Bordeaux 2010 en primeurs results (Part 4)

Saint-Emilion 2010: a stunning vintage (Part 3)A true gem and an outsider: La Mauriane Puisseguin Saint-Emilion Fourth Report (April 9th, 2011)AUSONE St-Emilion Grand Cru 18 // 95 The Ausone 2010 was not a shiny star in this en primeur line up; we must remember that the malolactic fermentations took place late. The wine is built differently from any other label and shows no creamy character. The team was wary of strong extraction but I must say I missed it a little on the first part of the palate. The wine truly reveals itself after the mid-palate. Extremely elegant and detailed, it ends on a lingering and wonderfully aromatic length with finely-grained tannins Burgundy style. It will be interesting to see how it evolves during the elevage. A blend of 55% cabernet franc and 45% merlot - Alcohol content: 14.5° - pH level: 3.53 - IPT: 83ANGÉLUS St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,75 // 94 - 95 Beautifully deep purplish crimson. Refined and fresh nose of ripe fruit. Gorgeous entry: supple, dense, velvety and fat. The creamy character is more developed than in other labels. It is marked by the percentage of merlot in the blend (55%) and by an extremely favourable year for cabernet franc (45% of the blend) - yields were too moderate to put more in. Long sappy finish with depth and refined tannins. Utterly delicious. Alcohol content: 14.5° - pH level: 3.7 - IP: 90BEAU SÉJOUR BÉCOT St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 - 17 // 90 – 91My best score for the estate en primeur. One of the most even wines I have known for the estate in the last 20 years. How wonderful to see such density and fat. The fruit expression is focused, the tactile feel, the length and the hedonistic character are delightful! BEAUSÉJOUR DUFFAU LAGARROSSE St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,5 - 17,75 // 94 This wine's superb nose of plum and black fruit makes it stand out. Melting, ethereal, and enchanting on the palate -sheer magic gliding through the mouth. Becoming tight after the mid palate then scrumptious, laden with fruit and wonderfully structured. High pleasure score. Alcohol content: 15°- pH level: 3.35 BELLEVUE MONDOTTE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,25 // 87 A thick charmless and woody wine. Not terribly enjoyable. Meant for the American market. BERLIQUET St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 // 91 Beautiful dark-hued wine. Refined and subtle nose of ripe fruit. Utterly magical tactile feel on the palate - as always. Once again showing an exceptionally vibrant fruit expression on the palate. Particularly tasty, with lift and yet melting. Elegant and deep with magnificent grainy tannins. A true winner. Alcohol content : 15° -pH level : 3.45 CANON St-Emilion Grand Cru 17 // 92My best score for the estate en primeur. With the 2010 vintage, the property has produced its best ever wine since the 1980s - a wonderful combination of its traditionally remarkable expression of fruit and a new more filling character. It ends on a superbly aromatic and extremely refined texture. A true grand vin, French style! A blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. Alcohol content: 14°8, pH level: 3.60 - IPT: 75 (the highest to this day). Yield: 35hl/haCANON LA GAFFELIERE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 - 16,75 // 90 – 91My best score for the estate en primeur. Gorgeous colour. Wonderfully fresh nose, with a note of plum. Superbly built on the palate, tasty and dense, with delicate pulp and plenty of aromas. The wine ends on refined tannins and a good length. CANTENAC St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,75 // 85 - 86 Purplish crimson. Fresh nose of ripe fruit - but not creamy. Pleasant and silky on the palate, with fruit and plenty of taste. Average length. CHAPELLE D'AUSONE (LA) St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,25 - 16,5 // 89 - 90 Gorgeous colour. Beautiful nose of ripe fruit. Juicy on entry then pulpy and fruity with a hint of cream on the palate. Ends on floral and liquorice notes with robust tannins and good density. The first time 10% of cabernet sauvignon have been included in the blend. CLIMAT DE CH. CANTENAC St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,5 // 87 - 88 Beautiful intense colour. Fresh, aromatic, slightly creamy nose of ripe fruit, with delicate hints of oak. Dense right from entry then revealing a superbly vibrant fruit expression and a beautiful tactile feel on the palate. Spicy long finish over well-coated tannins. CLOS DES BAIES Saint-Emilion 15,25 // 87 This is the tenth vintage crafted by Philippe Baillarguet, Ausone's cellar master. An enticing wine: velvety, juicy, crammed with savours and lively fruit on finish. Good persistence. CLOS DES PRINCES St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 - 15,25 // 86 - 87 From a 2.70ha estate on sandy-gravel soils essentially planted with merlot. Utterly delicious, suave on the palate, with plenty of taste and well-coated, delicate tannins. CLOS FOURTET St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,75 // 94 - 95 My best score for the estate en primeur. Brightly coloured wine. Superb nose of fruit - and flower - liqueur, refined and fresh. Truly subtle. Extraordinary detailed and well-balanced in its proportions. Delightfully fruity, mellow and melting. Wonderfully elegant tactile feel throughout. Lingering, caressing and extremely sappy finish. Impossible not to swallow! CLOS SAINT JULIEN St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 Beautiful and bright wine with lovely scents of well-ripened fruit. Juicy, lush and tasty palate, with fleshy tannins. Good length. CLOS SAINT MARTIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,25 // 89 Deep, dark-hued wine. Refined nose of ripe fruit with a slight salty tang to it. Particularly enticing on entry leading to superb flavours of red fruit liqueur. Extremely aromatic on the mid-palate but more or less focused on finish - which I always find extremely frustrating given its fabulous and promising attack. CORBIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 // 90My best score for the estate en primeur. The first time I see a wine on sandy soil perform better than some on limestone; the work of Annabelle Cruse-Bardinet has led to spectacular results. Apparently the sandy-clayey terroir of Corbin has done well out of the drought. Beautifully intense dark hued wine. Refined nose of fruit - with hints of wild blackberries. Velvety tactile feel on entry leading to a broad and powerful palate. Rich and well-built on the mid-palate, juicy and tasty throughout. Elegant compelling finish with sophisticated and finely grained tannins. Utterly delicious and above all, impossible not to swallow. Superb length. Alcohol content: 14.8, pH:3.75, TA: 3.30, IPT: 80-91CROIX DE LABRIE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 - 16,75 // 90 – 91My best score for the estate en primeur. Here is a name that stands out in the middle of an ocean of Saint-Emilion labels showing overripe fruit on the nose or presenting samples with overwhelming merlot. This Croix de Labrie is refined and full at the same time, laden with fruit, fresh and alive with flavours. It is well-built, long and subtle on finish with finely-grained tannins. A stunner. DASSAULT St-Emilion Grand Cru 16 // 88 - 89 My best score for the estate en primeur. Beautifully bright, dark-hued wine. Fruity, creamy nose. Silky and pulpy attack leading to a flavourful and aromatic palate. Good structure and finely grained tannins. Powerful and subtly aromatic finish. Very good indeed. EDMUS Saint-Emilion 15 // 86 Charming and attractive wine: refined and fruity nose, suave on the palate, showing an elegant tactile feel throughout. Spicy on finish, with finely grained tannins. Really pleasant. FAUGERES St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,75 // 85 - 86 The fruit is baked on the nose! We'll see how it evolves once bottled. FIGEAC St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 // 91 Gorgeous bright purplish crimson. Beautiful fresh nose of ripe fruit. Extremely elegant grain of tannins and plenty of savours on the palate - but I would have liked more body. FONPLEGADE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 Very good on entry, a little less impressive on the mid-palate and slightly more tannic on finish. FRANC MAYNE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,5 // 87 - 88 Deep red. Warm, refined nose of fruit and spices. Supple and savoury on the palate, with plenty of aromas, flavours and well-coated tannins. GODEAU St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 Refined nose of fruit. Round tasty and compelling on the palate. Average length with a salty tang on finish. GRACIA St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 // 91 Pretty and attractive nose, far fresher than the weighty 2009. The 2010 is clean and focussed. It melts on the palate, starting on a delicate note then getting denser and with a welcome vibrant fruit expression- thank God for that! Long and powerful finish. A superbly full wine, a touch tannic. GRAND PONTET St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 // 90 This cru has never ceased to amaze me ever since the 2005 vintage - don't miss the 2008. The merlots on limestone have not quite finished their malolactic fermentation yet and have not been included in the blend. I have missed their precision on the mid-palate. Experience has shown that the wines from this estate tend to perform better before bottling than en primeur. Beautiful dark red colour. Intense and refined nose of fruit with lovely fresh and delicate notes of raspberry and touches of cream. Extremely elegant and velvety tactile feel on the palate, with plenty of taste and a wonderfully hedonistic note of raspberry liqueur. Powerful and elegant finish, with lift and a superbly woven length. Beautifully grained tannins. Deliciou HAUT SIMARD Saint-Emilion 15,5 // 87 - 88 Bright purplish crimson. Dense, detailed and nicely woven on the palate, with plenty of taste. Melting and velvety tactile feel throughout. A winner. LA BIENFAISANCE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,25 // 87 Intense nose of fruit. Mellow, pulpy and really hedonistic on the palate, with lovely cherry savours. Average build and a delicately chocolaty finish. A real winner. LA DOMINIQUE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16 // 88 - 89 Beautifully intense, dark-hued wine. Clean and fresh nose of ripe fruit. Supple and mellow on the palate with dash and sophisticated flavours on finish. Truffle undertones. Superb terroir expression. LA GAFFELIÈRE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 - 17 // 90 – 91My best score for the estate en primeur. Beautiful, intensely bright colour. Refined, subtly creamy nose of ripe fruit. Broad and unctuous on the palate, revealing a complex aromatic character and a delicate tactile feel in the mouth. After the mid-palate the wine unfolds over firm tannins, a vibrant fruit expression and a refined and tight structure. A delight. A stunning wine on a par with the 2005 vintage. LA MONDOTTE St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,5 // 94 Beautiful deep dark red. Gorgeous nose of black fruit. Dense and laden with fruit on the palate. Beautiful mid-palate and soft tannins. Aromatic and sappy then powerful and long on finish. A winner. pH level: 3.45 - Alcohol content: 14°7 LAROZE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 - 16,75 // 90 – 91My best score for the estate en primeur. Beautifully intense dark hued wine. Suave and refined nose of ripe fruit. Mellow on entry, pulpy throughout, utterly hedonistic. Voluptuous and rich on the palate with lift and plenty of aromas. Long complex and elegant finish. Utterly delicious and more hedonistic than ever. A true winner. LA TOUR FIGEAC St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,5 // 87 - 88 Run through with lovely flavours of raspberry liqueur. Clean and tasty from start to finish. Average body and spicy long finish. Refined and enticing. LAFON LA TUILERIE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 // 88 Gorgeous dark colour. Beautiful nose of fruit and truffle. Caressing and velvety on the palate- its power and breadth more evened out than before. Tight, aromatic and mellow. The wine glides through the mouth to a lovely length packed with savours. Well-coated tannins. Good length. LARCIS DUCASSE St-Emilion Grand Cru 17 // 92My best score for the estate en primeur. The first time I sampled it, I found it delicious but a little easy on finish, so I tasted it again once the press wine (12%) had been added to the final blend. The palate has gained in density, power and depth whilst remaining fat and melting. This wine is crammed with flavours and absolutely impossible not to swallow! Alcohol content: 15° - pH level: 3.40 - blend: 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. LASSEGUE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 When I tasted it I sometimes found it too heavily extracted - the American way, if I may say so - with a mix of green and slightly baked notes and sometimes far more balanced. LES GRANDES MURAILLES St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 // 88 Beautiful deep red. Refined, subtle, clean nose of fruit. Lush and juicy on the palate; the generous fat makes up for the average intensity of the fruit. Long, pleasant and quite moreish. LOUIE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 - 16 // 88 Formerly named ROL DE FOMBRAUGE, the estate produced its first vintage under the name of Château de Louie in 2006. The property covers 5.30ha of vineyards planted with merlot (90%) and cabernet franc (10%). Terroir: clayey-limestone soils on plateaux and hill sides. Vine density: 6 600. Vines: 60 years of age. Elegant nose of fruit. Voluptuously fat and unctuous on the palate, with plenty of taste and refined tannins. Good presence in the mouth leading to a long and mighty finish with hints of truffle. A true winner! LUCIA St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 // 88 This small estate covers 3ha of mainly clayey-sandy soils and 30% of clayey-limestone soils. The vines were planted in 1904 and are essentially merlot (95%), with 5% cabernet franc. Dark hued wine. Refined nose of ripe fruit. Generous on the palate, with plenty of fruit. Gorgeous length showing well-coated tannins. The best I have tasted from the estate along with the 2005. MONBOUSQUET St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 // 88 Pretty nose, clean and refined. Linear on the palate - very much in the style of the Graves. Soft and complex, with plenty of taste - not a usual trait in the wines crafted by Gérard Perse. MOULIN SAINT GEORGES St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 - 16 // 88 Refined, mellow and fresh nose of fruit. Delicately pulpy on entry then melting on the palate with plenty of taste and an exotic lemon twist. Long lingering and sappy finish with extremely well-coated tannins. A must-have from the estate. Yield: a mere 21hl/ha. Alcohol content: 14.5° - pH level: 3.4 PAVIE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16 // 88 - 89 Its presence in the mouth is praiseworthy but I regret the lack of liveliness in its aromas. Good length. PAVIE DECESSE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 Not substantial enough on the mid-palate, not structured enough on finish and ending on a woody note. PAVIE MACQUIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,5 // 94 Beautiful dark colour. Superbly aromatic, clean and subtle nose, laden with fruit. Juicy on entry, sturdy, crammed with taste throughout but boasting an exquisitely detailed feel on the palate. Sappy long and mellow finish, with finely grained tannins. A true grand vin. Alcohol content: 15° - pH level: 3.30 PÉBY FAUGÈRES St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,25 // 87 There is wine in the glass but little SO2 on the nose - so it is oxidised and lacking focus. Supple and mellow on the palate but more structure is needed on finish. Average length. TERTRE DAUGAY St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,75 // 88 Dark-hued, lush wine from the hillsides. Fruity creamy nose of vanilla, cherry and well-ripened fruit. Full, tight and tasty on the palate, with substantial body and rather delicate tannins. Powerful and elegant finish. Should have a great ageing potential thanks to it alcohol content (14,7°) and its pH level (3.5). A blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. TROPLONG MONDOT St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,75 - 18 // 94 - 95 Deep dark red. Complex nose gradually revealing fragrances of fresh fruit, black fruit and truffle. Its mightily powerful character and the regal tactile feel in the mouth give the merlot an almost mineral structure. Superbly polished and utterly delicious despite its powerful character. Impossible not to swallow. A grand vin! TROTTEVIEILLE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 - 17 // 90 - 91 Dark-hued wine with glossy bright shades. Subdued nose of fruit and truffle. Velvety on entry leading to a juicy character with truffle and sappy overtones. Good structure. Good aromatic length. ______________________________________________ A TRUE GEM AND AN OUTSIDERLA MAURIANE Puisseguin-St-Emilion 16,5 - 16,75 // 90 - 91 The best score given to this cru en primeur. A right-bank name which does not show the traditionally aromatic and creamy character so typical of the area but which is more in the style of this year's left-bank labels. The truth is that Pierre Taix did vinify it Medoc style, with little extraction, no bleeding of the vats and 15% of press wine already added to the blend at the en primeur. The result is splendid! Brightly intense purplish crimson. Fresh, clean nose of fruit without the creamy character -but still hedonistic. Superbly voluptuous and broad entry. The wine then reveals layers of aromas, generous fat and a wonderfully vibrant expression of fruit. Its mid-palate is well-built, rich and powerful. Tasty long finish. The best I have known for the estate. Thank-you Monsieur Taix for this terrific wine. Alcohol content : 14°2 - pH level : 3.55 - Yield : 35hl/ha, as for a grand cru - A blend of 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc.Contact : lamauriane@vignobles-taix.comKind regards Jean-Marc Quarin ___________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2010.This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr. The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

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Bordeaux 2010 en primeurs results (Part 4)

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