The industry expects some price contraction on the previous vintage, though there are likely to be some surprises. We would advise customers to “wish-list” now via the website www.leclos.net or email one of the fine wine team at enprimeur2011@leclos.net so that as soon as a wine is released we will be able to offer it to those who have requested it.

We will be updating the website and sending out email notification as and when the Châteaux release and allocating on request with payment terms discussed at the time. Please note that in the event of a wine being over-subscribed we will allocate it to our customers in as scrupulously fair away as possible according to the following criteria:

Previous En Primeur purchase – If you bought a Château on release in any of the last 3 vintages you are almost sure to be offered it this year upon request.

Buying “across the board” – It is obviously naive to think that we can source only the wines with the highest critic’s scores. We don’t get, for example, Lafite without buying other affiliated wines. We have to buy a range of wines from our negociant suppliers in Bordeaux and we cannot sell just the most highly rated wines on their own. Supporting us with balanced orders will help to secure an allocation of the most demanded wines.

Regular buyers – We will of course also try to give allocations of particular Châteaux to customers who buy them regularly throughout the year through our outlets.

Wish-list – By wish-listing a wine you will be offered it on release and where available. If you have any questions please e-mail enprimeur2011@leclos.net and one of the team will respond with informed advice about all the wines listed and the vintage overall.

• To purchase wines at the initial release prices. Wines re-released after bottling will usually be more expensive.
• To secure allocations of small-production wines that may not be commercially available after En Primeur release.
• To own a wine from the start of its life, as provenance is priceless.
• To purchase a birth year vintage for a child, grandchild or godchild.
• To be able to choose large format wines – magnums, double magnums and imperials. Or to be able to order half bottles.

Upon payment we will send you a certificate of ownership. These 2011 wines will be bottled towards the end of 2013 and will be released in the spring of 2014.

Our En Primeur prices include delivery from France to the UK, insurance and warehouse receiving charges, but they exclude duty and V.A.T. which will be payable only if wines are later cleared from bond. Customers who wish to buy for export, under bond transfer or under bond collection have nothing further to pay.

There are no initial storage charges for En Primeur wines. Storage charges at our UK partners (Davy’s Wine Merchants) standard rates will subsequently be charged only on wines left in bond after June 2014, and again, we will contact all our customers before this date to advise of the arrival of wines in the UK and to obtain storage or delivery instructions. Payment is taken at the time of booking the wines. The cost of the wine is intimated in Euros though the option to pay in Arab Emirate Dirham’s exists at the prevailing exchange rate of the day including any bank fees which will be liable by the customer. Payment can be made by credit card however there will be a percentage fee liable by the customer for this service. Bank transfers are the preferential method of payment simplifying the process and the most secure. Any of the Le Clos team will be happy to discuss payment terms and can provide our bank details at the time of payment.

Please note the wines highlighted on the wish list may require additional purchases of other wines due to demand, and orders will be considered on the basis of a commitment to purchase additional other non-highlighted case. This allows us to fairly allocate the stock as outlined in “How to secure your purchase”…

Union Des Grand Crus – St Emilion Tasting

Château Beau Séjour Bécot
Chunky fruit profile though still bright. A really nice surprise. Great balance. 92/100

Château Canon La Gaffelière
Brilliant nose with dark chocolate and plum. Pure, minerality and very supple. Excellent. 94/100

Château Dassault
Shiny in the glass and a lovely purple colour. Finish dry and ripe. Well-constructed. 91/100

Château Grand Mayne
Bit thinner than some. Fruit present however a slightly tart. 88/100

Château La Couspaude
What a lovely surprise. Really deep and rich and concentrated. Savoury at the end and really well made. 92/100

Château La Gaffelière
Lovely finish earthy and dry. I liked it! 91/100

Château La Tour Figeac
Great earthy nose. Nice and deep initially though a bit dilute on the mid palate. Still a tasty little number! 92/100

Château Larcis Ducasse
Sweeter warm fruits, great balance. Acidity nicely lifted and all in check. 91/100

Château Larmande
Maybe a tiny bit of truffle on the nose and herby. Crunchy red fruits and a decent length finish. 90/100

Château Pavie Macquin
Raspberry and cranberry. Less deep than some however really well made. 91/100

Château Soutard
Angular, pure, lean with a quality mineral core. Good effort. 90/100

Château Trottevieille
Slightly bacon and gamey nose – Frazzles? (British Snack) Crunchy fruits on the darker side and nice and pure. 89/100

Château Villemaurine
A tad light though elevated and a decent finish. 87/100

Du Tertre

We managed to stop for a wonderful lunch at Du Tertre with Estate Manager Alexander Van Beck. I don’t want to make anyone jealous of our expanding waistlines though the veal fillet with Giscours and Du Tertre 2000’s were sublime and set us up well for the next event…

Union Des Grand Crus – Medoc, Haut Medoc, Moulis and Listrac Tasting

I’ll keep this fairly short and sweet just posting the scores, though further information will be posted on the website based on our final selection from the region.

Château Chasse Spleen. 88/100
Château Cantemerle. 89/100
Château Citran. 90/100
Château Coufran. 87/100
Château de Camensac. 89/100
Château La Lagune. 92/100
Château La Tour Carnet. 89/100
Château Malescasse. 90/100
Château La Tour de By. 89/100

Château Palmer

It’s perhaps the most recognisable label across a restaurant and certainly one of the classiest. Anyone who employs a crest and gold leaf motive has a lot to live up to and Palmer is no shrinking violet. Palmers position as a top estate has been underlined with their reduction of volume going into their grand vin from 20000 cases in the mid 90’s to a current production, vintage dependent, of closer to 12000. Many people confuse Alter Ego de Palmer as their second wine however it uses the same fruit but different techniques to make a younger and more approachable wine and for those cant exercise patience for the grand vin’s concentration to melt makes an excellent choice and has a great quality to price ratio.

The early and mid-1990’s saw Palmer have a bit of a wobble but are now back on form with a string of excellent wines regardless of the growing conditions and overall vintage appraisal. Again one of the most stunning Château full stop, it provides a perfect book end to our trip and certainly left us satiated.

Alter Ego de Palmer
Meaty, savoury on the nose, really fine and integrated tannins. Fresh, pure, minerality. Very good. 91/100

Château Palmer
Rich, pure, linear and quite generous on the nose. Long fresh, bright. Nice balance. A really good effort in a tough vintage. 93/100

Le Clos may be thousands of miles away but it’s is certainly close to the heart of many a Bordeaux estate as the leading importer, distributor and retailer in the gulf region and all that’s left to do is pull on the corduroys and blazer for one last hoorah with Jean-Guillaume Prats of Cos d’Estournel for dinner. I hope you have enjoyed reading about our exploits and that you have a sense that although the vintage was a petulant one it still has delivered gems at all levels. We managed to get through 348 wines in 4 days and that doesn’t even include the dinners and lunches that we both need to work off when we get back to Dubai! We will be sending out further updates as pricing information filters through, and the Le Clos website www.leclos.net will be the central portal for all En Primeur information including the ability to build your wish list and download our brochure. As a final note we must extend our gratitude to all that we met and the warmth of welcome we received to make the week a truly memorable one. This is Ben and Oliver signing off… Roll on 2012!

Troplong Mondot – could there be a nicer sounding word to roll round your mouth? “Cellar door” is considered the most beautiful phrase in the Queen’s English however Troplong Mondot is surely a close second in French. In the league table of quality, Troplong rubs shoulders with some pretty big players through its St Emilion Premier grand cru classé (B) classification including Pavie and Angelus, and like them has had some serious successes in the last decade through the efforts of proprietress Christine Valette. The 2005 was exceptional (99 Parker) and is still available in limited quantities from Le Clos.

Château Troplong Mondot
Supple plummy fruit on the nose with a lighter mid palate. Really delicious and bright. 94/100

Château Cheval Blanc, d’Yquem etc…

When will China wake up to Cheval…I suggest very soon, and that as a purely speculative investment that Cheval will soon be significantly on the rise. The 2011 vintage will be bottled and available for the consumer in 2014…hmmm I wonder what year of the Chinese Zodiac that could be is…yes Horse. You read it here first!

On arriving I am wary of any dogs about as the following infamous story reminds me…. The then manager of Château Cheval Blanc, Jacques Hebrard, was outraged at the evaluation of his 1981 vintage barrel samples made by Robert Parker and asked him to re-taste. Upon arriving, Parker was attacked by Hebrard’s dog as the manager allegedly stood idly by and watched. When Parker asked for a bandage to stop the bleeding from his leg, Parker says Hebrard instead gave him a copy of the offending newsletter.

Having carefully surveyed the stunning surroundings for canine activity we make it inside for the tastings. I don’t think we need worry about the dogs being released as both Oliver and I concurred the wine was a good effort perhaps down to the high proportion of Cabernet Franc employed…

Y de d’Yquem
Herbaceous and fresh. Really juicy and satiating. Hint of sugar lifts the wine. Dances on your tongue. 94/100

Château Quinault L’Enclos
Big mocha and chocolaty number. Plum, fig and fruitcake middle and rounded end. 92/100

Château La Tour du Pez
Slightly more reserved nose. Plum, Christmas pudding and earthy ending. 90/100

Petit Cheval
Warm bloody nose with crushed violet and iodine. Perfumed and lighter initially. 91/100

Château Cheval Blanc
Really juicy, sunny fruits with the franc giving great earthy note. Crunchy and long softer drawn out finish. 93/100

Château d’Yquem
Peaches and cream. Round, plump and opulent. The best. 95/100

Château La Dominique

I haven’t tasted la Dominique for years though have fond memories from my Majestic Wine days in the UK where it was a quality St Emilion that was ideal Sunday roast material. There was no beef or gravy available today however what was available to taste showed that the estate is in a golden patch with vintages from 2005 onwards all garnered with very favourable reviews.

Château Dominique
Lovely deep colour. Smells “purple”. Big fleshy and opulent. Well-constructed and on the up. 91/100

Château Ausone

I have only ever tasted one vintage of Ausone and that was the 1982, I say this not to boast but rather to highlight how mythical and rare to see the wine it actually is. 2000 case production in a good year does not go very far. It’s not unusual to see Ausone offered in 2 and 3 bottle cases on the secondary market and a sealed wooden case of 12 is as common a sight as Hailey’s Comet.

Ausone made a perfect wine in 2003 according to Robert Parker and with an eye on the 2011 vintage again and the high proportion of Cabernet Franc used the stage was set for a pretty special elixir to be imbibed. Alain Vauthier’s microscopic attention to detail and accent on total quality showed and although not quite reaching the mythical status of the 2003 or 2005 certainly cemented its Premier grand cru classé (A) status.

Château Fonbel
Very perfumed and lifted. Deep plum fruits that remain dry and fresh. Very tasty. 91/100

Château Moulin de St Georges
Pure harder purple fruit quality. Acidity more pronounced with a refined long finish. 92/100

Chapelle de Ausone
Sweeter nose with lifted fruit character. Lovely balance and structure. Great quality to price ratio. 93/100

Château Ausone
Stewed prunes and plums sing from the glass with a pure minerality on the palate. Superb in every way and wine of the trip so far. 97/100

Château Clos Fourtet

Many of my colleagues are currently feeling remarkably smug, and rightly so, after purchasing Clos Fourtet 2009 and the subsequent perfect rating by Parker. There is no doubt that Clos Fourtet has seriously got its act together in the last decade, with wines prior to that struggling to deliver the quality to match the terroir. Bought for the princely sum of 66m USD in 2001 it was something of a bargain – to put into context Lafite was recently valued at 1b USD! Again a relatively small production, like most of its neighbours, means pressure on demand and its heroic “100” score can only result in it being perceived as more of an investment grade wine rather than a drinker.

Château Clos Fourtet
Beautiful mouth feel. Mocha, coffee, bramble fruits. Very good. 94/100

Moueix (Trotanoy, Hosanna, etc…)

My Dad is the proud owner of some 2009 Hosanna and rightly so as one of the wine choices of the real cognoscenti – he will like reading that. I was very much looking forward to working my way through former Decanter Man of the Year Christian Moueix’s iconic range. It’s not only my Dad who is a fan; he shares that mantel with Hollywood siren Drew Barrymore who picked up some Trotanoy from Le Clos last year…much to the excitement of the team at 3 in the morning. That’s one of the exciting things about having a travel retail business in an airport, it never closes…we don’t even have a key for the front door or even a front door so pass by the shop whenever travelling through Dubai Airport and you will be sure of a warm welcome 24/7.

There is a huge amount I could write about the Moueix stable but wouldn’t ever really do it justice so think in this instance its best to just let the wines speak for themselves…

Château La Serre
Warm baked earth and chocolate notes. Plums on the middle and long pure finish. 92/100

Château Latour â Pomerol
Tight fruit with longer drawn out finish. Very bright in the glass and juicy. 93/100

Château Certan de May
Deeper, darker and complex. Really full and complex. Concentrate on nose and palate alike. 92/100

Château Providence
Balance good, fruit good, acidity good. Finish good. It’s good! 93/100

Château Hosanna
Smells brilliant. Dark and broody. Really concentrated. So plush and rounded. Superb. 96/100

Château La Fleur Petrus
Dryer than Hosanna. Nice core of fruit and balanced tannins. Will age gracefully and no doubt develop…94/100

Château Trotanoy
Stewed prunes and plums. Quality from start to finish. Absolutely delicious. 96/100

Château Lafleur
Aniseed and spearmint mingle with bright and round fruits. Top notch. 96/100

Château Figeac

I think it’s fair to say Figeac isn’t, excuse the Englishness, everyone’s cup of tea. It gets a really large spread of reviews with some raving about its old fashioned style and others bemoaning a lack of concentrated fruit even in the ripest of vintages. It’s true that it is classic and savoury but that is part of its charm and has always been a wine to drink with food rather than a stylistic new world clone. I was looking forward to the tasting at Figeac as you need a counter point to provide a full and balanced account. Le Clos were pleased to host a Figeac dinner last year in Dubai, and Tatsiana from the team managed to have brief chat with the current manager Eric d’Aramont so please visit our website to read all about it.

Grange Neuve Figeac
Touch meaty on the nose. Bright purple fruit with baked plums and figs. 91/100

Château Figeac
Tighter, more complex and really well balanced. Fruit and acidity nicely counter each other. Classic claret with tasty savoury edge. 93/100

Union Des Grand Crus – Pomerol Tasting

Château Clinet
Plum, prunes, earth, forest floor. Really gamey and showing beautifully. 94/100

Château Gazin
The class and terroir show. Quite lush fruit and refreshing, sweeter finish than many of its peers. 92/100

Château Conseillante
Fresh and bright, more subtle than most. Well integrated and balanced. Excellent. 93/100

Château La Croix de Gay
Christmas fruits and spice. More red than black fruit and nice lick of acidity. 91/100

Château La Pointe
Bold, dense, solid fruit structure and all elements in conversation. 92/100

Château Beauregard
Concentrated, smokey, meaty alongside good strong fruits. Well-constructed. Really tasty. 92/100

Château Valandraud

Last stop of the day prior to dinner, and what a way to conclude our days tasting at the founder of the garagiste movement. It’s amazing to think that the estate only came to being in 1989 and by 1995 had already received higher ratings than Petrus. Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle produce approximately 15000 bottles of their supple and inky wine and to those who like concentrated modern Bordeaux shouldn’t be overlooked despite it’s somewhat under the radar status. I haven’t added any tasting notes for Valandraud as we didn’t try any 2011’s, however…

What a nice guy Jean-Luc is. I don’t speak French very well and he little English. However the glint in his eye as we tried a variety of vintages and saw my enjoyment was priceless. They are absolutely brilliant wines and I defy anyone to not say “wow” in any vintage.

At the end of day three it’s still not quite a case of mission accomplished and tomorrow sees us conclude our left bank adventures at 5th Growth Château Camensac for the UGC Medoc, Haut Medoc, Moulis and Listrac component of the campaign and one last major Icon…Palmer.

I have never really classed myself as a morning person though when it’s to visit Haut Brion it certainly makes it a bit easier…If we briefly return to the classroom for a moment there is one truly unique tale about Haut Brion which always sticks in my mind. In the early part of the 20th century Haut Brion went through some fairly uncertain times and the estate was bought by the American banker Clarence Dillon. Dillon was believed to also have considered buying Châteaux Cheval Blanc, Ausone or a majority share in Margaux at the time, but didn’t care to make the trip on a rainy, chilly day, and chose Haut Brion for its proximity to Bordeaux and riding facilities. One account claims Dillon never got out of the car. His alleged dislike to the cold would seem to have actually have been very shrewd though probably not disappointed had he invested in one of the others either!

A short ride from our “palatial” hotel we arrive at Haut Brion and are ushered through the antique doors and into our first Pessac tasting of the trip. Although different in style the 2009 and 2010 wines are noted for their opulence and power and the expectation was that we would see some dilution from late rains however we were both taken aback by the depth and freshness…

La Chapelle de la Haut Brion
Big, dry and fairly dense. The tannins are quite overt and fruit a touch secondary. This will need a bit of patience though balance was good. 89/100

Le Clarence de Haut Brion
Subdued on the nose and with whiff of smoked meat. Warm baked stones and parma violets make for a serious wine. 89/100

Château La Mission Haut Brion
Deeper meatier nose than others, with brooding rich dark fruits and touch of earth. Will need patience though balance is very much there. 94/100

Château Haut Brion
More savoury than “mission”. Fresh pure and great mineral quality. 93/100

La Clarte de Haut Brion
Fresh and bright with nice grape fruity quality. Juicy pineapples add to the mouth feel. Very good. 93/100

Château La Mission Haut Brion Blanc
Savoury and herbaceous with very pure crisp snappy citrus fruits. Stony and long finish. 94/100

Château Haut Brion Blanc
So juicy in the mouth makes you salivate. Fresh, clean, balanced. Acidity spot on. Delicious! 95/100

Union Des Grand Crus – Pessac Leognan Tasting

Hosted by Château de Fieuzal 19 wines were on offer for tasting including their own tobacco aroma filled number. Including the big names of Pape Clement, Smith Haut Lafite, Domaine Chevalier and Haut Bailly we knew we were in for some seriously well-made wines, and so without further ado this is what we thought…

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
Very big with upfront fruit and a concentrated grassy, clean finish. 93/100 .

Château de Fieuzel Blanc
Long bright and very tasty even so young. Really juicy and fresh. 93/100

Château Haut Bergey Blanc
Really punchy fruits and all elements well balanced. Lick of herbs and savoury side on finish. Bravo. 94/100

Château Smith Haut Lafite Blanc
Herbaceous and packed with greengage and a little quince at the end. Very good. 94/100

Château Pape Clement Blanc
Complicated herbal nose with citrus. A touch dilute mid palate but a very solid effort. 90/100

Château Smith Haut Lafite
Great structure, fresh, dry, crushed purple fruit and violet. 93/100

Château Pape Clement
Warm ripe nose. Fleshy fruits and nice and bright. 92/100

Domaine de Chevalier
Ripe, full though well balanced. Lip smacking and in proportion. Fresh and stony. 94/100

Château Ducru Beaucaillou

As part of an exciting collaboration with the estate of Ducru Beaucaillou in May we will be launching the newly designed Croix de Beaucaillou label by Jade Jagger in our main Le Clos store in Dubai Airport’s Terminal Three. In addition we will also be hosting an exclusive dinner event with proprietor Bruno Borie as our special guest…exciting times and watch this space!

Anyway this time we were the guests and couldn’t have been made to feel more at home. Beaucaillou translates as “beautiful stones” drawn from the immaculate vineyards gravelly soils. The graphite element is intrinsic to Ducru’s taste profile and traditionally adds a nice counter note to the purity of the sweet St Julien fruit.

Château Lalande Borie
Medium weight body drawn from red and black fruits. 89/100

Croix de Beaucaillou
Steaky, bloody and warm all the way through. Chocolate mocha finish and lovely juicy quality. 92/100

Château Ducru Beaucaillou
Big open knit nose. Chunky cassis, iodine and bloody side on the nose. Really great structure and one for the cellar. 94/100

Château Pontet Canet

Back on our old friend the D2, I’m sure a women walking recognised me whizzing past again and waved…and off to the new world order – Pontet Canet. Oliver and I attended the Robert Parker magical 20 tasting of the 2009’s in Hong Kong and should have realised a big 100 was on the way. I was a bit more conservative at the time with a still considerable 97/100. The release of the 2009 bottled scores created some fairly big waves though Alfred Tesseron clearly deserves all the plaudits he gets due to his fastidious attention to detail. When a vintage is described as a winemaker’s one then this is clearly an estate to take seriously. Post another very generous and extremely delicious meal it was time for the main event…the wines ….

Château Pontet Canet
Ripe blackcurrant and polished fruit. Refined yet juicy. Not too jammy and really fresh. Very impressive. 96/100

Château Latour

Four first growths down one to go…Latour. Pretty much always on the podium for “wine of the vintage” over the last decade and with an eye on their 2003 score we were again expecting big things from Latour. With Cabernet having been hit hard by drought in the first half of the growing season volumes will be low in 2011 and as usual the clamour for Latour will remain unabated so expect pricing to be down on previous vintages but still not for the faint of heart…

For me there has always been something regal about the name Latour and a real elite nature about it. Their branded tape entwined round the wooden case is just one element that contributes, but I think it’s the aesthetic of the label with its very clean block print and the Lion sat on top of the tower – it just screams class. Having a nice label is one thing however what is in the bottle is much more important so on with the arduous task of tasting them…who am I trying to kid the wines are sublime from their Pauillac through Les Forts De Latour and on to the Grand Vin.

Pauillac
Tarry, cassis and grippy tannins. Better than many a classed growth. 91/100 but unlikely to see on open market for some time…

Les Fort de Latour
Bigger than Pauillac. Very pure, linear and bright. Cassis and graphite. Young and broody. Delicious. 93/100

Château Latour
Massive, dense, robust. What else would you expect? All well seamed together. Potential wine of vintage again. 95/100

Château Cos d’Estournel

Moving north we are back to another super-hot property of the moment again recently joining the fabled Parker 100 club and continuing to nibble at the first growths heals. I gave the 2009 98/100 in Hong Kong and distinctly remember it passing the most stringent test I have of a wine – did it make me smile. At certain times I think it’s important to take a step back and remember that’s really what it’s all about…making you want to have another sip or glass, being refreshing and ultimately tantalising your taste buds. I am delighted to report that under the esteemed winemaking prowess of Jean-Guillaume Prats I am again smiling about the 2011 and that a case of Cos or Pagodes would be a very smart buy this year indeed…or as a real bargain La Goulee will bring years of pleasure.

Goulee
A little bit spicy and touch of CNDP about it. Still silky despite the tannins and again will make a great bargain buy. 91/100

Pagodes de Cos
Concentrated strawberry and blackberry jam. Supple, plush and really will balanced. 93/100

Château Cos d’Estournel
No surprise it’s very good again. Good extraction yet not overdone. Lovely fresh lick of acidity at the end. 95/100

Château Cos d’Estournel Blanc
Grape fruity and complex citrus and guava. Decent acidity leaves bright zesty finish. 90/100

Union Des Grand Crus – Pauillac, St Estèphe, St Julien Tasting

Château Beychevelle
Nice and bright on the nose. Black cherries, blackcurrants and touch of cedar. Very well structured. 93/100

Château Brainaire Ducru
Even, meaty, “purple”. Great nose and consistent on palate as well. Lovely structure. Great job. 94/100

Château Gruaud Larose
Big dense meaty nose, full and hard in good way. Broody nice and rich. 93/100

Château Langoa Barton
Big and tannic though not over blown. Full and grippy. Will need some time. 90/100

Château Leoville Barton
Lovely deep rich purple colour. Bright and plump all the way through. 92/100

Château Talbot
Crunchy cassis from start to finish, though relatively soft and round compared to some peers. 92/100

Château Batailley
This could turn out to be something of a real bargain. Juicy, structured and balanced. Great job. 93/100

Château Grand Puy Ducasse
Wow. Big fruit hit, nice tannins, tastes like purple. Almost pretty. 93/100

Château Grand Puy Lacoste
Fresh, minerality, pure. 92/100

Château Lynch Moussas
Vibrant and all in check. Dry but well put together and a really pleasant surprise. 90/100

Château Cos Labory
Good upfront nose, clear, bright and able to satiate. 89/100

Château Lafont Rochet
Really friendly on the nose and palate despite its youth and has the structure to evolve. 92/100

Château Phelan Ségur
Dry and savoury with tempered fruit character. 89/100

And so day two meanders to an end with the majority of the left bank now covered. We will be doing a further Medoc session on Thursday, though tomorrow brings us to the fleshy delights of the right bank with some big name appointments to get the remaining estates of the big eight ticked off. Cabernet Franc has been championed by esteemed oenologist and viticulture expert Denis Dubourdieu as the grape variety that prospered the most during the 2011 growing season so will be interesting to see what Cheval Blanc did with Mother Nature. Time to dust off the tux’s now for an evening at the Academie de Vin though can assure you we will be bright and breezy come tomorrow…

Arguably one of the most beautiful and revered estates in the wine world, its magnificent white stone walls loomed into view down the long drive way and anticipation was high. I’ve been fortunate to have sampled wines from across the Margaux portfolio and across numerous vintages and always think as them as almost feline, with a silky, malleable character that is light on its feet but always with poise. I really enjoyed having Pavillon Blanc 1995 about 6 months ago and people can become fixated on Red Bordeaux, however I implore anyone who hasn’t to try the white at some point as it is absolutely world class and in quality terms could give many a Montrachet a fright.

Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux
Bright bramble fruits mingle with a nice meaty steak like quality. Warm black cherry and raspberry on the palate alongside a quality dry balanced finish. 91/100

Château Margaux
Really bright red fruits, violet, roses and stone. Silky as expected and well integrated robust tannins. Fresh and will be very drinkable in time. 94/100

Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux
Quite grassy and herbaceous on the nose. Very juicy, exotic and clean. Absolutely delicious and for me the one of the wines of the day. 95/100

We met Margaux winemaker Paul Pontallier, who commented…“people will be very pleasantly surprised” and we would have to agree!

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

After brushing up my French and bidding “à bientôt” to Chateaux Margaux it was back up the D2 coastal road in the direction of Pauillac for our first stop still warmed by the delicious Margaux finish. A mile or so to the south of Pauillac town Pichon Lalande can lay claim to sharing some of Margaux more gentile qualities with less of an accent on overt power and density. The Château is stunning and encapsulates exactly what a grand Château should look like with a beautiful central turret and picture postcard aesthetics.

Moving from an architectural art form to a liquid one – the wines…

La Réserve de la Comtesse
Lovely perfumed nose with a creamy quality alongside well balanced fruit. Savoury with its fruit very well integrated with the fine tannins. Will be a bargain. 91/100

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Soft generous and feminine on the nose. Really bright and plush on the nose and palate with lovely raspberry and black cherry fruit. Clean and pure and worthy of 93/100

Château Pichon Longueville Baron

It’s hardly worth taking the car from Pichon Lalande to Pichon Baron and if you were really strong could probably almost throw a stone from one to another, however if you were to do so then you would be in danger of damaging what can only be described as Bordeaux’s most breath-taking Château. As a luncheon venue there can be few places with such a sense of occasion and the ownership and investment by insurance giant AXA has ensured it has kept its sense of theatre and immaculate presentation.

Its times like this that I feel very privileged and lucky to have joined such an exciting industry which despite advances in modern technology has still never lost its sense of place and time and through its old bottles keeps little time capsules of history. Pichon Baron could use any number of ways to fine its wines however still uses egg whites as that is what they believe is the best way and for that should be greatly admired.

I won’t go on too much about how delicious lunch was but let’s just say that the 2003 and 2004 is holding up pretty well!

Les Tourelles de Longueville
Nice menthol and cassis nose. Bright, pure, clean, fresh and full of minerals. Rounded fruit is balanced by nice rasp of acidity. Very good indeed. 92/100

Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Really complete and well put together with big concentrated nose. Fine tannins and big forceful fruit harmonise beautifully. 94/100

Château Mouton-Rothschild

Time for the big boys and based on what we know about the anthocyanin levels in the 2011 vintage were expecting the wines to be pretty broody. Before I move onto the wines a quick history lesson for the less uninitiated. Mouton Rothschild holds the honour of the only wine to be elevated from its original position in the 1855 classification to 1st Growth status. History has shown that to be a wise decision with the mythical 1982, 1986 and 2000 wines all showcasing wine making at its best. Even in troublesome vintages such as 2006 hugely impressive wines have been made which with 2011 also creating difficulties for the winemaker across the board has stood Mouton in very good stead. No guesses which artist will be on the label just yet, however don’t bet against it taking everyone one by surprise as one of the most progressive estates in Bordeaux.

Petit Mouton
Nice big bright fruit on the nose, cassis, menthol, graphite – classic stuff. A very nice surprise 92/100

Château d’Armailhac
Interesting touch of rhubarb and almost citrus. Black cherry and blueberries mix to make a polished rounded wine. Really fresh and pure with a long ripe finish. Really top wine. 93/100

Château Clerc Milon
Zesty red fruit with a touch of tar and graphite. Quite hard and tannic with a more savoury side currently. This will need time to soften. 89/100

Château Mouton Rothschild
Classic Pauillac tasting note – with cassis, mocha, pencil shavings and menthol finish. Quite aggressive and is a chunky little number. The finish is big and broody and will need to be tucked away for some time. 93/100

Château Lynch Bages

It’s hardly a secret that Lynch Bages out performs its 5th Growth status and regardless of the vintage is a massively popular wine through the Le Clos stores. A quick trawl through the Lynch Bages back catalogue reveals a winery that is relatively nature dependent with depth and concentration often less pronounced than its neighbours. The good news for the consumers is that it tends to offer up a less dense style of Pauillac that is approachable earlier and so if you are like me and struggle to keep any wine tucked away for a (distant) rainy day but want some menthol polished fruit then is a great choice.

Blanc de Lynch Bages
Luxurious soft grapefruit with a tropical / citrus tinge. Fresh, dry, crisp, balanced and very clean. Absolutely delicious. 94/100

Ormes de Pez
Warm meaty flavours accompanied by blackberries and reduced strawberry jam. Nice balance of fruit acidity and tannin. Fresh and clean on the finish. 92/100

Echo de Lynch Bages
Touch of pencil shavings secondary to black fruits. Really pleasant herbaceous quality to it and will drink not long after release in 2014. 91/100

Château Lynch Bages
Very dry and dense in a good way. Concentrated fruit with fig finish. Tar and polished fruit sing through and is certainly one for the cellar. Lynch Bages on really good form! 93/100

Château Lafite-Rothschild

The world’s most famous estate – yes, the world’s best wines – arguably yes. Little did I know that back in 2001 when I was loading cases of wine into the back of a delivery van and cruising around the Oxfordshire countryside delivering it, that in the distant future I would be on such hallowed turf, treading on the driveways crunchy gravel, uniform in size and perfectly tessellating. Oliver would be too laconic to admit it but I knew he was smiling inside as it isn’t every day you have an invite to taste Lafite at Lafite. Once inside all the pomp and ceremony dropped away as we were warmly welcomed by Eric Getten from Domaine Barons Rothschild. Perhaps he had wind of the fact that Le Clos best-selling wine is Lafite and that we average a 1982 sale once a week….

Carraudes de la Lafite
Smoky polished nose with a raspberry ripple ice cream backbone. Lovely balance and good integrated tannins. It’s still going to be expensive but there is no denying the quality. 92/100

Château Duhart Milon
Smells like “purple”. Violet and crushed stones sing from the glass along with a nice lick of menthol on the finish. Long full and dry. Very good indeed. 94/100

Château Lafite
Big, Juicy, steak-like, cassis, dense and the 1st growth of the day. Big scores 96/100!

Château L’Evangile
Plums, figgy yet not porty in character. Fleshy fruit as you would expect and full and plump mouth feel. Really bright and one of the Pomerol’s of the trip so far. 95/100

Monsieur Getten followed up with the sentiment…”the vintage is very good…it’s a great opportunity for the customer”. Time will tell regarding the pricing, but in terms of quality there is no doubt he is on the money.

Château Léoville-Las-Cases

Back on the D2 heading south again to what can only be described as the thinking man’s first growth or technically should be. Of all the second growths Las Cases is perhaps the most consistent posting critics’ scores on a par with the Bordeaux top dogs and often eclipsing them. The 1996 and 2005 were certainly two of their finest offerings and both available through the Le Clos store. An interesting fact, in light of the excessive August and September rains, is that Léoville-Las Cases employs a state of the art reverse osmosis machine to help extract excess water from the grape must in a rainy vintage leaving concentration. There was only one way to find out if it works….

Château Potensac
Fairly grippy tannin structure with deep fruity vein and minerality. It’s livened up with a rasp of acidity and as in previous vintages will be a bargain for the quality and polish in the wine. 90/100

Le Petit Lion
Las Cases little brother doesn’t disappoint with a meaty, bloody, rich, dry and balanced composition. For fans of classical styled clarets worth seeking out. 92/100

Clos du Marquis
Big concentrated fruit, rounded, meaty yet refined fruits. The quality is easily of classed growth status and will need a bit of patience to show its full charm. 92/100

Château Leoville Las Cases
Smells like proper Claret with a broody nose. Purity minerality and weight all there and shows why it continues to snap at the 1st growths heels. 94/100

Château Léoville Poyferré

Léoville Poyferré has become something of a dark horse in recent times posting great Parker scores in 2000 (97), 2003 (98) and more recently its first perfect 100 for the 2009. Often overshadowed by Leoville Barton and Las Cases this is a property to watch and can boast one of the highest quality to price ratios of any of the classified growths. Much of the 2011 vintage echoed 2003 with a very long dry and hot start to the growing season and with previous experience in delivering in such conditions I was expecting them to pull something out of the bag and they didn’t disappoint…

Le Crock
Nice warm red and black fruits with plum and a touch of strawberry jam (in a good way!). Very tasty and refreshing, and also very plush. 90/100

Moulin Riche
Denser than the Crock with elements of cassis and tar and a long dry finish. Bound to offer a great quality to price ratio with 92/100

Château Leoville Poyferré
More mocha driven than the others with a big rich mouth feel. Sweet, savoury and undeniably tasty. One of the wines of the day with 95/100

In summary not a bad way to start the campaign, four seconds growths, three first growths, several amazing wines that everyone should be queuing up for, and one fabulous lunch! Tomorrow sees us off for a (very) early start at Haut Brion and then on to the Union des Grand Crus (UGC) Pessac tasting at Château de Fieuzal. Pontet Canet, Cos and Latour are also on the radar so promises to be another action packed day and will be updating as we go…

Over the next week I will be keeping you up to date of our adventures in Bordeaux as we survey the wine landscape in what had already been touted as a “winemakers vintage”…

Joining me is Head of Fine Wine, Oliver Dixon, a veteran of a number of En Primeur campaigns, who will be also providing valuable insight into the vintage and helping to sort the wheat from the chaff, and make up for my poor French! We will be posting our tasting notes as we go and for illustration purposes will take an average of our scoring out of 100.

After an early pick up in Dubai we boarded the 08:20 to Paris Charles de Gaulle and in-keeping with the luxury ethos of Le Clos settled into our Business Class surroundings. Despite having completed 100’s of flights air travel is still a mystery to me where you leave one marbled architects dream and 6 hours later arrive at another, but several thousand miles away. One thing is for sure when you travel with Emirates Airline it’s not just about the destination but also the journey. A hot towel and some tasty Château Batailley 2003 later, which I must say is drinking beautifully and important that you create a base for measurement for the week ahead!, we touched down in Paris. A quick once round the duty free outlets to check out Le Clos competition we were on the short hop to Bordeaux safe in the knowledge we continue to come out top in range, service and value against our duty free peers.

Readers of previous commentary on trips Oliver and I have embarked on will be aware we are no strangers to airports and after visiting three in a day were we soon on our way to our base for the week. After a quick spruce up and the addition of our finest livery we were off to a cocktail reception for a night of merriment and the first chance to ascertain what the bordelaise thought the 2011 wines would hold in store.

As serious professionals we seized our carriages early in preparation for the next day when the campaign would begin in earnest and what better way to start than Château Margaux…

La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
Composed of 81% Semillon and 19% Sauvignon Blanc, this 2010 exhibits crisp, zesty acids as well as a full-bodied mouth feel offering lots of lanolin, sealing wax, honeyed Mandarin oranges and lemon oil. This sensational effort has 30-40 years of aging potential.
RP 93-95+

Château Malartic Lagravière Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
A spectacular blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon offers lots of honeyed melons, tropical fruit and subtle oak. Brilliant!
RP 93-95

La Clarté de Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan
A combined second white wine for both La Mission and Haut Brion Exotic nose, full and creamy on the palate, exotic pina-colada fruit on palate with a very long finish.
RP 90-92

Pavillon Blanc, Margaux
Brilliantly clean acid bursting with citrus fruits, a touch of pear drop and notes of new oak.

Château Sociando-Mallet, Haut Médoc
Deep colour, almost black. Spicy nose leading to an explosion of cassis fruit. Big tannins and great length.
RP 91-93

Château Cantemerle, Haut Médoc, 5ème Cru Classé
Expressive, with complex fruit combining red and black berries. Well structured with fine tannins and fresh acidity
RP 91-93

Château La Lagune, Haut Médoc, 3ème Cru Classé
Huge investment is paying off in terms of quality here. A high ratio of Merlot (40%) gives a good deal of polish and suppleness. Ink black with sweet black fruit on the palate. Weighty but well integrated tannins.
RP 93-96

Chateau d’Aiguilhe, Côtes de Castillon
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Dark glowing crimson. Quite full and rich and round. Thick and sweet. Masses of fun. An early developer and good value.
RP 89-92

Château Patache d’Aux, Medoc
Bright fruit and a warm cedar finish put this wine ahead its value-inspired peers. Drinking from 2015 this bargain claret will put a smile on anyone’s face who relishes the upfront charms of modern Bordeaux.

Blason L’Evangile
The second wine of the chateau doesn’t disappoint. Silky plumy fruit and swarm spicy oak work beautifully together to provide a ripe and gently tannic finish.

Château Hosanna
One of Pomerols best value wines though sadly only 1,500 cases of this 80% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc blend are ever crafted. Acidity balances a depth of inky fruit and gripping tannin. There is a real purity of fruit on the finish with a long dry savoury note.
RP 94-96

Vieux Château Certan
A blend of 86% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon was picked at just the perfect moment, helping to deliver ripe dark crimson fruit. There is concentration and intensity across the nose and palate but not over powering. You can tell this is a wine of some breeding and is another triumph from the estate.
RP 96-98

Latour à Pomerol
Arguably one of the finest Latour à Pomerols produced in many years and perhaps even eclipsing the 2009. Freshness on the nose with bright red fruits and almost rhubarb character. Very fruity and lean on the palate making way for balanced heat and acidity.
RP 92-94

Château lafleur
Featuring an unusually high level of Cabernet Franc this year and actually doesn’t miss the Merlot. Silky balance and earthy fruit characters persist with nice dry tannins wrapping up a very well crafted wine.
RP 95-98

Château La Fleur Pétrus
The fabulous 2010 La Fleur Pétrus boasts a dense purple colour in addition to a big, sweet perfume of mocha-infused black raspberry and black cherry fruit that is extravagantly rich, textured and long.
RP 95-98+

Château Petit Village
Ripe and overt nose of red currants, vanilla, and gentle spice leads to a rich palate of coffee, dark, creamy berries.
RP 90-92

Château La Conseillante
Very elegant, supple tannins, with soft, generous and round blackberry fruit. Great freshness.
RP 95-98

Château Gazin
Fruit dense with black currant and cherry with liquorice and coffee. Super richness and freshness.
RP 93-95

Hospitalet de Gazin
90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc delivers dark stewed plums with a lick of cherry like its bigger brother, Chateau Gazin. Will drink well over the next decade and again proves a great introduction to quality Pomerol.

Château Clinet
Powerful fruit with blueberries, black currants and notes of liquorice and tar. Superb structure, powerful but elegant tannins.
RP 95-98

Château Eglise Clinet
A very impressive wine. Sweet, rich black fruit, notes of mocha. Multi layered with stunning purity and definition with a very long finish.
RP 96-100

Château Nenin
The 2010 Nenin is a full-bodied, deep plum/purple-coloured wine with loads of sweet boysenberry, black currant and cherry notes, as well as hints of earth and spring flowers. Broad and deep, it could turn out to be one of the best-made wines from this estate.
RP 90-92

Château Providence
Very pure bouquet with macerated black cherries, blueberry, truffle and a touch of smoke. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, sensual tannins, good cohesion and poise here with fine minerality showing through.
RP 92-94+

Château Petrus
(Category A)
The second vintage for winemaker Olivier Berrouet and no less impressive than last year’s phenomenal effort. The sample tasted was pure Merlot and it will not be determined until final blending what goes into the blend. Supple nose, incredibly full and rich on palate with great minerality, highly complex fruit for a new wine, superb intensity with a great sense of freshness on the finish.
RP 98-100

Château Trotanoy
Packed with dense black fruit, great minerality and superb structure. Backward now but will reward for 8-10 years in the cellar.
RP 93-95+