Blind tasting of Grand Cercle wines 2011 vintage: Part III

The final day of three days of blind tasting Bordeaux 2011 from members of the Grand Cercle, a grouping of Bordeaux that began as the Cercle de Rive Droite but now includes many estates from the Left Bank. This final morning session of 2011 reds may have been the strongest overall, but - again - 2011 is not a super duper vintage by any means. And it was a tough time to evaluate it, as the structure and the tannin was showing more than the fruit on a general level. Please be sure to read parts I and II and to visit my website for pics and video: http://www.wine-chronicles.com/blog/bordeaux-2011-four-years-on/

• 2011 Château Crabitey 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Floral and spice. Aromatics are pleasing here. The medium bodied palate has elegance and smoothness. Well managed medium plus tannin. Somewhat high toned with red fruit on the medium finish.

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• 2011 Clos Puy Arnaud 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  One of the top wines of the 2011s tasted blind all weekend. Fine aromatics, floral. The palate is high toned, with high acidity, just ripe enough plum – very plum like – and juiciness if not sumptuousness. A good reflection, a good interpretation of the vintage… Nice job.

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• 2011 Château Bellefont-Belcier 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Floral and fruity. If oak on the nose – but well integrated. There is juiciness here. High tannin, high acidity, ripe enough, red fruit character. Medium + body. Fine. It does cost about 45 euros. One of the Swedish tasters thinks that the oak will take over, but I do not, because it does not dry on the finish.

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• 2011 Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Nose a bit austere. Palate lacks sumptuous fruit to be a higher score. Easy to drink perhaps.

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• 2011 Château de Laussac 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Red fruit on the opening, with spice. A bit of oak on this that detracts. The palate shows freshness and zing. Smooth and elegant. OK, there is tannic presence on the medium plus finish but that’s normal. Fine structure. Probably a good deal.

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• 2011 Château Trimoulet 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  There is some austerity here, somewhat tough tannin that while not rough, keeps the wine in check, with a hard impression. Some warmth from alcohol. Fruit not as expressive – but I appreciate the wine’s weight, and serious tone.

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• 2011 Château Bel Air la Royère 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Blaye

  Well, here one of several fine discoveries from lesser known appellations. Oak derivation but also wild strawberry aromatics. The palate shows juiciness. Tannins not quite as hard as others here. Fine structure. Medium plus tannin and acidity, medium alcohol. Medium plus body and finish. Fine.

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• 2011 Château Magnan La Gaffelière 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  A bit austere and lacking in fruit. Light bodied, medium plus tannin, medium acidity, a touch vegetal and drying – I reached for the water. No, not very good.

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• 2011 Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Endearing spice and black fruit on the nose. The palate is smooth. Framed by high tannin, yet also quite juicy on the mid palate with medium plus acidity, if not the among the most concentrated of this series. Nice job overall.

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• 2011 Château Les Trois Croix 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

  Ripe blackberry and plum on the nose. The palate has juice, concentration, just slightly stern tannins and a stern like finish, but this is likely a question of timing… Nice job overall. Quite serious wine.

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• 2011 Château Bellegrave (Pauillac) 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  A bit too much sawdust/oak for my aromatics preferences. The palate is better, with juiciness and red fruit, although a bit of drying on the medium finish.

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• 2011 Château Haut Selve 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Hint of pyrazine? Smooth and fruit driven, however, medium tannin, medium acidity, well balanced and a good drink. Interesting to taste again backwards after the next wine (Reclos de la Couronne) as it seems almost like a relief, as if having a beer after a long tasting of tannin filled reds.

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• 2011 Reclos de la Couronne 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion

  Rich, dark fruit with floral elements on the nose. Very concentrated wine, with blackberry and plum. High tannin but high ripeness with adequate acidity. Quite an impressive showing blind… but tannins on finish are slightly drying, even if it would win a modern styled beauty contest. Indeed, fellow taster Birte Jantzen called it a "Baby Pavie" :-).

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• 2011 Château Tour des Termes 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Smooth fruit on the nose, polished. High toned, with acidity showing more than tannin… Perhaps lacking a bit of balancing concentration? But I could enjoy this. A weak 87, if you please.

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• 2011 Château Penin Les Cailloux 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  Fruit driven nose, a hint of phenolic. The medium bodied palate has tannic spine, high tannin yet also ripe fruit, with red fruit and a certain juicy aspect leading to a medium plus finish.

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• 2011 Château Reynon 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux

  Bright red, cranberry aspect on the nose well integrating some pleasing oak derivation. The palate is a touch austere however, losing the promise of fruit and ending with a short finish, somewhat drying… Another weak 87.

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• 2011 Château Le Sartre 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Fresh red fruit. This is smooth and tasty, I like the plum like fruit even if it is slightly high toned…

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• 2011 Château Brillette 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  Nose seems a bit vegetal. Medium bodied palate, showing tannic backbone but not as much fruit as I would like to grade higher.

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• 2011 Château Peyredon Lagravette Haut-Médoc 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Strawberry flavors, smooth and tasty. A bit drying however.

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• 2011 Château Faizeau Sélection Vieilles Vignes 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion

  Deep nose including toast, blackberry and spice. Rich mid palate, with juiciness. Slightly austere tannin on the medium finish however, and yet it conveys fun.

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• 2011 Château La Croizille 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Red fruit aromatics, pure. This has fine acidity, toned down tannin. Medium body. But overall lively and elegant. Red fruit flavors. Excellent!

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• 2011 Château Dalem 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac

  A very weak 87. Sweet aromatics. Candied fruit… This is tasty enough, a good drink, but lacks enough body to give it a higher score. Somewhat light, with tannin and acidity and lightly ripe fruit, it has a short finish.

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• 2011 Château Thieuley Réserve Francis Courselle 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  Brett… This has juiciness but also some hard tannin that overtakes the fruit… I am not sure. More structure than fruit. Drying tannin.

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• 2011 Château La Rose Perrière 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lussac-St. Émilion

  Slight vegetal but also fruit driven aromatics. Yet juiciness on the palate. The wine is however just a bit austere on the finish. Hmmmm.

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• 2011 Château Lecuyer 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Lovely ripe fruit on the aromatics. Roasted coffee, yes. Yet it comes across as a bit hard on the palate. Some oak derivation but well integrated. The medium bodied palate has juice and medium plus flavor intensity, mainly dark fruit, with a medium finish, still somewhat hard – but that’s because the wine is still too young. I suppose.

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• 2011 Château Croix Cardinale 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Agreeable aromatics… Rather intense on the palate, high tannin and oak derivation detracting. Extraction is noticeable. Somewhat hard on the finish, but mid palate has fine juice and concentration. Cross them fingers for the long run, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and a rather high score.

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• 2011 Lynsolence 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This has juiciness and power. Somewhat drying tannin nonetheless, with oak derivation evident. Really reached for water… Bernard Burtschy said that the wine ages well… I still disliked the 2000, when tasted in 2005, but would like to try it now. I still feel it is too modern for my tastes. Too much oak.

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• 2011 Château La Clémence 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Dark fruit and oak… The medium plus bodied palate has juice and high flavor intensity, but I wonder about the somewhat drying oak derived tannin on the finish. Yet, the mid palate reassures. Even if alcohol makes it somewhat "sweet and sticky" as one taster said. A weak 87.

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• 2011 Château Bourgneuf 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Aromatics are clean and fruit driven here, leading to a brisk medium bodied red fruit filled palate, a lively aspect with juice and a medium finish, albeit a touch hard.

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• 2011 Château La Cardonne 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  Smooth red fruit. Polished but not glossy, there is brisk acidity. However the finish dries out a bit making me wonder.

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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.