Bordeaux Trips

The Commanderie de Bordeaux à Manchester visited vineyards and chateaux in Bordeaux

The 2020 Trip ( which we eventually enjoyed in 2022!)

We left Portsmouth in the drizzle for sunny France….

Commanderie Visit to Bordeaux – First Day

The day started inauspiciously for Avril and me.  Having set our alarm on British rather than French time, we had only twenty minutes to get up and out for the start of the first day of the Commanderie visit to Bordeaux.  We achieved it with seconds to spare and soon we had left the Hotel Majestic, a very well-appointed and welcoming four-star establishment, and were travelling up the left bank of the Garonne towards Margaux where we were to make our first visit.

Château Paveil de Luze is a Cru Bourgeois of 32 hectares dating from the 19th century. The grounds and gardens were beautiful and very serene; a great place to be locked down in, I thought, especially with all that wine... 

They are one of only two châteaux rated Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in Margaux.  The terroir is deep gravel, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, so not surprisingly their blend is 80% Cab, 20% Merlot.  The vines are 35 years old.  The wine is aged 12 months in French oak barrels (30% new), and they produce over 200,000 bottles a year.

For the tasting, four other Cru Bourgeois châteaux brought their red wines: Patache d’Aux, Prieuré de Beyzac, Saint-Hilaire, Fontesteau.  All the wines were 2018, and there was a representative of each present to introduce their wines, which were of a high standard.  Afterwards, we had lunch of a prawn, avocado and mango salad, pork fillet, and strawberry tart.  Older vintages of the same five wines were on the table, mostly 2014 to 2016, but a 2010 from Paveil which was drinking very well.  Personally, I liked the Prieuré 2015 from the Haut-Medoc and the Saint-Hilaire 2016 from the Medoc (both from clay-limestone) which best matched my taste in reds: not too tannic and very fruity, and I bought three of each.  They also had young vignerons; it was good throughout to see the involvement of a young generation, and also that so many châteaux are still in family hands.

After lunch, we travelled on to Château Batailley, a 5th Cru Classé in Pauillac.  It dates back to the 1400s and is named after the battle that ended the 100 Years War (not one that we won!).  Again, beautiful château and grounds.

Once again, we had a tour of the wine-making facility, seeing steel vats and lots of barrels.  We also saw their bottle store, which contained bottles going back to 1883!  Sadly, we didn’t taste one.  The château has 62 hectares under vines, 70% Cab and 30% Merlot.  We tasted two wines.  The 2021 was of course still very young and tannic, but the general opinion was it would make a good vintage.  The 2016 was much more approachable; I personally liked it for its low tannins and good fruit.

Finally, we set out for our last visit of the day, passing by Château Latour (but we didn’t have time to drop in).  Château Kirwan is the first in the 3rd Cru Classé, situated in Margaux.  It has 40 hectares under vines, in the proportions 45% Cab, 30% Merlot, 15% Cab Franc, 10% Petit Verdot.  The château is 18th century and the founder, the first Kirwan, unfortunately lost his head in the French Revolution. 

We arrived very early, so we had time to stroll in their beautiful gardens on what was a hot sunny afternoon with barely a cloud in the sky.  We were greeted by Madame Sophie Schyler, the owner, who gave us a most detailed and comprehensive guided tour of the winery, especially introducing us to their famed terroir, gravel and blue clay, and showing us their new facility built in 2016 with concrete rather than steel vats.  We did our tasting outside with a table of the tastiest canapes.  We tasted the 2018, which Sophie claimed was one of the best they had made, and I personally thought it was my wine of the day.  If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know it had low tannins and great red fruit flavours, remarkable for such a young wine from a prestigious marque.  We also tasted the 2016, which was entirely different, rich chocolatey and black fruit flavours, which I liked very much too.

Afterwards we went upstairs in the new building for a dinner prepared by the chateau’s own chef, Frederic Bozzo.  The first course was salmon carpaccio, matched with a Château Latour Martillac blanc, the only white wine we had all day (we visited the château the next day).  This was followed by guinea fowl in a foie gras sauce, cheese, and strawberry bavarois, all of which were delicious.  The wines for the last three courses were all Kirwan, 2016, 2012 and 2015, and all very good, especially the 2012.  The 2015 a rather strange choice for the bavarois, I thought, especially after we’d had a white for the entrée, but Sophie justified it as her personal choice, and what do I know?

Afterwards we were all back in our luxury Beeline coach.  For some reason the lights were out inside for the journey; whether this was some obscure bylaw, or to spare our heads, I don’t know.  We arrived back at the hotel about half eleven, and tumbled into bed after a great first day, ready to start all over again in the morning.

Commander Anthony Parker

Day 2 Report

We set off on another sunny day and headed South towards Graves.  After a day of learning about optimising flavour and the optimising the management of the wine making process, we were set for a very different but equally enjoyable experience.

Our first stop was at Château Climens, where we were greeted by Mme Bernice Lurton who both owns and manages the château that produces a range of Semillon wines from a Premier Cru Barsac, a second Barsac called Cyprès de Climens and a relatively new dry white called Asphodèle.  The geography had changed dramatically from the area of the previous day and we could see a lighter soil and limestone walls.

Mme Bernice is a leading light in biodynamic wines.  Hers was no half-hearted “woke agenda” but a full-on commitment to holistic, balanced and homeopathic approaches.  This involved the use of a wide range of herbs and plants that are used to prevent disease and insect damage, rather than treat them.  Likewise, the activities on the vineyard were not just linked to the weather but also to the phases of the moon.  This approach to wine husbandry clearly worked and avoided the dreaded “grey rot” and promoted the “noble rot” needed for the sweet wines.  The estate even used natural barrel fermentation, natural ventilation and ensured the provenance of the wood suppliers in their quest for sustainability.  The grapes were also treated kindly and even give a “sleep over” for their first 24 hours to let them settle; as their first steps to becoming delicious wines!

I could only imagine the look on the face of her technology lead when she outlined her radical plans in 2010!  His face must have been even more surprised when a question about “which plot to start with”, was met by the response…  “the whole estate”!  However, the proof of her methods were in the drinking and we enjoyed the wines we tasted and were particularly excited about the novelty of the Asphodèle.  Our hostess also introduced us to the concept of a slow tasting – which sadly, we did not have the time to experiment with!

Our second visit of the day was to Château de Cérons, where the emphasis was on bio- rather than bio-dynamic.  However, we could not have a better example of a friendly, family run château and we had an interesting and fun tour and lunch hosted by Caroline Perromat. 

We were shown the terroir (with its gravel and limestone influences) and the areas that the wine was made and stored but also were able to see the great work being done to refurbish the rare and beautifully balanced two-tower château, within the Graves area but with a small Appellation (Cérons) for its sweet wine!  We were also impressed with the signs that were already showing of the extensive and sensitive restorations of the château and hope to be able to see its final transformation in a future visit. 

In addition to their sweet wine (whose AOC name is the same as the château), they also had four ranges wines of red, white (sweet and dry) rosé and yellow wines.  The Châteaux de Cérons Graves range was a very tasty and approachable.  As well as the two other Châteaux (de Clavimont and de Mayne) they also produced the La Quille range with it’s skittle label, a fun approach and referred to it as a “the bottle to share with friends”. 

We were able to taste these wines outside at a long table in the shade of a tree and accompanied by a wonderful, fresh home-cooked meal.  The informality, generosity and friendliness together with the excellent food set off the delicious wines to make a very memorable afternoon and some enjoyable purchases of their wines … we really did not want to leave!

The enjoyment of our lunch and purchases made us a little late for our final visit of the day to Château Latour Martillac (a Grand Cru from Pressac Leognan), where our patient, enthusiastic and young host could not have been more helpful.  We learned of the history of the château and Kressman family, as well as their parcel-by-parcel approach to their wine making and their choice of grapes for the sandy and gravelly soils (with some clay).  We were also shown the immaculate and expanding facilities of the estate. 

Two particular areas of interest were the use of rented barrels (of particular interest to the “Barrel Maître”) and how different context and food can make the wine’s taste.  The latter was apparent by the different responses to the same wine – the 2018 Latour White.  This had been an excellent wine at our dinner the night before at Château Kirwan but felt a bit more acidic to some when tasted on its own, albeit in the attractive setting of a shady tree-lined avenue in the evening sunshine.  However, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Semillon integrated exceedingly well. The Latour red (2015) was also much enjoyed by all and felt to have significant aging potential. 

We had a fantastic, enjoyable, and rewarding day with great variety.  However, it was also tiring and so most needed to take advantage of some pleasant refreshments on the return to Bordeaux! 

Commander Andy Bacon

Day 3

18th May 2022 began with a beautiful morning, blue sky and a predicted temperature of 33`. We departed by coach at 8.45 for the Right Bank where all the châteaux for that day were situated.

Our first visit was to Château Beauregard which was named after the original owners. We were greeted and escorted by Mdme Roxanne Gomez who presented a lively and interesting tour of the Chateau.  The owners since 2014 are the Smith Haut

Lafiite and Galleries La Fayette families, who have carried out an extensive programme of renovations, with replanting, new drainage, better vine selection and a move towards organic farming. The land is the most expensive in Pomerol and costs between 2-3 million Euros per hectare.

We were all fascinated to watch an automatic machine called a Vitibot which weeded the vines, three rows at a time and they were the first and only chateau to own one.

 On entering the barrel room we were told that concerts were held there as the acoustics are so good. We were then entertained by our very own Tim Edwards who sang one of his folk songs to everyone’s delight.

We sampled two wines, the second label Benjamin de Beauregard followed by Châteaux Beauregard.   

The second châteaux was Château Cantenac, Saint Emilion Grand Cru which is owned by the Roskam Brunot family. This was very different to the previous châteaux - family run, they own 19 hectares and produce 110,000 bottles per annum made in concrete tanks installed in 1870 and still in use.  We were told that Right Bank vines grow taller than Left Bank vines. 

Madame Nicol Roskam - Brunot has three sons and  each one married an intern who went to France from America to study viticulture. We were greeted and conducted round the estate by Adrienne Jennifer, one of the interns, who liked to be called AJ.  The cellar again had good acoustics and Tim entertained us and AJ recorded the performance.

The family were very hospitable and we had lunch here in the dining room of their home which had a lovely french atmosphere.    

Our third and final visit of the day was to Château Dassault which was acquired by Marcel Dassault in 1955. 

The family were passionate pioneers in the aeronautical industry, new technologies and the art market and they became interested in fine wine.  The delicate winemaking process takes place in small concrete vats, allowing each plot to be vinified separately with respect for its personality.

Marcel Dassault, a visionary business leader, bought Château Couperie in 1955 on impulse. He gave his own name to the property.  The quality of its wines has improved vintage after vintage.  In 1969 with its promotion to the rank of Grand Cru Classe the Château achieved the status it deserved.       

Commander John and Anne Hodgkinson

Bordeaux 2022   -   Day 4

On going to breakfast I truly wondered whether the very high standard of the previous 3 days could be sustained so good were they. However, looking at the Bordeaux “pedigree” of the people and places we were to visit there was a very good chance and we were not to be disappointed!

Château Angludet, restored both as a wine of distinction and a lovely property by the late Peter Sichel, was our first call and we were hosted by his grand-daughter, Daisy. She was a most engaging speaker – fluent, knowledgeable with a good sense of humour which overcame the eccentricities of their lovely family dog as it tried to capture our driver’s drone!

We learnt of their move to a more biodynamic approach before tasting some recent vintages, of which the 2014 and 16 were standout products. The visit concluded with Ralph Manners Wood not only thanking Daisy and wishing her well in her forthcoming marriage but telling her and us of his time when working with her grandfather as part of his preparation for working in the wine trade -  tears were seen in the corner of eyes!

Our next hosts were Madame Lilian Barton & family - daughter of the late Anthony Barton - another   family who are part of the Bordeaux legend. Initially, we had our tour of the wine-making facilities and then we were treated to a generous cold buffet with champagne which we assumed was lunch. It was therefore with great surprise that we were invited to leave the warm terrace to go for lunch! Having again been further entertained by the activities of the family dog, we sat down with the family for a lunch accompanied by wines from the various parts of the Barton “stable” .

Although not a fan of the River Gironde near this point it was with a sense of relief that we had a “viewing” break and a chance for an ice cream before the next challenge to our taste buds and appetite -  Château Beychevelle.

This proved to be a site of remarkable contrast. A beautiful, classic French château overlooking the Gironde with the addition of a recent state of the art winery that looked like something from a Bond film - tall, immaculate stainless steel vats with subtle modern lighting and complex IT controlling and monitoring mechanisms - modernity meeting tradition.

Our tasting was held in one of the grand salons with the wines giving good examples of why this Château has such a good reputation for its finesse and elegance albeit their most recent vintage clearly needed much more time to develop, it being numb in virtually every respect. This was followed by dinner with the General Manager and wine maker, Phillipe Blanc, and his staff where the belief that tasting red wine with good food enhances both was verified.

 Commander Chris Trees

The trip per se was over but we had a most enjoyable lunch at La Restaurante de la Vallée in Clisson on the journey back ….

A bientôt………

The 2018 Trip

The week commencing May 12th 2018 was a memorable one indeed for the UK. Bookended by two of the great cultural occasions of our time – the Eurovision Song Contest and the Royal Wedding  (with afters of the FA Cup Final) – significant events were also taking place on the Continent. Yes the Manchester Commanderie were in Bordeaux for their biennial visit to the vineyards and chateaux of the region.

The party of 28 met to join the coach in Cheshire on Saturday the 12th and found a black space-age vehicle awaiting – very comfortable but also very tall (of which more later!). There was also the surprise (and concern) that the second driver had been taken ill overnight so we were left with just one. Fortunately Steve turned out to be somewhat of a superman and managed to cope with the demands of the party and the French road network admirably.

Our trip down to Portsmouth to catch the ferry was uneventful apart from the usual business hard work of opening and sampling champagne bottles and if at least in one case inadvertently spraying the coach! On board we enjoyed the pleasures of the Brittany Ferries restaurant (really good food and excellent value) before sleeping our way across the Channel to St Malo.  

The following morning we started off early and, it being Sunday, had a period of quiet contemplation and coffee before someone decided it was time to open a bottle and festivities started again. A diversion for a leisurely and very enjoyable lunch near the beautiful old harbour of La Rochelle (which has become a tradition on these trips) broke the day up and we finally arrived at our hotel in Bordeaux in late afternoon. In the evening we went our own ways – some for a walk, some for a meal, some for just a drink and some, apparently, for a tour of dubious student bars – I couldn’t comment!

It was an early start on Monday morning – well before 9 – so you can see we had to suffer for our pleasure (it’s hard but somebody has to do it!). We were headed for the most distant destination of our trip – the northern Medoc – where the Association of the Crus Bourgeios du Medoc had generously laid on a tasting of a range of wines from their members. The organiser was a dear friend, Brinda Bourhis of the Association, and the host chateau was the beautiful Ch Castera, well known in the UK in the past from its association with Alexis Lichine wines though sadly less seen now. We had a tour of the chateau including numerous sculptures and the beautifully restored tower containing a museum of artifacts relating to the very long history of this estate – one of several examples we saw of huge investment in properties with little obvious business benefit but showing the commitment to and the pride in their inheritance.

A tasting followed showing the 6 examples of the great 2015 vintage from very different estates across the region ranging from the Medoc in the north down to the borders of Margaux in the south – a very well chosen collection all presented by their proprietors and showing how well cabernet sauvignon, merlot and in one case, spectacularly, petit verdot, can shine in a good year.

After a very welcome glass of champagne (not every wine served in Bordeaux is home grown!) and excellent canapes we moved to lunch (centred round a beautifully cooked duck steak) and had the chance to taste more mature vintages and chat to the owners – in my case it was a pleasure sit next to Martial Mignet of Ch L’Argilus du Roi in St Estephe who is making serious wine with love in his second career (he was previously a successful pilot). One of our discoveries of the week was evident here – the often ignored 2012 vintage is showing very well currently and is likely to for some years to come. Not surprisingly many of us took advantage of the opportunity to buy here. (Since we returned we’ve heard of the heavy hail storms and floods in this region last week and we’re just hoping that our friends at Castera were not affected).

Time moved on and we ended up rather late at our second visit of the day – the renowned third growth Ch Kirwan in Margaux which meant we couldn’t take in all off the famous wine route alongside some of the greatest Chateaux names in the world. However we managed to see Palmer, Beychevelle, and Lagrange among others. At Kirwan we were met by the impressive and charming Sophie Schyler Thierry of the owning family. Another example of investment in the Chateau – a beautiful work of art in metal double doors at the entrance to the winery showing a tree and words associated with the wine making and the love of the subject. Another feature of the estate is the lovely garden – one of the finest in the Medoc. On to the wine itself – the family’s commitment was evident both in the investment in the fermenting vessels – concrete tulips in this case, and in the cask sample of the 2017 we sampled later. Unlike some chateaux we visited Kirwan did not suffer too badly with the frosts of 2017 and the wine showed great promise. Samples of older vintage of both the second wine(2014) and the grand vin(2012) of the estate showed this is a property to value and though the grand vin increases in price, as with its peers,  the second wine is more affordable and of high quality. Finally our hostess invited us back for a meal at the estate on a later visit – an offer we would be delighted to take up.

The final visit of the day was Ch Cantemerle in the Haut Medoc – a personal favourite of several of the party. We were met by Philippe Dambrine who is the long-time wine maker at a chateau which has been making increasingly good wines in recent years, and at a relatively modest price for a classified growth. The estate dates back nearly a thousand years and one of the features of the grounds and a source of much pride are the 300 year old plane trees in the grounds. Philippe’s friendliness and quiet commitment to his calling impressed us all.  We then had the second 2017 cask sample of the day - it was sweet and luscious even now and should become a lovely wine. With a very enjoyable dinner (smoked salmon followed by filet mignon) we drank the second wine (Les Allees 2010) – good fruit and balance and still young, and Cantemerle itself from 2011 – showing what can be achieved even in a lesser year.

And then back to the hotel just before the driver’s hours ran out – a close run thing!

We had a later start on Tuesday but the traffic was so bad in central Bordeaux that we had to pick up the coach a couple of streets away to avoid the worst of the congestion. On our way out of town we had an interesting encounter with an underpass which was too low for our very tall coach (remember?) – the piece de resistance was a satellite dome on the top of the coach which proved too much for several bridges. Reversing back up the sliproad to the underpass was one of the more memorable incidents but thanks to our excellent driver and our Vinothecaire’s efforts in directing the traffic relatively painless. However it did mean we had to allow more time to get in and out of the city each day.

Our first stop of the day was another old friend of the Commanderie  - Bruno Gonzague de Lambert at the splendid Ch de Sales – an historic estate and the largest in Pomerol. He showed us the beautiful grounds and explained the long and illustrious history of the place including the ‘censoring’ of certain pictures and the accidental discovery of ancient tapestries in one of the old store rooms, and on a more serious note gave us an insight into the problems faced by family-owned properties from the French inheritance laws. A very engaging and charming host Bruno also introduced us for the first time in the week to the concept of ‘sexual confusion’ to control pests in the vineyards – a technique his estate pioneered.

After champagne and canapes on the terrace overlooking the lovely lake we escaped the rain by moving inside for a spectacular lunch accompanied by 3 flights of 3 wines dating back to 2008 from de Sales and his neighbours’ properties dating back to 2008 (another discovery for some of the party – 2008 is a seriously under-rated vintage) and finishing with a real treat – de Sales 1990 – definitely mature but soft and lovely. I was lucky enough to sit at the same table as Dominique Vayron of the excellent Ch Bourgneuf who enchanted us with her account of 8 generations of her family to run the chateau (her daughter Frederique is now the winemaker there).

Before we left there was an historic moment as Bruno was reunited with 3 of the original Manchester Commanders who he had met 30 years ago when the Commanderie was founded - definitely a photo for the archives!

Our second and final visit of the day was to nearby Saint Emilion – Ch La Dominique is a Grand Cru Classé owned by Clement Fayat, with a growing investment and reputation in recent years. It is also famous for its association with the renowned and notorious American artist Jeff Koons. Here in subdued mood for him he has created a striking cladding for the winery representing the different colours of red wine and a flat roof with red glass pebbles again representing the wine’s colour. It may not be to everyone’s taste but it worked for me and the view from the roof was a wonderful panorama on Pomerol – not the worst vista in the world!

Here the fermenting vessels were steel. The changes in approach (or should I say fashion) are intriguing but if they work then I’m not the person to question them. They are also experimenting with aging in plastic eggs. Certainly the wines are good though in my opinion the 2013 vintage of the second wine was drinking better than the 2011 vintage of La Dominique itself which has some way to go. I should mention that here we had a slight hiccup in that the chateau didn’t seem to expect us despite a confirmed booking. However all credit to the very friendly staff who gave us a very enjoyable visit.

After this we had a short stop in Saint Emilion itself - for many of us a first chance to experience this beautiful town and for others a welcome opportunity to revisit old haunts. Next back to town and a chance to sample the many local restaurants within easy reach of the hotel.

Wednesday was another full day and a real treat. After fighting the city traffic our first stop was in Entre Deux Mers at Ch Montlau – possibly the oldest estate we visited being on the site of a Roman settlement. The estate itself dates back to 830 and the oldest tower to 1130. Once again we were entranced by a magnificent tree – a Lebanon Cedar c.450 year old. The owner – Armand Schuster de Ballwil – is one of the regions great characters – warm, welcoming and knowledgeable – and he and his family run one of the most beautiful estates I’ve ever seen. It may not be located in the most fashionable part of to the region but I think any of us would have chosen it as a place to spend our lives. We enjoyed a tasting on a terrace overlooking the Dordogne with Pomerol and Saint Emilion in the distance. There were 6 different Entre Deux Mers whites from 2017 – good, light and refreshing after the heavier reds of recent days and surprisingly different in style from each other. They were also a minor miracle given the frosts of that year.

For lunch we moved inside and tasted the full range of Montlau white, rose and reds with a cold buffet which was for many one of the highlights of the trip. A huge dressed salmon (caught in the Dordogne) perhaps took pride of place but the beef Wellington, duck and salads had to be seen to be believed. We finished with a rare treat - these are not usually long-lived wines but the 2009 red was lovely and fresh despite its age. The hospitality of Armand and his family remains in the mind and unsurprisingly many of us bought some of the very reasonably priced wines.

We next wandered through the pretty, narrow lanes of Sauternes and Barsac  (another challenge for our intrepid driver)to reach Ch Doisy-Vedrines. Although a second growth this very attractive chateau was somehow understated compared with many we saw and the low key but dedicated approach was reinforced by the quietly spoken owner Olivier Casteja. This is an estate where superlative wines are made but the pendulum has not yet started to swing back towards sweet wines so they remain underappreciated and for Bordeaux very underpriced. They also have the challenge of dealing with low yields and many passes of the vineyard at harvest which means the flexibility to ferment and mature many small quantities of wine and their solution, though not unique, is very different from what we saw at other sites. No long rows of steel or concrete fermenting vessels but instead grape juice is racked off to barrels for fermenting then reassembled into a few vats for blending before maturing again in barrel. We tasted the second wine, Petit Vedrines, of 2010 – a light but very pleasing wine – almost an aperitif style, and the much richer Doisy-Vedrines 2015 – not ready yet but will last for years.

The weather was kind to us and we arrived at one of the superstars of Pessac-Leognan – Ch Haut-Bailly – at 6 o’clock in mellow sunshine. We were greeted by Daina Paulin, once of Arizona but now a head of communications at the chateau and a most eloquent convert to France and French wine (so committed is she that later this year she’s marrying a Frenchman!). She led us through the history of the chateau – how its name comes from being at the highest point in Graves (all of 48m!) and it is based round a plot of 30ha which has been planted since 1630 with 6 different varieties which are replanted like with like when required. After long ownership by the Belgian Sanders family there was a painless transfer to an American, Robert Wilmers, in 1998, while Veronique Sanders remains as general manager. Sadly Mr Wilmers died late last year but his family are continuing his interest in the estate. The approach to the fermenting was new to me – concrete vessels are coated with tartaric acid which maintains cleanliness while, I suspect, helping precipitate out excess tartrates.

Although the highest part of the vineyard escaped much of the 2017 frost  sadly there was an overall 30% loss but on a more positive note the three 2017 cask samples we tasted were very promising. We also tried the 2015 Grand and second wines – great wines in the making with the Le Parde de Haut-Bailly also looking good value. We then moved to the terrace for once of the best moments of the week – drinking Pol Roger while watching the sunset over vineyards. Dinner was also delightful – lobster and veal accompanied by the Le Parde and Grand vins of the 2012 vintage – both reinforcing our growing liking for this vintage – followed by what was for the writer was possibly the wine of the week – Haut-Bailly from 2008. I read afterwards that it was regarded by some as the wine of the vintage – certainly it had wonderful depth and balance and the structure to last for years. The evening finished with various members of the party visiting the chateau shop where a range of vintages and high quality mementos were available. And so back to Bordeaux.

Our final day of visits started with the now expected battle with the traffic and as a result we were over half an hour late at our first stop Ch Chantegrive in Graves – known to many of us for their excellent wines, both white and red. Our delightful host, Elodie Sodes, was not phased by this and gave us an excellent if slightly rushed tour of the estate, but one with a very poignant aspect. Chantegrive was one of those properties very badly hit by the frosts of 2017 and suffered losses of 80% - totally wiping out production of red wine. The sight of their main cellar devoid of barrels except for a few empty ones there as window-dressing was shocking. However we has a tasting of the white of 2014 (fresh with good fruit) and their success story the white Cuvee Caroline 2016 (earlier vintages were sold out) which was rich with a gentle use of oak and to my mind a more harmonious wine than when I first tasted the cuvee 20 years ago. The reds of 2014 and the prestige cuvee of 2011 also showed well. By now we had run out of time to buy but by careful negotiation we agreed to come back late in the day and in the end bought some 200 bottles between us, which I’m sure pleased the chateau.

Our final visit of the trip was a special one.  Ch Smith-Haut -Lafitte is a large historic estate in Pessac –Leognan which was underperforming until the early 90’s when it was bought by two human dynamos Daniel and Florence Cathiard. They had met on the French national ski team and were introduced to Bordeaux by fellow team member the Olympic legend Jean-Claude Killy. After having great success in their careers in retail and advertising they dedicated themselves to making the estate the best they possibly could – restoring the chateau, establishing an on-site cooperage (rare in Bordeaux), and building a new chai and pioneering environmentally friendly processes. If this wasn’t enough in the late 90’s they established a spa hotel on the site which has developed into a worldwide brand and is one of the leading sites for luxury tourism in the entire region. The chateau buildings are on a huge scale for the area and manage to be both luxurious and rustic at the same time – the cellar itself is one of the largest and most impressive I’ve seen. (It does however have some narrow access roads which presented a challenge to driver Steve – at one point to let other vehicles pass he had to manoeuvre to within about six inches of a ditch but as usual he managed it perfectly).

This sounds almost too good to be true but the enthusiasm  and warmth of the owners would have won anyone over – tireless ambassadors for their beloved wine and brimming over with self-deprecating anecdotes about how they managed to achieve so much. It is perhaps unnecessary to run through the wines we tried but you won’t forgive me if I don’t so here goes. Before lunch we tasted the lovely 2015 white (Smith-Haut-Lafitte are almost equally renowned for their whites as reds) and with the superb lunch (crab charlotte followed by veal fillet) the white of 2010 (some bottle variation at my table but the second bottle was excellent) and 3 reds in magnum – the second wine (Les Hauts de Smith) 2014 and the Grand vin from 2012 and 2005. A wonderful experience – we were impressed by all three and if the sheer class and depth of the 05 was unbeatable the Les Hauts was loved by many for its twin virtues of displaying wonderful fruit and being (relatively) affordable. A great end to the formal part of the trip.

There’s not much to add – we spent the evening in Bordeaux and in the morning had an early start to avoid the heavy traffic which miraculously didn’t materialise – so a smooth journey to our lunch stop at Clisson in a beautiful riverside restaurant.

Then on to Caen and then back to Portsmouth- the route had another couple of challenges with low bridges but with care (and a lowered suspension) we crept through. Then back up to Cheshire watching the Royal Wedding on the coach (the first time we’d made use of the dreaded satellite dome).

So overall a really memorable week – in fact according to some veterans of these trips the best we’d ever had – many highlights and no disappointments. And what had we learnt about the wines? – perhaps 3 main lessons – that the dry whites from Bordeaux get better and better, that in these days of ever increasing prices cru bourgeios and second wines of classed estates can be very good value, and that certain less acclaimed vintages, notably 2012 and 2008 are showing really well.

We must give our thanks to all our hosts during the week for making it so special and to Steve our driver who coped superbly with us with great good humour (in fact I think I heard him say he looked forward to driving us again but that may have been an unguarded moment!). Finally although a number of people were involved in the organisation the lion’s share fell on two – David and Jane Chapman who did a superb job in planning and making the whole trip run so seamlessly – very many thanks to you both.

P.S. a footnote to our trip – in the July 18 Bordeaux Decanter supplement there are features on Chateaux  Bourgneuf and Smith-Haut-Lafitte and favourable mention of the wines of Doisy-Vedrines.

The 2016 Visit