Bordeaux Day Two 6 June 2023- Margaux AOC: Brane Cantenac, d'Issan & Desmirail

 We got to begin the day in Margaux and another perennial favorite of mine. We had a nice tour of the grounds and winemaking facility both old and new and with more construction currently underway at this Lurton estate. 

2019 Baron de Brane- It has pretty, dark berry fruit on the nose with a touch of mint and other floral components. Also, stone and a touch of tobacco. It has a toasty entry onto the palate with cassis and black plum. It's big and powerful with nice balancing acidity. Loads of black fruit complemented by maduro tobacco and coffee notes. 

2014 Baron de Brane- An absolutely gorgeous nose! Like a fresh meadow blanketed in flowers and with luscious red fruits with a touch of sous bois. A lovely, elegant palate with nice acid tension. Lots of fun savory notes to add complexity. High toned, with bright red fruit. Beautiful integration of all its components here. Lovely and fresh. 

2014 Grand Vin- Possesses a layered and elegant nose, with some earth showing. Lovely floral notes with red and black berry fruit accented by gravel and graphite. Spice. Flavors of spiced plum, cassis, black cherry and blackberry. Hints of sweet basil and a touch of cocoa on the finish. Exceptionally integrated and complex. A really beautiful wine. 

The way the schedule worked out, d'Issan was unable to accommodate us for a regular experience. I let them know we'd be having our share of tours and "101's", so fitting us in for a simple tasting of the wines was totally fine. Happy they could oblige. The first thought as we drove in and looked at the fortifications around the chateau caused us all three to exclaim, "they have a moat!"

2017 Blason d'Issan- Aromas of wet clay and stone along with lush red fruits and soft black berry notes. Fine herbs. There are rustic, delicate red berry fruits on a medium bodied palate. There are touches of a metallic note, lots of mineral. Warm spiced. High toned and red focused. Flavors are dominated by currant, cherry and pomegranate. 

2017 Grand Vin- It has a lovely perfume on the nose, with roses and other flowers. Some toasty oak. Elegant entry onto the palate with a savory streak. Loads of red and black plums and both red and black currant. An interesting accent of thyme and tarragon, wet stone. It unfolds on the palate slow and long with a great finish. It's pretty over too powerful. It ends more on red fruit, but the depth and complexity remain. Very nice.

2016 Le Haut-Medoc d'Issan- Very resinous and minty with dark plum and cassis. Great layers and depth for this value wine. If you see it, well worth a try!

Our last stop was inspired by a tasting at the Unions de Grands Crus Bordeaux in SF months prior. I had never heard of Chateau Desmirail and the 2020 wine was a standout for me form the Margaux AOC at that event. As such, it was on my list to visit while in the village. Here, we were greeted by Denis Lurton and got a great, detailed tour of the facility which was bustling outside with bottling occurring. The Lurton legacy reaches far and wide in Bordeaux and it was interesting to get this branch's story from it's proprietor. 

Alas, I left my notebook with our wines in their offices to stay out of the hot sun in the car. If memory serves, we tasted two vintages of Desmirail along with Initial and Iris Purple. All the wines are very tasty and high quality. I bought one of the seconds, but alas, it didn't make it home. We enjoyed it on our night in Alsace at our rental home in the hot tub. But two vintages of grand vin did come home with me. 

These wines are pure, expressive and wonderfully layered in their construction while remaining a relative value. I strongly urge anyone to seek out wine from this house. 

More images from Margaux including Chateau Margaux, local church, Lascombe and Cantenac Brown.

Bordeaux Day One 5 June 2023- Lynch Bages, Montrose & Pichon Baron

 Our day began with some initial chaos as the time getting off the train from Paris to acquire the rental car then to get to St. Estephe for our first stop at Ch. Montrose was upended by the timeline. Realizing we'd be significantly late, we called and were notified we'd have to do a later time in the day. Trouble is, the remainder of the day was scheduled and Montrose is a consistent favorite of mine that I really didn't want to miss. 

After some phone calls and juggling, Lynch Bages agreed to see us early so we were able to flip flop those two appointments. 

We received a "catch up" walk through the stunning facility at Lynch Bages and were then met up with a tour group in English, already in process. We tasted three wines by the house. Due to our timing, I left my notebook in the car and didn't get to take detailed notes. 

Following our tasting, we'd already arranged lunch at Cafe Lavinal which is on the Lynch Bages grounds. The winemaker I work with recommended this and I am so glad she did. It was an outstanding lunch and I highly recommend a visit here while in Pauillac or around a tasting at Lynch Bages. 

After lunch, we ventured up to Montrose. We tasted three wines here. 

2015 Tronquoy Lalande- A Dark nose of spiced plums, eucalyptus, cherry and black currant. The flavors all match, along with cocoa and black cherry. It's a touch green, but it's a pleasant herbaceousness. It's fresh with lots of verve loaded with red and black berries, plum and cassis. 

2017 La Dame de Montrose- Bright nose, fresh and vibrant. Sweet pea blossom, cherry and currant. The flavors line up with the aromas with a touch of anise. Big fruit with nice energy. Youthful. 

2015 Montrose- Nice warming oak on the nose over layers of cassis and wet stone with hints of cedar. There is a touch of tarragon on the palate with black currant leaf, black plum, black cherry and elderberry. It leans dark in its fruit and that fruit nicely balances the earthy components.  Nice now but promises more integration with more time in bottle. 

Chateau Pichon Baron was our last stop and what a pictureqsue property! Located across from Comtesse de Lalande and just down from Latour, there is no shortage of photographic moments. 

Here, we were treated to a vineyard tour where they explain their terrior and methods. Here I think we lucked out as we were neighboring a Spanish language group with a curated selection, so we got to try a bit more. The cellar sits under the pool which contains a skylight looking up into the water. 

2017 Les Tournelles- Red fruit on the nose, with vanilla toast and a touch of sous bois. Hints of white pepper. Lively acid on the palate, with an interesting mix of fresh and dried red fruits. Medium bodied with a touch of tomato savoriness. It has a Pinot-like elegance and drinks nice and easy.

2017 Les Griffons- A stronger white pepper edge on this one, with savory notes over currant and pomegranate with black plum and a touch of spice. Earth presents in graphite, wood and stone. It rests on a savory frame with black cherry and cassis along with black plum and nice spice. Some brightness from toasted vanilla accents. 

2017 Grand Vin- Warm cedar/sandalwood aromas over bright fruit, leaning on the red end of the spectrum. Tomato skin savoriness. On the palate, it has a bright entry with lots of red berry and plum. It's complex, but sits at a medium body and texture. 

2019 Pibran- Floral aromas over red and black fruit. It has a very pretty nose. On the palate, big tannin mediated by lush black fruit with a savory edge. It's nicely balanced with a touch of spice on the finish. 

2019 Grand Vin- More open and generous than 2017. Loads of berry compote, cedar and graphite/iron. It's a riper, richer style lending itself to earlier drinking than 2017. There is an interesting salinity on the entry with lots of black plum and licorice, accented by brighter red fruits. Lots of potpourri and warm spices. The heavier cassis lifts into red currant.

2016 Grand Vin- Right in between then 2017 and 2019, this vintage has a "more together" nose. Red and black currant along with black cherry and plum. Leather, cedar and dried flowers. It has a gorgeous purity of fruit on the palate that has coalesced nicely and is wonderfully balanced. Very well integrated and nice.