Tag Archives: Bordeaux

2005 Goulée, AOC Médoc

Goulée is a wine from the Northern Médoc (AOC Médoc), near Port de Goulée and the commune of Jau-Dignac et Loirac. The vineyard has gravelly soil and overlooks the Gironde estuary.

It is made by the team from Cos d’Estournel. The first vintage was 2004 and later ones say “Goulée by Cos d’Estournel” instead of just “Goulée”. It is interesting that the owner, M. Michel Reybier decided to market a brand rather than a château name.

The 28 hectares of vines – Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) et Merlot (20%) – are about 25 years old.
The wine is 50% aged in new oak, and it spends 14 months in barrel.

Goulée is moderately expensive for its appellation but, of course, cost much less its more southerly neighbors. Is it worth the money? I have had the wine en primeur and found it to be OK, but this was the first mature example I have ever tasted.

 

The color was very deep, with thick legs. It is begining to brick on the rim and looks a little older than its age. There was sediment in the bottle which is often the good sign of a natural wine to me.
The nose showed rich plummy and mint aromas as well as classic overtones of blackcurrant and lead. The wine is very Médoc on the palate with deep and slightly spirity flavors. The Goulée website says that “the climate gives Goulée a fruity character that is somewhat reminiscent of New World wines,” but I don’t really see that… This 2005 is medium-bodied with a shortish aftertaste. It is a little dry on the finish, but has decent grip. Verdict: a good wine, in its drinking window, and a brand worth investigating.

Château Chevrol Bel Air, Lalande-de-Pomerol

 

Is Château Chevrol Bel Air the best value wine in Bordeaux? Of course, that’s impossible to prove, but it would nevertheless be one of my top candidates! As someone who is not only a lover, but also a student of wine, I rarely purchase by the case in order to taste a greater variety. But Chevrol Bel Air is an exception because is so reasonably-priced and so good.
I went to see the owner, Vincent Pradier, last week. He provided me with some background information and a tasting of four vintages.
Let me start off by saying I have a soft spot for Lalande-de-Pomerol and am a member of the local vinous brotherhood, Les Baillis – http://www.lalande-pomerol.com/baillis.php.
When I first arrived in Bordeaux, Lalande-de-Pomerol sold for the same price as Bordeaux Supérieur. But no more! While no one pretends they are on a par with their more famous neighbor, the wines can be delicious, early-maturing, and a great deal less expensive…
Chevrol Bel Air has been in the Pradier family for three generations. The 20 hectares of vines have an atypical breakdown: 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is far more Cabernet at than neighboring estates. The vineyard is in a single block on clay, sand, and silt soil on the Chevrol plateau.  The subsoil also contains some of the crasse de fer (ironpan) found in Pomerol.
The vines are an average of 50 years old.

 


Part of the wine’s charm is due to the fact that it is not oak-aged. Vincent’s father nevertheless devised a patented system (see photo) whereby wine in each stainless steel vat is pumped through one barrel to provide controlled oxidation via a regular flow.
Vincent is proud of his 2012, which is quite successful for the vintage. The 2011 is even better with a briary, ethereal, understated nose and a fluid, rich, thirst-quenching sort of flavour. The 2010 is a more serious wine with greater ageing potential than the two previous years. Chevrol Bel Air’s trademark smoothness has to contend with some tannin here. And then there’s my favorite, the 2009, that is a full-bodied sensual wine that it almost Burgundian in its silkiness – until the aftertaste, when Bordeaux tannins assert themselves and give structure to the wine. I would put this wine up against any other in its price category from anywhere in the world!

Domaine de Courteillac, Bx. Sup.

The Holy Grail? Well, not quite, but finding the Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur that knocks your socks off is a labor of love. I had heard that Domaine de Courteillac was worth investigating, so I gave the 2010 vintage a spin.
This 28-hectare estate located in Ruch, 14 km south of Castillon-la-Bataille, is owned by Dominique Meneret, former owner of Château Larmande, a Saint Emilion grand cru classé, and founder of the négociant firm of Ballande & Meneret, which he has since sold.  The grape varieties are 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged in oak: ½ in new barrels, and ½ in barrels used for one previous vintage. Stéphane Derenecourt is consulting enologist.

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The 2010 is very dark and deep in color, more black than red.
The nose is soft and not very expressive, but features cherry-vanilla overtones. Still, it is a bit dumb, with some alcohol showing.
The wine starts out smooth and enveloping on the palate, but then goes into a dry, relatively short aftertaste. There’s a somewhat heavy mouthfeel and the 14.5% alc./vol. makes itself felt.
The grail will have to wait…
Will this wine improve markedly with age? I think not.
Don’t get me wrong: 2010 Domaine de Courteillac was a pleasure to drink with lunch midweek. But I had the impression that M. Meneret was trying a little too hard. The wine’s strength and oak influence are heavy-handed in light of the wine’s intrinsic flavor profile. I think the same wine made in a lighter, more easy-going style would have been more successful. I’ll be interested to tast future vintages of Domaine de Courteillac to see where it’s going.