Both the Grand Vin Chateau La Fleur Morange 05 and the Second Wine Mathilde 08 featured in Robert Parker’s Top 50 Quality to Price Ratio Wines for October 2011. Made by Jean-François Julien in Saint Emilion these wines represent fantastic value for money especially when compared against their Bordeaux peers.
Parker’s tasting notes are as follows:
Chateau La Fleur Morange 2005 – 96 points.
“”This wine has turned out beautifully from bottle, far superior to the impressive barrel samples! Sadly, production is limited to a mere 350 cases. Dense purple to the rim, with a superb bouquet of acacia flowers, blueberries, black currants, and crushed rocks, the wine’s oak component is completely obscured by the wealth of fruit and overall rich, concentrated style.
As I have indicated in the past, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc emerges from a vineyard averaging 100 years of age. Yields are a tiny 21 hectoliters per hectare. This exquisite St.-Emilion should be accessible in 5-7 years, and last for 25 or more. Kudos to the brilliant oenologist, Claude Gros, who produced this masterpiece.”
Mathilde 2008 – 92 points
“This La Fleur Morange Mathilde is also 100% Merlot, but with the alcohol hitting 13.5% in the 2008 vintage. It is a fabulous effort. Exuberant, hedonistic quantities of white chocolate, black currants, sweet cherries and Christmas fruitcake soar from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-tinged wine. Medium to full-bodied, round, fleshy and succulent, this is a major sleeper of the vintage and ideal for drinking over the next 6-8 years.
This was a terrific discovery by Jeffrey Davies of Signature Selections, an American wine broker who has lived in Bordeaux for over 30 years. Both the 2008 and 2010 cuvees are remarkable efforts.”
Jancis Robinson’s notes are given for comparison:
“Blackish crimson right out to the rim. Thick and solid with admirable density and some real electricity in the wine. Very superior with lovely texture and masses of both sophisticated fruit and very fine tannin.
Still extremely young and callow and yet the tannins have been so well managed that you could – infanticide – drink this wine now. Cool rather than hot on the finish. Very distinctive – in a good way! Dry as opposed to sweet.”
“Very dark glamorous crimson. Intense, pretty ripe and very intense nose, Really sweet start – gorgeous stuff. Vibrant and glowing. Massively ripe fruit with lots of ripe, very fine tannin underneath. After tasting this, I can’t wait to taste the grand vin!“
A profile of the chateau and available vintages are at Interest in Wine.
