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Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the 1985 Château Palmer was clearly a favourite amongst the participants in the tasting, although here I actually concur with Robert Parker - it’s a pleasant Margaux, but not the most complex wine of the vintage. You get the feeling that it doesn’t fire on all cylinders. It has an appealing bacon fact and savory bouquet - a little smudged, but full of charm. The palate is fleshy on the entry, perhaps here with a touch of brettanomyces, the acidity nicely judged with expressive Merlot defining the finish. It does not "take off" as the greatest 1985s are wont to do, yet you would contentedly polish off a bottle, seduced by its easy-going nature. Tasted May 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90 RP-NMVery rich and concentrated with layers of plum, cassis and currant flavors and woody, mahogany flavors. It’s a bit clumsy at this stage but everything ’s in place for long-term aging.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1998 Palmer showed extremely well. Featuring blackberry, cedar and a touch of black olive on the nose, this has evolved a little since I last tasted it, yet it remains wonderfully defined. The palate is supple and concentrated, with touches of clove and black pepper infusing the black fruit, and gentle grip on the finish. I might actually afford this another year in bottle, but it probably represents good value vis-à-vis other vintages.Vinous Media | 94 VMA classic Margaux, the 1998 Palmer has put on weight and fleshed out during its elevage in barrel. It displays a dense purple color as well as a sumptuous bouquet of black fruits, licorice, melted asphalt, pain grille, and a touch of acacia flowers. Full-bodied, with brilliant definition, this blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a dollop of Petit Verdot, will age well for 20-30 years. It is one of the Medoc’s, as well as the Margaux appellation’s finest wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2028.Robert Parker | 91 RPMushroom, spice, earth and berry character on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, with soft tannins and meaty, berry and cèpe flavors. Tannins are still a little angular. Give it a little time.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2010.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A rich and ripe nose of dried fruits, figs and spices with hints of cedar. Full body, a juicy fruit character and soft tannins. Lots of pretty fruit. Lightly earthy tobacco undertones. Still fresh. Gorgeous now to drink.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2003 La Lagune was the first vintage whereby Denis Dubourdieu acted as consultant. It has a more fruit forward bouquet compared to the 2002 and it has aged well, offering redcurrant, dried fig and a touch of tinned prune on the nose, yet without the VA or sur-maturité that afflict other 2003s. The palate is medium-bodied with a peppery opening, fine tannin, admirable freshness for this vintage with more tension on the finish than one might expect, plus I appreciate the discrete touch of bay leaf and white pepper on the aftertaste. Tasted at the La Lagune vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 90 VMA big chunky wine which still has grace and elegance along with the power. This is an excellent performance from a property which is worth watching.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Very ripe aromas of light raisins, spices, and blackberries. Full bodied, with chewy tannins, and a massive structure. This is really powerful, like an old style Bordeaux. Pull the cork after 2015. Find the wineJames Suckling | 95 JSBlackberry, licorice and lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied, with refined and chewy tannins and a subtle, rich berry and mineral aftertaste. Lovely wine. Best after 2011. 5,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA classic St.-Julien, the 2003 Langoa Barton offers notes of cedarwood, fruitcake, spice box and black currants as well as some light tannins still in evidence. This dark plum/ruby/garnet-colored, medium to full-bodied wine possesses sweet fruit, but no over-ripeness or roasted characteristics. Coming into full maturity, it should continue to drink well for another decade.Robert Parker | 91 RPSweet, rich, dense, very much of its year. At the same time, there is the Barton touch that leaves some fine elegance, to go with the smoky fruits and richness, while acidity gives it a fine lift.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

A smooth, delicious wine. The fruit flavors go right through this ripe, complex wine, leaving the tannins and wood as supporting acts. As with so many 2004s, the aftertaste is fresh, with great acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA big, smoky, tapenade, plum, black currant, and spring flower-scented nose is followed by a medium to full-bodied, textured, layered wine with sweet tannin, low acidity, and impressive concentration as well as depth. This is a gorgeous, hedonistic yet complex Margaux to drink now and over the next 12-14 years.Robert Parker | 91 RPThis is very fresh and firm with really beautiful chocolate, walnut and berry character on the nose and palate. Full body with chewy yet polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Subtle and fine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSA solid red, with blackberry, plum and light cedar aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing aftertaste. All together here. Best after 2008. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is a beautiful Giscours with tension and finesse. It’s full-bodied and shows plenty of berry and spice character, not to mention a long, silky-textured finish. It seduces you with each sip. Why wait?James Suckling | 95 JSThis chateau gets better and better. The wine has power, but it is harnessed by the intense fruits, the blackberry flavors, the density and the wood. With the power, though, comes elegance, resulting in a wine that is ready to develop over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a powerful wine with good ageing potential. The nose is ripe and creamy with plenty of dark fruit and spice complexity. The palate is rich, full and gourmand with Cabernet-cassis notes coming through. There’s a big tannic frame that shows the more masculine side of this Margaux. The finesse may be missing but there’s a lot of wine here. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2005 Giscours captures all the natural radiance of the year in its stylish, racy personality. Sweet tannins wrap around a core of sweet red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange. Soft, curvy and sensual, Giscours is a winner in 2005. It doesn’t quite offer the grandeur of the very finest Left Bank 2005s, but it has plenty of that richness.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDisplays blackberry, cherry and hints of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and solid. This is structured and chewy. Needs time. Best after 2013. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2005 Château Giscours is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot picked between September 22 and October 6. Conspicuously deep in color, both the aromatics and palate replicate the strong performance from earlier this year. The bouquet offers very fine intensity with blackberry and cedar, here a tinge of cassis that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannin. It is very well balanced and almost Saint Julien in style. It is clearly very focused with a sustained, mineral-rich finish that (as I said before) contains real energy. This is an excellent Giscours that will age nicely over the next 20-25 years. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

Subdued on opening, but with 30 minutes in a carafe it spills out rich pencil lead and liquorice notes, with blackberry fruits and smoky vanilla spice. Classic Margaux 2006, with fairly high acidity that emphasises a floral character, alongside refined tannins. Just beginning to evolve towards an older wine. An unusual vintage at Cantenac Brown, where they produced only 30% of the first wine, reflecting a new regime of greater precision in harvesting and sorting. 60% new oak. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECA gorgeous nose of blackberry and plum jam, with a vanilla bean hint. Full-bodied and soft-textured, with round, chewy tannins and lots of fruit. A little loosely knit now, but will come together beautifully with age. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Langoa Barton has a lifted nose of small dark cherries, blackberry, incense and marmalade - quite showy for Langoa Barton - but there is joie-de-vivre here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, ripe and demonstrating impressive density plus a firm grip. This really coats the mouth in tannin, although it is still balanced. It just needs another 4-5 years in bottle, the stubborn little lady. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker | 91 RPShows violet and blackberry, with hints of raisin. Full and velvety, with lovely-textured tannins and plenty of ripe fruit on the finish. Balanced and rich. Best after 2013. 4,710 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSSoft and ripe, here is a wine that just enjoys being rich and fruity. Blackberry flavors are followed by sweet black cherries, both contained within an elegant structure of tannins. As usual, this will develop more quickly than its more powerful stablemate, Léoville-Barton.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE