The last day of BWE 2015

[Nicklasss]

Sorry but my Ipad keyboard sometime put two time the same letter...

The Friday was mostly an impressive day. I don't know if it was because it was the last, and the Chateaux we visited that day have always been high on BWE listing of preferred Chateaux.

We were expecting something special at Chateau Pontet-Canet, with special invitation from M. Alfred Tesseron himself, but the whole thing there was just like ''4 hours in Heaven''. We arrived at the Chateau, been taken in charge quickly. The flags of our 3 far away countries (United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada) were deployed under low winds. The tour was great, with lots of new learnings about biodynamic : when you have horses, you need donkeys to balance as horse are in saturn and donkeys in jupiter... All natural treatments, done under the right day, as there are 4 different type of days : root, leaves, fruits and flowers. After the tour, we went to a tasting location over the winemaking vats, where Jean-Michel Comme joined us. We continue the discussions on biodynamic, while trying the 2014-2013-2012-2011 Chateau Pontet-Canet, all very excellent with the character of their vintage. At the end, I just comment that biodynamic is a little bit like a lifestyle improvement : quiting fast food, doing sports, meditation, organic fruits and vegetables. M. Tesseron arrived and we still discuss about the latest vintages. He was very friendly and in a good mood, even if coming back from the dentist, where he had some works done. We moved to the Chateau, and served rapidly some 2003 Dom Pérignon en magnum, with high end bouchées. Discussions were very friendly and open with M. Tesseron and he answered our questions about everything. I ask him if there was a part of his work he does like a hobby, and he was clear that no, for him it is all very serious work. To the dinner room where we had lunch, we were treated well as all great vintages were planned with the meal, including the 2000-2003-2005-2009. I follow again the discussion but was like in a dream, thinking is that was all true? As all discussions treated about the first wine, I asked a question about the second wine. An unexpected answer from M. Tesseron as he would prefer to not do a second wine, and seem like it would be an objective for the coming years. When all other Chateaux try to sell us their second wine being everything like the first but from young vines or rejected lots not going in the first wine, M. Tesseron answer was ambitious and he deserves respect for that vision. At a moment, MichaelP got out aa 1962 Chateau Pontet-Canet bought at auction, and someone proposed that we could compare this 1962 to one that stayed at the Chateau all that time. M. Tesseron was kind enough to get a 1962 from the Chateau, aand served it in pair with the bottle from Michael to compare, before the cheese coursee. Both wwine had the same color, same aromas, smae type of flavors, but the oone from the Chateau was better, freshier, more intense. But slightl as the bottle from Michael was amazing for a wine that travelled theWorld... a magic and epic moment. These 4 hours went buy and it was time to go. Tim and Jim gave him a bottle of grenache from Sine Qua Non, that we all signed, and I think he liked that special attention. When someone asked when he would open that bottle, M. Tesseron ssaid whhen we would be back, as we signed the bottle hhe need to drink it with us! It was time to go, but our host gave us a gift too : each person received a magnificent book with pictures of the vineyards, winemaking , crew of the Chateau. M. Tesseron came with us to the bus where he stayed next to, saying au revoir until we disapeared.

We were late by 30 minutes at Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, but our host M. René did nott cared too much. He did a very energic tour, all in french, with lots of funny sentences and playing a lot with the words, that I would have liked everybody understand french just for that visit. The surroundings and the Chateau are very impresssive and nice. Ducru Beaucaillou being the largest chateau façade to face the river. M. René also explained to us that the vineyard slopes are set that the grape get alll the sun the morning and part of the afternoon, but the sun would go quickly behind tthe slope so in the warmest part of the day the grape are protected as being in the shadow on the slope. Modern art is present everywhere, that contrast with the other Chateaux being modern conventionnal. Lots of color and even a neon cat with boots in the cellar, that kinda weird but hey, the wines are great anyhow! Some questions were asked about the higher percentage of corked bottles of the late 80's beginning of 90's, but M. René answered that not more than at other estates. Some asked more questions about that era, and I found really funny when M. René answered, as a joke, that it's true that they were bottling rejected barrels not going into the Grand Vin, in Grand Vin bottles but with bad corks... this to end up any questions on that subject. We tasted the 2001 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, 2008 Croix de Beaucaillou and 2011 Borie. It was again time to go, as the next visit would be at Chateau Lynch Bages, JimHow favorite wine.

Chateau Lynch Bages has been a deception. BWE always like the wine, promoting it onn many vintages, and the 1989 being JimHow's favorite Bordeaux, we were expecting something cool. Instead, we did a regular tour, with a woman working there siince 3 weeks... We spend some time in their museum, where they have old winemakinng equipment, and tasted the 2012 Blanc de Lynch Bages, the 2007 and 2014 of Chateau Ormes de Pez and Lynch Bages. All wines were ok, but nothing special. A tough moment that don't need more details.

NNext was our last dinner at Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. Very good reception to the very nice visual chateau. Under a nice end of afternoon sun. The tour was very nice aand all the winemaking room, cellar, bottling unit, all impressive. AXA invest a lot there. It was very nice to see that when you are in the winemaking place, with all the staainless steel vat, there are light well at the ceiling, located directly under the water pound. Very nice. Our guide presentation was very nice and you could feel that the chateau is doing everything to do one of the best Pauillac. Before dinner, we tried the 2008-2009-2010 and the 2014 Chateau Pibran and Pichon Baron. I must say, the ywere all impressive. I said to our host that It was very generous to open suce vintages, and he answered: you're coming from far to come visit Pichon Baron, so I will open the best! It was interesting to learn that Pibran could be integrated into the Grand Vin but they don't have any plan to do so. Also Pibran is probably the highest merlot content Pauillac, with it toughest parcel under organic or biodynamic. Why the toughest? if they succeed having great grapes there, they might starting considering havving more plots with the same philosophy of production. Going into the Chateau for diner, I was nostalgic as it was the last dinner of BWE 2015, last night seing the BWEers for some times. At a moment JIm asked me why I was so quiet. We had a very nice Jacquesson Champagne, and a superb dinner again, with raw tuna with the dry whhite from Suduiraut 2012, beef tenderloin with light coffee sauce and 2003-2004-1988 Chateau Pichon Baron (all excellent again) and a nice citrus supremes dessert with 2005 Chateau Suduiraut (again, a ''must''). There was some speech, to thanks the oorganizers, the participants, the chateaux that host us. And under a nice clear sky, brigght moon, a few last picture and we would go back to the hotel.

All numb, some went to JimHow room to enjoyr a few last wines, 1989 Chateau Branaire and 1989 Chateau Saint-Pierre, and after some hugs and kisses, it was time to say bye, see you next time!

A great week, like being in Heaven. Thanks again to everyone, especially the organizers, for your friendship, generosity, passion. BWE, a very special group.

Nic

[JimHow]

Sigh….
I want to go back!

[robertgoulet]

And once sir Alfred stops making a second wine...with my newly develooed LLC I will begin buying the second grapes to begin my own label!! Secret de la Pauillac!!

[JimHow]

Nic what was your favorite wine of the trip???

[Nicklasss]

Coming back to finish the story soon.

Nic

[JimHow]

I predict your wine of the week is one of the following:

1975 Cheval Blanc
2011 d'Yquem
1934 Petrus
2004 Margaux
2009 SHL
2005 Pontet Canet
2010 Pichon Baron
2007 Lynch Bages

[DavidG]

An embarrassment of riches!

[dstgolf]

93 Haut Brian from Mag was showing pretty well at la Tupina and is certainly a contender. 89 Lynch and 89 Pape Clement way above the 07 Lynch,04 Margaux and most others. Hard to question the 75 Cheval Blanc domination around the table at la Tupina but the 93 HB gave it a run for me (power over finesse). Won`t argue the 05 PC was great but the 09 will be stunning. Still think the 2011 Yquem great but 95 was fabulous and the 01 was also a notch above.

We`re a tough bunch when we start quibbling over amazing wines and when you have so many unbelieveable gems so close together it`s truly a shame that a lot got dumped rather than savoured and time pressure made you drink up or pour rather than linger over the wines evolution in the glass. Terrible isn`t it!! When are we heading back??

[JimHow]

I was just joking about the 2007 Lynch, it doesn't belong in that august group.

[Comte Flaneur]

Didn't you really mean to put in 2012 Leoville Lascases instead Jim?

[JimHow]

True, Ian, plus a few others.
I need to get 2-3 bottles of that in my cellar

[Nicklasss]

Last update done. Over. I'll post something on the wines this weekend or early next week.

Nic