Best Pessac & Graves 2019 wines tasted en primeur

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An attractive vintage in both Pessac and Graves, but with a little less consistency than in some vintages (as with Margaux for me, two appellations that outperformed their Left Bank siblings in vintages like 2015).

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There were many impressive performances, with a few instances of potential water stress or low acidities, a reflection of Pessac-Léognan’s location in one of the warmest spots of Bordeaux.

The entire growing season, with the exception of May, was 2°C over the 10 year average, and temperatures of 37.5°C were recorded in the shade on June 26.

During the harvest here 15mm of rain fell on September 23, a little less than in other parts of the region. The challenges of this made Carmes Haut-Brion’s work even more instructive in my opinion, where they are working with whole bunch fermentation to bring down alcohol levels (at an eyebrow-raising 55% in this vintage).

Yields

Average yield, however, shows very little sign of stress at 47.2hl/ha, up from 36hl/ha in 2018.

For the whites yields were 44hl/ha at Olivier, a full 60hl/ha for the whites of Mission and Haut-Brion, 48hl/ha at La Louviere, 45hl/ha at Carbonnieux and 49hl/ha at Haut-Bailly.

Scores

No 100-point potentials here, but a good crop of 97s in Haut-Brion white and red, Smith Haut-Lafitte and Haut-Bailly.

It’s ridiculous that I feel I have to underline that 97 is an exceptionally good score that points to wines that are at the very top of the achievement of the vintage, but such is the impact of score inflation generally.

In total 12 wines got 95 points or more, with more reds than whites achieving the highest numbers, including the brilliant Mission Haut-Brion, Malartic Lagravière, Pape Clement and Domaine de Chevalier, plus an impressive white to note with Couhins-Lurton.

At the ‘buy signal’ of 94 I can point to Olivier white, Pape Clement white, Malartic white, Fieuzal, Le Pape and Le Thil.

Changes

Down in the Graves region I suggest looking for Clos d’Uza, a new project to watch between the Guignard brothers and Jean-Luc Thunevin, with a full 94% Cabernet Sauvignon.

And finally, a word for Haut Brion, as Jean Philippe Delmas’ father passed away on October 4, just as harvest was finishing; Jean Delmas, a legendary figure in Bordeaux who has left a lasting legacy.

Top Scoring

Malartic Lagraviere, Haut Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, Haut Bailly, Carmes Haut-Brion, Pape Clement, Smith Haut Lafitte, Domaine de Chevalier.

Best Value

Ferran, Seguin, Peyrat (excellent quality in the Graves, look out for it), Clos d’Uza, Clos Floridene, Cérons, Haura, Luchey-Halde, Brown, Roquetaillade la Grange, Larrivet Haut-Brion, Saint-Robert, Agora.

See the top-rated Pessac & Graves 2019 wines

The following wines have all been scored 93 points and above

Not yet tasted: Château Gazin Rocquencourt

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