2013 Pomerol Wines Tasting Notes Ratings Comments

2013 Pomerol is one of the bright spots in this challenging Bordeaux vintage. However, nature did not help much with the 2013 Pomerol growing season. From start to finish, to produce 2013 Pomerol, growers had to contend with poor flowering, long periods of non-stop rain, a lack of sun, uneven ripening of their grapes and an incredible amount of sorting in the vineyards and in their cellars. Yields were so small that Le Pin ended up with only 3 barrels of wine! The problem was even worse at Hosanna where no wine was produced this year. After malolactic fermentation, discussions took place at Vieux Chateau Certan to possibly place the entire harvest into La Gravette, their second wine. Finally in February, Alexandre Thienpont decided to produce the 2013 Vieux Chateau Certan.

At the end of the day, even with tiny yields and the lowest level of alcohol seen in years, (Which should please some people more than others) the producers that were not afraid of stringent sorting’s, that were willing to exert an easy touch during te vinification ended up producing some of the best wines not only in the Right Bank but of the entire vintage with their 2013 Pomerol wines.

Clearly, 2013 Pomerol is a year for vineyard managers and winemakers that were up the Herculean challenge the vintage offered. You have to go back to 1991 and 1992 to find a vintage of Pomerol at this level. However, do not be mistaken about the comparison with 1991 and 1992. 2013 Pomerol is a much better vintage. It does not compete with the top years, but some nice wines were produced. For a summary and overview of the 2013 Bordeaux Campaign so far… 2013 Bordeaux Vintage and Futures Campaign Summary

Wines are more than tasting notes, ratings and price. Which is not to say that price does not matter, because it does. I always consider the price before buying a wine. But style does count. 2013 Pomerol wines are perhaps well suited for consumers that felt 2009 and 2010 were over the top with their, ripe dark fruits, intense levels of concentration and alcohol levels. 2013 Pomerol are on the bright side. They are focused on red fruits, for most of the wines, they are medium bodied and offer the lowest levels of alcohol in recent memory. They are not wines that need to be bought as futures. But on release, if this is your style of wine, 2013 Pomerol could be worth taking a look at.

2013 Beauregard – With bright, spicy, sweet and tart notes, this wine is light and filled with red cherry character—perfect for drinking within its first few years. 83-85 Pts

2013 Bel-Air Pomerol – Light, polite and a bit tart with its red berries and light, dry finish. 82-84 Pts

2013 Bonalgue – Cherry and herbal in nature, this light wine will offer its simple cherry profile on release. 84-86 Pts

2013 Bon Pasteur – With licorice and smoky black cherry notes, this medium-bodied wine has a hint of stem and cherries in the finish. 88-90 Pts

2013 Bourgneuf – Light ruby in color with bright, light strawberry character, this will drink well on release. 85-87 Pts

2013 La Cabanne – Pale in color with forward style, but without much complexity or volume, the wine ends with an open cherry finish. 86-88 Pts

2013 Certan de May – With kirsch, cherry griotte and earth on the nose, this soft, forward wine has ruby color and medium body, ending with clean, spicy plum character. 88-90 Pts

2013 La Clemence – Light in color, this medium bodied, simple wine is focused on fresh red berries and herbs. 85-87 Pts

2013 Clinet – With a chocolate mint, plum and spice nose, the wine is soft on the attack with silky tannins and a lush, spicy finish brimming with mocha, cocoa and plum. From a blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.2% alcohol. The yields were 33 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is aging in 60% new French oak. 91-93 Pts

2013 Le Clos du Beau Pere – Floral notes with sweet plum and cherry carry through from start to finish with good freshness and flavor. 86-88 Pts

2013 Clos du Clocher – With coffee bean, herbs, mint, cocoa and red berries in the nose, this light style of Pomerol is on the fresh side with tangy, red berries in the finish. 86-88 Pts

2013 Clos L’Eglise – Featuring a depth of color for the vintage, the nose delivers toasted oak, incense, coffee bean and black plum. Soft and polished, there is a lot of oak in the soft, polished black plum-filled finish. From yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc comprises the blend. The wine reached 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. 90-92 Pts.

2013 Clos Rene – With coaxing, red fruits come to the surface of this medium-bodied, supple and bold but simple Pomerol wine. 86-88 Pts

2013 La Conseillante – Plum, floral, truffle, vanilla, black cherry and licorice create the complex aromatics. Silky, fresh and lively, this always elegantly styled wine delivers clean, crisp, pure bright cherries and plum. This is the first vintage made with consultant Michel Rolland. According to Jean Michel Laporte, the biggest impact from Rolland was to lengthen the maceration time. From a blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.50. The wine is aging in 65% new French oak. The yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare and the Grand Vin was made from 88% of the harvest. 91-93 Pts

2013 La Croix de Gay – Light in color, the wine has simple but pleasant cherry personality. Drink this within the first few years of life. 85-88 Pts

2013 La Croix du Casse – Medium bodied, with a sweet, dark cherry charm, this blend of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc ends with a short and soft, earthy black raspberry finish. 85-87 Pts

2013 La Croix St. Georges – Licorice, cherry, espresso and cocoa on the nose, and soft textures segue into a sweet and tart finish filled with cherry griotte. Blending 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.6% alcohol. The yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is aging in 60% new French oak. 88-90 Pts

2013 L’Eglise Clinet – Plum liqueur, cigar box, incense, wet earth, smoke and clay scents start off the wine. But it’s the palate—with an intense combination of spicy dark berries, black cherry and plum—that grabs your attention. This is perhaps the most concentrated wine of the vintage with a real depth of flavor. From 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.62 and will be aged in 70% new French oak barrels. The yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. This is a serious candidate for wine of the vintage. If you are only going to consider one wine to purchase as a future, this is the wine to buy as the quality is high, the production is low and with luck, the price will be low too. 94-96 Pts

2013 Petite Eglise – Cherry, cigar box and floral notes open to medium body and accessible red fruit that will be drinkable on release. 85-88 Pts

2013 L’Enclos – Medium bodied with raspberry, cherry and licorice in its character, the wine has soft textures in its espresso and red plum finish. 86-88 Pts

2013 L’Evangile – On the palate, the wine showcases rose, plum, cherry, dark chocolate and truffle with a hint of espresso bean and silky, fresh, clean red berries. This is a good expression of L’Evangile with a lot of density for the vintage, but the wine ends with just a touch of dryness in otherwise fresh finish. From a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.6. The yields were 27 hectoliters per hectare, and the Grand Vin was made from 60% of the harvest. The wine will be aged in 100% new French oak. 90-92 Pts

Fayat – From 100% Merlot and with a nose of wet earth, citrus and red berries, this medium-bodied wine is bright on the palate and ends with dark chocolate-covered raspberries. 87-89 Pts

2013 Feytit Clinet – Offering hints of licorice with cherries and truffle, coupled with a viscous texture for the vintage, the wine is completed by its mocha and cherry finish. From a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.4% alcohol and is aging in 70% new, French oak. 91-93 Pts

2013 La Fleur Petrus – In this ruby-colored wine, floral, truffles, earth, spice and black raspberries are in plain view. Soft and silky on the palate, there is a sensuous Pomerol character that should deepen and improve with a few years of age. Very nice for the vintage. 92-94 Pts

2013 Le Gay – Blending 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13% alcohol and will be aged in 100% new French oak. Not much wine was produced, as the yields were only 18 hectoliters per hectare. Black raspberry, spice, coffee bean and licorice create the floral perfume. There is good sweetness in the fruit, transitioning from black to red cherries. 92-94 Pts

2013 Manoir de Gay – Light in fruit with bright red berries, the wine has an easygoing style with spice and cranberries in the finsh. 83-85 Pts

2013 Gazin – From 100% Merlot, the wine features notes of licorice, herbs and black cherry with some rusticity to the tannins and a fresh, dark and earthy finish bursting with red berries. The yields were 25 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is aging in 50% new oak. 89-92 Pts

2013 La Grave a Pomerol – Light and soft, the wine has red fruits with elements of kirsch and spice to create a forward style of Pomerol made for early drinking. 85-88 Pts

2013 Hosanna – Not produced in 2013.

2013 La Fleur de Gay – Cherries poke through oak and earth in this ruby-colored wine, leaving you with sweet and sour red berries in the finish. 87-89 Pts

2013 Lafleur – Truffle, stone, spice box, violet, licorice, plum and fresh red fruit notes create a complex set of aromatics. Spicy black raspberries are on the attack with cherry and kirsch that leave an impression of freshness on the palate. With 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, the wine was made from yields of about 25 hectoliters per hectare. In this challenging vintage, the property produced the same proportion of Lafleur and Pensees de Lafleur, as usual. 93-94 Pts

2013 Pensees de Lafleur – From a blend of 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Franc, this medium-bodied, fresh and open wine is best on the attack with soft red fruit and spice. 87-89 Pts

2013 Lafleur-Gazin – Light red cherry and strawberry in character, this ready-to-drink Pomerol should be consumed on the early side. 85-87 Pts

2013 Latour a’ Pomerol – Hints of truffle, chocolate and cherry open to soft, polished tannins and a bold cocoa-dusted finish brimming with black raspberry and plum. This is a strong vintage for this often underperforming wine. 89-91 Pts

2013 Montviel – From a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine showcases soft plum, espresso, licorice and earthy notes. With medium body and an open, earthy character highlighting red berries, this soft textured wine will be best consumed on the young side. 87-89 Pts

2013 Le Moulin – With oak, licorice, cocoa and cherry on the nose, the wine has medium body and round textures, finishing with a cherry liqueur note. 88-90 Pts

2013 Nenin – From a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.3% alcohol and will be aged in 20% new French oak. Light ruby in color, the medium-bodied wine has reticent aromas of spicy red berries, herbs and hints of earth that transition into a light, fresh, and peppery finish with cherries and strawberries. 88-90 Pts

2013 La Patache – With a spicy plum character, the wine is medium bodied, soft and open, offering uncomplicated drinking in its youth. 86-88 Pt

2013 Petit Village – From 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine represents 50% of the crop. Black raspberry with hints of fennel on the nose, the wine is light in style and delicate in structure with a polite cherry finish. Drink this young, as it will be best in its first 5-7 years. 88-90 Pts

2013 Petrus – The color of garnet, the wine offers a distinctive floral note with cherry liqueur, Asian spice, smoke, kirsch and fresh raspberries. Silky, elegant, supple and soft, this gentle vintage of Petrus is all about the purity of the fruit and fine-grained tannins. Produced from yields of 26 hectoliters per hectare, according to Olivier Berrouet, this vintage reminds him of 1988. 93-95 Pts

On to more important Petrus news. My dog Hercules, which some of you know from his antics on Facebook, or in the photos on this website, was officially inducted into the Petrus zoo! What is the Petrus zoo? I am glad you asked. Petrus has from time to time had an official mascot, which has been a different stuffed animal ranging from rabbits, to pigs and of course dogs. I was more than honored that a resemblance of Hercules was added to the Petrus menagerie by Olivier Berrouet and Elisabeth Aubert, with James Suckling as the official witness for the induction ceremony. Congratulatory bones or other treats and bottles of Petrus can be sent to me for Hercules and I will see he gets them.

2013 Le Pin – With only 3 barrels selected for 2013 (with a possibility for a fourth barrel to be included at most), Le Pin was not available for tasting this year.

2013 Plince – Discreet notes of earth and red plums come alive with coaxing in this light, forward wine showcasing red plum and cherry. 86-88 Pts

2013 La Pointe – Light aromas of truffle, licorice and plum are found with some persuasion. On the palate, the wine is supple with sweet, dusty plums and not much concentration. 87-89 Pts

2013 Providence – No longer produced

2013 Rouget – With an oak, earth and black raspberry character, the wine shows dusty tannins in the black raspberry and dark chocolate finish. 87-89 Pts

2013 Sacre Coeur – This 100% Merlot-comprised wine expresses coffee bean, cherry and licorice with gentle, plush textures and an oaky, bright red berry-filled finish. 86-88 Pts

2013 Taillefer – Light in color with weight and fruit, the wine is on the tart, rustic side of Pomerol. 82-84 Pts

2013 Trotanoy – Dark ruby in color, the wine combines notes of spicy chocolate, truffle and sweet, ripe plum with silky tannins and supple textures. Yes, this is a lighter, early-drinking Trotanoy, but it offers a good quality in its character. It could fill out during élevage and become an even better wine. 92-94 Pts

2013 Clos de la Vieille Eglise – 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc produced a smoky, bright, black raspberry-scented wine that finishes with sharp, crisp red berries. 85-87 Pts

2013 Vieux Taillefer – Light in color, the bright fruit feels dry with some tartness in the lively red berry-filled finish. 83-85 Pts

2013 Vieux Chateau Certan – With primary notes of black licorice, flowers and dark cherry liqueur, this medium-bodied wine shows good fruit, soft textures and bright red fruits in the finish, concluding with silky textures and an intriguing minty note. From low yields of only 22 hectoliters per hectare, the wine was produced from a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine reached 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. The Grand Vin was produced from just 33% of the harvest and is aging in 60% new French oak. The wine could fill out during élevage and become an even better wine. 90-93 Pts.

2013 La Violette – Espresso bean, licorice, spice, cherry blossoms and black raspberries are found with little effort. Silky, soft and smooth, the wine is filled with sweet, fresh cherry and plum notes. From 100% old-vine Merlot, the wine was made from miniscule yields of only 11 hectoliters per hectare and reached 13.2% alcohol. The total production is less than 170 cases this year. 93-94 Pts

2013 Vray Croix de Gay – This medium-bodied wine has a light black cherry, oak and earthy personality with sandy tannins in the cherry finish. 87-89 Pts

2013 Lalande de Pomerol

2013 Chambrun – With smoke, fennel, coffee bean and black raspberry notes, the wine is light, clean and focused on the fresh, red cherry finish. 86-88 Pts

2013 La Chenade – Using 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the forward, medium-bodied wine focuses on mocha, plum and fresh cherries. 85-87 Pts

2013 Les Cruzelles – With intriguing scents of tangerine, coffee, cherry and plum, there is a nice softness to the texture, finishing with sweet cherries, oak and cocoa. 88-90 Pts

2013 La Graviere – Light in color, the 100% Merlot cuvee is medium bodied and light in style, finishing with sweet and tart cherries. 84-86 Pts

2013 La Fleur de Bouard – Earthy in character, the wine showcases black cherry, soft tannins and a supple finish filled with cocoa and plum. 88-90 Pts

2013 La Fleur de Bouard Le Plus – Wet earth, forest floor and plums open to a fresh chocolate and cherry center that finishes with sweet, dark and spicy berries. 90-92 Pts

2013 Siaurac – With tangy red fruit and citrus, this medium-bodied wine is earthy in the finish. 84-86 Pts

2013 Les Vieux Ormes – Earthy, chewy red fruits deliver a light touch of spice and cherry in the bright finish. 85-87 Pts