Bordeaux 2008 at Four Years: St Julien & Margaux
Having left behind St Estèphe and Pauillac, the latter commune a little more disappointing in places than was hoped for, it seemed likely to me that on the day of this tasting, at the Institute of Masters of Wine, that St Julien would offer something better. After all, this appellation had been the most convincing during the primeur tastings, and some wines, particularly Léoville-Poyferré, had shown very well indeed when tasted from bottle rather than barrel at two years of age. Happily my expectations were, on the whole, met by the wines of this commune. Sadly, it was a brief respite, as the mediocrity of Margaux did more than enough to drag down my spirits once again.
The Story So Far
The commune of St Julien provided one or two impressive high points during the primeurs, especially Léoville-Las-Cases which was an island of textured, fruit-rich excellence in a shallow sea of good to very good wines. Two years ago, however, it was Léoville-Poyferré that really impressed, showing buoyant fruit and an elegant silky composition at the annual UGC tasting. Château Léoville-Las-Cases does not pour at that event, though, so this tasting was the first time since the primeurs I have revisited it since April 2009. In addition, there was some good promise from a number of other wines in this commune at the primeurs, including Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru, Langoa-Barton and Talbot in particular, all of which displayed a more enticing texture, confidence and energy than their Pauillac peers. Two years on and once in bottle, however, the finished wines as assessed at the UGC tasting in October 2010 were not so convincing, and many of my in-bottle scores were at the bottom end of my barrel-note range.
