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Bordeaux 2017: Lafite, Haut Brion, La Mission , Mondotte...
14th June 2018.
Today sees the release of the last two First Growths that will be offered En Primeur.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is always the most highly anticipated release of the campaign and in 2017 it is many critics top scoring wine. It remains the number 1 brand in Asia and is released at £2490 per 6, cheaper than any physical vintage. Please let us know if you are interested in an allocation.
The wines of Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion have also been released today. Neal Martin describes Haut Brion as "a great follow-up to the brilliant 2015 and 2016" and Jane Anson thinks it could be the red wine of the vintage. The second wines, Clarence Haut Brion and Chapelle de la Mission are also offered along with the excellent whites, Haut Brion Blanc and Mission Haut Brion Blanc (both with potential 100 point scores this year).
Finally, we have La Mondotte at £1488 per 12 with some impressive scores; 96-98+ Wine Advocate and 93-96 Antonio Galloni "a total stunner, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage".
Pauillac
LAFITE ROTHSCHILD ON ALLOCATION
£4980 per 12 btl / £2490 per 6
95-97 Neal Martin "pure blackberry and bilberry fruit, touches of brine, cedar and graphite. Patience discloses a really quite sublime array of aromas. The palate is where all the action is: filigree tannin, very well judged acidity, harmonious and poised with a silky smooth finish that glides across the mouth... very precise and, for want of a better, less clichéd word, classic from start to finish"
97-99 Wine Advocate "scents of crushed blackcurrants, black cherries and warm black plums with touches of yeast extract, charcuterie, cigar box and fertile loam plus a hint of iron ore. POW-the paradoxically ethereal, medium-bodied palate hits you with vibrant, exhilarating black fruit and previously latent floral layers, supported with fantastic freshness and super fine-grained, pixelated tannins, finishing with persistent mineral and perfumed layers. Truly. Stunning."
Graves
£4050 per 12 btl / £2025 per 6
94-96 Neal Martin "firm tannin, nicely structured with more grip in the mouth than the La Mission. What it has in common with the aforementioned is a sense of symmetry. It feels very persistent with a light marine/oyster shell influence on the finish. This probably has the edge over the La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment, but intra-family competitiveness aside, it boils down to a great follow-up to the brilliant 2015 and 2016."
97 Decanter "A hugely captivating wine, one of the contenders for red of the vintage. There's an incredible plush, dense texture to the fruit here, with just the slightest pulling back on the final section that suggests the damson, cassis and black cherry fruit is not at the full extent of ripeness seen in 2016 and 2015, but there is absolutely no question that this is a successful, rich and well-expressed wine. It's extremely powerful and well constructed, with great tannins and a succulence which grows through the palate."
£2750 per 12 btl / £1375 per 6
95-97 Wine Advocate "crushed blackcurrants, blackberries and chocolate-covered cherries with suggestions of cigar box, bay leaves, Indian spices and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied with very firm, grainy tannins and a racy backbone supporting the taut, muscular fruit, it has bags of mineral and earthy suggestions layering the very long finish."
96 Decanter "The aromatics here are incredible, and there is the most gorgeous density of black brambly fruit on display. It's graceful but intense, and utterly delicious . It doesn't have the same intensity through the palate as the wonderful 2016, but it really does stand out in the vintage as being extremely good quality. It's going to take its time to come round, so settle in for the long haul."
£1200 per 12 btl / £600 per 6
92 Decanter "The aromatics on the nose are a little subdued at first, but on the palate there is clear density to the fruit, showing great depth and energy. It's a beautiful wine"
93-94 James Suckling "A fresh and bright red with currant, walnut and wet-earth character. Medium to full body, tight tannins and a fresh finish. Second wine of Haut-Brion is focused."
£700 per 12 btl / £350 per 6
89-91 Antonio Galloni "The 2017 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is wonderfully lifted and gracious, with bright red stone fruit and floral notes that dominate this year. In 2017, the Chappelle is decidedly gracious and light on its feet, with a construction that favors persistence over weight."
92 Decanter "This is a lovely fragrant wine, less dense and concentrated than the last two vintages but extremely accomplished. It has beautiful aromatics, gorgeous red fruits and an overall feeling of brightness and cohesion. It's fresh, succulent and easy to recommend."
£7050 per 12 btl / £3525 per 6
97-100 Wine Advocate "subtle pink grapefruit, green mango and ripe pears scents with an undercurrent of baking bread, ginger and allspice plus a waft of lemon peel. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderfully generous tropical and citrus flavors accented by loads of spices, finishing long and savory."
94-96 Neal Martin "slightly more intense and voluminous bouquet compared to the La Mission Blanc. I adore the nose here, so striking and precise with scents of freshly squeezed lime, dew specked green apple, orange zest and later apricot blossom, all with wonderful definition. The palate is medium-bodied with a tensile entry. There are notes of orange rind, fresh ginger and a touch of bitter lemon towards the persistent finish. It is an excellent Haut Brion Blanc that should offer 20+ years of drinking pleasure."
£5650 per 12 btl / £2825 per 6
98-100 Decanter "For me this is the wine of the vintage. Both of the whites in the Haut-Brion stable are exceptionally well sculpted and finessed, but this has the aromatic edge. It has a powerful, intense concentration of flavours, hemmed in by slate walls that make you slow down and inch your way through the palate... luscious, creamy citrus, passion fruit, nectarine, white pear and touches of lemongrass. It's persistent and mouthwatering, an absolute testament to what white Bordeaux can achieve. 40% new oak. 98-100 points."
96-98 Wine Advocate "seriously intense notes of jasmine, grapefruit, lime zest and yuzu with touches of crushed rocks and lemongrass. The palate is medium-bodied with electric intensity and incredible tension, finishing long with many citrus fruit and mineral layers"
St Emilion
£1428 per 12 btl / £714 per 6
96-98+ Wine Advocate "2017 La Mondotte simply sings of gorgeous ripe blackberries, mulberries and black raspberries with touches of sandalwood, lavender, licorice and rose hips plus wafts of garrigue and exotic spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, very silky tannins and layer upon layer of black fruits and spices, finishing very long and beautifully perfumed."
93-96 Antonio Galloni "The 2017 La Mondotte is a total stunner, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage. Exquisitely layered in the glass, the 2017 possesses stunning freshness and vibrant to play off the characteristically dense Mondotte fruit. Lavender, chocolate, menthol, spice, crushed rocks and new leather add nuance to a core of plush, inky dark fruit."
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.