Grand Vin Wine Merchants UK | Blog

The first Monday of En Primeur week is always punishing. We visited 18 chateaux in the Medoc yesterday, including 4 of the first growths. We set off at 7am and returned, with teeth as black as vampires', for debrief and dinner at Chateau Carignan. Perked up by Bolly, we each pick our top 3 "values" and "keepers" before sharing and debating each others choices. It's a great way of working together to get a feel for the vintage. It's still early in the campaign, but from what we've tasted in the Medoc at least, 2011 is lively, refreshing and lithe. Good producers are stressing the importance of gentle extraction, and appetising textures and finely resistant tannins are a feature of many of our favourite wines. Lacoste Borie, in Pauillac, stole all our hearts with its vibrant fruit and elegant, supple energy. I don't understand how anyone could think there's nothing of interest here, but if the predicted critical antipathy to 2011 does mater...