BORDEAUX 2012: RESULTS (7)

About the Medoc wines in 2012Margaux 2012 : 44 winesSaint-Julien 2012: 22 winesReport 7 (23 April 2013)About the Medoc wines in 2012 Although the Merlot variety thrived on the right bank, the Medoc nevertheless remains superb. The sheer quality of its wines prevents me from sharing the simple-minded view or believing the gossip that 2012 is a right bank vintage. Of course, the right bank is easier to taste. However, this year it also produced wines through protracted extraction, which are not to be found in the Medoc. Within the peninsula, the outcomes are varied and the points of view contradictory. Some like Palmer, Pichon Comtesse and Léoville Las Cases are delighted with their Merlot despite the poor fruit set on the old vines. Others such as Batailley, Lynch Moussas, Lynch Bages and Calon Ségur love their Cabernet Sauvignon. Better still, at Léoville Las Cases, the three Saint-Julien wines, Petit Lion, Clos du Marquis and Léoville Las Cases displayed the same analytical data, the same alcohol content, the same pH and the same IPT in 2012, 2011 and 2010! Vincent Millet at Calon Ségur reports the same phenomenon except for a slight variation in alcohol content. To get a real feel for the vintage, I asked all the owners I visited how the data for 2012 compared with the average analytical readings for their estate. They were sometimes surprised at the question and often did not have the comparative data, so I did not always obtain the answers. It often turns out that 2012 yields average values with pH readings a little higher, giving the wines a very pleasant, tender feel. Also sometimes, tannin concentrations (IPT) are greater than average, like for example at Montrose or Palmer. On the great stony terroirs that tend to produce less alcohol, the alcohol content of the 2012 wines may be lower than the average levels for these estates, as was the case for Château Latour and Château Margaux. Of course, the analytical results do not dictate the taste of the wine, but they give an indication: the pH governs tenderness and sinew, alcohol contributes to a certain feeling of softness and a sense of volume, and tannin concentration produces sensations of density. And then, in the Medoc there are wines that display a characteristic on the nose that I call “sharp”, which is like the sensation of greenness of crumpled foliage. I have not systematically mentioned it in the comments. From experience, I know that this hint tends to disappear with ageing. However, it points clearly to a difference in ripeness between terroirs or from one batch to another. Very often, this perception is common in second wines. It is a sign that a vintage has been difficult to manage or it can indicate insufficient selection, if it occurs in reputed wines. Although this odour is likely to disappear during the ageing process, the insufficiently ripe structure that the odour betrays cannot. In the end, I expect to find some bottled 2012s slightly thin. All this to tell you that with so much unevenness, claiming that one appellation is better than another is little more than incantation or rhetoric. I defy anyone to review the left bank wines in ten or fifteen years’ time and rank them properly. As is often the case, the best wines are situated in warm areas i.e. on gravel, that ripen early, and that did not lack water and could therefore resist in drought conditions, because they had clayey sub-soils. And yet how can you explain the sublime outcome achieved by Mouton Rothschild with its only gravel terroir without thinking of its new winery with double the number of small tanks? I’ll say it again, more than ever in the elaboration of quality wines craftsmanship plays the role of a second terroir. 2012 is proof of this. About 2012 Margaux 2012: a good mixed vintage with weaker, more discrete aromatic intensity on the nose than usual; quite well-crafted structure on the palate, except for the estates that gave up in the fight against Nature’s adversity. I score Palmer higher than Château Margaux, which is rare. This year, Palmer modified their blending method, putting their batches of Merlot together as well as those of Cabernet much earlier than usual. It will be extremely interesting to see what will become of the quality of these two estates. About 2012 Saint-Julien Good, quite uniform vintage as is often the case. 2012 serves to demonstrate the differences between the estates that are already known. I was pleased to find Léoville Las Cases at its best level and along with it, all the wines produced by Jean-Hubert Delon. Margaux 2012 : 44 winesALTER EGO de PALMER Margaux 16 - 16,25 // 90 – 91 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Nose of ripe fruit - a touch subdued. Juicy and melting palate, particularly voluptuous and hedonistic in the middle. Layered with generous flavors and opulent fat over refined tannins. Utterly delicious. Standard length. Alcohol content: 13.4; IPT: 75; pH:3.75 ANGLUDET Margaux 16 // 90 Deep intense crimson. Elegant and clean nose bursting with fruit. Superb silky entry unfurling voluptuous flavors on the palate. Juicy and fragrant mid-palate boasting substance for the vintage. Lovely touch throughout. Attractive finish supported by refined tannins. Beautiful and utterly delicious. AURA DE CAMBON (L') Margaux 15,5 // 88 Deep colour with good intensity. Fruity, fresh, floral and quite elegant nose. Juicy on the palate, pleasurable with nice taste, smooth, fragrant body, standard length on the finish and no sharp points. Very pleasant. BARON DE BRANE (LE) Margaux 15 // 87 Lovely deep red. Mature fruit on the nose. Deliciously balanced, suave and smooth palate - a touch peppery on finish. Substantial presence for the year. BELLEVUE DE TAYAC Margaux 15 // 87 BESSANE (LA) Margaux 14,5 // 86 BLASON D'ISSAN (LE) Margaux 14,5 // 86 BOYD CANTENAC Margaux 15,5 // 88 Beautiful dark crimson. Subtle nose of fruit. Smooth, velvety and substantial palate packed with fruit and laced with refined and fragrant tannins on finish. Standard length. BRANE CANTENAC Margaux 16,5 // 92 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Subdued nose of fruit. Silky entry leading to a plush, juicy and beautifully focused mid-palate followed by generous fat and a long sappy finish. The wine’s profile inevitably reminds us of a Burgundy. Detailed and elegant structure likely to be improved further at the elevage. BRIO DE CANTENAC BROWN Margaux 15 // 87 This is a juicy and fragrant second wine with no marked tannins. Crafted for immediate enjoyment. Utterly delicious. CANTENAC BROWN Margaux 16,25 // 91 Deep intense crimson. Fragrant nose of cream. Juicy, dense palate with generous sap leading to a structured mid-palate and a delicious and lingering persistence laced with fat tannins. CHARMES DE KIRWAN (LES) Margaux 14,75 // 86 CLOS DU JAUGUEYRON margaux Margaux 15,5 // 88 Deep, lively colour with good intensity. Subtle, fruity nose. Juicy and very fruity on the palate, elegantly smooth and aromatic. Standard body. A little tannic on the finish. DAUZAC Margaux 15,5 // 88 Intense deep crimson. Up-front nose of mature fruit. Lovely seamless palate crammed with generous fruit. Standard length. Perfectly enjoyable wine. DESMIRAIL Margaux 14,5 // 86 DEYREM VALENTIN Margaux 15 // 87 Deep, intense colour. Fruity nose. Attractive and very fruity at the beginning. Round and present on the mid-palate. Average length on the finish with rounded tannins. Loyal to its style. FERRIÈRE Margaux 15 // 87 Deep dark red and subdued nose. Discreet palate, yet with generous up-front fruit. Moderate body and length. GISCOURS Margaux 16 // 90 Deep, bright garnet hue. Refined nose of mature fruit. Pretty entry with generous flavors followed by an explosion of fruit on the palate. Full, fleshy and fragrant wine, a touch firm on finish. Standard length. GRAND TAYAC Margaux 14,5 // 86 ISSAN (D') Margaux 16 // 90 Deep intense crimson. Sumptuous nose of truffle and fruit. Exquisite wine that melts on the palate and offers a superb array of flavors. Run through with sap and boasting an elegant finish laced with refined tannins. Impossible not to swallow. KIRWAN Margaux 16,25 // 91 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Nose of mature fruit. Broad entry followed by a soft and suave palate crammed with generous fruit and taste. Substantial body. Lifted and perfumed finish. Good length. Stunning! LABEGORCE Margaux 14,75 // 86 LASCOMBES Margaux 15,75 // 89 Dark intense crimson. Nose of fruit – a touch subdued. Round juicy palate - definitely merlot in the middle – run through with taste and well-coated tannins. Standard length. M DE MALLERET Margaux 14,75 // 86 MALESCOT SAINT EXUPÉRY Margaux 16 - 16,25 // 90 - 91 Deep intense crimson. Up-front nose of fruit, with a hint of oak. Caressing texture on entry leading to a perfumed and dense mid-palate laced with well-coated tannins; Attractive and substantial finish offering voluptuous flavors. More linear and less obviously right bank than usual. MARGALAINE Margaux 14,75 // 86 MARGAUX Margaux 17,25 // 94 - 95 Dark purplish crimson. Clean, elegant nose of fruit and cream. Attractive and polished entry followed by a sublime, delicately threaded texture and an explosion of fruit on the palate. Perfumed finish and standard body. Subtly layered and exquisite wine with red fruit, vanilla, liquorice and floral notes. Utterly delicious. A blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 1% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Alcohol content: 13; IPT: 72; pH:3.74. Presswine : 17.58% MAROJALLIA Margaux 15,75 // 89 Vibrant, deep garnet hue. Nose of mature fruit and cream. Pretty and balanced palate with delicate fat and rich fruit laced with well-coated tannins. Good length. Lovely. MARQUIS D'ALESME BECKER Margaux 15,75 // 89 Beautiful dark crimson. Clean nose of mature fruit. Soft, perfumed and plump palate supported by refined and fragrant tannins. Delicious! MARQUIS DE TERME Margaux 16 - 16,25 // 90 - 91 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Generous nose of mature fruit. Fairly dense from entry; suave, plush and substantial mid-palate; focused and well-coated finish. Delicious. MONBRISON Margaux 14,5 // 86 MONGRAVEY Margaux 15 // 87 Dark intense crimson. Nose of fruit. Juicy palate offering pleasant roundness for the year. There is something afoot at the estate – the cru’s over-marked firmness on finish is now being smoothed out. Great improvement! PALMER Margaux 17,5 // 95 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Nose of mature fruit – a touch discreet. Plump on entry, bursting with fruit in the middle, then more powerful and melting over generous fat. Complex, dense and voluptuous wine that unfurls on the palate through to a delicately threaded and particularly juicy finish. Wonderfully lingering, utterly delicious and with the compelling smoothness of the vintage. Stunning. Alcohol content: 13°5; pH:3.75; IPT:78. Yield: 28hl/ha. 55% selected for the grand vin. I was bowled over by the wine’s excellent second part of the palate. This is a focused and beautifully structured wine that scores points where others show flaws. For the first time ever, the cabernets and merlots have been assembled together very early on, which results in a smoother and more integrated blend.PAVEIL DE LUZE Margaux 14,75 // 86 PAVILLON ROUGE Margaux 16 // 90 Deep garnet hue; vibrant, fragrant nose of fruit; lush generous palate offering elegant tactile sensations and a substantial body reflecting the compelling smoothness of the vintage. Beautiful tasty length laced with delicate fat and fine-grained tannins. Delicious and very much Pavillon Rouge. A blend of 63% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc. Alcohol content: 13; IPT: 73; pH:3.69POUGET Margaux 15,5 // 88 Dark purplish crimson. Nose of fruit. Round, fruity and juicy palate. Good density throughout. Laced with refined and fragrant tannins on finish. PRIEURE LICHINE Margaux 15,5 // 88 Dark intense purplish crimson. Up-front mature fruit on the nose. Soft, fruity and lush palate throughout. Standard body and length. RAUZAN GASSIES Margaux 15,25 - 15,5 // 87 - 88 The 2012 Rauzan Gassies is a wine that boasts more body and more mature fruit than before. It is better-balanced, more happily structured than the previous vintages and offers well-coated tannins. Standard length. RAUZAN SEGLA Margaux 16,75 // 93 Beautiful dark purplish crimson. Subdued nose of fruit. Voluptuous velvety touch on entry leading to plenty of generous flavors and a rather plush and fat mid- palate. The wine then picks up power and lingers on the palate supported by juicy and tight-knit, yet well-coated and perfumed, tannins. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 37.5% merlot and 2.5% petit verdot. Alcohol content: 13.5; IPT: 80. 40% selected for the first wine. Since 2009 the estate has been using 70% new oak for the elevage, which is better suited to the wine’s profile.SÉGLA Margaux 15,5 // 88 Bright garnet hue. Clean nose of fresh and ripe fruit. The palate is juicy, fragrant and offers density and a good structure for a second wine. Delicious, well-coated finish. SIRAN Margaux 15 // 87 Deep colour, medium intensity. Fruity nose. Flavoursome, pleasant and fruity on the palate, medium body and fragrant on the finish. TERTRE (DU) Margaux 15,25 - 15,5 // 87 - 88 Intense deep garnet hue. Nose of fruit. Deliciously soft and fruity mid-weight wine. Pleasant, seamless and fragrant finish. TOUR DE BESSAN Margaux 14 // 85 TOUR DE MONS Margaux 14,75 // 86 Saint-Julien 2012: 22 winesAMIRAL DE BEYCHEVELLE Saint-Julien 14,5 // 86 BEYCHEVELLE Saint-Julien 15,5 // 88 Lovely, deep, intense colour. Fresh, fragrant nose. Juicy and very fragrant on the palate, which gives this wine a lot of charm. It develops to become not very powerful, but smooth and more-ish, finishing with standard length. BRANAIRE Saint-Julien 15,75 // 89 Deep colour with good intensity. Fruity, floral and lively on the nose. Tender and very fruity on the palate, becoming smooth from the mid-palate, which develops to be flavoursome and finely structured with standard density. Softened tannins. Standard length. BRIDANNE (LA) Saint-Julien 14,75 // 86 CLOS DU MARQUIS Saint-Julien 15,75 // 89 Deep colour with good intensity. Fruity, ripe nose. Tender, fruity, flavoursome and fragrant on the palate. It has taste and fine tannins. Alluring persistence. Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Alcohol content: 13.5°. pH: 3.64. IPT: 65. GLANA (DU) Saint-Julien 15 // 87 Deep colour of purple. Fruity, fresh, pure and fragrant nose. Very aromatic on the palate with medium body. It has taste and fine tannins. Pretty, fragrant finish that is very pleasant with palate aroma. GLORIA Saint-Julien 15,5 // 88 Deep, lively colour with good intensity. Fruity, fresh, ripe nose. Very pleasant on the palate, subtly fragrant with perceptible fleshy body and attractively rounded tannins. Aromatic finish. Full of energy considering the vintage. GRUAUD LAROSE Saint-Julien 15,75 - 16 // 89 – 90 Lively colour with standard intensity. Fruity, floral, ripe nose. Delicate attack and then it develops to become flavoursome. It has taste, standard body and quite fine tannins. Subtly fragrant and flavoursome on the finish. Delicate and finely graded. LAGRANGE Saint-Julien 16 // 90 Deep colour of good intensity. Attractive, fruity nose that is ripe and floral. Starts off nicely, sappy and fruity on the palate, then becomes full and ample in the middle. Lovely fruity, flavoursome finish with nice taste and fine, fragrant tannins. Standard length. LALANDE St Julien Saint-Julien 14,5 // 86 LANGOA BARTON Saint-Julien 15,5 // 88 Deep colour with medium intensity. Fruity, fresh and aromatic nose. Round, richly supple and flavoursome on the palate, very fruity in the middle. Sappy and flavoursome on the finish. Good length. LEOVILLE BARTON Saint-Julien 16,25 // 91 Lovely, deep colour with good intensity. Fruity, fresh and slightly lively nose. Caresses the tongue at the outset, it develops to become very fruity, aromatic and flavoursome; has some taste, standard corpulence and fine tannins as it lingers. Fragrant finish. Very pleasant. LEOVILLE LAS CASES Saint-Julien 17,25 // 94 Lovely deep, intense colour of purple. Very aromatic nose that is ripe, creamy and profound. Very nice, richly supple attack that is soft and smooth. The wine develops with structure and smoothness to become complex in the middle with taste; tender body, which flows over a tight tannin structure. It’s delicious and very well constituted. Very good length. Alcohol content: 13.5°. pH: 3.6. IPT: 70. Blend: Yield: 33 hectolitres per hectare. Blend: 74 % cabernet sauvignon, 11 % cabernet franc, 15 % merlot. One third selected for the first wine. Aged in 80% new wood.LÉOVILLE POYFERRÉ Saint-Julien 16,75 // 93 Lovely, deep, intense colour. Fruity, ripe nose with a slight hint of extraction. Attractive, ample attack, then it develops to become powerful and tight. It has taste and tannins that are slightly noticeable for this wine. Good length. MOULIN DE LA ROSE Saint-Julien 15 // 87 Deep, lively colour of standard intensity. Fruity nose with hints of vanilla. Juicy, tender and flavoursome on the palate with a taste of ripe fruit. A touch of vanilla. Standard, fragrant body and length. MOULIN RICHE Saint-Julien 14,75 // 86 ORMES (LES) Saint-Julien 14,5 // 86 PAVILLON DE LEOVILLE POYFERRE Saint-Julien 15 // 87 I love this fragrant, sappy wine, which develops to become fantastically balanced. Yes, it is medium bodied, but the tannins and the aroma are so elegant that you simply cannot spit it out. So enjoyable! I prefer it to Moulin Riche. PETIT LION (LE) Saint-Julien 15,75 - 16 // 89 - 90 Lovely deep, intense colour. Fruity, pure, elegant nose. Dense on the attack, soft and smooth as it develops, very fruity and flavoursome, this wine melts with its fine tannins and a good fragrant, pleasurable finish. Attractive. Blend: 44% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. SAINT PIERRE (Sevaistre) Saint-Julien 15,75 - 16 // 89 - 90 Deep colour of purple with good intensity. Fragrant, delicately creamy nose. Nice fresh attack. It develops to become caressing, dense, very fruity and flavoursome. It has taste and a tight structure. Fine tannins on the finish, but substantial texture nevertheless. Good length. TALBOT Saint-Julien 15,75 // 89 Deep colour with good intensity. Fruity, ripe nose. Tender, fruity and flavoursome on the palate and very pleasant with standard body and length. This wine does things gently. TEYNAC Saint-Julien 15 // 87 Deep colour with standard intensity. Fruity, creamy nose. Juicy and very fruity on the palate, pleasant and a little lively in the middle, but richly supple and flavoursome nevertheless. Standard length. _________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2010. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@quarin.com 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.

2012 Futures live

BORDEAUX 2012: RESULTS (7)

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