Coravin fun - Bordeaux

After a fairly full on Christmas, I decided to see in a very quiet new year in with a bit of a tasting plough through some of the Bordeauxs in the cellar from a few of my favourite producers...

Been a bit of a fan of this fifth growth for a quite a while though older back vintages are pretty rare down in Australia...

These all showed an interesting earthy note in varying degrees. The 05 and 06 were my preferences

• 2000 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Baked blackcurrant, plenty of sweet and savoury spice, smells dense, slightly meaty, a little Autumn leaves, earthy and, with time, a touch of cassis, leather and cigar box. Medium plus intensity acidity, black and red fruits, sweet spice, non intrusive alcohol warmth on the. finish. Tannins feel near resolves surprisingly. Nose better than the palate. Hmm.

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• 2003 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Slightly raisined black fruits, blackcurrant, basked earth, a little sweet spice and cedar, a little dried out. Medium plus intensity acidity, wild black fruits, tangy, slightly dried out on the palate as well, tannins are drying and quite floury textured, a gain a little alcohol warmth on the finish but not too intrusive. Okay considering the vintage...hmm

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• 2005 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Cream black fruits; currants; plums; slight brambles, sweet spice, a little leather, meaty with a very slight metallic underpin. Juicy, tight, grippy though finely textured tannins go hand in hand with the slightly sour black fruits, leather, cedar, sweet spice. Nice.

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• 2006 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Meaty, savoury, blackcurrant, brambles, slightly earthy, leather, sweet spice, with time a little cream and the fruit becomes more jubey. Medium plus intensity acidity, tight grippy though (again) finely textured tannins go hand in had with wild black fruits joined by a touch of mint and a little non intrusive alcohol warmth on the finish. Nice.

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This time it was the 10 and the 12 that were the winners for me.

• 2009 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Aromas of blackberry over blackcurrant, mint, baking spice, biscuit, earthy. Juicy medium plus intensity acidity, ripe black fruits; currants; berries; a little plum, tannins are slightly grainy textured and drying, a little alcohol warmth intrudes on the medium plus length finish joined by cedary notes. Hmm.

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• 2010 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Cream, blackcurrant tends to cassis, cedar, mint, slight meaty underpin lends a savoury note. Juicy, cedar, that melange of black fruits backed by mint, slight sweet spice, tight grippy tannins are talc textured in a supporting role for the fruit. Very long.

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• 2011 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Wild blackcurrant, brambles, plums, cream, baking spice, slight toast. Savoury, juicy, slight sour, slight bitter tannins are talc textured, brambles and plums a little herbaceous underpin, medium plus length. Hmm. Not one of my favourite 2011's

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• 2012 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  From Coravin. Biscuit, toast, plums, blackcurrant, a little sweet spice, cassis, plums, blackcurrant, tiny red currant underpin lends a slight sourness, grippy tannins are woody and more in support. Long, fresh, lovely.

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I came (very) late to Prieure Lichine but have been making up for lost time...I do find them very pleasant indeed.

This white is rather charming.

• 2018 Château Prieuré-Lichine Le Blanc du Chateau Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux

  From Coravin. Ripe gooseberry, green apple, slight cream and butter, pretty though simple nose. Juicy, fleshy, fruit sweet and a reflection of the nose, a little textured grip, slight non-intrusive alcohol warmth, buttery notes, very slight apple skin bitterness, long, lovely.

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Unlike Batailley older Prieure Lichine pop up regularly down here.

This was an impressive showing for a bracket of 39 to 44 year old wines. These were all good, the 83 probably the weakest on this tasting.

• 1978 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Slight menthol, earthy, smidge of brett, smoky, very sous bois, meaty, savoury, tertiary dominant nose but with a little bramble and a smidge of red berry. Juicy, a little caramel note joins the other flavours implied by the nose, still surprisingly dense with grippy tannins that are talc textured. Yum

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• 1980 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity nose reveals quite a lightweight nose showing biscuit, red berries, a little autumn leaves, mushroom; umami, biscuit, liquorice. Juicy tending to medium plus intensity acidity, fruit tea, plenty of talc textured grip in support, finishes long, creamy, lovely.

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• 1981 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas like the 1980 it's quite lightweight on the nose showing red over blackberries, tiny raisined note in support, a little leather, earth, Autumnal notes, smells slight sour. And it proves a little sur on the palate which lends freshness more red over blackcurrant with a touch of fruit tea in support, again talc textured tannic grip. Long, Yum.

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• 1982 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Quite bold after the 1980 and 1981, black over red fruit showing brambles, a little smoky and earthy underpin, toast, sweet spice, forest floor, lovely nose. Juicy medium plus intensity acidity is balanced by brambles, red berries and blackcurrants, toast, sous bois, tight talc textured tannins, long, lovely, wonderful in fact.

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• 1983 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Red currant and red berry but still ripe, smidge of sweet spice, oak, mushrooms tend to truffle, slight orange peel, leather. Medium pus intensity acidity, ed over black fruits, mushroom notes in support as are the tight talc textured tannins, fleshy, long.

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That 96 was disappointing...not sure if flawed but I suspect it is nudging that space. The 03 not one of the better ones I've tried. The 01, 04 and 05 were all pleasing.

• 1996 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. A little caramel; almost like a maderised quality over black fruits; plums, blackcurrant, brambles, dusty sweet spice, toast, cedar, slight leather. And that slight maderised note is reflected on the palate, plenty of drying tannins and fruit tea flavours backed by sweet spice and caramel complete the picture. Bah.

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• 2001 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Brambles over plums and blackcurrant, biscuit, toast, a little cassis, cream, sweet spice, plenty of polished oak. Lovely nose. Juicy, fleshy, a little herbaceous underpin to the black fruits on the palate, tannins are slightly coarse, flour textured and drying, that polished oak note encroaches with some sweet spice to join the fruit on the finish. Nice

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• 2003 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Baked black fruits, sweet spice, slight raisins, a little cream and ripe plum, touch of polished oak. Quite ripe on the palate with those baked fruits and a touch of raisin, tight but talc textured tannins, alcohol warmth on the finish. Hmm.

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• 2004 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Brambles, blackcurrant tends to cassis, plums, sweet spice, polished oak with a savoury underpin, slight earthy notes and a touch of mint. Nice nose. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, plenty of coarse flour tannins, same fruits; brambles, blackcurrant, plums, charming.

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• 2005 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Bold black fruits; brambles; blackcurrant; plums, sweet spice, polished oak, cream, slightly meaty underpin, lends a touch of savouriness, jubey notes with time. Moving from primary to tertiary on the palate, beautifully balanced acid, fruit and tannins, Juicy, black fruits, oak, drying woody tannins, bold but with freshness, best showing for me. Yum.

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I'm not sure on the Confidences...but I will persist. The 16 showed very good today.

• 2009 Château Prieuré-Lichine Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Plums, sweet spice, slight toast, a little cedary underpin, a little liquorice with time. Juicy, fleshy, sweet spice, plummy, slightly chalky tannins, quite simple with a fair like of alcohol warmth on the finish.

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• 2011 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Ripe blackcurrant, brambles, plenty of sweet spice and polished oak, slight cedar, a little herbaceous underpin, a little clay/earth note with time a little dusty spice underpin and very slight brett. Juicy, savoury, herbaceous underpin to the wild brambly black fruits, plentiful tight, slightly woody and coarse textured tannins slight alcohol warmth, a bit elbows. Hmm.

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• 2015 Château Prieuré-Lichine Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Plums, sweet spice, a little cedar, a little red berry and blackcurrant underpin as well as a touch of cream and slight fruit lozenge. Juicy, softly engaging, plummy broad, a slight savoury underpin, fleshy, silky tending to floury textured tannins, medium plus length with non intrusive alcoholic warmth, clean, simple, nice.

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• 2015 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Dense, ripe, concentrated blackcurrant, blackberry, sweet plums, polished oak shows cedar and sweet spice. Juicy, fleshy, black fruits and other flavours as per the nose, tight, slightly coarse tannins prove quite drying. Touch of warmth on the finish, time, lots of it - quite closed at the moment but shows promise.

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• 2016 Château Prieuré-Lichine

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Initially it's quite meaty, savoury, a almost a little dirty but, with time and agitation, it starts to show lovely ripe, jubey black lozenge fruit, more cherry than blackcurrant backed by plums, sweet spice, cream, cedar. Juicy, fleshy, concentrated, that jubey black fruit is quite non-delineated on the palate, tannins are talc textured, fine and persistent, all travel long, more 'complete' and balanced than the 2015, slightly creamy on the long finish. Good.

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Though right bank wines are not usually my, ahh, cup of tea I do find something compelling in Angelus. The 08 and 10 showed best today.

• 2003 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of quite ripe black fruits showing plums, blackcurrant over red berry underpin, polished oak, muted sweet spice, cream, a little caramel, alcohol lends a little peppery underpin. In the mouth there is medium plus intensity acidity which proves quite juicy, alcohol warmth, plummy fruit is broad, tannins are drying, slightly grainy but also quite polished. Less dried out that the last tasting but this still sits in the 'hmm' space for me.

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• 2008 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas show plummy, fruity backed by vanilla, a little caramel, sweet spice, a little red currant underpin, slight chocolate completes the nose. In the mouth it's plummy, rich, with plenty of polished oak, a little herbaceous underpin, slightly woody tannins, tangy, fleshy, beautifully balanced, long, lovely, in a great spot.

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• 2009 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  From Coravin. Ripe plums, smells quite dense, a little liquorice, polished oak, sweet spice, quite reticent/closed on the nose. Concentrated ripe black plums; that concentration lends a little savoury note, dense, tight tannins are very woody, slightly chalky textured, alcohol warmth, oak, a little liquorice. Feels young but the oak is a little high for the fruit for me...

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• 2010 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas prove quite oaky, inky, concentrated, slightly savoury, black plums and currants, alcohol warmth lends a little peppery prickle, biscuit, toast, did I mention the oak? This is a fairly muscular and oak dominant bouquet. In the mouth the fruit is more to the fore showing plums, blackcurrant; both of which prove quite concentrated and mouthfillingly dense. Fairly massive oaky tannins provide caramel, vanilla, a little chocolate. Very long, balanced but this is big wine. The nose concerned me but the palate re-assured. Needs years but this is rather splendid.

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One of my first explorations in the world of En Primeur, Lascombes has always been a disappointment for a 2nd growth but rather pleasant for my palate and wallet...

• 2001 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of blackcurrant, a little sweet spice, toast, touch of herbaceous underpin, a little wet leaves, leather, cigar box, smells a little dilute. Sourly juicy; black fruit with a slight herbaceous underpin, drying emery paper tannins provides slightly leather. Oddly slight alcohol warmth on the finish, simple but rather nice.

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• 2005 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Black hued fruits are slightly baked; blackcurrant over blackberry and plums, sweet spices, cedar, slight wet earth and leather. Medium plus intensity acidity, again slight baked blackcurrant over plums, brambles, sweet spice, quite fleshy, generous, talc textured tannins prove slightly leathery, all travel long. Pleasant.

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• 2008 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Aromas of pyrazine, blackcurrant with a red currant underpin, sweet spice, cedar, wet earth, Autumn leaves over slight farmyard, touch of mushroom and savoury umami notes; a forward but not unpleasing nose. Medium plus intensity acidity, slight unripe blackcurrant, herbaceous notes, a little cedar, tannins are drying, chewy, fruit persists but dries out a little on the finish and ends up a little leathery. The palate is a little out of whack but this is okay.

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• 2010 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Slightly baked blackcurrant, brambles, a slight plums, a little caramel, sweet spice, slight alcohol prickle, touch of savoury ness. Juicy, initially a splash of savoury blackcurrant then plenty of drying, slightly woody, coarsely textured tannins. Time (I'm hoping)

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I'm a sucker for over-performing non-classified growth left bank wines and this producer very much ticks all my boxes.

• 2007 Château Gloria

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of brambles over blackcurrant with a little sour plum, sweet spice, a little pyrazine, cedar, leather, earth, wet leaves. Medium plus intensity acidity is juicy, fleshy, blackcurrant more to the fore on the palate, tight, slightly chalky tannins persists long and finishes with a little pyrazine and cedar. Nice.

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• 2010 Château Gloria

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of blackcurrant, brambles, sweet spice, ripe plum, slight leather, cedar, cigar box…medium plus intensity acidity, juicy, ripe blackcurrant, drying, grainy tannins backed by ripe plums, savoury, long. Time.

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• 2015 Château Gloria

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  From Coravin. Brambly, blackcurrant, sweet spices, a little plum, touch of pyrazine, slightly savoury underpin with a touch of fruit lozenge. Juicy, bold and quite fruit sweet, drying, talc textured tannins support this quite brambly fruit. Balanced, long, very, primary. Time but good.

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This was a good idea...finished up in time to sit on the balcony and watch the fireworks with a Scotch.