Pessac-Léognan and Graves suffered from it all in 2022 including frost
Vineyards received the least amount of rain from veraison to harvest compared to the other major appellations
as much as -50.7% compared to the 10 year average
BORDEAUX 2022 IN BOTTLE SCORE TABLE: Top-scoring wines with 93 points or above
Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines
db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay finds the appellation suffered greater mildew pressure than any other – especially for the Merlot
The losses resulted in some uneven reds and Cabernet-dominant blends
although some wines managed to transcend the challenging weather
On a good day it’s about 45 minutes from Pomerol to Léognan
though it can easily take twice as long when Bordeaux’s infamous la Rocade is busy
But since en primeur week falls in the second week of the Bordeaux school holidays
We arrive here in a rather different vinous universe
a typically more even balance between Cabernet and Merlot in the vineyard amongst the reds and a rather greater presence of white varietals (though the whites
still represent less than 15% of the total production of the appellation)
We’re also further from large bodies of water (the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary)
with a somewhat greater exposure to summer spikes in temperature and
Yet a quick look at the meteorological details of the 2023 growing season immediately suggests some similarities with Pomerol and Saint Émilion – certainly rather more so than with the leading left-bank appellations of the Médoc
Table 1: Rainfall during the vintage (relative to 10-year average)
Source: calculated from Saturnalia’s Bordeaux 2023 Harvest report
it was particularly wet here between budburst and harvest
with rainfall accumulations up nearly 15% on the 10-year average and with that rain
highly concentrated in the months of June and September
book-ended as it was by spikes in already above average temperatures
it was the catalyst for the problem – mildew
Here Pessac suffered more that any of the other leading appellations
with the partial exception of Saint Émilion (partial because in Saint Émilion it was only really the somewhat lesser terroirs of the appellation in the south and west towards the river that were ravaged)
Pessac is the only leading appellation in which a classified growth produced not a single bottle of grand vin in 2023
is Bouscaut (and the excellence of its white
But Bouscaut was hardly alone in its suffering
with many of the leading estates in that part of the appellation (above all those south of a line joining Couhins Lurton and Olivier) suffering significant losses
one of the distinguishing features of the vintage in Pessac-Léognan is that mildew did not spare the leading properties
Pape Clément (35 hl/ha) and Smith Haut Lafitte (26 hl/ha) all returning yields well below the (already below average) vineyard yield for the appellation
only Margaux came close to suffering a similar fate
Table 2: Average vineyard yield by appellation (hl/ha)
Source: calculated from Duanes data compiled by the CIVB Service Economie et Etudes
the average appellation yields displayed in Table 2 tell only part of the story
Pessac-Léognan was the only leading appellation of the left or right-bank to return below average aggregate vineyard yields – and for the fourth consecutive year in a row
That final statistic is a significant cause for concern
raising at it does questions about the general productivity of the appellation in a context of dérèglement climatique (or ‘climate weirding’
the point being that this is not just about global warming)
that the (red) wines of the appellation are somewhat uneven in this vintage (we will return to the whites presently
but the story there is subtly different and rather more positive)
That is not at all to say that there are not great wines here
But they are often unusual in their composition
the qualitative gradient is steep as one descends from the small high plateau at the top
the meteorological challenges of the growing season have had quite a significant bearing on the final blends of the leading wines
where final vineyard yields were above the appellation average
In these cases the high proportion of Cabernet in the grand vin was largely a question of choice
reflecting the relative excellence of the respective varietals at harvest
But for most of the others it is a more direct consequence of the significant losses suffered on Merlot plots from mildew exposure
and the subsequent desiccation and burning of fruit on the vines which was more intense in plots that had already been exposed to mildew damage
Table 3: Percentage of Merlot and Cabernet (Sauvignon + Franc)
all of the wines listed in the above table are very strong
above all in the context of a challenging vintage
But in a vintage in which terroir typicity is generally high
low yields and more Cabernet-dominant blends have resulted in some wines that might seem just a little anomalous in vertical tastings a decade or so from now
it might seem strange that my top wines of the appellation are rated so highly
this is something of a vintage of glass ceilings – above all on the right-bank and here again in Pessac-Léognan
And when it comes to glass ceilings there are always those who manage to transcend what holds back the rest
That is most definitively the case for a truly magical and glass ceiling shattering Haut-Brion
But it is scarcely less true for Carmes Haut-Brion
even if one has the sense here that the transcendence has been achieved through a remarkable and now characteristic set of technical achievements that it would be difficult for anyone else to replicate
but very different from Haut-Brion itself – vibrant
vivid and energetic where its stablemate is calm
The former is another technical triumph with the most gracious of tannins and a quite staggering form of plunge pool purity in the mid-palate that really sets it apart
The latter is archetypally Pessac (more accurately
Martillac) in a vintage in which that is actually rather rare
There are plenty of other successes in this vintage
relatively few of them attain the glory of the 2020 or 2022 vintages
it is difficult to beat the trio of C de Carmes Haut-Brion
Couhins Lurton and Latour Martillac on the one hand and La Louvière and Picque Caillou on the other
Each has negotiated the challenges of the vintage very well and it is difficult to think of wines anywhere in the region capable of offering more for less
A guide to Bordeaux 2023 in ten questions
Bordeaux 2023 vintage report part I: quality and quantity together, for once
Bordeaux vintage report part 2: a vintage of reactivity, vigilance and surveillance
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although there was perhaps a touch more variance compared to other appellations
The growing season began with an unseasonably warm winter
which transitioned into a warm but humid spring
Although the warmth and humidity ensured the region was spared the worst of the spring frosts
The excess water and heat meant vine growth was rapid and producers had to be vigilant in managing both the vines and the spread of disease and rot
the warm temperatures led to both an early budburst and flowering and the crop look set to be a large one
Summer than arrived bringing sizzling temperatures and dry conditions
which ultimately led to concerns with drought
Both July and August were exceedingly dry and terroir became an important factor as to which vines had easy access to water reserves deep in the soil
the clear weather allowed for an early harvest in September with producers able to pick at their leisure
the 2020 harvest did stand out for being particularly unusual as the globe found itself in the grip of the Covid pandemic and pickers had to adhere to both social distancing and strict hygiene practices
The resulting wines were generally brilliant as the grapes had been intensely concentrated by the drought-stricken summer and
The best examples were incredibly sophisticated and although there was an austerity given to them by the firm tannins
the fresh acidity and rich black and red brambly fruit kept them accessible
Interwoven with the forest fruit were undercurrents of oak and tertiary notes of mushroom
The best examples from the 2020 Pessac-Léognan vintage are real show-stoppers
however some wines were a touch lackluster
the vintage was mostly very good to excellent and although some wines are likely to be drinking well now
the vast majority will benefit from some time in the cellar and the best examples are likely able to age for decades
Although 2020 is a difficult vintage to go wrong with
careful research may prove beneficial when it comes to both long-term investment and cellaring
Arthur Coggill and Melody Wong tasted 66 wines
and there was wall-to-wall sunshine well into October
Record March rainfall led to humidity in the vineyards and a real concern of rot before the buds had even burst
it was July before our cousins in Aquitaine felt the benefits of any kind of heatwave
the stage was set and Bordeaux experienced one of the hottest periods in half a century
Gareth Birchley is buying director at London-based Burns & German Vintners
he worked in sales and senior buying roles at Bordeaux Index and Berry Bros & Rudd
Arthur Coggill is head of business development at London-based merchant Hatton & Edwards
Having joined Goedhuis & Co in a fine wine sales role in 2013
he ran its investment fund Vintage Capital for eight years before moving solely to buying in 2021
Melody Wong is director of wine at The Peninsula
she has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and top hotels across the UK
she was nominated in the GQ Food & Drink Awards Best Sommelier category
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Despite Pessac-Léognan suffering some substantial losses due to mildew – including from some of the leading estates – db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay finds some great wines here
even if the overall quality of the reds is uneven and yields are down
See here for Colin’s appellation-by-appellation analysis for Pessac-Léognan for a full picture of the 2023 vintage in this appellation
I have again decided to provide an indicative rating for each wine alongside the published comment
All such comments and ratings are necessarily subjective (they cannot be anything else when one thinks about it)
I would urge you to look at the two together and
My aim is more to describe the wine in the context of the vintage
the appellation and recent vintages of the same and similar wines
reflect my subjective evaluations and relative preferences between wines
I hope that my comments give you at least enough information to be able to recalibrate my ratings and
to align them more closely to your own palate
To give an example: if the idea of the ‘new classicism’ leaves you cold
you may well wish to discount the (typically high) ratings I have given to wines described in such terms
my ratings span a considerable range (from the very top of the scale downwards)
I have decided not to publish scores for classed growths (or equivalent wines) that I have rated below 90 (here the range 89-91) and for crus bourgeois (or equivalent wines) that I have rated below 89 (here the range 88-90)
the wine would have scored below these thresholds
Where my written assessment of the wine might also have proved unflattering to the property
I have simply chosen to publish neither the commentary nor the rating
élevage is likely to be very important in determining the quality in bottle of these wines
I am no soothsayer and cannot predict how that will turn out (another reason for the use of banded ratings)
But all en primeur ratings should be treated with caution and taken with a certain pinch of salt
C de Carmes Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 38% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; pH 3.60; 13% alcohol
with the 25% whole bunch fermentation reducing the degree of alcohol from 13.8%; tasted at Carmes Haut-Brion with Guillaume Pouthier)
and with a redder-hued feel to the fruit than Les Carmes itself
Lots of graphite too and absolutely no trace of the wood
pixilated and detailed and yet soft and with a shimmering texture
like a pile of silk sheets placed one on top of another but seen first from the top
There’s a pleasing grip too from the tannins
which are ultra-finely grained and which seem to massage the fruit
shaping a lovely fantail on the saline mineral finish
Carbonnieux (Pessac-Léognan; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Merlot; 5% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc; tasted at the UGCB press tasting at the Cité du Vin)
on the palate over a moderately broad frame accentuating the sense of density and concentration
but I find this a little ungainly in comparison with other recent vintages
even if the tannins remain relatively fine-grained
Les Carmes Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan; 50% Cabernet Franc/Bouchet; 30% Cabernet Sauvignon; 20% Merlot; a final yield of around 50 hl/ha
down from a potential 55 hl/ha due to shrivelling of the grapes just before harvest; pH 3.62; 13.5% alcohol – 14.3% before the 60% whole bunch fermentation; tasted at the property with Guillaume Pouthier)
The impressive concentration here was achieved by creating the conditions for hydric stress within the vineyard – cutting the leaves in the form of a Christmas tree to increase transpiration
unusually so for the vintage with palpably visible density
we have the sensation of silk inter-layered with cashmere
due to the entirely passive immersion maceration practiced here
graphite as if from the nuclear reactor core
with a plunge-pool mid-palate reminiscent texturally of Pichon Comtesse
an impression accentuated by the amplitude
The calcaire character of the tannins is much in evidence here
A wine that transcends the challenges of the vintage – that’s what Guillaume Pouthier does
La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan; 48.3% Merlot; 39.4% Cabernet Sauvignon; 12.4% Cabernet Franc; 14.3% alcohol; tasted at Haut-Brion)
A lovely loganberry and raspberry fruit – all perfectly ripe and highly pixilated
Le Clarence de Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan; 55.5% Merlot; 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon; 3.6% Cabernet Franc; 14.2% alcohol; tasted at Haut-Brion)
A little more opulent when tasted after La Chapelle
the fruit a shade darker and more stony in texture
with damsons and cherries rather than brambles and blackberries
much more opulent and seductive than the slightly austere La Chapelle
Couhins (Pessac-Léognan; 51% Merlot; 45% Cabernet Sauvignon; 4% Petit Verdot; an anomaly in a way
the French National Institute of Agricultural Research; tasted from a sample sent to me in Bordeaux)
graphite and just crushed black peppercorns
with a nice sense of energy and forward momentum over the palate; decent concentration too
The tannins are fine-grained though they seem to grow in size of their granularity over the palate making this quite a chewy mouthful on the finish
Couhins Lurton (Pessac-Léognan; 85% Merlot; 15% Cabernet Sauvignon; 14.5% alcohol; tasted at La Louvière with Jacques Lurton and Claire Dawson)
Not much mildew here or in any of the Vignobles André Lurton vineyards
Slightly closed aromatically and tight as it often is
Almost all of the Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyard is in this
Speculoos (if you’ve ever had one you know what they are!)
More cassis and blackcurrant is released with aeration in the mouth
with a dense yet limpid and crystalline core
especially as the cassis notes come through in the mid palate
this might well warrant an upgrade after élévage
De Cruzeau (Pessac-Léognan; 50% Cabernet Sauvignon; 50% Merlot; a final yield of 45 hl/ha; 13.5% alcohol; tasted at La Louvière with Jacques Lurton and Claire Dawson)
quite leafy but not at all green or herbaceous; a little gamey
Some cedar is released with gentle aeration
quite saline too but this lacks a little delineation and mid-palate detail
but it’s not at the level of the 2020 or 2022
Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac-Léognan; 65% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 5% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc; a final yield of 30 hl/ha due to some mildew losses; 13% alcohol; tasted at the UGCB press tasting at the Cité du Vin)
We really jump in quality when we get to this in the Pessac flight at the UGCB tasting – very much above the glass ceiling
all supremely crunchy and crisp and coated in dark chocolate
a little mocha and with a parfumier’s essence of petunia too
A hint of wood-smoke and a touch of nutmeg
Long and chewy with the grippy tannins framing a lovely fantail
35% of them new; 13.5% alcohol; Thomas Duclos is the consultant here since the 2019 vintage)
but with a little coaxing and aeration it starts to open and unfurl
red cherry and dark plum fruits and a little sage and bay leaf
the tannins and the acidity working together to bind the fruit to a very well-defined and very linear spinal column
angular and granular tannins on the finish
La Garde (Pessac-Léognan; 57% Cabernet Sauvignon; 43% Merlot; tasted at Belgrave)
lithe and quite succulent but with good Pessac terroir-typicity
a hint of oak smoke and a generous but never dominating spiciness
Lovely and on a sustained upward trajectory now
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From Pomerol's Le Gay to St.-Julien's Léoville Poyferré to Pessac-Léognan's Pape Clément and beyond, the star winery consultant guides dozens of quality estates
Bordeaux's annual en primeur campaign is underway. Wine Spectator's James Molesworth is tasting the 2023 wines from barrel at some of the region's top estates and sharing his tasting notes. Today he checks in with Julian Viaud, the consultant behind Pape Clément, Léoville Poyferré, Le Gay and many more.
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Two mini-verticals from Bordeaux's Fonbadet and Château Pauillac suggest a bright future …
amidst the picturesque splendour of the Pessac-Léognan appellation
lies a hidden gem awaiting discovery: Château La Garde
Since its acquisition by Maison Dourthe in June 1990
the estate has been dedicated to harnessing the exceptional quality of their terroir
nurturing a natural harmony between vine and environment
the estate has shown unwavering commitment to the quality of its wines
and has made significant investments akin to that of the esteemed classified growths of the region
culminating in a new state-of-the-art winery and visitor centre which opened in 2021
the vineyard is a testament to geological diversity
with a rich and unique mosaic of 27 different soil types
all farmed with a commitment to sustainable viticulture
From Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon thriving on deep gravel and gravel on clay
to Merlot flourishing on limestone and deep clay-limestone substrates
The new winery takes the estate to a whole new level of precision and distinction
with innovative technology enabling parcel-by-parcel vinification and gravity-fed processing
Red wines are crafted with the utmost care and precision
fermented in stainless steel tanks and matured in French oak barrels
are pressed under inert gas and aged in oak vats and barriques
‘Our ambition is to enable the wines of Château La Garde to compete with the greatest wines in the world,’ says Valentin Jestin
Our ambition is rooted in a deep conviction that
we have a unique terroir of very high quality.’
La Garde is a wine with a true sense of place
‘What we create at Château La Garde is precise
‘it is made up of the best that the Bordeaux terroirs can offer.’
Château La Garde’s global brand director
The property is in the northern Graves on the outskirts of Bordeaux, and is now surrounded by encroaching buildings and roads. It is also flanked by La Mission Haut-Brion
which was bought by Haut-Brion's owners in the early 1980s
The majority of the estate's 51 hectares (126 acres) of vineyard is planted to red varieties with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot covering 48 hectares (118 acres) while three hectares (7.5 acres) are given over to Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon
The Haut-Brion cuvée tends to have more Merlot than the wines from the Medoc, with Cabernet Sauvignon in more of a supporting role (this is reflected in the vineyard)
Haut-Brion is more rounded and softer than other Left Bank wines
The château describes the wine as having an empyreumatic (charred organic matter) bouquet
The château's second wine has been known as La Clarence de Haut-Brion since 2007
Haut-Brion's red wine, also known as the "grand vin" is its key line, comprising most of the château's output. However, it is also unusual in the classified growths that it has a corresponding white wine that shares the simple Haut-Brion name (although this is far from unusual for estates in the Graves and Pessac-Léognan
which regularly produce both red and white wines) and is often dubbed "Haut-Brion blanc"
The vineyards were established in the 1530s by the Pontac family
changing hands several times throughout the ensuing centuries
Historical evidence shows that Haut-Brion was drunk by King Charles II and Thomas Jefferson
and the famous London diarist Samuel Pepys was also a fan of the wine
The estate was acquired by American Francophile Clarence Dillon in 1935 and has been managed by the family since. Apart from La Mission Haut-Brion the Dillon family also own several other Bordeaux estates, the most famous of which is Château Quintus, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (formerly Château Tertre-Daugay)
As we are beginning to see – and I anticipated – the highly heterogeneous reds of the 2021 Bordeaux vintage are already dividing opinion
exceptional and unique wines – and they are widely seen and duly celebrated as such
even if you don’t share my enthusiasm for some of the reds or simply decide that
in the absence of a critical consensus on the red vintage
it would be savvy to keep one’s money in one’s pocket for now (not an unreasonable position)
there is a strong argument to be made for not forgoing the opportunity to purchase some whites (and some Sauternes) up front
There are perhaps two parts to that argument
The first is that en primeur prices for the entire vintage – red
white and sticky (moelleux) – tend to be largely determined by the perceived quality of the reds alone
it is credible to think that the whites will be under-priced on release relative to their (perceived) quality (and
there seems to be a consensus on their perceived quality)
this is likely to be the best set of white Bordeaux releases since at least 2017
I would go further still in suggesting that this is a unique and truly exceptional vintage that
But this is to take us beyond the relative consensus and into rather more clearly subjective territory
to takes us beyond the warm and positive mood music over the overall quality of the vintage to the more detailed assessment of the qualities (plural) of these wines in comparison to other recent vintages
is the question of one’s attitude to acidity in white Bordeaux in a context of accelerating climate change
you have been somewhat troubled by the greater and greater probability in recent vintages (notably the trio 2018-2020) of encountering wines that are rich
flat and lacking in tension (and the acidity that is
it is a certain weight and density in the mouth
a certain opulence and amplitude on the palate
that is the very precondition of greatness (and you can live with a little less tension and freshness when that is present)
then 2021 – though great – may well be no greater than 2017
have found recent Bordeaux blanc sec vintages quite challenging (with
That brings to mind a further factor that it is important not to overlook here – accelerating climate change
as French vignerons rather more accurately put it
dérèglement climatique) as the single most important contextual factor influencing the evolution of Bordeaux wines from one vintage to another
then vintages with as much natural acidity and natural tension as 2021 are likely to become less and less frequent
the kind of tension that characterises this vintage is going to be ever more difficult to find
That factor was very much in my thinking as I tasted these wines – and it has certainly left a significant imprint on my relative preferences between the many star performances
it is insidious to single out truly great wines in a truly homogeneous vintage like this
For a case can be made for most of the wines that appear in my detailed tasting notes below
and even if I find it impossible to choose between them
it is not at all difficult for me to identify La Mission Haut-Brion blanc and Pavillon blanc de Chateau Margaux as the two finest white wines of the vintage
And what makes them so special is what they share – a degree of tension
vivacity and dynamism that comes from their searing acidity that I find truly compelling and almost entirely unprecedented in a decade of en primeur tasting experience
the va-va-voom of La Mission or Pavillon blanc in this vintage
I find something of the same energy in Les Champs Libres and Grand Village blanc
from Baptiste and Julie Guinaudeau (better known
These wines are shockingly brilliant each time I taste them and the progression from one vintage to the next which has been so evident with the former for at least five vintages
is now no less palpably present at Grand Village too
It will come as a surprise to no one that Domaine de Chevalier and Smith Haut-Lafitte have put in great showings in 2021
multi-layered and finely pixilated and Smith
whilst remaining very true to its style and identity
is perhaps a little less oaky than in recent vintages
the spice tempered somewhat to reveal more of its minerality and its glorious sapidity
Cos d’Estournel has also made in this vintage the finest blanc sec that I have ever tasted from the property – its iodine sea-spray-infused personality more immediately redolent of its Northern Médocain terroir than ever
Latour Martillac has made another fabulous wine that is charged with tension and biting freshness and Couhins-Lurton also deserves a special mention
Its 100% Sauvignon Blanc was picked in a series of tries to optimise ripeness
It has almost a certain Sauternes-esque exoticism allied with a brilliantly dynamic freshness
the now reliably excellent Picque Caillou it is likely to prove exceptional value
All three will be immediately enjoyable the moment they are bottled
For full tasting notes, see here
March was a starry month for Bordeaux’s Pessac-Léognan
but most wine lovers didn’t even realise it
Backstage at the glamorous 95th Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood
nominees and winners sipped La Clarté de Haut-Brion
a white wine made by first growth Château Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan
Yet few wine lovers outside France know that appellation name
or that in 1987 it was carved from the northern part of the wider Graves region south of Bordeaux
who became the president of the Syndicat de Pessac-Léognan last year
Pessac-Léognan should be one of the best-known names in Bordeaux
like Margaux in the Médoc and St-Emilion on the Right Bank
You could argue it’s the most dynamic wine spot in Bordeaux
White plantings are almost three quarters (70 percent) Sauvignon Blanc and 30 percent Semillon
Grapes are harvested by hand and vinified in lots to ensure the best possible wine – Domaine de Chevalier has a reputation for making good wines even in average vintages
Barrel-aging is for up to 18 months with 35 percent new french oak.
Domaine de Chevalier is notable for having kept its 'domaine' title
which is more at home in Burgundy than it is in Bordeaux
Chevalier comes from the Gascon word for knight
an homage to a trail on the property believed to have been used by knights in the 12th to 14th centuries
the domaine came under its current ownership when it was bought by the Bernard family
who renovated the winery and expanded the vineyard
Production of the top wines totals about 140,000 bottles annually
The winemaking team at Domaine de Chevalier have, since 1993, also overseen the vineyard and wines of Domaine de la Solitude
a wine estate owned by a holy order in Martillac
As he nears the end of his whistle-stop tour of the leading appellations of Bordeaux
db’s Colin Hay looks at the white wines of Pessac-Léognan and Graves
and the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes
Here he finds the holy grail for whites – freshness
It seems sensible to put them together in a single article not just because Barsac and Sauternes now produce some of the leading dry whites of the entire region
even if many of them remain underappreciated
but also because what makes both great in this vintage is the same essential ingredient – freshness
Freshness is the sine qua non of spectacular white wine because it is the source of tension and interest
it is becoming ever more difficult to find
But freshness is the watchword of the 2023 vintage in Bordeaux for the whites
In tasting these wines one might be forgiven for thinking that they come from a rather cooler and more classical growing season than in fact they do
But the secret to their greatness lies not in the average temperature over the growing season (which was relatively high and certainly above the ten-year average) but the comparatively overcast month of July as well as impressive day-to-night temperature ranges during the harvest itself
are also rather more homogeneous than the reds and it was often both exciting and refreshing to taste them
then it is important to emphasise that the Sauternes and Barsac reach another level altogether
In this vintage I find them truly exceptional – in part for exactly the same reason and in part because the rainfall that came in mid-September provided near perfect conditions for the even and rapid spread of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) which formed on healthy and perfectly ripe grapes
Nairac and La Tour Blanche all at less than 3 hl/ha
the average appellation yield is at a somewhat more healthy 12.2 hl/ha)
Table 1: Average vineyard yield by appellation (hl/ha)
We are accustomed to associating greatness with longevity and although these wines do have very significant aging potential (not least precisely because of all that natural acidity)
I would nonetheless encourage you to consider opening at least some of them young – with all of that youthful fresh
vibrant tension and dynamic radiance still intact
Most of those who produce these wines today both quite consciously make their wines to be accessible younger and
And we should think of following their lead
Given the quality of the vintage it is perhaps unsurprising that the two dry whites of the vintage come from perhaps the two most famous white terroirs of the region
those of Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion
But they are staggeringly different – almost mirror opposites of one another
big tableau wine of staggering potential and harmony
is in a way more redolently expressive of the vintage
the most chiselled and structured of these wines and an utterly brilliant advert for Sauvignon Blanc on limestone
It is now reliably one of the truly great blancs secs of the region
Amongst the Pessac-Léognan classed growth power houses
it is difficult to choose between the sublime but very different personalities of Domaine de Chevalier and Smith Haut-Lafitte
each is likely to be seen in time as one of the strongest ever vintages from this duo of exceptional and truly reliable estates
And Pavillon Blanc de Margaux is once again the star of the Médoc blanc secs
great intensity and incredible crystallinity
two blancs secs from Barsac and Sauternes amongst my list of the truly greats
They are the beautifully elegant and refined Lilium de Climens (a further honing and elevation of the same style that Bérénice Lurton cultivated in the larger production Asphodèle) and the fantastically energetic Rayne Vigneau Grand Vin Sec
a wine almost pulsating in its combination of freshness and minerality
Turning to the wines for which Barsac and Sauternes are
rather better known there is a veritable embarrassment of riches in this vintage
At the summit we find two wines of potential perfection – a truly exquisite
discrete and utterly beautiful Climens and a quite brilliant and rather shockingly delicate L’Extravagant de Doisy Daëne
These are for me the twin super stars of the vintage
But every one of the first growths has made a wine of exceptional quality that seems to express its identity
personality and terroir as clearly as I have ever before witnessed
Whether it is Sigalas Rabaud with its levity and delicate white florality or Lafaurie-Peyraguey with that little hint of lanolin that is
each of these wines seems to express itself and its terroir so clearly
But alongside those that I have already mentioned
I would also particularly single out a simply stunning Suduiraut (a wine on sparkling form in recent vintages and
I don’t think I have ever tasted better en primeur samples from either property
will all be very capable of having me in raptures any time following their bottling
If en primeur is the time you buy your Sauternes
then these all deserve your close consideration
An initial press conference on 9 November at Château Haut Brion
yielded news of ‘repositioning’ Bordeaux’s youngest appellation
with a new logo and publicity campaign that de-emphasises its link to the larger Graves region
while underscoring its Bordeaux city origins
Pessac-Léognan: L’Esprit Bordeaux is meant to clearly communicate that Pessac-Léognan’s 70 châteaux with 1,880 hectares under vine ‘flank the outskirts’ of the Aquitaine capital
making ‘our wines quintessentially Bordeaux’ – so goes the text in a branded brochure that highlights the appellation’s soils and climate
its family-owned wineries and its proximity to the city of Bordeaux
president of the Pessac-Léognan wine association
explained that although the appellation was created in 1987
‘it is developed on an ancient terroir where the first wines were cultivated 2,000 years ago
less than half an hour from Bordeaux city centre’
‘The idea was to effectively define our strengths
or where we want to go in the future,’ said Lurton during a second event at the end of November
and then a new tagline,’ which was put forward by branding consultant Pascal Beucler and inspired from answers given during a survey of wine industry professionals
‘The idea is that we are an urban appellation within the city of Bordeaux so we have to look towards
it with our communication’ said Lurton
‘We are proud of the connection and we want to bring the spirit that links us to the fore,’ he added
‘It was something quite strong for us to choose this
It’s important for us to support Bordeaux too’
said Severine Bonnie of Château Malartic Lagravière
‘We have done many things over the last four decades,’ said Domaine de Chevalier owner and winemaker Olivier Bernard
‘and now it’s time to take the next step.’
The campaign is less about new initiatives but rather recognises work achieved over the last 35 years
Using a French play on words: Après le faire
In the past three decades Pessac-Léognan has pursued a dynamic promotional policy including hosting open house weekends in December and June for 25 years
organising wine tastings in major European cities and around key dates such as the Avant-Première des Primeurs evening in April
There is also the Pessac-Léognan trophy for sommelier students as well as ongoing research with the ISVV and Bordeaux wine schools
The new bi-lingual English and French brochure is ‘like a manifesto of what we are today and what we’d like to be tomorrow,’ said Bonnie who was part of the committee agreeing the new guidelines
While the group admits; ‘it’s not a revolution’ – they affirm it’s more an ‘evolution’ while emphasising the production of classified Bordeaux red and white wines as ‘unique’
Pessac-Léognan counts 14 classified growths from the Graves appellation of 1953 in 10 communes from the northern part of that region
but Graves has become associated with lesser quality further south
wine educator for importer Calvert Woodley in Washington D.C.
put it: ‘The vast majority of classified growth buyers now recognise the importance of the Pessac-Léognan designation’ as opposed to what he calls ‘the swill that’s made in the rest of the Graves’
Pessac-Léognan has more stringent rules for vineyard planting density and yields and its estates are more innovative for organic and biodynamic winemaking
Muting the link to Graves reflects a practice that consumers may not have noticed in recent years
The front label of the 2010 vintage of Château Malartic Lagravière
indicates ‘Grand Cru Classé de Graves’
But the 2020 label only shows ‘Grand Cru Classé’ with the appellation designation of Pessac-Léognan
‘It’s a bit of an emancipation’ – un affranchissement – from the Graves origins
since the classification was set before the creation of Pessac-Léognan
Those keeping the Graves reference now wonder whether they should also remove it
we may consider cutting the umbilical cord (to Graves) by also removing the specific reference
but it must be done with the consent of the entire family at the château,’ added Edouard Kressmann of the classified Château Latour Martillac
Branding consultant Beucler draws a parallel with another famous Bordeaux region
saying that Château Latour does not advertise so much the Médoc – even if it’s a classified First Growth from the 1855 classification bearing the Médoc name – but rather as Pauillac
the more specific appellation within the region
Industry observers like Giliberti agreed: ‘Replacing Cru Classé de Graves with just Cru Classé makes sense to me as they are all Pessac-Léognan anyway.’
but where others focus solely on their appellations
we are doing the same,’ said Bernard
but our communication is not to be as close as we’ve been in the past
It’s not to forget the Graves but Pessac-Léognan has its own story,’ he added
As for the Crus Classés they are ‘happy to have a strong base’ and to benefit from the new branding
The new logo will be mainly used for social media and promotional purposes but may be added to wine labels – front or back
It will be up to châteaux owners to decide
It is not clear how important this initiative is for end consumers – strong brands like Haut Brion
Domaine de Chevalier and Smith Haut Lafitte sell well whatever logo or appellation identity but the group hopes to strengthen the ties between the appellation and Bordeaux city as its ‘strongest supporter’
‘We all share the same idea and the same goal – that’s not so easy but we’re all working together’ to continue to improve among other things; the quality of the wines
the tourism efforts and the overall image of Pessac-Léognan
‘We have the only vineyard in Bordeaux you can reach by tram
said Lurton and there are plans underway to develop wine routes by boat
‘Now is the right time to make a new step,’ Bernard concluded
Colin Hay concludes his appellation profiles of the Bordeaux 2022 vintage in the Graves – here
We tend already to think of 2022 as a vintage for the reds and not really for the whites and we are certainly not entirely wrong to do so
But what is interesting is that both of these
That theme is the recalibration of the expectations that I had formed before I had tasted a single wine
in both cases my expectations have been exceeded
as I left Paris at très grand vitesse for Bordeaux almost six weeks ago
I was more than a little worried about Pessac-Léognan
That anxiety was based on my reading – too superficial
it turns out – of the meteorological charts and a certain misunderstanding too
It is good to learn from one’s mistakes and sometimes good
It is not difficult to see where the anxiety came from
Table 1: Rainfall during the vintage (relative to 10-year average
mms) Source: calculated from Saturnalia’s Bordeaux 2022 Harvest report
It breaks down rainfall volumes by appellation for the vintage for the three crucial periods: first
prior to bud-burst (in which the water table on which the vines would need to draw was either depleted or replenished); second
from budburst to véraison (colour-change); and
It shows the total rainfall (in millimetres) recorded in each period and (in brackets) the comparison with the 10-year average for the same period
It paints an interesting and complex picture
The first thing that it reveals is that the water table in the right-bank appellations (Pomerol and
St Emilion) was replenished during the winter
the right-bank appellations (most notably St Emilion) were better placed to endure what nature would throw their way because there they simply had more water ‘in reserve’
But what it also reveals is that no appellation suffered more than Pessac-Léognan after budburst
at every key stage in the making of the vintage
Pessac-Léognan was amongst the group of appellations that was suffering the most
It was with the Médoc appellations over the winter months in having less rainfall; it was with the right-bank appellations following budburst in having less rainfall; and it was alone
in receiving less than half of 10-year-average rainfall following véraison
that 2022 was drier overall in Pessac-Léognan than in any other leading appellation (with irrigation of individual plants authorised
in the revised cahier des charges of the appellation)
Pessac-Léognan also suffered the hottest days
many of the hottest nights and the highest average temperatures of this long and intense summer
in a vintage that was very hot and very dry
That is exactly the question I started to pose myself as I began to taste these wines which
I found characterised by a remarkable and extraordinary freshness and sapidity
the drought conditions that were to characterise the growing season began very early
This turned out to be a strange and paradoxically serendipitous blessing
with little winter or spring rainfall (March and April saw around 70% of average rainfall in Mérignac after a dry winter)
the vines began their growing season in search of water
they looked inevitably to the water table below
the vines built smaller canopies and established deeper root systems than they would otherwise have done (had the drought conditions been established only later in the summer as they were in Pomerol
This undoubtedly helped them adapt to the drought-induced hydric stress of the summer months
better prepared for it and it came as less of a shock to them
the grapes themselves were formed physiologically in drought conditions and under hydric stress
This undoubtedly contributed to their quality
But that makes this sound all just a little pre-determined – as if things were always going to turn out well
This was a stressful vintage for wine-makers
They might have had little to do in the vineyard
they worried and at least some of them prayed
it was as if their prayers were answered (you will detect
the subtle theological evasion in the formulation of the phrase!)
As Véronique Sanders explained to me at Haut Bailly
the 40 millimetres of rain that fell in August was very
very timely as was the 100 millimetres of rain that fell in June (even if its violence and intensity ensured that quite a lot of it was lost as run-off)
whilst Saturnalia reports that diurnal temperature variation was relatively low in Pessac-Léognan over the ripening season
it was higher in August and early September just when it mattered most
these little details were probably just as important when it comes to explaining the remarkable freshness of many of these wines than the more general meteorological trends
at less than 10 per down relative to the 10-year average
they actually look better in comparative terms than those of any other leading left or right-bank appellation
That is much better than had been feared at the start of August
It is interesting also to see in 2022 the consolidation of the growing turn to Cabernet Sauvignon (and to a somewhat lesser extent
Cabernet Franc) in the blends of the grands vins of many of the leading crus
many of the great wines of the appellation are now staunchly Cabernet-dominated
but they are undoubtedly voluminous and substantial
The reds of Pessac-Léognan and the Graves in 2022 reveal perhaps a little more of the hot and dry character of the vintage than most of their Médoc and right-bank counterparts (the exception here perhaps being Pomerol once again)
brilliant though at their best these wines undoubtedly are
they may not always be especially expressive of and even in keeping with the style
identity and personality of the property from which they hail
In blind tastings a decade from now (and perhaps even at Southwold in a few year’s time)
Couhins and Picque Caillou might easily be mis-identified
the top wines of the appellation are truly stunning and
their terroir and the personality of the property in question
with a wine that quite simply surpasses all else that has ever been produced here
It is the culmination of an incredible ascent to the summit achieved at breath-taking pace over the last decade by Guillaume Pouthier
Smith Haut Lafitte and Domaine de Chevalier have produced wines that in any other recent vintage would be candidates for wine of the vintage – each wonderfully true to and consistent with the identity and personality of their terroirs and the property
Malartic-Lagravière continues its sublime form in the last five or so vintages and it is wonderful
to taste the best Pape Clément in many a vintage
And it would be remiss to finish this review without pointing out the truly exceptional value for money to be found in many of the now usual suspects: Couhins-Lurton
Larrivet Haut-Brion and Picque Caillou (the latter two
properties transformed in recent vintages)
I struggle to think of wines with a better quality-to-price ratio anywhere in the world today
I have decided to provide an indicative rating for each wine alongside the published comment
All such comments and ratings are necessarily subjective (they cannot be anything else
a far from entirely homogeneous vintage – and
I have decided not to publish scores for wines that I have rated below 90 (here the range 89-91)
élevage is likely to be very important in determining the quality in bottle of these wines (like 2021 and rather more so than in other recent vintages)
I am no soothsayer and cannot predict how that will turn out
All en primeur ratings should be treated with caution and taken with a certain pinch of salt
Pessac-Léognan has become a dynamic force among the Bordeaux appellations
plus fresh reviews of how the early vintages taste now
If you ever wonder about the human element in the creation of France’s appellation system
Today one of the most dynamic parts of Bordeaux
easily producing some of the best red and white wines in the whole of France
its birth was a long drawn-out affair that had moments of high drama intercut with years of inaction
and no small influence of a few key personalities
the appellation may never have been created if it wasn’t for two men
who back in the spring of 1964 was owner of Château St-Jérome in the southern Graves
and an active member of the local syndicate (he later became its president)
he made his hostility towards owners in the northern part of the appellation plainly felt
to the establishment of a separate wine syndicate for what was known as ‘Haute’ Graves
This new association immediately sent a request to the French body responsible for appellations
the INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité)
but it would take the considerable determination of a second man
The Syndicate Viticole des Hautes Graves de Bordeaux breaks off from the main Syndicate de Graves
although some winemakers from the southern section also join its ranks
Its first action was to send a request for a separate AC to the French appellations’ authority
André Lurton arrives at the syndicate after buying Château La Louvière
begins looking into creation of AC Hautes-Graves de Bordeaux
André Lurton becomes president of the Syndicat Viticole des Hautes Graves de Bordeaux
The question of the new AC is relaunched by the INAO
and various conciliatory meetings are organised between north and south Graves
To overcome the issue of having winemakers from the southern Graves in the syndicate
it is reworked to become a precise geographic region
This becomes the Syndicat Viticole de Pessac et Léognan
Its members remain within the overall Syndicat Viticole des Graves et Graves Supérieures
where they account for just six out of 42 seats on the board
The INAO recommends the creation of Graves Pessac and Graves Léognan
two geographic indications that would be allowed on the label for the relevant estates
Believing that this compromise doesn’t go far enough
the six members of the Syndicat Viticole de Pessac et Léognan resign from the Syndicat Viticole des Graves et Graves Supérieures
The INAO agrees to the creation of the new AC for the 1987 vintage for whites and the 1986 for reds
The creation of AC Pessac-Léognan (no longer Pessac et Léognan) is published in the government’s Journal Officiel
It includes wines produced in the 10 communes of Mérignac
following a geological study by geologist Pierre Becheler
Château La Mission Haut-Brion holds a celebration dinner
I conclude my appellation profiles of the miraculous and at times exceptional Bordeaux 2022 vintage with the whites of Pessac-Léognan
They exceeded my expectations – and by some distance – but 2022 will never be remembered as a fabulous vintage for white Bordeaux
The meteorological challenges were just too considerable
An extremely hot and intensely dry growing season leading to an almost unprecedentedly early harvest does not make this a candidate for vintage of the century or even vintage of the decade
and despite relatively low acidity (and at times slightly frighteningly high pH levels) I was amazed by the freshness
That was easier to achieve on limestone or limestone and clay– and it is hardly surprising that many of the vintage’s genuine stars hail from such terroirs
Les Champs Libres is a truly miraculous and exceptional wine
This vintage was made for a terroir such as this and
in the hands of the hyper-talented team from Lafleur
it is hardly surprising that the wine is so stunning
even if it really does need to be tasted to be believed
Pavillon Blanc is once again the star of the Médoc blanc secs
And in Pessac-Léognan it is the trio of Malartic-Lagravière
Pape Clément and Smith Haut Lafitte that shine most brightly
Domaine de Chevalier pushes them very close indeed
I was also greatly impressed by a number of the rising stars of the appellation: notably
For full tasting notes, click here:
Bordeaux 2022 vintage report: Mysterious majesty forged from the enigma of climatic excess (thedrinksbusiness.com)
Like much of Bordeaux in 2018, the Graves and Pessac-Léognan had plenty of stress
with hail followed by mildew and then drought
although the average yield for reds is 45 hectolitres per hectare
Small crops didn’t necessarily impact quality. Haut-Bailly, one of my top scorers in 2018
had a yield of 21 hl/ha and managed conditions well to combine the enjoyable
structured fruit of 2015 with the serious finish of its 2016 wine
Pessac-Léognan fruit ripens relatively early
which helped to lessen the gap between technical and phenolic ripeness that was an issue for some Bordeaux estates in this vintage
This was a natural advantage for Pessac in 2018
as long as vines didn’t block from the heat
I found that the en primeur wines were not as consistent as in 2016
I have been amazed by how welcoming the tannins are
I expected the wines would be unapproachable
There is clear architecture on display, but of the graceful kind. Many wines show lots of depth and concentration but have good balance. Top wines have lots of layers, with great fruit and potential for ageing; Haut-Brion 2018
although most wines are well-controlled with great tannins
There is likely to be some brilliant value in both Graves and Pessac
As I’ve said for some other major appellations
it’s important to track individual estates in 2018
because there are clear differences between châteaux
excellent summer and autumn weather meant that estates could time their harvests according to individual preferences
which means you see stylistic differences coming into play
One to watch would be Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2018
which saw a high proportion of Cabernet Franc and 53% whole bunch fermentation pay off hugely in terms of balance
Reds potentially offering great value in 2018: Rouillac
The reds are more reliable than the whites overall
Yet the whites were much better than I expected
Most white grapes were safely in the cellars as drought intensified in September and October
only a very few dry whites were exceptional enough to best the brilliant 2017s
Search all Bordeaux 2018 wine ratings here
The early campaign flurry of releases continues
Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes all set to be released today (Friday 3 May)
following the crucial release of wines from Domaines Baron de Rothschild yesterday
Prior to the publication of appellation-by-appellation profiles
here are my tasting notes where they have not already been published
Bouscaut blanc (Pessac-Léognan; 61% Sémillon; 39% Sauvignon Blanc – I think
as the technical sheet adds up to 120%!; a final yield of 40 hl/ha; 13.5% alcohol; tasted at the UGCB press tasting at the Cité du Vin)
but the quality of this must provide at least a little compensation
One notices immediately that this is less oaky than it often is or used to be
Decent concentration in the mid-palate but
so charged is it with fresh citrus acidity
A subtle change in style with rather less oak and more personality as a consequence
Calicem (Saint-Émilion; 100% Merlot; the 8th production of this wine from a single parcel adjoining Angélus and Beauséjour
this has a very consistent personality now; Thomas Duclos consults here; a final yield of c
30 hl/ha from vines of around 60 years of age; vinified in 500 litres new oak barrel from 4 tonnellerie and with pigeage à la main; pH 3.65; 14% alcohol)
with a very pure blend of red and darker berry fruits
the pleasing ripeness imparting a gentle natural sweetness that is not surprising when you consider where the parcel is located
beautifully-filled with plump and plush berry fruits
the calcaire tannins gathering on the finish to give this a delightfully powdery chalky finale
One of the strongest monocépage wines of the appellation
Couvent des Jacobins (Saint-Émilion; 84% Merlot; 11% Cabernet Franc; 5% Petit Verdot; a final yield of 40 hl/ha; tasted first at the Association des Grands Crus Classes at Dassault
then with Xavier Jean in the historic cloister of the Couvent itself)
An amazing ascent to the summit is underway here and this is still a work in progress
but it’s perhaps the finest I’ve yet tasted from Couvent
with Thomas Duclos playing an important role as consultant
a little violet and a gracious plump stone and dark berry fruit – damsons and blueberries
a little bramble too; a nice combination of cracked peppercorns too
The Petit Verdot brings a little strictness of the mid-palate and maybe needs a little more time to fully bed in
superb in its tannin management and incredibly refined
The best yet from here and a veritable coup de coeur
Doisy Védrines (Sauternes; 85% Sémillon; 12% Sauvignon Blanc; 3% Muscadelle; a final yield of 9 hl/ha; 14% alcohol; tasted at the UGCB press tasting at the Cité du Vin)
with just enough bite from the zesty citrus elements to rein this in
A vintage in which the terroir character of each wine is very present
La Lagune (Haut-Médoc; 65% Cabernet Sauvignon; 35% Merlot; strong mildew pressure was well-managed
the team now highly experienced in an all too familiar fight; a final yield of 30 hl/ha; 13.5% alcohol; tasted at the UGC press tasting at the Cité du Vin and with Caroline and Delphine Frey at the property; certified organic and biodynamic)
There is no Petit Verdot in the grand vin this year
giving this perhaps an additional harmony at this nascent stage
We could easily be in Margaux here as this has a lovely highly expressive but still delicate and refined wild florality to it
Beautifully expressive and vivid aromatically
We are not so much in the parfumier’s boudoir as in the field from which the flowers themselves were sourced
This has quite a tight frame accentuating the impact on the attack and the density and concentration of the mid-palate
Well-structured and with significant aging potential despite the elegance that is already present
Puyblanquet (Saint-Émilion; 80% Merlot; 20% Cabernet Franc; just 11 of the 19 hectares here are in production with significant replanting underway; just in front of Pressac
next to Boutisse; 14.2% alcohol; tasted at La Gaffelière)
Beautiful in its intensely dark fruited aromatic profile
Luminous at the core and with lovely powdery chalky tannins on the finish
Complicated weather conditions tested winemakers in the vineyards and cellars in Pessac and Graves in 2020 with a mainly dry and warm growing season saved by crucial rains in August
supple and generous red wines by producers who picked at the right time and exhibited a light touch in the winery
exotic fruit touches balanced by freshness and crisp acidity
Average yields for Pessac-Léognan in 2020 were 34.6hl/ha
lowers than 2018 at 36.9hl/ha and 2019 at 47.2hl/ha with a 10-year-average of 40.5hl/ha
SCORE TABLE: top-scoring 349 wines with 92 points or above
The following wines all scored 94 points or above.
There is something supremely poignant about doing a vertical tasting at the moment.
To fully concentrate on how wine estates have responded to the challenges of individual years, no matter what the difficulties involved, somehow means more than ever.
The Perrins of Pessac-Léognan share 10 vintages of their excellent value red and white grand vin, including two promising 2022 Bordeaux barrel samples
The Perrins of Pessac-Léognan open 10 vintages of their excellent value red and white grand vin, including two promising 2022 Bordeaux barrel samples. Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth shares his tasting notes.
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Andy Howard MW became a Master of Wine in 2011 and runs his own consultancy business
He previously worked for Marks & Spencer as a buyer for over 30 years and was responsible as wine buyer for\u00a0Burgundy,\u00a0Bordeaux,\u00a0Loire,\u00a0Champagne
Although his key areas of expertise are Burgundy and Italy
he also has great respect for the wines of South America and South Africa
as well as a keen interest in the wines from South West France
He is a Decanter contributing editor and writes a regular column on the UK wine retail trade for\u00a0JancisRobinson.com
At the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) he was the Regional Chair for Southern Italy
Tom Parker MW and Tim Triptree MW tasted 82 wines with three Outstanding and 35 Highly Recommended
Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Graves AP and Pessac-Léognan dry whites
one recent and one mature (including grand cru and cru classé de Graves)
providing an insight into some of the Graves region’s recent vintages while also providing an opportunity to taste older vintages and see how the wines have developed
The panel were left with more questions than answers but, in the right hands, it’s clear that the best white Graves wines can be a match quality wise for some of the better-known Burgundy Côte d’Or appellations
The panel tasted dry white wines from Graves and Pessac-Léognan
Andy Howard MW is a contributing editor to Decanter and a DWWA Regional Chair. Formerly a wine buyer in the UK retail sector for 30 years, he now runs his own wine consultancy Vinetrades Ltd
Tom Parker MW has been a wine buyer for merchant Farr Vintners since 2011, with a particular focus on Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône. A Master of Wine since 2018, he writes when time permits, contributing to a number of publications including jancisrobinson.com
Tim Triptree MW is the international director of wine and spirits at Christie’s
responsible for the planning and execution of Christie’s wine and spirits auctions internationally
at DWWA 2021 he judged on the Bordeaux and Rhône panels
Stretching from Pessac some 50km southwards to the town of Langon
the vineyards of Graves are bordered to the west and south by pine forest and to the east by the Garonne river
is the more recently created (1987) appellation of Pessac-Léognan
which includes all classified Graves wines
While all Pessac-Léognan wines are part of the Graves region
One of Bordeaux’s oldest winemaking regions
Graves has been exporting wine since Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou
the region offers a wide variety of red and white wines
The Bordeaux 2020 vintage has started its journey in châteaux cellars over the past week after several estates in Pessac-Léognan picked their first white wine grapes
A warm growing season has led to one of the earliest harvests in recent memory
rivalling start dates seen during the infamous heatwave year of 2003
as well as in other early years like 2011 and 1997
‘In 2003 we started on 18 August, and this year it was the 19th,’ said Jacques Lurton, president of Vignobles André Lurton, which counts Château Couhins-Lurton and Château La Louvière among its several estates in Pessac-Léognan
‘Grapes have ripened faster than normal [in 2020],’ he told Decanter.com
adding that the group’s vineyards were running around two weeks ahead of a typical schedule
A similar picture has emerged in several other French wine regions, prompting fresh conversations about how climate change is impacting vineyards.
and particularly warm nights alongside hot days
can create extra challenges for white wine producers keen to preserve acidity
but Lurton said that he was very pleased with the balance of the grapes being brought in so far
‘We don’t have an acidity problem this year,’ he said
reporting that pH levels were relatively low
An initial tasting of the juice suggests some wines ‘won’t be as aromatic as last year’
Fabien Teitgen, technical director at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, told France 3 news that the estate’s white grapes showed a ‘nice balance and liveliness’ so far
and didn’t have the profile one might associate with a hot year
Bordeaux’s reds are still maturing on the vine
with Merlot generally ripening earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon
Lurton said the red wine harvest at its own estates could begin in around two weeks
although the University of Bordeaux’s Wine Institute
said last week that the 2020 red vintage looked ‘promising’
It reported regular flowering and fruit-set in many vineyards
which are among the key conditions for a good vintage
Mildew attacks in spring could have curbed potential production in some parts of the wider Bordeaux area
said France’s agriculture ministry recently
The Covid-19 pandemic has also forced châteaux and estates of all sizes to implement extra sanitary measures
Lurton said that his team had no problem recruiting harvest workers
‘It’s crazy to see a grape picker wearing a mask all day in the vineyard,’ he said
but he added that the group as a whole was extremely aware of the potential risks
‘We have very strict conditions for everyone.’
As one of the major producer of Entre-Deux-Mers and Pessac-Léognan whose history goes back to the 18th century
is no surprise that Bordeaux producer Les Vignoble Famille André Lurton is regarded as a benchmark of wines from the region
The company was founded back to 1897, when patriarch Léonce Recapet first acquired Château Bonnet and its 47 hectares of vines and meadows in Grézillac
a second growth in the 1855 classification
and Léonce became a shareholder in the illustrious Château Margaux a few years later
a series of family tragedy’s resulted in the family holdings being divided among the children of Leonce’s only surviving daughter
The company as we know it followed their eldest son
He later added the historic Château La Louvière in Pessac-Léognan in 1965 – his first acquisition in Graves – and embarked on a major overhaul of the estate
the Les Vignoble Famille André Lurton continued to grow
with the addition of the vineyards of Château Couhins-Lurton
which are made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc
in 1970; followed by Château de Cruzeau in Saint-Médard d’Eyrans (Pessac-Léognan appellation) in 1973; Château de Rochemorin in Martillac was acquired in 1985 along with 30 hectares belonging to Château de Quantin
1990 saw the purchase of Château Grossombre
which has since been expanded to a total of 25 hectares
while the château and cellars of Couhins-Lurton were acquired two years later
reuniting the château with the vineyards that the company had acquired two decades earlier
Les Vignobles André Lurton also became a shareholder in the Société d’Exploitation de Château Dauzac
a fifth growth Margaux estate and was instrumental in the creation of the Pessac-Leognan appellation in 1987
It is therefore no surprise that the company now is a major Bordeaux player
with around 600 hectares of vines (more than 70%
producing red wine) and ten châteaux across seven different appellations
Around 4 million bottles are sold annually
with turnover of around 25,4 million euros
Recently it also launched micro cuvées (700 bottles) in single varietals from three of its estates
the company has risen to even great heights – since 2019 it has been run by André Lurton’s sixth child
who after a brief stint working with his father in the mid 1980s
Since returning to the family company after his father’s death
he has used his extensive experience to give the wines a breath of fresh air
with the aim that “each variety expresses the maximum of its potential and its typicity”
for example which he says “represents the white grape variety of the future of Bordeaux compatible with climate change”
the aim is that same: the varietal style by making the wines as fruity as possible
Jacques works on the complexity of the wine but also on the pleasure it must give to the consumers,” the company says
Château Bonnet remains the spiritual home and headquarters of the Vignobles André Lurton
a 300 hectare estate in Entre-deux-Mers where the team experiments with new technology and sustainable viticultural practices
“Several experimental initiatives and research are being conducted at Château Bonnet and new wines are seeing the day: sulphite free wines
20 hectares of Biocontrol vines (Cuvée Eden)
several alternative varieties have been planted,” a spokesperson said
In the last three years it has invested in biodiversity initiatives including adding bees
as well as new woodland areas have been created
“These new projects already seem to have a positive impact on the environment
and on the other on the wildlife (birds and insects) which are multiplying and finding ideal conditions for their development,” they said
Bonnet’s eponymous red wine is a “benchmark in Bordeaux”
a 60% Merlot/ 40% Cabernet Sauvignon blend that is ” best enjoyed on the young side
although the quality tannin ensures good ageing for several years”
“Château Bonnet is our biggest estate and at an entry level within our portfolio
whites and rosé wines providing brilliant value,” they added
The château is also home to prestige cuvée
an assemblage of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that displays “softer fruit
more body and more pronounced oak when young” than the Château Bonnet Réserve
The portfolio also includes a relatively new addition
47% Cabernet Sauvignon blend made from plots cultivated using natural plant protection method
which uses indigenous yeasts for fermentation
But it’s not only the company’s longest-held vineyard that takes all the plaudits
which was acquired in 2000 by André Lurton
has been called “secret” estate in Saint Émilion
situated on a ridge of clay and limestone in Lussac
The vineyard in currently converting to organic viticulture
yielding “soft and tasty” wines
“The vineyard is blessed with a wonderful limestone terroir
it’s got a very romantic feel to it,” a spokesperson adds
Among its many wines are four that attained medals in the drinks business’s recent Spring Tasting
Producer: Les Vignobles Famille Andre Lurton
Region: Bordeaux (AOC Lussac Saint-Emilion)
maturing Lussac Saint-Emilion that’s drinking beautifully now
with plenty of dry tannins to make you salivate
A cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend with lots of blackcurrant and baked cherry flavours
complemented by notes of balsamic and cigar box
this is a well-balanced red that’s delicious now
but with potential to age and develop further complexity and softness with time
A round and ripe Sauvignon-Semillon blend from Entre-deux-Mers with notes of pear and passion fruit
A medium-weight red with some red berry fruit
followed by notes of fresh tobacco and nettle
Château Smith Haut Lafitte is located in Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank of the Garonne River. During the 1959 Classification of the Graves it was rated as Grand Cru Classé for its red wine
Nowadays the estate is also considered to produce one of the foremost examples of white Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon usually accounts for 60-65 percent of the red grand vin. Merlot contributes around 30 percent, and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out a typical blend
The wine is aged in barrel for around 18 months
The white grand vin is usually Sauvignon Blanc-dominant, with around five percent each of Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. The wine is fermented and aged in barrel, resting on its lees for a year
The second wines are the Le Petit Haut Lafitte white (introduced in 2013) and red (from 2010)
They are made from lots identified during the blending of the grand vins
With the second wines, the red is designed to show more of a rounder, Right Bank style, and is usually a 55:45 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in barrel for 14 months. The white is an 80:20 Sauvignon Blanc - Sémillon combination
but with around 10 months of barrel maturation
The Les Hauts de Smith duo are now the third wines of the estate
They are usually matured in barrel for the same length of time as their Petit Haut Lafitte
The 78 hectares (193 acres) of organic vineyard (and the château) sit on a low hill of stones and pebbles deposited by the Garonne River
This gravelly soil offers not only superb drainage
but also reflects sunshine to amplify its benefits to the vines and fruit
The vineyard is farmed organically and produces its own compost
A horse is used to plow the more fragile soils of the white wine vineyard
Biodiversity efforts include the siting of beehives around the estate
Smith Haut Lafitte has its own vine nursery
situated on Ile de Lalande in the middle of the Garonne
All grapes are harvested by hand by a team of more than 100 pickers
Picking dates and various other viticultural practices are influenced by row-by-row imaging from the Oenoview satellite system
A Vistalysis optical system scans each berry
identifying and removing lesser-quality fruit
The vat room was recently renovated and now operates entirely by gravity flow
Vats are sized to allow flexibility in managing individual parcels of fruit
On arrival the grapes are sorted using high-tech computerized optical systems
The red wine cellar is one of the largest underground facilities in Bordeaux
The property is also unusual in retaining an on-site cooper
Grapes have been grown on the site since 1365
Smith Haut Lafitte takes its name from the gravel plateau first cultivated in 1365 (and known as Lafitte) and 18th Century owner George Smith
He built the manor house on the site in Pessac-Léognan
In 1958, it was purchased by the Louis Eschenauer company, which invested into the winery and its vineyards. Since 1990, the property has been owned by Florence and Daniel Cathiard. The château is unrelated to first growth Château Lafite Rothschild
The Cathiard family are also known for the Caudalie company, whose beauty care products are made from grape seeds and vine cuttings. Les Sources de Caudalie is a well known "Spa Vinotherapie", set among the Smith Haut Lafitte vines. A similar facility has also been established in the Cheverny region of the Loire Valley
December sees the release of three exciting new single varietal micro-cuvées from Vignobles André Lurton
I was lucky enough to be the first journalist to taste these from bottle when I met up with Jacques Lurton and Claire Dawson in Bordeaux last week
The project is a strikingly simple one – to take some of the best single parcels from Vignobles André Lurton’s various estates and to vinify and bottle them separately as a way of revealing as precisely as possible the interaction between terroir and grape varietal at the most micro-level
miniscule – the nature of the project means that it could not be otherwise – with between 800 and 1200 bottles of each expression
these micro-cuvées come in three varieties – indeed
‘Coeur Perdu’ Cabernet Franc and ‘Tracé’ Carménère
Each comes from a separate vineyard – Noroît is from de Rochemorin in Pessac-Léognan
Coeur Perdu is from Barbe Blanche in Lussac-Saint-Emilion and Tracé is from de Cruzeau in Pessac-Léognan
The initial release is from the fabulous 2020 vintage
crisp and brilliant characteristics of the vintage only accentuate further the clarity of the very direct and immediate expression of both the single varietal and the single terroir that lie at the heart of this project
These are exciting wines that genuine Bordeaux lovers will no doubt want to seek out. They are to be sold to a limited number of exclusive restaurants, through Vignoble André Lurton’s online shop (www.boutique.andrelurton.com) and directly from the shop at Château La Louviere – but all in very limited quantities
The wines are offered either separately or in a mixed case and retail for €40 per bottle (inclusive of tax)
parcel (hence the name) of pure Carménère from Chateau de Cruzeau in the appellation of Pessac-Léognan
This is a legendarily challenging grape variety to grow
The difficulty is in achieving optimal ripeness
with the maturation of the juice (as gauged by the level of sugar and hence potential alcohol) always significantly preceding phenolic maturity (the ripeness of the skins and pips and
The skins require a lot of heat and sun exposure for their tannins to soften
so often is long hang times and elevated alcohol levels (though Tracé 2020 is an impressively moderate 12.5%)
The management of the skins during maturation also requires considerable attention
vinification takes place in specially-designed round wooden vats (of 9 hectolitres)
The effect is an extremely gentle extraction that can be carefully monitored and readily adjusted
The wine is aged in a combination of 2 and 3 years old barrels to avoid adding further to the already naturally ‘toasty’ character of the varietal
Tracé Carménère 2020: (Pessac-Léognan; 100% Carménère; 12.5% alcohol)
This is somewhat broader shouldered and richer than the other two other micro-cuvées
this is very soft on the entry and quite rich and viscous on the densely-packed mid-palate
juicy fruit – dark crushed berries but also the lift and vibrancy of redcurrant
The acidity plays a nice role in the structure of the wine and the overall impression is of something dense
This is sourced from the most South-Eastern of the plots of the Chateau Barbe Blanche vineyard in Lussac St-Emilion
producing the very best Cabernet Franc of the estate
The wine is named to honour the memory of those troops
who were hospitalised at the end of the first world war in the buildings of the estate and whose etchings and engraving can still be found on the walls of the cellar
Many of those engravings were clearly inspired by the romantic attachments of the injured soldiers made during their recuperation and the name of the wine (‘lost’ or ‘broken heart’ in English) imagines the pain of their return to the US (and of the loved ones of those who never returned)
The wine is vinified in essentially the same way as Tracé
The only differences are the addition of some stems
the use of a little press wine to bring additional depth and body to the free-run juice and aging in 50 per cent new oak (lightly toasted)
Coeur Perdu Cabernet Franc 2020: (Lussac St-Emilion; 100% Cabernet Franc; 14% alcohol).
my favourite of the three micro-cuvées (but then I have always had something of a soft-spot for the aromatic purity and expressiveness of Cabernet Franc)
intensely herbal and floral – with lots of evident Cabernet pyrazine notes
ultra-soft on the entry and with a very elegant
stylish and sleek frame – a perfect vehicle for the dark berry fruit and subtly floral elements that are at the heart of this wine
crystalline and very characteristic of the vintage
It’s a little haunting in personality and has that almost crypt-like calm tranquillity of both the varietal and the vintage
It almost feels subterranean and reflects the sombre image of its name
I find this beautifully composed and very harmonious
Like all the best Cabernet Franc it’s a little introvert and quite intellectual
This is sourced from the most North-Westerly parcel of the vineyard of de Rochemorin in Pessac-Léognan
‘Noroît’ is the vernacular French name for a ‘nor’westerly’
The parcel itself is on a well-drained deep gravel soil planted with a new Petit Verdot clone
Petit Verdot is an extremely vigorous varietal and needs to be grow on soils prone to hydric stress
benefits from a long hang time as it tends to be late ripening
is an intensely coloured wine that is relatively high in acidity
It is also a varietal prone in Bordeaux to brutal tannins and so needs a gentle maceration
Noroît is vinified in a manner very similar to the other two micro-cuvées
with press wine (extracted from a vertical press) incorporated with the free run juice as with Coeur Perdu
Petit Verdot has a natural affinity with quality wood and here is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels
Noroît Petit Verdot 2020: (Pessac-Léognan; 100% Petit Verdot; 13% alcohol)
but rather closer to the slightly austere and serious Coeur Perdu than the more boisterous and effervescent Tracé in style
crunchy dark berry fruits (loganberry and raspberry above all)
At first it’s not as peppery as you expect
but with more air-time (as it were) assorted crushed peppercorn notes gradually reveal themselves
We have great purity and precision here – a very direct and clear expression of the varietal
I love the subtle floral element that I was not really expecting and that linger on the finish – hibiscus perhaps
drink and travel writer with 25 years\u2019 experience
plus interviews with high-profile wine lovers like William Boyd
She co-founded the website the The2Fionas.com with fellow writer
You would be forgiven for thinking you’re in a Bordeaux château
in a 19th century mansion that has been restored so sumptuously that giggles involuntarily erupt
He’s the CEO and president of Bordeaux’s Domaine Clarence Dillon Wines
which includes Pessac-Léognan heavyweights Châteaux Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion
the former bought by the prince’s Francophile grandfather
The idea behind it was to create a taste of Bordeaux in Paris
with interiors inspired by the home the prince’s mother created there
beautiful paintings and antique furnishings
which have transformed the nineteenth century wreck
headed up by enthusiastic ‘sommelier-cellarman’ Stanislas Evain
who will direct you around the all-French stock
with its eye-watering verticals of Domain Clarence Dillon wines (1961 Haut-Brion
But before we get pulled down the fine-wine-buying rabbit hole we tear ourselves away for a glass of sparkling in the Salon followed by lunch
the Salon – with its vine green embossed wallpaper
chandeliers glinting in the sunlight and gold leaf galore
Your isolation from the clatter of the city is complete
Flames putter in the fireplace as we sip the house fizz
and nibble on the lightest of Comté gougères
Chef Christophe Pelé has worked in a number of top Paris restaurants and was previously awarded two-Michelin stars at his 20-seat restaurant
some served in twos and fours to be tasted in a certain order
with each mouthful carefully – and brilliantly considered
Pelé doesn’t have two Michelin stars for nothing – yes
he won them back just two years after opening
We start with a glass of La Clarté de Haut-Brion 2012 (the 2014 is offered by the glass at €35)
the hint of herbaceousness and crisp acidity a perfect foil for the langoustine wrapped in kadaif pastry smartly set on a green chilli cream
red cabbage and tuna bottarga showed off Pele’s slick execution
Roasted sea bass with a squid ink jus and radicchio topped with sea urchin shows a bold hand
and when paired with Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2009 proves that red with fish can work like a dream
topped with foie gras and wrapped in buttery pastry
Cue the wine headliner – a glass of Château La Mission de Haut-Brion 2000 (listed at €2250 per bottle)
powerful blueberry and blackcurrant fruit sending the pigeon into the stratosphere
We kept back half a glass for the following decadent combo of abalone
Before having another pinch-me moment with the shaved white truffle-smothered mushroom ravioli and Parmesan cheese cream
including a pear sorbet with candied ginger and a ‘Mont Blanc’ with chestnut and quince
Though oddly – and cleverly – there was no loosening of waistbands
jaw-droppingly lavish feast eaten at an appropriately stately pace
Menus start at €90 per person, with the seven ‘steps’ Inspiration menu at €320, le-clarence.paris
Beyonce and husband Jay-Z threw a star-studded party at an organic wine estate at Pessac-Léognan
followed by a tour of some of the finest producers in Bordeaux
Guests including Rihanna and Kris Jenner descended on the vineyards of a Bordeaux wine estate to mark the Empire State of Mind singer’s birthday celebrations
Jay-Z privately hired the entire 64-room spa hotel Les Sources de Caudalie
an organically farmed estate founded in the 14th century and acquired by the Cathiard family in 1990
Widely regarded as one of the finest producers in Pessac-Léognan
Château Smith Haut Lafitte has 67 ha under vine and produces for its grand vin a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon
A luxurious birthday dinner was served for Jay-Z’s party at Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Its gastronomic pairing menu starts at €205 per person and currently includes fare such as beef filet with brown juice
served alongside Le Petit Haut Lafitte red 2014 in magnum
As part of the multi-day event guests were also treated to tours of some of the most celebrated wineries in the region
including Château d’Yquem in Sauternes on the Left Bank
and Château Petrus where bottles of the 1969 vintage (Jay-Z’s birth year) were served
Both Château d’Yquem and Château Cheval Blanc belong to luxury goods group LVMH, to which Jay-Z sold 50% of his Arnaud de Brignac Champagne brand in 2021. In October, Arnaud de Brignac released its Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four
for an eyewatering recommended retail price of £1,055
Jay-Z’s musical business partner Jay Brown
co-founder and vice-chairman of record label Roc Nation
took to social media to wish Jay-Z a happy birthday
More life to my brother,” Brown wrote on Instagram
Earlier this year, Jay-Z settled a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit with Bacardi over joint Cognac venture D’ussé
Jay-Z instigated the litigation by demanding a buy-out over concerns that a Bacardi subsidiary (Empire Investments Inc.)
which looked after the daily operations of D’ussé
had mismanaged the Cognac brand by “failing to prepare for a surge in consumer interest”
These wines were tasted for the Bordeaux 2016 alphabetical listing report in the March 31, 2019, issue of Wine Spectator magazine.
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2022 at 3:09 AM EDTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.Bordeaux
France (AP) -- The landscape in the prestigious vineyards of Bordeaux looks the same as ever
ripe grapes hanging heavy off rows of green vines
But this year something is starkly different in one of France’s most celebrated wine regions and other parts of Europe
The harvest that once started in mid-September is now happening earlier than ever — in mid-August — as a result of severe drought and the wine industry's adaptation to the unpredictable effects of climate change
A lot of Bordeaux 2015 en primeur red wines were described as enjoyable to taste by Decanter‘s quartet of experts:
Fine tannins and purity of fruit were descriptions repeated frequently throughout en primeur tasting week
and the best red wines will be up there with those from the most celebrated vintages – even if the 2015 vintage as a whole cannot be described as truly great
Bordeaux 2015 was an unusual growing season
‘saved the vintage’ for all concerned following several weeks of drought
according to right bank-based consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt
But, excellent wines were still made in the northerly areas of Pauillac and St-Estèphe
On the dry whites, Château Haut-Brion shared the top spot with Smith Haut Lafitte on 96 points; Jane Anson praising the ‘incredible intensity’ of the latter
which scored 94 points in the first year that Dubourdieu has ‘ever dared’ to do a 100% Sauvignon Blanc on this wine
that Bordeaux 2015 might provide good deals in some of the lesser-known appellations
with plenty of 90-and-above scores across areas such as Fronsac
‘The message was that we were going to enjoy the en primeur tastings and this was proved correct
‘Bordeaux 2015 is a very fine vintage across the whole region
and while it is not the greatest vintage ever
already high from the vast range of six-month-old wines on offer
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One of only six Bordeaux châteaux classified for both its red and white wine
this Pessac-Léognan estate has gone from strength to strength since its purchase by the Bonnie family 18 years ago
Owners Alfred-Alexandre and Michèle Bonnie
Run by Siblings Jean-Jacques Bonnie and Véronique Bonnie-Laplane
with their partners Séverine Bonnie and Bruno Laplane
Today he oversees both red and white wines
though the whites were first directed by Denis Dubourdieu and Athanase Fakorellis (whose last vintage was 2012)
Second wine La Réserve de Malartic (65% of production) Other properties Château Gazin- Rocquencourt (Pessac- Léognan)
The special relationship with Belgium has been one of the most fruitful partnerships in Bordeaux’s long history
Belgians were the most significant foreign owners in the region
with about 40 proprietors owning more than 50 châteaux between them
They were overtaken by the Chinese in March 2014
but still can claim thehighest number of significant prizes outside of local hands
Among Belgian-owned châteaux are Cheval Blanc
the latter bought by Alfred-Alexandre Bonnie in 1997
and is consistently making some of the most exciting wines in Bordeaux
It also has an extra weapon in its arsenal when it comes to squaring up against fine wine regions around the world: this is the only part of Bordeaux to contain classified white wines alongside the red
White Bordeaux remains an insider’s secret
a woefully underappreciated style that is capable
Bonnie managed to find one of only six châteaux classified for both its red and white wine – and one that had been neglected by its previous owners
marginalised by lazy choices such as over-use of chemical fertilisers that had left its roots lolling around near the surface instead of heading further down to express the excellent terroir underneath
‘La Gravière means gravelly hill,’ says Jean-Jacques Bonnie
‘And the gravel heads down 8m across large parts of the vineyard
fossilised oyster shells and veins of clay
and an excellent water supply when needed’
The vineyard land in Pessac-Léognan is old
although for much of its existence it was simply the most northerly part of the sprawling Graves region
it was increasingly relegated to second best once the Médoc gained its 1855 classification
until a group of producers lobbied for the creation of a separate appellation to recognise this enticing corner containing Haut-Brion
Domaine de Chevalier and the rest of the 16 châteaux awarded the Cru Classé de Graves title in the 1950s
Malartic Lagravière followed a similar trajectory
until it was bought in the late 1700s by the family of Count Hippolyte Maurès de Malartic
a naval officer in the French army and one-time governor of Mauritius (his naval career explains both the ship on today’s wine label and the large model of an 18th-century frigate in the château entrance hall)
The château enjoyed an excellent reputation during the 19th and early 20th century
but suffered from serious underinvestment over recent decades
It took the Bonnies to put in the extra attention that was needed
and since then Malartic has been quietly pushing itself further towards excellence; something that is evident not just in the glass but on the shelf
A bottle of the 2010 red will set you back about £30 in the UK and the white closer to £38
for one thing this is a true family-run property
Turn in to the smartly paved courtyard off the sweep of road that leads from Léognan village (easily the most densely planted of the 10 communes that make up AC Pessac-Léognan)
and you’re likely to be greeted by Jean-Jacques and wife Séverine Bonnie
or by his sister Véronique and her husband Bruno
When they bought Malartic it had just 20 hectares of vines – now there are now 53ha planted
In 2005 the family bought neighbouring Château Gazin-Rocquencourt
The younger generation divide the necessary tasks between them
and the set-up ensures that someone in the family is fully involved at every point
the former owners were about to break ground on a new cellar that would have cut right through the best parts of the vineyard
The architect’s plans had been drawn up,’ says Séverine as we stand outside the grape reception area
looking up at the gravel hillock densely planted with Cabernet Sauvignon vines that would have been lost
‘Luckily my father-in-law saw how crazy that was
and instead built the new cellars at the bottom of a slope where we could also partly submerge the building and make gravity-fed winemaking easier.’
the 4,400m2 winery – designed by Bernard Mazières with input from Malartic’s consultant Michel Rolland – was one of the most technically advanced in Bordeaux
with its octagonal shape and small-scale stainless steel vats that correspond to each plot in the vineyard
Since then every château worth its salt has rolled out a glamorous new winery
but this one still more than holds its own
Ten equally compact wooden vats were added in 2001
and a separate white wine cellar created along with a barrel cellar for the secondary malolactic fermentation
Among the latest additions is a grape press for the whites that allows no oxygen contact at any point
while out in the vineyards horses have been introduced to work the clay sections to avoid soil compaction
Malartic’s production is 80% red and 20% white
and it is perhaps the white that has seen the biggest changes
it was by turn 100% Sémillon then 100% Sauvignon Blanc
and was described by Clive Coates MW in his 2004 The Wines of Bordeaux as ‘hard and sulphury’ during its most difficult years
Today it equals the best whites of the appellation
and has settled into a classic Pessac-Léognan blend of 90% Sauvignon and 10% Sémillon aged in an even mix of Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels to ensure the oak influence cradles rather than smothers
The reds survived the difficult years a little better
but they also are now more fully fleshed out
‘Inevitably as the roots deepened and the vines aged
we have seen a corresponding increase in density and complexity
and a drop in pH which helps enhance the wine’s natural freshness and vibrancy,’ says Jean-Jacques
‘We have also become much smarter in the vineyard and cellar work
All new plots bought were originally part of Malartic
and we have carried out soil surveys that mean our grapes are now planted exactly where they should be
reduced the percentage of the grand vin and introduced sustainable agriculture
Our aim has been to give the wine its best chance of realising its potential.’
Perhaps the best example of this is in the approach to green-harvesting
Any cutting of fruit during the season has been drastically reduced over the past few vintages as the vines have come better into balance and have found a natural level of concentration
I arrived in Bordeaux the same year as Séverine and Jean-Jacques
visiting the estate many times and tasting regularly
particularly of vintages from the 1980s onwards
It’s clear in the glass that a step-change came sometime between 2005 and 2008
‘We were lucky not only to come to Malartic
but also to Pessac-Léognan,’ says Véronique
and many of us are outsiders – wine lovers who moved from elsewhere
There is a sense of energy and forward motion that has helped everyone’
Jane Anson is a Decanter contributing editor and writes a blog for Decanter.com