Members welcomed Stephen Brook – journalist, writer and wine educator – on his first visit to the Club. Stephen is the author of several authoritative books about wine, the most recent being The Complete Bordeaux. This is a fully revised and updated edition of his classic text, which provides an unrivalled survey of the region and its wines (Mitchell Beazley, £45.00).
Stephen began with a brief history of the Cru Bourgeois appellation, which, following on from the famous Bordeaux classification of 1855, was defined in 1932 to describe good wines considered to be just below Cru Classé level. The classification was never official, and impossible to regulate – leading to many abuses. A major reform attempted in 2003 brought in a varied and professional panel of judges to taste 6 successive vintages of wines aspiring to Cru Bourgeois status, resulting in a substantial reduction in the number of châteaux permitted to claim classification – and a lot of unhappiness amongst de-classified owners and winemakers. So, after a reversal to 1932 status, a new Cru Bourgeois emerged with the creation of the Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Médoc in 2007. However this does not apply to the château, as is traditional in Bordeaux, but solely to the wine – which must be submitted to an official tasting panel. Wines are judged on a year-by-year basis, so the ‘classification’ is only a seal of approval for a particular wine in a particular vintage. The Alliance was created to give the consumer a guarantee of quality and create an umbrella brand to help consumers feel confident about buying mid-priced clarets. Labels carry sophisticated QR codes, which can be scanned by Smartphone technology to provide information about wines and châteaux, but it remains to be seen whether the system will work in the longer term.
Stephen’s selections for the evening’s Tasting, chosen with the help of Richard Bampfield, were from the exceptional 2005 vintage and the super-ripe 2009 vintage – with one final wine from 2010. Wines were paired for interest and comparison.
1. Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois Listrac 2005 (13.5% ABV)
From an inland appellation of the Médoc with clay soil., Away from the moderating climatic effects of the estuary grapes have sometimes struggled to ripen but they do well in good / warm years. Estate vineyards have been planted with more Merlot, which is less classic, but which stands a better chance of achieving ripeness and maturity in the region. This wine is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, aged in oak (30% new) for 12 months. Ripe and dense with open blackcurrant fruit, it shows fairly chewy tannins. Deemed a little on the rustic side, it nevertheless shows good ageing potential - worth re-visiting in another 5 years. Wine Society, £12.95.
2. Château Fourcas Dumont, Cru Bourgeois Listrac 2005 (14% ABV)
The château was purchased in 2009 by Bruno Borie of Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, so there is no shortage of passion (or money) invested in this property. A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, matured in 30% new oak, this is a rich and structured wine with aromas of black cherries and spiced plums. Ripe and round with intensity of colour and fruit, this is fleshier and softer wine than the previous example. Robust, yet supple, with good structure and complexity, it is expected to mature and develop over the next 5 to 10 years. Although members preferred this wine to its predecessor, both Listrac wines undoubtedly represent superb value at under £15. Wine Society, £14.95.
3. Château Tour Haut Cassan, Cru Bourgeois Médoc 2005 (13.5% ABV)
This family-owned estate is based in the north of the Médoc, two hours from Bordeaux and close to Ch. Potensac. Owner and 3rd generation winemaker Philippe Courrian now lives – and makes wine - in Corbières, and the 17 ha. estate is run by the fourth generation of this traditional Bordeaux family. Careful winemaking means reduced yields and avoidance of chemicals in the vineyard, and grapes are hand-harvested from 30 year old vines. The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wine is purple-ruby with a fully mature nose of blackcurrant with notes of liquorice, cedar and tobacco. Medium-bodied, it brims with ripe fruit supported with firm, well-integrated tannins. Wine Society, £18.00.
4. Château Tour de Mons, Cru Bourgeois Margaux 2005 (13.5% ABV)
Situated close to the estuary, within the Margaux appellation, with terroir of very high quality. The property – a substantial 50 ha.in size - dates from the 13th century, and is now owned by a French bank. Harvesting is both by hand and machine, and the wine is matured in 30% new oak. Another Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend, it is deep in colour, with pungent blackberry, cherry and spice aromas. Oak is evident on the palate, imparting nutty characters. It is concentrated and forthright, but – like the Haut-Cassan – possibly still a bit closed (the 2005 vintage was gorgeous in youth – and is expected to open up again within the next 2-3 years). The perfume is typical of Margaux, and this wine has a pleasant minerality and good acid backbone. Wine Society, £25.00
5. Château Le Boscq, Cru Bourgeois St. Estèphe 2009 (14% ABV)
An excellent property, situated near Phélan Ségur with vineyards sloping down to the estuary. Owned and managed by négociants Dourthe, the estate is technically very avant-garde and wine quality is dependable and very high. A blend of 50% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation (no use of cultured yeasts), with maturation in 15% new oak. Deep, dark ruby in colour with a lovely soft character and beautifully integrated oak, this well-balanced wine shows a big, fleshy, voluptuous character with relatively low acidity. Probably not a keeper, it is nonetheless very accessible and ready for drinking now. N/A UK.
6. Château Charmail, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc 2009 (14% ABV)
This 29 ha. estate near St. Estèphe (and close to Ch. Sociando Mallet) used to be owned by Olivier Sèze, a pioneer of green harvesting in Bordeaux. It was sold in 2008 to Bernard d’Halluin, who continues to run the estate and make wine in the spirit of his predecessor. Grapes are harvested from 30 year old vines and undergo spontaneous fermentation, spending 12 months in (25% new) oak barrels. The wine is a blend of 47% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is very fresh, despite high alcohol, with bright fruit, ripe tannins and a long, peppery-spicy finish. Not yet fully integrated, but higher acidity and discernible tannins suggest this is more of a keeper than the previous wine. Fine & Rare Wines, £17.88.
7. Château Cambon La Pelouse, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc 2009 (14% ABV)
Situated near Ch. Cantemerle and just to the south of Ch. Giscours, this is a very modern property owned by a French supermarket. Winemaking is overseen by consultant Claude Gros. Machine harvesting and 40% new oak produce a wine that attractive in youth and which will take some ageing, but is not intended for long cellaring (up to 8 years). Lots of sweet berry fruit and tell-tale ripeness are typical of the vintage. This 54% Merlot-dominated blend has a lush texture, lavish ripe fruit and concentration, with firm tannins and a long fruity finish. Fine & Rare Wines, £16.68.
8. Château Siran, Cru Bourgeois Margaux 2009 (14% ABV)
The château was once owned by the Toulouse-Lautrec family, but has belonged to the Miailhe family since 1859. The estate used to employ consultant Michel Rolland, but since Denis Dubordieu took over winemaking duties in 2004 the wine has been deliberately ‘toned down’, to be less New World in style. A blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, after 12 months in (40% new) oak this is nevertheless an oaky, super-ripe wine with lots of blackcurrant fruit and a dense, structured style with tremendous acidity and length. SB reckons this wine is still a mere ‘baby’, which will be tremendous in another 10 years’ time. Fine & Rare Wines, £26.28.
9. Château Potensac, Cru Bourgeois Médoc 2009 (14% ABV)
The estate is owned by the Delon family of Léoville-Las-Cases fame. It comprises 53 ha. of 40 year old vines, and grapes are all hand-picked. Until 1997 no new oak was used, but today 30% new oak is employed, and the estate is rigorously selective in using only 40% of the vintage for this, its Grand Vin. The remainder is used for its 2nd wine, Chapelle de Potensac. With 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, the wine shows lovely ripe, bright fruit on nose and palate, with a nutty, vanilla quality, soft acidity, grippy tannins and abundant blackcurrant fruit with a distinctive minerality on the finish. Fine & Rare Wines, £20.28
10. Château Preuillac, Cru Bourgeois Médoc 2010 (14% ABV)
The château was purchased by a négociant in 1998, and employs Stéphane Derenoncourt as consultant with the aim of making sound, modern, commercial wines. Vineyards are planted on gravel, with sandy subsoil. Grapes are hand-harvested and aged in up to 50% new oak. A blend of 53% Merlot plus Cabernet Sauvignon and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc, the wine is delicate aromatically, and on the palate it illustrates the ’classic’ qualities of the 2010 vintage very well. With dark, spicy fruit and good concentration, it shows freshness, power, good grip and stylish substance. A classy and modern wine, indicative of the potential for the 2010 vintage. Soho Wine Supply, £15.00.
Speaking more generally, Stephen suggested that 2005 and 2009 were both great vintages. 2010 has the potential to be ‘dazzling’, as the final wine suggested. He suggested that 2003 should in general be avoided. It was too hot that year, though the clay vineyards did relatively better than those on gravel soil. 2006 and 2008 are variable but overall the quality is decent.
David Goodwin thanked Stephen warmly on behalf of the Club, expressing how good it had been to ‘get back to Bordeaux’ as a point of reference and benchmark for all that is fine about wine – especially under the expert guidance of someone with such breadth of knowledge of the subject. We cannot all afford the finest, but the Tasting had amply illustrated that we can all enjoy interesting, accessible and affordable wines from Bordeaux – something members undoubtedly found immensely reassuring! David left everyone salivating when he proposed pink salt-marsh lamb as the ideal partner for wines tasted during the course of the evening. Bordeaux is, after all, the quintessential food wine.
CEB:01.11.12.