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Issue #2 - April 2015
Something old, something new
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Above: Chateau Pontet Canet
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Well, one might say it's been a long time in between drinks for our offers from France. It's been a hectic time with renovations and with our recent '82 Import Campaign (Offered through our VIP Program) was a great success. We allowed our customers to try some of the best wines in France (Cheval Blanc, Montrose, Gruaud Larose) with more than 30 years of bottle age on them. Some stocks are still around so drop me a line at stefano@boccaccio.com.au if you'd like to see what is still around.
The theme this time around focuses on the age-old adage of buy big in the small years and small in the big years. This is not referring to the quantity, but rather the quality. In the great years (2000,2005,2009,2010) it's possible to get some fantastic wines from smaller labels - second and thirds, as well as entry level offerings. So, it's with great pleasure we are offering a super pre-arrival offer on some cracker 2009 and 2010's.. Starting from as little as $35. These are wines that are not only guaranteed to please now, but will offer generous short to mid term cellaring.
Finally, with our ability to constantly source immaculate provenance back vintages direct from our negociant in Bordeaux, we have some small quantities of wines we believe are right in their drinking window.. going back to 1989.
So it is with great pleasure we present these below wines. Order now to secure your allocation (subject to sold out). The wines are due here in 6-8 weeks, and the savings of purchasing now will be significant.
All the best,
Stefano
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 Robert Parker on Vintage 2010:
".. it is an inescapable truth that 2010 has produced another year of compelling Bordeaux that will go down as a prodigious vintage alongside 2009.
Take your pick – this news is either tragic or mythical, but I have tasted enough wines from 2005, 2009 and 2010 to realize that these may be the three greatest Bordeaux vintages I have tasted in my career."
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Chateau Teyssier 2010
Some thoughts from us:
Jonathan Maltus has transformed this idyllic property upon commencing work as current proprietors with wife Lyn since 1994. The wines are rich, structured and carry exceptional weight for a wine at this price point. The predominantly Merlot based wine should deliver immediate pleasure and can be enjoyed comfortably through to the next decade.
From the winery:
"Wine has been made at the estate since the 1700’s. At one stage in the nineteenth century it was the largest estate in the neighbourhood. At the time of purchase however it had been reduced to just five hectares of depleted vineyard.
Since then a completely new team has transformed the wine and the estate. Renovation in every sense – estate, vineyard, winery, barrel cellar, and the fundamental approach to making wine means that Château Teyssier is widely regarded as a new-wave, modern-style wine from Saint Emilion. Most importantly the wine is now sought after by a loyal following.
Eighty-five per cent Merlot with the remainder being met by Cabernet Franc, the wine originates from the communes of Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens and Vignonet. These communes provide terroir that produce a wine that may be attacked on release or laid down for a few years. The approach in winemaking, which has all the benefits of the modern equipment afforded by the more senior wines, is new world in style.
Château Teyssier, is award winning, spicy, velvety, and ripe, but above all, pivots on its expression of fruit."
Robert Parker had this to say:
"An over-achieving estate for a number of years now, this dense purple wine exhibits oodles of creme de cassis and licorice, hints of subtle barbecue smoke and toast, terrific texture and a long, succulent, fleshy finish. It is not all that dissimilar from the 2009 in terms of its flamboyance and drinkability, although I suspect that analytically the pH is slightly lower and the tannins a bit higher than those of its older sibling. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.
From the home estate of Englishman Jonathan Malthus, the 2010 Teyssier is showing better out of bottle than it did out of barrel. This is the biggest production of all the wines from Malthus, hitting nearly 15,000 cases." - 92 Points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate Feb 2012, Drink 2013-2028
The usual sell price is $59.99 per bottle
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Smith Haut Lafitte Petit Haut Lafitte 2010
From the winery:
"Designed during the blending of Smith Haut Lafitte, the wines of Le Petit Haut Lafitte are vinified and aged with the same care as the batches that will become the first wine of the Château.
2010 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Rouge has a beautiful, very dark colour.
The nose is relatively discreet at first, but goes on to reveal elegant, expressive overtones of black cherry, black fruit (blackberry and blackcurrant), dried herbs, cedar, liquorice, clove, and empyreumatic nuances (flint and hearth aromas). The wine is concentrated, well-structured, and tightly-knit on the palate. It starts out very straightforward, with good acidity and a fine tannic texture, going on to reveal considerable richness and volume around a tannic core typical of great Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine's fine structure lasts from beginning to end thanks to round, yet firm tannin. The black fruit, mineral (flint), and gingerbread flavours are wonderful.
2010 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Rouge is a well-structured, concentrated wine with a fine finish. It will be very enjoyable to drink in the next 3 to 5 years."
Neil Martin upon trying the wine:
" This is the second wine of Smith Haut Lafitte, designed to be more Left Bank in style with more Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) in the blend. It has touches of smoke and bell pepper inflecting the black, slightly tarry fruit. The palate has a tannic entry, hints of graphite and bell pepper, very good definition and structure, masculine and classic towards the finish. Very fine. Tasted March 2011." - 90-92 Points, The Wine Advocate
The usual sell price is $79.99 per bottle
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Charmes de Grand Corbin 2010
From the winery:
"The historic area of Corbin is an ancient land, situated on the northwestern part of the Saint-Emilion plateau bordering Pomerol. Over time and many generations the ancient feudal domain was divided, creating six properties bearing the Corbin name.
Since its acquisition the Grand Corbin estate has grown by four hectares, absorbing vines belonging to a neighboring Grand Cru Classé. For its part, the Haut Corbin vineyard has also increased by three hectares coming from Château Le Jurat (belonging to Groupe SMABTP), magnificent parcels containing iron-pan like that in Pomerol... Today, the vineyard today covers 28.5 hectares in one block, with a potential average production of 150,000 bottles per year which positions Grand Corbin as a true brand in the market."
Our initial impressions:
The 2010 Charmes de Grand Corbin, the second wine from Grand Corbin is a tightly wound, brooding right-bank warrior. It's ripe cherry and blueberry liquor nose open up after a good decant and show all the underpinnings of a true right bank from this vintage. A steal at this price, and right up there with bigger names at even bigger prices.
The usual sell price is $54.99 per bottle
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Esprit de Pavie 2009
From the winery:
"Already the owner of the renowned Pavie, Pavie-Decesse, Monbousquet and Bellevue-Mondotte estates, Gérard Perse has now created "Esprit de Pavie", bearing the Bordeaux appellation.
Esprit de Pavie comes from a great diversity of terroirs situated on the south-facing slopes of the Dordogne valley, which can be characterized by three types of soil:
- sandy-gravely foothills
- clay hillsides
- clay limestone plateau
Alcoholic fermentation begins naturally in temperature-controlled tanks. After several weeks of vatting, malolactic fermentation is made in tank. The wines are aged during 15 months in barrels which have already been used once for Château Pavie and Château Monbousquet."
Our initial impressions:
The 2009 Espirit de Pavie is a rich, generous offering with dense dark fruit in droves. Blackberries, dense cassis and graphite with plenty of tannin and a rich cedar underpinnings. The touch of Perse is obvious here, even at this level. It's interesting to note the top wine from this property scored a not-surprising Parker 100 points.
The usual sell price is $54.99 per bottle
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La Dame de Montrose 2010
From the winery:
"2010 proved to be particularly dry and relatively hot – climate data characteristics of the great Bordeaux vintages (1929, 1945, 1947, 1959, 1961, 1989, and 2009).
From spring onwards, this dry hot climate was prevalent right up until the first days of autumn; this meant that the grapes had ideal conditions in which to grow and reach a perfect maturity. We waited to harvest with growing confidence and a sense of inner calm.
20 hectares adjoining the property were added to the existing Montrose vineyard, which means that we still have one single vineyard, of excellent and homogeneous quality.
The perfect maturity of the grapes, and above all the superb quality of their tannins helped us find the perfect balance between power and elegance, body and finesse. The tannins are silky smooth and have the complex aromatic qualities of a great wine of Montrose."
Robert Parker waxing lyrical:
"One of the best second wines, and possibly the best since the 1990 is the 2010 La Dame de Montrose. This represents 36% of the production and is a blend of two grapes – 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot. A superb second wine, opulent and substantively textured, it shares more in common with a flamboyant, exuberant year such as 2009 than most 2010s. Dense purple, its oodles of fruit, luxurious mouthfeel and terrific finish make it a sleeper of the vintage. It’s a wine to buy in abundant quantities and drink over the next 10-15+ years.
Although Jean Delmas remains a consultant at Montrose, he has yielded his primary responsibilities over to a younger staff, but he still believes the 2010 Montrose is one of the all-time great wines ever produced at this estate, equaling or exceeding the quality of the 1929, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 or 2009." - 94 Points Robert Parker. Drink 2013-2028
The usual sell price is $119.99 per bottle
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Some oldies from the cellar
  
From the winery:
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