Wine ChroniclesBordeaux 2014 in barrel: high acidity and high hopes
Posted on May 26, 2015
The best wines? Positively classic, full of vibrancy. And a more traditional balance of moderate alcohol levels, with ripeness – and plenty of zing. 2014? Generally very good. The most exciting wines? From the northern Médoc, even though gems exist throughout Bordeaux. For reds, after the “challenging” trio of 2011-2012-2013, 2014 is welcome news. For whites – both sticky and sweet – the vintage is very good.
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles
26 May 2015
Hard earned oysters after a morning tasting at negociant Ulysse Cazabonne
Many prices have come out for Bordeaux 2014 wines as futures, and I am feeling even more optimistic than about a month ago. I mean, Grand Puy Lacoste for 45 euros? What about Giscours for 30? #Winelovers who want to drink some lovely wines from a positively – and I stress the word positively – classical vintage will find happiness, especially younger buyers who may have more recently discovered Bordeaux. For many of these wines, I say “go for it.”
Even more famous brands like Mouton Rothschild, which was the first of the First Growths to be released, came out at 240 euros ex-Bordeaux, around 11% higher than its 2013 en primeur wine but closer to the 2012 release price – and 2012 is an inferior vintage.
As Decanter reported on 28 April: Château Mouton Rothschild, which I found to be one of the top wines of the vintage, has helped to “breathe life into a slow burning Bordeaux 2014 en primeur campaign by releasing at a price that several merchants believe offers a good deal to consumers.”
But let’s look at other higher-end releases. Château Lynch Bages – my favorite in a blind tasting of Pauillacs from barrel – is now available in the United States for under $80: just take a look at wine-searcher.com. An excellent price for fans of this fine estate as available bottles from previous vintages cost more.
All the more reason to buy futures of this wine.
Some estates have outdone themselves. Château Sociando Mallet has come out at the same price as 2013. A great gesture.
To the tasting notes
Margaux– Saint Julien – Pauillac – Saint Estephe – Cru Bourgeois and Haut Médoc
Saint Emilion – Pomerol – Lalande de Pomerol
Sauternes and Barsac Read More
Bordeaux 2014 in barrel: Bargains from Lalande de Pomerol
Posted on May 26, 2015
By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine-Chronicles.Com
26 May 2015
MAIN BORDEAUX 2014 BARREL TASTING PAGE
Faves? Well these are all Lalande de Pomerol, which can represent bargains for savvy Bordeaux fans. The better ones include an excellent Château L’Ambroisie du Château La Croix des Moines plus some pretty darn good ones, such as La Sergue and Château Tournefeuille
Wines in bold I liked particularly, when red and bold even more and when underlined, too, wine nirvana.
Lalande de Pomerol tasted blind at Grande Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux Read More
Bordeaux 2014 in barrel: successful Sauternes
Posted on May 25, 2015
By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine-Chronicles.Com
25 May 2015
MAIN BORDEAUX 2014 BARREL TASTING PAGE
Faves? I loved Suduiraut most as an upper level Sauternes that is fairly expensive, among some other well-known brands. Yquem as superb, but that was expected. The good news for sticky lovers: some lesser known wines did very well in 2014, based on barrel samples that I tried at two trade tastings.
Alas! I actually… lost some notes, which explains the absence of Guiraud and others. I mean, I recall liking Guiraud, but I lost the specific notes. Sorry!
The plan is to taste Sauternes again at Vinexpo next month and add notes.
For the notes I did not lose, it can be said that although high acidities sometimes made me feel like Sauternes barrel samples I tried were more like Loire Valley late harvest wines, the appellation was – by and large – uniformly successful.
Steve Webb of Bordeaux Gold almost every year says that a given vintage is the best ever. You’ve got to hand it to him! But there was “a bit of emotion” tasting these wines, he said. “At the top level, it was sublime, as the vintage had such a cool summer, which is great for white wine grapes, bringing that bright, fresh acidity.” Read More
From Barolo 1964 to Palmer 2002: wine with friends
Posted on May 25, 2015
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com
25 May 2015
Long weekends, friends and wine.
A balmy summer-like evening, time for barbecue as well.
We were 8 altogether and enjoyed 10 wines spanning 50 years.
Wines in bold I liked particularly, when red and bold even more and when underlined, too, wine nirvana.
Flight One / Champagne duo
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Pure Brut – France, Champagne
Brisk, with wet stone, bright acidity, elegance, a touch of quince and signs of ripe fruit but well structured with an overall feeling of pristine dryness. Lovely! (93 pts.) Read More
Bordeaux in barrel 2014: Solidly Margaux
Posted on May 24, 2015
Faves? Some excellent price/quality ratios, particularly from Château Labégorce. An excellent Château Prieuré-Lichine. Predictably very good Palmer, and a fine Château Margaux (and a superlative white that counts among the very best whites of the vintage)
MAIN BORDEAUX 2014 BARREL TASTING PAGE
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles
24 May 2015
Margaux may prove to be the weakest of the major Médoc appellations. That was reflected for some critics in a blind tasting of very good estates – as compared to a blind tasting of wines from the northern Médoc. While I enjoyed tasting through Margaux wines blind at the lovely Château Rauzan Gassies during en primeur week, several tasters in my group agreed that higher highs (and longer finishes) were noticed in the blind tasting for northern Médoc wines from Pauillac, Saint Julien and Saint Estèphe. As I later heard from Frédéric Nony of Château Caronne Sainte Gemme, more rain fell in Margaux than in the north. Could that partly explain things? Read More
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