BWE France '15: A dream trip of a lifetime.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 11:15 am

Check out Tim's flickr site for many more photos of our trip:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/bwe/

I could not have asked for much more from the organizers. It was a once in a lifetime trip. I arrived in Paris on Friday, May 15th, and stayed in the Opera section. Tony and Jennifer were a little north of me. Timmy took me to a little gem of a restaurant on a side street where he used to live. We had red house Bordeaux -- a 2010 I had never heard of before (more on the 2010 vintage later), and then an equally lovely 2009, both from carafe -- with… drum roll… fish. Not the last time I matched red Bordeaux with fish on the trip. It was great to see Timmy again, he was really pumped up about this trip and I'm glad it was such a smashing success. It was great to be in Paris!

I walked about ten or twelve miles the next day, mostly through the left bank, taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. After a crushing winter in Maine it was my first chance to breathe. We hooked up with Francois and The Canadiens at a small place for a BYOB dinner. The Canadiens always look good but I was amazed at Francois, he hasn't changed a bit in the 12 years since last I saw him. He looked great! We had great fun with a lot of laughs, the week was definitely underway. The 1988 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne that Francois pulled from his cellar was liked by some and not by others. Put me in the camp that liked it. It was clearly aged beyond what it should have been. If you drank it by itself it was not very pleasant but when matched with the introductory course it was very lovely. (Feel free to help me fill in some of the blanks, guys, I didn't take a single note on the whole trip, I'm going by memory.) Rating on the 1988 Taittinger: 90 points.

The 2006 Puligny-Montrachet Les Ensigneres JF Coche-Dury was fresh and crisp, 90 points. The 1995 Cos d'Estournel has been something of a disappointment, and it was this night as well. It is a lighter style for Cos, still a way to go but it's not going to get better. The 2001 Cos is much better. 90 points.

Francois was very kind to bring a 1989 Lynch Bages. It obviously came from great storage, as it was the "youngest" 1989 Lynch I've ever tasted. I can't remember whether Francois popped and poured or had uncorked it beforehand but it was as tight as a drum on this night. It had a deep purple/rub color but was in a place that allowed little measurement of its greatness, especially on this evening up against these other great wines. No rating. (This was a bad week for Lynch Bages.)

Timmy was very kind to bring a 1961 Leoville Las Cases, everything was still in place but I wonder how great this vintage was for LLC. But it was nonetheless fun to drink. Rating: 92 points.

My red of the night was the lovely 1989 Pape Clement, beautiful, elegant, a seductive nose so true to the wine's terroir, definitely a different style than the Papes of today, both styles are delicious. Rating: 93 points.

The wine of the night -- perhaps the wine of the entire trip(?) -- was the 2001 d'Yquem that Timmy brought along from half bottle. We remarked beforehand that the color in the bottle seemed unusually dark. It had nothing to do with any storage issues, it was so dark because it was so immensely concentrated. Wow! Take all of your usual tastes and smells that you get from d'Yquem and multiple times 10. Wow! The finish lingered for what seemed like minutes. It was one of those viscous Sauternes that brings on and mixes in with saliva in your mouth as you let the wine linger there, creating a sensation like few others experienced in the world of wine. A stunning, stunning d'Yquem. I believe Francois called it the greatest d'Yquem ever, no small tribute, although he believes the best is yet to come. Rating: 100 points.

We bade fond adieu to the staff and soon we were in two taxis, on our way to… well, I can't tell you all the details or I will be killed… but we advanced to (shhh!)… Francois' cellar….

(To be continued.)

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 11:39 am

Dinner with Tim on Friday night.
A tiny little place on a quiet narrow side street in the heart of Paris.
Ask Tim for the details, I highly recommend it.
Everything was prepared so simply but so delicious.
Nothing but red wine with the fish!
We were alone in there for a while but it quickly filled up to capacity while we were there.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 11:57 am

Videos:

Francois holding court:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0AOUEGJ3m ... ata_player

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:03 pm

A small snippet of the Audouze Method:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=you ... GNRlxFSoJU

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:06 pm

Francois uncorking a 1989 Lynch Bages.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:11 pm

Tim McCracken with 2001 d'Yquem.

robertgoulet · Post by **robertgoulet** » Mon May 25, 2015 1:22 pm

We spent a week at the intercontinental la grande, next door to the opera house...great location...and walking distance from the Lafayette shopping mall...so if the wife is happy all is good...we miss the city of lights

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 1:36 pm

A very fun neighborhood indeed, RG.

Francois brought us out of town for a tour of one of his cellars.
In all seriousness, I can't talk much about it.
Suffice to say, gaining access was something out of James Bond, or at least Maxwell Smart.
We were not able to video the DRC wall, the contents of which were staggering.
I thought I was videoing the rest of the cellar, but my memory in my iPhone was fading or there was some other malfunction.
(I think Danny has some good pictures.)
It was crazy. We saw the broken bottle of 1900 Margaux, and the monument of emptied bottles.

We took two taxis to the secret location, during which time I was able to interview Francois about the state of French wine:

Part 1:

https://youtu.be/C-zmrqiR8ME

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wrh23Wu3vA

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 1:41 pm

A quick glimpse of Francois's cellar before my iPhone video died:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sn0RZvNw ... ata_player

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 1:45 pm

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:29 pm

Thank goodness for Ian and Maureen's notes/scores to remind me of the wines we drank during the week, as I didn't take a single note all week.
There were numerous wines, however, that really stood out.
Just about everyone arrived in Bordeaux by late Sunday afternoon for dinner at La Tupina restaurant in Bordeaux.
It was awesome seeing everyone again in the holy land, and to meet some new BWEers.
Greg, Maureen, Tony, and Jennifer all quickly picked up the BWE spirit as though they were old-timers.

The Sunday dinner was very BWE, it was the total orgy of French wine that usually defines our Saturday night convention dinners.
We had our own private room, the wines were all great, and the camaraderie was even better.

That mag of 1975 Cheval Blanc was stunning. Another candidate for wine of the week.
It was in such a perfect place, just perfectly aged, balanced, Bordeaux at its best. Rating: 97 points.

I also loved the 1993 Haut Brion, en magnum, which was still so youthful and so balanced, pretty, and elegant.
Beautiful youthful color, lighter red/ruby, classic, classic Haut Brion nose.
I've had this wine a few times before and it is consistently great, throw out any preconceptions you may have about the 1993 "restaurant wine" vintage, at least when it comes to Haut Brion. Rating: 96 points.

I personally thought the 1998 La Mission Haut Brion mag was also a stunner.
It was young but by no means "too" young. It is 17 years old now.
It is full bodied, very 1998, but exudes that great La Mission breed and class.
Deeply colored, a big contrast to the 1993 Haut Brion.
Really beginning to show substantial secondary characteristics. A looong way to go, of course, but a beauty now.
More on our fun visit to La Mission later on.
Loved this wine.
Rating: 95 points.

Harry brought a couple of very beautiful California chardonnays.
They were heavenly with the scallops course.
They were quite different in style.
The 2012 Aubert Lauren seemed like a lighter style but was so smooth with the seafood. Rating: 93 points.
The 2012 Peter Michael Point Rouge Chardonnay was bigger for my taste and had more of a bite to it. It may be the more serious wine in the long-term, although I think I prefer the Autard drinking today. Rating: 92 points.
I'd be curious to hear how Harry thought these beauties performed on this occasion, and where he sees them going forward.

1995 d'Yquem
I can't remember this wine ever letting me down. This former BWE wine of the year is a very serious d'Yquem.
Again, throw out any preconceived notions that you may have heard from the experts about the 1995 Sauternes vintage.
We had a great visit to d'Yquem later in the week.
This stuff really is other-wordly.
Rating: 95 points.

1983 Pichon Lalande
This beauty was less than stellar.
Was it a not so good bottle, or has this wine finally seen its better days?
Rating: 89 points.

I personally believe Tim's 1959 Petrus was real, although I'm not sure how many of the others think so.

I'll let others join in on their favorite wines of the night, I had many of them, there were many beauties there.
Unfortunately, I thought I was pacing myself but I felt like crap the next day.
I think jet lag was kicking in.

Thanks again Ian and Maureen for listing out some of the wines.
Sounds like you guys really liked the 1988 Latour, I know I tasted it, I'm not immediately recalling my impressions.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:49 pm

After dinner we went back to the hotel and uncorked the 1996 Pontet Canet.
This was the wine that caused me to declare Pontet Canet as a "wine of first growth quality."
Pappa Doc and a few others joined in on the sentiment, and He Who Shall Remain Nameless finally came on board about 7 years later.
This 1996 PC is in a very beautiful place right now.
I hadn't had it in quite a while, it is my first bottle from a case.
It is just classic Pauillac from that classic Pauillac vintage.
This is the way I like them.
Drinking beautifully at age 19.
Rating: 96 points.

A video of some of the crew sipping on 1996 Pontet Canet after the dinner at La Tupina:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K0SDd9RWk ... ata_player

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 4:59 pm

I was a hurting benevolent dictator on Monday, which was the day of the toughest schedule. I barely put down a couple pieces of fruit for breakfast.

First stop was Chateau Palmer, with Alex providing excellent commentary over the microphone from the front of the bus as we moved solemnly into the Medoc. Having been there now for a week, you can get a feel for the properties that have their act together. Palmer was one of them. I enjoyed just standing out overlooking the beautiful vineyard, the air crisp but comfortable. The cellars, the barrels, the vats, etc., became quickly repetitive, but a necessary part of the experience nonetheless. The 2006 Palmer was a beauty as you would expect, elegant but with a strong backbone. Delicious. Rating: 95 points.

Chateau du Tertre is a very beautiful property. Danielle did not want to leave the swimming pool area, with its beautiful sun room nearby. We had a wonderful lunch, our host very enthusiastic about our visit, with multiple vintages of du Tertre and Giscours, and an Italian project that was less exciting. Frankly, I thought the du Tertre outshone them all by a wide margin, this was the first of a series of 2012s that Ian, Maureen, and I were very enthusiastic about. As I understand it, Ian and Maureen were at a tasting of 2012s about 6 months ago and they were less enthusiastic about the vintage then. I think they would agree we saw a very nice consistency among the wines of this vintage at a number of the properties we visited.

I think we came away very impressed with Palmer and du Tertre, they are gorgeous properties with management that seems attuned to every minute detail. I see great things ahead for du Tertre in the years ahead. Get it at its current rational prices now while you can!

We didn't want to leave! But, alas, duty called as we moved on into the northern Medoc….

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 5:11 pm

A note about the 2010 vintage.

The few 2010s we had were, for my taste, breathtaking.
I truly believe this is an epic vintage.
I polled our hosts at about 14 or 15 of the 22 properties we visited:
Which do you prefer, 2009 or 2010?
The response was unanimous among those polled:

2010.

Sometimes they thought about it for a minute or two, sometimes they went back and forth, sometimes the response was immediate.

But the answer was always the same: Unanimously, they preferred 2010 -- its structure, freshness, backbone, acidity, the ripeness of the tannins -- to its 2009 counterparts.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 8:36 pm

We made our way to that bend in D1 where Leoville Las Cases meets Latour, where St. Julien meets Pauillac, the epicenter (for me) of the magic of it all. We were running late as we split into two groups. We watched some of the bottling process at LLC, as workers inserted corks into bigger bottles, magnums I believe. The 2012 Leoville Las Cases was beautiful: seamless, pure, balanced. One of the best new wines we tasted during the entire week. Rating: 95 points.

The visit to Latour was something of a let-down, the most interesting part was the bus moving within a few inches of the famous tower. The wines of the estate -- 2011 Pauillac, 2008 Les Forts, and 2004 Latour -- were all pretty hard and humorless. Still, it was fun to be there.

No place that we visited, of course, produced a second (or third) wine: Everything was merely "different" from the first label.

The garden at Leoville Barton was beautiful, although the contrarian daughter of Anthony Barton was a bit hard to take so late in the afternoon. We had a nice dinner and were greeted warmly at Leoville Poyferre, although the young wines were pretty hard and I really needed to get to bed.

It was a very exciting and successful first day. The visits were friendly if somewhat stodgy, and we were in for quite a contrast the next day, on the right bank.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 9:21 pm

The next day, Tuesday, I felt like a million bucks after a good night's sleep and we wended our way into the right bank.
It very quickly became clear: We weren't in Bordeaux anymore!
The very witty Jean Michel Laporte at La Conseillante led us through the property.
Our experience was anecdotal, of course, but the different energy on the right bank was obvious immediately:
Brash, chic, cocky, apologizing to no one, indeed, picking fights… "You are going to taste real wine now," he smiled.
It was a lot of fun. The facility was impressive.

The energy was impressive at Chateau Corbin as well, if not as in-your-face as at La Conseillante.
We were greeted by Anabele Cruse Bardinnet, with whom we had met in NYC back in 2004.
It seems impossible to me that it has been 11 years since that dinner (and a subsequent one in 2005 that I did not attend), but Timmy located an old picture on his cell phone that showed us with her, her cousin from d'Issan and the guy from Lagrange.
Anabele has a great passion for her wines. They have a staff of 5 at the property. She is a hands-on farmer and a class act, a fine ambassador of right bank Bordeaux. The property is beautiful and impeccably maintained.
I enjoyed her 2000 that we had 11 years ago. The 2012 Corbin was so beautiful, drinking very well now and for the next 15 years. It is going for $29 right now at MacArthurs (http://www.bassins.com). (They also have the 2010 for $39 (HWSRN92).) He Who Shall Remain Nameless has the 2012 rated at 90 points, I'd go a little higher, at 92.

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Mon May 25, 2015 9:38 pm

Jim this is round two. I thought that I had posted in response to the Sat night dinner this AM but it got lost in cyberspace. A little disappointing but I'll recap again regarding dinner in Paris at Saute du Crapaud.

Great seeing Francois again and agree he looks better than he did in 2005. His sense of humour,congeniality and camaraderie is still going strong. It was nice to see a craftsman at work. Unfolding his tool bag filled with items you might see in a torture chamber but Francois explained and demonstrated how he opens an old bottle caring not to leave a broken cork. He has modified a Rabbit screw for its length and turned it into an awl and extend the screw beyond the bottom of the cork which he uses after loosening the cork with a regular two step screw. It was nice having a master demonstrate to his students.

I didn't have the same perception of the 1988 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne that you and Francois did. This was tired with only TWO bubbles per glass,dark yellow and oxidized. Not drinkable on its own and I would have dumped it if I was at home. Somehow Francois gets great pleasure from these wines and I'm happy that he does. I won't argue that his tastes are different than most but this certainly seemed to bring joy to him. I agree that the wine was approachable with the pate and charcuterie but I don't think this was a match made in heaven but the food masked the oxidized wine. unrateble.

2006 Puligny-Montrachet Les Ensigneres JF Coche-Dury was delightful and I could have drank this all night. Crisp,balanced with light buttery oak with citrus,melon and floral notes. Delicious. 94pts

1995 Cos d'Estournel was in an awkward place. Closed and tight all the way around. I'm not as critical as Jim and think this will open up nicely in 5-10yrs. 88pts now but suspect will end up in the low 90s

1989 Lynch Bages was open and ready by Francois who brought Jim his favourite treat. We foiled the bottle and served it blind. With no hesitation on one sniff Jim said"I know this wine. I've had at least a hundred bottles of this and this can only be the 89 Lynch" Our BD was truly impressive on this night unlike the Washington debacle in Tom's basement where he had no idea what it was. Blame it on the basement odours...NOT!. Again a classic 89 Lynch drinking and showing younger than it's years. Likely an influence of provenance and not having to cross back and forth over the pond. A little reserved on the nose but showing the classic lead pencil/cedar but reserved on the palate. Not the best Lynch but still a great bottle. 93 pts

1989 Pape Clement was my red wine of the night. Classic old style Bordeaux in a very good place. Maybe a little shy on the mid palate but still an exceptional wine showing tobacco,leather and light berry fruits. Wonderful length sorry that I don't have any more! 96pts

1961 Leoville Las Cases in magnum was a shear treat provided by Tim. One that I have not had and for me this is probably passed its prime...not Francois I'm sure. Fruit still present in the background but showing some mushroom and forrest floor that you expect with a well aged bottle. I enjoyed this but I'm sure that I would have loved it more 10 years ago. 90 pts

2001 Yquem in split again provided by Tim was shear perfection. Balance,acidity fruit,boytritis and complexity with lingering mouthfeel going on for minutes. Still wonderfully youthful and will only get better. Loved this one and too bad it's off the charts as far as cost. 99-100pts.

Dinner was simple but matched well with the wines.

Well into the dinner Francois the man of mystery asked if we'd like to join him at his house to see his cellar. We all thought his house in which he lived but no no no! A change in Francois took place and this became like a James Bond/Hardy Boys mystery. Two cabs were a must. Only he would direct both cabs and we were not allowed to mention a word of where we were going while in the cab and especially once we exited the cab not to say anything until we were in the house because someone might be listening??!! Cab pulls into a non descript neighbourhood and we thought we must be lost. This was a place we thought we might get mugged rather than see an exceptional cellar. Cab 2 nowhere in site and Tim makes a call getting the reassurance we were in the right place. Everything black/dingy and no one wanted to exit the cab until Francois came and opened the cab door asking the driver to wait with the engine running....a little weird you think. Again we were warned to not say a word on the street!! 10 ft Power gate opens the walled driveway entrance and down we head through an unlit drive to an abandoned appearing house into the garage waiting for the door to close before the lights go on showing a VW ??rabbit delivery/getaway car in the garage. We head up stairs to the main floor where he had thousands of empty bottles lined up like Terra Cotta warriors. Rows of empty DRC,Yquem, Latour,Margaux etc etc. Then downstairs into the basement where we were told NOT to touch anything...hands off.. only he could touch his babies. Kinda weird but understandable when you appreciate the value and age of what was down there. Bottles from the 1800s. A wall of Dom Perignon numerous formats and vintages. Petrus wall and the most amazing collection of DRC in all formats/vintages one could ever dream. Sell the DRC wall and retirement would come for most. Burgs/Bordeaus you name it. If it's great its there. Recently raised 1907 Piper Heidsiek champagne recently raised from sunken WW11 ship perfectly preserved on the ocean bed were also found on Francois shelves. Three bottles encrusted with sea salts/calcium deposits sitting before our eyes that sold at auction well into the 5 figures.There is a kings ransom stored in the cellar and a wine lovers dream to behold. I was amazed getting lost in the stacks and Francois must have thought that something must have got stuffed down a leg during my absence but even though the thought crosses ones mind just the pleasure of witnessing the TUTs tomb of wine kept us all in awe. Something that is hard to describe but we will all never forget and I thank Francois for the honour of seeing his hidden/buried treasure. Upon leaving a taste of Chartreuse from the 1920s offered up and tasted for the ride home.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 9:50 pm

Laughing out loud at your description of the adventure Danny.
I can't believe my video died. It was indeed an experience to remember.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon May 25, 2015 11:46 pm

One of the best parts of the trip was the meals.
Alex and his team were brilliant in their restaurant selections, there wasn't a disappointment among them.
Lunch at La Terrasse Rouge, the restaurant at La Dominique, was one of numerous culinary highlights.
Modern, right bank, enthusiastic, friendly, impeccable staff.
A wine lover's dream. These long-table meals (in this case, in a packed noon-time restaurant), provided some of the best opportunities for BWE bonding and camaraderie. We had a svelte, hedonistic 2010 La Dominique here, among other wines. Rating: 93 points.

I enjoyed the visit to Chateau Figeac.
We met the winemaker briefly, as he was still very much involved in selling the wine, having just set the price.*
I liked the young woman who gave us our tour, she had a great attitude, when I asked her whether the property was concerned about the retirement of He Who Shall Remain Nameless, without a beat she replied, "Who?" It was very funny.
The grounds were beautiful and awe-inspiring, this is a right bank Bordeaux that exudes breed and class.
I enjoyed this visit, even though it was fairly routine.
The neighborhood at Figeac:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAJZeND ... pp=desktop

Chateau Canon, with its underground tunnels, was one of the more interesting tours.
It is one thing to hear descriptions of Bordeaux vines digging 10 meters through gravel, clay, and limestone, it is another to see it in person.
Pretty amazing, when you think about it.
I enjoyed the 2006 Canon that we were served, it was the ultimate mineral-ly wine on the trip, we were tasting the actual property with every sip. Talk about terroir! Rating: 92 points.

We had about an hour to roam through the beautiful center of medieval St. Emilion, overlooking the vineyards. Picture-postcard views, I enjoyed it much more than when I was last there 15 years ago. Tony sprung for a bottle of champagne at a cafe in the square, and we were in heaven.

At Chateau de Ferrand we had dinner. I skipped the tour of the property and hung out with Harry, talking music. A very interesting guy, we should have dinner in Philly sometime Harry, I'll bring the fine northern Medocs, you bring the Cali chardonnays. We had a couple young sommeliers -- I mean really young, one of them was barely eighteen I think. Loved his enthusiasm, he is a true Bordeaux wine enthusiast who clearly has had his epiphany early in life. He did a little match-the-wine-with-the-food thing that was a lot of fun. Not everyone liked the wines but I personally thought they were fruity, not profound, but crisp, good structure, well made for what they had to work with. I liked the 2010 and bought a bottle. Nick, ever the prankster, produced a mystery wine and, after we failed in guessing, had Jennie guess not only the correct wine -- Chateau de Ferrand -- but also the exact vintage -- 1982. A fun evening.

*Prices were set on the wines this week. Everyone was forthcoming in saying what their prices were except for Lillian Barton Sartorius, who wouldn't give out the information even though I could have determined it in about 3 minutes on my iPhone.

Day 2 was over, and the next day would bring us to Margaux….

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:10 am

Trudging towards the village in St. Emilion.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 11:28 am

We had a very nice time at Chateau La Lagune, Bill and Jan were in seventh heaven. We tried multiple vintages of La Lagune. I agree with Ian that the 2010 and 2012 were standouts, I'll be curious to see what kind of price I can get the '12 at in the U.S. The all-cabernet 2013 was not so bad, I actually kind of enjoyed it and, again, extrapolated that it might be quite good with a steak. I wouldn't pay $40 or $50 for it but if it's around at under $30 I might pick up a bottle or two for early drinking. Our host was wonderful, she really made us feel welcome and Bill put on quite a show outlining all of the vintages since he and Jan started drinking La Lagune back in the sixties.

Video
The tasting at La Lagune:
https://youtu.be/O3kZaUnaPF8

The wines served at Chateau Margaux were stunning -- 2004 Margaux and 2004 Pavillon Rouge -- but the overall experience was less than stellar. Maybe we deserved the cold treatment for being 20 minutes late but I'm not sure what other work we were keeping the guide from anyway. It seemed painful to her that we were bothering her into giving us a quick tour. When we told her we were waiting for one person in the bathroom or whatever she went back into the office and said, okay, come and get me when you are ready. She lightened up a little by the end, but not much. Chateau Margaux will survive just fine, thank you, without being nice to the world-traveling members of BWE who came to see the property, but it still provides a contrast with most of the other estates, who really seem to have their acts together. It was the second most disappointing visit on the trip, but, hey, they can't all be great. Both of the wines were outstanding, though, including the best Pavillon I've ever tasted. Man, there's not much else like great Chateau Margaux. The first label -- 2004 Chateau Margaux -- was so smooth -- medium- to full-bodied, but nonetheless very elegant. One of the wines of the week. Rating: 97 points. Not far behind was the stellar 2004 Pavillon Rouge, a real revelation. It had a lot of the same stuffing as the first labell. A beautiful wine. Rating: 95 points.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 3:04 pm

On Wednesday night the group split up. Eight of us had seafood at La Petit Commerce on a beautiful night in the main square in the city of Bordeaux. A crescent moon with Venus and Jupiter prominent in the sky followed us throughout the week. I convinced the group to drink 2010 La Tour Carnet with their fish, nothing at all wrong with the match. Another stunning 2010, 92 points at least in my book. Nick refused to drink red wine with fish, his loss, I say. A 2007 Les Grands Chenes was enjoyed less but I liked its rusticity, not bad for a Magrez.

A motorcade of 20 or so vehicles came speeding through the center of town, the president (prime minister?) of Singapore was in town. We would see him again the next night.

Five of us finished up with a bottle of 2011 d'Arsac in another small cafe, rugged and tough but we had no problems finishing it off before calling it a night.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 7:45 pm

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion was a lot of fun, the grounds were awe-inspiring, and, as someone else mentioned, the religious influence gave it an added sense of history, mystery and awe. We had the 2007 vintage of both LMHB and HB, a real treat. We were taken into the chapel featuring 500 year old stained glass windows.

The tasting at LMHB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyUcft1 ... pp=desktop

I can't recall the little village in which we stopped on our way to d'Yquem, but we had another splendid lunch, it was here that Michael pulled out his 1934 Petrus, still in very good shape, with that aged port-like quality to it, Ian immediately identified it as a Pomerol.

My heart was pounding as we arrived at d'Yquem. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me, the grounds are so spectacular. We tasted the 2011 d'Yquem, which I personally thought was outstanding. Light colored but fresh, nice acidity, high level of complexity, and a finish that lingered and lingered. Rating: 97 points. I don't think my score was influenced by the fact we were there, I truly felt this was an exceptional d'Yquem. I have no idea what the critics are saying about this wine, does anyone know what He and the others think about it? I just felt so relaxed there, with the breeze blowing over the fields, the weather -- free from precipitation all week -- now warming considerably. Heaven! Our guide was charming.

Videos:

Approaching Chateau d'Yquem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... pp=desktop

A Château d'Yquem panorama:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... pp=desktop

The tasting at Chateau d'Yquem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... pp=desktop

We made another quick stop at Chateau Coutet, where we had a pleasant and satisfying pour of the 2013 vintage, and then on to a rest in the scenic tiny village of Cadillac, where we did a little shopping and hung out in a cafe.

And then it was on to Smith Haut Lafitte....

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue May 26, 2015 8:15 pm

I'm with you Jim, the 2011 Château d'Yquem is simply the best wine we had in all the tours. A complex, defined and complete wine. Only 675 can$ à bottle in Québec!

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 8:20 pm

I just posted the video of the tasting at d'Yquem, Nic, the color is delicate but the palate and nose are thrilling.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue May 26, 2015 10:18 pm

2011 Yquem -

Rated 94 by Neal Martin with the following notes:
Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The Château Yquem 2011 has a complex bouquet, one that is very well defined with hints of petrol infusing the rich honeyed fruit, later melted wax and fresh peach coming through. The palate is well balanced with a strong viscous entry. There is plenty of residual sugar here and I would have preferred a little more acidic bite to offset that rich, decadent finish (this is despite their correct policy of blending non-botrytized berries in order to increase acidity.) Powerful, burly even, I would give this several years in the cellar to allow this Yquem to mellow and enter its stride.

Rated 97 by HWSRN with the following notes:
The 2011 d'Yquem seems to be a close cousin of the 2001 and possibly the 1988. Light gold in color, restrained but pure and noble, it offers an intense bouquet of honeysuckle, caramelized apricot and white peach with a subtle hint of toasty oak. It builds slowly but beautifully to a full-bodied wine with a long finish. This vintage is about restraint and perfect balance despite the 144 grams of residual sugar. Some vintages are more exuberant or flamboyant, but 2011 is racy and compelling. Of course, these wines can be drunk young, but expect the 2011 to age for 50-75+ years in a good cellar.

Sounds like you're closer to RP's take on this wine than to Neal Martin's.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 10:35 pm

Thanks David, it was a little deceptive, the color was beautiful but light but on both the nose and palate it was just incredibly complex. Not big or bold, but just incredibly complex.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue May 26, 2015 11:15 pm

The weather warmed by Thursday, an absolutely gorgeous day. By late afternoon we made our way to the premises of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. As the bus pulled up the long drive we saw the motorcade parked on the west side of the chateau, a dozen or so official vehicles, gendarmes and other security milling about, the Singaporean president, Tony Tan, was inside the chateau.

Off in the distance, on the east side of the chateau, we saw our guide waving to us. The property is beautiful, mixing art, culture and wine, a real Bordeaux success story. We were given a tour through the chateau and when we exited were greeted out on the lawn first by Mrs. Cathiard, followed shortly thereafter by her husband. They were headed off to the home further east of the chateau, for dinner with the Singapore president, who was swinging around his motorcade.

We immediately hit it off with them, they were so humble, friendly and charming. They clearly have a joy of life and a recognition of the little things that make it fun. The sun was setting in my eyes as I tried to calibrate my autism and social awkwardness to the unexpected moment. Timmy brought along a bunch of little silver mint julep cups that we presented to each of our hosts and fortunately had the wherewithal to give it to me to hand to Mrs. Cathiard in the moment, generating more discussion and levity. With an ever so playful roll of her eyes she said she would place it near the gift presented to her by the President Tan. Their graciousness was a highlight of the trip for the group and, again, it's just anecdotal, but it was a perfect example of how attention to detail helps explain the success of their empire. Here was a couple in the middle of a state visit with the president of Singapore and they took a few minutes in the middle of their event to meet with us out on the lawn on a splendid late spring afternoon. You even got a sense that they would have preferred to party with us. It really was a special moment of the week.

We talked a little bit more about possibly getting together in the U.S., exchanging contact information, etc. I told them to give my regards to the president and they were off on their way. We went inside for dinner, where we were hosted by the winemaker himself, drinking multiple vintages of Smith Haut Lafitte, including the 100 point 2009 vintage, an unexpected surprise that was added to the list after our little interaction with the Cathiards.

It was a glorious evening, and I will never forget the kindness and humbleness of our two hosts in welcoming their international visitors.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 1:33 am

A number of years back -- I can't remember how many now, it is a blur -- 5 years ago? Seven? -- we did a vertical tasting of 11 vintages of Pontet Canet at the restaurant at the Iroquois Hotel in Times Square. We had the vintages 1994 through 2004. The 2003 vintage of Pontet Canet had been named our Wine of the Year. Timmy McCracken donated all of the bottles to the cause. Someone thought of inviting Alfred Tesseron to the dinner and somehow we were able to pull it off. There was only one problem: At the last minute, Timmy had to cancel out, he was out of the country on a business trip. Because he is as generous a BWEer as there is, and embodies the spirit of BWE as much as anyone, he ship the bottles to me in Maine. I brought them to NYC, and we held the event without him present. It was an epic event, Stefan and Lucie were there, the Brothers Blanquito, among others. We followed Alfred back to his hotel at the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South, and drank wine with him in the lobby. He gave me a bottle of his Perfection Cognac and we bid adieu, promising to visit him someday in Bordeaux.

This past Friday, we kept that promise. And we were rewarded with a four hour lunch at Chateau Pontet Canet that none of us will ever forget. We received a tour of the vineyard and the winery by an interesting young woman well versed on the technique of biodynamic winemaking. Soon we were joined by Jean-Michel Comme, the winemaker at Pontet Canet. He is an apostle for the Pontet Canet Way. He answered all of our questions patiently and enthusiastically and without sarcasm. Soon Alfred joined us in the tasting room, as we were presented with one vintage after another of recent vintages of Pontet Canet. We had the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, all quintessential PCs but all demonstrating the different characters of the various vintages. Even the 2013 was delicious, Alfred lamenting that he "wished I had more of it."

Soon we found ourselves ushered into a salon with two chilled magnums of 2003 Dom Perignon and hors d'oevres. We were seated in the dining room and presented a multi-course menu with four vintages of Pontet Canet: 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2009. It was a dream! Alfred remembered that the 2003 PC had been our wine of the year. I found it to be the best vintage of Pontet Canet drinking currently, although I expect the 2005 will eventually surpass it. The 2003 was really singing on this day, very expressive on both the nose and in the mouth.

And then MichaelP pulled out a bottle of 1962 Pontet Canet that he had gotten at auction. The bottle was pretty beat up… it had no label, I believe. Alfred looked at it, then whispered to a member of his serving staff. The server came back shortly thereafter and whispered into his ear. "Let me see what I can do," Alfred announced, and left the table. He was gone about 15 minutes and I thought, oh no, he's not feeling well (he had had a tooth filled that morning), but no, he came back, with two large decanters, he had found a bottle of the 1962 in his cellar. ("I am the only one with the key.") "I thought I had another bottle down there," he said, then explained that 1962 was his wife's birth year. Two glasses were added, one containing the 1962 from Michael P, the other containing the 1962 from the cellar of Pontet Canet. Visually, the wines looked the same in their respective glasses. The wine was drinking beautifully, most thinking the bottle from the chateau slightly fresher, myself I didn't detect any difference.

He was a generous and engaging host, answering all of our questions patiently and in detail, one of the great gentlemen of Bordeaux. What a man! We were served the 100 point 2009 PC with a cheese course that was to die for. All of the vintages of Pontet Canet were outstanding. Thinking ahead, Timmy had purchased a bottle of Sine Qua Non, which we all autographed and presented to him, along with the obligatory mint julep cup. ("I've been to the Kentucky Derby!" he said. "You're going to hate it," Stefan quipped about the California wine gift.) On our way out of the chateau he handed us a gift bag with a large coffee table book of photographs of scenes from Pontet Canet, a beautiful volume. He followed us down the driveway, escorted us onto our bus, and waved as we left.

It was a wonderful, historic afternoon, and I was very grateful to be a part of it. I know we will see him again.

Video
Lunch at Pontet Canet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... pp=desktop

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 11:28 am

We were very late for our visit to Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, but our French-speaking host was enthusiastic and fun-loving and made our trip enjoyable. The grounds, extending down to the river, are magnificent. We enjoyed several vintages, including 2001. Two enthusiastic thumbs up to Ducru Beaucaillou.

I had no expectations for Chateau Lynch Bages, it was a canned presentation by a young tour guide who was two weeks into the job. It is clearly a property that has sold out, but more importantly, they don't seem to be making very compelling wines. Again, it provided such a contrast to places like Pontet Canet, Pichon Baron, Smith Haut Lafitte, and others that just really seem to be on the ball.

Nic and I tasted the 2007 vintage of Lynch Bages together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... pp=desktop

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 3:04 pm

And finally, we arrived at Chateau Pichon Baron, the 22nd of 22 chateaux visited, on an absolutely perfect spring evening, the crescent moon and stars rising brightly above. It was like a dream. The tasting room was the best we saw, a modern semi-circle that was perfectly conducive to discussion about the wines. The new vintages were brilliant. Pichon Baron is made for a vintage like 2010, an absolutely stunning Pauillac that was quite possibly my red wine of the week. Rating: 97+ points. The chateau is like out of a fairy tale. We dined to yet another world class meal and then, poignantly, it was time for the goodbye words at the closing dinner. This was especially difficult for me as I thought back to the past 15 years of great times we have had on BWE, the people who have come and gone, all we have gone through, and, coupled with my own past difficult year, I was a bit overcome by the goodness, generosity, and human spirit in the room. Nic gave his speech as well, laden with the emotion of the moment, followed by Ian and Tim. And soon the fairy tale was over, we were back on the bus, and on our ways back to our respective lives around the globe, until next time.

Video
At Pichon Baron:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abYHsay ... pp=desktop

We had one last night in Paris, at a small cafe wine bar, with Timmy, Michael, Nalan, and Mike's friend Bastien, drinking 1986 La Conseillante, 1966 Margaux, 1966 Canon, and some white from California that Michael brought along

. Ironically, we finished with a 1999 Usseglio off the wine list, very rugged at first but it smoothed out with air.

And the week was over, just like that. An unbelievable success, made possible through an immense amount of hard work by Alex and Tim, with a lot of help from Ian and Stefan. Your BD is forever in your debt, and you will be rewarded accordingly.

Au revoir… Until we meet again!

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Wed May 27, 2015 4:08 pm

Thanks Jim,

These summaries have been fabulous and thanks for taking the time. It has allowed Danielle and I to relive the magic through the week.

If you could direct Jennifer to the posting that I did on the Cathiards she would likely be interested in the short blurb about the cosmetics that she purchased in Cadillac. The Caudalie line of products that she had purchased and so happy to pick them up at less than a third of the price in the USA were developed at none other than Smith Haut Lafite by the Cathiards using the skins/seed and oils left from the usually discarded mark after the processing. They have their own cosmetic line run by their daughter and also sold through the spa in the hotel next door run by her other daughter and what a coincidance that the product she was raving about was direct from SHL!!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 4:21 pm

Ha as soon as you posted it yesterday I emailed the link to her.
She still can't believe it all happened.
The Fergusons are still in the clouds about the trip and they were very happy to meet all of you

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 7:08 pm

Pierre Lurton:
2011 d'Yquem "is very pure, very clean, it's like a diamond."
http://www.jamessuckling.com/bordeaux-2 ... yquem.html

Roel · Post by **Roel** » Wed May 27, 2015 8:26 pm

What a great read! Thanks for this indepth and jealous- making post. You all had a once-in-a-liftime experience. From the hidden cellars of François tot the greatness and heartwarming welcome at Pontet-Canet. Was at the place in 2006, when I had the pleasure meeting Jean-Michel Comme. Very dedicated, skilled and taking time to answer all questions. That was 9 years ago. Time flies so hard, as is stated, and he then told he once was going to charge 1er Cru- prices. Profetic words, with current prices asked for this excellent wine.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 27, 2015 8:32 pm

We were discussing that among ourselves, Roel, when you see how much hard work they put into the property you root for them to earn as much as they can!
Alfred said he priced his 2014s at 5pm and they were sold out by 10am the next day.
Gone forever are the days when we could get 1996 Pontet Canet or $35.
I wonder how much the 2012 Pontet Canet is going for.

Roel · Post by **Roel** » Wed May 27, 2015 10:22 pm

Gone are the days of 'fine Pontet-Canet', I guess. Had my share of 'fine' old PC, but from 2003 onwards (well, the 2002 can pull a trick too) it's a new, wonderful and really-giving PC. Maybe Lynch is the new PC from the 1990's? Anyway, too expensive for me, but -no doubt- absolutely worth it.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed May 27, 2015 11:27 pm

Jim, you have a gift for writing. I've really enjoyed this series of posts.

Funny that two of the most inspiring of the 2005 visits, Lynch and Margaux, were among the least inspiring of this trip. It really is all about the people.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu May 28, 2015 12:15 am

Indeed, David, it was just too much fun. Some absolutely epic BWE moments. There's a picture in Timmy's gallery, where we're waiting for our, um, "host," in the waiting room at Margaux, that says it all. We missed you there, but look forward to seeing you and Peggy this summer!

robertgoulet · Post by **robertgoulet** » Thu May 28, 2015 12:37 am

Well done BWE, well done

Jim it's true Pontet Canet is producing some compelling quality...last yr I tasted the '95 2x's....one was good the other was drop dead awesome

Can't say I join Jim on his enthusiasm for 2010 Pichon Baron...its a real nice wine no question, big compelling mid-palate punch of fruit when I tasted it, but I walked away thinking that it didn't seem Pichon Baron-like and that it lacked some of that Pauillac typicity. Though I tasted this wine a couple years ago maybe it has changed in the bottle.

Jim, of course the Cathiards loved you guys!! Hey, did you tell them little ole Booby Goulet was head cheerleader for the 2004 SHL as a BWE WOTY?? Lol!!

So I must ask the crew, knowing what u know now...If u could do this trip over again what would u like to do differently?