Wine Words & Video Tape

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Posts Tagged ‘Chateau Joanin Bécot’

Bordeaux 2014: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_6895For all the talk of a Left Bank vintage, the Right Bank, specifically the Côtes de Bordeaux comprising Blaye, Bourg, Cadillac, Francs and Castillon has produced a number of impressive wines in 2014. Francs and Castillon stood out for me at the Grand Cercle tasting late last month but there are successes elsewhere. There is plenty of flesh and sophistication in the best Côtes de Bordeaux and they should prove good value. In Castillon Château Alcée and Château d’Aiguilhe [especially] and Château Veyry are very good. In Francs Château de Franc, ‘Les Cerisiers’, Château La Prade and Château Puygueraud stand out. In the Côtes de Bourg Château Fougas Maldoror has produced a very good wine.

Bordeaux Primeurs 2013: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_5607Working through 110 wines shown blind by Le Cercle Rive Droite on the last Sunday in March, D:Ream’s ‘Things can only get better’ was ringing in my mind. Slowly they did, but only slowly. There is no doubt that 2013 is the trickiest Bordeaux vintage since 1997 for the reds and the smaller producers in the Côtes de Bordeaux are amongst those who have probably struggled the most.

Bordeaux 2012 Primeurs: Côtes de Bordeaux

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

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Good values to be had here in 2012 I expect. Most of the wines were tasted blind at Cercle de Rive Droite at Chateau Barde-Haut [an extremely well organized event] with a few others tasted elsewhere. The best Côtes de Bordeaux showed attractive fruit and good purity. They range in style from the forward and appetising, to really serious efforts with lots of style and verve. In this latter category Stephan von Niepperg’s Chateau d’Aiguilhe and Nicolas Thienpont’s Chateau Alcée in Castillon stand out as especially beautiful wines. I’ve also included notes on Domaine Virginie Thunevin, owned by Jean-Luc Thunevin’s daughter, but vinified by Thunevin himself. It’s delicious.

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