Clos Puy Arnaud, Le Grand Vin 2014, Castillon – Côtes de Bordeaux, France
$77.50 – SAQ code 14591278 – 14% – 2.2 g/L – Organic
All tastes are in nature, they say. This applies to wines, but also to vintages. If some vintages are almost unanimous (2005 and 2010 in Bordeaux, for example), others are the subject of divergent opinions. Sometimes neglected by collectors, the wines of these vintages considered less glorious can nevertheless offer a lot of pleasure. I find them all the more recommendable as they are often more affordable.
Even if they will not go down in history for their aging potential, several 2014 Bordeaux wines are particularly pleasant to drink at the moment. And Thierry Vallette’s Le Grand Vin is a delicious incarnation of this.
In 1999, after selling his shares in Château Pavie, Thierry Valette acquired this property in Belvès-de-Castillon, perched on the eastern end of a large limestone plateau – which also gives character to the best wines of Saint-Émilion. , the neighboring name. A convinced biodynamist, Valette relies more on freshness and drinkability than on power and concentration.
You guess it as soon as you plunge your nose into the glass of the 2014: expressive, generous and bright, mixing black fruit with accents of herbs, cedar and tobacco. The palate follows, velvety, suave and caressing, but also vigorous, tonic and highly digestible, with a length and aromatic relief that would be the envy of many Premier Cru Classé owners. Quite honestly, it has been a long time since I tasted such a vibrant and energetic Bordeaux wine. For all its reasons and despite its rather high price, I cannot recommend it highly enough. A magnificent bottle to enjoy now and through 2027.
**** 1⁄2 $$$$ 1⁄2