the flat and boring Mazeyres, this sample seemed thicker and more substantial but also fruit driven, so quite a nice surprise for the vintage. Nice job.

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  • 2013 Château La Fleur de Gay 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Wow, one of the few really excellent barrel samples from today's tasting. It conveys floral aromatics and a smooth and fresh character. Very fresh. Bravo!

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  • 2013 Clos du Clocher 83 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Medicinal. Smooth enough, but boring. Once again we have a barrel sample from 2013 that does not offend but hardly excites.

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  • 2013 Château Mazeyres 82 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Another paper tiger sort of wine. There is alcohol but where is the fruit and the substance?

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  • 2013 Château Bellegrave (Pomerol) 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Juicy and bright. This conveys a certain vivacity although I note a few under-ripe notes, too.

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  • 2013 Château Bonalgue 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Slightly more weight than the Bellegrave (Pomerol) with more present tannin. There is a bit of hardness on the finish but not bitter. I like the weight on the mid palate. Time in bottle may yield a pleasant surprise.

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  • 2013 Château Bourgneuf 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    One of the most successful reds I encountered as barrel samples today. Crushed tobacco nose. Rich and savory, but a bit heady – there is a feeling of warmth but not overdone.

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Flight 4 (5 Notes)

Flight 5 (6 Notes)

  • 2013 Château Couhins-Lurton Blanc 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Lovely intensity and purity of fruit, very citrus but also substance. This came out to be perhaps the best dry white I tried today. Bravo to the Lurtons!

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  • 2013 Château de Cruzeau Blanc 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Now we are getting a bit more serious, with all three Lurton whites showing well. Not quite as good as the Couhins-Lurtong, as this comes across as varietal, but not excessively so as in other examples I sampled today such as the Roquetaillade Blanc. Good intensity.

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  • 2013 Clos Floridene Blanc 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves

    Rather good, and as Jane Anson remarked a "textbook" white Graves. And if you are going to purchase this off the shelf - and the price is always decent - well, what more do you want? The nose exuded a nice saltiness although I suppose the palate was just a touch lackluster. Let's give it time to be ready from bottle.

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  • 2013 Château Thieuley Bordeaux Blanc Sec 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Now, some of the dry whites I tried at the Grand Cercle were a bit flabby. But this came into a decent spot with enough energy to make it appealing.

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  • 2013 Château Raymond-Lafon 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    First tasting this week and I will try it again. This time with Bill Blatch at the Bordeaux Grand Cercle tasting. It was opulent, salty, fresh and mineral driven with fine botrytis notes. Promising for the vintage indeed.

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  • 2013 Château Cantegril Sauternes 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    This was - as wine consultant for Sauternes Bill Blatch remarked - a very good "apero Sauternes" but to me even more. Very smooth and pleasing with subtle notes of sweet spice. Very good indeed!

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Closing

This was an interesting first look at 2013 from barrel. More notes coming!

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