A lot of tasting, opinions getting formed…
6.30am breakfast and the “wheels roll” at 7am! However many times you do it there is just something odd (wrong?) about leaving for a wine tasting in the dark!
To lighten the spirits DJ Seddon put Bob Marley on the playlist and away we went, heading north to Branaire-Ducru and then Leoville Barton both of which were on form. St.Julien is probably the most consistent left bank commune at En Primeur time, to my palate at least. We then stayed in this commune and went to the UGC at Chateau Talbot. Getting to a big tasting early is always a good thing, the wines are cool and the room – and it is quite a room at Talbot – is pretty quiet.
The welcome was very warm and as we posed for a team picture by a lovely old car we were told how the owners wife had recently taken his first daughter to the church for her marriage in the very same way that his wife had arrived! Wine is always better when there is a story.
Chateau Kirwan was next on the list and this was for the Margaux (commune) UGC, Kirwan clearly took this seriously as there was almost a parking attendant for each vehicle! It was good to get the whole commune tasted as there had been some names we had not managed until then. We bumped into Neal Martin who was on his last day of tasting after two and a half weeks, he was looking forward to “beans on toast”…
We then headed back to more central Bordeaux, en route to the afternoons tasting, for a stop at a restaurant we always visit. Café de L’Esperance has become synonymous with the veal chop and chips that we love, it didn’t disappoint. Mr Muller showed of his horticultural prowess by naming all the flowers between the car park and the restaurant…who knew?
The afternoon tasting, referred to above, was at one of the big negociants. A great opportunity to fill gaps, to re-taste, and to compare certain wines. It is rare that a wine doesn’t show best at the Chateau but unless you spent the whole spring in the region you can’t visit everyone. This company prepare good samples and run a great session. One new phrase was born, a wine was described as “polished” by one of the team and Mr Muller said “yes it has certainly has a visit from Mr Sheen”…these things tend to stick.
One last tasting, but an important one, we headed up the medoc again to the ever impeccable Chateau Margaux. They are fast becoming the kings of the “selection” process, only 26% of the production going into the first wine itself.
A swift “demi” was then consumed as we wished Sara and Joe safe travels home. Back at the hotel an early night was the universal choice…unsurprisingly the following morning was to be another early one…
Scores
Wines tasted so far: 210
Wines drunk: 18
Topics of discussion at dinner: Travel and a little politics.
After dinner round: Rum for Mr Marus (he was out!)