2017 Pomerol primeur tasting notes

77 wines from Pomerol tasted, quite a few down from usual and the names missing could have suffered from the frost or drought issues that hit Pomerol this year. Some brilliantly seductive wines made in the region, and some quite diluted ones. Choose carefully and be pleasantly surprised.

2017 Château Beauregard

Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, blueberries, floral, violets nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, spices, bit leaner mid palate, long. 90-92

2017 Château Bel-Air

Ruby. Scented, red berries, anise, fruity nose, elegant. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, juicy, fresh, nuanced, lively, long. 89-91

2017 Château Le Bon Pasteur

Ruby. Scented, violets, floral, nuanced, lovely nose, charming. Detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, detailed, elegant, nuanced, long. 92-94

2017 Château Bonalgue

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, dark fruity nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, juicy, bit leaner but lovely balance, long. 91-93

2017 Château Bourgneuf

Ruby. Blueberries, fruity, anise, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy, red berries, some anise, good length. 88-90

2017 Château La Cabanne

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, detailed, layered nose. Elegant. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, elegant, playful, lovely La Cabanne. Long. 89-91

2017 Château Le Caillou

Ruby. Scented, blueberries, anise, fresh and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lighter, elegant. 86-88

2017 Château Le Castelet

Ruby. Raspberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, light but fresh. 83-85

2017 Château Certan de May

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, scented, detailed nose, nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, liquorice, blueberries, elegant, lovely balance but a bit light on its feet. 91-93

2017 Château Le Chemin

1500 bottles made. Ruby. Blueberries, anise, scented, fresh nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, lighter but elegant. 86-88

2017 Château Chêne Liège

Ruby. Anise, fruity, blueberries, scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries, lighter. 85-87

2017 Château La Clemence

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruity, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, some spices, good length. 88-90, some spices, blueberries nose. 

2017 Château Clinet

Ruby. Blueberries, fruity, spices, detailed, blackberries, intense nose, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, blueberries, anise, some spices, detailed, juicy, tight, intense and long. 94-96

2017 Clos 56

Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, anise, floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries, anise, juicy if lighter. 86-88

2017 Clos du Clocher

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries, floral nose, some minerals. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, fresh and lively, elegant, lovely balance, long. 91-93

2017 Château La Commanderie

Ruby. Blackberries, fruity, anise, floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, some spices, bit leaner. 87-89

2017 Château La Conseillante

Ruby. Scented, red berries, darker fruits, blueberries, detailed, nuanced and floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, blueberries, detailed, intense, some spices, smooth texture, velvety, playful and long. It wasn’t as generous to taste this year as in some years, so it might go higher. 95-97

2017 Château La Croix

Ruby. Anise, floral, blueberries, scented, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lighter, fresh and fruity. 85-87

2017 Château La Croix du Casse

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, light nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, light. 83-85

2017 Château La Croix de Gay

Ruby. Blueberries, scented, detailed, floral, minerals, nuanced, superb nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, bit leaner mid palate, detailed, true charmer, long. 91-93

2017 Château La Croix St. Georges

Ruby. Scented, blueberries, anise, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, leaner, good length. 88-90

2017 Château La Croix Taillefer

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some floral notes, light nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and fruity if light. 84-86

 (Surprisingly good they say...)

2017 Château La Croix Toulifaut

Ruby. Scented, red berries, anise, fruity nose, blueberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, dark fruity, some bitterness, bit short. 86-88

2017 Clos L'Eglise

Ruby. Nuanced, floral, red berries, detailed, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, anise, playful. 89-91

2017 Château du Domaine de L'Eglise

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fresh and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, red berries, lighter, some herbs. 83-85

2017 Château L'Eglise-Clinet

90 M 10 CF Picked between 12th and 22nd of September while Cabernet Franc was picked solely on the 22nd of September. 70% new wood. Ruby. Scented, floral, nuanced, seductive nose, layered and detailed, blueberries and blackberries, layered, refined, seductive even at this stage. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, smooth, elegant, detailed, playful, lovely balance, rich and intense, riper yet smooth and soothing. Bit of warmth in the finish. 14,3 alcohol. 95-97

2017 La Petite Eglise

100 M Ruby. Red berries, anise, some spices, detailed, nuanced, quite intense nose. Lots of blueberries. Floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red berries, blueberries, fine minerals, elegant and nuanced, playful, long. 92-94

2017 Château L'Enclos

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruity, spices, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, dark berries, anise, juicy, lovely concentration this vintage, long. 91-93

2017 Château L'Evangile

100 M First vintage with Merlot only. Ruby. Blueberries, anise, scented, detailed, nuanced, floral, faint minerals, denser nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, rich, fruity, blackberries, rich and intense, smooth texture, velvety, bit of alcohol warmth, long. 14,6 alcohol. Going towards biodynamic growing. 94-96

2017 Château Fayat

Ruby. Anise, blueberries, some floral notes, light nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy if leaner. 86-88

2017 Château Ferrand

Ruby. Woody, spice, toasty coffee nose. Lacks fruit to balance the wood completely. Dried out already. Avoid. 

2017 Château Feytit-Clinet

Ruby, blueberries, anise, fruity, some spices, elegant nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, spices, fruity, dark berries, bit bitter finish. 87-89

2017 Château La Fleur de Gay

Ruby. Scented, blueberries, anise, fresh and bright nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, bright, elegant, playful, lovely balance, detailed, layered, long. 94-96

2017 Château La Fleur-Pétrus

Ruby. Scented, detailed, nuanced, fresh and bright nose, elegant, refined, floral, violets, minerals, lovely depth to it. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, detailed, anise, some spices, layered, playful, silky and nuanced, long. Superb effort! 95-97

2017 Château La Fleur de Plince

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fruity, some spices, anise, scented if lighter. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, some spices, anise, juicy if leaner. 85-87

2017 Château Gazin

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, detailed and intense, layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, anise, blueberries, spices, detailed, long. Another Gazin following in the smoother style since 2014 with more fine-tuned tannins. 93-95

2017 Château Le Gay

Ruby. Dark fruity, blueberries, scented, elegant nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, juicy, rounded, elegant texture, long. 90-92

2017 Château Gombaude-Guillot

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, scented, blackberries nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, fruity, dark berries, some spices, lighter finish. 88-90

2017 Château Grand Beauséjour

Ruby. Blueberries, floral, fruity, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, anise, elegant. 87-89

2017 Château La Grave Trigant de Boisset

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruity, some spices, dark berries, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, ripe, fruity, structured, quite intense, liquorice finish, long. 91-93

2017 Château Haut-Ferrand

Ruby. Scented, red berries, anise, some spices, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh if light. 86-88

2017 Château Haut-Maillet

Ruby. Blackberries, fruity, elegant nose, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, anise. Good length. 86-88

2017 Château Hosanna

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, dark berries, spices, ripe nose, towards jammy. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, spices, blueberries, liquorice, ripe and intense. 92-94

2017 Château Lafleur

53 CF 47 M Ruby. Scented, blueberries, violets, nuanced, detailed, denser, tight but layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, structured, lots of fine tannins, intense, detailed and layered, nuanced, denser, ripe, long. Very long. 96-98

2017 Les Pensées de Lafleur

Ruby. Scented, red berries, bright, fruity, nuanced, elegant and detailed nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, fruity, detailed, intense, nuanced and long, a sort of subtle but playful Les Pensées, maybe more linear. 93-95

2017 Château Lafleur-Gazin

Ruby. Scented, blueberries, anise, fruity, floral, elegant nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, detailed, elegant, spices, anise, dark fruits, long. 90-92

2017 Château Lafleur du Roy

Ruby. Red berries, anise, fruity, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lighter bodied, bit thin. 84-86

2017 Château Lagrange

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, mint, faint herbal note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, detailed, blackberries, spices, juicy with some structure behind, long. 90-92

2017 Château Latour a Pomerol

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, scented, blackberries, intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, blueberries, anise, some spices, fresh, detailed, nuanced, layered, playful, intense and long. Stunning Latour a Pomerol. Structured. 94-96

2017 Château Lécuyer

Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, lightly floral nose, blueberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise and spices, good length. 88-90

2017 Château Maillet

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, quite intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, spices, juicy, long. 89-91

2017 Château Mazeyres

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, dark fruity, some spices, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, spices, blackberries, good length. 87-89

2017 Château Monregard la Croix

Deep ruby. Blackberries, anise, dense and jammy nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, rich, dense, fruity, jammy. 87-89

2017 Château le Moulin

Ruby. Scented, red berries, anise, fruity, dark berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, hollow. 85-87

2017 Château Nenin

42 CF 58 M Ruby. Dark fruity nose, violets, spices, nuanced, quite dense nose, raspberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, raspberries, anise, spices, detailed, quite intense yet somewhat leaner mid palate, long finish. Some herbal notes. 92-94

2017 Fugue de Nenin

70% lost due to frost, not tasted. 

2017 Château Petit-Village

Ruby. Blueberries, fruit driven, floral, elegant nose, scented, detailed. Violets. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, detailed, minerals, anise, juicy, spices, layered, superb balance, long. 94-96

2017 Petrus

Ruby. Incredible purity on the nose, blueberries, dark fruits, some red berries, an array of floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, playful and detailed, lovely balance, nuanced and long, superb! 97-99

2017 Le Pin

Ruby. Anise, fruity, red berries, scented, detailed, blueberries, elegant, floral, minerals, graphite notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, minerals, detailed, intense yet silky, nuanced, playful, refined, touch of tobacco, long, incredibly long. Subtle yet incredible depth. 97-99

2017 Château Plince

Ruby. Vanilla, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, lighter. 85-87

2017 Château Plincette

Ruby. Dark fruity, some spices, leaner nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lighter and fresh fruity. 83-85

2017 Château Porte Chic

Ruby. Anise, spices, woody nose. Woody palate with blackberries behind. 84-86

 (Who wouldn't want a tank full of Château Lafleur 2016?)

2017 Château La Renaissance

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fresh, some spices nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lighter, some dark fruits and spices. 86-88

2017 Clos Rene

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, lighter nose, some spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, leaner. 87-89

2017 Château Rouget

Ruby. Denser, jammy blackberries nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, juicy. Bit bitter. 86-88

2017 Château de Sales

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, structured, good length. 87-89

2017 Château Saint-Pierre

Ruby. Scented, dark berries, nuanced, floral, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries, anise, some spices, good length.88-90

2017 Château Taillefer

Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, spices, bit lean finish. 87-89

2017 Château Tour Maillet

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise and spices, good length. 89-91

2017 Château La Tribune

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, anise, ripe and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity if leaner. 86-88

2017 Château Trotanoy

Ruby. Scented, denser, blueberries, spices, fruity, anise, some spices, layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, blackberries, anise, spices, juicy, layered, denser, playful, lovely fruit and liveliness, long. 95-97

2017 Château de Valois

Ruby. Scented, blueberries, anise, lighter but floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, elegant if leaner. 86-88

2017 Château Vieux Maillet

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries, fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, some anise, juicy, good length. 88-90

2017 Château Vray Croix de Gay

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fruity, some spices, floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, red berries, anise. Good length. 87-89

2017 Clos de la Vieille Eglise

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries, anise, lighter. 87-89

2017 Vieux Château Certan

Ruby. Scented, red berries, fresh, fruity, elegant, detailed, floral, superb nose, seductive. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, dark berries, anise, blueberries, detailed, intense, elegant body and balance, utterly charming and seductive but lacks some depth to be truly outstanding. 95-97

2017 Vieux Plateau Certan

Ruby. Red berries, anise, fruity, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner but fairly lively, red fruity. 84-86