Bordeaux 2011 Primeurs: Pomerol
And from the broad complexity of St Emilion we now come to a commune both smaller and stylistically, to my mind, somewhat easier to define. And it seems in some way fitting that we come to it now, as we approach the end of my Bordeaux 2011 reports; because sometimes you do have to save the best for last.
Speaking within the context of just the red wines (because the real superstars of the vintage have a more golden hue, and are yet to come) Pomerol has enjoyed more success than any other commune in this vintage. And what a complex vintage it is! So far we have had some very disappointing wines in the Margaux appellation (and yet one star, Palmer), gentle wines from Pessac-Léognan, and better although occasionally tannin-bound wines from St Julien and Pauillac. And on the right bank we have St Emilion, where anything goes it seems, and yet right alongside we have the most consistent commune of the vintage, Pomerol.
Although once a Bordeaux backwater, inscribed by a patchwork of plots, the vines intermingling with other crops and the wines selling for low prices, these days Pomerol has a much more ‘expensive’ reputation, even when viewed against the backdrop of modern Bordeaux pricing. Two of Bordeaux’s most expensive wines – Petrus and Le Pin – hail from this small, 800-hectare appellation. And just behind these we have plenty of others with similarly unassailable prices; think of Lafleur first, followed by L’Église-Clinet, L’Évangile and Trotanoy. It is a commune where value for money can be difficult to find. Happily, the modest Alexandre Thienpont is one such source; although his wines are undeniably expensive, they offer quality comparable to those estates listed above (and indeed, the wines are often superior to some of those listed) while he asks for only a fraction of the price. But what about the real values? Where is our Beau-Séjour Bécot here?
