It was en primeur week in Bordeaux last week and although prices are no longer stratospheric, they are still too high for the average consumer. En primeur is the one week of the year where wine buyers and the wine press get their first look at the newest Bordeaux vintage. The wines have only been in barrel for a few months but based on this very brief taste of very young wines, the wine price is set. Although it can be fun to see at what outrageous price the latest Mouton Rothschild or Petrus is going for, the average consumer can only dream about someday trying these wines.
However, the wines of en primeur are but a small fraction of the wines that Bordeaux produces. Most of the wines of Bordeaux are made to be consumed not long after being released to the public, usually two years after harvest. The un-classed growths,and more affordable, tier of wines in Bordeaux have always been classified as cru bourgeois. That was, until 2007 when to make a long story short, the classification was overturned by the courts and the term cru bourgeois became illegal. In 2010 a new system was devised and hopefully, it will not be overturned by the courts. It's a bit confusing but the wine that I tasted was a 2002 so it, thankfully, was still classified a cru bourgeouis.
Cru Bourgeois wines come from the same region as the great classed growths but for various reasons, didn't quite make the cut and so they are much cheaper in comparison. If you are ever in doubt, a cru bourgeois from the Haut-Medoc is usually a good bet.
The Haut Medoc has many cru bourgeois and the 2002 Ch. Lamothe Bergeron comes from an excellent location, the vines overlooking the river. In Bordeaux, it is said only the best vines look onto the water. The chateau was founded in the mid 19th century and the chateau itself built in 1868. The 2002 is 55% cabernet sauvignon and 45% merlot, the classic Bordeaux blend. I decanted the wine for about 45 minutes before tasting it as it had been in bottle all this time. It was showing a bi of age but still looked in good condition. An aromatic nose of ripe blackberries, prunes, a hint of cedar and spice on the edge and a note of vanilla floating about the rim of the glass. Fine round tannins, a tobacco savoury note, the fruit has faded from this wine, if you're looking for a fruit bomb, this is not your wine at all. Loads of dark chocolate and spice with a black fruit finish at the very end. This, for me, was a very morish wine, I liked the savoury character of the wine and it had excellent structure and acidity - a good choice for the steak I had grilling.
The 2002 Ch. Lamothe Bergegon is not robust but it is a wine with character and is justly suited for a meal. A good wine to have with a heary dish, it's available online from Avery's of Bristol, retailing at £16.99.
About LTW
The amazing thing about wine is that it is infinite; new harvests, seasons, the weather, new winemakers, even new grape varieties mean that the wind world is constantly moving, there is always some brilliant new thing to keep the wine world fresh, new and interesting. When lovethatwine started back in 2005 the web was a different place too!
What hasn’t changed and will never change is the passion that people have for wine. Whether you are a master of wine or enjoy the odd glass on a Friday night you know what like, what you love and what you would like to share with other people who share your passion. We’d like to think that we’ve helped people with their knowledge of wine and that we’ve helped them to give them a place to share and talk about wine. We are truly so passionate about it that we’ve completely rebuilt the site to offer friendlier functionality, and a more options to allow you to discover the wines you love.
Our team has grown too with the help of two of wines hottest young things: Denise Medrano, who some of you will know as The Winesleuth and Pieter Rosenthal of Cork and Bottle. They live and breathe wine everyday so we are going to bring some of that fun into the website.
Above all, it’s thanks to our extended family of bloggers, reviewers and wine lovers who really make up the lovethatwine team. Here’s to more great reviews and 5 out of 5 Stars reviews!
Cheers!
Denise is originally from California and has been writing about the London wine trade as The Winesleuth for many years. She studied to be a sommelier in Buenos Aires before coming to London. She holds the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust Advanced Certificate and has worked in the wine trade for the many years.
Nicolle joined lovethatwine in September 2010 as part of a initiative to establish lovethatwine the first destination in wine reviewing for the masses. “We want people who like wine to express their opinions on lovethatwine as they would about music or food,” says Nicolle. “You don’t have to be a connoisseur to have an opinion about wine.”.
Pieter is based in Glasgow and runs consumer workshops, private and corporate wine tastings across Scotland. Wine is often regarded as a complex and difficult subject and Pieter’s aim is to make it easier to understand and give a real experience for wine lovers.
