Bordeaux 2015 Primeurs: Haut-Médoc Tasting Notes
The biggest concentration of wines of interest in the Haut-Médoc appellation in the 2015 vintage is to the south, between Margaux and the city of Bordeaux. Leading the way is Château La Lagune, with Château Cantemerle providing similar pleasure. It isn’t all about cru classé châteaux here though, as Château D’Agassac, Château Belle-Vue and Château Cambon la Pelouse all also have something to offer. None of these wines will be in huge demand though, and none are set to be in short supply, so I’m not really sure there is any need to be chasing them during the primeurs. I will review the wines at two years of age, including a more in-depth look at the cru bourgeois châteaux than is possible to make during the primeurs, with a good chance of turning up as yet untasted gems. I would advise waiting to buy these wines in most cases.
Moving further north such successes are rare. The 2015 vintage from Château Lanessan, aliquots of which I first tasted when I visited the estate immediately after the harvest in October 2015, is of good quality, comparable to some of the above-mentioned wines. Château du Retout also showed some good potential; this is an estate that turns out an excellent Vin de France white wine, but the red has tended to lag behind somewhat. The 2015 vintage, however, is surely the best red wine I have tasted from this estate in many years.
Moving on, things become a little more difficult. The one truly appealing wine west of St Julien and Pauillac is Château Belgrave, an under-rated estate which gives very good value and ages well too. The 2005 vintage, tasted just a year ago, was holding up very well. If you see any of the 2005 at a good price, do consider it. If not, then there is always the 2015 vintage, although again I am not sure there is any need to be hunting down these wines during the heat of the en primeur campaign.
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