Bordeaux 2008 at Ten Years: Pomerol
I conclude this report on the 2008 Bordeaux vintage at ten years of age with a look at eleven wines from the Pomerol appellation. As with St Emilion, Pomerol was favoured in the 2008 vintage, a year in which the harvest was saved by a late Indian summer, and in the end the earlier-ripening Merlot did much better than the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. And thus, as was also the case with St Emilion in this vintage, there is broad success here, with a greater number of more interesting wines in this appellation than in those on the left bank.
Again, the appellation has evolved somewhat over the last ten years, with some significant changes at a handful of domaines. Without a doubt the most dramatic change has been at Château La Fleur-Pétrus, part of the extensive Moueix portfolio. The château sits on the periphery of the plateau, as do the vineyards, or at least that was the case back in 2008. In recent years the estate has been completely restructured, in a project led by Edouard Moueix. The old Château La Providence was rechristened as the new Château La Fleur-Pétrus, and the wine is now sourced from a small selection of vineyards more securely on the plateau. The work has completely transformed the wine – the 2017, for example, showed excellent potential when tasted at the primeurs – but back in 2008 I think it was rather less convincing.
