2018 Château Lanessan- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (3/14/2022)
Decanted four hours prior to serving, this changed significantly from a first early sip. Where initially it seemed a touch glossy, after several hours of air it gained focus, and exerted a tannic core that tethered everything to the center. Understanding the effects of a riper vintage than say 2014, I don’t see this as “modern” except in the context of modern, climate-influenced vintages. Yes it has more black than red fruit, but the fruit remains balanced with the structure. The oak is in balance with the fruit, and given the depth of the wine it should evolve in lockstep with the other elements of the wine. This is not a rustic Lanessan, but it is not a caricature of Bordeaux. It’s just a smaller wine that has had its boat floated by a rising vintage tide.
Thanks David for the look in. I like the way you described it, as I kinda felt the same way when I had it a while ago. In a few years it will make a "nice luncheon claret’.
Ok, maybe someone can clear up some confusion. This is after some discussion, my recent tasting of the 2018, and quick back and forth with Robert.A.Jr yesterday on the QPR thread.
Quick background, I have been buying Lanessan since the 2000 vintage. I tasted the 2018 last week, and while true to the vintage (riper)—the spine, freshness, and tannins had all the hallmarks of a really good Lanessan in the “making”. A great wine for the cellar 15,20+years. It was NOT materially different from past riper vintages (note I did not buy nor have I tried the 2016).
WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS? I had suggested that it was Eric Boissenot who was the consultant.
Robert.A.Jr responded……
This, per Leve:
In an effort to increase quality, starting with the 2015 vintage, the owners of Lanessan brought in Hubert de Bouard, the owner of Chateau Angelus as their consultant.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bo … eaux-wine/
BUT THE CHATEAU LANESSAN WEBSITE READS:
“The team is being reshuffled with a strengthening of the partnership with the oenologist Eric Boissenot.” This quote is on the 2020 history portion of the website.
IS IT BOUARD OR BOISSENOT??? I am not looking to be right, but I would like to know!
These consultants play a lot of different roles, so it could be both. They might have one on retainer to give guidance throughout the vintage and a second pop in to help with blending. Some run the show, others just kibitz.
You have to understand that Robert’s reaction to the name “Bouard” or “Rolland” is similar to the guy in 1st class who will die if someone in row 34 eats a peanut. Or looks at a Reese’s ad.
Lanessan remains a touchstone for me, but I haven’t bought recent vintages as I like them at 20++ years of age and I appear to be getting older. I posted last year on a 1966 that was in its prime. I have about half a dozen bottles of '75 left that I am holding for another 2+ years so I can enjoy them at 50. I am still actively back-filling.
Having said that, I don’t blame them for bringing in a consultant (or two). 20 - 50 year Crus Bourgeois are emphatically not in fashion and this property certainly is not getting the maximum possible income from their vineyards. Even I would not object to a slightly sleeker, more forward style.
I would trust their own website over Leve. They say they hired Boissenot in 2012 and explicitly mention continuing with him since 2020. He may be responsible for a more modern style and it may have taken until the 2015 vintage for it to assert itself, which might explain why people start to note the change later. On the other hand, while I know zip about Boissenot, here is a list of Chateaus for whom he consults from his website: Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Palmer, Pichon Comtesse, Pichon Baron, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Brane Cantenac, Léoville Barton, Léoville La Cazes, Gruaud-Larose… et maintenant le Château d’Arsac. It is not a list of modernizing domaines particularly. Their website does not mention Bouard.
Eric Boissenot certainly still consults at Lanessan and AFAIK there hasn’t been any break in that association. A few years ago Eric began opening his offices in Lamarque for tastings during the primeurs and Lanessan has always been on the list of wines shown there.
It is correct that Hubert de Bouard de Laforest also began consulting at Lanessan in 2015. You can as has been stated higher up the thread have more than one consultant - many leading châteaux do. I haven’t heard if that arrangement ended but I note Lanessan is no longer listed on the website of Bouard consulting (although looking at the list it may be out of date).
FWIW, William gave a very fair review of the 2019. I’ll grab some.
The 2017 notes from Lisa P Brown, while she was at TWA, reference mulberries and stewed or baked plums, suggesting some over-ripeness to those vintages, but I have not tried either.
Maybe they fired Hubert, sensing the winds of change . . . .
Interesting side note, I googled “Lanessan” and “Bouard” and got three website hits, and the write-ups were virtually identical.
We chanced upon Lanessan driving home from visiting Issan (which I’ll post about when we get home), so I thought I may as well stop by and ask.
I met the management team and explained - they told me they have been working with Eric Boissenot since 2012 and have no intention of changing.
I asked about De Bouard - they said they had never worked with him. They did look a bit shifty about it and I suspect he was called in at one point but I’m guessing that Boissenot wasn’t happy to share, since their styles are rather different. Anyway he certainly doesn’t work with them now.
I have heard of a vigneron at Chateauneuf, who shall remain nameless since my source was secondhand, who brought in Cambie briefly but parted ways immediately when he heard Cambie’s suggestions about what to do in his vineyard. There was never any official stated connection and it was too brief to have merited one. Perhaps something like that happened at Lanessan.
Not yet but just ordered two bottles ’ 19 to give it a go and see if i’dd like to buy a case. I loved the 09 and am reading promising notes on ct for the '19. Seems that the chateau’s style is not constant and that traditional vintages alternate ones with a more modern take… (hoping for traditional in 19).
So let me repeat the question: Anyone tried the 2019 recently?
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