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Bordeaux 2011 - Day One: Monday 2nd April
- 2nd April 2012
This
year’s Angelus tasting at which Hubert de Bouard
showcases his portfolio of wines that he is a
consultant for including an interesting Thai Syrah,
was held at Fleur de Bouard whilst renovation work
(a common theme these days) continues at Chateau
Angelus. 2) Cheval Blanc:
Next
stop on day one was a wine that needs little
introduction. Fresh from a striking renovation of
the cellars and Vat room which is set against the
beautifully idyllic and typical Saint Emilion beauty
of the main Chateau presents a striking contrast
between old and new, which I suppose is an apt
representation of Cheval Blanc as a ‘brand’. And it
was the ‘brand’ wines that we first encountered here
tasting Quinault l’Enclos and Tour du Pin, which is
made from the vineyard directly opposite Cheval. Two
nice wines that will please drinkers without pulling
up any trees but on a price vs. quality scale, it
might struggle. There is no doubt that 2011 is a
‘winemakers vintage’ and one that brought the best
out of the technicians – something I dare say we
will hear again during this week – but the
salesmanship was in true evidence here as it was
quietly whispered to us that they actually
prefer this style of vintage compared to the
blockbusters of 09 and 10. We’ll forgive them that
piece of poetic licence and concentrate on the
wine…and in this vintage; wines such as Cheval Blanc
are not going to struggle. 52% Cabernet Franc and
48% Merlot, and it certainly benefitted from the
beautiful cabernet franc which seems to be the star
of the show for 2011. Nice balance, rounded fruit
with silky tannins accompanied by menthol notes and
hints of roses, violets and bergamot. The second
wine, Petit Cheval was made from a combination of
75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Like so many of
the top second wines recent demand and increases in
price have seen more care attention and investment
go into producing a wine worthy of the price tag.
3) Figeac:
It must
be mentioned that our 5pm tasting was preceded by a
somewhat hectic dash round the local supermarché
which slightly overran due to a distracting detour
around what can only be described as the world’s
best supermarket wine selection. Needless to say,
driving skills were put to the test with a rally-esque
drive through Saint-Emilion and accompanying
villages locating a hard to find estate without the
use of our trusty tomtom. A Tom of another sort came
to the rescue and we arrived at destination with
minutes to spare! Conclusion:
That
ended our day on a good note and hinted at what
could be a surprisingly enjoyable week. Tomorrow we
have the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes to look
forward to as well as the white and reds of Pessac-Leognan.
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