Important Update From the Founder

Bordeaux 2014, 10-years on tasted blind

Tasted February 23, 2024 by Collector1855 with 283 views

Introduction

2014 was a solid but not a great vintage. A balanced, moderate temperature year cut from the cloth of 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012. The wines showed well today overall. The wines are drinkable without any ripeness excess or harsh tannins. The wines are good, but aromatically and structurally a clear step down from 2016 for example.
The mid-level Grand Crus have reached an early drinking window, while the big names, especially from the Nothern Medoc will definitely need another 5 years in bottle.

Tasting notes to follow.

Flight 1 - Aperitif / dry whites (3 notes)

White

2014 Château de Fieuzal Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

87 points

After an oxidized 2014 Lynch Bages white, this wine puzzled as well. Not oxidative but little energy left and strangely with an un-expressive nose, some tertiary funk intermixed with stone fruit, aromatically uninteresting.

1 person found this helpful Comment

White

2014 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc de Lynch-Bages France, Bordeaux

flawed

Unfortunately oxidized

Comment

White

2020 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

92 points

Expressive nose, fresh lively with a touch of grass, lemon nose, minerals and maritime notes. Really nice. On the palate a little too light to follow up from the great nose. Very good nevertheless. Compared to the two 2014 whites, it confirmed that most white Bordeaux are to be consumed in the first 5 years after release.

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 2 (3 notes)

Red

2014 Château Montrose France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

92 points

Discrete nose, needed swirling to express itself. Aromas of pine, pencil shavings, earthy elements, easy to identify as Northern Medoc. On the palate quite light, fine tannins. Surprisingly drinkable. Not a grand but a pleasant Montrose. Group Rank 6/15

4 people found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Rauzan-Ségla France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

92 points

The nose is dominated by cassis with still some oak to work through. Modern wine making, polished tannins, good mid mouth presence and finish. Still early in its drinking window. I liked this quite a bit more than the group. Rank 14/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Lynch-Bages France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

89 points

Dark and brooding, earthy notes with dark fruit, with a touch of bell pepper. Clearly closed and not wanting to show anything. Medium+ palate, on the rustic side. Hard to assess today, definitely a wine to wait till 2030. 87-91. Group Rank 12/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 3 (3 notes)

Red

2014 Château Palmer France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

94 points

Ripe and expressive nose. Coffee, toast, dark fruit, underbrush. Generous palate, round lots of stuffing, but holding back and tannins need further integration. Overall it felt still very young. Give it time till 2030. Group Rank 6/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

95 points

Complex nose of forest floor, sweet spices, oak, dark fruit, complex. Succulent palate, elegant with very good aromatic complexity. Textbook Medoc. My personal WOTN and also Group Rank 1/15

2 people found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Léoville Barton France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

88 points

Hmm, the nose had a lot of prune here, some farmyard funk, rhum pot. Despite the ripeness the palate was a little thin with a bitter finish. Not my cup of tea but the group liked it better. Rank 4/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 4 (3 notes)

Red

2014 Clos Manou France, Bordeaux, Médoc

93 points

Discrete nose with pencil shavings, dark cherries. The palate is relatively light and strict. I was guessing Pauillac or St.Julien. It did not get votes for being among the top wines but was liked for its drinkability. Group Rank 14/15. I liked it quite a bit more, due to my preference for elegant Bordeaux.

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Malartic-Lagravière France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

91 points

Expressive nose with ripe, dark fruit, oak spices. Polished palate, not the last word on complexity, but hard to dislike. Drinking well already. Group Rank 12/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Ferrière France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

93 points

Expressive nose with cloves, blueberries, toast. Light but not thin on the palate, a pleasure to drink now. One of the wines that was most ready in my view. Group Rank 9/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 5 (3 notes)

Red

2014 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

93 points

From MAG. Discrete nose, needed a bit of swirling, then forest berries and spices. The palate was well judged as well. A wine that does not want to be more than in can in 2014 and may be that is exactly its strength. Classic Claret. Group Rank 9/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Pontet-Canet France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

93 points

The nose is ripe here with dark fruit and oak spices. Polished palate, again good ripeness and dark berries. Well made, but aromatically a bit foursquare, but it did very well with the crowd. Rank 2/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

95 points

Lovely nose here with good ripeness, some oak spice, earthy notes. Charming palate, similar to Ducru, elegant and light, your typical elegant Medoc wine, could be St.Julien. One of my favorites tonight but only Group Rank 9/15.

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 6 (3 notes)

Red

2014 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

94 points

Expressive nose with dark fruit, herbs, spices, lovely complexity. Well-judged palate keeping the ripeness and the structure in balance. Another good Pessac wine. Group Rank 4/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

89 points

Ripe nose with dark cherries, some prunes as well. Lots of power here up front but then bitter notes on the finish. Felt over-worked to my palate. I wished for more balance, but it was very popular at the table. Group Rank 2/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2014 Château Pape Clément France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

95 points

Wonderful nose here with dark berries, good ripeness, intermixed with oak spices and farmyard funk. Well-judged palate. Among my favorites to night. Group Rank 6/15

1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 7 - Encore wines (3 notes)

Red

2004 Château Latour Grand Vin France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

93 points

One of the encore wines. Despite a double decant, this was still closed, after 20 years. Good density, mineralic but with an austerity that needs to disappear. May be one of these 1986/88 wines that need 30 not 20 years. 92-94

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

1994 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

94 points

One of the encore wines. I liked the forest floor nose here a lot, with tertiary aromas of a mature Claret. Elegant palate, tannins finally dissolved, dark berries, restraint and mineralic. Drink up, with food.

1 person found this helpful Comment

White - Sweet/Dessert

1988 Château Climens France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

95 points

At the end of an extensive 2014 Bordeaux tasting, this was a welcome closure. Great nose here with apricot, smoke, orange rind. True to the Climens style, remains elegant within the liquoreux category.

1 person found this helpful Comment

Bordeaux 2014, 10-years on tasted blind

Introduction

Flight 1 - Aperitif / dry whites (3 notes)

Flight 2 (3 notes)

Flight 3 (3 notes)

Flight 4 (3 notes)

Flight 5 (3 notes)

Flight 6 (3 notes)

Flight 7 - Encore wines (3 notes)

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