Neil on the right side, 2010

[Bacchus]

Saint Emilion

Saint Emilion might be slightly over-shadowed by the peaks of Pomerol, but the
appellation conjured outstanding wines in 2010. What I find fascinating in
conducting a blind tasting is to contrast the performance of the newcomers, the
garagistes (such a quaint term nowadays) compared to its long-term residents. So
whilst Pierre Lurton hit the ball out of the park with a sensational Château
Cheval Blanc, so did Jean-Luc Thunevin with a sublime Château Valandraud.

Modern vs. traditional.

Who cares? They are both just great wines. Château Ausone might be completely
unaffordable but at least Alain Vauthier offers the Chapelle d'Ausone that
outshone many of the grand crus. It seemed that the first letter of the
alphabet is a haven of great wines for the appellation: do not ignore fine
examples of the vintage from Château Angelus and perhaps more surprisingly,
Château l'Arrosée, sadly is destined to see the same fate as Château
Magdelaine.

Generally, I was quite pleased with the consistency shown across the
appellation. The wines do not have the opulence and fruité of the 2009 vintage,
but there is more structure and backbone. The 2009 Saint Emilions are affable
and full of joie-de-vivre, whereas you have to approach and engage in
conversation with the 2010s. They are not going to come up to you.

2010 Château Angelus 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Angelus 2010 has a
rounded, more feminine bouquet that its peers with vivacious red cherries and
wild strawberry scents. There is well-integrated creamy oak all with an
alluring seamlessness and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity
and slightly powdery tannins. It is very well focused with super tension and
structure on the finish. Excellent. This Angelus seems to be settling down
nicely. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château L'Arrosée 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose on the L'Arrosée
is more reticent than its peers; yet well-defined and terroir-driven, unfurling
in the glass with mineral-rich black and red fruit intermingled. The palate has
a structured, mineral-driven entry with very well judged acidity. There is a
lovely core of black tobacco-infused fruit and a very composed, complex finish.
Excellent. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Ausone 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Ausone 2010 has an
intoxicating bouquet with outstanding definition and precision, a light marine
influence of seaweed and brine that becomes more accentuated with time. The
palate is very precise with fine tannins, quite sharp dark blackberry and wild
strawberry fruit, a dash of white pepper sprinkled over the back palate that
builds to an elegant spicy finish. Not the "biggest" wine against its peers,
but it oozes class. This is an intoxicating Saint Emilion from Alain Vauthier
and his team. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Chapelle d'Ausone 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Chapelle d'Ausone 2010
has a tightly coiled bouquet that is very linear and controlled, not as
expressive as its peers but with fine mineralité. The palate is tight on the
entry with crisp tannins, bright tart cherry fruit and plenty of energy. It
builds in the mouth to quite a structured, linear finish that does not forsake
breeding and class. If only all second wines were as good as this. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Beausejour Becot 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Beausejour-Becot has a
ripe blackcurrant, dark plum and crushed stone scented bouquet that is well
defined, feisty at first but calming down in the glass, a little stemmy
underneath like Figeac. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins.
Surprisingly, this is very classic in style with the Cabernet component very
obvious. It is distinctive from its peers, a cru that seems to have gained
panache since last year. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Beausejour-Duffau Lagarosse 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Beausejour-Duffau
Lagarosse 2010 has a compact bouquet with dense black fruit, undergrowth and
tobacco that is beautifully defined, fragrant and lifted with real sense of
complexity and purpose. The palate has a chewy succulent entry with noticeable
alcohol. There are grippy tannins here, and it feels a little forced towards
the finish. This needs several years to really show its class and to settle
down. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Belair-Monange 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Twelve months ago I
speculated whether this Saint Emilion cru would "calm down with bottle age" and
it seems to be doing just that. It has a nicely focused bouquet with spicy red
berry fruit, dried herbs and undergrowth, tightly coiled at first but unfurling
nicely with sage and beetroot notes underneath. The palate is becoming more
classic in style with a saline entry and well judged tannins; truffle tinged
black fruit and a more composed finish that last year. At last, this is showing
more how it performed in barrel back in 2011. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Bellevue ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Belle Vue 2010 has a
pleasant brine-tinged bouquet that shows just a touch of heat. The palate is
medium-bodied with dry tannins, slightly pinched on the mid palate with a
sharp, rather angular finish. This feels a little aggressive at the moment and
falls well short of the promise it showed from barrel. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Berliquet ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting, this is a perplexing
showing. The Berliquet is perhaps just a little overdone on the nose with
iodine, macerated dark cherries and blueberry. This is more New World in style.
Again, on the palate this is forward, rounded and more modern in style with rich
black fruit, touches of white pepper and generous soft finish that does not
quite have the complexity of its peers. Perhaps this was not just showing well
on the day? Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Canon 92+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Canon 2010 has a very
open and generous bouquet with lively raspberry and wild strawberry fruit mixed
with sous-bois and truffle. The palate has a touch of piquancy on the entry,
slightly shrill acidity but plenty of energy and tension on the finish. Perhaps
this Saint Emilion may be beginning to shut down, but it should reward those
with both a cellar and patience. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. For a Saint Emilion, this
seems to have a more classic, reserved bouquet that is well defined and crisp.
There is a lot of energy here, very lifted with wet limestone percolating
through the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, spicy
red berry fruit and a harmonious, silky texture. There is prudent extraction
rendering this Canon-la-Gaffelière very approachable in style, but perhaps
without quite the structure on the elegant finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Cheval Blanc 98
The stellar Cheval Blanc 2010 has a very precise bouquet, not powerful but
exuding a brooding intensity. It is very well defined with hints of honey and
dried violet petals in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a
wondrous spicy entry, perfectly judged acidity, real weight and heft on the
back palate that fans out as if there is no tomorrow. This is a huge wine,
totally compelling, a behemoth destined to mature over years rather than
decades. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Le Petit Cheval 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The superb Le Petit Cheval
boasts layers of toasty black fruit on the nose with dark plum, macerated dark
cherries and a faint touch of the sea. The palate is well balanced with fine
tannins. This is very cohesive with well-integrated oak, classic in style on
the finish that is long and sophisticated. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Clos Fourtet 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos Fourtet seems to
be getting better and better in bottle. Here, it has a more restrained bouquet
compared to its peers, blackcurrant, boysenberry and raspberry and plenty of
minerals. It is very focused and poised with marine influences developing in
the glass. The palate is well defined with fine tannins and acidity. Neatly
composed, precise and almost showing immense freshness and clarity, this Clos
Fourtet with one of Mathieu Cuvelier's finest vintages in recent years. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Clos des Jacobins 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos des Jacobins 2010
has a nicely focused, delineated bouquet with vibrant black cherries, cassis
and cedar scents - almost Left Bank in style. The palate is medium-bodied with
a sharp, saline entry. The acidity is quite high and the tannins brutish at the
moment, although it should mellow with another 2-3 years in bottle. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Clos de L'Oratoire 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is a lot of
extraction on the nose of the Clos l'Oratoire 2010 with baked cherries,
blackberry, hints of soy and marmalade that all unfold with confidence in the
glass. The palate has a voluminous entry with firm and bold tannins. It has a
dense core of dark plum, blackberry and black pepper fruit that combine on the
dense finish that has "long-term" written all over it. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Clos Saint Martin 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos Saint Martin 2010
has a delineated bouquet with vibrant red berry fruit mixed with briary,
mineral scents and graphite. The oak is very well integrated. The palate is
medium-bodied with fine tannins, well judged acidity and a structured,
self-effacing finish that feels natural and composed. This is a delicious,
refined Clos Saint Martin, modern and sleek, yet with great finesse. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Côte de Baleau 86
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is plenty of fruit on
the nose of the Cote de Baleau 2010: blackcurrant, raspberry, pencil lead and a
touch of brine. This is certainly well defined though it does not quite have
the breeding of Les Grands Murailles. The palate has a rather hard entry with
firm, grippy tannins and decent acidity but there is some dryness seeping in
towards the finish. This feels a little too serious and introspective. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château La Couspaude 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Couspade 2010 lacks the
same energy and tension on the nose compared to its peers, with broody black
fruit and hint of truffle, although it seems to open nicely. The palate is
medium-bodied with a lightly spiced entry, the tannins exerting a gentle grip
and segueing naturally towards its foursquare tobacco finish. This is nicely
understated, but classy. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Couvent de Jacobins 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Couvent de Jacobins
2010 has a very classy bouquet with mineral rich blackberry and blueberry
fruit, nicely focused and very well delineated. The palate does not quite
possess the class and composure of the nose. Understated at first, foursquare
and a little withdrawn, it opens in the glass and gains breeding and harmony,
the finish showing fine structure and a salty tang on the aftertaste. Very
fine. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Croix de Labrie 85
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Croix de Labrie 2010,
which comes from 2.3-hectares of Merlot and was one of the original garagistes,
offers a ripe black plum and blackcurrant bouquet that feels just a little
static. The palate is tannic and a little aggressive on the entry with gritty
tannins and a slightly dour hard finish. Personally, I prefer Gracia or Le Dôme
in this vintage. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Le Dôme 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Le Dôme 2010 has a
hedonistic bouquet with sensual black cherry, blueberry and crème de cassis
scents that soar from the glass. The palate is intensely tannic and robust:
unashamedly modern in style and yet I like the acidity that binds it together.
Monstrously backward, this is a vin de garde that will need at least a decade
to mellow because the oak is still quite conspicuous. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Dominique 87?
Now that La Dominique has their multi-million euro winery, perhaps they can
address the quality of the wine, because recent vintages had not fulfilled the
potential of Cheval Blanc's neighbour. It starts well with bright red fruit on
the nose that shows a little more volatile acidity than its peers, rendering it
quasi-Argentinean in style. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of
astringency on the entry. There are bold and assertive tannins here, a Saint
Emilion determined to make an impression but trying slightly too hard.
Frustrating after more positive showings from barrel and at the UGC last year.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Faugeres 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Faugeres 2010 has a
very pure, Merlot dominated bouquet that feels a little one-dimensional
compared to its peers: blackberry jam, marmalade and liquorice scents coming
through. The palate is rounded and quite sumptuous on the entry with thickly
layered tannins, layers of toasty black fruit and a touch of white pepper on
the forceful, relatively alcoholic finish. This is one to cellar for several
years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Figeac 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Figeac 2010 has a
superb, more classically lined bouquet with tense blackcurrant, raspberry and
crushed violets that almost explode from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied
with chewy ripe black fruit on the entry with a dash of white pepper that leaves
the tongue tingling. This is very linear and composed, but there is clearly
potential for those prepared to wait. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fombrauge 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose is well defined
with blackberry and raspberry scents with floral tones developing with time.
The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. It is a little course on the
mid-palate with a foursquare, blunt edged finish that is a world away from its
barrel showing. The hints of Moroccan spices coming through on the aftertaste
are welcome. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fonplégade 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Fonplégade 2010 has a
lifted bouquet with black cherries, cassis and violets with just a touch of VA
giving it pleasant lift. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins on
the entry, layers of tobacco-infused black fruit leading to a composed finish
that is agreeably austere in style. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fonroque 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Fonroque 2010 is has a
relatively lighter and more foursquare bouquet that is peers with redcurrant
and wild strawberry combining to form a high-toned with aeration. This appears
to exhibit more volatile acidity than its peers. The palate has a slightly
shrill entry: sharp acidity and a little hollow. This does not quite have the
composure of other Saint Emilion with slight attenuation on the finish. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Franc-Mayne 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Franc-Mayne 2010 has a
clean and fresh bouquet with bright black cherries and raspberry scents. There
is fine mineralité and tension here and it exhibits nicely integrated oak. The
palate is velvety smooth on the entry, lighter tannins and extraction than its
peers, but nicely balanced and feminine, exerting a gentle grip on the
graphite-tinged finish. Fine, though not quite as compelling as at the UGC last
year. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Gaffelière 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Gaffeliere feels
just a little jammy on the nose compared to the Valandraud: maraschino
cherries, juniper and liquorice - quite decadent and showy, some VA creeping in
with time. The palate has a sweet chewy entry with firm and solid tannins. There
are layers of dense red fruit and a tight, assertive finish that will need
several years to soften. A little unruly at the moment, this should eventually
mellow and perhaps merit a higher score. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Gomerie 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. La Gomerie has fashioned
some excellent Saint Emilion wine in recent vintages. The 2010 has a very well
defined, mineral-driven bouquet with pure blackberry and mulberry fruit, plus
well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well
judged acidity, though it is veiled with conservatism towards the finish, as if
it does not want to put a foot wrong. Perhaps biding its time, I would afford
this Saint Emilion another 5 to 6 years in bottle. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Gracia 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Gracia has always been one
of the best of the garagistes and the 2010 deserves consideration. It has a
very high-toned bouquet with black cherries liquorice and a touch of star anis.
It is open knit and generous but perhaps missing a little focus. The palate is
medium-bodied with good structure and grip. Real cohesion and firmness in the
mouth, nicely balanced with an intense yet controlled finish. Excellent. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Grand-Mayne 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Grand-Mayne 2010 has a
composed bouquet with lively blackberry and briary scents mixed with cedar and
graphite - a Saint Emilion quite Left Bank in style. The palate is
medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. Tobacco infused black fruit with
a foursquare structure on the finish, this represents a decent, classic style of
Saint Emilion. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Grandes Murailles 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Les Grandes Murailles
has an alluring, complete bouquet with very pure, mineral-laden black fruit
infused with hints of black truffle and graphite - very focused and poised. The
palate is rounded and smooth on the entry. This is very cohesive and dense with
raspberry, balsamic and tobacco notes. This is a composed Saint Emilion with
healthy dash of black pepper on the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Laforge 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Laforge 2010 seems a
little reduced on the nose, the fruit muffled behind a haze of VA. The palate
is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit on the entry, but thereafter it seems
very conservative with lightly peppery black fruit and an attenuated finish
that drifts and lacks conviction. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Larcis-Ducasse ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Two bottles tasted. It has
a rather awkward nose, the fruit muffled by the alcohol and lacking
personality. The palate has slightly astringent tannins and a slight greenness
mixed with the sweetness that actually reminds me of a South African Cabernet.
This was so promising from barrel and at the UGC last year. I wonder what
happened with these two bottles? Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Larmande 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Larmande 2010 is
adorned with a ripe nose with black cherry, dark plum and fresh strawberry
scents that are nicely integrated with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied
with firm tannins and plenty of dried herbs interwoven into the dusky black
fruit. The finish is a little foursquare, but it has comparatively more fruité
than its peers. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Laroze 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Laroze '10 lacks the
same level of intensity on the nose compared to the Fombrauge: a little
loose-knit and lacking requisite depth for a 2010.The palate is medium-bodied
with a saline note on the entry. There are fine tannins here, the palate
offering more than the nose. It is quite spicy towards the tobacco-led finish
and probably deserves another couple of years in bottle. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lussac 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Lussac 2010
seems a little muddled on the nose: earthier but with fine pencil box scents
coming through. It is comparatively "classic" in style and becomes more
cohesive with aeration. The palate is dominated by red berry fruit that encase
the robust tannins: very foursquare and showing some hardness towards the
finish, though it should improve with bottle age. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Magrez-Fombrauge Cuvée Exception 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose on the
Magrez-Fombrauge is packed with intense black and red fruit - well defined with
well-integrated oak and a subtle marine influence underneath. The palate has a
ripe and succulent entry with black cherries, blackcurrant and white pepper.
This feels solid, almost chewy in the mouth, a long-term Saint Emilion for sure
with presence and rigid structure on the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Monbousquet ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This was a perplexing
showing from the Saint Emilion cru that showed much potential from barrel. The
Monbousquet 2010 has a vibrant, energetic bouquet with bright red fruit, fine
mineralité and tension that unfolds wonderfully from the glass. The palate is
dense and tannic: masculine with tobacco tinged black fruit and just some
dryness creeping into the finish. This is possibly shutting down, which would
explain why it under-performed under blind conditions. Tasted January 2014.

2010 La Mondotte 93+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose on the La Mondotte
2010 is very intense with multi-layered ripe black cherry and boysenberry fruit
- yet it is tightly coiled and needs time to really open up. The palate is
medium-bodied with saturated, solid tannins on the entry that are nicely
integrated with the fruit. Blackberry and truffle notes on the entry segue into
a complex, tannic finish that bodes well for the long-term. There is palpable
"solidity" here with a long finish and it will surely merit a higher evaluation
once it reaches its plateau of maturity. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Pavie 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Pavie 2010 has
a powerful but elegant bouquet with scents of black currant, iodine and
seaweed. It is tightly coiled at first, but unwinds with aeration and there is
just a touch of volatility creeping in - though nothing to furrow your brow.
The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, chewy in the mouth with
slightly lower acidity than its peers. Sulky towards the finish - this just
feels a little ostentatious compared to its peers, but it is very focused and
possesses the substance to age with style. This is a long-term Pavie from
Gérard Perse. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Quinault L'Enclos 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This somewhat unfairly
disparaged cru made a very fine 2010 and it appears to be meliorating in
bottle. The nose adorned upon the Quinault l'Enclos is more foursquare and
masculine that its peers, quite classy and defined with lovely sous-bois notes
infusing the black fruit profile. The oak here is nicely assimilated. The
palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, layers of gorgeous taut black
fruit, yet surprisingly foursquare in the mouth with a powerful, classic
graphite finish. Excellent. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Rol Valentin 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Rol-Valentin has a very
pure and elegant bouquet with saturated red cherry fruit, kirsch, a touch of
Mirabelle and quince. This is very pretty. The palate is medium-bodied with
fine tannins, a dense core of mocha-tinged red fruit and a slightly drying,
oaky finish that feels a little cumbersome compared to the nose. And it started
so well. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Soutard 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Soutard 2010 has a
slightly muddled bouquet: dense black fruit with a slight metallic tang. The
palate is medium-bodied with a slightly chewy entry. It offers pleasant tarry
black fruit with a decent foursquare finish. This is decent Soutard, albeit not
quite as charming as 12 months ago. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Tertre-Rôteboeuf 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Tertre-Rôteboeuf has an
exquisite bouquet: very intense with well defined black fruit, touches of cooked
meat and dried herbs and what feels like a touch of Cabernet Franc even though
there is none in the blend! The palate is smooth and silky, voluptuous and
sensual to the touch with lush Merlot dominating the finish. This textbook
Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a joy from start to finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Tour Figeac 88?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a perplexing
showing from the Saint Emilion Château. It has quite an opulent bouquet with
macerated black cherries, blueberry and strawberry pastilles - the Merlot very
expressive. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth on the entry: a plush Saint
Emilion that does not quite deliver the complexity I was hoping for on the
finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Troplong Mondot 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Troplong-Mondot 2010
has a lighter, more airy bouquet than its peers, graceful with macerated black
cherries, blackcurrant and violets that expand with aeration. The palate is
very smooth and harmonious with well judged acidity, bright blackberry and
boysenberry laced with sea salt and spices, leading to a slight alcoholic,
muffled finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Trottevieille 89+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Trottevieille 2010 has
a high-toned bouquet with macerated dark cherries, dried flowers and citrus
fruit, elegant and unfurling in the glass. There is a lot of extraction here
with a sweet core of red fruit: kirsch and redcurrant embroidered with a saline
note. The tannins apply a fine, quite assertive grip that renders the finish a
little brutish at the moment, but it should mellow with time. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Vieux Château Mazerat ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a perplexing
showing from Vieux Château Mazerat. Here, it has a fragrant blackberry and
briary scented nose with nicely integrated oak. However, the palate is very
astringent on the entry with dry tannins and a severe grainy finish that begs
the question: where is the fruit? What happened to the wine I tasted in
November 2012? Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Villemaurine 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The wines from Château
Villemaurine are definitely on the upswing. The 2010 has a ripe sweet bouquet
with blueberry, black cherries and a touch of iodine: sumptuous, and more like
2009. The palate is rounded and smooth on the entry. There is evidence of good
extraction here with a fine line of acidity that belies the structure on the
finish, finally an attractive peppery aftertaste that completes this
commendable Villemaurine. This wine continues to get better and better. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Valandraud 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Jean-Luc Thunevin has hit
the ball out of the park with the 2010 Valandraud. It has an alluring,
beautifully defined bouquet with mineral rich black and red fruit,: great
tension, poise and focus. The palate is well balanced and succulent in the
mouth with extremely well judged acidity. Somehow understated at first, but
complex and sophisticated, the Valandraud is beautifully focused with a long
tender finish with perfect equilibrium between dryness and sweetness. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Virginie de Valandraud ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Virginie de Valandraud
does not quite live up to its promise from barrel. It has an attractive bouquet
with dense blackberry, raspberry leaf and truffle that is nicely defined. The
palate has an edgy opening with brittle tannins. It is not quite as cohesive as
the nose suggests with a slightly abrupt finish at the moment. Perhaps this is
going through a sulky phase at the moment and therefore I will reserve
judgement. Tasted January 2014.



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Introduction
Saint Emilion
Pomerol
Right Bank Satellite
Saint Estephe
Pauillac
Saint Julien
Margaux
Pessac Leognan
Bordeaux White 2010

Pomerol

The consensus, one in line with my personal evaluation from barrel, is that
Pomerol offers some of the Right Bank's most splendid wines. The appellation is
enjoying a purple patch at the moment, seemingly unfazed by the vagaries of the
growing season and excelling even in less benevolent vintages such as 2006 and
2008. Whilst it might be true that the Pomerol 2010s do not quite match their
2009 counterparts, there is little to choose between the elite crus. What does
distinguish the 2009 over 2010 is that whilst the former saw a plethora of
outstanding wines over the entire appellation, the latter sees terroir
influence the wines to a greater degree, ergo the best wines cluster on the
central plateau. To put names on that: Petrus and Lafleur are predictably
stupendous, there is yet another great wine from the under-appreciated Clos
l'Eglise; a scintillating Le Pin and another sublime offering from Alexandre
Thienpont at Vieux Château Certain. Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

However there are two wines really soar towards the heavens; representing the
best I have ever tasted from their respective vineyards. Firstly, a quite
brilliant wine from Jean-Michel Laporte at Château La Conseillante - a
benchmark wine that will last 30 to 40 years. Secondly, a magnificent Château
Le Gay that is a fitting testament to the late Catherine Père-Vergé. These two
out-perform their 2009s and just killed it in 2010.

Not everything is a success. The Certan-de-May 2010 has been a perplexing wine
since birth and falls short of some superb releases in recent years. This blind
tasting merely confirmed my previous doubts. Château L'Evangile with broody and
introspective; perhaps closed down a little, which is why I remain optimistic
for the future and added a positive sign to my parsimonious score. I was also
expecting better showings from both Château Hosanna and Petit-Village.

Overall, Pomerol is a tall but thin pyramid in 2010: a small number of
electrifying wines at the top, but with more inconsistency at the lower
levels.

2010 Château Beauregard 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Beauregard 2010 has a
refined, pure bouquet with scents of blackberry and boysenberry scents and an
attractive saline tincture. The palate is just a little forced, but there is
decent acidity with a flowing, fleshy Merlot-driven finish that is very
appealing. It actually improves dramatically in the glass, so will benefit from
further cellar age. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Le Bon Pasteur ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Le Bon Pasteur shocked
not only myself, but others in the room, almost the antithesis of what is
presupposed to be a typical "Rolland" wine. It is initially very taciturn, but
with a few minutes in the glass it begins to open with dusky brambly black
fruit laced with tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of bell
pepper on the entry. What is surprising is the herbaceous note on the finish
that I cannot recollect there being in barrel now just after bottling. Yet it
retains good balance, even if it needs a little more flesh on the finish. This
is a perplexing showing after a strong barrel performance. Maybe an off day? I
will endeavour to re-taste this at some point. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Certan-de-May 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Certan-de-May 2010 has
a rounded, voluptuous bouquet with ravishing black cherry and cassis fruit,
hints of crushed violet developing with time. The palate is rounded and
generous, soft in the mouth with velvety tannins, although the acidity on the
finish is very low and feels dominated by the oak at the moment. You might
guess this to be something like Le Bon Pasteur blind - you would be wrong of
course. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Clinet 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clinet 2010 has a
tempting truffle-scented bouquet with fine delineation - crushed violets
developing beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp red
berry fruit on the entry, fine angular tannins with a tart but focused, tense
finish. This is a fabulous Clinet from Ronan Laborde and his team, although I
suspect that the 2009 Clinet may eventually turn out to be the superior wine.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Clos de Beau-Père 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos de Beau-Père from
Jean-Luc Thunevin has a pleasant, well-defined bouquet with brambly black fruit
and a touch of tobacco, the oak neatly disguised. The palate is medium-bodied
with a fleshy entry and a fine line of acidity. It is well balanced with an
upstanding earthy finish if not quite the length of a top Pomerol. Fine. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Clos Vieux Taillefer 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos Vieux Taillefer
has a refined bouquet with taut blackberry and raspberry fruit, touches of bay
leaf and wild mushroom developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with
firm and relatively grippy tannins. But there is some lovely ripe Cabernet
Franc here that lends the irony finish both structure and complexity. This is a
commendable Pomerol for the vintage, though not in the top tier. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château La Conseillante 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The brilliant La
Conseillante 2010 has a vibrant bouquet with bright black fruit, pencil box and
attractive tertiary notes coming from the Cabernet Franc component. The palate
is medium-bodied with a supple entry. This Pomerol is very well balanced, very
refined and composed with very well judged acidity and a judicious dash of
spice enlivening the finish. Jean-Michel has fashioned a wine that is utterly
delightful and will age with style over the long-term. This is a benchmark for
La Conseillante. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Clos l'Eglise 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos l'Eglise 2010 has
an intense bouquet with dense black fruit mixed with autumn leaves and crushed
rock - well defined with good lift. The palate is medium-bodied with fine
tannins, a little chewy on the fruit palate but plenty of substance and grip
towards the liquorice-tinged finish. There is a fine sense of energy here: no
frills but everything in its right place. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Croix de Gay 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Croix de Gay has a
well-defined bouquet with lifted wild strawberry and blackberry aromas mixed
with cedar and cigar box. There is good vigour and a palpable sense of energy
here. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, well judged acidity,
plenty of oak but it is well used and assimilated with the fruit. This is very
fine, very composed and probably good value. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château L'Eglise-Clinet 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château L'Eglise-Clinet
2010 has a broody, marine-influenced bouquet that is sulky at first, but opens
nicely with seaweed and iodine-tinged black fruit unfolding with every swirl of
the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry. Rounded and
velvety smooth, gentle grip but very powerful towards the showy and generous
Merlot-driven finish. I guessed it to be Clinet before its identity was
revealed! Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château L'Enclos 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The L'Enclos 2010 has a
sedate, classic, autumnal bouquet with dried leaves infusing the black fruit,
although it has commendable definition and vigour. The palate is medium-bodied
with firm, dry tannins; plenty of leafy black fruit and an austere, Graves-like
finish. This does not show as well as it did out of barrel. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château l'Evangile 93+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Château L'Evangile never
really lends itself to blind comparisons. My score was parsimonious but even
with one last sip before pouring my glass away, it seemed to be rapidly
improving. It has a lively bouquet with red cherry fruit, kirsch and touches of
eau-de-vie: hedonistic with faint hints of fresh prune. The palate has a ripe,
sensual opening. Ripe and sweet in the mouth but a little pinched on the
mid-palate with a spicy finish, this just lacks the composure of its peers and
yet with time, it coalesces and attains more focus and precision. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Fayat 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Fayat 2010 has a ripe
blackcurrant, liquorice and blueberry scented bouquet that is nicely delineated
with astute use of oak. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but quite
succulent tannins, a fine line of acidity and a plush but quite sensual finish.
There is a modern approach to the winemaking here, one well thought through.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Fleur de Gay 90+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Fleur de Gay 2010
has an open, airy bouquet with strong floral notes almost overwhelming the
fruit profile. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, quite dry tannins.
Foursquare and quite serious towards the finish it is redeemed by a nice line
of acidity and a sense of composure and natural refinement. Closed now, this
should open for business with 4-5 years in bottle. My initial mark was a bit
mean and I suspect this reticent Pomerol will benefit cellaring. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château La Fleur-Petrus 97
The La Fleur-Petrus 2010 is the dark horse of Pomerol, the one Right Bank cru
that surpassed not only my expectations, but indeed those of everybody else
that participated in the tasting. It has a slightly muffled bouquet at first,
although it gains clarity with aeration, with marine-influenced black fruit
that is neatly folded into the oak. The palate is medium-bodied and the acidity
well judged. Structured and quite masculine with fine focus and tension, this is
fans out beautifully towards the long, sophisticated finish. This is a supremely
well-crafted wine, one to go out and grab now before it's too late. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Le Gay 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Le Gay is one
of the best wines of 2010, a testament to the late Catherine Pere-Verge. It is
very elegant with beautifully interwoven oak furnishing the seamless aromatic
profile: pure blackberry and raspberry fruit mixed with a little truffle and
tobacco developing later. The palate is medium-bodied with an understated
entry. It feels devastatingly silky and smooth in the mouth with well judged
acidity and a pure, sensual lilting finish that knows that it does not have to
try that hard. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Gazin 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Gazin 2010 has a
broody, tobacco-infused nose with precise black fruit, fine mineralité and
vigour, almost citric in style. The palate is medium-bodied with a conservative
opening. At the moment it is sulky and introspective, yet well balanced but
patently a long-term wine that is shutting down. Firm and structured on the
masculine finish, this needs at least to come round. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Hosanna 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Hosanna 2010 has been a
mercurial wine since its release. Back in 2012 it was rather ostentatious but on
this showing it appears to have calmed down...a little! It is endowed with a
much more flamboyant bouquet compared to its peers with lush red berry fruit,
strawberry jam and crushed rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe
candied entry, powdery texture and a smooth, grainier finish that just needs a
little more complexity and structure. Moderate length. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lafleur 97
The Lafleur 2010 is more backward and laconic on the nose than the Petrus '10
tasted blind alongside, with broody earthy black fruit, hints of cedar and
dried herbs. It is not as generous or as seductive as its peers, but it is very
complex. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, a huge structure and a
dense finish laced with white pepper. Backward and broody, dry on the finish
with a long savoury tail, this is a quintessential Lafleur that does not quite
match the 2009, although it is not far off. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Pensées de Lafleur 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. I must admit that I went
totally overboard with my appreciation for this brilliant second wine from the
Guinaudeau family. I guess I was just smitten by its style. The Pensées de
Lafleur 2010 has an attractive savoury bouquet, a little disjointed but well
defined with pencil shavings and singed leather developing with aeration. It
gains cohesion in the glass, vigour too. The palate is medium-bodied with fine
tannins, well judged acidity and a profound, refined finish that is very
complex and quintessential Pomerol. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Montviel 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Montviel 2010 has a
pleasant ripe blackberry, raspberry and incense bouquet with nicely integrated
oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry. It feels velvety
smooth with a satisfying and quit plush mint chocolate-tinged finish. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Nénin 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Nénin 2010
offers bright red fruit on the nose with redcurrant and raspberry leaf, touch
of bergamot developing with time in the glass. This has good breeding if not
quite the vigour of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins.
There is plenty of crunchy black fruit with a healthy dash of black pepper on
the vibrant finish. Fine. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Fugue de Nénin 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Fugue de Nénin 2010 has
a rather simplistic bouquet with damp undergrowth notes informing the black
fruit profile. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft rounded entry: cigar box
infused red fruit with a tertiary finish that is nicely balanced. This is good
enough for a second wine. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Petit-Village 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a perplexing
showing of this Pomerol grand cru that is striving so hard to improve its
wines. Yet there is a nagging greenness on the nose on the Petit-Village: dense
earthy black fruit with autumn leaves and tertiary scents. The palate is
medium-bodied with grainy tannins, crisp acidity and the finish is actually
quite attractive, by which time the nose is more harmonious and refined.
However, this does not quite convince as a top tier Petit Village. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Petrus 99
The Petrus 2010 is a force of nature. It has a voluptuous bouquet with ripe
black cherries, crème de cassis, blueberry and peach jam. It has crystalline
delineation - modern yet sophisticated. The palate is medium-bodied with a
sweet ripe entry, rounded and velvety smooth tannins, perfectly judged acidity,
harmonious with a long powerful aftertaste. It is more approachable than a year
ago, bridled with a sense of completeness. Mesmeric. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Le Pin 97+
Tasted blind, the Le Pin 2010 stick out like...well...a pin. The fruit is
incredibly intense, much more so than just over a year ago, adorned with a
hypnotic floral element that just explodes from the glass. The palate is
medium-bodied and comes out of the blocks sprinting with vibrant spicy black
fruit laced with cracked black pepper. The tannins feel firm in the mouth,
lending this wondrous structure and precision, whilst the finish is
extraordinarily long. Fabulous - Jacques Thienpont's wine is just getting into
its stride. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Rouget 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. I wanted the Rouget 2010 to
perform better than it did, but under blind conditions it fell a little short.
It has a ripe black cherry and orange peel bouquet, with a touch of VA just
giving necessary lift. The palate is medium-bodied with a tannic, brutish entry
but then it eases back towards a pleasant toasty finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Trotanoy 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Trotanoy 2010 has a
rounded bouquet with very pure Merlot - more Saint Emilion than Pomerol
perhaps, but it is nicely defined with touches of over-ripe oranges and
marmalade developing with aeration. This seems exotic for Trotanoy. It is very
ripe and generous with a sweet core of spicy fruit, exerting fine grip with a
saline finish. This is a fine Pomerol wine although it does not quite meet its
promise from barrel. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Vieux Château Certan 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Vieux Château Certan
2010 has a tightly wound bouquet with truffle tinged black fruit, hints of warm
gravel and spice. The palate is medium-bodied with taut tannins, superb acidity
and a convincing sense of energy and tension from start to finish. It needs a
little more depth on the mid-palate, but is very fresh with good structure.
This is a great wine from Alexandre Thienpont. Tasted January 2014.






Right Bank Satellite

2010 Château d'Aiguilhe 91
The d'Aiguilhe 2010 has an endearing, very pure bouquet with lifted dark cherry,
blueberry and crushed violets scents that open nicely in the glass. The palate
is medium-bodied with a sweet entry, nicely judged acidity and a plush yet
controlled finish that is delightful and harmonious. This deserves a light
round of applause. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Cap du Faugeres 86
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is just a touch of
under-ripeness on the nose of the Cap du Faugeres from Côte de Castillon:
raspberry leaf and dried rose petals but something a little green nagging away
underneath. The palate is better with a fleshy ripe, opulent opening but after
that it feels one-dimensional, never really fans out as it should. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château La Croix du Boureau 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Croix de Boureau from
Lalande-de-Pomerol, has a tightly wound bouquet with dark berry fruit, bay leaf
and limestone scents that is well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with an
oaky entry, plus rather dry tannins, although it retains impressive focus and
finishes in austere fashion. Yet I think two or three years in bottle with
benefit this wine. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Joanin Becot 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Joanin Becot has a
simple bouquet with raspberry and balsamic scents that open and muster more
vigour with time, the oak nicely integrated and revealing floral tones. The
palate is medium-bodied with a tannic, masculine entry. This is very structured
with a dry finish, but it is balanced and poised and will benefit from several
years in the cellar. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Puyguéraud 85
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Puyguéraud 2010 from
the Côte de Franc has a tightly wound red berry and fruitcake scented bouquet
with nicely integrated vanillary oak. The palate is a little leafy and dry on
the entry, dusky red berry fruit with a simple tobacco-led finish that needs
more length. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Roc de Combes 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Roc de Combe has a
potent nose with macerated dark cherries, iodine and blueberry, a little Napa
in style, nicely delineated and pure, yet showy. The palate is rounded and
smooth on the entry. There is a lot of extraction here with decadent ripe black
and red fruit, fine acidity and a spicy finish that fans out nicely. This
represents modern style Saint Emilion that is well made for the long-term,
although here it falls short of the promise it showed in barrel. Tasted January
2014.