Just popped a 14.5% Bordeaux

[robert goulet]

All this talk about high alc. wines inspired me 2nite.
So I reached for a ripe vintage with a little bit of age to see where we are at....ok then, what did I choose?

Well why not go all the way...lets go '09 shall we? ....not just '09, but let's go Pomerol, not just Pomerol, but let's go with a winery so proud, that the owner actually placed his name on the label...So u know the dude must be very very proud....I mean, why not? ...What could possibly go wrong?

So out comes the 2009 Le Bon Pasteur, the owner is the one Michel Rolland, a controversial figure in the world of bordeaux....his estate Chateau Le Bon Pasteur is a winery of respectable Pomerol pedigree and the '09 is a wine that Parker declared:(or wine advocate)
A brilliant effort from well-known oenologists Dany and Michel Rolland, the 2009 Bon Pasteur is dominated by Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Franc included in the blend. It reveals textbook notes of mocha, tobacco leaf, blackberries, black cherries, roasted coffee and wood smoke. Full-bodied and luscious with a succulent, beautifully textured, multidimensional mouthfeel, low acidity and sweet but noticeable tannin, it is reminiscent of the 1982 Bon Pasteur, which continued to put on weight for a decade or more. If the 2009 does the same, it will come close to equaling that legendary vintage. Drink it over the next 20+ years

Whooo weeee, I am fired up now. I absolutely now know I'm in for a treat here....so I pop the cork and pour a small glass. The bottle is a tad cold so I want to let it sit for a few minutes...as I swirl the glass I turn to my daughter Jett and ask her if she can hand me one of those pickles she's eating...little did I know, she wasn't eating any ...uhhh ohhh....

I swirl the glass some more and stick my proboscis in there for a big whiff....Oh Helllll Nooo!....like I just dove into a jar of Vlasic and creamy oak....mutha fuqr!

Ok, let's give this a chance...maybe it will blow off...I wait 15 min and jump back in...

I close my eyes and take another slip...ok...phew, its fine I was just dreaming, the pickle note is expected, as this wine is clearly the 2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva....then I open my eyes and begin to shriek
....ahhhhhh, no it's is the Pomerol afterall, what in the holy hell is happening??? Where the hell is this amercian oak influenced pickle power coming from? Total head scratcher.

Folks, wine lovers, brothers, sisters, friends, acquaintances....

This.Is.Not.Bordeaux

This is beaver juice, laced with dill, creamy nuance, toasty oak and dried raisins.

This.Is.A.Travesty....bordering on undrinkable

I should be punished for such indiscretions...at the least I should have write 50 times(maybe 100) 'I shall not drink Michel Roland influenced wines.

Looking at the 54 notes on cellartracker (which it garnered a 92.3 cumulative score), only a few tasters appeared not to care too much for it....here is one of the notes ...

2009 Bordeaux Masterclass, Hilton Hotel, Sydney. Tasted Blind. Dark red. Menthol/mint, ironstone and red fruit on the nose. Sweet red fruit on the palate with medium to full body, but unbalanced with drying tannins leaving a bitter finish. Disappointing, as were many of the Pomerols. Was 2009 too hot for Merlot? So many seem unbalanced and overripe.

One more note:
4 hour decant. I agree, very Rolland in style. Tons of berries along with a lot of oak. Not my style

I drink this and I feel embarrassed, not just as a Bordeaux lover, but as the sole purchaser and the owner of one more remaining bottle...this is my scarlet letter moment, my pink slip, my badge of infamy, my kiss of Brutus, my wine stigmata.

I hold my head low, I am riddled with shame, I am ripped of all my pride, I seek atonement...I throw myself in front of the BWE court and beg for mercy...I'm completely lost, I'm not sure what else I can say.....all I can think of is...


Who wants to buy my other bottle?

[AlexR]

Hi,

A very good post, heartfelt and well-expressed .

I'm going to play devil's advocate here because I have often come out in favor of subtle, understated Bordeaux rather than the in-your-face kind.

And yet... I wouldn't paint all of Rolland's wines with the same brush and I have had some very good Bon Pasteur in the past, as have you.

Yes, I found the 2009s a bit top-heavy and alcoholic. But, hey, 14.5% alc./vol. these days is hardly over the top.
Look at Angélus, that comes in at 15 point something.

I realize that your comments concern just one wine, and I'd probably agree with you if we shared a bottle. But could it be that this is more a reflection of that vintage rather than Rolland?

All the best,
Alex R.

[robert goulet]

Hi Alex, my title is misleading because it looks like I am pointing to the alc.% as the culprit... but the appalling flavor I'm getting I believe does not stem from a warm vintage...therefore, I'm not sure this is a 'too high' of an alcohol issue as it is a 'too much' of a new oak issue for this Bordeaux lover...and not an oak flavor I enjoy...right bank wines in ripe years of late all appear to be 14% and I'm sure there are some good ones...All the critics seemed to have been positive on this wine, am I wrong here?...
I realize my 'stay away' from Rolland wines declaration is a bit extreme...I hope someone else can pop one and chime in.

[OrlandoRobert]

Hi Alex, my title is misleading because it looks like I am pointing to the alc.% as the culprit... but the appalling flavor I'm getting I believe does not stem from a warm vintage...therefore, I'm not sure this is a 'too high' of an alcohol issue as it is a 'too much' of a new oak issue for this Bordeaux lover...and not an oak flavor I enjoy...right bank wines in ripe years of late all appear to be 14% and I'm sure there are some good ones...All the critics seemed to have been positive on this wine, am I wrong here?...
I realize my 'stay away' from Rolland wines declaration is a bit extreme...I hope someone else can pop one and chime in.

This. This is my experience with most anything Rolland touches in Bordeaux. Or Bouard. Or Derenoncort.

Even when they somehow keep their propensity for higher ABV and riper fruit in check, not to mention the omnipresence of oak notes, their wines have a gloss to them that is not my Bordeaux. If their name is on it, I generally avoid it.

Nice note, Marc!

[robert goulet]

Great point Robert...there is a gloss that as an idea probably sounds great on paper, but translates poorly to the wine upon execution...I found nothing redeeming in this bottle...zero, zip, nada, zilch

[Claudius2]

RG
Do not fret!!
The BWE firmament pronounces you innocent on all charges. You may walk the vineyards and cellars of the world with your head held high. Viva la resistance!!
The wine sounds truly awful and the few vintages of Bob Pasteur I have had have been disappointing. Had the 06 a few months ago and it was okay but nowhere near great. C’est la vie.
Cheers
Mark

[OrlandoRobert]

Mark, not to be confused with Marc a/k/a Bobby Goulet, you have no idea what my little buddy also drinks. If I disclosed, it could lead to a public flogging. Oh the shame.....

[Racer Chris]

Mark, not to be confused with Marc a/k/a Bobby Goulet, you have no idea what my little buddy also drinks. If I disclosed, it could lead to a public flogging. Oh the shame.....

You're not so innocent yourself after the last trip to Napa Valley.

[Claudius2]

Guys
Err, I think I feel like the 12th man at the moment.
Please fill me in.......
cheers

[greatbxfreak]

I had 2000 Bon Pasteur as a dark horse in flight with 2000 Trotanoy in my Trotanoy vertical, two different ways of winemaking. I was afraid of over-extracted and dry wine. Nope, it was close in appearance to Trotanoy 2000 which was brilliant. I remember tasting 2000 Fontenil, Michel Rolland's home property, which also was an excellent bottle.

[robert goulet]

Mark, not to be confused with Marc a/k/a Bobby Goulet, you have no idea what my little buddy also drinks. If I disclosed, it could lead to a public flogging. Oh the shame.....

U mean the Night Train and Thunderbird?...that stuff is revered!

Truth be told I corked up the 2009 Le Bon Pasteur and returned to my $12 Trader Joe's Barolo...which is a better wine

[robert goulet]

Guys
Err, I think I feel like the 12th man at the moment.
Please fill me in.......
cheers

I wish I knew how to post pics...u would be in for a treat seeing Bobby immersed in his Napa-ral habitat!

[OrlandoRobert]

Mark, not to be confused with Marc a/k/a Bobby Goulet, you have no idea what my little buddy also drinks. If I disclosed, it could lead to a public flogging. Oh the shame.....

You're not so innocent yourself after the last trip to Napa Valley.

Please don’t tell anyone here. Jimbo might ban me!

It rhymes with Covid lol

[Blanquito]

Great, fun note Mark-cum-Goulet. Sounds just dreadful.

Back in my grad school days, I used to like Fontenil and Fombrauge for a cheap fix (plus the modernist style extremes weren’t that bad yet in 1998-2000). While we’re on our Rolland kick, have any of you tried his “Winemakers Collection”? I had it in 2011 and it was so bad, I probably got my money’s worth. Here were my impressions;

2005 The Winemakers' Collection Michel Rolland Cuvée No. 1 Château d'Arsac
Wow, it's not every day you get to smell and drink (and spit!) liquid oak... crazy new oak bouquet redolent of fresh coconut, star anise, vanilla, espresso grounds, and finishing with a burnt-acrid note. If I considered this bouquet "wine", I would hate it, but if I think of it as a scented candle, it puts me in a certain holiday frame of mind... the palate isn't nearly as oaky as the bouquet, rather it is distinguished by its silky smooth mouthfeel, and while sweet, it's not particularly heavy. I often get this disconnect in Rolland's wines, where the nose is garish with oak and fruit, and then the taste isn't as extreme as you'd expect. Still, I'm not sure I like it per se, it's so smooth there must be some serious tannin management here given the vintage (micro-bullage anyone?) and some acrid oak kicks in on the finish. A modern "masterpiece" par excellence, leaving me longing for the olden days (I poured the rest down the sink). Gotta love the label though! 75 pts.

[robert goulet]

Wow...why such a high score Blanquito?...lol

Yeah man, someone might of poured that same wine into my bottle of Le Bon Pasteur....SMH

[robertgoulet]

I had 2000 Bon Pasteur as a dark horse in flight with 2000 Trotanoy in my Trotanoy vertical, two different ways of winemaking. I was afraid of over-extracted and dry wine. Nope, it was close in appearance to Trotanoy 2000 which was brilliant. I remember tasting 2000 Fontenil, Michel Rolland's home property, which also was an excellent bottle.

Curious how much of his current style is reflected in the 2000 version.
Honestly, I would of never guessed the '09 as a bordeaux, maybe more of a heavily American oaked gran reserve rioja.

[Musigny 151]

Rolland has as much input as the winemaker wants. In the case of Bon Pasteur in 2009, it was obviously total. It’s a decent terroir, and the wines are not to my taste. I understood he has been dialing down in the last couple of years, but the 2009 was bound to be a problem for those who don’t like extraction. A hot year coupled with the leading proponent of it. When I looked through my Primeur notes for the 2009s I did not see one for this, so can’t comment on the specific wine.

The note though is a really good one for what I saw happening to so many Right Bank wines. As I said, there has been a little dialing back, so I am a little more optimistic than I was a few years ago.

[JimHow]

I've got some '09 Gazin in my cellar, I wonder when I should give one a try.

[Nicklasss]

I was looking forward to go to Florida, meet the two Bobby's one day. Now i'm changing my mind as when you don't like the mix of merlot + 2009 + Pomerol + Rolland, well you don't like Bordeaux!

By the way, everyones know (it is written on the Chateau Bon Pasteur back label) that you have to add a tea spoon of fresh grounded black pepper to the wine when you decant it, to get the right balance.

Anyway, thanks for reporting. Can i buy your last bottle, and pay to get it ship to Musigny 151? .

Nic

[Blanquito]

I’ve always wondered how these uber modern wines are perceived in France. Are they made for export basically?

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I've got some '09 Gazin in my cellar, I wonder when I should give one a try.

Why not today? I'd be interested in your take. The 2008 Gazin is definitely in the hard-and-hot, hold for another ten years and hope for the best category.

[Musigny 151]

I was looking forward to go to Florida, meet the two Bobby's one day. Now i'm changing my mind as when you don't like the mix of merlot + 2009 + Pomerol + Rolland, well you don't like Bordeaux!

By the way, everyones know (it is written on the Chateau Bon Pasteur back label) that you have to add a tea spoon of fresh grounded black pepper to the wine when you decant it, to get the right balance.

Anyway, thanks for reporting. Can i buy your last bottle, and pay to get it ship to Musigny 151? .

Nic

My address is

C/0 Donald T.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 37188

It will add some variety to the Lysol cocktails currently being served

[robert goulet]

I was looking forward to go to Florida, meet the two Bobby's one day. Now i'm changing my mind as when you don't like the mix of merlot + 2009 + Pomerol + Rolland, well you don't like Bordeaux!

By the way, everyones know (it is written on the Chateau Bon Pasteur back label) that you have to add a tea spoon of fresh grounded black pepper to the wine when you decant it, to get the right balance.

Anyway, thanks for reporting. Can i buy your last bottle, and pay to get it ship to Musigny 151? .

Nic

Lol...funny stuff.....and no one wants to meet us...trust me Nic, spare yourself the pain.

Wait, maybe I should save the Le Bon as the showcase wine at the next BWE convention

[robert goulet]

I've got some '09 Gazin in my cellar, I wonder when I should give one a try.

Why not today? I'd be interested in your take. The 2008 Gazin is definitely in the hard-and-hot, hold for another ten years and hope for the best category.

Do it Jim...maybe I'll pop my '11 Gazin

[JimHow]

Nic, if/when you get past the border this summer maybe we should go for a roadtrip down the east coast to Florida!

[OrlandoRobert]

Don’t worry boys. I’m respectable. Marc brings us down. I keep him around cause he’s sorta funny and has a great palate! We will treat you right!

[robert goulet]

Don’t worry boys. I’m respectable. Marc brings us down. I keep him around cause he’s sorta funny and has a great palate! We will treat you right!

Due to Roberts status and impeccable reputation in the community...I try to embarrass him as much as possible....someone has to try and keep this guy grounded, this is no easy task!!

What can I say?...its love

[AKR]

http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/ ... 824#p67823

[marcs]

Have two bottles of this, maybe I should give them away.

For mid-ranking wines not worth selling that I don't like, I share with family members, especially during this quarantine period. Civilians are always blown away by the quality of wines we drink, even we ourselves don't consider them worth the alcohol content.