St-Emilion – SocialVino

On October 28th, the Association de Grands Crus Classes de Saint Emilion held their USA trade & press tasting tour of Saint Emilion wines from the 2020 vintage. Most of the 25 Grand Cru Chateaux of the region were on hand at the tasting to pour their wines.

Bordeaux has 57 appellations on the right and left bank of the Gironde Estuary with the Entre Deux Mers in between. St. Emilion is on the right bank and the wines are dominated by Merlot with many of the Chateaux at this tasting bottling wines made with 100% Merlot.

Newly released Bordeaux tend to be a bit hard edged and need some time in the bottle to round out, the wines at this tasting for the most part were no exception with many having firm tannins. Each producer did bring a wine from an older vintage, and I always welcome the opportunity to sample Bordeaux with some bottle age to it.

The tasting was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion located at 123 West 18th Street in Manhattan.

Some of what I sampled:

2012 Chateau Bellevue: Opaque medium brick, graphite, tar, chocolate and dirt on the nose, chewy, dried leaf fruit, long finish.

2015 Chateau Chauvin: Opaque black with a brick rim, black tar on the nose, chewy and chunky fruit with mint and graphite notes, firm tannins.

2015 Clos Des Jacobins: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, violets, mint and dark chocolate on the nose, chewy with slate notes, silky tannins ending with firm but manageable tannins.

2016 Chateau Badette: Opaque black with a purple rim, crushed red fruit and mint notes on the nose, chewy, minty red fruit, very firm tannins.

2016 Chateau Grand Corbin-Despagne: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, perfume of mint, graphite and barnyard, chewy red fruit, silky tannins, good grip with a long finish.

2016 Chateau Fombrauge: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, perfume of tar and barnyard, concentrated black fruit ending with firm, silky tannins.

2016 Chateau De L’Oratoire: Opaque black with a brick rim, black earth on the nose, chewy black fruit with graphite and mint notes, good grip.

2016 Chateau Badette: Opaque black with a purple rim, crushed red fruit and mint on the nose, chewy minty red fruit ending with very firm tannins.

2016 Chateau Grand Corbin: Opaque black with a purple rim, crushed red fruit, graphite and milk chocolate on the nose, chewy, black fruit ending with silky but firm tannins.

2019 Chateau Franc Mayne: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, crushed red fruit and white pepper on the nose, silky, chewy red fruit ending with silky firm tannins.

2020 Chateau La Croizille: Opaque black with a purple rim, violets and tar on the nose, tight and concentrated with crushed rock notes, moderate tannins.

2020 Chateau Fonplegade: Opaque dark purple with a purple rim, nose of crushed red fruit and barnyard, juicy red fruit with leather notes, moderate tannins.

2020 Chateau Badette: Opaque black with a purple rim, sweet tar on the nose, chewy black fruit, silky tannins, good fruit and balance.

2020 Chateau La Tour Figeac: Opaque dark red with a purple rim, white pepper and tar on the nose, juicy fruit with steel notes, moderate tannins.

2020 Chateau Bellevue: Opaque purple, purple rim, closed nose of roast meat and nuts, tight, silky fruit, firm tannins.

2020 Chateau De L’Oratoire: Opaque dark red, purple rim, minty dark chocolate on the nose, chewy red fruit, moderate silky tannins with some bitter almond notes.

2020 Chateau Croix De Labrie: Opaque black, purple rim, violets, roast meat and slate on the nose, silky red fruit, very firm tannins.

2020 Chateau Fonplegade: Opaque purple, purple rim, crushed red fruit and barnyard on the nose, juicy red fruit with leather notes, moderate tannins.

The Association De Grand Crus Classes De Saint-Emillion held their 2021 tasting tour in the USA on November 8th in New York City and in San Francisco on the 10th.

In New York the event was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion event space at 123 West 18th Street in Manhattan.

Bordeaux is one of the most famous wine regions in the world with many well known classified growth wines. The Appellations and vineyards are on the right and left bank of the Gironde estuary. The wines are blends of legally permitted varietals but mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot.

On the Right Bank the most famous communes are Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. While they are permitted to use the classic Bordeaux varietals, a distinguishable characteristic of the wines of the Right Bank is that Merlot is the predominate grape in the blend.

At the tasting the Chateau were showcasing their 2018’s along with another older vintage. I was getting a lot of nice aromatics but not surprisingly the wines were hard as nails at this point. Like most Bordeaux they will need a few more years in the bottle to become approciable.

Some of the wines I sampled:

Chateau Chauvin

2015: 80% Merlot. Opaque dark red with an amber rim, black fruit and crushed rock on the nose, silky fruit with green olive notes on the dusty finish.

2018: 88% Merlot. Dark red to black, crushed black fruit and spices on the nose, juicy black fruit with firm tannins.

Clos des Jacobins

2016: 80% Merlot. Clear medium brick, perfume of black olives and oak, tight dusty tannins on the red fruit.

2018: 80% Merlot. Opaque dark red, graphite and crushed red fruit on the nose, peppery black fruit with firm tannins.

Couvent des Jacobins

2015: 85% Merlot. Dark red to black with a purple rim, sweet perfume of tar and tobacco, silky black fruit with bitter almonds on the firm finish.

Chateau Dassault

2016: 73% Merlot. Opaque dark red, tar and black plum on the nose, chewy black fruit with olive notes on the firm but balanced finish.

2018:75% Merlot. Opaque dark purple, sweet perfume with burnt notes with ripe vegetable on the finish.

Chateau de Ferrand

2016: 80% Merlot. Opaque dark red with a purple rim, crushed rocks and graphite on the nose, chewy black fruit followed by big tannins.

2018 73% Merlot. Opaque dark red, crushed black fruit on the nose, green olives on the fruit with firm tannins.

Chateau Faugeres

2011 85% Merlot. Opaque dark red, black olives, mint and tar on the nose, minty red fruit, getting some heat at the end.

Chateau Fleur Cardinale

2016 74% Merlot. Clear dark red, ripe fruit notes on the nose, silky red fruit, moderate long balanced finish.

2018 74% Merlot. Clear dark red, perfume of crushed red fruit, juicy with bitter almonds and firm tannins on the finish.

Chateau Fonplégade

2015 95% Merlot. Clear dark brick with an amber rim, black olives and tar on the nose, tight, dark fruit with a mouthful of tannin.

2018 90% Merlot. Opaque dark purple, sweet perfume of violets, tight red licorice fruit with firm tannins.

Chateau Franc Mayne

2011 90% Merlot. Opaque dark brick with an amber rim, perfume of black olives and violets, dusty firm tannins with gun metal notes on the fruit.

2018 90% Merlot. Dark red to black, crushed dark fruit and black licorice on the nose, juicy and tannic.

Chateau La Marzelle

2012 75% Merlot. Black in color with a purple rim, toasty notes on the nose, chewy, juicy dark fruit with firm tannins on the long finish.

2018 75% Merlot. Dark red with a purple rim, cooked fruit and crushed rocks on the nose with red fruit on the crisp finish.

Chateau Villemaurine

2016 80% Merlot. Opaque dark red, perfume of tobacco and crushed dark plums, green herbs on the red fruit with firm tannins.

2018 80% Merlot. Opaque dark red, red flowers on the nose, concentrated red fruit with firm tannins.

Tag: St-Emilion

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