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Bordeaux 2015: Médoc

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_0840It was in the Médoc that the vintage showers of September 2015 were heaviest. Their effect has led to a degree of heterogeneity in the wines. Tasting many Médocs at the Cru Bourgeois event held at Château d’Arsac back in April I was struck by the variability. The rain arrived on the eve of the Merlot harvest which was unfortunate, in what was otherwise an excellent growing season with regard to quality. The top properties [Potensac, Goulée, Les Grands Chênes, La Tour de By and Loudenne for example] have made impressive wines; others were easy going and soft; quite a few felt a little dilute. Unlike 2014, which was a pretty safe bet in my opinion up in the Médoc, 2015 seems a more uneven prospect. There are some good wines, but the picture is complex.

The following wines were tasted at various properties listed in the notes as well as at the annual primeurs Cru Bourgeois event held at Chateau d’Arsac outlined above. As usual the notes are more important than the numbers.

Château Blaignan, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Nice colour; purple; ripe; cassis and some jam; some leaf; sweet and juicy on the palate; freshness – little soft in the middle perhaps but engaging and joyful Médoc nevertheless. [51% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2019-2023. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 85-87

Château La Cardonne, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Mid depth; round and elegant Bordeaux; some spice and leaf; easy light style on the palate; some spices and blackcurrant tones; lacks concentration but easy. Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 81-83

Château Castéra, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deep; black cherry, chocolate with oaky notes; palate needs to integrate but has plenty of soft fruit; woody at present. Drink 2019-2023. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 83-85

Chapelle de Potensac, Médoc

Healthy colour; vibrant edge; cherry; beautiful ripe fruit; very pure and jolie; quite fresh on the palate; not huge concentration but attractive; lively with zest. Nice and fresh. Leoville-Las-Cases veteran cellar master Bruno Rolland describes it as ‘sportif’! Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 4/4/16 at Léoville-Las-Cases. 85-87

Château Fontis, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Mid depth; spicy, herbal aromatics; soft and easy palate; some freshness. Pleasant Médoc if lacking concentration. Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 81-83

Goulée, Médoc

Deep and vibrant at the edge; dark at core; ripe and glossy Médoc; mineral notes too; cherry and dark chocolate; caressing palate; nice plummy, black cherry notes with some chocolate; lovely gentle extraction; nice acidity and twist on finish. [77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 12.9% all, TA 2.9, pH 3.74, IPT 57, 30% new oak]. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 4/4/16 at Cos d’Estournel. 88-90+

Château Les Grandes Chenes, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deep and dark; opaque at core; purple edge; ripe black cherry; some cassis and strawberry jam notes; soft, full and easy on the palate; this has texture and stuffing in the middle; good effort. Nicely done. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 85-87+

Château Greysac, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Nice colour; good central core; ripe fruit little jam; quite intense; wood on the palate; quite inky in character – gutsy and modern. Oak needs to [and will] integrate. Good effort. Drink 2019-2024. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 85-87

Château Loudenne, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deep and solid in colour; attractive Bordeaux fruit; nice; black cherry, leaf; very Bordeaux; solid palate with plenty of material and fruit. Nice freshness. Very good effort. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 85-87+

Château Noaillac, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Less concentrated than Loudenne in colour; little dumb aromatically; easy and soft palate; fairly neutral; suggests some dilution from the vintage rains? Lacks concentration. Drink 2018-2021. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 80-82

Château Potensac, Médoc

Deeply coloured with very fresh, vibrant edge; colour tight to the rim; blackcurrant and cherry fruits; minerality; stylish; quite hard on the initial entry; grippy palate with firmness; zap and bounce on the finish. Nice chew. Bordeaux. Elegant, fresh with attractive fruit. Drink 2020-2025. Tasted at Léoville-Las-Cases 4/4/16. 87-89+

Château Ramafort, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deeper colour; more core to it; purple edge; ripe cherry notes; attractive purity; quite simple palate but fruit comes across well; soft and ripe. Good effort. Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 83-85

Château La Roque de By, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deeper at core; sturdy blackcurrant aromatics; fresh; some wood on the palate but sufficient fruit though finishes a little short. See how this one does after elevage. Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 82-84

Château La Tour de By, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deep colour; saturated looking; attractive and upfront voluptuous fruit; full and very Bordeaux; little oak in the sample to integrate but nice mid-weight style; with good texture and mid palate richness; a success. Gravelly soils here helped drain away the rainwater in September. Fresh acidity on the finish. Good La Tour de By – as reliable as ever. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Drink 2019-2026. Tasted UGCB 5/4/16. 86-88+

Château Tour Prignac, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Deepish colour; slightly stewed aromatics; gutsy palate but a little chewy and chunky. Will settle but think the extraction has been a bit aggressive. Drink 2019-2022. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 81-83

Château Tour St Bonnet, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois

Bold colour; deep and saturated look compared to many on these tasting benches in 2015; some depth to the aromas – fruit and spice tones; has flesh on the palate and feels a reasonable effort; good-ish Médoc. Little chewy on the finish but this will settle. Drink 2019-2024. Tasted 7/4/16 at Cru Bourgeois event. 84-86

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