Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

My buddy is traveling to bordeaux...he is spending 3 days on the left bank and 1-2 on the right.
I would like to hear your top spots to visit from each appellation and why?
He is a newbie but very interested in learning more about wine particularly French.
I already told him SHL....and Giscours would be worthy...love to hear your thoughts.

It would be worth to visit 1-2 first/defacto first growths (if he can get appointment), few growth properties and few non-classified properties. This would help for someone who is a newbie to understand the nature of classification, vinification/viticulture differences and in general what Bordeaux has to offer.

2 days Medoc, a day for sauternes/graves, a day or two right bank...

Pontet Canet.

Pontet Canet
Pichon Baron
La Mission Haut Brion
Smith Haut Lafitte
Du Tertre
Palmer
Figeac
La Conseillante
Corbin
Yquem
La Lagune
Canon
Chateau Margaux
Leoville Lascases (French)
Ducru Beaucaillou (French)
Leoville-Barton
Leoville- Poyferre
Ferrand
Latour
Lynch Bages

In that order

That's a long week, Comte. Otherwise, it's a very good list.

That was BWE '15.
It was tough, but somebody had to do it.

Jeez, when I think of visiting all those places!!!

Alex

Personally, that is not how I would advise my friend. They should visit the chateaux that make the wines they already know and love. That will give them the personal connection to their visit that will create a special memory. Going to a First Growth is a special experience, but meeting the people that make your favorite wines is even better.

Yes the visit to my favorite Lynch Bages left a memory that will last a lifetime.

Beyond visiting top chateau (for me, that would include visits to Chateau Margaux and Pichon Lalande), I would ensure visiting both St. Emilion/Pomerol and the Medoc. In the Medoc, be sure to hit the sweet spot where Paullaic and St Estephe abut (by Lafite and Cos)-- the view from Montrose is striking near there too. Dinner out in the city of Bordeaux is worth it too if there's sufficient time.

JimHow wrote:Yes the visit to my favorite Lynch Bages left a memory that will last a lifetime.

Is there some backstory to that that I missed?

Arv,

Jim got on his hands and knees kissing his hallowed ground coming off the bus(pictures to prove his great joy) at LB and then had a less than fond memory on the way out. Saying the visit was less than memorable might be an understatement. Not sure if the drawers were lowered to give a BWE commemorative salute ala Nicolas on the way out but don't think he'll ever recover from that one.

Many visits were nice in 2015, but if I would have to choose 3, I would say La Lagune, du Tertre and Pichon Baron, all of them for the enthisiastic staff, the number of vintages tasted and the places.

I went to Sociando Mallet alone in 2012, and for a lonely visitor, have been received very nicely.

Nic

P.S. I have considered Pontet Canet and Lynch Bages out of the top three because we received special attention there: Pontet Canet was awesome because Mr Tesseron already enjoyed some time with BWEers before, so we have been received royally. And Lynch Bages thought that we were Bourgogne Wine Enthusiasts...

Thanx for all the great recs....he has a tasting set up at lafite but doesn't know a lot about bordeaux wine. Good way to start though....I am going to recommend SHL, Pontet and looking for a good Margaux....thinking D'issan or Giscours since the BWE Margaux hospitality was less than desirable.

He does like D'armailhac ever since I turned him on to it. I see D'armailhac as a future BWE WOTY candidate...2012 is starting to shape up nicely.

For right bank I think Canon La Gaff. would be a nice stop if Neipperberg is there.

Wow, how did he get into Lafite?
Doesn't like nobody get into Lafite?
Ah, Bordeaux, I wish I wee there.
I'm getting into the Androscoggin County Jail this morning to visit four clients.

JimHow wrote:Wow, how did he get into Lafite?
Doesn't like nobody get into Lafite?
Ah, Bordeaux, I wish I wee there.
I'm getting into the Androscoggin County Jail this morning to visit four clients.

Great question. Thats what he told me, maybe its Chateau Lafite Monteil!! Bahahahaha...yikes...I better call him

D'Issan has a beautiful moated Chateau,the wines are great and we were received very well in 2005. A hi light for sure.

La Lagune....yes the 2013 left an indelible mark in the memory banks that will last for ever...not to mention that it threw my palate off for days!! The vat room was modern pink,very feminine but the wine maker Caroline Frei was a sweet heart. Maybe thats why Nic rated it so highly...I'm not sure why he never put Margaux at the top for the same reason. Guys were tripping over their tongues at Margaux for some reason??

dstgolf wrote:D'Issan has a beautiful moated Chateau,the wines are great and we were received very well in 2005. A hi light for sure.

La Lagune....yes the 2013 left an indelible mark in the memory banks that will last for ever...not to mention that it threw my palate off for days!! The vat room was modern pink,very feminine but the wine maker Caroline Frei was a sweet heart. Maybe thats why Nic rated it so highly...I'm not sure why he never put Margaux at the top for the same reason. Guys were tripping over their tongues at Margaux for some reason??

I remember a fairly cold reception from Margaux unless I am wrong...though I do remember some 2004 Margaux love!

Jeff Leve wrote:Personally, that is not how I would advise my friend. They should visit the chateaux that make the wines they already know and love. That will give them the personal connection to their visit that will create a special memory. Going to a First Growth is a special experience, but meeting the people that make your favorite wines is even better.

I am going to side with Jeff on this one while adding that one should also take into account the affordability of that estates wines, as to me, tasting something that I fall in love with only to subsequently come to find out that I could not afford it would not sit well with me.

Not mentioned yet, but Gruaud Larose has a very nice visitor facility, an organized tour, and an observation tower that is quite interesting.

In general, I agree with Jeff that he should look at some properties he might already be familiar with. In addition, some of the lesser growths tend to treat visitors with more personalized attention.

Jeff Leve wrote:Personally, that is not how I would advise my friend. They should visit the chateaux that make the wines they already know and love. That will give them the personal connection to their visit that will create a special memory. Going to a First Growth is a special experience, but meeting the people that make your favorite wines is even better.

Yes Jeff
but he is new to bordeaux wines so?

Therefore, I am looking for good wine/ warm, friendly environment(esp. to a newbie)/ educational/non-rushed etc..

Funny Jeff he sent me your link and ask if I ever read the blog...off course I responded "That dude is a hack!"

Jk

I said, "of course I have, I know Jeff, I even shipped him
(2) bottles of 1996 Chateau Latour a few years back for Free!" (remember?)

He thought I was extra cool after that.....I never tried to correct him

robert goulet wrote:

Jeff Leve wrote:Personally, that is not how I would advise my friend. They should visit the chateaux that make the wines they already know and love. That will give them the personal connection to their visit that will create a special memory. Going to a First Growth is a special experience, but meeting the people that make your favorite wines is even better.

Yes Jeff
but he is new to bordeaux wines so?

Therefore, I am looking for good wine/ warm, friendly environment(esp. to a newbie)/ educational/non-rushed etc..

Funny Jeff he sent me your link and ask if I ever read the blog...off course I responded "That dude is a hack!"

Jk

I said, "of course I have, I know Jeff, I even shipped him
(2) bottles of 1996 Chateau Latour a few years back for Free!" (remember?)

He thought I was extra cool after that.....I never tried to correct him

I am sure he has tasted some wines, liked a few, did not care for others. Else, why go to Bordeaux, it is not exactly easy to get to. Honest, I cannot stress how much better a trip to Bordeaux is, when you know the wines, the properties will respond in kind. But that is just my 2c

Of course I remember those 1996 Latour bottles. They were very expensive at the time. The good old days!

dstgolf wrote:Arv,

Jim got on his hands and knees kissing his hallowed ground coming off the bus(pictures to prove his great joy) at LB and then had a less than fond memory on the way out. Saying the visit was less than memorable might be an understatement. Not sure if the drawers were lowered to give a BWE commemorative salute ala Nicolas on the way out but don't think he'll ever recover from that one.

Jeff, my buddy just likes to travel extensively and is now getting into French wine....getting to bordeaux is not an issue for him...he is a baptism by fire kinda guy, he is fearless and craves culture and knowledge...He chuckled at your comment.


Ha, funny pic...Pope JHow....note to self....Kiss grounds on the way out!!

So my buddy just emailed me and indeed he is invited to taste at Chateau Lafite..nice
He has also procured reservations in Paris at Guy Savoy when he arrives to Paris.
Looks like a solid start.

He will be staying in downtown bordeaux

Chateau tastings I will suggest to him are as follow:

-Pessac-
Smith Haut Lafitte
La Mission Haut Brion
I arrivet Haut Brion (because I think he will like these)

-Pauillac-
Pontet Canet
Pichon Baron
D'armailhac (since I know he likes this, I made him buy it) lol

-Margaux-
Giscours
D'issan
DuTertre

-St. Julien-
Ducru Beaucaillou
Talbot?
Gruaud Larose?
Leoville Las Cases

-St.Estephe-
Montrose?
Cos d'estournel?

-St. Emilion-
Canon La Gaffeliere

-Pomerol-
No Clue

The chateau's with question marks...has anyone attended tastings at these fine estates and what did they think?

If anyone has feedback on must see's or those I should rethink...thanx

I will see if he'll join BWE and journal his bordeaux escapade here on our fine board.


Goulet out!

Wow those are all the big gun names.

Didn't BWE have a great visit with the gracious Ms. Cruse at Corbin?

I have never been to d'Armailhac, not sure they receive visitors. Normally, I taste those wines at Mouton. Not sure how it works for the general public.

Hard to get visits to Ducru Beaucaillou

Not sure they take non, professional visits at Leoville Las Cases

In all cases, it never hurts to ask...

We went to Ducru and LLC as part of BWE France '15.

Note, both the Ducru and the LLC visits were in French. The French speakers had to translate for the English speakers.

Great info guys thanx....so far pontet canet is a no go as is mouton...busy time of year

Who needs the pope. Here's the great Jimmy How at the hallowed ground.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128424418 ... 770048646/

For those interested I just noticed that you have access to view all of my pictures on Flikr of BWE 2015 in Bordeaux if you want to see what you missed for next time by just popping ling and scrolling through my images.

Enjoy for those interested.

dstgolf wrote:Who needs the pope. Here's the great Jimmy How at the hallowed ground.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128424418 ... 770048646/

LOL
Pope James