In early October I had the opportunity to taste a set of wines spanning the last decade from the Médoc property Château Loudenne with General Manager Philippe de Poyferré. I’ve been particularly struck by the quality of the wines here in recent years at tastings in Bordeaux. This was a chance to look at the wines in detail, following significant investments in the estate over the last six years, after it came into new ownership in 2013. It’s a property I’m familiar with. A good friend of mine from university worked at Loudenne in the early 1990s. He shared bottles from the 1989 and 1990 vintages, which I remember showing plenty of extract and structure. More recently the Loudenne 2014 and 2015 vintages caught my eye during primeurs visits and this year again, with an exciting 2019.

Well there is no doubting the richness of Château Calon Ségur in 2019. They have produced another profound St Estèphe to rival 2018 here. For me that remarkable wine still pips this 2019, but only just. Château Calon Ségur is decadent, verging on the unctuous in 2019. It displays beautiful blackcurrant and violent scented fruit and there is a boatload of ripe extract and tannin here too. The 2018 felt a fraction more nimble from memory, but I’d really like to see these two vintages side by side when there bottled. Obviously 2019 is a terrific wine regardless of the comparison. Both Le Marquis de Calon Ségur and Château Capbern weigh in at a heady 15.1% alcohol. Le Marquis impressed much more. It has plenty of rich fruit and volume and feels decadent almost.

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.

Clearly a brilliant set of wines have been made in Lalande de Pomerol in 2019. There was real consistency shown amongst the wines sent by members of the Grand Cercle. It makes for a great double act with the 2018s tasted last year. They are high in extract and flavour and alcohol but they maintain good balance. Château Grand Ormeau had gorgeous aromatics with lots of seductive ripe black fruit on display. Château Maine Chaigneau Cuvée JS was creamy and sophisticated with real delicacy. Château Tournefeuille was also positive and full, alongside an unctous Château St Jean de Gué. Château La Sergue also impressed with lots of spicy, briary fruit. Château La Fleur de Boüard and Le Plus de la Fleur de Boüard were tasted earlier in June. Both are super impressive in 2019.