The Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux held their annual grand tasting in Beijing, the last in a leg of an Asia-wide tour also comprising Tokyo (22nd Nov), Osaka (24th Nov), Seoul (26th Nov), Shanghai (28th Nov) and Guangzhou (29th Nov).
Many chateaux owners were then going on to Singapore and India, en route back to France. Several commented that the turn-out at Beijing’s Sofitel Hotel was better than in previous years; and were happy both with the volume here as well as in Shanghai and Guangzhou in particular. We spoke with several owners about their perceptions of the China and wider Asia markets and although no single property has obvious ‘brand’ recognition within China – apart, perhaps, from Château Lafite – they were cautiously optimistic about the future in Beijing and further a field.
This year the UGC showcased the 2004 vintage, still under-appreciated and under-valued, at least alongside 2000 and 2005. The hype surrounding 2003 may still exist, but most people should recognize the vintage had atypical weather conditions that resulted in some strange wines from some quarters as well as over-activity in the market. Recall 1997: different weather conditions, but similar hype. The 1997s drunk much sooner than some expected; clearly a different vintage from the likes of 1995 and 1996.
With so many wines to taste, the notes we offer here are condensed, beginning with dry whites (Part I), then the sweeter ones (Part II) - the Sauternes and Barsac wines were particularly strong - followed by reds from the various appellations (Part III).
Here are the notes for Part II: Sauternes and Barsac
2004 Château Climens, Barsac
Appearance: medium gold colour.
Nose: complex and restrained nose of light candied fruits, honey and a sensitive level of botrytis.
Palate: excellent acidity, medium body, good fruit, good botrytis and delicate all round. Only medium-sweet (it’s worth remembering that most Barsac and Sauternes wines are not actually that sweet relative to other ‘sweet wines’).
Conclusion: 100% Semillon, this shows the quality and finesse you would expect from Climens. Needs time, but is unlikely to be a vintage for the long, long haul. The quality is very high, however. Is exposed to 60% new oak, but you wouldn’t know it.
Rating: 18/20 [but should get better]
2004 Château Coutet, Barsac
Appearance: bright medium gold.
Nose: complex nose of dried fruits, honey and with excellent botrytis.
Palate: very good acidity, lovely concentration here and a great balance between residual sugar and acidity. Integrated.
Conclusion: 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle, a good showing from Coutet, even although many of the Sauternes and Barsac wines seemed to be showing better than many of the red Bordeaux. Should repay cellaring well. Sees 100% new oak, but we’re not sure for how long.
Rating: 18/20 [but may improve]
2004 Château Doisy Daëne, Barsac
Appearance: deepish orange gold.
Nose: very concentrated nose with lovely fruit, lots of botrytis (which is well-integrated) and some spicy notes.
Palate: rich, great acidity here, very good length and lovely fruit. There’s an excellent balance of residual sugar to acidity too.
Conclusion: we’re big fans of Doisy Daëne having enjoyed a number of different vintages (particularly the 1988 and 1990 wines). 80% Semillon and the remainder Sauvignon Blanc: this was very good and should age very well too. Spends 18 months in oak, of which one third is new. Our favourite of the Sauternes and Barsac wines represented at this tasting.
Rating: 18.5/20
2004 Château Guiraud, Sauternes
Appearance: deep gold.
Nose: slightly musty first nose, although this dissipates. Rich fruit that seems caramelized and with considerable botrytis.
Palate: large style, quite a bit of oak on this wine and somewhat closed at present.
Conclusion: hard to judge right now. Guiraud tends to produce wines in a fatter style and the relatively high amount of Sauvignon Blanc (35% to 65% Semillon) makes for a different expression too. Perhaps this particular bottle was not showing so well. Spends 18 months in 80% new oak.
Rating: 17/20
2004 Château La Tour Blanche, Sauternes
Appearance: medium gold.
Nose: delicately honeyed nose, integrated light botrytis.
Palate: beautiful balance of acidity to sugar here with good fruit, good length and in a more savoury style than some of the other Barsac and Sauternes wines.
Conclusion: this is 84% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Muscadelle. The wine is exposed to 100% new oak, but we couldn’t find out for how long. Clearly very high quality. Along with the Doisy Daëne, one of the best wines here with the Lafaurie-Peyraguey also a strong contender.
Rating: 18.5/20
2004 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes
Appearance: medium to deepish gold.
Nose: very honeyed and candied fruit with less overt botrytis than on some of the other wines.
Palate: well-balanced, lively acidity which is well-integrated with the residual sugar here. Good fruit and very good length.
Conclusion: this is 90% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. 30% of the wine sees new oak. This is clearly one of the stronger wines of the vintage – at least those represented at this tasting.
Rating: 18/20 [but could be higher]
Many chateaux owners were then going on to Singapore and India, en route back to France. Several commented that the turn-out at Beijing’s Sofitel Hotel was better than in previous years; and were happy both with the volume here as well as in Shanghai and Guangzhou in particular. We spoke with several owners about their perceptions of the China and wider Asia markets and although no single property has obvious ‘brand’ recognition within China – apart, perhaps, from Château Lafite – they were cautiously optimistic about the future in Beijing and further a field.
This year the UGC showcased the 2004 vintage, still under-appreciated and under-valued, at least alongside 2000 and 2005. The hype surrounding 2003 may still exist, but most people should recognize the vintage had atypical weather conditions that resulted in some strange wines from some quarters as well as over-activity in the market. Recall 1997: different weather conditions, but similar hype. The 1997s drunk much sooner than some expected; clearly a different vintage from the likes of 1995 and 1996.
With so many wines to taste, the notes we offer here are condensed, beginning with dry whites (Part I), then the sweeter ones (Part II) - the Sauternes and Barsac wines were particularly strong - followed by reds from the various appellations (Part III).
Here are the notes for Part II: Sauternes and Barsac
2004 Château Climens, Barsac
Appearance: medium gold colour.
Nose: complex and restrained nose of light candied fruits, honey and a sensitive level of botrytis.
Palate: excellent acidity, medium body, good fruit, good botrytis and delicate all round. Only medium-sweet (it’s worth remembering that most Barsac and Sauternes wines are not actually that sweet relative to other ‘sweet wines’).
Conclusion: 100% Semillon, this shows the quality and finesse you would expect from Climens. Needs time, but is unlikely to be a vintage for the long, long haul. The quality is very high, however. Is exposed to 60% new oak, but you wouldn’t know it.
Rating: 18/20 [but should get better]
2004 Château Coutet, Barsac
Appearance: bright medium gold.
Nose: complex nose of dried fruits, honey and with excellent botrytis.
Palate: very good acidity, lovely concentration here and a great balance between residual sugar and acidity. Integrated.
Conclusion: 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle, a good showing from Coutet, even although many of the Sauternes and Barsac wines seemed to be showing better than many of the red Bordeaux. Should repay cellaring well. Sees 100% new oak, but we’re not sure for how long.
Rating: 18/20 [but may improve]
2004 Château Doisy Daëne, Barsac
Appearance: deepish orange gold.
Nose: very concentrated nose with lovely fruit, lots of botrytis (which is well-integrated) and some spicy notes.
Palate: rich, great acidity here, very good length and lovely fruit. There’s an excellent balance of residual sugar to acidity too.
Conclusion: we’re big fans of Doisy Daëne having enjoyed a number of different vintages (particularly the 1988 and 1990 wines). 80% Semillon and the remainder Sauvignon Blanc: this was very good and should age very well too. Spends 18 months in oak, of which one third is new. Our favourite of the Sauternes and Barsac wines represented at this tasting.
Rating: 18.5/20
2004 Château Guiraud, Sauternes
Appearance: deep gold.
Nose: slightly musty first nose, although this dissipates. Rich fruit that seems caramelized and with considerable botrytis.
Palate: large style, quite a bit of oak on this wine and somewhat closed at present.
Conclusion: hard to judge right now. Guiraud tends to produce wines in a fatter style and the relatively high amount of Sauvignon Blanc (35% to 65% Semillon) makes for a different expression too. Perhaps this particular bottle was not showing so well. Spends 18 months in 80% new oak.
Rating: 17/20
2004 Château La Tour Blanche, Sauternes
Appearance: medium gold.
Nose: delicately honeyed nose, integrated light botrytis.
Palate: beautiful balance of acidity to sugar here with good fruit, good length and in a more savoury style than some of the other Barsac and Sauternes wines.
Conclusion: this is 84% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Muscadelle. The wine is exposed to 100% new oak, but we couldn’t find out for how long. Clearly very high quality. Along with the Doisy Daëne, one of the best wines here with the Lafaurie-Peyraguey also a strong contender.
Rating: 18.5/20
2004 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes
Appearance: medium to deepish gold.
Nose: very honeyed and candied fruit with less overt botrytis than on some of the other wines.
Palate: well-balanced, lively acidity which is well-integrated with the residual sugar here. Good fruit and very good length.
Conclusion: this is 90% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. 30% of the wine sees new oak. This is clearly one of the stronger wines of the vintage – at least those represented at this tasting.
Rating: 18/20 [but could be higher]
Labels: 2004, Climens, Coutet, Doisy Daene, Featured Tastings, Guiraud, La Tour Blanche, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Lafite, Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, sweet white, Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux
posted by Wine Dragon
at
18:33
<< Home