NYT on Pomerol

[AKR]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/09/dinin ... erlot.html

Seems to suggest some less known ones.

Bourgneuf is the only one of Asimov's suggestions which I'll typically have on hand.

Not sure why, but a good supply of unrated, unknown ones has been coming over to the US in vintages 2009 and 2010.

Ones I've never seen nor heard of, and normally I'm willing to try anything from the AOC if I've not seen it before.

Best sources are the California based direct importers, and Chicago retailers in my observation.

[DavidG]

I've had the 2000 Nenin.

February 21, 2014 - Cellared since release. Perfect cork and fill. Pop and pour, drunk over 2 evenings. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, plums, earthy and floral notes on the nose. Full body, lots of ripe fruit, good balance, tannins on back palate with medium-long finish. Smoother with persistence of fruit and mellowing of tannins to show even better on day 2. Should drink well for many years to come. Excellent.

[JimHow]

The 1998 Nenin was excellent.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

That's a pathetic article or blog or whatever you want to call it. I'm a dope, and a dilettante on this board but have had many good-to-excellent "budget" Pomerols and I can't even recall a disappointment even on a QPR basis. I have in my (virtual) pocket a list and I am going to name names shortly. But first, the hot tub.

[AKR]

Actually I forgot the Nenin mentioned in the article. I have had a lot of vintages of that, although no recent ones.

I think in the 'real' world people expect a really good wine for $30-$50 and its not a guarantee that one will get that experience with Bordeaux in all vintages, all AOC etc.

Although Pomerol is probably a touch higher in its average quality. And the US distribution system is a pretty helpful filter. The better retailers aren't going to buy 25-50 cases to resell if they don't have some faith in its quality, and what their customers like.

[johnz]

I acquired some 1998 Bourgneuf on release at a really good price, but that wine contained an unrelenting green herbaceous quality that I really disliked. I won't be buying more.

--Gary Rust

[AKR]

That's a meaty, chewy year. Still working through my 98's of that house, not many left, but giving them a decant.

A friend once poured us the 1990 which was fabulous.

[stefan]

In my experience, Nenin is more consistent than Bourgneuf. But Bourgneuf might have higher highs. But I agree that the overall quality of the Pomerol appellation is higher than in any other red wine Bordeaux appellation. Certainly there are no weak classified Pomerols.

[AlexR]

I thought the article was extremely superficial. Not just short, but pretty much lacking in incisiveness....

I have visited Bourgneuf once, with Izak Litwar. Its a rich, sturdy wine with a nice texture.

All the best,
Alex R.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

2003 Bourgneuf is excellent and came at a good price from consignment, in part I believe because of the general belief that Pomerol got torched in that vintage.

[AKR]

I didn't like the way 03 right banks turned out, but don't really remember much about the Pomerols, having passed on most of them.

Has anyone read Neil Martin's tome on Pomerol?

I went looking around for it, but it is one very expensive book.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

L'Enclos, Clos Rene, Croix du Casse, La Croix de Gay, Lafleur-Gazin (by reputation only) - each of these is usually priced in the $30s. I am one of those people mentioned above who expects a $20s bottle to be a solid wine and a $30 bottle to be damn good and a $50 bottle to be ... overpriced usually but it had better move mountains regardless.

[Roel]

QPR and Pomerol... Lol. Still, good names have been mentioned. Mazeyres, Plince, Clos René are my favorites.

[Nicklasss]

With the years, i became more and more a Pomerol fan. And while Pomerol is not cheap, some of the lower priced wines are ridicusly good.

The blended Pomerol from Moueix, or the 2010 Chateau Caillou, are too example of affordable Pomerol that are great.

Nic

[AKR]

A note from CSW on the little seen (at least in the US) Mazeyres

Rats, looks like the many fine pix didn't post

=======

Château Mazeyres - courtesy of their website
Château Mazeyres and the Work of Art of Alain Moueix
Château Mazeyres is a beautiful and lush estate located in Libourne in the appellation of Pomerol. The estate has a long history of winemaking, dating back from the 13th century. It has been certified organic since 2015 and is in conversion to biodynamy.

The estate's south-west facing terraces are a mix of soils: gravel and clay in the west, clay and sand in the south, and gravel, sand and clay in the east, with subsoils of iron-rich clay. Originating from the Pleistocene Age with the erosion of the Pyrénées and the Massif Central, this splendid terroir is reflected in Château Mazeyres' gorgeous wines.


Vineyards of Château Mazeyres - courtesy of their website

Alain Moueix, who also oversees Château Fonroque in Saint-Émilion, started managing the estate in 1992. Coming from a family of four generations of wine growers, Alain offers a superb "savoir-faire". A believer in biodynamic farming, minimal human intervention in the vineyard and in the cellar, and no added chemicals, except for a little amount of sulfur, Alain strives to find the pure balance in his wines.


Alain Moueix - courtesy of http://lesvinsdalainmoueix.net
The estate has 30-year-old plantings of mostly Merlot (73.1%), Cabernet Franc (24.3%) and Petit Verdot (2.6%). However, planting at Château Mazeyres is changing in response to the warming of the climate. To that end, the estate has increased its portions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (in the Château Mazeyres Cuvée) to keep the renowned vivacity of their wines.

Harvest usually occurs at the end of August, but Alain makes sure to walk through the vineyards, tasting the grapes and noticing the various signs of the vintage to pick at the right time. As Alain expresses, “This is the time when the painter chooses the colors and starts painting the canvas.” As clearly shown throughout his website, Alain is undeniably an artist in his way of thinking.

With respect to his winemaking, Alain’s philosophy continues to offer a mix of artistry and techniques. A quote from his website examplifies Alain’s belief in letting the wine speak for itself, in harmony with the terroir and its vintage - “Let the wine come to us and experience its poetical delivery.” With careful use of oak and low human intervention, the wines display a vibrant structure. A true artist of Pomerol, Alain delivers beauty and balance in the glass. Caroline Coursant

[greatbxfreak]

One of my favorites in Pomerol.

https://greatbordeauxwines.com/chateau- ... /bourgneuf

Daughter of present owners, Frederique Vayron made her first vintage 2008 together with her father, then she started on her own. 2010 is a blast with yield only 22 hl/ha! She's tried to make Bourgneuf more round and more fruity than her father. She's succeeded with it very well indeed!

2014 B is a classic cool Bordeaux style, 2015 B still Pomerol classic but with a bit of flamboyance and then 2016 B, also classic but incredibly stylish and distinct.

[AKR]

a chewy youthful Pomerol

I pulled the cork on a 2012 Mazeyres [Pomerol] last night while making supper. For whatever reasons, despite their healthy 5k case production, this estate has generally been poorly distributed in the US and both times I've purchased it have been through Chicago retailers via mail order (HDH and Flickingers) although it seems like Chambers St. might have a pipeline now. This full bodied, 13% abv, ruby/garnet(!) hued wine is quite tasty. There is a chewiness to its texture, and some rhubarb/celery notes on day one which morph into cloves and mint on the second, perhaps reflecting the 20% cab franc in the cepage. It doesn't have the wonderful silkiness the best Pomerols can show after suitable aging, but its still very good. I had this with braised tri tip that was about the maximal saturated fat a non chemist could summon up ... and the Pomerol was even better with food than by itself. The flavors just enveloped and wrapped around the juicy, tender meat, and J even had an ounce (in a mini shot glass), which almost never ever happens now. On the second day - merely corked and put back in the EuroCache - it tails off a bit, which surprises me, as I'd have expected this to be better with more air. Maybe fatty foods bring out the best in this chonker. Acid seems normal/acceptable to me; tannins are still present and its full of joyous black fruit. Long natural cork. The back side label suggests that a decade is the proper aging for this, and that seems reasonable. A tough one to grade, but I think I'll keep it in the B+ zone, holding it back because of texture, but I'd expect this to please most BWE, if it can be procured stateside. Tiny amount of sediment in final glass.

browned beef, then braised with brandy & butter for an hour

[marcs]

I acquired some 1998 Bourgneuf on release at a really good price, but that wine contained an unrelenting green herbaceous quality that I really disliked. I won't be buying more.

--Gary Rust

Agreed on the 98 Bourgneuf, worst 98 right bank I have ever had. Nose was pretty good but the palate had a sour aftertaste that motivated me to get rid of all my remaining bottles

[AKR]

That's strange. I had a few 98 Bourgneuf's (purchased on release at Garnets) over the years and thought they were good, albeit very firm. I must have finished them by age 10-12 or so I'm thinking.