Dear <<First Name>>,
Bordeaux 2019 En Primeur .. The show must go on !
With no major releases this morning, we continue our 2019 EP offers with two wines from opposite sides of the Gironde river. Chateau Malescot St. Expurey is 3rd growth and one the leading estates in Margaux and even shares plots with its famous neighbour - Chateau Margaux.
With the 2019 vintage shaping up to exceed expectations over the previous year, despite the lack critical reviews, it is worth noting that Wine Advocate awarded this wine (94-96+ pts) for the 2018 vintage.
The under-radar Saint-Emilion estate of Chateau Laroque is blessed with one of highest plots in the appellation and in recent years is benefiting from significant investment from the team behind Lacris-Ducasse and Beausejour-Duffau. This wine a stellar wine, from a great vintage at an even better price!
To underscore the quality of the 2019 vintage yesterday we saw the release of wines from Chateau Cos d'Estournel, with the 2nd growth from Saint-Estephe knocking on the door of perfection (97-99+ pts) according to Wine Advocate and again, at a significant price reduction on 2018.
Following on from Tuesday's mid morning release, we still have limited access to stocks of Chateau Palmer (£166.50 per btle) and more importantly, after an absence last year, the terrific Alter Ego de Palmer, a great value wine at £45 per btle and a must buy for any Margaux lover!
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The 2019 vintage and resulting En Primeur campaign will be remembered long into the history of these illustrious proceedings, with nature clearly giving something back to help heal some of the wounds. Starting more than 4 weeks late, we expect this to be a short and concentrated campaign.
The weather was particularly wet during the winter of 2018 but this was a saving grace as the long warm, dry summer came round quickly. The heat was fierce for a few short spells but the flowering was well established early on and the berries (fruit set) in a good place to compensate. A pleasant autumn, with the odd shower during harvest had already got some talking of the great potential, with well formed concentrated berries, with good acidity and healthy yields.
The term 'great vintage' is not used lightly in Bordeaux and certainly initial reports are of a very high quality, with comparisons to 2009, 2015 and 2016 previously earmarked as the best this century. Pricing is a key factor of any En Primeur campaign and expectations are it will much lower than 2018, due to current global crisis.
There has not been any of the traditional April trips to the Chateaux for day long tastings and lavish dinners, instead during these difficult times, pallets of samples have been arriving on the doorsteps of critics all over the world. Those that follow social media closely will have seen snippets of enthusiastic commentary as each appellation is meticulously poured, tasted and written up. Most have yet to publish any meaningful reports and accompanying notes but the signs are more than positive, if not glowing.
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James Suckling
"2019 is an exceptional year for Bordeaux wines... Some say 2019 is close to the excellent 2016 vintage but with perhaps slightly less tannin concentration. They all agree that the quality is very close to 2018, 2016 and 2015."
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With Chateau Pontet-Canet (98-99 pts - James Suckling), a powerhouse of modern day Bordeaux, selling out in Bordeaux over the weekend at £61 per btle (IB) this has proved a defining moment of the 2019 campaign with a c.30% price reduction on marques wines over the 2018 vintage.
This level of pricing has rarely been seen in the last 15 years and was lower than the 2013 release price, which was certainly one of the poorest vintages in recent memory. This gives hope that possibly one the best quality vintages in the 21st century will unusually be one of the best value.
2019 is certainly one for the drinkers!
We have also seen a new release from Chateau Latour (96+ pts Wine Advocate) this week, the first since they decided to no longer participate in the traditional En Primeur process in 2011, opting to release wine when the Chateau felt it was ready. At a release price of £2,100 for 6 bottles this also represents the cheapest vintage of the previous 10 years.
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Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
"I have just begun receiving barrel samples of the 2019s and have so far been very impressed about how they have showed"
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Château Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux)
Chateau Malescot St. Exupery has a long history in the Bordeaux wine region. The roots of Malescot St. Exupery can be traced all the way back to 1616 when the Margaux estate was owned by the Escousses family. The Escousses were best known as notaries for the King.
Near the close of the century, in 1697 the Bordeaux wine estate was sold to Simon Malescot. Once Simon became the current owner, he followed the tradition of the time and changed the name of the estate to Malescot. Like the previous owner, Malescot also had a connection to royalty. He was the attorney-general to Louis XIV. In 1900 the Left Bank estate was sold at auction. During World War 1, the French government ordered the chateau to be confiscated. The Zuger family bought it in 1955. The Zuger family were experienced in Bordeaux as they previously owned Chateau Marquis dAlesme. At the time of the sale to the Zuger family, Malescot St. Exupery was in such poor shape, only 7 hectares of vines were planted. Extensive replanting of vineyards took place and within a decade, 80% of the vineyard was planted.
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2019 Château Malescot St. Exupery (3rd Growth)
54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
The 23.5 hectare vineyard of Chateau Malescot St. Exupery is planted to . The terroir is gravel, chalk and clay soils with iron deposits on gentle, slopes.
The vines are 35 years of age. The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 10,000 vines per hectare. The chateau is located in the small, village of Margaux, right on the D2 highway, just a stone’s throw from Rauzan Segla. Portions of the vineyard ajoin the vines of Chateau Margaux.
£186.00 per 6 x 750ml (IB)
£191.00 per 3 x 1500ml (IB)
"A delicate Malescot which makes it a gourmet wine despite a tight tannic structure. We will have to wait for this vintage to fully express the freshness of its cabernets supported by a body full of merlots. As for the cabernet-francs and petit-verdots, they are like salt and pepper which densify and reveal this wine."
Winemaker Tasting Note
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2019 Château Laroque (Grand Cru Classe)
97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Superbly located on one of the highest points of Saint-Emilion, Laroque’s limestone terroirs have once again shone through brilliantly in this 2019. The estate has an impressive lineage, with a history dating back to the 12th century. It is in fact the largest and probably grandest estate in the area, although its vineyards were largely abandoned between the 1930s-1950s. Following a replanting programme it was the first estate outside of the Saint-Emilion commune to be awarded Grand Cru Classe status in 1996.
£210.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
£215.00 per 6 x 1500ml (IB)
"This is very minerally and stony with crushed cement. Medium to full body and firm, polished tannins. It’s floral and complex. So fresh and bright. Wonderful balance to this. Elegance and drinkability. Better than the 2018. One of best ever."
James Suckling (94-95 pts)
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All prices are 'In Bond' and exclude, duty, VAT & delivery and subject to availabilty and confirmation
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The wines above are subject to strict allocation on a first come first serve basis, confirmation and remaining unsold.
Different formats are available for most wines (375ml to 15L) at a small additional bottling cost.
Delivery is expected to commence in spring 2022.
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