Crus Bourgeois 2011‏

A review of 2011 Crus Bourgeois Bordeaux

To use an airline metaphor, if basic Bordeaux is Economy, and Cru Classe is First Class, then the Crus Bourgeois sit squarely in the middle as Business Class - pay a bit more than for entry level and you get a glimpse of what First Class is like without the hefty price tag.

2011 was not an easy year in Bordeaux - cool and wet with hail is no-one's idea of a good vintage.

The wines have just been released, so after listening to a panel discussion on the Crus Bourgeois, I sampled a couple to pick out a 2011 to drink now and one to lay down:

For drinking now

Chateau Le Crock, St Estèphe (around £16 from BBR and Seckford) - dark in the glass, ripe fruit, well-balanced, good fruit and perfume, soft and supple texture, good length, drinking nicely now.

For laying down

Chateau Larose Perganson, Haut-Medoc ( around £14 - £24 from slurp, The Fine Wine Company) - rather closed up at the moment, dark purple with some aromas of leather, liquorice and bramble fruit; very good structure and texture from which the fruit will emerge with some ageing.

Other related articles

Crus Bourgeois at IWC Dinner

Crus Bourgeois 2010 at Cambridge Tasting

Crus Bourgeois Panel Discussion

Links

Crus Bourgeois - website, twitter