Wine Words & Video Tape

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Posts Tagged ‘Chateau L’Evangile’

Bordeaux 2014: Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_6831Whilst the incredible Indian summer undoubtedly turned around the fortunes of the 2014 vintage, the growing season in Pomerol was not without its challenges. Stormy showers punctuated much of June, July and August and, in terms of overall rainfall throughout the year, it was one of the wettest since in a decade. Despite the rain, the sunny and generally dry conditions that characterised September and October, were sufficient to successfully ripen the Merlot and were particularly beneficial to Cabernet Franc, which looks to have succeeded very well 2014. As always success depended on terroir and diligence. There is great vibrancy in the best wines, which show genuine style and verve, but in a few cases there also appears some dilution.

Bordeaux 2014: Château L’Evangile

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

20080824-IMG_5189-resizeChâteau L’Evangile has produced a plummy, attractive Pomerol with balance and delicacy in 2014. Following an early start to the growing season with good flowering, the wet and cooler weather during the summer months, necessitated much work in the vines. Vine ripening occurred in two periods, late July and then again after mid-August so there were sometimes differences in ripeness between bunches on the same vine. Care was needed at harvest and in selection therefore. Here, as elsewhere, the fabulous weather in September and October, allowed more control than in previous vintages in terms of picking dates. It allowed for the harvesting of fruit at full ripeness, but also with the freshness that speaks of the cooler summer.

Bordeaux 2014 Primeurs – Friday

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

IMG_5703Bordeaux’s primeurs week ended for me, as it began, in St Emilion. While perhaps 2014 will be seen as a vintage for the Cabernets and therefore the Left Bank, there is in fact a lot to like about the texture and freshness of the best wines from Pomerol and St Emilion. Cyrille Thienpont who works with his father at many Right Bank properties [including Berliquet, Larcis-Ducasse and Pavie-Macquin], said it was as much the terroir that mattered [well drained, clay-limestone] as the variety [Merlot/Cabernet] in St Emilion. These thoughts were echoed in Pomerol by his cousin Alexandre Thienpont at Vieux Château Certan [the 2014 VCC is an intellectual beauty by the way]. What pleased him was the marriage of the Merlot and the Cabernet on his property. The vintage, he believes, allowed the elements to combine well, and that the strength of the wine [and perhaps the vintage?] was in the combination rather than in any of the particular elements here on the Right Bank.

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