Bordeaux is big. But still. Why did 3 (out of 57) appellations plan their Portes Ouvertes ("Open Cellars") operation on the same weekend (this past one)?
These are open to the general public and I've been going to them for years. They provide the opportunity to make some very worthwhile discoveries and step outside the closed circle of classified growths.
I decided to go to Saint-Emilion instead of the Côtes de Bourg or the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux.
Like most English speakers, I am far more familiar with the Médoc than the Right Bank, where I have much to learn.
Arriving in St. Emilion at 2:30 and leaving at 6:30, I visited nine estates, forsaking the tours to taste, chat, and go on to the next château.
I started out with Château Rochebelle, located near Troplong Mondot and Tertre Rôtebœuf. The dynamic owner, Philippe Faniest, not only looks after Rochebelle, but is a also a wine broker and operates Saint-Emilion's little tourist train!
I did go to see the cellars here because they are carved out of solid rock and are worth a visit. The wine ages under ideal conditions in 100% new oak (most years). This gives it a sweet cherry-vanilla profile. Rochebelle is a "pretty", sleek sort of wine well worth knowing. I had a bottle of 2004 in my cellar and bought one of 2003 on M. Faniest's recommendation. They are sold out of 2005… I'll be interested to see how these wines age and I think this would be a fun wine to serve blind.
In order to settle an inheritance, the Faniest family sold another one of their estates to the Neipperg family : La Mondotte….
The next stop was a small estate ("château" definitely does not suit…) in the middle of Saint Christophe des Bardes called, appropriately, Ch. Saint Christophe… This 8 hectare property produces a straight Saint-Emilion and a Saint-Emilion grand cru. The only difference between the two is barrel ageing, and the labels are identical except for the name of the appellation. How not to be confused? Anyway, I tasted through a serious of vintages which were honest, but nothing special. The main selling point seemed to be the prices, very reasonable it's true. Example: 9 euros for the 2005 grand cru.
The next estate, also in Saint Christophe des Bardes, was Clos Rol de Fombrauge which, as everyone and his brother obviously knows, must not be confused with ***Château*** Rol de Fombrauge(!). This 4 hectare estate has mostly clay soil. I tasted 3 vintages and was pretty impressed with the 2005. In light of the modest price, this is just the sort of wine you wouldn't go wrong buying a case of.
Then it was on to Château Champion in the commune of Saint-Emilion where the Bourrigaud family have been making wine for 8 generations. They also own another estate, Vieux Grand Faurie. I tasted the 2005 of both wines and quite enjoyed them. The former had won a silver medal and the latter a gold medal at the Bourg-Blaye Challenge International du Vin.
I was going to pick up a bottle of the VGF, but M. Bourrigaud thought that Champion had greater potential so I went with that.
Both wines are good, with Champion being somewhat meatier.
Château Trimoulet, with 17 hectares of vines, also within the village limits of Saint-Emilion is a grand cru (non-classé…). It is owned by the Jean family, and all their wine is sold through the négociants Yvon Mau. The château is lovely and they had beautiful patchwork quilts with a wine theme on exhibit, including one showing the various soil types at Trimoulet. The 2nd wine, Emilius, was not really noteworthy and the 2005 was ungracious at this stage, but has gutsy tannin and should age well. It nevertheless lacks richness and smoothness.
Château Saint-Esprit, near Soutard is a quirky little (1.5 hectare) estate owned by the very personable Jérôme Dohet. He created the estate just several years ago, invented the name, and it is obvious from tasting that his winemaking has progressed along the way. The 2005 is a good wine fully worthy of the appellation.
Château Fombrauge in Saint Christophe des Bardes is one of Saint-Emilion's big guns. It belongs to Bernard Magrez who sold off his négociant business to concentrate on producing wine in a dozen countries. In Bordeaux, he owns Pape Clément, La Tour Carnet, etc.
Fombrauge is a very lovely estate and also a huge one for the appellation– 52 hectares of vines.
I have had good Fombrauge in the past, but the 2004 I tasted reminded me of recent vintages I've tasted of Pape Clément: too damn much toasty oak. The finish was dry too. Will this even out with age? Color me sceptical.
Château Haut Villet in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse is an 8 hectare estate with largely limestone soil. They were also showing wine from their 5 hectare estate in the Côtes de Castillon, Ch. d'Arce. I tasted the 2005s from both these estates as well as the unusual "Cuvée Pomone". This takes its name from a Gallo-Roman (3rd century) cameo the owner, M. Lenormand, found one day ploughing his vineyard. Experts agree that the cameo depicts Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards.
As kind and friendly as M. Lenormand was, I must be honest and say I was not enthralled by his wines which, although they had no glaring faults, did just not turn me on.
The last château I went to was Haut Lavallade a 8-hectare estate in Saint Christophe owned by the Chagneau family for the past 5 generations. They sell most of their wine to private customers and are geared up to receiving visitors. They made a good 2007 (one of the rare offered to me on my day out) and a reliable 2005. The house style is sturdy and dependable rather than exciting, but providies good value for money. They also make a cuvée prestige called Audace. Once again, this seems just a very oaky version of the cuvee traditionnelle, although I was explained that it is not fined or filtered and comes from very old vines with low yields…
There we have it. Nine châteaux in 4 hours. All on my own over a holiday weekend (wife's away in England and doesn't go on these anyway).
Bliss.
Best regards,
Alex R.