Portes ouvertes in Pessac Leognan with AlexR
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:41 pm
Last Sunday, i went to Pessac Leognan with AlexR and 2 young chinese students (that are in Bordeaux to study wines), as it was the portes ouvertes event. Many chateau visited with some highs and lows (all white were from 2011):
chateau pape-clement : visit was not very fun as we were 60 with the guide. At the end, we tasted the 2010 Clementin de Pape-Clement that was really good, low acidity, smoky, ripe lush fruit, a nice wine.
chateau l'angelot de seguin : just a small tour, and tasting the red. The 2010 second wine red was ok for the price, a fair pessac, but nothing to impress too much, unfortunately.
chateau de france : again the white let me without comments, exotic and oaky, too much for me (i'm a guy that like white with acidity, minerality and no oak). The 2009 red was very good, an little auster but quite tasty with good grip. The 2008 was very nice too, for the price, a bit less rich than 2009.
chateau brown : the white was nothing interesting for me, and the 2008 red was a big deception : first bottle was having no nose. I sampled another one, that was a bit better but final in mouth was harsh.
chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion : also a big deception. too much coal and dry tannin on the 2008, don<t know why someone would buy. I made the joke that probably the wine in the barrel where we spit was probably better... (i did not know i could be so mean).
chateau fieuzal : the best wine that day. the 2010 white was having a clear light oaked sauvignon style, with light fruit and minerality. very good. I thought the 2009 red was very very great. balanced. nice mix of fruit, smoke, light oak, mineral with a long balanced fruity finished. A must buy as enjoyable now and will be for many years as it is so balanced.
chateau la louviere : crowded place. Nice place. their late harvest sauvignon was very good, as their 2008 red. classic pessac in the making. a bad note for the cinnamon parfume smell in the tasting room.
chateau grandmaison : another great discovery. I bought their 2011 white, as it was elegant, fruity and almost no oak. Clean sauvignon style. The red was very elegant also, not very expensive, well fruited and with decent structure. the second best estate that day.
the chateau in front of Haut-Bailly (help me Alex) : a rustic style but very genuine to old style. a funky touch to their red. A nice story as the family bought the plot in 1989, drained everything and planted vines...
the last chateau (help me Alex) : nothing impressive there. they were having the claret, 2 vintage of white and 5 reds to taste. the 2003 special cuvee from cabernet franc/malbec/petit verdot was fruit confit on the nose but oxydized in mouth... I taste the 2005 red that was ok but nothing special. the 2009 was only ok, in that epic vintage.
A nice day, where we spit everything. Always fun to visit the Chateaux with Alex, and a new experience for me with young chinese that like Bordeaux. And effectively, the chinese confirmed that Bordeaux are a bit <<odd for chinese cooking<< so this is why there is some enthusiast in China for Bourgogne, that fit their cuisine better...
Nic
chateau pape-clement : visit was not very fun as we were 60 with the guide. At the end, we tasted the 2010 Clementin de Pape-Clement that was really good, low acidity, smoky, ripe lush fruit, a nice wine.
chateau l'angelot de seguin : just a small tour, and tasting the red. The 2010 second wine red was ok for the price, a fair pessac, but nothing to impress too much, unfortunately.
chateau de france : again the white let me without comments, exotic and oaky, too much for me (i'm a guy that like white with acidity, minerality and no oak). The 2009 red was very good, an little auster but quite tasty with good grip. The 2008 was very nice too, for the price, a bit less rich than 2009.
chateau brown : the white was nothing interesting for me, and the 2008 red was a big deception : first bottle was having no nose. I sampled another one, that was a bit better but final in mouth was harsh.
chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion : also a big deception. too much coal and dry tannin on the 2008, don<t know why someone would buy. I made the joke that probably the wine in the barrel where we spit was probably better... (i did not know i could be so mean).
chateau fieuzal : the best wine that day. the 2010 white was having a clear light oaked sauvignon style, with light fruit and minerality. very good. I thought the 2009 red was very very great. balanced. nice mix of fruit, smoke, light oak, mineral with a long balanced fruity finished. A must buy as enjoyable now and will be for many years as it is so balanced.
chateau la louviere : crowded place. Nice place. their late harvest sauvignon was very good, as their 2008 red. classic pessac in the making. a bad note for the cinnamon parfume smell in the tasting room.
chateau grandmaison : another great discovery. I bought their 2011 white, as it was elegant, fruity and almost no oak. Clean sauvignon style. The red was very elegant also, not very expensive, well fruited and with decent structure. the second best estate that day.
the chateau in front of Haut-Bailly (help me Alex) : a rustic style but very genuine to old style. a funky touch to their red. A nice story as the family bought the plot in 1989, drained everything and planted vines...
the last chateau (help me Alex) : nothing impressive there. they were having the claret, 2 vintage of white and 5 reds to taste. the 2003 special cuvee from cabernet franc/malbec/petit verdot was fruit confit on the nose but oxydized in mouth... I taste the 2005 red that was ok but nothing special. the 2009 was only ok, in that epic vintage.
A nice day, where we spit everything. Always fun to visit the Chateaux with Alex, and a new experience for me with young chinese that like Bordeaux. And effectively, the chinese confirmed that Bordeaux are a bit <<odd for chinese cooking<< so this is why there is some enthusiast in China for Bourgogne, that fit their cuisine better...
Nic