The Autumn trade wine tasting season is upon us. That’s when the import/distributors and various trade associations host wine tastings for members of the restaurant/hotel industry.

Some of the tastings are small, intimate affairs, while some are mega tastings that feature triple digit number of wines poured at the tasting.

On September 9th, Baron Francois, one of the many distributors in the New York tri state area, held a trade only tasting of the Grand Crus Classe Bordeaux in their portfolio.

This was one of those small tastings, held at their offices at 11 Hanover Square in lower Manhattan.

There were about 25 Grand Cru wines to be sampled, many with some bottle age to them. I’m a sucker for a Bordeaux with some bottle age to them so I was looking forward to the tasting.

Some highlights:

2007 Chateau Leoville Las Cases (St. Julien): Opaque black, light brick rim, sweet perfume of dirty tar, concentrated and crunchy black fruit ending tight, with firm tannin.

2012 Chateau Pouget (Margaux): Opaque dark brick, brown rim, nice perfume of graphite and sweet tar, chewy and dusty black fruit with some smoke on the finish, crunchy tannin.

2015 Chateau Moulinet (Pomerol): Opaque dark brick, dirt, sweet tar and barnyard on the nose, chewy and silky black fruit, firm tannin with gun metal notes, long finish.

2016 Chateau de Ferrand (St. Emillion): Opaque black, purple rim, sweet slate and petroleum on the nose, chewy red fruit ending with dusty and firm tannin.

2018 Chateau Saint Pierre (St. Julien): Opaque black, sweet dirty tar and graphite on the nose, chewy and chunky black fruit with slate notes, chewy finish.

2018 Chateau Meyney (St. Estephe): Opaque black, brick rim, dried leaf notes on the nose, chewy black fruit ending with dusty and firm tannin.

2019 Chateau Le Gay (Pomerol): Opaque black, brick rim, graphite and dirty tar on the nose, chewy and silky red fruit with crushed rock notes on the finish, nice balance, long finish.

2019 La Reserve du Baron (St. Julien): Opaque black, brick rim, toast, coffee and dirty barnyard on the nose, concentrated black fruit with crushed stone notes, silky tannin.

2019 La Chapelle de Haut Bages Liberal (Pauillac): Opaque dark red, purple rim, closed nose of tar and dirt, chewy black fruit, tight tannin.

2019 L’Heritier de Grand Puy Ducasse (Pauillac): Opaque dark brick, mint, graphite and crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy fruit with mint notes ending with silky and firm tannin.

2020 Petit-Figeac (St. Emillion): Opaque dark red, purple rim, sweet cinnamon and crushed red berry on the nose, chewy black fruit ending with tart tannin.