Bordeaux 2012 Primeurs: Castillon & Co. Tasting Notes
Despite my belief in these right bank regions, and the conviction I felt during various visits last year, my primeurs tasting schedule afforded me little time for dedicated visits to each of these regions (even if I did find myself on a somewhat unanticipated detour to Castillon at one point). For that reason, most of the wines tasted here were encountered during my visits in St Emilion and Pomerol, and those that were not were largely encountered at négociant tastings.
The only commune I visited on this trip to Bordeaux was Lalande-de-Pomerol, where I attended a tasting of the wines of Hubert de Boüard de Laforest at Château La Fleur de Boüard, including Angélus of course.
I have placed my Castillon notes first, as this is the region with the most to offer those looking for quality as well as just good prices. The wine of Château d’Aiguilhe showed well, and was very true to the Neipperg style, which this year has freshness and lift to counterbalance the rich texture that is the hallmark of this range of wines, from La Mondotte right down to the wines from the St Emilion satellites, notes on the latter also being included here. Stephan von Neipperg experienced slightly reduced yields at Château d’Aiguilhe in 2012, partly the damp spring weather although there was also a little frost here (not something I heard widely reported). Picking was from October 9th to October 21st, the yield 25 hl/h (although note that Neipperg reports yields after selection, so this is not a true representation of what the vineyard actually produced). The wine, 80% Merlot, is full of promise. Availability should be good, the area of vines in production here amounting to 70 hectares, 50 hectares on the Aiguilhe estate, 20 hectares rented. If I understand correctly Neipperg has the same philosophy here as that followed by Jonathon Maltus at Château Teyssier; as demand for the wine increases, rather than raising his prices significantly he looks instead to increase production, hence the large area of rented vines.
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