As much of the UK trade decamps to Olympia for the start of the London Wine Fair, it's been a busy day of releases with the Bordelais back at work and full of beans after a proper weekend (Thursday's national holiday "bridged" to Saturday).
The big hit of the morning was La Conseillante. The 2014 vintage is sadly the last of Jean-Michel Laporte's before his imminent departure. 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, there are only a little over 3,000 cases of the grand vin, despite it representing 88% of the total production. With red and black herb-infused fruits and very fine tannins, this is absolutely classic Pomerol, and was very difficult to spit out. If Jean-Michel was feeling any chagrin he certainly wasn't displaying it and with this wine he departs in style.
The price of Clos Fourtet may have risen in recent years but for that there is good reason. Under the guidance of Stephane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet (the world-renowned Merlot expert credited with much of the success of Chateau Petrus), there has been a huge programme of investment since the property was acquired by the Cuvelier family in 2001. Biodynamic conversion is gradually underway and the amount of new oak has been reined back in order to bring more freshness to the finished wine. For our money, and despite recent progress, it eclipses today's other big release from St-Emilion, Chateau Figeac.
On the left bank, we have a clutch of wines from Claire and Gonzague Lurton which consistently rank amongst their respective appellation's best values. 2014 was the second entirely biodynamic year at Durfort-Vivens. After a lot of very hard work in the vineyard, Gonzague reported that his team brought in a crop of healthy, rich and highly expressive grapes. The resulting wine has a creamy blackcurrant nose, round tannins and lovely balance. You won't find a better value second growth. While the couple's Haut-Bages Liberal and Ferriere put on good showings, it was Domeyne which also stood out, offering yet more very fine value from the north of the Medoc.
This afternoon we have Smith-Haut-Lafitte. In 1970, Daniel Cathiard, a former Olympic skier, inherited a small supermarket chain. Over the next 20 years he transformed it into the tenth largest mass distribution group in France. At the same time he developed a chain of sports shops which grew to employ some 9,000 people. In 1990, he and wife Florence sold up to buy Smith-Haut-Lafitte. Under their exacting ownership, this has become one of the top properties, not just in Leognan but in all of Bordeaux. /AR
Click here to view all 2014 Bordeaux; click on the individual wine name in the table below to see tasting notes
Offered subject to confirmation for shipment spring 2017
