Chronicle 47. La Conseillante versus L'Evangile versus Vieux Chateau Certan. Match Play on the 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994 and 1990 vintages (second part)

Bordeaux 2007: the trend (Part 3) La Conseillante, L'Evangile and Vieux Château Certan in the blind tasting - Match Play on the 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994 and 1990 vintages (second part) Chronicle n° 47 (October 1st, 2007) BORDEAUX 2007 : the trend (continuation n° 3) The question of the choice of date for the grape harvest is at the heart of the remarks about 2007. The Médoc started harvesting Merlot on Thursday, September 20. Three days before, numerous Pomerol vineyards also started. All of it was done without precipitation. Mild weather allowed this advantage. It even allowed stopping. This was the case with Evangile, which harvested on the 17th, stopped, started again on the 20th, stopped, and continued on the 24 th . These interruptions also occurred on small, industrious estates. Jean-Paul Buffeteau works hard to produce his Agape vintage made of 100% Merlot. He says that, around him, managers were seized with doubt about the real maturity of the grapes. In that case, they stopped, in order to benefit even more from days that are sunny but cool, maybe even too cool. On the Pomerol plateau, the Merlot harvest is almost finished. I know of one exception: Clos l’Eglise. Patrice Lévêque, Denis Durantou’s neighbor at Eglise Clinet, thinks that neither the skin nor the flavors are ready. And yet, Clos L’Eglise is one of the most early-fruiting estates on the plateau! Already, on September 15, I thought these grapes were a little riper than many others. It will be truly interesting to follow the future of this 2007 harvest at Clos l’Eglise. 2007: the search for detail Here are some figures that show that 2007 will be the year where the smallest detail makes all the difference. This is a comparison between two similar parcels of Merlot. One represents wine-growing without effort, and the other, the complete opposite, through the green grape harvest and removing excess leaves. The first shows 12°2 of potential alcohol, the second 12°6. The first shows 3,5 of total acidity, the second 3. The first shows a pH of 3,3, the second 3,4. This wine grower regrets that the difference is not more significant, considering the work involved. It was more important in 2005. It says that if, with a half-tone climate, nature needs to be helped by the work of men. In 2007, it will make all the difference. For the moment the fate of the Merlots seems sealed. At Branaire Ducru, I tasted Merlots harvested on September 20, which were fermenting. I saw there color, fragrance, and no greenness in the mouth. For Cabernet Sauvignon, the wait will be longer. For the first week of October, the weather predictions announce a rise in temperatures accompanied by light rain. At the end of September, it is 7 degrees C in the morning and 15, sheltered, at the end of the day. These cold temperatures slow the maturation process. Will the Cabernet Sauvignon have enough time to become fully ripe? For the moment, this very lovely month of September (as in 2002 and 2004) has made it possible to avoid the worst. It remains to know in what proportions. LA CONSEILLANTE, L'EVANGILE AND VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN IN THE BLIND TASTING - MATCH PLAY ON THE 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994 AND 1990 VINTAGES (second part) Fifth Series : 2002 Nice result for a vintage that lacks complexity, but well done and enjoyable. Work and selection did balance an average climatology. VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN 2002 / Potential score: 88_89 – Pleasure score: 86 Nice color, with a fruity nose dominated by the cedar flavor. The wine is tender and fruity on the palate, of average body yet very tasty. The finish has a nice cedar nuance along with refined tannins. Can be drunk from 2009 and before 2015. LA CONSEILLANTE 2002 / Potential score: 91 – Pleasure score: 88 Dark red color. The nose is quite toasted and smoky. The palate shows some density and taste, with a beautiful mouth feel. After the mid palate, the wine takes another dimension to finish long, quite complex and aromatic. This is a wine that seems to be waking up, just as the 2001 did. A wonderful deal! Wait until 2009 and before 2015. L'EVANGILE 2002 / Potential score: 91 – Pleasure score: 88 Here is a wine that emerges from sleeping. I recently did taste it twice, consistently. It is the first vintage done entirely under the supervision of Pascal Vazard. Nice dark color. The nose is refined, pure, floral and fruity. Wow, such a magical mouthfeel, such a gentle general feeling, such unique fruity and floral flavor nuances and such refined texture! Quite complex taste. Refined tannins. Wait until 2008 and before 2015. Sixth Series : 1996 Average results and much less impressive than 2002. Even though, the 2002 does not benefit from the reputation of the 1996. Again, this vertical shows how much quality improvements have been made since then. The 1996 vintage benefits the expression of both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Actually, I had higher expectations from Vieux Chateau Certan that has more to it than its peers. L’Evangile was corked, which broke the intellectual interest of this excercice. VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN 1996 / Potential score: 89 – Pleasure score: 88 Nicely evolved red color. The nose is of fruity and cedar aromas. The wine is of long shape and aromatic. Its tannins’ class and flavors evoke the ones of cabernet. (Blend: 65% merlot, 25% cabernet franc, 10% cabernet sauvignon). Nice length with energy. To be drunk before 2015. LA CONSEILLANTE 1996 / Potential score: 90 – Pleasure score: 88 A nice surprise. Will it renew itself ? In fact, many bottles tasted in 2002 had left me disappointed. That day, this wine distinguished itself from Vieux Chateau Certan showing fine, fruity, creamy, licorice and floral aromas. Also displaying a much larger entrance on the palate and a unique mouth feel. Some nuances of violet in the aftertaste. The tannins are almost not appearing. To be drunk now and before 2015. L’EVANGILE 1996 Corked bottle. Seventh series: 1994 Overall, 1994 is an vintage of average quality, but quite nice in Pomerol. Nevertheless, after the previous wines, these 1994 show themselves a bit acidic. LA CONSEILLANTE 1994 / Potential score: 87 – Pleasure score: 86 Nice dark color. A nose of evolved bouquet with cedar notes. The palate is pleasant at the begining, fruity, flavorful, with tannins a bit rough on the finish. To be drunk before 2012. L’EVANGILE 1994 / Potential score: 88-89 – Pleasure score: 87 The color looks younger than the 1996. The nose shows a nice bouquet of evolution, with a touch of alcohol. The wine lacks density at the begining. Then it delivers roundness and tasteful. Finish a bit tannic. To be drunk before 2012-2015. VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN 1994 / Potential score: 87 – Pleasure score: 87 Evolved color. Notes of caramel and leaves. On the palate, the wine is tender upon entrance, melted and of medium body. Finish a bit oaky. Overall it is not as precise and classy as more recent vintages. To be drunk before 2012. Synthesis Overall, these three wines are very similar, and recognizing them at a blind tasting is possible only one time out of two. Here are some gustatory factors that distinguish them, all other things being equal. VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN: an elongated, even nervous style. The wine often presents a cedar-like nose. However, this nuance is not exclusive to this wine. It also accompanies many estates, which develop an ageing bouquet as they grow older. At Vieux Château Certan, cedar appears in several young vintages. I attribute its presence to that of Cabernet Franc, and especially that of Cabernet Sauvignon. In the mouth, the wine presents a narrower body than its neighbors. A silhouette becomes clear, elongated, dynamic and a bit nervous. Where does it come from? I thought of less ripe grapes during picking. The Conseillante, and especially the Evangile, offer smoothness and delicateness that are not found in Vieux Château Certan. Lastly, this longiform aspect, which seems to me to be dear to its Alexandre Thienpont development, brings the estate closer to the elegant structure of a Burgundy. LA CONSEILLANTE: the velvetiness of Evangile, the nervousness of Vieux Château Certan and a unique taste The estate is characterized by a velvety mouth, typical of the expression of Merlot at Pomerol. To this delicate mouth is added a violet fragrance, also typical of the appellation’s best soils. This takes part in the existence of a fine taste, completely particular to La Conseillante. This creamy, smooth structure of the mouth brings La Conseillante closer to Evangile, while a touch of nervousness takes it toward Vieux Château Certan. These two aspects meet marvelously in the very classic style of the first-class La Conseillante 2001 L’EVANGILE: a smooth style. Its roasted, “toasty” nose often makes it recognizable. The use of 100% new casks during aging induces this perception. The estate distinguishes itself especially in the mouth. Of all the vintages combined, it presents a particular smoothness from the first seconds in the mouth, which I qualify as suave. This smoothness does not exist in either Vieux Château Certan or La Conseillante. It gives Evangile an incomparable character and gives much pleasure. Except when it changes to an easy smoothness. At that moment the wine shows a lack of personality, suggesting mass production. Lastly, these three estates have in common a quality of tannin that is top-of-the-line, which places them among the elite of Bordeaux, and especially, international. In the next chronicle (October, 15), I will talk about a new tasting of these three estates in 2000, still done with bought bottles, and of my exchanges with Alexandre Thienpont about the result of these tastings. 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

2007 Chronicles

Chronicle 47. La Conseillante versus L'Evangile versus Vieux Chateau Certan. Match Play on the 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994 and 1990 vintages (second part)

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