Medoc
The Médoc is arguably the most famous red wine district in the world, home to many of the greatest and most renowned names of Bordeaux. Stretching north-west from the city of Bordeaux with the Gironde estuary to the east, the vineyards extend up to eight miles from the river and run for about 50 miles northwards. As a rule of thumb, the greatest wines are made at those properties closest to the water.
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Ready, but will keep,
Potensac is an estate in the northern sector of the Médoc, a district renowned for producing tannic, brooding Clarets which require significant ageing before drinking. It belongs to the Delon family, who also own the great Ch. Léoville-Las Cases, and benefits from being made by the same highly skilled team.
The result is a wine of great complexity, one of the very best in the appellation. The 2004 is rich in blackcurrant aromas, with plenty of tannin. It would partner sweet meat such as lamb, as well as hard cheeses such as Gruyère.
The result is a wine of great complexity, one of the very best in the appellation. The 2004 is rich in blackcurrant aromas, with plenty of tannin. It would partner sweet meat such as lamb, as well as hard cheeses such as Gruyère.
Ready, but will keep,
Ch. Potensac lies in the Northern Medoc, an area renowned for structured wines that reward time in the cellar, and this is an extremely reliable and popular claret from the Leoville-Lascases team that won't break the bank. In years like 2009 it has an extra punch, and the ripeness of the year shines through. This has typical blackberry fruit balanced by a fresh minerality and a well-defined structure around the sweet core. As always, this will age well, ideally wanting ten years or so to show its best.
(Joss Fowler, BBR Fine Wine Sales)
(Joss Fowler, BBR Fine Wine Sales)
Ready, but will improve,
Potensac's 2005 is a firm, gutsy wine with elegant but very firm tannins and intense earthy flavours. The pure cassis and blackberry nose gives it considerable class, while the extra intensity and structure in 2005 makes it really rather good. Reminiscent of a top St Estèphe, this is classic Claret at a great price.
Drink now,
Potensac provides reliably good Claret – and never fails to impress for the quality you get for a comparatively small buck. Layered with juicy cassis, tobacco and savoury sous-bois, the 2007 – perhaps a slightly lacklustre vintage in some eyes – is drinking beautifully right now. With plenty of spicy leathery length and dried fruit notes, this would be superb alongside a hunk of red meat, game, or whatever happens to be for dinner tonight.
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From a hugely popular château, delivering great-value traditional Bordeaux, this 2003 is atypically fleshy and seductively crafted, presenting a rich ball of ripe dark fruit wrapped in a layer of humus and mulch. Drinking supremely well now with a low-acid, easy finish.