Cru Bourgeois 2014 - The Tasting Notes

Detailed tasting notes from the 2014 Cru Bourgeois tasting

What most struck me about these 2014s was the consistency of quality, with plenty of fruit and substance after the light, thin wines of 2012 and 2013.

But not all wines are created equal, so here are my notes from the wines that I tasted; organisers Phillips-Hill helpfully suggested a few wines to try - a mixture of newly-accepted chateaux and general "good uns".

Some are plumper and fuller than others, some more open and suited to immediate drinking; of the more prestigeous appellations, the Margaux showed very nicely, while the Pauillacs were still closed up and difficult to assess.

My top wine of the tasting was from Margaux, the Haut Breton Larigaudiere (£28.50, Private Cellar).

Medoc 
Begadan earthy, spicy, animal; fresh, precise and firm with berry fruit and pepperiness. Good.

La France Delhomme inky and substantial with dark fruit and mint. Good.

La Grave more closed up and grippy, but supple and long with fresh berry fruit and pepperiness.

Haut-Medoc
Balac soft, supple with cool mint and dark fruit. Fresh and firm.

Bonneau soft, supple and harmonious, gently assertive and fresh; drinking very nicely now. Good.

Charmail (£20, TWS, F&M, BBR) fresh, inky, dark berry fruit; harmonious and supple with cool mint.

De Gironville earthy and animal with fresh, blackcurranty spicy dark fruit; harmonious and supple.

Du Taillan plumper, fuller and more confidently assertive. Dark berries, cool mint and spice. Long and substantial. Very Good.

Listrac-Medoc
Vieux Moulin soft, minty, fresh and grippy

Moulis
Anthonic supple, plump and harmonious. More closed-up.

Margaux
Deyrem Valentin pencil shavings, supple and harmonious, plump balanced and fresh. Very Good.

La Fortune cool mint, inky pencil shavings and berry fruit with spice and freshness; supple, harmonious, balanced and long. Very Good.

Haut Breton Larigaudiere (£28.50, Private Cellar) spicy, earthy, animal with dark fruit and plump harmonious. Lovely tannins and very adept. Very Good.

Pauillac
All these wines were closed up but with a dense core and correspondingly difficult to assess; at least a Good right now with the potential for Very Good to Very Good Indeed with age.

La Fleur Peyrabon lovely texture, but closed-up with a dense core.

Fontbadet closed-up with cool mint and dark fruit.

Plantey spice, dark fruit and cool mint

Saint-Estephe
Le Boscq pepperines and fruit, with cool mint; plump and supple, long and harmonious. Good.

Lafitte-Carcasset (£20-30, F&R) fruit, spice and animal; fresh and supple; harmonious, precise and focused. Good.

Other related articles
Cru Bourgeois 2014 - the overview
Crus Bourgeois 2013s