Extraprima Bordeaux 2018 Catalog english version

extraprima
Saint-Estèphe | Bordeaux2018
Saint-Estèphe
97 – 98 CALON-SÉGUR Saint-Estèphe Parker 96 – 98 | Suckling 98 – 98 |
WeinWisser 19 + /20
Only 50 of Calon-Ségur’s 55 hectares are currently
planted, and 45 are in production. This can be traced
back to the comprehensive restructuration program
that Madame Gasqueton in 2006 initiated together
with the technical director Vincent Millet. Because
the original vineyards were all planted with a classical low density of
vines, furthermore many died rootstocks were taken out. So the average
age of the vines today is about 22 years. In recent vintages,
Vincent Millet has dramatically increased quality. The new cellar offers
room for more precision, which can be clearly seen in 2018.
Luckily there was not much mildew, and because of clay in the subsoils,
the vines were able to survive the dry phase well. Only 40 % of
the production went into the Grand Vin, which consists of 65 % Cabernet
Sauvignon, 17 % Merlot, 15 % Cabernet Franc and 3 % Petit
Verdot. The Calon-Ségur is aged in 100 % new barrels and reached
14.9 % alcohol, which by no means can be tasted or felt in the wine
at all. Brilliant, solid color. Very sweet and offensive in the smell,
highly aromatic and intense. In the mouth, Calon-Ségur carries great
spiciness, lots of juice, and a racy, broad structure. Despite the high
Cabernet share it belongs opulent and rich, with a saturated Merlot-velvety
and intense red berry-cherry fruit, that is fat and dominant.
Substantial length, extremely deep, and with excellent creaminess,
this vintage has a very own character for Calon-Ségur, which
reminds not very much of Saint-Estèphe due to its round nature.
96 – 97 MONTROSE Saint-Estèphe Parker 96 – 98 | Suckling 98 – 99 |
WeinWisser 19.5/20
Due to the damp weather during flowering,
Montrose had a lot of coulure (uneven insemination
of the berries). 65 % of the vines are managed
organically, so the mildew was also an issue
on Montrose. Fortunately, there was no drought,
but there were also some dried-out berries here and there (passerilage).
In the end, only 25 hl per hectare were harvested from the 17 th
of September to the 5 th of October, of which about 50 % found its
way into the Grand Vin. It consists of 72 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 %
Merlot, 6 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Petit Verdot, aged in 60 % new
barrels with 14.5 % alcohol. Dark, viscous color. Rich, dark-berryscented,
compacted, and voluminous the 2018 Montrose smells on a
cool side, yet it does not seem heavy or overly sweet as in a hot
vintage. In the mouth, it has a round, creamy texture, with a dark
berry fruit component, chocolate, tar, licorice, and coffee swings aswell
within. Tight on the palate, with lots of intensity, long and
spicy, full-bodied, and punchy, the Montrose shows a lot of style as
usual. Everything is perfectly arranged, seems polished and elegant,
sweet, compact, and with excellent length. A little more laxity and
naturalness might give him more style and accessibility.
23
97 – 98 COS DESTOURNEL Saint-Estèphe Parker 97 – 100 |
Suckling 98 – 99 | WeinWisser 18.5/20
At Cos d’Estournel only 30 hl per hectare were
harvested due to the common problems of the
vintage. Because of the drought in summer, the
berries of the Cabernet Sauvignon were extremely
small and with little juice. In contrast,
the proportion of skin in the must was quite high, which had to be
extracted more gently. Therefore a sure instinct was needed. Harvested
from the 19 th of September to the 6 th of October, the Grand
Vin consists of 74 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 23 % Merlot, 2 % Cabernet
Franc and 1 % Petit Verdot. It ages in 50 % new barrels and reached
14.6 % alcohol. Black color, with high-density and a huge amount of
dark-berry, rich and cool fruit, the Cos d’Estournel boasts an impressive
nose. Meaty, deep, and long, it has a big extraction in the
mouth, very full-bodied, with lots of intensity, noble dark-berry
fruit, and great breed. The fine-grained tannins are very elegant and
deeply structured with cool finesse and very good length. Interestingly
enough, the Cos d’Estournel has significantly more Cabernet
flavor in its aroma than the Calon-Ségur.
94 – 95 CAPBERN Saint-Estèphe Parker 91 – 93 | Suckling 92 – 93 |
The Capbern-Meyney-Festival in Saint-Estèphe
continues. Easily, in the vintage quartet 2015 –
2018, these two Châteaux dominate the top of the
Cru Bourgeois! Capbern 2018 consists of 62 % Cabernet
Sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, and 1 % Petit Verdot
with 14.6 % alcohol. Of the 38 hectares of vineyards
only 29 are in production with an average
age of 17 years; the yield was 41 hl per hectare. The Capbern has a
dark color. It presents a rich, powerful, velvety, and full-bodied, luscious
nose with terrific sweetness. Saturated, taut, and crystal clear,
it starts in the mouth and is just as powerful with racy tannins and
a lot of tension as the nose was promising. A great effort and an
unbelievably cheap Bordeaux for which there is hardly any competitively
comparable wine in any other winegrowing area!
Ratings in red and all descriptions by Thomas Boxberger © 2019. Other ratings: Suckling = James Suckling | Parker = Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Translation of the wine descriptions: Thomas Boxberger and Leo Constantin von Schaabner