Bordeaux Trips

The 2024 Commanderie de Bordeaux à Manchester visit to vineyards and chateaux in Bordeaux

As usual we travelled by coach to meet the ferry and we enjoyed the journey and the excellent cuisine on board….

Day 1

The 2024 tour kicked off in fine style with weather to match. What a lovely day of diversity and quality we had, as we visited both the Pauillac and St Estèphe appellations and had some unexpected treats along the way.

Our first visit was a high point for many, as Château Pichon Baron offered a notable example of a well-run, well-invested 2ème Cru Classé from Pauillac. The grounds and facilities were immaculate and our host (with more than 25 years of experience at the Château) was knowledgeable but also had an excellent sense of humour. We saw old techniques reintroduced, such as gravity brought in to save pumping and electricity use. Newer techniques of wine making were also on display, and we learned about the use of sexual confusion – for insect control (in case you wondered).

 We tasted some excellent wines including their two second wines from 2019 (Les Tourelles de Pichon Baron offered a fruity approachable wine and the more tannic Les Griffons de Pichon Baron). However, the stars of the show were the different vintages of the Cru Classé. We were privileged to taste 2016 and 2014 vintages and noted the differences in grape mix and the effects of weather on the degree of “opening up” and the balance of fruit and structure.

Our second visit was a quite fresh style and we rejoiced in the friendly family atmosphere (meeting sisters Anne & Sara Cuvelier) at Le Crock in Saint-Estèphe. Here we were in Cru Bourgeois country of the “Exceptional” category, and it was easy to see why this Cru has become such a popular category of wine with its approachability and quality (with excellent quality control and ably marketed by our old friend Brinda Bourhis). After apéritifs from 2018 of the Château La Croix de St Estèphe (second wine) and another Cru Bourgeois Superior producer (Château Pontoise Cabarus) we had a delightful and tasty, healthy, freshly cooked and prepared lunch. Here we were able to taste the full range of Le Crock from bottles and magnums – with perhaps the 2010 from magnums being the star of the show.  We were all grateful for the delightful and personal welcome from the Château and welcomed the opportunity to buy examples of the wines we favoured. This type of visit to family run informal wineries rightly deserved the accolades of the group and sometimes exceeds the pleasures offered by some grander Châteaux.

After two lovely tastings and a lovely lunch, we clearly needed some exercise. Fortunately, the organisers arranged for the “great trek” walking around the next Château which was Château Phélan Ségur. This was necessary as coach access was restricted but fortunately a closer pick-up point was found). This Château was different again and we were wonderfully hosted by Stéphane (the vineyard manager) with a clear passion for his terroir and Julie (an Anglophile recently returned from working in an English vineyard). This winery had sometimes informally been described as a 5ième Cru due to its high and consistent quality and this could clearly be seen in the attention to detail. At the end we were treated to an informal but exceptionally well informed and generous tasting of the wines (so much so that, Oliver like, some of us were begging for more). During this we were able to experience the results of the novel use of yeast, the individual attention to detail of micro-plots and the matching of diverse soil types and the different grape varieties.    

On reflection at the end of the day, I felt that (apart from having such a lovely day in great company with superb wines and excellent food) we learned that there is clearly a move to more organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines. This ecological movement has clearly taken hold and all Châteaux were  on the journey to reduce environmental impact and increase sustainability. The second obvious theme was that of climate variability and change and this was most obviously demonstrated by the increased planting of new grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional and increased use of lesser used varieties such as Malbec; though, to date, their inclusion in the wines is still rare. However, what remained the same was the skill used to work the terroir and match it to grape varieties, and to work with the climate whilst using updated techniques to initialise the plots and sub-plots and give them individual attention to blend great wines.

Day 2

 We were privileged to visit 3 of 4 properties of quite different character on this day.

VISIT 1 of 2

The group divided into 2, owing to the properties being unable to accommodate us all.

Group A   -   CHATEAU BOURGNEUF A.O.P. Pomerol

Group B   -   CHATEAU BEL AIR A.O.P. Pomerol -   separate report, see below.

CHATEAU BOURGNEUF

Our hosts were Dominique Vayron and her daughter Frédérique.  We had actually met Dominique 6 years ago at a lunch and it was pleasing to meet her again.

The property grows largely merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) and their method of production is traditional and well established.

The 1st wine we tasted was the 2023 of which we were told “nature has been kind “- had lovely colour and, due to its youth, was still quite closed but as it warmed on the palette hinted clearly at good things to come.

2020 was the 2nd wine in bottle which proved to be rich and full in flavour owing to its lovely fruit and it was felt to have clear longevity while being very enjoyable now.

2012 was tasted from a magnum and once again was rich and deep in colour with fresh fruit still evident together with a long finish; it was described as “a good expression of the merlot” which was agreed by all.

And now to Château Bel Air…..

Notes from visit to Bel Air For a number of the “B Team” it was a first visit to Pomerol and we had a treat! We were cordially welcomed by Mme Véronique Melet to her family vineyard at Bel Air. This is very much a hands-on working day for our hostess, as she had been let down by some workers who had been due to arrive to tend the vines that day. We also saw first-hand the struggles against the vagaries of the climate and the battle against mildew but the need to balance this with the need to maintain the commitment to reducing chemical use. Before we enjoyed our tasting, we were introduced to the technique of “arriver des verres” by which a quick swirl of wine and emptying of the glass is needed to ensure the right base for a tasting! We very much enjoyed both her 2019 and contrasting it with her Fronsac (Château Beausejour from the same year); the former being very fruit (100% Merlot) led and surprisingly ready and the latter having more spice (10% Cab Sauvignon, 5% Cab Franc) and will further improve with a bit more age to open up.

A most enjoyable visit after which we were taken to Saint-Emilion where we had lunch, enjoyed its historic buildings and dodged the rain which came hammering down as we left!

CHATEAU DALEM

Dalem has been family owned since 1870, and its current owner, Brigitte Rullier Loussert now works with her son, Charles Pouvreau. The domain covers 20 hectares being “superb terroir”. The property is superbly situated on high(ish) ground affording superb views of the surrounding attractive area. Brigitte also owns Château de la Huste whose 15 hectares are located on pedo-geological soil formation made of famous asteriated limestone in which you have fossilised starfishes. We were privileged to try wines from both properties.

Brigitte showed us round the winery at Dalem and the grape varieties grown on vines with an average age of 40 years are 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. The vatting time of 3 weeks is undertaken in concrete and temperature controlled stainless steel vats.

2023 - we had 2 primeur tastings of wines being prepared for the final blend for each Château. Each wine had a lovely crimson colour and each were controlled and refined on the nose but on the palette rather closed but it was felt they would develop into a very worthwhile wine when the final blending was undertaken.

2020 Château de le Huste - here the characteristics described previously were very evident with a stronger flavour on the nose. When tasted, it delivered powerful but elegant characteristics of the merlot.

We then tasted 3 wines from Château Dalem - 2020, 2019 and 2021.

2020 - the colour and nose were very similar to the previous wines. On the palate it was initially closed but opened to give a hint of spice but more importantly intense fruit, good length and elegance helped by the soft tannins.

2019 - Described as a “more classic Fronsac”, it was darker in colour, more gentle and subtle on the nose with the gentler tannins giving a softer flavour but greater length and elegance.

2021 – the final Château Dalem to be tasted. This was more advanced than the previous wines with a high level of spice on the nose. When tasted it proved to be well balanced with an elegant flavour that gave a hint of sweetness and mint - a most enjoyable wine!

A truly enjoyable tasting which was further enhanced at the end when the sun came out to reveal the fantastic views from the terrace outside the tasting room.

So, in a more convivial climate we moved to our final property for a tasting and dinner - what an intriguing property it turned out to be!

CHATEAU de LA DAUPHINE

This château is a beautiful and historic building which was the home of the wife of the future King of France in the 18th century. She was Maria – Josephine of Saxony, mother of Louis XVI   - as well as 13 other children.

La Dauphine consists of 66 hectares of exceptional terroir, beautifully landscaped because of which they have adopted biodynamic techniques in the vineyard that respect the important interaction between all life forms within the property for which it has received a variety of environmental awards. This respectful approach combines with ultra – modern winery facilities to make wines which are highly regarded and feature at Dinners at the Palace of Versailles.

The wines are made from merlot (85%) and cabernet franc (15%) grown on the estate and red, white and rosé wines are produced.

We were expertly hosted for our tour of the winery and the grounds, and for dinner by Pauline. We were delighted that Natalie Escuredo, Grand Maître, from Château Boutinet joined us as our guest. Natalie had visited Manchester Commanderie for our Wine Tasting and Lunch in September 2023.

The 1st wine was a merlot-based rosé for our apéritif. It proved to be very well liked for its fresh, elegant and delicious fruit.

Delphis de La Dauphine - 100% merlot accompanied our 1st course, served slightly chilled it proved to be an excellent accompaniment to salad and foie gras it being easy drinking, fresh with good fruit.

La Dauphine 2016 accompanied barbequed duck breast. It consists of 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc giving a gentler, fuller flavour which had good length.

La Dauphine 2017 - again 90% merlot & 10% cabernet franc and produced in a year of heavy frost – proved to be a much more muscular wine with stronger tannins which gave a freshness to accompany the cheeses.

And so, sated by such wonderful flavours, we made our way back to our hotel after another brilliantly planned day.

Well done to everyone involved!

WRITE UP OF WEDNESDAY 15th MAY 2024

We left the hotel and the city for a day in Saint-Emilion.  Our first visit entailed travelling to the eastern edge of the appellation to the district of Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse where Château La Fleur Cardinale lies.  The estate owes its current name to Jean-Louis Obissier, who purchased what was then Clos Bel-Air in 1975.  It is said that the family owned racehorses at the time, by the names of Fleur and Cardinale.  This is a Grand Cru Classé which neighbours Château Valandraud, a Premier Grand Cru Classé (B) (effectively a First Growth in the Saint-Emilion classification), so its situation promised a good visit.  We had a warm welcome from Lise Grillot. 

The party was divided into two groups to facilitate the tour.  This, in the author’s case, started with an explanation of the various stages in the annual cycle of the vineyard.  This was done using a series of wooden frames mimicking the trellis shape of the vineyard rows with (artificial) vines.  Pieces could be removed to show, e.g. the method of pruning, then the green harvest and then the harvest itself.  Next we were led down a darkened tunnel which replicated the four seasons in the vineyard with the sounds one would hear and, above our heads, the appearance of the vines at that stage of the annual cycle. 

This led on to a doorway and an external terrace overlooking the vineyards and our host pointed out which varieties were planted on which plots.  Then, through another doorway, into the chais where the vinification takes place at the end of which were not only oak barrels for ageing but also 750 litre amphorae, for lots of old Merlot and Cabernet Franc, in which the preservation of the fruit flavours can be preserved during the ageing process.

This is a property owned since 2001 by the Decoster family who had sold their porcelain production company in Limoges.  Aware of the potential improvements that could be made to the estate, they defined priority investments in the vineyard, including uprooting the plots that did not meet their standards and reducing yields. They acquired new equipment and soon decided to build a new winery, inaugurated in 2002, allowing them to carry out plot-by-plot fermentation and ensure the traceability of each batch.  These decisions earned Château Fleur Cardinale the rank of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé (one step below “First Growth”) in 2006 and this status was reconfirmed at subsequent re-evaluations.

Next we progressed upstairs (rejoining the rest of the party) to the panoramic tasting room for a tasting of the wines which were Ch. Croix Cardinale 2018 (75% Merlot & 25% Cabernet Franc) finishing with grand vin Ch Fleur Cardinale 2018 (74% Merlot 22% Cabernet Franc 4% Cabernet Sauvignon) both of which were enjoyed.  During the tasting, we were joined by Caroline, the daughter-in-law of the family and, before we left, the father, Dominique Decoster, came to say “hello”.

Our next stop was to be at Château Bernateau, a Grand Cru Saint-Emilion, also in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse where we arrived in heavy rain necessitating a dash into the boutique and tasting room for an introduction to the estate by Karine Lavau. 

After this she took us to the barrel room where we tasted the property’s second wine, Baies de Bernateau 2020 before being joined by her husband, the winemaker, Pierrick for lunch which was served on circular tables down the area between the stainless-steel vats in the chais.  The first course of Foie Gras with a gelée of Lillet and some figs was matched with two wines from the family’s other château – Châteaux Peyronneau Merlot 2020 and Peyronneau Cabernet Franc 2020.  The main course, a delicious piece of Filet de Boeuf with truffled Gratin Dauphinoise, came with Châteaux Bernateau 2018 and 2019 which were much enjoyed.  In case we should still be hungry, a cheeseboard arrived on which there were 7 cheeses to choose from and another vintage Bernateau served blind from decanters from which we were asked to identify the vintage.  It was in perfect condition both in colour, nose and taste.  There were lots of unsuccessful guesses made before Pierrick broke the news that it was from the first vintage after he took over from his father, namely in 2002.  A lovely wine from a, generally, unremarkable vintage.  The splendid lunch was rounded of with new season’s fresh strawberries with ice cream, whipped cream and a red fruits coulis.  Needless to say several of us made purchases in the shop before we left.

The next stop was to a rising star of the of the “Jurisdiction” (as the physical area enclosed by the official boundaries of Saint-Emilion is known) namely Château Laroque. 

This is the largest estate in the Jurisdiction comprising 61 hectares and is also a Grand Cru Classé. The château’s foundations were established on a plateau in which all the limestone soil-types of Saint-Emilion’s best terroirs are found and this geological feature, which is covered to a greater or lesser extent by a fine layer of clay, has given rise to wines of outstanding quality.  At the instigation of the estate manager, David Suire, a soil study was carried out and this confirmed the estate’s outstanding terroir, in which different “climats” (small vineyard areas) have been revealed, enabling the right choice of grape variety to be made and the best possible grape ripeness to be achieved.  Over a large part of the area immediately surrounding the château, the plateau’s limestone rock comes close to the surface, just as at Clos Fourtet and Château Canon.  Parts of the château itself date back to the 12th century and much of the rest to the 17th century.  We were welcomed by Amandine Bidault de Gardinville who took us to the edge of the terracing to look over the vineyards where she explained the nature of the estate.  This had no sooner been completed than down came the rain and we hastened into the chais where we were introduced to the wine making equipment before having a tasting in the barrel cellar. 

We first tasted Les Tours de Laroque (St Emilion A.O.C.) 2019 which is made of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc with some crisp red fruit character, red cherry with a touch of mint. The palate was open and accessible, with a lick of grained tannin and plenty of crushed summer-berry fruits. An attractive and uncomplicated wine for early drinking.  Then on to the grand vin which was Château Laroque 2019.  This wine was 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc.  After vinification it undergoes ageing on fine lees partially in barriques and partially in large French and Austrian oak casks (50% of new wood).  The first racking is after 4 to 6 months ageing (before the summer); the second one year later, before the bottling.  It was very easy to see why it has received such great scores in the wine press.

After another successful day of visits, we returned to Bordeaux to make our own arrangements for dinner.

Bordeaux Day 4

…a lie-in, a leisurely breakfast and an independent morning exploring Bordeaux ended on an adrenalin high that will be talked about for many a year to come…

…the day unfolds with a visit to Chateau Carbonnieux, one of the oldest and largest estates in the Pessac-Léognon appellation and one of only six estates to be classified Grands Crus Classés de Graves for both white and red wines.  It produces 500,000 bottles a year.

Dating back to 1234, Benedictine monks started the tradition of making white wine here as well as red.  Selling the estate to the de Ferron family, who built the chateau round a magnificent courtyard in the 1500s, the monks eventually returned when the family went bankrupt and remained until The Revolution forced them to leave again in 1789. 

Courtyard:

Red window frames, wine production

White windows family accommodation

 Welcoming address in the rare sunshine

The monks borrowed massively to improve their white wines; history was also made when wine was first bottled by Don Galleas, the last monk, on this prominent estate.   Thomas Jefferson visited in 1787 and marked his visit with the planting of a pecan tree (which sadly fell over in 2022).  He sent his tasting notes back to America thus establishing a major market which remains to this day.  The estate is now owned by the Perrin family.

We were guided round the Harvest Room where the hand-picked grapes are hand sorted and where giant canvas bags hang ready for the liquid nitrogen used to aid fermentation.  Yeast is bought commercially for both the white and red wines, though the red does produce some natural yeast.  The white wine spends 4 days in steel tanks before being transferred to oak barrels for 10 months before blending and bottling for a year.  The red wine spends time in steel tanks and is pumped over before it too spends 12-14 months in oak barrels before bottling for two years.

We also learned that the château now uses Diam, a technological closure with a patented composition which is manufactured from cork – bugs are eradicated - no more corked wines!

We tasted 2021 a complex white, showing good acid, grapefruit and lemon, very long on the taste and were recommended to pair this with fish or with cheese and keep for 8-10 years. The 2022 showed freshness – it was a hot summer - and despite wine makers’ detailed discussion and interest in fruit and freshness our host considers the best feedback comes from asking merchants for feedback from their customers.  Our Maître preferred the red wine, we all joined in the excitement of the ’23 vintage price being announced at 2pm and left this château having divided preferences for red or white and a wonderful image of their fine collection of old cars.

It was then a short journey to Chateau Malartic-Lagravière, again classified as a grand cru for both its white and red wines. 

We were enchanted and entertained by Jean-Jaques Bonnie who, along with his sister, was gifted the château in 1997.  A sense of adventure was immediately evident as we learned of the château’s history and admired a beautifully made model ship of The Reunion.  The Count of Malartic had sailed in this ship to fight the English in Quebec (where he took a shot in the knee as well as having a city, with a gold mine, named after him) and then the English again in Mauritius where he won favour for only killing soldiers.  Sold in 1850 and again to Laurent-Perrier in the 1990s, the estate was bought by the Bonnie family in 1997.

Photo of ship

Our host evidently loved life and had a passion and knowledge which energised the whole party into enjoying themselves immensely.  What fun. 

We had a geology lesson in front of glass cases illustrating the exceptional terroir and the varying mix of gravel, limestone and shells – less gravel, cooler soils for the white sauvignon resulting in wonderful aromatics and freshness in the wine and more gravel, more heat, for Petit Verdot for peach/pear flavours.

The vat room, built at the bottom of a beautiful gravel slope, enables gravity to assist in the grape delivery.  Gentle tipping to avoid too many broken seeds and minimal extraction with a gentle pump action begins the careful process of wine making.  A sophisticated optical sorter selects the berries by colour and shades of green. 

The detail required to make wine to the highest level of delicacy was conveyed with passion and enthusiasm by Jean-Jaques; grapes pushed slowly into barrels with nitrogen to minimise the presence of microorganisms; thick cellar walls; pressurized air at a constant 14° supported by a sophisticated humidifier.  This man loves his humidifier. No mould, no weird smell in the barrel room! 

We had a privileged tasting of the en primeur 2023 and further lessons in the timing of the harvest and the fine tuning of tasting.  Harvest before the rain or, more ideally, after the rain allowing time for the rain to be re-absorbed.  This results in plumper, better tannins. Some salinity when tasting is good and makes you salivate, tannins must be delicate and never outdo the fruit. 

The chemistry lesson continued as we learned about polymerisation of wine with proteins in your mouth, that it’s best to rinse the glass with red wine first before tasting white wine and you can use white wine or lemons to clean red wine stains (thank you Tim).

It was a short walk to the château’s terrace (a quick peep at the swimming pool) for gorgeous canapés, petit goat’s cheese tartlets and drinks, a 2014 white wine in which honey and apricot and roasted almonds had developed.  

Dinner was simply wonderful, generous and exceptional.  Service was exquisite throughout.

Menu:

·        Tartare de maigre au citron vert, gelée de granny smith, craquant maïs

·        Quasi de veau du Périgord, tatin s’echalots et lissé de pommes de terre

·        Brie crémeaux  aux nois, corolles de tête de moine

·        Café mignardises

Vins:

·        Chateau Malartic-Lagravière Blanc 2004

·        Chateau Malartic-Lagravière Rouge 2011

·        Chateau Malartic-Lagravière Rouge 2010

·        Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere Rouge 2004 en Magnum

Jean-Jacques declared the 2011 a great classic and close to his heart and the 2004 with cheese elegant but racy, a wine that calls you to attention.  Tim declared that the 2011 improved in the glass but thought the 2010 wonderful.  From the 2010 versus 2011 debate to the wide-ranging conversation encompassing the sexual reproduction of sheep, whether we should all now set our tables with downward facing cutlery or cut our lawns with robot mowers this was an evening of fun, friendship and style.    Maître Colin Smith gave our profuse thanks.  

We knew we were all in trouble when, at the end of dinner, our host summoned yet more magnums from the cellar.  We were escorted to the terrace again for further consumption with a suggestion that the ladies took off their clothes!  It was a high-octane evening with kisses, gifts of recipe books and caps before departure.  

Everyone fell in love with all 6’6 of this party animal and excellent host!

Day 5

FRIDAY 17TH MAY 2024

To borrow and adapt a football analogy, this was a day of two halves weatherwise.  As we left Bordeaux the rain began to fall.  It fell all the way to St-Julien and to our first visit at Château Lagrange, a property on the western edge of the appellation.  As we disembarked from the coach our hosts greeted us with a seemingly endless supply of large umbrellas which came in very useful in our escorted tour of the gardens, the edge of the vineyards and to the entrances of the wine-making facilities and ageing cellars.  The property, which is graced by a rather attractive 18th-century château built of a creamy-yellow stone, has been owned since 1983 by the Japanese spirit (as in alcohol) giant, Suntory.  The huge amount of investment during its ownership was very evident including the large number of enormous barrel cellars.  In addition to expansion within St Julien, in 2009 the team acquired 9 hectares of Haut-Médoc, for planting white varieties, in Cussac-Fort-Médoc. The original white vines planted for Sirène de Lagrange were on land eligible for the St Julien appellation and they were pulled up and replanted to red. Also, another 18 hectares of Haut-Médoc land was acquired from Château Larose-Trintaudon in 2012 in order to produce a new wine, Le Haut-Médoc de Lagrange.  The estate now owns a total of 118 hectares of vines.

Our visit was to be tight on time because of the day’s programme but there was sufficient time for a tasting in a well-appointed tasting room.  We were offered first a 2021 white wine, Les Fleurs du Lac A.O.C. Bordeaux Blanc, which is almost equal parts of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with a dash of Muscadelle.  Next came the reds starting with the second wine, 2014 Les Fiefs de Lagrange A.O.C. Saint-Julien with its average annual production of 350,000 bottles.  The fruit for this wine tends to come from the vines planted on the lesser soils of the slopes and is composed of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot.  After picking by hand, selection and fermentation in stainless steel vats over 15-22 days (depending on the plot origin) with daily pumping over, the wine was aged in oak barrels of which 20% were new.  Then to the privilege of tasting the grand vin, Château Lagrange 2010.  Vinification is just the same as for Les Fiefs but the oak ageing was for 21 months in oak barrels, 60% new.  The average production is 250,000 bottles.  We left, still in the rain, which, fortunately, stopped before our next destination.

We arrived at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou on time and were greeted with more umbrellas which, happily, were not needed.  Because of pressure of work, Bruno Borie, the owner, was not able to host us but he arranged for one of his senior staff members, Pascale Blickman Vonderheyden, to look after us which she did in grand style.  (In fact Bruno did find time to come and see us just before our lunch which perfectly rounded off the visit.) First we were led round to the front of the château (flying both the French and the UK Union Flags) where we were able to admire the beautiful front elevation of the building and our eyes were led down the gardens to the Gironde estuary with its ameliorating effects both in avoiding frosts and reducing summer heat levels.  A short visit to the wine making area followed before we were taken into the château itself and into the main kitchen where the chef and his team were preparing our lunch.  There was a separate area of that room which accommodated us for our apéritif which was in the form of a delicious white Burgundy – 2008 Grand Cru Corton -Charlemagne - along with which were served some Spanish leg of jamon shaved off the leg itself and some pieces of pork terrine on slices of toasted baguette.  Lunch was served in the family dining room which comfortably accommodated all.  The first course was served, sliced monkfish with a wine sauce and this was paired with 2016 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou being the second label (not a second wine) of the estate coming from a single vineyard plot of 30 hectares within the property and is an “under the radar” wine well worth seeking out in the UK market.  This wine blends 64% of Cabernet Sauvignon with 33% Merlot as well as 3% of Petit Verdot.  Our main course was a whole rib of veal on the bone which chef dramatically brought to the edge of the room before carving and serving it along with Gratin Dauphinois and Spring vegetables.  Two wines were paired together with this course, 2012 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou (91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot with 95% new oak) and 2008 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot with 90% new oak) which were an interesting contrast.  Your correspondent particularly enjoyed the former.  Dessert followed which was delicious, fresh strawberries served in a fruit coulis flavoured with fresh basil and we were privileged to enjoy 1985 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou.  Grateful thanks to Pascale included the presentation of the engraved Commanderie de Bordeaux à Manchester fine wine glass which she was delighted to receive.  Soon afterwards we boarded the coach for our return to Bordeaux.

And finally, a huge ‘Thank you’ to Tim and Richard for all their planning and delivery of this wonderful trip !

The 2020 Trip ( which we eventually enjoyed in 2022!)

We left Portsmouth in the drizzle for sunny France….

Commanderie Visit to Bordeaux – First Day

The day started inauspiciously for Avril and me.  Having set our alarm on British rather than French time, we had only twenty minutes to get up and out for the start of the first day of the Commanderie visit to Bordeaux.  We achieved it with seconds to spare and soon we had left the Hotel Majestic, a very well-appointed and welcoming four-star establishment, and were travelling up the left bank of the Garonne towards Margaux where we were to make our first visit.

Château Paveil de Luze is a Cru Bourgeois of 32 hectares dating from the 19th century. The grounds and gardens were beautiful and very serene; a great place to be locked down in, I thought, especially with all that wine... 

They are one of only two châteaux rated Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in Margaux.  The terroir is deep gravel, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, so not surprisingly their blend is 80% Cab, 20% Merlot.  The vines are 35 years old.  The wine is aged 12 months in French oak barrels (30% new), and they produce over 200,000 bottles a year.

For the tasting, four other Cru Bourgeois châteaux brought their red wines: Patache d’Aux, Prieuré de Beyzac, Saint-Hilaire, Fontesteau.  All the wines were 2018, and there was a representative of each present to introduce their wines, which were of a high standard.  Afterwards, we had lunch of a prawn, avocado and mango salad, pork fillet, and strawberry tart.  Older vintages of the same five wines were on the table, mostly 2014 to 2016, but a 2010 from Paveil which was drinking very well.  Personally, I liked the Prieuré 2015 from the Haut-Medoc and the Saint-Hilaire 2016 from the Medoc (both from clay-limestone) which best matched my taste in reds: not too tannic and very fruity, and I bought three of each.  They also had young vignerons; it was good throughout to see the involvement of a young generation, and also that so many châteaux are still in family hands.

After lunch, we travelled on to Château Batailley, a 5th Cru Classé in Pauillac.  It dates back to the 1400s and is named after the battle that ended the 100 Years War (not one that we won!).  Again, beautiful château and grounds.

Once again, we had a tour of the wine-making facility, seeing steel vats and lots of barrels.  We also saw their bottle store, which contained bottles going back to 1883!  Sadly, we didn’t taste one.  The château has 62 hectares under vines, 70% Cab and 30% Merlot.  We tasted two wines.  The 2021 was of course still very young and tannic, but the general opinion was it would make a good vintage.  The 2016 was much more approachable; I personally liked it for its low tannins and good fruit.

Finally, we set out for our last visit of the day, passing by Château Latour (but we didn’t have time to drop in).  Château Kirwan is the first in the 3rd Cru Classé, situated in Margaux.  It has 40 hectares under vines, in the proportions 45% Cab, 30% Merlot, 15% Cab Franc, 10% Petit Verdot.  The château is 18th century and the founder, the first Kirwan, unfortunately lost his head in the French Revolution. 

We arrived very early, so we had time to stroll in their beautiful gardens on what was a hot sunny afternoon with barely a cloud in the sky.  We were greeted by Madame Sophie Schyler, the owner, who gave us a most detailed and comprehensive guided tour of the winery, especially introducing us to their famed terroir, gravel and blue clay, and showing us their new facility built in 2016 with concrete rather than steel vats.  We did our tasting outside with a table of the tastiest canapes.  We tasted the 2018, which Sophie claimed was one of the best they had made, and I personally thought it was my wine of the day.  If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know it had low tannins and great red fruit flavours, remarkable for such a young wine from a prestigious marque.  We also tasted the 2016, which was entirely different, rich chocolatey and black fruit flavours, which I liked very much too.

Afterwards we went upstairs in the new building for a dinner prepared by the chateau’s own chef, Frederic Bozzo.  The first course was salmon carpaccio, matched with a Château Latour Martillac blanc, the only white wine we had all day (we visited the château the next day).  This was followed by guinea fowl in a foie gras sauce, cheese, and strawberry bavarois, all of which were delicious.  The wines for the last three courses were all Kirwan, 2016, 2012 and 2015, and all very good, especially the 2012.  The 2015 a rather strange choice for the bavarois, I thought, especially after we’d had a white for the entrée, but Sophie justified it as her personal choice, and what do I know?

Afterwards we were all back in our luxury Beeline coach.  For some reason the lights were out inside for the journey; whether this was some obscure bylaw, or to spare our heads, I don’t know.  We arrived back at the hotel about half eleven, and tumbled into bed after a great first day, ready to start all over again in the morning.

Commander Anthony Parker

Day 2 Report

We set off on another sunny day and headed South towards Graves.  After a day of learning about optimising flavour and the optimising the management of the wine making process, we were set for a very different but equally enjoyable experience.

Our first stop was at Château Climens, where we were greeted by Mme Bernice Lurton who both owns and manages the château that produces a range of Semillon wines from a Premier Cru Barsac, a second Barsac called Cyprès de Climens and a relatively new dry white called Asphodèle.  The geography had changed dramatically from the area of the previous day and we could see a lighter soil and limestone walls.

Mme Bernice is a leading light in biodynamic wines.  Hers was no half-hearted “woke agenda” but a full-on commitment to holistic, balanced and homeopathic approaches.  This involved the use of a wide range of herbs and plants that are used to prevent disease and insect damage, rather than treat them.  Likewise, the activities on the vineyard were not just linked to the weather but also to the phases of the moon.  This approach to wine husbandry clearly worked and avoided the dreaded “grey rot” and promoted the “noble rot” needed for the sweet wines.  The estate even used natural barrel fermentation, natural ventilation and ensured the provenance of the wood suppliers in their quest for sustainability.  The grapes were also treated kindly and even give a “sleep over” for their first 24 hours to let them settle; as their first steps to becoming delicious wines!

I could only imagine the look on the face of her technology lead when she outlined her radical plans in 2010!  His face must have been even more surprised when a question about “which plot to start with”, was met by the response…  “the whole estate”!  However, the proof of her methods were in the drinking and we enjoyed the wines we tasted and were particularly excited about the novelty of the Asphodèle.  Our hostess also introduced us to the concept of a slow tasting – which sadly, we did not have the time to experiment with!

Our second visit of the day was to Château de Cérons, where the emphasis was on bio- rather than bio-dynamic.  However, we could not have a better example of a friendly, family run château and we had an interesting and fun tour and lunch hosted by Caroline Perromat. 

We were shown the terroir (with its gravel and limestone influences) and the areas that the wine was made and stored but also were able to see the great work being done to refurbish the rare and beautifully balanced two-tower château, within the Graves area but with a small Appellation (Cérons) for its sweet wine!  We were also impressed with the signs that were already showing of the extensive and sensitive restorations of the château and hope to be able to see its final transformation in a future visit. 

In addition to their sweet wine (whose AOC name is the same as the château), they also had four ranges wines of red, white (sweet and dry) rosé and yellow wines.  The Châteaux de Cérons Graves range was a very tasty and approachable.  As well as the two other Châteaux (de Clavimont and de Mayne) they also produced the La Quille range with it’s skittle label, a fun approach and referred to it as a “the bottle to share with friends”. 

We were able to taste these wines outside at a long table in the shade of a tree and accompanied by a wonderful, fresh home-cooked meal.  The informality, generosity and friendliness together with the excellent food set off the delicious wines to make a very memorable afternoon and some enjoyable purchases of their wines … we really did not want to leave!

The enjoyment of our lunch and purchases made us a little late for our final visit of the day to Château Latour Martillac (a Grand Cru from Pressac Leognan), where our patient, enthusiastic and young host could not have been more helpful.  We learned of the history of the château and Kressman family, as well as their parcel-by-parcel approach to their wine making and their choice of grapes for the sandy and gravelly soils (with some clay).  We were also shown the immaculate and expanding facilities of the estate. 

Two particular areas of interest were the use of rented barrels (of particular interest to the “Barrel Maître”) and how different context and food can make the wine’s taste.  The latter was apparent by the different responses to the same wine – the 2018 Latour White.  This had been an excellent wine at our dinner the night before at Château Kirwan but felt a bit more acidic to some when tasted on its own, albeit in the attractive setting of a shady tree-lined avenue in the evening sunshine.  However, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Semillon integrated exceedingly well. The Latour red (2015) was also much enjoyed by all and felt to have significant aging potential. 

We had a fantastic, enjoyable, and rewarding day with great variety.  However, it was also tiring and so most needed to take advantage of some pleasant refreshments on the return to Bordeaux! 

Commander Andy Bacon

Day 3

18th May 2022 began with a beautiful morning, blue sky and a predicted temperature of 33`. We departed by coach at 8.45 for the Right Bank where all the châteaux for that day were situated.

Our first visit was to Château Beauregard which was named after the original owners. We were greeted and escorted by Mdme Roxanne Gomez who presented a lively and interesting tour of the Chateau.  The owners since 2014 are the Smith Haut

Lafiite and Galleries La Fayette families, who have carried out an extensive programme of renovations, with replanting, new drainage, better vine selection and a move towards organic farming. The land is the most expensive in Pomerol and costs between 2-3 million Euros per hectare.

We were all fascinated to watch an automatic machine called a Vitibot which weeded the vines, three rows at a time and they were the first and only chateau to own one.

 On entering the barrel room we were told that concerts were held there as the acoustics are so good. We were then entertained by our very own Tim Edwards who sang one of his folk songs to everyone’s delight.

We sampled two wines, the second label Benjamin de Beauregard followed by Châteaux Beauregard.   

The second châteaux was Château Cantenac, Saint Emilion Grand Cru which is owned by the Roskam Brunot family. This was very different to the previous châteaux - family run, they own 19 hectares and produce 110,000 bottles per annum made in concrete tanks installed in 1870 and still in use.  We were told that Right Bank vines grow taller than Left Bank vines. 

Madame Nicol Roskam - Brunot has three sons and  each one married an intern who went to France from America to study viticulture. We were greeted and conducted round the estate by Adrienne Jennifer, one of the interns, who liked to be called AJ.  The cellar again had good acoustics and Tim entertained us and AJ recorded the performance.

The family were very hospitable and we had lunch here in the dining room of their home which had a lovely french atmosphere.    

Our third and final visit of the day was to Château Dassault which was acquired by Marcel Dassault in 1955. 

The family were passionate pioneers in the aeronautical industry, new technologies and the art market and they became interested in fine wine.  The delicate winemaking process takes place in small concrete vats, allowing each plot to be vinified separately with respect for its personality.

Marcel Dassault, a visionary business leader, bought Château Couperie in 1955 on impulse. He gave his own name to the property.  The quality of its wines has improved vintage after vintage.  In 1969 with its promotion to the rank of Grand Cru Classe the Château achieved the status it deserved.       

Commander John and Anne Hodgkinson

Bordeaux 2022   -   Day 4

On going to breakfast I truly wondered whether the very high standard of the previous 3 days could be sustained so good were they. However, looking at the Bordeaux “pedigree” of the people and places we were to visit there was a very good chance and we were not to be disappointed!

Château Angludet, restored both as a wine of distinction and a lovely property by the late Peter Sichel, was our first call and we were hosted by his grand-daughter, Daisy. She was a most engaging speaker – fluent, knowledgeable with a good sense of humour which overcame the eccentricities of their lovely family dog as it tried to capture our driver’s drone!

We learnt of their move to a more biodynamic approach before tasting some recent vintages, of which the 2014 and 16 were standout products. The visit concluded with Ralph Manners Wood not only thanking Daisy and wishing her well in her forthcoming marriage but telling her and us of his time when working with her grandfather as part of his preparation for working in the wine trade -  tears were seen in the corner of eyes!

Our next hosts were Madame Lilian Barton & family - daughter of the late Anthony Barton - another   family who are part of the Bordeaux legend. Initially, we had our tour of the wine-making facilities and then we were treated to a generous cold buffet with champagne which we assumed was lunch. It was therefore with great surprise that we were invited to leave the warm terrace to go for lunch! Having again been further entertained by the activities of the family dog, we sat down with the family for a lunch accompanied by wines from the various parts of the Barton “stable” .

Although not a fan of the River Gironde near this point it was with a sense of relief that we had a “viewing” break and a chance for an ice cream before the next challenge to our taste buds and appetite -  Château Beychevelle.

This proved to be a site of remarkable contrast. A beautiful, classic French château overlooking the Gironde with the addition of a recent state of the art winery that looked like something from a Bond film - tall, immaculate stainless steel vats with subtle modern lighting and complex IT controlling and monitoring mechanisms - modernity meeting tradition.

Our tasting was held in one of the grand salons with the wines giving good examples of why this Château has such a good reputation for its finesse and elegance albeit their most recent vintage clearly needed much more time to develop, it being numb in virtually every respect. This was followed by dinner with the General Manager and wine maker, Phillipe Blanc, and his staff where the belief that tasting red wine with good food enhances both was verified.

 Commander Chris Trees

The trip per se was over but we had a most enjoyable lunch at La Restaurante de la Vallée in Clisson on the journey back ….

A bientôt………

The 2018 Trip

The week commencing May 12th 2018 was a memorable one indeed for the UK. Bookended by two of the great cultural occasions of our time – the Eurovision Song Contest and the Royal Wedding  (with afters of the FA Cup Final) – significant events were also taking place on the Continent. Yes the Manchester Commanderie were in Bordeaux for their biennial visit to the vineyards and chateaux of the region.

The party of 28 met to join the coach in Cheshire on Saturday the 12th and found a black space-age vehicle awaiting – very comfortable but also very tall (of which more later!). There was also the surprise (and concern) that the second driver had been taken ill overnight so we were left with just one. Fortunately Steve turned out to be somewhat of a superman and managed to cope with the demands of the party and the French road network admirably.

Our trip down to Portsmouth to catch the ferry was uneventful apart from the usual business hard work of opening and sampling champagne bottles and if at least in one case inadvertently spraying the coach! On board we enjoyed the pleasures of the Brittany Ferries restaurant (really good food and excellent value) before sleeping our way across the Channel to St Malo.  

The following morning we started off early and, it being Sunday, had a period of quiet contemplation and coffee before someone decided it was time to open a bottle and festivities started again. A diversion for a leisurely and very enjoyable lunch near the beautiful old harbour of La Rochelle (which has become a tradition on these trips) broke the day up and we finally arrived at our hotel in Bordeaux in late afternoon. In the evening we went our own ways – some for a walk, some for a meal, some for just a drink and some, apparently, for a tour of dubious student bars – I couldn’t comment!

It was an early start on Monday morning – well before 9 – so you can see we had to suffer for our pleasure (it’s hard but somebody has to do it!). We were headed for the most distant destination of our trip – the northern Medoc – where the Association of the Crus Bourgeios du Medoc had generously laid on a tasting of a range of wines from their members. The organiser was a dear friend, Brinda Bourhis of the Association, and the host chateau was the beautiful Ch Castera, well known in the UK in the past from its association with Alexis Lichine wines though sadly less seen now. We had a tour of the chateau including numerous sculptures and the beautifully restored tower containing a museum of artifacts relating to the very long history of this estate – one of several examples we saw of huge investment in properties with little obvious business benefit but showing the commitment to and the pride in their inheritance.

A tasting followed showing the 6 examples of the great 2015 vintage from very different estates across the region ranging from the Medoc in the north down to the borders of Margaux in the south – a very well chosen collection all presented by their proprietors and showing how well cabernet sauvignon, merlot and in one case, spectacularly, petit verdot, can shine in a good year.

After a very welcome glass of champagne (not every wine served in Bordeaux is home grown!) and excellent canapes we moved to lunch (centred round a beautifully cooked duck steak) and had the chance to taste more mature vintages and chat to the owners – in my case it was a pleasure sit next to Martial Mignet of Ch L’Argilus du Roi in St Estephe who is making serious wine with love in his second career (he was previously a successful pilot). One of our discoveries of the week was evident here – the often ignored 2012 vintage is showing very well currently and is likely to for some years to come. Not surprisingly many of us took advantage of the opportunity to buy here. (Since we returned we’ve heard of the heavy hail storms and floods in this region last week and we’re just hoping that our friends at Castera were not affected).

Time moved on and we ended up rather late at our second visit of the day – the renowned third growth Ch Kirwan in Margaux which meant we couldn’t take in all off the famous wine route alongside some of the greatest Chateaux names in the world. However we managed to see Palmer, Beychevelle, and Lagrange among others. At Kirwan we were met by the impressive and charming Sophie Schyler Thierry of the owning family. Another example of investment in the Chateau – a beautiful work of art in metal double doors at the entrance to the winery showing a tree and words associated with the wine making and the love of the subject. Another feature of the estate is the lovely garden – one of the finest in the Medoc. On to the wine itself – the family’s commitment was evident both in the investment in the fermenting vessels – concrete tulips in this case, and in the cask sample of the 2017 we sampled later. Unlike some chateaux we visited Kirwan did not suffer too badly with the frosts of 2017 and the wine showed great promise. Samples of older vintage of both the second wine(2014) and the grand vin(2012) of the estate showed this is a property to value and though the grand vin increases in price, as with its peers,  the second wine is more affordable and of high quality. Finally our hostess invited us back for a meal at the estate on a later visit – an offer we would be delighted to take up.

The final visit of the day was Ch Cantemerle in the Haut Medoc – a personal favourite of several of the party. We were met by Philippe Dambrine who is the long-time wine maker at a chateau which has been making increasingly good wines in recent years, and at a relatively modest price for a classified growth. The estate dates back nearly a thousand years and one of the features of the grounds and a source of much pride are the 300 year old plane trees in the grounds. Philippe’s friendliness and quiet commitment to his calling impressed us all.  We then had the second 2017 cask sample of the day - it was sweet and luscious even now and should become a lovely wine. With a very enjoyable dinner (smoked salmon followed by filet mignon) we drank the second wine (Les Allees 2010) – good fruit and balance and still young, and Cantemerle itself from 2011 – showing what can be achieved even in a lesser year.

And then back to the hotel just before the driver’s hours ran out – a close run thing!

We had a later start on Tuesday but the traffic was so bad in central Bordeaux that we had to pick up the coach a couple of streets away to avoid the worst of the congestion. On our way out of town we had an interesting encounter with an underpass which was too low for our very tall coach (remember?) – the piece de resistance was a satellite dome on the top of the coach which proved too much for several bridges. Reversing back up the sliproad to the underpass was one of the more memorable incidents but thanks to our excellent driver and our Vinothecaire’s efforts in directing the traffic relatively painless. However it did mean we had to allow more time to get in and out of the city each day.

Our first stop of the day was another old friend of the Commanderie  - Bruno Gonzague de Lambert at the splendid Ch de Sales – an historic estate and the largest in Pomerol. He showed us the beautiful grounds and explained the long and illustrious history of the place including the ‘censoring’ of certain pictures and the accidental discovery of ancient tapestries in one of the old store rooms, and on a more serious note gave us an insight into the problems faced by family-owned properties from the French inheritance laws. A very engaging and charming host Bruno also introduced us for the first time in the week to the concept of ‘sexual confusion’ to control pests in the vineyards – a technique his estate pioneered.

After champagne and canapes on the terrace overlooking the lovely lake we escaped the rain by moving inside for a spectacular lunch accompanied by 3 flights of 3 wines dating back to 2008 from de Sales and his neighbours’ properties dating back to 2008 (another discovery for some of the party – 2008 is a seriously under-rated vintage) and finishing with a real treat – de Sales 1990 – definitely mature but soft and lovely. I was lucky enough to sit at the same table as Dominique Vayron of the excellent Ch Bourgneuf who enchanted us with her account of 8 generations of her family to run the chateau (her daughter Frederique is now the winemaker there).

Before we left there was an historic moment as Bruno was reunited with 3 of the original Manchester Commanders who he had met 30 years ago when the Commanderie was founded - definitely a photo for the archives!

Our second and final visit of the day was to nearby Saint Emilion – Ch La Dominique is a Grand Cru Classé owned by Clement Fayat, with a growing investment and reputation in recent years. It is also famous for its association with the renowned and notorious American artist Jeff Koons. Here in subdued mood for him he has created a striking cladding for the winery representing the different colours of red wine and a flat roof with red glass pebbles again representing the wine’s colour. It may not be to everyone’s taste but it worked for me and the view from the roof was a wonderful panorama on Pomerol – not the worst vista in the world!

Here the fermenting vessels were steel. The changes in approach (or should I say fashion) are intriguing but if they work then I’m not the person to question them. They are also experimenting with aging in plastic eggs. Certainly the wines are good though in my opinion the 2013 vintage of the second wine was drinking better than the 2011 vintage of La Dominique itself which has some way to go. I should mention that here we had a slight hiccup in that the chateau didn’t seem to expect us despite a confirmed booking. However all credit to the very friendly staff who gave us a very enjoyable visit.

After this we had a short stop in Saint Emilion itself - for many of us a first chance to experience this beautiful town and for others a welcome opportunity to revisit old haunts. Next back to town and a chance to sample the many local restaurants within easy reach of the hotel.

Wednesday was another full day and a real treat. After fighting the city traffic our first stop was in Entre Deux Mers at Ch Montlau – possibly the oldest estate we visited being on the site of a Roman settlement. The estate itself dates back to 830 and the oldest tower to 1130. Once again we were entranced by a magnificent tree – a Lebanon Cedar c.450 year old. The owner – Armand Schuster de Ballwil – is one of the regions great characters – warm, welcoming and knowledgeable – and he and his family run one of the most beautiful estates I’ve ever seen. It may not be located in the most fashionable part of to the region but I think any of us would have chosen it as a place to spend our lives. We enjoyed a tasting on a terrace overlooking the Dordogne with Pomerol and Saint Emilion in the distance. There were 6 different Entre Deux Mers whites from 2017 – good, light and refreshing after the heavier reds of recent days and surprisingly different in style from each other. They were also a minor miracle given the frosts of that year.

For lunch we moved inside and tasted the full range of Montlau white, rose and reds with a cold buffet which was for many one of the highlights of the trip. A huge dressed salmon (caught in the Dordogne) perhaps took pride of place but the beef Wellington, duck and salads had to be seen to be believed. We finished with a rare treat - these are not usually long-lived wines but the 2009 red was lovely and fresh despite its age. The hospitality of Armand and his family remains in the mind and unsurprisingly many of us bought some of the very reasonably priced wines.

We next wandered through the pretty, narrow lanes of Sauternes and Barsac  (another challenge for our intrepid driver)to reach Ch Doisy-Vedrines. Although a second growth this very attractive chateau was somehow understated compared with many we saw and the low key but dedicated approach was reinforced by the quietly spoken owner Olivier Casteja. This is an estate where superlative wines are made but the pendulum has not yet started to swing back towards sweet wines so they remain underappreciated and for Bordeaux very underpriced. They also have the challenge of dealing with low yields and many passes of the vineyard at harvest which means the flexibility to ferment and mature many small quantities of wine and their solution, though not unique, is very different from what we saw at other sites. No long rows of steel or concrete fermenting vessels but instead grape juice is racked off to barrels for fermenting then reassembled into a few vats for blending before maturing again in barrel. We tasted the second wine, Petit Vedrines, of 2010 – a light but very pleasing wine – almost an aperitif style, and the much richer Doisy-Vedrines 2015 – not ready yet but will last for years.

The weather was kind to us and we arrived at one of the superstars of Pessac-Leognan – Ch Haut-Bailly – at 6 o’clock in mellow sunshine. We were greeted by Daina Paulin, once of Arizona but now a head of communications at the chateau and a most eloquent convert to France and French wine (so committed is she that later this year she’s marrying a Frenchman!). She led us through the history of the chateau – how its name comes from being at the highest point in Graves (all of 48m!) and it is based round a plot of 30ha which has been planted since 1630 with 6 different varieties which are replanted like with like when required. After long ownership by the Belgian Sanders family there was a painless transfer to an American, Robert Wilmers, in 1998, while Veronique Sanders remains as general manager. Sadly Mr Wilmers died late last year but his family are continuing his interest in the estate. The approach to the fermenting was new to me – concrete vessels are coated with tartaric acid which maintains cleanliness while, I suspect, helping precipitate out excess tartrates.

Although the highest part of the vineyard escaped much of the 2017 frost  sadly there was an overall 30% loss but on a more positive note the three 2017 cask samples we tasted were very promising. We also tried the 2015 Grand and second wines – great wines in the making with the Le Parde de Haut-Bailly also looking good value. We then moved to the terrace for once of the best moments of the week – drinking Pol Roger while watching the sunset over vineyards. Dinner was also delightful – lobster and veal accompanied by the Le Parde and Grand vins of the 2012 vintage – both reinforcing our growing liking for this vintage – followed by what was for the writer was possibly the wine of the week – Haut-Bailly from 2008. I read afterwards that it was regarded by some as the wine of the vintage – certainly it had wonderful depth and balance and the structure to last for years. The evening finished with various members of the party visiting the chateau shop where a range of vintages and high quality mementos were available. And so back to Bordeaux.

Our final day of visits started with the now expected battle with the traffic and as a result we were over half an hour late at our first stop Ch Chantegrive in Graves – known to many of us for their excellent wines, both white and red. Our delightful host, Elodie Sodes, was not phased by this and gave us an excellent if slightly rushed tour of the estate, but one with a very poignant aspect. Chantegrive was one of those properties very badly hit by the frosts of 2017 and suffered losses of 80% - totally wiping out production of red wine. The sight of their main cellar devoid of barrels except for a few empty ones there as window-dressing was shocking. However we has a tasting of the white of 2014 (fresh with good fruit) and their success story the white Cuvee Caroline 2016 (earlier vintages were sold out) which was rich with a gentle use of oak and to my mind a more harmonious wine than when I first tasted the cuvee 20 years ago. The reds of 2014 and the prestige cuvee of 2011 also showed well. By now we had run out of time to buy but by careful negotiation we agreed to come back late in the day and in the end bought some 200 bottles between us, which I’m sure pleased the chateau.

Our final visit of the trip was a special one.  Ch Smith-Haut -Lafitte is a large historic estate in Pessac –Leognan which was underperforming until the early 90’s when it was bought by two human dynamos Daniel and Florence Cathiard. They had met on the French national ski team and were introduced to Bordeaux by fellow team member the Olympic legend Jean-Claude Killy. After having great success in their careers in retail and advertising they dedicated themselves to making the estate the best they possibly could – restoring the chateau, establishing an on-site cooperage (rare in Bordeaux), and building a new chai and pioneering environmentally friendly processes. If this wasn’t enough in the late 90’s they established a spa hotel on the site which has developed into a worldwide brand and is one of the leading sites for luxury tourism in the entire region. The chateau buildings are on a huge scale for the area and manage to be both luxurious and rustic at the same time – the cellar itself is one of the largest and most impressive I’ve seen. (It does however have some narrow access roads which presented a challenge to driver Steve – at one point to let other vehicles pass he had to manoeuvre to within about six inches of a ditch but as usual he managed it perfectly).

This sounds almost too good to be true but the enthusiasm  and warmth of the owners would have won anyone over – tireless ambassadors for their beloved wine and brimming over with self-deprecating anecdotes about how they managed to achieve so much. It is perhaps unnecessary to run through the wines we tried but you won’t forgive me if I don’t so here goes. Before lunch we tasted the lovely 2015 white (Smith-Haut-Lafitte are almost equally renowned for their whites as reds) and with the superb lunch (crab charlotte followed by veal fillet) the white of 2010 (some bottle variation at my table but the second bottle was excellent) and 3 reds in magnum – the second wine (Les Hauts de Smith) 2014 and the Grand vin from 2012 and 2005. A wonderful experience – we were impressed by all three and if the sheer class and depth of the 05 was unbeatable the Les Hauts was loved by many for its twin virtues of displaying wonderful fruit and being (relatively) affordable. A great end to the formal part of the trip.

There’s not much to add – we spent the evening in Bordeaux and in the morning had an early start to avoid the heavy traffic which miraculously didn’t materialise – so a smooth journey to our lunch stop at Clisson in a beautiful riverside restaurant.

Then on to Caen and then back to Portsmouth- the route had another couple of challenges with low bridges but with care (and a lowered suspension) we crept through. Then back up to Cheshire watching the Royal Wedding on the coach (the first time we’d made use of the dreaded satellite dome).

So overall a really memorable week – in fact according to some veterans of these trips the best we’d ever had – many highlights and no disappointments. And what had we learnt about the wines? – perhaps 3 main lessons – that the dry whites from Bordeaux get better and better, that in these days of ever increasing prices cru bourgeios and second wines of classed estates can be very good value, and that certain less acclaimed vintages, notably 2012 and 2008 are showing really well.

We must give our thanks to all our hosts during the week for making it so special and to Steve our driver who coped superbly with us with great good humour (in fact I think I heard him say he looked forward to driving us again but that may have been an unguarded moment!). Finally although a number of people were involved in the organisation the lion’s share fell on two – David and Jane Chapman who did a superb job in planning and making the whole trip run so seamlessly – very many thanks to you both.

P.S. a footnote to our trip – in the July 18 Bordeaux Decanter supplement there are features on Chateaux  Bourgneuf and Smith-Haut-Lafitte and favourable mention of the wines of Doisy-Vedrines.

The 2016 Visit