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Bordeaux Primeurs 2013: St Emilion

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_5665Overall St Emilion is something of a mixed bag in 2013. Quality is better than you might expect given the dreadful vintage, conditions that were especially tricky for Merlot, the district’s principal grape. It was badly affected by poor weather at flowering, which reduced yields and led to poor fruit set; later the humid conditions at vintage and the threat and rapid onset of rot [botrytis] also adversely affected the variety. Still St Emilion has made a number of attractive and well-made wines. But there are plenty of disappointments too. Some are thin and over-worked; others hollow. Quality follows terroir and those with cash. The best wines have forward and attractive fruit flavours and some are competitively priced. While it’s a complex picture, overall the wines of St Emilion are probably a more immediately appealing and joyous bunch than their left-bank counterparts in 2013.

I’ve already posted in detail on Château Cheval Blanc, Château Angélus, Château Valandraud and Clos Fourtet, Château Canon,  Château Canon-la-Gaffelière and La Mondotte, Château Pavie Macquin and Château Larcis Ducasse. Taken together these chateaux offer some the most attractive and well-made wines of the vintage. There’s a lot of flesh, fruit and seduction in this bunch and the wines are generally very good indeed. Styles differ. Cheval Blanc, undoubtedly the most elegant and understated, lies at one point, while Valandraud, perhaps the most muscular, lies at another, while the lush La Mondotte makes up the final point of the triangle of styles. I didn’t make it to Château Ausone, Château Pavie or Château Tertre Rôteboeuf.

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At the UGCB event held at Château La Dominique the wines were mixed. Many felt firm, some were rather extracted; upfront for sure but falling a bit short on the palate. Others attained good balance and read the vintage well. Château Figeac, for example, has pulled off a serious wine, heavy on the Cabernet Sauvignon this year [50% to the usual 33% reflecting less Cabernet Franc in the blend]. It is balanced with good length and cool aromatics. Fellow St Emilion Priemier Grand Cru Classé Château La Gaffelière was also well balanced and appealing. I’m starting to ‘get’ this wine and there has been great elegance and purity at this estate in recent vintages. La Gaffelière should turn out nicely in the medium term.

There was a very dark and inky effort from Château Troplong Mondot. Currently it feels pretty dry and extracted on the palate. Still there’s clearly a boatload of material here. Let’s see how it turns out. Cru Classés Château Soutard and Château Villemaurine have made reasonably balanced wines with attractive fruit tones. There’s still a bit of chew to both but they should settle.

Château La Tour Figeac was rather chunky with inky, medicinal notes. Still the fruit met in the middle and the jumble should sort itself out. I wasn’t sure about Château Larmande. It was very compact on the palate, the fruit masked by oak. It left an overall impression of puckering dryness. Château Franc-Mayne also tasted a bit over-wrought. It is very chewy, extracted and chunky on the end. Château Cap de Mourlin is in a similar category. It had bold [if monolithic] aromatics, but the palate felt dry and extracted. These wines will probably sort themselves out but they risk being disjointed and don’t appeal to me particularly. Château Balestard-La-Tonnelle was full but not especially flavoursome.

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot has glossy, plummy aromatics. There’s a little hardness to the palate but the wine didn’t feel bent out of shape as some. Château La Dominique had sweet plum and blackcurrant fruit tones on the nose and nice freshness with some chew on the finish. It’s a good effort in the vintage context. La Dominique has great terroir adjacent to Cheval Blanc and the border with Pomerol close to L’Evangile.

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Château Quintus was polished and well-made if a little compact. The Domaine Clarence Dillon owned property, formerly Château Tertre-Daugay, has now roughly doubled in size with the acquisition last year of neighbour Château L’Arrosée, [which has ceased to exist]. I thought 2012 was more successful at Quintus [I can’t think of a 2013 that trumps 2012 in St Emilion in fact].

At JP Moueix there was elegance and freshness to the St Emilions shown. Château Belair Monange was refined and delicate, though not quite top-drawer for me, while there was sappy vibrancy to to St Emilion Grand Cru Château Vieux Lartigue and St Emilion Cru Classé Château La Serre. No Château Puy-Blanquet was shown this year. Usually a good value, reliable St Emilion, if I recall Christian Moueix correctly, 2013 is the first vintage in fifty that the Puy-Blanquet hasn’t been released.

At the Cercle Rive Droite event held the weekend before primeurs week, the St Emilion Grand Cru Classés showed substantially better to the St Emilion Grand Crus. You’d expect this perhaps but the gulf between the good and the average [to highly mediocre in some cases] felt much wider than usual. I found myself giving truly woeful scores to some grand crus, reflecting the genuinely negative response I had to wines thin in flavour, high in acid, but often also over oaked. Ordinarily I might have put this down to having a bad day [either me or the wines], but the good  St Emilions did shine through, so there was no real reason why the other properties should have disappointed so – other than that they were genuinely disappointing.

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In terms of the crus classés, I’ve been really impressed with the last few vintages at Château Fonplégade. Their 2013 doesn’t disappoint either. Neither does Château Barde-Haut. It has made another excellent wine in this challenging year. The other comparative highlights were Château Yon-Figeac, Château Fombrauge, Château Le Prieuré and Château La Marzelle, Château Péby-Faugères, Château La Commanderie and Clos des Jacobins. These last two I’d single out as good efforts in the vintage context. They should settle nicely and offer value for money.

Amongst the St Emilion Grand Crus, Château Boutisse looks nicely judged once again. This is usually a source of very competently made, competitively priced St Emilion. Château Pindlefleurs also scored well for me. It’s 2013 is nicely polished and well put together. Château Patris was nimble and fresh and Clos Debreuil, though higher-toned than usual, had good freshness and sour cherry fruit, though for me it doesn’t have the depth of 2011 or 2012 [both very good wines by the way].

Then there were a number of other St Emilions that were elegant enough efforts, but which didn’t excite. It may be these put on a more weight and definition during elévage. In this bunch I’d include Château Ferrand Lartigue, Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue, Château Trianon, Château Grand Corbin Manuel and Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac. There are also a group that are full and extracted but need to settle. Here I’d include Château Carteau Côtes Daugay, Château Magrez Fombrauge [full to begin with, then extracted, finally strangely clipped] and Clos Les Grandes Versannes. Château Rol Valentin, dark and initially attractive, then attacks you with seemingly searing acidity. This, along with the wood and fruit tannins, makes for an extremely puckering experience just now.

There were also those that felt in no-man’s land like. Lynsolence, thick and porty in glass, is extracted and very woody on the palate. Château Tauzinat l’Hermitage was another wine that was sturdy to begin with but finished puckering and incredibly tannic. For me it’s the winemaking that’s bent these out of shape. The pursuit of elegance would have been a more sensible bet here in 2013. Except in exceptional cases, the fruit just wasn’t there to be extracted. Conversely though there were also a series of St Emilion Grand Crus that felt thin and mean and sometimes dilute. You’ll spot these at the end of the list. Their notes speak for themselves.

Overall I’ve grouped the wines in terms of scores, highest scoring at the top. I’m slightly uncomfortable doing this but it’s the best way of managing such a long list [there are over ninety wines]. Still do read the notes closely, as the scores provide only the crudest method of telegraphing the quality of the wines, and tell you nothing of their relative styles.

Château Angélus, St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé A

Dark and deep looking; purple at edge; very seductive aromatics; black fruits, violet lift; very focused and composed; spice and plum tones; very focused and tight knit; palate quite full with plenty of material; some plum tones and fresh fruit characters; plenty of material; touch of wood on the palate at the end with chew at the back. Promising effort. [62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, 26-27hl/ha yields]. Drink 2020-2034. 91-93+

Château Canon, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Mid depth; pure, clean; plummy tones; pretty; palate full and voluptuous; attractive and nicely done on the middle palate; some chew on the finish but there is plenty of extract and material here; good length. Excellent effort. One of the top St Emilions of 2013. [65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 35 hl/ha]. Drink 2018-2030. 91-93

La Mondotte, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and saturated looking; vibrant earthy edge; quite fat and unctuous almost; layers of plush fruit; spices and fruitcake notes; some wet rock too; quite opulent palate; has delicacy and will mature nicely; good fruit and depth overall. Nice extraction. Incredibly low yields. Menthol on the finish. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc 8hl/ha, 100% new oak]. Drink 2016-2030. Tasted 2/4/14 at Canon-La-Gaffelière. 91-93+

Château Valandraud, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and saturated; colour tight to the rim; very pure and creamy; plums and black cherry notes with nicely interwoven oak; quite fabulous aromatics; coffee and mocha tones at the back; big palate, concentrated and full; exotic notes with plums, spices, fruitcake tones; there is density and matter here with chew on the finish. Something of an assault on the senses and almost from a different vintage but there is the hallmark freshness of the year. Drink 2018-2030. Tasted 2/4/14 J-L Thunevin. 91-93

Château Cheval Blanc, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

Mid depth; elegant colour; vibrant at edge; perfumed aromatics with some delicacy; spices; nice entry on the palate; elegant with fine structure. Spices and attractive fruit flavours. Very measured and not at all forced. Delicate style that will doubtless fill out during elevage. [53% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot, 18hl/ha]. Drink 2018-2034. Tasted 2/4/14 at Cheval Blanc. 90-92

Clos Fourtet, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and sense; vibrant edge; purity here, plums and black fruits; meaty note; good palate, very nice texture in the middle; nice elegance too. Nice length. Comparisons here with 2008. [87% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% alc, 3.48pH 18hl/ha]. Tasted at Clos Fourtet April 2, 2014. Drink 2018-2030. 90-92 [Later] Deep and saturated look; ripe and attractive aromatics; purity of fruit; unmasked and pure; very cool and attractive; some menthol and pretty intense for the vintage; palate has vibrancy and the fruit again feels pure; filled out in the middle with plenty of extract. Very good effort for the vintage and cleverly judged. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC 90-92

Château Pavie Macquin, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and glossy looking; very ripe full and inky; some ripe plum tones and menthol notes; sweet seam of fruit; very layered and precise on the nose; spices; sweet ripe entry on the palate; quite lush and plummy; very attractive palate; ripe, rich and attractive overall with chocolate notes; good bite on the finish. Great success. Pretty lush overall. [85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted April 4, 2014 at Pavie-Macquin. Drink 2028-2030. 90-92

Château Beauséjour [Duffau-Lagarrosse] St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and dark at the core; purple hues at edge; cooler than Pavie Macquin; lovely blue fruit tones, plums, spices; very cool palate with good purity; more sinewy and masculine. Very good purity here again and good length on the finish. [88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 6.5 acre vineyard 5.5 in production]. Tasted April 4, 2014 at Pavie-Macquin. Drink 2018-2030. 89-91+

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé ‘B’

Deep and saturated look; vibrant edge; legs; cake and spices, ripe and attractive in a lifted way; creamy entry; nice sap and flavour; plenty of material but not extracted or puckering; chew on the finish but has freshness. Length here. Very good effort. [70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 70% new oak]. Tasted Canon-La-Gaffelière. Drink 2018-2028. 89-91+ [earlier note] Deep and saturated look; vibrant purple at edge; some menthol, spice, pretty intense; sweet and round with black fruit tones; palate has some oak and glossy fruit but overall the palate has a little compact quality to it with a little hardness on the finish. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 87-89+

Château Figeac, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and dark; earthy purple at rim; cool blackcurrant aromatics; attractive; no green qualities here; palate has elegance and finesse; needs to fill out – which it will. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. Drink 2018-2030. 89-91+

Château La Gaffelière, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and saturated look; wet rocks and mineral notes; inky and quite deep; nicely handled on the palate; cool fruit with plummy tones; there is extract and material here but the wine hasn’t been pushed. Good effort for the vintage. [70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. Drink 2018-2030. 89-91+

Château Larcis Ducasse, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and dark at centre; legs; nice purity and minerality with a rich seam of fruit; deep and pure; good sweet entry with good fruit and a ripe palate; very correct with nice material. Mid-weight and good-ish length. Very good effort in the vintage context. Larcis Ducasse is an 11 ha vineyard next to Pavie on clay-limestone soils. Drink 2018-2030. Tasted April 4, 2014 at Pavie-Macquin. 89-91+

Virginie de Valandraud, St Emilion Grand Cru

Very deep and saturated; thick and dark; perfumed and layered aromatics; plush and saturated; this has excellent focus; very attractive; Sweet entry, very unctuous with spices, plum tones and substance; lots of matter here and gloss. Chewy finish but not dry. Good effort. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted 2/4/14 at J-L Thunevin. 89-91

Château Barde-Haut, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deepish but has life and vibrancy at the edge; unctuous but fruit driven – plums, spices/black fruits; this works – very attractive aromatically; has nice measured fruit tones too [and sweet oak too]; oak is integrated and woven-in [not overly dominant as some others others]; nicely measured palate; has layers and thickness with oak influence on the palate but not over done. This should settle nicely. Coffee and mocha notes on the finish. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind 30/3/14 Rive Droite. 88-90+

Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Deep and saturated; opaque at centre; colour tight to rim; rich and thick nose, some sweet vanilla with plum tones; glossy; palate feels a little hard but there is some weight; overall OK, not too pushed. Perhaps a fraction short in the end but should fill out during elévage. Tasted UGCB 2/4/14. Drink 2018-2028. 88-90

Château Belair-Monange, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Mid depth; delicate aromatics; charming easy wine on the palate with freshness. Elegant. May fill out further during elevage. Just 1000 cases made. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted JP Moueix 2/4/14. 88-90

Château Berliquet, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Bigger colour, deeper and tighter to the rim; little thicker on the nose; riper in feel with ripe plum flavours and black fruits; sweet entry with attractive ripe fruit on the palate; material attractive and ripe; soft and fleshy in the middle. Really good effort for the vintage. Berliquet has nice terroir adjacent to Canon, facing Angelus in one plot. Mixture of plateau and slope exposures. 2008 was the first year of Thienpont advising. New vineyard improvements and trellising system for Cab Franc online this year. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 4, 2014 at Pavie-Macquin. Drink 2018-2028. 88-90

Château Fonplégade, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep looking; legs; intense; inky but quite impressive; spicy plums and quite pent up – nicely done on the nose; feels layered and attractive; good attractive – spicy plum and black fruit tones nicely handled and expressed; menthol tones; nice purity. One of the best wines shown blind at the Rive Droite. Full and attractive. No hint of under-ripe fruit. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind 30/3/14 Rive Droite. 88-90+

Clos Badon, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and thick looking; saturated colour up to edge; vivid, fresh and perfumed nose – the contrast is really turned up here; layered and full; good attack, glossy fruit; nicely done as this still retains some of the vintage character [fruit freshness]; gloss in the middle then extract and chew on the finish. Would expect this to settle well. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted J-L Thunevin 2/4/14. 87-89+

Clos de L’Oratoire, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; purple edge; quite seductive aromatics; black fruits, some meat and spice; oak present on the palate; material and chew; sweet fruit; has all the elements. Good finish. Some chew and wood. [95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc 17hl/ha 55% new oak]. Drink 2018-2029. Tasted 2/4/14 at Canon-La-Gaffelière. 87-89+

Château La Dominique, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; very deep; coffee and mocha tones with some sweet plum and blackcurrant fruit; nice fruit on the palate with some extract but not bad effort at all. Acidity here for freshness. Little chewy on the finish. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 87-89+

Château Quintus, St Emilion

Deep and glossy looking; purple at edge; deep; quite layered and impressive on the nose; prettiness; very polished; some oak – good entry and some material here. Remains a little angular and not that fleshy. Grip and acidity. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% alc, 3.51 pH]. Now includes recently acquired Chateau cru classe L’Arrosee, Quintus itself formerly Tertre-Daugay. Tasted 31/3/14 at La Mission Haut-Brion. 87-89+

Château de Grandes Murailles, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated colour; vibrant edge; attractive plums and spices on the nose; feels deep aromatically; nice entry with some sap but good length. Fresh but not at all dry. Good effort. [2ha 100% Merlot just beneath Clos Fourtet purchased 2013]. Tasted at Clos Fourtet April 2, 2014. Drink 2018-2025. 87-89

Château Troplong Mondot, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Super deep and saturated look; thick nose laden with black fruits, liquorice; very saturated and sublimated; layers; dense and inky palate, quite chewy and dense and pretty dry and extracted on the finish. Hope it settles. [90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGCB. Drink 2020-2030. 87-89

Château La Commanderie, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Dark but vibrant meniscus; darker notes; more chocolate influence and feels drier on the nose; more menthol/iodine notes; more extracted on the palate; quite chewy; has menthol, herbal fruit – quite serious effort. Needs time but quite impressive. Dry finish. Tasted blind Cercle Rive Droite 30/3/13. Drink 2016-2025. 86-88+ [Other note] Deep and saturated; some fresh bubblegum qualities; sweet entry on the palate then comes the extract and the tannin; chewy – still it has all the elements; inky; overall comes together better than expected but needs to settle further. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. 85-87+

Château Fombrauge, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep saturated look – tight to the edge; attractive spicy plum; good freshness and simplicity; attractive; nicely handled and integrated oak; palate solid with good fruit; dips a fraction; but a good solid effort with some class and polish. Bit woody on the finish having said that but that should settle. Tasted blind Cercle Rive Droite 30/3/13.Drink 2016-2025. 86-88+

Clos des Jacobins, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; smoky, fruity nose with plum tones intermingled with chocolate notes; pretty and full; good depth and extract well handled; not too chewy. Nice finish. Good effort. [80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2018-2028. Tasted Angelus. 86-88+ [Earlier note] Deeper and darker; saturated to the edge; similar darker aromatics; dominated by chocolate and mocha notes; thick quality behind which suggests depth of fruit. Fruit here, not over worked but a little monolithic and ‘big’. Still has nice stone fruit tones. This should settle well. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind at the Cercle Rive Droite 30/3/14. 86-88+

Château Yon-Figeac, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; almost translucent at centre; stalky aromatics with some spicy plum tones, quite attractive; has nice purity and fruit tones on the nose not masked by oak; entry has purity and palate balanced and satisfying; nice balance and good wine for the vintage I’d say. It’s mid weight but has good definition and life on the palate – and not over oaked. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind Cercle Rive Droite 30/3/14. 86-88+

Château Fleur Cardinale, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated; very tight and dense [and serious looking]; creamy and unctuous on the nose; layers here and clearly quite rich and polished; freshly sawn wood; may dip back into an ‘earthy’ quality on maturity; full and extracted with some sweetness but a bit of a jumble. Chewy and dense on the end. Should settle. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind Cercle Rive Droite 30/3/14. 86-88

Château Côte de Baleau, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deepish; dark in the middle; full-ish with fruit, some oak; ripe; quite dense with some chew; little clipped but not dry or extracted. Works. [15ha of vineyard purchased 2013 on sand and limestone soils near Ch Fonroque, blend 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted at Clos Fourtet April 2, 2014. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88

Château Bellevue, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; deeper than Carillon d’Angelus; wet rocks, fullness; sweet entry and attractive flesh; little compact on the finish but nicely measured; chewy and sappy on the finish but not over extracted. Less perfumed and elegant than Carillon but much fuller. Good effort. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14 [100% Merlot]. 86-88+

Château Pindlefleurs, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deeper and darker purple at edge; slightly fuller; still prettier in the aromatics; attractive aromatic [cabernet franc?] twist; some layers this is quite polished by comparison; oak influenced but nicely handled – on the nose at least; grip on the palate but extract and depth – sinewy rather than lean. Deep and chewy – and pretty serious in fact. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 86-88

Clos Saint Martin, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep colour; lots of cherry and jam notes; pretty thick palate, but still quite fresh and clean. Nice twist at the end.[1.3ha 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon – fermentation in barrel]. Tasted at Clos Fourtet April 2, 2014. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88

Château Patris, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; some sap and spice on the nose; simple, light, but fresh; has vigour and some spice, as well as life; what this lacks in concentration it makes up for in life. Fresh and nimble. Good-ish effort. Drink 2016-2025. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 85-87+

Château Vieux Lartigue, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; dark core; healthy and vibrant looking; pretty and vibrant with perfume; vivid aromas; pretty; soft palate, easy and attractive. Elegant yet attractive. Drink 2018-2024. Tasted JP Moueix 2/4/14. 85-87

Clos La Madeleine, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; quite creamy and polished with layers of fruit on the nose; plums and nice oak integration; full with quite a bit of fruit on the palate; drops off a tad at the back and perhaps a little compact [though you’d hope it would fill out a tad during elévage]. Chewy finish but overall not that bad an effort. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 85-87 [Earlier note] Deep and earthy red/purple at edge; oak influence evident with coffee and mocha tones; some sweet plum and menthol fruit beneath; thick entry; feels a bit worked; drying ever so slightly at the back; bit forced but will settle OK as there seems to be sufficient inky fruit, Lacks sophistication but is a bold statement for the vintage. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 85-87

Château Grand Mayne, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated; purple at edge; liquorice, sweetness; lifted aromatics; glossy; some spice; reasonably attractive; quite tight and compact on the palate with oak poking through the fruit but there is extract that will cover it. A little compact. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 85-87

Château La Serre, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Healthy colour; pretty, some spicy plum and cherry tones; some chalk and wet rock; chew and sap on the palate with grip. Needs to settle. Fresh. Drink 2018-2024. Tasted JP Moueix 2/4/13. 85-87

Château Bel-Air-Ouy, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and saturated; earthy purple at edge; cool vibrant aromatics, quite full; spice and satin on the palate with some material and chew but well managed extraction. Perhaps a little lighter on the finish than expected. Drink 2016-2024. Tasted JL Thunevin 2/4/14. 86-87

Château Balestard La Tonnelle, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep-ish; black at centre; lifted and upfront aromatics; some fig and black fruit tones; full attack of fruit on the palate and then some rustic tannin; full but seemingly lacks flavour, despite the weight. Drink 2017-2025. Tasted 2/4/14 UGC. 85-87

Château Boutisse, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep at the core; earthy purple at the edge; legs; some earth and lift and complexity; red fruits and some spicy Cabernet tones; [attractive]; purity to begin with; this has some promise [though the oak is a little present and starts to close the palate]; has chew and guts; little pinched but has an twist of espresso at the end. Will be earthy and spicy but not that bad in the vintage context. Drink 2016-2013. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 85-87+

Château Carteau Côtes Daugay, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deeper; some spicy plum tones that feel reasonably fresh and enticing; little tomato plant; some depth and layers though; cream and thickness [oak]; has weight and oomph; pretty chewy on the finish with warmth. Needs to settle. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. Drink 2017-2025. 85-87

Carillon D’Angelus, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deepish, earthy purple at edge; attractive spicy aromatics; pretty nose; perfumed; soft entry, very easy palate and not at all forced; emphasis on the prettiness here; spicy qualities. Lightness of touch. Drink 2018-2024. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 85-87

Le Petit Cheval, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; quite light at the centre; spicy and pretty aromatics; elegance; some perfume; elegant palate, some spicy plum characters. Nice balance. Appetizing if lacking density. [79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted Cheval Blanc 2/4/14. Drink 2018-2024. 85-87

Château Pierre de Lune, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and saturated; lifted aromatics, spices and black fruits; some menthol and ink; chewy palate with lots of material; not too pushed. [90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon 1500 bottles]. Tasted at Clos Fourtet April 2, 2014. Drink 2018-2025 85-87

Château Daugay, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and healthy looking; vibrant edge; sweet and attractive lift; some spices; quite pretty and fruity aromatics; easy and sappy palate not at all forced; some spice too; little tightness on the end but has sufficient material. Good effort. [65% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon] Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angélus. 85-87

Château La Couspaude, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; lacks a bit of vibrancy in the glass; little leafy note, some sweetness, vanilla; again leafy note on entry with some spicy/menthol characters; little vegetal streak? Will probably clear up. Not pushed though. [80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 85-87

Château La Marzelle, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and dense looking; earthy purple; tight to rim; ripe and sturdy; some plum, some fig; feels fatter and riper on the nose; wood very evident on the palate; hopefully this will settle; palate feels sound; should come round. Little dry on the finish but probably sufficient fruit. Drink 2016-2024. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 85-87

Château Magrez Fombrauge, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth [pretty deep]; earthy purple and tight to rim; not unattractive nose; quite full; some plums and black cherry tones; good aromatically; full initially and then a little pinched at the end; some chew to the fruit and depth. Clipped in some ways with some dryness. Needs to settle. Drink 2016-2024. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30.3.14. 85-87

Le Dragon de Quintus [second wine of Chateau Quintus]

Mid depth; vibrant edge; some perfume; quite mannered; some plum tones; good entry and chew; some tannin and a little hollow. Finishes short. May fill out. [56.5% Merlot, 30.5% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.95% alc, pH3.6]. Tasted at La Mission Haut-Brion 31/3/14. 85-87

Château Soutard, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and dark; plums, spices; lifted and attractive; pretty; palate quite cool, not overdone; little ink and plum with spices; chew on the finish so needs to settle a bit. [63% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec] Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. Drink 2016-2025. 85-87

Château La Tour Figeac, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; saturated look; some VA lift, vanilla notes; spices and some black fruits; inky and slightly medicinal note; chunky and chewy palate but not too dry overall. Will be OK when it settled. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 2016-2025. 85-87

Château Le Prieuré, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated; less vibrant at the edge; also attractive; fraction more oak and trifle sturdier [Cabernet Franc influence?] but this works aromatically; earthy and meal/cereal note but good and interesting; cool palate; purity and weight; nice depth; has a lean edge. Works for me. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. Drink 2016-2024. 85-87

Château Villemaurine, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; sweet and ripe; some spice and menthol; blackcurrants – ripe with spicy oak characters; spicy palate; mid weight with some intensity; elegant effort. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 85-87 [Earlier note] Deepish looking; earthy purple at edge; ripe notes, some jam, menthol and spices; ripe entry with some jammy fruits; fraction stretched in the middle; chunky on the finish. Chewy and chunky St Emilion. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2024. 84-86

Château Péby Faugères, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; lose at the rim; sweet and ripe; simple fruit aromas; ripe plums and spicy notes [bit of fig/prune] on the palate; well balanced and not overdone. Some chew to the fruit and the tannin but this works ok. Tasted Canon-la-Gaffeliere 2/4/14. Drink 2018-2025. 85-87 [other note] Vibrant in the glass; purple edge; some cream and violet lift; some depth and ripeness; wood and density but lacks flesh in the middle. Chewy and overoaked relative to the fruit. May yet settle but currently disjointed and not much fun. Drink 2018-2024. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 83-85

Château de Ferrand, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and dark looking; purple at edge; oaky on the nose with some fruit beneath; quite sweet notes – liqourice and chocolate [oak]; bold palate, a little hard with the wood poking out above the fruit; needs to settle. [70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernert Sauvignon] Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 84-86

Château Ferrand Lartigue, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; some strawberry and light fruit tones along with some VA lift on the nose; palate has some plum and cherry and strawberry fruit tones; light, easy and not over done. Works well in an easy drinking style. St least has some delicacy. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 84-86.

Château Sansonnet, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated; dense and up to the edge; coffee and mocha on the nose [over oaked]; all sweet oak; unctuous palate with some sweetness; not puckering though and feels ok – if a little woody and oak tannin dominated on the palate. Still needs to settle and feels quite warm at the end. Should have backed off on the oak. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted Rive Droite 30/3/14. 84-86

Château de Pressac, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated looking; colour bold and tight to the rim; new oak influence; nutty with some plum and black fruit tones; feels unctuous in style; palate saturated in toasty oak and fruit submerged; nevertheless there is fruit there but it’s been a bit over worked. Hopefully will settle. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. Drink 2016-2023. 84-86+[Earlier note] Deep saturated colour; attractive, lifted aromas with black fruits behind; some cream and some sour cherry notes; big extract on the palate – chewy with currently puckering acidity and tannin; pretty disjointed currently. [70% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec]. Drink 2018-2024. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 82-84?

3 de Valandraud, St Emilion

Deep and saturated colour; earthy purple at edge; spices; some fruitcake notes; pretty unctuously styled; palate then a little austere and grippy with quite marked acidity; makes for a puckering experience. Chewy finish. Material not quite up to the task. Maybe should have de-classified this away and not produced a 3 de Val? May yet settle. Drink 2016-2024. Tasted 2/4/14 J-L Thunevin. 84-86

Château Grand Corbin Despagne, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Light-ish – translucent at centre; fairly light/elegant plum aromas with some sweet spice notes; easy on the palate; entry light and soft; no tannin or acid that puckers. Soft and easy going style. Drink 2016-2022. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 84-86

Château Rol Valentin, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and saturated; tight to rim; menthol; layers – feels reasonably substantial; some red fruits too. Attractive – and you can’t say that for many of the wines today. Palate more higher toned with acidity marked at present. Real mouthful at present. Needs to settle. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 84-86

Château Laroze, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated looking; herbal and medicinal notes – not unattractive; creamy palate; bit chunky but not too forced – extraction in keeping with the scale of the fruit; chewy and fresh but not overly drying on the finish [as some]. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 84-86 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated; dense at core; violet lift with a hint of coconut; very perfumed; chew some depth but also a bit of hardness; overall okish. Finishes rather hard. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 82-84

Clos Debreuil, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and dark looking; colour tight to the rim; some earth, spices; some prune; sour cherry on the palate; quite high tone with fresh acids but not puckering. High toned styled, more boney than usual. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. Drink 2016-2023. 83-85

Château Grand Corbin, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; dense at core [for the vintage]; fruit, some lift and freshness; plum and some spice; attractive sweet fruit if a little extracted; some oak [bit disjointed]; chewy and tannic on the finish. Feels pushed too much relative to the fruit. May settle better. [80% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignion]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 83-85?

Château Cheval Noir, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and saturated; colour tight to the rim; lifted plum and black fruit aromatics; some vanilla too; ripe palate, thick and monolithic. Chewy and very tannic on the end. Needs to settle. [90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc]. 83-85?

Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; looser at the rim – reddish; forward whole fruit style; some honey, cherry and spicy plum; light but has apparent delicacy; fresher, not extracted or puckering; has elegance – lightweight but with some charm. Hint of something earthy on the end but this is acceptable – or drinkable at least. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted Rive Droite 30/3/14. 83-85

Château Bellefont Belcier, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deeper still; colour tight to the rim; fresher, quite piercing and higher toned; little reductive aromatically; nutty note; some chew and lots of material on the palate; little jumbled presently and coarse; chew and bitter black chocolate on the finish. Needs to settle. Drink 2016-2023. 83-85

Château Dassault, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; fat and thick, with smoky notes and chocolate; quite chunky palate, rather chewy; will probably settle but will remain chunky and a bit foursquare I reckon. [75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. Drink 2016-2013. 83-85

Château Trianon, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; deep at centre; looser at rim; full beefy nose; earth and spices; entry, blackcurrant, some dusty and spice. Balance here. Bite on the finish. If the overall feel is lean, it’s not pinched or mean. Drink 2016-2023. 83-85.

Château Cap de Mourlin, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; some fig and black fruit tones – a little monolithic; some chocolate; quite hard palate with extract and some dryness here on the mid-palate which carries through to a rather dry and extracted finish. May settle. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. Drink 2016-2023. 83-85

Château Franc Mayne, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep and saturated look; figs; lifted and worked in feel; some liqourice; palate has sweetness and extract but there is dryness here and it ends up feeling rather chewy, chunky and over-extracted on the finish. May settle but I feel this has been pushed way too far. [90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 83-85

Château Trimoulet, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and reasonably saturated colour; purple at edge; attractive perfume on the nose; spicy plum tones; good entry, not too forced. Elegant with a little chew on the finish. Bit short on the finish. The property is run by 31 year old Cecile Jean and her husband, David Dumont. 2011 was the first vintage Thienpont assisted with. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85 [Earlier note at Rive Droite] Mid depth; purple red; sturdy but also a raw quality here; some idone and graphite; palate elegant. Bit astringent on finish. Drink 2016-2023. 81-83

Clos Les Grandes Versannes, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; some saturation; wood and fruit combination – disjointed at present; fruit on the attack; some depth though bit one dimensional. Still some red fruits. More settled on the palate than on the aromatics. Chewy and a bit tannic on the finish. Drink 2016-2023. 82-85

Château Tauzinat l’Hermitage, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; earthy purple at edge; some coffee and wood with some spice; reasonably integrated; sturdy to begin; tannic on the finish. Insufficient fruit for the long term? Needs to settle. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 82-84?

Château Larmande, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; some sweetness, spice, little menthol and black fruits; menthol and ink on the palate; quite compact and very masked but oak which makes for a puckering impression. Dry on end. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 82-84

Château Faugères, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deepish; some spice and fruitcake notes; material on the palate along with wood. Chewy and dry on the finish. Drink 2018-2024. 82-84 [Earlier note] Mid depth; vibrant purple/red at the meniscus; some sour black cherry and tar notes; along with some boiled sweets; palate is a bit hard and puckering; lacks either elegance or sheen; falls flat. Lacks vibrancy and joy. Tasted blind at Rive Droite. Drink 2016-2023. 82-84

Château Haut-Sarpe, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep core; little mean on the nose; lacks aromatic plushness; spicy palate but astringent and hard. Finishes dry and pinched I’m afraid. May fill out but there are more confident bets to make in 2013.[70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 82-84

Château Ripeau, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deep-ish and pretty saturated; black at centre; oaked, nutty and thick; rather ponderous nose; thick and porty on the palate; some spice and fruit but far too heavy with the make-up. Oak is a seasoning, not the main event – especially in 2013 – the wines can’t soak it up. Drink 2016-2023. 82-84?

Château Destieux, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; loose red purple at edge; slightly nutty, burnt note; some satiny fruit quality beneath; little blousy; rather dirty flavours; equally rather puckering and chewy on the finish. Not that great. Drink 2016-2023. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 81-83

Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep-ish; vibrant purple at edge; some sour cherry and Bordeaux fruit; little plum; not unattractive; some cream; sturdy and reasonably correct but not flattering or particularly; short on the finish with rather dry oak. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 81-83

Château Grand Corbin Manuel, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; purple red at end; fresh slightly raw aromatics; some sap and savour; fresh and reasonable in the context; reasonable purity but chew at the end. May fill out. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 81-83

Château Godeau, St Emilion Grand Cru

Saturated look and tight to the meniscus; oak and fruit; not integrated but there is fruit it seems; cool entry, tight, acidity present; puckering towards the end. Finishes chewy and dry. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 80-82

Château La Fleur, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; vibrant at edge; light and attenuated aromatics but with some spicy notes; light palate; pretty pinched and lean. Drying on the finish. May fill out but will remain austere. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 79-81.

Château Croix de Labrie, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; some dust and wet earth; little fruit tang too…still…there is a slightly pinched feel here too…not much joy on the palate; hardness [not as hard as some mind] – little flesh on the bones. Structure is there – but no flesh. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 79-81

Château Fonroque, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Mid depth; mid red at edge; high toned fruit lozenge; some stalk and spices; some depth behind; fresh on the palate; bit rasping and mean on the finish. Drink 2016-2020. 79-81

Lynsolence, St Emilion Grand Cru

Thick and dark looking; saturated colour; legs and hangs thick in the glass; again thick and dusty nose; rather one dimensional; some fresh sawn wood notes; pruney; very extracted and heavy on the palate; wow the tannins…monolithic and pretty undrinkable. Lots of wood tannin too that makes it feel drier – doesn’t bode well. Raw. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 78-80

Château du Parc, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep looking earthy at edge [reasonably tight]; full-ish; sour cherry and plum tones; cool fruit but no under-ripe qualities evident on the nose; has some purity; not bad in this company – has purity at least and some apparent ripeness. Palate very puckering and acid; very lean and austere with puckering acids on the palate. Has a lot to do to come round. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted blind Rive Droite. 78-81

Château Adaugusta, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and saturated; vivid edge; fullish nose; spicy tones on the palate; little lean and dry; needs to fill out. Thin and dry on the finish. [75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. Drink 2016-2020. 78-80.

Château Roylland, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; some sour cherry, rhubarb notes; little earthy and hint of the vegetal; some flesh and weight in the palate. Drink 2016-2018. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 78-80

Château Jean Fauré, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé

Deepish; very herbal and rather vegetal notes; inky at best; astringent and inky palate which finishes very dry and chewy. A disappointment. [50% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot, 3% Malbec]. Tasted Angelus 2/4/14. 78-80

Château Mondorion, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep with some purple notes at edge; vegetal and stewed; chewy and puckering on entry with little finesse. Feels over extracted, with lots of acidity. Extraction here has magnified the inadequacies of the fruit. Drink 2016-2018. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 78-80

Château La Grangère, St Emilion Grand Cru

Deep and dark [but a little tired looking]; very asparagus-y and vegetal on the nose; green; green and hard with spicy, earthy and vegetal flavours. Weak finish [though not overly astringent…]. Drink 2016-2018. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 78-80.

Château Pas de l’Ane, St Emilion Grand Cru

Mid depth; bit looser at the rim; little feral note to begin with; bit clipped aromatically; dilute on the palate lacks concentration and flavour; watery finish. Drink 2016-2018. Tasted blind Rive Droite 30/3/14. 76-78

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