Jancis Robinson

Graves and Pessac-Léognan Reds › Dry White › St-Émilion › Pomerol › Margaux › St-Julien › Pauillac › St-Estephe › Sweet Whites

Graves and Pessac-Léognan Reds

Ch Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16- Drink 2018-2028
Rather simple ripe fruit aromas. Lots of gas, sweetness but no great intensity. A tiny bit scrawny.

Ch de Chantegrive 2010 Graves 16 Drink 2018-2026
Dark purple and glowing. Burly with some autumnal notes not commonly found in 2010. A little softer and lower in acid than most 2010s. A bit tarry. Lacks Graves freshness. Though it doesn’t lack 2010 tannin, which, with lower acid, becomes more prominent. Not sure about the balance here.

Dom de Chevalier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17.5+ Drink 2018-2032
Dark crimson. So racy and inky, mineral and sinewy. Chewy. SO youthful! Racy and sinewy. Lively, fragrant. Mouth filling and vibrant though it has yet to evolve much character but the balance seems promising. Acid dominates tannin here.

Ch de Fieuzal 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2034
Lustrous purple. Great polish and energy. Really very glorious. Here they have not been scared by the acidity and the balance seems about right. Very fresh and Gravesy.

Ch Haut-Bailly 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2022-2032
Blackish crimson. Really savoury, well integrated, interesting-already nose. Then a bit inky on the palate at the moment. Medium bodied and very Cabernet. Needs lots of time. A dry wine, be warned. Classical stuff.

Ch Haut-Bergey 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2018-2028
Almost cheesy nose. And the fruit does not seem as fresh as most, as though it were made a little more oxidatively than some? Drying tannins on the finish.

Ch Haut-Brion, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2032
52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Very bright blueish purple. Lighter nose than Chapelle La Mission but very refined and aromatic. Drawing-room refinement, really quite spindly. All frame and not much flesh at the moment. Very, very dry on the finish. There is even a hint of green. Will need quite a time to broaden out. 14.4%

Ch Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18++ Drink 2028-2045
23% Merlot, 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. 7,800 cases, not 10,000+ as in 2009. 42% grand vin (compared with 57% in 2009). Full, opulent nose in which the classic Haut-Brion aroma is well masked by lots of slightly austere fruit. Very fine tannins – very drying finish. An extremely slow burner. Much drier than La Mission, and at the moment not desperately expressive. Its lips are pursed at the moment, and so are mine tasting it. Unusual to come across such a long-term wine even here. This may not make a massive impact en primeur because it is keeping so much in reserve. I think it will eventually make a great wine but it’s surly at the moment. 14.6%

Ch Larrivet Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17+ Drink 2020-2035
Blackish and shiny. Meaty, yeast-extract notes on the nose. Sweet, rather opulent start to the palate and then it is all drawn together into a rather dry finish. Ambitious! Lots of winemaking here, but to good effect. A very dramatic wine for a Pessac-Léognan. But not painful to taste…

Ch Latour-Martillac 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark purple. Intense mulberry notes on the nose. Rather cool on the palate with lots of acidity. Very chewy finish. Quite demanding and minerally on the palate – but the character of the vintage… Assertive wine that is not trying to ape fuller-bodied styles. Only medium body.

Ch La Louvière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2035
Very dark crimson. Light, slightly green nose. Then sweet start to the palate, much less obvious tannin than most. Distinctive. A comfortable pair of old slippers...? No great persistence. But very well mannered. A bit astringent on the finish for now but very well made.

Ch Malartic Lagravière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2030
Blackish crimson. Obviously lots of alcohol. Raw meat and putty on the nose – attention grabbing! Quite fresh on the palate and well sculpted. Fine tannins. Pretty subtle dry wine. Racy and not fat. A well-mannered guest at the dinner table, methinks. Acidity dominates tannins.

Ch La Mission Haut-Brion, La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2018-2028
17% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc. Dark lustrous crimson. Ripe sumptuous, top-quality nose. Very sumptuous and almost forward. Only on the end is one aware of the tannin and acidity. Very polished tannins until a slight stringiness on the finish betrays that this is not the grand vin. Chewy finish. But the fruit just goes on and on. Really pretty special stuff, apparently plumped out a bit. Will we see a third wine then?! 14.8%

Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18 Drink 2025-2040
37% Merlot, 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc. 47% grand vin (compared to 50% in 2009). Very deep crimson – glowing. Scented and really quite muted and even austere on the nose. And then very fleshy and even rather gorgeous on the palate. Wonderfully refined tannins and quite broad fruit but there is a nub of something a little green in the fruit itself? Demanding on the taster – not least because this will need long ageing. Nothing hot about this. Great freshness and sweetness. The acidity nicely counterbalances the alcohol. 15.1%

Ch Olivier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2017-2026
Exceptionally deep crimson. I tasted one rather tired sample in the UGC blind tasting of this appellation which showed a lack of focus and fruit on the palate. Shame. A second sample deliberately tasted later, non blind though, had been taken four days previously and again seemed a little overdone on the nose but had lovely freshness on the palate – before some fine tannin tightness on the end. Very sweet, pronounced finish.

Ch Pape Clément 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark with even a hint of brown. Direct and leathery on the nose. Then very sweet – almost right-bank sweetness – but then it returns to acidity and fine tannin. A dramatic even if not-that-comfortable wine. Almost too drying on the finish but it works in the end. Slightly tarry finish. Not the most succulent.

Ch Smith Haut Lafitte 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2020-2032
Savoury and appealing on the nose. Very fresh – admirably fresh. Very Graves and fragrant with firm minerality and very dry finish. Nothing overdone. Nicely balanced for the long term

Dry White...

Ch Bouscaut 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17.5 Drink 2013-2018
Greenish gold. Great greenish tang on full body. Some sulphides. Really rich yet lifted. Great stuff! Pure pleasure. Actually it seems to be already gulpable. Some smokiness.

Ch Carbonnieux 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2014-2020
Pale greyish green. Smoky, Sauvignon aromas with an undertow of medium body. Bone-dry finish. Does the business though without that much élan. Sleek and very refreshing and readable. Oak very discreet. Needs time perhaps? Still quite astringent.

Ch de Chantegrive 2010 Graves 17 Drink 2014-2019
Pale greenish straw. Vigorous, wake-up call that seems very Sauvignon in Graves idiom. Piercing aroma but lovely and fat on the palate. Mouth filling and much fresher than usual. Great stuff! What’s not to like? No enormous persistence but it does finish dry and minerally. Very appetising. 14.4%

Dom de Chevalier 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17.5+ Drink 2016-2030
Much more restrained and subtle than the dry white from its new sister property Lespault-Martillac. Tense and long lived with great electricity. Still very astringent and taut with some exotic aromas on the nose and then a certain green grassiness on the palate. Still extremely youthful. May well last longer than I suggest. Tasted both open and blind.

Ch Couhins-Lurton 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Lovely lift and tangy ‘Sauvignon’ green aromas (even though this is a 100% Sémillon property). Hard finish for the moment but real chew and substance and application.

Ch Ferrande 2010 Graves 16.5 Drink 2013-2017
Big and very slightly oil of mouse on the nose(!). Big and rich with a hint of tropical flowers (yeast?.) Very agreeable wine but a little bit sculpted rather than grown.

Ch de Fieuzal 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2013-2018
Very pale. Lightly honeyed nose. A bit of wax. Very firm and lively. Some sweet impression because of the sheer density. Very racy and some delicacy on the end – even a hint of rose petals. Well done.

Ch Haut-Brion, La Clarté de Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2017-2025
83% Sémillon, 17% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale greenish. Rich nose with a suggestion of the most exotic bath oil possible. Very fresh and again some citrus peel. A little dry and sudden on the finish. But there is great vivacity here. 13.8%

Ch Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18.5 Drink 2018-2028
46% Sémillon, 54% Sauvignon Blanc. Slightly more yellow than La Mission but still greenish gold. Broad and honeyed on the nose (the Haut-Brion whites always prove supremacy of terroir over variety). Massive and broad and pungent. SO far from New Zealand! A bit less distinctive than the La Mission Blanc 2010 but a great wine. 14.4%

Ch Larrivet Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2012-2016
Grassy nose (quite rare in bordeaux). Then a sweet palate. A teensy bit heavy. Competent but this doesn’t seem to be playing to Pessac-Léognan’s virtues…

Ch Latour-Martillac 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2014-2020
Vibrant, lemony and interesting. Smoky and minerally and a bit sulphurous and introvert. Old-fashioned white Graves here. Bone-dry finish and no suggestion of oak or sweetness. Impressively long.

Ch Lespault-Martillac 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16.5 Drink 2014-2020
New property owned by Domaine de Chevalier’s owners. Serious, rich, minerally, full-bodied, green-fruited number. Very dramatic – much more obvious than the associated Domaine de Chevalier. Really quite full bodied. Great balance and very winning, with a strong, firm, smoky streak. A tiny bit pinched on the end. Laudable but tastes just a little sweet.

Ch La Louvière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17.5 Drink 2017-2027
Energy on the nose. Real athleticism in fact. Attractive dry minerality. Tingly and reserved. Very stony. Bone dry and not at all tarted up. Not a heavyweight.

Ch Malartic Lagravière 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2012-2016
Very pale. Tangy lime-juice character. Some sweetness on the front palate and lots of easy pleasure. I’d be happy with this in a Paris bistro but not at a very grand meal…

Ch Margaux, Pavillon Blanc 2010 Bordeaux 17 Drink 2016-2023
Very flinty and dense and minerally. Much less fat than usual. Started picking 8 Sep – over a week. Much drier than old vintages. Intense and tense. Green flavours. Picked about four days earlier than before, 29 hl/ha so not lower yields but they worked in the vineyards. But most important was the selection: they separated and eliminated the last part of the pressed juice because that portion is pretty big and sweet. Corinne Mentzelopoulos, rather acidly: ‘I call it throwing it away’. ‘We eliminated 60% of total crop,’ admitted Pontallier. 13.8%

Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 Pessac-Léognan 18.5 Drink 2010-2025
81% Sémillon, 19% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale greenish straw. Very broad and mineral and utterly captivating already on the nose. Lovely dry minerals on the finish. Really racy. Great build. Wonderful precision. Nothing fat at all. So many interesting elements that will surely become more complex. Even quite delicate though I’m sure it has lots of alcohol! 14.3%

Ch Pape Clément 2010 Pessac-Léognan 16 Drink 2014-2018
Greenish straw. Open, fruity(!) nose with the scent of lime Spangles. A bit boiled sweets/hard candy rather than subtle though there is lots to enjoy in the short term. Big and boisterous.

Ch Smith Haut Lafitte 2010 Pessac-Léognan 17 Drink 2013-2017
Exotically rich on the nose. Vibrant and a bit loose. Easy to appreciate and then chewy. Should give early pleasure. Bone-dry finish. Very Graves. Tingly and exciting.

Ch Suduiraut, S de Suduiraut 2010 Bordeaux 16.5 Drink 2012-2015
Very pale. Racy. Since 2005 they have made a serious amount of this dry wine. Minerally and deep flavoured. 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Sémillon. Fresh and racy. Muscular.

€30 in France at a caviste

St-Émilion

Ch Angélus, Carillon d'Angélus 2010 St-Émilion 16 Drink 2016-2024
Sweet, floral and soft wine. Very different in structure from the drying St-Émilions I have just tasted at Cercle Rive Droite. (Though it is a little bit dry on the end.) Very sweet overall.

Ch Angélus 2010 St-Émilion 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Very dark crimson. Manages to be both savoury and luscious on the nose. Thick and dense and very sweet on the finish. All stops pulled out to make an impression! Very firm finish after great riches. Dry, slightly tarry finish.

Ch Ausone, Chapelle d'Ausone 2010 St-Émilion 16.5 Drink 2017-2025
65% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very dark purple. Very sweet and rich and punchy. Just a bit green and sinewy on the end. Not quite a complete wine. The less successful grapes went into this I assume?

Ch Ausone 2010 St-Émilion 18.5 Drink 2022-2040
26 hl/ha. Dark crimson with a bright crimson rim. Very serious nose – so different from the Chapelle! 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot. Lovely punch and scent on the nose and then real tight impact on the palate. Not the completeness of Pétrus but a very good vintage expression. Some warm berries triumph over terroir but this is sweet then tight and tough. Extremely youthful. Very drying on the end. Cabernet Franc has dominated since 2005. Very rich and exuberant overall. Vivacious and not too, too dry on the finish. Less exaggerated than some other recent vintages.

Ch Beau-Séjour Bécot 2010 St-Émilion 16 Drink 2016-2024
Blackish crimson. Very lightly cheesy nose and thick and solid on the palate with lots of 2010 trademark acid and tannin. Pretty raw and a little short on the finish.

Ch Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) 2010 St-Émilion 16.5 Drink 2016-2025
Derenoncourt from 2009. Very dark crimson. Much lighter than the Villemaurine 2010 I have just tasted. Easy with much less of the exaggerated framework that characterises most of Stéphane Derenoncourt’s 2010s though it is a relatively tough wine.

Ch Canon La Gaffelière 2010 St-Émilion 17- Drink 2017-2029
Very dark, sweet and succulent and much fresher than its stablemate Clos de l’Oratoire - but at the limit of ripeness! Lots of vitality, serious wine. Another sample tasted blind was also clearly at the far end of the ripeness spectrum, but seemed a little too sweet, almost sickly. Black cherry jam plus green notes on the end. If this second sample was not tired but actually more representative then I'd suggest a score of 16 and that the wine should probably be drunk in the period 2016-22 but my score refers to the sample tasted non blind at the property.

Ch Cheval Blanc, Le Petit Cheval 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2020-2030
This absorbed a lot of the Merlot. 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. Sweet and spicy on the nose. Lovely texture and sweet start. Very charming start, then quite tough and drying tannins on the finish. Slightly hot finish. Great freshness. Apparently the analysis is exactly the same as for Cheval Blanc – most unusual. (IPT 84). 14.5%

Ch Cheval Blanc 2010 St-Émilion 18.5+ Drink 2025-2045
56% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot. Meaty and savoury. Almost austere on the nose relative to how young Cheval usually tastes. Very youthful but aromatic, then lovely lusciousness on the palate. Recalls great old Chevals with that seductive freshness. Lovely dry finish. (Blend for 2009 was exactly the opposite.) Coulure affected Merlot in 2010. Lost lots of volume on Merlot. Great structure but also lovely floral seductive aroma. Opens out in the glass in the most convincing manner. Presumably they think it would have been even better if vinified in the new cellar that is due for completion this summer. 14.5%

Clos Fourtet 2010 St-Émilion 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Very dark, lustrous crimson. Very interesting and intriguing nose with, already, many layers. Toast, orange peel, lustrous sheen, something akin to coconut milk (but not the cheap sheen of too-obvious American oak). Very winning and engaging. Breadth and length. Dry but not drying finish. Very vital on the finish – and long too.

Ch La Dominique 2010 St-Émilion 17.5+ Drink 2018-2030
Very dark, concentrated blackish crimson. Meaty and very ripe aromas. But there is some refreshing minerality under all the ripeness too. Racy and fine boned. Really a very attractive, complete wine. Almost Côte-Rôtie texture! Very successful.

Ch Figeac 2010 St-Émilion 16.5++ Drink 2016-2026
Very dark crimson. Medium concentration. High-toned minerality on the nose. Lots of appetising sap and savour. Loose and round and easy peasy. Attractive in that it’s not overdone; possibly a chance missed in that it’s just slightly slack. Or possibly it’s Figeac..! Ah. That last phrase was written when I tasted this blind and it's true that this potentially great wine rarely shows well en primeur. Hence the hopeful double plus after the score. Though its gravel soils will not have done the wine any favours in this exceptionally dry vintage.

Ch de Fonbel 2010 St-Émilion 16 Drink 2015-2022
Sister of Ausone. Dark cherry red. Very rich nose. Then thick and flattering. A bit sweeter than one associates with a premier grand cru. Then a little bit dry but not forced.

Ch La Gaffelière 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2015-2028
Very dark crimson. Very savoury nose. Thick and sweet and hugely ambitious! Lovely texture that recalls something like a Troplong Mondot. Lots of polish and pzazz. So smooth it could be drunk now without food, though it’s not excessively sweet. Overall dry, long finish with lots of pleasure.

Ch Haut-Simard 2010 St-Émilion 16.5 Drink 2016-2035
Sister of Ausone. Higher than Ch Simard and between Canon La Gaffelière and La Gaffelière. Bright crimson. Thick, concentrated palate with masses of ripe succulent fruit – not that minerally but with lots of pleasure. Intense and rewarding without any dry tannins on the end but very very sweet. Likely to be GV.

Ch Larcis-Ducasse 2010 St-Émilion 16.5 Drink 2016-2025
Dark, vibrant crimson. Mid ripeness level. Sweet start and real vibrancy on the palate. Very polished in a modern but not exaggerated way. Quite racy on the finish.

Ch Moulin St-Georges 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2018-2028
Dark purple. Muscular nose. Very rich though a little dry on the end. Needs time – bit chewy, dry minerals on the end.

Ch Pavie 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2020-2034
Very dark crimson. Much more lift and savour than its stablemates. Much more obvious fruit than the rest of the Perse stable so it can stand up to all that late picking and structure that bit more, though I’d love to know how it would have tasted if picked a week or two earlier. Still pretty demanding in terms of all those painfully dry minerals on the finish. But it has been miraculously sculpted so that it has a certain smoothness on the mid palate, even if it dries out terribly on the end. Strictly for modernists, with a hint of dark chocolate powder. Very much a long distance runner.

Ch Pavie Decesse 2010 St-Émilion 15.5 Drink 2022-2032
Dark crimson. Almost impenetrable colour. Very rich and thick and sweet to begin with. Rather angular on the mid palate. And very drying on the end. Inky. Very uncomfortable to taste. I don’t really see the point of drying the grapes to this extent.

Ch Pavie Macquin 2010 St-Émilion 15.5 Drink 2016-2022
Dark crimson. Something a bit unusual about this. Certainly pure on the nose. And pretty ripe. Very sweet start and then very worked and polished. Chewy end. Oak a bit too much of a feature in this wine!

Ch Quinault L'Enclos 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2019-2030
70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bought by Cheval Blanc in 2008 just before the harvest and now transformed. Sandy gravels right in Libourne. Organic. Very opulent and rich on the nose. Then admirably fresh on the palate. Lots of zest and really strong liquorice. Very fine tannins there on the finish. Really spicy and vibrant. Almost seems to fizz! Long. The Cheval team have lowered the proportion of new oak and really transformed the vineyard, and the wine!

Ch Simard 2010 St-Émilion 16 Drink 2015-2024
Sister of Ausone. Rich and succulent ripe berries on the nose. On sands. Racy and fairly light. Easy peasy. On level of Canon La Gaffelière. LIkely to be VGV.

Ch Tertre Roteboeuf 2010 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2016-2032
15% Cabernet Franc, 85% Merlot. Picked 12 Oct. Very rich and sweet. Much bigger and more brutal than the Roc. Very sweet start, then chewy. Quite awkward at the moment, with rich undertow. Funky, completely unlike anything else! Not as much freshness as the Roc. Just a bit too sweet... A statement but very atypical for 2010. Where’s the freshness? Dense and drying on the end. A bit thick and too sweet to match food? 15.6%

La Tour du Pin 2010 St-Émilion 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
85% Merlot. 15% Cabernet Franc. Cheval team have been in charge for four years. Very fresh, seems skinnier on the nose than the Quinault L’Enclos served with it. But on the palate it is really quite broad and sweet with excellent palate breadth. Quite firm on the finish. A bit tough even on the finish. Very dry tannins. Quite severe – especially on the finish.

Ch Troplong Mondot 2010 St-Émilion 15.5 Drink 2016-2023
Blackish crimson. Ruby rim. Light cocoa notes on the nose. Lots of sweet maltiness. Pushed to the limit of ripeness. Perfectly serviceable modern St-Émilion style but a little bit painful to taste at this stage. Slightly drying finish. Pushed too far?

Pomerol

Ch Clinet 2010 Pomerol 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Blackish crimson. Such ripeness it’s almost cheesy on the nose. Then very firm on the palate – verging on inkiness. A real backbone here! This wine’s two faces don’t seem to be talking to each other yet. It may get there in the end…?

Ch La Conseillante 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2018-2030
Dark crimson. Racy, lifted nose, verging on tea and treacle, but on the palate there seems no excess of acidity. Solid 21st-century thick right-bank Merlot. Solid and complete with real density. Actually on the finish it does seem to be built for the long term. Just a little astringent on the very end, but overall pretty satiny.

Ch du Dom de l’Église 2010 Pomerol 16.5 Drink 2018-2032
Solid with some freshness and very Cabernet build. Racy and dry – claret!

Ch L'Église-Clinet, La Petite Église 2010 Pomerol 16.5++ Drink 2016-2026
Very difficult to present wines ready to drink. Very dark. The Merlot picked after that for Église Clinet. Post rain? Been in barrel for two to three months. Quite edgy and awkward. So young! Not that intense but too early to taste. Slightly tough on the end.

Ch L'Église-Clinet 2010 Pomerol 18 Drink 2020-2035
‘In 2009 it was easier to present primeur samples.’ Very dark and glowing crimson. Savoury and dense and lively. Lip smacking. Lots of sweetness and nerve. Well done! A very firm thread and great integrity. Lovely texture. Much more sweetness than I would expect for a 2010. Racy and charming but with real density. ‘The most complicated thing was to decide how many pumpovers to do each day. We reduced the number and the length of the macerations. Alcoholic fermentation was at less than 28°C. Because we were so afraid to extract tannins we couldn’t age in barrels.’

Ch L'Évangile 2010 Pomerol 18 Drink 2018-2032
Very dark crimson indeed. Very very sweet. Sweet and rich and full and extremely lush and flattering. Very smart and long and rich. Purity was the aim. Sweet start but lots of tannin and firmness. A wine I would really relax with. Long and relaxing and a bit like a massage. Their reconstruction aimed to increase the Cabernet Franc. Dry finish but so calming and charming. They have introduced some organic methods in the vineyard and replaced old vines. 14.7% but 3.75 pH. 14.7%

Ch Fayat 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2017-2039
Dense purple. Very lifted nose. Sweet and rich to begin with – rather dramatic and carefully sculpted but in a very efficacious way. Sumptuous texture. Dry finish.

Ch La Fleur-Pétrus 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2020-2030
Bright dark crimson. Ripe and gamey, almost animal. Very strong impact and still embryonic but with lovely savour after the impact of the sweet fruit – but overall the tannin and acid of 2010 make this a very distinctive Fleur Pétrus. Nothing hedonistic about this. And not especially persistent.

Ch Le Gay 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2016-2025
Mid crimson. Extreme limit of ripeness. With attractive sweetness and freshness. Racy and polished. There is definitely enough freshness to keep this appetising. Unctuous with a strong line of terroir chew. Long. Another sample tasted open not blind seemed a little bit thick and Argentine but I hereby give it the beneft of the doubt.

Ch Gazin 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2018-2030
Very dark and lustrous with some ruby at the rim. High toned and aromatic. Very comfortable and unforced. Highly successful with real vivacity. Dry finish. Was this on some clay? Well done! Quite juicy.

Ch Hosanna 2010 Pomerol 16.5+ Drink 2020-2032
Dark blackish crimson. Heady nose. Lots of sweet intensity. Then tight tannins. There’s quite a bit of acidity here at the moment. Very cool on the finish. A very strong statement-of-vintage character! Very hard work. It may develop into something more friendly but it’s decidedly austere at the moment.

Ch Lafleur 2010 Pomerol 18 Drink 2018-2036
62% Cabernet Franc, first time they’ve had such a high proportion! 60% of the production. Deep crimson. Savoury and dense and very clarety. Very pure and natural. ‘We did practically nothing, no extraction techniques needed.’ Really fine and racy and dry and minerally but not drying on the end. One of the future. Polished. Lip smacking. Dry finish but very rich in Pomerol way. Long. Real tension. A little lighter than Pétrus but lovely stuff, just a bit tarry on the finish. Very stimulating rather than a relaxing drink. 14.2%

Ch Latour à Pomerol 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2017-2030
Mid crimson. Rather unusually open red fruit aromas. Then great freshness and polish. Tannins quite hard to discern until the very end of this super-fruity number. Easy to love, even if without massive intensity. Slightly angular on the end. Lighter than some but with great appeal.

Ch Pétrus 2010 Pomerol 19 Drink 2020-2040
100% Merlot. Very deep crimson indeed. Right out to the rim. Hugely intense and succulent. Really muscular and concentrated. Very firm indeed. Good richness to begin with. Lightly bitter on the end. Wonderful texture. Creamy, with real minerals and lushness on the nose. Great vivacity.

Le Pin 2010 Pomerol 18 Drink 2020-2030
Blend from different barrels. Very dark crimson and voluptuous. Lovely combination of richness, savour and freshness. A big step up. Fresh minerality on the finish. Jacques Thienpont was worried about the Merlots, and Alexandre Thienpont encouraged picking here so that he could pick at Vieux Château Certan. Most unusual freshness. Sinewy. Really racy but with great density. Had two Oz oenologists on hand in case they needed help in alcohol reduction but in the event didn’t need to use them. Jacques says he would like to have waited a little longer but the results aren’t too bad, are they?

Ch Providence 2010 Pomerol 17 Drink 2018-2032
Bright crimson. Very rich and sweet – something of the pâtissière on the nose here. Broad and very polished with a savoury meaty undertow. Pretty interesting wine with some intensity but real savour. Muscular sheen to it. A more aerienne Pomerol than many. Long.

Ch Trotanoy 2010 Pomerol 17.5 Drink 2018-2032
Very vibrant dark crimson. Quite light nose. Lovely purity – wonderful balance. Sui generis. Not sure it’s immediately apparent that this is Pomerol. Very eloquent and confident. Polished and aromatic. Lovely freshness. Fruit almost covers the tannins.

Vieux Château Certan 2010 Pomerol 18.5 Drink 2022-2038
Very small crop - 35 hl/ha (compared to 42 hl/ha in 2009). A Merlot vintage; only 8% Cabernet Franc. Average IPT is 90, with lots of acid. Very dark crimson. Pretty floral and scented and pretty. Very concentrated and intense. Lots of minerals on the finish. Lovely rich satisfying undertow. Hint of ripe pears oddly enough. Lovely completeness. Great balance and build. Very, very long. The strongest right-bank wine so far. Excellent layers. Very serious – a marvellously intellectual Merlot!

Margaux

Ch Brane-Cantenac 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2019-2029
Very dark and concentrated. Exotic nose with some spice and aromas of old-ladies’ handbags. Really rather rewarding on the nose but on the palate it seems a little too sweet and soft. Then becomes a bit green and astringent. Awkward, though there are interesting elements here. Should come right in the end.

Ch Cantenac Brown 2010 Margaux 15.5 Drink 2020-2027
Very dark. Heady black cherry aromas. Very, very sweet. And alcoholic. And a bit drying on the end – a sort of right-bank Margaux. What’s the point?

Ch Dauzac 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2030
Very dark. Particularly lively freshness on the nose. Then great opulence. This is really lovely and lacks so little. There are still dry tannins on the finish but also lots of guts and ingredients to make a great wine. How wonderful if it turned out to be a relatively inexpensive one..! (This is definitely the best Dauzac I can remember tasting.)

Ch Desmirail 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2018-2028
The merest hint of sweet oak here on the nose. Soft, curry-powder nose. Then quite dry tannins. But all set for a pretty glorious future. Quite dramatic.

Ch Durfort-Vivens 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2020-2030
Very dark. Slightly oxidised sample replaced by one that is fresher on the nose but pretty tough, dry and demanding on the finish. Quite extreme wine! A bit hollow in the middle. Over extracted? Not charming. I’ll try to taste another sample.

Ch Ferrière 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2018-2026
Exceptionally ripe on the nose, but with good freshness of fruit too. The tannins are not as obvious as on some other wines although the finish is, overall, pretty dry and minerally. Clean and brisk. A very light green streak. Fresh, athletic.

Ch Giscours 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2034
Blackish crimson. Quite complex and complete. Just beautifully balanced. This is ripe claret. The sort that Edmund Penning-Rowsell never encountered. Nothing forced nor self conscious. Just great balance and confidence. Fresh finish. Real Margaux. Appetising and subtle. But no blockbuster. Even a little sinewy on the finish.

Ch d'Issan 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2022-2036
‘Final blend since Jan 2011.’ 55% new oak. Very dark crimson. Heady and perfumed and very Margaux. More subtle on the nose. Very sweet start with good freshness. Tighter and introvert. Needs a long time. The grown-up version of Blason d’Issan. Lovely delicacy. Very fine tannins on the end but with Margaux polish.

Ch Kirwan 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2019-2030
Blackish crimson. Intense blend of very ripe fruit and some tobacco savour. Racy green finish – a bit angular – but lots of pleasure too. Edgy for the moment. Not the densest but with real verve.

Ch Lascombes 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Another extremely dark blackish crimson Margaux. Lifted nose and very sweet and sumptuous. Extremely caressing in terms of texture. Wine as massage. But with lots of tannins hidden in there underneath. So much pleasure in store... Though pretty alcoholic!

Ch Malescot St-Exupéry 2010 Margaux 16 Drink 2018-2028
Sweet and creamy. Then a bit too sweet. A bit forced and very painful acidity on the finish. Bit of a caricature. Aggressively astringent finish.

Ch Margaux, Pavillon Rouge 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2020-2030
Very noble indeed on the nose. Lovely supple stuff with clear first-growth influence. Very polished and dense and on the back the tannins really, really build up! This is a wine for the long term! Cool, dry finish. Very graceful. Feminine and very Margaux.

Ch Margaux 2010 Margaux 19 Drink 2020-2050
Amazingly dark purple. Very, very strongly Cabernet Sauvignon (90% of the blend - only 2006 matched it) with some light vegetation at first which opened out and mellowed to something utterly seductive in the glass. Dry and intense. Very rich on the front and amazingly supple – it smells as though it may be going to be a bit of brute but on the palate it is still so intense and polished initially but then it is clear that there are masses and masses of tannins. There is noble, fine, perfectly confident, minerally fruit that opens out on the palate. It is thinkable to drink this already! Paul Pontallier: ‘We decanted the samples but it still grows in the glass.’ 13.5%

Ch Marojallia 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2016-2024
Very dark crimson. Exceptionally concentrated and thick – very sweet – certainly not typical Margaux! Tarry finish. Very clean and fresh and vigorous, but it is really more of a right-bank wine than recognisably Margaux. Finishes pretty dry and suddenly.
Ch Marquis de Terme 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2020-2035
I first tasted three barrel samples in February.
Merlot sample, picked early Oct: Very dark blackish crimson. Much more tamed and civilised on the nose than the 2009. Then fairly brutal ripeness and acidity with more than a hint of clove oil! Masses of tannin.
Cabernet Sauvignon sample, second week of Oct: Even darker colour coats the inside of the glass. Really quite minerally and refined. Dry tannins on the end and some lift – not heavy. Very dry finish.
Petit Verdot sample (of which the proportion will probably be 10%), picked third week of Oct: Exotic aromas – really quite pungent. And a streak of greenness. Reminds me rather of Carmenère.
Tasted blind 7 Apr: Particularly dark. Tobacco hints on the nose. Racy and exciting. Thick and dense. Taken to the limit. Lots of acidity. A bit over the top perhaps - especially in view of the slightly harsh, tart finish. (Score: 16.5 20-30)

Ch Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2020-2028
49% Merlot, 51% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very dark purplish crimson. Markedly aromatic. Very lifted with a strong undertow. Racy and vibrant, just a little green note there and even orange peel. Great tension and even a little sucking-stone character. Much more structure than usual for Alter Ego. Certainly doesn’t taste hot. Alter Ego is still theoretically made specifically to be drunk young but 2010 presented a challenge to this philosophy! ‘In a vintage like 2010, you cannot go against it,’ Thomas Duroux. This tastes like a very smart wine off its own bat. A most unusual Alter Ego. pH 3.55. 14.4%

Ch Palmer 2010 Margaux 18 Drink 2018-2040
54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. Very dark purple. Amazingly sweet and luscious on the nose. Incredibly sweet and distinctive – pure pleasure at first. Very round and luscious and has massive polish. Incredibly open at this stage – will it close up, I wonder? But underneath, a great stew of tannins lurk..! Great freshness but no leafiness. This is already carrying the Palmer hallmark in spades and its only on the finish that one sees the strong vintage character. Nothing excessive. pH 3.65. 14.5%

Ch Prieuré-Lichine 2010 Margaux 17 Drink 2020-2030
Particularly dark. Heavy and sweet. Creamy and very modern. Satin texture and some astringency. Very chewy and dry on the finish. Long. Some mineral elements. A little bit painful for the moment. Very drying finish. Not very comfortable.

Ch Rauzan-Gassies 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2022-2032
Sweet meat-extract notes on the nose. Sweet and scented with violet cachous then with rather aggressive dry tannins. This may eventually melt into something suave and rewarding. But for the moment it is difficult to see… Pretty dry on the end. Some richness too. Does it have to be this psychotic?

Ch Rauzan-Ségla 2010 Margaux 17.5 Drink 2022-2035
Very sweet, purple-fruited notes on the nose. Sweet and simple and open with some minerality. Dry finish. There is lots to love here! Cool finish.

Ch Siran 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Dense, black fruits. A bit of liquorice. Pretty chewy tannins. Quite hard work! Astringent with a streak of green and a lack of real vivacity and fruit liveliness.

Ch du Tertre 2010 Margaux 16.5 Drink 2020-2032
Blueish purple. Very ripe and concentrated with lots of acidity though perhaps not the absolute freshness of fruit that there is on some other Margaux 2010s. Dramatic wine!

St-Julien

Ch Beychevelle 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2025-2040
Medium intense colour, with a slightly simple toasty oak nose. Pretty chewy palate. Very dry tannins! Very pure expression but it will need a great deal of time to show itself in any flattering light.

Ch Branaire Ducru 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2017-2030
Tasted 17 Feb: Very dark purple. Nice freshness on the nose. Very round and supple and polished. Opulent without being sweet. All assembled by end Feb with about 9% vin de presse. More approachable than most of the 2010s I have tasted so far. Fresh and the fruit almost disguises the marked tannins on the finish. Stricter selection than usual. Dry – very dry summer. 41 hl/ha compared to 47 hl/ha in 2009. Small berries.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Very sweet, almost Marmite aromas. Great freshness but no great intensity on the palate. A little angular with some green notes on the finish but a competent wine. Relaxed and comfortable. Not forced. (Score: 16.5 18-34)

Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou, La Croix de Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2017-2026
Since 2005 it is no longer a second wine but from a plot in the centre of the appellation with less estuarine influence. Very deep crimson. Deep crimson. Very rich and round. Suave and convincing. Lots of life and masses of fruit. €30-35 euros. A new label designed by a British designer will be launched at Annabels, London in May.

Ch Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010 St-Julien 18 Drink 2022-2036
90% Cabernet Sauvignon. Same analysis as last year but very different from the 2009 – indeed very different from all recent vintages of Ducru – a return to something drier and more classical. It’s all about the quality of tannins, according to Bruno Borie. Very firm and solid and confident – all from terroir. You could stick a spoon up in it, but in a good way. Drier and more grown-up than in some previous years. Very long term. Perfect for those who seek something really serious.

Ch Gloria 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2018-2030
Tasted 5 Apr: Very dense crimson. Tobacco and leather and very serious stuff. Dense and rich and sweet on the palate after a more classically styled St-Julien nose. Very appealing even if a little more astringent than a top St-Julien.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Dark and rich and very upright. Beautifully balanced, dry and cool without being austere of drying. The fruit is succulent and yet the framework is there. Very luscious indeed but very 2010. Very firm mineral finish. Long. Bravo! (Score: 17.5 20-35)

Ch Gruaud Larose 2010 St-Julien 16 Drink 2020-2030
Dark polished crimson. Sweet black-cherry aromas. Oddly tarted up for a St-Julien. Just lacks a bit of depth and savour but it is certainly flattering and has applied its make-up very carefully. Awkward amalgam of assorted elements.

Ch Lagrange 2010 St-Julien 16.5+ Drink 2020-2035
Headily perfumed. Sweetly charming on the front palate and then it segues into structured chew. Real vitality here. Very cool and dry on the end – not succulent at this stage!

Ch Langoa Barton 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Tasted 17 Feb: Blend just done. Very dark purple. Really rather exotic on the nose. Very lustrous and luscious. Extremely ripe and hedonistic – like 2009 but with more tannin.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Mid crimson. Notably ripe with black fruits on the nose. Then sinew and a cool finish but much more luscious than some St-Juliens. Not tarted up. A very good ambassador for the vintage’s characteristics. Dry finish. Very fine tannins. Succulent fruit on the nose. Lively and polished and with real vitality and pzazz. Good lift yet the solid framework of a fine St-Julien. Still very embryonic with lots of fine tannins. (Score 17.5 22-35)

Ch Léoville Barton 2010 St-Julien 17.5+ Drink 2020-2040
Black with a purple edge. Less obviously aromatic than the Langoa 2010. Drier but still very ripe and voluptuous. Tea leaves and a savoury note. Real energy. This should be a very long-term player.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Still lots of blue in the colour here. Scented and mineral. Relatively lightweight. Bone dry. A bit austere at the moment. Makes me think that these 2010s need a fair amount of weight to work..? Quite long though. (Score: 17++ 22-36)
This wine may overtake Langoa in the long term but is certainly less expressive at this stage.

Ch Léoville Las Cases, Le Petit Lion 2010 St-Julien 16.5 Drink 2016-2024
Very healthy dark crimson. Broad and fragrant. Seems quite friendly on the nose immediately after the Potensac! Quite polished. Las Cases Lite, and all the more approachable for it. Though just a little lacking density and potential.

Ch Léoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2018-2030
Rich, round and polished. Easy and fun and really attractive, even if not for the long term. Very fine tannins – the most glamorous wine from this stable.

Ch Léoville Las Cases 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2040
Excellent deep crimson. Very introvert and very dry. Super-sweet start and initially seems much rounder and less obdurate than usual. Though those dry tannins certainly creep up on you at the end! Some silkiness and glorying in the special ripeness of the Cabernet in this wine. Very dry end. Not that long funnily enough. A certain transparency that is not usually there.

Ch Léoville Poyferré 2010 St-Julien 17.5 Drink 2020-2035
Very concentrated and luscious looking. Exceptionally deep crimson. Very fine and sophisticated on the nose. Both concentration and lift but then perhaps just a bit too concentrated on the palate? Certainly very attention grabbing with lots of very ripe, very dry fruit. Lustrous. With some welcoming appeal. Pure, luscious Médoc Cabernet. Very long and vibrant.

Ch St-Pierre 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2018-2030
Tasted 5 Apr: Bright, deep crimson. Very fresh and aromatic. Sweet and rich but only after the freshness of the nose. Very nice for the medium term. Clean and brisk.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Only mid intensity of crimson. Savoury tobacco-leaf aromas. Great solid whack of fruit intensity on the front palate makes its presence felt in this, the first St-Julien I taste immediately after a run of Haut-Médocs. Very solid indeed. This will need quite a time to resolve itself into a gentle drink as opposed to a half-formed monument. Bone dry. (Score: 16.5++ 20-35)

Ch Talbot 2010 St-Julien 17 Drink 2016-2030
Dark crimson. Delightful, rather floral fragrance. Medium weight. Polished and fine. A really very winning wine with great balance even if it is not the most intense 2010. For relatively early drinking.

Pauillac

Ch d'Armailhac 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2020-2035
Tasted 17 Feb: Very ripe and scented and strangely integrated! Sweet yet with real race and freshness. Tannins well covered.
Tasted open 8 Apr: Healthy crimson. Sweet, creamy nose. Real lift and polish. Slightly green on the end. The tannins are almost entirely hidden! Mid weight. I hope to taste this blind later on today… (Score: 17 18-30)
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Very dark purple. Not much nose. Very luscious start to the palate and some lovely structure. Really appetising and very dry on the end. Pauillac gravelly flavours. Long. Well balanced. No brute but no coquette either. Great vivaciousness and balance. (Score: 17 18-30)

Ch Batailley 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2020-2030
Tasted 17 Feb: Very dark purple. Very dark purple elderberry notes. Sweet and round and a bit of spice. Lots of fine tannin.
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Bright, deep purplish crimson. Ripe fruit with a slight smoky note. Very sweet and fluid. Not the most concentrated but a good example that you really can’t go too wrong with Pauillac 2010. Just a tiny bit of green on the finish. But super clean and fresh. (Score: 16.5 18-28)

Ch Clerc Milon 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2022-2035
Tasted 17 Feb: Lighter on nose than Armailhac. Tea-leaves freshness – more attenuated than Armailhac. Very crude and raw. Very, very young! The last vat finished its malolactic only very recently apparently. Will settle down.
Tasted 8 Apr: Mid purplish crimson. Serious dry tobacco/leather spectrum notes on the nose. And then ripe black fruits. Really quite sweet and opulent on the palate. Those Cabernets seem just a tiny bit struggling up the hill to full ripeness... Bone-dry finish. (Score: 17 20-33)
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Mid crimson. Pale rim. Very ripe nose. Very thick, ripe and dramatic. Loose and a bit formless with a dry finish. There’s a little tart note in there which some people might find a bit much. Drying finish. Fades rather fast. But overall there is succulence. It is clear that a lot of work has gone into this. (Score: 17 18-30)

Ch Croizet-Bages 2010 Pauillac 15.5 Drink 2016-2022
Light, aromatic but is this 100% clean? Dense and very ripe. Very drying tannins on the end. Far from charming.

Ch Duhart-Milon 2010 Pauillac 17+ Drink 2020-2035
73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot. Extremely deep crimson. Sweet pruney start – looks much more intense than Carruades, presumably because of all the Cabernet. Very introvert; not much nose. Juicy, fresh and liquorice – lots of energy. Lots of freshness. Dry finish. Very subtle but with extremely marked tannins. Just a little rugged. But the fruit is wonderfully concentrated…

Ch Grand-Puy Ducasse 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2016-2025
Mid crimson. Some sweetness and purple fruits. Trying perhaps just a teensy bit too hard but this should certainly give pleasure. Just a little short after the sweet start.

Ch Grand-Puy Lacoste 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2018-2032
Dramatically intense colour. But both samples I tried were a little bit tired. Sweet start but without great intensity on the mid palate. Very chewy end. Just a bit awkward and unfocused. Correct balance though with good Pauillac character. I’m just a little worried about the freshness of samples... (Stupidly, I had the chance to re-taste this chez Dourthe but was dashing for a plane and missed both it and its stablemate Haut-Batailley. I may well have underestimated this usually very reliable wine.)

Ch Haut-Bages Libéral 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2017-2027
Bright dark crimson. Quite big and sweet and ripe. A little lacking flavour and form. Goes through the motions a bit and some greenness on the end.

Ch Lafite, Carruades de Lafite 2010 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2018-2030
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Mid crimson without great colour intensity. Very savoury and glossy. Immediate polish on the nose here. Raspberries and tar. Great intensity and fluidity. Really this is SO much better than it used to be. Very fine wine by any measure. Bone dry. Minerals and chew on the end but no rustic tannins. Very fine and long. It is admirable that Charles Chevalier puts so much effort into this wine which, although admittedly it is expensive, could be sold several times over in China whatever it tasted like.

Ch Lafite 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2025-2050
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot. Now, will this be the only time I ever get to see this wine, before it all migrates east? Very intense dark blackish crimson. Lovely Lafite scent – recognisable member of the family with a hint of oyster shells. But some extra breadth, even fat, this year. Hugely ambitious. Dense and quite dry on the end. But with Lafite breed and race. Somehow manages to have real roundness, covering the notable acidity and doubtless tannins which are very difficult to discern. Already a marvel and a pleasure to taste. Lovely, lovely balance.

Ch Latour, Les Forts de Latour 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2020-2035
72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25.5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 40% of production. Very, very dark purple. Scented and supple on the nose! Oddly enough this seems lighter than one might expect from this vintage and name – has it absorbed all the lighter cuvées? Really quite luscious and sweet, despite its IPT of 87! Very rich for Forts. Very flattering and winning. The open face of Latour. A bit sweeter than usual – very much the open face. Less classic Latour than usual. 14.3%

Ch Latour 2010 Pauillac 19 Drink 2025-2055
90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot, and a drop each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. 36% of total production. Extremely dark purple. Again, more ‘glamour’ than I expected. Especially on the nose. Very ambitious and gorgeous. Thick and dense and hugely long term and dry on the end. Spices – something quite Asian about this – a hint of Szechuan pepper. Explosive. Super dry and introvert but with great velvety texture. So introvert and super dry, super Latour. Monumental. The massive fruit lurks underneath the very ripe tannins at the moment. IPT 83, less than Les Forts, but it tastes much firmer. 14.4%

Ch Lynch Bages 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2016-2022
Very dark blackish crimson. Dense and superripe. Sweet black-cherry notes on the nose but rather awkward and tart on the palate. Rather ‘styled’ somehow. Not very well integrated. Really quite hard work with drying green notes on the end.

Ch Lynch-Moussas 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2017-2030
Tasted 7 Apr: Very dark, concentrated ruby. Very fresh and minerally/pencil shavings on the nose. Soooo Cabernet! Nice succulent fresh Pauillac without enormous ambition but well balanced and should provide lovely medium-term
drinking. More transparent than most. Dry finish.
Tasted 17 Feb: 1.5km from sister property Ch Batailley. Not finished when I tasted it so I have given precedence to my impressions when I tasted it blind in early April . Very dark purple. Light green-peppery note. Sweet start and lacks the sheer concentration of some 2010s but pretty snazzy. Very sweet and flattering. (Score: 16 18-30)

Ch Mouton Rothschild, Le Petit Mouton 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2020-2030
Tasted 17 Feb: Very dark. Big spicy nose. Some slight green notes – a bit pinched. Lots of tannin here! Maybe second wines will be a little disappointing in 2010? Raw fruit.
Tasted 8 Apr: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. A slightly green note arising, and quite slim on the palate. Fresh and easy and certainly no excess of tannin on the basis of this sample. An easy wine that seems much less ambitious than the other ‘seconds of the firsts’. Sweet on the finish. Then a little inky. Overall much softer than the earlier sample. (Score: 16 15-22)

Ch Mouton Rothschild 2010 Pauillac 18.5 Drink 2030-2050
Tasted 17 Feb: Very youthful and very Cabernet and pretty spicy. Very correct and with an attractive dryness on the finish. Very snazzy.
Tasted 8 Apr: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot. Burnished dark pruney crimson. Very opulent and heady on the nose. Lovely perfume. Lots of fully ripe black fruits. Amazingly polished – so much so that you are almost distracted from the huge tannic charge. Not quite as dense as some of the greatest 2010s but very well balanced. Hugely Cabernet. As in 2009, great care has been taken not to produce too heavy a wine. There is almost Lafite-like structure here. Very, very polished middle palate. Bone dry, pretty tannic finish. (Score: 18.5 30-45)

Ch Pedesclaux 2010 Pauillac 16 Drink 2014-2020
Tasted 31 Mar: Under the same management as Chx Gironville, Lilian Ladouys, Belle-Vue etc with Emmanuel Cruse selling it. Pretty dark crimson. Quite intense and sweet and very ripe on the nose. Lightly toasty. Then a little green and lean on the finish.
Tasted 5 Apr: Fine and almost burgundian in its sensual appeal. Sweet and juicy. Unusual and interesting. (Score: 15.5 15-20)

Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Réserve de la Comtesse 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2016-2024
Very dark but not that purple. Intense and flattering – on the nose anyway. Creamy texture. This would be a lovely introduction to the vintage. Just a little dry and drying on the end but it’s gorgeous on the front palate. Odd that they are serving a sample drawn 4 Apr on 7 Apr at the chateau - even though it is in decent nick. I think the frontal charm would flatter enormously. Sweetness and flattery.

Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2010 Pauillac 17 Drink 2020-2030
Tasted open 7 Apr: Very, very deep crimson. Savoury yet rich – a most attractive mix! Just a little raw; is there much Petit Verdot in this? (No, just 3%, and 7% Cabernet Franc.) Very drying tannins. Not sure it’s quite a dense as it needs to be for the tannin content. Inky. The gap between grand vin and second wine seems unexpectedly narrow here this year. Perhaps this was just not a good day for the grand vin? I will taste it blind tomorrow…
Tasted blind 8 Apr: Dark, intense crimson. Very rich and supple. Round and flattering. Mid weight and nicely balanced. Very easy, representative, succulent example of 2010. Lots of integrity. (Score: 17+ 20-35)

Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron), Les Tourelles de Longueville 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Mainly from the west part of the vineyard where they have more Merlot. Picked from 27 Sep and right through to mid Oct. Sumptuous nose. Pretty thin on the middle. Does definitely taste like a second wine. About half will be bottled under screwcap. ‘Started this in 2004 and so we can do a very interesting mini vertical of both which often confounds those with fixed positions.’ Very dry on the end. A bit scrawny.

Ch Pichon-Longueville (Baron) 2010 Pauillac 18 Drink 2017-2032
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot which had late malos. Vibrant purple colour. Very sumptuous nose with rather more interesting nose than most at this early stage. Very rich and sumptuous and gorgeous on the palate. Much more difference between the grand vin and second wine here than at Pichon Lalande across the road. Lovely complete expression of the ripeness of both fruit and tannin in 2010. Dry and cool on the finish. Very complete. Tea-leaf aromas and lovely texture. Unctuous and much less dry on the end than many 2010s. This should be a lovely wine that could be broached relatively early but will last. 13.7%

Ch Plantey 2010 Pauillac 16.5 Drink 2015-2025
Sister property to Commanderie of St-Estèphe (Meffre family of the Rhône) next to Pontet Canet. Very dark crimson. Extremely rich and sumptuous on the nose. But then quite luscious and with a refined top note on the palate. Some transparency. Very intense. Very Pauillac. Lots of intense ambition here. Really quite serious. GV

Ch Pontet-Canet 2010 Pauillac 17.5+ Drink 2020-2034
Dense, rich and minty on the nose with real density. Lots of luscious chew. This is clearly from a great vintage with huge vivacity. Heavy undertow. Long. Minerals and firm. Racy.

St-Estephe

Ch Cos d'Estournel, Pagodes de Cos 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2017-2026
45% of production. Glistening crimson. Rich, somehow burnished fruit aromas. Very sweet and winning start and then pretty tight but in some years in the past this would have looked like a pretty good classed growth. Very slightly lean on the finish and a little tarry but well done and supple until the very end, which is a bit sudden.

Ch Cos d'Estournel 2010 St-Estèphe 17.5+ Drink 2020-2040
Finished blend. Very dark indeed. Glossy blackish purple. Very intense, with some freshness. Still extremely young but with almost brutal mulberry fruit and massive tannins but no suggestion of overripeness. Very ambitious.
**Tasted 8 Apr: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 55% of total production. A real tonic. Very, very deep blackish crimson. Real energy and vitality and racy stuff. Pure, refined perfect Cabernet – pretty rich and alcoholic underneath but much, much drier and more appetising than either the 2009 - or the average Napa Cabernet, for example. Minerals and fruit in a lovely tincture. Such great texture and nobility. Racy thoroughbred Great balance and potential. Purity and energy - but you’ll need to wait so long for it! (Score: 18.5 22-45)

Ch Cos Labory 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Rich and sweet on the nose. Not very typical St-Estèphe perhaps but a good round wine nevertheless with great solidity. Inky finish. Rather a fast fade. But there is certainly mass here!

Ch Lafon-Rochet 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Just a little sweet and made up. Lots of flattering pleasure at first but rather awkward astringency on the finish.

Ch Meyney 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2016-2023
Very dark crimson. Lively and fragrant. With a very solid undertow. Lots of tannin and dryness but not exaggerated. Very refreshing, even if not that deep flavoured or long. This could be a GV.

Ch Montrose, La Dame de Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2017-2025
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 36% of total production. Very deep crimson. Lovely scented top note and then sumptuously round texture. Fresh and lively with good muscles. Excellent balance and really very flattering without being overripe or sweet. It finishes dry and minerally. Fine skeined. Really a very fine wine indeed – well done! Provided you don’t mind a lack of flesh in the middle... 13.7%

Ch Montrose 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2020-2034
53% Cabernet Sauvignon (75% last year! And expected to increase), 37% Merlot, 9% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. 64% of total production and remarkable for the unusually high proportion of Merlot in the grand vin blend – because of the purchase of vineyard from Phelan Ségur last year (did this help the Phelan purchase of restaurant Taillevent in Paris?) Very deep crimson. Quite different from most of these northern Médoc wines – much rounder and less fresh (presumably because of the Merlot). Very different from classical austere Montroses but soft and charming. As a wine, it is extremely well made with just a little furriness on the finish. As a Montrose it’s a bit disconcerting but my mark ignores this. Rather unusual lack of freshness. Just a bit plodding, astringent and sweet on the end. 13.8%

Ch Les Ormes de Pez 2010 St-Estèphe 17 Drink 2022-2035
Healthy crimson. Ripe and robust. Big and bold without much care for seduction. Very solid but it will take a lot of time to settle down.

Ch Phélan Ségur 2010 St-Estèphe 18 Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Nicely, convincingly integrated. Lovely luscious, supple fruit. Really great supple stuff with the undertow of St-Estèphe minerality. A really exciting wine. Very long.

Ch Tronquoy Lalande 2010 St-Estèphe 16.5 Drink 2016-2025
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 60% of production. As a Merlot-heavy wine, it does lack a little freshness and precision on the nose. Very sweet and voluptuous. Then rather drying tannins on the finish. I think the second wine, Tronquoy Ste-Anne, is more successful within its category than this is. Very drying finish after notably lush palate. 14.1%

Sweet Whites

Ch Climens 2010 Barsac 18 Drink 2022-2040
There is the vintage tanginess in this wine but also the property’s trademark purity and unctuousness. As usual, it was not possible to taste (or give the analysis of) anything approximating to the final blend – just lots from the various pickings in late September and October – but this is looking like a top quality rendition of 2010, even if not a big and blossomy as the 2009. Please note that the analytical data are estimations from Bill Blatch. RS 145g/l, TA 4.2. 14%

Ch Coutet 2010 Barsac 18 Drink 2022-2040
Smudgy and interesting, already, on the nose. Lots of richness and smoothness. Really. This approaches the idea of a classic vintage with its density and concentration. Long. Very fine. RS 156 g/l, TA 4.2. 14%

Ch Doisy-Daëne 2010 Sauternes 17.5 Drink 2020-2036
Very pale greenish gold. Very tense. Still embryonic at the moment. In fact the acidity is rather dominant. Really gripped in there for future development. RS 139 g/l, TA 4.05 g/l. 13.7%

Ch Doisy-Daëne, L'Extravagant 2010 Sauternes 18 Drink 2020-2035
Made every year except 2008 and 1997-1999 inclusive. Not a special parcel. For Semillon, certain berries carefully selected at the rate of one basket filled per hour - in the middle of the vintage, not successive tries. The Sauvignon Blanc fruit for L’Extravagant comes from special low-yielding parcels. Usually the fruit comes from the second trie. Very sweet and unctuous. There is also freshness and confidence here, and lots of structure. Very pure and lively. Doisy-Daëne is about €21 a bottle, L'Extravagant about €120-ish. RS 212 g/l, TA 4.2 g/l. 12.15%

Ch Doisy-Védrines 2010 Sauternes 17 Drink 2022-2040
Mid gold. Very rich and heady on the nose. Quite exotic and interesting. Subtle and complex. Great weight and great sweetness. A freshness on the finish but green does not dominate this wine. Pear juice with a strong dose of lime juice. RS 145 g/l, TA 3.5 g/l. 13.65%

Ch de Fargues 2010 Sauternes 17 Drink 2020-2035
Quite pale gold. Dense, rich, twangy nose. Some real density and wonderful life. Tastes as though real selection has gone into this wine, although the sugar level is not that intense. And the overall impression is one of acidity plus only medium body and sweetness. I like the light marmalade hints though. RS 132 g/l, TA 4 g/l. 13.65%

Ch Filhot 2010 Sauternes 16 Drink 2020-2038
Gold with a hint of copper. Not especially distinguished on the nose. Nervy. Unctuous texture with mid to high sweetness and lots of acidity. Quite muscular and exciting. Not classic big and sweet but certainly sweeter than most and a very valid style. Some real chew and structure but a bit heavy overall. RS 145 g/l, TA 3.5 g/l. 13.65%

Ch Guiraud 2010 Sauternes 16.5 Drink 2018-2030
Deep gold. Something sulphidey on the nose. Sweet and sticky rather than fine. Sheer mass. Sweet and interesting but not that intense. Marmalade and a bit of bitterness. Certainly makes an impression. Lilies; tropical flowers. Big and a bit of bruiser. RS 132g/l, TA 4.0. 13.7%

Ch Haut-Bergeron 2010 Sauternes 17 Drink 2015-2025
Rich and spicy and dancing with real lift and interest. Lovely heel kicking on the end – and great persistence but quite forward.

Ch Lafaurie Peyraguey 2010 Sauternes 16.5+ Drink 2018-2030
Very deep gold. Quite good intensity and muscularity. A bit brûlée and dense and chewy. Polished and muscular. Mid to heavy weight and with lots and lots of sugar! Just not an awful lot of subtlety. RS 125 g/l, TA 4 g/l. 13.62%

Ch Lamothe 2010 Sauternes 16 Drink 2024-2036
The Despujols Lamothe. Hot and formless on the nose. Very big and rich but it lacks the freshness and sheer purity of some. Notably chewy on the end. Long and hot. Big and a teensy bit blowsy. But if you just want sugar, this is your wine... RS 125g/l and relatively low acid, TA 3.6. 13.4%

Ch Lamothe Guignard 2010 Sauternes 17.5 Drink 2024-2040
Mid copper. Real punch – almost like a Caribbean rum punch, there is clearly so much alcohol and sweetness here, plus a bit of tropical fruit. Sweetness and weight and completeness, in traditional style. Much less obviously ‘refreshing’ than most others. This is big! Chewy finish. RS 125 g/l, TA 4.5 g/l. 13.8%

Ch Raymond Lafon 2010 Sauternes 17 Drink 2017-2035
Deep gold. ‘Let it warm a little bit because it’s at 10 rather than 12 at the moment’, say the Dourthe serving team. Lovely excitement on the nose. There is so much botrytis and richness here. Golden syrup and perhaps a tad lack of acidity. Round and gingery and lilies. Maybe very slightly over the top but no-one could accuse this of being too fresh and lean! Wonderful unctuousness – though taken to the limits of ripeness. As I say, I’d like just a little more acidity. Great richness on the nose. RS 139 g/l, TA 3.9. 13.7%

Ch de Rayne Vigneau 2010 Sauternes 16 Drink 2018-2028
Greenish gold. Not that pure on the nose. Lots of sweetness. Quite aggressive acidity. Very fresh but well done. Chewy. RS 133 g/l, TA 4.1 g/l. 13.8%

Ch Rieussec 2010 Sauternes 17++ Drink 2028-2040
Intense nose with strong botrytis influence. Pure and rich though not the most monumental by a long way. And a little bit sticky, and astringent, on the end. All the ingredients are there but in completely embryonic form. RS 141 g/l, Ta 3.9 g/l. 14.2%

Ch Sigalas Rabaud 2010 Sauternes 17 Drink 2020-2035
Deep orangey gold. Very big and quite beery. Massively sweet – quite an achievement! With the 2010 streak of acidity. Fresh and vigorous but confident and well made. Masses of intrusive acidity. RS 130 g/l, TA 3.9 g/l. 13.7%

Ch Suduiraut 2010 Sauternes 18 Drink 2022-2040
Tasted blind 4 Apr: Rich and subtle on the nose; it already feels heavy in the glass. Very big and bold. Spicy. One of the sweetest and it seems to be interesting too! Very rich for a 2010. RS 142 g/l, TA 3.8 g/l.
Tasted 7 Apr: Mid pale gold. Broad and rich and fresh but with very ripe pear-juice notes. There is real weight here. Much less citrus peel than most other 2010 Sauternes. Real race. Dangerously delicious now. Long. Super clean. Medium to heavy weight. Great undertow. Long. Nervy. (Score: 18 18-35) 13.8%

Ch La Tour Blanche 2010 Sauternes 17+ Drink 2022-2038
Green and coconut on the nose. Streaky green and massively sweet with the pear juice quality of botrytis. Dense and rich. A bit jagged. Very, very young. RS 130 g/l, TA 3.9 g/l. 13.8%

Ch d'Yquem 2010 Sauternes 18.5 Drink 2025-2055
‘2010 was a cool year for us.’ Winter and autumn cold, good dry, warm summer. Very healthy grapes, though quite a bit of rain on the flowering, A bit of coulure on Sauvignon so less than usual in the blend, just 13% compared to the usual 20%. Pale gold with slight greenness. Gorgeous, classic nose. Pear juice a go-go. Absolutely stunning freshness as well as all the botrytis. Classic. Real punchy perfect savoury Sauternes. Zesty and lovely with some chew on the end. No shortage of botrytis. Very distinctive and much less sweet than 2009. (155 g/l in 2009, 141 g/l in 2010). Refined finish. Finished 5 Nov. Five passes. Real punch and zest. Grapefruit peel. But not a massive sweet bomb. 13.55%