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Posts Tagged ‘Pomerol’

Bordeaux 2019: Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Of the 2019 Pomerols that I tasted back in June, a number of good to very good wines have been produced. Top of the tree for me is an undoubted beauty from Château La Conseillante that I have already devoted a post which you can read here. This is amongst the very best of the vintage of the wines I’ve had a chance to look at. The rest of my Pomerol tastings were limited mainly to members of Le Grand Cercle. Amongst these Château Mazeyres, Château Maillet and Château La Clémence [all pictured here] really impressed me. Mazeyres is worth a special mention. This wine is crafted on a biodynamic basis by Alain Moueix and it stood out for its effortless clarity and purity [something which can also be said for Mouiex’s other property Château Fonroque in St Emilion]. There was also a very good performance from Château Lécuyer. Château La Commanderie and Clos Vieux Taillefer were good and solid, if rather chunky. Domaine de L’Eglise, from the Borie-Manoux stable, was sturdy and well-made and Château La Croix du Casse soft and forward.

Bordeaux 2019: Château La Conseillante

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Château La Conseillante has made a beautiful wine in 2019. It goes to emphasize just how wonderful this vintage is on the great terroirs of the right bank. It has a boatload of juicy fruit, depth but also remarkable freshness. It is fleshy with a positive finish and the most seductive, sweet tannins. It is a wonderful combination. Although I still have yet to taste many wines from Pomerol in this vintage, La Conseillante looks to be in great shape. Bravo to the Nicolas family and their winemaker Marielle Cazaux. This is finely judged winemaking expressing wonderful terroir.

Bordeaux 2017 In Bottle: Pomerol

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

This is a small snapshot of bottled 2017 to draw conclusions from but these notes can be augmented by observations I made initially about the appellation during primeurs, found here. Again, frost affected Pomerol estates mostly in terms of volumes and blends. There is variation [one of the characteristics of the vintage] but a number of excellent wines have been made. There is something tremendously decadent about top Pomerol, and for me Château La Conseillante really wowed at the tasting, alongside a seriously impressive Château Clinet. Château Petit-Village looked very good as usual, not that far behind at all. I’ve been impressed by the improvement of Château Beauregard in recent vintages. This is testament to work that has been undertaken in the vineyard and the cellar there, as well as the product of a vintage when Cab Franc has shone through, which Beauregard has extensive plantings of. Château Le Bon Pasteur was also good. The misfire for me was Château Gazin, which felt a little austere in comparison with its peers.

Bordeaux 2017 In Bottle Reviews

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

2017’s a funny old vintage in Bordeaux. It feels to me like this year is the least successful of the past decade, assuming we forget about the washout 2013 vintage. That’s not to say that there aren’t a number wines that are really impressive now that the 2017s are in bottle. Last October’s annual Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting in London showed some excellent wines in Pomerol and St Emilion, perhaps more so than in the other communes, but there were fine wines to be found in all the appellations. That said many lacked a bit of charm, seemed somewhat austere and lacked mid-palate concentration. Yes, they are fresh. Yes, the acidity is bright and some have a decent zap about them, but, overall, it’s hardly a vintage that sets the pulse racing. The same couldn’t be said for the experience that the vignerons themselves faced in the early part of the growing season in 2017 when devastating frosts wiped out entire crops in St Emilion and Pomerol and did much damage elsewhere, notably in parts of Pessac-Léognan and the Haut-Médoc. Some properties didn’t make any wine at all. It was certainly a nerve-jangling time for growers. Looked in that light, perhaps we must actually see 2017 as something of a success.

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