en primeur BORDEAUX 2017 Pre-order the top wines Beautifully balanced claret that s fragrant and intense yet fresh In the many years that we have been visiting Bordeaux to taste the new vintage we have never encountered a year quite like 2017. The vintage will forever be associated with the frost of 27th and 28th April, the most destructive in more than a quarter of a century, which ravaged some fine vineyards. Angludet, Grand Corbin Despagne, La Pointe and Climens, for example, heartbreakingly for them, have produced no 2017 wine. In complete contrast all the classic Médoc vineyards that sit on gravel slopes beside the Gironde have made a full crop of marvellous wine, benefitting from the precocity of vine growth which made many others vulnerable. Top châteaux of the Pomerol plateau and on the limestone ridge beside the town of Saint-Emilion were similarly largely untouched by frost damage, and produced beautifully ripe grapes. Château Canon, refined, sweet and velvety textured The result is that we found some wonderfully fragrant wines with beautiful balance, displaying intensity and fresh, longlasting flavour. They have the structure to ensure long life, but tannins are soft and silky, so some will be approachable relatively young. Top Médocs are completely dominated by cabernet sauvignon, which is their trump card in great years. Pomerol produced glorious full fragrant but fresh merlot. All in all 2017 was a vintage which demanded close observation, good decision making, hard work and the luck to have frost-free vines. But the happy result is a group of lovely fragrant clarets with depth of flavour and class, and a very promising future. BX0618/1 thewinesociety.com/bordeauxtopwines
THE WEATHER It was a roller coaster of a year after the April frost. A hot June was punctuated by a heavy dose of rain which helped the vines to endure one of the driest July and August periods ever, although, paradoxically, temperatures were below the seasonal average. More rain in September helped and enhanced maturation of cabernet sauvignon, though some earlier-picked merlot was diluted. On the right bank however, merlots were splendid but cabernet franc tended to suffer, and the less-planted cabernet sauvignon came into its own. Pricing Predicting what individual château owners will decide when setting their prices is notoriously difficult. Factors that they take into consideration are, in no particular order, the quality of the vintage, the size of the crop, the state of the macro economy, global levels of demand for Bordeaux, their stock holdings of previous vintages, and what the neighbours are charging. But our guess is that prices will be down on last year, and possibly on the previous year. We anticipate our main offer of 2017s, which will include a broader range of reds, dry whites and sweet wines, to be mailed and available online during in June. The mailing date depends entirely upon how quickly the Bordelais release their prices. Tim Sykes Bordeaux Buyer HOW THIS PRE-ORDER OFFER WORKS This selection of the most sought-after wines of the vintage requires members to pre-order* l At this stage, members wanting to buy the wines need to place a pre-order. The pre-order will be based on the guide price range that we have specified. You may, however, indicate a maximum price which you would be willing to pay within this price range. l When the prices are released by each châteaux (The Society has no control over when this will be) you will be notified whether you have been successful in their pre-orders for these particular wines. Please note: If the release price exceeds your maximum stated price, we will assume the wine is not required at the higher price. Should the release price exceed our guide price, we will contact you to ask whether you would still like to order the wine. l If your pre-order is successful, we will debit your card for the wine once the offer has closed. This will be once all the prices have been released and we anticipate this to be mid-june at the latest. l Our main Bordeaux en primeur offer, which will contain all the other, mostly lower-priced, wines should be available in June. * Pre-ordering allows us the best chance of securing the right stock of these highly sought-after wines. You ll notice that we include a figure for the predicted alcohol level for the final bottled wine. This is the first time we have included this on en primeur wines and we do so as many of you said that you d find it useful. Please note that these are indicators of the final alcohol level at this stage as they can change slightly prior to bottling. Pre-orders by telephone and website only will be accepted. To pre-order wines, please telephone Member Services on 01438 741177, or visit thewinesociety.com/ bordeauxtopwines Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, one of the best vineyard exposures in Saint-Julien
The wines Price range per six CS10711 Château Ausone, Saint-Emilion 2,000 to 3,000 This exceptionally situated vineyard planted with vines with an average age of 52 years (some over 110) has once again made a wine of astonishing intensity and beauty. World demand and fewer than 2,000 cases sadly means that it sells for a very high price. 2032 2048. 14% CM21671 Château Calon Ségur, Saint-Estèphe 250 to 400 In a particularly successful year for cabernet sauvignon, Calon Ségur has made a classy, beautifully textured grand vin. Lovely tension between freshness and ripeness ensures a highly appealing wine with good density. 2025 2039. 13% CS10721 Château Canon, Saint-Emilion 250 to 400 The 2017 vintage marks a hat-trick of exceptional Canons under the stewardship of Nicolas Audebert. A refined, sweet and velvet-textured blend of 77% merlot and 23% cabernet franc, the wine has exceptional finesse. 2022 2034. 14% CM21841 Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan 250 to 400 Talented winemaker Guillaume Pouthier is certainly making his mark at this gem of a property. Very early picked grapes escaped the September rains, and this cabernet franc dominated (41%) wine is deep-coloured and silky. 2023 2040. 13% CS10731 Château Cheval Blanc, Saint-Emilion 2,000 to 3,000 An untypical but very classy vintage here because for the first time there is cabernet sauvignon (14%) in the final blend with 56% merlot and only 30% cabernet franc. Fresh, concentrated, spicy and full with a floral finish. Will age extremely well and justify its reputation. 2027 2048. 14% CS10741 Château Clinet, Pomerol 350 to 450 One of the richest and most distinctive wines of the Pomerol plateau. 92% merlot with 8% cabernet sauvignon, full and opulent. 2027 2040. 14% CS10751 Clos Fourtet, Saint-Emilion 250 to 400 Our very first visit on this year s trip and a lovely way to start at this delightful setting in Saint-Emilion. Mathieu Cuvelier s wine has all the right elements, richness, ripe tannins, oak and the trademark 2017 freshness which combine to produce a claret which will give enormous pleasure throughout its life. A delightfully polished blend of 86% ripe merlot with 10% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot, this is one of our favourite Saint-Emilions. 2023 2037. 14% CM21691 Château Cos d Estournel, Saint-Estèphe 500 to 700 Proximity of the vineyards to the Gironde ensured a full crop of ripe, well-balanced cabernet. With a bouquet of blackcurrants and vanilla and well-judged tannins, this is a very fine Cos. 2028 2042. 13% CS10761 Château La Conseillante, Pomerol 400 to 650 Conseillante s trademark is its unique and haunting bouquet of violets and black fruit and classy supple palate. Both shine out in this vintage. 2027 2040. 13.5% CM21701 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien 500 to 650 A captivating wine from this flagship property with one of the best vineyard exposures in Saint-Julien. Dense, velvety fruit texture and plush ripe tannins lend the wine exquisite balance. 2025 2041. 13.5%
**confirmed price Price range per six CS10771 Château Figeac, Saint-Emilion 450 to 550 This year Figeac has an uncharacteristically low percentage of cabernet franc (just 10%). Perfumed and pure, with dark fruits and leather, this is a wine that will age for many years thanks to the gravelly tannins on the finish. 2027 2042. 13.5% CS10781 Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Pomerol 600 to 750 A typically taut but scented Lafleur-Pétrus this year, with some impressive muscle to back up the generous fruit. One of the keepers of the vintage. 2026 2042. 14% CM21711 Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan 275 to 400 A beautifully crafted wine displaying dense, dark-fruit character. The tannins are discreet and suave, not unlike Robert Wilmers, owner of the château for many years until his passing shortly after harvest. The wine is a fine tribute to the man. 2024 2040. 13% CM21721 Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan 1,750 to 2,250 The most consistent first growth has once again produced a superb wine. Silky-textured and with many layers of complexity, including notes of chocolate, leather and dark fruits, it will evolve over many years. 2028 2047. 14% CS10791 Château Hosanna, Pomerol 540 ** A standout wine in this year s Moueix line-up, this is a beautifully balanced, harmonious blend of 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Deep, scented and succulent. Classic Pomerol. 2024 2036. 14% CM21731 Château Léoville Las Cases, Saint-Julien 650 to 800 An appealing, perfumed and multi-faceted wine with a bouquet of violets and blueberries. The fruit texture is dense yet refined, with fine-grained tannins and a long smoky finish. A property very much on form. 2025 2042. 13% CM21741 Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 250 to 350 A vibrant, ripe and beautifully scented Poyferré with the hallmark purity of fruit that defines this property. Velvety tannins on the finish lend the wine great charm. 2024 2040. 13.5% CM21751 Château Lynch Bages, Pauillac 375 to 475 A deeply-coloured, opulent grand vin from the Cazes family s flagship property. Displays notes of blackcurrant, graphite and vanilla, with a vibrant, silky finish. Benchmark Pauillac from one of Bordeaux s most recognisable names. 2025 2040. 13% CM21761 Château Margaux, Margaux 1,750 to 2,250 A scented, succulent and mouthwatering blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot and a dash of both cabernet franc and petit verdot. Refined, without being excessively concentrated, the wine encapsulates the essence of the 2017 vintage. 2027 2042. 13.5% CM21771 Château La Mission Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan 550 to 800 Deep colour and ripe, cassis character are the hallmarks of this year s La Mission. There is a certain opulence here that lends the wine a sense of generosity and grace. Very lovely. 2027 2040. 14% To pre-order these wines, please contact The Society on 01438 741177, or visit thewinesociety.com/bordeauxtopwines
The wines Price range per six CM21781 Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe 450 to 650 Classic, layered, and stylish with a high proportion of perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon (76%), this is benchmark Saint-Estèphe. The wine has deep colour, pure black cherry and graphite character and gravelly tannins. A keeper. 2027 2042. 13% CM21791 Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac 1,750 to 2,250 The entire Mouton stable shone through at our en primeur tastings, and the grand vin was of course the stand-out performer. Dense, velvety and with an exquisite bouquet, the wine is sleek and generous. 2029 2044. 13.5% CM21811 Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux, Margaux 450 to 700 Half the normal production this year thanks to frost, but the quality is exceptional. With a high proportion of cabernet sauvignon (76%) the wine has lovely finesse and harmonious balance. More concentrated than the excellent 2010, according to Aurélien Pontallier. 2024 2038. 13.5% CM21821 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac 450 to 600 Under Christian Seeley s direction this is a château producing some of the most consistently excellent wines in Pauillac. The 2017 is a fleshy and appealing wine of considerable charm, with notes of cassis, tar and violets. A classic. 2025 2040. 13% CM21831 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac 450 to 600 Sweetly scented, with creamy texture on the palate, the delicate bouquet belies the underlying Pauillac depth and concentration. A wine of considerable potential. 2024 2040. 13% CS10801 Château Tertre Roteboeuf, Saint-Emilion 600 to 700 François Mitjavile never fails to make a wine of character and individuality, setting the wine apart from its neighbours. The 2017 is generous and opulent, with intense notes of damsons, dark chocolate and black truffles. The long, velvety finish bodes well for the future. 2025 2040. 14% CS10811 Château Troplong-Mondot, Pomerol 375 to 475 A property to watch, not least because Aymeric de Gironde (formerly of Cos d Estournel) has recently taken over and is subtly changing the wine to a more restrained style. Good density and weight here but caressing, velvety tannins ensure the impression of freshness. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon and just 2% cabernet franc combine to make a wine that really shines. 2025 2040. 14% CS10821 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol 650 to 900 One of the outstanding wines of the vintage. A complete wine, a sublime combination of sweet beautifully scented fruit and gorgeous silky texture. Should be wonderful over a long life. 2027 2044. 14% To pre-order these wines, please contact The Society on 01438 741177, or visit thewinesociety.com/bordeauxtopwines
Château Cheval Blanc, fresh, concentrated and spicy We encourage you to place an order as soon as possible as, once a particular wine s price has been established, no more pre-orders will be taken for that wine. If demand exceeds supply Although pre-ordering reduces the likelihood, there is still a chance that some wines may be oversubscribed. In the event of this occurring, we will share out (as far as is practical) the available stock equally amongst ordering members. If this still does not allow every member to have some wine, then as a final resort we divide members into groups depending on their level of support for The Society (quantity of wine bought, spend, orders placed etc). Members who have given greater support to The Society will have a better chance (but no certainty) of being allocated wine, and those who have given less support will have a lesser chance (but still a chance). Members Reserves The Society s Members Reserves is a purpose-built, temperature-controlled facility offering members access to optimum storage conditions. The annual rental charge is 9.84 per case per year (members paying by Direct Debit are charged a discounted rate of 8.64 to pass on the savings this payment method provides us), inclusive of VAT and insurance at replacement value. Members can also remove a few bottles of a full case stored in Reserves. Please visit thewinesociety.com/ reserves for more detail. In-Bond Reserves You now have the opportunity to store your en primeur wines with The Society in bond, which means that the duty and VAT are payable when the wine is delivered to you. For more details, please visit thewinesociety.com/reserves Notes l Wines are offered in cases of six bottles as indicated. For information regarding this offer please contact The Society on 01438 741177, or e-mail memberservices@thewinesociety.com 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 OF THE YEAR 2017