Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Tasting Bordeaux 13-12-11-10 in Hong Kong
Visiting Vinexpo 2016, I finally tasted Bordeaux 2013s from bottle, plus earlier vintages
Tasted May 25, 2016 by PanosKakaviatos with 1,048 views
Introduction
It was great to see the UGCB Bordeaux tour for the first time - for me at least - in Hong Kong. The occasion was Vinexpo16, and it was great to visit this amazing city. The food was superb in many different locations and I will post about that on my website, which alas is down now due to technical issues! Anyway, I have divided these notes into five flights: dry whites from Graves, reds from Graves, Saint Emilion and Pomerol, Medoc wines, and Sauternes/Barsac. Clearly the barrel tastings were accurate in the sense that 2013 is essentially a white wine vintage. As for the reds, very few actually managed to combine some mid palate presence with charm. The generally better ones were those that played on charm and did not try to make a Porsche out of Renault vintage.
Flight 1 - Lovely showing from the dry whites of 2013. I do think that the 2014 is a better vintage overall, as it seems to have more tension. (13 notes)
White
2013 Château de Chantegrive Graves Cuvée Caroline
88 points
A chipper citrus driven nose, and it has mid palate sap and body, a medium finish with bright tones. Not as good as the 2014.
White
2013 Château Rahoul Blanc
88 points
This is somewhat more substantial than the Chantegrive tasted just before, shows more mid palate substance, but would be better if brighter on the finish.
White
2013 Château Bouscaut Blanc
91 points
Peach and apricot aromatics and flavors, and quite flavorful - and very smooth on the palate. Delicious!
White
2013 Château Carbonnieux Blanc
90 points
This displays much zest, lemon and lime, quite brisk and refreshing if just a bit biting!
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White
2013 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
93 points
Gorgeous wine, with a lemon cream pie taste and aroma, it is at once opulent and elegant with a smooth full bodied palate, displaying excellent dry extract and a long finish. Lovely!
White
2013 Château de Fieuzal Blanc
89 points
A candied fruit aspect, almost sweet on the aromatics but reassuringly dry on the palate which is smooth and has a fine finish.
White
2013 Château Haut-Bergey Blanc
90 points
Has an almost tender aspect on the palate, has brightness too, a bit of bon bon anglais (candied aspects), with a smart and sassy overall appeal.
White
2013 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc
90 points
A reductive aspect on the nose, but the palate is quite ample and rich, showing white stone fruit and it has verve.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White
2013 Château Latour-Martillac Blanc
88 points
This has a certain steeliness and firmness, the acidity is noticeable and it has focus and briskness but maybe could be a bit more ripe to get a higher score.
White
2013 Château La Louvière Blanc
89 points
Very smooth texture, drinkable, a touch herbal and perhaps not as optimally ripe as I would have preferred but it's tasty and brisk.
White
2013 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc
91 points
Focused flavors of lime and orange, and slightly exotic notes, a richer styled white, medium plus body, and a fine finish marked by orange zest.
White
2013 Château Olivier Blanc
90 points
A very pleasing citrus driven nose, grapefruit zest, and brisk yet rich on the smooth palate. Medium finish.
White
2013 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
92 points
Very pleasing white peach flavors and aromatics, a touch of white pepper, smooth and full bodied on the palate, which is juicy. Not as statuesque as Domaine de Chevalier, but a darn good white!
Flight 2 - Red Graves, with both 2013 and 2012, and the latter is clearly better. (7 notes)
Red
2013 Château Ferrande
86 points
Score higher perhaps because of the price/quality ratio. This falls into the soft extraction category of 2013 reds, but there is still some pyrazine, which detracts.
Red
2013 Château Carbonnieux
86 points
A soft pedaled red, which is good, but then again, there is not much structure or opulence, so it comes across as a bit boring.
Red
2012 Château Carbonnieux
89 points
What a contrast to the 2013, as this comes across as having a rich mid palate, indeed having a mid palate ;-). Smooth delivery, a somewhat short finish, which tends to be the case with some 2012s.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château de Fieuzal
87 points
Somewhat ho-hum, perhaps one of the better 2013s, as it has quite a bit of smooth texture on the palate, but the mid palate lacks vigor and there is a touch of green.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2012 Château de Fieuzal
89 points
As we saw with the 2013-2012 comparison with Carbonnieux, this has a far better mid palate, more fruit richness and yet, again, a somewhat attenuated finish.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Latour-Martillac
87 points
There are red fruit aromatics and the palate has smoothness, but the finish is austere and a bit hard.
Red
2012 Château Latour-Martillac
89 points
Here we have yet another favorable comparison to the 2013, with evident richness on the mid palate that pleases the senses yet marked by a finish that is a touch attenuated.
Flight 3 - Many 2013 Saint Emilion and Pomerol wines, including some 2012s, 2011s and 2010s. (20 notes)
Red
2013 Château La Dominique
88 points
One of the better 2013s at the Hong Kong Watson's Wine tasting. This blend of 87% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc comes across as pretty and elegant, not at all trying to make a Porsche out of a Renault, and it fits the vintage character in a better manner. Medium bodied, smooth and somewhat attenuated on the finish. But a short term barbecue wine? Sure.
Red
2011 Château La Dominique
90 points
The 2011 reds, when I tasted them last in a comprehensive fashion back in Washington D.C. a couple of years ago, were marked by high acidity and the case remains today, of course. So while the palate is richer, with more evident ripe fruit, and there is more structure (much more than 2013), the wine lacks just a bit of charm to be truly great. Still, it is a serious wine that can age well.
Red
2013 Château Figeac
88 points
This comes across rather soft - this first vintage under full consultancy of Michel Rolland. The mid palate needs more richness however, and the finish is short. Still, it comes across rather charming and easy going for short term drinking.
Red
2011 Château Figeac
90 points
Compared to the 2013, a more serious wine, with better focus and precision and fruit ripeness, albeit marked by high acidity and a certain boring firmness. Give it time in the cellar.
Red
2013 Clos Fourtet
88 points
Yet another 2013 that lacks sufficient mid palate to really merit one's attention. However, there is a soft delivery of red and black fruit, and it has charm.
Red
2010 Clos Fourtet
93 points
What a difference! Tasted just after the 2013, this has a very full bodied palate, dark fruit and opulence, with a juicy mid palate. It is quite large scaled and I do think not at all ready to drink today, as cellar time - at least five years - will soften some of the tannic bite.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Franc-Mayne
87 points
Like so many 2013s, this comes across as somewhat boring, with a ho hum mid palate, albeit with some charm and medium bodied aspects, and a short to medium finish.
Red
2012 Château Franc-Mayne
89 points
A more fruit forward wine, as compared to the 2013, this has black and red fruit ripeness with a full body and comes across as nuanced, albeit the finish is not as long and focused as I would have liked.
Red
2013 Château La Gaffelière
86 points
Yet another ho-hummer from 2013, as it has some light red and black fruit notes, a middling mid palate, and a short finish. Really, for a grand cru classé, why bother?
Red
2011 Château La Gaffelière
89 points
A solid mid palate, exudes fine notes of black ripe fruits, and has a pleasing texture albeit somewhat drying on the finish.
Red
2013 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
88 points
One of the best 2013s I tried at the Hong Kong tasting, as it has some mid palate weight, there is bright fruit, and charm. Nice job!
Red
2011 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
91 points
Noticeably higher acidity than the 2013, with mid palate weight and sap, and noticeably better quality tannins. This is quite an impressive wine, that should reward cellaring.
Red
2013 Château Grand Mayne
88 points
Here we have a 2013 that plays the vintage well, with soft tannins, not too much extraction, all very charming - and the price is right, even if the finish is rather middling.
Red
2010 Château Grand Mayne
90 points
After tasting the 2013, this certainly comes across as a wine with far more substance, and riper fruit. It has much richness on the mid palate, but as I told owner Jean Antoine Nony, it is hard to get past the 15.5% alcohol, and there is a touch of heat and some drying aspects on the finish. Once again, and generally speaking, given a choice of a "balanced" wine at 13.5% and a "balanced" wine at 15.5% from Bordeaux, I will choose the former.
Red
2013 Château Beauregard
87 points
Floral aspects charming red cherry aromatics precede a soft palate that again is charming if lacking enough mid palate structure and richness to merit a very good score. But one of the better 2013s to be sure.
Red
2011 Château Beauregard
89 points
More substance on the mid palate, more vivid expressions of ripe fruit, medium bodied, highish acidity. Somewhat straightforward delivery and medium finish.
Red
2013 Château Le Bon Pasteur
88 points
Well, well, well. See now, sometimes I feel that the "modernist" approach in weaker vintages can succeed such as in this case. Chateau rep Benoit Prevot nodded in approval, lol! Basically this has charm, ripe fruit and is an easy going pleasure to drink, say, at a barbecue.
1 person found this helpful
Comments (2)
Red
2010 Château Le Bon Pasteur
90 points
Here we have a more vividly robust nose, as compared to the 2013, darker fruit, riper and then the palate is full bodied and rich, and yet: I do get some drying aspects on the finish. Interestingly enough chateau rep Benoit Prevot says that the estate is scaling back a bit on the use of new oak, which looks promising to me!
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Gazin Pomerol
87 points
Lovely red fruit and floral aromatics, the palate is a bit thin however for a terroir of this calibre. Having said that, for a 2013, this is pretty and charming and will make for good early drinking.
Red
2011 Château Gazin Pomerol
90 points
Tasted after the 2013, the nose is somewhat reticent but swirling the glass eek out some fine ripe red and black fruit aromatics. The palate is weightier with more evident structure around which one can appreciate subtle richness, the highish acidity makes it a bit tight, but overall it gives off a "serious" impression.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 4 - Many 2013 Medoc wines, including some 2012s, 2011s and 2010s. (20 notes)
Red
2011 Château Lascombes
89 points
The wine is rich and savory, with a full bodied aspect and that is all good, but still in a period when the estate was extracting a bit too much oak tannin for my taste, hence a oaky dry aspect on the finish.
Red
2013 Château Prieuré-Lichine
87 points
Juicy and smooth on the palate, but overall lightweight and somewhat drying on the finish. Not a bad 2013, but not particularly exciting either.
Red
2012 Château Prieuré-Lichine
88 points
Clearly better than the 2013, this has more mid palate sap and better structure, but I could not shake an impression of some drying on the finish.
Red
2013 Château Langoa Barton
87 points
Playing it very safe, this wine comes across as rather light for a classified growth, but then again we are talking about one of the most challenging vintages in the modern Bordeaux era. Just OK.
Red
2011 Château Langoa Barton
89 points
This shows far more structure than the 2013, a bit closed down at this stage, with ripe fruit aspects and a firm aspect leading to the medium finish. Give it time in the cellar.
Red
2013 Château Léoville Barton
88 points
Overall, this wine comes across a bit too firm, with somewhat raw tannins. Compared to the Poyferre, tasted just before, lacks some opulence. Still, there is structure and depth. But we are talking about 2013, so good job nonetheless.
Red
2011 Château Léoville Barton
91 points
A smooth texture on the palate, very well structured, with mid palate richness, the high acidity keeps it a bit firm. I have to tip my hat many times to the genial Lilian Barton, who said - frankly - that for her the 2011 has tannins that go "straight down the line" meaning that it may not be the most exciting vintage that the estate had made. I love such frankness from an owner! Bravo Lilian!
Red
2013 Château Léoville Poyferré
89 points
Bravo to Didier Cuvelier for making one of the best 2013s at this tasting. The aromatics are pleasing, ripe red and black fruit. There is solid mid palate juiciness, which often lacks in this vintage. So, here we have a classified growth that makes the best it can of the vintage.
Red
2012 Château Léoville Poyferré
92 points
Far better than the 2013, with a more ample palate, fruit forward, ripe a bit glossy, but well structured. The finish is not as clean and long as, say, 2014, but a fine second growth!
Red
2013 Château Talbot
86 points
Alas this had a bit too much underripe fruit even if the delivery was soft and charming.
Red
2011 Château Talbot
88 points
Compared to the 2013, a deeper nose, darker fruit and more structure on the palate, which came across as more substantial. The high acidity makes it just a bit firm.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château d'Armailhac
87 points
One of the better styled 2013s: soft and charming, even if a but lacking in substance and mid palate weight.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Clerc Milon
87 points
Smooth enough and charming, ripe yet light expressions of fruit on a mid bodied palate, albeit a short finish.
Red
2010 Château Clerc Milon
93 points
Lovely wine. Serious with structure yet mid palate richness and a long finish. Bravo!
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse
87 points
Exudes charm and balance in a challenging vintage. Lightweight of course for a classified growth, but this could do well at a barbecue.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2010 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse
88 points
Somewhat disappointing for a 2010! Yes, there is cassis fruit and fine aromatics but why are the tannins so raw?
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2013 Château Lynch-Bages
88 points
One of the more structured 2013s but the tannins are bit hard here. It has a Pauillac punch, rather surprising for the vintage, but the overall impression of austerity perturbs. Give it time in the cellar and cross your fingers.
Red
2011 Château Lynch-Bages
90 points
This is a conservative score. The structure is accentuated by high acidity, and yet the tannins are ripe and and it is full bodied. Give it time in the cellar and should merit a higher score.
Red
2013 Château Ormes de Pez
84 points
This comes across as fairly hollow on the mid palate. I really do not see any interest in buying this wine in 2013.
Red
2011 Château Ormes de Pez
88 points
What a difference a vintage makes! This wine has juiciness and verve, with ripe fruit, even if somewhat firm, owing to the rather high acidity of the vintage.
Flight 5 - Just a few stickies, all very good in 2013. Plus a couple of 2012s (5 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
2013 Château Coutet Barsac
91 points
Ah, here we have more proof that 2013 was clearly a reach for the whites vintage, as I had written in my barrel tasting report. Whites, both sweet and dry, are quite successful, perhaps lacking the optimal acidity of a top vintage. Still, the Barsacs, like this one, performed quite well as it has richness, botrytis spice and freshness on the finish. Nice job!
White - Sweet/Dessert
2012 Château Coutet Barsac
90 points
I think I prefer the 2013 when tasted side by side, as it has a bit more verve than this vintage, which comes across as a bit more rich and less zingy. Still, a pleasure to drink!
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
2013 Château Doisy-Daëne
91 points
This has nuanced richness, with freshness and fine botrytis spice notes, yet it seems just a touch firm at this stage.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2012 Château Doisy-Daëne
92 points
While the 2013 exuded nuanced freshness overall, and fine botrytis spice, if a touch firm, the 2012 is more opulent yet manages to have balancing freshness.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2013 Château de Fargues
94 points
What an excellent Sauternes: opulent and fresh, with fine notes of black tea and ginger. Long finish.
Closing
All in all, consumers should not make any major efforts to buy most 2013s, unless they are white. You can find plenty of better wines in vintages that are not of "the century" (such as 2011 and 2012), but deliver the goods better, at prices that are not that much higher, especially for cru bourgeois level wines.