Exciting but tiring day…..6am – Flight from Gatwick, everyone arrived, two Scots, one German and three Englishmen. Landed safely met up with driver for the week and off we go. 10.15 - Les Carmes Haut Brion was delicious, lovely fruit-driven style, elegant and beautifully balanced. 11.30 - Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion very impressive La Miss likely to get big points? Not that that would be a big surprise. 13.00 - Phelan Segur tasting and Lunch, a bit of C&B favorite, good people. 1993, 1996, 2001 and 2003 with duck for lunch. 15.30 – Down the road to Montrose exceptionally good. Overall it seems to have been a big success for St-Estephe. 16.00 – Calon Segur confirms that St.Estephe a good commune in 2009. 16.30 - Lafon Rochet could be a value star..very good wine. 17.15 - Pontet Canet – Met up with Melanie and Alfred Tesseron. They are now running the estate biodynamically although they will not be mentioning it on the label. The wine was spectacular. Candidate for wine of the day. Big powerhouse but beautifully balanced. Evening – Dinner at the Lion d’Or after tasting at Lamarque; imperial of 2001 followed by 1989 and 1979 from bottle. The 1989 was delicious, showing really well and in no rush. 1979 was v sweet but tiring a little.
And so to bed….Moueix tomorrow
