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Bordeaux 2010 Primeurs: Moulis and Listrac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

The 2010 vintage has resulted in brooding, backward and tannic wines in Moulis and Listrac. The structure, acid and tannin are much more obvious than in the 2009s and there is a toughness and hardness to some of the tannins too compared with the ripeness and polish of the previous vintage at the same age.

In Moulis there is plenty of density and concentration in Chateau Poujeaux, but there is also plenty of tannin and grip. Chateau Maucaillou looks pretty good but Chasse-Spleen is distinctly awkward and grippy at present. All these wines looked better bets in 2009 to me. In Listrac good wine has been made at Chateau Fourcas Dupré and Chateau Fourcas Hosten and Chateau Fonréaud also looks good, although these are less overtly appealing than in 2009. Chateau Clarke looks pretty extracted to me but will settle. Overall it’s a case of fruit, tannin, acid and then more tannin. Overall the vintage is much more like 2005 – just with the volume, contrast and colour knobs turned right up. That makes 2010 here a long term prospect.

Chateau Anthonic

Dense and saturated; some cream and ripeness; very ripe attack, some fruit here and sweetness but also grip and piles of tannic but enough fruit here to work. Will always have grip and tannin but has flavour and concentration too. 85-86+/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2010

Chateau Brillette

Deep and saturated – intense looking as espresso; some cream and blackcurrants; some smoke; more flesh here; ripeness, pretty good. Lots of extract, fruit and tannin, but in that order. Needs time but will age well. 86-87+/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2010

Chateau Chasse-Spleen

Deep and reasonably saturated; some reductive notes and nose work-in-progress; blackcurrants too but suggestion of some hardness; palate concentrated but very grippy and tannic; feels dominated by the tannins. It should fill out though not certain. 86-88?/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep, fresh looking; quite strong blackcurrant but also tannin and dust on the nose; palate quite grippy with tannin her dominating the fruit, this is not a patch on the ’09. Tannic, chewy and with lots of acid grip. Will it come round? Certainly not the sure-fire winner 2009 was in my book. 84-86?/100 Tasted 7April 2011 at UGC

Chateau Dutruch Grand Poujeaux

Deep and saturated; ripe fruit, even some red, strawberry fruit notes; fresh Cabernet too; good entry, quite supple but with grip and extract behind. Will meld nicely. Grippy 85-87/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2010

Chateau Gressier Grand Poujeaux

Deep and saturated; some stalky Cabernet; blackcurrants; grippy tannic wine; needs a bit more flesh; sinewy; will come round I imagine 84-85/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2010

Chateau Maucaillou

Deep; less saturated than some; more strawberry notes and mineral and wet rocks; palate sweet entry and has depth here; ripe fruit and open. This should be good. Chewy, dense and grippy but has flesh. Sappy and concentrated. 87-89+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC [Second tasting] Mid depth, saturated; some cream and blackcurrants, quite fresh and deep, ripe Merlot here on the nose; strawberry fruit too; dense with some life; dense and also grippy but I feel this will come good and is reasonably well balanced. Chocolate and coffee on the finish. 86-88+/100 Tasted  7 April 2011 at UGC

Chateau Poujeaux

Deep black, saturated and arterial; quite ripe, some raisin notes but also blackcurrants and cassis; good depth, fresh Cab too. Tighter and more tannic than 2009’s beauty. Has the extract but wow real big tannins here. NOT ’09 at all. Could be great but very, very long term. 88-90+/100 [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot 13.7 alc and IPT 81] 5th April 2011 at UGC [Second tasting] Deep and dense; legs; very dense but with super-ripe notes here; rich and thick nose – will be BIG; quite deep; thick palate, ballsy and dense; feels very solid and strong but feel it is not as attractive as ’09. More 88-90/100 Tasted 7April 2011 at UGC

LISTRAC

Chateau Clarke

Deep and saturated; ripe and toasty nose; fruit, tight still; some char; nice attack on the palate, ripe and some layers but then the tightness [this will need a bit of egg white fining in the elevage!] Tannic and very dusty on the finish. Wow these tannins! Very grippy too. Tricky at present. 84-86?/100 Tasted 5April 2011. [Second tasting] Deep, right up to edge; ripe fat nose; Merlot style; some marzipan hints; lots of fruit but also extraction here also; needs to soften; big and ballsy; grip and tannin and very extracted. Over-extracted in fact on this showing. 84-86?/100 Tasted 7 April 2010

Chateau Fonréaud

Deep and saturated; creamy, ripe fruit; some mineral and wet rocks; blackcurrant beneath; good density, some herbs and concentration; tannic but ripe. Gutsy and tannic but just the right side. Tannic twist at the end. 85-86+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep and dark, but healthy looking; smoky nose; earth; some spices with blackcurrant; quite meaty; spicy, grippy palate; some herbs; grippy finish but flesh and pretty good. 85-87+/100 Tasted 7 April at UGC

Chateau Fourcas Dupré

Deep and saturated; real ripeness here; fruit, some luxuriance, ripe; good guts and some tannin and grip but concentrated. Will knit together. Some spice and herbs on the finish. Very good 87-88/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Dense and saturated; legs; ripe and rich, cassis and blackcurrant; rich seam of blackcurrant here and quite fresh and cool; some density, tannin and acid but enough chewy fruit. A bit like 2005. Nicely done 86-88+/100 Tasted 7April 2011 at UGC

Chateau Fourcas Hosten

Deep and saturated; ripe and attractive nose with some sophistication; blackcurrant, oak, some liquorice and some perfume too [violets]; intense palate, quite dense but good grip and nice balance. Still in the tight Listrac style but well done. Some grip 88+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep and dense; attractive nose; lots of blackcurrants and cassis; some stones and minerals; nice entry and density; concentration here without too much hardness. Good palate. Pretty good effort in tannin management. Length good too. 87-88+/100 Tasted 7April 2010 at UGC

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