Wine Tasting Video: Red Bordeaux 2004-2006


Château Patache d’Aux Médoc 2006 (£12.95 The Wine Society)
Starts off showing savoury notes (brett), but as the wine comes out of its shell, the juicy blackcurrant and berry fruit emerges, along with a slightly salty tang. The fruit flavours are mellowing, but this is still chunky chewy wine. B+

Château Caronne-Ste-Gemme Haut Médoc 2006 (£16.20 Jeroboams)
Like a younger, fleshier version of the Patache d’Aux, with savoury/brett notes lurking behind the fresh blackcurrant and dusty currant flavours, and with that touch of salinity. Reasonable balance, good and maybe still not at its peak, but it could be a bit four-square for some. S-

Château Fourcas Dupré Listrac 2005 (£16 The Wine Society)
Hmmm.  I like bits of this, such as the plummy berry and blackcurrant flesh, and the roasted character, but it’s looking a little tired and the brett is drying out the finish. Would have been better 3-4 years ago, when the fruit would have been perkier. B(-)

Château d’Aurilhac Haut-Médoc 2004 (£12.50 The Wine Society)
Modern, oaky extracted style. Unfortunately, there’s a green, celery-like character to the fruit, and the oak is on that sawdusty, smoky bacon side. Some will like it but I’m not a fan. C+

Clos Floridene Graves 2004 (£18.75 Jeroboams)
Now this is how the d’Aurilhac folk should have done it. There’s a note of 2004’s slight underripeness here, but the winemaker hasn’t over-extracted this, so it comes through as a gentle leafiness. Add in some smoky oak (again not OTT) and fruit that is just picking up figgy notes alongside the berry fruit and you have an elegant, juicy and unforced wine. S(-)

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