Haut-Medoc Château de Villegeorge

Now here is a wine that we have been enjoying at home when we can find it and recently we stumbled onto a small stash share with you: 2002 Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois, Château de Villegeorge, winner of a gold metal in 2005 at the Concours de Bordeaux et Vins d'Aquitaine. A part of the large holdings of Lucien Lurton, known for his passion for Medoc, until his death, the Château is now owned and managed by his daughter, Marie-Laure Lurton. She is one of a growing number of women-oenologists who own or operate domains producing great wine.

Ms. Lurton inherited Château de Villegeorge in 1992 and has made significant improvements in the wine as well as the property. In recognition of these changes, in 2003 the wine was elevated from Cru Bourgeois to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur. Buyers of earlier vintages than 2003 should note that this reclassification is not made on the merits of one millesime, but following many years production of high quality wine.

Several posts earlier, we wrote briefly about the various Bordeaux classifications. Most of us are familiar with the Medoc Grand Cru Classée - 1st, 2nd, etc. - established in 1855; however, the majority of red wine from the Bordeaux region is sold as "Bordeaux" meaning it is wine made in the region, full stop. It is not necessarily Medoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint Emilion or another appellation we know, it is simply fermented juice squeezed from grapes grown in greater Bordeaux. It spends little if any time in barrels and is sent rapidly to the market. We can buy 2008 Bordeaux now in French groceries. It is wine-pedophilia!!

There is a small hierarchy of classifications in Medoc under the level of Grand Cru. Important to remember by those of us who appreciate old wines, until 2003 Medoc only had the Grand Crus and, unofficially, Cru Bourgeois. Everything else was just "Medoc." In 2003, it was decided that, officially, Medoc wines could be further divided. This ruling established Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel with 9 wines awarded this classification; Cru Bourgeois Supérieur with 87 wines; and Cru Bourgeois containing 151 wines - for a total of less than 250 wines.

Receiving classification at one of these levels requires not only years of producing excellent wines but also maintaining production values at a significantly high level - including everything from maintenance of the vines, harvest of the grapes, length of fermentation and barrel size to types of bottles and corks. It is a significant effort and investment.

So what is interesting here, concerning our Haut-Medoc, is this bottle dates from the year prior to the reclassification and we can assume that the quality of this millesime is equal to that of the Supérieur. Additionally, the Concours in France are generally held for wines that have just been released; from this we can assume that our Haut-Medoc has spent more than a year in the barrel and was probably released in 2004.

Upon our last tasting, we noted the following: in the glass, immediately, it is the color that is so striking - a beautiful deep, dark black-purple. The nose is relatively uncomplicated carrying hints of fruit but in the mouth light tannins support a layered flow of the fruit, we imagine primarily from the Merlot, followed by the more typical tastes associated with the Cabernet Sauvignon - ripe cherries, toasted spices and tobacco. The finish is pleasant and lingers slightly. The bottle is really at its apogee.

Depending on the year and how the grapes mature, Villegeorge can include as much as 60% Merlot giving it the beautiful fresh fruit. The remainder of the wine is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and, again depending upon the year, a small amount of Cabernet Franc, the grape most often found in Loire valley wines like Saumur. 2002 was a difficult year for vintners in Bordeaux. Spring was cold until late May, August was awful with too much rain and all was saved only by a warm September that lasted until an Indian Summer during October. The majority of the Medocs from this year are lacking the tannic structure necessary to support a long maturity and now seems to be the time to drink them to appreciate their full potential.

We said it recently and we'll say it again, "2002 is the new 2000," buy it (and we know from where, right?) and drink it!!