WTN: Château Poujeaux 2001

Château Poujeaux 2001 Moulis 12,5% abv 23€

Sniffing this, I remember why I like Bordeaux. In those immortal words, this tastes like Claret.

After a series of disappointing Bordeaux, I find one that epitomizes the left bank for me. Where almost all Bx that has recently come my way has coated my mouth in an oaky film which distracts from all else, this wine is refreshing and slightly herbaceous. It smells of cedar and greenness (as in the refreshing way, not the underripe way), cassis and dark fruit. It is tannic, refreshing, moreish. There are some oak notes here, too, but they don't dominate the nose and they don't smother all the attractive notes on the palate. Yes, this needs time, but even so I am happy to have my regained my lost faith in Bordeaux.

[dons tin helmet]I know it's not Friday, but if you don't mind me trolling for a bit, I find that almost all Bordeaux tastes spoofulated to some degree, so this made the pleasure of a "natural" and graceful tasting wine all the greater.[/tin helmet]

-Otto

Otto
You troll away sir - be our guest!
For sake of clarification, are you referring to recent vintages of Bordeaux, or do mature bottles count as well. For me Bordeaux isn't something I seek out young and do enjoy old, even crumbly old bottles. Maybe that tames the fruit & oak.

regards

Ian

Otto: If you can find it, try Chateau Le Puy. The 2004 is as you describe this wine, refreshing and herbal without being green in any way. Also, an organic, natural wine estate which eschews many of the worst abuses of spoofulation.

Thanks for the TN Otto.

Poujeaux is a regular buy for me and usually requires more age than its peers but I have had my first 2001 along with the Potensac and others and enjoyed them all although IMO they will improve.

Not as good as the 97 but still a very nice wine particularly for those who like a leaner claret.

I understand that Philippe Cuvelier, owner of Clos Fourtet in St Emilion, has recently bought the property so perhaps there will be a change in style. Personally I hope not and it is sad to see the Theils go after so many years.

Not as good as the 97 .

Overachiever of the vintage! A very good wine.
I like Poujeaux a lot.

Well, Otto, nice report on one of my favorite under-the-radar gems. I don't have any bottles of the 01,for some reason, one of the few relatively recent vintages I don't have of Poujeaux. I can still remember the nose on a bottle of the 1998.

And to further those immortal words (assuming we are remembering the same source), you definitely know the difference between Claret and Bordeaux!!

This could have been posted as a "value" Bordeaux in Wine Focus. I have 6 of the 2001 but on the basis of this TN will hold off for a couple more years or so. Most Poujeaux I have opened gives IMHO very good value for € 23, which is about the same price as here at a wine merchant, though most years in the Autumn Foires aux Vins recent vintages can be bought for c. € 17.

Sad news if the Theil family are selling out. French critics claim that Poujeaux has been under-performing recently but that may just mean that it is not spoofy enough for their increasingly corrupted palates.

You troll away sir - be our guest!
For sake of clarification, are you referring to recent vintages of Bordeaux, or do mature bottles count as well. For me Bordeaux isn't something I seek out young and do enjoy old, even crumbly old bottles. Maybe that tames the fruit & oak.

Recent. But saying that I should only open older Bordeaux is unfair. What use is a troll if you act all sensible. But also, I love the vibrancy of a young Bordeaux or Madiran. I think that my love affair with tea and my rather puzzling love for young, rigid wines (as I do prefer wines on the dead side) both stem from the same source: namely a love of tannin. I keep on trying young Bordeaux, but I burn my fingers playing with the fire with more frequency than before.

Nigel, I would be extremely sorry if the new owners also means a change in style.

James, Fawlty Towers rocks. But that's not what I meant. I should probably erase that comment on this board as I meant in reference to an ex-character on the UK borad.

-O