The best of the Medoc

Our last category is the coveted ‘best of the Medoc’ title. There are few surprises with big names: Palmer, Ducru, Las Cases, Lynch and Pontet taking the top five places. A great showing from Xavier Borie’s Grand Puy Lacoste has propelled this 5^th growth into a very respectable 6^th place ahead of the gorgeous Montrose and Pichon Lalande. Clerc Milon is also flying high and at £340 per case looks like a great buy. Last and by no means least - the utterly charming Calon Segur. Never flashy, not really a ‘tasting wine’, but by its sheer allure, it forces its way into the list.

Perhaps it is also worth mentioning Leoville Poyferre, usually high on the list, but narrowly missing out this time. Another absentee is Pichon Baron which came well down the pecking order...

1	Palmer	***
2	Ducru Beaucaillou	*
3	Leoville Las Cases	***
4	Lynch Bages
5	Pontet Canet	*
6	Grand Puy Lacoste
7	Montrose
8	Pichon Lalande
9	Clerc Milon
10	Calon Segur

Bordeaux 2012 - Day 3

By now we were well and truly in the groove and in the familiar surroundings of the northern Medoc, so it was time to unveil fifty shades of red cord (picture courtesy of Peter Richards MW). Appointments were booked thick and fast, so pace and concentration were the order of the day.

Our first stop was Cos d'Estournel to taste with Aymeric de Gironde, ironically from the Loire region of France, but clearly destined to succeed in Aquitaine. Aymeric, formally of Pichon Baron has jumped into Jean Guillaume's loafers and he is a charming and capable substitute; we wish him all the best. He joined after the harvest and vinifications, so 2012 is not his baby, but you can sense his passion for the wine as he hosted our tasting. Views varied from good, bad and indifferent. There's certainly some charm and precision, but we were not wholly convinced - maybe we give it the benefit of the doubt...

Next stop Calon Segur; the first vintage since the death of Madame Gasqueton. Thankfully Toby didn't ask how she was and the tasting passed without incident. We were charmed by the Grand Vin, which is typically graceful and elegant and will no doubt be very yummy in a few years’ time.

Hervé Beland welcomed us to Montrose and there was not a crane or workman in sight. Years of construction appear to be coming to completion. Hervé kindly gave us a tour of the new barrel cellar and we all agreed it would be an incredible venue for a party. The room is spectacular. As for the wine, it is not a classic brooding Montrose; it is somewhat more exuberant and friendly than normal, which we thought suited the vintage. The flavour profile is very correct and linear, but there is an uncharacteristic prettiness and joyousness that we don't normally see from barrel. We like.

Now to Hervé's old haunt, Mouton Rothschild. I'm afraid that the novelty of Golf buggy rides has worn off, but we like Clerc, Petit Mouton and the big Mouton - smart wines with real purity and length.

Back in the wagon for the short trip to Lafite Rothschild and probably the busiest tasting room of the week. Lafite's star is still burning bright. We didn't go for Carruades, but that probably ain't gonna concern DBR much. Duhart is a closed book, but after much coaxing one gets a glimpse at the brooding dark fruit core. Lafite is at first impenetrable, but again with aeration one begins to see what this wine is all about. Real breed and nobility here - a really handsome wine.

A little sojourn to St Julien to taste Leoville Las Cases before lunch. The less said about the Nenin and Potensac wines the better, but the Las Cases stable is looking good. There’s no lack of concentration here – big, impressive, brooding, serious wines.

Alfred Tesseron was our host for lunch, and delicious it was too, much like his Pontet Canet 2012. The Technical Director, Jean-Michel Comme spoke eloquently about a wine which evokes emotion – it certainly hits the right notes with us...

The afternoon started with a visit to Chateau Latour. No longer part of the primeur system we are delighted that we will still be able to taste from barrel and compare with their peer group. The 2012 range is a spectacular display of precision wine-making, with the Forts and Grand Vin both displaying laser guided accuracy and purity – wonderful wines.

The rest of the afternoon we yo-yoed from Pauillac to St Julien tasting Leoville Poyferre, Grand Puy Lacoste, Beychevelle and Lynch Bages. Poyferre was good, but the two Pauillacs stole the show. GPL is classic, charming and definitely one for the cellar. Lots of noble Pauillac flavours delight the senses and with any luck, this should be good value. Jean-Charles Cazes’ Lynch Bages is another Fifth Growth on top of its game. The 2012 has plenty of depth, ripe fruit, lovely precise flavours, complexity and charm; what more does one want?

As we supped a 1664 after a long day’s tasting, we were somewhat perplexed by the mixed reports we had heard from fellow tasters. Granted, not everything was good, but there are plenty of desirable wines from the Northern Medoc, usually hailing from the grandest terroirs and from the most quality conscious estates.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 3

Day three and our focus turns to the Medoc. Pauillac cuts rather a drab presence next to a brown Gironde and under threatening skies - not ideal tasting conditions, but we have a job to do, so we head to Montrose for our first appointment. 2011 was something of a challenge for Chateaux in St Estephe; aside from summer and spring swapping seasons, Montrose had to contend with snow, drought, heat waves and hail. On the evidence of the Grand Vin, they have coped manfully. This has wonderful extract and lots of substance - if it fleshes out it will be a great Montrose.

Next the Justerini cavalcade headed to neighbour and second growth rival, Cos d'Estournel. In truth, this wine proved controversial, splitting the group in two. Some felt that during vinification, Cos had pushed too hard, creating a monster lacking freshness and boasting OTT tannins, whilst others thought there was sufficient sweet cabernet fruit for this to work - time will tell.

Bruno Borie and his charming entourage greeted us at Ducru Beaucaillou. Following a 100 points in 2009 and an even better wine in 2010 was always going to be tough, but Ducru 2011 is one of the undeniable stars of the vintage. He described it as 'Nicole Kidman' - we thought it was sensational, deep, concentrated, exotic, aristocratic, yet with a sweetness and decadence and sumptuous texture - bravo.

Highlights of the afternoon included a stunning range at Mouton - as sumptuous, pretty and accessible as we have seen there for some time. Herve Beland's farewell vintage is a great success.

Pontet Canet impressed us all for its purity, clarity and vibrancy - it is a truly beautiful wine and Alfred, Melanie and the team have every reason to be proud.

Jean-Charles Cazes at Lynch admitted it was "a more challenging year", the threat of sunburn loomed large at the end of June and weather conditions at the end of August and beginning of September were highly conducive to the onset of grey rot, which was checked by thinning and de-leafing carried out earlier in the summer. The hard work paid off, with a number of our team putting it amongst the very finest wines of the vintage.

The Pauillac, St Estephe, St Julien UGC was inconsistent with too many Chateau over extracting and over working their wines. Those that were good though, were very good indeed. Highlights included, Leoville Poyferre, Grand Puy Lacoste, both Pichons, Gruaud Larose, Gloria, Leoville Barton and Ormes de Pez.
Lafite next, and what a range. Tasting Carruades free from preconceptions surrounding its market value can be tough. Be that as it may, the wine is superb. Sweet pure fruit and fine stony tannins - chapeau. Duhart too has its emotional baggage but it was also a great success. A more brooding wine, deliciously classical, mid weight but very intense all the way through, it ably carried the flame lit by Carruades to deliver us to the grand vin. Stylistically this is all Lafite. While closed and initially reticent the team fell in love with its precision, were wowed by its sheer length and seduced by the vivid, floral finish. This is certainly one of the left bank wines of the vintage.

We popped in on Leoville Poyferre to see if it was as good as at the UGC tasting, if anything it proved even better. Next door neighbour Leoville Las Cases have produced a fine range, the best Nenin they have made, whilst Petit Lion, Clos du Marquis and Las Cases itself were an impressive and surprisingly open trio.

Day 4 Medoc follows tomorrow.

Market Update

Amid the general unease about the state of the global economy, we are frequently quizzed about the health of the wine market. The last data released by Liv-ex showed the Liv-ex 100 up 3.9% at 444.55; a year on year rise of just over 41%. This sustained rally has largely been due to the enormous demand for First Growths in the rapidly expanding Chinese market. New figures now confirm that the so called `Super Seconds` have been pitching in too. Brands such as Lynch Bages and Pontet Canet (both technically 5th growths...) along with the likes of Montrose, Cos d’Estournel, both the Pichons, Leoville Las Cases and Ducru Beaucaillou have enjoyed steady (if not spectacular) gains.

Of course, events in Japan, stratospheric prices for First Growths and the impending 2010 Bordeaux campaign have the potential to bring an abrupt end to the bull-run; but only time will tell. At present, Haut Brion and Mouton Rothschild are enjoying the top spot (in terms of demand if not price) and the `Super Seconds` still look attractive to those seeking First Growth quality without the price tag.

Bordeaux UGC - The 2008s

The Bordeaux circus rolled into town today. There was not too much talk of industrial action and petrol supplies running out; we were all gathered to re-taste the fascinating 2008s. Many of the Chateaux are still harvesting their Cabernets and they couldn’t resist telling us about their 2010s; remarkable quality, but tiny yields. Many spoke of the young wines as real contenders to the 2009s, but we shall reserve judgement until April.

Back to the 2008s. When we first tasted these in April 2009, the economic outlook was bleak to say the least. The metrological reports suggested a summer that had been even less glorious than 2007, so, it was fair to say that the prospect of tasting and selling the 2008s was not something we were particularly looking forward to. However, we made the trip and we were pleasantly surprised by many of the results.

Despite the cool August, the best wines had a real concentration, coupled with really precise flavours and good acidities. Not `Classic` meaning bad, but `Classic` meaning good, to steal a phrase from RUN DMC. The economic outlook remained gloomy, so Chateaux such as Angelus, and the 1st growths made the bold decision to release first and at very attractive prices. The market place tentatively bought the top ten or so wines, but it wasn’t until Robert Parker waxed lyrical about the 2008s, that merchants and customers started to by a wider range of Chateaux. The rest as they say is history.

So, how are the wines showing now that they are in bottle? This is not a consistent vintage; we were very picky and we advise customers to be cautious with their purchases too. Yes the best wines are fabulous, but there are some stinkers too. The big question is, has Parker stuck his neck out too far on this one? Many wines achieve similar or better scores in 2008 than they achieved in 2005. 2008 is no 2005, but there are some fine wines. On the basis of today’s tasting, Pontet Canet, Lynch Bages, Pichon Baron, Leoville Poyferre, Beychevelle, Conseillante, Haut Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Rauzan Segla and Leoville Barton are all very smart wines and will offer collectors much enjoyment. The biggest surprise is the improvement of the Margaux commune. We were very disappointed by our initial tastings, but many of these wines have improved in barrel. Despite the weakness of sterling, many of these offer very good value (particularly when compared the magical 2009s). Other than the wines mentioned above, there were particularly strong showings from Ormes de Pez, Lafon Rochet and Poujeaux. The dry whites are crisp and classic, whilst the unsung sweeties are delightfully crisp with beautifully precise flavours. There is enough botrytis present, but these are not blockbusters. Guiraud and de Fargues were the richest offerings on show, whilst Climens was the most complete.

All in all, there are some jolly good wines from 2008, and the fact that this is not a 2005 or a 2009 is reflected in the prices. If you pick carefully, 2008 offers some of the best value buys on the market today.

Bordeaux 2009: Alfred Tesseron, Ch. Pontet Canet

Pontet Canet from Justerini & Brooks on Vimeo.

Bordeaux 2009 – More scores

Our second category is `Best of the Left`. Our intrepid tasters were asked to compile a list of their top ten wines from the Medoc and the Grave (excluding the First Growths and La Mission Haut Brion). Competition was fierce; no fewer than 18 wines were utilized, including one or two surprises. The same rules applied, 10 points for first place all the way down to 1 point for tenth position.

Starting at the top, the runaway victor was predictably Leoville Las Cases with a remarkable 79/80. It’s just idle speculation, but I’d wager that if Las Cases had been included within our First Growth category, it would have finished in a Champion’s League spot. Next, and almost as emphatically comes Pontet Canet with 72/80; the wine that prevented Las Cases from recording a perfect 80! Bronze goes to the magnificent Cos and then it all becomes quite congested mid table; just 11 points separate Calon Ségur, Leoville Barton, Palmer, Pichon Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Montrose. It’s also worth noting a particularly strong showing from Haut Marbuzet; a Cru Bourgeois is a sea of Cru Classé.

Leoville Las Cases - 79
Pontet Canet - 72
Cos d'Estournel - 47
Calon Segur - 35
Leoville Barton - 33
Palmer - 28
Pichon Lalande - 27
Grand Puy Lacoste - 25
Montrose - 24
Ducru Beaucaillou - 15
Forts de Latour - 12
Pavillon Rouge - 9
Haut Marbuzet - 7
Malescot St Exupery - 7
Rauzan Segla - 6
Lynch Bages - 6
Pichon Baron - 5
Haut Bailly - 3

Bordeaux 2009 - First Impressions

Following the narrowest of victories in the annual Bordeaux versus England cricket match we headed to Clos des Quatre Vents for our first taste of 2009. Luc's wines were fabulous; demonstrating true Margaux perfume and polish. The range is possibly his best yet; concentrated, deliciously fresh and true to their terroir. Monday Morning started with a trip to Montrose. A very serious, long term wine here - full of breed. Next came Haut Marbuzet, a completely different proposition - ultra fine, beautifully composed and utterly delicious; almost Burgundian. A short hop to Cos, which as Hew has previously mentioned is outstanding; an enormous wine of legendary proportions. Then to Pauillac for tastings at Mouton Rothschild and Pontet Canet. The Mouton range continue to impress; a delicious Clerc Milon and a spell binding Mouton. Ponet Canet is a must buy; a complete wine of intensity and finesse. Off to Latour...

The Southwold Tasting - Day 2

Day two started at the northern end of the Medoc with the St Estephes. This flight did not include Cos d'Estournel, which was grouped with the `Firsts` and `Super Seconds`. It did however include Sociando Mallet (situated just north of the appellation); a beautifully balanced, natural wine, whose gravel terroir spoke through its silky texture and dark, sweet, fresh fruit core. Les Ormes de Pez, however, had just as much potential and pipped Sociando and Phelan Segur by half a point. It had a wonderful vibrant purple colour, layers of classic blackcurrant fruit and polished fine tannins. The Phelan Segur was beautifully crafted, with exquisite, bitter sweet fruit character and splendid length of flavour.

A flight of mixed Pauillac and St Julien followed including some second wines. This was a high quality field and gave a first sight of just how good these 2006 left bank wines are. Reserve de la Comtesse - aromas of cedar wood, tobacco leaf and blackberry were truly seductive; also confirmed on a classy palate. Haut Bages Liberal was another brilliant wine in a three way tie for first place in this flight. Bright purple in colour, wonderful dark, pure fruit that can only come from deep gravel soil; it is backward but has great potential. I have observed the progress of Ch Gloria since the 2004 vintage when it came good along with its stable mate Ch St Pierre. Stacked with clean, classy, juicy fruit, it becomes altogether more serious and structured on the palate, it will age gracefully.

The Pauillac flight that followed was truly consistent in quality, no dogs amongst the ten examples here. Dense, sweet, blackcurrant fruit, well defined tannins and structure could be found amongst the majority including: Duhart-Milon, Petit-Mouton and Clerc-Milon. Pontet Canet and Grand Puy Lacoste demonstrated even more depth and length. Les Forts de Latour and Pichon Baron were joint runners up. The Forts was a stylish, mineral effort, which delighted with an abundance of dark berry fruits. The Pichon Baron’s fruit was a little more confected; sweet briar, cigar leaf and explosive, ripe fruit tannins. Top of the flight was Pichon Lalande. It started firm with beautifully integrated oak and sensual blackcurrant fruits, and only slowly exposed its true glory after ten minutes in the glass. Layered sweet textured yet with enduring mineral complexity and fine tannic structure.

Equally impressive was the top notch flight of St Juliens. It may be that the wines of Pomerol and St Julien were not only the most exiting but also the most homogenous communes in 2006. Ch Leoville-Las-Cases was the clear winner of the flight and when tasted with the left bank firsts and super seconds it came out in joint first place with Mouton Rothschild and Haut Brion. It is a statuesque wine; rich yet firm, ripe yet complex, sumptuous yet persistent. Also very good was a stylish Branaire and an opulent Leoville Poyferre; these two just out scored more superb efforts from Leoville Barton and Ducru Beaucaillou and the fast improving St Pierre.

A ten wine flight of first growths and super seconds followed. They demonstrated just how successful the top Crus Classes were in 2006.

Ch Cos d 'Estournel 17/20 - Impressive structure but I considered this to be somewhat forced and the new oak not yet integrated. Needs time.
Ch Margaux 18/20 - All on finesse and elegance, beautifully crafted with silky tannins.
Ch Pichon Lalande 18/20 - As above, and in this flight even more depth of fruit.
Ch Palmer 18.5/20 - Ethereal, seductive sweet berry fruit aromas, powerful, layered fruit yet stylish persistent finish.
Ch Latour 18.5/20 - Dark and brooding, cedar, tobacco, sweet blackcurrant, sumptuous tannins.
La Mission Haut Brion 18.5/20 - Cigar leaf, chocolate, gravel, serious intensity, great length of flavour. Ranked very highly by all tasters.
Mouton Rothschild 19/20 – Sweet, succulent blackcurrant, massive concentration of fruit, big bold tannic structure.
Haut Brion 19/20 – Rich, ripe, dark forest fruits, sweet tobacco, layers of luscious yet stylish fruit. Great length and complexity.
Leoville Las Cases 19/20 - Tasted as above.

Look out for a special `Best of Bordeaux 2006` offer in the next few days.

The Bordeaux circus rolls into town

Today, the Union des Grands Crus swapped their Chateaux for the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. This annual event has become an enlightening tasting as it often presents the first opportunity to taste a vintage from bottle. This year was the turn of the 2007s. Widely rubbished before the barrel tastings, some Chateaux defied the miserable conditions and with an extraordinary amount of hard work in the vineyard and no lack of skill in the winery, have produced some half decent wines - but how are they showing now?

Well, the pick of the reds are elegant and refined, with pure fruit cores; they will be attractive early drinkers. Those who extracted too much have made unbalanced wines with tough tannins, but in the main, winemakers have been gentle and have produced simple but charming wines. The stars of the show included, Pontet Canet, Pichon Lalande, Pichon Baron, Léoville Barton, Langoa Barton and Beychevelle. These were really well made wines that will reward medium term cellaring.

The real winners in 2007 though are the whites. The dry whites from Pessac-Léognan are aromatic, concentrated and possess lovely crisp acidities. Highlights included, Carbonnieux, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafite and Picque Caillou. The sweeties are quite exceptional too. There is ample botrytis, richness and complexity - all framed by delicious racy acidities. Suduiraut, Doisy Daene, Doisy Vedrines, de Fargues and Coutet all shone, but a particular attention should be drawn to Climens, who have made a blockbuster to rival Yquem. Berenice Lurton has made a wine of mammoth proportions; a truly exceptional Climens!

So, in summary, the best reds are charming, balanced wines with fine structures, which will reward early drinking. The whites are outstanding; if you haven’t already bought them for your cellar, then hurry…

A word with Melanie Tesseron

`Just off the phone to Melanie Tesseron (daughter of Alfred Tesseron/Chateau Pontet Canet). She was very upbeat about the 2009s. August was `very hot and dry`. She is currently studying at Chateau Senejac, where the Merlot analysis showed good acidities and already show good alcohols. Pessac Leognan have started to harvest some whites, while the Medoc have an anxious few weeks before their vendage starts. No-one's counting their chickens yet, everyone just hopes that the fine weather continues.`