thewinesociety.com/bordeaux

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1 GTSEP17 thewinesociety.com/bordeaux

2 Your guided tour of a fabulous wine region I ve been driving round Bordeaux s communes for many years. I d like to invite you to join me for a Grand Tour of the region in these pages, taking in 40 wines that showcase the character of its different appellations. Over half of the wines are from the 2009 and vintages, widely considered to be two of the finest in a generation. Bordeaux is the largest and most famous fine-wine region in the world. Its reds, or clarets, can be some of the most long-lived and complex anywhere, and there are many villages or communes with their own distinctive styles. A number of excellent-value options await, from keenly priced Médocs and satellite right-bank appellations to second wines, made from grapes that didn t quite make it into the grand vin of a classed-growth property. These wines are made with the same care and exhibit much of the character of their senior (and considerably more expensive) siblings. Should the occasion demand grand vin, of course, there s some of that too. Our tour ends with a selection of white wines. Bordeaux s luscious sweet whites, notably Sauternes, are without equal and its dry whites can give white Burgundy a run for its money. Most of the wines were purchased by The Society en primeur (whilst still in barrel) and shipped shortly after bottling; they have been maturing undisturbed in our temperaturecontrolled cellars until now. All are ready for drinking, but most will keep for several years more, as you ll see from the drinking windows provided. Tim Sykes Society Buyer (and tour guide!) THE LEFT BANK Haut-Médoc: elegance and intensity We begin in a large region that spans the north and south of the left bank. However, the Haut- Médocs are generally from the southern, slightly higher part of the Médoc appellation nearest to Bordeaux. These wines have more elegance, intensity of flavour and finesse than those labelled simply Médoc. Château Charmail, Haut-Médoc An exceptional wine in the superb vintage, in which the cabernet sauvignon grapes ripened fully to produce a concentrated, intense claret with good depth of flavour. Classic Haut-Médoc, lovely now but with the structure to last. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 216 dozen Château Malescasse, Haut-Médoc 2009 A top-drawer claret at its peak of drinkability, with an attractive garnet colour, a very lovely mature nose of cassis and mocha coffee and sweet, dark-fruit character on the palate. Decant this fresh, balanced and traditional claret 30 minutes before drinking to reveal the full gamut of aromas and flavours. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 234 dozen Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc 2009 A hugely successful vintage for one of the most charming and affordable of all classed-growth clarets. The accent, as ever, is on providing a lovely well-balanced wine for enjoyable drinking. Classic, savoury left-bank claret. Now to % ref GT-CM14121 Saint-Estèphe: savoury, structured and superb value Our tour moves on to the top left bank appellations, beginning with Saint-Estèphe in the north. The deep clay-rich soil here produces solid, fruity wines and conspicuously good prices. Château Capbern Gasqueton Saint- Estèphe 2012 From the same stable as Saint-Estèphe star Calon Ségur, this is a blend of two-thirds cabernet sauvignon and one-third merlot. The 2012 has an appealing red-berry aroma and is remarkably supple and approachable on the palate. Polished and fresh on the finish. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 210 dozen Le Marquis de Calon Ségur, Saint- Estèphe The second wine of Calon Ségur is a classically framed, well-structured Saint-Estèphe with a deep ruby colour, herbal and tobacco notes on the nose and intense, dark-fruit character on the palate. Decanting will unlock its full personality. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 324 dozen Château Ormes de Pez, Saint-Estèphe Made by the talented Lynch-Bages team from 57% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot, this is a generous, bright-tasting full-flavoured and vibrant claret, already delivering a great deal of pleasure. Now to % ref GT-CM14961A Château Tronquoy-Lalande, Saint- Estèphe 2009 Under the same ownership as Saint-Estèphe star Château Montrose, this is a splendid, well-structured wine from a particularly ripe vintage. Intense and savoury fruit overlays the wine s muscular framework. This is starting to hit its stride. Now to % ref GT-CM14091A bottle 390 dozen Key - bone dry to intensely sweet screwcap synthetic closure

3 Pauillac: the standard-bearer More than any other Bordeaux commune, Pauillac produces the archetypal claret: deep, intense, full, distinctive and fine an iron fist in a velvet glove. Lacoste Borie, Pauillac With more than a hint of Grand-Puy-Lacoste s class and finesse, the second wine from this world-renowned property delivers bags of Pauillac character at a sensible price. Delicious now, but still approaching its peak. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 300 dozen Moulin de Duhart, Pauillac The second wine of Rothschild property Château Duhart-Milon, this is a blend of younger-vine cabernet sauvignon (51%) and merlot, matured for ten months in barrel and ten in vats. Made for earlier drinking than the grand vin, it delivers true Pauillac refinement nevertheless. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 324 dozen Château Croizet-Bages, Pauillac Benchmark Pauillac with deep colour, classic dark fruit and forest-floor perfume. Powerful but not tannic, with richness and concentration, this is now starting to show its true colours, but will develop further in the coming years. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 360 dozen Château Batailley, Pauillac 2009 Ripe and fragrant with excellent structure, this is a remarkable success from a popular property whose consistently good wines have moved up a notch in quality over the past 15 years. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 480 dozen Saint-Julien: bewitching and harmonious Sandwiched between Pauillac to the north and Margaux to the south, Saint-Julien produces harmonious wines combining power and finesse with rich mid-palate fruit. Château Haut-Beychevelle Gloria, Saint-Julien 2012 A polished and attractively perfumed Saint-Julien from a tiny five-hectare property belonging to the Martin family, who also own Châteaux Saint-Pierre and Gloria. Ripe, refined tannins add a touch of class. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 240 dozen Les Fiefs de Lagrange, Saint-Julien The team at Lagrange considers to be amongst the property s best vintages ever. The second wine, Les Fiefs, made up half of the crop, and represents great value. This has the hallmark depth of flavour and ripe berry-fruit character of Médoc wines from this outstanding vintage, and is ready to drink, though there is no great rush. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 288 dozen Hortevie, Saint-Julien The Borie family of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou has added extra polish and finesse to the wines since they bought this neighbouring vineyard. The has both the muscle of this great year and Saint-Julien s typical cedary quality, and fine length. Approachable now if decanted, but may be cellared to % ref GT-CM bottle 360 dozen Château Moulin-Riche, Saint-Julien 2009 Ripe, round and full with 7% exceptional petit verdot contributing freshness to 65% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot. The vineyard, owned by the Cuveliers of Léoville Poyferré, is in the north-west of Saint-Julien between Gloria and Batailley. Now to % ref GT-CM13761 Margaux: finesse in a bottle Intensely flavoured but never heavy, the best wines of Margaux are perfumed, mediumbodied and refined. Baron de Brane, Margaux 2012 The second wine of rising star Brane-Cantenac, this elegant and appetising Margaux is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 7% cabernet franc. It reveals fresh, vibrant fruit character on the palate and a long finish. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 276 dozen Château Angludet, Margaux 2012 A delicious, relatively early-drinking vintage of Angludet, with 12% petit verdot adding depth of flavour and mid-palate weight to complement fine, ripe merlot with this year s gentler cabernet. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 300 dozen Ségla, Margaux We think that this second wine of Rauzan-Ségla, indisputably one of the top three estates in Margaux, represents excellent value for money. It will repay further keeping (owing to its 63% cabernet sauvignon in the blend) but already shows true Margaux finesse and depth of flavour. Now to % ref GT-CM14921 Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux 2009 An outstanding claret from the on-form Henri Lurton, which shone at a recent tasting of several vintages he presented to Society members. With an entrancing bouquet and exquisite balance, this is an utterly delightful claret which will give pleasure for years to come. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 828 dozen

4 Listrac & Moulis: character and value These two regions sit just north of Margaux, but in the inland part of the Médoc. In the past the wines of Listrac tended to be rather tough, but with greater recent accent on fruit there are excellent, good-value wines to be found here. A high level of chalk in nearby Moulis lends the wines their fine character. Château Moulin du Bourg, Listrac- Médoc 2012 The second wine of Château Fourcas-Borie, now owned by the Borie family of famed Saint-Julien property Ducru-Beaucaillou, and whose first vintage here was Smooth on the palate for a Listrac with a clean and fresh flavour. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 141 dozen Château Duplessis, Moulis Marie-Laure Lurton s carefully tended vineyard, a model example of sustainable viticulture, produced a generously flavoured, balanced, fresh-tasting claret in. Excellent value and a delight to drink. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 155 dozen Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc 2011 A savoury, satisfying blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon and 42% merlot, with a dash of petit verdot for added spice. This is starting to show its true colours, with an attractive gamey character and a hint of stone fruits on the finish. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 192 dozen Château Fourcas-Borie, Listrac-Médoc Another wine with the magic touch of Ducru-Beaucaillou s Borie family. Since they took over this property, previously called Fourcas-Dumont, a good wine has got even better. The is a spicy well-structured claret with bright fresh fruit from 70% merlot with 15% each cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Now to % ref GT-CM14881 Graves & Pessac- Léognan: fresh, fine and smooth We end our tour of the left bank in the finest part of the southern Graves district, close to the town of Bordeaux. Péssac- Léognan s wines display fresh fruit and fine bouquet with a smooth finish and medium weight. The region is well known both for red and white wines, of which more later. Clos Floridène, Graves 2012 From one of the most consistent-performing properties of the Graves appellation, this blend of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 45% merlot and 5% cabernet franc shows real charm and refinement, with plummy fruit character and silky tannins. A classic Graves. Now to % ref GT-CM16801 Château Ferran, Pessac-Léognan This historic property in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation has been in the same family for five generations, and in this great year the current generation made a harmonious, supple wine. A blend of majority merlot with cabernet sauvignon in support, now ready to be savoured. Now to % ref GT-CM16751 La Parde de Haut-Bailly, Pessac- Léognan 2011 The second wine of Haut-Bailly, one of Pessac-Léognan s foremost châteaux, this is an appealing blend of 65% merlot and 35% cabernet sauvignon, with real purity of fruit. A bouquet of bilberries and leather gives way to cinnamon and toasty oak notes on the finish. A benchmark Graves with plenty of life ahead. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 270 dozen Château La Garde, Pessac-Léognan A dense, modern-style expression of the commune, with sweet, lush, concentrated fruit overlaying a good structure. Owners Dourthe think this is one of the best vintages they ve made here. Now to % ref GT-CM bottle 276 dozen THE RIGHT BANK Fronsac: an ageworthy gem We now move to the right bank. Contrary to the generally cabernet sauvignondominated wines of the left bank, merlot and cabernet franc are king here. Fronsac is an historic but oft-underrated region producing solid, robust wines which can develop a velvety palate when mature. Château La Dauphine, Fronsac A spectacular success, combining real finesse and quality with velvety texture. A wine of impressive power and concentration. Now to % ref GT-CS7941A 20 bottle 240 dozen Pomerol & Lalandede-Pomerol: velvety and decadent Just to the east of Fronsac lies the famed district of Pomerol. These wines are rich in flavour and velvety in texture, normally having a high proportion of merlot. The wines from neighbouring Lalande-de-Pomerol are not dissimilar in style, and, though less complex on the palate, are considerably less expensive. Château de la Commanderie, Lalandede-Pomerol 2011 A supple and approachable wine with a cedar perfume and ripe merlot fruit on the palate, before a fresh, appetising and lifted finish. Now to % ref GT-CS bottle 162 dozen Château de Valois, Pomerol 2012 A traditional Pomerol from a small property with a burgeoning reputation. A blend of 77% merlot, 19% cabernet franc and 4% cabernet sauvignon, this 2012 displays a cedary nose with a touch of spice after maturation for some 15 months in one-third new barrels. On the palate it is refined and well balanced, and will reach its peak in another year or so, but is approachable now if decanted. Now to % ref GT-CS bottle 288 dozen Château Moulinet-Lasserre, Pomerol 2011 An attractive, beautifully balanced and classically styled Pomerol with gravelly merlot perfume and fruit, fine-grained tannins and a long, lingering finish. Like many 2011s, this is starting to open up now, although there is no hurry to drink it. Now to % ref GT-CS bottle 324 dozen To order thewinesociety.com/bordeaux

5 THE RIGHT BANK Saint-Emilion: flagship merlot-based blends South of Pomerol lies the right bank s other titan, Saint-Emilion. Here, too, merlot is the dominant grape. The wines tend to be rich, deeply coloured, spicy and ripe, with the best showing wonderful generosity and concentration. Château La Grâce Dieu des Prieurs, Saint-Emilion A modern, creamy-textured Saint-Emilion made from 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc, the wine has deep colour, and a nose of black cherry and vanilla, with ripe tannin structure and a long, lingering finish. Perfect with venison, beef or game. Now to % ref GT-CS bottle 179 dozen Château Puy-Blanquet, Saint-Emilion From a 20-hectare property in the commune of Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, this is 75% merlot with striking fragrant bouquet, plenty of flesh in the middle palate and a touch of grip on the finish. Now to % ref GT-CS7921 Château Vieux Clos, Saint-Emilion Lovely freshness and fragrance this year gives this consistently attractive Saint-Emilion extra lift and charm. The owner, a nurseryman, takes particular care of his vines, and the is his greatest success to date, we think. A blend of 50% merlot, 40% cabernet franc and 10% malbec. Now to % ref GT-CS bottle 210 dozen Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux: two very smart buys Our tour of the right bank ends with a clutch of superb finds from Castillon. Neighbouring Saint-Emilion, and with similar soils, this historic region produces excellent-value merlot-dominant wines. The best have the capacity to age well. Madame Château de Pitray, Côtes de Castillon 2009 A flagship cuvée, a much-loved estate and a fine, generous vintage have conspired to offer this rich, ripe and full-flavoured wine, now at its peak of drinkability. This offers delicious proof that Castillon can produce wines that rival neighbouring Saint-Emilion for quality. Now to % ref GT-CB3331 Château d Aiguilhe, Côtes de Castillon 2007 From the top property in the Côtes de Castillon, and a past Wine Champions winner in our extensive annual blind tasting, this delightful wine is nearing its peak, displaying lovely balance, with plush medium-bodied fruit and a long, mellow finish. Now to % ref GT-CB bottle 240 dozen DRY WHITE WINES The best dry whites from Bordeaux, normally made from semillon or sauvignon blanc (or a combination of the two) and aged in oak barrels, can match white Burgundy for quality, but usually at a more affordable price. Overall, these are probably the most under-appreciated wines of Bordeaux. G de Château Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc 2015 A classy dry white from a top sweet-wine producer, aged for seven months in Sauternes barrels. The result is a harmoniously balanced wine with mouthwatering, aromatic fruit character and a long finish. Now to % ref GT-BW bottle 174 dozen Château Latour-Martillac Blanc, Pessac- Léognan 2011 A beautifully balanced and deliciously complex dry white from one of the top estates in Pessac-Léognan. A blend of 65% sauvignon and 35% semillon, this wine is now at its peak of drinking pleasure, and a fine example of the benefits of bottle age. Now to % ref GT-BW bottle 354 dozen To order thewinesociety.com/bordeaux

6 SWEET WHITE WINE Sauternes: sublime sweet nectar Sweet and concentrated, barrel-fermented wines that are often copied but rarely matched for sheer complexity and depth of flavour. The grapes are often affected by noble rot, which concentrates the sugars and provides sublime, food-friendly wines with great ageing potential. Half bottle of The Society s Exhibition Sauternes 2014 Delicious fruity, fragrant and luscious Sauternes made at the Dubourdieus small, beautifully managed estate, Cantegril. The 2014 has lovely freshness and makes the perfect partner for creamy, salty cheeses or rich pâté. Now to % ref GT-BW half bottle Château Raymond-Lafon, Sauternes This has always been a first-rate property but the shone particularly brightly in our comparative tastings of top Sauternes from the vintage. A spicy and aromatic wine, whose sweetness is balanced beautifully by fresh acidity, and offering wonderful length of flavour. Now to % ref GT-BW bottle 360 dozen LEFT-BANK BORDEAUX Six classic expressions of the Médoc style. Drink or store to 2020 A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following wines: Château Capbern Gasqueton, Saint- Estèphe 2012 Lacoste Borie, Pauillac Château Haut-Beychevelle Gloria, Saint-Julien 2012 Baron de Brane, Margaux 2012 Château Fourcas-Borie, Listrac Château Malescasse, Haut-Médoc 2009 GT-MX17203 RIGHT-BANK BORDEAUX Six merlot-rich classics from four appellations. Drink or store to 2020 A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following wines: Château Vieux Clos, Saint-Emilion Château Puy-Blanquet, Saint-Emilion Château de Valois, Pomerol 2012 Château Mouline-Lasserre, Pomerol 2011 Château de la Commanderie, Lalande-de- Pomerol 2011 Château La Dauphine, Fronsac GT-MX AND BORDEAUX MIX The fruits of two outstanding claret vintages. Drink or store to 2020 A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following wines: Château Tronquoy-Lalande, Saint-Estèphe 2009 Château Moulin Riche, Saint-Julien 2009 Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc 2009 Moulin de Duhart, Pauillac Lacoste Borie, Pauillac Hortevie, Saint-Julien GT-MX17205 This offer is open until Sunday 15th October, 2017 while stocks last. Uncork with confidence The Wine Society is a mutual organisation, so our members satisfaction is paramount. If, for any reason, you haven t enjoyed a wine we want to hear about it and will happily offer a credit, a replacement or a refund. thewinesociety.com/promise To order thewinesociety.com/bordeaux