Bordeaux 2011 in bottle

Following 2010 was never going to be an easy act. Following 2009 and 2010 was going to be an impossible act. Arguably, no-one really wanted a vintage that could live up to these immense years. Could anyone handle another ‘vintage of a lifetime’? I for one had already encountered four, which was making me feel quite old; our poor Chairman must be feeling positively ancient!

It was immediately obvious to all that 2011 was not a rival to 2009 and 2010, but this should not in itself be a reason to condemn it. Aside from the small wines, 2009s really aren’t ready for drinking. 2010s will take longer still, so either we rely on our vast reserves of ‘61s and ‘82s until our 2009s and 2010s hit their straps, or we’re going to need a few vintages to fill in. I for one have been thoroughly enjoying some 2007s recently, so much so, that I feel inspired to write a blog on them. ‘Less-good vintages’ definitely have a place. But before anyone starts reading too much between the lines, 2011 and 2007 don’t have that much in common.

Inside the packed Opera House we found a relatively consistent group of wines. Sure there were ups and downs, but this is a big tasting – there were plenty of turkeys at the corresponding 2009 and 2010 tastings. Starting with the Pessac reds, we found plenty of sweet fruit. In fact we were quite surprised by how ripe and generous some of these wines were. The usual stars, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafitte and Haut Bailly were all delicious, but those who like the exotic would be advised to go for Malartic Lagraviere. Bravo to the Bonnies – a terrific wine that I’d very much like to have in my cellar!

St Emilion is a region I approach with trepidation. Much to my surprise, this flight provided some of the most exciting and polished wines at the tasting. John Kolasa at Canon continues his good work, Troplong Mondot was massive yet quite seductive and Canon la Gaffelière was a complete surprise package – either my palate has completely changed or their 2011 is demonstrating a refinement and elegance I don’t normally associate with this estate. This is without doubt the smartest Canon la Gaffelière I can remember. The standout wine though was Clos Fourtet. Their 2009 and 2010 received high praise from Parker and this is a very worthy successor.

In Pomerol, Gazin has firmed up; this is one of the few wines at the tasting that had real structure. This may require a few years, but will be a stunner. La Conseillante was as understated and distinguished as usual. In the Medoc, some little wines such as Beaumont, Chasse Spleen and Poujeaux all showed well. The soft, approachable tannins and ample sweetness of the vintage make these wines more accessible than ever. Brane Cantenac and Rauzan Segla were the stars of Margaux – no surprises here then… St Julien and Pauillac were not as consistent as we remembered them. There are some real highs: Leoville Poyferre, St Pierre, Gloria, Gruaud Larose, Pichon Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Pichon Baron, but there were a few question marks over Lynch Bages and Leoville Barton. Both showed brilliantly from barrel, so maybe they are just in a difficult adolescent stage.

Our view of the Sauternes and Barsacs has not really changed. The wines are big and rich, but are not overly complex. In our view, those who declared 2011 to be an excellent year for sweeties slightly missed the mark. Some wines have definitely improved in barrel, but this is not another 2001. Our pick again was the wonderful Doisy Vedrines. Olivier’s wine has real tension and complexity. The bouquet is a melting pot of tropical fruit; the palate is awash with noble flavours and the acidity is remarkable. This is a Barsac I really want to drink!

In summary, there is much to like about this group of reds. There are good colours, lots of sweet, seductive, mid-palate fruit, soft tannins and freshness. They remind me of how 2001s started showing after a few years. It isn’t a vintage to lay down for decades, but the wines will give lots of pleasure. In the current, subdued market, it is difficult to make a compelling case to buy these, however, as they become available, they will be some of the best priced examples of physical stock, and they will drink well young. So while people wait for 2009s and 2010s to come around, the 2011s could be the answer.

Bordeaux 2012 - Day 4

A green harvester at Ducru Beaucaillou...

Day four and there was still lots to cover, four UGCs (Sauternes, Moulis - Listrac and Haut Medoc, Margaux and Pauillac - St Julien and St Estephe) as well as a few last Chateau visits. First stop, the Pichons. We unanimously preferred Lalande to Baron and this was confirmed by re-tasting at the UGC. Pichon Lalande has real charm, grace and Pauillac character. It will be a lovely drink in eight years’ time.

The Pauillac, St Julien and St Estephe UGC was a little patchy, but there was much to admire. Re-tasting Lynch Bages and Grand Puy Lacoste confirmed their class, while Gloria looks like a great value from St Julien. Langoa and Leoville Barton both showed well, but we thought we’d pop in to see Lilian and taste at the Chateau on the way to Ducru. Both wines performed even better when tasted at the Chateau. There was also an opportunity to taste the 2011s a year on. Langoa is stunning, while Leoville is big, tannic and impressive. It is slightly awkward at the moment, but has good potential.

Our last tasting before lunch was with Bruno Borie at Ducru Beaucaillou. Toby wasted no time in his interrogation, quizzing Bruno on his choice of harvesters in the glossy brochure. Bruno was prepared, explaining that he prefers blondes for the green harvest and brunets for the vendage. That cleared up, we got on with the tasting; the results were spectacular. Lalande Borie is juicy, yummy and should be good value, Croix has real depth and class and the Grand Vin is serious, sexy and long-term. A cracking range.

Ulysse Cazabonne was our generous host for lunch. Once again their chef treated us to an extravagant lunch, including some delicious clarets from 2001 – a really friendly, attractive vintage. There was also an opportunity to taste and re-taste some wines in their cellars. John Kolasa’s Chateau Canon was exceptional. This is an estate on top form, showing well at Southwold and their 2012 rates amongst the top wines of the right bank.

The afternoon was a big disappointment. Leaden skies and pouring rain added to our downbeat mood, but the wines were the main reason for our disenchantment. Sauternes seemed saccharine, lacking botrytis and complexity. Unless they are super cheap, there’s no point buying them; we recommend the excellent 2011s which are widely available at opening prices. Margaux UGC was if anything a bigger anti-climax. Some big names just really didn’t get it. The best performers were Rauzan Segla, Brane Cantenac and Malescot St Exupery. We should add that the Margaux UGC has been a bit of a challenge for the last few years, so the wines probably deserve the benefit of the doubt – they will no doubt work themselves out in time. So it was left for the Moulis, Listrac and Haut Medoc tasting to raise our spirits, and actually, there were quite a few very good, honest, well made wines here. Cantemerle continues its good form, Chasse Spleen and Poujeaux are both solid efforts and Beaumont is excellent value for money. Some tasters were left head scratching. Had this minor UGC trumped the somewhat grander Margaux UGC? Well expectations were somewhat lower, but we definitely left in a more upbeat mood.

So after four days of tastings, we have a picture of the 2012s. It is not an easy vintage to pigeonhole. Pomerol estates maybe had an easier time than the other communes, but they didn’t have it all their own way, and a lot of hard graft was required to produce high quality wines. The Medoc probably had the most challenging conditions, but here we have estates with incredible resources and resourcefulness and there have been some very smart wines produced. Sauternes is weak and the decision by Yquem and Rieussec not to release looks astute. The dry whites are delicious; 2012 must rank as an excellent vintage for this style.

To loosely paraphrase our Chairman, the highs are higher than in 2011, but there is less consistency. We like the purity and precision in the best wines and feel that they will be delightful wines to consume in 8-10 years’ time.