What the Butler saw

Today was Hayward Bros. En Primeur Bordeaux 2012 tasting. The showing normally signals the close of the En Primeur showing season in Oxford for Bordeaux.
It is great because, the young wines have changed so much since even last week.
Last week's star appellation in my opinion, was Pomerol. This week the Pomerol wines tasted a touch sour and less rounded.

Robert Hayward and Bryan Taylor put on a great tasting at Teddy Hall. The special offer wines were followed by the 2012 cask samples of Bordeaux's finest. There were plenty of samples yet to be tried this season. Some of my favourites like Batailley,a fifth growth from Pauillac and big guns like Chateau Lynch Moussas and Chateau Cantemerle which had, up until now, been missing.



There were also previously unshown wines, like Anthony Barton's Mauvesin-Barton from Moulis, this last wine stood out as being very good value for money. It had good dark fruit mixed with cherries, figs, tar and a cognac like finish.

After trying Chateau Beausejour Becot, a 1er Grand Cru Classe from St Emillion and the  last of the En Primeur clarets from 2011, my palate was exhausted.  Further more the wine had stained both my hands and teeth, the latter making me look like a cast member of the Musical " Les Mis".

Lunch was accompanied by a glass of Beaumet Non Vintage Champagne. I have to confess to not being such a fan of this years En primeur whites showing and so I quickly moved on to the last section - Sauternes.

2011 Sauternes are looking very good, the price is low and the quality very high. These wines will start drinking in around six years from now, achieving full potential in ten years and then being good for a few more after this. The Doisy Vedrines second growth stood out on a pound for pound basis.
On the whole, a great day out.