Saint-Estéphe 2013 Primeurs

2013 Château Calon Ségur
Ruby. Scented, raspberries, red fruits and floral nose, delicate. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh and lively, elegant fruit, long. 90-92

2013 Château Capbern-Gasqueton
Ruby. Red berries, floral, spices and minerals nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, rounded if lean. 85-87

2013 Château Clauzet
Ruby. Spicy, exotic, Christmas cake nose, dark berries behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, crisp, bit lean and skinny finish. 85-87

2013 Château Cos d'Estournel
Ruby. Vanilla, spices, raspberries and some plums nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, refreshing, almost brilliant fruit, slightly tight and dry finish, long. Lovely wine and hopefully a new direction under Almeric de Gironde away from those Napa wines made here recently. 12,7% alcohol. 90-92

2013 Château Cos d'Estournel blanc (Médoc)
8000 bottles made. Watery lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, vanilla, slight minerals note, almost flinty. Fresh acidity, fruity, lively, fresh, crisp, almost savory, minerals finish, mouthwatering, almost Coche-Duryish Bordeaux. Long. 92-94

2013 Pagodes de Cos
(2nd Ch. Cos d'Estournel) Ruby. Red berries, some vanilla, slightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, tighter, structured, slightly dry tannins, good length.  Nothing sold off in bulk. 87-89

2013 Goulée (Médoc)
Ruby. Fruity, scented, elegant and ripe raspberries nose, slightly floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, elegant, could be more complex, fresh, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Cos Labory
Ruby, red berries, scented, fruity, floral and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, red berries, lively, delicate, woody finish. 87-89

2013 Château Domeyne
Ruby. Herbs and unripe blackcurrants nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, easy going and short. 82-84

2013 Château Haut-Marbuzet
Ruby. Coffee, red fruits, dental office and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, red berries, dry finish. 85-87

2013 Château La Haye
Ruby. Red berries, scented and minerals,mnot to intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, fresh if a bit thin. 84-86

2013 Château Lafon Rochet
Ruby. Bit rustic, red berries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, rustic and dry finish. 85-87

2013 Château Lilian Ladouys
Ruby. Light nose of red berries, lightly scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and rounded but easy going. 84-86

2013 Château Meyney
Deep ruby. Red and darker berries, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and rounded, fairly elegant but untypical style for this estate in the vintage, making more modern wine? 87-89

2013 Château Montrose
Ruby. Red berries, scented, slightly floral and detailed nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, lively and delicate, leaner and long. 90-92

2013 La Dame de Montrose
Ruby. Floral and scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner and thin, fairly elegant. 85-87

2013 Château Ormes de Pez
Ruby. Floral and red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, thin if fresh, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Petit Bocq
Ruby. Lean nose, roses, red berries and vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, oaky, prunes, short. 83-85

2013 Château La Peyre
Ruby. Chocolate and raspberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, easy going, empty. 80-82

2013 Château de Pez
Ruby. Scented, red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, lean, bit short. 85-87

2013 Château Phélan Ségur
Ruby. Floral, scented and red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, herbal, thin and short. 86-88

2013 Château Ségur de Cabannac
Ruby. Red berries, minerals and slightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, refreshing, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Sérilhan
Ruby. Red berries, scented, fruity and floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, bit edgy, woody finish. 84-86

2013 Château Tour de Pez
Ruby. Red berries, slight floral and almost salty note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, some elegant notes, bit dry finish. 85-87

2013 Château Tour de Termes
Deep ruby. Floral, scented, red berries, intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, bit skinny palate, floral finish. 85-87

2013 Château Tronquoy-Lalande
Ruby. Scented, fruity and charming nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, thin, slightly herbal. 85-87

Two from William Fevre

2012 William Fevre Petit Chablis
Pale lemon yellow. Flinty, apples, lean nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, crisp, leaner, chalky  minerals, fresh. 85

2011 William Fevre Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, flinty, some lime on the nose. Fresh acidity, crisp, very mineral, chalky, lobster shell, long. 90

(For norske lesere har importøren en rekke viner tilgjengelig fra ulike årganger og vinmarker på spesialbestilling. Robert Prizelius)

Two Loire Rosé's

2012 Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes Rosé
Pale pink. Apples, some red berries, asparagus nose. Freshish acidity, slightly unbalanced, fruity. 83

2013 Laporte Sancerre Rosé les Grandsmontains
Pale salmon. Some fruits, light nose. Freshish acidity, fruity, rounded, fresh, leaner, good length. 84

12 Scloss Johannisberg and 08 Moulin Saint Georges

2012 Schloss Johannisber Riesling Gelblack
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, some yellow fruits and subdued minerals nose. Fresh acidity, fresh and lively, this bottle had a little less body than some, refreshing, good length. 89

2008 Château Moulin Saint Georges
Ruby, some sediments. cassis, blueberries, slight mineral note, hint of leather on the nose. Anise. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, slightly edgy far back still, needs an hour in decanter, roundes off but ever so slightly raw in the finish to be picky, long. Give it two more years. 91

06 Gazin

2006 Château Gazin
Ruby. Blueberries, scented, starting figs with air, some tobacco, lovely nose, flirting. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, elegant and quite lively, refreshing and long, structure is letting go. 93

2010 Moillard Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy

2010 Moillard Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy
Pale lemon yellow. Thin fruit, some minerals, bitter and herbal notes. Thin acidity, thin body, lacks balance, unpleasant wine. 71

Pomerol 2013 Primeur

A food poisening sat an effective stop on my Pomerol visits this year and therefore Petrus, VCC, Lafleur, l'Evangile, Trotanoy, La Fleur Petrus, Latour a Pomerol and the rest of the wines of Moueix has not been tasted.

2013 Château Beau Soleil
Ruby. Herbs, vanilla, unripe red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and more rounded palate, bit lean and short finish. 85-87

2013 Château Beauregard
Ruby. Scented, blueberries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, leaner, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Bel-Air
Ruby. Scented, red berries, fruity nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, rounded, elegant if a bit short, gives pleasure. 85-87

2013 Château Le Bon Pasteur
Ruby. Dark berries, scented and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet and ripe notes, leaner, bit edgy, fresh, good length. 86-88

2013 Château La Cabanne
Ruby. Floral, delicate and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, elegant, leaner, some may say thin, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Certan de May
12.000 bottles made. Ruby. Red berries, scented, floral touch, vanilla, delicate nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant, fruity, rounded, fresh and nuanced, complete, very Burgundian, delicate and long. 91-93

2013 Château La Clémence
Ruby. Ripe and jammy nose, red berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean and thin. 79-81

2013 Château Clinet
Ruby. Fruity, scented and quite intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively, fruity, elegant, long. 89-91

2013 Château La Commanderie
Ruby. Fruity, floral, vanilla and red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, lots of barrels, coffee finish. 83-85

2013 Château La Conseillante
Ruby. Floral, red berries, detailed and flirting nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, fresh, detailed and refreshing, a very elegant effort in the vintage, complete, elegant and long. In the mould of a Charmes-Chambertin. 91-93

2013 Château La Création
Ruby. Lots of wood. Fresh acidity, dusty tannins, more wood. 78-80

2013 Château La Croix de Gay
Ruby. Red berries, fruity, scented, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, woody palate, fine red fruit behind, will it manage the oak? 84-88

2013 Château Fayat
Ruby. Red berries, fruity, floral, spicy nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, bit thin, red fruity finish. 84-86

2013 Château Feytit-Clinet
Ruby. Vanilla, spices, dark fruits and toast nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, burnt notes, rich and extracted, lean and herbal, unbalanced. 82-87

2013 Château La Fleur de Gay
Ruby. Fruity, scented, light and floral nose. Spicy. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, bit thin. Good length. 86-88

2013 Château La Fleur de Plince
Ruby. Floral, blueberries, red fruits and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and fruity, lively, bit short. 86-88

2013 Château Franc-Maillet Cuvée Jean Baptiste
Deep ruby. Intense, scented, red and darker berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, oak, structured, bit drying, will it handle the wood? 83-87

2013 Château Le Gay
Ruby. Scented, red berries, floral and mineral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh and intense, towards long. 88-90

2013 Château Gazin
Ruby. Red berries and blackberries nose, floral high note, elegant and more complete than most. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, elegant and rounder body, structured, long, lovely effort in this vintage. 90-92

2013 Château Montviel
Deep ruby. Rich, plums, coffee, ripe and floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, textured, fresh red berries finish. 86-88

2013 Château Le Moulin
Deep ruby. Coffee, spices, dark fruits, rich but also herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rich if leaner, good length. 85-88

2013 Château Moulinet
Ruby. Red berries, violets, quite fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, bit thin but lovely floral notes. 85-87

2013 Château Nenin
Ruby. Floral and blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, leaner, fresh, good length. 88-90

2013 Château La Patache
Deep ruby. Blueberries, herbs and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, extracted, leaner, a bit hollow even, short. 82-85

2013 Château Petit-Village
Ruby. Dark berries, fruity, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively, fairly fruity, bit easy going. Good length. 87-89

2013 Château Pierhem
Ruby. Rich, fruity, scented and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, oak, rich and herbal, short. 85-87

2013 Château La Pointe
Ruby. Vanille, spices, blueberries and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh and fruity, but drying finish. 86-88

2013 Château Rouget
Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, bit dry finish. 85-87

2013 Château Taillefer
Ruby. Red berries, roses and violets nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, bit herbal mid palate, rustic finish. 84-86

2013 Château Tour Maillet
Deep ruby. Dark fruits, floral, vanilla and raspberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, rich, vanilla, bit oaky, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Vieux Maillet
Ruby. Oak and ripe red fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, dry and oaky. 81-85

2013 Château Vrai Croix de Gay
Deep ruby. Rich nose, dark berries, plums, floral and vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, intense, bit extracted, could be longer. 87-89

2013 Clos René
Ruby. Scented, fruity, red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, leaner, good length. 84-86

2013 Clos Vieux Taillefer
Ruby. Scented, fruity, bit lean nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fairly elegant, fresh, good length. 85-87

Saint-Emilion 2013 Primeur

2013 Château Angélus
Ruby. Dark fruits, floral, minerals, ads as it stays in the glass, very detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, again detailed, elegant texture, quite a charmer, long. 91-93

2013 Carillon d'Angelus
(2nd Ch. Angélus) Ruby. Scented, fruity, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and elegant, lively and refreshing, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Ausone
Only 9000 bottles made. Ruby. Red berries, vanilla, scented, elegant nose, some darker notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, Burgundian texture, on the leaner side, long, charming and red fruity. 90-92

2013 La Chapelle d'Ausone
(2nd Ch. Ausone) Ruby. Leaner nose, red fruity, vanilla and herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded texture if leaner, slight nettles touch. 85-87

2013 Château Balestard La Tonnelle
Ruby. Dark berries and vanilla nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, bit sweet, easy going. 86-88

2013 Château Beauséjour
Ruby. Ripe, fruity, graphite minerality, fresh nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins,  ripe, playful, refreshing, good length. 88-90

2013 Château Beau-Séjour Becot
Deep ruby. Rich, intense, vanilla, red and darker berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, elegant if short. 87-89

2013 Château Bellevue
Ruby. Ripe, fruity, blueverries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh and lively, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Canon
Ruby. Dark and red berries, plums, floral and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, fresh, fuller bodied than most this vintage, lovely balance, fresh and long. 90-92

2013 Château Cap de Mourlin
Deep ruby. Scented, vanilla and dark berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, fruity, good length. 88-90

2013 Château le Castelet
Ruby. Ripe if leaner nose, anise. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fruity, bit anonymous. 83-85

2013 Château Cheval Blanc
Ruby. Shut nose, dark berries, vanilla, floral and scented nose, spices, maybe a faint hint of the exoticness typical of Cheval. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, fresh and nuanced, leaner, elegant and refreshing, long. 92-94

2013 Petit Cheval
(2nd Ch. Cheval Blanc) Ruby. Fruity, scented and dark berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh, leaner, slight herbal note, good length. 86-88

2013 Château la Commanderie
Deep ruby. Rich, fruity and ripe nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, bit edgy, slightly herbal, not fully together. Good length. 86-88

2013 Château La Couspaude
Deep ruby. Rich and overripe nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, ripe and fruity, easy going. 86-88

2013 Château Dassault
Deep ruby. Scented, blueberries, vanilla and ripe nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively for Dassault, lovely fruit. Good length. 89-91

2013 Château Daugay
Ruby. Red berries, ripe nose, fresh and floral high notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, elegant, good length. 87-89

2013 Château La Dominique
Opaque. Rich, fruity, plums and blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and fruity palate, rich and sweet, good length. 88-90

2013 Château de Ferrand
Deep ruby. Rich, oaky and spicy nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, rich, bit dry and oaky, short. 84-86

2013 Château Figeac
Ruby. Refreshing nose of red berries, pure fruit, floral highnotes, elegant and detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lovely balance, refreshing, delicate, elegant, long finish. A beautiful effort. 91-93

2013 Château Fleur Cardinale
Deep ruby. Rich, sweet, fruity and intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rich and rounded, bit one dimensional and short. 84-86

2013 Château La Fleur Morange
Ruby. Vanilla, spices and ripe berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresher, fairly elegant, oaky finish. It all depends on if the oak integrates better. 88-92

2013 Château La Fleur Morange Mathilde
Ruby. Wood spices, dark and red berries. Fresh acidity,r ipe tannins, woody and dry, will it integrate? 85-89

2013 Château de Fonbel
Ruby. Herbs, coffee, red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, quite fresh, little herbal touch to it. 84-86

2013 Château Franc Mayne
Deep ruby. Rich, plums, coffee and blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, dark berries, bit short. 87-89

2013 Château La Gaffelière
Deep ruby. Dark fruits, scented and vanilla nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, richer, sweet, structured finish, good length. 88-90

2013 Château Grand Corbin
Ruby. Rich, fruity, plummy nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively and fruity, good length. Fresher palate than nose. 88-90

2013 Château Grand Mayne
Deep ruby. Ripe, blackberries and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, fresh, leaner, fruity finish. 87-89

2013 Château Haut-Sarpe
Ruby. Lilies, dark berries, fruity and intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, fresh if a bit hollow and short. 85-87

2013 Château Haut-Segottes
Ruby. Ripe berries and fruits behind vanilla and spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, fruity if short. 84-86

2013 Château Jean Faure
Deep ruby. Port like nose, spicy. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, rich, deep but hollow, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Larmande
Ruby. Sweet, ripe and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, easy going, lacks substance. 84-86

2013 Château Laroze
Ruby. Rich, fruity and dark berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, leaner palate and finish, bit hollow. 86-88

2013 Château Magnan la Gaffelière
Ruby. Leaner, scented and blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, leaner, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Moulin Saint Georges
Ruby. Red and darker berries, scented, bit coffee, slight herbal note. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, elegant, fresh, red berries, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Pavie Macquin
Ruby. Fresh nose, scented, red berries and violets. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh, leaner finish, good length. 87-89

2013 Château de Pressac
Ruby. Dark berries, eucalyptus nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, sweet, leaner, fresh, bit short. 85-87

2013 Château Quintus
Ruby. Dark berries, scented, vanilla, almost floral notes beneath, eucalyptus nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, intense, fresh and quite lively, bit chocolaty finish, lively acidity. Long. 90-92

2013 Le Dragon de Quintus
(2nd Ch. Quintus) Ruby. Red berries, floral, scented, vanilla, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, elegant, refreshing, fairly nuanced, quite mouthwatering, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Roc de Boisseaux
Ruby. Scented, red berries, delicate nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively and elegant, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Rol Valentin
Ruby. Scented, floral and dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, leaner and elegant. Good length. 86-88

2013 Château Simard
Ruby. Red berries, herbs and some scented notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, leaner, red berries, thin finish. 83-85

2013 Château Soutard
Deep ruby. Rich, blackberries, figs and plums nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, fruity, bit plump, good length. 85-87

2013 Château Tertre Roteboeuf
Bright ruby. Scented, florL, red berries, detailed and red berries. Lovely nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, fruity, detailed, refreshing red berries, complete, ripe notes, the longest aftertaste of the reds during primeur. 93-95

2013 Château La Tour Figeac
Deep ruby. Rich nose, scented, intense, warm pine cone. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, sweet and ripe, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Troplong Mondot
Ruby. Dark and red berries fruit, floral, detailed, graphite and coffee nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, fruity, rounded, refreshing, long. 90-92

2013 Château Valandraud
Ruby. Dark fruits, coffee, plums and scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and fruity, rounded, refreshing finish, long. Elegant and detailed Valandraud. 90-92

2013 Château Valandraud blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Some citrus and yellow fruits nose, tender feel to it. Fresh acidity, lively, fresh and fruity, quite elegant, could have been longer. 89-91

2013 Château Villhardy
Deep ruby. Rich, fruity and dark berries nose, vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, fresh and rich, vanilla palate, bit short. 86-88

2013 Clos Fourtet
Deep ruby. Scented, blueberries, layered, minerals, intense and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, lively and rounded, leaner finish, towards long. 89-91

2013 Clos des Jacobins
Dark ruby. Dark fruits, plums, rich nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rich, manages to stay fresh, good length. 88-90

2013 Clos de la Madeleine
Deep ruby. Rich, fruity and intense nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fruity, fairly lively, good length. 86-88

2013 Gracia
Towards opaque. Coffee, rich, intense,mvanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, intense, rich and fresh, sweet and ripe, good length. 88-90

Moulis en Médoc/ Listrac 2013 Primeur

2013 Château Branas Grand Poujeaux
Ruby. Scented, blueberries, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, fruity, biting texture, good length. 85-87

2013 Château Chasse-Spleen
Ruby. Raspberries, iris, violets, quite charming nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, bit hollow mid palate. Good length. 86-88

2013 Château Fonréaud
Ruby. Red berries, floral and easy going nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively if lean and dry. 82-84

2013 Château Fourcas Borie
Ruby. Scented, red berries, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, detailed, elegant if a bit short. 87-89

2013 Château Fourcas Dupré
Ruby. Red berries, leaner nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh but a bit short. 85-87

2013 Château Fourcas Hosten
Ruby. Fruity, some herbs, red berries, leaner nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, dryish, more elegant finish. 84-86

2013 Château La Garricq
Ruby. Hollow nose, spicy. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, fresh, raspberries, good length. 85-87

2013 Château Maucaillou
Ruby. Scented, dark berries, fruity blueberries nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, rounded, ripe, easy going. 85-87

2013 Château Mauvesin Barton
Ruby. Fruity, red berries and floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, fairly elegant, drying finish. 85-87

2013 Château Mayne Lalande
Ruby. Lean red berries nose, dusty. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, fresh, better palate if lean. 84-86

2013 Château Moulin à Vent
Dee ruby. Fruity and ripe berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, fruity, leaner, good length. 85-87

2013 Château Poujeaux
Ruby. Scented, red berries, floral and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, fruity, textured finish, good length. 86-88

Médoc/ Haut-Médoc 2013 Primeur

2013 Château d'Agassac
Ruby. Red berries, slight floral note on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh, bit short. 85-87

2013 Château Bernadotte
Ruby. Scented and red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively if leaner and a bit thin. Good length. 85-87

2013 Château Cambon La Pelouse
Deep ruby. Rich and fruity nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, extracted even if leaner, easy going, tries to hard. 84-86

2013 Château de Camensac
Ruby. Vanilla, red and darker berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, oaky, spicy, unbalanced, to much oak. 82-86

2013 Château Cantemerle
Ruby. Red berries, scented, blueberries and floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively and delicate, refreshing, bit lean finish. 86-88

2013 Château Citran
Ruby. Scented, barrel notes a bit up front, red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and fruity if leaner, good length. 86-88

2013 Château d'Hanteillan
Ruby. Violets and red fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, fresh and lively. 83-85

2013 Château Lamothe-Bergeron
Ruby. Vanilla and rich dark fruits on the nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, easy going, short. 83-85

2013 Château Potensac
Ruby. Scented, fruity, red berries, some blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, leaner, quite fresh, textured, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Sénéjac
Bright ruby. Red berries, floral and some vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, fairly elegant, bit lean finish. 84-86

2013 Château Sociando-Mallet
Ruby. Red berries, fruity, floral, some vanilla, more subdued nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, refreshing, good length. 87-89

2013 Château La Tour de By
Ruby. Red berries, floral and fresh nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, fresh, quite elegant. 86-88

2013 Clos du Jaugueyron Haut-Médoc
Ruby. Scented, red berries, flirting nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, leaner, elegant, good length. 85-87

Fronsac/ Canon Fronsac 2013 Primeur

2013 Château Canon Pécresse
Ruby. Fruity and a bit cooked nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, cooked notes, lacks freshness. 82-84

2013 Château Dalem
Ruby. Dark berries, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity if leaner, good length. 85-87

2013 Château La Dauphine
Ruby. Spices, jammy and still a bit lean nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, bit edgy and dry. 83-85

2013 Château Fontenil
Ruby. Red and darker berries, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity if lean. 83-85

2013 Château Moulin Haut-Laroque
Ruby. Dark berries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, soft tannins, lean, fresh and easy drinking. 83-85

2013 Château La Vielle Cure
Deep ruby. Fruity, richer nose, dark berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity if leaner palate, fresh and lively but short. 85-87

2013 Château Villars
Ruby. Scented, plums and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, soft, rounded, easy going. 82-84

Graves Rouge/ Blanc Bordeaux 2013 Primeur

2013 Château Brown
Ruby. Dark fruits, spices and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, bit lean, some herbs far back. 86-88

2013 Château de Chantegrive
Ruby. Lean and woody nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, lean and simple, bit herbal. 83-85

2013 Château de Chantegrive blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, vanilla and flinty nose. Fresh acidity, leaner, fresha nd elegant, bit thin finish. 86-88

2013 Château Ferrande blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Yellow fruits and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, lively, fresh, apples and lemons, good length, fresh rather than complex. 86-88

2013 Château Rahoul
Deep ruby. Dark berries, fruity, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, fresh, fruity, good length. 86-88

2013 Château Rahoul blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Apples and light minerals nose. Freshish acidity, vanilla, easy going, fresh, good length. 86-88

2013 Clos Floridene
Ruby. Red berries, bell peppers and spicy nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, rounded, bit short. 85-87

2013 Clos Floridene blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Fresh, crisp, fruity and minerals nose, citrus. Fresh acidity, lively, some vanilla and spicy, elegant texture, fresh and fruity, long. 89-91

Lalande de Pomerol 2013 Primeur

2013 Château de Chambron
Deep ruby. Rich, extracted nose, coffee and spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fruity, tannic, fresher finish, not quite together. 82-86

2013 Château Les Cruzelles
Ruby. Fruity and lean nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, lean, herbal, thin. 80-82;

2013 Château La Fleur de Boüard
Ruby. Raspberries, fruity and elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, elegant, detailed, good length. 87-89

2013 Château Siaurac
Ruby. Rich, scented, fruity and floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, fresh, dark berries, good length. 87-89

Rest of Bordeaux 2013 Primeurs

2013 Château Reynon
Ruby. Scented, fruity, bit lean nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, rounded, elegant and fresh finish. 85-87

Doisy Daëne Sec
Pale lemon yellow. Minerals, apples, very sligjt tropical note, ripe gooseberries nose. Fresh acidity, lively, crisp, fresh, detailed, lovely balance, fresh and lively, long. 89-91

2013 Domaine Aurage
Ruby. Red berries, floral and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity and textured, good lengsth. 87-89

2013 Domaine de Cambes
Bright ruby. Red fruits, scented, raspberries, fresh and delicate nose, very Burgundian. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and red fruity, pure and elegant, long. 89-91

2013 Roc de Cambes
Bright ruby. Floral, raspberries, almost minerals beneath, delicate and flirting nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively, textured and structured, detailed, long. 90-92

2013 S de Suduiraut Sec
Cloudy pale lemon yellow. Citrus, minerals, vanilla, fresh nose. Freshish acidity, rounded, fruity, bit easy going for ghis one, good length. 86-88

2013 Clos des Lunes-Lune Blanche
Pale lemon yellow. Pears, vanilla, minerals and slightly smoky nose. Fresh acidity,  fruity, rounded, richer, bit spicy, good length. 89-91

2013 Clos des Lunes Lune d'Argent
Pale lemon yellow. Fruity, slight tropical note, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, rounded, fresh, richer, bit vanilla, slight waxy finish, long. 88-90

2013 Clos des Lunes Lune d'Or
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, flinty, tropical, citrus and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, rounded, fresh and lively, long. 90-92

2013 Château d'Aiguilhe
Ruby. Lean, dark berries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh and fruity, fairly lively, vanilla finish. 88

2013 Château du Carpia blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, fresh, tropical and citrus nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, elegant and rounded, fresh finish. 86-88

2013 Château Reynon blanc
Pale lemon yellow. Fresh and crisp nose, some asparagus, gooseberris, citrus and minerals. Fresh acidity, fruity, crisp and fresh, good length. 87-89

2013 G de Guiraud Sec
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, tropical, vanilla, subdued minerals. Fresh acidity, rounded, fruity and lively, fresh but lacks the intensity of some vintages, good length. 87-89

3 superb 2011 Chassagne-Montrachet's from Fontaine-Gangnard and Gagnard-Delagrange

2011 Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, lime, floral, delicate, some vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, rounded, refreshing, detailed, long, slightly hollow. 91

2011 Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte
Pale lemon yellow. Flinty, yellow fruits, minerals, apples, slight butter note and some nuts on the nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, rounded, lemons, refreshing, detailed, elegant, fresh, long. 93

2011 Gagnard-Delagrange Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, flinty, floral, minerals, citrus, slight honey note nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, fresh, quite crisp, detailed, refreshing, lemony, apples, honey, long and detailed, lovely. Some nuts in the finish. 94

(Til norske lesere, så har importør Robert Prizelius flere årganger og vinmarker tilgjengelig fra begge disse på spesialbestilling)

A few from Loire

2012 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Reserve
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, pears, subdued yellow fruits. Fresh acidity, rounded, fruity, fairly apply and fresh, good length. 86

2012 Henri Bourgois Pouilly-Fumé En Travertin
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, citrus, minerals nose. Fresh acidity, leaner and sharper, bit lean, good length. 84

2011 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre La Bourgeoise
Pale lemon yellow. Herbal, asparagus, apples, lime and flinty notes. Fresh acidity, fruity, some wood, fresh, blackcurrant's notes, herbal finish, long. 90

2013 Laporte La Terre des Anges Sancerre
Pale lemon yellow. Light fruity nose, some apples and yellow fruits. Fresh acidity, lively, leaner, refreshing, lovely balance, good length. 86

2012 Laporte Sancerre Le Rochoy
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, chalky, slightly flinty, leaner nose. Freshish acidity, fruity, rounded if leaner, refreshing, good length. 89

Vernaccia di San Gimignano and more

2012 Andre Delorme Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noir
Pale lemon yellow, slight red tinge. Apples, some yeast and apple peel nose. Freshish acidity, bit sharp, leaner, fresh, fairly elegant finish, good length. 85

Andre Delorme Cremant de Bourgogne Rosé La Vigne Au Roy
Pale pink. Some fruits and a bit of yeats on the nose. Freshish acidity, slight bitter note, pear core, bit hollow. 83

2013 Pizzolato Prosecco Spumante Brut
Pale lemon yellow, small bubbles. Apples and slight pear nose, easy going. Medium acidity, rounded, easy going but balanced. 72

2012 Pizzolato Stefany Prosecco Extra Dry
Pale lemon yellow, small bubbles. Apples and pears nose, bit more intense. Yeasty. Freshish acidity, fruity, leaner, fairly elegant. 78

2012 Knipser Laumersheimer Kapellenberg Riesling Kabinett trocken
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, pear peel, slight mineral note beneath on the nose. Freshish acidity, rounded, fruity, quite fresh, mineraly finish, good length. 87

2013 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals and some almond flowers nose. Freshish acidity, fruity, fresh, lively, rounded, roses touch, good length. 86

2012 Cesari Soave Classico Superiore
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, slight honey note, some yellow fruits. Freshish acidity, leaner palate, honey, slight bitter note, leaner, good length. 83

A look at 2013 Bordeaux

With 360 wines tasted from the 2013 vintage in Bordeaux last week, it’s clear to me that this is the weakest red wine vintage for quite some time. I think we need to go back to 1997 as both 2007 and 2002 has more complete wines on average. Maybe we even need to go back to 1994. What many wines lack in 2013 is depth, many are hollow and many lacks aftertaste and length. Complexity is not a term you use a lot in the tasting notes. But those that are complete have a charm and even a certain grace. They are a style of Bordeaux you haven’t tasted before. It’s almost like the Chambolle’s and Gevrey’s of Grand Jours a few weeks back have come to Bordeaux. There is a much more red fruity character to the wines than usual, strawberries or rather raspberries and many wines show an elegant scented note as well as floral overtones. 

If this has been handled delicately with the oak, the wine can be lovely and charming. The acidity feels higher than it is, most wines are just above 3,5 in PH which is fairly typical, but the tannins are softer and fewer, as gentle extraction was a key factor for grace this year. If you extracted too much, unripe notes and “scar tissue” aromas from hail and/ or disease damage could be extracted very easily. Alcohol levels are down, many wines are between 12 and 13% alcohol and that is even after many including the greatest growths chaptalized. The body is leaner and sometimes even thin, making the acidity stand out and again the wines get a Burgundian feel to them. Most wines, except for some over extracted attempts, have a lovely nose. Body wise all are on the lean side, some Saint-Emilion’s are rich and big, but most are hollow and lacks real stuffing behind the sweet fruit. Many wines are hollow mid palate but less green than expected. They just lack substance. The aftertaste is short as well in a huge number of cases. 

So the winners are those who managed to make complete wines with balance, fruit and body and aftertaste. And these wines will be charming if not typical in style of Bordeaux. But many manage to retain a sort of house style even so. Many will give short time pleasure over the next five to maybe as much as fifteen years, and the main problem remains price. The prices on the released wines so far are too high. When you can get a 2012 for the same money, it’s a no brainer unless you need a complete series of vintages for your collection. You may even go out and buy a 2008 for less from many properties making buying these wines utter nonsense. The prices will go down; the market will not buy at these levels. It’s too much 2010, 2011 and 2012 available. And even if the production is low, owning a château is no guarantee to make money every year. The sensible owner would write off this vintage as a loss and give his customers a fairly price. That would have been a long term wise decision.  Unfortunately they seem to be more concerned with the price of their neighbour and don’t want to lose face and keep up the appearance, and prices. But they lose face to the market instead, and that should worry them more. 

Whites are a different question. They are crisp, detailed, less tropical and more focused and mineral than normal. There have been many great white vintages lately and they get better and better. For a while a game of overripe Sauvignon Blanc seems to have been a trend, to get rid of all green notes and cats pie aromas. Now it seems the trend is more towards refining the wines. These and Sauternes are the wines I would buy primeur this year. They are some of the most food friendly whites on the planet and seriously undervalued by the market. The production is fairly low and the wines tend to find buyers among those who know. Sauternes are delightfully refreshing and nuanced this year. Very long aftertastes and a purity of fruits that is unusual. Very detailed and nuanced. They may lack a little something to be among the very greatest like the 2001’s, but they are not far behind either. Sauternes have made some of the best wines they’ve ever made in the last decade, and unfortunately people drink far too little of them. They are refreshing and vigorating while young and during their ageing until they change into a drier style with age, changing the fresh fruits to more caramel and dried fruits. But there is absolutely no reason not to enjoy them during this change. My tasting notes will follow over the next days.

08 Vin de Constance

2008 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance
Bright amber. Rich, nutty, raisins, almond flowers and grapey notes nose, intense. Fresh acidity, lively, fruity, fresh, delicate and nuanced, intense, long finish. 93

Awful Bouzeron and boring Gevrey

2010 Domaine Chanzy Bouzeron
Pale lemon yellow. Thin nose, unripe apples. Fresh and thin acidity, thin body, bitter and unbalanced, hardly drinkable. 58

2010 Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey-Chambertin Les crais
Pale ruby. Woody notes covering lazy red fruits. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, bit astringent texture, woody feel to it, gets a little fruitier with decanting but never exciting. 84

3 Laroche 2013 1er Cru's

2013 Laroche Chablis 1er cru Les Vaudevey
Pale lemon yellow. Lemons, apples, minerals and chalky nose. Fresh acidity, lively, fresh, fruity, good length. 89

2013 Laroche Chablis 1er Cru Les Montmains
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, citrus and minerals nose. Fresh acidity, lively, citrus, fresh, elegant and rounded texture, long. 91

2013 Laroche Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaumes Vielles Vignes
Pale lemon yellow. Citrus, minerals, lemons, apples and flinty nose. Fresh acidity, lively, fresh, elegant, somewhat richer, fruity, long. 91

3 lovely 2012's from Patrice Rion

2012 Patrice Rion Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes
Bright ruby. Red berries, floral and nuanced nose, lighter for Chambolle. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, leaner and quite elegant, bit lean finish, long. 90

2012 Patrice Rion Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées
Bright ruby. Scented, layered, nuanced, spicy and red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity and elegant, refreshing, beautiful, long finish. 93

2012 Patrice Rion Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras
Bright ruby. Red berries, scented, slightly of herbal notes on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, fresh, not the most complex, good length. 89

08 and 12 Bonnes Mares from Pierre Naigeon

2012 Pierre Naigeon Bonnes Mares
Bright ruby. Red berries nose, very primary fruity, not too intense. Fresh aciditu, ripe tannins, easy going for Bonnes Mares, lacks concentration, again plain fruity. 88

2008 Pierre Naigeon Bonnes Mares
Bright ruby. Red berries, more nuanced, floral notes nose. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, lacks a bit of substance, fresh, should be more complex, good length. 89

Why you should go out there and buy 2013 Bordeaux Primeur!

Tim Atkin MW and Guy Woodward have just been out on http://m.harpers.co.uk/Article/356219 stating that Primeur in Bordeaux is a “sham” and is no longer a good business to those investing in the wines. I’m not going into that at this stage; I’m just saying that you should buy Bordeaux 2013 Primeur. 

What you should buy, not for investing, but to get them, and to enjoy them, is the very limited quantities made of the dry- and the sweet whites. Both are mostly magnificent in this vintage, and both are, except for some at the very top, still in need of the cash flow the red wines gets so much more easily. The brightness, purity and freshness of the dry 2013’s are thrilling, some of the best even after a string of great vintages. They show a less tropical note and more apples and flinty minerality than any vintage I have tasted so far during primeur, and delicacy that you often pay (much) more for in Burgundy. And you do not find these wines readily after release in many cases. So buy them, drink them and enjoy them. 

The sweet ones from Sauternes and Barsac are also in this delicate and very fresh mold. Detailed, nuanced, refreshing, superb and with playful acidity in perfect harmony with the sweetness. Some of these will be up there with the greatest made from the estate in a very delicate way, and some have truly long aftertaste. Unfortunately for the region, people don’t pop the cork.  People seem to have all kind of strange ideas why not to drink them, even if most absolutely love them when they are in the glass. These wines have never been made better. They are magic while young, they are magic midterm, and they get magic with age. There’s nothing to lose. Yes, you should buy some 2013 Primeur!