TN: 2005 Clément-Pichon, Haut-Médoc

This Cru Bourgeois first came under my radar seven or eight years ago when I bought a few bottles of 1999 Clément-Pichon at a very good price in a wine store in Wiesbaden. Surprisingly elegant and fruity it offered the seductive charm of southern Margaux and southern Médoc. Not quite as complex as the splendid 1999 from the neighbouring Château d’Agassac -one of the best wines I’ve enjoyed from this vintage- but nevertheless an excellent wine...

Not surprisingly, the 2005 Clément-Pichon is outstanding. The dense nose is a little closed but very promising. Dark coloured, with the full range of black and red fruits, this is a very elegant and opulent wine. After an hour pure cherry fruit dominates on the palate. Tannin and acidity are nicely integrated, and the finish is impressive. A wine of finesse. I think Château Clément-Pichon certainly deserves more attention. BTW, owner Clément Fayat is also the man behind La Dominique in Saint-Emilion.

[Jenise]

this is a very elegant and opulent wine. After an hour pure cherry fruit dominates on the palate. Tannin and acidity are nicely integrated, and the finish is impressive. A wine of finesse. I think Château Clément-Pichon certainly deserves more attention.

Indeed, judging by your praise and the paucity of tasting notes in our archives about this wine (yours is the first). Wonder if it's not imported outside of Europe?

[David M. Bueker]

One of the frustrating things about buying Bordeaux in the USA is the sad lack of good Cru Bourgeois.

Since at least a decade, incompetent winemaking is now the exception rather than the rule in Bordeaux... and the time is over for the old classifications, these superfluous relics of feudalism, especially for the completely outdated Médoc Classification of 1855... Meanwhile there are an awful lot of Crus Bourgeois, châteaux from the so called lesser-known appellations, and even producers of generic Bordeaux that constantly produce excellent and outstanding wines...hundreds…
Sorry to hear that many Crus Bourgeois aren’t available in the States. Fortunately, I live on the French Border, and most of the really interesting Bordeaux wines are available in our region.

[Jenise]

Rudi, you're right about the joys of Cru Bourgeois. In fact, I'm about to post a TN on another 2005.