Bordeaux 2013: Tasting in 2014
Although only a few months have passed since the 2013 Bordeaux primeurs, I was pleased to be able to take a look at this selection of barrel samples from this vintage at the annual Grand Cru Classé tasting in London. First, because the wines presented here included a handful I was unable to taste during the primeurs week; of these, the most notable was Château Canon, which I would usually pick up at the Ulysse Cazabonne négociant tasting at Château Rauzan-Ségla, which I missed this year. Secondly, it is always worthwhile revisiting barrel samples. By their very nature these are mere snapshots of a section of a wine, and they can be challenging to taste and interpret. They can be awkward, depending on how the malolactic fermentation has progressed, and of course how carefully the sample has been prepared may also have an effect. They can be tired, depending on how recently they were drawn from the vat. They are, in some cases, just one of several possible final blends, perhaps missing key elements such as a percentage of press wine. In addition, the élevage is still underway. It is, in short, always worth a second look.
Certainly, one or two wines here showed a little differently to how I recall during the primeurs. The sample of Château Pontet-Canet, for example, showed a little vegetal note that I didn’t pick up when I tasted at the château in April. La Mondotte (pictured) didn’t seem to quite have the upright structure I found in the barrel sample, nevertheless along with Château Canon-la-Gaffelière it was one of the more convincing red wines here. Largely, however, the wines performed true to my previous encounters with them, and they certainly remain true to the overall style of the vintage.
