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Château Labégorce

076

Address: Margaux 33460

Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 88 71 32

E-mail: labegorce@chateau-labegorce.fr

Website: www.chateau-labegorce.fr

Bought by Hubert Perrodo in 1989, the estate was split in 1795, the other part becoming Château Labégorce-Zéde. These two properties have now been reunited following Perrodo’s purchase of Labégorce-Zéde in 2005 and only Château Labégorce remains as a label. Good value elegant Margaux, I used to find that Labégorce-Zéde had more finesse than Labégorce, but now the two vineyards are integrated the wine has gone from strength to strength. I was impressed with the 2007 given the imperfect weather conditions that year and 2009, 2010 [I snapped up a case] and 2012 look good here.

Vineyard/Soil: 30 hectares in production on a combination of sandy/gravelly soils [70%] and Sandy/Silt [30%]. Planted with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Average yield 50 hl/ha.

Winemaking/Elevage: Fermentation in concrete vats, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels, 35% new.

  • 2015 Deep and saturated colour; purple edge; lovely fragrance; violet perfume with pain grillé tones; seductive creamy palate; quite bold and expressive with plenty of extract and depth. Little extraction on the finish but this should become more harmonious through elévage. Real potential here at Labégorce. Best wine since their impressive wine here in 2010. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 45% new oak 14% alc]. Drink 2020-2030. 90-92
  • 2014 Deep and attractive colour; oak; black fruits and lift; some perfume; creamy fruit beneath; quite sexy pain grillé tones too; pure blackcurrants and black cherry fruit on the palate; texture and depth; some chew and tannin on the finish but the tannin feels ripe enough. [58% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot]. Drink 2019-2028. Tasted 31 March, 2015 at UGC. 87-89
  • 2013 Deepish colour; some stuffying and density here; earthy blackcurrants with spice; palate not that bad; not too puckering or astringent; more generosity than some. Little chew on the finish. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Drink 2017-2025. Tasted UGCB April 2014. 86-88
  • 2012 Mid depth; healthy looking; very attractive aromatics; earth; blackcurrants and spicy plum perfume; complex; ripe attractive blackcurrant characters on the palate; nicely balanced with good length. The reunited Labegorce goes from strength to strength. Another excellent effort at this estate. Drink 2015-2025. 90 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and dense; lifted nose; some perfume; oak; layered and attractive; lots of fruit here; some violet lift too; nice palate; good balance; lush quality; little drying from the oak [40% new]. Chewy finish. 87-89 Tasted UGC Thursday April 11, 2013. [Earlier note] Deep and saturated; smoky, lush and very forward; some violet notes; cassis, plums; nice palate with lots of lush fruit but nicely done; elegance to a degree; plenty of extract and material but ripe and supple. Very good effort and length too. 53% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. 88-90 Tasted UGC Tuesday April 9, 2013. Drink 2018-2028
  • 2011 Mid depth; some depth; nicely clean and fruit driven on the nose; no tinkering, even some violet perfume along with blackcurrant fruit; clean entry to the palate; ‘fresh’ again – structure here and pretty boney and dry on the finish. Still achieves some harmony compared to much grander estates in the Margaux appellation. Drink 2016-2023. 86 UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Saturated look, some cream, some cassis, also some jam and redcurrant; some thickness too and quite a lot of oak which makes it lack precision; quite thick and bold too on the palate; rich with lots of material and rather worked and some dryness too. Should let the fruit speak more though should settle. 86-88 Drink 2020-2028
  • 2010 Deep and saturated; some leaf, more chocolate; some blackcurrant layers; a certain thickness; quite melded on the palate; blackcurrant fruit; freshness and layers; plenty of extract and has purity. Feels like Margaux. Grip and structure beneath the fruit. Nicely done. Should improve further. 89+/100 [Earlier] Deep and saturated look; attractive nose, some resin some cassis and vioilet lift; quite layered and good and deep; quite plush palate, rich wine; lots of extract and mid-palate density. Sumptous and good depth and length. Should be a great value 89-91+/100 [45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, alc 13.5%] Tasted 5 April 2011. [Second tasting] Deep and dark; nice freshness here this year; blackcurrant, cassis; nice seam of ripe fruit; some cream too; palate has depth, sweetness and is not over-extracted – nicely done. Quite focused and precise. Consistent notes. This could be a great buy 89-91+/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC. Drink 2015-2030
  • 2009 Deep and dense; ripe, some nuts; muscular feel; little undergrowth streak but lots of depth and coffee and mocha tones too; this has improved substantially from my primeur recollections; strong and muscular. 89+/100 [Earlier] Ripe fruit, quite settled nose; some lifted oak notes; palate a bit closed, some fruit here – rose etc – but feels raw at this stage. Tannin. Feels awkward. Tannic at this stage and disjointed. 84-86?/100 [Second] Very ripe note on nose; raisin quality to the fruit though; bit over ripe; palate tannic and over extracted. 82-84?/100 30th March & 1st April 2010. Drink now-2029
  • 2008 Deepish; some earthy ripeness; good density on the palate; quite firm and tannins quite obvious; some chew but feels a little tannic and angular. Will probably settle down. 86/100 Drink 2014-2020
  • 2007 Mid depth; attractive silky nose with some perfume; palate has satiny quality. Not at all bad and playing to the strengths of the vintage – elegance and finesse. 87/100 Drink now-2020
  • 2006 Some depth at core but lighter than past few; some lift and chocolate on the nose; quite stoney and mineral note; firmness here on the palate and lacks a bit of life; lacks intensity – all acid and tannins at the moment and lacks richness. 85?/100 Drink now – 2020

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