Neil on the left side, north 2010

[Bacchus]

Saint Estèphe

Saint Estèphe offers a strong showing of 2010s. Predictably, the Château Cos
d'Estournel showed its class and was my top wine of the flight, also garnering
the highest average scores. It is simply one of the best wines of the Left
Bank, riddled with class and breeding from top to bottom and providing an
interesting counterpoint to the flamboyant 2009. It was not all plain sailing
for the property however, since two bottles of La Goulée were faulty and
unrated. Château Montrose is sulky and introspective, which through me during
the blind tasting. That is usually the way it goes, Cos d'Estournel often more
expressive in its youth with Montrose catching up later. It was only after
considerable aeration that it began to reveal its class (although by then I had
handed in my score!) Château Calon-Ségur also put in a strong performance,
perhaps one step behind Cos d'Estournel and Montrose, but a testament to the
skill of François Millet who has done so much to improve the wine in recent
vintages, principally by de-selecting the Merlot that had a propensity to reach
excessive alcohol levels. This is now blended into the second wine, Marquis de
Calon, itself a thoroughly decent 2010.

There is always one pleasant surprise and so Basile Tesseron and winemaker Lucas
Leclercq should stand up and accept applause for their superlative Château
Lafon-Rochet 2010, which actually averaged a higher score than Calon-Ségur and
came third in the flight. This cru is always released at a competitive price
and probably represents the best QPR. Other wines that deliver great quality
include the under-rated Château Clauzet and Château La Tour de Pez, a resurgent
Château Capbern-Gasqueton and even the much-maligned Château Cos-Labory - one of
their best performances in recent years. Château Haut-Marbuzet was an intriguing
wine, one that was far less flamboyant and extrovert than recent vintages, but
still beautifully balanced and very focused.

Overall, Saint Estèphe performed well in 2010 and met my expectations. The might
not be the most glamorous of appellations (with the exception of Cos
d'Estournel, at least until Calon-Ségur and Montrose get their refits) but the
wines have quietly gone about an improvement in recent vintages. Like Pauillac,
its Cabernet Sauvignon component excelled in 2010 and the grape variety
underpins many of these superb wines that deserve at least a decade in bottle.

2010 Château Calon Segur 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Calon-Ségur 2010 has a
clean and fresh, classic bouquet with black fruit, leather, scorched earth and
bay leaf scents that unfold gently in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied
with fine tannins, light acidity, very fine harmony and a dash of white pepper
towards the long finish. This is classy and sophisticated, a great wine from
François Millet and his team. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Marquis de Calon 86
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The second wine of
Calon-Segur seems a little light and anonymous on the nose, but with
encouragement there are light chalky scents emerging from the glass. The palate
is medium-bodied with a crisp, quite structured entry. Good weight here and more
presence in the mouth that on the nose, attired with a pleasing blackberry and
boysenberry finish. Hopefully the nose will open with time. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Capbern-Gasqueton 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château
Capbern-Gasqueton 2010 has a lovely leafy, cigar box nose with bright black
fruit unfolding with just a little encouragement. The oak is nicely integrated
here. The palate is medium-bodied with taut and quite fine tannins. It is a
little more pointed than its peers but with plenty of freshness and vitality on
the well-defined finish. This is a great Saint Estephe. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Clauzet 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clauzet 2010 is a
little gem. It has a lovely bouquet that is well defined with great clarity:
blackberry, briary and minerals that open beautifully in the glass. The palate
is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, good weight with a cohesive, confident
finish. This is one of those outliers given a chance under blind tasting
conditions and it comes good. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Cos d'Estournel 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Cos d'Estournel 2010
has a lovely, well defined bouquet with dense black fruit, cedar, melted tar
and mint that unfolds wonderfully in the glass and just oozes class. The palate
is medium-bodied with fine but firm tannins supporting layers of ripe black
fruit. There is a touch of white pepper sprinkled over the finish that is long
and persistent. This is just an immense Saint Estèphe for long-term aging i.e.
after you have finished all your 2009s. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Les Pagodes de Cos 90
The Les Pagodes de Cos 2010 has a crisp leafy bouquet: autumn leaves and
sandalwood infused black fruit that is well defined. The palate is
medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity with a slightly bitter finish
that needs just a touch more persistency. Otherwise, this is just very fine for
a second label. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Cos-Labory 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a respectable
showing from the oft maligned Cos-Labory. There is a very strong eucalyptus
note on nose - half Northern Médoc and half McLaren Vale! But in an odd way it
works and is attractive. The palate is medium-bodied with a lot of extraction
and creamy new oak. Unashamedly modern in style and it lacks typicity, yet
still well crafted and enjoyable. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Le Crock 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Le Crock 2010
has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents: taciturn
at first but it opens with modest encouragement. The palate is medium-bodied
with crisp tannins. There is moderate weight with a light foursquare but fresh
finish. This is what you might call a "gentleman’s claret". Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Haut-Beauséjour 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Haut-Beauséjour
2010 feels a little lighter on the nose with blackberry, melted tar and tobacco
scents that are attractive, but therefore I would have liked more vigour. The
palate is medium-bodied with tobacco-tinged black fruit, a fine line of acidity
and a gentle grip on the finish. There is just a touch of Szechuan pepper
lingering on the aftertaste. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Haut-Marbuzet 93
I was a bit smitten by this under blind conditions. It has an intense bouquet
with blackberry, black olive and cigar box scents that gently unfold. Returning
after five minutes it seems to get better and better in the glass. The palate is
medium-bodied with ripe tannins, a fine line of acidity, plenty of tarry black
fruit with a hit of sandalwood and leather on the satisfying finish. This is
one of the best releases in recent years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lafon-Rochet 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Wow - this Saint Estèphe
appears to be just getting into its stride. This seems reticent on the nose at
first, but modest coaxing reveals scents of blackberry mixed with gravel and
incense. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, firm tannins and a
pleasant salty tang on the finish. Masculine and structured, with good
persistency and a lovely austere personality, Basile Tesseron and his team have
overseen an aloof but engaging Lafon-Rochet that could be the dark horse of the
appellation. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Meyney 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Meyney 2010 is showing
just a little over-ripeness on the nose, with fig-tinged black fruit, fruitcake
and leather. Moderated definition. The palate has a succulent entry with plenty
of extract: tarry black fruit and cedar all with a firm grip and leading to a
dense if rather aloof finish and a leafy, mocha-tinged aftertaste. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Montrose 95+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Château Montrose can be so
curmudgeonly in its youth that in blind tastings, it can seem like appraising
an ogre in a beauty contest. That's what happened here, when it really threw me
with its introspective pencil-box inspired nose that simply tells you to bugger
off and not come back for at least a decade. The palate here is a mixture of
red and black fruit with saturated tannins. This is a classic Montrose with a
persistent tarry aftertaste. Re-tasting the wine after a few minutes it begins
to unwind and merits a more lenient score. Tasted January 2014.

2010 La Dame de Montrose 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Dame de Montrose
2010 has a very well defined bouquet with beautifully assimilated oak: perfumed
scents of blackcurrant, blueberry and pastilles. The palate is medium-bodied
with a crisp entry: firm and quite rigid tannins, fine acidity and a bullish
structure on the finish to suggest that this needs long-term cellaring. This
surpasses all my expectations. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Petit Bocq 89?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Petit Bocq has
an attractive bouquet with raspberry, redcurrant, mocha and dried herbs -
perhaps a little oaky but still attractive. The palate is medium-bodied and a
little disjointed at the moment. It is generous if slightly generic towards the
finish where the oak feels a touch too heavy-handed. I was expecting more given
its showing from barrel. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château de Pez 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château de Pez 2010 has
a lifted blackberry and boysenberry scented bouquet with undergrowth and tobacco
scents developing. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and quite austere
tannins. It is loaded plenty of ripe black fruit and decent structure on the
finish. There is nothing excessive here - just well crafted Left Bank Bordeaux
that should age well over the next decade. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Phelan-Segur 88+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This was a slightly
underwhelming performance from Phélan-Ségur. It has an earthier and more
leathery nose compared to its peers in the flight, the fruit a little subdued
at the moment. The palate has a pinched entry with rather coarse tannins. There
is plenty of tarry black fruit but it feels just a tad laboured on the finish.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Tour de Pez 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is a touch of mint on
the nose of the Château Tour de Pez 2010, with ripe black cherries and
boysenberry fruit, nicely integrated oak and hints of cedar emerging with
aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp and taut powdery tannins,
plenty of tobacco-infused black fruit and a composed finish with fine tannins.
This is a great Saint Estephe wine punching well above its weight and
expectations. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Tronquoy-Lalande 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Tronquoy-Lalande has a
dense bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry and cedar that opens nicely with
time. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, well judged acidity and an
appealing harmonious finish with fine delineation and class. Classic in style,
this is a well-made Saint Estephe. Tasted January 2014.




Pauillac

There was a stunned silence following a flight of First Growths. It was the kind
of silence that falls after witnessing something astonishing. Could this
possibly be the greatest young Bordeaux that I have ever tasted, the pinnacle
of everything you could wish for? For sure, the bar had been placed extremely
high given the context and frankly speaking, I would have felt crushed if they
had not delivered anything less than something flirting with perfection. But
that is exactly how they performed.

Tasted blind, it was interesting to see Château Mouton-Rothschild attest to the
deft hand of winemaker Philippe Dhalluin: a brilliant wine that the Baron
himself would have been chuffed about. I just like the way Philippe has just
shaved away a little of the ostentation it used to show in the 1990s,
counterbalancing its intrinsic showiness with a more class and composure. He
should do another victory lap to celebrate the performance of the Le Petit
Mouton, its scores out-stripping many of the Grand Cru Classé to the shock of
many in the room. The Château Latour did not quite recapture my perfect score
from last year - but only by a whisker and this wine does tend to close down
once in bottle, making it seem more curmudgeonly vis-à-vis its peers. But it
will rank as one of the best wines of the modern era. Château Lafite-Rothschild
2010 was just a small step behind those two, but at this ethereal level it makes
little difference – you will still adore this wine.

Fortunately, you don't have to re-mortgage your house and sell your beloved pet
dog to "Life Sciences" for the privilege of a First Growth. It is a shame that
the prohibitive prices means that so few of these bottles will actually be
opened and enjoyed for what they are, instead of a symbol of affluence.
Instead, why not just buy a bottle of the brilliant Château Batailley, one of
the best wines that Philippe Castèja has produced, or the likes of
Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Clerc-Milon, Lynch-Bages, Pichon-Baron and Pichon-Lalande.
Perhaps the most intriguing wine turned out to be Château Pontet-Canet. Its
core of sweetness was quite obvious and distinguished it from its peers. I
actually think it's a great wine from Alfred Tesseron and Jean-Michel Comme,
but its opulence was not to everyone's taste. These are estates that have been
built upon Cabernet Sauvignon since their formation, Cabernet that is pure,
regal, structured, mineral-laden and multi-dimensional. The vintage presented
the perfect conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon and so it is no surprise that
Pauillac flourished.

The question is: are you prepared to shell out for them when older vintages
remain freely available on the market?

2010 Aile d'Argent Blanc 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Aile d'Argent 2010 has
an attractive bouquet with seductive scents of lemon curd, apricot jam and a
touch of clear honey that is smudged by alcohol. The palate comes as a slight
disappointment after such an endearing bouquet: straight-laced and conservative
- good acidity but missing personality and charm on the finish. Perhaps this is
just a case of needing more bottle age to manifest something to say? Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château d'Armailhac 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The d'Armailhac 2010 has an
intense bouquet with blackberry and briary aromas leaping from the glass,
quickly followed by cedar and tobacco scents, later something more exotic like
crème de cassis. The palate is medium-bodied with quite dry but fine tannins.
It feels saline in the mouth with very good acidity and hints of black olive
compote towards the austere but compelling finish. This is generating a lot of
pleasure now and over the next 15 to 20 years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Batailley 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. A strong performance from
Batailley under blind conditions, easily surpassing its showing at the UGC in
London last year. The 2010 has a very elegant bouquet with blackberry, cedar
and leather, well defined and very nicely focused, though not the most vigorous
amongst its peers. The palate is very well balanced with filigree tannins,
perfectly judged acidity and a very appealing "classic" style of Pauillac very
the top drawer. What a superb Pauillac - a benchmark Batailley. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Clerc-Milon 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clerc Milon 2010 has a
very refined bouquet with blackcurrant, raspberry, mint and cedar, later tarry
aromas developing in the glass. There is superb mineralité in the glass. The
palate is medium-bodied with a ripe, sweet entry: powerful liquorice infused
black fruit, quite sharp acidity and a spicy, very intense finish that lingers
long in the mouth. It is almost impenetrable at the moment, but there is
immense potential. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Croizet Bages 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Croizet-Bages
has a very convincing graphite driven bouquet with fine definition and vigour.
The palate is medium-bodied with graphite and tobacco infused black fruit, good
weight and a strict and linear, clean and fresh finish. Not bad at all. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Duhart-Milon 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose attired by the
Duhart Milon 2010 is slightly more decadent than its peers, with hints of fresh
prune and fruitcake infusing the black cedar fruit. The oak is nicely integrated
but it needs another 3-4 years for the oak to fully integrate. The palate is
medium-bodied with saturated tannins on the entry. There is a lovely saline
note here, a dash of white pepper and a long, satisfying, quite dense finish.
Excellent. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fonbadet 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Fonbadet 2010 is a
great little Pauillac and good value to boot. It has a fragrant bouquet with
lively black brambly fruit laced with cedar and mint, nicely defined and
gaining vigour with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a smooth
entry, but it feels a little static at the moment and needs a little more body
and conviction towards the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Grand Puy Ducasse 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Grand Puy Ducasse 2010
has an engaging, quite vibrant tobacco-scented bouquet with plenty of tertiary
black fruit exhibiting good vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp,
firm tannins, fine acidity and a gentle grip on the structured, classic finish.
This is a respectable wine from the estate. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Grand Puy Lacoste 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is a strong marine
influence on the Grand Puy Lacoste 2010: seaweed and brine infused into the
black fruit. It is very well defined and focused, building in intensity in the
glass. The palate is silky smooth on the entry - very plush and sensual - with
a cashmere texture that indicates some beautifully integrated creamy oak. It
fans out wonderfully towards the finish, perhaps a little more modern in style
than its peers but still beautifully crafted. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Haut Bages Liberal 89+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. A relatively disappointing
showing of Haut Bages Libéral compared to its showing from barrel. This has
ripe brambly red berry scents on the nose with a conspicuous but not
unattractive veneer of vanillary new oak. The palate is edgy and pointed on the
entry with angular, slightly aggressive tannins, although there is plenty of
weight on the finish to keep it balanced, plus a pleasing spicy aftertaste. I
strongly suspect that this simply did not show well on the day. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Haut-Batailley 90+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Haut Batailley was
surly and did not want to play game upon first acquaintance: very closed on the
nose, anonymous and needing more fruit intensity. The palate is medium-bodied
with fleshy ripe black dusty fruit, moderate acidity but a rather dour,
conservative finish that lacks a little vigour and length. Returning after a
few minutes, it begins to come together and is far more convincing and
affirming the performance out of barrel. Phew! Lock this down in the cellar for
another four or five years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lafite-Rothschild 97
The Lafite-Rothschild 2010 has a more exotic but no less compelling bouquet
compared to its peers, with scents of macerated red cherries, crème de cassis,
crushed violets and cedar wood. It has wonderful definition and generosity,
though blind I was erring towards Mouton rather than Lafite! The palate is
medium-bodied with a sensual, caressing entry that just flows across the mouth.
There is good extraction here, not over-extraction with a vivacious finish:
white pepper sprinkled over red and black fruit with amazing tension. It is
extraordinarily long and persistent in the mouth. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Latour 98+
The Latour 2010 has a very precise bouquet with outstanding mineralité and
tension - a regal bouquet that just soars from the glass, subtle notes of
limestone and cedar loitering in the background. It just explodes with aeration
in the glass, dialling everything up to "11". The palate is medium-bodied with
ripe and bold tannins that support layer up layer of black fruit. There is a
lovely spicy edge here and huge volume and penetration towards the finish.
Outstanding. Not a perfect score here...but its 20-years too early anyway.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Les Forts de Latour 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a very strong
performance from Les Forts de Latour. It has a vivacious bouquet with ripe
blackcurrant, raspberry, cedar and mint scents, very ripe and opulent with
layers of discretely embroidered vanillary new oak. The palate is medium-bodied
with very fine tannins, well judged acidity and a sophisticated, graphite finish
with a long cedar and sous-bois influenced tail. Excellent. Tasted January 2014.


2010 Château Lynch-Bages 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Lynch Bages
appears to be going from strength to strength in this vintage. The 2010 has a
glorious bouquet with intense blackberry and boysenberry fruit laced with
minerals and cedar - beautifully defined and "symmetrical". The palate is
medium-bodied with fine definition and a real sense of edginess and tension.
Lovely focus and poise, superbly judged acidity and wonderful mineralité on the
finish. Superb. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Echo de Lynch Bages 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The second wine from Lynch
Bages falls short of its promise from barrel. This has a rather raw bouquet
with cigar box infused black fruit, hints of graphite and autumn leaves
surfacing with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a
dry, slightly raw entry and it feels a little attenuated towards the finish.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lynch Moussas 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Lynch Moussas 2010 is
one of the few wines in this flight to feel just a little green around the
edges, with green bell pepper notes infusing the dusty black fruit. The palate
is medium-bodied with dusty black fruit, a healthy dash of black pepper and a
pleasing, spicy finish. It is just the nose that lets it down. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Mouton-Rothschild 99
Initially, there is a tangible strictness and linearity on the nose of this
spellbinding Mouton-Rothschild, though it unfolds to reveal blackberry,
mulberry, truffle and violets scents. The palate is medium-bodied but the
tannins and silky and fine. This has a bewitching texture, seamless and utterly
harmonious, the finish feminine and poised with outstanding mineralité. This
might be the best wine ever produced under Philippe Dhalluin. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Le Petit Mouton 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Is this best Le Petit
Mouton ever? The 2010 has a very ripe powerful bouquet with blackberry,
apricot, cedar and peppermint that shows a lot of vigour and what you might
call passion. This well balanced with fine tannins, a superb line of acidity
and cohesion. This is not the most concentrated 2010 Pauillac but it is very
focused and full of energy. To answer the question posed at the beginning of
the tasting notes...yes. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Pédesclaux 86
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Pédesclaux has an
attractive bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and sous-bois notes: conservative
but clean and pure. The palate is light but clean on the entry with supple red
berry fruit, fine tannins and a satisfying rounded finish. Tasted January 2014.


2010 Château Pibran 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Pibran 2010 has a light
but well defined bouquet with pencil box aromas infusing the black fruit profile
- very classic Bordeaux. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry and
spicebox on the entry. There is a keen thread of acidity with a slightly chewy
finish suggesting that it needs another 2 or 3 years in bottle. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Pichon-Baron 94+
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Pichon Barton 2010 has
a very linear, very focused bouquet with blackberry, cedar and mineral notes,
not as intense as other wines but showing great clarity. The palate is
medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, very fine acidity, a gentle grip
with very composed, lightly spiced finish. This is a relatively understated
wine within its group, sophisticated and classy. It has closed down a little
since I last tasted it, hence the slightly lower score, but expect that to rise
in the future. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Les Tourelles de Longueville 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Tourelles de
Longueville feels just a little loose-knit on the nose, lacking the Cabernet
backbone of its peers within this group, a little more glitz but not the
breeding. The palate is medium-bodied with good extraction: plenty of ripe,
quite oaky red berry fruit with a straightforward finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Pichon-Lalande 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Like the Grand Puy Lacoste
2010, the Pichon Lalande has a very attractive sea-influenced bouquet with
brine and estuary scents infusing the crisp black fruit that gain intensity in
the glass, yet remain very focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine
tannins, perfectly judged acidity, silky smooth texture and a complete,
harmonious finish that is very seductive. Beautiful. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Reserve de Comtesse de Lalande 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Reserve de Comtesse has
a pleasant but austere bouquet with dusky black tobacco-infused fruit all with
fine definition and vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with a satisfying
Merlot component neatly offsetting the ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. Good body here,
pleasing length with a dash of spice on the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Pontet-Canet 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Pontet-Canet is
a very interesting wine to taste blind. For a start, the untrammelled ripeness
and precocity is clearly evident on the nose, so much so that I wrote down "New
World" before its identity was revealed. A second bottle is more contained but
still "glossy" in style. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated ripe
tannins on the entry. The acidity is nicely judged and it is very dense, though
it needs more tension and terroir expression. It improves in the glass all the
time, mustering more composure and finesse, yet here under blind condition,
there was no denying that it is out-classed by some of its peers. That said it
remains a great wine from Alfred Tesseron. Tasted January 2014.



Saint Julien

The ever-reliable Saint Julien racked up some outstanding wines in 2010,
although you could argue that its peaks are not quite as lofty as their
neighbour further north. Picking out Château Ducru Beaucaillou and Château
Léoville Las-Cases was not too difficult, as one would hope given what you have
to pay for them privilege, though you could always trade down to the La Croix de
Beaucaillou, which has enjoyed a run of superb vintages recently. That said,
neither reach the stellar quality of some of the top First Growths.

The Château Léoville-Poyferré 2010 performed strongly, awarded one of the
highest average scores and having the audacity to actually win the flight.
Perhaps in some part that is because Didier Cuvelier's wine tends to be more
extrovert and flamboyant in its youth. The same applies to Château Gruaud
Larose, which I personally rated very highly even if it did not wine approval
from everyone in the group. Again, it is a Saint Julien that is more
approachable than its peers, and in 2010 that seems to counterbalance the
entrenched austerity of the vintage to create a complete wine. The Château
Léoville-Barton 2010 is another strong contender, one of the finest wines from
Anthony Barton in recent memory and even better than the 2009. But do not
dismiss its sister, Château Langoa-Barton 2010, one of the best value wines not
only in Saint Julien but on the Left Bank (although release prices have
increased significantly.) Both Château Gloria and Saint-Pierre showed
impressively, continuing the strong run of vintages that consign those
comparatively curmudgeonly offerings of the 1990s into the past.

Perhaps the one disappointment was Château Talbot, reaffirming my impression out
of barrel. This is one of the great growths of the appellation and older
vintages can be sublime. Hopefully the investments in the winery currently
being undertaken at the property will lead to wines befitting such a historic
name, but for now, their wines seem to lack the substance and complexity of its
peers.

I have also included here a small selection of wines from the Haut-Médoc,
Listrac and Moulis. There are some excellent offering here, such as Château
Camensac and Cantemerle, although there were a couple of perplexing showings
from Château La Lagune and I expected more pizzazz from Poujeaux.

2010 Château Beychevelle 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Beychevelle
2010 has a comparatively opulent bouquet compared to its peers: more Pauillac
in style with graphite tinged black fruit, boysenberry and blackcurrant, with a
slight exotic note underneath - marmalade or even peach. The palate is
medium-bodied with fine, ripe, succulent tannins. There is a fine line of
acidity here, a gentle grip and a lovely spicy finish. One of Philippe Blanc's
finest wines in recent years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Branaire Ducru 91
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Branaire Ducru has a
rather high-toned bouquet with dark plum and cassis fruit, moderate definition
with conspicuous but integrated oak. The palate is very sweet on the entry with
rounded black cherry, black olive and kirsch. It seems a little over-egged
compared to its peers, trying too hard to make and impression, plus that is a
smudge of alcohol just blurring the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Clos du Marquis 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos du Marquis 2010
has a lovely bouquet with ripe blackberry, raspberry and wild strawberry fruit
laced with cedar and cigar box aromas - pure Cabernet heaven. The palate is
medium-bodied with slightly raw entry. To pick straws, it feels a little
disjointed compared to its peers at the moment, although there is good
substance and weight in the mouth, certainly sufficient structured on the
finish to merit long-term cellaring. It just needs to find more cohesion.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Ducru Beaucaillou 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Ducru Beaucaillou 2010
has a very classic bouquet with intense blackberry, briary and tobacco aromas -
very expressive Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Pauillac mint developing with
aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, very linear but with
lovely focus and class. This is a beautifully crafted Saint Julien with style
and panache. Tasted January 2014.

2010 La Croix de Beaucaillou 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Croix de Beaucaillou
2010 has a touch of camphor on the nose that is very ripe and nicely defined -
much more modern in style compared to its peers and attractive. The palate is
medium-bodied with fine tannins, plenty of fleshy ripe black fruit and a very
composed and quite sophisticated finish. This is a second wine delivering grand
cru quality. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Gloria 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The outstanding Gloria 2010
has a lovely bouquet with ripe blackberry, briary, cedar and tobacco fruit that
is very precise. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins exerting a gentle but
insistent grip. This is very well balanced and focused with superbly integrated
oak on the satisfying finish. Great out of barrel, great in bottle, this is a
Saint Julien that has really upped its game in recent vintages. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Gruaud Larose 95
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a great showing
from Gruaud Larose. It has a lovely bouquet with vibrant blackberry, wild
hedgerow and cedar aromas that display fine vigour and intensity. The palate is
medium-bodied with supple and ripe tannins, plenty of ripe tarry black fruit
with a dense, tobacco-infused finish that is very focused and persistent.
Excellent. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lagrange 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Lagrange 2010 has an
attractive gravel-scented bouquet with fine definition and sense of earthiness,
cedar and sous-bois aromas quite prominent amongst the black fruit. The palate
has a ripe entry with plenty of blackberry and cassis fruit, although it does
not quite possess the weight and structure of its peers. The length is
satisfactory rather than exemplary. This has shown much better elsewhere.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lalande Borie 92
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Lalande Borie
2010 has quite a herbaceous, tertiary bouquet that is broody and introspective.
The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and poise, fine tannins and a
composed, tobacco-infused finish that fans out nicely. This is very fine.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Langoa-Barton 94
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Langoa-Barton 2010 has
a more feminine and floral bouquet: well defined with perfumed dark cherry,
blackcurrant pastille and dry tobacco notes. It opens extremely well in the
glass. The palate is medium-bodied with an elegant opening, well-judged acidity
and fine tannins. This is a classy number, very harmonious with a hint of black
pepper on the engaging finish. You cannot really go wrong with this Saint
Julien. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Leoville Las-Cases 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Léoville Las-Cases 2010
has a very elegant bouquet with earthy, tobacco infused black fruit, fine
delineation and well-integrated oak. It is tight at first, but opens nicely in
the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. Very
fine tannins, very elegant and harmonious with beautifully judged acidity
leading to a classic finish that is totally seductive. Glorious. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Le Petit Lion 86
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Le Petit Lion 2010 has
a rather oaky nose compared to its peers, consequently it is slightly
overwhelming the fruit at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with fine
tannins, crisp red berry fruit laced with soy and a relatively light red berry
finish. This is a bit disappointing since its commendable showing after
bottling. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Leoville Poyferre 96
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Léoville-Poyferré 2010
dares to challenge Jean-Hubert Delon! It has a wonderful bouquet with vibrant
blackcurrant, raspberry and warm gravel scents - very well defined and very
focused, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with a very
pure opening, a fine line of acidity, a cashmere texture and a long silky smooth
finish that is very seductive and feminine. There is a lot of panache here -
utterly seductive. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Moulin Riche 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Moulin Riche
2010 is laden with plenty of ripe red cherries, boysenberry and violet petal
scents on the nose with moderate definition. The palate is medium-bodied with
fine tannins. It is very cohesive with succulent ripe black fruit layering the
rounded finish. This is a thoroughly respectable Moulin Riche. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Leoville-Barton 97
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Léoville-Barton 2010
has a very impressive, very showy bouquet with mineral-driven black fruit mixed
with hints of liquorice and cigar box that unfolds with every passing moment in
the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy ripe but structured
opening. The acidity is very well judged with a fine line of acidity, real
depth and flavour here with a long, light peppery finish. Excellent - an
accomplished Saint Julien from Anthony Barton and his team. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Reserve de Leoville Barton 87
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The second wine of Château
Leoville Barton has an understated but very precise bouquet: tightly wound
black fruit laced with cedar and cigar box scents. The palate is medium-bodied
with succulent ripe tannins. The acidity is nicely judged and there is plenty
of ripeness on the finish that is almost Saint Emilion in character. This can
be broached in the next five years. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Saint Pierre 93
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a strong showing
from Saint Pierre. For sure, the 2010 feels more introverted on the bouquet
with dusky black fruit, truffle, tobacco and graphite scents that unfold in the
glass. There is fine definition here, with a slight meaty character emerging
with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, ripe opening:
spice-tinged black fruit and a saline element accentuated towards the finish.
It exerts a gentle grip with very good persistency on the finish. Tasted
January 2014.

2010 Château Talbot 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Talbot 2010 is showing
a little more ripeness and extraction on the nose that is well defined with
blackberry, black olive and cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with
quite sharp acidity coming through. Nice cohesion here, harmonious with quite
an elegant finish that needs a little more grip and breadth. Fine. Tasted
January 2014.

Moulis, Listrac & Haut Médoc

2010 Château Branas Grand Poujeaux 88
The Château Branas Grand Poujeaux has a very refined bouquet with fine
delineation: blackberry, cedar and sandalwood scents that gain vigour with
aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip, grainy in texture
with a strong tobacco finish. This is a well crafted, what you might describe
as "solid" Moulis that should age well over the next decade. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Beaumont 85
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The nose on the Château
Beaumont 2010 is a little disjointed and herbaceous. The palate is
medium-bodied with light grainy tannins, sharp acidity and a pointed, rather
severe finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Camensac 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Camensac 2010
has a tightly wound bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and cigar box
scents that demand coaxing. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, chalky
tannins. There are plenty of potent tobacco notes here with a touch of spice on
the finish. It is a little introverted at the moment, this should develop nicely
with several years in the cellar. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Cantemerle 90
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Cantemerle 2010 has a
floral bouquet that is akin to a Margaux - crushed violets intermingling with
blackberry and wild hedgerow all with fine definition. The palate is
medium-bodied with tart cherry fruit on the entry, before segueing into a
powdery mid-palate and structured, more masculine finish. The fruit needs to be
more expressive but I think this is just entering a sulky patch and deserves
several years in bottle. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Chasse-Spleen 90+
The Chasse-Spleen 2010 has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, raspberry,
cedar and mint - quite Pauillac in style and full if vigour. The palate is
medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins, but there is decent fruit here and
some attractive ripe Merlot counterbalancing the Cabernet on the finish. I feel
it has closed down a little since one year earlier, hence my lower score, but it
should come back in several years time. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Clarke 89
The Château Clarke 2010 has a well-defined bouquet with ripe blackberry and
strawberry fruit, touches of eau-de-vie and liquorice emerging to render the
aromatics quite medicinal, in stark contrast to its showing a year ago. The
palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, plenty of plump Merlot fruit
and a succulent finish that has length and style. This is letting it all hang
out and there is nothing wrong with that. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux 87
The nose here seems a little laconic and rather austere compared to just one
year ago. The palate is medium-bodied with a sharp entry. Tannic and a little
green round the edges, leading to a firm finish, this probably needs another
couple of years to exit its sulky patch. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fonreaud 87
This bottle of Fonreaud seems a little alcoholic on the nose at first, although
it calms down and offers quite precocious black cherry and raspberry fruit. The
palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins although it feels a little austere on
the finish. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fourcas-Borie 90
This is a lovely Fourcas-Borie. It has an attractive bouquet with blackberry,
briary, cedar and black olive that is endearing. The palate is medium-bodied
with firm, gently gripping tannins. Firm structure, decent acidity and some
lovely tarry fruit on the finish. Recommended. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Fourcas Hosten 89
The Fourcas-Hosten 2010 has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, warm gravel
and cedar scents that are nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with
plenty of supple black fruit on the entry, nicely judged acidity and a pleasing
rounded finish with good weight and structure. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château La Lagune ?
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The La Lagune 2010 appears
very closed on the nose despite coaxing: muted earthy tones, but there is
decent definition if not vigour here. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy
tannins, spicy black fruit and quite a firm grip. There is a lot of extract on
the finish, which is imparting some astringency, a hole where the fleshy fruit
should be. This is a querulous showing from a wine that showed great potential
in barrel and just after bottling. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Lanessan 88
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Lanessan 2010
has a dense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry leaf and scorched earth, the oak
nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and rather austere
tannins. The acidity is well judged but it needs more fruit on the finish.
Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Maucaillou 87
The Maucaillou 2010 has fleshy ripe redcurrant and fresh strawberry fruit on the
nose. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, sagging a little in the
middle but finishing with delineation in a Graves-like manner. Tasted January
2014.

2010 Château Poujeaux 89
The Poujeaux 2010 has a very intense nose with blackberry, wild hedgerow and
dried herbs, a meaty, almost savoury component emerging with time. The palate
is medium-bodied with firm tannins, quite austere in the middle but with
pleasant brambly red fruit poking out through the grill of tannins on the
finish. To be honest, I was expecting a little more vim and vigour, but it may
just be shutting down. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Sénéjac 89
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Château Sénéjac 2010
has a lifted bouquet with bright black and red berry fruit, although there is a
slight nagging green note lurking underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with
grainy tannins, well-judged acidity and a simple blackberry, tobacco and burnt
toast infused finish. This is a competent Bordeaux wine, not quite replicating
its strong performance last year, but still no slouch. Tasted January 2014.

2010 Château Sociando Mallet 91
The Sociando Mallet 2010 demonstrates quite a lot of extraction on the nose with
scents of blackberry, black olive and tobacco, a little sweet cassis emerging
with time. The palate has a fleshy, more Merlot-driven entry compared to its
peers. There is plenty of weight here whilst the finish shows excellent
delineation and focus. Very fine. Tasted January 2014.

[Tom In DC]

If we needed any more evidence that 2010 is a great year, consider the fact that BOTH Cos Labory and Croizet-Bages made good wines in this vintage!

I wish I could still afford any of the big guns - Neil was happy with the Pauillac firsts, but all of the Leoville's seem to be right there with 'em.

[DavidG]

Tom is younger than I am, so he's still in the hunt for young Bordeaux. I just hope I live long enough to be drinking his when it's mature.

[Comte Flaneur]

I think a lot of estates made their best ever, or equal best ever wines, wines:

Haut-Brion vs 1989?
Mouton vs 1986, 1959, 1945?
Latour vs 1961?
Margaux vs 1900?
Cheval Blanc vs 1947
Petrus vs ?

I am speculating there on the first growths but Margaux is the best I have tasted;

...these estates I think did make their best ever wines

Conseillante
Pape Clement
Leoville Barton
Gruaurd Larose
Branaire Ducru

Its why I bought these

[greatbxfreak]

Imho, slightly confusing scores. Montrose deserves higher score, it's monster wine. My best 2010 1 Growth is Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion, then Mouton R and Lafite, but La Mission gives these great 5 run for the money.

Beychevelle is simply gorgeus, I prefer Pichon Baron to Pichon Comtesse.

On Right Bank, I believe L'Eglise Clinet and Lafleur and Tertre Roteboeuf top everybody else. Haven't tasted Cheval Blanc 2010 from bottle, but succeeded in arranging tasting of 2010 and 2009 during my visit in April this year.

Still it's Neal not Neil (Martin)!

[brodway]

Any good deals still out there on 2010's ? Did not participate in any futures buying.....thinking these are going to be great long aging wines and should probably have a few cases tucked away.

[jckba]

There are always deals to be had, what price range are you interested in being in?

[brodway]

I haven't bought any Bordeaux since the 2005 vintage, so please excuse me if i'm out touch on pricing....i generally look for 25-65 as a price point for purchases....i would generally splurge on one or two wines from a vintage and would consider up to 100 a bottle on something that's a must have. i remember paying $45-$50 for Pontet Canet in the 2000 vintage....i just saw these are fetching over $200 a bottle....boy am i out of the loop. from previous vintages, i would always consider Grand Puy Lacoste, Pontet Canet, Pichon Baron, Montrose, Calong Segur, Cos D'Estournel, Leoville Poyferre, Leoville Barton as the wines that would offer excellent values for the price point......i've also bought Lagrange, Sociando Mallet and D'Issan for the QPR value....but i think i'm going to require a withdrawal of home equity line of credit at these asking prices. thanks in advance for the suggestions.

[jckba]

Well I have good news and bad news for you brodway. The good news is that it doesn't much matter that you didn't partake in any futures purchases because the futures game has changed considerably and gone are the days when there was actually a savings associated with parting with your money some 2 years in advance. We have now entered a new era where the scores are already built into the asking prices and that is the bad news. With the exception of 2 of the wines you typically consider (2010 Grand Puy Lacoste $79.99 @ Premier Cru & 2010 Calon Segur $99.99 @ Grand Vin Wine Merchants) all of the others will set you back more than $100 (2010 Pontet Canet $209.99 @ Premier Cru, 2010 Pichon Baron $205 @ Spectrum Wine Retail, 2010 Montrose $195 @ Premier Cru, 2010 Cos D’Estournel $269.99 @ Total Wine in Norwalk, 2010 Leoville Poyferre $134.99 @ Premier Cru and 2010 Leoville Barton $114.99 @ Premier Cru) and these are the absolute lowest prices found using the regular winesearcher as of the time of this post.

Now with your given price window of $25-$65 I would try and forget about the above wines as much as possible and focus in on some of the vintages values such as the 2010 Gloria ($46.95 @ Empire Wine (93RP / 95NM)), 2010 Latour Martillac ($38.95 @ Empire Wine (92 RP / 95NM)), 2010 Fleur Cardinale ($45 @ MacArthurs (95RP / 93WS), 2010 La Dame de Montrose ($44.99 @ Onlinewine.net (94RP / 93NM) or the 2010 Monbousquet ($55 @ Wine Cellarage (93RP / 95WS). Perhaps some other forum members can chime in as to give you a couple of other points of view. And I guess I just hope you live in a state that allows out of state shipments

[brodway]

Whats the wait time to get wine at Premier Cru on futures ? I've been waiting for over a year for 2011 Chablis without word on arrival. Thanks for the suggestions, but i would hate to have to enter the 2010 market with the highlight being Gloria....Realizing that its going to take a few more dollar to acquire the 2010's, I've created a small list of wines which include La Lagune, Gruaud Larose, Lafon Rochet, La Dame de Montrose, Gloria and Leoville Barton (as the top of the budget pick). Did not realize that the futures game has changed so much that there's no discount afforded 2 years prior to release. Sounds like tomorrow's pricing today....straight of out Popeye

[stefan]

You'll probably get futures from PC before the wine reaches full maturity. That is fine for me as I have too many bottles to fit into my wine room.

[brodway]

Stefan....i suppose free storage is one way of looking at it...

[Chateau Vin]

Brodway,

IMO, some of the other absolutely great and delicious 2010 wines other than the so called 100 pointers, but are at a lower price point range are:

Giscours @75
Gruaud Larose @80
Brane Cantenac @80
ST Pierre @85
DdC @85
SHL @129

Out of the list above, my absolute favorite is SHL, followed by Giscours and St Pierre....

[DavidG]

Emil:

I swore I would not even be tempted by 2010s, but just last night I found myself online with a shopping cart full of the following, mostly in your price range:

Talbot
Haut Bergey
Haut Bages Liberal
Gloria
Barde Haut
Rochemorin (a QPR that Orlando Robert Goulet raved about)
Grand Puy Lacoste (more of a splurge at >$100)

I just sat there looking at that big red "CHECKOUT" button, but I finally came to my senses and closed the page. Yet there they are again tonight, still sitting in my shopping cart... must... resist...

[stefan]

David, you are much younger than I, yet I have 8 cases of 2010. Go for it! Press that button! Buy, buy, buy!

stefan the enabler

[JimHow]

Come on David. By the time you're 90 the average life expectancy is going to be over 100.
Buy! Buy like the wind!

[brodway]

this board has been known to promote enabling in times past....i see it hasn't changed. i have a bunch of wines in several carts as well David and hesitating until the day comes when the trigger will be pulled.
Stefan and David, your troubles are over. The solution is quite simple. You can both have your proxies intravenously inject 2010 Bordeaux into your bloodstream until your blood starts to flow like cassis.

[stefan]

Cassis in the arteries! I like it, Emil.