Right Bank Bordeaux 2004 – all made by Stéphane Derenoncourt

Stéphane Derenoncourt is one of the world’s foremost winemaking consultants, with wineries clamouring for his services. Right Bank Bordeaux is where he started out and established his reputation. While much has been written about him, here is a short reprise.

Derenoncourt was born in 1963, in Dunkerque in Northern France, into modest circumstances – he is the son of a steelworker. Wine didn’t figure until at age 18 he hitchhiked down to Fronsac to work the 1982 grape harvest. During the eighties, he continued to work in vineyards and so became self-taught. Early on, music was more important to him, but wine became his passion when in 1990, one of his former employers gave him a job at prestigious Chateau Pavie Macquin. Recognition of his talents followed swiftly. He became a consultant in 1997, has owned his own estate since 1999 and he became a Bordeaux négociant in 2001 with Terra Burdigala.

Today, Derenoncourt consults for some 80 or so wineries worldwide, with his wife Christine and a team of four assistants. In addition to various Bordeaux Châteaux, particularly on the Right Bank, his projects include wineries in countries as diverse as Italy, Spain, Syria, the USA and Lebanon. Francis Ford Coppola hired him in June 2008 for Rubicon in California’s Napa Valley. Clearly a man in demand, how does he decide what to accept? He says that he chooses projects where he can develop a good rapport and become deeply involved, where his skills can reveal terroir.

His techniques differ according to the winery, the style of the wine sought and the vintage conditions. Derenoncourt insists that he makes wines that reflect both terroir and the vintage. He insists that he has no winemaking formula, that rather he observes, tastes and adapts accordingly. However, he emphasises viticulture. Natural winemaking using biodynamic and organic practices fascinate him and he is firmly against chemicals, which he feels have ruined many vineyards, especially in Bordeaux. His own estate is completely BD, with vines also propagated by selection massale. BD and organic methods are used at other estates too, but remain difficult in the maritime climate of Bordeaux. Spraying is unavoidable in some years (notably 2008), but pruning and open canopy management help prevent rot, as do applications of seaweed preparations. He does not seek certification for BD or organics because he does not want to be pigeonholed by specific techniques. Low yields are also a prerequisite, meaning severe pruning and green summer harvests. He looks for old stressed vines that “suffer to give us complexity” and picks as late as possible for ripe but healthy grapes. He ascribes many wine quality problems to high yields and poor quality vines.

In the winery, Derenoncourt does not chaptalise (add artificial sugar), and uses minimal sulphur as a preservative. Neither is he a fan of the fashion for creating super-cuvées or second wines, he prefers to work with the produce of the entire vineyard and blend accordingly, though this is not always the case in practice.

Ageing wines on their lees interests him, because it introduces more fat and complexity in the final wine, so there is minimal racking of the wines from their lees and plenty of stirring (battonage) to avoid reduction. His attitude to brettanomyces, (or Brett), the spoilage bacteria, is that he tries to avoid it because it blots out terroir, but agrees that a little does add complexity. What about micro-oxygenation? Derenoncourt admits he was one of the first to experiment with this technique – designed to soften tannins and add body. Now he has largely abandoned it, suggesting that it is a tool to be used only sparingly as such wines may mature too quickly. Derenoncourt has a preference to use new oak barrels that have only the lightest toast, to avoid marking the wines with excessive vanilla oak flavours, even when the style is for 100% new oak. Finally, he neither fines nor filters the wines.

He claims he is not a great taster, (a comment I take with a large pinch of salt), instead he says that he is a good drinker. So the wines tend to be food friendly and he no longer seeks over-extraction, preferring balance instead. For his own enjoyment his own preferences are for the white wines of the Loire and the red wines of Burgundy and when referring to the latter he mentions Henri Jayer several times with reverence. This is clearly a man that listens closely to his inner-Burgundian. And now the wines.

Right Bank Bordeaux 2004

Derenoncourt presented 11 of his Right Bank wines, all made in the increasingly admired 2004 vintage. With the exception of the wine made at his own estate (Domaine de l’A in the Côtes de Castillon), the wines were all from St. Émilion. Frivolous moment: does his domaine name ensure that it is the first one listed in the Yellow Pages?

This is appellation is known for containing several distinctive terroirs. It was also subjected to an acrimonious 2006 re-classification dispute that inevitably wound up in the French law courts. All the wines here are dominated by Merlot, with Cabernet Franc used in the main support role rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. The ratio of these various grape varieties grown by each estate is quoted but do note that this may not be the same as that of the final blended wine.

2004 was chosen by Derenoncourt to illustrate that his consultancy has “no recipe” and to show how the terroir varies in St. Émilion, which is principally dictated by the presence (or absence) of Limestone, gravel and slope. Finally, it is remarkable how drinkable many of the wines are already, though most have at least a couple of years to go before they should be drunk. No prices are quoted – the price range is from the reasonable to the stratospheric – but prices are highly volatile at present and have fallen back sharply in recent months.

Château La Bienfaisance, St. Émilion Grand Cru. 13.5%

85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 12-16 months in oak, 30% new. Derenoncourt involved since 2001. Poor and cold clay soils near the outskirts of St. Émilion, at St. Christophe-des-Bardes. Not much limestone here and a late ripening vineyard. Pale crimson. Marked by high acidity and red berry fruit. Softening, a bit pinched and spare, lacks fruit compared to the best here, with drying tannins. Anis and spice on the finish. Austere, needs a year or so yet. Good, but also see Sanctus below.

Château Cadet Bon, St. Émilion Grand Cru. 13.5%.

60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the houses caught up in the classification demotion scuffle, owned by Michéle et Guy Richard. This 2004 was first vintage from Derenoncourt. Very close to St. Emilion centre, on Limestone, with warmer soils. Deeper colour, violets and tobacco leaf on the nose and more complexity – a truffle aroma and perhaps just a hint of Brett. Palate is darker berry fruits and quite sauvage, minerality here. Good balance and a lightness of touch. Approachable now but ideally wait a bit longer, very good benchmark St. Émilion.

Domaine de l’A, Côtes de Castillon. 13.5%

60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The only non-St. Émilion shown. Derenoncourt’s own estate at Saint Colombe, bought in 1999, on the limestone that extends into the Côtes de Castillon from St. Émilion. The estate allows him freedom to experiment and practice biodynamics. Deeper colour, purple flecked, looks leggy and powerful. Highly aromatic, cloves and brown spices on the nose with berry fruit. Palate is silky dark fruits and savoury undertow, open, subtle and rewarding. Good structure and balance, hard to resist now. Gentle milk chocolate note on the finish. Truly excellent, outperforming many here. Excellent wine, highly recommended, one of the best in this line up.

Château La Gaffelière, St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé. 14%

80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Derenoncourt made his first vintage here in 1993. High limestone content, Derenoncourt says the wine derives its purity from the hillier slopes and elegance from the flatter land. Garnet colour, nose is all raw meat – shockingly enjoyable. A full and powerful wine with a palate dominated by violets and prominent grainy tannins. Classy promise of loveliness in 3-4 years. Very good.

Château Tertre Daugay, St. Émilion Grand Cru. 14%

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very different to La Gaffelière (both properties are owned by Comte de Malet Roquefort). Similar garnet hue, but nose has toasty aromas from oak along with meat-like extract. Reprised on the palate, charred notes, concentrated dark fruits and power with some alcoholic warmth. Fierce gawky tannins at the moment. More difficult to see the potential, but it is there - definitely another bigger bodied wine that needs 3-4 years longer. Very good, will suit lovers of modern style Bordeaux.

Château Clos Fourtet, St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé. 13.5%

85% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Owned by Philippe Cuvelier, with Derenoncourt involved since 2001. From the St. Émilion plateau, sandy lenses in the clay add warmth and so in turn bring roundness and a darker fruit quality. Black fruits certainly on the nose, along with leather and balsam. Is definitely rounder and there’s real depth of fruit, laced with spices before an attractive mocha finish. Very harmonious expression, there’s just a touch of Brett but at a low level that adds interest. Excellent.

Château Rol Valentin, St. Émilion Grand Cru. 13.5%

Owned by Eric Prissette, an ex professional footballer who bought this microchâteau in 1994. Derenoncourt joined in 1998 and organic methods employed here. Powerful animal aromas, palate is very accessible and full of fruit. Smoky oak. Elegance, medium weight with a mineral streak and spice ending. Cult stuff, very good.

Sanctus, Château La Bienfaisance, St. Émilion Grand Cru. 14%

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. This is a super-cuvée from the Bienfaisance domaine, made since 1998. Originally made by Aurelio Montes before Derenoncourt took over in 2001. Derenoncourt says he’s changed the grape selection radically to bring more elegance and minerality. Very concentrated, deep colour, a big wine in the iron fist/velvet glove mode. Fat and extraction, raw meat nose and a touch of Brett again. Mocha and milk chocolate oak effects. Trés moderne. Can’t help but wonder if Château Bienfaisance could be of greater quality if the Sanctus grapes were included in that instead of being separated and the extraction turned down a notch. Not for me, a Parkeriste wine.

Château Canon La Gaffelière, St. Émilion Grand Cru Classé. 13.5%

55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Feels like a higher proportion of Cabernet, stylistically different. Owned by Stephan von Neipperg, with Derenoncourt present since 1996. Said to be a very cold vineyard and perhaps that appears on the nose too – greener, leafier and rather floral. Palate is cooler and more austere with blackcurrant and plum fruit. Very harmonious, very elegant style and a fabulous finish with fruit, oak and spice complexity. This really opened up in the glass. Excellent classy classic.

Château Pavie Macquin, St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé. 14%

70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 1990. Apparently always windy at this high elevation estate, this means there is a minimal rot problem and BD methods are employed. This wine is in a different league of excellence – harmonious floral (violets) nose overlays fleeting fruit and pencil-box. Stay with the nose before going further, worth spending time before moving on. Palate is very rich yet lifted. All structure and flavours seamlessly integrated, with weightless elegance and freshness. This estate’s reputation is completely understandable – very fine indeed.

La Mondotte, St. Émilion. 14%

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Not a super-cuvée selection, rather a separate estate of just 4.5 ha owned by Stephan von Neipperg. This is one of the original garagiste wines; the first vintage was made in 1996 by Derenoncourt. Little soil depth, cold clays over limestone and a late ripener. 80-year-old vines farmed biodynamically and absolutely no expense spared here on viticulture or vinification, with 100% new oak and tiny quantities made. A big contrast to Pavie Macquin and rather avante garde in comparison - and yet, it’s still a very elegant wine. Big powerful ruby colour, spices and black truffles on the nose. Derenoncourt says the truffle character will develop with bottle age. The palate has enormous depth of pure dark fruits and a silken texture. A sensual and rewarding experience. You could really enjoy this wine now, so it’s amazing to imagine how this will improve during the years ahead. Very fine and doubtless stratospheric in price.

In conclusion

Derenoncourt ably demonstrated that the differences between these wines are largely about terroir and that he uses no preset “winemaking recipe”. A couple of the wines seemed ultra-modern, seemingly not in accord with Derenoncourt’s stated philosophy, being marked by over-extraction and oak effects. Presumably these reflect the style sought at those Châteaux or perhaps it’s indicative of how Derenoncourt’s techniques are still evolving. But the best wines here show elegance, terroir and individuality – interestingly, there is something almost Burgundian about the best wines shown here. Derenoncourt proves his point that he has no winemaking signature – but perhaps that Burgundian quality is his real hallmark after all.