Wine Words & Video Tape

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Posts Tagged ‘Chateau Hosanna’

Bordeaux Primeurs 2013: Pomerol (JP Moueix)

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_5678Christian Moueix is philosophical about the vagaries of the 2013 growing season, not surprising given the breadth of his experience, and pragmatic about the hard choices the vintage necessitated. Still there’s no disguising the disappointment here, both at the quality that the season offered even the most diligent of producers and the pitiful volumes produced. The Moueix Pomerols are elegant and fresh in 2013 but there is less depth here than in 2011 or 2012. Château Trotanoy and Château La Fleur-Pétrus remain excellent wines in the vintage context. At the opposite end of the price spectrum, Château Bourgneuf, looks a pretty good bet.

Bordeaux 2012 Primeurs: Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

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Pomerol has made a really serious fist of 2012. There is plenty of creamy, fat Merlot on offer and with diligent vineyard work and a steady nerve it was possible to harvest ripe and flavoursome Cabernet Franc. There is wonderful freshness and vibrancy to the best wines, and generally much more flesh on offer than in 2011. There is also impressive structure too. Some estates are comparing the vintage with 2001 in terms of balance. At Vieux Chateau Certan they talked about 1985 while Christian Moueix has even been comparing it with 1971. What’s in the glass is delicious in my opinion and there is considerable depth on offer too.

Bordeaux 2011 Primeurs: Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Overall Pomerol has produced some very vibrant wines in 2011 despite a tricky growing season. Maybe the clay soils that the region is famous for helped guard against the early drought and heat spikes. September rain too undoubtedly affected some and rot would have been a concern. There is variability here, however, particularly among the less well known estates. Some display under ripe characters, others have over extracted, some, it seems, are green and extracted. It’s the usual 2011 story then, here ,as elsewhere. Making the best wines needed laborious work in the vineyard, the grapes required strict selection at harvest and the resultant wines suited a gentle hand in the cellar.

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