- Location
- Strasbourg, France
Below, a few notes from my tasting of Bordeaux 2014 from bottle, as the UGCB toured NYC this month.
As I explain in my blog, the vintage is underrated in many ways - somewhat unjustly in the shadow of 2015 (especially when it comes to the northern Médoc), and it offers excellent (relatively speaking, for Bordeaux, of course) value for money. And, yes, the whites are excellent.
Although I spoke to some merchants, at least here in the Washington D.C. area, who say that some crus - including Beychevelle for example - are now costing as much as 50% more wholesale because “the Chinese are back and buying” …
So if you have merchants who still have 2014 stocks that had been purchased as en primeur, you may want to consider buying them before any replacements could likely cost merchants more money. Having said that, the pound exchange rate is worse now than it was back then, so ...
In no particular order of preference :
2014 Château Giscours – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
I really like Giscours from bottle, as among the best Medocs I tried at this tasting: balanced, fruit driven and fresh, with a floral finish. Give it time in barrel to let is sing properly. (92 pts.)
2014 Château Rauzan-Ségla – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Here we have a second growth worth its pedigree. Much finesse, opulence and floral aspects that are packaged in a precise and linear fashion at this very early stage. A promising wine of excellence. (93 pts.)
2014 Domaine de Chevalier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
This proved the promise from barrel, hitting the higher end of my score range when tasted en primeur. Really lovely because at once smoothly textured, elegant, nuanced and substantial. There is a long and lingering finish that beguiles. Great Graves indeed. (94 pts.)
2014 Château Olivier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
This is my style of Graves and underrated in my opinion, as it conveys a smooth and elegant style, more refined than rich, with pleasing palate sap and a long finish. Nice! (91 pts.)
2014 Château Canon – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
A superb wine that more than fulfills my impression from barrel. Fine grained tannins and a multi-layered feel on the palate, that is smooth and nuanced in flavor, combining floral freshness with ripe fruit driven opulence and finesse. Long and subtle finish. Bravo! One of the very best reds tasted today, if not the best. (94+ pts.)
2014 Château La Pointe – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Well, well, well. Possibly one of the very best La Pointes I have tried. Smooth, rich and nuanced, and better than the barrel sample. (91 pts.)
2014 Château Léoville Barton – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Somewhat like the Pichon Baron, this is powerful and certainly tightly wound. In 2014, the Langoa is clearly more elegant at this very early stage. But there is much substance to the palate and Barton is notorious for taking a bit of time before being ready to drink. I like the full body and the grain of tannin which is very fine. Long finish. (94 pts.)
2014 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This was fantastic from barrel and it fulfills its promise in bottle. Such gorgeous perfumed aromatics of bright fruit, and a delicious lip smacking juiciness on the mid palate lead to a long and lifting finish, displaying excellent verve. Bravo! (94 pts.)
Cheers!
As I explain in my blog, the vintage is underrated in many ways - somewhat unjustly in the shadow of 2015 (especially when it comes to the northern Médoc), and it offers excellent (relatively speaking, for Bordeaux, of course) value for money. And, yes, the whites are excellent.
Although I spoke to some merchants, at least here in the Washington D.C. area, who say that some crus - including Beychevelle for example - are now costing as much as 50% more wholesale because “the Chinese are back and buying” …
So if you have merchants who still have 2014 stocks that had been purchased as en primeur, you may want to consider buying them before any replacements could likely cost merchants more money. Having said that, the pound exchange rate is worse now than it was back then, so ...
In no particular order of preference :
2014 Château Giscours – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
I really like Giscours from bottle, as among the best Medocs I tried at this tasting: balanced, fruit driven and fresh, with a floral finish. Give it time in barrel to let is sing properly. (92 pts.)
2014 Château Rauzan-Ségla – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Here we have a second growth worth its pedigree. Much finesse, opulence and floral aspects that are packaged in a precise and linear fashion at this very early stage. A promising wine of excellence. (93 pts.)
2014 Domaine de Chevalier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
This proved the promise from barrel, hitting the higher end of my score range when tasted en primeur. Really lovely because at once smoothly textured, elegant, nuanced and substantial. There is a long and lingering finish that beguiles. Great Graves indeed. (94 pts.)
2014 Château Olivier – France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
This is my style of Graves and underrated in my opinion, as it conveys a smooth and elegant style, more refined than rich, with pleasing palate sap and a long finish. Nice! (91 pts.)
2014 Château Canon – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
A superb wine that more than fulfills my impression from barrel. Fine grained tannins and a multi-layered feel on the palate, that is smooth and nuanced in flavor, combining floral freshness with ripe fruit driven opulence and finesse. Long and subtle finish. Bravo! One of the very best reds tasted today, if not the best. (94+ pts.)
2014 Château La Pointe – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Well, well, well. Possibly one of the very best La Pointes I have tried. Smooth, rich and nuanced, and better than the barrel sample. (91 pts.)
2014 Château Léoville Barton – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Somewhat like the Pichon Baron, this is powerful and certainly tightly wound. In 2014, the Langoa is clearly more elegant at this very early stage. But there is much substance to the palate and Barton is notorious for taking a bit of time before being ready to drink. I like the full body and the grain of tannin which is very fine. Long finish. (94 pts.)
2014 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This was fantastic from barrel and it fulfills its promise in bottle. Such gorgeous perfumed aromatics of bright fruit, and a delicious lip smacking juiciness on the mid palate lead to a long and lifting finish, displaying excellent verve. Bravo! (94 pts.)
Cheers!
