UK £
EU €
HK $
US $Appellations
Bordeaux 2017: St Pierre, Gloria, Lascombes, Carbonnieux...
23rd May 2018.
Plenty more releases from the Left Bank today begininning in Margaux with a "very promising" Lascombes at £601 per cs (91-94 AG, 92-95 WA).
It was followed in the afternoon by a couple of succesful St Juliens; the "superb" Gloria at £315 per cs and "One of the real gems of the vintage" St Pierre at £469 per cs.
Margaux
£601 per 12 btl / £300.50 per 6
92-95 Wine Advocate "lovely scents of roses and lavender over a core of kirsch, crushed black plums and black raspberries with a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied with a rock-solid frame of firm, ripe, grainy tannins, it has a great core of muscular fruit and lingering spicy notes on the finish."
91-94 Antonio Galloni "The 2017 Lascombes is a very promising wine. Unctuous, super-ripe and flamboyant, the 2017 packs a serious punch. Crème de cassis, blackberry jam, spice, new leather and sweet French oak add to the wine's racy personality."
Pauillac
£308 per 12 btl / £154 per 6
89 Decanter "A firm and well placed expression of Pauillac: classical, with a fine delivery of autumnal fruits and fresh mint leaf, wrapped up in liquorice and smoked sarments. It has the signature of the appellation, although it's a little short on the finish."
88-91 Wine Spectator "Crisp-edged, with plum and red currant notes lined with sleek iron and savory nuances. Bright, showing good focus and definition through the finish."
St Julien
£469 per 12 btl / £234.50 per 6
92-95 Antonio Galloni "One of the real gems of the vintage, the 2017 Saint-Pierre is powerful, deep and quite concentrated. Despite its obvious richness, the 2017 has more than enough supporting structure to back it up. Gravel, smoke, tobacco, leather, licorice and spice lead into the potent finish in a muscular, tannic Saint-Julien built for the cellar. This is an outrageously beautiful wine."
92-94 Neal Martin "broody dark berry fruit, tobacco and graphite, almost Pauillac-like in style. It probably just needs to evolve a little more cohesion. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, slightly abrasive tannin but a fine line of acidity... A second sample encountered at the end of my tastings was even better and showed immense brightness and energy."
£315 per 12 btl
91-94 Antonio Galloni "The 2017 Gloria is superb. At once deep and fleshy, but also beautifully delineated, the 2017 is incredibly satisfying. Succulent red and blue fruit, cedar, tobacco, anise and leather are some of the many notes that develop in the glass in an explosive, potent Saint-Julien that delivers the goods, and then some. Best of all, Gloria remains one of the most compelling values in all of Bordeaux. Don't miss it."
91-94 Wine Spectator " good energy, with a mouthwatering tar note on the finish. Really solid."
£372 per 12 btl / £186 per 6
90-92 Neal Martin "a ripe and generous bouquet of blackberry, fresh fig, cedar and crushed violets that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, that structure making its presence felt towards the finish that exerts an insistent grip. As such, this will probably require three or four years in bottle just to soften the edges."
£370 per 12 btl / £185 per 6
92-93 James Suckling "A 2017 with serious depth of fruit and firm tannins. Solid center palate. Fresh and long finish. Should come out nicely."
90 Decanter "carefully extracted cassis and blackberry fruit, and some lovely, elegant oak dusting. It doesn't have the depth of expression of the past few years, but is extremely accomplished and softly spoken. It will offer huge amounts of pleasure."
Graves
£295 per 12 btl
91 Decanter "lovely delicacy on the attack, with firm blackberry and blueberry fruits - the fruit register is on the fresh side but they have handled it with precision and care. It stops a little short, but the aromatics are very clean and elegant, and highly appealing when you give it time to unfurl."
90-92 Jeb Dunnuck "The 2017 Château Carbonnieux is also more than a little impressive. This medium-bodied, balanced, elegant red gives up notes of cassis, spring flowers, and classy oak. It's not massive by any stretch yet excels on its balance and purity."
£265 per 12 btl
92-94 Neal Martin "This is one of the most sophisticated white Carbonnieux that I have encountered at this stage with wonderful mineralité and veins of ginger furnishing the finish that convey brio and confidence. This should evolve into an outstanding Pessac-Léognan."
95 Decanter "Right off the bat this has richness and concentration, with peachy creaminess through the mid-palate but without sacrificing tension and lift. It's a fine example of what 2017 can deliver in the best whites, and should age very well."
Please enquire, order online or contact us at sales@albanyvintners.com.
En Primeur wines, offered lying In Bond in the UK Summer 2020.
Wines may be ordered in special sizes for a small supplement (6x150cl Magnums, 1x300cl double magnum, 3x300cl double magnums, 1x600cl imperial) . Please enquire for details.
Sweet wines may be ordered in half-bottles (case of 12x37.5 or case of 24x37.5) at no extra cost