Bordeaux 2013 Primeurs: St Emilion Tasting Notes
There were many other wines worthy of mention here, starting with the Neipperg portfolio, which I tasted at Château Canon-la-Gaffelière on the penultimate day of my visit to Bordeaux. If you need numbers to hammer home the difficulties of the 2013 vintage, and to reaffirm just how far yields have been reduced, than pay a visit here. Clos de l’Oratoire had it easy, for the vintage at least, raking in an impressive 17 hl/ha. Meanwhile at Château Canon-la-Gaffelière the yield was 10 hl/ha, and at La Mondotte just 8 hl/ha. Despite this apparent difficulty, the wines still showed the trademark velvety texture of the Neipperg portfolio, and La Mondotte was of particular interest. It was more restrained than it has been in recent years…. which is probably why I like it so much in 2013.
The wines of Jean-Luc Thunevin, tasted in his garage in St Emilion, also showed very well. Château Valandraud in particular was tasting good. Château Troplong-Mondot showed restraint in terms of fruit ripeness, but there was a thick seam of tannins on the palate which gave me cause for concern. Nevertheless everything else was nicely reined in here, a great contrast to the alcohol infusions we have seen in recent years. Meanwhile Clos Fourtet was clean and bright, showing some substance as did, to my surprise, the wine of Château La Tour Figeac.
