Pauillac pecking order

[Comte Flaneur]

There are some pretty strong views on GPL in Danny’s GPL thread. I would have GPL at number 10 in my pecking order of 20 Pauillac estates, half way down a list of estates as defined by Jeff's Wine Cellar Insider. 

My pecking order for Pauillac (I have only had limited exposure to those ranked 15-20):

1. Lafite
2. Latour
3. Mouton
4. Pichon Baron
5. Pichon Lalande
6. Pontet Canet
7. Lynch Bages
8. Duhart Milon
9. Clerc Milon
10. Grand Puy Lacoste
11. Haut-Batailley
12. D’Armailhac
13. Grand Puy Ducasse
14. Batailley
15. Haut Bages Liberal
16. Pedesclaux
17. Pibran
18.,Fonbatet
19. Lynch Moussas
20. Croizet-Bages

What is yours? 

[jal]

Only the top 8 for me. The rest are either nondescript mediocre wines or wines I haven't drank enough of.

Of the top 8

1. Lafite
2. Mouton
3. Pichon Lalande
4. Pontet Canet
5. Latour
6. Duhart Milon
7. Pichon Baron
8. Lynch Bages

I know, I know, but Lafite is usually great from day one and always shows something, while I rarely had a Latour that was ready to drink (always needed another decade or two). Oh, and I'm still angry about the 1996 Pichon Baron.

[Comte Flaneur]

I agree on the 1996 Pichon Baron Jacques - ironically it showed very well in the BWE Manhattan Pauillac dinner in 2006. But it really is a dud based on the last outing. But I have forgiven Pichon Baron. Since Christian Seely arrived in 2000 this estate has been on fire. For me it was a tough call for the fourth spot between the two Pichons. It was the Baron by a hair's breadth.

[Rudi Finkler]

I have no particular pecking order, when it comes to the top of the top Pauillac wines. It depends on my mood and depends on the vintage, but I have a soft spot for Pichon Comtesse and Lafite. In any case, I would add Les Forts and Carruades to the upper mid-range, and Bellegrave near to Fonbadet.

[stefan]

On Pauillac Ian and I are closer than we are on St Julien.

1. Lafite
2. Latour
3. Mouton
4. Pichon Lalande
5. Pichon Baron
6. Pontet Canet
7. Lynch Bages
8. Clerc Milon
9. Duhart Milon
10. Grand Puy Lacoste
11. D’Armailhac
12. Haut-Batailley
13. Batailley
14. Haut Bages Liberal
15. Grand Puy Ducasse

Again, except for Pontet Canet, my ranking is based on vintages from 1961 to 2004. I listed only estates that I like. For me the hard decisions are in the 8-12 group.

[Nicklasss]

Tough for me, as many Pauillac I don't have a lot of experience with. But from what I have drink, let say:

1. Mouton Rothschild
2. Lafite Rothschild
3. Pichon Baron
4. Pichon Lalande
5. Lynch Bages
6. Latour
7. Grand-Puy Lacoste
8. Pontet Canet
9. Duhart-Milon
10. Clerc-Milon
11. Armailhac
12. Haut-Bages Libéral
13. Batailley
14. Haut-Batailley

Others only one little sip.

Nic

[JimHow]

Just getting around to this thread.
Interesting question, Ian.


My list:

1. Lafite
2. Pichon Baron
3. Mouton
4. Pichon Lalande
5. Duhart Milon
6. Latour
7. Pontet-Canet
8. Clerc Milon
9. d'Armailhac

I can't really add any others to the list, unless you want to add "Lynch Bages from the 1980s."

All in all, Pauillac, at its very best, is the top region for me, but Margaux may be just about even now for my taste.

[greatbxfreak]

1. Mouton Rothschild
2. Latour
3. Lafite
4. PIchon Comtesse
5. Pichon Baron
6. Pontet Canet
7. Grand Puy Lacoste
8. Clerc Milon
9. Duhart Milon
10. d'Armailhac
11. Lynch Bages
12. Haut Bages Liberal

[Jeff Leve]

There are some pretty strong views on GPL in Danny’s GPL thread. I would have GPL at number 10 in my pecking order of 20 Pauillac estates, half way down a list of estates as defined by Jeff's Wine Cellar Insider.

Thanks for the mention Ian. For everything you ever wanted to know about Pauillac and more... http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bor ... /pauillac/

For me....

1 - Latour
2 - Mouton Rothschild
3 - Pichon Baron
4 - Pichon Lalande
5 - Pontet Canet
6 - Lafite Rothschild
7 - Grand Puy Lacoste
8 - Lynch Bages
9 - Clerc Milon
10 - d’Armailhac
11 - Batailley
12 - Duhart Milon
13 - Forts Latour
14 - Petit Mouton
15 - Grand Puy Ducasse
16 - Haut-Batailley
17 - Pedesclaux
18 - Haut Bages Liberal
19 - Lynch Moussas
20 - Pibran
21 - Fonbadet
22 - Croizet-Bages
23 -La Fleur Peyrabon

Over the coming years as the vineyard continues being replanted and the vines age, I suspect that Pedesclaux will move up several positions.

[Blanquito]

I don't drink enough First Growths to make a ranked list.

That said, I agree with Jim- at its best, Pauillac is the apogee of Bordeaux in my book.

And my favorite chateau (that I get to taste and buy) has long been Pichon Lalande. PLL has been in top form for 50+ years, and other than screwing up the 1990, PLL seems to always deliver.

[AKR]

+1 (to all three)

[sdr]

Hmm, I need to drink more Pontet Canet.

Were some of you influenced by your amazing visit there?

What vintages of PC cause you to rank it so high?

Pauillac is king, for sure.

Stuart

[Comte Flaneur]

Hi Stuart,

I counted myself as a P-C skeptic until we arrived there, on that famous day, May 22, 2015. This is my narrative and description of our visit, which will remain etched on my memory:


Several years ago a few members of our group held a dinner in New York City to taste 11 vintages of Pontet-Canet, from 1994 to 2004. This was after Jim How, the group’s Benevolent Dictactor, had declared the 2003 Pontet-Canet to be the 2006 wine of the year. Someone had the idea of inviting Alfred Tesseron, and somehow they managed to pull it off. Tim McCracken, who co-organised our Bordeaux 2015 trip with Alex, supplied all the wines, but wound up not being able to make it for work reasons. The evening was a roaring success with Alfred issuing an open invitation to visit the estate.

It was against this background that we boarded the bus at just after 10am on Friday morning for our fifth and final day of the tour. We knew that we were the guests of Alfred Tesseron but didn’t know really what to expect. When we arrived, less than ten minutes late, Alex spotted the Stars and Stripes, the Canadian Maple Leaf and the Union Jack fluttering majestically in the breeze, representing the three nationalities of our group. No French or Chinese flags anywhere to be seen. It was a nice touch and was perhaps the first inkling of the red carpet treatment that lay ahead.

We were greeted by Alice who was well versed in the whys and wherefores of biodynamic farming. I must confess that I always thought it was a load of old codswallop. Then we met the winemaker Jean-Michel La Comme, who was not just passionate about it, he had biodynamic religion, and his enthusiasm was rubbing off on me. So I asked him ‘why do you need Michel Rolland then?’ And he just rolled his eyes...Later I asked Alfred the same question, and his answer was illuminating.

Anyway we were getting thirsty and Alice was laying out bottles of the 2011 and the 2012 for us to sample. Then Alfred arrived with samples of the 2013 and 2014. He had just returned from the dentist for some major work, and we it was only later learned that he was in some discomfort. He was such an engaging host we would not otherwise have guessed.

While Pontet-Canet has had a meteoric rise in recent years, culminating in perfect Parker scores in 2009 and 2010, I counted myself as one of the few remaining sceptics. That changed with my first sip of the 2011. What an extraordinarily elegant and mesmerising wine! Maybe also this biodynamic malarkey really is paying dividends. I also loved the 2012, which was a bit brawnier, more exuberant and almost at the same level. Even the 2013 was quite pleasant. As time was moving on Alfred ushered us on into his salon where we were served Dom Perignon 2003 en magnum with canapes.

At this point the penny really dropped that we were going to receive the royal treatment. He told me that the advantage of having Rolland drop in from time to time is that he has a great sense of timing. He knows exactly when to pick. Alfred said he is also a useful cross-reference, and another eyes and ears. It soon became clear that as well as been a generous and attentive host, Tesseron is a savvy operator and is nobody’s fool.

For lunch we were served the 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009 vintages, the 2003 a proverbial hat-tip to the group for its wine of the year award nine years ago. However, while it was clearly one of the better 2003s I have tried, it was outgunned by the other three wines. I particularly enjoyed the 2000, which is starting to come on song, but the 2005 really was the jewel in the crown.

At this point Michael, who had donated his 1934 Petrus the previous day, presented Alfred a bottle of the 1962 Pontet-Canet, also purchased at auction. Alfred was tickled, not least because it is his wife's birth year. He then went down to his cellar to dig out one of his own 1962s to taste alongside Michael's. Both were excellent, with the chateau version slightly fresher.

Lunch at Pontet Canet was probably the highlight of the tour, though the dinner that night at Pichon Baron was also a contender. However, next stop was Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou and we arrived half an hour late, so we were given the tour by the cellar master who only spoke in French. Fortunately Alex was able to translate as and when appropriate. Since Bruno Borie took over the running of this estate in 2003 from his elder brother Xavier, who went up the road to manage Grand Puy Lacoste, Ducru was gone bling. But it was a fabulously entertaining visit...

[sdr]

Ian, thanks for bringing your narrative back to life.

Stuart