Home > Vintages and Regions > Bordeaux > Bordeaux 2004 > Pessac-Léognan
Bordeaux 2004: Pessac-Léognan
Bordeaux 2004
At Two Years:
Pessac-Léognan
Towards Maturity:
As I discussed in my introduction, 2004 sees the very welcome return of acidity in the whites wines of the Graves region of Bordeaux, which incorporates the enclave of Pessac-Léognan. To generalise, the white style that characterises this vintage is full, powerful, structured, grippy and pithy, fresh but not delicate or filigree in nature. These were wines that I enjoyed tasting. Not the greatest of white Graves vintages, but very good, in many places.
The red wines are less easily described, at least in such a succinct manner. There is character in many, with good quality to be found from a small number of estates, led most notably by Domaine de Chevalier and the ever-successful (it seems) Haut-Bailly, but there was also a surprising, supple and successful wine from Larrivet-Haut-Brion, which may provide some good value drinking. (7/11/06)
Pessac-Léognan 2004: Tasting Notes
Tasted at the UdGC de
Bordeaux tasting in October 2006. Click
to locate
stockists:
White Wines:
Chateau Bouscaut Blanc 2004: This is very grassy on the nose, with
plenty of nettly, green pepper aromas; obviously the Sauvignon Blanc is
dominating the wine at present, although I believe the proportions are roughly
equal. Lacks great impact on the palate, but is quite fresh with decent acidity.
Nettly flavour, like the nose. Good. 15/20
Chateau Carbonnieux
Blanc 2004:
This is rather closed on the nose today, and it expresses little other than
a faint nettly-mineral character. It has a very attractive palate though,
showing a limpid freshness with fine acidity and good balance. Well structured,
but unsurprisingly with very muted flavours at present, but these will open out
with time. Very good potential. 15.5-16.5+/20
Domaine de Chevalier
Blanc 2004: As with last years sample of the 2003 this is quite closed,
showing little more than a faint crispness. The palate clearly shows that this
is built for the cellar; balanced, elegantly textured, sappy but reserved,
vaguely nettly through the midpalate but rounding out with a flourish of flavour
on the finish. Potentially very good indeed. 17.5+/20
Chateau de Fieuzal Blanc
2004: Very stylish on the nose, rather complex too, with little notes of
caramelised fig alongside the fresh, creamed asparagus and nettle character.
Very sappy style on the palate, delightfully fresh, but with a little delicate
edge to the structure and a fine balance. An elegant, quite complete wine.
Great potential. 17+/20
Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion
Blanc 2004: A nice, rich, greengage and
green-yellow capsicum style here. This richness is matched by a big, full style
on the palate, which shows good structure but plentiful fruit to match, in an
exotic creamy, capsicum style, like the nose. Very fresh, with good acidity.
Appealing. 16.5+/20
Chateau Latour-Martillac Blanc 2004: Rather muted on the nose, showing
a little oak though, but with some greengagey-nettly aroma also showing. Rather
brutally structured, a bit oaky, pithy and certainly very masculine in style.
Firm acidity and naked fruit; there is no cushion to soften the impact here. But
good cellar potential. 16+/20
Chateau
Malartic-Lagravière
Blanc 2004: A lovely nose here, fresh and exuberant with crystal
clear fruit; what a refreshing change after last year's effort. Rather
Sauvignon-dominant on the nose, green and grassy, but with an appealing passion
fruit note, melded with some oak. Full yet reserved, structured and pithy, with
fresh, peppery, nettly acidity. Very good potential. 16.5+/20
Chateau Olivier Blanc 2004:
A rather muted nose, rather oaky, and this character carries through onto the
palate which shows nothing more than a little subtle peach fruit. Lean, and
perhaps a little tinny and stretched out. It may fatten up with time though, and
has an appealing pithiness. 14.5-15.5+/20
Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte
Blanc 2004: A divinely expressive fruit nose here, with juicy grapefruit and
even a little banana, which is unusual but not actually all that unattractive in
this instance. Good body,
pithy, a little sinewy even, with a firm, full structure. Quite firm and
masculine, showing much better than my tasting earlier in the year. 15.5-16.5+/20
Red Wines:
Chateau Carbonnieux
2004: Unlike the white Carbonnieux this is not at all closed; it has a
vibrant red fruit character, a melange of gravelly, raspberry notes. Firm,
solidly put together wine, perhaps a little coarse, showing a firm, tannic
structure. Seems well extracted. Has a certain rustic appeal. Good. 15.5+/20
Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2004: A good nose here, quite forward
compared to some other wines, ripe, gravelly, perfumed, with a sheen of oak.
There is a dry, reserved palate showing similar fruit. Rather firm tannins,
perhaps a touch over-extracted, overall lacking balance. A disappointment. 14/20
Domaine de Chevalier
2004: This has a dark, floral, gravelly fruit nose, with little notes of
sweet blackberries and butter. Full and rounded style on entry, evolving to a
gravelly, mineral character through the midpalate. Firm tannins, nicely
composed, not at all overdone. Fine, fresh acidity. This has very good
potential. 17+/20
Chateau de Fieuzal 2004:
An interesting nose here, showing some obvious, confit cherry fruit blended with
some sweet oak. Good style on the palate though, showing more typical gravelly
red fruit. Nicely proportioned tannins; this is a firm, solidly composed wine
which should be very good. 16.5+/20
Chateau Haut-Bailly 2004:
Why is the nose here always so complete? This really reminds me of the
2005, tasted in April this year. It has
refined, perfumed, floral, mineral-edged fruit rather than the less elegant
gravel exhibited by so many of the other wines. A lovely style on the palate,
mineral-edged fruit, showing lovely structure. Beautifully poised, with a fine
presence on the palate. This has fabulous potential. Who couldn't like this?
18.5+/20
Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion 2004: A rather exotic nose here, showing
perfumed fruit, tinged with minerals, presented in an absolutely beautiful
style. The palate is very finely composed, fine fruits, with a grippy structure
beneath, and precise acidity. This nicely poised wine has a just lovely, supple
style. Very impressive. 18+/20
Chateau Latour-Martillac 2004: There are lots of ripe fruits on the
rather forward, open nose of this wine, perfumed in character, with a layer of
oak. But the palate disappoints; it has a hollow centre, and lacks texture. Thin
and perhaps over-extracted as there is an incongruous wall of tannin to match. A
great shame, as the nose held some promise. 14/20
Chateau
Malartic-Lagravière 2004: This has a subtle, reserved nose, rather
closed, but showing a little perfumed, oaky fruit. Nicely composed on the
palate, with soft tannins, a solid yet creamy impact and fresh acidity. This
certainly has potential. Very good. 16.5+/20
Chateau Pape-Clément 2004: This is exotic, perfumed, deeply fruited,
with an attractive pickling spices complexity. Fine texture on the palate, with
lots of texture and a lovely extract. The tannins are ripe, rather svelte and
peppery, and come with fresh acidity. Tannic finish. This is set up for good
development in the cellar. 17.5/20
Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte 2004:
This modern-styled wine shows some sweet and buttery oak on the nose, wrapped in
some confit black fruits. Rounded and a little creamily textured, the wine hides
its supple tannins well until the finish. Nice, cool style, with pepper-spice notes.
Attractive. 16.5/20
Home - Site index - Site updated May 14, 2008 - © The Winedoctor 2000 - 2008 - Wine Scores - RSS
