Bordeaux 2015: Thoughts on the Bordeaux estates we visited

[Comte Flaneur]

The trip provided the ideal opportunity to re calibrate my thinking on the Bordeaux estates we visited.

Palmer was as professional as I expected, though the organic/biodynamic orientation seems in part to be a marketing gimmick. Our hostess advertised the fact that this would not be advertised on the bottle. It was among Howard's top ten most ridiculous things he heard on the tour. Alter Ego sounds so much more marketing savvy, 21st century than Reserve Du General, but although they all say it is not a second wine it clearly plays second fiddle to the magnificent grand vin. The 2006 GV was glorious. Palmer seems to be in a good place. 

It was a shame we couldn't linger longer at Du Tertre. It had the most inviting swimming pool and tasteful sculpture of a bottom sticking out of the water (photos later). The 2012 was a revelation, and the estate is unique in the high proportions of cab franc and petit Verdot in the blend, but that will eventually change. Du Tertre arguably outshines its more illustrious big brother Giscours. It is a wine to buy, and buy with conviction. 

We were late to Leoville Lascases and got the cellar master who spoke in French as retribution. But it was a blessing because we were spared the vanilla tour and watched the bottling instead. And we had Nic on hand to translate. The LLC 2012 was simply magnificent. Latour is a very slick organisation and a massive money printing machine, even without the Chinese. The wines were a bit disappointing, but only because the Forts and GV were shut down hard. 

Lilian Sartorious was the most cerebral and thoughtful winemaker we met. Not one to suffer fools, nor to follow fads. Leoville Barton is in very good hands, and you can continue to buy with conviction. The same could not be said about Leoville Poyferre. My suspicions that there is a fair amount of manipulation were not assuaged. I was unconvinced by the wines and will happily pass. But Anne Cuvelier was a gracious hostess. 

It is a shame that Jean Michel Laporte is leaving La Conseillante at the end of June. It appears the reason is that he has a different vision as to the future of the estate than the Nicolas family. It is their loss. He has transformed La Conseillante in the last decade and a bit. We only tried the svelte 2014 but having tried some of his other wines in April rest assured the quality is top drawer. La Conseillante is arguably a bargain given what its neighbours charge. 

If you like traditional well made well priced St-Emilion then Corbin is for you. I will be buying. Probably the 2012. At Figeac we only tried the 2011 but it was a classic Figeac that pre-dated all the changes. Clearly an estate on the move. One to watch closely. The wines at De Ferrand were patchy, but I liked the 2000 enough to buy some. This estate does much better in heralded vintages.

Not a lot to say about day three that has not been said else where. The 2012 La Lagune is one to buy. I liked it as much as the 2010, and much better than the 2011. Chateau Margaux was shambolic with lots of cellar and building work going on and our hostess was cursory and cordial after we arrived late. But the two wines were magnificent. I expected that from the GV but not the Pavillon Rouge 2004, the best I have ever tried. 

La Mission was a high point with a strong religious theme running through the tour. The 2007 LMHB and Haut-Brion were superb in the context of the vintage. At lunch that day it was a thrill to drink Michael's Petrus 1934. It was in good shape with a dense inner core. Yquem was special too, but I don't buy the line that the 2011 is the next 2001, superb as it nevertheless was. The 2013 Coutet was lovely. 

When we arrived on time at Smith Haut Lafitte on Thursday evening the Gendarmerie were out in force because the Singaporean prime minister was just leaving. We also had a 15 minute audience with the Cathairds who were so impressed by Jim that they added the 100 Parker point 2009 rouge to our dinner line up. Although erring more towards bling than traditional I liked the wines at SHL. The 2009 really was a thrill ride. It was reassuring to revert back to the more prosaic 2007 which was served out of double magnum, and was excellent. Good wines but the prices already reflect this.

I described the Pontet Canet experience in another thread, but the important point is that all the attention to detail appears to be paying dividends. I confess to having been a Pontet-Canet sceptic. No longer. This estate catapulted itself towards my list of favourite estates. The 2011 is magnificent. I want to buy it. Whereas Pontet-Canet has been upgraded several notches in my estimation, Ducru and Lynch Bages have been downgraded.

Ducru has gone bling. The neon rabbit in the cellar is an appalling lapse into bad taste. As is the new bling label for La Croix. Apparently there was orange toilet paper in the bathrooms. However the 2009 GV tasted several weeks ago was magnificent. I would love to try the ten. So the jury is out on the quality of the wines. A lot of the group disliked the 2001 GV, which I liked despite the heavy oak treatment. Lynch Bages I think has lost the plot. The wines were disappointing, as they were in other recent tastings. The tasting room was like a prison cell and the prices are exorbitant for the quality, and village is a tourist trap rip off. This is an estate that needs to get its act together.

Pichon Baron was a magnificent experience, especially trying the ten, nine and eight in sequence. That is the pecking order. The ten is the star, and the nine is superior to the eight. I marginally prefer the Baron ten to the Comtesse ten (which we tasted on 9 May). The nine Baron is better than the out of sorts nine Comtesse but the Comtesse is better in 2008. I would say these two super seconds are in a good place and pretty close to neck and neck. It was a thrill to taste a pristine 1988 Baron to round off the evening. 

[Chateau Vin]

Thanks Ian for overall thoughts on the estates you visited. This was what I was looking for - to know what the estates are doing vis a vis others... Its very informational... It also confirms my thought that based on recent vintages, purple baron is leading the horse race among the other pauillacs barring ofcourse the first growths...

With regards to visit to LaMish and HB, I am surprised that they are still pouring 07 and 08... When we visited it in 2012, they poured the same wines...

La lagune and du tertre exceeded my expectations reading Bwers visit. So need to buy these puppies...

[Comte Flaneur]

Another theme during the week was how well the 2012s performed...relative to most people's and especially my modest expectations.

I have just listed my top five wines of the tour (not including the Saturday and Sunday dinners) and they are:

5. Chateau Palmer 2006
4. Chateau SHL 2009
3. Chateau Pichon Baron 2010
2. Chateau Margaux 2004
1. Chateau Leoville Lascases 2012

If the dinners were included the Cheval Blanc 1975, Latour 1988 and Yquem 1998 - supplied by Tim and Bill respectively - would be strong contenders.

Here are Maureen's and my scores for all the wines we tried in Bordeaux. Her's first, mine second

Saturday

Margaux pavilion Blanc 2000 89pts 90 
Baron Thenard Montrachet 2004 93 pts 94 
Canon 1995 91pts 90 
Cheval Blanc 1995 94 pts 95 
Figeac 1995 91 pts 91 
Dom Perignon 1990 92 pts 92 
Yquem 1998 95 pts 96 

Sunday

Pichon Lalande 1983 92pts 90
Leoville Poyferre 1955 91pts 88
Grand Barrail Figeac 1955 89pts. 85 
Aubert Laurent Chardonnay 2012 88pts 90 
Peter Michael red dot Chardonnay 2012 70 pts 85 
Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1978 93pts 93 
Cheval Blanc 1975 en magnum 96pts 96
Chateau Haut-Brion 1993 en magnum ...pts. 90 
Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 1998 en magnum 94 pts 91 
Chateau Petrus 1959. Flawed NR
Chateau Latour 1988 95pts 95 
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1988 corked
Chateau D'Yquem 1995. 95pts 95 
Chateau Raymond Lafon 1988 90pts 91

Monday

Palmer Alter Ego 2011 90pts. 90
Palmer 2006 95 pts 95 
Du Tetre 2012 93 pts 92
Giscours 2012 91 pts 90
Du Tetre 2014 91pts 91
Serienne Giscours 2014 90 pts
Giscours 2014 91 pts 91
Du Tetre 2009 92 pts 93
Giscours 2004 92pt 91 
Caiarossa 2006 90pts 90 
Fugues Nenin 2012 89 pts 89
Nenin 2012 90 pts 91 
Chapelle Potensac 2012 87pts 85 
Pontesac 2012 89pts 89 
Petit Lion 2012 89 pts 88 
Clos Du Marquis 2012 90 pts 91 
Grand Vin Leoville Lascases 2012 97pts 97 
Pauillac 2011 89 pts 88
Les Forts 2008 89 pts 90 
Grand Vin Latour 2004 91pts 92 
Ch. Mauvesin 2011 89 pts 90 
Langoa Barton 2012 91pts 92 
Leoville Barton 2014 91 pts 93 pts 
Leoville Poyferre 2012 91 IA only
Leoville Poyferre 2008 91
Leoville Poyferre 2007 90
Leoville Poyferre 2006 90
Leoville Poyferre 2005 91
Leoville Poyferre 2003 89

Tuesday

La Conseillante 2014 93pts 94 
Corbin 2014 90pts 91 
Corbin 2012 91 pts 91
Corbin 2010 92 pts 92 
La Dominique 2007 en magnum 92pts 90
La Dominique 2010 91pts 93
Figeac 2011 93pts 93 
Canon 2006 89pts 89
Tetre Roteboeuf 2011 94 pts 94
Roc De Cambes 2010 92pts 92
Chateau Ferrand 2010 89pts 92 
Ferrand 1999 88pts 87 
Ferrand 2004 89 pts 88
Ferrand 2009 90pts 92
Ferrand 2011 89 pts 89
Ferrand 2000 91pts 92 
Ferrand 1982 92 pts 92 

Wednesday

La Lagune 2013 85 pts 85
La Lagune 2012 92 pts 92 
La Lagune 2011 90pts 90 
La Lagune 2010 90pts 92
La Lagune 200787pts 88
La Lagune 2006 85pts 85 
La Lagune 1981 94pts 93 
Margaux Paviliion Rouge 2004 94pts 95
Margaux 2004 97pts 97 
Coqillas 2012 white bordeaux 85 pts 85 
Bart Marsannay 2013 Clos Salmone 90 pts 91 

Thursday

La Mission Haut Brion 2007 93pts 93 
Ch Haut Brion 2007 94 pts 94 
Fonsalette 2005 92pts 93
Montelena 2008 91 pts 91 
Saint Emilion 2007 ? 90pts 90 
Ch Petrus 1934 94pts 93 
Duluc 2010 89 pts 89
Yquem 2011 94pts 95 
Coutet 2013 90pts 92 
Haut Smith Blanc second wine 2012 92pts 91 
Haut Smith Rouge second wine 2012 89pts 88 
Smith Haut Lafitte 2012 rouge first wine 91pts 92 
SHL first white 2011 92 pts 93
SHL second wine rouge 2010 91pts 91
SHL rouge first wine 2007 93pts 92 
SHL rouge first wine 2009 94pts 97

Friday

Pontet Canet 2011 96pts 95
Potent Canet 2012 93pts 94
Pontet Canet 2013 90pts 87 
Pontet Canet 2014 93pts 93
Dom Perignon 2003 93pts 93
Pontet Canet 2000 95 pts 95
Pontet Canet 2003 89 pts 92 
Pontet Canet 2005 96 pts 96 
Pontet Canet 2009 93 pts 94 
Pontet Canet 1962 chateau 93pts 94 
Pontet Canet 1962 Michael P92 pts 92 
Ducru Borie 2011 88 pts IA only
Croix Du Beaucaillou 2008 89 pts IA
Ducru 2001 92 pts IA
Les Ormes De Pez 2014 85 pts IA
Lynch Bages 2014 89 pts 
Echo 2014 85 pts 
Les Ormes de Pez 2007 86 pts 
Lynch Bages 2007 89 pts 
Lynch Bages Blanc 2014 88pts 
Pichon Baron 2010 96 97 
Pichon Baron 2009 94 pts 95 
Pichon Baron 2008 93 pts 93 
Pichon Baron 2014 92 pts 93 
Selosse 737 93 pts 92 
Pichon Baron 2004 93,pts 93 
Pichon Baron 2003 92 pts 90
Pichon Baron 1988 95pts 94 
Suduiraut ?? Don't remember this
Saint Pierre 1989 91 pts 91
Branaire Ducru 1989 91 pts 91

[robertgoulet]

Wow....what a line up...sounds like I need to hop on the Du Tetre wagon...I have deep love for margaux done right....and love these solid '07 scores!!

[hm$]

Ian, your ability to digest, and quickly summarize, the wines we sampled is a wonder to behold.
I would say that I was not as overwhelmed with the '12 LLC as you and Maureen, and I was quite taken with the sexy beast that is the '03 Leoville Poyferre. In fact, I unpacked my case in my cellar to start drinking it up. You are also quite generous to Ferrand. I'll be buying Corbin all day at that price point.
No disagreement that the Pichon Baron and the Pontet Canet were, across the board, the estate stars of the week.

hm$

[sdr]

Fantastic summary, Ian, thanks for your effort.

Stuart

[DavidG]

Great review Ian. Lots of good info packed into that report.

[JonoB]

Wonderful descriptions and I concur on the SHLs... going good places. shame they didn't give you any whites. 07 and 10 are magnificent.
The 2010 Ducru is superb but as you would call slightly spoofulated.

Lynch seems to be stagnating since 08, 09, 10.

Haut-Bailly is another estate doing good stuff. Given how close it is to SHL, its a shame you couldn't get an appointment there.

[Comte Flaneur]

Hi Jono

Thanks for your comments. We did have some SHL Blanc. The 2012 second wine and 2011 GV. They were excellent (see scores above).

If we had another day I am sure we would have visited more estates.

Re Haut Bailly I met a representative from the Chateau a few weeks ago who invited us to visit but the schedule was already chock-a-block. I agree with you the wines of Haut- Bailly are sublime, at least on a par with SHL.

[JonoB]

Ian,

that's great... Bordeaux whites are seriously underrated.
Had some 1998 Larrivet Haut Brion tonight... lovely but perhaps a bit old for its time (I think storage may have been an issue somehow).

I still remember a big 82 BX tasting at the Square organised by Shama, where the 82 Pavillon Blanc stole the show and wowed everyone with how fresh it was for a 27/8 year old wine... easily WOTN on that alone. In fact we had to remove that and the 90 La Farges because they were the standouts and the point was to assess the reds.

[DavidG]

Ian, I know you only had the 2014 at La Conseillante this trip, but you mention tasting others recently. Any thoughts on the 2012?

[Comte Flaneur]

Hi David

Yes I do. I had it in April poured the man himself. It is stunning. High up on my wish list. Along with La Fleur Petrus which is almost double the price the best 2012 RB I have tried.

There are some reviews here:

http://www.farrvintners.com/wine.php?wine=34668

I think it offers great value for money.

Cheers

Ian

[DavidG]

Thank you Ian. It got a lot of love from the critics. Plus I found your note in the "Rigorous Training" thread:

Ch. La Conseillante 2012

Different class and brilliant showing in the context of this vintage, with no hollowness, no greeness, just a seamless medium bodied delivery with some very classy mineral undertones. Comfortably the best 2012 on show. And arguably a bargain. 94

Jeff Leve (95) loved it. Parker (96) called it "stunningly pure," and we all know what that means.

And even though our BD doesn't consider Pomerol part of Bordeaux (I wonder if the trip changed his mind?), I'm in for 6.

[JimHow]

Yes but even right bank doesn't consider themselves "Bordeaux," David.
The Conseillante guy kept referring to the left bank as "over in Bordeaux."

[DavidG]

Well there you have it. The trip confirmed your position Jim.

[AlexR]

I wonder where Jean-Michel Laporte will end up.
Wouldn't it be ironic if it were on the other side of the river?

I saw him briefly today at the Week-end des Grands crus (more wines than you can shake a stick at: http://ugcb.net/fr/wgc_chateaux_presents

He was serving the 2006 which I gave high marks to - a fine compromise between vin de terroir and modern Bordeaux.

Alex R.

[Antoine]

Just had to register: It is not clos Salmone (the colour of the wine is light red rather than pink salmone) but Clos Salomon (as King Salomon).
Great trip in Bordeaux it seems....did you ride the bike to burn the fuel?

The Last year I bought Bordeaux by the truckload was 2005, so pity you did not taste them as I am becoming impatient to drink a few.

[JimHow]

Welcome Antoine.

[Comte Flaneur]

Let me introduce Antoine. MEK and I travelled to burgundy with him in the half of the first week of our holiday in France - the week before Bordeaux '15 - and stayed at his house in Provence in the second half of that week, when we cycled up Mont Ventoux together. He is a keen cyclist and wine enthusiast, especially knowledgable and well cellared in burgundy. Through Antoine we finally found our holy grail of everyday drinking affordable red burgundy.

[Antoine]

Thanks for your kind words Ian. We indeed had a great time including excellent/superb bottles from your favorite region. .. and an awesome cycling downhill the Ventoux following your lead... reaching 70 kph according to my speedometer as you appeared to be so keen to open your bottle of Mouton Rothschild 89 before nightfall.

[Tom In DC]

It needed to breathe, Antoine! And welcome!

[AKR]

Very impressive visits. I've never really been into the whole wine country visit stuff, but the way you guys describe it, it does sound appealing. And the SO likes visiting those places.