Cheval Blanc Masterclass

Yesterday we were treated to a Cheval Blanc master-class with Pierre-Olivier Clouet and Arnaud de Laforcade. This young and talented Technical Director and Finance Director team gave us a wonderful tasting and shared their wine-making philosophy in our chilly St James’s Street Cellar.

We started with a flight of Quinault L’Enclos, the newest addition to the group. This small vineyard in the outskirts of Libourne was purchased in 2009 and has undergone a complete transformation in the vineyard and the winery. The gravelly vineyards have been ploughed and organic farming techniques have been adopted. In the chai, Pierre-Olivier is using a much lighter touch, allowing the vintage and the terroir to speak. The progress is evident just from the three vintages we tasted: 2010, 2011 and 2012. The 2012 is wonderfully aromatic, is packed with transparent fruit and is beautifully balanced. Texturally, this is so refined – the tannins are fruity and long with no sense of dryness. This is definitely an estate to add to the watch list. 

Pierre-Olivier then introduced the wines from Cheval Blanc. The first flight paired the 2010 Petit Cheval and the 2009 Grand Vin. It was extraordinary to re-taste these magnificent wines. At 14.5% alcohol, the 2010 Petit Cheval is a most impressive wine. It possesses all the hallmarks of this arresting vintage: power, alcohol, and the most intoxicating of bouquets, but everything is in perfect balance – this is so harmonious you want to drink it right now! Cheval 2009 is clearly a baby. It has the exoticism of the vintage with copious amounts of extract and regal, large scale tannins. It is a tour de force that requires and will reward patience. 

Our next flight was an opportunity to see the progress of the 2011s. You might expect 2011s to struggle after the 2010 and 2009, however, the 2011s equipped themselves admirably. Aromatically they are more reserved. The fruit is dark, brooding and mineral, although there is a nice clarity and precision here. Petit Cheval’s tannins are quite powdery at the moment, a common trait in 2011. The Grand Vin is noble and classy, finishing with pure refined fruit tannins – a noteworthy effort. 

The next brace came from the 2006 vintage – something of a forgotten year. Petit Cheval is already quite evolved displaying secondary aromas and gorgeous, mouth-coating iodine and mineral flavours. The Grand Vin is by contrast very primary. The fruit is pure and sexy and the firm tannins require a little more time to blend into the wine. This is a splendid wine which the Cheval team are quite rightly very proud of. 

The final flight only had just one wine, the magnificent 2000 Cheval Blanc. This is a wine that really deserves its own flight. It has been a 100 point wine and in our opinion is thoroughly deserving of the accolade. It is unctuous and rich, yet delicate and refined. There is no sense of heaviness; it just keeps giving wonderful perfumed nuanced fruit. This is a deeply complex wine that one can’t help to admire right now, but one senses this could be one of the all-time great Chevals, which will last well into the 21st century.

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to Pierre-Olivier and Arnaud for sharing their passion, time and above all, wonderful wines with us.

Tom Jenkins, Bordeaux Buyer

Southwold 2015 tasting (Bordeaux 2011)

Following the spectacular duo of 2009 and 2010, some questioned the pulling power of the 2011s. Whether it was the charm of this somewhat derided vintage or the lure of cooked breakfasts and sea air, the Southwold regulars nearly all made the trip to Suffolk.

The vintage got off to the very best of starts. While we were tasting the embryonic 2010s from barrel, we basked in warm sunshine and admired the precocious vines. This was one of the earliest flowerings in recent times. Summer had arrived early - but it didn't last. Seasons were getting muddled. July and August were decidedly spring-like and didn't help grape maturity. Thankfully a fine September (except for the hail in St Estephe) came to the rescue and provided relief for some very worried vignerons. 

My general perception of the vintage is quite positive. The wines have a soft ripe core that to my mind is reminiscent of the 2001s. They are charming and not at all aggressive or astringent. They don’t have the concentration or complexity of 2009 and 2010, but that is an unfair comparison. Having tasted two of the all-time great vintages, this was definitely a bump back down to earth. 

Wines that stood out included: Pichon Baron and Grand Puy Lacoste. Both displayed the hallmarks of elegant Pauillac and possess ample density. From St Julien, Leoville Poyferre was glossy and impressive, while Montrose and Cos d’Estournel stood out as the class acts of St Estephe. Chateau Palmer and Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge were both head and shoulders above their peers in their respective communes. On the right bank, star performers included Angelus, Tertre Roteboeuf, L’Eglise Clinet and Vieux Chateau Certan. 

As one would expect, the First Growths and top estates from the Right Bank are generally a notch up on the super seconds. However, Pichon Baron, Eglise Clinet and Chateau Palmer could more than hold their own, even in this company. 

Sauternes and Barsac are traditionally a bit of an afterthought in these reports. High costs of production and waning demand makes one wonder why anyone struggles to produce these wines. But struggle on they do and thank goodness they did in 2011. The wines are wonderfully sweet and beautifully balanced. They will be a joy to drink young and they should age gracefully for decades. Our old friend Doisy Vedrines was the pick of the bunch, as it was for our Buying Director when we tasted en primeur - good spot Giles! 

Commercially the 2011s are not that interesting at the moment. This is often a problem with vintages preceded by a great crop (or two in this case). Prices don’t fall fast enough. Bordeaux was certainly guilty of over-inflating prices on release. Subsequently, market conditions deteriorated making prices look even less attractive today. I felt that a general despondency about pricing probably unfairly influenced peoples’ impression of the wines. I believe that this is a superior vintage to 2007 at this stage. Bordeaux’s euphemistic phrase, ‘classical’, springs to mind when tasting the 2011s. Because of the lack of heat in August, these are not fruit bombs. Californian Cabernet they are not; this is an orthodox Bordeaux vintage, which, given a few more years in bottle, should blossom into something quite interesting.

Tom Jenkins, Bordeaux Buyer

New Year’s Message from Justerini & Brooks

2014 was an exciting year for Justerini & Brooks. Despite continuing challenges in the wider wine market the business grew, but not without work.

We saw particular success with our portfolio of Burgundy, Champagne and Italian wines, all of which have continued to be increasingly demanded by our customers. This year’s Barolo campaign was the first for Justerini & Brooks to exceed £1million sales in the month it was released, with a further £1million sold in older vintages over the following few months. A well-deserved and exciting development for a region we began importing into the UK a generation or so ago with the 1989 vintage.

The demand for prestige and artisan Champagnes in 2014 proved to be even stronger with our customers, with Champagne sales almost surprisingly growing by 20% on the year before. Some quality vintages and a broadening portfolio sit behind that. Sadly, the same success cannot be said of Bordeaux, with the 2013 en primeur campaign being the smallest Bordeaux campaign for Justerini & Brooks since the 1990s. Though we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that Bordeaux still remains quite substantially the biggest area of our business. We've also noticed a strengthening in demand of older vintages of Bordeaux over the past six months at these new prices, with the successful sale of several substantial and world-class cellars through our broking team.

As for customers, the United Kingdom continues to be our single biggest market, with just over half our business done servicing the wine collections of our customers here in the UK. A further 40% of our customers are based all across Asia - now as north as Beijing, as south as Perth, as west as Delhi, and as east as Tokyo. It is a pleasure to see us moving to second generation customers in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore, markets we began looking after in 1976. It was a full 110 years earlier than that, in 1866, that Justerini & Brooks first began to attract overseas customers to its portfolio, initially with the United States. It has been a quiet few years for our American business, though we are now seeing a slow upturn, with New York remaining by far the biggest part of that market for us. As it was originally.

Within the business, our window cleaner and our Chairman both celebrated 40 years with Justerini & Brooks. One of whom has helped bring a sparkle to how we display ourselves in St. James's, the other has proved to be an invaluable steward. Hew Blair's clear vision and commitment to quality has been instrumental in building the continuing success of Justerini & Brooks through the changing times of these past few decades. We have a customer base more vibrant and active than we've ever known, and a huge collection of fine wine estates that we represent; a collection that is arguably unrivaled around the world.

Our customers and ourselves have much to be excited about in 2015. And like with much at Justerini & Brooks, it shall start with Burgundy.

We wish a very happy New Year to all our customers.

Chadwick Delaney
Managing Director

Burgundy 2013 Vintage - "Hang time"

“Hang time" is the catchphrase that kept coming up in my tastings with more than 50 producers up and down the Côte d'Or earlier this month. It has become clear over the last decade or so that it is this and well-controlled yields that are two of the vital factors for making great Red Burgundy, certainly more so than hot and sunny weather.


Etienne Grivot sums it up better than anyone: “A difficult but incredible year.”

It was not an easy growing season: The weather was poor during flowering which greatly affected yields, summer was difficult and although end of season weather improved and aided ripening the very late harvest was interrupted by a storm in early October. In fact it was one of the latest harvests ever, certainly for Frederic Mugnier - the last time grapes were picked that late was 1984, the same goes for Marquis d’Angerville. However, despite all of this, the reds at top addresses have turned out brilliantly, something that could not have happened without the tiny crop the vines were carrying and the enormous amount of selection work that the top domaines undertook at harvest time. Acidities, though high, tend not to stick out anything like as much as other high-acid vintages such as 2008 and 1993, in fact they blend beautifully into the wines, adding nothing more than an appetising verve. The fruit, though it took a while, reached full maturity. Unusually in this day and age of global warming, grape skins and pips ripened at low alcohol levels, between 11.5 to 12.5%. But perhaps the most intriguing feature of this red vintage of all are the wonderfully suave tannic structures, a result of the long hang time on the vine (120 days instead of the usual 100 from flowering to ripening.)

The wines boast that beguiling mix of lightness and intensity - Red Burgundy's great attribute. Whilst not always a homogenous vintage, thanks to uneven ripening, rot and hail that damaged vines from Savigny to the north side of Meursault, the important point is that good growers with good vineyards were capable of making great wines. In 2013 each wine's terroir characteristics were even more transparent than in 2012, a reason some vignerons rate their ‘13s more highly. At their best these are bright, transparent, seductive and certainly age-worthy.

The same can be said of the whites: Quality and ripeness were uneven at lesser addresses and here acidities may stick out a touch, but at any domaine worth its salt they are truly excellent.  Acidities are racy, the wines are streamlined, refreshing and show greater balance and refinement than 2012s, and a touch more ripeness than 2007s. Quantities, whilst not big, are a smidgeon better than in 2012.

Overall it is difficult to generalise about 2013 apart from the fact that it was not a homogenous year and quantities are just as small as 2012, sometimes smaller. It is clear, though, that this can be an exciting vintage. There are some wonderful  Côte de Nuits wines from good terroirs and, whilst the weather was a little more challenging in the Côte Beaune, there are some great reds to be found there too, notably around Aloxe and in parts of Volnay. For the whites, there are many extremely fine wines from the top vineyards of Chassagne, Puligny and the south side of Meursault.

Herewith some of our growers’ thoughts on the vintage:

Etienne Grivot: “A difficult but incredible vintage, the alcohols were low but the pips and skins were ripe, it was a very late year, reminding me of 1978.”

Gregory Gouges: “ A Beautiful Vintage.”

Christophe Roumier: “2013 started off reminding me of 1993, but now I am more inclined to think 2001 or 1995.”

Gerard Boudot, Etienne Sauzet: “Among the very best ever Puligny vintages.”

Erwan Faiveley: “An amazing vintage at the very best estates”.

Domaine Weinbach’s 2013 Vintage Report

It was with great sadness that we visited Domaine Weinbach this year as there would be a noticeable absence from the vintage presentation after Laurence Faller’s tragically early death in May 2014. Laurence had been admired by all who came to know her, and her talent for winemaking was well documented. She had a prodigious talent and was recognised by wine drinkers around the world, as well as her peers, as one of Alsace’s brightest lights. Her immediate family included her two children and her sister Catherine and mother Colette, the latter two both remaining at the estate, Catherine remaining very much hands on. Catherine’s son Theo will continue to look after the vineyards, as he has done for a number of years, while the current cellar master will continue the work he’s done for over ten years. They have suffered a very sad loss this year, but Laurence leaves the estate in good shape and excellent hands.

The climatic conditions of 2013 were challenging. The weather in May was particularly cold and miserable, delaying flowering, and giving rise to ‘coulure’ across the whole spectrum of varieties. From the off the harvest looked set to be late, and low yielding. July and August here were warm and hot, punctuated by useful bouts of rainfall, the vines managing to regain a little lost time in these two months, so long as vegetative growth was kept in check. By the time September arrived the vineyards were in good condition and as a result of some fine even September weather, and cool nights, the grapes approached ripeness with excellent acidities intact and vibrant fruit profiles.

Harvest eventually started on 3rd October, a touch later than usual and lasted through to the end of October. As a result of the disastrous flowering, the estates yields averaged a mere 28 hl/ha, with Riesling and Muscat the two most affected varieties.

Now in bottle, the dominant characteristics in 2013 are freshness and vitality. However, this is not a lightweight vintage. “I think you can apply the term juicy to 2013” Catherine noted, and they are, but there is also more to them that that. From Sylvaner to the top Gewurztraminers, these wines have complex personalities, rich voices, and very clear finishes. There is very little fat, though of course there is opulence where opulence is called for (as is the case in some of the top Gewurztraminers) moreover, there is moreish fruit enveloping great ripe acidity and typical Weinbach elegance. The Schlossberg Rieslings, what little there are of them, are particularly clear, mineral and incisive.

So a very fine vintage of decisive, well defined wines that have the intensity, character and acidity to cellar well into the next decade. One final song from the late Laurence Faller (1967 – 2014).

Rhone 2013 - a silver lining - and a quick word on 2012s

Walking through some Grenache vines in Châteauneuf –du-Pape at the end of September 2013 was glorious.  It was a bright, sunny and rather balmy afternoon, unusually so at that time of year even for the Southern Rhône.  As I looked at the vines, sparsely dotted with the odd bunch, most of them grapillons (the second flush of grapes that are left on the vine after vintage because they never ripen and are not used to make wine,) I imagined how glorious the crop would have looked and how gratifying harvest must have been.  So it was to my great surprise later that evening to learn that picking had not even started yet.  Nearly a year on, I travelled out( this week) to taste the results. 


Uneven weather before and during the 2013 flowering period resulted in the dropping of embryonic bunches, followed by aborted flowering of those that remained. Grenache was the most severely affected variety in the South and given that this makes up 70% of the typical Châteauneuf blend, was something of a catastrophe for growers.  A drop of 30 to 50% compared to a usual harvest was reported across the region, for many producers it was the smallest crop they had ever seen.  In the North, depending on the vineyard and individual terroir, Syrah was worse affected than it was further south and there were also tiny yields for Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Furthermore a very uneven wet and cold summer meant it was a late vintage, the latest in thirty years of wine producing for one particular Hermitage vigneron. 

However the small crop was very much a silver lining, particularly in the North. What grapes there were ripened well in the sunny, dry, end of September / early October conditions and good acidity levels were maintained.

Broadly speaking in the North this is a 2012 plus plus vintage. 2013 has a similar profile to ’12 but with more ripeness and concentration, whilst retaining an agile, refreshing quality. I tasted some juicy, classical, luscious Cornas and Hermitages but even better were the Côte Rôties, where growers generally recorded half a crop but were offered more than double the recompense by nature in terms of quality.  This is a great Côte Rôtie vintage.  The whites in 2013 are great, too, the Condrieus were some of the best I had ever tasted. They offered ripe, fruity flavours without the heaviness sometimes associated with these wines and displayed mineral, linear finishes. 

In the south the wines were uncommonly refreshing and relatively low in alcohol  (13.5 to 14 % rather than 15 to 15.5%)  However they could not trump the exquisite 2012s - I re-tasted many of these in Châteauneuf – my initial opinion of them last year was more than confirmed.  2012 is one of the very great Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintages with a refinement and subtle beauty that was largely missed or under-appreciated upon release. Snap them up while you can. 

Coming back to 2013: It was an extreme, marginal vintage that will certainly be variable in quality amongst less quality-conscious growers.  There was a fine line between good and bad.  However at the region’s quality-minded estates, on the right side of the line, the quality can be utterly brilliant.

Château Margaux and Justerini & Brooks in Jakarta

We organise many dinners and tastings all over the world, but last week we hosted a particularly memorable event in Jakarta with Paul Pontallier of Château Margaux. It was the first time that Paul had been to Indonesia, so Justerini & Brooks put on a gala evening at the Grand Hyatt hotel for our Indonesian customers, and arranged to have vintages of Château Margaux, back to 1966. The evening began with a chilled glass of Dom Pérignon 2004 to cleanse our palates and get us in the mood for a sensational flight of Margaux that would follow. Once our guests were seated, we started with Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux 2010. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc cuvee, which is from a 12 hectare site just outside the Margaux commune, was rich, youthful, and utterly delicious, and was a fabulous match with baked lobster. It was followed by Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux and Château Margaux both from the legendary 2005 vintage. The Pavillon Rouge was delightful, and much more approachable than the Château Margaux at this precocious stage. The Grand Vin was an extraordinary powerful wine, full of promise. Its beguiling bouquet slowly unravelled with aeration to reveal a deeply seductive wine, packed with dark fruits, and silky ripe tannins. This will no doubt be stunning in time, but patience will be required. In fact, Paul Pontallier believes that this may well be his best vintage yet (and he started with the estate in 1983.)

 

After the 2005 we moved on to Margaux 1996. This proved to be the star vintage on the night – a sensational wine that showed everyone how sublimely seductive Margaux can be. It had everything in the glass: rich, gloriously perfumed aromas, and a depth of cool, ripe fruits that were covered in the silkiest of tannins. This is a truly gorgeous wine that is drinking perfectly at the moment; the epitome of 1st growth quality, and it worked so perfectly with Wagyu beef.

This was followed by Château Margaux 1986, a more savoury vintage, and one filled with nuance. The tannins on this structured vintage have slowly softened and mellowed over time to show highly refined, elegant fruits and a wine that has a beautiful lengthy persistence on the palate. 

The 1983 and 1982 Margaux were then served side-by-side. These two vintages of Margaux always form a fascinating conversation when placed together, and usually divide opinion. This again was the case last week, where there was much debate. The 1983 Margaux had a superb definition and balance, but for me the ripe weight and silky fruits of the ’82 made it even more enjoyable. With wines of this age, it is always about individual bottles, and there have often been times where I’ve preferred the 1983. 

The evening finished with 1966 Margaux. This fully mature wine was a delight to end with. The Château has come a long way since the 1960s and although the wines from this era are not well reviewed, they are still fascinating and drinking well – proof that great terroir always shines through… This was soft, with luscious fruits that caressed the mouth as one slowly sipped it; a fitting end to a great and highly memorable evening. 

- Chadwick Delaney, Managing Director

Bordeaux 2014: Harvest report from the Guinaudeau

Bonjour,

The 2014 vintage is providing us with so much pleasure… As we told you in the last email on 17th September, we were in a sunny disposition, and we still are. We finished the harvest with the Cabernets Franc plots from Grand Village on the 8th October in excellent conditions…

We worked hard throughout the summer to keep the grapes healthy. We must say that the weather in September and in October has been exceptional. Optimum ripeness was reached in all the different terroirs.

We have to harvest at just the right moment when the grapes are very ripe. It is a key success factor to harvest each parcel at the right time. If the harvest is done too early, phenolic maturity would not be reached, however with a late harvest the result would be too heavy, without enough freshness and precision.

Concerning Lafleur, we harvested:

- The Merlots from the lot A on Friday 26th September

- The Merlots from the lot B on Monday 29th September

- The Cabernets Francs from the successful lot D on Sunday 5th October

- The Cabernets Francs from the lot E and F on Monday 6th October

We have just started the running-off (lot A and B from Lafleur). The Merlots combine power and delicacy, with a mind-blowing balance and freshness. Cabernets Francs from the lot D, are macerating, but we have already achieved a complexity and aromatic intensity we associate with the great millésimes…

The maceration is done for the white; they are now digesting the lees which are particularly rich this year, and we are doing a batonnage every two days. The framework is getting there, the tasting from the barrels confirms our first impressions. The white should be on another level for the 2014 vintage…

We will share our impressions about the vintage very soon.

Bien Cordialement,

Les Guinaudeau

Bordeaux 2012: The Usual Suspects

The annual Bordeaux tasting at the Royal Opera House was rather less busy than normal, but those who did attend were in up-beat mood. Our friends from Aquitaine arrived fresh from an Indian summer that has lifted spirits and hopes for the 2014s. And it would appear that the worst of the ‘Bordeaux Bashing’ may be over. Clients are beginning to re-visit this once darling region and re-discover their love affair with Claret.

2012 was far from an ideal growing season and the harvest was particularly precarious. Initially we thought this favoured the early ripening Merlots from Pomerol and Pessac. The challenge on the left bank was to wait for maturity and risk dilution and rot or cut one’s losses and harvest before the rain. At the time of the primeur tastings our Chairman said that ‘terroir, technique and timing were all key to success in 2012’. How right he was.

On the evidence of Thursday’s tasting, it is the usual suspects who have risen to the top of the pile. Perennial successes such as Grand Puy Lacoste, Domaine de Chevalier, Malartic Lagraviere, Smith Haut Lafitte and the two Pichons have made beautiful wines with concentration, vitality and freshness. It is not a blockbuster vintage, that is for sure, however, there are wines that will give enormous drinking pleasure and are sensibly priced. Xavier Borie’s GPL and Olivier Bernard’s Domaine de Chevalier Rouge deserve special mention – these are both tremendous value.

At the time of release we were rather negative about Sauternes. We always try to be honest in our assessment and we discouraged clients from buying these wines. It is clearly not a good vintage for sweeties – the wines are at best simple and lack botrytis. When there are so many good Sauternes vintages to choose from, one can quite easily forget about the 2012s altogether.

Those pessimistic about the primeur system said at the time, ‘these are not wines to buy en primeur’, and they have largely been proved right. Many of the 2012s are still available at their opening prices (good news for consumers) – but given how well some of the reds tasted and their relative affordability, they may not be around at these prices for long…

- Tom Jenkins, Bordeaux Buyer

VIDEO: Domaine Chantal Remy, Clos des Rosiers

Our recent Burgundy trip took us far and wide. Here Chantal Remy's son, Florian, explains to us Clos des Rosiers.

Highlights from our Burgundy trip: Henri Gouges

Last week the sales team flew out to Burgundy to visit a number of our agencies and amongst many highlights, one Domaine that really stood out was Henri Gouges in Nuits St Georges.

In the early 1900s, Henri Gouges, mayor of Nuits St Georges, was one of the largest landholders in the region. He was heavily involved in the INAO (Institut National d'Appellation d'Origine) along with the Marquis d’Angerville in Volnay and was at the forefront of a revolutionary project to delineate the various Crus and also to persuade local winemakers to take up domaine bottling rather than selling all their juice to negociants who would usually blend every barrel together and release the wines simply as Cuvee 1, Cuvee 2 etc. Henri was indeed the first producer in Nuits St Georges to start domaine bottling his wine in the early 1930s, when he created his eponymous Domaine. As one of the largest landholders in the region, Henri had significant holdings in the famed Les St Georges vineyard, but, not wanting to be seen as giving himself an unfair advantage, he insisted that no vineyards should be proposed for Grand Cru, even though Les St Georges was, and still is, widely believed to produce wines of Grand Cru quality and at the time the wines often sold for more than many other of Burgundy’s Grand Crus. In fact an application was recently filed with the INAO re-opening the case for its promotion to Grand Cru. There are currently 41 separate 1er Crus in the region.

The Domaine now has 15 hectares of vines in Nuits St Georges, the majority of which are in the southern part, close to Premeaux (Clos des Porrets, Pruliers, Vaucrains, Chenes Carteaux and Les St Georges) which generally produce the richer, more masculine and age-worthy style of Nuits St Georges. Their only holdings in the Northern part, towards Vosne Romanée are in the 1er Cru Chaignots, which produces a softer, more feminine style that can usually be approached earlier. The wines of Domaine Henri Gouges are well known for their incredible ability to age and traditionally they have been completely unapproachable, sometimes for up to 20 years after the vintage, but more recently, current winemaker Gregory Gouges has strived to give the wines more approachability whilst still retaining their ability to age. Picking is all done by hand and the Domaine uses organic practices, so vibrating tables are used for grape sorting but mostly, according to Gregory, to get rid of the huge number of insects! The bunches are 100% destemmed in every vintage as according to Gregory ‘there is enough tannin in Nuits already without adding it from the stalks.’ There is minimum intervention in the winery and never any correcting – for instance they did not acidify in 2003 nor did they add tannin in 2004 so there are clear vintage variations across the wines – in fact the Domaine has always gone by the maxim ‘it is whilst still on the vine that a fine wine matures.’ Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks which keep the temperature stable and only minimal new oak is used in the elevage, which usually lasts around 18 months before the wines are bottled. 

During our visit we tasted through a range of the soon to be released 2013s, all of which showed excellent purity and pretty fruit and whilst the 2013s are not quite as concentrated as the 2012s or 2010s they certainly have the stuffing to last for many years in the cellar and should provide enormous drinking pleasure in the years to come. After tasting a short range of wines going back to 2009 we were treated to a sumptuous and incredibly generous lunch with some truly wonderful and extraordinary wines, finishing off with two examples that clearly showed just how well these wines can age. First we were wowed by a fully mature but wonderfully elegant Pruliers from 1970, which was still holding up well after 44 years but even more of a surprise was the last pair of dusty, mouldy bottles that were opened. Most of us guessed the wine must be from the 1950s or 1960s but when its identity was revealed it was truly a revelation. The wine was from 1936, a wine that had been hidden along with a number of other bottles in a walled up cellar which had succeeded in staying hidden from the Nazi occupiers during the Second World War. Gregory asked us to guess the Cru and of course we all presumed it must be Les St Georges or Vaucrains, but no, it was none other than the estate’s entry level wine, the monopole Clos des Porrets. At 78 years of age the wine was truly ethereal, a wonderful experience and a real treat. Considering how well these wines have aged, anyone with an eye to long-term cellarage should definitely be putting a few cases of this domaine’s wines away for as long as they can resist. Whilst 1936 is regarded as a very good year for Red Burgundy, it was certainly not as good as 2009, 2010 or 2012, all of which are available in this offer. A short selection of recommendations follows: 

Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets 1er Cru 2009 @ £390 – one of the estate’s two monopoles, we saw one with a beautiful texture and serious ageing potential. Buy this and forget it for at least 10 years. 

Nuits St Georges Les Chenes Carteaux 1er Cru 2010 @ £350 – situated on a strip of land between Les St Georges and Vaucrains this is clearly a very special wine at a bargain price! 

Nuits St Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru 2012 @ £465 – made from vines up to 70 years old, Pruliers produces wonderfully intense mineral wines and this 2012 is up there with the best.

Edward Stafford-Deitsch

26 vintages of Clos des Papes

I have drunk more Clos des Papes in the last four weeks than the whole of last year, 26 different examples of red and white to be precise, but I am not complaining.  For this fine Rhone estate produces wine that, with age, challenges the convention that Chateauneuf du Pape is about power, richness and little else.  Whilst the famous vintages of course get great journalistic scores and points, the last month has also proven how good Clos des Papes is in "challenging" vintages, indeed they are sometimes preferable.  Overall the wines were utterly graceful, sensual sweet but moreish, very refined but with a distinct sense of place.  My first tasting was with Vincent Avril himself in his cellars, the initial premise was to taste 2013 but Vincent's generosity extended to another 8 additional wines.  The second occasion was a thoroughly convivial dinner earlier this week where the 1934 was rather decadently, but not incorrectly, served as an "apertif" - it was a memorable night. 

Overall I have tasted 8 whites and 18 reds, amongst which were such lauded vintages as 1983, 1989, 1995 and 2000, however my absolute favourites were as follows.

2013 - White.  Less Grenache than usual, really clear and crisp without being aggressive excellent
Red - lots of Mourvedre (30%) and 15% less Grenache than usual.  Early days but promises so much, the freshness of 2008 with the fat of 2011.

2012  Red - One of the great vintages, intensity, depth ripeness and freshness with velvety tannins.  Edges ahead of the other great 2010 for its extra charm and harmony

2001 White - secondary character and complexity with youthful precision , keeps on giving. wonderful 
Red - a long life ahead of it very young and not ready but clearly very smart.  Lively strong but fine- boned.  Super.  Just edge out the very attractive plump and sensual 2000 it was paired with.

1997 White - stunning, a nose that smell distinctly of Saar Riesling.  This is a cooler edgier vintage and it shows in the wine, stony mineral with enough fat to balance

1993 White -  stony and even tauter than the 1997.  A little leaner than the 1997 but very moreish and enjoyable nonetheless
Red -  one of the wines of the dinner.  Wonderful to drink now so fresh and vital but seductive with it.  Floral, fruity and finely poised. Brilliant

1988  Red some secondary character and spice but still plenty of fruit, distinctly mineral too.  Perfectly weighted and drinking well now but there's no rush.  gorgeous. 

1984 - a very "cassis" nose, lots of dark fruit.  More mourvedre in this than usual, this is very impressive and youthful, it still has a good long life ahead of it.  Tense dark structured but velvety blackberries and currants. 

1971 Red this was paired with a '74 - which was lovely and drinking well now - but the 71 had the edge.  Serious dark but bright, almost slightly brooding still, very enjoyable indeed if still plenty to give

1934 Red.  Speechless.  The nose is a nice enough mixture of strawberries and balsamic vinegar, however this does not prepare you at all for the utterlty spellbinding palate  Silky sweet garriguettes strawberries slip accross the juicy palate, notes of leather and spice aswell but they are not too dominant.  Light-touched but persistent, so elegant and beguiling.  Most amazing of all is that it managed to taste not just like Chateaneuf but specifically like Clos des Papes after all these years.  A slickness and sweetness of fruit married to gently spiced characteristics... and it held on in the glass well. Extraordinary

White Burgfest 2011: An update on 2011 White Burgundies

Our chairman, Hew Blair, who will soon be tasting his 40th Burgundy vintage with Justerini & Brooks this autumn, looks back at the Burgfest review of the 2011 white wines tasted earlier this year. 

A report on this summer's Red Burgfest 2011 will follow in the coming week.

THE TASTING

-          3 days of blind tasting by 8 top worldwide wine buyers and journalists Neal Martin and Dr Neil Beckett.

-          250 wines tasted in 29 flights

-          1ers and Grand Crus from the Cotes d’Or’s main wine producing villages and for the first time St Aubin and Chablis

-          Discussion was entered into after each flight pre and post disclosure and at the termination of the tasting

 THE RESULTS

Chablis 2011 proved to be ultra mineral ( a good thing ) , but the palate puckering style made it  difficult to see into some of the wines. Consequently top names such as Dauvissat were very closed and backward. Others with a richer style were considerably more open, the Grand Crus of William Fevre and Moreau-Naudet.  The overall range of Jean-Marc Brocard received the best reviews being taught ,focused and with exquisite balance.

For a debut at this tasting the St Aubins’ in these two flights were of a consistent high quality. The energy , minerality and complexity amongst the best was impressive. The top Domaines , such as Lamy , Ch de Puligny and Marc Colin are taking this appellation into new heights of quality.

Of the five flights of 1er Cru Meursault , Genevrieres proved to be the most consistent and with real outstanding performers headed by Domaines des Comtes Lafon - a brilliant example - “ wild flowers , limestone teasing complexity “  Dominic’s Perrieres and Charmes were also top notch .Other over achievers were Michel Bouzereau , Ch de Puligny and Bernard Boisson Vadot .

The 2011 vintage in Chassagne crystallised the difference in style and quality between the higher and lower 1er Crus .Outstandly good examples came from Grandes Ruchottes , La Romanee and Caillerets on the upper slopes exploited by Paul Pillot , Bernard Moreau and several Moreys.The middle and lower 1er crus were as to be expected richer with more density but very fine Vide Bourse of Marc Colin and Chenevottes from Jean Noel Gagnard showed what can be achieved showing energy and minerality.

Amongst the five flights of 1er Cru Puligny’s there were few disappointments and many superb wines which showed the outstandingly high quality of the 2011 vintage in this village . Great wines across the board from the high flying Domaines headed by Sauzet , Leflaive and Bachelet Monnot . It would be tricky to choose the outstanding vineyards of the vintage, but Folatieres and Pucelles are my pick.

The Corton Charlemagnes were split into three flights East ,West and Ladoix. No particular advantage was perceivable . The West flight was headed by Remi Rollin’s dynamic , brooding  age-worthy example , the East by Patrick Javillier’s delicious roasted nut and butter example and Ladoix exquisitely balanced wines of Franck Follin-Arbelet and Oliver Leflaive .

The Grand Crus centred on Montrachet were tasted in four Flights. The wine of the whole tasting was the Le Montrachet Comtes Lafon , breathtaking intensity power and balance, closely followed by an ethereal Montrachet from Marquis de Laguiche . Other outstanding wines were the Batard and Chevaliers of Domaine Laflaive and the cool restrained ageworthy Batards’ of Sauzet and Bachelet Monnot .

The 2011 White Burgundies were a pleasant surprise in many ways . There were few if any corked bottles , which shows growers are taking quality control of corks more seriously . There was no sign of any premature oxidation , perhaps a combination of fine acidity and lessons learned both in vineyard and cellar . Overall I would be confident and more than happy to have these wines in my cellar and be in no rush to pull the corks . The 2011s from these top Domaines will provide great pleasure and in many cases exceptional quality drinking .

Breaking news: Guinaudeau's 2014 vintage update.

"We have just started the harvest for the Blancs de Grand-Village following a period of glorious, warm, sunny weather. We are happy, because the grapes are very ripe, the aromatic level is amazing, both for the Sauvignon and Sémillon. 

After a tough summer, once again we had to work hard, but the first two weeks of September were brilliant, as a consequence the vendage has a surprising potential… At the moment the grapes are in excellent condition and we can therefore take our time. We have been harvesting in the cool early mornings for the last three days and have collected all of our Semillon and half of our Sauvignon.

Regarding our red grapes, physiological maturity has largely been reached in Pomerol and we are taking advantage of the nice weather to further improve the tannic structure. We may take some secateurs to the very young vines in the parcel of Lafleur called La Sieste this week. We will see… In any case we should start harvesting the best Merlot plots in Lafleur by the following week. The Cabernet Francs grapes have tasted well in the vineyard, and should be ready at the beginning of October.

We will let you know how the 2014 harvest is going, but it has started under excellent conditions. "

Les Guinaudeau.

'At home with Chêne Bleu' - an event special

Xavier and Nicole Rolet are the owners of Chêne Bleu, an idyllic winery located in the foothills of Mt Ventoux in Southern Rhône. They kindly invited us into their stunning London home for a spoiling evening showcasing their beautifully polished wines paired with dinner created by a rising star on the London culinary scene - Marcelo de Campos. Marcelo created a menu combining the aromas and flavours of Provence with hints of his native Brazil. A ‘touch of football fever' menu matched with award-winning French wines may sound like a strange concept but the first bite of the canapé indicated to me that it was going to be an interesting evening. The thoughtfulness and complexity in the flavour of the food matched terrifically well with the wines.

Before dinner, whilst enjoying her 2013 Rosé, Nicole explained the story of the winery, and their decade of dedication which successfully changed an abandoned vineyard and ruined chateau into the heralded place that it is today. The 1700 feet altitude of the vineyards is certainly tasted on the palate with minerally flavours, especially in the light pink rosé. This is a serious food wine which does not leave one feeling anything but refreshed and happy.

At dinner we enjoyed an array of delights, my top pairing being the Aliot 2010 with celeriac lasagne and truffle confetti. The oily, richly textured Aliot burst with complex flavours and worked alongside the creaminess of the lasagne and savoury notes of the celeriac and truffle. Another great moment was trying Chêne Bleu's new wine - Astralabe 2009 with ‘steak frite Brazillian style’ (wonderfully cooked meat with cassava chips). This wine is the baby of Abelard. More fruity and less concentrated; Nicole says it is your perfect Thursday night wine (it is so delicious I will be enjoying it every night of the week). As ever the Héloise and Abelard shone, the Héloise's femininity highlighted against the more masculine and spicy Abelard. Both were stunning with the lamb although I found the velvety Héloise really stood out with the crusted lamb cutlet and ratatouille.

It was an extraordinary night of which we all will remember, thank you again to Chêne Bleu for their hospitality and incredible selection of fine wines.

- Catriona Palmer, Event Manager

The Guinaudeau in London's West End

Last Tuesday Justerini & Brooks welcomed Julie and Baptiste Guinaudeau from Château Lafleur to London. Our charming guests hosted a masterclass tasting in our Mayfair premises followed by an exclusive dinner in our private dining room in St James’s.

Baptiste Guinaudeau led the masterclass tasting. We began with Château Grand Villages reds from 2008 and 2009, along with a Château Grand Villages white from 2013. For those not au fait with the Guinaudeau’s home property in the commune of Mouillac, these wines offer incredible value for money and plenty of class. The new and exciting Champs Libres Blanc followed - 100% Sauvignon from Sancerre clones, grown on pure limestone and made in tiny quantities – it showed tremendous breed and complexity.

’ G’ Act 2, from the 2010 vintage, is the second vintage of this project. It hails from various plots in the Fronsac commune. Baptiste explains that the blend is the reverse of Château Lafleur being 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and the soils are pure clay and limestone, so similar to the best sites in St Emilion. The 2010 displays outstanding potential and shows the skill of the Guinaudeau team in making wines that gives unbridled enjoyment. Les Pensées de Lafleur, the second wine of Lafleur was represented by the 2008 vintage; classic, refined and intellectual, a great Pomerol with a long future ahead of it. Completing the tasting was Château Lafleur 1998 – a monumental and brooding wine that was slow to unfurl, but gave a sense of incredible presence and class as it did. 

At the St. James’s dinner some of the UK’s biggest private collectors joined Baptiste and Julie Guinaudeau for an evening that showed just what remarkable wines these are. The two 2013 white wines (as shown at the tasting) got even better with time in the glass, retaining their freshness but achieving even more complexity as they opened up. A brace of Pensées de Lafleurs followed: 1999 was seductive and mature, 2000 was simply out of this world and got the whole room talking. It was firm, young, yet packed with an utterly bewitching profile which kept evolving and expanding. The final flight was three vintages of Château Lafleur. 1998, which released its dark ample profile in the glass. If the Pensées 2000 is a modern classic then the ‘grand vin’ from 2000 will turn out to be a legend. A 100 point wine, it is stunningly poised and aristocratic, with a beauty that can just be glimpsed, but begins to slowly reveal itself in the glass. And then the star of the night – Château Lafleur 1989. For me certainly one of the greatest Bordeaux I’ve ever drunk. A combination of richness and class that is extremely rare. Full of layered nuance that never stops expanding, and a length of flavour that went on and on. It’s a wine you think about the following day, and one you will never forget.

 

Hew Blair, Chairman

Germany's 2013 Rieslings - Top quality, tiny quantity...

It is very hard to travel out to a region with the intention of tasting the latest vintage without having heard or read somebody’s views on it. These days there seem to be no end of people desperate to evaluate a vintage as early as possible. Everyone wants the first scoop, regardless of whether the wines are in a state that allows fair evaluation. During this most recent trip I even heard of notes being published from cloudy, still fermenting tank samples. Now I may be wrong, but it seems to me that unless you are a highly practiced winemaker, this is surely simple conjecture? Be that as it may, many had put forth their views and as a result my mood as I prepared for my trip was somewhat pessimistic. To put it bluntly I feared painful teeth and tart, rather aggressively acidic wines. 

But let it be known here, straight away: my fear was unfounded – there are some very good wines in this vintage. Indeed there are some that rank in the realms of truly excellent.  Make no mistake, no-one is suggesting that this was an easy vintage. In fact, as late as the start of October many growers feared a truly disastrous vintage.

The village of Oberhausen, in the Nahe.

Refreshingly, none of the growers I saw tried to pretend that October was a delight. There was no golden autumn here. There was plenty of warmth, but it was accompanied by plenty of rain. The conditions were perfect for the spread rot, which would have been fine if ripeness had already been a fait accompli. But as it was, the final days probably caused more than a few local grey hairs as ripeness, acidity, and botrytis (the last bringing with it a rapidly decreasing yield) converged upon a sweet spot with lightning speed.  Blink, and you would have missed it.  

The problems started at flowering. After a cool, damp start to the year, a protracted flowering started later and lasted longer than usual. In many places it was still going on right up to the end of June. Such a delayed, stop start beginning to the season laid the (rather unstable) foundations for the vintage, producing uneven clusters of grapes that were going to require ripening well into late October. July and August provided a crucial fillip being hot and relatively dry, but come September cooler weather had returned, notably during the nights. By late September acidity levels were high, ripeness seemed a long way off, and neither situation looked like changing any time soon.

The view from the top of Wehlener Sonnenuhr, looking downstream to
Graach and then Bernkastel, in the distance

So far so bad, eh? Well, it certainly seemed that way, and yet somehow I saw an enormous amount of wines to get excited about. I should caveat this by acknowledging that the growers I saw represent the crème de la crème of Germany’s winemaking talent, but truly growers from all regions reported their own surprise at what a successful and balanced set of wines they had turned out. Certainly this is a vintage of high acidity, but not so high as to make the wines either difficult to taste or difficult to enjoy. And while acidity levels are definitely higher than in 2012 and 2011, they are actually slightly lower than in 2010. Furthermore, the type and character of the acidity seems completely different to 2010 being riper, less nervous and less concentrated. The wines have edge and a certain driving focus, but it seldom comes across as aggressive, in spite of marginally lower than usual Oeschle levels.

How is this balance so? Put simply, the presence of high levels of extract with very complex minerality seem to have bonded with these high levels of tartaric acidity to form a tripod of structural elements that against all the odds have created wines of high focus and balance. These are not Rieslings which drip with sun-drenched fruit. They are built on more earth-bound lines than that. But that is not to say they have no fruit - many have wonderful fruit of sometimes startling clarity, but it is invariably set amidst scenes of high minerality and palpable extract. Savoury,  salty notes compete with clear golden fruit and botrytis, when it is present, is almost exclusively of the very fresh, clear and pure type.

I have no doubt that it would have been a very easy vintage in which to make bad wine. Talking to people across the regions it seems there are no shortage of wines which have required excessive de-acidification resulting in flat wines that lack energy. Growers had to make the correct decisions not just at harvest, but right the way through the season. If you didn’t put the work in from day one,  this was a vintage which would really show it. If your vines weren’t in exceptional condition come October you were in for some serious problems. Furthermore, come harvest, at breakneck speed you had to make the right call as to what and how many wines you were going to attempt to make. At JJ Prum, Katharina decided that to make a range of Spatlese she would have had to pick wines with acidities and unripe fruit profiles that simply would not have made for harmonious wines. As a result it was a brief tasting at this great estate; we started with an estate Kabinet, moved straight up to four Auslese and finished with a pair of Auslese Goldcap. What they’ve made is glorious, how much they’ve made is not.

For virtually all the growers I saw the greatest problem this year is quantity. Yields for growers in the Saar, Mosel and Ruwer are down by approximately 50%. In the Nahe, perhaps the region least affected by the weather gods, they are down about 20%. In the Rheingau, depending on where your vineyards were, you had between 20% and 40% less wine. The biggest reason for these figures was the accelerated onset of botrytis. Come harvest, day by day, growers saw their yields decreasing as grapes shrivelled in front of their eyes.

The Helden vineyard in Niederberg, with Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr
in the distance

So how will it go down in history? One thing that is clear that this is a vintage for Riesling lovers. From recent vintages there are elements from 2004 and 2008, some 2010 and maybe a touch of 2012 too. It will appeal to people who enjoy wines with mineral, cool fruit characters, but also those that love Germany’s diversity, for amongst all these factors, including the presence of much botrytis, the specific characteristics of site are particularly well articulated. It should appeal to lovers of the Grosses Gewachs, built as they are in the mould of the 2004s, or 2008s, with alcohol levels perhaps a degree lower than 2011 and half a degree lower than 2012, and highly complex mineral flavour profiles. And it will appeal to those who are interested in buying focussed, filigree and classically styled ‘pradikat’ wines with strong mineral personalities, very clear fruit, high ripe acid levels and the core density to last an extremely long time in the cellar.

The run of top quality Germany vintages continues. Lovers of these great wines have arguably never had it so good.

Julian Campbell

Buyer, Justerini & Brooks.

Introducing Peay Vineyards

A stunning new UK exclusive from the true Sonoma Coast (and coming soon)

It is no mean feat finding Peay. The road you take from Geyserville twists and turns its way across high barren ridges and through densely wooded valleys, traversing a tectonically crumpled stretch of land as you head west, straight towards the Pacific Ocean– it is not a road where you can easily make up lost time, as I found out on my visit there in February 2013.  A mere four miles from the Ocean, surrounded by dense forest, on a slightly undulating ridge, sits the Peay Estate Vineyard; a one hundred year old clearing originally used to grow apples by local loggers. It is a fairly extreme place, right out on the limits, where vineyard pests can include bears.   And it’s home to one of the great Sonoma Coast vineyards.

Back in 1996 Andy and Nick Peay set out on the hunt for a parcel of land on which to grow their own grapes to make their own wine. Their search led them to a little travelled area in the very north of Sonoma that many at the time said was too cool to fully ripen grapes.  Having been raised on great European wines, this was music to their ears; just the sort of place to produce wines of purity, restraint and tension.   Keeping a keen eye out for the presence of moss and ferns, sure fire indicators of the presence of water, and fog, they finally located the 21ha parcel that today is home to their specific clonal selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, plus Syrah and a little Marsanne and Rousanne.

Planting took place in 1998, all done by Andy and Nick. The first harvest was made in 2001 (though all of this was sold to the likes of Williams Selyem and Failla). In the intervening years Nick had met and started to date Vanessa Wong a winemaker raised in San Francisco. Vanessa’s CV included stints at with Chateau Lafite, Jean Gros in Burgundy, and more recently at Hirsch in Sonoma, before working as winemaker at Peter Michael. By the time wedding bells rung in 2002 Vanessa was firmly ensconced as winemaker at Peay. 

Vanessa’s philosophy stems entirely from her decision on when to pick the fruit. She is a meticulous collector of data, making notes on everything from bunch formation to cane lengths, bud break and leaf nutrient samples. The aim is simple to give her and Nick the greatest possible picture of what is going on in the vineyard at any given time. Vineyard work is carried out by hand by a small team of 8 full time workers (a rarity and luxury that allows the people working the vines to really know the vines “our workers touch each vine over 13 times per year” they proudly state). Once harvested the grapes are transferred to the Peay’s own purpose built winery 40 miles away in Calistoga. From this point in the winemaking can best be described as gentle. The aim is simply to transmit the particular qualities of their land, through the prism of great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The result is wines of great refinement, nuance and clarity. 

The 20 hectare Peay vineyard itself sits on a ridge in a clearing just four miles from the chilly Pacific Ocean, one ridge removed from the actual coast.  When you’re located so close to an ocean, fog comes to be an unavoidable feature of life.  The Peay vineyard sits just above the inversion layer, and therefore just above the fog line, cooled by ocean breezes yet just out of the dangerous damp of the fog itself.  Whereas further inland the heat from the valley floor radiates warmth more strongly to the lower vineyards, out here on the coast, the cool coastal winds mean that the lower you are, the cooler you are. At Peay they feel their position just on the edge of this cooling fog gives rise to the very idea conditions for producing wines of nerve,  refreshing acidity and purity. Concentration is achieved through careful vineyard management, which in turn is shaped by some very careful clonal selection. The wines are split into two camps, those that come exclusively from the Peay vineyard and those that contain a small percentage of fruit from other sites on the Sonoma Coast. Both are cared for with the same passion and zeal.

We’re delighted to be importing these fascinating, cool climate wines. It is the first time they have ever been seen on these shores, just in time for their stunning 2012 vintage. They are set for release at the end of May 2014, so please do watch this space. In the meantime, you can watch this short video presented by Nick Peay about the vineyard.

Vintage Report: Bordeaux 2013

A refreshing vintage…

Refreshingly honest some might say. There was no hyperbole, no attempt at finding a silver lining; everyone admitted that 2013 was a ‘challenging year’. It may sound euphemistic, but no-one pretended that it was anything but hard. The spring, well there wasn’t really a spring, it was more of an extended winter, was three degrees colder than the norm, which hampered flowering, causing widespread coulure and millerandage. Providence, Hosanna and Quinault L’Enclos were so badly affected that they haven’t produced a wine at all. On average most vines flowered three weeks behind schedule, breaking one of Denis Dubourdieu’ s golden rules for a spectacular vintage. After a cold and wet June most vigneron had long given up any hope of a spectacular vintage and would quite happily have just taken a crop of any sorts.

July brought some much needed heat and sunshine. It was the hottest July since 1991, even eclipsing the scorching 2003 vintage. The July heat allowed the vines to play some much needed catch up as well as breaking down the methoxypyrazines in the grapes. As a result the fruit has little to no bitter, peppery notes, which greatly adds to the wines' appeal. August was generally good with more warm weather and little rainfall. Just when it seemed that there was some reason for cautious optimism, a pattern of tropical weather conditions hit the Gironde. It would be an exaggeration to call September a monsoon, but it was humid, with high daytime and night time temperatures. This accelerated ripening, but also posed a constant threat of rot.

The harvest was always going to be late, but some Chateau had little choice but to harvest before full phenolic ripeness was achieved. The risk of heavy rain and botrytis proved too big a gamble. Heavy rain hit in October, but large parts of the northern Medoc escaped unscathed. Most grapes were harvested with low potential alcohols, something that Bordeaux hasn’t experienced for a long time and something many will find very alluring. There were stories of Hypermarkets in the Gironde being devoid of sugar – certainly, many winemakers decided to chaptalize, but even after chaptilization, alcohols rarely exceed 13%.

There are many lightweight wines in 2013. We’d be surprised if the vintage as a whole appeals to American critics. It is characterised by low alcohols, high acidities and pure, lightweight flavours. The best wines from the most favourable terroirs are utterly charming. They possess noble flavours and are very refreshing. If you don’t like the massive style of some recent vintages or if you don’t want to wait decades before you can drink your wine, then these will appeal.

It is always good to end on a positive note, and the dry whites are very good and the Sauternes and Barsacs are potentially excellent. It is always perilously difficult to assess sweet wines in their infancy, but these seem to have wonderful potential. The humid conditions that caused such headaches for red wine-makers, produced widespread botrytis in Sauternes’ Semillons and Sauvignon Blancs. The wines possess noble, complex, crystalline flavours and bright acidity. They should turn out to be wonderful wines that will rival the extravagant 2001s and 2007s.

Bordeaux day two - The rollercoaster continues

After the peaks of Monday there was a pretty scary descent into the right bank UGCs. Let’s focus on the positives. Gazin and Conseillante are very good and Clinet continues to improve its style. The St Emilion tasting was altogether forgettable, except for some notable absences. The Nicolas Thienpont wines were nowhere to be seen (yields are so low at these estates, they decided to pull out of the Union tasting), so it was back in the bus for an unscheduled tasting at Pavie Macquin. Larcis Ducasse was surprisingly subdued, but Pavie Macquin and Beausejour Duffau are both quite striking. We bade farewell to the right bank and programmed the sat nav for Pessac Leognan.

Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Jean-Philippe Delmas greeted us at La Mission Haut Brion. A draconian selection has meant that for the first time they have bigger yields for the whites than the reds. The reds are both rather grand and the whites are drop dead gorgeous. Delving deeper into the commune we found a delicious Domaine de Chavalier a glossy Smith Haut Lafitte and some lovely dry whites, most notably: Malartic Lagraviere and Picque Cailliou. However, the UGC tasting was not plain sailing - many of the reds were charmless or worse…

On to Margaux. The new cellars, designed by Norman Foster are under construction so we tasted with Paul Pontallier in what is apparently France’s largest privately owned orangery. It certainly is a mighty fine building and a suitable place to taste a very refined and graceful flight of wines. At neighbours, Chateau Palmer, by contrast, we found something more voluptuous, sexy and juicy. There was also time for a quick visit to Clos des Quatre Vents. Luc has sold the estate to a Chinese company, but stays on to lend his considerable knowledge. The CD4V is charming and elegant, but lacks the depth of recent vintages. We also tasted a quite unique Chinese icewein from near the North Korean border made by the new owners of Clos des Quartre Vents! In short, it has been a day of peaks and troughs…