2012 Pomerol Bordeaux Wine Tasting Notes in Barrel Ratings

2012 Pomerol are wines to be taken seriously. At their best, 2012 Pomerol wines can be rich, plummy, silky, opulent and fresh. Many chateaux produced very strong wines close to the level of quality found in 1998. Some of the smaller, less heralded properties made the best wine in their history! This is great news for consumers seeking stylish, quality wines at fair prices from Pomerol. While 2012 Pomerol produced the majority of the stars found in the vintage, this is not a year where consumers can purchase blindly as some estates clearly did better than others.

2012 Bonalgaue – Flowers, cocoa and raspberries with medium body and fresh style, the wine ends with a red berry- and herb-dominated finish. 86-88 Pts

2012 Bon Pasteur – Black cherries, truffle, oak and floral notes open to a soft Pomerol with sweet cherries and bitter chocolate in the finish. Close to 30% of the harvest was whole cluster fermented in barrel. 90-92 Pts

2012 Bourgneuf – Light in color with coffee, red berries and earth, the wine is light and dominated by the red fruit side of the style range. 85-87 Pts

2012 Certan de May – Flowers, earth, licorice, oak and cherry liqueur create the complex aromatics. On the palate the wine is plush, polished and round with spicy red berries in the finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 La Clemence – Rich in color with spicy berries, licorice and wood scents open to a lush, silky and polished wine that ends with fat, ripe cherries and liqueur. 89-91 Pts

2012 Clinet – Blending 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, reaching 13.2% alcohol, the wine will be aged in 50% new French oak. From low yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare, the wine opens with licorice, earth, plums and herbal scents, followed by sensuous, fresh and spicy fennel, black raspberry and cherry. Lighter in style than 2008, 2009 and 2010, the wine ends with layers of sweet kirsch, cocoa and plum notes. 91-93 Pts

2012 Le Clos de Beau Pere – Oak, truffle, earth and plums lead to a tart plum finish. 84-87 Pts

2012 Clos du Clocher – Coffee bean and a mélange of fresh juicy plums open to a sweet mouthful of fresh black raspberries, while cocoa, spice and cherry liqueur add up to a delicious, well-priced Pomerol. 91-93 Pts

2012 Clos L’Eglise – Concentrated, dense, fleshy, rich, fat and flashy, this sexy Pomerol is packed with oak, ripe, riper and overripe plums, cherries and chocolate. Lush in texture, this is a decadent style of Pomerol. 92-95 Pts

2012 Clos Rene – This medium-bodied wine is filled with black cherries and cocoa raspberry with soft, easy-to-like textures and an oaky finish. 87-89 Pts

2012 La Conseillante – For the 2012 vintage, Michel Rolland was involved in the blending. In subsequent vintages, Rolland will work closer with Jean Michel Laporte in the vineyards as well as in the cellars. 2012 set a record for the highest percentage of Merlot used in the blend at La Conseillante, taking up 89% of the blend, 11% Cabernet Franc was also included. The wine reached 14.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.67. The wine will be aged in 70% new French oak. Truffles, earth, wood, floral and black raspberry notes open the wine, but the fireworks start when the wine hits the palate. There is depth, purity of fruit, sweetness and silky, sexy tannins with a long, velvety-textured, fresh, spicy and black cherry-filled finish. 94-96 Pts

2012 La Conseillante Duo – With earth, spice and black raspberries, this medium-bodied wine is open and forward. 85-87 Pts

2012 Cornaline – The debut vintage of this new Pomerol estate was produced from 100% Merlot, whole berry fermented fruit in barrel. The vineyard is a small 5 hectare parcel on clay terroir, located in front of Chateau Clinet. Coffee, licorice, truffle and black cherry notes create the perfume. The wine is plush, opulent and silky, with a lot of oak in the chocolate, plummy finish. 89-91 Pts

2012 La Croix du Casse – Blending 93% Merlot with 7% Cabernet Franc produced a light, ruby-colored Pomerol with raspberry and earthy notes that ends with a dusty, tart cherry finish. 84-87 Pts

2012 La Croix St. Georges  – 94.5% Merlot blended with 5.5% Cabernet Franc produced a wine with espresso, jammy plums and earth. On the palate, the wine is soft, round and fat, ending in a fleshy, plum and oak-filled finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Domaine de l’Eglise – 89% Merlot with 11% Cabernet Franc created a wine with a spicy black raspberry personality and drying tannins. 86-88 Pts

2012 L’Eglise Clinet – One of the deepest colored wines from Pomerol in this vintage, the wine screams with oak, truffle, floral, plums, smoke and charcoal. Full-bodied, rich and packed with licorice, fresh black cherry, plum and dark chocolate, the wine is pure, sweet, concentrated, polished and rich. The silky, polished textures lead to a long, opulent, sexy, rich finish. According to Denis Durantou, part of the success of the 2012 vintage was the willingness to wait to pick the old vine Cabernet Franc and Merlot on a parcel-by-parcel basis. 95-98 Pts

2012 Petite Eglise – Fleshy black and red cherries with licorice and spice. 88-90 Pts

2012 L’Enclos – This vintage shows an increase in the use of micro vinification with 45% of the harvest undergoing the whole berry fermentation technique. Truffle, incense, floral and black plum notes open to an oaky, plum-filled finish. 89-91 Pts

2012 L’Evangile The Merlot was picked from September 20 through October 9. The Cabernet Franc was harvested over 2 days, October 6 and October 8. From a blend of 93% Merlot with 7% Cabernet Franc, this is one of the highest percentages of Merlot in the estate’s history. However, this was not due to the lack of ripeness in the Cabernet Franc. Much of the Cabernet Franc was replanted starting in 2006. It is expected that the estate will be using closer to 20% Cabernet Franc in the blend starting in 2020. The wine reached 14.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. Yields were low at 31 hectoliters per hectare. Deep ruby in color, the wine exudes truffle, chocolate, plum liqueur, tobacco, smoke, roses and cherries. On the palate, the wine is pure silk and velvet in texture with volume, depth and length. Picture chocolate-covered cherries that you can eat, or drink, your choice. 94-96 Pts

2012  Fayat – Flowers, cherries and cocoa scents open to a medium-bodied Pomerol with ample soft textures and sweet red cherries in the finish. 88-90 Pts

2012 Feytit Clinet – Chocolate-covered cherries, spice and truffle with kirsch liqueur, fresh black raspberries, supple, sensuous textures and generous amounts of ripe, jammy berries make this wine a hit. This the best value in Pomerol today. 91-93 Pts

2012 La Fleur Petrus Truffle, tobacco, dark red berries and even darker chocolate scents with silky, polished textures and a refined, elegant cocoa and cherry finish that gains in the mouth. 93-95 Pts

2012 Le Gay – For the 2012 vintage, the wine of Chateau Le Gay was produced using the same methods as they employ at La Violette. 90% of the fruit was vinified in barrel. From a blend that is the same as the plantings at 90% Merlot at 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol. Deep ruby in color, the wine offers licorice, oak, earth, jammy black raspberry, chocolate and floral notes. On the palate, the wine is rich, round, supple and lush. Each sip is packed with ripe and overripe black cherries, licorice and dark chocolate. The tannins are ripe while the finish expands, moving from cherry to black raspberry and spice. Sadly, Catherine Pere Verge, the grand woman of Pomerol passed away the day before she was going to present her wines at a dinner for friends and members of the press. She will be missed. 93-95 Pts

2012 Manoir de Gay was produced from 100% Merlot, producing a black raspberry-dominated wine with a medium body, soft textures and a forward personality. 87-89 Pts

2012 Gazin – Deep ruby in color, black cherry liqueur and cocoa notes open to a rich, supple, round and fresh black cherry-filled wine with hints of chocolate in the finish. 90-93 Pts

2012 La Grave a Pomerol – Light earth, licorice and fresh red berries can be discerned in the nose. Medium-bodied with a light and sweet cherry-dominated finish. 86-88 Pts

2012 Hosanna – Good concentration of flavor with ripe black cherries, truffle and earth, the wine is sweet, long, fresh and sensuous with a long, complex finish. 93-95 Pts

2012 La Fleur de Gay – The medium-bodied wine is filled with jammy black raspberries, soft, silky textures and a round, dark chocolate- and cherry-filled finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Lafleur – From 54% Cabernet Franc, picked October 6, and 46% Merlot, harvested September 23, the wine is deeply colored. Earth, mint, spice box, fennel and plum notes create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium/full-bodied with luscious black raspberries, plum liqueur, spice and fresh thyme, ending in a long, fresh and opulent finish. 94-96 Pts

2012 Pensees de Lafleur – Produced from 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc, the wine is filled with sweet, ripe, soft and round black raspberries, cherries, spice and herbs. 88-90 Pts

2012 Lafleur-Gazin  – With cherry blossom and earthy notes, this medium-bodied wine is simple, soft, sweet and sour with dark cherry and hints of cocoa found in the finish. 86-88 Pts

2012 Latour A’ Pomerol – Floral, earth and fresh black raspberry scents open to a polished, soft and silky wine with an earthy, sweet, chocolate-covered cherry personality. This is a very high quality Pomerol that is available for a fair price, It’s well worth looking into. 92-94 Pts

2012 Montviel – From a 4 hectare parcel, the wine was produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The wine reached 13.5% alcohol and will be aged in 30% new French oak barrels. Earthy cherries, licorice and truffle scents open to a lighter, charming, early-drinking style of Pomerol. 87-90 Pts

2012 Le Moulin – With a floral, black raspberry, jammy, cocoa and coffee-scented nose, the wine is rich, fleshy, ripe and sweet. 89- 91 Pts

2012 Nenin – Blending 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc, the reached 14.62% alcohol and a pH of 3.42. The wine will be aged in 25% new French oak. Fresh flowers, cherries, vanilla bean, cocoa powder and truffle notes lead to a sweet and round black cherry-dominated wine with supple textures and freshness. 90-92 Pts

2012 Fugue de Nenin – Chocolate, cocoa and black raspberry jam notes with just a hint of oak open to a light plummy wine in an open style. 84-86 Pts

2012 Petit Village – Blending 80% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine will be aged in 80% new French oak, reaching 13.8% alcohol. Whole berry fermented, the wine opens with licorice, black cherry liqueur, coffee, cocoa and earthy notes, offering silky textures, soft tannins and a sweet, ripe, red and black cherry finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Petrus – 2012 marks the debut of the new cellars at Petrus with its 12 new cement vats. From yields of just 30 hectoliters per hectare, intense floral aromas with truffle, dark chocolate, licorice, spice, black cherries, blackberry and plum alcohol. The wine is sweet, supple, concentrated and long with a beautiful sense of purity of fruit in the long finish. On the palate, the wine moves from kirsch liqueur to black plums. This vintage of Petrus focuses on purity of fruit with elegant, supple and opulent textures. The property began harvesting September 24, finishing October 8. 96-98 Pts

2012 Le Pin – Very floral in character with licorice and black raspberries, silky textures and fresh, ripe berries, this velvety wine is expressive, but lacks the length found in the top vintages. 94-96 Pts

2012 Plince – Medium-bodied with a dusty texture to the tannins, this wine finishes with light red berries and cocoa powder. 85-87 Pts

2012 La Pointe – La Pointe is on a roll after their successful 2010. This new vintage is deep in color with coffee bean, licorice and ripe, juicy plums. On the palate, the wine is filled with lush, sexy black raspberries, chocolate and a hint of coffee bean to complicate matters. 91-93 Pts

2012 Providence – With spicy black raspberries, vanilla and earthy notes, there is a nice concentration of fruit and freshness, but this vintage lacks personality. 90-91 Pts

2012 Rouget – Licorice, black cherry liqueur, polished and supple tannins, round textures and a plush, spicy and minty liqueur finish are found in this wine. 90-92 Pts

2012 Sacre Coeur – This 100% Merlot wine is filled with jammy dark berries, oak and dark chocolate. 88-90 Pts

2012 Trotanoy – Flowers, fresh herbs, truffles and an assortment of red berries characterize this deep, silky, polished and long wine that finishes with a long, sweet, silk-filled red berry and chocolate finish. 94-96 Pts

2012 Vieux Chateau Certan Alexandre Thienpont described 2011 as a year for lean cats. That is not the case with the 2012. Harvested from October 11 through October 12, with yields of just 33 hectoliters per hectare, the wine reached 13% alcohol. Blending 87% Merlot with 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine pops with truffle, coconut, flowers, wild strawberry and cherry. Silky in texture, medium-bodied and fresh, 2012 Vieux Chateau Certan is a wine of finesse and refinement. According to Alexandre Thienpont, some vintages of Vieux Chateau Certan favor Cabernet Franc, while other years are better for Merlot. 2012 is a Merlot vintage. The wine is refined, fresh, pure and elegant in style. It’s a vintage that focuses on the aromatics and purity of the fruit. It does not display the power of 2009 or 2010, instead it focuses on the refined, perfumed qualities of Vieux Chateau Certan. 93-94 Pts

2012 La Violette – From a tiny 1.6 hectare parcel of wine, this 100%, old vine cuvee is sadly the last vintage produced by Cathernie Pere Verge, who passed away the night before the official Bordeaux En Primeur tastings began. Aged in 100% new French oak, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol and will be vinified and aged in 100% new French oak. Intense aromas of dark chocolate, truffle, wet earth, black cherry liqueur and floral notes. On the palate, the concentrated wine is round, lush, dense and pure hedonistic pleasure, with a long finish filled with deep and dark plums, black cherry and black raspberry. This is a decadent style of Pomerol in the tradition of 2009 and 2010. 94-96 Pts

2012 Vray Croix de Gay – Rich aromas of chocolate-covered blackberries and flowers, silky tannins and a supple, ripe, fruit-filled finish make this the best vintage of Vray Crox de Croix produced yet! 91-93 Pts

2012 Lalande de Pomerol

2012 Chambrun – Medium bodied with fresh cherries, licorice and spice, the wine is soft, forward and should offer pleasure on release. 88-90 Pts

2012 La Chenade Lalande de Pomerol – Blending 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine is packed with fresh black cherries. 86-88 Pts

2012 Les Cruzelles – Aged in 50% new French oak, the wine is blended from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Fresh black cherry, cocoa, earth and coffee notes work well with the center of cherry and black raspberries. 87-89 Pts

2012 La Graviere – From a small 2 hectare parcel in Lalande de Pomerol, the 100% Merlot wine comes from old vines that are close to 40 years of age. Medium-bodied, kirsch and licorice aromas open to a sensation of sweet, ripe, polished and fresh cherries. 86-88 Pts

2012 Jean de Gue – Light in color with spicy red berries in a forward, soft and open profile. 84-86 Pts

2012 La Fleur de Bouard – Smoky black cherries, milk chocolate and earthy notes open to a medium-bodied, soft, black raspberry-filled wine. This is a very nice wine for the vintage. I wish the finish was a bit longer. 89-91 Pts

2012 La Fleur de Bouard Le Plus – Produced using 100% Merlot from the oldest vines in their vineyards, the vines are situated in a single 4 hectare bock. The small 250 case-production is aged in 100% new oak for 33 months. 2012 marks the debut vintage for the new cellars. Plush and sexy black raspberries, plums, cocoa, earth and spice create the aromas. On the palate, the wine is packed with sweet and fresh black cherries, raspberries and dark chocolate. 92-94 Pts