Pauillac Wines

wines

This is pure pleasure, with tiny pulses of electricity, brushed leather, sulphur, loam, truffle, blackberry, black cherry, with touches of silky tannins, smoked caramel and black chocolate. A wine that makes you smile, so much depth and power, barely out of its primary phase, but we are starting now to get the whole picture of what it will become. There is a lush edge to the tannins now that was not the case even two years ago. Such a different expression from the 2009 and 2010 Mouton, with this a little more old school in its charms, and for me you can now project yourself foraward, more like the 1986, a little dry and strict at first, but finessed and gorgeous, delivering grip, punch and magic. Eric Tourbier and Philippe Dhalluin on the technical team. 63% first wine, extremely low for the time (lowest since 1975, whereas today they are regularly below 50%). If you are going to open this anytime soon, think of it as a bottle to enjoy very slowly over four or five hours seeing the nuances develop. 100% new oak.Jane Anson | 100 JAThe 2005 Mouton-Rothschild has developed magnificently, and is even better than I remember. The final blend was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Stunning notes of crème de cassis, melted asphalt, roasted espresso and cedarwood are present in this young, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Mouton. Just beginning to enter its adolescence, it should hit full maturity in 10-15 years and last for 50 or more. The greatness of this vintage is increasingly apparent as the wines throw off their cloaks of tannin.Robert Parker | 99+ RPThis accelerates on the palate with incredibly ripe tannins and finesse. Full body, roasted fruit, leather and grilled meat. Dried flowers, too. It shows superb tannin backbone and polish. Tight and youthful. Just starting to open. Currant and berry undertones with lead pencil are impressive. Better in 2018 but so delicious now.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the real highlights on the Left Bank, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is a dark, potent Pauillac. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice and leather all take shape in the glass. The 2005 is a dense, powerful and explosive wine endowed with tremendous energy and pure power. The fruit is just starting to emerge, but Mouton remains a very tight, super-classic wine. With time in the glass, some of the natural richness and radiance of the year starts to emerge. Even so, the 2005 is still very young and closed. A few more years in bottle will only be beneficial. Impressive. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98 AG(Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Mouton was voluptuous and immediately appealing, with spicy ripe cassis and plum fruit that poured from the glass, surrounded by liquorice, coconut, and toasted cedar. The texture was not abrasive but very full-bodied and round. The tannins initially appeared fine-grained and silky, but with a bit of time, one realised the immense structure of this wine. Impressively concentrated and very long on the finish, this is still youthful and should age for decades to come. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Franc. The picking for the grand vin started on 21 September for the Merlot and finished with the Cabernets on 3 October. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 98 DECGorgeous, with singed alder and juniper notes starting to strut their stuff, while the immense core of steeped red currant, blackberry and plum fruit continues to wait in reserve. A light sanguine thread weaves in on the back end, which is driven by a serious bolt of iron. Shows terrific grip, length and cut. A brick-house Pauillac built for the long haul.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Best from 2020 through 2050.Wine Spectator | 98 WSIf 2005 was a rich year, Mouton reaches the heights of richness. Almost too rich, too New World, but you have to be impressed by the aromatic intensity of the black fruits, the dense, firm tannins, and the superripe black juice and licorice flavors. The wood is still too overpowering and needs time to settle in.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

This is an impressive and dynamic 2005 with blackcurrant, sweet-tobacco and raw-meat aromas that follow through to a full body with wonderful fruit complexity and succulent tannins. It’s a joy to drink now, but will continue to improve for decades ahead. One of the best ever.James Suckling | 95 JSOffers fabulous aromas of currant, tar, lead pencil and mineral. Full-bodied, with supersoft tannins that caress the palate. Beautiful and impressive. A fabulous wine. The best Clerc in a very long time. Best after 2014. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFine and impressive even in this vintage, Clerc Milon’s 2005 has a dense purple color and a beautifully sweet, creamy blackcurrant nose of cedar wood and flowers. Spicy, earthy, rich, and medium to full-bodied, it will probably be at its best between 2020 and 2035.Robert Parker | 93 RPOn a 107-acre site between Mouton and Lafite, Clerc Milon is part of G.F.A. Baronne Philippine de Rothschild, a group of properties including Mouton and managed by the same team. In 2005, the team produced a great performance from this vineyard, a clean, pure wine with delicacy and energy rather than tannic overload. Not that it isn’t laden with tannins, but the bright, wild cherry fruit flavor is a formidable partner, lasting for minutes through a buoyant finish. A supple, lovely wine that will go the distance with some of its more powerful neighbors.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SThe 2005 Clerc Milon is a very pretty, mature Pauillac. Dark fruit, leather, licorice, game, incense and tobacco give the 2005 a feeling of maturity. The 2005 is in a very pretty spot right now to offer fine drinking, but I would not push my luck, as the edges are starting to fray.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGClerc-Milon continues on its rising path of quality with this rich and rounded magnificent 2005. Driven by rich, red jam fruits, and dominated by the dense, solid tannins, this wine is already approachable, but will develop over 8–12 years.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Open-knit yet deep and powerful, the 2005 Les Forts de Latour is striking today. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in spades. Expressive, perfumed aromatics meld into a core of supple, open-knit fruit in a mid-weight, impeccably balanced Forts de Latour. Hints of red fruit, iron, smoke and tobacco add lovely shades of nuance. Latour's President Frédéric Engerer adds that that 2005 was the easiest and most balanced growing season (including 2009 and 2010) he has seen because his team had the total flexibility of choosing when to harvest.Vinous Media | 94 VMShows blackberry, coffee, cedar, and raisin on the nose, turning to licorice and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with refined, silky tannins and a long finish. Balanced and juicy. Builds on the palate, with currant, licorice and mineral character, followed by a powerful finish. An amazing second wine. Best after 2015. 13,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAlways the equivalent of many classed growths, Les Forts de Latour is hardly a second wine, deriving from a particular parcel of the Latour vineyard. This 2005 is beautifully balanced, with lively fresh acidity, dense tannins and ripe, juicy black fruits. The acidity stays right to the end.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Barrel sample. Very opulent, generous and rich. It shows all the glories of the vintage, with huge but sufficiently restrained fruit, and exuberant tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery aromatic, showing blackberry and currant aromas, with some licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a rich, decadent, fruity finish. Caresses the palate. Stylish and opulent. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2005 Haut-Bages Libéral is a very young Pauillac that is just beginning to show the first signals of aromatic opening. Sweet dried cherry, mint, spice, licorice and dried flowers all grace this mid-weight Pauillac. Haut-Bages Libéral is not quite as opulent as most other Pauillacs in 2005, and it could have benefitted from a bit more depth, but it is impeccably done and very rewarding today.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGThe 2005 Haut-Bages Libéral offers loads of blackcurrant fruit, licorice, spice and forest floor. It is medium to full-bodied, with supple tannin and an expansive, textured mouthfeel and finish. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

As to the Grand Vin, the 2006 Latour showed beautifully. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance mostly Merlot, with a splash of Cabernet Franc, it offers a deep ruby/purple color to go with straight up classic Latour graphite, lead pencil and minerality all balanced by terrific cassis and blackcurrant fruit. With medium to full-bodied richness, present, yet silky tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish, it’s terrific today and I suspect on the early edge of a long drinking plateau.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDDense and rich Latour with layered and velvety tannins and gorgeous fruit. At the same time, there’s lots of wood. Coffee flavor, too. Full-bodied, layered and structured. Needs more time to soften the tannins. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 96 JSLatour has always had the reputation of producing great wines in the less great vintages. The 2006 is a case in point. It brings structure and ripeness into a form that is almost ethereal. That elegance doesn’t take away from the powerful fruit. The fruit in fact melds into the structure with ease. And, as a reminder this is a 2006, the density gives way to freshness on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive freshness, and sweet, noble tannins. This layered Latour is one of the vintage’s top dozen or so wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.Latour’s brilliant manager, Frederic Engerer, has purchased 15 hectares of old vine Grenache and Syrah in the Cotes du Rhone region, the Drome, at a cool-climate elevation. I can’t wait to see the first vintage from this Cotes du Rhone project.Robert Parker | 95 RPOffers a pure nose of currant and blackberry, with crushed fruit. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and very polished, refined tannins. Long and classy. Best after 2016.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Latour, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Soft and lush, this perhaps shows a hint of dilution from harvest rains. The texture is firm and dense without being forbidding. It is less angular than the 2007 vintage on the palate, but there is a similar length and weight here. The result has a ripe currant and plum fruit with a bit of leather, spice and just a suggestion of violets. The harvest began with the Merlot on 19th September and the Cabernets on 9th October. The final blend is over 91% Cabernet, and here Latour has used a splash of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with Merlot making up the balance. (Drink between 2022-2042)Decanter | 95 DECIn describing the feel of this wine, Lacey Burke of Gotham Bar & Grill said it was "like a cat wrapping around your ankles." Such a sensation clearly separates the ’06 Latour from the ’05, which is anything but cuddly. This does have the gravity of classic wines from the deep pile of river stones that counts for soil in this vineyard-its harmonious intensity a direct result of the superior drainage of those stones (and the rigorous farming and selection of the fruit). The tannins hold their share of mystery, both luscious and muscular at once, the source of the wine’s minerality and strength. The fruit is black and compact, completely filling those tannins, with a hint of earthy root vegetable flavor that gives the sweeter aspects a savory cut. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 95 W&SThe 2006 Latour is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It is a vintage that I have followed closely since first tasting the wine from barrel, both in sighted and blind conditions. The 2006 has long been one of the best offerings from the Left Bank and this bottle was consistent with previous notes. It retains a disarming sense of purity on the nose: blackberry, raspberry, cedar and pencil shaving scents that seem to burst from the glass with a sense of vim and vigor. There is an underlying ferrous note, signs of secondary scents emerging over the horizon. The palate immediately exerts an insistent grip in the mouth, maybe a touch more backward than I expected. But it still conveys a sense of energy and there is a sense of brightness that Latour does not necessarily always possess. Laden with black fruit, with aeration it leans more towards red and manifests impressive depth allied with a fine bead of acidity that imparts mouth-tingling tension. In banal terms, it is an unashamedly “drinkable” Latour rather than one predisposed to impress and though it does not offer the persistence of giants like the 2005 or 2010, its joie de vivre will be appreciated by those tempted to splash out on one of around 4,000 cases kept back from its original release.Vinous Media | 94 VM

From the same stable as Mouton Rothschild and d’Armailhac, Clerc Milon, despite the relatively high percentage of Merlot (44%) combined with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Cabernet Franc, is dense, rich, tannic, and backward. Surprisingly muscular for this offering, which often exhibits a more precocious side, it offers up abundant amounts of creme brulee, chocolate, cedar, and black currants. This full-bodied Pauillac displays gorgeous purity and depth as well as moderately high tannins in the finish. Because of its freshness, structure, and density, it is reminiscent of a 1996 Medoc. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.Robert Parker | 91+ RPOffers a gorgeous nose of crushed blueberry and cream, with a hint of milk chocolate. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a pretty finish. Best after 2014. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAromas of currants and dark berries with hints of minerals. Full body with super-integrated tannins and a slightly austere and intense tannin backbone. But it’s pretty and attractive. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JSBright ruby-red. Expressive aromas of currant, tobacco, graphite, herbs, roast coffee and smoky oak. Supple, solid and broad, with a mouthfilling fleshiness leavened by good energy and vinosity. There's a medicinal reserve to the redcurrant and dark chocolate flavors. Finishes broad and long, with substantial dusty tannins and very good length. A more muscular style than Armailhac, also from the team at Mouton-Rothschild, and in need of at least five years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 90 VMRounded, relatively soft wine, but one that shows balance. Sweet fruit plays with black currant acidity, giving density, even if the tannins are lightweight. Clerc-Milon, made by the team that also produces Mouton-Rothschild, has become a delicious Pauillac.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2006 Pichon Lalande, which blows away the 2005, represents a return to the velvety-textured, rich, sexy style most readers would associate with Pichon Lalande. This blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot no Petit Verdot was included in the final blend exhibits a dense purple color as well as abundant aromas of chocolate, coffee, cedar, black currants, and a subtle touch of smoke, a rich, savory, full-bodied mouthfeel, plump, fleshy fruit, and a superb finish. This is a 21st century version of the brilliant 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.One of the major disappointments in 2005 was Pichon Lalande, but the change in ownership, with the Roederer/Deutz champagne firm taking control in 2006, resulted in a very severe selection being instituted, only 41% of the production went into the grand vin.Robert Parker | 95 RPOne of the most pleasant and unexpected surprises in this tasting, the 2006 Pichon Lalande is gorgeous, which is something I can’t say about too many wines in a vintage marked by climatic ups and downs and irregular ripening. Dark, powerful and intense, the 2006 possesses exceptional balance. A host of black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and menthol flesh out in this decidedly somber, virile Pichon Lalande. In a vintage in which so many wines are so rustic, the 2006 Pichon Lalande is all class. This sleeper Pichon Lalande will drink well for at least the next two decades, perhaps longer.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe success of this wine owes as much to Merlot as to Cabernet. The Merlot has created the ripeness and smoothness of the wine. While the Cabernet keeps it firm and closed up, there is a base of rich, sweet fruit here that will show over the next two years. The style of the wine is moving away from elegance to power under the new regime of owners, Champagne Roederer.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERich and powerful but also restrained, with the characteristic perfume of Pichon Comtesse, this offers enormous potential for pleasure. The silky damson fruit also has a supporting cast of cloves and dark chocolate, with black truffles just starting to appear. Drinking Window 2017 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC(Château Pichon-Lalande) I really like the 2006 vintage on the Left Bank and the Pichon-Lalande is a fine example. The bouquet offers up a deep and complex blend of blackberries, cassis, espresso, fresh herb tones, tobacco leaf, a nice touch of sweet bell pepper, gravel, violets and nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and quite refined in profile, with a fine, almost sappy core of fruit, nascent complexity and very good length and grip on the ripely tannic finish. This will be a classic Pichon with sufficient bottle age. (Drink between 2021-2060).John Gilman | 92+ JGDisplays currant and blackberry, with hints of licorice. Full-bodied, with round, chewy tannins and lots of fruit under the structure. A rich wine for the vintage, needing plenty of bottle age. Best after 2014. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Among the most seductive noses from Pauillac. Strong, cassis-stained palate with a lovely sense of upwards motion and smooth, silky tannins that are starting to ease into the structure. Another vintage that shows why GPL is such a consistent player. Drinking Window 2016 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DECTasted at Bordeaux Index’s annual 10-Year On tasting in London. I raved about the 2006 Château Grand Puy-Lacoste when I tasted it from barrel ten years ago. It has evolved a really quite beautiful, very classic Pauillac bouquet with vivacious blackberry, raspberry and wild mint aromas that deftly absorb the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perhaps a more forward "GPL" than other vintages, but there is genuine fineness to the tannin and that backward finish has great precision. There is the substance to suggest that it will be a long-term Left Bank and you could probably broach it after another 3-4 years. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMGood dark red. Perfumed, ineffable aromas of currant, cherry skin, floral oils and incense. Then juicy and penetrating on the palate, with excellent concentration and thrust to the soil-inflected flavors of currant, minerals and iron. Very suave, pure wine with the structure to age.Vinous Media | 91 VMDisplays blueberry on the nose, with a hint of fresh tobacco and some licorice. Full-bodied, with chocolate, berry and toasty oak. Long and very silky. Very pretty and balanced. Best after 2013. 13,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(Château Latour à Pomerol) The 2006 Château Latour à Pomerol is a beautiful example of this underrated vintage and it is just beginning to drink with some serious generosity at age ten. The bouquet is pure and very lovely in its classic complexity, wafting from the glass in a blend of black cherries, red plums, a touch of nutskin, raw cocoa, a nice dollop of gravelly soil tones, cigar smoke and a discreet framing of cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and focused, with a fine core, lovely complexity, moderate tannins and a very long, poised and nicely soil-driven finish. This is not a blockbuster vintage of Latour à Pomerol, but it is elegant, intensely flavored and beautifully balanced and lacks for absolutely nothing. While it is quite approachable today, I would be inclined to give it just a few more years in the cellar to really blossom completely. A great sleeper. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 92 JGLicorice, chocolate and black plums all show immediately in this rich, dense wine. Sweet tannins combine with fresh tobacco smokiness over jammy, ripe fruit. This array of flavors is kept in check by the over-arching acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by scents of vitamins, smoke, black fruits, and meats, moderately high tannin, impressive concentration, and plenty of structure. Forget this 2006 for 4-5 years, and drink it over the following two decades.Robert Parker | 89-91 RPRaspberry and floral aromas follow through to a medium-to-full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a chocolate, cream and cedar aftertaste. This has mellowed with time. Best after 2012. 2,080 cases made. — JSWine Spectator | 90 WSDark red. Blackberry aroma with a slightly weedy element. Minerally and firm but on the dry side initially; with aeration this showed a silkier texture and emerging red fruit flavors. Hard to judge today.Vinous Media | 87-90 VM

The 2006 is a wine to stockpile, especially for those in their thirties and forties as it needs another decade to reach maturity, after which it should keep for 30+ years. This vineyard, just south of Mouton Rothschild, has produced an opaque bluish/purple-colored 2006 with an extraordinarily pure nose of graphite, charcoal, sweet creme de cassis, and a hint of scorched earth. Incredible concentration, stunning richness, and a 60-second finish result in a wine that transcends the vintage as well as this estate’s 1855 classification. This enormously endowed, modern day classic is a legend in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050.Robert Parker | 95+ RPTight and unyielding at the moment, but with great pedigree, great texture and definition, this has lots of life to come. Poised and impactful, with juicy and mouthwatering fruit. Punches far above the weight of the vintage, one of those get-a-straw-in-the-glass wines: among the best of the tasting. Here tension rises, and your mouth waters on the finish. This is delicate but punchy, with perfect balance. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECSaturated medium ruby. Inky cassis, black raspberry, graphite and pungent minerality on the very ripe nose. Dense, rich and silky, with a brooding inky minerality and an almost liqueur-like dark fruit sweetness leavened by a savory peppery element. This very ripe, deep and concentrated wine boasts wonderful lushness without any undue weight thanks to its sheer energy. Like its neighbor Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet’s 2006 conveys a powerful impression of soil character. Finishes with serious dusty tannins and superb lingering sweetness. Should be long-lived.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis red is now soft and fruity with plum, berry and mineral character. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins and a gorgeous finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSBlackberry, currant and plum tart aromas lead to a full body, with a solid core of fruit, sweet fruit and silky tannins. Generous and round, with lovely richness for the vintage. Best after 2014. 23,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAt this early stage in its development, this wine shows more structure than richness. The tannins are fully developed, dark and dense. The complexity is there, but the fruit and the elegance are still to come—and that suggests good aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

(Château Lafite Rothschild, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) The bouquet is forward and aromatic, with smoky, ripe black and red fruits on the nose and a fresh and firm texture, with plenty of structure and a lingering finish. It will not be the longest-lived wine, but it will drink well as you wait for your bottles from 2005, 2009, and 2010 to mature. The 2007 vintage began with a warm, mild spring. The growing season was overcast and only moderately warm. Picking began with the Merlot in the third week of September. The final blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. For a vintage with a second-tier reputation at best, this delivers now. (Drink between 2022-2052)Decanter | 96 DECA candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2007 Lafite Rothschild (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot) reveals classic Lafite aromas of graphite, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants, cherries, and a hint of truffles. The complex aromatics are followed by a round, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins, an overall subtle smoky component, and a rich, round, generous, plump finish. Already evolved and delicious, it should continue to drink well for two decades.Robert Parker | 94 RPThis is a wine for aging. The tannins are dense, very dry with a feel of extraction. It takes a while for the black currant fruit to show through, with acidity and freshness dominant. The wine is still settling, and time will bring the fruit into line with the tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2007 Lafite-Rothschild is a strong performer in what was a challenging growing season. At 11 years of age the 2007 is beginning to drink well with blackberry, briary, graphite and smoke on the nose, perhaps still that old touch of antique bureau. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins and tobacco, well balanced yet typically understated on the finish. The 2007 is not the greatest Lafite-Rothschild for sure, but it should offer 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at dinner in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 93 VMA big, juicy wine for the vintage, with spice, sweet tobacco and plum aromas and flavors. Full, long and rich, with a soft texture. A little tight, but should develop nicely in the bottle. Best after 2014. 20,085 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot brought up in mostly new barrels. Undeniably one of the top wines in the vintage, it offers a rare opulence and sexiness in its awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, Asian spices, chocolate, and crushed flowers. Deep, full-bodied, powerful, and still young, it fills the mouth with fruit, has sweet tannin, and a great finish. It’s still ruby/plum-colored, with no signs of evolution, but is far from unapproachable and is drinking incredibly well today. It will keep for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAnother hit, although this is not as glamorous as some vintages of Mouton. The expression here is just a little more Pauillac, rather than Mouton. Layers of blackberry and grilled almonds are marked by a touch of austerity in the Cabernet which I almost never find in this wine. It remains a beautiful Mouton in a vintage where you don’t always get this level of texture and expression. It’s still young - we are actually nowhere near lift off yet. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038Decanter | 96 DECA rich wine, opulent in character. There is power here, with richness of fruit and texture. It is both serious side and exuberant, with its bursting black berry fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild has always been in the shadow of the ensuing couple of vintages, but I was not the only person at this tasting that commented upon the class in show here. It replicated previous showings: cedar and graphite present and correct, though accompanied by something a little more exotic - eucalyptus maybe? The palate is beautifully balanced, very detailed and extremely fresh. This conveys so much energy and animation before reverting towards a more classic and structured, pencil lead finish. Those in the know will stash up on the 2008 Mouton Rothschild because it is destined to turn into one of the "dark horses" of the decade. Tasted May 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMAromas of roasted fruit plus hints of grilled meat and chocolate. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and bright acidity. Tangy and lively. Needs time still to come together to soften the tannins. A little hard. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSAfter the 2009 and 2010, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild comes across as a touch slender. Lavender, smoke, grilled herbs and licorice add the closing shades of nuance in this delightful, mid-weight Mouton. In 2008, the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot harvested between October 2 and 15. Two thousand eight is remembered as a highly variable year. Overcast skies finally opened in mid-September, which allowed the growing season to conclude on a high note.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis shows the cool, leafy profile of the vintage, with fresh tobacco and bay notes standing out, while the core of plum and blackberry fruit continues to fill in behind them. Shows wet earth and singed alder elements through the finish. This has nearly dropped its angular feel and is developing well, with just a slight twinge of crisp acidity on the finish.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Drink now through 2036.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2008 Lynch Bages is brilliant stuff as well as a textbook Pauillac. Revealing a still youthful ruby/purple color as well as impressive notes of graphite, cedar pencil, cassis, tobacco, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, polished tannins, and a concentrated, layered texture. Jean-Charles Cazes described the vintage as late and great for Cabernet Sauvignon, and this beauty has classic Cabernet flair in spades. Powerful yet also fresh and elegant, it benefits from a decant and will continue drinking beautifully for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDIn the powerful style of Lynch-Bages, although perhaps less exuberant than usual. Instead the concentration comes from juicy fruit, which gives it the a softer quality. Even so, it still has solid tannins, dense texture and always the promise of good aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA sensational effort for the vintage, this textured, opulent, superb Lynch Bages is already strutting its stuff and should easily last for 20 years. Medium to full-bodied with an opaque dense purple color, notes of flowers and cassis, a layered texture that builds incrementally in the mouth and tremendous purity and depth, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more. Bravo!Robert Parker | 93 RPMore concentrated and tannic than many of the other Pauillacs in this vintage, with powerful cassis fruits, notes of liquorice and still-chewy tannins, with cigar box and menthol starting to tunnel though. It could do with another few years, and it’s built to go the decades. Accomplished and enjoyable. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035Decanter | 93 DECLots of currant and lemon rind undertones. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tight and linear but pretty and bright. Just opening now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2008 Lynch Bages has a classic pencil lead and cedar scented bouquet with impressive delineation. It just takes a time to get going in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, classic in style with graphite-tinged black fruit. This is fresh and focused with impressive depth on the grippy finish. The Cazes family crafted a solid, what you might call dependable Lynch Bages that might eschew the glitz, but will cruise along nicely for a couple of decades. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 92 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&SVery solid, with a super beam of dark currant, tobacco and iron pushed by charcoal, melted fig and cocoa notes. There’s a nicely rounded feel, but also plenty of grip in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2018. 30,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A candidate for the -wine of the vintage,- the 2008 should have been purchased before it began to soar in value because of the significance of the number 8 in the Chinese culture (denoting good luck). Representing 40% of the production, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc offers aromas of high quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, earth, cedar and asphalt. Full, rich and stunningly concentrated, I doubt it is inferior to the 2010, just more classic as well as slightly more forward and a degree weaker in alcoholic potency (12.5% versus 13.5%). The 2008 should be relatively drinkable in 6-10 years as it is already showing remarkable complexity and breed, and will last for 30-35 years...at the minimum.Robert Parker | 98 RPElegance in a glass, this is very upright in structure with enticing acidity and black berry fruits. It has weight as well as richness. No question about the aging potential of this superb wine. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThis vintage had the bottle engraved with the Chinese symbol for 8, to commemorate the planting of the Penglai vineyards in China. Just starting to really open up, it has the sappy, lean and savoury character of Cabernet Sauvignon from classical years where terroir speaks so strongly. I like this hugely – subtle, beautiful. A smoky edge, cold ash or gun smoke rather than cigar, flint, a menthol finish. Still just settling in, this is starting to offer up its more subtle aromatics, and the pencil lead, cedar edge against spicy cassis notes delivers the refined classified Médoc character that makes these wines so sought after year in year out. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc.Decanter | 95 DECMinerals, tar and sous bois with dark fruit. Sweet tobacco. Black licorice. Full and chewy with lots of fruit but very reserved. So much mineral and sweet tobacco. It is all there. Give it four to five years of bottle age before beginning to explore the wine.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2008 Lafite Rothschild put in a strange showing at the previous horizontal just a few weeks earlier. This bottle is much better. It has a deep color with little ageing on the rim. On the nose there is ample fruit, blackberry and bilberry with notes of pencil lead and sage, but overall there is just more intensity than the previous bottle. The palate is well balanced with fine grain tannin and good density, a facet occasionally lacking in Lafite-Rothschild. There is just a touch of brown sugar and sage towards the finish that fortunately does not attenuate like the previous bottle. This is much more representative and whilst not the best First Growth of the vintage, it certainly shows more sophistication and class even if it does not match its more stellar showings just after bottling. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 10-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2008 Lafite-Rothschild is one of the few wines that’s still obviously closed and backward, yet nevertheless shows incredible potential. Made from a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc (which is more Merlot than normal), it offers textbook Lafite elegance and class in its perfume of lead pencil, cedarwood, cigar smoke, and mineral-laced black fruits. Playing in the medium to full-bodied spectrum, it’s deceivingly concentrated and powerful due to its perfect balance and purity as well as weightless texture. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy this classic Lafite over the following 30 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDSupple and harmonious already, with inviting, almost plush blackberry, plum and fig fruit notes carried by fine-grained, lightly cedary structure. Black tea and sandalwood flash on the finish. Poised now, but has the stuffing for more time in bottle.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Richer, purer and rounder than its sibling, Armailhac, this has good concentration of juicy fruits, with inky Pauillac power and tannic hold. But it also shows the beauty of Pauillac, as those fierce tannins begin to show their more gentlemanly side, while still providing structure. Really great quality. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038Decanter | 95 DECThis is very classic for the appellation with as much smoky and earthy character as ripe cassis. Good concentration and a stunning balance of ripe fruit, fine tannins and a long elegant finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine continues the upward progression of Clerc-Milon. It has weight and density while also showing sweetness and delicious acidity. A very complete wine.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2009 Clerc-Milon has more richness and depth than the d’Armailhac: black cherries, blueberry, cedar and touches of mint. This has a lot of generosity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, fresh and harmonious with a persistent peppery finish that lingers in the mouth. This bottle is more representative than the one served blind at Farr’s 2009 horizontal. Superb. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMJuicy and nicely framed with a singed bay leaf note, which allows the medium-weight core of crushed plum and mulled fig to glide along nicely through the velvety finish. This fleshes out considerably as it sits in the glass, showing more layers of dark fruit and lingering minerality. This has some power in reserve, but lovely balance as well. Best from 2013 through 2024. 11,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis fat, fleshy, dense purple-colored 2009 exhibits abundant notes of creme de cassis, roasted espresso, chocolate, berry fruit and underling hints of high quality, unsmoked cigar tobacco. Composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and a touch of Carmenere, it reveals plenty of structure and tannin, but the evolved aromatics offer a deceptive view that the wine will be drinkable early on. I do not think this is the case as the tannins kick in once it hits the palate. This seriously endowed, powerful, boisterous, muscular Pauillac should hit its prime between 2017 and 2035..Robert Parker | 92 RP(Château Clerc Milon) The 2009 Clerc Milon is a lovely example of the vintage. It is not quite as classically styled as the Batailly above, as it carries a bit of extravagant Mouton toasty, nutty oak, but it is a very well made wine this year. The nose offers up scents of cassis, black cherries, cigar smoke, soil and a judicious dollop of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, long and quite classically proportioned, with good length and grip on the ripely tannic finish. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 89-91 JG

The finest Batailley I have had in many years, the dense purple-colored 2009 exhibits a boatload of tannin as well as sweet, caramelized, black currant fruit intermixed with hints of charcoal, cedarwood and smoke, a full-bodied mouthfeel and the aforementioned high, but sweet, well-integrated tannin displaying no jaggedness. Batailley often requires considerable patience as it can be one of the longest-lived Pauillacs. Atypically for Batailley, the 2009 should be ready to drink in 5-7 years and keep for three decades.Robert Parker | 94 RPA rich yet dry Pauillac that’s now very attractive to drink and has a good harmony in spite of the generous alcohol. Long, supple finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 93 JSThis wine showed exceptionally well, both at the the Bordeaux 10 Years On tasting in London a few weeks ago and in the Decanter Premium tasting in New York. It’s great value for this level of Pauillac. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECSmooth black currant fruit with great density as well as superripeness. The wine is charming, while still having a powerful structure. Still a relative value in Pauillac, Batailley is now showing real class.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2009 Batailley seems a little closed on the nose at first and needs more encouragement than its peers, eventually unfurling with cedar and graphite infused black fruit, slightly earthy in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, quite linear and poised with a touch of cracked black pepper on the finish. Excellent. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Château Batailly) The 2009 Batailly has really turned out well and is clearly one of the candidates for sleeper of the vintage on the Left Bank. The nose is deep and classy, as it offers up scents of cassis, tobacco leaf, gravelly soil tones, smoke, espresso and a deft framing of cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, medium-full and poised, with fine intensity of flavor, ripe tannins, lovely focus and a fine, classic profile on the long and bouncy finish. This is old school Pauillac in the best sense of the word. (Drink between 2017-2040)John Gilman | 90-91 JGA chewy core of black currant, tobacco and roasted apple wood stretches out through the grip-framed finish. Fresh acidity rides underneath to keep it all lively. A solid version, with a throwback hint. Best from 2013 through 2023.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Smells heady and hedonistic, a mix of dark ripe bramble fruits, exotic spices and medicinal herbs with liquorice, clove and a soft floral violet scent. Refined, elegant and so finessed on the palate, juicy with high acidity that is quickly countered by a richness of flavour. Such classic Claret markers, driving, deep, round and expansive with a touch of sweetness and overall delectability. I love the purity of the expression, it’s not shouting - so quietly confident with detail and precision all the way through. Supremely harmonious with an underlying spice aspect and fresh ending. Maybe still a bit too young, given the 1996 at this point, but I love it. From magnum.Decanter | 97 DECA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2009 d’Armailhac has a deep garnet color, with a touch of brick. It comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of cherry pie, blueberry preserves, and blackcurrant pastilles, leading to suggestions of vanilla pod, dark chocolate, cinnamon toast, and lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with youthful, expressive red and black fruits, supported by velvety tannins, and finishing with fantastic length.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIPlenty of ripe cassis and chocolate with a hint of smoke on the nose lead you into a ripe and velvety Pauillac that now gives a lot of pleasure thanks to the excellent harmony and good length. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 93 JSDeliciously fruity, with chocolate notes and acidity. The wine has dense but soft tannins that merge seamlessly into the black fruits. It is ripe, sweet, densely juicy.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2009 d’Armailhac has a lovely bouquet with ample blackberry, boysenberry, graphite and light mint aromas - very Pauillac and very well focused. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannin, moderate acidity, good depth and very grippy. It is not the most complex Pauillac in this group but there is fine persistence with pure black cherry and hints of cassis towards the finish. Fine. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis has density, structure and drive, offering seriously dark baker’s chocolate, plum, currant and fig flavors all wound up tightly by singed cedar, tar and dark tapenade notes, with a tight, mineral-driven finish. Needs a little time to unwind. Best from 2013 through 2023.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2009 d’Armailhac is a very well-made wine this year, but based on the sample at the UGC tasting at Branaire-Ducru, I would have had to give a slight nod to its stable mate, Clerc Milon in ’09. However, a much fresher sample was on display at Mouton-Rothschild as well, and the d’Armailhac is certainly excellent in this vintage. The bouquet is deep, classy and quite extroverted, as it offers up scents of cassis, black cherries, coffee bean, soil , tobacco leaf and nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and classically proportioned, with beautiful balance and excellent focus and grip on display on the long, ripely tannic finish. This is a very, very good result this year. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 90-91 JGThe 2009 D’Armailhac has a medium to deep garnet color, and vibrant red and black fruit preserves, incense, earth and dried herbs all spring from the glass with a faint undercurrent of beef drippings. Medium-bodied, firm and chewy in the mouth, it has just enough maturing, savory fruit to fill the palate, with a lively line of freshness and an herbal lift on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

On the palate, deep red and black fruits, silky, caramel. This is a very good expression of Pauillac Cabernet fruit, with lots of flesh and depth, tannins and acidity for the future. Very good! Drinking Window 2016 - 2024.Decanter | 93 DECSo much crushed raspberry and hints of currants on the nose. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Second wine of Lynch Bages. Try after 2018.James Suckling | 91 JSDelivers a lesson in Pauillac, with sleek black currant and fig fruit melded together, laced with graphite, tobacco and roasted cedar notes and backed by a long, iron-driven finish. This has grip, but the wine is made in a more accessible style for mid-term cellaring. Best from 2013 through 2019. 14,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2009 Echo de Lynch Bages has a fragrant bouquet with estuarine-infused black fruit, crushed rose petals and hints of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, weighted evenly from start to finish with a composed cedar and mint infused finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. A strong performance from Batailley under blind conditions, easily surpassing its showing at the UGC in London last year. The 2010 has a very elegant bouquet with blackberry, cedar and leather, well defined and very nicely focused, though not the most vigorous amongst its peers. The palate is very well balanced with filigree tannins, perfectly judged acidity and a very appealing "classic" style of Pauillac very the top drawer. What a superb Pauillac - a benchmark Batailley. Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP-NM(Château Batailley, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Well-integrated 55% new oak and a great vintage from this 60ha estate, reflecting the precision in vineyard selection and winemaking that has only improved as second and third wines have been introduced. Fresh and refined, evoking subtle power, yet with a smooth texture, like satin. Sensual cassis, kirsch and forest strawberry jam aromatics. Try with roast quail in rosemary and thyme. (Drink between 2021-2050)Decanter | 95 DECAromas of freshly sliced mushrooms and dark fruits. Full body, with an incredible depth of fruit and finesse here. The tannins are amazing quality. Love the texture. Give it four to five years of bottle age.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2010 Batailley has a vivacious, outgoing and quintessentially Pauillac nose with blackberry, mint and graphite bursting from the glass and demanding attention! The palate is medium-bodied with ample black fruit laced with graphite, sage and cracked black pepper. Wonderful depth and grip here, fanning out nicely towards the finish where there is a soupçon of oak still to be subsumed, therefore give this another three or four years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMWith advice from consultant and Bordeaux University professor Denis Dubourdieu, Batailley has improved immensely in the past few years. This 2010 reinforces that trend, revealing a wine that is structured with Cabernet Sauvignon and is attractive with black currant fruitiness. Age for the medium-term.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis sports suave, mocha-infused toast, showing notes of dark plum, blackberry sauce and steeped fig. The dense, cocoa-coated finish has a smoldering tobacco note in the background. Rustic and slightly chewy in the end, but a bit of cellaring should tame this easily. Best from 2014 through 2026.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A wine with blueberry and chocolate with hints of hazelnut. Full body, with velvety tannins and a polished finish. This is intense yet very fine. Very pretty young Bordeaux. Try after 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSThis blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot is an up-front, seductively styled Pauillac (one of the more forward and evolved wines from this appellation in 2010). Deep purple, with exceptionally subtle texture and oodles of cassis fruit as well as hints of mocha and white chocolate, it is an elegant wine, but the overall impression is one of considerable flesh, fat and succulence. It will be hard to resist now, but can be cellared for another 15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RPFeatures loam, dark chocolate and steeped plum and black currant fruit, staying polished overall, with a singed apple wood note integrated through the solid finish. Shows excellent typicity. Best from 2015 through 2028. 7,666 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSTough at the moment, this is a wine with impressive concentration. It’s solid and chunky, with massive structure. The fragrant finish is a sign of the pleasure to come.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A juicy wine with strawberry and blueberry character. It’s full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a fresh finish. Lots of ripe fruit. Excellent second wine of Lynch-Bages. Better in 2015.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2010 Echo de Lynch Bages has a very attractive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit tinged with damp loam and undergrowth aromas, all well defined and adding welcome floral scents with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. Hints of graphite and bell pepper infuse the ample black fruit. There is superb weight and body towards the finish. A classic Claret from start to finish, this is a great wine in the making. I was shocked and pleased when the identity of this wine was revealed (incidentally one that I had not encountered previously.). Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis displays a solid core of cassis, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes, framed by a rather polished structure and lined with lightly toasted apple wood and anise notes. Offers good definition, with a violet note chiming in on the finish. A sleek, elegant Pauillac that relies more on purity than muscle. Best from 2014 through 2023.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Wonderfully elegant expression of Pauillac Cabernet, just pure, refined fruit reserved for the future. This is all sophisticated elegance for a great future. Drinking Window 2017 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECThis is firm and structured with blueberry and hazelnut character. Full body, with fine tannins and a juicy finish. So long and pretty. Wonderful texture. Better after 2017.James Suckling | 94 JSTasted at a vertical tasting at the château. The 2010 Haut Batailley is beginning to reach the potential I enthused about when I first tasted this from barrel. Much like the 2009 Haut-Batailley, it has a very expressive bouquet that needs a lot of coaxing from the glass. And like many 2010s it is a broody bugger, stubborn and obdurate but when you get to the palate...this is where the action is! This is where the quality positively shines through with very fine tannin: extremely pure fruit, a judicious touch of spice and a long and tender finish that is seamless. It needs 8-10 years for those aromatics to open but judging by the quality of the palate, it will be worth the wait. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92+ RP-NMA fresh, polished, forward style, with scrumptious plum and cassis fruit judiciously laced with toasted apple wood and cedar, sporting a well-integrated finish of violets and iron. Should be more accessible than most 2010 Pauillacs early on. Drink now through 2025. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The best Pauillac I ever tasted (and this wine has been a revelation ever since they first introduced it), the 2010 from Latour represents 24% of their production. It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44.5% Merlot and .5% Cabernet Franc. An amazingly opulent, round, delicious wine, and a great buy when they finally release it – assuming it comes in under a three-digit price – it possesses wonderfully silky tannins, classic black currant, cedar wood and forest floor notes, and rich, full-bodied opulence as well as a terrific purity and palate presence. It should drink well for 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 93 RPA wine with berry, chocolate and spice character. Full body, with velvety tannins and a savory finish. It shows currant and berry. I love the texture to this. Third wine of first growth Latour. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSLatour’s 2010 Pauillac de Château Latour is a huge overachiever and shows just how compelling this vintage is. The aromatics alone are beguiling, but it is the wine’s impeccable balance and class that are most impressive today. Hints of leather, earthiness, tobacco, licorice and dark cherry are nicely layered into the silky finish. The 2010 is an absolutely delicious wine to drink now and over the next decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Another sensational effort from Philippe Dhaluin, the administrator of Mouton Rothschild, this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot shows complex floral notes intermixed with forest floor, camphor, black currants and mulberries that all jump from the glass of this aromatic style of d’Armailhac. This wine possesses very good acidity, a surprisingly higher percentage of Merlot than usual, but the quality is impressive, and the good news is that there are 20,000 cases of this full-bodied beauty, which should age nicely for 15-20+ years.Robert Parker | 93 RPDense, juicy and inviting, with bouncy briar, blackberry, steeped black currant and melted black licorice notes framed by roasted apple wood and graphite notes. The finish courses along with good definition. Energetic and tempting, but the gripping, iron-laden finish will benefit from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPolished and very fine with pretty fruit and berry structure. Full and silky with a delicious finish. It’s so good now to drink but has depth and structure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2010 d’Armailhac seems to be opening nicely on the nose with scents of raspberry, cranberry, brown spices and an underlying ferrous element. Good definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and well judged acidity. This feels harmonious and smoother in texture than many of its peers, tobacco and black pepper towards the finish. This is ready for business and should drink well over the next decade. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMAs the ten year moment clicks over, Armailhac is looking pretty ready to drink, still showing firm tannins and plenty of fruit, but it is more open than many Pauillacs in the vintage at this point, and doesn’t seem to hold the same self-belief in its ageing ability. A dusty earth character that feels comfortingly old school, this sums up a lovely, balanced claret in its drinking window, sure to continue for another decade or more but it is not built powerfully, and struggles to deliver true appellation typicity. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 91 DECThis is a wine that’s full of blackberry flavor, with elegant fruitiness and sweet tannins. It may miss the firm structure of the vintage, but it makes up for that with its forward, ripe fruitiness.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The licorice, tar and spice character with dried fruits and currants impresses me. Full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. This is even better now than from barrel. Better in 2019.James Suckling | 93 JSThe savoury, floral edge of Cabernet on gravel is fully on display, and it needs time in the glass to soften and unroll. After a few minutes, the smoky side comes out, and the lean but concentrated berry fruit, although the tannins are a little crunchy. Delicious, a very classic Pauillac, full of pencil lead and crushed stone. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECGrand-Puy-Lacoste made one of the finer 2010s in Pauillac, but I am not sure I do not prefer their excellent 2011 to the former vintage! This is a complete and very classy wine on both the nose and palate, with none of the difficulties of the vintage in evidence. The very classic bouquet offers up scents of cassis, dark berries, cigar smoke, gravelly soil tones, espresso and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with a lovely core of fruit, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a very long, complex and youthfully stylish finish. A lovely and very classic vintage of Grand-Puy-Lacoste! (Drink between 2022-2060).John Gilman | 92+ JGReflecting the fruity, forward style of the vintage, this wine is packed with ripe black currants. There is a strong Cabernet character—it’s dry initially, then followed by juiciness. It’s a concentrated wine, although not for long-term aging. Drink from 2017.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe dense ruby/purple-colored 2011 Grand Puy Lacoste exhibits a charming, open-knit bouquet of red and black fruits. It is a savory, medium-bodied, flavorful, well-endowed Pauillac from Xavier Borie that can be enjoyed over the next 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 91 RPShows purity and focus, with a core of bitter plum, cassis and lightly singed vanilla notes leading to a silky, relatively unadorned finish that glides along. Flickers of cedar and iron should emerge with cellaring. Best from 2015 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WSGood full ruby. Fresh aromas of raspberry, cola, cinnamon, smoke and graphite. At once silky and juicy, offering good intensity and a light touch to the smoky dark berry and graphite flavors. Nicely penetrating wine with lovely vinosity and spicy, fruity persistence. Boasts lovely texture and balance, offering plenty of early appeal but with the stuffing to age and improve another ten years. This strikes me as one of the most successful Left Bank wines in 2011.Vinous Media | 90+ VM