The first scores from this year’s Southwold Tasting have been published, with Pomerol estate Eglise-Clinet a clear favourite.
- Tom Parker MW has published his Southwold Tasting scores.
- The 2017 Bordeaux vintage was under scrutiny this year.
- Results were mixed but with a Right Bank wine judged the favourite.
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Tom Parker MW has published his scores from the recent assessment of the 2017 Bordeaux vintage on JancisRobinson.com.
As he states in his opening, the 2017s are a vintage where memories of the generally poor en primeur campaign around it have seeped into the perception of quality to an extent.
Following on from the stronger 2015 and 2016 vintages, the 2017s were priced high and merchants sold as much as 75% less than they had of the 2016s.
With very little sold, prices have declined over the past four years, which, as Parker said, ‘now means that there are a few bargains to be had if the quality is there’.
Top-scoring wines
The Right Bank achieved several top scores, with L’Eglise-Clinet broadly acclaimed the favourite by the tasters.
Parker said that the Pomerols ‘felt both fuller and softer than their neighbours’ having the necessary richness to balance the high acidity that was a hallmark of the vintage.
Vieux Château Certain, Lafleur and Trotanoy were other high scorers from the appellation, alongside Figeac, Cheval Blanc, Bélair-Monange and Canon in St-Emilion.
Parker added that the Left Bank didn’t have ‘the same peaks’ as the Right but there was ‘perhaps a touch more consistency’.
Pessac-Léognan and Saint-Julien stood out among the appellations, there were bright spots in Margaux, Pauillac was ‘up and down’ with the Cabernet showing a lot of ‘muscle’, while St-Estèphe ‘struggled to inspire us’.
Parker’s final thoughts on the vintage are due on Wednesday October 6th.
