2012 UGC

After having missed the 2011 UGC last year, I was very curious to try this rather modest vintage and see how it compares to 2009 and 2010 at such an early stage. Unfortunately I came very late to the tasting, and had about 40 minutes to go through some 30 wines. Hence the notes on the wines which I did not find particularly interesting and attractive are extremely brief and are more for my own reference and comparison than to provide much insights to others. I did however try to spend a bit more time and taste twice where possible the few wines I thought stood out of the rather unremarkable mass. Both for whites and reds I thought Domaine de Chevalier was very good. Unlike most of the other whites, which seemed strangely flat and often a bit oily, the Domaine de Chevalier Blanc had good freshness and showed already some more complex flavours. Among the reds, again I thought the Domaine de Chevalier showed most promise, with plenty of oak but also bright red fruit and the best length of all wines tasted. On the other hand I thought Gruaud Larose was the most complete and balanced wine with a bigger body than most but again also showing already some more complexity. While I definitively prefer my Bordeaux somewhat more mature, the 2012 Gruaud Larose is the only red among the ones tasted that I could see myself opening and enjoying right now.
Lastly, while I know very little about Sauternes, I did find the Clos Haut Peyraguey rather nice and head and shoulder above the other two tasted

Given the vintage, was expecting more freshness in the whites which to my surprise most were not showing. Particularly Pape Clement and Fieuzal were on the oily side without showing much at this point in time, and while I assume they will develop more complexity over time, it is not my preferred style of white. Clear favorite here for me hence Domaine de Chevalier

• 2012 Château Carbonnieux Blanc 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Not very expressive white, rather flat

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• 2012 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Best white Bordeaux of the tasting in my eyes. This is much fresher than most of the other whites at the tasting given nice citrus nose and good acidity and minerality. Nice touch of nuts and almond.

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• 2012 Château de Fieuzal Blanc 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Different impression of this wine than at my first encounter a couple months ago. Compared to the 2012 Chevalier that I tried just before this Fieuzal, this was showing more grassy notes but also a more oily texture with some sweetness.

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• 2012 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Fresher but also more oaky than Fieuzal

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• 2012 Château Pape Clément Blanc 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Among the most oily and thick whites of the tasting. Also some earthy notes. Overall however also rather flat and closed. Guess this has potential to open up. 90+

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• 2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  One of the relatively fresher and more acidic whites of the tasting. Not bad but the Chevalier seemed more complex

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While nice enough, most of the reds were not remarkable with the expected lighter color (dark ruby or light garnet) and light to medium bodies. While I did not find the wines overoaked, some of the smaller producers showed some woody tannins on the relatively light palate. Favorites again Domaine de Chevalier as the wine with most upside and Gruaud Larose for the most complete wine in my eyes. Since I have a few bottles of the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier, the Gruaud Larose is probably the only white I would (opportunistically) seek out at this point in time, for the rest I would wait 4-5 years and see how they develop and whether they are worth buying given the plenty alternatives available at similar prices (08, 04, 01).

• 2012 Domaine de Chevalier 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  This had the most oak on the nose of any of the wines tasted. Nice strawberries and other red fruit on the palate but also some wood. The longest and most intense finish of the wines tasted. Might take a couple years to come together but in my eyes one of the best wines of the 2012 UGC. 91+

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• 2012 Château de Fieuzal 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Less oaked than the Chevalier preceding it but also much less expressive and with none of the length

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• 2012 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  One of the thinnest wines of the tasting, some wood. Not convincing

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• 2012 Château Haut-Bailly 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Nice berries but only short to medium finish.

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• 2012 Château Pape Clément 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Rather mediocre, not the big, rather heavily toasted wine we have seen from Pape Clement in recent years

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• 2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (3/6/2015)

  Rather mediocre, not the big, ripe extracted wine we have seen from Smith Haut Lafitte in recent years

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• 2012 Château Le Bon Pasteur 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  (3/6/2015)

  Was secretly hoping for something bigger and more concentrated after some of the mediocre wines preceding but no, was not meant to be

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• 2012 Château Beauregard 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  (3/6/2015)

  Earthier than some of the preceding wines but nothing special

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• 2012 Château Gazin Pomerol 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  (3/6/2015)

  This was probably the best Pomerol of the tasting as there was neither Conseillante nor Clinet left, still only good but not great

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• 2012 Château d'Armailhac 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (3/6/2015)

  Not bad but rather light with not too much fruit like many of the 2012

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• 2012 Château Clerc Milon 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (3/6/2015)

  Earthier and fuller than Armailhac but not a very expressive or complex wine

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• 2012 Château Lynch-Bages 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (3/6/2015)

  Again a bit bigger and fuller than Armailhac but here as well medium finish at best

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• 2012 Château Beychevelle 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  Plenty of oak here on the nose, does not have as much substance as the Gruaud Larose to match the oak.

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• 2012 Château Gruaud Larose 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  The most complete red of the tasting, and unlike most, a wine I could drink and enjoy right now. A fair bit of oak but supported by smooth and fairly rich dark fruit, even some pencil lead. Medium finish. Very well done. Not sure how much upside the wine has in terms of development but with the Domaine de Chevalier one of the very few interesting wines during the evening.

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• 2012 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  Following the Gruaud Larose, this was a leaner wine but with nice balance.

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• 2012 Château Léoville Poyferré 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  A bit more generous than the Lagrange. Nice enough but still a bit disappointing given the pedigree of the producer

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• 2012 Château Léoville Barton 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  More earthy and herbal than the Poyferre preceding. Again a slight disappointment given the second growth pedigree

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• 2012 Château Langoa Barton 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  (3/6/2015)

  To my surprise, I liked this better than the two Leovilles present. Seemed more rounded and balanced

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• 2012 Château La Lagune 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  (3/6/2015)

  Nothing interesting here

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• 2012 Château La Tour Carnet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  (3/6/2015)

  Showed the expected style of the house with a bit more oak and a bit richer fruit than its peers

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• 2012 Château Prieuré-Lichine 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (3/6/2015)

  Unfortunately many of the Margaux were gone (Giscours, Brane Cantenac) by the time I got to this appellation, so I got to try Prieure Lichine and Ferriere only. In the past I have found Prieure Lichine to punch above its weight in smaller vintages (but not necessarily in bigger ones) but am not convinced here. Like some other smaller wines it showed some wooden tannins on the palate and not plenty of fruit. Perhaps this will find together but who knows 88+

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• 2012 Château Ferrière 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (3/6/2015)

  Smoother and rounder than Prieure Lichine but not very expressive on the palate

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The better known producers were gone as the event was over by the time I got to Sauternes but I did enjoy the elegant Clos Haut Peyraguey.

• 2012 Clos Haut-Peyraguey 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (3/6/2015)

  My knowledge of (and interest in) Sauternes is very limited but I liked this wine which showed good complexity with a noble and well balanced palate. The fact that it was served very cool helped to make the sweetness for me just right. Nice!

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• 2012 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (3/6/2015)

  Even though this was served just as cool as the Clos Haut Peyraguey I found this overly sweet, and beyond the sweetness could not find much complexity or interest here

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• 2012 Château de Rayne-Vigneau 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (3/6/2015)

  This had some awkward grassy and herbal notes which did not work for me in a sweet wine

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Need to make sure I can arrive to the UGC tasting earlier next time around...