Although I am not a very frequent drinker of Bordeaux, I do like many of the wines from this highly regarded region; there are just other wines that I prefer or buy more often than Bordeaux right now. I did, however, manage to try a few interesting Bordeaux this December. As far as the Loire, the diversity of terroirs and styles there fascinates me, making it one of my favorite winegrowing regions in France.
2007 Château Rieussec Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classé
From 375 ml bottle. The first 2007 Sauternes that I have had. Moderately viscous and sweet, nicely balanced, not overly fat, with good botrytis character and underlying acidity. Fresh aromas/flavors of tropical fruits, apricots, orange marmalade, and honey. Excellent.
2003 Château La Peyre Saint-Estèphe
60% Cabernet Sauvignon/40% Merlot. I was told that this was drinking quite nicely right now, and it definitely is. This is a traditionally styled, terroir-driven Bordeaux; full-bodied, with impressive aromatics that are not overwhelmed by either excessive manipulation or new oak. (That said, I'm not the least bit opposed to the more modern Bordeaux as long as they are well balanced and judiciously oaked.)
Full-bodied, ripe yet nicely balanced, with dusty tannins, and notes of crème de cassis, dark berries, plum, cedar, pencils, minerals, and just a bit of vanilla. Excellent.
1988 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 5ème Grand Cru Classé
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. This dates back just before Pontet-Canet made some key changes that led to its subsequent qualitative surge. Somewhat funky nose of gravel, black tea, and roasted bell peppers that smells more like Chinon than Pauillac to me. (Based on some other comments that I have read online, I don’t think that this is indicative of an off bottle – others have also described the 1988 Pontet-Canet as being green or funky.) Full, smooth, concentrated, and nicely balanced, with some chalky tannins. Shows mixed berries, plums, and some crème de cassis, mixed with earth, grilling spices, salad greens, and paprika. A mixed bag; actually a complex, food-friendly wine comparable to a very nice Cabernet Franc from the Loire, except that a classified growth Bordeaux from a good vintage shouldn’t be green like this.
2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont
Lightly viscous, elegant, and very nicely balanced, with good underlying acidity. Quite primary now, with typically honeyed Chenin fruit and mineral notes. Excellent.
2007 Famille Laurent Saint-Pourçain Rouge “Calnite”
60% Gamay/40% Pinot Noir; Calnite is apparently the new name for Laurent’s “Prestige” bottling. I hadn’t tried anything from Saint-Pourçain before this wine.
In some ways, this is a typical, somewhat rustic, country wine, light in weight and color, with high acidity. Still showing some unresolved tannin, along with cherry/red berry notes, meaty/herbal hints, and a definite sense of its limestone origins. A pleasantly charming everyday wine that seems to express its terroir well, although I enjoy wines with high levels of acidity, and some other people may find it to be too acidic and/or rustic for their palates.
2005 Nicolas Joly/Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
This is the first time that I have ever tried any of Joly’s wines before. Slightly funky anise/citrusy nose; I didn’t find it noticeably oxidized, as others have. Full-bodied, ripe and a bit fat; dry and structured, but less sharply defined than most of the other Savennières that I have had. Shows notes of quince, pears, tropical fruits, burnt sugar, and licorice, along with slate-like minerals, earth, and some botrytis. Very good(?) - I am inclined to think that there is real potential here, but am not sure if, and how everything will come together, and worry that it is too ripe.