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pessacleognan

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2012 Tasting

Posted on February 14, 2016

When I was a kid, my dad used to buy Bordeaux futures and pull them out with much pomp and circumstance on special occasions. These bottles marked my vinous awakening. An evening of 1982 Cos d’Estournel and Léoville Las Cases was one of those seminal wine tasting moments for me; like the scene in “Amadeus” when Salieri describes hearing Mozart’s music for the first time.

Unfortunately, I don’t get as many opportunities to drink top class Bordeaux these days, so when a tasting like the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux rolls through town, I am a happy gal. 70 of the most prestigious Bordeaux estates under one roof, pouring their 2012 vintage…definitely an event worth the trouble of wearing heels on an icy January afternoon.

…definitely an event worth the trouble of wearing heels on an icy January afternoon.

2012 was not an easy vintage in Bordeaux. It was late ripening vintage, with a hot spell mid-summer. Merlot dominant blends fared well, but ill timed rain early October wreaked havoc on the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest. Jancis Robinson described the vintage as “timorous” and Robert Parker’s vintage charts give all but Pomerol good, but not great scores in the high 80s. The SAQ invitation however hyped the vintage as fabulous though…so I thought I should check it out for myself. After all, the growers of the Union des Grands Crus never really have terrible vintages. They harvest in several passes, and carefully sort, ensuring only the ripest, healthiest grapes make the cut for the “grand vin”.

The tasting area was organized as a walk-around tasting leading tasters from Graves, to Saint Emilion and Pomérol, and then back to the left bank for the Médoc and its famed crus. There was a good sized crowd of happy faces, sipping and nodding earnestly while the wineries spun their lustrous tales. I started with the whites. Péssac-Leognan, a top quality enclave within the Graves region, is reputed for its dry Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon blends. Imagine the tangy acidity, and fragrant citrus, gooseberry aromas of Sauvignon Blanc, but with more weight, a creamy, layered texture and a smooth, oak-kissed finish. This is top Bordeaux blanc…summed up briefly. The 2012 did not disappoint. Château Smith Haut Lafitte was particularly stunning with enticing white floral aromas, vibrant acidity, a velvetty core and lingering, flavourful finish.

The left bank reds were surprisingly approachable for such a recent release. The mid-summer warmth of the vintage is apparent in the bright, fruity aromatics and general lack of pyrazine (bell pepper) notes. The majority showed fresh, balanced acidity, smoothness, rounded tannins and well-integrated oak. Each appellation was true to form, with the Graves a little lighter and more delicate and the Margaux perfumed and silky. The power and depth of the best vintages is lacking in most, but for an early drinking option, 2012 seems to have a lot of charm. Château Gruaud-Larose was one of my top picks for its intoxicating cassis and exotic spiced nose and dense, brooding core. Château Phélan Ségur, Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Château Léoville Barton and Château Brane-Cantenac were also heavy hitters.

The majority showed fresh, balanced acidity, smoothness, rounded tannins and well-integrated oak.

The right bank wines showed nicely; very smooth and polished. The Saint Emilion were a little more restrained, with attractive cassis and floral notes. The Pomérols really jumped out the glass though; brimming over with plum, red and black fruits, and spicy oak. The 2012 vintage offers the hedonistic pleasure of smooth, fruit-driven young wines and the tannin structure to age gracefully for 10 years or more. Château Canon, Château Le Bon Pasteur and Château Clinet showed very nicely.

Sauternes was the only minor dip in the tasting. Sémillon is low in acidity at the best of times and with residual sugar regularly over 100g/L, Sauternes can easily become a little cloying. The range of aromatics on display was phenomenol. Château La Tour Blanche was redolent with tropical fruit, marmelade, honey and spiced notes. However, the acidity faded too quickly on the palate, leaving the finish mouth-coatingly sweet.

Detailled tastings notes for my favourite wines:

Château Smith Haut Lafitte AOC Pessac-Léognan white 2012 – 94pts. LW

Smith Haut Lafitte is a leader in sustainable development for the Bordeaux region. This ultra-stylish white, from 50 year old vines, shows enticing white floral and grapefruit aromas, vibrant acidity, a creamy, velvetty core and lingering, flavourful finish.

Blend: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, % Sauvignon Gris, 5% Sémillon

Château Canon AOC Saint Emilion 2012 – 93pts LW

Situated in pride of place atop the famed limestone summit, Château Canon produces particularly elegant Saint Emilion. Highly complex aromas of plum, floral notes, blackberry and herbal undertones follow through on the palate. Fresh acidity, dense, juicy mid-palate and firm, polished tannins. The finish is long and layered, with hints of cedar.

Blend: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc

Château Le Bon Pasteur AOC Pomerol 2012 – 92pts LW

Fermented and aged in 100% new oak, this is a potent Pomerol with an intense raspberry, cherry, plum and spicy oak fragrance. Fresh and full body, with a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, firm, chewy tannins and a persistent, creamy finish.

Blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc

Château Clinet AOC Pomerol 2012 – 93pts. LW

From the highest elevation of the famed Pomerol plateau, Château Clinet combines power and finesse. Attractive plum, cedar and black cherry on the nose, with a juicy, full bodied palate. Firm, grippy tannins provide a solid framework. The finish is fresh and long.

Blend: ~85% Merlot, ~10% Cabernet Sauvignon, ~5% Cabernet Franc

Château Brane-Cantenac AOC Margaux 2012 – 94pts. LW

An opulent style of Margaux, with heady floral aromas, underscored by ripe black currant and black cherries. The full-bodied palate shows lovely balance and poise; with vibrant fruit providing lift through the mid-palate. Aged 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the oak provides structure and a creamy texture without overpowering the fruit. The medium weight, polished tannins frame the long finish nicely.

Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot

Château Gruaud Larose AOC Saint-Julien 2012 – 96pts. LW

“The King of wines; the wine of Kings” is the motto of this renowned estate, dating back to 1725. This was definitely my feeling when tasting the elegant, highly complex 2012. Fragrant aromas of exotic spice, black and red currants, cedar and violets spring from the glass, gaining in intensity upon aeration. Powerful and brooding, with dense, concentrated layers of rich berry fruit and spice. and ripe, fine grained tannins. Lovely, fresh flavours linger on the beautifully persistent finish.

Blend: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot

Château Léoville-Barton AOC Saint-Julien 2012 – 94pts. LW

Heady and stylish, with attractive aromas of mint, saffron, black fruits and floral undertones. Bright acidity leads into a full-bodied, dense core, with lots of juicy, black berry fruit and firm, fine grained tannins. The minty notes return on the finish, mingling with the cedar oak on the long, vibrant finish. The high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon makes this a bolder, more structured style of Saint-Julien.

Blend: 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron AOC Pauillac 2012 – 92pts. LW

Only 40 of the 73 hectares that make up the Pichon-Longueville Baron estate are deemed fit for the “grand vin”. A further strict selection is carried out during blending, ensuring that only the finest quality barrels make up this cuvée. The 2012 offers classic Pauillac aromas of cassis, cedar and graphite, with a touch of bell pepper. Very firm and powerful, with big, grippy tannins and a medium length cedar-scented finish.

Blend: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Château Phélan Ségur AOC Saint-Estèphe 2012 – 95pts. LW

Phélan Ségur, with its fleshy Merlot character and enticing mineral notes, is always an attractive example of Saint-Estèphe. The 2012 doesn’t disappoint. The nose is sweet and perfumed, brimming with red and black fruit, violets and earthy minerality. Very harmonious and smooth on the palate; the full body is off-set by bright acidity, a concetrated, fruit-driven core and firm, chewy tannins.

Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot

Château La Tour Blanche AOC Sauternes 2012 – 91pts. LW

Glorious exotic notes of mango, pineapple and passion fruit overlay botrytised notes of honey and marmelade. Lively acidity on attack, that falls just a touch flat on the finish. High viscosity, lots of juicy, exotic fruit and subtle, vanilla notes on the medium length finish.

Blend: 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle

A Comparative Tasting of Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on September 11, 2015

Summer is drawing to a close. The kids are back in school, and it is time for me to kick my own studies back in to high gear if I want even a microscopic chance of passing my Master of Wine (MW) exams next June. So while most diligent students are hitting the books, I will be hitting the bottle…hard. It is an interesting sight to see a new mother rocking her baby in his bouncy chair while simultaneously blind tasting a flight of wines (cue the boos and hisses on my awesome parenting!). But that is how I will be spending the next 9 months. Each week a new flight, tasted with a fellow MW candidate, and a new tasting article for you lucky folks.

Our journey begins with a comparative tasting of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa. This zesty white is generally high in acidity, dry, light bodied, with moderate alcohol; the definition of thirst quenching. Aromas range from citrus, grassy, gooseberry and mineral to more overt tropical notes, stone fruits and blackcurrant buds (the prettier, French description for the aroma Anglophones describe as “cat pee”). With the exception of sweet wines made from botrytised Sémillon/ Sauvignon Blanc blends, Sauvignon Blanc is generally meant to be drunk young (within 2 – 3 years of harvest), while the bright fruit aromas and bracing acidity are at their height.

I first discovered how seriously good Sauvignon Blanc can be on a visit to the Loire Valley, the presumed origin of the grape, shortly after I moved to France ten years ago. The charming, 11^th century village of Sancerre is perched on a hilltop looking down on its vineyards and pastures. The streets are lined with signs boasting wine tastings and little cafés where my friends and I ate sharp, earthy Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese, the perfect partner for the local tart, flinty white wine. After an epic, 4-hour tasting with Alphonse Mellot in his labyrinthine cellars, complete with scantily-clad ladies astride model bi-planes strung from the ceiling, I was hooked on Sancerre. Elegant and light bodied, with searing acidity, and delicate citrus, gooseberry and mineral-rich aromatics…impossible not to love. Neighbouring Pouilly Fumé makes a similarly whites, though generally in a richer and broader style.

A school tasting trip to the Graves area South of Bordeaux revealed a totally different style of Sauvignon Blanc to me. First of all because they tend to blend with the Sémillon grape, and secondly due to the often liberal use of French oak. The acidity is still quite striking, but the wines have more body and a subtly creamy, nutty texture. Aromas include lemon, grassy notes, currant bud, all underpinned by the oak flavours.

While France is its historic home, New Zealand claims to be the new king of Sauvignon Blanc. The majority of plantings come from the cool Marlborough vineyard on the South Island. Intense, “in your face” grassy, asparagus and gooseberry aromas dominate here, with riper examples showing lots passion fruit and peach notes. Most wines are unoaked, with racy acidity, light body and moderate alcohol.

Less well known currently, but growing rapidly in reputation are the cooler coastal areas of Chile (especially the Casablanca and the San Antonio Vallys) and South Africa (Western Cape coastal region and Cape South Coast). Both countries produce a range of styles, from lean and crisp to more lush and tropical. Their Sauvignon Blancs are regularly described as being mid-way between the restrained, elegant style of the old world and the overt, heady new world offers. I had the opportunity to taste some fantastically vibrant examples from the Walker Bay area South East of Cape Town when I worked there. The ocean breezes drifting in from the South Atlantic Ocean give a zesty, saline finish to the wines.

For the purposes of this initial overview tasting, I chose classic examples from the following producers (What do VW, PW & LW mean? Click on my scoring system for the answer):

Domaine Fouassier Sancerre “Les Grands Groux” 2013 – 92pts. PW

Domaine Fouassier farms his vineyard according to organic, and where possible, biodynamic principles. This wine shows excellent Sancerre typicity with elegant aromas of lemon, green apple and white florals hints on the nose. It has bracing acidity, a light body, integrated alcohol and an intriguing chalky minerality on the medium length finish. Very pleasant and balanced. Lacks the concentration and depth of flavour of top Sancerre.

Where to buy: SAQ (26.10$)

Michel Redde “La Moynerie” Pouilly Fumé 2013 – 91pts. PW

The third generation of Redde sons are currently running this 42 hectare estate in Pouilly Fumé. Grapes planted on flint, limestone and marl soils are blended here to create a mineral-laden nose, underpinned with citrus aromas. Vibrant acidity gives way to a rounded, smooth mid-palate. The finish is lifted and mineral. Highly drinkable and good value for the price, though not especially complex.

Where to buy: SAQ (25.75$)

Château Cruzeau Pessac-Léognan 2010 – 89pts. PW

Château Cruzeau is owned by the highly reputed Bordeaux producer, André Lurton. A deeper yellow gold colour is the first indication of the richer, fuller Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc style. Intense currant bud, lemongrass, apple and oak aromas abound. Fresh, juicy acidity marks the palate, with a medium bodied, subtly creamy mid-palate and reasonable oak integration through-out. Short finish.

Where to buy: LCBO (25.25$), SAQ (24.95$)

Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 – 93pts. LW

Family owned since 1916, this large, award winning estate offers high quality at incredible value. Pale, white gold. Surprisingly elegant; with less of the pungent grassiness of many comparably priced Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs. The nose is refined, with lemon, passionfruit, floral and subtle mineral notes. Lean, with racy acidity, lots of juicy passionfruit and lemon flavours and a soft, rounded finish. At less than 20$, this is a bargain.

Where to buy: LCBO (15.95$), SAQ (19.65$)

Caliterra “Tributo” Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda, Chile) – 85pts. VW

An entry level brand from the owners of leading Chilean winery Errazuriz. Caliterra “Tributo” is a clean, well-made but fairly simple offering, with pungent vegetal, guava and lemon notes on the nose. Crisp and light-bodied, with moderate alcohol. Easy drinking but unexciting for the price.

Where to buy: SAQ (16.95$)

Bouchard-Finlayson Walker Bay Sauvignon Blanc – 88pts. PW

This 25 year old winery sits on an incredible plot of land in the stunning Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and earth) Valley in the Walker Bay. Their house Sauvignon Blanc is an intensely aromatic offering though the lime, verbena, and grassy notes have a slightly acrid quality to them. More pleasant on the palate; smooth and light bodied with moderate acidity, lots of juicy peach and lime aromas through the finish.

Where to buy: SAQ (22.95$)