Bordeaux 2014 Primeurs: AC Bordeaux Tasting Notes
Despite having alluded to the monotony of the Sauvignon-Semillon blend, there are some good wines out there. You just have to look very hard to find them. Several are over on the right bank, not always on the limestone slopes although several châteaux now have white vines planted up on these more valuable terroirs, including Château Valandraud (the 2014 Blanc is delicious), Château Fombrauge (to be precise, these vines are now considered part of Château Magrez Fombrauge) and Château Faugères among others. Jonathan Maltus bucks the trend for planting on the limestone plateau and côtes though with the 2014 Le Nardian, which comes from St Aubin de Branne on the opposite site of the Dordogne. It is a wine made in a richly textured and yet vibrant style, and the 2014 is no exception to this rule.
The white of Château Cos d’Estournel relies on the traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon; I recall when I questioned Aymeric de Gironde a year or two ago on why he didn’t plant something a little more adventurous, and market the wine under a Vin de France designation if required, it was clear that in a very traditional region such as Bordeaux having the appellation is still seen as very important. The vines are planted up on the Goulée vineyards in the Médoc, where the cooler climate should be an advantage if trying to make a white of freshness and verve. “There were warm temperatures this year, but the fruit was not cooked”, Aymeric told me. “During September the temperatures were above 30ºC at times and we thought maybe we should harvest, but looking at the fruit we were sure we should wait. We did so, and we eventually harvested fourteen days later, picking the white grapes just three days before we picked the reds. This is unique”.
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