2 Days Adventure for Wine Lovers
Terre de Vins Bordeaux Tasting-December 2023
By Robert Stepek, Sommelier oenoblogger in www.maitredecave.com
2011 marked the first vintage of Terre de Vins’ Bordeaux Tasting au Palais de la Bourse. This twelfth edition, Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 December 2023, featured more than 200 exhibitors with more than 600 still wines\, sparkling and spirits to evaluate. The wine exhibition filled two levels of the Palais, and the spirits and liqueur exhibition occupied the first floor of Musée National des Douanes across the plaza. The crowd of professionals, amateurs, and students may have surpassed 7000 attendees during the two day event.Once again, the event offered a variety of popular Workshops, Conferences, and Master Classes presented by representatives from the Bordeaux School of Wine, industry celebrities, educators, and influencers.
Many workshops with still wines and sparkling
The offerings included workshops on food and wine pairings featuring local specialty products. The conferences included discussions about ChampMany workshopsagne Styles and Rosés with Intensity. The classes presented Three Bordeaux Legends from the Right and Left Banks, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classés, Seductive 2016 Pomerols, and a Session to Experience the Glory of Pinot Noir with Veuve Clicquot’s La Grande Dame Rosé. Of course, the classes also included quizzes for those who wanted to evaluate themselves.
My favorite
Terre de Vins Bordeaux Tasting has been one of my favorite annual events during the last decade. Every December, as a Maitre de Cave blogger, I reserve the weekend to make certain I can experience Bordeaux during the holiday season and two days of exciting wine and spirit tasting.
Following is a list of my favorite wines at the Tasting and their Ratings:
Tasting notes of still wines and sparkling
Sparkling Wines
Among the sparkling wines, I particulrly apprecied the followings :
2012 Champage Moutard Père & Fils, Cuvée des 6 Cépages, Brut Nature, 95/100 Aube
16% Arbanne, 16% Petit Meslier, 16% Pinot Blanc, 16% Chardonnay, 16% Pinot Noir, 16% Pinot Meunier
Appearance: pale straw with tiny, energetic, abundant mousse – Nose: lively, fresh, citrus, hint of oak, with elegant toasted brioche sophistication – Palate: intense citrus and salinity, with exceptional length
2015 Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, Brut, Reims, Champagne 95/100 Reims
90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay Appearance: explosive mousse, tiny, abundant bubbles, rich golden robe – Nose: toasted and buttered brioche, rich, yeasty, intense minerality, jasmine, lemon, Comice pea, – Palate: intense, dark toast, celery, great salinity, long, fresh, pear
2008 Champagne Thiénot, Cuvée Alain Thiénot, Blanc de Noirs, Brut, 94/100 Reims
60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir Appearance: brilliant, yellow, gold reflections, tiny, active, medium-density mousse – Nose: rich, yeasty, complex, toasted almonds, round, mineral intensity, opulence – Palate: mature and delicious, elegant toastiness, structured, luxurious feel, complex, long
let us go by the still wines – Dry white :
Dry Still Wines White
2020 Château Carbonnieux Blanc, Pessac-Léognan 95/100
65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Sémillon Appearance: intense, crystalline, brilliant, pale straw – Nose: rich, aromatic, fresh grapefruit, salinity – Palate: intense, aromatic, fresh, balanced, lemon, long, refreshing, complex
2022 Blanc de Coralie de Boüard, Vin de Pays de l’Atlantique 94/100
Château Clos de Boüard, 100% Sauvignon Blanc Appearance: crystalline, brilliant, pale straw, green reflections – Nose: rich, aromatic, fresh grapefruit, green thyme – Palate: fresh, balanced, lemon zest, long, refreshing, complex
2021 Domaine Chiroulet, Côte d’Heux, Côtes de Gascogne 94/100
100% Gros Manseng Appearance: crystalline, brilliant, pale straw, green reflections – Nose: fresh citrus, baked pineapple, powdered hot minerals – Palate: fresh, balanced, lemon zest, long, refreshing, complex
then, the Sweet Still Wines White
2003 Château Guiraud, Sauternes, Sauternes – Premier Cru Classé 94/100
35% Sauvignon Blanc, 65% Sémillon, Appearance: brilliant, clear, smokey, deep yellow – Nose: intense, vanilla, orange zest, all flowers honey, apricot, Comice pear – Palate: intense, unctuous, fresh, baked oranges, apricot, long, balanced
2016 Château Guiraud, Sauternes, Sauternes – Premier Cru Classé 94/100
35% Sauvignon Blanc, 65% Sémillon, Appearance: golden yellow, brilliant, clear – Nose: fresh, intense, peach, baked pineapple, buckwheat honey – Palate: delicate, floral, vanilla, roasted almonds, long, balanced, delightful
Rosés wines
2022 Château Leroy-Beauval, Rozélie de Château Leroy-Beauval, Rosé, Bordeaux 94/100
100% Cabernet Franc Appearance: Very pale pink/grey robe, brilliant, crystalline, copper reflections – Nose: intense, fresh, whole berry red fruit, spice, powdered minerality – Palate: dry, fresh red currants, pomegranate, long refreshing finish
IHere is my still wines reds list :
Still Wines Reds
2017 Château Beychevelle, Saint-Julien – Grand Cru Classé – Quatrième Cru 95/100
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot Appearance: brilliant, intense, ruby – Nose: dried herbs, blackberry, sweet oak – Palate: complex black fruit, dried herbs, black pepper, long, balanced
2012 Château Léognan, Pessac-Léognan 95/100
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot Appearance: intense, bright, clear, ruby-garnet – Nose: intense, rose petal, black cherry, black currant, black pepper – Palate – intense black fruit, pepper, dried thyme, delicious, complex, long, balanced
2018 Château de Pez, Saint-Estèphe 95/100
49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Appearance: intense, brilliant, purple-ruby – Nose: powerful, black cherry, touch of dried thyme, garrigue, sweet oak, delicious – Palate: elegant, velvety, black fruit, sweet oak, long, perfectly balanced
2016 Château Larmande, Saint-Émilion – Grand Cru Classé 94/100
5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 71% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc Appearance: moderate intensity garnet, brilliant, cherry reflections – Nose: moderate intensity, fresh red cherry, drinkable, open nice spicy oak – Palate: complex, pomegranate, red cherry, touch of spice and licorice
2020 Château Leroy Beauval, Bordeaux Supérieur 95/100
10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 85% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc Appearance: Intense,brilliaint ruby robe, cherry reflections – Nose: intense hibiscus, pomegranate, black currant, blackberry, Cabernet aromas – Palate: bold, black fruit, well balanced, long, rich and refined extraction
2012 Château Monlot, Saint-Émilion – Grand Cru 95/100
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc Appearance: medium intensity garnet, brilliant, clear cherry reflections – Nose: moderate intensity, fresh, black cherry, dried herbs, licorice, black pepper – Palate: intense, fresh black cherry, cassis, sweet oak, well-balanced, long
2008 Château Siran, Margaux – Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel 94/100
33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 54% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot Appearance: moderate intensity, clear, ruby, cherry reflections – Nose: intense red cherry, dried herbs, licorice, tobacco, sweet oak – Palate: moderate intensity, dried red cherry, hint of confiture, aromatic herbs, tobacco, long, Spicy, complex, long, beautifully balanced
Spirits
Delord, Armagnacs Blanche d’Armagnac, Lannepax, Bas Armagnac 96/100
100% Colombard Appearance: brilliant, crystaline, clear – Nose: fresh bosc pear, reigne claude plum, piment – Palate : comice pear, green apple,
Domaine Tariquet, Montreur d’Ours, Éauze, Bas Armagnac 96/100
70% Plant de Graisse, 30% Baco et Ugni Blanc Appearance: brilliant, crystalline, deep honey – Nose: intense, aromatic, spicy, vanilla, stewed plum, fig, sweet oak, tobacco – Palate: intense, date, roasted fig, elegant oak, long
Maison Delamain,Cognac Pléiade Malaville La Rambaudie, Hors d’Âge, 95/100
Grande Champagne, Cognac (45% ABV) Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche
Appearance: deep amber – Nose: strong, intense, vanilla, baked apple, fig, baking spice – Palate: old oak, muscat rancio
Still wines and sparklings at Bordeaux Tasting 2023