Bordeaux En Primeur 2010

Bordeaux En Primeur Releases

Two famous names to start the day off, including our award for “punches above it’s weight 2010” Chateau Langoa Barton, which I thought was as good a Langoa as I have tasted from barrel in a very long time and for me a step up from the 2009. Chateau Talbot was one of the purest and most juicy of all the 2010s I tasted and will be a wine that will make people very happy in years to come. Whether it is worth a 12.5% premium on the 2009 is arther more open to debate.
Château Talbot, 4eme Cru Saint Julien @ £475.00 per case in bond Sold Out
Château Langoa Barton, 3eme Cru Saint Julien @ £535.00 per case in bond Sold Out

Last two of the day (famous last words as some Bordealaise nutter will decide to release at 8pm one of these days!), so thank you for your continued patience over your over-flowing inboxes. These are two hot little St Emilion properties of rather differing styles but both with oodles of points and below the now new entry level £300.00 a box mark. La Confession is the property I singularly managed to fail to visit for about 5 years, I finally managed it this year and then forgot to write about it in the offer! Anyway it is a wine that has kept itself in check in 2010 (when many did a wailing banshee impersonation in St Emilion), so worth a look. The Chateau Fleur Cardinale is more bulging-eye fruit dominated, quite exotic but not overblown. Something to mull over as I think these won’t sell out overnight and I suspect that the even higher rated Barde-Haut will offer them a run for their money when it is offered.
Château La Confession, Saint Emilion @ £288.00 per case in bond Sold Out
Chateau Fleur Cardinale, Saint Emilion @ £299.00 per case in bond Sold Out

I apologise for so many offers in one day, but I think you will agree this is one where the interruption is justified. As you are probably aware we have been working closely with the Garcin family for many years and have watched as their reputation has been enhanced over successive vintages reflecting the massive investment they have made in making some of the best wines in Bordeaux. Today see the release of the wines from Chateau Haut Bergey, yet again this makes a compelling argument for being the best value wine of the vintage and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The white is again exemplary and will make delicious drinking in the next 3-5 years and remind everyone how good white Bordeaux can be and it doesn’t cost a fortune.
Sensible wines at sensible prices, well done Famille Garcin!
Château Haut Bergey, Pessac-Léognan 2010 @ £225.00 per case in bond (estimated price £250-300, 2009 price £230.00) Sold Out
Château Haut Bergey Blanc 2010, Pessac-Léognan @ £245.00 per case in bond (estimated price £240-325, 2009 price £260.00) Sold Out

Short and sweet. A glorious Calon Segur is as ever on the graceful side of St Estephe (its all relative of course), but availability is massively down on last year. I really liked Giscours this year, as did the critics, but it is up on 2009.
Château Calon Ségur, 3eme Cru Saint Estèphe @ £690.00 per case in bond - very limited
Château Giscour, 3eme Cru Margaux @ £525.00 per case in bond Sold Out

Well it really is happening now. Pontet Canet has been released in the last few minutes. This Chateau has been the biggest over-performer in every sense in the last decade and it appears that they have (as we had expected they would do) to release at a price that reflects this. The release price represents a small discount on the current average market price of the 2009. Massive marks all round, surely this is a long term investment wine.
Our allocations have been reduce from last year, so please could you let me know as swiftly as possible if you would like a case (priority will be given to those who bought last year).
Chateau Pontet Canet 5eme Cru Pauillac @ £1200.00 per case in bond Sold Out

So the prediction this morning that it might be a busy day has proved to be accurate. Two well loved Pauillacs to offer now; firstly one that I have a particular soft spot for – Chateau Haut Batailley – it is once again a charmer this year, elegant and pure and yet with plenty of depth. Then we have the more structured Haut Bages Liberal which is possibly a little more Pauillac in style, but still with buckets of ripe, rich fruit to go with the structure. A real case of you pays your money you take your choice (I know where mine will be)….
Château Haut Batailley, 5eme Cru Pauillac @ £325.00 per case in bond (est £280-350) Sold Out
Château Haut Bages Libéral, 5eme Cru Pauillac @ £330.00 per case in bond (est £285-375) Sold Out

I suspect we are in for a busy couple of weeks, starting with2010 Gruaud Larose, the quintessential British claret, which has been released this morning. I personally think that it is the best wine they have made in a long time, certainly on a par with 2000 and better than 2009 and 2005. If Parker gives it 94 when its bottled then it will be rated alongside the 1986 (trading at £1550/case – brilliant wine by the way), 1990 (£1600) and 2000 (£925), all of these have increased in value over the last year and I expect the 2009 to do the same once it is bottled and available, as this is a Chateau that the Chinese are starting to buy.
Chateau Gruaud Larose 2010 @ £540.00 per case in bond (est £450-700) Sold Out

More Bordeaux releases to check out

In the age we live in when a wine from the Mouton Rothschild stable is released it is time to take a moment for reflection and ask whether this makes sense. On the basis that the 09 and 08 Ch d’Armailhac’s are trading at less than this, it probably isn’t worth a punt investment wise (and yet the 2000 trades at more than this), so the question is whether its worth the money as a drinker. 92-95 points from the Wine Spectator suggests yes, 89-92 from RP suggests no, so perhaps 17/20 from us and Jancis is closer to the mark….and it’s a question of personal choice.

2 cases only Château d’Armailhac, Pauillac @ £380.00 per case in bond (estimate £325-425) Sold Out

A couple of interesting releases to start the week. The first being the Second wine of Ch Haut Bergey the excellent Pessac Leognan property run by the uber glamorous Hélène Garcin, as ever they have produced something that at £9.00 a bottle is excellent value and will provide smart drinking in a few years time and cheaper than last year. The other release is Ch Potensac, which is part of the Leoville Las Cases family. Crackingly good wine this year. Both are recommended.

L’Etoile de Bergey, Pessac Léognan @ £108.00 per case in bond – very limited stock Sold Out
Château Potensac, Haut Médoc @ £180.00 per case in bond Sold Out

Two new releases to report this morning. Firstly Margaux’s Ch La Tour du Mons unlike last year I actually tasted it this time round and have to say I was pretty impressed. One of my contacts in Bordeaux commented that he thought this was the best value for money estate in Margaux, and it is hard to think of another Chateau in the commune that would better it. They have certainly upped the ante over the last decade or so and are starting to become a property to watch.

The second release is Ch Poujeaux, which is under new ownership and it shows. The 2009 was good, but the 2010 is a real advance which on its own justifies the small increase on last year. I have to agree with Parker’s comments as this is the best Poujeaux have tasted en primeur.

Château La Tour du Mons Cru Bourgeois Margaux @ £142.00 per case in bond Sold Out
Château Poujeaux Cru Bourgeois Moulis @ £215.00 per case in bond Sold Out

For more information or to secure an allocation please contact us directly

Bordeaux release begin to pick up

Well it appears that the Bordelaise have finally decided that its about time to get on with the 2010 campaign properly, so lets be thankful for that.

Two well known names to add to the list for today with the release of the second wine of Grand Puy Lacoste – Lacoste Borie – which is as ever sensibly priced especially in comparison to where a lot of other 2^nd wines are going to be released at. Also new to the market is the excellent Chateau du Tertre who have, as ever over the last few years, made an excellent Margaux.

Hailed by Parker as the finest the Chateau has ever made, Chateau Lafon Rochet’s 2010 is unquestionably a great effort and for those who prefer the more muscular style of St Estephe this is one that is worth consideration. It’s a wine that will unquestionably need time to really open up and show its true potential.

We first discovered this juicy little Moulinet Pomerol during the 2006 campaign and it found many a happy home that year. The 2010 is a step up on the 06 and looks like a bargain at the price offered. The sort of wine to pull the cork on in 10 years and think that it cost less than £200.00 a case and I suspect that finding a Pomerol in 2020 at that price will be completely impossible.

Please get in touch with Genesis Wines direclty to secure your allocation.

"A kinship to Le Pin"

Back in the dim distant past I sold the very first vintage of this, the 1998. I have followed the progress of the Chateau ever since and have sold most subsequent vintages. It is worth noting that the 1998 was released at just over £400.00 a case (Parker gave it 89-91 points), which makes the 2010 look like a bit of a steal. It is of a style that is not always going to please everyone, but what Suckling tasted (and to a lesser extent Jancis) does not seem to correlate with what I or anyone else tasted…

10 cases Château Le Moulin @ £360.00 per case (12×75) in bond (est. £400-600) Sold Out
80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.
“Very easy on the nose, round ripe red fruits with perfumed notes of violet too. The palate is full-bodied and round with light toasted tannins. The texture is mouth-warming and very inviting. The acidity comes through more on the finish helping balance the wealth of fruit and creates a lasting expression. Very good.” Drink from 2019. Genesis score 17+.

“From lawyer and judge Michel Querre, Le Moulin is a somewhat under the radar Pomerol that I have always found to have a kinship to Le Pin, if only because of its exuberant exoticism. The deep ruby/purple-hued 2010 reveals layers of fruitcake, spice box, plum, black currant and cherry characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, deep and already irresistible, it may have slightly high acids and a lower pH than usual, but it is a big, loaded Pomerol that should drink well for 12-15+ years.” 92-94 Robert Parker

“Sleek and restrained, with a gorgeous mouthfeel, as silky tannins are already lengthy, carrying the spice, linzer torte, crushed cherry and red currant fruit. A classy wine.” 92-95 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
“Modern, rich and opulent in style. Plenty of extract but not over worked. Smooth, velvety texture. Some freshness behind. Good length. Drink 2015-2023.” ****/17 Decanter

“Sweet black cherry nose – as though it weren’t 2010! A bit simple and gassy but covers the bases. Greenish finish.” 16/20 Jancis Robinson

“Some good fruit, with firm tannins and lots of oak. Chewy.” 87-88 James Suckling

La Tour Blanche Sauternes - 19/20 Decanter

La_tour_Blanche

2010 is another excellent year in Sauternes and La Tour Blanche has been one of the best performers over the last few years. I particularly liked it this year as it had terrific freshness and poise, it will be interesting to see what price the Coutet that I refer to in the tasting notes comes out at, as ever with the Sauternes, it should be possible to hold off any decision making on this one until the Coutet and others are released (which should be this week – otherwise we are still going to be offering Bordeaux 2010 at Christmas!).

Chateau La Tour Blanche, 1er Cru Sauternes @ £460.00 per case in bond - Sold Out
“Fresher on the nose than the Coutet, high tones of meringue, bright orange zest and a touch of apricot. The acidity is excellent too, good nervosity, with a dash of lime freshness. Polar opposite to the Coutet, fabulous length on the finish with sweet fruits that linger.” Drink from 2017. 18/20 Genesis.

“The Chateau La Tour Blanche has a complex bouquet with scents of grapefruit, honey, apricot and white flowers. The palate is very well-balanced, with a great sense of tension and poise, and notes of citrus lemon, lime, dried honey and a touch of marmalade that lead to a tightly wound, focused, almost Germanic finish. This is intriguing Sauternes that should repay considerable cellaring.” 92-94 Robert Parker

“The Chateau La Tour Blanche has a complex bouquet with scents of grapefruit, honey, apricot and white flowers. The palate is very well-balanced, with a great sense of tension and poise, and notes of citrus lemon, lime, dried honey and a touch of marmalade that lead to a tightly wound, focused, almost Germanic finish. This is intriguing Sauternes that should repay considerable cellaring.” 92-94 Neal Martin

“Bags of acidity balancing the very high sugar content, impressive, and as always an intriguing touch of Muscadelle-like floweriness which is the signature of the growth. Marvellous finesse.” Drink 2020-2050. 19/20 Decanter

“Green and coconut on the nose. Streaky green and massively sweet with the pear juice quality of botrytis. Dense and rich. A bit jagged. Very, very young. RS 130 g/l, TA 3.9 g/l.” 17+/20 Jancis Robinson

Genesis Wines