BORDEAUX En Primeur report. Linden Wilkie, June 2018

Transcription

1 BORDEAUX 2017 En Primeur report Linden Wilkie, June 2018

2 TOP TEN 1. Château Latour, (will not be available en primeur) 2. Château L Evangile, Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Château Ducru Beaucaillou, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Château Haut Bailly, Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Château La Conseillante, Château Enclos Tourmaline, *This year due to the (mis-)alignment of Easter, The UGC En Primeurs tastings and our extended Burghound Symposium, I wasn t able to visit Bordeaux during the UGC week. I went three weeks later. That had four effects 1. I missed all the walk-around UGC tastings (and some others) that allow for rapid coverage of a lot of chateaux; 2. When I did visit the châteaux, they often had more time to spare which meant for a richer visit but even fewer of them; 3. Many châteaux had either chosen to close during the week of my visit, or had waited to then to perform racking (the addition of SO2 during this process leading to samples not being made and offered), and; 4. Generally châteaux representatives said the samples showed much better during the week of my visit than they had shown three weeks prior when most journalists and trade visited. TOP TEN FOR VALUE 1. Château Lafon Rochet, Château Carbonnieux Blanc, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc, Château Haut Bailly, Château Pichon Baron, Château Enclos Tourmaline, Château Pontet Canet, Château Ducru Beaucaillou, This list is compiled using a highly scientific process called «eye-balling». I look at the score, and what I thought of the wine, I consider the likely price range, and I ask myself is this really great quality for the price? I then rank them via a careful amalgam of price and emotion. Would I buy any of these wines for myself? Yes, undoubtedly. The upshot is that there are a few key wines missing my apologies for that. Next year, I will be there during the UGC week and will produce a more comprehensive report. P.2

3 WEATHER, CHALLENGES AND CHARACTER OF THE VINTAGE By now you will no doubt have heard the key word for 2017 a lot frost. It reduced the total production by around 45%, and hit hard because it followed an early budbreak after a warm start to the season as always, not evenly. The Right Bank, Graves and Southern Médoc were harder hit than the northern Médoc. When you drill down to specifics, the frost cut through some vineyards wrecking this row, entirely sparing the next row. Some producers lost everything, and some producers lost nothing. As always, terroir is not egalitarian. The best terroirs often spare the vigneron the worst of any given condition, and it is true in 2017 that most of the best terroirs were spared the frost. C est la vie. Summer was good, and in particular August was hot. As Christian Seely at Château Pichon Baron said, in 2014 there was a cool summer and the grapes ripened at the end. In 2017 the grapes ripened during July and August, and the style is therefore totally different, especially in the acidity. There is a mid-palate in 2017 that can only come from what July and August gave. There was a bit of rain in September, but generally conditions were fine at harvest and those who wished to could wait for optimum ripeness. The risk posed to those frosted was that second generation fruit may have ripened by the time of the harvest, but would not have been at optimal ripeness like first generation fruit. Selection here was key. This difference in ripness probably accounts for the sometimes substantial drop in quality between first labels and second wines at some estates, compared to other years where the crop is more homogenous. At Château Prieuré Lichine P.3

4 IMPRESSIONS OF THE VINTAGE, AS SAMPLED Overall, I like this vintage. The 2015 vintage is rather grand (though, in some cases, perhaps too so Bordeaux trading away its renowned balance and digestibility in favour of fat showy wines other regions can do as well or better), and 2016 is quite hard to beat. After re-tasting a few 2016s here and there, overall I think it is a superior year to Few would argue. But the best of the 2017 reds showed real classicism and harmony, perfect healthy ripeness and buoyancy, and no excess. The wines in the northern Médoc in particular showed very well. I hope you will forgive me the repetition of so many words in tasting notes. It s tempting when tasting a similar vintage-derived characteristic to use different phrases to avoid boredom, but I try to be as true and clear as I can even if that means describing one wine much like the next because it is! But the words juicy, and vibrant came up a lot. Every now and then I refer to summer pudding an English dessert comprised of summer berries like raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, blackcurrants and blackberries encased in white bread slices, the whole thing macerated in the extracted juice (plus some icing sugar) of some of the berries. It has a very intense, tangy fresh summer berry taste, but it is a very different sort of opulence to something like a fruit tart (caramelized fruits), or a Xmas pudding (dried fruits and very rich). I would say this summer pudding analogy is a good motif for the character of the best of 2017 ripe, vibrant, balanced. Wait for some tasting notes of the wines in bottle to see. The few whites I tasted were also superb neither too lean, nor too fat, they are juicy and vibrant. Generally, I think 2017 is a year to buy some whites, and given that these can be drunk young (as well as cellared) there is a good case to be made for en primeur buying for these. Overall, the good news is that there are quite a number of real successes in Is 2016 overall a better vintage than 2017? Yes. Does that matter? No. Because as enthusiasts, we are not buying a vintage; we are buying individual wine selections. To underscore this point, here is a small list of châteaux where I liked the 2017 more than the 2016 or 2015 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, La Conseillante, La Violette, Pontet- Canet, Malartic-Lagraviére Blanc, Carbonnieux Blanc, Domaine de Chevalier (both), and despite rating 2015 Château Latour 97-98, 2016 Château Latour , I rated 2017 Château Latour All three are fabulous (though none are available!). Château Lafon-Rochet made the best wine I have ever tasted from them in 2017 (and it tops my list for quality/value in 2017). In the less good wines there is some astringency and bitterness, or simply a flatness, a dullness to the wines. At this stage whether or not to buy en primeur I d simply rule all these wines out, even if there is a chance they will be fine later on. P.4

5 CAVEATS TO THIS WHOLE EN PRIMEUR TASTING EXERCISE There s an argument to be made that tasting a wine from barrel and trying to pinpoint its quality especially numerically is like interviewing a toddler for a future post-graduate scholarship. We buy these wines because we want the pleasure they will give when mature, but we buy them as infants. It s an exercise in extreme telescoping. Wine goes through more rapid change during its elevage in cask than it ever will during any 18-month period in bottle. En primeur samples are in theory representative of the final blend that will be bottled in A sample is drawn from a variety of casks some new, some used, different plots, varieties, to approximate what the final bottled blend will be. It s unfinished wine. It is also more temperamental and fragile than a sample from a bottle of finished wine. Sometimes a sample can lose its lustre especially those made up in a batch a few days prior. Where I tasted the same wine in two different occasions I have included both tasting notes in this report. WHY BUY THE 2017S EN PRIMEUR? My blunt answer to this is that you probably don t need to buy the 2017s en primeur. By buying futures you, the consumer, are funding, providing cashflow to the merchant (us!), the négociants we buy from, and in turn the châteaux by buying the wines as futures. This makes sense if the price of the wine will be higher (or you might hope, much higher) later than now. The offers we have seen so far in the campaign do look reasonable, but at the time of writing there is not much buzz in the market about So, I feel fairly neutral about the economic argument for buying 2017s now. You ll have to judge which way the wind is blowing yourself. Of course, as I wrote earlier, you are not buying a vintage, you are buying certain wine selections cherry-picked from within it. There s a good cellar-flow to buying en primeur each year. You are busy, you focus this month on what to buy, buy it, job done. There are also going to be scarcer wines, or hot wines that will be harder to source later. Want some Enclos Tourmaline? The 2,000 bottle production will be sold and packed in 3-bottle cases. It s now or never with wines like these. You will also have the assurance of provenance right from the start, can specify bottle formats other than 750ml (especially useful if 2017 is the year you got married, had a baby, etc). We would be happy to help with any special requests for large formats here. Finally, let me repeat, do buy the whites! P.5

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7 Château Smith Haut Lafitte AN ASIDE - INVESTMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS OF NOTE There s a positive feeling when you visit Bordeaux today. Good prices have meant good cashflow for the châteaux, and many have had the good fortune to hold back stock, or invest in new improvements, or both. Absolute state of the art gravity-flow wineries with a mix of the latest conical stainless steel, amphora and eggs, etc, is becoming a more common sight, and not just at the very top of the ladder. A case in point: Château Pédesclaux a 5th growth Pauillac that was, frankly, nowhere a few short years ago. Pédesclaux was purchased in 2009 by Jacky Lorenzetti. With Emmanuel Cruse his partner at Margaux 3ème Cru Château d Issan Pédesclaux has been expanded from 26ha to 41ha, vineyards and viticultural work improved and a state of the art natural-light, gravity-flow winery built. Pédesclaux is performing well up the Pauillac pack now, and in a field where many other châteaux are also improving. We may yearn for some of the bargain prices of the past, but frankly today we are getting better wine, and with more choice and competition. Cult wines aside, in today s market I actually think of Bordeaux as great value for money and it s because of the selections, and the actual work done by the people there today as much as it is the favourable Bordeaux terroirs. THANKS Special thanks to Emmanuel Coiffe from Magenta Selections for several days in his car zooming around the Bordeaux countryside from château to château, to Alexi Dasté and Valérie Clerc Rebiere from Clarence Dillon for a tasting at their offices, to Frédéric Lospied and the team at Jean-Pierre Moueix, to James Suckling for allowing me to catch up on a few chateaux missed, at his 2017 En Primeur Tasting in Hong Kong, and to all the chateau owners and staff who allowed me to visit and taste. Okay, on to the wines P.7

8 THE RATINGS Dry White Bordeaux Château Carbonnieux Blanc (93-95) P.10 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (93-94) P.10 Château Cos d Estournel Blanc (90-92) P.10 La Clarté de Haut-Brion Blanc (87-88) P.10 Château Haut-Brion Blanc (93-95) P.10 Château Latour Martillac Blanc (86-88?) P.10 Blanc de Château Lynch-Bages (91-92) P.11 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc (93-95) P.11 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (92-94) P.11 Château Olivier Blanc (91-92) P.11 Le Clementin Blanc de Château Pape Clément (88-89) P.11 Château Pape Clément Blanc (92-93+) P.11 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc (95-97) P.12 Château La Tour Carnet Blanc (89-90) P.12 Symphonie de Haut Peyraguey (91-93) P.12 Clos Haut-Peyraguey (93-95) P.12 Francs, Cotes de Bordeaux Château Alcée (89-90) P.13 Château La Prade (86-88) P.13 Château Puyguerand (87-89) P.13 Médoc/ Haut-Médoc Goulee by Cos d Estournel (90-92) P.14 Chapelle de Potensac (87-88) P.14 Château Potensac (90-91) P.14 Château La Tour Carnet (89-91) P.14 St.-Emilion Château Beauséjour (Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse) (92-93) P.15 Château Belair-Monange (91-93) P.15 Château Bellefont-Belcier (93-95) P.15 Clos des Jacobins (91-92) P.15 Château Figeac (93-95) P.15 Clos Fourtet (92-94) P.15 Château Ferrand (91-92) P.16 Château Fombrauge (92-93) P.16 Château Larcis Ducasse (89-91) P.16 Clos de la Madeleine (89-91) P.16 Château Magrez-Fombrauge (92-93+? ) P.16 Château Pavie Macquin (94-95) P.17 Château Puy-Blanquet (90-91) P.17 Château La Serre (88-89) P.17 Château Tour Saint Christophe (90-92) P.17 Pomerol Château Bourgneuf (87-89) P.18 Château Certan de May (91-93) P.18 Château La Conseillante (94-96) P.18 Château Enclos Tourmaline (94-96) P.18 Château L Evangile (95-97) P.18 Château La Fleur-Petrus (91-93) P.19 Château Le Gay (93-95) P.19 Château La Grave (91-93) P.19 Château Hosanna (92-94+) P.19 Château Lafleur-Gazin (92-93) P.19 Château Lagrange (90-91) P.19 Château Latour à Pomerol (92-94) P.20 Château Plince (91-92+) P.20 Château Trotanoy (94-95) P.20 Château La Violette (94-96) P.20 Graves / Pessac-Leognan Château Carbonnieux (91-93) P.21 Domaine de Chevalier (93-94) P.21 La Parde de Château Haut Bailly (92-93) P.21 Château Haut Bailly (94-96+) P.22 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion (89-90) P.22 Château Haut-Brion (94-95) P.22 Château Latour Martillac (91-92) P.22 Château Malartic-Lagravière (92-94) P.22 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion (92-93) P.23 Château La Mission Haut-Brion (95-96+) P.23 Château Olivier (89-91) P.23 Château Le Pape (91-92) P.23 Château Pape Clément (92-94?) P.23 Château Smith Haut Lafitte (95-96) P.23 Margaux Baron de Brane (90-91) P.24 Château Brane-Cantenac (92-94) P.24 Château Dufort-Vivens (92-94) P.24 Château Ferrière (92-94) P.24 Château Giscours (86-87) P.24 Château La Gurgue (87-88) P.25 Blason d Issan (89-91) P.25 Château d Issan (92-94) P.25 Château Labegorce (92-93) P.25 Château Lascombes (90-91) P.25 Château Marquis d Alseme (88-89) P.25 Château Prieuré Lichine (92-93) P.26 Château du Tertre (88-89) P.26 P.8

9 St.-Julien Château Beaumont (N/R) P.27 Château Beychevelle (92-94) P.27 La Croix de Beaucaillou (91-92) P.27 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (95-96) P.27 Château Gloria (90-91) P.27 Château Lagrange (92-94) P.28 Château Lalande-Borie (89-90) P.28 Château Langoa-Barton (92-94) P.28 Château Léoville-Barton (92-94) P.28 Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases (88-89) P.28 Château Léoville Las Cases (91-93) P.28 Château Léoville-Poyferré (92-94) P.29 La Petite Marquise du Clos du Marquis (87-88) P.29 Clos du Marquis (89-91) P.29 Château Saint-Pierre (90-92) P.29 Château Talbot (90-92) P.29 St.-Estephe Les Pagodes de Cos d Estournel (91-92) P.36 Château Cos d Estournel (94-95) P.36 Château Lafon Rochet (93-94+) P.36 Château Lilian Ladouys (88-89) P.36 La Dame de Château Montrose (91-93) P.36 Château Montrose ( ) P.37 Château Les Ormes de Pez (92-92) P.37 Château Tronquoy-Lalande (89-90) P.37 Pauillac Château d Armailhac (92-94) P.30 Château Bellegrave (90-91) P.30 Château Clerc Milon (92-94) P.30 Château La Fleur Peyrabon (88-90) P.30 Lacoste-Borie (87-88) P.30 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (90-91) P.31 Château Haut Bages Liberal (88-89) P.31 Tour d Aspic (86-87) P.31 Château Haut-Batailley (91-92) P.31 Pauillac, 3rd wine of Château Latour (90-91) P.31 Les Forts de Latour (92-93) P.31 Château Latour (97-99) P.32 Echo de Lynch-Bages (87-88) P.32 Château Lynch-Bages (94-95) P.32 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild (89-91) P.33 Château Mouton-Rothschild (94-96) P.33 Fleur de Pédesclaux (90-91) P.33 Château Pédesclaux (92-93) P.33 Château Pibran (87-89) P.34 Les Tourelles de Longueville (90-92) P.34 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (91-93) P.34 Château Pichon Longueville Baron (94-96) P.34 Reserve de la Comtesse (88-89) P.34 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande (92-93+) P.35 Château Pontet Canet (94-95+) P.35 Hi-tech command console at Château Malartic-Lagravière P.9

10 DRY WHITE BORDEAUX 2017 Château Carbonnieux Blanc Tasted at Château Carbonnieux, 02/05/18 Pale green; aromatic and musky with melon notes a lively complex nose; lovely juicy fruit and naturally creamy in mouthfeel with good extract and concentration, length and a zesty finish. Excellent Carbonnieux Blanc Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Pale green; lovely nose, vanilla, melon, a touch of spice, complex and perfumed; good intensity on the palate, quite rich-textured and sweet-middled, almost a late-picked feel, but with good juiciness. There s also good phenolic grip to keep it in check. Quite a gourmand Chevalier Blanc Château Cos d Estournel Blanc % Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon, Tasted at Château Cos d Estournel, 03/05/18 Pale green gold; lovely peachy and melon and cream nose, lively, expressive, open, with notes of zest and white flowers; fresh on the palate with good concentration, melon, white peach and crab apples, that last flavour expressing itself in the acid grip that tightens considerably from the generous middle to the tangy, bright, mineral and somewhat tart and edgy finish. It s quite piquant, and there is just enough fat I think to carry it through the nose La Clarté de Haut-Brion Blanc nd white wine of Châteaux Haut-Brion and La Mision Haut-Brion 30.6% Sauvignon Blanc, 69.4% Semillon Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Light green-gold; fresh, grassy, heathery with green melon and a hint of passionfruit on the low-key nose; both plump and crunchy in style there seems to be a range of relative fruit maturity blended here. It is up front, though it trails off on the crisp finish. An up front style that lacks a bit of fruit concentration and depth but is appealing nonetheless Château Haut-Brion Blanc % Sauvignon Blanc, 43.8% Semillon Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Pale green; a fine, gently musky nose with a touch of spice, grasses, and florals; juicy on the palate with just enough creaminess, some phenolic grip, and edginess. As the wine opened up slowly in the glass more classic creaminess was revealed, and more passionfruit and melon was revealed on the palate. Overall though this a more discrete Haut-Brion Blanc with good balance and length, but not the fireworks of the best examples. P.10

11 2017 Château Latour-Martillac Blanc 86-88? Down 40%, mostly in the whites. No malolactic fermentation, but bâtonnage is practised, 10 months in barrel (20-25% new) and 5 months in tank. Tasted at Château Latour-Martillac, 02/05/18 Pale; shy fresh nose; super taut, tight, with a firm texture almost tannic in feel, there is a real malic acidity which comes across as a bit shrill. This is clean and bright, but perhaps to lean and acidic. Time in bottle will reveal if this can fatten up a little Blanc de Château Lynch-Bages % Sauvignon Blanc, 41% Semillon, 19% Muscadelle Just a touch of frost here one plot that lost 15%, so overall very little loss. Tasted at Château Ormes de Pez, 04/05/18 Very pale; bright with a very fruity nose, musky, melony, with gooseberry notes; bright and zingy on the palate with candied gooseberry and fresh gooseberry, a touch of something like mint or basil this is a really refreshing summery style, easy and delicious to drink Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc Tasted at Château Malartic-Lagravière, 02/05/18 Pale gold; super fragrant white peach, orange citrus zest and musk melon, oh yes, and also passionfruit and mango this is a really fruity, fresh, openly fragrant nose; super juicy on the palate, very good concentration, there s nuance to the fruit expression, zesty and pithy, lots of peach flesh and a touch of mango. This is lots of fun, a joyous sort of dry white. Fine acidity and grip runs through it. Very good Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc % Sauvignon Blanc, 76.2% Semillon. Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Pale green tinted ; a low key nose, melony ; juicy and creamy, tangy, almost a stone fruit note under the tangerine-like zestiness. This is fresh, attractive and fine. It doesn t have that extra thrill of a great year, but this is really very competent and fine. Sweet concentration on the very good finish Château Olivier Blanc Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Pale; a bright grassy nose with melon and a touch of oak; fruity, opulent, creamy, juicy with citrus and a hint of passionfruit. Quite forward. This will be drinking well early, and satisfyingly so Le Clementin Blanc de Château Pape Clément % Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Pale ; aromatic, this is on the freshness side of exotic ; plump on the palate but also crunchy in style, with a green tang at the end 2017 Château Pape Clément Blanc % Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Pale; a juicy vibrant fresh nose; good intensity on the palate, bright, feels really quite hunkered down, grippy and intense. Plenty of energy, and a satisfyingly long finish. A Pape Clément Blanc for ageing a bit. P.11

12 DRY WHITE BORDEAUX (CON T) 2017 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc % Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris. 50% new barrels. Tasted at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, 02/05/18 A light green-gold appearance ; low key zesty nose ; super intense on the palate, compact, yet melting and silky in mouthfeel there s a touch of fine phenolics. Very focused with good depth, energy, citrus and peach flavour, and an umami and saline note providing balance and morishness. The phenolics and ripeness are just perfect. A fantastic Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc and my favourite dry white Château La Tour Carnet Blanc Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Pale ; gently peachy, grassy nose ; juicy, grippy, peachy, straightforward. And a Couple of Sauternes Symphonie de Haut Peyraguey Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Pale, bright yellow; apricots and honey on the nose, clementines and wax; bright and creamy on the palate, nice flow and refreshingly moderate weight. Really appealing for early drinking Clos Haut-Peyraguey Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Bright yellow; ripe, creamy nose, clean botrytis; very rich and concentrated on the palate, intense and thick-textured in the mouth, honeyed with nougat, dried fruits, very straight Semillon in feel, melting citrus and butter finish that stays well-balanced. Very good indeed. P.12

13 FRANCS CÔTES DE BORDEAUX 2017 Château Alcée % Merlot on wet clay. Tasted at Château Pavie-Macquin, 30/04/18 Clear crimson; open, fruity and fragrant on the nose ; a fruity attack, there is good fruit in the mid-palate and fine powdery tannins on the finish. Juicy extract. Good Château La Prade % Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, on the plateau with chalky limestone and clay. Tasted at Château Pavie-Macquin, 30/04/18 Bright with crimson tone; fresh fruits on the nose with a touch of minerality; good attack of berryish fruit, a touch of spice, fine grip, though it lacks a bit of mid-palate fruit. Good on the attack, a bit hot on the finish where it lacks length Château Puyguerand % Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec. Tasted at Château Pavie-Macquin, 30/04/18 Bright with a crimson tone; lovely nose, fresh berry fruits and violets and a touch of spice; bold and creamy with good fruit, though a very slightly chewy style. Good fruit, up front, well made. P.13

14 MÉDOC 2017 Goulée by Cos d Estournel % Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Cos d Estournel, 03/05/18 Bright, clear ruby; an attractive open and fresh just-ripe nose showing cool herbal notes and fresh fruit aromas; open-textured, plump, easy to taste, plummy fruit, nice cool spectrum complexity, good fruit, flow and length. This drinks smoothly and easily with good freshness and liveliness, medium weight and depth. A well-balanced and attractive claret Chapelle de Potensac Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Bright ruby ; berry sorbet nose ; fleshy, fresh, easy to drink with a nice attack and a lighter finish. Nice wine Château Potensac Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Clear, bright crimson ruby; bright, curranty, sherberty nose; fresh, elegant, nice aromatic detail, precise, not especially fleshy, but clean, elegant, and with a nice tension and brightness, and plenty of fragrance. HAUT-MÉDOC 2017 Château La Tour Carnet Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Deep crimson; ripe, dark berries and vanilla on the nose; ripe, juicy, curranty, solid and intense on the palate, with furry tannins. Robust in style, but there is quality and hygiene. Quality wine. P.14

15 ST.-EMILION 2017 Château Beauséjour (Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse) % Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. Semi-opaque bright crimson ; nice sweet fruity nose ; creamy, small berry intensity of fruit, a lush style, juicy with solid fleshiness, natural concentration. Very good Château Belair-Monange % Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc on limestone plateau and blue clay and limestone slope. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Semi-clear ruby with a pink rim; fairly closed on the nose, quite mineral; good concentration on the palate, a very good core of fruit with juicy fragrant extract, mid-weight, fairly supple tannins, relatively solid. There s a hint of bitterness in the tannins, but overall this feels like a solidly, very good Belair-Monange Château Bellefont-Belcier Purchased by Peter Kwok just before harvest. 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon Tasted at Château Tour Saint Christophe, 30/04/18 Fine, clear deep colour with a crimson rim; shy nose, dark fruit and a touch of dark chocolate; quite intense and bright on the palate with a touch of licorice in the fruit, very good length. This is intense, potent, but driven by the fruit it isn t oaky or over-extracted it stays transparent right throughout the palate. Real freshness and even a little saline touch at the end. Impressive wine Clos des Jacobins Tasted at James Suckling s 2017 Bordeaux En Primeur event in Hong Kong, 25/05/18 Fine, clear crimson; fragrant with a touch of spice; good balance, good fruit with a supple texture, and good fragrance on the finish. There is a slight edge in the tannins, but it is slight Château Figeac Tasted at James Suckling s 2017 Bordeaux En Primeur event in Hong Kong, 25/05/18 Lovely, spicy fruit nose, ripe summer pudding aroma; fruity, supple and with good concentration on the palate, great acidity and freshness. A really supple texture. Superb Figeac Clos Fourtet Tasted at James Suckling s 2017 Bordeaux En Primeur event in Hong Kong, 25/05/18 A rich, dark nose, dark fruit and dark chocolate; a plush rich texture, dense fruit, a bit furry and high in alcohol. Clos Fourtet s classic exuberance is on display here. Should turn out well. P.15

16 ST.-EMILION (CON T) 2017 Château Ferrand % Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Fine, deep beetrooty intense colour with a crimson edge to the rim; quite sweet fruit on the nose, very berryish, with a touch of vanilla; good fruit, plush-textured, with a touch of vanilla, with a floral edge, tannins are mid-grained but sufficiently supple, good fruity finish. A promising wine of great value at this quality. Worth buying, and a property to watch Château Fombrauge % loss due to frost in Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Deep crimson; very pleasant nose of currant, plum, cherry and cocoa rather decadent ; plump on the palate, quite rich, sweet Xmas pudding fruit with a lush texture, supple tannin and a bit of cocoa at the end. Very good quality in this style Château Larcis Ducasse % Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. «White clay facing south a fresh soil but in the direct sun something very unique» as Nicolas Thienpont describes it.» Tasted at Château Pavie-Macquin, 30/04/18 Full crimson; a vibrant, ripe fruit nose; fleshy on attack and then there is a firm grip, bold fruit. Quite tightly structured, with a touch of heat at the end. Will take a bit of time, but this is attractive Clos de la Madeleine Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Fine, semi-clear fresh colour; fresh, floral with very pretty fruit on the nose ; really lovely supple fresh and floral-fragrant fruit. There is some nuance here. Natural yet grippy tannins, with just a hint of dryness at the end, but with good fruity extension. Attractive wine Château Magrez-Fombrauge ? Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Deep crimson; baked plums and dark chocolate on the nose; powerful dark fruit on the palate of this concentrated wine, velvet texture to the tannins, though there is a profoundly powerful grip. Concentrated and fleshy within the vice, with a touch of heat at the finish. Maximalist St.-Emilion. If it comes out of its chrysalis/fortress it could be great. P.16

17 2017 Château Pavie Macquin % Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon Tasted at Château Pavie-Macquin, 30/04/18 Semi-opaque; fine, fresh fruit on the nose; concentrated and layered on the palate, very finely structured, powerful and compact but supple and fresh. This wine has good energy and freshness. There s finesse here too. Very finely chiseled, and with a long finish. Superb Château Puy-Blanquet % Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon on clay and limestone. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Bright, crimson-edged semi-clear; fresh and very ripe berry mélange on the nose, a touch of roasted fruits, but overall good freshness; fairly lush on the palate, with a natural creamy fruit concentration, fairly open and fragrant, good fruitiness, there s some natural grip, no sense of oak. Good wine Château La Serre % Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, clay on limestone plateau Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Bright, fresh appearance; an airy, floral yet discrete aroma; elegant, lighter styled wine, fresh, tight right now. I expect this will show prettily within 3-4 years. A touch lacking in fleshiness, but fine and elegant Château Tour Saint Christophe % Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Tour Saint Christophe, 30/04/18 Clear, deep shade with a crimson rim; really lovely aromatic nose, violetty fruit; fresh, vibrant, and silky on the palate, with zingy sapid tannins. This is really lively with a touch of spice, and beautiful plummy fruit. Terrific at this level Grand Cru Classé quality Château Prieuré Lichine sample P.17

18 POMEROL 2017 Château Bourgneuf % Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc on gravel, clay, iron-rich subsoil. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Fine, bright semi-clear ruby; attractive mélange of berry fruits on the nose; a solid core of healthy fruit, a little bit of a tart-bitter edge. I feel there is sufficient attractive fleshiness to give the little bitter twist the benefit of the doubt, but I don t think this will have long legs Château Certan de May % Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvigon, on clay and deep gravel. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Semi-clear ruby with a touch of crimson at the rim; quite fragrant, berry jam notes, some fresh fruit and an herbal note like fennel seeds; good texture on the palate, concentrated, but fine and melting with just a little sense of glycerin, and some sense of layering. Compact right now. There s a lot here. Needs mid-term cellaring 7+ years, but this is promising if not profound Château La Conseillante % Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. 15% loss due to frost. Tasted at Château La Conseillante, 30/04/18. Clear, deep ruby with a crimson rim; shy, ripe and fresh nose, clear and pure; juicy on the palate, sapid, pure, with high energy and fine tannins. Lovely fruit. This is really good. Real class Château Enclos Tourmaline A tiny 100% Merlot property on the Pomerol plateau. About 2,000 bottles produced in % new oak. Tasted at Château Tour Saint Christophe, 30/04/18 Deep, clear appearance; ripe, luxurious and super floral on the nose, the oak is surprisingly hidden; superb intensity of fruit, pure floral-led fruit expression, fine tannins. This is really very special. The fruit tannins are fine, a touch muscular but the overall feel is more feminine, aromatic and sleek. Very impressive Château L Evangile % Merlot this year due to the frost. Year on year recently L Evangile has been amongst the most impressive wines. They are certainly on their game and worth following. Tasted at Château L Evangile, 30/04/18 Clear, deep ruby; shy, fresh fruit nose, a touch of spice; supple, layered feel on the palate with superb fruit, very fine glycerin-buffered tannins, very round and plump overall, transparent, potent and enigmatic (!). This is a superb L Evangile in a different style to recent vintages due to the lack of Cabernet Franc, but a superb example all the same. Bold indeed almost hot but stays the right side of that and seems balanced. Complex and special. P.18

19 2017 Château La Fleur-Petrus % Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot on deep gravel and clay on iron-rich subsoil. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Fine, semi-clear ruby; sweet, cooked plums with lots of appealing fruit fragrance, there is a touch of the exotic about this on the nose; quite intense on the palate, a real mouthful of fruit, lots of extract, but the whole thing stays quite pleasingly supple. For sure there are some layers here too. Bold, good Château Le Gay % Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Le Gay, 30/04/18 Semi-opaque crimson; a ripe and fruity nose; ripe and fruity on the palate with good freshness and liveliness. This is fleshy and lush in style with supple tannin Château La Grave % Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc on gravel and fine clay. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Fine, bright cherry-ruby; sweet, candied cherries, floral, but also quite confit like a baked plum tart; supple with more open fragrance on the palate and chewy fine granular tannins. It stays lively, with a touch of bitter-sweetness giving it a morish quality. Good 2017 Château Hosanna % Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc on blue clay, red gravel, with iron-rich sub-soil. Fine, semi-clear ruby; lovely and quite detailed fruity nose, perfume, a touch of spice; well-balanced, ripe, finely structured and with fruit that really coats the palate. Good length. Everything is here. Finely-tailored Hosanna. Not the fireworks of the big years, but well made and high quality Château Lafleur-Gazin % Merlot on gravel, clay and silt. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Semi-clear ruby; a sweet nose, some freshness and also some confit fruit notes; good intensity and concentration with a little glycerin, good juiciness within the rich core. Velvety tannins. Promising Château Lagrange % Merlot on gravel and clay. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Fine, semi-clear ruby; distinctly plummy nose, ripe and attractive; well-balanced with attractive fruit, good length on the palate, a firm but supple grip, which carries a slight hint of bitterness, but there is very good palate-filling fruit here. P.19

20 POMEROL (CON T) 2017 Château Latour à Pomerol % Merlot on deep gravel and clay, and loam Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Semi-opaque ruby; a generous ripe fruity nose, some perfume; attractive mid-weight, supple and gently velvety textured and attractive Latour à Pomerol. Really quite appealing. Some complexity, but essentially an appealingly fruity example. Very good. 2017Château Plince % Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc on dark soil on an iron pan. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Semi-clear, ruby-cherry; fine, ripe fruit nose, a little oak vanilla and spice, florals an appealing nose; lovely expression here, supple, refined with good inner-mouth aromatics, fine grip on the finish. A good Plince Château Trotanoy % Merlot, 10% Cabernet France, on gravel on clay and black clay on iron pan. Tasted at Ets. J-P Moueix, 30/04/18 Clear ruby; a fine nose lovely discrete fragrance, pure classic Trotanoy; fine, elegant expression of Trotanoy, super-fine and mineral-laden tannins that retain fruity juiciness. Effortless and understated, this is a high class wine through and through. Connoisseurs of Trotanoy are going to love this vintage for its purity and elegance, while others might wish for a bit more oomph from it Château La Violette Reduced to just 1.6ha due to replanting. Only 5,500 bottles. 100% Merlot. Tasted at Château Le Gay, 30/04/18 A deep, almost solid appearance; dark cherry and dark chocolate on the nose; rich on the palate, with a supple texture, and very pure, clean fruit expression. Lush, plush with very fine tannin and a creamy midpalate feel. P.20

21 GRAVES / PESSAC-LEOGNAN 2017 Château Carbonnieux % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot 35-40% loss in Tasted at Château Carbonnieux, 02/05/18 Deep ruby; ripe and concentrated nose, but low key in expression; concentrated, fleshy juicy and intense on the palate, very Cabernet in expression, pure and direct in that character with some spicy nuances. There s good concentration, freshness, liveliness, a very nice acidity, a touch of vanilla too. A slight donut mouthfeel a lack of mid-palate sumptuousness is all that is missing. But it is harmonious in its way, and pure in flavour Domaine de Chevalier Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Bright with a lovely crimson rim; fresh on the nose with some vanilla/toast from the oak in evidence, really bright and floral fruit an attractive nose; real fine texture here, very svelte and silky with very good intensity and length. A really satisfying and refined effort from Domaine de Chevalier. Superb La Parde de Château Haut Bailly % Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted at Château Haut Bailly, 02/05/18 Clear, fresh ruby; a fine, fragrant nose, complex and perfumed lovely and expressive; superb on the palate and utterly delicious, fragrant on the palate, fleshy, long and velvety with a fragrant finish. A fantastic 2nd wine.. Alexi Dasté and Valérie Clerc Rebiere at Clarence Dillon Wines P.21

22 GRAVES / PESSAC-LEOGNAN (CON T) 2017 Château Haut Bailly % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Haut Bailly, 02/05/18 Fine, clear, deep ruby; lovely nose, floral and refined a really beautiful nose; refined, velvet, seductive fruit and texture, floral, complex aromatics, and a very long finish which turns a touch saline. Very fine and elegant Haut Bailly of finesse, precision and charm. To me it tastes like an archetype of the château s own objectives, and Haut Bailly followers will enjoy this very much Le Clarence de Haut-Brion nd wine of Château Haut-Brion. 55% Merlot, 5.3% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvigon, 1.7% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Fine, semi-clear ruby; fine plum and blackcurrant nose; a deeper, lower register nose than La Chapelle; tighter too, with good depth of fruit, real grip in the tannin, a little dryness. The fruit is good and the wine solid Château Haut-Brion % Merlot, 6.3% Cabernet Franc, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Deep ruby to the rim; lovely freshness on the detailed nose, complex, mineral, with fine fruit and floral expression; mouth-coating on the palate, good fruit concentration, plenty of fine grip some firmness. Impressive, though a touch sullen, though you can feel the depth nonetheless. Ripe refined tannin, violets on the finish. Reminds me of a modern-styled 1955 classic, structured, fresh-styled Château Latour Martillac % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot. Tasted at Château Latour Martillac, 02/05/18 Bright, deep ruby; low key nose not forthcoming; ripe, intense and concentrated on the palate, juicy with squishy dark fruit, currant, a touch of earthiness and spices which are appealing, velvety tannins and a long fruity finish. There s a bit of chewiness giving it a slightly rustic edge, but this is a serious sort of Cabernet-led wine, that will need a few years in bottle Château Malartic-Lagravière Tasted at Château Malartic-Lagravière, 02/05/18 Semi-opaque, deep ruby with a crimson rim; open, fresh and fruity and expressive nose, lovely fragrance; fleshy, supple, mouthfilling, lovely texture, currants, plums and boysenberries, with a touch of vanilla, long fruity extension on the finish. Supple tannin and beautiful fruit. P.22

23 2017 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion nd wine of Château La Mission Haut-Brion. 49.2% Merlot, 8.9% Cabernet Franc, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 Fine, semi-clear ruby with a crimson rim; lovely, fresh and attractive fruit on the nose, floral; lovely fruit on the palate too, good flesh, quite open in style, succulent and juicy with fine tannins. Really quite elegant, refined and appealing. A very successful La Chapelle and certainly worth considering Château La Mission Haut-Brion % Merlot, 4.4% Cabernet Franc, 39.6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted at Château Haut-Brion, 02/05/18 A deep shade of ruby through to the rim; a quiet, reticent aroma; full concentration of fruit on the palate, ripe and grippy with a classic feel, great freshness, well balanced. It took a little time to coax in the glass and then further depth was revealed. This is a La Mission of real depth, classicism, purity and great length. It will appeal in particular to followers of classic La Mission Haut-Brion, though it is a thoroughly modern, precisely-styled wine with a supple but noticeable grip, that misses nothing. Some patience will be required however as I feel this will be one for long cellaring Château Olivier Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Fine ruby with a pink rim; open and fresh on the nose, floral, plummy, with a touch of celery / fennel seed attractive and forthcoming; fleshy fruity attack, good concentration, ripe and creamy, good length. Gourmand style Château Le Pape Tasted at Château Haut Bailly, 02/05/18 Clear ruby; fresh, bright and open on the nose; fleshy, creamy, elegant wine. Great flavour, really charming, really delicious Château Pape Clément 92-94? 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot. Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Deep crimson; ripe and complex nose; rich, dark fruit, really concentrated, with melting but very present tannin. Concentrated, structured and very intense. Immaculately made but with a lot of tannin to shed. Is it just too swingingly tannic? Lacks charm, but full of fruit and complexity Château Smith Haut Lafitte % Cabernet Sauvginon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 60% new barrels. Tasted at Château Pape Clément, 02/05/18 Deep ruby with a narrow crimson rim; a bright and refined nose, fresh fruit, good complexity and freshness appeal; silky and quite juicy on the palate, good buoyancy and liveliness. This is really refined and well balanced, with a long finish. There is breadth here too. This is a really fantastic Smith Haut Lafitte of serious quality and potential. P.23

24 MARGAUX 2017 Baron de Brane nd wine of Château Brane-Cantenac. Tasted at Château Brane-Cantenac, 04/05/18 Glossy, deep cherry-ruby; ripe, sweet nose, expressive and pure; nice flesh, mid-weight, a nice sucrosity and juiciness, light, granular tannins and a good, fruity length. Fresh dark cherry and plum. Really a charming, harmonious and satisfying Baron de Brane, open and aromatic. I imagine this may taste good right from the first release after bottling Château Brane-Cantenac % Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Brane-Cantenac, 04/05/18 Fine, semi-opaque cherry-ruby; ripe fruit and some gently toasty oak on the nose; fine-textured, nicely layered on the palate, with lovely floral notes violets and a touch of roses, medium-weight, elegant, just a touch of dryness in the tannins, but they are well-managed. Overall, I really like this gives the elegant weight and charming impression of 1985 (though a much more modern wine). This wine is fruity, fresh, elegant and full of appeal Château Dufort-Vivens % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot. Tasted at Château Dufort-Vivens, 04/05/18 Fine semi-clear crimson ruby; really lovely violetty very Cabernet Sauvignon pure nose, a touch of vanillin gloss; a fine attack, this wine feels quite concentrated in the context of 2017, really good maturity of fruit, a fine, fresh cassisy flavour, laced with vanilla, velvet tannins, refined, focused and intense, well-balanced, and with a long, detailed, very straight Cabernet Sauvignon taste, and some floral notes. Elegant, pure and long. To be clear, this is something of a revelatory Dufort-Vivens for me. If they keep this up it may put them in the front ranks of the appellation Château Ferrière Tasted at Château Dufort-Vivens, 04/05/18 Fine clear crimson ruby; a fresh and refined aroma, nuanced and perfumed; elegant, mouthcoating, lovely breadth and length real presence on the palate, but so elegant too. Fairly fine tannin, some grip, some minerality, but there is very good depth of fruit, freshness, florals and overall complexity, long finish. This is just-ripe, really perfumed and fresh. A super lovely Ferrière Château Giscours % Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 50% new barrels. Tasted at Château Giscours, 04/05/18 Fine, colour, ruby and clear; fresh fruit and a touch of vanilla cream on the nose; mid-weight, berry fruit flavour, some austerity on the relatively lightly extracted tannins. A touch more depth than the du Tertre, open, fragrant, elegant, but there is a dryness in the tannins. Will be pleasant for a young-drinking wine but lacks fat in the mid-palate and the dryness on the finish carries a light green streak that will make longer ageing less interesting. Well made, but I sense that both Giscours and du Tertre could have benefitted from stricter selection still, based on today s showing. (I hope to re-taste to see). P.24

25 2017 Château La Gurgue % loss due to frost in Tasted at Château Dufort-Vivens, 04/05/18 Clear, crimson ruby; sweet berryish nose; fleshy attack, nice freshness, some florals, a touch of austerity in the finish, but nice fruit and good length Blason d Issan % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. 35% new barrels. Tasted at Château Pédesclaux, 03/05/18 Bright, clear deep ruby; fresh, floral, lovely nose; lovely mouthfilling fruit, roundness in the texture, fleshy with attractive florals Château d Issan % Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. 50% new oak. Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Clear crimson of mid-depth; a fine, quite pretty nose, delicate and floral; elegance and purity here on the palate, you could almost criticise this for being light, lacking concentration, but that misses the point it is pure, elegant and noble in style. There is some grip in the background, but the fruit leads the texture. A very good Issan pure class. Tasted at Château Pédesclaux, 03/05/ Clear, mid-depth ruby-crimson ; fine fragrance, floral, really quite perfumed ; beautiful on the palate, with inner-mouth fragrance, a very fine structure, palate-coating but elegant, with florals throughout. Fine grip. This is very Margaux in its refinement, elegance and charm Château Labegorce Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Clear, fresh ruby; sweet vanillin, berry nose, a touch of cassis and cocoa, some floral, open and pleasant; very good on the palate very even and mouthcoating, supple with good depth. There s a nice charm here too very Margaux actually charming and violetty Château Lascombes Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Fine ruby, pink rim; ripe, toasty nose; tight, with solid fruit, fine tannins, more reserved in style, and the oak is quite present. It s not over-extracted, but there is a bit of a donut effect Château Marquis d Alseme % Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Full colour with a narrow crimson rim; Bright, fresh and ripe on the nose, a real sweetness of fruit; good, juicy concentration on the palate, a touch of cocoa, this is a modern, flattering style. Tannins are fine, though quite present. Solid verging on hard actually and lacking a bit in a sense of place. P.25

26 MARGAUX (CON T) 2017 Château Prieuré Lichine % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Tasted at Château Prieuré-Lichine, 04/05/18 Clear, deep crimson ruby ; a fresh, fruity nose ; good plumpness of fruit, fleshy style, plummy with a vibrant finish. There s a touch of astringency this is fully-, but not over-extracted. The fruit is appealing, and there is vibrancy and freshness on the finish which also carries a touch of spice. Very good wine Château du Tertre % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. 45% new barrels. Tasted at Château Giscours, 04/05/18 Clear, deep ruby; fresh, cool expression, leafy, lively and fruity nose; elegant weight, appealing on the attack, a light weight of fruit, some leafy notes, there is a light astringency and dryness of character in the tannins. A pleasant wine on the whole and feels judiciously extracted to avoid harshness. A pleasant wine that will drink well in the shorter term. Henri Lurton gives a hi tech preentation at Château Brane-Cantenac P.26

27 ST.-JULIEN 2017 Château Beaumont N/R 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. 50% loss due to frost. Tasted at Château Beychevelle, 04/05/18 Bright crimson ; a summer pudding nose ; rich, ripe fruit, some glycerin, squished very ripe berries the freshness, but also a very very ripe taste. I was left slightly puzzled whether there was an inclusion of slightly overripe fruit or whether this barrel sample had dulled a little. Plenty to like in here but I would prefer to wait for a final bottled sample Château Beychevelle % Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. 60% new barrels. Tasted at Château Beychevelle, 04/05/18 Vibrant, crimson ruby; upper fresh and fine nose, floral, ripe with fresh berry fruits; supple, fruit-laden, fresh and creamy-textured, a silky-satin feel, good complexity and long finish. A really successful Beychevelle, elegant, pure and fresh La Croix de Beaucaillou nd wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 58% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 04/05/18 Semi-opaque crimson ruby ; good intensity of fresh dark berry and curranty fruit on the nose, a touch of vanilla an appealing aroma ; really lovely, luscious dark berry fruit, fine, velvet tannin, very healthy, energetic Croix de Beaucaillou. This will be a really smart choice in Freshness, brightness and elegance so well captured in this wine Château Ducru-Beaucaillou % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. No frost at Ducru in % new oak. Tasted at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 04/05/18 Deep, semi-opaque crimson ruby with a narrow rim; a fine, refined and fresh nose, curranty and ripe; very fine on the palate, silky, fresh, vibrant, with very good fleshiness, super-fine shape and texture, very good intensity, yet all this delivered with super freshness and an elegance of weight and absence of the sense of alcohol protruding. To my taste this is a super Ducru, not as grand as the 15 or 16, but missing nothing but the firework of a bigger year. This is a wine of exquisite equilibrium Château Gloria Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Fine, fresh ruby, bright pink-crimson rim; a low key nose, clean; there s a nice buoyancy and suppleness here, fruity and easy to taste, nice mid-weight and fresh-ripeness of fruit. Juicy, creamy and natural tasting, with good flow. Not especially complex, but appealing. P.27

28 ST.-JULIEN (CON T) 2017 Château Lagrange Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Bright with brilliant clarity ; bright register of fruit and lift on the nose, fresh in expression ; intense fruit on the palate, very straight, clean, with impressive purity and refinement. An immaculate, very good Lagrange Château Lalande-Borie % Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon. 40% loss due to the frost. Tasted at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 04/05/18 Fine, clear ruby crimson; a fresh plummy and curranty nose; fresh on the palate with elegant weight, a very good supple and pleasing wine Château Langoa-Barton Tasted at Château Langoa-Barton, 03/05/18 Deep, glossy, semi-opaque with a crimson rim ; lovely expressive fruit ; very lovely fruit on the palate, concentrated, juicy, energetic, with lovely balance. This is a fleshy Langoa, lacking nothing. A touch of florals here too in the long fruity finish. No edge to this. Very good Château Léoville-Barton Tasted at Château Langoa-Barton, 03/05/18 Fine, deep semi-opaque crimson ; ripe and slightly spicy on the nose, dark curranty expression, with just a touch of coffee bean ; great fruit and intensity, there s grip here, but it is fully ripe, refined, well-covered. Overall a moderate weight, elegantly-styled Léoville-Barton, that as usual is less charming from cask than Langoa, but this will be very satisfying in time Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases nd wine of Château Léoville Las Cases. Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Clear, crimson ruby ; fresh and appealing nose, some florals ; tight mouthfeel, elegant weight, a touch austere really, though there are good aromatics and some complexity. Good Château Léoville Las Cases Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Deep, crimson ruby ; a bright, fresh detailed nose ; this is a refined, elegant Léoville Las Cases; on the palate, good intensity and depth, but this is lighter than we might have expected, and lacking a little sucrosity in the mid-palate. This is an elegant Léoville Las Cases, fresh-ripe in style and moderate in weight. Very good, but below the level of the château. P.28

29 2017 Château Léoville-Poyferré Tasted at James Suckling s 2017 Bordeaux En Primeur event in Hong Kong, 25/05/18 Quite fresh, floral with vanilla notes, very fine on the nose; fine, moderately-scaled Léoville-Poyferré, long and supple. A later-picked taste, but not grand in scale La Petite Marquise du Clos du Marquis nd wine of Clos du Marquis. Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Clear, deep crimson ; bright, sweet vibrant berry fruit on the nose ; nice fleshy attack, moderate ripeness, though there is a hint of greeness in the finish. Nice and tasty overall 2017 Clos du Marquis Tasted at Château Léoville Las Cases, 03/05/18 Clear, glossy crimson ruby ; fine, ripe nose, clear and fresh ; a good intensity of fruit, some creaminess, a nice cassis flavour, fresh and well balanced, though there is a little austerity on the finish Château Saint-Pierre Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Deep ruby with a crimson rim ; deep-set nose of dark fruit, not very forthcoming right now ; a ripe, blackcurranty attack, quite concentrated, with solid fruit, good freshness and acidity. Not super refined, but quite grounded and fleshy Château Talbot Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Clear ruby; low key nose; almost crisp, lively, elegant with good finesse, not complex, but there is a good flow, understated, with fine tannins. Rene Lusseau presides over his primeur tasting at Château Ducru Beaucaillou Linden tasting at Château Ducru Beaucaillou P.29

30 PAUILLAC 2017 Château d Armailhac % Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Mouton-Rothschild, 03/05/18 Fairly opaque with a striking crimson rim; ripe, curranty and very fresh and vibrant nose, with a touch of toasty vanilla oak; a good fruity attack, good concentration, dark ripe, fresh summer pudding berry fruit taste with good intensity, good, medium-grained tannins. Lovely freshness all through it. Good length. This is appealing and very good Château Bellegrave % Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot. Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Deep colour with a narrow vibrant crimson rim; bright, sweet fruit nose; juicy, quite intense fruitconcentration, a solid taste and feel, currenty with dark, bitter fine chocolate. This is supple, though not especially layered or complex. It does though have a good concentration of ripe clean fruit, and made in a modern, polished way Château Clerc Milon % Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere* (*don t let anyone tell you there are 5 red grapes in Bordeaux these five plus Malbec make 6!) Tasted at Château Mouton-Rothschild, 03/05/18 Full crimson depth of colour ; currenty on the nose with a little spice very Pauillac ; lovely mid-weight feel and effortless fleshiness. The tannins here are very fine and in the background. This is a curranty, plush and velvety Clerc-Milon with good energy. A touch of mocha at the end from the oak. To go back to this after the Mouton (a touch test for the wine!), there is just a tiny bit of greeness detectable, and not quite the same grand sense of expanse, but it stands up well. As is often the case, the Clerc-Milon is a superb choice Château La Fleur Peyrabon Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Fine mid-colour; a high-toned, lifted berryish nose; nice attack, good fruit, a candy note then ascends to dominate the finish. A bit lighter than the Pauillac big boys here, but supple 2017 Lacoste-Borie nd wine of Château Grand Puy Lacoste 65% Cabernet Sauvigon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc Tasted at Château Grand Puy Lacoste, 04/05/18 Fine, clear ruby, crimson rim; fresh, open nose; light and agreeable, pleasant fruity taste, supple texture. Not a lot of intensity of fruit, but fresh and agreeable. A nice wine. P.30

31 2017 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste % Cabernet Sauvigon, 20% Merlot. Tasted at Château Grand Puy Lacoste, 04/05/18 Fine, crimson ruby; lovely nose, gently fragrant and fresh; elegant weight, charming GPL, not the concentration of recent vintages, but charming, elegant and just-ripe in fruit profile, lightly extracted tannins. This will be a very nice, earlier-drinking GPL Château Haut Bages Liberal Tasted at at Château Dufort-Vivens, 04/05/18 Bright, clear crimson ruby ; an open and quite leafy nose, fresh fruits and fresh green peas ; a plump attack, quite juicy and morish, with good flesh. An up-front expression and a fruity finish. There is a slight green streak, but it is not unpleasant Tour d Aspic nd Wine of Château Haut-Batailley 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. Tasted at Château Ormes de Pez, 04/05/18 Bright crimson ; cool and bright nose ; bright on the attack, up front, lacks a bit of length and there is some austerity on the finish. Rustic but flavoursome and juicy Château Haut-Batailley Since March 2017 under the Cazes family of Ch. Lynch-Bages fame. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot Tasted at Château Ormes de Pez, 04/05/18 Fine, crimson ruby; fresh, fragrant, bright fruity nose; good intensity and mid-palate fruit, an elegant Pauillac, expressive, fine fruit, some grip to the tannin, but it is not excessive. Mid-weight, good quality Pauillac rd wine of Château Latour. 52.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39.9% Merlot, 7.2% Petit Verdot (give or take a few litres). 24.3% of the production. Tasted at Château Latour, 04/05/18 Deep crimson ruby; lovely sweet, fruity nose, fresh and vibrant; fleshy, plump and appealingly fruity, openly aromatic, direct sort of flavour, very good ripeness, sapid, juicy and very satisfying Les Forts de Latour nd wine of Château Latour 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 45.4% of the production. Tasted at Château Latour, 04/05/18 Deep, semi-opaque crimson ; very lifted and slightly spicy nose; fresh, ripe, structured real grip, but that feels phenolically ripe, full of fruit, lovely freshness. Very good. P.31

32 PAUILLAC (CON T) 2017 Château Latour % Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8% Merlot, 0.1% Petit Verdot. 30.3% of the production. Tasted at Château Latour, 04/05/18 Fairly opaque crimson ruby; really lovely aromas, complex, fruity and just gorgeous really draws you in; lovely fruit, super fine tannins that offer real structure and mineral depth, perfect phenolic ripeness, great intensity of fruit with real freshness and purity, effortless in feel, just thrilling to taste this quality, complexity and balance, vibrancy and length. An outstanding Château Latour the most thrilling wine I tasted during the en primeurs Echo de Lynch-Bages % Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Tasted at Château Ormes de Pez, 04/05/18 Semi-clear, ruby crimson; fruity and leafy nose; some good fruit here, good flesh but a fair amount of grip, a bit dry and austere, though there is lots of dark berry and a touch of dark cherry in the fruit mix. There s good freshness and succulence in the fruit Château Lynch-Bages % Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 75% new barrels. Tasted at Château Ormes de Pez, 04/05/18 Semi-clear, ruby-crimson; shy nose; grand on the palate, concentrated and fleshy with lovely freshness and vibrancy to the summer berries and curranty fruit. There s also a velvetiness and flow to the palate. Mouthfilling. A touch of dark chocolate at the end. This has a good, supple foundation with plenty of black fruit stacked on top. A success. Emmanuel Coiffe with Caroline Gossart at Ch Dufort-Vivens and a special amphora cuvee (not yet for sale) 2017 sample of Château Pédesclaux and Le Fleur Peyrabon P.32

33 2017 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild nd wine of Château Mouton-Rothschild 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc Tasted at Château Mouton-Rothschild, 03/05/18 Fairly opaque dark crimson ; cassis and brush on the nose ; there s the intensity of the Cabernet Sauvignon in the attack which is quite intense indeed. This wine sits quite forward on the palate a full frontal impact. Overall this wine is a very sound, ripe Petit Mouton, but it trails off a bit toward the finish and is a bit four square, lacking overall harmony. That said, there is no lack of intensity this is ripe, fairly opulent, with clearly noble Cabernet in the mix Château Mouton-Rothschild % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Mouton-Rothschild, 03/05/18 Opaque crimson with a narrow bright crimson rim; fresh, curranty, creamy nose showing good complexity with notes of violets and fine herbs; palate-filling and fleshy with good texture, this is ample but moderate no sense of excess alcohol here good, moderate, well-controlled extraction. This Mouton ticks all the boxes, except the thrill. (Perhaps unfair, but as we know, when Mouton has full mojo it can transcend its peers. This year it is simply very very good.) Bright and juicy, there is a lovely freshness of expression. The 100% new oak is entirely buried within it. There s a lovely balance here. It s perfectly tailored, and shows its class it would be unfair to expect the wow-factor Mouton in 2017, and I think, indeed, we are going to see the class of this wine shine in years to come Fleur de Pédesclaux nd wine of Château Pédesclaux Tasted at Château Pédesclaux, 03/05/18 Bright with the crimson rim ; a pretty, floral nose ; plump attack, good flesh, florals on the finish. A really charming and enjoyable wine. Good energy and length. This works very well Château Pédesclaux % Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Clear, deep ruby ; fragrant and appealing curranty nose ; this has a great silkiness, good intensity of fruit, very berry in taste, great freshness and real ripeness, very good, dark fruit, good depth, and there is a nice perfume on the finish. A château on the rise. Tasted at Château Pédesclaux, 03/05/ Clear, deep ruby with a crimson rim; lovely, vibrant fruit on the expressive nose ; good fruit on the palate, vibrant, really supple, juicy and plump-centred, fine, fleshy, yet fresh and elegant. There s just a touch of chewiness on the finish, but the tannins are gently extracted, fragrant finish. Well made. P.33

34 PAUILLAC (CON T) 2017 Château Pibran The only château materially affected by frost with the AXA Millesimes portfolio, usually this is a 50/50 blend but this year it is 68% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon Tasted at Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 03/05/18 Clear, ruby ; a fresh nose ; an elegant, fine and very supple Pibran, moderate weight and very tasty, if not particularly grand Les Tourelles de Longueville One of two 2nd wines at Château Pichon Longueville Baron. 55% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 03/05/18 Fine, deep ruby-cherry ; vibrant fruit nose, and good freshness ; good flesh and intensity, a sweet middle, properly ripe and supple. Superb Les Tourelles Les Griffons de Pichon Baron One of two 2nd wines at Château Pichon Longueville Baron 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot Tasted at Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 03/05/18 Fine, deep ruby with a crimson vibrant rim ; a darker and more reticent nose than the Tourelles, cassis, coffee bean and vanilla notes ; good intensity on the palate, and good energy too, supple and creamy with really velvety tannins, this is well-composed, precise in feel, with a violetty finish. Quite a serious wine in its own right Château Pichon Longueville Baron % Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot. Tasted at Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 03/05/18 Fine, deep ruby with a crimson rim ; a fine and nuanced fresh fragrant nose, floral ; mouthfilling, fresh, complex, lovely fruit and a great violetty fragrant finish. Super long. Powerful, yet delivered with elegance, freshness and great balance. This is understated, quietly very detailed, complex and very satisfying. An undoubtedly superb Pichon Baron Reserve de la Comtesse nd wine of Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, 03/05/18 Deep, clear ruby ; lovely nose of fine, fresh blackcurrant ; supple and fleshy on the palate, a plump style, fresh, nice, though a bit short. P.34

35 2017 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande % Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Pichon Cometesse de Lalande, 03/05/18 Fine, semi-clear ruby ; lovely nose, fresh, floral, quite complex, with a hint of spice but this is all about the freshness ; fine, mid-weight, elegant Pichon-Lalande, refined though not especially intense, but with a lovely elegance, balance and length. Plenty of charm and detail, a lighter but fresh-faced Pichon-Lalande Château Pontet Canet % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. 13~13.5% abv. Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Clear ruby; bright, fresh and floral nose, a touch of a fresh garden aroma of flowers, leaf, earth and fresh berry fruits ; very fine fruit and structure, real grip, concentration, it fills the palate, very ripe and then with a touch of salinity at the end. Pontet-Canet lovers will not be disappointed by the Tasted at Château Pontet-Canet, 03/05/ Fine, clear deep ruby ; a sweet nose with a complex melange of ripe berry fruits, and complex florals and fine herb notes, including tarragon ; very fresh on the palate with the dark berry intensity of a summer pudding, this is fleshy, yielding, and in the context of the château, relatively elegant, though there is nothing lacking here for intensity and mid-palate depth. Indeed the mid-palate depth here is atypical in 2017 and is to be commended and noted here. Fine grip at the finish, with some florals, a touch of spice and some minerality. Good energy and flow. A very complete Ponet-Canet. Impressive. (Showing more clarity still than yesterday and I am more confident with this sample than yesterday s. C est la vie. The primeurs are a moving feast, and samples will invariably show differently on different days in different places). Tasting at Château Pontet Canet P.35

36 ST.-ESTEPHE 2017 Les Pagodes de Cos d Estournel nd wine of Château Cos d Estournel 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Cos d Estournel, 03/05/18 Clear, deep cherry-ruby; a fine perfumed nose, elegant and fresh; elegant, refined, with attractive fresh, dark berry fruit, some perfume, moderate weight, perfectly ripe, a point, with a cool grip in the tannins. Very good Château Cos d Estournel % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Cos d Estournel, 03/05/18 Fine hued, clear, deep cherry-ruby; a fine, ripe, reserved but fresh nuanced aroma; beautifully poised, refined Cos of mid+ weight, real elegance and refinement, fine fruit, palate-coating depth, cool but ripe expression, nothing excessive, nothing missing, nicely expressive. Tastes and feels like a modern day reup of the superb A really classic Cos d Estournel Château Château Lafon Rochet % Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot Tasted at Château Lafon-Rochet, 03/05/18 Deep, dark cherry colour with a fine rim; a sweet nose, not fully open or distinct right now; juicy on the palate, with good concentration and silky ripeness, lots of fruit, a saline edge. This is morish and delicious. The acidity and salinity offer great balance to the creamy, natural fruit. There s a roundness to this not often seen in 2017s. A super Lafon-Rochet, and sure to offer superb value for money for the quality here. Bravo! 2017 Château Lilian Ladouys Tasted at Clarence Dillon, 02/05/18 Full, crimson edged ruby; a berry mélange nose, ripe, even a touch of roasted fruit; bright and plumpstyled on the palate, soft-textured and fleshy, with a touch of boysenberry in the flavour. Flavoursome and appealing. Good depth. Tasted at Château Pédesclaux, 03/05/ Deep, semi-clear ruby, crimson rim ; berryish nose, fresh ; mid to light weight, fleshy, easy and attractive, not too extracted, soft-textured fruitiness. This is attractive, though there is a slight bitter edge in the nonetheless lightly-extracted tannins. Well made La Dame de Château Montrose % Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. 48% of the production in Tasted at Château Montrose, 03/05/18 Fine, clear ruby with a magenta rim ; an attractive perfume, fine oak, a charming nose ; elegant, mid-weight, perfect health, the perfume here is stylish and seductive. There s also an attractive mid-palate sucrosity that gives extra appeal in this second wine. A fine Dame de Montrose. P.36

37 2017 Château Montrose % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 37% of the total production for Tasted at Château Montrose, 03/05/18 Deep ruby with a magenta rim; a lovely, violetty and pure, beautiful nose; superb depth of fruit, palatecoating, not especially plump or mid-palate fleshy, but very fine, concentrated nonetheless, moderate alcohol, very fine tannins, long, floral-edged finish. This is a very pure Montrose with perfect ripeness, grand vin refinement in the structure. Faultless really, except for one small question mark over the midpalate. A little more generosity or buoyancy here would see this really elevated in rank, because everything else is appealing and faultless in expression and execution Château Les Ormes de Pez % Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Tasted at at Château Les Ormes de Pez Full crimson ruby; subdued but fresh nose; fleshy and bright, juicy fruit of good intensity and vibrancy, supple ripe tannins. A clear success for Les Ormes de Pez Château Tronquoy-Lalande % Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Fran Tasted at Château Montrose, 03/05/18 Fine deep ruby; a fresh, expressive curranty nose with a light whiff of fine dark chocolate; ripe and fleshy, some grip, quite good concentration, and healthy fruit ripeness, though there is a bitter twist at the end denoting some less than ripe tannins but this note is subtle for now. Overall, seems a good wine. Linden tasting at Ch Cos d Estournel Grape varieties of 2017 Château Cos d Estournel P.37

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