Tasting Report: Bordeaux and Sauternes, 2012 Vintage
Vintage 2012 Bordeaux is in the cusp of release, and recently I had the opportunity to taste a huge swath of it when some 80 chateaux descended on the U.S. All in all, these wines showed quite well. 2012 white Bordeaux wines are drinking particularly well already, and the reds of Saint-Julien had a strong showing as a whole. Special commendations go to Château Gazin from Pomerol, Château La Tour Carnet of the Haut-Medoc, and Château Grand – Puy – Lacoste of Pauillac, all showing off impressive balance. But the star of the show was easily Château Léoville Barton, a Saint-Julien wine with elegance, grace, and impressive depth.
Complete (yet brief) notes on all wines tasted follow.
2012 Bordeaux Tasting Report
2012 Château de Chantegrive Graves Blanc / B- / a bit weedy
2012 Château Bouscaut Pessac-Leognan Blanc / A- / pretty, with floral notes
2012 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Blanc / A- / slightly meaty
2012 Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Leognan Blanc / A- / lots of bright peaches, some herbs
2012 Château Haut – Bailly Pessac-Leognan Rouge / A- / lush and rounded, raisins and mixed berries
2012 Château Larrivet Haut – Brion Pessac-Leognan Blanc / B+ / more mineral notes, meaty finish
2012 Château Latour – Martillac Pessac-Leognan Rouge / B / jammy, overcooked
2012 Château Picque Caillou Pessac-Leognan Blanc / A- / grapefruit, melon, and flowers
2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Blanc / A / dense with fruit and nougat notes, and almost vegetal edge adds balance
2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Rouge / A- / licorice, dark chocolate, big body
2012 Château Canon – La – Gaffelière Saint-Emilion Grand Cru / A- / thin but lively with fruit and florals
2012 Clos Fourtet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru / B / dusty, some pruniness
2012 Château La Tour Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru / A / loaded with chocolate and blueberries
2012 Château Troplong Mondot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru / B+ / earthy and dense, long, tobacco finish
2012 Château Beauregard Pomerol / B- / bizarrely structured, heavy fruit dives into big tannin
2012 Château Le Bon Pasteur Pomerol / A- / lots of chocolate and raspberries
2012 Château La Cabanne Pomerol / B+ / cherry and some bubblegum notes
2012 Château Clinet Pomerol / A- / dense and lush, a powerhouse
2012 Château Gazin Pomerol / A / unusual, mint and berry compote mashed up
2012 Château La Pointe Pomerol / B+ / densely fruity, some mint and milk chocolate
2012 Château Clarke Listrac-Medoc / B+ / slightly thin, herbs and strawberry notes
2012 Château Chasse – Spleen Moulis-en-Medoc / A / just right; acidity supports violets, raspberry, blackberry notes
2012 Château Maucaillou Moulis-en-Medoc / B / dense and dusty, cigar box elements
2012 Château Poujeaux Moulis-en-Medoc / A- / deep chocolate and raspberry notes
2012 Château de Camensac Haut-Medoc / B+ / huge earthiness, tobacco notes
2012 Château Cantemerle Haut-Medoc / B+ / lush fruit, some balsamic, raspberry notes
2012 Château Citran Haut-Medoc / B+ / restrained but with some balance, an easygoing style
2012 Château Coufran Haut-Medoc / B / a bit astringent, more balsamic
2012 Château La Lagune Haut-Medoc / A- / easy fruit, some herbs, a little smoke
2012 Château La Tour Carnet Haut-Medoc / A / wonderful balance, fruit meets cedar box
2012 Château La Tour de By Medoc / B+ / a bit thin, lively fruit and herb notes
2012 Château Angludet Margaux / B / a bit flabby, pungent edge
2012 Château Cantenac Brown Margaux / A- / chocolate and berry core; long, dry and tannic; one for cellaring
2012 Château Dauzac Margaux / B+ / lots of bacon, rough around the edges; powerful
2012 Château Durfort – Vivens Margaux / B+ / dense and dry; violets and blackberry notes
2012 Château Ferrière Margaux / B+ / good balance with leather and cedar notes
2012 Château Giscours Margaux / B- / pencil shavings, dry tobacco; very dry finish
2012 Château Kirwan Margaux / B- / thin, very vegetal
2012 Château du Tertre Margaux / B / classic; dusty and pungent earth
2012 Château Beychevelle Saint-Julien / A- / strawberries and violets; tannic finish
2012 Château Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien / A- / very fruity; strawberry notes, milk chocolate
2012 Château Lagrange Saint-Julien / A- / fruity, with chocolate notes; woody back end
2012 Château Langoa Barton Saint-Julien / A- / similar to the Leoville Barton; some sweetness, fruity finish
2012 Château Léoville Barton Saint-Julien / A+ / beautiful, balanced with herbs, red fruit, and an intensely chocolate finish
2012 Château Saint-Pierre Saint-Julien / B / slightly thin and acidic
2012 Château d’Armailhac Pauillac / B+ / green, herbal with some big red fruit coming up behind
2012 Château Clerc Milon Pauillac / B+ / very fruity, a bit overdone
2012 Château Grand – Puy Ducasse Pauillac / A- / fresh, balanced, lots of herbs and fruit together
2012 Château Grand – Puy – Lacoste Pauillac / A / gorgeous; balanced with fruit and lots of spice
2012 Château Haut – Bages Liberal Pauillac / A- / fruity, almost jammy with an herbal finish
2012 Château Lynch – Bages Pauillac / B+ / bright and fruity, balsamic edge
2012 Château Pichon Baron Pauillac / A- / fresh, blackberry, mild chocolate, nicely balanced
2012 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac / A / opulent and beautiful, fruit and chocolate in harmony
2012 Château Ormes de Pez Saint-Estephe / B+ / big cedar box, cherry notes
2012 Château de Pez Saint-Estephe / B / odd balance here; intensely vegetal, cooked fruit notes
2012 Château Phélan Ségur Saint-Estephe / A- / tannic but lively, herbs and cedar box
2012 Château Climens Barsac / B+ / dense, honey — almost toffee notes
2012 Château Coutet Barsac-Sauternes / A / rich, caramel sauce and layered with honey
2012 Château Doisy Daëne Barsac / B+ / very intense; baked apples, baking spices
2012 Château Guiraud Sauternes / A / good balance of fruit and honey character
2012 Clos Haut – Peyraguey Sauternes / B+ / butterscotch candies, a bit too sweet
2012 Château Lafaurie – Peyraguey Sauternes / A- / slight herbal edge
2012 Château de Rayne Vigneau Sauternes / B+ / a bit thinner
2012 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes / A / sweet clover honey notes, some lemon in the mix
