The campaign gathers pace...

After the VINEXPO lull, Chateaux owners have been making up for lost time with a flurry of releases. Despite the British bank holiday, Monday saw the release of a fine quartet: Bernadotte (£140/case), Lacoste Borie (£175/case), Chasse Spleen (£210/case) and Fonbel (£165/case). Bernadotte was delicious and improvements by the Pichon Lalande/Roederer team are clearly paying off; not a green note in sight, this is a really polished, fleshy offering.

Xavier Borie's Grand Puy Lacoste and Haut Batailley regularly feature in our best value selections and for those looking for a bargain Pauillac, Lacoste Borie (the second wine from GPL) is a snip at £175/case.

Chasse Spleen won the battle of Moulis for the J&B team. Yes Poujeaux (£210/case) is exceptional, massive and long-term, but Chasse Spleen charmed the socks off us. Alain Vauthier’s Fonbel was the cherry on the cake. At 40% above the 2008 release price, it made us gulp, however, this comes from good terroir (just below Ausone) and is made by the Ausone team, so £165/case looks far from excessive...

Typically, today has been somewhat quieter... but to bring you right up to speed, we have Cantemerle (£240/case) and l’Arrosee (£330/case). Both receive 92-94 points from Mr Parker and both are up there with the best vintages ever made from these properties. We particularly recommend Cantemerle, which really shone at the Moulis, Listrac and Haut Medoc UGC.

The Southwold Tasting – Day 1

This year was the turn of the 2006 vintage. As usual samples were sourced direct from the Chateaux and tasted blind in commune sequence.

The general impression is that there are some serious wines from both left and right banks. Comparing prices with other vintages, in particular 2005, makes these somewhat forgotten 2006s look really interesting buys. Selection, however, is vitally important in a vintage that sorts the men from the boys.

First up was a flight of Medocs and Listrac/Moulis, including classed growths. The outstanding wine was Chateau Cantemerle, showing ripeness, depth of fruit and fine Bordeaux structure. Chateau Chasse Spleen and Tour Carnet are also worth seeking out for their balance and easy drinking style. Disappointments included Chateau La Lagune.

Several flights of St Emilions followed. The quality from this Appellation was as mixed as the multiple terroirs found in this commune. The most common faults being black coloured, over extracted wines with dry, hard, tannic structures. There were however a few exceptions that showed balance, natural ripe sweet fruit and fine tannins: Joanne Becot, Franc Mayne, L'Hermitage and amongst the premier Crus Classe: Beausejour Duffau, Canon La Gaffeliere, Chapelle d'Ausone and Pavie Macquin. The grand St Emilions were tasted with the elite Pomerols in a majestic right-bank shoot out on day two.

Next came two flights of Pomerol. Quality here is top notch and the wines are consistently ripe, deep of fruit and possess sweet tannic structures. The Moueix properties were uniformly delicious; Chateau La Fleur Petrus, Hosanna and Trotanoy were firing on all cylinders. However, Vieux Chateau Certan won by a short head; backward, brooding, with a wonderfully complex, dark, sweet fruit core. Evangile may well be the sleeper of the appellation, it appeared a touch closed but it reveals hints of greatness – purity, finesse and intensity.

http://www.justerinis.com/Cantemerle/Chateau_Cantemerle_5eme_Cru_Classe_Haut_Medoc_2006/7644/7334/WineDetails.aspx