Wine Words & Video Tape

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Posts Tagged ‘Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal’

Bordeaux 2012 Primeurs: Pauillac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

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I have to say that overall I found Pauillac a bit tricky to assess in 2012. I’d really have liked to have recommended these wholeheartedly, but there was real variation in the two passes I made on these wines at the Union des Grands Crus events. Only a handful of wines were completely consistent on both occasions. I’ve already written on the first growths. For me Chateau Mouton-Rothschild leads the pack with Lafite and Latour behind, though in the overall qualitative list I’d put Chateau Pontet-Canet up in this group too. Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste also looked good as did Pichon-Comtesse de Lalande. Taken together these are my picks at the very top level.

Bordeaux 2010 In Bottle: Pauillac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

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So just how has Bordeaux’s most aristocratic appellation fared in 2010? There’s certainly the heavy burden of expectation. These wines looked extremely strong when first shown during the primeurs tastings a shade under two years ago. Well, on the basis of what is now in the glass Pauillac looks perhaps to be the most impressive of all Bordeaux’s appellations in 2010. It’s a difficult call but the vintage’s characteristics – density, power, structure, freshness – simply reach their apogee here. Of course that’s just as well given Pauillac’s original release prices in 2010.

Bordeaux 2008 at four years: Pauillac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Though the vintage felt pretty closed generally, there are some good to very good wines in Pauillac in 2008. Outside of Lafite and Mouton, who have both produced strong, classical efforts, I thought that Chateau Pichon-Longueville was almost their equal. This estate has had a tremendous run in recent vintages and never seems to put a foot wrong. It was pick of the bunch in Pauillac in 2007, a really tricky vintage, and has made thrilling wines in 2009 and in 2010 [more on this latter vintage shortly]. Of course it has risen considerably in price in recent vinatges but, given what’s in the glass, it’s certainly worth it. Chateau Lynch-Bages also looks very good in 2008 and Chateau Duhart Milon, once the darling of the speculators, has produced impressive wine. 

Bordeaux 2011 Primeurs: Pauillac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Formidable wine at Chateau Latour in 2011

There’s no doubt that 2011 is an inconsistent vintage in Bordeaux. The same problems that affected the region generally also had a big impact in Pauillac. Here, as elsewhere, a combination of drought, a warm, dry spring, followed by a cool autumnal summer, with occasional severe heat spikes, knocked the growth cycle out kilter. Pauillac has some of the greatest terroir on earth of course. It makes it naturally well insured against the most meagre and challenging of years. Given too the extraordinary level of investment in the vineyards and the cellars over the past decade, plus obsessive attention to detail and daily micromanagement at the finest properties, it’s hardly surprising, then, that the best estates here deliver an extremely decent glass of 2011. So much so in fact you almost forget what a tricky harvest this was to grow and vinify. Almost….

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