HISTORY:

Chateau Canon is classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé (Class B) in the 1996 St Emilion classification, this being one of the more relevant Bordeaux classifications (although admittedly that's not saying much) as it is at least updated from time to time. Nevertheless, Chateau Canon has not always met with universal approval from all critics, although in recent years, under the direction of John Kolasa, opinions do seem to be changing. Certainly my own experience of recent vintages, both grand and deuxième vin, suggest that there is much worth seeking out here

These vineyards lie to the west of St-Emilion, and with the addition of Curé-Bon the estate has expanded from 18 to 21.5 ha, although only 13 of the original 18 ha lie within the clos. The terroir is largely limestone, with sparse soils on top, and the vines are 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, on rootstocks 420A and 41B, planted at 5500 vines/ha, with an average age of 25 years. The vines see leaf thinning and a green harvest, before the ripe fruit is hand-harvested to undergo temperature controlled fermentation in Fournier's wooden vats, prior to 18 or so months in barrel, approximately 70% new. The wine is fined with egg whites but not filtered. The grand vin is Chateau Canon, with rejected fruit going into the second wine, Clos de Canon. Altogether the estate puts out around 7500 cases per annum.

Tasting Note :

Chateau Canon (St Emilion) 2004: A more seductive style on the nose here, with appealing, plump, plum and blackberry aromas. Rather plush on the palate, with a cushion of fruit over ripe tannins and some fresh acids. Rather svelte in style, welcoming, but with good grip beneath. Balanced and structured, this is fine

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HISTORY :

The Cheval-Blanc vineyards, and the property itself, border those of Pomerol; Cheval-Blanc's most intimate neighbour is Chateau L'Evangile, a Pomerol property, which lies just across the road. The vines, which are 57% Cabernet Franc, with the balance mostly Merlot, augmented by a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, lie on three principle terroirs; a blend of gravel and sand over much of the vineyard, a large area of sand and clay over a compact blue clay, whilst a smaller proportion of the estate is sandy-clay with iron deposits. The vines are aged over 30 years on average, and there is a conscientious approach to vineyard management. Herbicides are nowhere to be seen, anything other than natural fertiliser is eschewed and the soil between the rows is ploughed to control weeds and to encourage deep root formation. The vines are harvested typically at 35 hl/ha, assisted by a green harvest during the summer

TASTING NOTE :

"A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Subtle herb, menthol, cranberry, black currant, and licorice aromas emerge from this dark ruby/plum-colored wine. It is medium-bodied and elegant with plenty of sweet fruit, but not a lot of weight or intensity. The complexity and nobility of Cheval Blanc's gravelly terroir is apparent in this delicate, subtle St.-Emilion. Give it a few years to develop additional aromatics, and drink it over the following 12-15."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
90 Points

"Intense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. This is better than the 2000. Best after 2012."
Wine Spectator
94 Points

HISTORY :

The Gruaud-Larose estate amounts to 150 hectares of the St Julien appellation, of which 82 hectares are planted to vines; the bulk of the estate lies around Baron Sarget's chateau, separated from the Gironde by the small village of Beychevelle, and sandwiched between the vineyards of Branaire-Ducru and Lagrange. The terroir is typical for the region, deep Quaternary gravel, planted with 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. The vines average around 45 years of age, and are planted at a density of 10000 vines/ha. The fruit, harvested by hand, is managed by a winemaking team overseen by Jacques Merlaut's son, Jean. Technical director at the property since 1970, however, is Georges Pauli; he has stayed on through difficult times at Gruaud-Larose, as it passed through the hands of different owners, but he has benefited from continued investment particularly by Alcatel-Alsthom who funded the construction of two new cellars with wooden fermentation vats and a new grape reception room to improve handling and quality of the fruit at harvest time. Nevertheless Pauli must take much of the credit for the maintenance of quality at Gruaud-Larose despite the rapid sequence of new owners and the uncertainty these changes bring

TASTING NOTE :

Chateau Gruaud-Larose (St Julien) 2004: A firm, meaty, classically Gruaud nose with great depth of character. Firm and very tannic structure with a lovely presence on the palate; fine fruit, with a complex, meaty style. The tannins round with a flourish on the finish. This has lovely typicité. Very good indeed, with plenty of potential

HISTORY :

The vineyards of Haut-Batailley lie to the east of the D206, which runs southwest out of Pauillac, facing the vineyards of Batailley itself, and also include those around Chateau Couronne, a petit chateau which also came to François Borie in 1932. Just to the east is the Petit-Batailley vineyard which belongs to Latour, and is largely utilised for the second wine Les Forts de Latour. There are 22 hectares planted to vines, with the usual gravelly terroir. The vines are 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, and are planted at a density of 10,000 vines/ha, with an average age close to 35 years. the harvest is manual, the fruit destemmed, and then fermented in stainless steel with termperature control, being going into oak for up to 20 months. Up to 40% of the barrels will be new each vintage. Before bottling the wines see a light filtration. The grand vin is Chateau Haut-Batailley (10000 cases per annum), and there is a second wine Tour d'Aspic (1700 cases per annum). The wines of Couronne are no longer independently seen, it seems

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Haut Batailley (Pauillac) 2004: An intense, expressive Cabernet-dominated nose. Plenty of grip and bold fruit. Mineral, black fruit, smokey

HISTORY :

The Meyney vineyard is in a single plot, covering an impressive 51 hectares of the St-Estèphe appellation, adjoining those of near neighbours Montrose and Phélan-Ségur. It enjoys an attractive position on gravel ridges overlooking the Gironde, beneath which is a mix of iron-rich blue clay and sand, over calcareous bedrock from a depth of about two metres. It is planted with 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc, although there has been a replanting scheme ongoing in recent years, replacing the oldest vines, aimed at reducing the percentage of Cabernet Franc. They have an average age of about 35 years although this may fall a little with the ongoing planting, with a density of up to 7500 vines/ha. Once intensively fertilised, this is no longer the case, the soil left unnourished and merely ploughed each quarter to aerate it, although some lesser sections are interplanted with grass and are thus left untouched. The estate is moving towards a system of minimum intervention viticulture. The fruit is harvested by hand, with a selection in the vineyard, followed by a sorting table at entry to the chai, then destemmed before a cold maceration for up to six days, at a temperature of around 10ºC. The fermentation is in glass-lined cement vats with temperature control, rising to 32ºC, using cultured yeasts, with pumping over to submerge the cap. Subsequently the wine will go into oak, although there are also stainless steel vats to hand for storage and blending as required. The oak is 70-90% new each vintage for the grand vin, Chateau Meyney (24000 cases per annum) and 10% new oak for the second wine, Prieur de Meyney (6000 cases per annum). The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel, is racked every three months, and after fourteen will be fined and then bottled.

TASTING NOTE :

Chateau Meyney (St Estèphe) 2004: A deep colour, rather dark and concentrated. Dark, nutty fruits on the nose. Rather glossy, obvious structure, lots of appealing texture too but does seem a touch hot too. Slightly attenuated perhaps. There is a pile of grip. It seems somewhat over-worked. It has promise though

HISTORY :

The vineyards in question include a mix of terroirs, thanks to their position to the southeast of the town, running down the côtes. At the top there is limestone, with clay and limestone on the slope, whereas at the bottom are a few hectares of the less desirable alluvial, gravelly, sandy soils. On the whole the terroir is favourable, with most vines situated on the clay and limestone soils which are favoured over the gravel and sand, with a southerly aspect and good drainage. There are slightly less than 37 hectares of vines which average over 40 years of age. Following the replanting program they are naturally dominated by Merlot which accounts for 60%, although there is a good proportion of Cabernet Franc at 30% and also Cabernet Sauvignon, which covers just 10%. They are trained high to improve exposure of the fruit, and there is leaf thinning and a green harvest. Once harvested by hand, at a remarkably low yield of 30 hl/ha (almost half that under Valette) the fruit is sorted and transported to the top of the fermentation area by conveyor belt, before fermentation on a plot-by-plot basis and then a maceration for a short period time. Then follows the malolactic fermentations, and up to 24 months in oak, which is naturally 100% new each year (double that under Valette). During this period of time it is notable that the wine will undergo batonnage, the stirring of the lees, a Burgundian technique which may enrich the wine, and a practice which has reached a small number of Bordeaux estates of which Pavie is perhaps the best example. What is produced is Chateau Pavie, the grand vin, naturally bottled without fining or filtration, of which there are about 8000 cases produced per year

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Pavie (St Emilion) 2004: A very dense and glossy appearance here. The nose is appealingly aromatic, carrying the essence of freshly crushed blackberries, perhaps a little cherry, alongside which there is plenty of spice and aromatics derived from this wines time in oak, which exceeded 24 months. The palate is initially a little surprising, not showing a lot of flesh at first, but this fills out in the midpalate and it has all the rich, creamy texture here that you would expect. There is a wonderful depth of fruit, with a pickling-spice complexity that sings extract, quality and promise to me. Deep, structured, but harmonious, the tannins being firm and defined, but well covered with fruit. This has excellent potential

HISTORY :

The Brown-Cantenac vineyards cover 54 hectares in all, mostly around Cantenac, although there are other plots in Arsac, Soussans, Margaux and Labarde, Underfoot, the soils are typically gravelly and are planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with a planting density of around 8500 vines/ha. José Sanfins, who was installed as technical director under the aegis of AXA Millésimes, but has stayed on at the property after the arrival of Halibi, has improved vineyard practices including the reduction in use of chemical fertilizers and the installation of new drainage. The harvest is manual, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, with a maceration of about two weeks. The wine is then transferred into oak barrels for up to 18 months, with 60% of the barrels replaced each vintage. The wine is fined and filtered prior to bottling. The grand vin is Chateau Cantenac-Brown (typically 15000 cases per annum), and there was a deuxième vin named Chateau Canuet, which takes its name from a nearby Cru Bourgeois estate also acquired by the du Vivier family in 1985. Today, however, it is known by the rather more elegant name of Brio du Chateau Cantenac Brown. There is also a Bordeaux Supérieur, produced from a vineyard of 8 hectares, named Chateau Brown Lamartine

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Cantenac-Brown (Margaux) 2004: A lovely nose, very open, lots of exotic fruit, quite fine. How did they manage that in this vintage? Ripe and creamy on the palate, stylish, full, with a dry grip beneath. Moderate acidity. Plump and really very flattering on the midpalate and finish, and although it doesn't have any great direction or finesse it will make very decent drinking for someone

HISTORY :

Today the vineyards total 90 hectares situated on the Bages plateau near the village of Bages itself, just southwest of Pauillac; they have a typical constitution of gravel over a layer of marl, chalk and sand, and are planted with predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), with 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is about 35 years and they are planted at a density of 9000 vines/ha. The fruit is harvested manually, then destemmed and crushed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine macerates in vat for a total of three weeks with malolactic in tank, before the wine is run off into oak for up to 15 months, with 60% new wood for every vintage. The grand vin here is Chateau Lynch-Bages, of which there are typically 25000 cases per annum. The nearby Chateau Haut Bages Averous has, since 1978, been used as the second label for Lynch-Bages (10000 cases per annum). There is also a 4.5 ha plot of white vines, comprising 40% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscadelle which is used for the AC Bordeaux Blanc Blanc de Lynch-Bages (3000 cases per annum)

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Lynch-Bages (Pauillac) 2004: An appealing nose, exotically spiced, with good depth of character. Rather svelte tannins early on to say the least, and a nicely composed, creamy texture. Through the midpalate seems firmer, more traditional, although they are well covered. This could be excellent, but will need to lie in the cellar for some time.

HISTORY :

The vineyards at d'Yquem total 113 ha in all, although only 100 ha are in production at any one time. This allows for grubbing up of elderly vines and replanting following a year when the plot is left fallow. The mix in the vineyard is 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with none of the permitted Muscadelle. The soils are variable, unsurprising for such a large estate, but there is much clay which necessitated the installation of the aforementioned field drains. Harvest is by hand in several tries, obviously, with yields typically 9 hl/ha. Fermentation is in oak, followed by typically three years in barrel, with a racking every three months. As mentioned above, in addition to the grand vin there is the a dry white Y; this now has an increasing proportion of Sauvignon, although it was once a 50/50 blend. It spends a year in oak with regular batonnage. It is quite a distinctive wine, being powerful and bone dry, but with botrytis character to be found on nose and palate

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Yquem (Sauterne) 2004: Extremely sophisticated, elegant and rich wine. Incredible finesse and silky texture. It isn't a thunderstruck d'Yquem. 20-25 years in heaven.

HISTORY :

The vineyards total 56 hectares, of which 45 is planted to red varieties, comprising 35% Merlot, 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, the other 11 hectares being planted to white, specifically 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon. The average vine age is the 30 years, and planting density is between 7500 and 10000 vines per hectare. The soils are typical of the region, mainly Gunzian gravel. Fermentation is temperature controlled, ten degrees cooler for the whites than the reds, with the red wines spending up to 32 days macerating. The white wines are fermented in stainless steel, the red in oak vats, and once finished both wines spend some time in oak; the red up to 20 months in 80% new barrels, the white receiving a slightly gentler 12 months in 50% new barrels. There is no problem with supply of barrels; the property has a cooperage on site. The finished wines are neither fined nor filtered. The grand vin, Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte, appears in red (8300 cases) and white (2500 cases) guises, and there are second wines which go under the Les Hauts de Smith label (5500 cases

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Pessac-Léognan) 2004: Exotic, smoky, spicy, very alluring wine. Rather open, not fabulously concentrated, but there is a good presence created by a nice grip and freshness of fruit. Rather gentle. Certainly appealing, which again should make for very good drinking in the future

HISTORY :

The vineyard at Chateau Rauzan-Segla supports 51 ha of vines, with a dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon (61%) and Merlot (35%), with 2% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The soils underfoot are typical Gunzian gravel, the fruit harvested manually, the must fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine will then go into barrel, 60% new each vintage, for up to twenty months, finishing with an egg white fining. The end product is bottled unfiltered. The grand vin is Chateau Rauzan-Ségla, of which there are typically 8000 cases produced per annum. Rigorous selection is essential, ensuring that only the choicest portion of the harvest goes into the grand vin, the rest going into the second wine, Ségla. This has helped to push quality further forward - in 1987, for instance, the entire crop was declassified, with the whole production being channelled into the second wine, or sold off in bulk.

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux) 2004: A moderate depth of colour. Rather youthful character on the nose, still showing traces of nutty oak alongside the dark fruits. Rather lean on entry, demonstrating attractive flavour but it has an overly-reserved, rather meanly textured style, with a early appearing rather grippy tannins. Good fresh acidity. The texture detracts, but fairly good nevertheless. It may perform quite well with a long time in the cellar

HISTORY :

Didier Cuvelier had a good head when he came to Bordeaux; although not a winemaker, he took appropriate advice, first from Professor Emile Peynaud, and later from Michel Rolland. There was extensive investment, particularly in the vineyard. Having been strong on Merlot, they were replanted with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, the proportion of the latter variety more than doubled, from 30% to something in the order of 64%, the balance being 26% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, planted at a density of 8500 vines/ha. Despite this the average age of the vines remained high at 35 years, perhaps as Moulin Riche, once a cru bourgeois estate but since the 2003 vintage correctly regarded as Poyferré's second wine, was incorporated into the Léoville-Poyferré vineyard. There was extensive modernisation of the facilities too, the chai rebuilt in 1984 and then again in 1990, underground water storage installed in 1983, a tasting room and plenty of new oak. With Didier Cuvelier at the helm, things at Léoville-Poyferré started to turn around. There were a number of favourable vintages during the 1980s, particularly 1982, 1983 and 1985, and there were some lovely wines from Poyferré. During the 1990s, quality has truly been in the ascendant, and it seems clear that Poyferré has begun to produce the standard of wines of which it is capable.

TASTING NOTE:

Chateau Léoville-Poyferré (St Julien) 2003: Dark, exotic fruit nose. Damsons, with a hint of blackcurrant. Ripe, balanced, seamless structure. It has a gentle elegance, with creamy fruit and a peppery edge. Really gentle, fine tannins and correct acidity. This is very good indeed. Certainly the equal of Léoville Barton, if not slightly ahead