first day

[Nicklasss]

this epic trip started on Monday, with visits to some of the top Chateau from the Medoc.

First visit was at Palmer, where the visit was longer, as many questions from our passionnate group. Palmer is gong organic, and after biodynamic, but won't pût Amy info about that on the label. it was very fun, as a really sunny morning. in the tasting room, the 2011 Alter Ego was kind of a beast, with it 50 % petit verdot, but in 3-6 years will become a nice wine. the elegant 2006 Palmer is still young, but the Palmer signature, with the high merlot content is there.

Next was an nice more commercial tour at Du Tertre, where we also had lunch in the huge summer house next to the impressive pool of the chateau. Mark Verpaalen from the Chateau, was with us for lunch and many bottles poured. I think he was happy with us, as he could feel the recognition and sympathy BWEers have for their 2 estates, Du Tertre and Giscours.Very nice lunch with duck magret salad, many cheese and charcuterie. The 2009 and 2012 Du Tertre are excellent wines. Tasting the 2014 of Du Tertre and Giscours was difficult for me, as not used to that type of very young Bordeaux. the 2004 Giscours was very ''Margaux'' and already very good. We also had the 2006 Caiarossa, a wine made in Toscana, that mix 8 grape varieties, that was a mix bag of easy generous fruit. At some moment, I guess I would have stayed there for the afternoon, as the setup was magic.

Afterrnon was tough, with a tight schedule for the next 4 estates : Léoville Las Cases and Gruand Larose (have to split the group in two), Latour Léoville Barton and Léoville Poyferré, that last one visit and dinner.

At Léoville Las Cases, the tour was in french only, with Mr. Roland, so got to translate for my english speeking co-BWEers. Focus was kept there to the vat room and bottling, as we didnn't saw that in the morning. Bottling was interesting, with the double-magnum and bigger bottles, still done manually. Tracing information are laser pinched on the bottle sincère the 1995 vintage, where you fan find information on which wine it is, bottle when, which core producer... We had the full lineup of 2010, second and first wines of Nenin, Potensac and the three wines of LLC. The whole lineup was impressive, with each wine reprensenting very well it AOC. The 2012 Chateau Léoville Las Cases is just a voluptuous, balance and great wine for the vintage.

The Latour visit was something unique, as very hard to get a tour there. Buildings are medium old, but all doors, winemaking equipments and others are as new as a military brand new secret base. Very nice tour, instructive, with lot of discussion on the new ''no future'' policy, and looking at barrels of Latour that when you calculate quickly, 4 barrels worth about a million $... Tour was precise and full of interesting information. Tsting was very good, with a young, fruity and not that much Pauillac style 3rd wine, the 2011 Pauillac. The 2008 Forts de Latour was a step up, but the nose was closed a bit and showing mainly spices. Mouthshowing more, with mineral, sand, old macerated ccherries, blackberries, chewy tannins and long noble oak finish. The Pauillac character there. the 2004 Chateau Latour is still young, but it was for sure another step up. nose with lots of breed, blackberries, light leather, light cedar and some tar. mouth already good complexity (redberries,blackcurrants, mineral, light meat) but need a bit more time. i did not had Latour often but I guess thiswill be tastier and heavier in few years. oh, I almost forgot, the big format bottle reserve is undescriptible, as you're surrounded by double-magnum and bigger bottles of 1900, 1961, 1970, 1982, 2000, 2005. a trivia question: when that 6 liters of 2005 Chateau La Tour will be ready to drink?

At Léoville Barton, we had a great tour of the winemaking facilities and the extremely niçe garden, with Lilian Barton, owner and winemaker. The tour was interesting because instead of repeatinng the same as others, she explained to us what she was doing that the others weren't. No green harvest here, no organic or biodynamic ambitions (but very limited treatments that are mandatory because the climate f Bordeaux). very simple way of doing wine and discussed a bit about the moulis estate that Ms Barton bought not so long ago. on the three wine tasted, 2012 Chateau Mauvesin Barton was nice but the lightest with red locorice and cherries, the 2012 Chateau Langoa Barton a bit closed, but with very nice minerals, oak, red berries and cherries and last the 2014 Chateau Leoville Barton tasting weirdly as a barrel sample. again a particularly interesting tour.

Next was the tour and dinner at Leoville Poyferré. I think that everyone at that time weree tired of cellar tour, so it went quickly. but it is in that tour that we saw the first reverse osmosis machine, that was not introduced during the tour so someone ask a questioon about. seems like the Bordeaux Chateaux are using it somtime but it is tough to know in which conditions or vintages. ending by the tastiing of the 2014 Léoville Poyferré and Moulin Riche. The dinner was excellent with different dishes of quail, veal, cheese and dessert. of course we had a few Chateau Léoville Poyferré including 2012, 2008, 2006, 2007, 2005 and 2003. All the wine had that great core of fruit. 2005 and 2003 were probably the best wines. I personnally préférer the 2003, liking more it very complex nose, and very ripe flavors and structure. The 2005 will be greater in minimum 5-7 years.

It was a great but exhausting first day. And there were 4 more to go...

Nic

[sdr]

Thanks for the great report, Nic, keep them coming.

Stuart

[robertgoulet]

Thank u sir

[DavidG]

Well done Nic! Thank you.

[Nicklasss]

Updated.

[robertgoulet]

Nic...any input on 2006? I just purchased a couple of these since they are my sons birth yr.....thanx

[Jay Winton]

great report Nic. Don't all the Leovilles use reverse osmosis?