Bordeaux 2015: first impressions

Following yesterday’s Union des Grands Crus tasting of the Right Bank, Graves and Pessac-Léognan, below are a few very general first impressions from the barrel samples on offer:

Sauternes

Even before the tastings Berenice Lurton of Château Climens reported how conditions had been “exceptional” in Sauternes and the wines would rival some of the other greats from the decade so far.

Laure de Lambert Campeyrot of Sigalas Rabaud told the drinks business she thought it a “very fresh vintage”

Naturally styles vary between estates though it was quite marked that some are significantly fresher and lighter in character than others. In general they are very concentrated and ripe stone and exotic fruits dominate though with a freshness running through them that is very cleansing.

Graves and Pessac-Léognan (whites)

As always white Bordeaux defies any clear stylistic description with oak regimes (or lack of them) and blend leading to varied wines.

As Bordeaux winemaker and commentator, Gavin Quinney, told the drinks business, the whites in particular benefitted from the hot summer, subsequent rain in August and then 11 days of bright, cool weather in early September, during which the whites were harvested.

The effect was clear in the samples which generally show excellent concentration and a marked, very precise acidity.

Graves and Pessac-Léognan (reds)

Bearing in mind the weather conditions for the whites, the reds from Pessac and Graves seem to have a very clear, precise structure with good acidity backed up by firm but not aggressive tannins.

The fruit is bright, compact and the wines often very moreish. The likes of Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafitte, Pape Clément and Picque Caillou have clearly done excellent work with their whites and reds but they are not alone.

Saint Emilion

This is a vintage that Robert Parker would no doubt adore in Saint Emilion. Many of the best samples have been perfumed and showed swathes of lush black fruit. French critic Jean-Marc Quarin said many of the wines in 2015 were “hedonistic” and one can see that clearly here in their ripeness and concentration.

Otto Rettenmaier of La Tour Figeac told db many producers were “quite surprised” how the vintage turned out given the intense heat of June and July.

“Until the end of July it was almost a disaster rather than a great vintage,” he said, noting their were fears of another 2003 in the offing.

As with the rest of the region though, the August break in the weather brought much relief and the crop was harvested in perfect health.

Nonetheless, it seems some may have been caught out by the hot weather. In one flight of Saint Emilions tasted yesterday (5 April) there was particularly marked alcohol and something approaching rather stewed fruit.

Rettenmaier too admitted that alcohol is “a little high” but added that the wines had “the potential to integrate that”.

He noted too that estates that had thinned their canopies a little too much prior to the heat wave may have suffered from sunburnt fruit as a result.

Pomerol

Smelling faintly of pencil shavings and graphite, Pomerol seems to have more than a faint whiff of donnish reserve about it in 2015, particularly next to the riot of debauched hedonism that is Saint Emilion.

That said there seems to be great purity of fruit and depth. The samples were very fine, with good structure and no sharp angles.

Next: the Médoc