2015 Deyrem Valentin, Barde-Haut, Valandraud
Today is a public holiday in France, which gives us the opportunity to look at what significant action took place last week.
On our trip at the beginning of April we visited Chateau Deyrem Valentin for the first time, a great little Cru Bourgeois nestled between grands crus in the Margaux commune of Soussans. Owned by the Sorge family since 1928 and now run by Jean Sorge aided by his charming daughters Christelle and Sylvie, their best parcel of vines is close to 100 years old - some of the oldest in the Medoc. Vinification is in traditional (but now very fashionable) cement vats and total production is a little under 6,000 cases. We found a very pure, fresh, pretty 2015, with lush cassis and cherry fruit. As Neal Martin says in his introduction to Margaux, 'kudos to Chateau Deyrem Valentin, a lesser-known estate that tends to punch above its weight. Their 2015 is highly recommended, especially for those that might not have pockets deep enough for more illustrious names.'
Another of our favourite values appeared last Thursday. Located on the limestone plateau in the eastern part of St-Emilion, behind Troplong Mondot, Barde-Haut was bought by Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard in September 2000. Since then, she has endeavoured to make it one of the most environmentally friendly wineries in Bordeaux. The 2015 is deeply coloured, with well defined notes of licorice, black cherries and cassis.
Thursday also saw the release of Claire Villars' Ferriere, Haut-Bages Liberal and Domeyne. Their conversion to biodynamics is almost complete and all three wines were impressive, but (sorry Claire) the star of the line-up here was (husband) Gonzague's Durfort-Vivens - for which he's making us wait. On Friday came "bad boy" (as he was dubbed by Robert Parker) Jean-Luc Thunevin's Valandraud. With a release price of only slightly over half the current one of the 2010, and a declaration of "sublime" from Neal Martin, this found a more receptive audience than Clos du Marquis and Clerc Milon. /AR
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available 2018
