Sébastien David, 2016 Update
It has been a quiet year for Sébastien David, by which I mean this inimitable innovator has not created any new cuvées during the last twelve months. It was not that long ago that the passing of each year seemed to herald the introduction of another new cuvée to his portfolio of wines. Indeed, up until 2010, this was entirely true, as in each vintage from 1999 to 2010 Sébastien released a unique cuvée in his Patrimoine SD range of wines. More recently, though, there have been other new developments, including the creation of L’Hurluberlu and, in 2013, the appearance of the first Coef cuvée. On this occasion I met these two cuvées in the 2014 vintage for the first time, and it was also my first opportunity to taste his 2013 Kezako.
The Wines
I am a great fan of the L’Hurluberlu cuvée, a very affordable wine which makes great lunchtime drinking, by the glass and by the bottle (preferably in the Café de la Promenade, in Bourgueil). I have been impressed by what Sébastien has been able to bottle under this label even in very difficult vintages, including the less generous 2012 vintage, and the wash-out 2013 vintage. The 2014 is true to the style, although to be frank I was hoping for (and expecting) a little more generosity, ripeness or texture in this vintage. But it is a very ‘acid-washed’ vintage I have found, and while the top cuvées can be great (and I have started cellaring some) the entry-level wines can often be ruled by their acidity.
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