Monday, November 30, 2015

A Thomas Barton Reserve Wines Tasting

Jonathan Lament (the Area Sales Manager – South Asia & Oceania of Barton & Guestier) was good enough to extend an invite to the launch of Thomas Barton Reserve wines at Tippling Club. The Barton & Guestier company has a long association and history with Bordeaux wines; an history going back to the beginning of the 19th century. The Thomas Barton Reserve series are presently represented in Singapore by Letat Agencies (Tel: 62200333; enquiry@letat.com.sg)


Jonathan Lament
 
Seven wines were showcased during this tasting:


Thomas Barton Reserve Graves Blanc 2014 A Sauvignon blanc-Semillon blend. A fresh, lively sip. What struck me about this wine is the lovely mouthfeel it offers; a roundness and suppleness noticeable in palate (certainly not a lean, mean sip). Mineral and citrus flavours show in palate with lively acidity providing freshness and a lingering finish.

Thomas Barton Reserve Bordeaux 2012 A Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Black cherry and spice aromas show in the nose. Noticeable soft body with a supple texture; and a good depth reveals in the palate. A youthful sip with primary notes of ripe berry flavour and spice.

Thomas Barton Reserve St Emilion 2012 A little shy on the nose when I tasted this one. Expresses more on the palate with primary notes of dark cherry; shows a soft body with smooth texture; tannins display a little grip in the edges with acidity providing balance. Youthful, yet approachable.


Thomas Barton Reserve St Julien 2011 Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petite Verdot. Shows a gentle nose and a mellow body of cherry and berries in mid-palate. Soft tannins make this sip approachable and pleasant.

Thomas Barton Reserve Margaux 2006 Blend of Cab Sauvignon and Merlot. A sip with black cherry and spice notes in good intensity; shows a noticeable aftertaste.

Thomas Barton Reserve Privee Medoc 2005 Equal parts of Cab Sauvignon and Merlot. An elegant sip. (I must confess this was my favourite sip among the red wines for this tasting). It’s difficult not to be like this wine. Great aromatics (berry, spice, cassis and oak elements show easily) charm the drinker with layers of aroma. This is accompanied by a palate revealing a soft, smooth, very well integrated wine in an elegant body; a sip with some finesse. It charms you with great texture. This sip had the sommeliers present nodding with pleasure and murmuring approval; and going for a second taste as well.

Thomas Barton Reserve Sauternes 2009 A Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend. Good aromatics; ripe fruits (like pineapple, apricot and mango) show with ease. The sweetness in the palate is not cloying; a good amount of acidity takes care of that in the body.


What I enjoyed with these Bordeaux wines was the ‘approachability’ factor. You can go beyond the tannins and appreciate the fruit flavours; the smooth (and at times velvety texture experienced in palate) was another pleasing point. You can approach these wines now with some food or age them further for a future encounter.