2014 Bordeaux PART VII, Pauillac & Haut-Médoc

This Saturday we will be continuing our tasting series of the excellent 2014 vintage in Bordeaux. Our seventh and last shipment takes us to possibly the most famous of the great “Left Bank” appellations, Pauillac. Touting three of the five “First-Growth” wines, Pauillac is considered by many to be the benchmark for classic Bordeaux elegance.

Because of the warm autumn in the 2014 vintage there have been claims that declare it a Left Bank vintage, thanks to the later ripening qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon versus the earlier ripening Merlot. Taste for yourself, we’ll have an assortment of these wines open to taste this Saturday. All prices are based on the purchase of six or more bottles.

Although Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate ratings don’t factor into how we select the wines we carry, we do understand that many drinkers find them useful. You’ll see the ratings for the 2014 vintage of each wine following the text.

Haut-Médoc

~$15 Château Larrivaux SOLD OUT
Historic estate located near the border of Saint-Estèphe, and managed by Bérengère Tesseron since 2005. Larrivaux is one of the few “Left Bank” wines predominately made with Merlot. (89)

~$53 Château La Lagune
Classified “Third-Growth” estate currently family-owned and managed by Caroline Frey, who also manages the legendary estate of Jaboulet in Northern Rhône. (92)

Pauillac

~$42 Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse
Classified “Fifth-Growth” estate consulted by Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus. Grand-Puy-Ducasse has continued improving their wines through vineyard management and technological innovation. (88)

~$45 Château Pédesclaux
Classified “Fifth-Growth” estate that saw a complete modernization in 2007 and new vineyard parcels purchased adjacent to Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. (92)

~$45 Château Haut-Bages-Libéral SOLD OUT
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate. With recent modernization of the winemaking facilities and a shift toward biodynamic farming, Château Haut-Bages-Libéral represents some of the best value classed-growth Bordeaux. (88)

~$77 Château Duhart-Milon
Classified “Fourth Growth” estate owned by the Rothschild family and adjacent to the vineyards of Château Lafite Rothschild. (89)

$102 Château Clerc Milon
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate purchased by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in 1970. Newly constructed wine making facilities were completed in 2007 with an entirely gravity fed vat house. (92)

$119 Château Pontet-Canet
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate. Since Alfred Tesseron took over the estate in 1994, the property has continued to improve year after year and is presently producing wines at the level of the best “Second Growths.” (94)

$136 Château Lynch-Bages
This classified “Fifth Growth” estate is one of the most recognized producers in the world. Since 1973 it has been owned by Jean-Michel Cazes and is now run by his son, Jean-Charles. (92)

~$47 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Second Wine) (91)
$136 Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Classified “Second Growth” estate currently managed by Christian Seely, in 1987 it was purchased by the group which also own the Châteaus Cantenac-Brown, Petit-Village, and Suduiraut. (94)

~$42 Réserve de la Comtesse (Second Wine) (91) SOLD OUT
$153 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande
Classified “Second Growth” estate. A complete renovation in 2008 and vineyards adjacent to Château Latour help make this one of the top estates in Bordeaux. (93)

$586 Château Mouton Rothschild SOLD OUT
Little needs to be said about this legendary “First Growth” known throughout the world not only for the superlative quality of wine but also the changing label image produced by some of the most celebrated artists of their day. (95)

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Posted on 2017.07.19 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines