Wine Review 2010

Lot # Wine Year M D Comment
Cellar Offering 160
BORDEAUX 2003 VINTAGE
See note on page 5.
3148 Château Maillard, Graves 2003 8 9 Still full of red and black fruit notes. Good stalky, spice edged
tannins. It is already powerfully flavoursome, but will get even
better yet.
3151 Château Le Conseiller, 2003 8 9 One of the first wines we offered from the cellars of Janoueix,
Bordeaux Supérieur who has developed a following of “cult” proportions since
Opimian wrote his name on the international export market.
3153 Château Guadet Saint Julien, 2003 8 9 A wine that is now showing great breed and distinction.
Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion Soft and typically Saint-Émilion, with interest and elegance
in the mouth.
BORDEAUX 2002 VINTAGE
Few experts gave the vintage more than an even chance of producing classy wines. The summer was changeable, but with September,
as so often in Bordeaux, came fine weather that continued until the harvest at the end of the month. Nowadays, they say there is no
vintage so poor that it cannot be saved. With this one, it was not so much a question of saving the year, but making the most of it,
leaving the final verdict to the buyers and now, eight years later, to the tasters.
3152 Château Hortevie, Saint Julien 2002 9 10 Typical Saint Julien as it develops, its lovely subtle tobacco
leaf nose and warm, well rounded leaf compost aromas.
3159 Château Thébot, Bordeaux 2002 10 10 Good, ready.
3169 Château de Sours Rouge, Bordeaux 2003 9 10 A reliable stand-by for special occasions. This property never
lets you down. It is often described as being “on a par” with
the great wines of the Classified Growths of Bordeaux, and as
the exclusive outlet in Canada, who are we to argue.
3170 La Source Rouge, Bordeaux 2003 9 9 Great. Ready, perfectly rich red.
Cellar Offering 161
3181 - 3213
VIN DE PAYS
This offering was mainly a homage to the Vin de Pays, plus one or two other wines from highly rated properties of Southern France,
the area largely lying between the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea. They were made for enjoyment within two or three years
of the vintage. As all the wines of this offer have now reached their sixth year, they are not only ready, but some will have begun to
fail. However, the reds, particularly from properties such as Château Vignelaure, Château Salitis or Château La Clotte Fontane, remain
healthy and full-bodied, but they will hardly improve any further. So, break open the cellar, invite friends and hold a party.
Cellar Offering 162
3276 Clos Gebrat Joven, Priorato 2004 8 9 The whole of the wine world has found its way to Priorat and
bought land, and now make massive, pungent, tar flavoured
monsters that should be cellared away for a decade before
tasting. Still huge, only showing early sign of the softening of
maturation, it is almost full enough to be chewed.
Cellar Offering 163
3310 Cabernet Sauvignon, Briar Ridge 2004 9 9 Wonderfully ripe black berries, cassis, a grinding of fresh black
pepper and finely tuned supple tannins. Very fine wine. Should
be used this year or next.
3311 Shiraz, Geoff Hardy 2004 8 9 No change. If one had to find one Shiraz in the cellar to
represent all those of Australia, this might well be selected,
as it does offer all the fun of the grape. Leather, chocolate,
smoke, cedar, plums and liquorice.
Wine Review 2010