2011 Bordeaux Wine: Detailed report, Barrel tasting notes added

[Jeff Leve]

For detailed coverage with interviews from numerous chateaux on the weather and harvest conditions shaping the 2011 Bordeaux vintage: 2011 Bordeaux Harvest Reports, News, Interviews and Photographs

2011 Belgrave – Produced from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Spice, cedar, cranberry and cassis scents, soft and approachable, this medium bodied, tannic wine ends with bright, crème de cassis. 86-88 Pts

2011 Belle-Vue – From an assemblage of 46 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and one of the larger percentages of Petit Verdot at 23%, the wine reached 13% alcohol and will be aged in 40% new oak. Cassis and licorice, medium bodied and a soft, red berry finish. 87-89 Pts

2011 Cambon la Pelouse – Blending 55% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. The wine is aged in 40% new oak. Earth, herbs, caramel and black cherry, medium body and cassis with cranberry are found in this wine. 87-89 Pts

2011 Cantemerle – Blending 47% Cabernet Sauvignon. 43% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine will be aged in 50% new oak. Earthy, cherry notes, medium bodied with a light, red berry finish. 88-89 Pts

2011 Charmail – From 50% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, tobacco, earth and cassis scents and a soft, sweet cherry finish are found in this well-priced Bordeaux value wine. 88-90 Pts

2011 Clos Manu - From an assemblage of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, this estate owns a lot of old vines. On average they are close to 40 years of age. But 2% of the vines are pre-phylloxera! The wine reached 14.2% alcohol. Herbs, earth, cassis, medium body and a simple red berry finish. 87-88 Pts

2011 de Gironville – From a blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13% alcohol. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in 20% new oak, licorice and cherry, medium body and a dry cherry finish. 86-88 Pts

2011 Goulee comes from a blend similar to Pagodes des Cos with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The wine is produced by the same team that makes Chateau Cos d’Estournel. Deep ruby in color, the wine is filled with spicy black raspberry, cinnamon and earthy scents. In the mouth, fresh cassis with hints of licorice. 88-90 Pts

2011 Les Grands Chenes – Fleshy, fun and easy to like, with coffee, black cherry and round textures. 87-89 Pts

2011 Lanessan – From 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the wine will be aged in 33% new oak. Lightly colored, medium bodied, ends with fresh, cranberry flavors. 86-88 Pts

2011 Potensac From a blend of 52% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc, the wine will be aged in 30% new oak. Reaching 13.5% alcohol, this brawny, powerful wine is packed with cassis. Structured and built to age, it will need time before it’s fun to drink. 88-89 Pts

2011 Poujeaux – Deep in color, with spice, cassis, blackberry, flowers and truffle in the nose. With good concentration of flavor and ripe tannins, this remains one of the top values in quality Bordeaux wine with
character. 90-92 Pts

2011 Reysson – With one of the highest concentrations of Merlot in the Haut Medoc appellation, the wine is an assemblage of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. From limestone and clay terroir the estate likens to St. Emilion, licorice, black cherry and earth aromas, medium body and a fresh, bright cherry personality are found in this wine. 86-88 Pts

2011 La Tour Carnet – Oak, truffle, black cherry and coffee scents, plush fat textures and a sweet, ripe, oaky, black cherry finish is found in this wine. This will be fun to drink young. 90-91 Pts

[Jeff Leve]

To read comments on the 2011 Bordeaux harvest and growing season at Chateau Leoville Barton: 2011 Bordeaux Harvest Leoville Barton, Problems Exaggerated

2011 Leoville Barton – 2011 Leoville Barton – From an assemblage of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine will be aged in 80% new oak. The wine reached 12.5% alcohol. According to Anthony Barton, with a little more rain, the wines could have been as good as 2009 or 2010. Barton agrees prices must come down for the 2011 Bordeaux vintage to sell. In his view, even 2010 Bordeaux was too expensive. Regarding 2011 Leoville Barton, Anthony feels it’s a vintage to drink young while waiting for the 2010 and 2009 to develop. Deep color with lead pencil, earth, flint, cassis and truffle scents in the nose. Tannic, fresh, bright, crisp cassis is found in the finish. 91-93 Pts

2011 Langoa Barton – Produced from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine will be aged in 60% new oak. Earth, cassis and cranberry notes, medium bodied with fresh, bright, soft cassis and a classic personality. 88-90 Pts

[Jeff Leve]

For a detailed look at the growing 2011 growring season and harvest at Leoville Poyferre in St. Julien: 2011 Bordeaux Harvest Leoville Poyferre, Winemakers Vintage



2011 Leoville Poyferre From an assemblage of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and an equal amount of Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.7% alcohol. The Grand Vin represents 55% of the harvest. With good color, the wine opens with coffee, earth, black raspberry and cassis. Medium-bodied, tannic, bright and fresh, there is a brawny personality in the crisp boysenberry, cassis and tannic finish. 2011 Leoville Poyferre will not be fun to drink young. It will require a lot of time before it softens and comes around. 91-93 Pts

What did you need to do to produce a good 2011 Bordeaux wine at Leoville Poyferre?

Didier Cuvelier “Strong vineyard management was the key to success. The wines are made in the vineyards”.

Jeff Leve Specifically, what did you do that was different in this difficult vintage?

Didier Cuvelier “We continued our practice of no green harvesting. Part of what the difference for this year was that we deleafed two times”.

Jeff Leve Why did you deleaf twice?

Didier Cuvelier “We needed to avoid rot. We deleafed once in July and again just before the harvest.”

Jeff Leve Did you use optical sorting at Leoville Poyferre?

Didier Cuvelier “ The use of optical sorting was a huge help in this vintage to Leoville Poyferre. It really helped with the the difficulty in sorting the berries that were arriving in multiple stages of maturity”.

Jeff Leve For your own taste, what other vintage does the 2011 Leoville Poyferre remind you of?

Didier Cuvelier “I think it is like a better version of 2008”.

[Jeff Leve]

2011 Leoville Las Cases –From 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.4% alcohol and will be aged in 80% new oak. The pH is 3.63. Inky in color, this is one of the darkest, most concentrated wines of the vintage. Espresso bean, black cherry, truffle, gravel, cedar wood, tobacco and cassis are found in the perfume. Powerful and rich with ample tannins, acidity and structure, this classic wine ends with a long, fresh cassis and ripe blackberry finish. Like all the best vintages of Leoville Las Cases, this needs a lot of time in the cellar before consumption. 93-95 Pts





2011 Clos du Marquis was produced from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. From low yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare, the wine reached 13.6% alcohol and will be aged in 40% new oak. Ruby in color, black raspberry, floral, coffee bean and dark cherry scents are found on the nose. Sweet, ripe, fresh, juicy cassis rounds out the finish. This is quite charming. 90-91 Pts

2011 Le Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases – The official second wine of Chateau Leoville, Las Cases was produced from a blend of 54% Merlot, 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and a tiny dab of Cabernet Franc. Reaching 13.6% alcohol, the wine will be aged in 22% new oak. Ruby in color, with scents of gravel, earth, spice and tobacco, the medium-bodied wine is fresh, clean and filled with spicy crème de cassis. 88-90 Pts