Of the 2019 Pomerols that I tasted back in June, a number of good to very good wines have been produced. Top of the tree for me is an undoubted beauty from Château La Conseillante that I have already devoted a post which you can read here. This is amongst the very best of the vintage of the wines I’ve had a chance to look at. The rest of my Pomerol tastings were limited mainly to members of Le Grand Cercle. Amongst these Château Mazeyres, Château Maillet and Château La Clémence [all pictured here] really impressed me. Mazeyres is worth a special mention. This wine is crafted on a biodynamic basis by Alain Moueix and it stood out for its effortless clarity and purity [something which can also be said for Mouiex’s other property Château Fonroque in St Emilion]. There was also a very good performance from Château Lécuyer. Château La Commanderie and Clos Vieux Taillefer were good and solid, if rather chunky. Domaine de L’Eglise, from the Borie-Manoux stable, was sturdy and well-made and Château La Croix du Casse soft and forward.

The following wines were tasted in London from samples shipped by producers. I hope you find the notes useful. I hope to fill in other blanks here with tastings of the members of the Union des Grands Crus in the autumn.

Château La Clémence, Pomerol, 2019

Mid depth; dark at core; slightly lighter at edge; earthy red; ripe aromatics; polished; opens up to reveal ripe fruits; sweet plums; attractive pain grillé tones; very enticing aromatics; deep and open; little more red fruit and lifted; little volatile lift; sweet entry; attractive and lush; very open palate; this works well; black fruits – sweet plums and cherry; very soft and satin tannins; easy finish. What a seductive La Clémence. This is low acid, high pH style and will drink wonderfully from the off. A joy! Soft and hedonistic Pomerol. Super caressing with a satin finish. [Vineyard 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2024-2035. 92-93+

Château La Commanderie, Pomerol, 2019

Mid depth; earthy purple red edge; this has extract and oak influence; black fruits; spices and some violet lift; some tarry notes; much more evident new oak on the nose, imparting spices and menthol; quite deep; solid initially on the palate; has freshness though; some zap; quite chunky Pomerol; traditional; lacks a little finesse on the finish. If it doesn’t have the elegance of Lécuyer it does have plenty of fruit. [Vineyard 83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2024-2033. 87-89

Château La Conseillante, Pomerol, 2019

Deep and vibrant looking; fresh as a daisy; plums; black cherry; spice; black cherry notes; blueberry tones; mid weight on the entry; nicely poised; the extract is fleshy and tannins ripe; quite fresh tones and zappy on the palate; really nicely done; very positive with really zappy, fresh finish. Moreish vintage this [and wine]. Half an hour later and the wine opens up wonderfully on the nose; beautiful plum and black cherry fruit; soft and delicious and almost Burgundian wine; love this; has real delicacy and freshness; real zap and bounce; delicacy here which is the hallmark of 2019 – be fascinating to see how this develops. Plenty of zap and extract too! Lovely Pomerol. Joy, bounce, concentration and freshness. [84% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 34 hl/ha, 3.67 pH, 3.27 TA, 14.5% alc, 70% new oak]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2025-2045. 96-98+

Château La Croix du Casse, Pomerol, 2019

Mid depth; red at edge; fresh; some savoury tones, black fruits and earthy notes; quite forward; soft entry; very easy on the palate; very forward; lacks depth but this uncomplicated Pomerol is already drinking well; chocolate on the finish. [95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 14.5%]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2023-2030.  87-88

Château Lécuyer, Pomerol, 2019

Mid depth; red at edge; sweet open plums; feels composed and refined; quite complete and well mannered; nice and fresh Bordeaux on the entry; plummy tones; nicely balanced if a little compact at first; finishes positively and overall quite moreish. Zappy finish. Very well balanced and composed – would get a good report from the headteacher. This is very good ripe Pomerol which retains freshness. [Vineyard 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2024-2035. 90-91+

Château Maillet, Pomerol, 2019

Very deep and lush looking; glossy and colour tight to edge; earthy purple; violets and blueberries; with some black cherry and eau de vie; layered and very polished; like this; rich; has plenty of extract on the nose; good entry on the palate; solid and quite chunky but has texture; has structure with good zap. This has very nicely textured fruit and a substantial finish. Still quite chunky overall, but bold, concentrated and full. Incidentally it comes in a lovely bottle, black label and blue capsule. [Vineyard 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4ha] Tasted June 2020. Drink 2025-2040. 91-93+

Château Mazeyres, Pomerol, 2019

Deep and lush; earthy purple red at edge; brightly fruited; fresh as a daisy; briary fruits, plum and fresh black cherry; little red currant and rose hip note too; really fresh and shows the virtues of Alain Moueix’s biodynamic winemaking; love the purity here; some stalky undergrowth notes alongside the bright fruit; lovely fruit again on the palate; very graceful tannins; reminds me a little of La Conseillante in 2019; real bounce here; almost suspended in the air. Lovely delicacy. Such grace. Effortless, excellent Pomerol. [Vineyard 73% Merlot, 24.4% Cabernet Franc, 2.6% Petit Verdot]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2024-2038. 93-95+

Clos Vieux Taillefer, Pomerol, 2019

Deep and opaque; legs; little dumb to begin with; wet rock and schist tones; lots of fruit here evidently; needs to open; nice entry to the palate; sturdy Pomerol; plenty of extract and feels pretty solid; had freshness; tannins a little chunky; but works. Mid weight and moreish. [Vineyard 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2025-2033. 87-89

Château du Domaine de L’Eglise, Pomerol, 2019

Deeper than La Croix du Casse; red purple at edge; savoury black cherry fruit; oak lift and violet tones; full and round on the palate; nice entry; glossy black fruits again; structured; chew to the fruit and extract; solid Pomerol. Little chewy on the finish. Later the sample opened up further showing more black cherry, plum and savoury notes with mocha tones. Still has some grip on the finish. [97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted June 2020. Drink 2025-2038. 90-91+