Wine Words & Video Tape

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Posts Tagged ‘Chateau Ampélia’

Bordeaux 2023: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

The Grand Cercle always organise a very professional press tasting at Château de la Dauphine in Fronsac. It’s a great opportunity to taste the breadth of the wines made across Bordeaux, especially on the right bank. Amongst the Côtes de Bordeaux tasted with such a wide variety of terroirs [Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs] and approaches to winemaking, unsurprisingly there was heterogeneity. The most impressive 2023s for me at the Grand Cercle event from Castillon were Château Côte Montpezat, Château Veyry and Clos Puy Arnaud. Tasted elsewhere Château Alcée and Château d’Aiguilhe where also very good from Castillon. In Francs, Château La Prade and Château Puygueraud were excellent. Château de Haut Coulon looked good in Cadillac. Outside of these other 2023 Côtes de Bordeaux often felt lean and a little angular. These probably will flesh out during élevage, so it would be important to taste these wines again down the track once they are bottled.

Bordeaux Primeurs 2022: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

There’s no doubt that the high pricing of many top Bordeaux 2022’s has been a disappointment in this en primeur cycle, regardless of the quality of the wine on offer. If like me you’re looking for good Bordeaux at a reasonable price, then there are definitely some Côtes de Bordeaux to consider in 2022. At the Grand Cercle tasting back in April, there was some variation. A few were rather ponderous and overripe with somewhat chewy tannins. Clearly the heat and drought proved tricky to manage for some. That said several showed really well. These wines exhibited greater freshness and life. My picks were Château Veyry and Clos Puy Arnaud in Castillon, Château Réaut and Château Reynon in Cadillac and Château Haut Bertinerie in Blaye. In earlier notes I have also posted on an extremely impressive Château d’Aiguilhe in Castillon.

Bordeaux 2020: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

If there is genuine excitement to be had in Bordeaux 2020, that is, excitement above the wines made in 2018 and 2019 here, then it probably lies in the wines of the right bank, and starts with the Côtes de Bordeaux appellations, especially those on limestone and clay limestone soils, such as Francs and Castillon. I was super impressed by the quality of some of the wines from the latter appellation especially [and also in Fronsac too – more on that appellation shortly]. Château Alcée, L’Aurage, Château Le Rey and Clos Puy Arnaud are simply knockout in Castillon in 2020. Château Ampélia and Château La Brande are also very impressive and close behind in quality. Château Puygueraud in Francs is very good and in the Côtes de Bourg, Roc de Cambes is a wonder.

Bordeaux 2019: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

This year one of the opportunities of having samples sent to you is the extra time you can spend tasting them. There are benefits. Rocking up to a château, tasting for fifteen minutes and speeding off to the next property can get a bit Formula One. The grower spends all year making their wine and you make notes in a few minutes with one eye on the clock to keep on track for the next appointment. In primeurs week what else can you do? You want to taste as much as you can but have a finite time to do it. This year samples have turned up at my front door steadily over a couple of months. Yes, it has taken me longer to work my way through the wines and come to an overview this way. There is also a risk that samples won’t be as impressive as when tasted in situ, and there is the chance of spoilage in transport. But being able to taste a wine over a two or three-hour period, I feel confident in the conclusions I am able to draw about the individual wines this year, despite not being able to travel to Bordeaux. Zoom and other video conferencing have allowed winemakers to fill in the gaps in a less hurried way, too.

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