Wine Words & Video Tape

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Bordeaux 2015: Lalande de Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_0955Château La Fleur de Boüard and Le Plus de La Fleur de Boüard are excellent this year, amongst the most impressive wines yet from this estate owned by the family that run Château Angélus. Domaine des Sabines is ripe and creamy with plenty of extract and matter. While there is a lot to sink your teeth into there is a glossy polish to the wine that’s a trademark of anything Jean-Luc Thunevin has a hand in. By contrast, Château de Bel-Air is a Lalande de Pomerol from the JP Moueix stable. It is light and fresh with the emphasis on sappy fruit and bright acidity in 2015.

Unfortunately with time cut shorter on this years primeurs trip I didn’t get a chance to taste the dozen or so Lalande de Pomerol’s at the Grand Cercle event held in St Emilion. I would be pretty confident given the overall quality of the wines in the right bank this year that Château de Viaud, Château Grand Ormeau, Château Siaurac and Château de Chambrun amongst others would have produced good wine. I’m out in the region later in the year and will taste these wines and report back. In the meantime, here’s detailed notes on four Lalande de Pomerol 2015s that I did get to….

Château de Bel-Air, Lalande de Pomerol

Mid depth; slightly loser at rim; little cooler and more sour cherry notes; quite mineral; saline; some freshness; fresh palate; slightly grippy; acidity bit fresh on this one. Quite grippy on the finish; a lively, fresh and sappy Lalande de Pomerol. [90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2019-2024. Tasted JP Moueix 6/4/16. 85-87

Château La Fleur de Boüard, Lalande de Pomerol

Deep colour; little looser at the edge than La Plus; lovely fresh cherry notes with spices; very pure and nicely lifted; little black chocolate note; nice oak accent – interwoven; creamy pure palate; nice sweet plums but with some attractive cool tones; lovely wine. Beautiful. Nice tension at the end with acidity. Finishes fresh but also with excellent length. [85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2019-2029. Tasted Angélus 6/4/16. 91-93+

Le Plus de La Fleur de Boüard, Lalande de Pomerol

Deep and arterial; colour tight to edge; very seductive aromatics; pretty laden with fruit; ripe plums, fruitcake spices; mocha; very hedonistic; a beauty! Clean entry; quite tight on the palate; concentrated but not sublimated [if you get me]; this has lots of power and density; quite mineral too; lots of extract and matter. Totally different in style to La Fleur. Needs 5 years+ [100% Merlot, 2ha] 2021-2030. Tasted Angélus 6/4/16. 92-94+

Domaine des Sabines, Lalande de Pomerol

Deepish – slightly looser core than some in this Thunevin line-up; ripe fruit; some molasses and dark fruits; ripe; creamy mid palate; ripe and extracted but with lots of matter; quite a lot of extract and matter; chewy finish but has a glossy quality. Nice chew and extract on the finish. Drink 2019-2028. Tasted Jean-Luc Thunevin 6/4/16. 90-92

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