Bordeaux 2012 at Four Years: St Julien
St Julien is of course rich in classed growth estates, possessing eleven in total, their vineyards accounting for more than 80% of the area in the appellation. The terroir is very much a continuation of the Pauillac terroir, very high-quality, with extensive and deep gravel beds which hug the waters of the estuary. And this is a commune which naturally majors on Cabernet Sauvignon; the gravel beds provide both the drainage this variety really needs, as well as some reflected warmth, certainly when compared to the cooler limestone and clay terroirs that typify the right bank.
Unfortunately, in the 2012 vintage, this combination was not the best for eventual quality. We have already seen that my early impressions from the primeur tastings in Pauillac have held true, and this is also the case in St Julien. There is an overarching style here that features rather lean red fruits, without much texture or substance to the body of the wine. The palate is frequently dominated by acidity, the tannins when they show through are often heavily grained. There are one or two estates which rise above this base performance though.
