I was lucky enough to take part in a tasting seminar with the Director of Sales, Edouard from Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix, this week and had an absolutely amazing time!
I have been to a few tastings over my year at Majestic Wine and have thoroughly enjoyed all of them, however this Bordeaux tasting was something else! Edouard has a love for wine which comes across whole heartedly in his words and actions. His absolute passion for wine is incredible, and something that I have not seen before. He gave some amazing analogies like wines being “raised in barrels not aged in barrels” and thinking of wine as children and the barrels as nanny’s who “raise them”. This way of explaining wines and wine processes is not one I had ever heard and made far more sense than any book could.
However as great as anyone’s passions are the bringing of wine to taste is the most important part of any tastings. And Edouard did not disappoint! Having only just started drinking Bordeaux wines I have to say this seminar was perfect for me as it gave me the chance to try wines that I would never normally try or buy! Edouard brought a whole range of wines consisting of:
- Château Puy-Blanquet, Grand Cru St-Emilion 2005: this pretty vineyard overlooks the Dordogne valley and the Northern and Eastern blocks enjoy perfect morning sunshine. Château Puy-Blanquet wines can be enjoyed after 2 to 3 years of cellaring or could be stored longer. The vineyard manager, Mr Pierre Meunier has a respect for tradition and quality which means leaf cropping as well as harvests are done by hand! The wine has a fruity nose which oozes freshness and as Edouard told us this wine “tells a nice story” and makes you thirsty wanting more.
- Haut Roc Blanquant, Grand Cru St-Emilion, 2003: this wine has a class which can be clearly seen when being drunk. There were bigger tannins than the Château Puy-Blanquet, Grand Cru St-Emilion 2005 but this was matched by bigger fruit flavours. This could be drunk now with many dishes or by itself or can be cellared. This is a very easy drinking wine which brought a little smile to everyone’s face.
- Château Laroze St-Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2003: this wine has a feminine approach and an elegance that is only really understood when it is being drunk. The wine is aromatic and vibrant and a rare acidity which is not found in many 2003 wines due to the heat wave. The average yield for this vineyard is 4,000 litres per hectare. We tried the 2003 vintage however the 2001 vintage can be purchased at Majestic Wine.
- Château la Serre, St-Emilion, Grand Cru Classé, 2003: this is a small vineyard in a warm area and literally means “greenhouse” and usually performs in each vintage. The 2003 vintage has a slightly burnt taste which is not detectable on the nose. This taste is due to the heat wave in this year, and although a sorting table was used to remove the burnt grapes some characteristics showed through. The 2008 vintage can be bought En Primeur and is described as taking “some time to integrate but will turn out to be a wine of great finesse between 2017-2030.”
- Château Bélair - Monange, St-Emilion, Grand Cru Classé, 2005: renamed from 2008 after the late Anne-Adéle Monange, the wife of Jean Moueix. This wine is very light with very dense fruit and has a lovely elegance to it. This wine is good but give it a few years in the Moueix hands and this vineyard will be producing great wine! Ausone and Bélair shared the same owner who decided to put Ausone first, until the Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix purchased the vineyard in 2008. As Edouard stated, this wine is like a “wave which gently flows on he tongue”.
- Château de Sales, Pomerol, 2001: is the largest property within Pomerol and is again an easy style like that of Château Laroze St-Emilion Grand Cru Classé. It is very approachable in youth and starts ageing quickly, meaning they should be enjoyed after 7 to 15 years of storage. The Château de Sales Pomerol, 2001 is ready to drink now and is light and easy.
- Château Guillot, Pomerol, 2002: this beautiful property is traditionally run by the descendants of Mr. Luquot. This vintage is still a little young and could do with a bit of cellaring. This wine is more of a food orientated wine which has leathery spice coming through on the nose and palate. The 2002 vintage was a cool vintage and a sorting table was again required for making the wine.
- Château Bourgneuf, Pomerol, 1999: like the Château Guillot, Pomerol, 2002 this wine is more a food wine as it is a little rustic and was my least favourite of all the wines we tried. Vegetal notes are easily detected on both the nose and palate. The vineyard has excellent sun exposure on a gentle slope facing west.
- Château Gazin, Pomerol 1999: this vineyard is next to both Fleur-Pétrus and Pétrus but can suffer from under performing if the pickers are not patient. Château Gazin, Pomerol 1998 and 1999 are good vintages however the 2001 vintage is better. This vineyard can be under rated and shouldn’t be discounted when selecting a Bordeaux wine.
- Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Pomerol, 2005: this wine is commonly misconstrued as being the second wine of Pétrus, this is not the case. Château La Fleur-Pétrus, 2005, could do with being left for another 5 - 6 years in cellar, however the 2001 and 2004 vintages are ready for drinking now. This wine is again elegant and well balanced and is the same style as the 1980’s and 1990’s Cheval Blanc wines. This wine was most probably my favourite and I would strongly recommend people to try this wine and get themselves a case for storage!
Overall I would happily purchase a case of each of these and either cellar them or drink them now, either way I will be taking Edouard’s words of wisdom with me: “wine is a bevridge and should be enjoyed”. So in his name, pass the bottle and a glass and lets start enjoying!