Hélène Garcin-Lévêque Dinner

TCWC presents a selection of wines from the estates of Hélène Garcin-Lévêque.

• 2001 Château Barde-Haut 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque, this was the standout of the evening. Ruby color, with an bold upfront aromatic profile of dark red fruit. Nose also shows classic Bordeaux underpinnings of cedar wood and gravelly terroir with a mild, pleasantly musty note. Tannins were structured, slightly astringent but generally well-integrated. Drinking wonderfully right now with perhaps 5-10 years to go.

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• 2005 Château Barde-Haut 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured alongside the 2005 Haut Bergey, and the comparison favored the Barde-Haut. Dark crimson color, with an auburn rim. The nose is on the darker side, with the ample fruit punctuated by cigar box, gravel, saline, and a viscous tar aroma. This is extremely smooth (not surprising considering the blend is 90% Merlot) and the tannins have receeded nearly fully, providing a very pleasing drinking experience right now. Maybe another 5-7 years left on this one at a stretch, but also charming at the moment.

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• 2005 Château Haut-Bergey 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured alongside the 2005 Barde-Haut, and the comparison favored the Barde-Haut (but only for now). Dark, opaque crimson color. Ripe cherries on the nose, with pine resin, oil and gravel notes. Smooth up front but a little vegetal towards the back of the palate, with tannins still a bit tart. This blend is 70% Cabernet and is built to last, so another 5 years is required at least, with 10-15 years likely necessary for this to show its stuff. Though the Barde-Haut is more accessible now, this will inevitably surpass its sibling with time.

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• 1999 Clos l'Église (Pomerol) 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured last, probably mistakenly. After seven glasses of younger, more forward and brusque wines, this tasted very restrained. Palate fatigue may be to blame, but this had principally a sandy/chalky character, with very muted fruit. I'd like to revisit this in isolation, where the subtler flavors are allowed to take center stage. For now, this is still elegant and quite refined, if less showy than its younger siblings.

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• 2001 Clos l'Église (Pomerol) 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque, this vied for top prize with the 2001 Barde-Haut. Dark purple colored with a bright magenta rim. Nose is very layered, starting with bright acai berries, a light cinnamon note, roasted meat, and a sweet/smoky honey mesquite aroma. There's also a surprising hint of salinity in here, perhaps imparted by the terroir? In any case, this is still young tasting, with the strong tannins restraining the palate a bit. Though integrated less fully than the Barde-Haut right now, the structure is superior and will likely support another 10-15 years of maturation at least. 92 points reflecting no future potential, though this is certainly worth following.

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• 2001 Château Branon 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured alongside the 2001 Barde-Haut and 2001 Clos l'Eglise. Inky black color, with the nose and palate limited to ripe red grape. The tannins are super tart, boding well for continued aging. Compared to its more forward siblings this is still very much in its shell. Cannot give this a really fair evaluation at the moment, but the architecture of the wine is such that it will bear revisiting in 5-15 years, and likely long after that. The score is stingy but will inevitably improve with the maturation of the wine.

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• 2006 Bodegas Poesia Poesia 92 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque, this was towards the top of the pack and showed well against its French competition. A brownish-red hue tending towards brick at the rim. This immediately presents a dark bouquet of blackberries and mulberries, followed by earthier hay and morel mushroom aromas. There's a faint vanilla note on the palate, with the new oak having integrated fully (as compared with the 2008 Poesia). This also reflects the rockiness of the underlying soil. The Malbec (60%), like the Merlot in Mme. Garcin-Leveque's right bank wines, provides a smooth velvety texture, with the structure provided by Cabernet Sauvignon. A lovely wine, made with obvious expertise, perhaps the most elegant Argentine Malbec I have ever tasted.

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• 2008 Bodegas Poesia Poesia 89 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo

  Tasted with a variety of wines from the estates of Helene Garcin-Leveque. This was poured alongside the 2006 Poesia, perahps giving an indication of things to come. The 2008 is a dark crimson color, with an auburn rim. The ample oak is apparrent, with a strong vanilla aroma dominating the nose. This is full bodied on the palate with astringent tannins, imparting a rather green finish. If the 2006 is anything to go by, with a few years all these elements will recede a bit and integrate more harmoniously, with the many nuances (now invisible) starting to show their stuff. Powerful now, but best to ignore this for at least two and perhaps 10+ years.

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