The satellite appellations of St Emilion – Lussac, Puisseguin and Montagne – performed reasonably well when tasted blind at the Grand Cercle primeurs event held last month in St Emilion. In Lussac, Château de Barbe Blanche and Château La Rose Perrière were impressive, while Vieux Château Palon succeeded well in Montagne St Emilion in 2014. Château Guibot la Fourvielle in Puisseguin St Emilion is also impressive. 

The following wines were tasted blind at the Grand Cercle event held at Château Bellefont-Belcier on March 29, 2015. Next up notes on Lalande de Pomerol in 2014.

Château de Barbe Blanche, Lussac St Emilion

Mid depth; earthy purple; briary fruits; brambles; some fatness; sweet ripe fruit; attractive qualities; some stoney mineral notes; wood too but integrated; nice texture and flesh; works well; should be nicely balanced. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 28ha]. Drink 2017-2025. 86-88+

Château du Courlat, Cuvée Jean-Baptiste, Lussac, St Emilion

Deep-ish; dark core; legs; some smoke; depth; little sour cherry; perhaps a bit dumb; clean and correct; bit drying on the palate; wood tannin; fruit subdued; tannins rather rustic and chewy; overall impression of dryness here at present; chewy finish. Needs to fill out. [100% Merlot, 28ha]. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85?

Château Faizeau, Montagne St Emilion

Deep and saturated colour; tight to rim; attractive fruit; full; apparent depth; little nutty note; nice depth; texture; minerally edge to this; full and tannins ripe; alcohol here; easy finish. Dips a fraction perhaps but good solid effort. [94% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15ha]. Drink 2017-2022. 86-87+

Château Guibot la Fourvielle, Puisseguin St Emilion

Deep and saturated; tight to rim; purple meniscus; full and deep; certain fatness; plums; nice lift; violet notes alongside the plums; opens up nicely; nuce solid fruit; mineral quality again; polished and well put together; nice extract and wood subdued; finishes well with good matter and bite. [70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10ha]. Drink 2017-2024. 87-89+

Château du Lussac, Lussac St Emilion

Deep and saturated; some plummy tones; minerally edge; little more reticent than some; little sour cherry edge; more sap and grip to the palate and bite. Should fill out but a fraction harder than the others. [80% Merlot, 18.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Petit Verdot, 28ha]. Drink 2016-2022. 83-85

Château Messile Aubert, Montagne St Emilion

Mid depth; little lighter than above; lifted and attractive; lighter toned but aromatics have delicacy; spices; red fruits and some plum with attractive lift; not heavy; red fruits on the palate; some spices; less weight and depth than some; little lacking in middle; soft finish nevertheless; but loose on the finish. [70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9ha]. Drink 2017-2022. 85-87

Reclos de la Couronne, Montagne St Emilion     

Mid depth; dark core; some purple; nutty rather mousy note; spices some cereal notes; little VA lift; palate shows better; nice plummy, cherry fruit with some liquorice notes; should settle; bit of chew and slightly pinched finish. [100% Merlot, 3 ha]. Drink 2017-2022. 84-86

Château La Rose Perrière, Lussac St Emilion

Deep and saturated look; opaque at core; arterial; very focused; black cherry; plum and oak seamlessly interwoven; full and modern styled on the nose; attractive for me; nice palate; cool black fruits and nicely handled oak [some wood tannin to resolve but the fruit matter appears to be here]; lots of density and extract but with fining and further elévage should work nicely. Big. Satisfying. [90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10.5ha]. Drink 2017-2023. 87-89+

Château Tour Bayard, Montagne St Emilion

Mid depth; dark core healthy look; legs; full and fat on the nose; little monolithic perhaps but plenty of fruit; black cherry and some sweet/sour notes; sweet sour fruit; little hardness here; little forced and extracted feel; will probably settle into something chewy and gutsy. Plenty of matter. Not much sophistication and tannins rustic. [80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 10ha]. Drink 2017-2023. 84-86

Vieux Château Palon, Montagne St Emilion

Deep and saturated; opaque at centre; very full and satisfying; menthol; some plum and cake spices; attractive and full; little vanilla lift too; full and attractive aromatics; full palate; sour cherry; full; depth and chew; should settle well. Nicely done. Chewy finish with extract but lots of satisfying fruit. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5ha]. Drink 2017-2025. 87-89+