2010 Bordeaux Primeurs – beginning to speed up

by Charles Lea

Regular customers will know that we have has a soft spot for L’Arrosée ever since the Cailles took it over in 2002.  A new winery was completed in 2004 with the aim of taking l’Arrosée back to its glory days in the 19th Century when it was among the leading lights of St Emilion. The vineyards are planted with 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and, very unusually for St Emilion, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is restrained and serious, full of delicacy as well as power.

92+ (L&S)
91 – 94 (Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate)
92 – 94 (Neal Martin’s Wine Journal, erobertparker.com)
****17.5 (James Lawther MW, decanter.com)

Lilian Ladouys has been tasted by almost no one, it would appear (but we saw it at sister property Pedesclaux), but this Cru Bourgeois St Estephe has had huge investment in recent years, since Francois and Jacky Lorenzetti bought it in 2008, and is making very serious wines at this price level.

Fugue de Nénin jumped out of the glass at the tasting at Las Cases this year – it may be, as Jancis says ‘not perfect’ but it is a lot of fun.