Wine Words & Video Tape

Wine, Words and Videotape

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Bordeaux 2017: Primeurs Day 1

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Great to be back in Bordeaux and excited to taste the infant 2017 vintage. How have the wines faired given the challenges of the growing season – the frost that devastated some, the hail that affected others and the challenge of vintage rain? Yesterday I had a nose around St Estèphe, Pauillac and St Julien. I’ll post in more detail later but first impressions? The wines tasted had vivid, fresh flavours, bright acidities and round tannin. They don’t have the weight or texture of 2016, 2015 or 2014, but there is the freshness of 2008 with the harmony of 2012. Cabernet seems to have faired well, better than the Merlot which was a little more affected by the September rain, but these are very early generalisations.

The properties I visited had largely been spared the frost damage, though not Lalande-Borie and the Listrac properties of Bruno Borie at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Ducru itself looks fresh and pure in St Julien, Château Pontet-Canet in Pauillac is vivid and voluptuous and Château Grand-Puy Lacoste looks classical with attractive Cabernet tones. Up in St Estèphe there is real minerality to the wines at both Château Calon-Ségur [lots of recent investment here] and Château Montrose. More flesh on the bones later. This morning I’m in Pessac-Léognan tasting Haut-Bailly, Smith Haut Lafitte, Pape Clément and La Mission Haut-Brion. You could say I’m looking forward to it…

Voluptuous stuff at Pontet-Canet in 2017

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