Today we passed the mid-way point in our tasting week as we geared up for day 3 of our En Primeur tastings with a "petit tour" of Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien and Pauillac.
Another prompt start today (it really did feel like UGC week!) with Frédéric Castéja and his father, Philippe, discussing Ch. Beau Site - a fine estate situated next to the renowned Ch, Calon Ségur, that in recent years has been one of our star value buys. Philippe explained that one of the most important factors of the growing season was the diurnal range (day to night temperature change), which swung from 35-36°C to 14-15°C, helping maintain freshness, elegance and balance in the wine. On the opposite side of Ch. Calon Ségur lies Ch. Phélan Ségur - a true star of the appellation and Managing Director, Véronique Dausse, concurred and also declared that there were two other contributing factors during the hot, dry summer; "the first was 106 mm rain in second part of August (ca 50% more than normal) that allowed full phenolic maturity, and additionally, when combined with our gravel-clay soils stopped the vines from shutting down due to hydric-stress."
Saint-Estèphe
Ch. Beau Site
Ch. Cos Labory
Ch. Haut-Marbuzet
Ch. Lilian-Ladouys
Ch. Phélan Ségur
This sentiment was echoed in nearby St. Julien where Jean-Michel Laporte, General Manager at Ch. Talbot, revealed that "St.Julien was the most damaged appellation on the Left Bank in 2020... however, we have a lot of clay in sub-soils so although there was a hot dry summer with no rain for 50+ days; we avoided drought and hydric-stress and the wines [including Connétable du Talbot] have lots of tannins, power and freshness.”
Saint-Julien
Ch. Beychevelle
Ch. Branaire-Ducru
Ch. Lagrange (and Les Fiefs de Lagrange)
Ch. Léoville Poyferré
Ch. Gloria
Ch. Saint-Pierre
Ch. Talbot (and Connétable du Talbot
Véronique Dausse of Ch. Phélan Ségur (L) and Jean-Michel Laporte of Ch. Talbot (R)
In Pauillac, the importance of water retaining soils also rang true. Commercial and Marketing Director at Ch. Pichon Comtesse, Charles Fournier, told us "it was a warm vintage with periods of drought, but the terroir with clay-limestone soils in addition to the the rain spells in mid-Ausgust (100 mm) were essential in preserving freshness." Technical Director at Ch. Duhart-Milon, Jean-Sébastien Philippe noted that this years' offering was a lot more approachable and fruit-forward as a result of the hot, dry growing season and informed us that there has been a change in mentality and that "we wanted to make it more accessible… this is a Duhart of great pleasure with precision.”
Pauillac
Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Ch. Haut Bages Monpelou
Ch. Batailley
Ch. Lynch-Moussas (and Les Hauts de Moussas)
Ch. Pédésclaux
Ch. Pichon Comtesse
Ch. Pibran
Ch. Pichon Baron (and Les Griffons de Pichon)
Ch. Duhart-Milon
Another very good day's tasting completed... our knowledge and understanding of the vintage deepens further and culminates tomorrow as we finish our tasting sessions in the Right Bank with Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.
If you are interested in En Primeur but haven't yet taken the plunge, read our introduction to buying En Primeur wine as well as our Bordeaux 2020 preview. If you would also like to receive emails on En Primeur, please email wine@bcfw.co.uk to be added to our distribution list.
