BORDEAUX 1994
VINTAGE ASSESSMENT AND TASTING NOTES
Tasted by William Gardener and Allan Wood over a period of five days commencing Monday March 27th
For a second consecutive year, the months of July and August teased the "vignerons de la Gironde", as they tentatively walked their vineyards, arms held behind the back very quietly humming "La Marseillaise". The vines, speckled with very promising, adolescent fruit, set a very encouraging scene.
1994 vineyard progression had proved remarkable in many ways; a very mild winter, one of the earliest buddings on record, high average temperatures, early flowering. It was July that "made" the vintage - for the 1993's it had been August. Somehow in 1994 everything happened a month earlier than for the 93's. On August 17th the Institute of Oenology in Bordeaux analysed the grapes as similar in constitution to 82 and 90, with an average grape size 10%-15% higher, due to the smaller yields caused by early frost damage.
September approached amongst hesitant optimism. "Would this excellent crop be more in the style of 1982 or 1970". When the rain came on September 7th, this premature analogy soon became a distant echo.
GENERIC VINTAGE ASSESSMENT
The first broad statement one can make about the 1994 Bordeaux Vintage is that it is the best since 1990. However, as with most generic terms there are exceptions to the rule. In 1994 there exists considerable differential between the high and low notes. The key to success lay in the maturity of the fruit before the onset of persistent rain. Immediately one's attention is drawn to the merlot based wines of the right bank, a sub-conscious reaction which will be handsomely rewarded. The merlot fruit already fully ripe by the beginning of the second week of September shows seductive depth and concentration, balanced with ripe tannins. The Cabernet Franc also excelled,maturing at the same time as the Merlot, offering Low yielding elegant backbone to the wines of Saint Emilion and Pomerol.
The Cabernet fruit traditionally maturing later than the merlot often shows, this year, a certain green character due to tannins failing to reach their optimum. However, as ever the "terroir", inimitable in its categorising influence of the Bordeaux Crus Classes, separates the gifted Chateaux from the majority. In the Medoc the finest vineyard plots are situated adjacent to the Gironde river in well drained, poor top-soil encouraging the vine roots to dig deep into the sub-soil for nutrients and water. The vines on these premium sights have offered high quality more advanced fruit harvest time. Chateau Lafite, which made a wine from 99.5% Cabernet , is an interesting example.
The Wines
Index
* - Fair
** - Quite Good
*** - Good
**** - Excellent
***** - Outstanding
Cru Bourgeois
Chateau La Tour de By Medoc - Full plum colour, attractive fruity nose but ferme'. Good balance of all components. reasonable potential. Quality: *(*) Value : ***
Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc - Good colour to the edge. Very agreeable nose, quite full. Good weight and extract. Well balanced. Good for the appellation. Quality: ** Value: ***
Chateau Malescasse Haut Medoc - Fabulous colour, very deep. Very lively nose full of fruit, very open. Ample fruit but quite tannic. Concentrated. A wine to watch. Quality: ** Value: ***
Chateau La Tour Carnet Haut Medoc - Excellent vibrant colour, very jammy nose. Good concentration slight mint, very good weight, silky, "gras". Excellent structure. Generous. Fine for appellation. This will be a very good buy. Quality: **(*) Value: ****
Chateau Maucaillou Moulis - Solid colour, impressive fruit on the nose. Quite concentrated, good weight quite seductive. Very promising structure giving balance. Oaky finish good wine. Quality: **(*) Value: ***
Chateau Poujeaux Moulis - Excellent colour, nose ajar trying to release an abundance of concentration. very good palate weight, silky and seductive. Superb balancing structure. Excellent length very fine for its class. Quality: *** Value: ****
Region de Saint Estephe
Chateau La Dame Montrose - Tasted in the presence of Monsieur Bruno Lemoine the wine maker. He says his wines this year are easily the best since 1990 :- Very good colour, lots of alcohol on the glass, full pungent blackcurrent nose, good weight, acidity and tannins, long finish. Excellent quality level for a second wine. Quality: **(*) Value: ***
Montrose 2nd Cru Classe - Excellent intense colour, extra richness on nose than above, all components well integrated, tannins numerous but soft and ripe. Lovely weight and style, round and silky finish. Very good wine for the vintage. Monsieur Lemoine is attempting to make less traditionally Rustic Saint Estephe. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Haut Marbuzet Grand Vin - 100 % new Oak, 50% merlot, good colour slightly paler rim than above, very attractive nose, full body, very supple and drinkable now. Very good wine for its classification. Interesting use of oak barrels from different regions and suppliers, cleverly masking tannins. Quality: **(*) Value ***
Cos D'Estournel 2nd Cru - 55% Merlot 25% Cabernet. Excellent colour, very fruity nose with a touch of vanilla. Excellent palate weight ripe fruit well balanced a touch green. Very good concentration, round, nice toasty finish. Difficult to pick between this and Montrose. Quality: *** Value *** Region de Pauillac
Lynch Bages 5th Cru - Fine bright depth of colour. Nose closed with underlying fruit, good palate weight. Fine depth. Very good structure and considerable counter-balancing fruit. Promising length. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Pichon Baron Longueville 2nd Cru - Very attractive colour, good legs, a little more obvious concentration on the nose. Good weight and structure, more length and staying power on the palate. Fine quality. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Pichon Lalande 2nd Cru - 45% Merlot 53% Cabernet Sauvignon 2% Petit Verdot. Very deep Colour, very full open nose rich and aromatic, good fruit, excellent weight, some spice, lovely soft merlot tannins. Good length. Elegant wine, generous, well balanced. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Latour Premier Cru - 30% Merlot 70% Cabernet Sauvignon .Very deep colour, ferme'. Incredible, expansive weight. Chunky. Excellent body and structure. Very powerful, intense finish, lingering and positive. Tannins soft and unastringent. This is different almost ambiguous. Some wine! Quality: **** Value: ***
Chateau D'Armailhac 5th Cru - 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 20 % Cabernet Franc 20 % Merlot. Very attractive full plum colour, bright, rich oaky nose, Incredibly evolved, rich fruit flavours. good wine. But why so evolved? Good weight excellent value. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Clerc Milon 5th Cru -Deeper colour than above. Excellent weight again, tannic, good ingredients, well structured. considerable blackcurrant fruit, concentrated. Vanilla on finish. Impressive wine! This chateau continues to improve, well worth buying. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Mouton Rothschild Premier Cru - Very impressive colour. Opaque. Nose Ferme'. Glossy, complex good weight. Opening out nicely in the glass, very elegant with great finesse. Very evolved at this stage. Aristocratic. Quality: **** Value: ***
Chateau Lafite Rothschild Premier Cru - 99.5% Cabernet Sauvignon 0.5% Petit Verdot. Very deep colour, full blown exotic nose of red fruits and cassis. Excellent weight with a silky texture. Ripe tannins , good acidity, well balanced. excellent structure. very prolonged licorice finish. Quality: **** Value: ***
Region de St. Julien
Chateau Leoville Barton 2nd Cru - Exceptional colour. Deep closed concentrated nose, cassis and cream, very considerable quality of fruit. Very powerful, highly extracted a touch green. Quality: *** Value: ***
Region de Margaux
Chateau Monbrison - Medium to Good colour, rich exotic fruit nose, concentrated raisins. Good body very well made. Well balanced. Not a big wine but stylish. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Dauzac - Exceptional ripeness on the nose. Superbly rich, this has the nose of a 1990. Very stylish, round, concentrated and silky depth. Good positive long finish with some vanilla. A real surprise. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Lascombes - 45% Merlot 55% cabernet Sauvignon. Ample full plum Colour. Beautifully rich blackcurrent nose. Impressively open. Seductive. Opulent fruit on the palate good merlot "gras" with solid Cabernet backbone. More supple than most wines of 1994. Has length, commendable wine this year. On course to continue the renaissance at Lascombes. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Rausan Segla 2nd Cru - Brilliant, Deep Plum colour, the deepest of the appellation. Powerful and rustic. A big brawny, earthy nose, powerful and rustic. Fine muscular weight. Very obvious tannins, good acidity, lots of concentration a big wine. Atypically Margaux. A must for those with a quest for sheer size. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Palmer 3rd Cru - Awesome colour. Very impressive nose. This has more concentration. Very persistent, concentrated coffee and cassis. Sophisticated palate. More dimension here. Pedigree. Very long. Possibly the best of the appellation. Quality: ***(*) Value: ***
Chateau Margaux Premier Cru - Medium deep attractive colour, majestic nose, full rich and opulent. Silky entrance, good concentration, incredibly complex on the palate, round and harmonious, ripe tannins. Very, very long, spicy, cedery. Great finesse. Quality: **** Value ***
Region de Graves Pessac Leognan
Domaine de Chevalier Grand Vin - Nice full attractive colour. Deep seductive nose, very rich palate flavours, nice use of oak. Fat, rich good balance. Very good wine. This is one of the most consistent chateau. Quality: *** Value ***
La Mission Haut Brion Grand Vin - 40% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc 30 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Very rich powerful, spicy, peppery nose. Palate has size and concentration. Extra dimension. Well integrated. Very good wine. Quality: ***(*) Value: ***
Chateau Haut Brion Premier Cru 40 % Merlot 55% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Cabernet Franc. Excellent colour, very impressive outspoken nose, cassis, spicey and minty aromas. Fantstic supple palate, tremendous weight. Tantalising the taste buds with complexity. Awesome length, elegance and finesse. Possibly the wine if the left bank. Quality: ****(*) Value: ****
Region de Saint Emilion
Troplong Mondot Grand Cru Classe - Excellent colour, Full palate, extra powerful with good dimensions of fruit. Very well structured with ample acidity and plenty of tannin, the fruit is dominant. Very good again in 1994. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Franc Mayne Grand Cru Classe - Full colour, Intense nose, this has weight of fruit and body. Full and round with good structure. Long on the finish. This has surprised and impressed. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Grand Mayne Grand Cru Classe - Very good colour for a St. Emilion, black to the edge. This has more concentration than the former. Excellent palate weight and texture, with gobs of fruit. Supple with excellent balance. The structure is solid but buried beneath the undulating fruit concentration. This is a must for 1994 Quality: **** Value: *****
Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classe - Exceptional colour, Very encouraging, full nose. Good holding weight, some complexity and concentration. Rich ripe tannins, good acidity and length. True to recent form. A wine to follow. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Figeac 1er Grand Cru Classe - Good full colour, rich fruit aroma's, good pronounced fruit on the palate, complex and well balanced. A good wine at figeac this year. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Ausone 1er Grand Cru Classe - Tasted in the dark dank cellar in the presence of Monsieur Alain Vautier. Very noble colour, full rich cassis and red fruit nose. Tremendous weight and power. Persistent Coffee and vanilla on finish. Concentration. Quality: **** Value: **(*)
Chateau Canon 1er Grand Cru Classe - Very impressive colour full to the edge, fine opulent red fruit nose, very stylish. Good weight and acidity, slight vanilla on finish. elegant and well balanced. Long. Good wine. Quality: *** Value: ***
Chateau Cheval Blanc 1er Grand Cru Classe - Majestic colour right to the edge. Nose ajar teasing an unlocked potential. Very concentrated. excellent depth, ripe tannins, good acidity. This wine has huge potential, so finely balanced. Excellent. Region de Pomerol. Quality: ****(*) Value: ****
Chateau L'Evangile - Very intense colour, almost noir fading only at the very edge. Firm, monstrous nose, fort, ferme', very harmonious, very concentrated. Full heady weight on the palate. The balance is outstanding. Quality: **** Value: ****
Vieux Chateau certan - Our visit pre-empted the assemblage, an opportunity to taste Merlot pure and cabernet Franc pure. Both showed impeccable balance and quality. The blend of 60 % merlot 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon showed beautiful colour, closed nose, but fine, deep and mysterious. Very good weight and concentration. More obvious backbone than L'Evangile. Spot on equilibre. Quality: **** Value: ****
Chateau Gazin - Outstanding colour, nose a little closed but complex , a little earthy, very macho, very positive strength and weight, full and round on the palate, good balance even though the tannins are considerable. Certainly one of the better wines of the vintage. Quality: ***(*) Value: ****
Chateau La Croix du Casse - The lovechild of Monsieur Arcaute who has transformed Chateau Clinet to one of the top few Pomerols in less than a decade. Casse is now receiving he the same treatment as Clinet and the improvement of late is now obvious. Very full deep colour, nose closed but attractive, rich concentrated fruit, ripe tannins. Has length. Good rapport, a wine to buy in 1994. Quality: *** Value: ****
Chateau Clinet - Very good colour, inky. Concentrated full rich cassis nose. Complex palate. Intensity of fruit with structure. This is rounder, more seductive and flattering than the genre in 1994. Monsieur Emanuel .Martin explains that malolactic fermentation in the barrel as opposed to the stainless steel tanks softens the tannins and integrates the components. Undoubtedly top flight this year. Quality: ****(*) Value: *****
