Is 2010 all it's cracked up to be?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:30 pm
Here are some tasting notes from around Bordeaux by JR. They might make you think twice about the quality of 2010.
Southwold 2010 - left-bank reds
5 Feb 2014 by Jancis Robinson
As heralded by Alex's dialogue yesterday and in my article Can you have too much
fine wine?, Alex and I were two of 19 tasters who had the great pleasure of
spending three days tasting a total of 328 bordeaux 2010s of both colours in
the Suffolk town of Southwold (its beach huts as seen on the last morning are
pictured).
My fellow tasters included fellow hacks Neal Martin and Steven Spurrier and
representatives of Adnams, Averys of Bristol, Berkmann Wines (Alex), Berry
Bros, Bordeaux Index, Corney & Barrow, DBM Wines, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare
Wines, Four Walls Wine, Goedhuis, Justerini & Brooks, Reid Wines, Savage
Selection and The Wine Society. Recently retired Bill Blatch of Bordeaux did
all the hard work of going round the châteaux gathering samples (kindly donated
in most cases) and driving them across the Channel. He also gathered our
combined comments to deliver back to producers who have varying degrees of
interest in them.
The hard work in Southwold was done by Rob Chase of Adnams, Aidan Bell of DBM
and Stephen Browett of Farr's son Ben, who marshalled the bottles into suitable
flights, opened them, served them blind and collected our scores before their
identities were revealed. For the first time this year, we had the pleasure of
tasting out of Riedel glasses rather than small ones. Sensible Wine Services
helped us enormously.
This is an annual event but we were all looking forward particularly to seeing
this widely admired vintage well settled into bottle. See, for example, Bill
Blatch on Bordeaux 2010 - the wines and Bill Blatch on Bordeaux 2010 - the
vines. I'll be publishing my overall impressions on Saturday.
With all these wines to 'look at', we worked quite hard on the detail of our
tasting schedule, ensuring that we were at our freshest when tasting the most
important (for which read, ridiculously expensive) wines. This meant inevitably
that some flights were tasted immediately after our light(ish) lunches and at
the end of the day. But in fact these wines were slightly less tiring to taste
than the particularly rich, ripe 2009s because they tended to be slightly less
alcoholic, and although there is no shortage whatsoever of tannin, the tannins
in the best wines were very ripe.
The main fault in the least impressive of these left-bank wines was a lack of
ripe fruit. This was particularly evident in the least ambitious petits
châteaux and most carelessly assembled second wines. The Margaux rarely shone -
with a few exceptions tannins tended to be very drying and raw - whereas there
were more high flyers from St-Estèphe than usual ,even though the fruit tended
to be riper and more obvious than in more traditional St-Estèphes.
Pauillacs were very varied. It was our first flight of lesser Pauillacs that
drove home to me how much more successful the lush fruitiness of the 2009s was
than the stringier, skinnier 2010s at this level. The same was true of many
crus bourgeois although there were some delightful exceptions.
I was more impressed by the St-Julien flight than was Alex. They were all bone
dry and very 'classic'. All needed time but in the best there was wonderfully
ripe fruit and tannin grafted on to the usual firm backbone. That said, the
Ducru-Beaucaillou and its second wine shone less brightly for me than when I
tasted them en primeur. Pessac-Léognans tasted immediately after the Margaux
were much more impressive. This is a vintage that really suited the red wines
from this southern appellation.
Needless to say, the first growths were absolutely wonderful - but so they
should have been, given their sky-high prices. The best-value wines are the
try-harder, also-ran châteaux (GV in the notes below = good value). Here is a
preview of the ones I'm recommending as good buys this Saturday, with the
average per-bottle price cited by wines-earcher.com - though note that these
rarely include taxes.
Deyrem Valentin, Pessac-Léognan £18
Phelan Ségur, St-Estèphe £33
Capbern Gasqueton, St-Estèphe £16
Fourcas-Borie, Listrac-Médoc £13
Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande, Haut-Médoc £15
de Lamarque, Haut-Médoc £12
Malescasse, Haut-Médoc £12
Tour St-Bonnet, Médoc £11
Beaumont, Haut-Médoc £11
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
Tasting notes are listed alphabetically by producer within their appellation or
group of appellations, which are ordered thus:
Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Moulis & Listrac
St-Estèphe
Pauillac
St-Julien
Margaux
Pessac-Léognan
MÉDOC, HAUT-MÉDOC, MOULIS, & LISTRAC
Ch d'Agassac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Bright crimson. Hearty, ripe nose. Easy, rather unambitious fruit. Almost soft!
Ch Anthonic 2010 Moulis 14.5 Drink 2015-2018
Mid red. Light and easy but not really very ambitious. Too simple really.
Ch Arnauld 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2017-2023
Healthy crimson. Quite soft and easy at first. Lots of ripe fruit covers the
tannins. A bit of foxglove sharpness.
Ch d'Aurilhac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2018
Bright red. Quite an evolved nose. Easy and round already. Some yeast-extract
flavours. Hearty stuff.
Ch Beaumont 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2023
Very healthy crimson. Rather sophisticated nose with some redcurrant fruit and
real freshness. Polished and subtle. Very appetising. Quite flashy with a
slightly drying finish.
Ch Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Very refreshing nose. Lots of energy but only medium intensity on the palate.
Minerals, refreshment and nice balance here even if it is not showy. Good
stuff.
Ch Belgrave 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2015-2024
Dark healthy, glossy crimson. Quite a complex nose. Thick and dense with lots of
work having gone into the texture of this very obviously. Glamorous wine!
Ch Bernadotte 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Slightly muddy red. Not the freshest fruit on the nose. A bit austere and
lacking fruit. Pinches the palate on the end.
Ch Branas Grand Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2015-2022
Very dark purple. Thick and sweet. Not that fresh but makes a splash. Rather New
Worldy… Dry finish. Hot finish.
Ch Brillette 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2016-2021
Dark and luscious. Firm and fine. Polished.
Ch Cambon La Pelouse 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2023
Thick and dense with lots of acidity. Very chewy and just a slight lack of
juice. But very seductive velvety texture. It may all come right...? But this
needs time.
Ch Camensac 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2018-2026
Intense and juicy with a savoury edge. Good balance though a little spindly.
Quite rich and velvety textured.
Ch Caronne Ste-Gemme 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Rather simple crimson. Easy and round but with an unappetising green streak.
Quite dilute.
Ch Chasse-Spleen 2010 Moulis 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Very dark. Sweet and rich. Thick and beguiling. Real concentration. Freshness as
well as very ripe fruit. GV?
Ch Cissac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Lightish crimson. Solid fruit. Marked tannin. Very typical without being very
distinctive. I suspect the tannins will always be a bit intrusive.
Ch Citran 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2019
Mid crimson. Light and fresh. Easy peasy wine that disguises its tannins very
well.
Ch Clarke 2010 Listrac 16 Drink 2017-2024
Sweet fruit. Mouthfilling and good balance even if not thrilling. Very honest.
Ch Clément Pichon 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2020
Glossy crimson. Smoky nose. Sweet and round. Lots of fruit. Glossy and rather
floral. Medium weight. Slight green streak. Not intense but good balance.
Ch Coufran 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Simple crimson colour. Fresh and bloody nose. Fairly lightweight. A bit simple.
Ch Dutruch Grand Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2016-2026
Savoury, inky nose. Round and easy. Quite powerful! Even if not top drawer.
Ch d'Escurac 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2020
Dark ruby. Quite opulent on the nose. Sweet start – very winning and modern.
Some richness and no greenness.
Ch Fonréaud 2010 Listrac 15 Drink 2017-2025
Ripe and velvety in texture. Lots of dry tannins on the finish. Just a bit dead.
Ch Fontis 2010 Médoc 14.5 Drink 2016-2020
Dark crimson. A bit stinky on the nose. Tart. Rather rigid fruit. Bone-dry
finish. Drying tannins.
Ch Fourcas Dupré 2010 Listrac 14 Drink 2017-2022
Rather stewed fruit. Tart on the palate.
Ch Fourcas Hosten 2010 Listrac 14.5 Drink 2016-2020
Lively and fresh. Light and quite tart. Bit of green.
Ch Fourcas-Borie 2010 Listrac 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Dark crimson. Thick, sweet and fresh. Lots of excitement. Spicy. Long. Dry
finish.
Ch La Garricq 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2016-2021
Lively crimson. Very racy and floral on the nose. Not the toughest by any means
– in fact the charge of tannins is pretty low – but pretty and easy to like.
Refreshing if slightly light.
Ch Les Grands Chênes 2010 Médoc 16.5 Drink 2017-2023
Dark crimson. Medium intensity on the nose. Rich and savoury. Classic claret!
Well constructed. Desperately needs food. Dry finish but quite subtle fruit.
Ch Greysac 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2016-2021
Healthy deep crimson. Upholstery webbing on the nose. Then smooth and a bit
simple. Easy drinking and quite a bit of meatiness to this.
Ch Haut-Condissas 2010 Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Not very deep in colour. Easy and round. Not that ambitious and quite tough on
the end.
Ch L'Inclassable 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2017-2021
Thick and sweet. Lots to get your teeth into! Both fruit and tannins here in
spades. But the extraction has been pushed so that it's a little bitter on the
end.
Ch La Lagune 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2018-2025
Broad and sweet. Not luscious but reasonably user-friendly.
Ch de Lamarque 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Rose-scented fruit. Rather pretty and fresh. Lots of fun. Juicy. Complete.
Ch Lamothe-Bergeron 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2019
Dense bright red. Round and fresh. More forward than most but vigorous. Eerily
forward. But a nice package. Minerally.
Ch Lanessan 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2025
Very sweet and lively and vibrant. But it falls apart a little on the end.
Ch Larose Perganson 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2017-2023
Thick crimson. A tart streak. Really rather demanding.
Ch Larose-Trintaudon 2010 Haut-Médoc 14.5 Drink 2015-2018
Mid crimson. Graphite nose. Lots of rather simple sweetness upfront. More acid
than tannin. A bit charmless.
Ch Lestage 2010 Listrac 16.5 Drink 2016-2022
Dark ruby. Sweet (from fruit not oak) and easy to like. Polished and with good
intensity. Lots of vigour.
Ch Liversan 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Light ruby. Pale rim. Light, sweetish tea-leaf aromas. Easy peasy but awfully
light and unambitious.
Ch Loudenne 2010 Médoc 14 Drink 2015-2018
Dark crimson with ruby rim. Low-key, rather simple nose. Sweet start. A bit
vapid. Not much concentration here. Very astringent finish.
Ch Malescasse 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2017-2024
Dark crimson. Rather glossy and sophisticated on the nose. This almost tastes
like a classed growth! Lovely stuff. Beautifully rich but fluid and refreshing.
Ch Malmaison 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2018-2023
Mid ruby. Lightish and savoury. Some tannins stick out a bit. Rather jagged.
Ch Maucaillou 2010 Moulis 15 Drink 2015-2020
Relatively light ruby. Muddy nose. Sweet and light. Chewy. Lots of acidity.
Ch Maucamps 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
A little stinky. Stolid and a bit stodgy in terms of tannin quality. Falls away
fast on the finish.
Ch Maurac 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2024
Smudgy ruby. Quite intense and glamorous on the nose. Very complete with the
tannins almost submerged by ripe fruit. Thick and velvety. Just not that
persistent.
Ch du Moulin Rouge 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2025
Luscious-looking blackish ruby. Strange/interesting smell of putty! Round and
bloody somehow. Lots here to chew on. A classic wine from a classic vintage
obviously.
Ch Les Ormes Sorbet 2010 Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Dark purplish crimson. Lively, healthy crimson. Relatively light but
well-mannered nose. Medium-intensity fruit and a dry finish. Respectable
without being exciting.
Ch Paloumey 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2024
Lively ruby. Perfumed. Round and quite luscious. Savoury. But the tannins
suggest a bit of time is needed. A tad austere overall though.
Ch Patache d'Aux 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2020
Pale ruby. Light, soapy nose. Easy wine that's very well balanced. The fruit was
not that intense but it has been handled with great sensitivity.
Ch Pontoise Cabarrus 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2025
Crimson and a smudgy, indistinct nose. Floral start and then the tannins trump
the fruit. Pretty good but a long-term wine. Some polish and attractive
inkiness but needs time.
Ch Potensac, Chapelle de Potensac 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2023
Very blue. Savoury and fresh on the nose even if not that intense. Very dry
finish. Correct though not generous. Sappy. Needs time.
Ch Potensac 2010 Médoc 16+ Drink 2018-2025
Bright crimson. Very light nose. But the palate has lots of energy and delivery.
Still youthful but should deliver eventually.
Ch Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Rich and round. Drying finish. Lots of sweetness. Rather small scale.
Ch du Retout 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2021
Bright crimson. Inky with some of the fragrance of Cabernet Franc. Vigorous and
with great energy and focus but already quite open. Sappy and savoury. A very
nice drink already even if not a powerhouse
Ch Rollan de By 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2016-2018
Dark ruby. Light rather soapy nose. Then sweet fruit that should beguile some
tasters. As though much of the flavour was derived from oak rather than fruit.
A little sickly but it's certainly not too dry.
Ch Sénéjac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2021
Rich and sweet with good drive and lusciousness. Though not that dense.
Ch Sociando-Mallet 2010 Haut-Médoc 17 Drink 2020-2040
Blueish purple. Nose not that intense. But really rich on the front palate.
Purple fruits. Not that St-Estèphe but very seductive. (I tasted this blind in
a flight of St-Estèphes.) Lots entrenched here. Ambitious.
Ch Soudars 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2014-2019
Bright crimson. Not that ripe on the nose. But fresh and clean – and not green!
Round and almost soft. Very advanced.
Ch La Tour Carnet 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2028
Very round and juicy. Sappy and lip smacking.
Ch La Tour de By 2010 Médoc 14.5 Drink 2015-2017
Bright crimson. Very light nose. Astringent. The fruit seems to have been sucked
out of this wine.
Ch Tour Séran 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2019
Bright crimson. Clean, quite intense nose. Sweet start. Just a little lacking in
fruit intensity and with a hint of oak sweetness. A little astringent at the
end.
Ch Tour St-Bonnet 2010 Médoc 16.5 Drink 2014-2019
Mid crimson. Lively, fresh nose full of fruit. Quite a forward wine with rosy
fruit almost masking the tannin. A success.
Ch Verdignan 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Light nose and a tad dull. Solid and chewy.
Ch Vieux Robin, Bois de Lunier 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2022
Vigorous crimson. Strange smell that's a little reminiscent of drains. Very
tough on the palate. Good density. It will probably all come together
eventually!
ST-ESTÈPHE
Ch Calon-Ségur, Marquis de Calon 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2030
Luscious and very fruity. Some real juice and excitement. Lift.
Ch Calon-Ségur 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark crimson. Hint of green on the nose. Lots of acidity on the palate, as
well as a most attractively smooth texture. Tastes as though a lot of
winemaking work went into this but that the fruit was not all that ripe.
Ch Capbern Gasqueton 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2017-2029
Minerally, underneath fully ripe nose but attractive in a graphite way. Lots of
juice and great balance.
Ch Clauzet 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2026
Minerals and sinew on the nose. Easy, fluid and not that dense. But classic
build. Floral.
Ch Cos d'Estournel, Pagodes de Cos 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Clean, fresh, minerally nose. Bracing! Classic St-Estèphe. Bone dry and light to
medium bodied.
Ch Cos d'Estournel 2010 St-Estèphe 18 Drink 2020-2038
Very healthy deep crimson. Luscious fruit. Very beguiling. Spreads right across
the palate. Extremely seductive. Just slightly inky on the finish at the moment
but there is masses of ripe fruit and tannin here.
Ch Cos Labory 2010 St-Estèphe 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Rich and round. Then a bit green and tart on the very end. But hugely opulent
before that. Lighter bodied and more refreshing than some. Very winning. GV
Ch Le Crock 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
Dark purple. Sweet and fresh. Solid and juicy. But it finishes a bit suddenly.
Ch Haut-Beauséjour 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2027
Light and rather innocuous on the nose and then, oddly, a bit heavy and
ponderous on the palate. Lots of chew and density.
Ch Haut-Marbuzet 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2022-2035
Broad, opulent nose with a suggestion of oak. Neat and well balanced. Very
typical of 2010 with its just-ripe fruit and very firm tannin. Hint of alcohol
on the end. Drying finish.
Ch Lafon-Rochet 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2018-2032
Dark and rich in colour. Baked, sweet and biscuity. Very modern style. Classy
and very rewarding. Not the most typical but very well made. Could do with a
little more lift?
Ch Lilian Ladouys 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2018-2028
Polished and sweet. Easy peasy and lots of charm. Just a bit chocolatey.
Ch Meyney 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5+ Drink 2020-2030
Very dark. Intense and ticks the boxes but not that intriguing. Just a little
stodgy. May take on more interest as it matures. Some alcohol on the finish.
Ch Montrose, La Dame de Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Rather soapy nose (from a well-used glass!). Some greenness here – a little
austere. On the cusp of typicality and austerity. Falls away on the end.
Ch Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 18+ Drink 2020-2040
Black! Very dramatic and ripe on the nose. Surely some strict selection here…
Rich, spicy nose. Very solid and concentrated and attention-grabbing. Bone-dry
finish. Very classical. Long. This does have some St-Estèphe character despite
its concentration.
Ch Les Ormes de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 17- Drink 2018-2032
Hint of sweet, very slightly oily, oak on the nose. Slithery texture and masses
of acidity on the finish, as well as a medium charge of tannins. A tad austere.
Acidity rather than genuine freshness of fruit.
Ch Petit Bocq 2010 St-Estèphe 15 Drink 2016-2025
Sweet and a bit tarty. Dried-out palate.
Ch de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2016-2028
Sweet, bright fruit in the Médocain mould. Neat and relatively luscious – ticks
the boxes even if it is unlikely to make anyone's heart beat faster. Some
persistence.
Ch Phélan Ségur 2010 St-Estèphe 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Sweet, 'modern' and beguiling. Very different from most
St-Estèphes. Luxurious and not that typical of the appellation but certainly
seems designed to score points! Rich. Just the right side of chocolatey.
Bone-dry finish.
Ch Sérilhan 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Dense and fresh. Lots of chewiness. A bit lean.
Ch Tour de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2017-2027
Dark crimson. Solid and fresh and classical if a tad dry on the end. Just a bit
too much meat and chocolate on the end.
Ch Tronquoy Lalande 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Lots of sweetness and juice. Round and fresh. A winning combo. Complete.
PAUILLAC
Ch d'Armailhac 2010 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2020-2032
Dark crimson. Complete and complex on the nose. Light and fresh. Very attractive
and well balanced but no blockbuster. Some mineral character.
Ch Batailley 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2032
Savoury and toasted on the nose. The fruit is good but just a tad lacking in
lift. Solid rather than inspiring. Just a little stringy.
Ch Clerc Milon 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2038
Very dark crimson. Intense and luscious on the nose. Manages to be both round
and inky! Great intensity and structure. Although some restraint too – it
certainly isn't OTT.
Ch Croizet-Bages 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2019-2030
Very lively, rather ethereal nose. Masses of ripe tannins. Good fruit weight and
very dry on the end.
Ch Duhart-Milon 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2026
Dark purple. Fragrant. Cassis nose. Only medium weight – very fresh. Smells of
fertiliser – like my father's old shop. A tad austere. But the texture is
lovely.
Ch Fonbadet 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2030
Ripe and a good minerally spread across the palate. Bone dry but there is some
weight in the middle here.
Ch Grand-Puy Ducasse 2010 Pauillac 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
Broad and ripe on the nose. Quite marked acidity and tannin. Set for the long
term.
Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2026
Dark purplish crimson. Fresh nose but not fully ripe. A little simple. Fruity
and early maturing. Slightly green on the end.
Ch Haut-Bages Libéral 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2028
Winning blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Lots of ripeness even if not that much
subtlety. Still a little raw but should mellow into something fun.
Ch Haut-Batailley 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2018-2024
Cassis nose. Some greenness. Falls away on the finish.
Ch Lafite 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2019-2035
Sweet, rich on the nose. Sweet and round and easy to like. Lots of tannin and
savour on the end after some very rich fruit. Just a little drying on the
finish. Noble but not yet charming.
Ch Latour, Les Forts de Latour 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2045
Lustrous dark crimson. Very flashy and attention-grabbing. Lots of sweetness and
ripeness. Not classical in style but great freshness and ripe tannin on the end.
Lots going on here. A popular choice.
Ch Latour 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2024-2050
Very dark indeed. Concentrated black-fruit essence plus terroir. Round and
supple. Lots of angularity. Latour? Great refreshment factor and lots of
minerality. Very clean finish. Thick and admirable.
Ch Lynch Bages, Écho de Lynch Bages 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2017-2024
Still looks very youthful. Mildly herbaceous nose. Was the fruit fully ripe?
Definite greenness.
Ch Lynch Bages 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2037
Lifted and lightly soapy. A little lean at first and then sweet on the finish.
Competent without being exciting. A bit solid and earthbound with a note of
green. But it's quite persistent.
Ch Lynch-Moussas 2010 Pauillac 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
First bottle smelt dirty. Second bottle much better. Quite refined, complex
minerally nose. A bit tight and taut on the finish.
Ch Mouton Rothschild, Le Petit Mouton 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2040
Savoury, appetising nose. Neat and fresh with real intensity. Nothing out of
line. Just the essence of the vintage. Not showy. Lots of classy tannin and
top-quality Cabernet.
Ch Mouton Rothschild 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2020-2038
Humming, intense, ripe Cabernet fruit. Plays the concentration card but is not
perhaps as intellectually stimulating as some. Just very slightly dead on the
end. Electric on retasting.
Ch Pedesclaux 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2018-2024
Cedar-shavings nose. All fully ripe on the nose but just a little dry on the
finish. Clean and vigorous. But just a little lean on the finish.
Ch Pibran 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2020-2032
Quite opulent nose. Hint of creamy oak. Spreads across the palate convincingly.
Bone dry. Certainly not flattering but very correct. Should make old bones.
Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Réserve de la Comtesse 2010 Pauillac
15.5 Drink 2018-2026
Mild wine without strong distinguishing marks and a little softer than its
peers. Marked acidity on the finish.
Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2019-2030
Blackish crimson. Rather muddy 'mineral' nose. Lots of stewed blackberry
flavour. Softer than most. But alluring – just a bit spiky.
Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron), Les Tourelles de Longueville 2010 Pauillac 15.5
Drink 2018-2025
Cassis and cedar nose. Reasonable fruit but a bit spindly overall.
Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron) 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2018-2028
Blueish purple. Sweet start. Relatively simple. Correct and lightish without
being dramatic. This did not stand out for me at first but everyone else loved
it - as I normally do!
Ch Pontet-Canet 2010 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2018-2032
Very dark and glossy. First bottle has a modest nose – low-key TCA? Second
bottle: Super clean and brilliant – glossily alluring on the nose. Not heavy in
any way. Quite lifted and light. Very ethereal. Maybe could have done with just
a little more concentration? But presumably there is a deliberate attempt to be
light and lifted?
ST-JULIEN
Ch Beychevelle 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Meaty nose with a strong cassis streak. Opulent and mildly inky. Lots of
pleasure here. Masses of ripe fruit distracts from tannin.
Ch Branaire-Ducru 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Really broad, ripe and appealing on the nose when tasted immediately after a
flight of lesser Pauillacs. Silky and sweet – unusually so for a St-Julien –
with lots of ripe fruit overpowering the considerable tannic charge. Quite a
bit of alcohol. Bone-dry finish. Relatively opulent.
Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou, La Croix de Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink
2017-2026
Smooth and very fine. Easy to appreciate. But not that concentrated even though
the balance and persistence are excellent.
Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 16.5+ Drink 2016-2028
Lighter rim than most. Aromatic and round. Not the most ambitious St-Julien but
already an attractive, well-balanced drink – which is a bit odd in this
vintage! Easy peasy. This bottle seemed to lack a little bit of drive.
Ch Gloria 2010 St-Julien 15 Drink 2016-2022
Very rich and sweet with some meat-extract notes. The fruit is a bit submerged
in the oak. Hard work!
Ch Gruaud Larose 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2017-2030
Blueish purple. Strong cassis nose. Rather sweet for a St-Julien. Distinctly
flattering and velvety. This could arguably do with just a little more
freshness. But it's a very seductive drink.
Ch Lagrange 2010 St-Julien 16 Drink 2020-2030
Nose is quite reserved. Something a tad green on the nose here. Neat and well
mannered on the palate but distinctly dry. Not a generously proportioned wine.
Ch Lalande Borie 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2016-2026
Sweet cocoa oak. Thick and sweet and flashy – not subtle but good enough and
everything is in its place. Just a very slightly sour note on the end. Tart
finish.
Ch Langoa Barton 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Lightly oaky/cheesy nose. Medium weight with good freshness and not the ripest
of fruit. Very neat and with less obvious tannin than some.
Ch Léoville Barton, La Réserve de Léoville Barton 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink
2017-2027
Inky and luscious. Lots of sweetness. Some heady lily perfume. But overall a bit
dry on the end. Actually drying.
Ch Léoville Barton 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2022-2040
Hint of coconut oak on the nose. Intense and dry. Far from charming and very dry
tannins – a bit like a Barton wine. Solid but I'd like a little more lift.
Impressive rather than charming. Very drying tannins at the moment.
Ch Léoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2018-2026
Vibrant but a bit sharp on the nose. Lots of acidity. Juicy and fresh. But too
tart to be a real winner.
Ch Léoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Ripe and fragrant, almost Merloty. An early maturer for a 2010 St-Julien. Very
charming. Could almost be a second wine?
Ch Léoville Las Cases 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2022-2035
Lively, appetising nose. Very Cabernet! This actually tastes very like classic
Pauillac to me. Not that strong on body or concentration but well-balanced
classic claret. Not for those of a modernist bent who might find it a bit
skinny.
Ch Léoville Poyferré 2010 St-Julien 18 Drink 2020-2040
Looks very concentrated. Dark purple. Thick and rich. Some sweetness and lots of
tannin. Everything but the kitchen sink in here. Super-concentrated. Should make
great old bones. Very dry, long finish.
Ch Moulin Riche 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2016-2024
Racy fruit. Lots of lift and juice. Not that much tannin in evidence – quite
forward. A bit sour.
Ch St-Pierre 2010 St-Julien 18 Drink 2020-2040
Light minerally nose that's really quite intriguing. Big, ripe and bold but not
in any way sweet. Classic St-Julien in a ripe vintage. Should run and run.
Ch Talbot 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2020-2035
Blueish purple. Savoury nose with some notes of biscuits for cheese! Very
opulent, 'worked' texture. Charming even if not one of the most refreshing.
Seductive.
MARGAUX
Ch d'Angludet 2010 Margaux 13 Drink 2017-2021
Reduced. Very tart.
Ch Bellevue de Tayac 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2016-2021
Thunevin. Light and sweet and round. Very well balanced even if in a minor key.
Easy drinking.
Ch Boyd-Cantenac 2010 Margaux 15 Drink 2018-2024
Sweet and sour. Harsh with drying tannins.
Ch Brane-Cantenac 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2030
Neat and dry. Very contained but there is sufficient ripe fruit here. Though it
finishes pretty dry!
Ch Cantemerle 2010 Margaux 14.5 Drink 2018-2022
Lustrous dark crimson. Perfumed. Inky and very tough on the end.
Ch Cantenac Brown, Brio de Cantenac Brown 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Real life and vivacity on the nose. Luscious fruit but a bit dry on the end.
Ch Cantenac Brown 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2027
Sweet yeast-extract nose. Thick texture and rather green on the finish.
Clos des Quatre Vents, Villa des Quatre Soeurs 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2023
Spicy and inky. Very fluid.
Ch Dauzac 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2022
Some sweet toastiness on the nose. Some lusciousness initially but then a bit
austere and hollow.
Ch Deyrem Valentin 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2018-2030
Round and complex. Lovely freshness. Complete. Subtle and very ripe. GV
Ch Durfort-Vivens 2010 Margaux 14 Drink 2018-2025
Quite tough. Very drying finish. Too tough!
Ch Ferrière 2010 Margaux 14 Drink 2017-2025
Dark crimson. Not that clean on the nose. Tart and demanding. Austere and
ungenerous.
Ch Giscours 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2020-2030
Lusciously ripe on the nose compared with its peers. Very fresh. Tough
unseasoned oak impression.
Ch d'Issan 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Sweet and round. Finishes a bit suddenly.
Ch Kirwan 2010 Margaux 14.5 Drink 2018-2026
Sour and hard. Very tough. Where’s the fruit?
Ch Labégorce 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Quite rich and velvety. Very modern but at least it had flesh!
Ch Lascombes 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Very dark crimson. Scented and Margaux-like. Fruit and currants on the mid
palate. Drying, sudden finish.
Ch Malescot St-Exupéry 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Aromatic with good, ripe fruit on the palate. Firm tannins. Better than most.
Ch Margaux, Pavillon Rouge 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Looks a bit smudgy. Easy and round with good fresh fruit. Correct and not too
drying on the finish.
Ch Margaux 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Smells a little simple. Austere start. Just a bit lean. Not really trying as
hard as its peers. Quite light and relatively lean. Good but not great.
Ch Marquis d'Alesme Becker 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2016-2024
Dark purplish crimson. Neat and fresh on the nose. Dark fruit and quite dry on
the end.
Ch Marquis de Terme 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2026
Easy and round and unforced. Pretty.
Ch Monbrison 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2028
Second bottle: lightly cheesy nose. Cool. Drying finish.
Ch Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark purplish crimson. Smells of upholstery webbing. Sweet and lots of
fruit. A bit tart on the end though.
Ch Palmer 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2020-2032
Blackish crimson. Sweet and sweaty on the nose but clean and fresh on the
palate. Lots of dramatic impact. Relatively luscious. Black-cherry flavours.
Ch Prieuré-Lichine 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2028
Dark crimson. Perfumed. Round, fully ripe and confident. Lots of tannin on the
end but this should last well. Inky finish. Quite a bit of acidity.
Ch Rauzan-Gassies 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2016-2025
Very dark crimson. Thick and sweet at the beginning but lacks a bit of
freshness. Marmite (yeast extract) flavours.
Ch Rauzan-Ségla 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2027
Light, sweet, candified nose. Easy and round. But not thrilling. Dull finish.
Ch Siran 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Very dark crimson. Meaty and lively. Good refreshment value. Well-balanced sweet
ink.
Ch du Tertre 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Quite complex, dry and nuanced on the nose. Punchy and lively. Spreads across
the palate.
Ch La Tour de Mons 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2027
Sweet, round and fresh but not that concentrated. Very drying finish.
PESSAC-LÉOGNAN
Ch Bouscaut 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Savoury nose with hints of cordite. Quite exciting and mineral!
Ch Branon 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2017-2027
Slightly tarty oak on the nose. Then pretty snazzy, dramatic fruit. Finish is
very drying.
Ch Carbonnieux 2010 Pessac-Léognan 15 Drink 2020-2030
Sweet, toasty oak. Some energy. But a tad tarty. Pinched finish.
Ch Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2030
Sweet and flashy. Lots of juice and well-polished, refreshing fruit. Just
finishes a bit dry.
Dom de Chevalier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5+ Drink 2018-2030
Lightly cheesy on the nose. Inky and savoury with good fruit intensity. Lively
and very dry on the end. This is a wine that usually takes many years to show
what it can do.
Ch de Fieuzal 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2032
Savoury and dense with good freshness on the nose. Very luscious and bright
fruited. Top stuff!
Ch Gazin Rocquencourt 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2017-2029
Very dark. Rich and round. Slightly green and chewy. Not that concentrated.
Ch Haut-Bailly 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2032
Blackish crimson. Smoky nose with a hint of char. Very 'modern' but delivers
lots of pleasure. Not classic. Very cool finish.
Ch Haut-Bergey 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2035
Very black! Leathery. Dramatic. Chewy. Too dry on the end. Hot finish.
Ch Haut-Brion, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink
2020-2030
Hint of brett? Sweet start and mellow. Not the most concentrated and the oak
tannins seem a little green but there is respectable fruit there.
Ch Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 19 Drink 2022-2045
Savoury, appetising nose. Great balance and refreshment factor. Everything very
neat and in place. Aristocratic somehow. Great intensity but not sweetness.
Ch Larrivet Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Toasted nuts on the nose. Sweet start. Very worked but to good effect.
Ch Latour-Martillac 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17- Drink 2020-2032
Sweaty nose. Good volume in the mouth. Tea leaves. Fresh fruit and impact. Just
a bit dry on the finish.
Ch La Louvière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2018-2030
Rich and sweet on the nose. Just a little sweet and brutal. Falls away fast. But
very luscious beforehand.
Ch Malartic Lagravière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Rich and round. Savoury. Luscious.
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion, La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2010
Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Dark glossy crimson. Sweet black-cherry ripe aroma. Tea leaves. Round. Just
slightly hollow.
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18.5 Drink 2022-2045
Very dark purple. Mild nose in terms of intensity and strongly Cabernet. Very
thick and dense. Impressive and very youthful. Not yet charming but amazing
persistence. Cabernet essence. A hint of alcohol on the finish.
Ch Olivier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Very leathery nose. Rich and glossy. Dry finish.
Ch Pape Clément 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Aromatic, possibly very slightly spindly. Thick and sweet. Just not enough lift.
A tad too soupy and overdone. Tarry finish.
Ch Smith Haut Lafitte 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18 Drink 2018-2038
Notably dark, dense crimson. Fragrant. Really very impressive. Lots of richness
but not sweetness. Layers of exciting flavour. Subtle. Great stuff.
Southwold 2010 - left-bank reds
5 Feb 2014 by Jancis Robinson
As heralded by Alex's dialogue yesterday and in my article Can you have too much
fine wine?, Alex and I were two of 19 tasters who had the great pleasure of
spending three days tasting a total of 328 bordeaux 2010s of both colours in
the Suffolk town of Southwold (its beach huts as seen on the last morning are
pictured).
My fellow tasters included fellow hacks Neal Martin and Steven Spurrier and
representatives of Adnams, Averys of Bristol, Berkmann Wines (Alex), Berry
Bros, Bordeaux Index, Corney & Barrow, DBM Wines, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare
Wines, Four Walls Wine, Goedhuis, Justerini & Brooks, Reid Wines, Savage
Selection and The Wine Society. Recently retired Bill Blatch of Bordeaux did
all the hard work of going round the châteaux gathering samples (kindly donated
in most cases) and driving them across the Channel. He also gathered our
combined comments to deliver back to producers who have varying degrees of
interest in them.
The hard work in Southwold was done by Rob Chase of Adnams, Aidan Bell of DBM
and Stephen Browett of Farr's son Ben, who marshalled the bottles into suitable
flights, opened them, served them blind and collected our scores before their
identities were revealed. For the first time this year, we had the pleasure of
tasting out of Riedel glasses rather than small ones. Sensible Wine Services
helped us enormously.
This is an annual event but we were all looking forward particularly to seeing
this widely admired vintage well settled into bottle. See, for example, Bill
Blatch on Bordeaux 2010 - the wines and Bill Blatch on Bordeaux 2010 - the
vines. I'll be publishing my overall impressions on Saturday.
With all these wines to 'look at', we worked quite hard on the detail of our
tasting schedule, ensuring that we were at our freshest when tasting the most
important (for which read, ridiculously expensive) wines. This meant inevitably
that some flights were tasted immediately after our light(ish) lunches and at
the end of the day. But in fact these wines were slightly less tiring to taste
than the particularly rich, ripe 2009s because they tended to be slightly less
alcoholic, and although there is no shortage whatsoever of tannin, the tannins
in the best wines were very ripe.
The main fault in the least impressive of these left-bank wines was a lack of
ripe fruit. This was particularly evident in the least ambitious petits
châteaux and most carelessly assembled second wines. The Margaux rarely shone -
with a few exceptions tannins tended to be very drying and raw - whereas there
were more high flyers from St-Estèphe than usual ,even though the fruit tended
to be riper and more obvious than in more traditional St-Estèphes.
Pauillacs were very varied. It was our first flight of lesser Pauillacs that
drove home to me how much more successful the lush fruitiness of the 2009s was
than the stringier, skinnier 2010s at this level. The same was true of many
crus bourgeois although there were some delightful exceptions.
I was more impressed by the St-Julien flight than was Alex. They were all bone
dry and very 'classic'. All needed time but in the best there was wonderfully
ripe fruit and tannin grafted on to the usual firm backbone. That said, the
Ducru-Beaucaillou and its second wine shone less brightly for me than when I
tasted them en primeur. Pessac-Léognans tasted immediately after the Margaux
were much more impressive. This is a vintage that really suited the red wines
from this southern appellation.
Needless to say, the first growths were absolutely wonderful - but so they
should have been, given their sky-high prices. The best-value wines are the
try-harder, also-ran châteaux (GV in the notes below = good value). Here is a
preview of the ones I'm recommending as good buys this Saturday, with the
average per-bottle price cited by wines-earcher.com - though note that these
rarely include taxes.
Deyrem Valentin, Pessac-Léognan £18
Phelan Ségur, St-Estèphe £33
Capbern Gasqueton, St-Estèphe £16
Fourcas-Borie, Listrac-Médoc £13
Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande, Haut-Médoc £15
de Lamarque, Haut-Médoc £12
Malescasse, Haut-Médoc £12
Tour St-Bonnet, Médoc £11
Beaumont, Haut-Médoc £11
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
Tasting notes are listed alphabetically by producer within their appellation or
group of appellations, which are ordered thus:
Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Moulis & Listrac
St-Estèphe
Pauillac
St-Julien
Margaux
Pessac-Léognan
MÉDOC, HAUT-MÉDOC, MOULIS, & LISTRAC
Ch d'Agassac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Bright crimson. Hearty, ripe nose. Easy, rather unambitious fruit. Almost soft!
Ch Anthonic 2010 Moulis 14.5 Drink 2015-2018
Mid red. Light and easy but not really very ambitious. Too simple really.
Ch Arnauld 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2017-2023
Healthy crimson. Quite soft and easy at first. Lots of ripe fruit covers the
tannins. A bit of foxglove sharpness.
Ch d'Aurilhac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2018
Bright red. Quite an evolved nose. Easy and round already. Some yeast-extract
flavours. Hearty stuff.
Ch Beaumont 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2023
Very healthy crimson. Rather sophisticated nose with some redcurrant fruit and
real freshness. Polished and subtle. Very appetising. Quite flashy with a
slightly drying finish.
Ch Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Very refreshing nose. Lots of energy but only medium intensity on the palate.
Minerals, refreshment and nice balance here even if it is not showy. Good
stuff.
Ch Belgrave 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2015-2024
Dark healthy, glossy crimson. Quite a complex nose. Thick and dense with lots of
work having gone into the texture of this very obviously. Glamorous wine!
Ch Bernadotte 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Slightly muddy red. Not the freshest fruit on the nose. A bit austere and
lacking fruit. Pinches the palate on the end.
Ch Branas Grand Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2015-2022
Very dark purple. Thick and sweet. Not that fresh but makes a splash. Rather New
Worldy… Dry finish. Hot finish.
Ch Brillette 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2016-2021
Dark and luscious. Firm and fine. Polished.
Ch Cambon La Pelouse 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2023
Thick and dense with lots of acidity. Very chewy and just a slight lack of
juice. But very seductive velvety texture. It may all come right...? But this
needs time.
Ch Camensac 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2018-2026
Intense and juicy with a savoury edge. Good balance though a little spindly.
Quite rich and velvety textured.
Ch Caronne Ste-Gemme 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Rather simple crimson. Easy and round but with an unappetising green streak.
Quite dilute.
Ch Chasse-Spleen 2010 Moulis 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Very dark. Sweet and rich. Thick and beguiling. Real concentration. Freshness as
well as very ripe fruit. GV?
Ch Cissac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Lightish crimson. Solid fruit. Marked tannin. Very typical without being very
distinctive. I suspect the tannins will always be a bit intrusive.
Ch Citran 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2019
Mid crimson. Light and fresh. Easy peasy wine that disguises its tannins very
well.
Ch Clarke 2010 Listrac 16 Drink 2017-2024
Sweet fruit. Mouthfilling and good balance even if not thrilling. Very honest.
Ch Clément Pichon 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2020
Glossy crimson. Smoky nose. Sweet and round. Lots of fruit. Glossy and rather
floral. Medium weight. Slight green streak. Not intense but good balance.
Ch Coufran 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Simple crimson colour. Fresh and bloody nose. Fairly lightweight. A bit simple.
Ch Dutruch Grand Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2016-2026
Savoury, inky nose. Round and easy. Quite powerful! Even if not top drawer.
Ch d'Escurac 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2020
Dark ruby. Quite opulent on the nose. Sweet start – very winning and modern.
Some richness and no greenness.
Ch Fonréaud 2010 Listrac 15 Drink 2017-2025
Ripe and velvety in texture. Lots of dry tannins on the finish. Just a bit dead.
Ch Fontis 2010 Médoc 14.5 Drink 2016-2020
Dark crimson. A bit stinky on the nose. Tart. Rather rigid fruit. Bone-dry
finish. Drying tannins.
Ch Fourcas Dupré 2010 Listrac 14 Drink 2017-2022
Rather stewed fruit. Tart on the palate.
Ch Fourcas Hosten 2010 Listrac 14.5 Drink 2016-2020
Lively and fresh. Light and quite tart. Bit of green.
Ch Fourcas-Borie 2010 Listrac 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Dark crimson. Thick, sweet and fresh. Lots of excitement. Spicy. Long. Dry
finish.
Ch La Garricq 2010 Moulis 16 Drink 2016-2021
Lively crimson. Very racy and floral on the nose. Not the toughest by any means
– in fact the charge of tannins is pretty low – but pretty and easy to like.
Refreshing if slightly light.
Ch Les Grands Chênes 2010 Médoc 16.5 Drink 2017-2023
Dark crimson. Medium intensity on the nose. Rich and savoury. Classic claret!
Well constructed. Desperately needs food. Dry finish but quite subtle fruit.
Ch Greysac 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2016-2021
Healthy deep crimson. Upholstery webbing on the nose. Then smooth and a bit
simple. Easy drinking and quite a bit of meatiness to this.
Ch Haut-Condissas 2010 Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Not very deep in colour. Easy and round. Not that ambitious and quite tough on
the end.
Ch L'Inclassable 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2017-2021
Thick and sweet. Lots to get your teeth into! Both fruit and tannins here in
spades. But the extraction has been pushed so that it's a little bitter on the
end.
Ch La Lagune 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2018-2025
Broad and sweet. Not luscious but reasonably user-friendly.
Ch de Lamarque 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Rose-scented fruit. Rather pretty and fresh. Lots of fun. Juicy. Complete.
Ch Lamothe-Bergeron 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2019
Dense bright red. Round and fresh. More forward than most but vigorous. Eerily
forward. But a nice package. Minerally.
Ch Lanessan 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2025
Very sweet and lively and vibrant. But it falls apart a little on the end.
Ch Larose Perganson 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2017-2023
Thick crimson. A tart streak. Really rather demanding.
Ch Larose-Trintaudon 2010 Haut-Médoc 14.5 Drink 2015-2018
Mid crimson. Graphite nose. Lots of rather simple sweetness upfront. More acid
than tannin. A bit charmless.
Ch Lestage 2010 Listrac 16.5 Drink 2016-2022
Dark ruby. Sweet (from fruit not oak) and easy to like. Polished and with good
intensity. Lots of vigour.
Ch Liversan 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Light ruby. Pale rim. Light, sweetish tea-leaf aromas. Easy peasy but awfully
light and unambitious.
Ch Loudenne 2010 Médoc 14 Drink 2015-2018
Dark crimson with ruby rim. Low-key, rather simple nose. Sweet start. A bit
vapid. Not much concentration here. Very astringent finish.
Ch Malescasse 2010 Haut-Médoc 16.5 Drink 2017-2024
Dark crimson. Rather glossy and sophisticated on the nose. This almost tastes
like a classed growth! Lovely stuff. Beautifully rich but fluid and refreshing.
Ch Malmaison 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2018-2023
Mid ruby. Lightish and savoury. Some tannins stick out a bit. Rather jagged.
Ch Maucaillou 2010 Moulis 15 Drink 2015-2020
Relatively light ruby. Muddy nose. Sweet and light. Chewy. Lots of acidity.
Ch Maucamps 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
A little stinky. Stolid and a bit stodgy in terms of tannin quality. Falls away
fast on the finish.
Ch Maurac 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2024
Smudgy ruby. Quite intense and glamorous on the nose. Very complete with the
tannins almost submerged by ripe fruit. Thick and velvety. Just not that
persistent.
Ch du Moulin Rouge 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2025
Luscious-looking blackish ruby. Strange/interesting smell of putty! Round and
bloody somehow. Lots here to chew on. A classic wine from a classic vintage
obviously.
Ch Les Ormes Sorbet 2010 Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2020
Dark purplish crimson. Lively, healthy crimson. Relatively light but
well-mannered nose. Medium-intensity fruit and a dry finish. Respectable
without being exciting.
Ch Paloumey 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2024
Lively ruby. Perfumed. Round and quite luscious. Savoury. But the tannins
suggest a bit of time is needed. A tad austere overall though.
Ch Patache d'Aux 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2016-2020
Pale ruby. Light, soapy nose. Easy wine that's very well balanced. The fruit was
not that intense but it has been handled with great sensitivity.
Ch Pontoise Cabarrus 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2025
Crimson and a smudgy, indistinct nose. Floral start and then the tannins trump
the fruit. Pretty good but a long-term wine. Some polish and attractive
inkiness but needs time.
Ch Potensac, Chapelle de Potensac 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2017-2023
Very blue. Savoury and fresh on the nose even if not that intense. Very dry
finish. Correct though not generous. Sappy. Needs time.
Ch Potensac 2010 Médoc 16+ Drink 2018-2025
Bright crimson. Very light nose. But the palate has lots of energy and delivery.
Still youthful but should deliver eventually.
Ch Poujeaux 2010 Moulis 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Rich and round. Drying finish. Lots of sweetness. Rather small scale.
Ch du Retout 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2015-2021
Bright crimson. Inky with some of the fragrance of Cabernet Franc. Vigorous and
with great energy and focus but already quite open. Sappy and savoury. A very
nice drink already even if not a powerhouse
Ch Rollan de By 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2016-2018
Dark ruby. Light rather soapy nose. Then sweet fruit that should beguile some
tasters. As though much of the flavour was derived from oak rather than fruit.
A little sickly but it's certainly not too dry.
Ch Sénéjac 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2021
Rich and sweet with good drive and lusciousness. Though not that dense.
Ch Sociando-Mallet 2010 Haut-Médoc 17 Drink 2020-2040
Blueish purple. Nose not that intense. But really rich on the front palate.
Purple fruits. Not that St-Estèphe but very seductive. (I tasted this blind in
a flight of St-Estèphes.) Lots entrenched here. Ambitious.
Ch Soudars 2010 Haut-Médoc 15.5 Drink 2014-2019
Bright crimson. Not that ripe on the nose. But fresh and clean – and not green!
Round and almost soft. Very advanced.
Ch La Tour Carnet 2010 Haut-Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2028
Very round and juicy. Sappy and lip smacking.
Ch La Tour de By 2010 Médoc 14.5 Drink 2015-2017
Bright crimson. Very light nose. Astringent. The fruit seems to have been sucked
out of this wine.
Ch Tour Séran 2010 Médoc 15.5 Drink 2015-2019
Bright crimson. Clean, quite intense nose. Sweet start. Just a little lacking in
fruit intensity and with a hint of oak sweetness. A little astringent at the
end.
Ch Tour St-Bonnet 2010 Médoc 16.5 Drink 2014-2019
Mid crimson. Lively, fresh nose full of fruit. Quite a forward wine with rosy
fruit almost masking the tannin. A success.
Ch Verdignan 2010 Haut-Médoc 15 Drink 2016-2021
Light nose and a tad dull. Solid and chewy.
Ch Vieux Robin, Bois de Lunier 2010 Médoc 16 Drink 2018-2022
Vigorous crimson. Strange smell that's a little reminiscent of drains. Very
tough on the palate. Good density. It will probably all come together
eventually!
ST-ESTÈPHE
Ch Calon-Ségur, Marquis de Calon 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2030
Luscious and very fruity. Some real juice and excitement. Lift.
Ch Calon-Ségur 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark crimson. Hint of green on the nose. Lots of acidity on the palate, as
well as a most attractively smooth texture. Tastes as though a lot of
winemaking work went into this but that the fruit was not all that ripe.
Ch Capbern Gasqueton 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2017-2029
Minerally, underneath fully ripe nose but attractive in a graphite way. Lots of
juice and great balance.
Ch Clauzet 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2026
Minerals and sinew on the nose. Easy, fluid and not that dense. But classic
build. Floral.
Ch Cos d'Estournel, Pagodes de Cos 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Clean, fresh, minerally nose. Bracing! Classic St-Estèphe. Bone dry and light to
medium bodied.
Ch Cos d'Estournel 2010 St-Estèphe 18 Drink 2020-2038
Very healthy deep crimson. Luscious fruit. Very beguiling. Spreads right across
the palate. Extremely seductive. Just slightly inky on the finish at the moment
but there is masses of ripe fruit and tannin here.
Ch Cos Labory 2010 St-Estèphe 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Rich and round. Then a bit green and tart on the very end. But hugely opulent
before that. Lighter bodied and more refreshing than some. Very winning. GV
Ch Le Crock 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
Dark purple. Sweet and fresh. Solid and juicy. But it finishes a bit suddenly.
Ch Haut-Beauséjour 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2018-2027
Light and rather innocuous on the nose and then, oddly, a bit heavy and
ponderous on the palate. Lots of chew and density.
Ch Haut-Marbuzet 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2022-2035
Broad, opulent nose with a suggestion of oak. Neat and well balanced. Very
typical of 2010 with its just-ripe fruit and very firm tannin. Hint of alcohol
on the end. Drying finish.
Ch Lafon-Rochet 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2018-2032
Dark and rich in colour. Baked, sweet and biscuity. Very modern style. Classy
and very rewarding. Not the most typical but very well made. Could do with a
little more lift?
Ch Lilian Ladouys 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2018-2028
Polished and sweet. Easy peasy and lots of charm. Just a bit chocolatey.
Ch Meyney 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5+ Drink 2020-2030
Very dark. Intense and ticks the boxes but not that intriguing. Just a little
stodgy. May take on more interest as it matures. Some alcohol on the finish.
Ch Montrose, La Dame de Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Rather soapy nose (from a well-used glass!). Some greenness here – a little
austere. On the cusp of typicality and austerity. Falls away on the end.
Ch Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 18+ Drink 2020-2040
Black! Very dramatic and ripe on the nose. Surely some strict selection here…
Rich, spicy nose. Very solid and concentrated and attention-grabbing. Bone-dry
finish. Very classical. Long. This does have some St-Estèphe character despite
its concentration.
Ch Les Ormes de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 17- Drink 2018-2032
Hint of sweet, very slightly oily, oak on the nose. Slithery texture and masses
of acidity on the finish, as well as a medium charge of tannins. A tad austere.
Acidity rather than genuine freshness of fruit.
Ch Petit Bocq 2010 St-Estèphe 15 Drink 2016-2025
Sweet and a bit tarty. Dried-out palate.
Ch de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2016-2028
Sweet, bright fruit in the Médocain mould. Neat and relatively luscious – ticks
the boxes even if it is unlikely to make anyone's heart beat faster. Some
persistence.
Ch Phélan Ségur 2010 St-Estèphe 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Sweet, 'modern' and beguiling. Very different from most
St-Estèphes. Luxurious and not that typical of the appellation but certainly
seems designed to score points! Rich. Just the right side of chocolatey.
Bone-dry finish.
Ch Sérilhan 2010 St-Estèphe 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Dense and fresh. Lots of chewiness. A bit lean.
Ch Tour de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 16 Drink 2017-2027
Dark crimson. Solid and fresh and classical if a tad dry on the end. Just a bit
too much meat and chocolate on the end.
Ch Tronquoy Lalande 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Lots of sweetness and juice. Round and fresh. A winning combo. Complete.
PAUILLAC
Ch d'Armailhac 2010 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2020-2032
Dark crimson. Complete and complex on the nose. Light and fresh. Very attractive
and well balanced but no blockbuster. Some mineral character.
Ch Batailley 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2032
Savoury and toasted on the nose. The fruit is good but just a tad lacking in
lift. Solid rather than inspiring. Just a little stringy.
Ch Clerc Milon 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2038
Very dark crimson. Intense and luscious on the nose. Manages to be both round
and inky! Great intensity and structure. Although some restraint too – it
certainly isn't OTT.
Ch Croizet-Bages 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2019-2030
Very lively, rather ethereal nose. Masses of ripe tannins. Good fruit weight and
very dry on the end.
Ch Duhart-Milon 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2026
Dark purple. Fragrant. Cassis nose. Only medium weight – very fresh. Smells of
fertiliser – like my father's old shop. A tad austere. But the texture is
lovely.
Ch Fonbadet 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2030
Ripe and a good minerally spread across the palate. Bone dry but there is some
weight in the middle here.
Ch Grand-Puy Ducasse 2010 Pauillac 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
Broad and ripe on the nose. Quite marked acidity and tannin. Set for the long
term.
Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2026
Dark purplish crimson. Fresh nose but not fully ripe. A little simple. Fruity
and early maturing. Slightly green on the end.
Ch Haut-Bages Libéral 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2018-2028
Winning blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Lots of ripeness even if not that much
subtlety. Still a little raw but should mellow into something fun.
Ch Haut-Batailley 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2018-2024
Cassis nose. Some greenness. Falls away on the finish.
Ch Lafite 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2019-2035
Sweet, rich on the nose. Sweet and round and easy to like. Lots of tannin and
savour on the end after some very rich fruit. Just a little drying on the
finish. Noble but not yet charming.
Ch Latour, Les Forts de Latour 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2045
Lustrous dark crimson. Very flashy and attention-grabbing. Lots of sweetness and
ripeness. Not classical in style but great freshness and ripe tannin on the end.
Lots going on here. A popular choice.
Ch Latour 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2024-2050
Very dark indeed. Concentrated black-fruit essence plus terroir. Round and
supple. Lots of angularity. Latour? Great refreshment factor and lots of
minerality. Very clean finish. Thick and admirable.
Ch Lynch Bages, Écho de Lynch Bages 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2017-2024
Still looks very youthful. Mildly herbaceous nose. Was the fruit fully ripe?
Definite greenness.
Ch Lynch Bages 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2018-2037
Lifted and lightly soapy. A little lean at first and then sweet on the finish.
Competent without being exciting. A bit solid and earthbound with a note of
green. But it's quite persistent.
Ch Lynch-Moussas 2010 Pauillac 15.5 Drink 2019-2027
First bottle smelt dirty. Second bottle much better. Quite refined, complex
minerally nose. A bit tight and taut on the finish.
Ch Mouton Rothschild, Le Petit Mouton 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2040
Savoury, appetising nose. Neat and fresh with real intensity. Nothing out of
line. Just the essence of the vintage. Not showy. Lots of classy tannin and
top-quality Cabernet.
Ch Mouton Rothschild 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2020-2038
Humming, intense, ripe Cabernet fruit. Plays the concentration card but is not
perhaps as intellectually stimulating as some. Just very slightly dead on the
end. Electric on retasting.
Ch Pedesclaux 2010 Pauillac 15 Drink 2018-2024
Cedar-shavings nose. All fully ripe on the nose but just a little dry on the
finish. Clean and vigorous. But just a little lean on the finish.
Ch Pibran 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2020-2032
Quite opulent nose. Hint of creamy oak. Spreads across the palate convincingly.
Bone dry. Certainly not flattering but very correct. Should make old bones.
Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Réserve de la Comtesse 2010 Pauillac
15.5 Drink 2018-2026
Mild wine without strong distinguishing marks and a little softer than its
peers. Marked acidity on the finish.
Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2019-2030
Blackish crimson. Rather muddy 'mineral' nose. Lots of stewed blackberry
flavour. Softer than most. But alluring – just a bit spiky.
Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron), Les Tourelles de Longueville 2010 Pauillac 15.5
Drink 2018-2025
Cassis and cedar nose. Reasonable fruit but a bit spindly overall.
Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron) 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2018-2028
Blueish purple. Sweet start. Relatively simple. Correct and lightish without
being dramatic. This did not stand out for me at first but everyone else loved
it - as I normally do!
Ch Pontet-Canet 2010 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2018-2032
Very dark and glossy. First bottle has a modest nose – low-key TCA? Second
bottle: Super clean and brilliant – glossily alluring on the nose. Not heavy in
any way. Quite lifted and light. Very ethereal. Maybe could have done with just
a little more concentration? But presumably there is a deliberate attempt to be
light and lifted?
ST-JULIEN
Ch Beychevelle 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Meaty nose with a strong cassis streak. Opulent and mildly inky. Lots of
pleasure here. Masses of ripe fruit distracts from tannin.
Ch Branaire-Ducru 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Really broad, ripe and appealing on the nose when tasted immediately after a
flight of lesser Pauillacs. Silky and sweet – unusually so for a St-Julien –
with lots of ripe fruit overpowering the considerable tannic charge. Quite a
bit of alcohol. Bone-dry finish. Relatively opulent.
Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou, La Croix de Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink
2017-2026
Smooth and very fine. Easy to appreciate. But not that concentrated even though
the balance and persistence are excellent.
Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 16.5+ Drink 2016-2028
Lighter rim than most. Aromatic and round. Not the most ambitious St-Julien but
already an attractive, well-balanced drink – which is a bit odd in this
vintage! Easy peasy. This bottle seemed to lack a little bit of drive.
Ch Gloria 2010 St-Julien 15 Drink 2016-2022
Very rich and sweet with some meat-extract notes. The fruit is a bit submerged
in the oak. Hard work!
Ch Gruaud Larose 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2017-2030
Blueish purple. Strong cassis nose. Rather sweet for a St-Julien. Distinctly
flattering and velvety. This could arguably do with just a little more
freshness. But it's a very seductive drink.
Ch Lagrange 2010 St-Julien 16 Drink 2020-2030
Nose is quite reserved. Something a tad green on the nose here. Neat and well
mannered on the palate but distinctly dry. Not a generously proportioned wine.
Ch Lalande Borie 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2016-2026
Sweet cocoa oak. Thick and sweet and flashy – not subtle but good enough and
everything is in its place. Just a very slightly sour note on the end. Tart
finish.
Ch Langoa Barton 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Lightly oaky/cheesy nose. Medium weight with good freshness and not the ripest
of fruit. Very neat and with less obvious tannin than some.
Ch Léoville Barton, La Réserve de Léoville Barton 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink
2017-2027
Inky and luscious. Lots of sweetness. Some heady lily perfume. But overall a bit
dry on the end. Actually drying.
Ch Léoville Barton 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2022-2040
Hint of coconut oak on the nose. Intense and dry. Far from charming and very dry
tannins – a bit like a Barton wine. Solid but I'd like a little more lift.
Impressive rather than charming. Very drying tannins at the moment.
Ch Léoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2018-2026
Vibrant but a bit sharp on the nose. Lots of acidity. Juicy and fresh. But too
tart to be a real winner.
Ch Léoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Ripe and fragrant, almost Merloty. An early maturer for a 2010 St-Julien. Very
charming. Could almost be a second wine?
Ch Léoville Las Cases 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2022-2035
Lively, appetising nose. Very Cabernet! This actually tastes very like classic
Pauillac to me. Not that strong on body or concentration but well-balanced
classic claret. Not for those of a modernist bent who might find it a bit
skinny.
Ch Léoville Poyferré 2010 St-Julien 18 Drink 2020-2040
Looks very concentrated. Dark purple. Thick and rich. Some sweetness and lots of
tannin. Everything but the kitchen sink in here. Super-concentrated. Should make
great old bones. Very dry, long finish.
Ch Moulin Riche 2010 St-Julien 15.5 Drink 2016-2024
Racy fruit. Lots of lift and juice. Not that much tannin in evidence – quite
forward. A bit sour.
Ch St-Pierre 2010 St-Julien 18 Drink 2020-2040
Light minerally nose that's really quite intriguing. Big, ripe and bold but not
in any way sweet. Classic St-Julien in a ripe vintage. Should run and run.
Ch Talbot 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2020-2035
Blueish purple. Savoury nose with some notes of biscuits for cheese! Very
opulent, 'worked' texture. Charming even if not one of the most refreshing.
Seductive.
MARGAUX
Ch d'Angludet 2010 Margaux 13 Drink 2017-2021
Reduced. Very tart.
Ch Bellevue de Tayac 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2016-2021
Thunevin. Light and sweet and round. Very well balanced even if in a minor key.
Easy drinking.
Ch Boyd-Cantenac 2010 Margaux 15 Drink 2018-2024
Sweet and sour. Harsh with drying tannins.
Ch Brane-Cantenac 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2030
Neat and dry. Very contained but there is sufficient ripe fruit here. Though it
finishes pretty dry!
Ch Cantemerle 2010 Margaux 14.5 Drink 2018-2022
Lustrous dark crimson. Perfumed. Inky and very tough on the end.
Ch Cantenac Brown, Brio de Cantenac Brown 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Real life and vivacity on the nose. Luscious fruit but a bit dry on the end.
Ch Cantenac Brown 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2027
Sweet yeast-extract nose. Thick texture and rather green on the finish.
Clos des Quatre Vents, Villa des Quatre Soeurs 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2023
Spicy and inky. Very fluid.
Ch Dauzac 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2022
Some sweet toastiness on the nose. Some lusciousness initially but then a bit
austere and hollow.
Ch Deyrem Valentin 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2018-2030
Round and complex. Lovely freshness. Complete. Subtle and very ripe. GV
Ch Durfort-Vivens 2010 Margaux 14 Drink 2018-2025
Quite tough. Very drying finish. Too tough!
Ch Ferrière 2010 Margaux 14 Drink 2017-2025
Dark crimson. Not that clean on the nose. Tart and demanding. Austere and
ungenerous.
Ch Giscours 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2020-2030
Lusciously ripe on the nose compared with its peers. Very fresh. Tough
unseasoned oak impression.
Ch d'Issan 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Sweet and round. Finishes a bit suddenly.
Ch Kirwan 2010 Margaux 14.5 Drink 2018-2026
Sour and hard. Very tough. Where’s the fruit?
Ch Labégorce 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Quite rich and velvety. Very modern but at least it had flesh!
Ch Lascombes 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2017-2025
Very dark crimson. Scented and Margaux-like. Fruit and currants on the mid
palate. Drying, sudden finish.
Ch Malescot St-Exupéry 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Aromatic with good, ripe fruit on the palate. Firm tannins. Better than most.
Ch Margaux, Pavillon Rouge 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Looks a bit smudgy. Easy and round with good fresh fruit. Correct and not too
drying on the finish.
Ch Margaux 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Smells a little simple. Austere start. Just a bit lean. Not really trying as
hard as its peers. Quite light and relatively lean. Good but not great.
Ch Marquis d'Alesme Becker 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2016-2024
Dark purplish crimson. Neat and fresh on the nose. Dark fruit and quite dry on
the end.
Ch Marquis de Terme 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2026
Easy and round and unforced. Pretty.
Ch Monbrison 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2028
Second bottle: lightly cheesy nose. Cool. Drying finish.
Ch Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark purplish crimson. Smells of upholstery webbing. Sweet and lots of
fruit. A bit tart on the end though.
Ch Palmer 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2020-2032
Blackish crimson. Sweet and sweaty on the nose but clean and fresh on the
palate. Lots of dramatic impact. Relatively luscious. Black-cherry flavours.
Ch Prieuré-Lichine 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2028
Dark crimson. Perfumed. Round, fully ripe and confident. Lots of tannin on the
end but this should last well. Inky finish. Quite a bit of acidity.
Ch Rauzan-Gassies 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2016-2025
Very dark crimson. Thick and sweet at the beginning but lacks a bit of
freshness. Marmite (yeast extract) flavours.
Ch Rauzan-Ségla 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2027
Light, sweet, candified nose. Easy and round. But not thrilling. Dull finish.
Ch Siran 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Very dark crimson. Meaty and lively. Good refreshment value. Well-balanced sweet
ink.
Ch du Tertre 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Quite complex, dry and nuanced on the nose. Punchy and lively. Spreads across
the palate.
Ch La Tour de Mons 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2017-2027
Sweet, round and fresh but not that concentrated. Very drying finish.
PESSAC-LÉOGNAN
Ch Bouscaut 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Savoury nose with hints of cordite. Quite exciting and mineral!
Ch Branon 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2017-2027
Slightly tarty oak on the nose. Then pretty snazzy, dramatic fruit. Finish is
very drying.
Ch Carbonnieux 2010 Pessac-Léognan 15 Drink 2020-2030
Sweet, toasty oak. Some energy. But a tad tarty. Pinched finish.
Ch Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2030
Sweet and flashy. Lots of juice and well-polished, refreshing fruit. Just
finishes a bit dry.
Dom de Chevalier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5+ Drink 2018-2030
Lightly cheesy on the nose. Inky and savoury with good fruit intensity. Lively
and very dry on the end. This is a wine that usually takes many years to show
what it can do.
Ch de Fieuzal 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2032
Savoury and dense with good freshness on the nose. Very luscious and bright
fruited. Top stuff!
Ch Gazin Rocquencourt 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2017-2029
Very dark. Rich and round. Slightly green and chewy. Not that concentrated.
Ch Haut-Bailly 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2032
Blackish crimson. Smoky nose with a hint of char. Very 'modern' but delivers
lots of pleasure. Not classic. Very cool finish.
Ch Haut-Bergey 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2035
Very black! Leathery. Dramatic. Chewy. Too dry on the end. Hot finish.
Ch Haut-Brion, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink
2020-2030
Hint of brett? Sweet start and mellow. Not the most concentrated and the oak
tannins seem a little green but there is respectable fruit there.
Ch Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 19 Drink 2022-2045
Savoury, appetising nose. Great balance and refreshment factor. Everything very
neat and in place. Aristocratic somehow. Great intensity but not sweetness.
Ch Larrivet Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Toasted nuts on the nose. Sweet start. Very worked but to good effect.
Ch Latour-Martillac 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17- Drink 2020-2032
Sweaty nose. Good volume in the mouth. Tea leaves. Fresh fruit and impact. Just
a bit dry on the finish.
Ch La Louvière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2018-2030
Rich and sweet on the nose. Just a little sweet and brutal. Falls away fast. But
very luscious beforehand.
Ch Malartic Lagravière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Rich and round. Savoury. Luscious.
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion, La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2010
Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Dark glossy crimson. Sweet black-cherry ripe aroma. Tea leaves. Round. Just
slightly hollow.
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18.5 Drink 2022-2045
Very dark purple. Mild nose in terms of intensity and strongly Cabernet. Very
thick and dense. Impressive and very youthful. Not yet charming but amazing
persistence. Cabernet essence. A hint of alcohol on the finish.
Ch Olivier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2028
Very leathery nose. Rich and glossy. Dry finish.
Ch Pape Clément 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Aromatic, possibly very slightly spindly. Thick and sweet. Just not enough lift.
A tad too soupy and overdone. Tarry finish.
Ch Smith Haut Lafitte 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18 Drink 2018-2038
Notably dark, dense crimson. Fragrant. Really very impressive. Lots of richness
but not sweetness. Layers of exciting flavour. Subtle. Great stuff.