Bordeaux 2011 – Bon Pasteur, Malescot

by Charles Lea

After yesterday’s release of Pontet Canet, which seems to have ‘worked’ pretty well, we have a couple of rather lesser brands trying their luck at a similar discount to last year. But is it enough? Wily old Alfred Tesseron may be able to get away with pricing his 2011 above current prices of more mature vintages, but Pontet Canet has the wind in its sails and also has the lightly tossed-off remark of Le Grand Bob that it’s a wine of ‘first growth potential’.

Bon Pasteur in Pomerol at £395 (whatever nice remarks Robert Parker may make about Dany and Michel Rolland, the owners) does not benefit from quite the same strength of brand and looks pricey at this level. Malescot Saint Exupéry in Margaux (£370) has come down by a bigger percentage, but it’s a wine which did not make the cut into my offer and not one I can get too excited about, but still available to order if there are any fans out there!

Also out today is Grand Corbin Despagne, an honest wine at a sensible price, but I preferred its neighbour Corbin as mentioned yesterday.

Altogether one might have hoped for a bit more action today, given the shortness of the week. They know what they’ve got to do, so why not get on and do it?