Image credit: chateau-grand-puy-lacoste.com
It was a 6.30am start from Chateau de Sours as we headed to Grand Puy Lacoste for our first tasting of the day. A quick April fool on Hamish to say that we had just woken up and would have to miss the first couple to tastings... we were there already grabbing a quick coffee...
It was a mad day with 12 Chateaux visits but in brief... Grand Puy Lacoste first then Mouton Rothschild, Montrose, Lafite, Cos D'Estournel, Calon Segur before heading for Pontet Canet for Lunch and an impressive tasting.
After lunch we had Latour, Leoville Lascases, Ducru Beaucaillou before heading to the Pauillac and St Estephe UGC tasting at Lynch Moussas. Then it was back to the St Julien UGC tasting at Leoville Poyferre and our final tasting at the gorgeous Pichon Comtesse Lalande. The overall quality, especially of the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is just fantastic. The better wines are the wines that have great balance and have been carefully moulded together rather than being forced. The wines have good acidity and tannins which means they should last / cellar well. The general feeling is that in terms of quality it is behind the 2009, 2010, 2000 and 2005 but close to the 2001 however better than 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as the last three vintages.
Today see D'Issan first thing so my first glass awaits...
