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I've tasted some sub-par 2017 Bordeaux. I've tasted many so-so 2017 Bordeaux. I'm also happy to say that I've also tasted amazing '17s... but I could probably count them on one set of fingers. Frost and rain and heat... this vintage was not an easy one for the region's vignerons. However, talented and thoughtful winemakers can, and often do, produce excellent wine from even the most difficult of growing seasons. Michel Théron is one of these pros. His Clos du Jaugueyron wines from the Left Bank of Bordeaux, year-after-year, exemplify the strengths of biodynamic farming and low-intervention cellar work. His 2017 Haut-Médoc is something to behold.
A very dark cherry in the glass. On the nose is a bouquet of white and red flowers, blueberries and blackberries, with a very fresh grassiness and a faint whisper of dried vanilla bean. A crispness of fruit on day one develops into a broader, more solid display of aromas by the next evening. Ever-changing! The palate is bright, with sparks of minerality and lively cherry and plum, lean upon opening but transforming with air into plump, rounder fruit over 24 hours. It has an invigorating bitterness that extends to the wine’s earthy, gravely finish. Great acidity and healthy, textured tannin, avoiding the rigid character that so many '17s show.
2017 ended a two-year string of nearly perfect conditions for estates in the Médoc. Today, 2016 and 2015 are the most celebrated vintages since the region's immaculate 2010 vintage. Michel's Nout bottling from 2016 is as complex as they come, elegantly delivering the glorious trifecta of earth, flowers, and fruit...
In the glass, the wine shows a plummy violet in color with clear red edges. When first opened, the nose has lovely dark flowers and lavender, with crushed dark cherries, pomegranate and even a little hint of spicy dried ginger. With air, aromas of very fine ground minerals, wet autumn leaves, and orange peel appear. The palate begins with flashy graphite, earthy gravel, crisp plums, black pepper and a streak of clean salinity. After 8 or so hours open, the flavors gain depth, with plumper fruits and a blanket of mineral verve, adding an edge to the wines semi-grippy tannin. Acid is bright here, but not overwhelming. The finish is a lingering sweet cherry. On day three, the wine is basically perfect...
Michel comes from a winegrowing family, but one rather far from the Médoc and the banks of the Gironde. His parents farmed grapes in the Minervois AOC, close to the Mediterranean coast in Southern France's region of Languedoc Rousillon. With the plan of returning home to take over the estate in Minervois, he headed to Bordeaux to study winemaking in 1988. There he met Stéphanie, his future wife, and the two bought a piece of land in Cantenac, producing their first wine from that parcel in 1994. Michel fell in love with the area and realized its bounty of natural beauty and power. He did not return home to Minvervois. He was in love with a Bordelaise woman and, together, they were in love with their home and their land, in the Médoc. Since the beginning, they have treated their small holdings of field and vine with respect and care. They have never used synthetic treatments in the vineyards.
We were also lucky enough to grab a small trove of the estate's top bottling, from both the '15 and '16 vintages. This cuvée isn't cheap, but I've never met a drinker who considers them anything but exceptional. There is something hedonistic about drinking these wines before they're cellared. They're full of sapid fruit, with trademark minerality, and incredibly engaging texture. But of course, feel free to put some away. They'll be drinking well for decades to come. Quantity is very limited. David Hatzopoulos
**Limited inventory available today - however, due to demand, some quantity here is pre-offer and expected to arrive 3/15/22. Please call store before picking up or scheduling a delivery.**
Clos du Jaugueyron (Théron) 2017 Haut-Medoc
From 19 year old vines planted to soils in the commune of Macau, directly south of Margaux in the Médoc. The blend for the 2017 is 33% Merlot, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Petit Verdot. All vines are farmed with organic and biodynamic practices. In the cellar, only native yeasts are used for fermentation. A very dark cherry in the glass. On the nose is a bouquet of white and red flowers, blueberries and blackberries, with a very fresh grassiness and a faint whisper of dried vanilla bean. A crispness of fruit on day one develops into a broader, more solid display of aromas by the next evening. Ever-changing. The palate is bright, with sparks of minerality and lively cherry and plum, beginning just underripe but transforming with air into plump, rounder fruit over 24 hours. It has an invigorating bitterness that extends to the wine’s, earthy, gravely finish. Great acidity and healthy, textured tannin, avoiding the rigid character that so many '17s offer. The best Bordeaux from the vintage that I've tasted so far! David Hatzopoulos
Clos du Jaugueyron (Théron) 2016 Margaux Nout
The '16 'Nout' cuvée from Michel Théron is a delicious Margaux that drinks so well young. For those who know Michel's winemaking, this shouldn't surprise you. In the glass, the wine shows a plummy violet in color with clear red edges. When first opened, the nose has lovely dark flowers and lavender, with crushed dark cherries, pomegranate and even a little hint of spicy dried ginger. With air, aromas of very fine ground minerals, wet autumn leaves, and orange peel appear. The palate begins with flashy graphite, earthy gravel, crisp plums, black pepper and a streak of clean salinity. After 8 or so hours open, the flavors gain depth, with plumper fruits and a blanket of mineral verve, adding a liveliness to the wines semi-grippy tannin. Acid is bright here. The finish is a lingering sweet cherry. I'm excited to see how this performs on day two... no doubt it'll continue to develop with strength. Though this bottle can be opened and enjoyed tonight, it has all the power to age very well! Cellar for 10-20 years, no problem. David Hatzopoulos
Clos du Jaugueyron (Théron) 2016 Margaux
This is the 'Clos du Juagueyron' of Clos du Jaugueyron- the crème de la crème. Past vintages have been staggeringly delicious, and the 2016 shouldn't be any different. It is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc from the soils in Arsac, that have more clay than the surrounding regions of Haut Médoc. Still, soils remain sandy and gravelly, allowing vineyards optimal drainage. Michel Théron and Stéphanie Destruhaut have never put synthetic products on their vines, and farm their plots with organic and biodynamic methods. In the cellar, the grapes are fermented in both tank and concrete, and allowed a 20 day maceration before pressing. The resulting wine spends 12 months in wood, which about 70% is new. After this, the wine is transferred to vats in order to settle before bottling. Our supplier, who tasted the wine before release, describes it as "elegant and open" with "bold tannin and assertive acidity." The wine no doubt has many, many, many, many years ahead of it - but drinking one now, after a good decant, is a smart idea. You'll get an idea of what lies ahead for this beautiful Margaux... David Hatzopoulos
Clos du Jaugueyron (Théron) 2015 Margaux
Clos du Jaugueyron's wines are farmed with organic and biodynamic techniques, with some of the most careful methods that exist in the Médoc. Only natural fermentation happens in the cellar. In '15 the bottling is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. According to our trusted supplier, the 2015 Clos du Jaugueyron Margaux is in great shape. Speaking of a recent visit with Michel Théron's wines from this vintage, he says "all the '15s from the domaine were open and generous" - even this serious cuvée is "ready to drink" if one doesn't mind the "bolder fruit" that this vintage offers. He describes the structure as "spot on, very well balanced" today. Still, he believes it will "benefit immensely from time in the cellar." Although I haven't tasted this vintage personally, I can only imagine how good this wine is. Maybe I'll declare tonight a special occasion and grab a bottle... David Hatzopoulos