Archive Releases

Neal Martin Scores 2007

Neal Martin began writing an independent website, wine-journal.com in June 2003 that somehow ended up with over 100,000 readers and three years later, his penmanship was requested by the most influential wine critic in the world, Robert Parker.

Please note that Neal's reviews and opinions do not reflect the views of Robert M. Parker or other Wine Advocate writers. They are his own independent views and should be credited accurately.

If you would like to view individual appellations please select one of the headings below.

Pessac-Léognan › Pessac Blanc › Pessac Rouge › Margaux › Saint Julien › Pauillac › Saint Estephe › Saint Emilion › Pomerol › Sauternes

Pessac-Léognan

Pessac Blanc

2007 Château Brown Blanc (90-92).
The nose is a little closed at first, but it reveals a very nuanced nose with hints of lemon curd, orange-blossom and a touch of beeswax. It deserves more time in glass to open up. The palate is a very harmonious entry, good acidity with vibrant citrus fruit. Very well proportioned oak (so far) lending this a very natural balance and a lovely hazelnut and dried lychee tinged finish. Superb. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (92-94).
Coming after Carbonnieux Blanc and Malartic-Lagraviere Blanc, this is far more restrained and neutral on the nose although it does have an engaging river stone quality to it. The palate is very harmonious, relatively introverted and focusing more on the tension and poise than outright Tropicana! Hints of orange-blossom and citrus lemon with faint touches of peach towards the finish. Very focused on the finish. Giving less now but this should be wonderful after bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Haut-Bergey Blanc (92-94).
This has a very attractive nose with apple, honeydew melon, pear and a touch of beeswax. The Semillon component is strong and ripe even though is constitutes just 30% of the blend. The palate is vibrant with lovely grapefruit, citrus lemon, dried lychee flavours. Very good length. You can tell that Patrice went through the vines 2 or 3 times to pick the best fruit. Superb. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Haut Brion Blanc (95-97).
A blend of 45% Semillon and 55% Sauvignon Blanc. Again, this has great delineation on the nose with scents of greengage, lemon curd, chalk dust and white flowers. The palate is very well balanced, a real Burgundy character - Corton-Charlemagne comes to Pessac-Leognan! Real vibrancy, here again that almost sorbet like character – mango, citrus fruits and apricot moving towards a more minerally, chalky finish. Good length. This is a superb wine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Laville Haut-Brion (95-97).
A blend of 83% Semillon and 17% Sauvignon Blanc. Again this has a wonderful vibrant nose of grapefruit, citrus lemon, brioche and a touch of candlewax. Very good delineation. The palate has brilliant delineation and tension with a real sense of minerality. Slightly waxy on the texture with just a hint of honey lacing the citrus fruit with a tang of apricot and orange-blossom. Very good length. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc (91-93).
This has a similar nose to the Carbonnieux Blanc with expressive tropical fruits: guava, mango, apricot and Clementines. Good definition and lift. But the palate at this nascent stage has a little more harmony and cohesion than the aforementioned Carbonnieux with some subtle creamy new oak and great focus on the finish and some ripe peach and even a touch of petrol on the viscous finish. A great wine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pape-Clement Blanc (91-93).
This has a less extrovert tropical nose with notes of mango and passion fruit but married with an underlying sense of minerality and perhaps with great definition. The palate is very well balanced with immense fruit concentration with a tad more creamy new oak than the other wines. Good acidity, racy and spicy towards the petrol and honey tinged finish. Very good length, but you could almost say it is almost trying too hard. Fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc (92-93).
This has an intense nose of lemon cheesecake, pineapple, mango and passion fruit. Superb definition. The palate is very well balanced and very powerful, good acidity and tension with vibrant fruits: lemon, grapefruit, passion fruit and a touch of nectarine. The Semillon/Savignon Gris really makes the wine. Great length – this is lovely. (A second sample had just a little more spice on the finish – but other than that similarly impressive as the Château bottle.) Tasted April 2008.

Pessac Rouge
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2007 Château Haut-Bailly (90-92).
No attack from mildew – July some green harvest. A deep black/purple colour. Good intensity on the nose of plum-scented fruit with blackberries and raspberries. Very clean and ripe with good minerality. Lovely silky tannins on the palate, full-bodied, lovely mouthfeel, quite floral. Good delineation, blackberries, briary and boysenberry. Lighter on the finish but the aftertaste is evidence of the fine, physiologically ripe tannins. Touches of cedar on the finish. Very feminine for Haut-Bailly and one that should build nicely by the time of bottling.Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Haut-Brion (93-94).
A blend of 43% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc. Like many wines of the vintage, this is loath to reveal its aromas upon first sniff and demands coaxing. Certainly there is a lot of richness with blackberries, crème de cassis, a touch of black olives and oyster shell. Perhaps it does not quite have the supreme focus of La Mission. I am taken more by the palate than the nose. Very pure ripe fruits, seamless tannins, sensuous, quite a ravishing Haut-Brion that is more precocious than many others. This is either going to turn out one degree over-ripe or perhaps the best of the First Growths? I look forward to finding out. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion (93-95).
A blend of 43% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc. A deep garnet core – very clear. The nose is very polished with a certain degree of opulence about it this year. Blackberries, bilberries, liqueur de cassis. Good definition. This really changes in the glass after 15 minutes – much more of the crème de cassis. Just a gorgeous palate – that opulent theme running through but with a certain symmetry reminiscent of the 2005 (yes it is almost that good...but not quite!). Svelte, silky smooth and harmonious but clam up towards the tannic, savoury-tinged finish. There is a seamlessness to this La Mission - a great success in context. Tasted April 2008.

2007 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion (88-90).
A blend of 64% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. A lucid purple/garnet colour. The nose displays moderate intensity, quite reserved at first pouring although there appears to be more fruit concentration that in recent years, possibly because of the addition of fruit from late La Tour Haut-Brion. With a few swirls it becomes richer with scents of blackberry, black plum with some a touch of liquorice. The palate is full-bodied, quite spicy and rich, a more decadent second wine of La Mission, with touches of pain grille, blueberries and blackcurrant towards the finish. It probably does not have the finesse it could potentially achieve although it compensate with a certain lusciousness rare in this vintage. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pape Clément (91-93).
This has a very fine nose – not over-extracted like some other Pessac reds but intense with good delineation and clarity: blackberry, cedar and smoke. The palate is well balanced, good fruit concentration and acidity with an ripe, intense, streamlined finish of blackberry and raspberry leaf. Very primal, but I like the focus and the energy in this Pape-Clement. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge (90-92).
This has a very upfront nose and in a completely bizarre way reminds me of some of the Central Otago Pinot Noirs that I was tasting in New Zealand a few weeks before – all those black cherries, Doris plum but here infused with a little cedar and there in the background a touch of mango sorbet. Medium-bodied, very fine tannins and focus – this is Smith Haut Lafitte showing its refined nature with just a touch of tar on the finish. Perhaps rather stoic and foursquare at this age but good potential. Tasted April 2008.

Margaux
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2007 Château Dauzac (90-91).
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. One of my favourite Margaux, this does not disappoint in a more difficult vintage. The nose is well-defined with notes of blackberry, raspberry leaf and cedar. This is well balanced, very well defined and natural with crisp black fruits, a touch of cedar and briary. Crisp, tense finish. Just a lovely little Margaux. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Giscours (85-87).
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. This is showing some greenness on the nose and lacks some vigour. The palate is medium-bodied, a little herbaceous with some under-ripeness on the finish. Perhaps this will make a lighter, earlier drinking Margaux, but you will have to abide by some green fruit. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Kirwan (85-87).
A deep bright purple colour. The nose is a little over-ripe with raisin and black cherry notes laced with a touch of prune. The palate is full-bodied with chewy tannins – it lacks finesse whilst the finish is very disjointed compared to others, the oak not so well integrated into the fabric of the wine at this early stage. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Lascombes (87-89).
This has another one of those very Burgundian nose with some black cherries, cedar and well-integrated vanillary new oak. Very good delineation. The palate has a lot of fruit concentration but it is rather smothered in oak at the moment. Perhaps a little overdone? It lacks a little freshness and tension on the finish. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Malescot Saint-Exupery (85-87).
Again, this has a distinctive nose, something quite briny suffusing the black, vanillary fruit. Touches of black cherries and briary. The palate is better, good fruit concentration and firm tannins, a little oaky towards the very dry finish. Quite masculine for a Margaux. Rather foursquare and conservative. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Margaux (93-95).
A bright garnet core. The nose is more bashful than in previous years, blackberry, and wild hedgerow and again there is something of the sea about it: shellfish or even kelp. The palate is absolutely gorgeous upon the entry with very fine tannins, great finesse and purity. The Cabernet has good degree of ripeness, a slight saltiness in the middle, combined with an undercurrent of forest floor and cedar. On the surface a simple Château Margaux comparative to recent vintages, but with patience there are certainly nuances to this wine. The finish is very long, much more linear that the 2006 but perhaps with greater length. Usually Château Margaux shows its colours even at this nascent stage, but this time, you will have to wait until after bottling to see the true wine. Look forward to that! Tasted April 2008.

2007 Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux (88-90).
A deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is lacking a little definition and brightness (perhaps due to the miserable weather when tasting?) Brambly black fruits, a touch of wild hedgerow and a little earth. The palate is very clean on the entry, well defined with a slight grainy texture. Compact, perhaps a little earthier than usual, more tertiary but the finish has not so much a great depth, but a tangible succulence to it, whilst finishing with a sprinkle of white pepper. Moderate length. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux (90-92).
This is a delicate, well-defined nose, less gregarious than their huge Pavillon Blanc of last year. As always, it smells as if there is Semillon in the blend. The palate is very well balanced with good nervosité with notes of lemon curd, apricot, crème brulee and pear. Good length and poise with a quasi-Burgundian like finish and tinned pineapple on the aftertaste. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Palmer (91-93).
A deep purple/garnet core. The nose is very backward at first, but there is good fruit intensity and no sign of any under-ripeness. Good selection here. Blackberry, a touch of kirsch and violets. The palate is an understated entry, but do not let this fool you because there are certainly some robust tannins here married with some earthy blackberry fruits, a touch of sea salt with a cedary, tobacco infused finish which is more Cabernet than usual. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Alter Ego de Palmer (89-90).
This has a very attractive nose with ripe, bright black fruits laced with a little mocha and espresso. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine grainy tannins. Good acidity, a nice savoury aspect to the wine this year with nice build towards a dense finish with touches of roasted herbs. It does not have the length of a great Alter Ego, but it certainly has the delineation and the breeding. Very crisp on the dry masculine finish. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Prieuré-Lichine (86-88).

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. This has a sweet nose, perhaps a little chaptalized? Tobacco and cedar notes coming through. The palate is just showing a little too much oak at the moment, but there is decent fruit concentration, no signs of greenness with a tannic finish. Not bad. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Rauzan-Gassies (88-89).
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This does have some under-ripeness on the nose with blackberries and a touch of espresso. The palate is a little disjointed (perhaps rather chaptalized?) but it has some nice vanillary oak coming though on the dry, slightly peppery finish. Ten years ago, this would be awful but now…a nice little Margaux wine to savour in its early years. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Rauzan-Ségla (92-94).
This takes time to wake up in the glass so I give it five minute to evolve. It has one of the few sensuous Left Bank noses with ripe raspberry, wild strawberry and a touch of oyster shell. Very well defined. The palate is very cohesive with physiologically ripe tannins with notes of ripe raspberry, minerals and a touch of mulberry. Almost Burgundian on the sumptuous finish. Very classy. Tasted April 2008.

Saint Julien
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2007 Château Beychevelle (91-93).
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. A ripe nose of black cherries, liquorice and a touch of raisin. The palate is impressive – good fruit concentration with no signs of under-ripeness. Physiologically ripe tannins, good acidity and very good weight. Classic cedary fruit, firm structure, focused with dense toasty black fruit on the grippy finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Branaire-Ducru (87-89).
A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It has a ripe nose of black cherries, raspberry and an almost sorbet like quality, although it is lacking a little delineation with a baked red cherry becoming stronger. Modern in style, a lot of new oak predominating lending it a smooth, cohesive feel although more difficult to discern that fruit at this stage. Good ripeness, although it is just a little monotonous compared to others. Hopefully it will gain more complexity by time of bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Ducru Beaucaillou (92-94).
A dark purple/garnet colour. Again, very pure on the nose, hints of rose petals, raspberry, red cherries – again very refined. This is an excellent Ducru – very fine tannins, very cohesive, not dissimilar to Las-Cases, certainly much more refined than in recent years. Svelte, silky smooth and very seductive. Nice grip on the finish. Good effort this year, a touch better than the 2006. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Croix de Beaucaillou (89-90).
A dark garnet/purple colour. This has a tight but attractive blackberry and raspberry nose with good definition. This is a very nice Croix de Beaucaillou: no signs of any greenness, very harmonious texture, rounded supple tannins with a real sense of focus. Quite feminine, despite the percentage of Cabernet – I guess due to the fineness of the tannin. Silky, off-dry, tobacco tinged finish. Good length. Very fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Gruaud Larose (89-91).
A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot and no Malbec with 50% malolactic in new barrels. It has a lighter but well defined nose with a lifted cedar component complemented by blackberries and wild hedgerow. The palate is medium-bodied with a slight sappy feel to it, saturated tannins, not as complicated as other Saint Julien wines, but it is undeniably drinkable – a "delicious" Saint Julien with a slight saltiness on the finish. Fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Lagrange (90-92).
A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot with 12% pressed wine. The nose is unusually tight for this Château Lagrange. Blackberry, cedar with a hint of red cherry. But the palate is much more expressive and full-bodied with touches of spice, blackberry, lots of cedar and assertive but not abrasive tannins on the finish. Very good persistency on the finish. Very fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Langoa Barton (90-91).
A blend of 77.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 7.5% Cabernet Franc. This has a ripe blackberry, violet tinged nose that is perhaps lacking the clarity and vigour that it often shows at this stage. A touch of seashells become apparent in the glass. The palate is full-bodied, quite sinewy comparative to other Saint Juliens with good concentration and purity of fruit with no signs of under-ripeness. The Langoa 2007 has a persistent finish with good depth and focus with blackberry and cedar to the fore. Very fine, as usual. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Léoville Barton (90-91).
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. This seems lighter on the nose than Langoa Barton, but it has greater delineation and lift with notes of blackberry, cedar, wild hedgerow and a touch of black plum. The palate is medium-bodied, well-balanced with ripe tannins. Very cohesive and harmonious with a great clarity and focus on the elegant finish. Very natural. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Léoville Las-Cases (94-95).
A very deep purple/garnet hue. The nose is very closed at first, with scents of black cherries, blackcurrant, cassis, violets and a faint hint of blood orange. The palate is full-bodied, very well-balanced with incredibly pure fruits. Filigree tannins, cohesive, superb weight and here, one of the few wines with that peacock's tail of flavours on the finish, really lingering to reveal hidden nuances. Lush black cherries, vanilla, blueberries and again that tang of sweet, juicy blood orange. Great length. A wily, feminine Las-Cases. Très bon. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Clos du Marquis (91-92).
This is very tight on the nose this year, far more introverted than either the 2005 or 2006 Clos du Marquis. Blackberries, a touch of violets and oyster shell. The palate is impressive – very good fruit concentration, very pure and focused with a lovely caressing silky texture. Opulent towards the finish, this is great success for the vintage. Good length and persistency. Irresistible. Tasted April 2008.

Pauillac
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2007 Château Clerc Milon (89-91).
This is strange because Clerc Milon tastes more like d'Armailhac and vice versa. The nose is very ripe, for me, lacking the delineation and vigour of d'Armailhac with notes of summer fruits, a touch of fresh prune plus a hint of shellfish. The palate is medium-bodied, very cohesive with physiologically ripe tannins. After five minutes in glass the nose begins reverting back to the normal Clerc-Milon – less ripe but the Cabernet becoming more pronounced. The palate is very fine texture with notes of blackberry, blueberry and a touch of Doris plum on the crisp, clean finish. Again, classy, perhaps a little mercurial at this primordial stage, but an interesting Clerc-Milon. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Grand Puy-Lacoste (88-90).
Cropped at 40hl/ha and tasted at the Château, I was just a little underwhelmed by this wine, perhaps in part because I was so smitten with last year's 2006. A deep garnet hue. The nose has modest intensity with blackcurrant leaf, a touch of shellfish and a little iodine that turns into bouquets of violets with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, very foursquare, very Pauillac with its tobacco flavours and dry, almost earthy finish. I hope this has sufficient fruit concentration because the finish is rather attenuated and dry. Missing the joie-de-vivre of its proprietor this year? Look forward to re-tasting this closer to bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Lafite Rothschild (92-94).
A deep, black/purple colour. The nose is very smooth and seductive with potent ripe black fruits and carefully interwoven new oak that should see the aromatics blossom after bottling. Excellent delineation, touches of cherry liqueur, burnt toast and crushed violets developing in the glass. Much more feminine for Lafite at this primordial stage. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, harmonious with great focus and delineation. A seductive quality to this Lafite, a vintage that wants to seduce from birth, an exoticism that one rarely finds at this early stage. It does not quite have the weight and persistency of a great vintage Lafite, but it compensates with crispness and tension. Fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Carruades de Lafite (89-91).
This is quite woody on the nose, with a touch of burnt toast lacing the black fruits. Sous-bois characteristics becoming more evident with time. The palate is medium-bodied, very fine tannins, very harmonious with crisp blackberry, a touch of iodine and black cherries. The finish is incredibly smooth and seductive with more noticeable new oak than in previous vintages. To be honest, this is not that far below the Grand Vin this year. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Latour (90-92).
The Latour 2007 includes 15% pressed wine, the most since 1999. Limpid purple/garnet core with pink rim. An attractive nose, thematically following the Les Forts de Latour with a certain femininity with an attractive brightness. Excellent delineation. Builds nicely in the glass when I return to it after ten minutes developing a slight briny note, almost oyster shell quality. The palate is full-bodied, firm robust tannins, not the fruit intensity of previous vintages, again a rather stripped down Latour but still with excellent balance and very focused. Graphite, cedar and smoke towards the finish that is drier finish than usual. A difficult Latour to warm to. Another wine that I will seek to taste closer to bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Les Forts de Latour (88-90).
Including 8.5% pressed wine. Very deep purple/garnet core with pink rim. A lighter nose than usual, like the Pauillac de Latour there is fine definition, a certain femininity and gracefulness about the nose, almost akin to a Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied, good acidity with fine tannins. There is not the volume of previous Les Forts de Latour, this is certainly more streamlined, perhaps a stripped down version of the 2005. Very Cabernet dominated on the finish with touches of pencil lead and cedar, cigar box on the aftertaste. Fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Lynch Bages (91-93).
This has good concentration on the nose with blackberry, cedar, vanilla and raspberry. Good lift and definition. Medium-bodied, excellent fruit concentration and a real brightness to it. No signs of any greenness, very fine tannins, this is a more feminine Lynch Bages with great focus and deftness of touch. Pure blackberry, cedar and blueberry finish. Good length. Excellent Lynch-Bages that could merit a higher score after bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Mouton Rothschild (94-96).
Upon first pouring – very little. But after five minutes it develops quite a precocious nose with ripe blackberries, a touch of dark chocolate, smoke and sous-bois. Very well defined. The palate is full-bodied with firm, dense, ripe tannins; very harmonious and excellent delineation. It does not have the depth of a great Mouton-Rothschild, but it is very focused with a much more reserved than usual finish with crisp blackberry, briary, cedar and a touch of black plum. What I like is the lingering aftertaste that exhibits great purity and refinement. Bon Vin – one of the finest Mouton's of recent years. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Le Petit Mouton (89-91).
Although I left the wine in the glass for over five minutes – the nose still comes across just a little over-ripe and lacking some delineation. Black cherries, raspberry and a touch of tangerine. The palate is better, some nice grippy tannins, off-dry, very good delineation and focus, the finish adorned with crisp blackberry, cedar and a touch of tobacco. Lovely Cabernet here. Fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pichon Baron (90-92).
Cropped at 34hl/ha, this has a deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is very closed at first but begins to show some attractive oyster shell aromas interwoven with the cedary black fruits. Something of estuarine about it: cockle sheds? The palate has good acidity, fine tannins, very tight, perhaps lacking a little depth but good acidity and clarity on the finish. Supple and engaging – a "correct" Pichon-Baron. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Les Tourelles de Longueville (87-89).
Comes consistently from a 14-hectare parcel of vines behind the Château. A rounded nose of black cherries, cassis and just a faint hint of dried orange peel. The palate is medium-bodied, firm tannins, a little black pepper splashed over quite a fleshy texture. Linear towards the slightly chewy finish. It should be most agreeable by bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pichon Lalande (90-92+).
A bright purple colour. The nose is rather compact, slightly lean with notes of blackberry, Morello, smoke and a stalky element. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins more noticeable compared to previous vintages, with blackberry, earth, graphite and a touch of iodine. The finish has a little more weight, but like other Pauillacs it is rather mean on the finish at first, although with time in glass it gains more cohesion and reveals some fine tannins and great purity of fruit. A delicate peppery quality towards the finish. I have a feeling this could turn around and surprise me because the longer it stays in the glass, the better it becomes. But for the moment I will be prudent with my score. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Reserve de la Comtesse (88-90).
There is a touch of greenness on the nose. Well-defined, inviting but not exactly a giving bouquet. A hint of shellfish develops in the glass after just a couple of minutes. The palate is medium-bodied, good fruit concentration and acidity, nice cohesion with good weight towards the finish. Like the Bernadotte, the Merlot content is lending this wine an attractive roundness and although the finish does not have great depth or persistency, it has a caressing texture that is most endearing. This will make find drinking over ten years although I hope the nose evolves more complexity during barrel maturation. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pontet Canet (94-96).
A deep garnet core with pink rim. Like Cos d'Estournel, there is almost a Burgundian sense of fruit intensity on the nose. At first – reticent - but give it a few swirls of the glass and a little patience there are aromas of ripe blackberries, a touch of mulberry, damson and a hint of fresh fig. One of the few wines to demonstrate some opulence. The palate is full-bodied, very concentrated with intense blackberries, raspberry, Morello and mouth-coating tannins (almost more than any other wine – including the First Growths!) Huge grip and persistency but married with great purity and delineation. This has soft mouthfeel towards the finish, perhaps just lacking the peacock fan of flavours that a great vintage such as 2005 would show, but very long and sensuous with a touch of spice lingering on the exceptionally long aftertaste. A complete wine and a great success for the vintage. Tasted April 2008.

Saint Estephe
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2007 Château Cos d'Estournel (94-95).
Coming after the Deuxieme Vin, the nose is far more backward and closed but there is very good fruit intensity here with blackberries, black cherries, violets and again, that tang of orange sorbet that shows the ripeness here. The palate is full-bodied, very good ripeness again with bright black fruits laced with touches of black cherry, orange zest and an engaging citrus freshness towards the finish. This is an unequivocal success for the vintages, certainly one of the best wines. Good grip on the off-dry finish. Superb. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Les Pagodes de Cos (91-93).
A dark garnet core with limpid pink rim. The is something almost Burgundian on the nose, a touch of greenness at first but that dissipates with just a few swirls of the glass. Good definition and lift. This is a very fine nose for Les Pagodes. It develops aromas of apricots and blood oranges with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, very good ripeness, lovely sense of tension as on La Goulée. Very fine definition with lively, very bright, floral fruits on the finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Montrose (91-93).
A limpid purple/garnet colour. I prefer this nose to the 2006 Montrose at en primeur last year. The fruit is clean, well-defined but tightly coiled. Unfurls nicely in the glass, some lovely ripe Cabernet Sauvignon here with a touch of tobacco. The Grand Vin displays a nice balance, good acidity, clean fruit, tight and perhaps rather linear. This is a Montrose not daring to take too many chances but succeeding in terms of creating a well poised, lighter wine that rather than being made to impress, is made to impart pleasure. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Les Ormes de Pez (88-90).
A dark garnet colour. The nose has good fruit concentration, blackberry, violets and a touch of spice. Nice lift. The palate is full-bodied, grainy tannins, grippy with a leafy, slightly herbaceous core. But certainly harmonious, good depth and persistency with a firm grip towards the finish. Blackberry infused with tobacco and cedar. Good wine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château de Pez (90-92).
A deep black/garnet colour. The nose is reticent and giving very little away although it develops a slight meaty/earthy character with time in glass. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe tannins, good acidity, with impressive cohesion and weight. It appears to have more flesh and fruit intensity than Pichon Lalande! This is a very good wine with a refined finish with notes of black cherries, oyster shell and a touch of cassis. Probably the most feminine de Pez I have encountered. Bon vin. Tasted April 2008.

Saint Emilion
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2007 Château L'Angélus (93-95)
This has a very deep concentrated nose, broody black fruits, a touch of graphite, the Merlot dominating at the moment at the Cabernet Franc more in the background. Again this is a great Saint Emilion with excellent structure and delineation, a real tension running through from start to finish. Very good weight with touches of graphite, blackberry with a hint of steaming black coffee on the aftertaste. This is another superb, very pure Angelus. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Ausone (94-96)
A deep black/purple colour. Like many other wines, the nose is quite taciturn at first, but it unfurls just like the Cheval Blanc to reveal some lovely pure blackberries, briary and bilberry. Very good definition and sense of minerality. This has immense concentration, very ripe black fruit and no evidence of any greenness at all. Lovely texture and focus, sappy finish. Great length, minerals all over the show. Excellent. Tasted April 2008.

2007 La Chapelle d'Ausone (91-93)
A very fine nose, but more closed than usual (possibly because of the overcast conditions) with blackberry, minerals and a touch of oyster shells. The palate is medium-bodied, fine ripe tannins, pure blackberry, cassis and a touch of blueberry with a silky finish a la Moulin St. Georges. Very fine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Beauséjour Bécot (90-92)
This has an attractive, smoky, well-defined nose with red-berried fruits and wild hedgerow. The palate is medium-bodied with attractive silky filigree tannins. Some prudent wine-making here, certainly feminine and light but very well balanced, harmonious and fresh. A very good Saint Emilion – chapeau! Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Bellevue (91-92)
The last vintage to be made by Stephan Derenoncourt, this includes 98% Merlot. The nose is very perfumed and floral with Burgundian Pinot aromas with just a touch of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied, very fine tannins, good focus and such engaging purity you could drink now. Silky and very refined. Excellent. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Bellevue-Mondotte (92-93)
Well, not as over-the-top as the 2006, but the nose is still overdone for me, with black cherries, raspberries coulis, a touch of limestone and blackberry leaf. The palate is very tannic, but I think better balanced and with greater delineation than in previous vintages. Blackberries, minerals, loganberries with a certain minerality towards the finish. Very backward and primal, but certainly I warm to this much more than recent vintages. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Cheval Blanc (93-95)
The Cheval Blanc has a deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is reticent at first, it definitely needs time so wait 3 minutes and it unfurls some attractive earthy aromas with tobacco becoming ever-stronger with time. The palate is very intense, superb acidity and what I really like about this year's Cheval is the tension in the wine (a while since I mentioned that at en primeur.) This Cheval Blanc has a sense of urgency that I adore. Very well defined on the finish – masculine, almost Cabernet Sauvignon in quality but I think this is one of the few 2007's with long-term potential. Great wine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Figeac (91-93)
I like this nose: well defined, some lovely, delicate notes of red cherry, boysenberry, blackberry and a touch of wet sand. Tobacco becoming more intense. Medium-bodied, much more harmonious and refined than usual with fine, filigree tannin. A more feminine, composed Figeac with great purity and lively red-berried fruits, wild strawberry and cherry on the finish. It seems more Merlot than usual (although 40%). Good length. Very fine for the vintage. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Fombrauge (90-92)
The nose has good definition and avoids any over-extraction. Blackberries, cherries and wild strawberry – nice lift. The palate is well-defined, focused and elegant with good acidity. Fresh and vibrant with a floral, cherry infused finish. I like! Tasted April 2008.

Pomerol
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2007 Château Certan-de-May (92-94)
The 2007 Certan-de-May has a very attractive lift on the nose with pure black fruits, macerated black cherries and plum. Good fruit concentration. Full-bodied palate, chewy tannins, excellent fruit concentration and purity with a forceful, weighty finish. There is real succulence here. Certainly at the top of the Pomerol tree. Great wine. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Clinet (89-91)
A deep purple/black colour. A rich plum-scented nose, with cassis and a touch of violets. Moderate definition. This is not bad at all: those dense saturated tannins that are the trademark of young Clinet but good balance and fruit intensity, not overblown or overripe, furry finish with blackberries, cassis and a touch of Doris plum. Moderate length with just a little dryness. Hopefully this will put on a little flesh in barrel. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Clos l'Eglise (92-94)
This is much lighter on the nose for Clos l'Eglise but in thus doing so retains good definition and freshness, with touches of roasted herbs, thyme and some attractive boysenberry fruit evolving in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, good purity of fruit and very good poise. Black cherries, earthy, tar and a touch of graphite towards the finish. This is a great success for Clos l'Eglise. In the words of Borat: "I like" but you can do the accent yourself. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château La Conseillante (91-93)
The nose is very backward with a very savoury, coffee-scented nose. It almost seems under-ripe at first – but it is not. The palate is tannic, very well balanced and delineation with no signs of greenness. Nice grip, grainy, bright blackberry and raspberry with a touch of plum towards the finish. Very focused and great length. Shows its breeding in a difficult vintage. A quietly impressive Pomerol, one that should gain a higher score after bottling. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château L'Eglise-Clinet (93-95)
Harvested between 19th and 26th September, a blend of 85% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. Two samples presented by Denis Durantou, the first made on 28th March. The nose is lacking a little intensity after a few days with blackberry, wild hedgerow, a slight clayey component. The palate shows immense concentration with tense, tightly coiled black fruits and great sense of minerality. The second sample (1st April) has more intensity and lift on the nose, here with more of a damson, mulberry component; more rounded and harmonious in the mouth, the tannins more defined and with a natural sense of balance. Great clarity and focus with a persistent finish of blackcurrant leaf, briary and minerals. Wonderful. Tasted April 2008.

2007 La Petite Eglise (90-92)
This has a beguilingly crisp, well-defined nose: pellucid and lifted. Blackberry leaf, raspberry and a touch of clay. Very fine tannins, superb balance, lovely crispness and femininity – it is superior to many a Grand Vins! Great tension on the finish, a great sense of minerality. Although this has just had one month in barrel, it will be ridiculously good for the vintage. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château L'Evangile (93-95)
A dark purple/garnet core. This has a very attractive nose with blackberries, plum with a Burgundian sensibility. Smooth tannins on the palate with very good structure – this is a really seductive L'Evangile with lots of vibrancy and freshness. What really distinguishes it is the harmony right on the very finish with a touch of dark chocolate and mocha lingering on the aftertaste. Certainly one of the best Pomerols. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Lafleur (94-96)
A deep garnet colour. The nose needs some time in glass, but it develops beautifully, certainly with a natural sense of ripeness rather than the more ersatz raisin and prune notes found on some Right Bank wines. Baked red cherries, sous-bois, a touch of green pepper from the Cabernet Franc. Very fine delineation. The most immediately striking thing is the fineness of the tannins and the density and harmony of this Lafleur. Very focused, probably more so than the 2006. Very good weight with notes of blackberry, raspberry and a hint of mocha. Very smooth on the finish, great length. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Château Pétrus (93-94)
This has a surprisingly light nose for Petrus. It wakes up after 2-3 minutes with some attractive brambly fruit, Doris plum and a touch of dried orange peel. The palate is much better; very good fruit concentration, superb balance with lovely grainy tannins. Very natural and defined with notes of blackberry leaf, briary, a touch of earth. After five minutes it begins to show its breeding. Great persistency towards the finish whilst the nose begins to coalesce. Needs patience – but worth it! Tasted April 2008.

2007 Le Pin (92-93)
This is another wine with a very Burgundian nose (although Le Pin often adopts a Burgundian persona.) Red cherries, wild strawberries, more earthiness than in previous vintages, perhaps more introspective compared to how the 2006 was showing this time last year. Medium-bodied, a little rough round the edges but that lends the wine a sharpness and in a sense, more of a rustic personality. Bilberry and boysenberry towards the finish, very linear but there is an unerring sense of precision to this year's Le Pin, though it does not have the length of the previous two vintages. Silky finish. Very promising. Tasted April 2008.

2007 Vieux Château Certan (90-91)
The nose has good intensity, with ripe black cherry, boysenberry and that slight clayey scent that I found in some of Denis Durantou's wines. With time, a stony aroma become evident. The palate is medium-bodied, well-defined, the Cabernet Franc component exerting more an influence at this early stage. Texturally similar to L'Eglise-Clinet, but with a slight animally note towards the finish that moves towards an espresso flavour. Very good length although of course it does not have the weight and persistency of either the 2005 or 2006 on the finish. Still a very fine wine. Tasted April 2008.

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: Sauternes 2007

So, you glanced at the scores for Bordeaux 2007 reds, but long ago decided to give them a miss, right? Thought so. But before leaving the vintage completely orphaned, do spend a couple of minutes perusing the Sauternes because following the trend of 1967 and 1997, 2007 turned out to be a golden year for these mellifluous, criminally over-looked wines that tend to leave a sticky smile on your face.

Let's get this straight: the 2007 vintage is not quite as consistent as the last great Sauternes vintage, 2001, although there are stylistic semblances: lighter wines imbued with nervosité and tension rather than fat globs of botrytized fruit. After a cool rainy summer, the weather turned volte-face and spared them the deluge of rain at the end of August. A protracted harvest ensued with a small quantity of fresh, shrivelled grapes picked in September, then greater humidity and temperatures in the first ten days of October precipitated more botrytized fruit for the 3rd or 4th tries, though some berries still lacked the concentration, the "rôti" character of great Sauternes. Fortunately a high-pressure system arrived on 11th October, bringing 24 warm, sunny days and cool nights so that mid- to late-October formed the heart of the harvest, similar to 2001. Mother Nature had blessed Sauternes, but only at the last throw of the dice.

I tasted the Sauternes wines in a private tasting rather than the UGC, though one must remember that the samples were not the final blends, but very close approximations to them. This was complemented by tastings of separate lots at several Châteaux including d'Yquem and Climens. It would come as no surprise to find these two names at the apex of quality. It was the latter, Château Climens 2007, tasted in several lots and micro-blends with Bérénice Lurton, that provoked tears of pleasure and awe-struck silence: probably the wine of the vintage. The bouquet is just heavenly with a captivating sense of minerality, but its brilliance lays in the fact that its 150-160gms/L of residual sugar is barely perceptible, such is its bewitching balance and purity. It crystallizes everything you love about Sauternes.

The Château d'Yquem 2007 is undeniably a fabulous Sauternes, although I would not go so far as to suggest it is a "perfect" Yquem as might be suggested. That would do disservice to the ethereal Château d'Yquem 2001, although their 2007 has ambitions towards its elder sibling. The harvest stretched over two months with most of the fruit picked between 12th and 30th October at 22 degrees potential. The resulting wine has 130gms/L residual sugar, endowed with a honeyed bouquet with brilliant delineation, the palate enhancing the nervosité that characterizes the best wines of this vintage, with a sublime luxuriant, peachy, honeyed palate with a hint of quince towards the vibrant finish.

But Sauternes is surfeit with comparatively unheralded Châteaux, many of whom produced some wonderful elixirs in 2007. In particular, Barsac pulled out all the stops. Château Nairac 2007 is producing crisper, less weighty wine than before but with greater purity and tension and Nicolas Tari's orange-blossom scented wine is packed with more joie-de-vivre than a coach of schoolgirls off to summer camp. Château Doisy-Daëne 2007 has a gorgeous honeydew melon and apple-blossom infused nose, the peachy palate with wonderful focus on the finish, whilst Château Doisy-Védrines 2007 is perhaps the real over-achiever, ranking alongside the exceptional wines produced in the late-80's and again, it is the sense of poise and delineation that really sets its apart. Of course, you cannot ignore the outrageously decadent L'Extravagant de Doisy-Daëne 2007, but this is a vintage where it is not necessary to pay a premium for a deluxe cuvée.

A couple of lesser-known names that deserve a mention: Château de Myrat 2007, who after a turbulent early nineties is finally achieving great success and Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey 2007, the tiny 12-hectare estate that partially adjoins Yquem with its rich, slightly yeasty, marmalade-tinged Sauternes. Bravo to both.

The best Sauternes wines are so exquisitely balanced, come with such concentration and acidity, that they will undoubtedly outlive their dry red counterparts by years, probably decades. I sincerely hope that consumers recognize their intrinsic quality, the Herculean effort that goes into creating them, wines that will surely complement the greatest 2000 or 2005 red Bordeaux. Assuming you are in the frame of mind to forego your allocation of First Growth or cult Pomerol this year, just think what Sauternes you can buy instead.

N.B. Some samples were too primal or the assemblage too incomplete to appraise at this stage and were not scored.

2007 Climens (98-100)
2007 Doisy Daene L'Extravagant (97-98)
2007 Château d'Yquem (96-98)
2007 Doisy-Vedrines (94-96)
2007 Chateau de Fargues (94-96)
2007 Doisy Daene (94-96)
2007 Nairac (94-96)
2007 Coutet (93-95)
2007 Myrat (92-94)
2007 Raymond-Lafon (92-94)
2007 Guiraud (92-94)
2007 Clos Haut Peyraguey (92-94)
2007 Rieussec (92-94)
2007 Sigalas Rabaud (91-93)
2007 De Suduiraut (91-93)
2007 Lafaurie-Peyraguey (91-93)
2007 Rayne-Vigneau (91-93)
2007 Chateau de Malle (89-91)
2007 De Veyres (88-90)
2007 Bastor-Lamontagne (88-90)
2007 Rabaud-Promis (88-90)

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