Bordeaux 2014 at Two Years: Pomerol
Here in Pomerol Merlot dominates, although there are exceptions, led by Château Lafleur where Cabernet Franc always plays a very significant role. The variety is much rarer here than in St Emilion though; it has a role at one of two other significant addresses, such as Vieux Château Certan, but on the whole it plays a bit part, almost never exceeding 20% of the blend. This is important in a vintage that favoured the later-ripening varieties – Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – over the earlier-ripening Merlot.
With regard to terroir, there is less variety in this significantly smaller appellation, with clay and gravel in the very best vineyards on the top of the plateau, soils which run across the border in St Emilion, into the vineyards of Château Cheval Blanc and Château Figeac. Move down the slope, though, towards the waters of the Isle, and the soil takes on a much more sandy constitution. This too is important, in a vintage marked by constant summer rain. How well the soils coped with the watery season has surely had an impact on the quality of the wines.
Having settled into the chair in the living room at Château Lafleur in December 2016, Omri Ram (pictured) – who works with the Guinaudeau family at Château Lafleur as well as at Château Grand Village – spoke with some enthusiasm on the 2014 vintage:
“In the decade so far, 2014 is the most classical vintage, by which I mean it has the best balance, and is not too short, nor too long. There was not a real winter to start with, it was mild and humid, followed by a beautiful spring for the flowering. After that it was hot and dry. This latter aspect of the vintage was very important at Lafleur; the water stress in June affected the size of berries. Yet I think a lot of people forget that June and maybe the first week of July were hot and dry. We wanted it to stay like that, but of course in July it became very wet and rainy, we had storms, and there was even some hail, although thankfully neither Lafleur nor Grand Village were hit. But down the road from Grand Village there were large hailstones which put dents in the bodywork of Jacques Guinaudeau’s Land Rover.”
