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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan Blanc, Part 2

Rodwell House

Tasted February 3, 2014 by rikipedia with 27 views

Introduction

Part two of the drill down into Pessac-Leognan - the more ranked estates.
All these wines are served blind

Flight 1 - 2010 from 2 producers (2 notes)

White
2010 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
88 points
Pale lemon-green with pungent notes of boxwood, buchu, gunsmoke, blackcurrant leaf, fresh herbs and some lime blossom.
A delicate wine, linear in shape with a zesty, sherbet edgy texture and a juicy core of fresh fruits squared off with vibrant acidity. Notes of buchu, wood spices and apple surface on the mid-palate. I loved the youthful vibrancy and pithiness, but the finish seemed abrupt.
White
2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
89 points
Pale straw lemon in colour with subtle aromas initially reduced, but with coaxing fennel, tarragon, and very blackcurrant leaf thiols before opening to oak spices and smoke.
Medium+ body, the wine has a weighty entry with plenty of rich, ripe fruits and a lot of oak notes, especially towards that furfurol character. There is a lively acidity to provide a bridge to the oak and combat an oily texture that made the wine feel ponderous at times. However, the finish seemed to imbue a vegetal and struck match to a sulphurous note I didn't care for despite seeing some quality about the wine. Some felt the wine was stretched?

Flight 2 - 2009 from 2 producers (2 notes)

White
2009 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
88 points
Pale lemon in colour, the aromas are bright with sherbet, lime and lemon zest, greengage and Galia melon.
Modern, the wine has a juicy core of fruits with a racy acidity that supports lots of clean, ripe fruit flavours along with notes of smoke, white chocolate, green melon and white stone fruits. Not that complex, but with good extract (warmer year?), it opened it showed some flow in the mid-palate and some tension with its vibrant acidity. Medium length, it is drinking well right now.
White
2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
85 points
Pale lemon straw with aromas of Galia melon, tarragon, smoke, nettle, fennel frond and a herbal rub veering to a little smoky oak.
With a medium acid on entry, the wine feels watery and lacks intensity yet also feels rich, almost flabby and candied. A pleasant sherbety note picks up a sweet lemon with some esters coming through, yet the wine seems at odds or at sea. The lack of acid makes the wine round and juicy without any substance, whilst the spices and toasty oak seem to protrude and jab at the wine, the finish is quite jarring with a phenolic grip.

Flight 3 - 4 Vintages, one producer (Domaine de Chevalier) (4 notes)

White
2007 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
flawed
Mid lemon to pale straw. Atypical development on the nose with toffee, vanilla and smudged oxidation notes.
Plenty of wood and resin, but the fruit has all vanished. Reminds me of an old style Rioja but not in a good way!
White
2008 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
94 points
Light lemon, the nose is delicate, lifted yet intense with alpine herbs, gunsmoke and lemon zest.
Fresh, vibrant and pure on entry with crisp, laser-like acidity. There is a hint of reduction on the first nose, but this blows off and reveals a plethora of flavours with an edgy palate structure, vein of minerality and a wonderfully persistent finish.
Blackcurrant leaf, buchu, lemon and fresh herbs open the attack whilst Semillon adds weight in the mid-palate and keeps the finish going as it descends into a melee of tangerines, Valencia orange, nectarine blossom and grapefruit. Just as that delights, a lovely spicy oak adds complexity and mid-palate depth. There is some tightness but not too much to allow the mid-pallet to fill.
White
2009 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
85 points
Light lemon with green flashes, the aromas shows some development and potential oxidation with caramel but underneath, there is white chocolate, aniseed and tangerine peel.
A plump entry, the wine has a solidity and heaviness that at times feel ponderous. There is a lively acidity but struggles to lift the wine, and the mid-palate lacks depth whilst the back-palate dissolves quickly into a chalky sherbet, resin quality with oak spices. Alcohol protrudes, am sure it was slightly compromised.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
93 points
Very pale lemon colour with subtle aromas of aniseed, tarragon, dill, and nettle, along with chilled Galia melon, passion fruit and gentle oak spices.
A zesty, brisk acidity flows across the palate, interlaced with a juicy texture and extended to a pithy finish.
Gentle notes of fennel fronds and nettle join a more exotic breakfast punch and sweet ripe Valencia orange in massaging the mid-palate. A classy, poised wine showing good concentration with a lovely pure, vibrant sheen, finished with judicious spicy oak.
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