Outstanding vintage yet again !! A wonderful one

 

Filling in with new barrel samples! - Grand Cercle at Ch. Montlabert, April 2017

Already in October last year, during my usual visit to Bordeaux during harvest time and after tasting samples from vats, both before and after alcoholic fermentation, I felt this vintage was something special because of the velvety fruit and tannin, the striking sweetness of the must and incredible many nuances in taste.

App. 6 months later, in March/April 2017, and during 12 days of hard work packed with tastings, I reached around 420 tasted barrel samples, my yet highest ever tally tasted during primeur. I've felt that for the big majority of wines, my expectations were fulfilled.

After initial tastings, it stood clear to me that 2016 isn't at all an exact copy of 2015, far from. The first adjectives which came to my mind were the ones like aristocratic and distinguished wines. Generally, 2016 vintage wines aren't as expressive as 2015 ones but have, in most cases, lower or max. same alcohol level, more elegance and finesse, and the same or even higher amount than in the 2015 vintage of ripe tannin (IPT – Index Polyphenol Totale). I don't have any particular favorite district/commune.

The ripe tannin is so finely integrated with the fruit that you think you drink silk/velvet in many wines. There is something seductive and catchy over 2016, pure and classy style.

There are a lot of pretty wines all over Bordeaux in 2016, which will, in most cases, be even more appealing after staying in vats/barrels/new barrels for the designated time. As usual, some overipped/over-extracted/overdone wines in 2016 count for less than 1% of all wines. Some winemakers can't just resist getting the max out of their wines. Funny enough, some properties went the opposite way in 2016, greatly decreasing extraction and amount of new oak compared with heavy stuff in vintages before. More elegance and finesse in 2016. One of these properties is Pavie!

Reds are by far most successful in 2016, white dry wines are, I think, below 2015 in quality, suffering a little less acidity, and Semillon not being that perfect. White sweet wines in 2016 also lack a bit of edge and are not competitive with vintages 2013, 2014, and 2015. Still, it's a very good vintage, after all, for these white wines.

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VISITS

Here, I'll chronologically write impressions from my tasting/visits, some short, some long, depending on how many vintages I tasted at the chateau. All the ratings and how they have been graded are published below my impressions from primeur tastings (at the bottom of this page).

Thursday the 30th of March, 2017

Seguin - tasted three vintages, 2016, 2015 and 2014. 2016 harvest finished on the 24th of October, late, but because of perfect weather, there was time to get the grapes perfectly ripe, especially Cabernet Sauvignon.

2016 is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 55% Merlot, yielding 43 hl/ha. Very intense blackberries and cherries on the nose, velvety fruit and tannin, seductive fruit sweetness, and long aftertaste. Sleek and attractive, impressive stuff. 94+p. The best vintage for the property up to now.

2015, 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, 41 hl/ha, was more expressive on the nose with delightful aromas of grated chocolate, black cherries, and wild cherries, As seductive, sleek, complex, and catchy as 2016. 94+p.

2014, 60% Merlot + 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 hl/ha, showed classic Bordeaux stuff with rusticity, cool tannin, and excellent aromatic nose, concentrated on the palate with supporting acidity. Impressive. 93p.

Haut Brion/La Mission Haut Brion - 2016s here has an edge over 2015s. Concerning whites, there's more Sauvignon Blanc in blends for Grand Vins due to Semillon being diluted.

2016 Clarendelle (Bordeaux blend) – – a blend of wines from over 20 vineyards in Bordeaux. A kind of third wine. Nice, fruity, soft, round, and tasty. Easygoing and seductive. 88p.

Second wine of Quintus, 2016 Le Dragon de Quintus - fresh, aromatic, silky fruit and tannin, nice grip, tasty and well-balanced. 89p.

2016 Quintus – powerful, intense blueberries and blackberries, splendid balance and structure, complexity, well-balanced with fine length and finish. 92-93p.

The second wine of La Mission, 2016 La Chapelle de LMHB - was lovely on the nose in the palate, with cherry fragrance, fine ripe tannin, and fine acidity on the palate, well-balanced and smooth finish. Fine effort. 92p.

The second wine of Haut Brion, 2016 Le Clarence de HB – is similar to La Chapelle de LMHB, with less concentration. Fine effort anyway. 91-92p.

2016 La Mission Haut Brion's red  – alcohol level reached 13.4%, which was 1.7% less compared to 2015. Pure aromatic cherries and blackberries everywhere, very aromatic nose, excellent acidity, distinguished, striking elegance, sophisticated touch, and velvety texture. Great complexity and a long finish. Beauty wine. 97p.

2016 Haut Brion red  - alcohol level landed at 13.9%, one percent less than in 2015. This wine was similar to the 2015 LMHB but more intense, deep, and length. Incredibly aromatic nose, voluptuous on the palate, well-defined and precise. Astonishing wine we have here. 97-99p.

2016 Clarendelle white – pleasant, fruity, tasty, seductive, and soft finish. 88p.

2016 La Carte de Haut Brion white, a blend of LMHB and H.B. "leftovers," had a fine freshness, very good acidity, intense aroma of acacia flower, apple, pear, and peach, and fine smooth aftertaste. 92p.

2016 La Mission Haut Brion white was vibrant with excellent acidity and depth, fine apple, citrus, and lemongrass aromas, and great complexity, balance, structure, and length. Impressive effort. 95p.

2016 Haut Brion white showed as splendidly as 2016 LMHB, and the only thing that put H.B. in front of LMHB was more intense, depth, and a long finish. 97p.

Les Carmes Haut Brion - it was a great visit because Guillaume Pouthier, the technical director here and who arrived from Rhone in 2012, is never shy to exactly explain in a pretty entertaining way how he intends to steer LCHB in the right direction, which is up and up. He's neither shy to introduce some new winemaking techniques, like f.i. using whole bunches in vinification. Several Bordeaux winemakers shook their heads in disbelief when he introduced this technique, but others had copied it and found it beneficial in making the wine!

When I visited him in October 2016, he was so happy and enthusiastic about the 2016 vintage - "Izak, I've probably made my best vintage at LCHB, this is the best vintage for LCHB, what a thrill, everything was perfect!". Six months later, I can confirm - he made a stunning wine. Thick aromatic nose with the essence of blueberries, very concentrated yet refined, incredibly complex, precise, and focused.  More than a one-minute-long finish. Indeed, a wine to compete with big guns in this vintage! 96+p. The second wine, Le C des Carmes Haut Brion, was delightful, with a very aromatic nose of blueberries palate covered with silky fruit, freshness, and acidity. 91-92p.

Guillaume Pouthier, LCHB's manager and head winemaker, explains to Niko Dukan all the tricks he used to vinify the 2016 vintage!

Valandraud - Murielle and Jean-Luc Thunevin continue their excellent work and can be proud of their 2016s.

2016 Bad Boy - aromatic, silky, good concentration and length. It drinks just fine. 90p.

2016 Virginie Thunevin - nice wine with good grip, acidity, sappy, and composure. 90p.

2016 Domaine des Sabines - fresh cherry aroma, well-balanced, fine complexity and length, fine aftertaste too. 91p.

2016 Le Clos de Beau Pere - similar to Domaine des Sabines, just more concentrated. 91-92p.

2016 Bel-Air-Ouy - potent yet fruity, balanced, nicely structured, persistent aftertaste. 91-92p.

2016 Clos Badon - woody and a bit pushed on the palate; the potential is there, but will it come together later? 89p?

2016 Virginie de Valandraud - black fruit and oak, intense, complex, splendid composure, and long aftertaste 92p.

2016 Valandraud - very potent wine with excellent complexity, structure, and depth, rich and with a sophisticated touch. A winner. 97p.

2016 L'Interdite de Valandraud - a parcel that still needs INAO's permission to be included in Grand Vin. Similar in style to Valandraud, but lighter, more elegant, and less intense. 92p.

There was also an opportunity to taste wines from properties Jean-Luc's consulting:

2016 Sansonnet was intense and complex, with a silky structure, splendid depth, and a long fruity finish. Splendid effort. 92p.

2016 Moulin du Cadet from the owner of Sansonnet, a recent purchase (2015), was on the level with Sansonnet in quality and same style. 92p.

2016 Harmonie, also from Sansonnet's owner and recent purchase (2015), had slightly less intensity and depth. Gentle and with a great deal of finesse. 91-92p.

2016 Fleur Cardinale from the Decoster family left no doubt about its great appearance! Big, rich, excellent silky fruit and tannin, distinguished, great complexity and structure. Very long finish. 95p.

Corbin - Anabelle Cruse Bardinet continues to make great wines at the property, pretty ones with a lot of elegance, finesse, and precision. During primeur last year, she told me that the 2015 vintage was her best achievement yet, but I think she changed her opinion this year because 2016 here is an excellent thrill! A new cellar with vats for each parcel was ready for the 2016 harvest, allowing much more precise and personal vinification in that vintage.

2016 had great aromas of violets and blueberries, very subtle and distinguished, with great complexity and balance, great precision, elegance, and finesse. 94+p.

2015 was in vats waiting for bottling, so it tasted tired and disjointed. N.R. understandably.

2014 again impressed with seductive sweetness, elegance, finesse, and splendid acidity. Fresh and well-defined wine. 92-93p.

Clinet - very impressive 2016 here. 70% new oak, Dense wine filled with blueberries and dark cherries, concentrated and complex, velvety texture, rich, long creamy finish. 96+p.

La Cabanne - I tasted the complete line-up of the 2016s from the portfolio of La Cabanne's owner, Francois Estager. In addition to it, he presented a vertical of La Cabanne in vintages from 2000 to 2015, which was initially prepared for James Suckling from Wine Spectator. TNs from this vertical are published in the separate profile of LC here on the website.

2016 La Papeterie (Montagne St.E) was an attractive, round, fruity, tasty wine. Very enjoyable indeed. 90p.

2016 Domaine de Gachet (Lalande de Pomerol) offered sweet fruit, roundness, soft texture, and very attractive/seductive. 90p.

2016 Domaine des Gourdins (St.E) had a lovely fruity nose and was very pleasant on the palate with a smooth fruity finish. 89p.

2016 Domaine de Compostelle (2nd wine of La Cabanne) was nice fruity, and attractive. Good length. 87p.

2016 Haut Maillet (Pomerol) had quite an impressive nose of black fruit, deep and aromatic, splendid acidity and complexity, and a persistent fruity finish. 92p.

2016 Plincette (Pomerol) displayed a splendid nose of black cherries, seductive and strongly aromatic, strong on the palate, complex, and with a long finish. Not bad at all. 92p.

2016 La Cabanne (Pomerol) surprised me a lot as it is the best vintage ever made at this property! I didn't expect this wine to be that intense and powerful. Great acidity, depth, and length. Fabulously intense nose of black cherries. 2016 will surpass 2015 here. 95+p.

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Friday the 31st March 2017

Nenin - 2016 Fugue de Nenin, the second wine of Nenin, was round, charming, tasty, and attractive with silky fruit/tannin and velvety structure. 88p.

2016 Grand Vin had a splendidly aromatic nose of violets and black/red fruit, very good intensity and concentration, and was well-defined. Rather elegant than powerful. Very well-made. 92p.

Canon

Canon is on a roll, no doubt about it. In recent vintages, I "accused" this property of not fulfilling its potential in the past. It's certainly not the case with 2015 and 2016!!

2016 Croix de Canon, the second wine of Canon, was very aromatic, succulent, sleek, silky polished, fruity, and smooth. A very seductive wine. 90-91p.

2016 Canon, 74% Merlot + 26% C. Franc) showed fabulous aromas and complexity on the nose, silky fruit and tannin were distinguished, pure, and refined, with great finesse and precision. Long aftertaste. 97+p.

2015 Canon benefitted greatly from staying in oak because it's improved since I tasted it last September 2016. It had a great aroma of black fruit, excellent complexity, structure, and focus. Sophisticated touch and great length. Fabulous stuff. 97p. Difficult to choose one's favorite between those two vintages - they are like identical siblings!

Pavie - a very impressive line-up of 2016s from the owner, no controversial wines this time! It seems that the 2016 vintage here is a bit more successful than 2015.

2016 Angelique de Monbousquet (St.Emilion) - sweet and concentrated fruit, black cherries, aromatic, seductive, and tasty. Nice effort. 89p.

2016 Monbousquet (St.Emilion) - splendid acidity, velvety fruit and tannin, silky texture, long, complex, and well-defined. A very fine effort for the vintage. 92p. 

2016 L'Esprit de Pavie (Bordeaux) - aromatic with scent of violets, soft fruit and tannin, very accessible, seductive and smooth on palate. 89p.

2016 Aromes de Pavie (St.Emilion) - fine nose of blackberries/black cherries, C.Franc dominates (a touch of greenness), oaky finish. 89p. 89-90p.

2016 Clos Lunelles (Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux) - gentle extraction, silky fruit, tannin, spicy, well-structured, fine length, persistent fruity aftertaste. 91p.

2016 Pavie Decesse (St.Emilion) - dark fruit was complimented by sweet and ripe tannin, excellent complexity, and structure. Rich with a strong backbone. Impeccably made. 97p.

2016 Bellevue Mondotte (St.Emilion) - more fruity, gentle, and elegant than P.D., more aromatic and silky, otherwise same fabulous qualities. Looked like a slight change of the style here to more delicate wine. Just awesome. 97+p.

2016 Pavie (St.Emilion) - I could already sense a style change in the 2014 vintage toward a more gentle appearance, elegance, and finesse combined with a taste of the soil. 2015 had sheer power, excellent fruit on the nose and palate, succulent and vibrant fruit, and excellent complexity and backbone. Rich and lush. Long fat finish. I wrote - "Who said over-extracted wine - zero of this here!" All of this was in 2016, too, with added elegance and finesse. No overripeness! Fabulous stuff. 98p.

Lafleur - 2016s here tasted great; this vintage seems to top 2015. Creation of the new cellar is on the way, with other operational buildings to be ready for harvest 2018.

2016 Grand Village was very aromatic on the nose with violets and cherries, seductive, silky tannin, polished, quite complex, and long on the palate. Imho, this might be the best vintage for G.V. ever! 92p.

2016 G de Guinaudeau Acte 8 reminded me a great deal of G.V. but didn't have the same level of intensity and complexity. 91p.

2016 Pensées de Lafleur had a great, stylish nose with an intense aroma of blueberries, a very complex silky and polished palate, and a persistent fruity aftertaste. Great balance here. Beautiful second wine. 93p.

2016 Lafleur was a big, broad-shouldered wine with a classy and sophisticated nose of black fruit, velvety texture, rich, incredibly complex, and long. Distinguished beauty to remain beautiful for many, many years. 98-100p.

2015 Pensées de Lafleur was different from its one-year older brother. More red fruit here, not that silky and less intense and complex. Still splendid wine. 92p.

2015 Lafleur displayed power, a strong backbone, creamy fruit, big tannins, and a firm finish. Lacked a bit of the silkiness of 2016. 96-97p.

2016 Grand Village white had a fine aroma of green apples and lemongrass, acacia flower, fine concentration on the palate, good acidity, and a smooth finish. 91-92p.

2016 Les Champs Libres (white wine) displayed fine freshness, minerality, and acidity. A splendid intensity of fruit. 92p.

Figeac - regrettably very short visit (<20 minutes) compared to 1.5 hours in October 2016. Figeac's manager, Frederic Faye, had obviously a hectic day because I wasn't even offered to taste the 2014 vintage, despite email confirmation. Fabulous 2016 here. 36% Merlot + 26% C.Franc + 38% C.Sauvignon. Velvety, distinguished, and incredibly precise wine! 97+p.

Tertre Roteboeuf - I'll repeat myself repeatedly, stating that Francois MItjavile did it again. Did what? Magic 2016! 

2016 Domaine de Cambes offered a round and soft blueberry compote on the nose and fruity palate. Delicious and attractive wine. 89p.

2016 L'Aurage (made by Francois's son, Louis) had vast quantities of dark aromatic fruit on the nose and palate, backed up by silky tannin, was round, tasty, and finished smoothly. 91p.

2016 Roc de Cambes was impressive on the nose with great aromatic intensity, concentrated on the palate with great complexity, depth, and fat fruity aftertaste. This is a riveting effort. 93p.

You drink silk here! 2016 Tertre Roteboeuf was purely magical and extravagant, fabulously scented nose and richness on the palate. 98-99p.

2012 Domaine de Cambes displayed lovely dark fruit aromas, roundness, charm, and tasty fruit. 88p.

2012 Roc de Cambes had black cherries and chocolate, tasty, attractive, sappy, and fresh, with splendid acidity and a velvety finish. Superb for the vintage. 92p.

2012 Tertre Roteboeuf entertained with fabulously constructed wine which shows incredible class and style. Great freshness and beautiful balance. 95p.

2015 Roc de Cambes was filled with dark fruit on the nose and palate, potent and with a strong backbone, earthy flavors on the palate, and a long aftertaste. Awesome. 93p.

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Saturday, the 1st of April 2017

Grand Cercle

I managed to taste app. 90 wines from the 2016 vintage. Below, I list here my choice of wines from this tasting, and all mentioned wines are fine quality for money:

In Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux - Haut Bertinerie 90p.

In Bordeaux – Tour de Mirambeau Cuvée Passion 89p and Mont Perat 88p.

In Bordeaux Superieur – de Reignac 89p and Le Pin Beausoleil 88p.

In Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux – L’Aurage 91p, Ampelia, Cote Montpezat, Puy Arnaud and Veyry, all four 90p, Laussac and Laussac Cuvee Sascha, both 89p.

In Francs Cotes de Bordeaux - De Francs 90p.

In Fronsac/Canon-Fronsac – Les Troix Croix 92p, Haut Carles and Moulin Laroque, both 91-92p, Moulin Pey Labrie 91+p, La Dauphine, Fontenil and de La Riviere, all three 91p, Dalem, 89-90p and Gaby + Villars, both 89p.

In Graves – Ferrande 90p, Ferrande white 89p, Roquetaillade La Grange 89p and Haut Selve 88p.

In Lalande-de-Pomerol - L'Ambroisie du Chateau La Croix des Moines 91-92p, de Chambrun and Grand Ormeau 90-91p, Perron La Fleur 90p, St.Jean de Lavaud 89p, and La Sergue, Tournefeuille + de Viaud, all three 88p.

In Pauillac - Fonbadet 88p.

In Pessac-Leognan - Couhins Lurton 90p, Couhins Lurton white 89p, Cruzeau 89p, Cruzeau white 88-89p, Haut Bacalan 89p, Le Sartre 88p, Le Sartre white 88p and Rochemorin white 88p.

In Pomerol – La Clemence, Clos de La Vieille Eglise and La Commanderie 92p, Lecuyer 91p, Bonalgue 90-91p, Feytit Clinet and Mazeyres 90p, Bellegrave, Clos du Clocher, Taillefer and Vieux Maillet 89p and Beau Soleil + Clos Vieux Taillefer 88-89p.

In St.Emilion - Fleur Cardinale 95p, Magrez Fombrauge 93+p, La Couspaude + Larmande 92-93p, Bellefont Belcier and Sansonnet 92p, Destieux, Grand Corbin Despagne, Fombrauge, Fonplegade, and Fonroque, all five 91-92p, Tour Baladoz 91+p, Cap de Faugeres and La Croizille 91p, Yon Figeac 89-90p, Clos Dubreil, Laroze, Le Prieure, Lynsolence, Magnan La Gaffeliere, and Rol Valentin, all rated 89p.

Teyssier - we spent two hours with the highly entertaining Jonathan Maltus talking about wines, the winemaking approach, and life. His 2016s are slightly better than 2015s, but this great pair of vintages witnesses his clever and intelligent work.

2016 Teyssier - aromatic, round, very tasty with delicious black fruit, fine flowery aromas, silky fruit, and tannin, seductive. Well-made. 91p.

2016 Laforge – strong and concentrated, well-structured and complex. Fine fruity finish. 91-92p.

2016 Le Carre - situated close to Canon. Powerful and tight, with intense fine complexity, depth, and length. Strong on the palate. Impressive effort. 92p.

2016 Le Pontet Labrie (previously Le Pontet) – similar to Le Carre, rich, perfect maturity of fruit and tannin, velvety texture, great length. Impressive as well. 92p.

2016 Les Asteries - similar to Le Pontet Labrie with more concentration and bigger complexity. Very impressive wine indeed. 92+p.

2016 Vieux Chateau Mazerat - monster wine, black fruit essence, concentrated with discrete oak, not overdone, perfect wine work, great complexity, structure, and finish. 95+p.

2016 Le Dôme - beautifully scented nose, incredibly constructed, voluptuous, precise and focused, amazing structure, complexity, and length. Marvelous wine. 96+p.

2016 Le Nardian (white) – freshness, pineapple, acacia flower, nice acidity, length, and fruity finish. 91-92p.

Domaine de Chevalier  -  usual routine concerning visits at Chevalier. Beginning with a tasting of wines from the new vintage, then dinner with wines ending on seven at the last digit in vintage, because of the year 2017. Olivier Bernard was as satisfied with the 2016 vintage as the previous year with 2015. Imho, there's no particular difference, except that 2016's more elegance and distinguished touch.

2016 Domaine de La Solitude – fruity, silky, pleasant, tasty, soft, and fruity aftertaste. 89p.

2016 L’Esprit de Chevalier – more intense and more concentrated version of DdLS. Longer finish. 90p.

2016 Lespault Martillac - well-made with silky fruit and tannin, aromatic black fruit, fine structure, and length. 90p.

2016 Domaine de Chevalier – delicate and noble, almost seamless, sheer elegance and finesse, great complexity, and long finish. 94-95p.

2016 Clos des Lunes Lune Blanche - fresh, very good acidity, acacia flower, and lemongrass, nicely composed, softly fruity finish. 88p.

2016 Clos des Lunes Lune d'Argent - more intensity and length here than in Lune Blanche. 89p.

2016 Clos des Lunes Lune d'Or - edges Lune d'Argent concerning depth and structure. 90p.

2016 Domaine de La Solitude white – fruity, good acidity, round and crispy. 89p.

2016 L’Esprit de Chevalier – very aromatic, acacia flower and pear, green apple, zesty, persistently fruity finish. 91p.

2016 Lespault Martillac white - powerful, lot of acacia flower and green apple, splendid acidity, and long finish. 91p.

2016 Domaine de Chevalier white - as always refined and sophisticated, with excellent acidity, complexity, and structure. 95-96p.

2016 Suau (Sauternes) - Olivier Bernard rented this property in Sauternes in 2015 for 18 years rent. Pineapple, fine sweetness, and acidity. Elegant and well-made. 92p.

During dinner, we tasted 10+ wines, four white 1987s (D.d Chevalier, Laville Haut Brion, H.Brion and Montrachet from Maison L.Latour), Mouton Rothschild 1937, D.d.Chevalier 1957 (magnum), Weinert 1977 (Argentina), Far Niente 1997 from Napa, Rivesaltes 1927, Porto Vintage Martinez 1927 and three sweet Bordeaux wines in vintage 1937, Coutet, Giraud and Rayne Vigneau. Mouton Rothschild 1937 was remarkable, noble, distinguished, and truffy. Great elegance and finesse. 97p. Rayne Vigneau 1937 was rich, very much alive, and had excellent sweetness and acidity. 95p. Coutet 1937 had great acidity and intensity of well-matured botrytized flavors and was still alive and kicking. 94p. Both were very impressive for an age of 80 years!

Dinner at D.d.Chevalier - left Mouton Rothschild 1937, right three sweet 1937s, Coutet, Guiraud, and Rayne Vigneau.

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Sunday the 2nd April 2017

Les Cles des Chateaux (Michel Rolland own properties and the ones he consults) - took place at La Dominique. I managed to taste 20+ wines in the 2016 vintage. Several wines of high quality - topscorers - Clos St. Martin (92+p), Cote de Baleau (92p), Grandes Murailles (92p), Grand Pontet (92p, Mangot Todeschini (92p), all St.Emilions, then Le Bon Pasteur (92p) from Pomerol. Mangot from St.Emilion (91-92p), L'Enclos and La Fleur de Gay from Pomerol 91p, Clos de Sarpe and Tour St.Christophe, both from St.Emilion, and both rated 91p.

Siaurac is a lovely chateau in Lalande de Pomerol, not far from the small river Barbanne, separating Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol. Great surroundings there! 2016 Plaisir de Siaurac, the second wine of Siaurac, was very pleasant, round, charming, and fruity, simple but tasty. 86p. Second wine here doesn't see oak and spends nine months in the tank instead.

2016 Siaurac, 73% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 7% Malbec had silky fruit, velvety texture, much charm, and fruitness, and was well-balanced with a smooth fruity aftertaste. Seductive one. 89p.

The owner's other property, Vray Croix de Gay in Pomerol, was in 2016 vintage, similar to Siaurac but had a bit more complexity and length. 90p. The third property of Goldschmidt family, Le Prieure in St.Emilion, kept this elegant and fruity style and also had nice acidity. 89p.

Haut Bailly - tasting of 2016s took place at Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, a new attraction for wine lovers. All the promises from my initial tasting of different vats in October 2016 were entirely fulfilled when I tasted a barrel sample of 2016 Haut Bailly. Best vintage yet from this property!

2016 Le Pape was succulent, fresh with fine acidity, balance, and fruity, smooth finish. 90p.

2016 Haut Bailly's second wine, La Parde Haut Bailly, had fine aromas of dark berries, velvety texture, balance, and a persistent fruity finish. 91p.

2016 Grand Vin did confirm all the promises. Strong and well-packed with silky fruit and tannin. Aromatic nose, great acidity, and everything was in excellent harmony. Stunning structure, depth, and complexity. 97p.

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Monday, the 3rd of April 2017

Petrus - stupendous effort in 2016, seamless wine, very sophisticated, rich, velvety and silky, precise. A strong candidate for a three-digit score. 98+p.

Le Gay - Henri Parent did very well with all his properties, close to the 2015 vintage.

2016 La Graviere had aromatic black fruit on the nose and palate, nice intensity and structure, and a smooth fruity finish. 90p.

2016 Montviel was similar to blueberries and blackberries, with nice acidity, structure, and length. 90p.

2016 Manoir de Gay showed some grained chocolate flavor, black cherries, silky fruit and tannin, elegance, and a fruity finish. 91p.

2016 Le Gay was powerful and elegant simultaneously, well-packed with silky fruit and tannin, splendid balance, structure, and long aftertaste. Great effort. 94-95p.

2016 La Violette had a different approach this time. More elegant than powerful. Velvety texture, great complexity, and length. 94-95p.

Corbin Michotte - pretty 2016s here!

2016 Calon (St.Georges de St.Emilion) - was fresh, red fruit on the nose, aromatic, tasty, nicely structured, fine balance and length. 91p.

2016 Corbin Michotte had an aromatic, velvety texture, perfectly ripe fruit, and tannin with seductive sweetness, fine acidity, balance, and length. Certainly a wine of Grand Cru Classe quality!! 94p.

2016 Cantelauze - showed a very aromatic nose of black cherries and blueberries, chewy, splendid acidity, sufficient oak to balance the fruit, well-composed and long. Splendid effort for the vintage. 94-95p.

2015 Corbin Michotte was more expressive and intense than in 2016, but the style is the same. 94+p.

2014 Corbin Michotte rounded up three vintages from this property and underlined that the quality of wines from this property was high and that this property was wrongly declassified by the classification comitée in 2012! Classic St.Emilion with an aromatic nose, fine intensity, and structure, meaty and with a persistent aftertaste. Fine reference to its soil. 93p.

2014 Cantelauze showed great style and intense nose of black fruit. Great complexity, depth, and finish. Truffles. Splendid Pomerol for the vintage!  93-94p.

La Conseillante - only Grand Vin to taste, no second wine for tasting that particular day. Marielle Cazaux, the winemaker since the summer of 2015, made better wine in 2016 than in 2015. Great elegance and finesse here, silky fruit and tannin, velvety texture, very precise and focused. 96-97p.

d'Yquem - 2016 was tasted at the property. Incredibly intense nose of pear, peach, and melon, sheer power on the palate, and great acidity but not as remarkable as in 2014 and 2015 vintages. Great intensity, great depth, and length. 98p. 2006 offered splendid nose of blood oranges, mandarins, and apricots, remarkable sweetness, and excellent acidity. Stunning wine for the vintage. 96-97p.

Ch. Margaux - 2016 wines here underperformed slightly compared with 2015.

Nevertheless, 2016 Pavillon Rouge de Chateau Margaux impressed a lot with an excellent aromatic nose of black fruit, dense structure, splendid complexity, silky fruit and tannin, splendid concentration, and length. 93p.

2016 Chateau Margaux didn't show the heights of otherworldy 2015 but still had a genuine spark of blue/blackberries, seamless structure, and sophisticated touch. Pure elegance and finesse here! 97p.

2016 Pavillon Blanc de Chateau Margaux showed freshness, excellent acidity, and fine complexity. Splendid structure and length. 93p.

Palmer - 2016 Alter Ego (40% Merlot + 48% C.Sauvignon + 12% P. Verdot) had an intense nose of blueberries/cherries, splendid concentration, excellent balance, and hallmark of the vintage, silky fruit and tannin. 93p.

2016 Grand Vin  (47% M + 47% C.S. + 6% P.V.) was rather tight, not as impressive as expected, and a bit bland in appearance. Probably not the best day to taste it. 96p. My rating is maybe slightly too generous, but I believe in the positive evolution of this wine.

Latour - very successful 2016s, and the other wines served were alright!!

2016 Pauillac was very aromatic, round, pleasant, and fruity, with a nice structure and length. Fine balance. Crowd pleaser. 91p.

2016 Les Forts de Latour appeared as a very expressive wine with a lot of dark fruit and silky tannin, splendid backbone, structure and length, and excellent balance. A warrior. 93p.

2016 Latour showed seamless structure, sophisticated touch, and big concentration and intensity on the nose and palate. Perfect balance. Stupendous future waits. 98-100p.

2012 Pauillac was attractive and seductive, truffy nose and round and tasty, sweet fruit. A joy to drink now. It would make a nice restaurant wine. 90p.

2011 Les Forts de Latour acted strong, chewy, sappy, tasty, well-trimmed, and balanced. 92p.

2005 Latour - closed at first sniff but immense potential waiting to come forward, extremely rich, complex, and long. Everything is here to make this wine a legend. 99-100p.

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Tuesday the 4th April 2017

Dramatic morning dawn at Labegorce - 4th of April 2017, 7.30 am

UGCB at Hangar 14 in Bordeaux Chartrons - 2016 Graves/Pessac-Leognan in red and white + 2016 Saint Emilion and Pomerol

Graves/Pessac-Leognan

Reds:

Carmes Haut Brion – as impressive as tasted five days before at the property, great fruitiness, sweet, splendid complexity and structure, velvety. Long finish. 96+p. Pape Clement is potent, quite some oak, powerful, and has great structure and length. 96p.

Malartic La Graviere and Smith Haut Lafitte - strong, powerful, tight, great quality of fruit and tannin, excellent structure and complexity, rich, great depth, and awesome finish. 95p.

Domaine de Chevalier – splendid fruit and acidity, silky fruit and tannin, great complexity, and long finish. 94-95p. Carbonnieux - intense nose of black fruit, well-composed and well-balanced. Persistent fruity finish. 94p.

De Fieuzal and Olivier were quite aromatic, fruity, well-defined, dense, and tasty, long on the palate, and had a fruity finish. 92p.

De France and Haut Bergey – sappy, fine fruit, well-structured with a persistent fruity finish. 91p.

Bouscaut, Chantegrive, and Rahoul - very fruity and aromatic on the nose, round and fruity on the palate with a touch of dryness on the finish. 90p. Larrivet Haut Brion, Latour Martillac, and Picque Caillou – fruity, round, pleasant, silky, fruity finish. Nice. 89-90p.

Whites:

Domaine de Chevalier - classy, elegant nose of lemongrass, green apple, refined on the palate, long finish. 95-96p. Malartic La Graviere and Smith Haut Lafitte – a monster, great stuff, impressive acidity, and complexity, rich and sophisticated. Very impressive indeed. 95p.

Carbonnieux - quite splendid, aromatic, very acacia flower, honeyed aftertaste. 92-93p.

Bouscaut, de Fieuzal, de France, La Louviere, Larrivet Haut Brion, Olivier, Pape Clement, and Picque Caillou - quite nice, fine acidity, pineapple, acacia, very fruity, aromatic, and with a smooth aftertaste. 90p.

Pomerol

Petit Village – beautifully crafted wine with great complexity and length. 96+p. Clinet is almost as excellent, silky, and velvety. 96p.

La Cabanne – impressive wine with silky fruit and tannin, excellent complexity and acidity, structure, and persistent finish. 95+p.

Beauregard and La Pointe - fruity with violets and cherries, precise, silky fruit, and tannin. Fine concentration and fruity aftertaste. 92p. Bon Pasteur and La Croix de Gay – oaky and more tannic. 92p.

Gazin – well-made, silky fruit and tannin, velvety structure, rather elegant than a powerful, nice aftertaste. 90p.

Saint-Emilion

Canon - distinguished, pure, and refined, with great finesse and great precision. Long aftertaste. 97+p.

Troplong Mondot - drives at all cylinders, a lot of oak, ripe fruit, and tannin, powerful. The style here may not appeal to anyone, but it is an excellent wine. 96-97p.

Trottevieille - well-made, splendid fruit and structure, complex and persistent finish. 94-95p. Larcis Ducasse – blueberries, well-packed with very ripe fruit bordering overmaturity, great complexity, and structure, very long finish. 94p.

Clos Fourtet – a well-knitted, lot of sweet fruit and tannin, very complex, deep, and long. Impressive. 93-94p. Franc Mayne and Soutard – succulent, well-balanced, very good structure, fine complexity, depth, and length. Persistent finish. Well-deserved 93p.

La Couspaude and Larmande - aromatic, fine structure and depth, fine length and balance, fruity finish. Complex and focused. 92-93p. Canon La Gaffeliere and La Dominique – oaky, dense, fruity, persistent aftertaste. 92p. Grand Mayne and La Tour Figeac - fruity wines, freshness, a nice dose of tannin and oak. Nice. 91-92p.

Berliquet - aromatic with black cherries and blackberries, slightly woody, fine balance and complexity, tasty, and fruity finish. 91p. Cap de Mourlin – similar, a bit lighter. 91p.

Balestard La Tonnelle – aromatic, a bit of reduction, on the verge of overripeness, good balance. 90p. Villemaurine – 89p.

Lafite - fine but short visit with impressive wines.

2016 Duhart Milon - aromatic blackberries, sappy, sleek, silky fruit, and tannin, well-balanced. Fine complexity. Seems to have an edge over 2015. 92-93p.

2016 Carruaders de Lafite - similar in style to Duhart Milon. Fine second wine. 92p

2016 Lafite - 92% Cabernet Sauvignon + 8% Merlot. Precise, refined, sophisticated, rich, complex, fabulous structure and length. 98-99p. Awesome effort. You'll be unable to find Lafite's striking elegance and finesse in many places in Bordeaux!

Mouton Rothschild - I always enjoy this short ride in a golf car from reception to the tasting room. Philippe Dhalluin has every reason to be proud of his range of 2016s.

2016 D'Armailhac - splendid aromatic nose of blackberries, polished, silky fruit, and tannin on the palate, well-composed, persistent fruity aftertaste. 93p.

2016 Clerc Milon (55% C.Sauvignon + 29% Merlot + 13% C.Franc + 1% P:Verdot + 1% Carmenére) - as impressive as d'Armailhac with splendid acidity and fine structure. 93p.

2016 Le Petit Mouton - aromatic, elegant, and seductive, with splendid backbone, structure, and fruity finish. 92p.

2016 Mouton Rothschild  (83% C.Sauvignon + 15% Merlot + 1% C.Franc + 1% P. Verdot) - aristocratic nose of blackberries, cigar box, and tobacco leaves, classy stuff with great acidity, velvety all over, stunning richness and structure, excellent complexity, powerful finish. An immensely complete wine. My pick for the best wine of the vintage on the Left Bank! 99-100p.

2016 Aile d'Argent - white Mouton Rothschild. Fresh with a distinct aroma of pear and apple, nice structure, smooth finish. Very good for the vintage. 92p.

Pontet Canet - the news is that Melanie Tesseron (Alfred Tesseron's niece) went back to London, and now it's Alfred Tesseron's daughter, Justine, who will take over responsibilities here in the future.

2016, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot + 4% Cabernet Franc + 1% Verdot, treated with 55% new oak, 35% amphora, and 10% 1-year-old barrels, was strong, succulent, quite dense, complex, and precise, long and silky. 95-96p.

Montrose - this property doesn't stop with making beautiful wines. Its 2016s are better than 2015s, maybe not. Time will tell for sure!

2016 Tronquoy Lalande was succulent with velvety fruit and tannin, well-balanced, sleek, and fruity. Fine effort. 91p.

2016 Dame de Montrose displayed fine acidity, freshness, a lot of aromatic blue/blackberries, splendid complexity, and finish. 92p.

2016 Montrose had a lot of silky fruit and tannin gently wrapped up by oak, Great intensity of aromatic black fruit, and a strong backbone. Stupendous complexity and length on the palate. 98p.

Marquis d'Alesme - 2016 was made in a modern style with ripe fruit and tannin and had fine complexity and structure. Long fruity aftertaste. 94p+.

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Wednesday, the 5th of April 2017 

UGCB at Hangar 14 in Bordeaux Chartrons - 2016 Listrac, Moulis, Haut Medoc, Medoc, Margaux, St.Julien, Pauillac, St.Estephe + Sauternes & Barsac

Listrac

Fonreaud - aromatic, round, fruity, very good balance, fruity aftertaste. 89p. Clarke – slightly less intense and with a shorter finish than Fonreaud. 88-89p. Fourcas Dupre and Fourcas Hosten – 88p.  

Moulis

Maucaillou and Poujeaux - always fine value for money, fruity, concentrated on the palate, nicely structured, and fruity finish. 91p. Chasse-Spleen - elegant, nice acidity, generous, good balance. 90p.

Haut Medoc

La Lagune – big fireworks! Dense, intense, well-structured, complex, and with a smooth finish. Fabulous effort. 95-96p.

Coufran - splendid, filled with aromatic fruit, quite concentrated with silky fruit and tannin. Persistent fruity aftertaste. 91-92p.

De Lamarque and La Tour Carnet - were both big fruity wines with a velvety texture and an adequate dose of oak. Well-balanced. 90-91p.

Cantemerle and Citran - sappy, nice acidity, silky fruit, fine structure, well-balanced, fruity finish. 90p. Belgrave and Camensac – as seductive and fruity as Cantemerle and Citran, shorter finish. 89-90p.  Beaumont – 88-89p.

Medoc

La Tour de By – 88p.

Margaux

Brane Cantenac, Cantenac Brown, and Giscours – all three potent with strong backbone, well-packed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin, well-balanced, silky with great acidity and length. Excellent effort. 94-95p. Malescot St.Exupery and Rausan Segla – modern, lot of fruit and tannin, splendid acidity and fruit, fine depth and structure. Persistent finish. Excellent effort as well. 94-95p.

Lascombes - big, full, complex, precise, focused wine with pretty fruit and tannin, well-defined, elegant, and fine acidity. Persistent finish. Impressive stuff. 93-94p. Desmirail – close to Lascombes with silky fruit, fine structure, and fruity finish. Splendid wine. 93p.

Dauzac, Durfort Vivens, Kirwan, and Rauzan Gassies – aromatic, seductive nose of blueberries, fine complexity, well-integrated fruit, silky tannin, fruity finish. All four rated 92-93p. Marquis de Terme - – exciting, elegant with delicious fruit, silky tannin, nice acidity, and fruity finish. 92-93p.

Ferriere, Labegorce, and Monbrison – very aromatic, elegant, tasty, fruity finish. Very good complexity and acidity. 92p. du Tertre – fine intensity, aromatic and seductive, elegant, balanced, sappy, and with a long aftertaste. Well-made. 91-92p.

Prieure Lichine and Siran - elegant, chunky, good acidity, fruity aftertaste. 91p. Angludet – fruity, elegant, velvety fruit and tannin. Attractive. 90p.

St.Julien

Beychevelle – full of fruit and adequate tannin, well-balanced, complex, long finish. 95+p. Leoville Barton was powerful, with a lot of fruit, excellent acidity, and a persistent finish. 94-95p.

Saint Pierre – loads of fruit and oak, potent and strong, long aftertaste. 93-94p. Talbot – well-packed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin, well-structured and complex, long finish. 93+p. Langoa Barton – similar to Talbot. 93p.

Gloria and Lagrange –. Fruity, a bit of blueberry vodka, complex, silky texture, smooth finish. 92-93p. Gruaud Larose – elegant, fine balance, a bit chunky. 92+p. Branaire Ducru – fruity, elegant, good structure. 92p.

Pauillac

Pichon Comtesse – amazing in every aspect, delicious fruit, ripe tannin, complex and precise. Stunning balance and length. 98+p.

D'Armailhac, Batailley, and Clerc Milon – powerful, well-defined fruit and tannin, velvety fruit and tannin, fine complexity, meaty. Persistent finish. 93p. Grand Puy Ducasse was similar but more elegant, with more finesse than power. 93p.

Haut Bages Liberal – quite splendid, fresh, fine acidity, fine support of tannin, fine structure, long aftertaste. Fine effort. 93p. Haut Bages Liberal – quite splendid, fresh, fine acidity, fine support of tannin, fine structure, long aftertaste. Fine effort. 93p. Lynch Bages – modern style, concentrated, complex, lot of oak. 93p.

Lynch Moussas – fine effort, quite complex with a velvety texture, aromatic, seductive, and smooth finish. 92-93p.

Croizet Bages – quite successful, aromatic and tasty, attractive, nice acidity, fruity finish. 91-92p.

St.Estephe

Cos Labory - powerful, fine fruit and tannin, fine structure, complex and long fruity finish. 93p. De Pez – well-packed with silky fruit and tannin, quite complex, strong structure, luscious, smooth aftertaste. 92-93p.

Phelan Segur and Lafon Rochet – aromatic, delicious on the palate with tight structure and meaty finish. Some elegance. Well-made. 92p. Ormes de Pez – similar but lighter. 91-92p.

Sauternes & Barsac

De Fargues, Guiraud, and Lafaurie Peyraguey – great intensity, complexity, sweetness, concentration, and length here. Fine acidity. Very complex and refined. Excellent effort. 94+p.

Sigalas Rabaud –  similar to de Fargues, just less intensity and length. Impressive. 93-94p. Coutet – fine intensity, concentration, and length. Elegance and finesse. Splendid. 93+p.

Doisy Vedrines, de Malle, and Rayne Vigneau – acacia honey, fine acidity, sweetness, and length here, and fine complexity. 92p. Broustet – same style, seductive sweetness. 91-92p. Bastor Lamontagne – nice wine, peach, acacia honey, attractive, fruity, and drinkable already. 91p.

Clos Haut Peyraguey and Doisy Daëne – light style, elegant, nice sweetness but not that much acidity. 90p.

Vieux Chateau Certan - very strong effort in 2016 and on the level as 2015. Incredibly intense on the nose with blackberries and blueberries, iron-dirt (truffy taste), tight and very concentrated on the palate, with great richness, depth, and structure. Perfectly ripe fruit and tannin covered in silk. 97-98p.

Le Pin - awesome 2016 here, 100% Merlot, low yield per ha (only 28 hl!). I would have liked to compare it to 2015, but it wasn't possible as 2015 was resting in vats for upcoming bottling. A very distinguished, refined, rich, velvety wine with stunning complexity and depth. 98-99p. By the way, 2016 is the first vintage at the property to be harvested in October (4th-8th)!

Jacques Thienpont's other adventure, L'If in St.Emilion, 100% Merlot in 2016, was succulent, with excellent acidity, great complexity, fine structure, and velvety fruit and tannin. 94-95p. Harvest did finish on 20th October - vendange tardive someone?

Certan de May - Jean-Luc Barreau can be proud of his 2016! He did a great, great job. He was so kind as to prepare additional 2015, 2014, and 2010 vintages for us to taste!

2016 - 65% Merlot, 31% C.F. and 5% CS. Very pretty and aromatic nose of blueberries and wild cherries, compact and tight, dense, very complex, silky tannin, and long finish. Very impressive 95-96p.

2015 - 70% Merlot, 25% CF and 5% CS. Delicious stuff, so silky, refined and complex, lively and well-constructed, almost seamless, great length. On the level with 2016. 95-96p.

2014 - 80% Merlot and 20% CF. A captivating nose of black cherries and blueberries, splendid acidity, strong structure, and great length. Very classic Pomerol reflecting its soil beautifully. 94+p.

2010 - 85% Merlot +15% CF. This wine's blossomed since I tasted it 1.5 years ago. It had a stunning nose of red berries, tremendous intensity on the palate, a strong backbone, and a long persistent aftertaste. As impressive as 2016 and 2015, but both are silkier than in 2015. 95+p.

Excellent wines to taste!!

Pavie Macquin - Nicolas Thienpont, and David Suire succeeded in making high-quality wines in 2015; some are fabulous ones.

2016 Puygueraud (Francs Cotes de Bordeaux) – aromatic, ripe fruit and tannin, dense on the palate, very nice concentration and acidity, smooth aftertaste. Much better than in 2015. 91p.

2016 La Prade (Francs Cotes de Bordeaux) – similar to Pygueraud, spicy, earthy, tannic, and a bit lighter. 90-91p.

2016 Alcée (Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux) - fine acidity, intensity, and complexity, well-defined and with fine length. 91p.

2016 Berliquet - aromatic with black cherries and blackberries, slightly woody, fine balance and complexity, tasty, and fruity finish. 91p.

2016 Larcis Ducasse - blueberries, well-packed with very ripe fruit bordering maturity, great complexity and structure, and a very long finish. 94p.

2016 Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse – excellent nose of black fruit, velvety texture, excellent acidity, great composition, very complex and refined. Stupendous effort. 95p.

2016 Pavie Macquin - beautiful aromatic nose, velvety texture, exceptional depth structure and length, fabulous complexity. Fantastic effort. 97p.

2016 Puygueraud white - freshness, pineapple aroma, acacia flower, lemongrass, fine acidity, splendid balance, and finish. 91-92p.

2016 Charmes Godard white - similar to Puygueraud, but more complex and long on the palate. 92p.

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Thursday, the 6th of April 2017

Ausone - 2016s here are very similar to 2015s.

2016 Fonbel – fresh, elegant, nice complexity, fine structure and length, velvety texture. Well-made. 91p.

2016 Simard - sweet and ripe fruit, nice structure, good acidity, well-balanced with a soft finish. On the light side. 89p.

2016 Haut Simard - a lot of silky and aromatic fruit here, very good structure, depth, and length, well-composed. Lovely effort. 90p.

2016 Moulin St.Georges - splendid nose of blackberries, intense on the palate, delicious with splendid balance, and quite complex. A strong effort, indeed. 91p.

2016 La Clotte - purchased by Alain Vauthier in 2014. Delicious fruit, elegant and finely constructed, round and tasty. A very seductive wine. 90p.

2016 Chapelle d'Ausone - well-knitted and complex wine with a big backbone and considerable depth and length. Excellent for a second wine. 91-92p.

2016 Ausone - immense wine with a healthy oak dosage, stunningly refined and sophisticated, classy elegance, silky fruit, and tannin. Fabulous balance and finish. Truly remarkable wine. 98p.

Cheval Blanc - 2016s here are in line with the property's 2015s.

2016 Quinault L'Enclos - round, fruity, silky, aromatic, elegant with a smooth aftertaste. Very tasty. 89p.

Fine second wine. 2016 Petit Cheval - concentrated and sappy, very good acidity, well-knitted with a persistent finish. 91-92p.

2016 Cheval Blanc - sophisticated and refined, finesse, incredibly complex, rich, velvety texture, great structure, and long aftertaste. A very impressive wine. 97p.

2014 Cheval Blanc - not quite the same level of ripeness and silkiness as in 2016, but there's nothing to complain about. Great complexity, depth, length, polished, excellent acidity, and balance. 96p.

La Confession - the man in charge of all properties, Jean-Philippe Janoueix, is extremely happy about his 2016s, which he believes have an edge over his excellent 2015s.

2016 Croix Mouton - fresh, fine acidity, round, aromatic, silky fruit, persistently fruity finish. 90p.

2016 20 Mille - more intense and bigger structure here than Croix Mouton, deeper and longer on the palate, fine balance, fruity aftertaste. 91p.

2016 Cap St.Georges – very aromatic, loads of ripe sweet fruit, sappy, fine acidity, velvety texture, smooth finish. Splendid effort. 93p.

2016 Sacre Coeur - plenty of dark fruit and ripe tannin, well supported by oak, the scent of truffles, concentrated, complex, and long on the palate. Persistent finish. 93p.

2016 La Confession – tight but at the same time elegant, packed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin, strong structure, and great depth, velvety on the palate. Finishes fruity and long. 94-95p.

2016 La Croix St.Georges - big structure, dense and powerful, loads of dark berries, great complexity, and length. Excellent stuff. 95p.

Canon-La-Gaffeliere

2016 Clos Marsalette - earthy flavors, good acidity, on the light side, tasty. 88p.

2016 d'Aiguilhe - earthy too, spicy, nice concentration, nice structure. 88p.

2016 Clos de L'Oratoire - earthy, oaky, intense dark fruit, persistently fruity finish. 89p.

2016 Canon la Gaffeliere

2016 La Mondotte - very potent, strong, dense, tight, great complexity, rich on the palate with a long finish. Great future expected. 95+p.

2016 Clos Marsalette white - lacks a bit of acidity, supple, fresh, light, round, and pleasant. 88p.

2016 d'Aiguilhe white - green apple, freshness, nice acidity, tasty, round, and fruity. 88p.

Reds from other producer friends:

2016 Rocheyron (St.E. GC) - very oaky but possesses a lot of perfectly ripe fruit, silky tannin, and very good acidity. Fine balance and persistent fruity aftertaste. A very fine effort. 91p.

2016 Le Pin Beausoleil (Bordeaux Superieur) - fruity, round, and pleasant wine to be enjoyed early in life. 88p.

2016 Soleil (Puisseguin St.E) - very aromatic and tasty, seductive, elegant and tasty. 89p.

2016 Le Rival (Lussac St.E) - very nice wine, silky fruit, tannin, velvety texture, and a persistently fruity finish. 89p.

Bourgneuf - Frederique Vayron, the winemaker, made a delicious 2016. Elegant, distinguished, precise, and focused, with silky fruit and tannin. Persistent fruity finish. Heartbreaker wine. 94+p.

As impressive as 2015. 2015 was more expressive and stronger and seemed to put weight in the barrel. 94+p.

2014 showed big acidity, strong backbone, and long firm aftertaste. Classic Bordeaux/Pomerol wine, stylish, lot of stuffing, many years to go. 93p.

L'Eglise Clinet - Denis Durantou has done everything correctly in the 2016 vintage. His wines are as impressive as in 2015.

2016 Saintayme St.Emilion – fresh, nose of black cherries, well-composed, velvety texture, long finish with a fruity scent. 90p.

2016 La Chenade Lalande de Pomerol - more fruit sweetness here, sappy and complex, impressive ripeness of fruit and tannin, long fruity finish. 91-92p.

2016 Les Cruzelles Lalande de Pomerol - a true copy of La Chenade with slightly more concentration and depth. Impressive stuff. 92p.

2016 Montlandrie Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux - earthy flavors, ripe and silky cherry fruit, well supported by oak. 90p.

2016 La Petite Eglise Pomerol – intense, well-knitted, fine balance, impressive complexity, structure, and length. 92+p.

2016 L'Eglise Clinet Pomerol - excellent ripeness and acidity, violets and black cherries everywhere, powerful, deep, and stunningly rich. Fabulous effort. 98-99p.

Belle Brise - Henri-Bruno de Coincy, the owner of Belle Brise, was overly happy when I visited him at the beginning of April 2017. He made an excellent 2016.

2016 - very cherry, gorgeous wine, seamless, fresh, excellent acidity, silky fruit, and tannin, refined and sophisticated. An excellent Pomerol wine with a touch of modern style. 94+p.

2015 - this wine was simply a knock-out for me. Incredibly aromatic, velvety, packed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin, seamless, long, and sophisticated. Very dense nose of black cherries. 95+p.

2014 - black cherries, again and again, do not quite have the same ripeness of fruit and tannin as in 2016 and 2015. Still, it's effortlessly made wine. 92+p.

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Friday the 7th of April 2017

Raymond Lafon -  always great reception by Jean-Pierre Meslier, who did prepare a "little" vertical for me.

2016 - elegant with finesse, refined, splendid acidity with corresponding sweetness, great intensity, and a rich, honeyed finish lasting for a while. One of the better wines in Sauternes & Barsac in 2016. As impressive as 2015 and 2014. 95p.

2015 - fresh, acacia honey, sweet pineapple, fine acidity, excellent sweetness, complexity, and length. 95p.

2014 - excellent acidity, orange peel, peach, apricot, refined and sophisticated, strong sweet finish. 95-96p.

2013 - matches 2014 to a full degree, honey melon, sweet pineapple, great complexity, and acidity, very long and persistent finish. 95-96p. This is an excellent vintage for the property. 95-96p.

2011 - brown sugar, rasp honey, marinated orange peel in sugar, fine acidity and sweetness, splendid intensity, and long finish. Well-made. 94-95p.

2010 - intense, sophisticated, great acidity, a nose of botrytized flavors, honey melon and acacia honey, rich, great structure, and complex, fat honeyed finish. 97p.

2009 - almost similar to 2010, this time, it's less intensity and concentration. Still a stupendous wine. 96p.

Gilette - Gonet-Medeville couple Julie and Xavier steer their properties confidently and successfully. In addition to the properties in Bordeaux, they produce excellent champagne named Gonet. Xavier originates from Champagne.

2016 Respide Medeville red was elegant, fruity, very approachable, and had a velvety texture and smooth finish. 90p.

2016 d'Eyrins (Margaux) owned some intensity, meatness, good structure and concentration, delicate balance, and persistent finish.91p.

2016 Respide Medeville white showed nice freshness and good acidity, the aroma of green apple and acacia flower. Finished well with a caressing fruity finish. 90p.

2016 Les Justices was lightweight but compensated for it with elegance and finesse. 91p.

1996 Gilette is the newest release from Julie and Xavier Gonet-Medeville. 20 years in concrete vats. It had almonds on the nose and palate, brown sugar, excellent complexity and big concentration, pickled mandarins, and a long sugary finish. 95p.

Very classy and refined wine! 1990 Gilette showed great acidity and sweetness, big concentration, great complexity, acacia honey, a strong taste of almonds, and a long finish. 96-97p.

Climens - as usual, tasting several lots and blends of 2016, 8 in all. Learning about vintage quality is always a great lesson for one's tasting abilities. In addition to 2016 barrel samples, I was treated by several older vintages of Grand Vin.

2016 Climens - based on tasted barrel samples, this vintage is close to 2015, maybe slightly less rich and intense. 96-97p.

2015 Cypres de Climens was pleasant and tasty, with good sweetness and acidity. 88p.

2014 Cypres de Climens offered more elegance and less intensity than the 2015 version. 88-89p.

2015 Climens - It doesn't have the acidity of 2014, but intensity and depth were slightly bigger in 2015. 96p.

2014 Climens - exceptional promises, fabulous acidity, richness, and sweetness. 96-97p.

2013 Climens displayed a great intensity of botrytized flavors like orange peel, grapefruit, and pineapple, great acidity, rich and sophisticated, and a long finish. Stunning wine. 95-96p.

2012 Climens was a wine of great finesse and sophisticated touch but significantly lighter in concentration and intensity than f.i. 2013 and 2014. 93p.

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Monday the 10th April 2017

Eight visits that day, and I was accompanied by my friend from Bordeaux, Alexandre Rychlewski (Traduction Aquitaine). Hard work par excellence!

La Lagune

The new cellar at Beychevelle - April 2017

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RATINGS

Grading of my ratings:

98-100p - perfectly made wines, well on the way to becoming legends.

96-98p - truly remarkable wine with a lot of style and class, great potential, fabulously made.

94-96p - very focused wines with great precision, personality, and complexity.

92-94p - remarkable wines with style and class.

90-92p - well-made wines with character and focus.

88-90p - very good quality.

86-88p - correct wines.

+ after rating means that the given wine is better overall than the one without it

Sauternes & Barsac

Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes 91p Broustet Barsac 91-92p Climens Barsac 96-97p Clos Haut-Peyraguey Sauternes 92p Coutet Barsac 93+p de Fargues Sauternes 94+p de Malle Sauternes 92p de Rayne Vigneau Sauternes 93+p Doisy-Daëne Barsac 90p Doisy-Védrines Barsac 92p Guiraud Sauternes 94+p La Tour Blanche Sauternes 94p Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes 94+p Les Justices Sauternes 91p Raymond Lafon Sauternes 95p Sigalas Rabaud Sauternes 93p Suau Sauternes 92p Suduiraut Sauternes 94p Yquem Sauternes 98p

Graves & Pessac-Leognan red

Bouscaut Pessac-Léognan 90p Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan 94p Chantegrive Graves 90p Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan 88p Couhins Lurton Pessac-Léognan 90p Crabitey Graves 88p Cruzeau Pessac-Léognan 88p de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan 92p de France Pessac-Léognan 91p  Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 94-95p Domaine de la Solitude Pessac-Léognan 89p Ferrande Graves 90p Haut Bacalan Pessac-Léognan 89p Haut Bailly 97p Haut-Bergey Pessac-Léognan 91p Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 97-99p Haut Selve Graves 88p La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 92p La Clarence de Haut Brion Pessac-Léognan 91-92p La Louvière Pessac-Léognan 88p La Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 97p La Parde de Haut Bailly 91p Larrivet Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 89-90p Latour-Martillac Pessac-Léognan 89-90p Le Pape Pessac-Léognan 90p Le Sartre Pessac-Léognan 88 L’Esprit de Chevalier 90p Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 96+p Le C de Carmes Pessac-Léognan 91-92p Lespault Martillac Pessac-Léognan 90p Malartic Lagravière Pessac-Léognan 95p Olivier Pessac-Léognan 92p Pape Clément Pessac-Léognan 96p Picque-Caillou Pessac-Léognan 89-90p Rahoul Graves 90p Respide Medeville 90p Roquetaillade La Grange Graves 89p Seguin Pessac-Léognan 94+p Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan 95p

Graves & Pessac-Leognan white 

Bouscaut blanc Pessac-Léognan 90p Carbonnieux blanc Pessac-Léognan 92-93p  Chantegrive blanc (Cuvée Caroline) Graves 88p  Clos Floridene Graves white 88p Clos Marsalette white Pessac-Léognan 88p  Couhins Lurton white Pessac-Léognan 89p Crabitey white Graves 88p Cruzeau white Pessac-Léognan 88-89p de Fieuzal blanc Pessac-Léognan 90p  de France white Pessac-Léognan 90p  Domaine de Chevalier blanc Pessac-Léognan 95-96p Domaine de la Solitude white Pessac-Léognan 89p Ferrande blanc Graves 89p Haut-Bergey white Pessac-Léognan 89p Haut-Brion white Pessac-Léognan 97p La Clarté de Haut-Brion (white) Pessac-Léognan 92p La Louvière white Pessac-Léognan 90p La Mission Haut-Brion white Pessac-Léognan 95p Larrivet Haut-Brion white Pessac-Léognan 90p Latour-Martillac white Pessac-Léognan 89-90p Le Sartre white Pessac-Léognan 88p L’Esprit de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan white 91p Lespault Martillac white Pessac-Léognan 92p Malartic Lagravière white Pessac-Léognan 95p Olivier white Pessac-Léognan 90p Pape Clément white Pessac-Léognan 90p Picque-Caillou white Pessac-Léognan 90p Rahoul white Graves 89p Respide Medeville white Graves 90p Rochemorin white Pessac-Léognan 88p Smith Haut Lafitte blanc Pessac-Léognan 94p

Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur, Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux, Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux, Cotes de Bourg and Francs Cotes de Bordeaux

20 Mille Bordeaux Supérieur 91-92p Acte 8 G de Guinaudeau Bordeaux Superieur 91p d’Aiguilhe Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 88p d’Aiguilhe white Bordeaux 88p Aile d'Argent blanc Bordeaux 92p Alcée Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 91p Ampelia Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 90p Bad Boy Bordeaux Clarendelle Bordeaux 88p Clos des Lunes Lunes Blanche Bordeaux 88p Clos des Lunes Lunes d'Argent Bordeaux 89p Clos des Lunes Lunes d'Or Bordeaux 90-91p Clos Lunelles Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 91 Cos d’Estournel white Bordeaux 92p Cote Montpezat Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 91p Croix-Mouton Bordeaux Supérieur 90-91pp de Francs Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 90p de Reignac Bordeaux Superieur 89p Domaine des Cambes Bordeaux 89p Domaine Virginie Thunevin Bordeaux 90p  Girolate Bordeaux 87 Grand Village Bordeaux Supérieur 92p Grand Village blanc Bordeaux 91-92p Haut Bertinerie Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux 90p La Prade Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 90-91p L'Aurage Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 90p Laussac Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 89p Laussac, Cuvée Sascha Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 89p Le Nardian (white) Bordeaux 91-92p L'Esprit de Pavie Bordeaux 90-91p Le Pin Beausoleil Bordeaux Superieur 88p Les Champs Libres (white) Bordeaux 92p Les Charmes Godard white Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 92p Monbousquet  white Bordeaux 90p Montlandrie Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 90p Mont Perat Bordeaux 88p Pavillon Blanc de Margaux Bordeaux 93p Puy Arnaud Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 90p Puygueraud Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 91p Puygueraud blanc Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 92p Roc de Cambes Côtes de Bourg 93p Suduiraut blanc dry Bordeaux 91p S de Suduiraut VV 91+p Tour de Mirambeau Cuvée Passion Bordeaux 89p Veyry Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 90p Virginie Thunevin Bordeaux 90p

Médoc/Haut Médoc 

D’Agassac Haut Médoc 87p D’Arcins Haut Médoc 87p Beaumont Haut Médoc 89p Belgrave Haut Médoc 89-90p Camensac Haut Médoc 89-90p Cantemerle Haut Médoc 90p La Chapelle de Potensac Médoc 87p Citran Haut Médoc 90p Coufran Haut Médoc 91-92p Goulée Medóc 91p de Lamarque Haut Médoc 90-91p La Lagune Haut Médoc 95-96p Malescasse Haut Médoc 88p La Tour Carnet Haut Médoc 90-91p La Tour de By Médoc 88p Potensac Haut Médoc 90p

Listrac & Moulis

Chasse Spleen Moulis 90p Clarke Listrac 88-89p Fonréaud Listrac 89p Fourcas Dupré Listrac 88p Fourcas Hosten Listrac 88p Maucaillou Moulis 91p Poujeaux Moulis 91p

Margaux

Alter Ego 93p Brane-Cantenac 95p Cantenac Brown 95p d'Angludet 89p Clos Margalaine 90p Dauzac 92-93p Desmirail 93p Dufort Vivens 92-93p des Eyrins 91p du Tertre 91-92p Ferrière 92p Giscours 94-95p Kirwan 92-93p Labégorce 92p Lascombes 93-94p Malescot Saint-Exupéry 94-95p Ch. Margaux 97p Marojalia 90p Marquis d'Alesme 94+p Marquis de Terme 92-93p Monbrison 92p Palmer 96p Pavillon Rouge de Margaux 93p Prieuré-Lichine 91p Rauzan Gassies 92-93p Rauzan-Ségla 93-94p Siran 91p

Saint-Julien

Amiral de Beychevelle 90p Beychevelle 95+p Branaire Ducru 92p Clos de Marquis 93p Gloria 92-93p Gruaud Larose 92+p La Petite Marquise 89p Lagrange 92-93p Langoa Barton 93p Le Petit Lion 92p Léoville Barton 94-95p Leoville Las Cases 98+p Léoville Poyferré 95+p Moulin Riche 91p Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre 90p Saint-Pierre 93-94p Talbot 93+p

Pauillac

Batailley 93p Carruades de Lafite 92p Clerc Milon 93p Croizet-Bages 91-92p d'Armailhac 93p Duhart-Milon 92-93p Fonbadet 88p Grand-Puy Ducasse 93p Haut-Bages Libéral 93p Lafite Rothschild 98-99p Latour 98-100p Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild 91-92p Les Forts de Latour 93p Les Griffons de Pichon Baron 91+p Les Tourelles de Longueville 91p Lynch-Bages 93p Lynch-Moussas 92-93p Mouton-Rothschild 99-100p Pauillac de Latour 91p Pibran 92p Pichon Baron 97+p Pichon Comtesse 98+ Pontet-Canet 95-96p Reserve de La Comtesse 91p

Saint-Estephe

Calon-Ségur 96p Capbern 91-92p Cos d’Estournel 97p Cos Labory 93p de Pez 92-93p La Dame de Montrose 92p Lafon-Rochet 92p Le Crock 91p Le Marquis de Calon 91p Les Ormes de Pez 91-92p Montrose 98p Pagodes de Cos 91-92p Phélan Ségur 92p Tronquoy-Lalande 91p

Canon-Fronsac/Fronsac

Dalem Fronsac 89-90p de La Riviere Fronsac 91p Fontenil Fronsac 91p Gaby Canon-Fronsac 89p Haut Carles Fronsac 91-92p La Dauphine Fronsac 91p Les Troix Croix Fronsac 92p Moulin Haut Laroque Fronsac 91-92p Moulin Pey Labrie Canon Fronsac 91-92p Villars Fronsac 89p

Lalande de Pomerol

de Chambrun 90-91p de Viaud 88p Domaine de Gachet 90p Domaine des Sabines 91p Grand Ormeau 90-91p La Chenade 91-92p La Gravière 90p La Sergue 88p L'Ambroisie du Chateau La Croix des Moines 91-92p Les Cruzelles 92p Perron La Fleur 90p Plaisir de Siaurac 86p St.Jean de Lavaud  89p Siaurac 89p Tournefeuille 88p

Pomerol

Beauregard 92p Beau Soleil 88-89p Bellegrave 89p Belle Brise 94+p Bonalgue 90-91p Bourgneuf 94+p Cantelauze 94-95p Certan de May 95-96p Clinet 96+p Clos de la Vieille Eglise 92p Clos du Clocher 89p Clos Vieux Taillefer 88-89p Domaine de Compostelle 87p Feytit Clinet 90p Fugue de Nenin 88p Gazin 90p Haut Maillet 92p La Cabanne 95+p La Clemence 92p La Commanderie 92p La Conseillante 96-97p La Croix de Gay 92p La Croix Saint-Georges 95p La Fleur de Gay 91p La Petite Eglise 92p La Pointe 92p La Rose Figeac 88p La Violette 94-95p Lafleur 98-100p Le Bon Pasteur 92p Le Clos du Beau-Père 90p Lecuyer 91p Le Gay 94-95p Le Jardin de Petit Village 89p Le Pin 98-99p L'Eglise-Clinet 98-99p L’Enclos 91p Les Pensées de Lafleur 93p Manoir de Gay 91p Mazeyres 90p Montviel 90p Nenin 92p Petit-Village 96+p Petrus 98+p Rouget 90p Sácre Coeur 93p Taillefer 89p Vieux Château Certan 97-98p Vieux Maillet 89p Vray Croix de Gay 90p

Montagne Saint-Emilion/Puisseguin Saint-Emilion/St. Georges Saint-Emilion

Calon St.Georges-Saint-Emilion 91p Cap St.George St.Georges-Saint-Emilion 93p La Papeterie Montagne Saint-Emilion 90p Soleil Puisseguin Saint Emilion 89p

Saint-Emilion

Amélisse/Saintayme 90-91p Angelique de Monbousquet 89p Aromes de Pavie 89p Ausone 98-99p Balestard La Tonnelle 90p Beausejour Duffau 95p Bel-Air Ouy 91-92p Bellevue Mondotte 97+p Bellefont Belcier 92p Berliquet 91p Canon 97+p Canon La Gaffelière 92p Cap de Faugeres 91p Cap de Mourlin 91p Cheval Blanc 97-99p Clos Badon Thunevin 89+p Clos Dubreil 89p Clos de L’Oratoire 89p Clos des Prince 89p Clos de Sarpe 91p Clos Fourtet 93-94p Clos La Madeleine 92p Clos St. Martin 92+p Corbin 94p Corbin Michotte 94p Cote de Baleau 92p Croix Canon 90-91p Dassault 91p Destieux 91-92p Domaine des Gourdins 89p Faugeres 90p Figeac 97+p Fleur Cardinale 95p Fombrauge 91-92p Fonbel 91p Fonplegade 91-92p Fonroque 91-92p Franc-Mayne 93p Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac 89-90p Grand Corbin Despagne 91-92p Grand Mayne 91-92p Grand Pontet 92p Grandes Murailles 92p Harmonie 91-92p Haut Simard 90p La Chapelle d'Ausone 91-92p La Clotte 90p La Confession 94-95p La Couspade 92-93p La Croizille 91p La Dominique 92p La Mondotte 95+p La Tour Figeac 91-92p Laforge 91-92p Larcis Ducasse 94p Larmande 92-93p Laroze 89p Le Carre 88p Le Dôme 96+p Le Dragon de Quintus 89p Le Pontet Labrie 92p Le Prieure 89p Les Asteries 92+p L’If 94-95p L’Interdite de Valandraud 92p Lynsolence 89p Magnan La Gaffeliere 89p Magrez Fombrauge 93+p Mangot 91-92p Mangot Todeschini 92p Monbousquet 92p Montlabert 90p Moulin du Cadet 92p Moulin Saint-Georges 91p Pavie 98p Pavie Decesse 97p Pavie-Macquin 97p Peby Faugeres 90p Petit Cheval 91-92p Quinault L'Enclos 89p Quintus 92-93p Sansonnet 92p Simard 88p Soutard 93p Tertre Roteboeuf 98p-99p Teyssier 91p Tour Baladoz 91+p Tour St. Christophe 91p Troplong Mondot 96-97p Trottevieille 94-95p Valandraud 97p Vieux Chateau Mazerat 95+p Villemaurine 89p Virginie de Valandraud 92 Yon Figeac 89-90p