Bordeaux Futures 2006: Fifteenth Report

2006: Dry White Wines Continuation Pessac Léognan and Graves redFifteenth report, April 23, 2007The quality of the dry white wines in Bordeaux in 2006 is exceptional. Numerous estates produced their best wine. The cool climate in August (the coolest since 1986) preserved the flavor precursors of the white types of vines. But where does this truffled character come from, which is so equally widespread and so rare in Bordeaux whites? A mystery. I find the 2006 Semillon to be fat and ripe, the Sauvignon energetic and lively as it should be. The blend transcends their individual qualities. Certain wines are so good that the question of the relevance of long aging in barrels arises. On this subject, what will Bouscaut and S mith Haut Lafitte do in the next months? Since estates such as Pavillon white, Haut-Brion or Laville Haut Brion have shortened their barrel aging or decreased their share of new barrels, or both, I find their burst of fruit more charming for the consumer. BOUSCAUT blanc Pessac-Léognan 87 - 88My best score given to this wine as a future. Yellow-green color. Incredible nose, truffle and cocoa. Superb mouth, fat, fine, supple and elegant. The best wine ever seen here. Personally, I would drink it as is. I had a long talk with Mr. Coblongue about the interest of aging the wine in barrels for a longer time. He, too, seemed to think that bottling earlier than usual will keep these lovely qualities. Yield: 30 hl/ha. Tasted twice with the same happiness.CARBONNIEUX blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Lovely intense nose evoking grapefruit, exotic fruits and truffle. The entry is suave, but I expected more in the middle. On the other hand, the fragrances described for the nose come back at the finish in the mouth. CLOS FLORIDÈNE blanc Graves 89 Pale green color. Nose fine, fruity, smoky. Hints of peach, pear, ripe banana. Superb entry, full, developing with strong body, but ethereal. Rich in the middle, but always supple. This wine finishes unspittable, with a great quality of touch. Lovely finish. COUHINS blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Green yellow. Fruity nose smelling of lime and hints of meat. Distinct mouth, elongated, fruity, with the taste of truffle and lime. Normal length finish. Could be a bit fatter. COUHINS LURTON blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 Green yellow. Nose fruity and vanilla-flavored, with a boxwood background. Mouth tender, pleasant, but not very dense in the middle. Normal length. DE FIEUZAL blanc Pessac-Léognan 87The blend changed this year. Instead of the classic 50 % Sauvignon and 50 % Semillon, the 2006 wine has 70 % Sauvignon and 30 % Semillon. The Semillon marks the nose through nuances of pear and banana. The Sauvignon marks the mouth through a structure more energetic than usual and with an almost mineral finish. The body is good, accompanied by fat flavors and nuances of truffle and butter. DE FRANCE blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Pleasant wine without being deep. I find it less flabby than certain vintages. It smells of pear and presents a very fruity mouth, with a fine, subtle touch, flavors of white fruit and citrus. Normal length. Do not hesitate to drink it young. DES FOUGERES blanc La folie de Montesquieu Graves 85Property newly advised by Stephan Derenoncourt. Green yellow. Fruity, discreet nose. Touches of fennel and boxwood. Nuances a bit green. The entry is pleasant, but the wine fades a little in the middle before springing to life again at the finish with simple aromatic nuances, mainly dominated by a note of very ripe white fruit, such as pear. Average persistence. DU TOURTE blanc et rouge GravesComments pending . DOISY DAËNE sec Bordeaux blanc 87This vintage is among the best of the estate. Pale color, slightly pink. Lovely fine nose, fruity, subtle, complex. Hints of exotic fruit, of boxwood and of truffle. Delicious wine in the mouth, with a texture bursting with fruit, supple and nuanced. Unspittable. Domaine de CHEVALIER blanc Pessac-Léognan 92I tasted it twice with as much pleasure each time. Great fine nose, fruity, fresh, pure and complex. Touch of candied white fruit (pear). Hint of truffle, of cocoa and lime. The nose is less woody than usual. In the mouth, the wine is tender and supple from the first moments of tasting. The fat texture inevitably recalls Burgundy. Then, the wine evolves extremely fruity, completely in harmony with flavors and fruit delicacy. Great fine wine. FERRANDE blanc Graves 85 - 86My best score given to this wine as a future. Nose fruity, pure, and rather fine. Mouth smooth, flavorful, offering fat and strength at the finish with aromatic hints of citrus. This is the best vintage I have tasted for this estate. HAUT BERGEY blanc Pessac-Léognan 88 Nose smelling of ripe white fruit. Mouth dense, aromatic, flavorful, caressing, evolving with a lovely taste of truffle. Finish strong and subtle at the same time. Very good length. HAUT BRION blanc Pessac-Léognan 93After the 2003, here is the Haut-Brion white that gave me the strongest impression at a primeur wine tasting. The nose is fine, but a bit discreet. Full mouth on attack, very, very fruity in the middle. The wine has a taste of lemon and marron glacé. It is supple with very particular fat and remarkable balance. It finishes long and complex with flavors always a bit discreet. The construction of the body, especially, impresses me. A great wind whose evolution remains to be followed in the coming months. Blend: 55 % Sauvignon et 45 % Semillon.LA LOUVIÈRE blanc Pessac-Léognan 88 - 89My best score given to this wine as a future. I have never known this wine with such a deep nose, such a strong, aromatic mouth, rich at the finish. The mixture of fat and energy is fascinating. LARRIVET HAUT BRION blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 I found the mouth smooth and of average length. The wine is good, but it lacks aromatic relief. LATOUR MARTILLAC blanc Pessac-Léognan 89With this vintage, I recall the emotions perceived with this estate in 95 and 96. During these primeurs, the nose sometimes varied from one sample to another, showing itself to be more or less reduced, but the mouth stayed the same, very good quality. Nose intense, fruity, smelling of lime, truffle, vanilla. Superb entry! The wine develops rich, fat, full, very fruity, with a silky, supple touch in the mouth. Complex flavors after the middle. Long finish, flavorful, sappy, mixing energetic and fat sensations. I do not know how much time it will be aged, but it is already very good. I recommend tasting it as soon as it is bottled. A great success of the year.LAVILLE HAUT BRION Pessac-Léognan 92My best score given to this wine as a future. This wine has a green-yellow color, an intense nose, fine, lemony, complex, also smelling of linden. Its mouth is surprising in its delicious character that marvelously combines fat, strength and energy. The second part of the mouth is superb. Very refined touch, the wine finishes with a fresh, very nuanced taste. Unspittable. A very great success. Blend: 85 % Semillon, 15 % Sauvignon. Yield: 39 hl/ha. Selection: 50 %. Aging in 50 % new barrels. Will it become as good as the 2003 that I just re-tasted, giving it a score of 95? This wine has not stopped becoming greater since my first primeur wine tasting. So who knows what the end of aging and bottling have in store for this 2006?LE SARTRE blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Very fruity wine smelling of peach and grapefruit. Suave mouth, smooth, aromatic, with flavors of ripe fruit combined with good liveliness. Average body. LE THIL COMTE CLARY blanc Pessac-Léognan 87My best score given to this estate for a primeur wine. Pale green yellow. Nose smoky, fruity. Touches of truffles. A hint of coffee. Mouth particularly pleasant, developing with an elongated body and flavors of ripe, fresh fruit. Good constitution. The wine finishes flavorful, finely textured and aromatic. The more the years pass the more this estate takes on magnitude because of the age of the vines. Delicious. LES CHARMES GODARD Côtes de Francs 86 Yellow green, normal intensity. Nose fruity, fresh, smelling of warm butter. Tender mouth, fruity, sappy, aromatic, developing with normal fullness and finishing elegantly and finely textured. Delicious wine with slightly candied fruity notes in the persistence. LUCHEY HALDE blanc Pessac-Léognan 86 Yellow green color. Nose rather discreet, smelling of ripe fruit. Tender mouth, flavorful, offering a mineral note mid-mouth, then the wine evolves sappy, energetic, without ever losing its fat. Lovely, smoky finish. MALARTIC LAGRAVIERE blanc Pessac-Léognan 88 Yellow green color. Nose fruity and truffled, also smelling of lime. Full at the attack, the wine develops very fruity with a taste of very ripe white fruit. It melts in the mouth, recalling also mint, acacia, blond tobacco or honey. Finish very slightly woody, which should vanish with aging. Normal length. OLIVIER blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Lovely fruity nose, smelling of exotic fruits and orange. Lively mouth, very fruity, caressing, pleasant, but less fat than others. Normal length. PAPE CLEMENT blanc Pessac-Léognan 92My best score given to this wine as a future. Tasted twice in a way that varied a little, according to the reduction. Large, fine nose, smelling of tangerine and truffle. Superb entry, fat, silky, with a noble touch. Very aromatic and opulent mid-mouth. The wine evolves strong at the finish with a complex taste of mint, tangerine, flowers, licorice and wood. This is a great wine. PAVILLON BLANC Bordeaux 91My best score given to this wine as a future. Incredible nose of white truffle and Sauvignon, very elegant and complex. The mouth offers the texture of your dreams! Dense, very, very fine, the wine glides along, offering a unique taste of truffle and fruits. No trace of wood, no oxidation. It is unspittable. Production was decreased by half because of a freeze in the spring, 2006. Yield: 12 hl/ha. Degree of alcohol: 15° (that you absolutely do not feel). A great success.PICQUE CAILLOU blanc Pessac-Léognan 85 Discreet nose, fruity and ripe. Mouth suave, smooth, flavorful, with normal length. REYNON blanc vieilles vignes Bordeaux blanc 85 - 86 Pale yellow color. Nose very "Sauvignon" recalling boxwood and exotic fruit. Tender, supple mouth, very fruity and very aromatic, finishing on a delicate lemon finale. Quality and pleasure. SMITH HAUT LAFITTE blanc Pessac-Léognan 90My best score given to this wine as a future. What wine! Never have I seen it with such a fine nose. Very pure, it offers nuances of lemon and of truffle. Superb entry, then the wine develops full and complex with a very pure taste. Suave, supple, it evolves always caressing with nuances of white fruit and a very lovely balance. Finish rich, fat and delicately lemon, with licorice and truffle. After this tasting, I spoke with Fabien Teitgen, the director at Smith, about how long the wine will be aged. Bottling is planned, classically, for the end of August, beginning of September. Why not June? I would find it too bad to take the risk of oxidizing it all. To be continued.TURCAUD Bordeaux blanc 86A favorite.My best score given to this wine as a future.All my friends regaled themselves with the 2004. It will be better still with the 2006. Pale green color. Nose fruity, fine, fresh, ripe and truffled. I have never known this wine so dense and fat in the mouth. And what is more, it offers its usual burst of fruity that gives so much desire to swallow it. Good length, sappy and aromatic. A model for the " Entre Deux Mers". Contact: chateau-turcaud@wanadoo.fr. At the moment that I am writing, I do not have the exact price of this wine, but the 2004 was worth a little more than 5 euros per bottle to private individuals and a little less than 4 euros to professionals. A pillar of the wine cellar.Graves and Pessac-Léognan redsDES FOUGERES Cuvée La folie de Montesquieu Graves 85New estate advised by Stéphane Derenoncourt. Lovely dark red, good intensity. fruity, smoky nose. Touches of leather and underbrush. Mouth smooth, caressing and aromatic, developing with good consistency and a tender, but present, structure. Tannin particularly hidden and fine grained. Good normal length. Very good return in mouth, delicately creamy. It is a delicious wine. LE THIL COMTE CLARY Pessac-Léognan 85 - 86 Very lovely red, purple, dark. Very good intensity. Pure nose., Fruity, ripe wine accompanied by hints of wood. Smoky touches when swirled. The entry is remarkable. The wine develops full but also refined in its touch until the middle. Then, it returns an aromatic animal note, a little surprising. Firm tannin in the persistence. I will be back with you tomorrow with my next report.Jean-Marc Quarin ______________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author: Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, 33320 Le Taillan-Médoc. France. Tél. 00 33 (0)5 56 35 83 93. Fax 00 33 (0)5 56 35 86 50. E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr

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Bordeaux Futures 2006: Fifteenth Report

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