White wines

May 22nd, 2011

Château Haut Brion Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
A blend of 54% Sauvignon Blanc and 46% Semillon, this singular, compelling white exhibits notes of orange blossoms, lemons, melons, crushed rocks, spice and flowers. It is a sensational full-bodied dry white.
RP 94-97

La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
Composed of 81% Semillon and 19% Sauvignon Blanc, this 2010 exhibits crisp, zesty acids as well as a full-bodied mouth feel offering lots of lanolin, sealing wax, honeyed Mandarin oranges and lemon oil. This sensational effort has 30-40 years of aging potential.
RP 93-95+

Château Malartic Lagravière Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
A spectacular blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon offers lots of honeyed melons, tropical fruit and subtle oak. Brilliant!
RP 93-95

La Clarté de Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan
A combined second white wine for both La Mission and Haut Brion Exotic nose, full and creamy on the palate, exotic pina-colada fruit on palate with a very long finish.
RP 90-92

Pavillon Blanc, Margaux
Brilliantly clean acid bursting with citrus fruits, a touch of pear drop and notes of new oak.

Haut Medoc, Cotes, etc

May 22nd, 2011

La Goulée, Haut Médoc
What a leap in style and quality. The elegant nose of creamy black fruits leads seamlessly into a supple and explosive palate of sweet, almost tropical fruit with oaky notes. A superb effort.
RP 90-92

Château Sociando-Mallet, Haut Médoc
Deep colour, almost black. Spicy nose leading to an explosion of cassis fruit. Big tannins and great length.
RP 91-93

Château Cantemerle, Haut Médoc, 5ème Cru Classé
Expressive, with complex fruit combining red and black berries. Well structured with fine tannins and fresh acidity
RP 91-93

Château La Lagune, Haut Médoc, 3ème Cru Classé
Huge investment is paying off in terms of quality here. A high ratio of Merlot (40%) gives a good deal of polish and suppleness. Ink black with sweet black fruit on the palate. Weighty but well integrated tannins.
RP 93-96

Chateau d’Aiguilhe, Côtes de Castillon
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Dark glowing crimson. Quite full and rich and round. Thick and sweet. Masses of fun. An early developer and good value.
RP 89-92

Château Patache d’Aux, Medoc
Bright fruit and a warm cedar finish put this wine ahead its value-inspired peers. Drinking from 2015 this bargain claret will put a smile on anyone’s face who relishes the upfront charms of modern Bordeaux.

Château L’Evangile
Consistently a high performer of Pomerol, now under the control of team Lafite. Deep, dark colour with sweet fruit on the initial attack, linear tannins and subtle freshness on the finish.
RP 96-98

Blason L’Evangile
The second wine of the chateau doesn’t disappoint. Silky plumy fruit and swarm spicy oak work beautifully together to provide a ripe and gently tannic finish.

Château Hosanna
One of Pomerols best value wines though sadly only 1,500 cases of this 80% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc blend are ever crafted. Acidity balances a depth of inky fruit and gripping tannin. There is a real purity of fruit on the finish with a long dry savoury note.
RP 94-96

Vieux Château Certan
A blend of 86% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon was picked at just the perfect moment, helping to deliver ripe dark crimson fruit. There is concentration and intensity across the nose and palate but not over powering. You can tell this is a wine of some breeding and is another triumph from the estate.
RP 96-98

Latour à Pomerol
Arguably one of the finest Latour à Pomerols produced in many years and perhaps even eclipsing the 2009. Freshness on the nose with bright red fruits and almost rhubarb character. Very fruity and lean on the palate making way for balanced heat and acidity.
RP 92-94

Château lafleur
Featuring an unusually high level of Cabernet Franc this year and actually doesn’t miss the Merlot. Silky balance and earthy fruit characters persist with nice dry tannins wrapping up a very well crafted wine.
RP 95-98

Château La Fleur Pétrus
The fabulous 2010 La Fleur Pétrus boasts a dense purple colour in addition to a big, sweet perfume of mocha-infused black raspberry and black cherry fruit that is extravagantly rich, textured and long.
RP 95-98+

Château Petit Village
Ripe and overt nose of red currants, vanilla, and gentle spice leads to a rich palate of coffee, dark, creamy berries.
RP 90-92

Château La Conseillante
Very elegant, supple tannins, with soft, generous and round blackberry fruit. Great freshness.
RP 95-98

Château Gazin
Fruit dense with black currant and cherry with liquorice and coffee. Super richness and freshness.
RP 93-95

Hospitalet de Gazin
90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc delivers dark stewed plums with a lick of cherry like its bigger brother, Chateau Gazin. Will drink well over the next decade and again proves a great introduction to quality Pomerol.

Château Clinet
Powerful fruit with blueberries, black currants and notes of liquorice and tar. Superb structure, powerful but elegant tannins.
RP 95-98

Château Eglise Clinet
A very impressive wine. Sweet, rich black fruit, notes of mocha. Multi layered with stunning purity and definition with a very long finish.
RP 96-100

Château Nenin
The 2010 Nenin is a full-bodied, deep plum/purple-coloured wine with loads of sweet boysenberry, black currant and cherry notes, as well as hints of earth and spring flowers. Broad and deep, it could turn out to be one of the best-made wines from this estate.
RP 90-92

Château Providence
Very pure bouquet with macerated black cherries, blueberry, truffle and a touch of smoke. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, sensual tannins, good cohesion and poise here with fine minerality showing through.
RP 92-94+

Château Petrus
(Category A)

The second vintage for winemaker Olivier Berrouet and no less impressive than last year’s phenomenal effort. The sample tasted was pure Merlot and it will not be determined until final blending what goes into the blend. Supple nose, incredibly full and rich on palate with great minerality, highly complex fruit for a new wine, superb intensity with a great sense of freshness on the finish.
RP 98-100

Château Trotanoy
Packed with dense black fruit, great minerality and superb structure. Backward now but will reward for 8-10 years in the cellar.
RP 93-95+

Carillon d’Angelus
Superb richness with sweet fruit cake fruit, with fine tannins. An extremely elegant wine for consumption within 10 years.
RP 87-89

Château Angelus, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Beautiful nose, very rich palate, great extraction, big but ultra ripe tannins. A powerhouse of a wine but a joy to drink now.
RP 94-96+

Petit Cheval
Generous plumy, damson fruit and spice. Cool tannins creating a very elegant style. Proclaimed as one of the finest ever second wines from this estate.
RP 91-93

Château Cheval Blanc, 1er Grand Cru Classé A
(Category A)

Back to its Cabernet Franc domination offering a very fine structure, elegant tannins, purity of fruit and freshness. Great concentration from the low yields. A superb balance of acid and tannin will age this wine for decades to come.
RP 96-98

Château Figeac, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Beautifully rich and powerful palate of sweet fruit, smokiness and mocha. A superb finish that just lingers on and on.

Château Troplong Mondot, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Serious concentration and complexity. Black berry and blueberry led with coffee, hints of spice make for a hugely complex wine. A blockbuster with hallmarks of Michel Rolland.
RP 96-98

Château La Gaffeliere, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Round and rich blueberry and blackberry fruit, elegant tannins and refreshing acidity make for a very fine wine. A rising star of the region.
RP 91-93

Château Clos Fourtet, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Deep colour, a beautiful bouquet of spice, black fruit and liqueur. Elegant and fresh on the finish.
RP 95-97

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, Grand Cru Classé
Superb nose, sweet fruit with good intensity, elegant.
RP 91-93

Château Puy Blanquet
A new find for this campaign from the Moueix stables the home of La Fleur Petrus and Trotanoy. A great value wine for under €15, almost unbeatable. Sweet, Merlot driven fruit.

Château La Serre, Grand Cru Classé
Another Moueix exclusive. Soft and elegant with unctuous, rich black fruit. Great depth, fine tannins and good length.
RP 86-88

Château Magdelaine, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Great intensity, bold and packed full of rich black fruits. Much more wine than usually produced from this estate.
RP 92-94

Château Belair-Monange, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
Big, fruit driven, bold, hugely intense, and packed with fruit. A hedonistic wine. New to Le Clos this year.
RP 95-97+

Château Pavie, 1er Grand Cru Classé B
A huge and highly concentrated effort from Gerard Perse. The bold, spicy nose leads to a fleshy palate of rich, dark fruits and a welcome lift on the finish.
RP 95-98+

Château Ausone, 1er Grand Cru Classé A
A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, picked between 5th and 15th October. 26 hl/ha. Dark crimson with a bright crimson rim. Lovely punch and scent on the nose and then real tight impact on the palate.
RP 98-100

La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion
Deep colour, tight nose, an explosive palate of rich, creamy, brooding dark fruits, with notes of fresh coffee and dark chocolate. A superb effort for a second wine.
RP 91-94

La Clarence de Haut-Brion
Very tight structure, powerful palate and elegant minerality along with lots of sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit.
RP 90-93

Château La Mission Haut-Brion
(Category A)

A lush yet muscular wine, highly structured, offering intense black fruits, mocha notes with a superb purity and elegance.
RP 98-100

Château Haut-Brion, 1er Cru Classé
(Category A)

Very deep colour, brilliant fruit on the nose, dense on the palate with sweet, luxurious black fruits. Balanced to perfection with great freshness, tight yet pure and elegant tannins.
RP 98-100

Château Haut Bailly
An exuberant effort, this beautiful wine offers a touch of tar, black fruits and minerality. Great integration of oak accompanies tannin and acidity to give a rewarding freshness.
RP 95-97

Château Pape Clement
Highly perfumed with opulent black cherries and blackberries, smoky and mineral notes. Medium to full-bodied with powerful tannins.
RP 93-95

Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Powerful, intense, concentrated without being over-extracted. A very fine structure with dense black fruits, coffee and mineral notes. Great freshness. A superb effort from the Cathiard family.
RP 95-97

Domaine de Chevalier
Very tight and almost impenetrable. The intensity can be felt but assessment difficult. Powerful tannins.
RP 91-93

Château Palmer, 3ème Cru Classé
Continuing its recent form, proving its super second growth label, the 2010 Palmer is a real treat. Creamy and polished and highly concentrated. The richness is propped up by mineral notes, a sturdy tannin structure and a superb acidity offers great freshness.
RP 95-97

Alter Ego de Palmer
45% of Palmer’s production for 2010 and a much more serious and should be long lived wine than usual. Soft with a velvet like texture, with plums and black fruits, with gripping tannins and a deep core. No ordinary second wine.
RP 90-92

Château Cantenac Brown, 3ème Cru Classé
Very opulent, powerful palate, fine structure, with pure blackcurrant fruit. A superb richness and juiciness. Possibly the best effort from the Margaux attendees of the UGC tastings.
RP 92-94

Château du Tertre, 5ème Cru Classé
Dark ruby colour, black cherry and berry fruit with notes of cedar and liquorice. Well balanced and well knit.
RP 87-89

Château Giscours, 3ème Cru Classé
Deep purple colour with sweet blackberry and cassis fruit, opulent with a finesse and purity typical of the vintage in Margaux.
RP 92-95

Château Malescot St Exupery, 3ème Cru Classé
Black and red currants and notes of spice. Multi layered, unctuous and rich. Superb freshness on the finish. A gem for long term cellaring.
RP 94-96

Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux
(66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot)Intense nose, sweet fruit, surprisingly soft and supple in the mouth. Huge structure for Pavillon Rouge, rich fruits and coffee notes. Possibly the best ever Pavillon. An incredible effort to support its soaring market prices.
RP 90-92

Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé
(Category A)
Brooding black colour, deep smoky nose, super rich palate with gentle spice, luxurious black fruits, and a very elegant and long finish. The more elegant of the 1st growths in 2010.
RP 96-99

Château Rauzan-Ségla, 2ème Cru Classé
Warm and sweet, with bright fruit notes on the nose. Purity and stone minerality lead onto a dry finish lingering finish.
RP 92-94

Amiral de Beychevelle
New to our offering this year and a younger, more approachable wine than its big brother Chateau Beychevelle. Silky smooth with a nice balance between fruit and savory characters – this will be delicious in a few years after bottling

Château Beychevelle, 4ème Cru Classé
Bold and dense damson, red and black currant fruits and earthy note. Typically gripping tannins deserving ageing of 8 years minimum.
RP 90-92

Château Gruaud Larose, 2ème Cru Classé
Full bodied and dense with great purity. Cool mint, notes of vanilla, dark chocolate and spice. Great depth and superb length.
RP 92-94

Château Léoville Barton, 2ème Cru Classé
Very deep. A powerhouse of a wine. Highly extracted with great richness of fruit and smokiness. Masculine, muscular and requiring a decade of ageing before broaching.
RP 91-93+

Château Léoville Poyferré. 2ème Cru Classé
Intense fruit with crème de cassis, brooding dark chocolate. Medium intense tannins, superb purity, great precision and excellent freshness.
RP 95-98

Château Talbot, 4ème Cru Classé
Very forward now, well balanced with rich, sweet damsons and black cherries. Elegant tannins. For early consumption compared to some other St Julien offerings.
RP 91-93

Le Petit Lion du Marquis
The second wine of Léoville-Las-Cases. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon 38% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep and dark with a powerful nose of black fruits. Very polished, exuberant fruit but balanced nicely with good acidity and freshness.
RP 87-88

Clos du Marquis
From the Las Cases stables but not to be confused with the second wine, le Petit Lion. Young vines are no longer used in Clos du Marquis. Mineral nose, generous and sweet red berry fruit on the palate. Fine tannins and good freshness.
RP 91-93

Sarget de Gruaud Larose
Deep colour, very pure nose with a combination of black and red fruits, a touch of tar and a very fresh finish.

Château Léoville-las-Cases, 2ème Cru Classé
Tremendous power from Latour’s next door neighbour. A creamy, polished and silky core with sweet fruit backed with a smokiness and very firm dry tannins.
RP 95-98

Château Ducru Beaucaillou, 2ème Cru Classé
The production of the grand vin has been almost halved recently and the results can be seen in the recent wines, including 2010. Deep purple colour with a spicy nose leading into a rich and complex palate of cassis with tobacco and notes. Superb, well defined finish.
RP 96-98

Croix de Beaucaillou
Sweet mulberry and boysenberry fruit intermixed with liquorice, forest floor and earth are followed by an opulently textured, fleshy wine that is dense and outstanding. It should drink well for 10-15 years.
RP 90-92

Les Forts de Latour
(Category A)

Aggressive on initial attack with lots of spice. The palate offers mineral notes, mocha, black fruits, freshly ground coffee and finishes with firm but very elegant tannins.
RP 92-95

Château Latour, 1er Cru Classé
(Category A)

Almost black in colour. Dark berry fruits on the nose, marked acidity and minerality, powerful yet supremely elegant. The finish lasts for minutes. A very classic Latour deserving a very long cellaring.
RP 98-100

Réserve de la Comtesse
Intense fruit predominantly dark berries, a light spiciness on the palate, dense black fruits, approachable, almost soft and definitely fine.
RP 89-91

Château Pichon Lalande, 2ème Cru Classé
Surprisingly soft for a wine of this power. Juicy fruit yet very mineral, hints of spice, superbly balanced as expected. This offers power and intensity, without heaviness.
RP 92-95

Château Pontet Canet, 5ème Cru Classé
Huge fruit, almost opulent in style, pure and powerful blackcurrant flavours, gripping tannins yet very refined, making a superbly elegant wine finishing with a beautiful freshness.
RP 96-100

Echo de Lynch Bages
Very dense colour and nose. Great concentration of fruit on the palate with freshness.

Château Lynch Bages, 5ème Cru Classé
Black in colour, very tight on the nose. A deeply structured palate, very well knit and balanced with creamy black fruits, a hint of spice and finishing with a superb freshness. Classic claret for long term cellaring.
RP 95-97

Château d’Armailhac, 5ème Cru Classé
Elegant nose leading to a palate with sweet, creamy black fruit, superb minerality and elegant tannins.
RP 89-92

Château Clerc Milon, 5ème Cru Classé
A spicy and exotic nose, with a dense and powerful palate of black fruit, gentle spice, cigar box, tougher, offering great freshness.
RP 91-93

Petit Mouton
Powerful yet soft, intense and mineral fruit with a touch of spice, great elegance with fine tannins.
RP 90-93

Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé
(Category A)
94% Cabernet Sauvignon. The highest percentage ever on the estate. A powerful and compact nose of dark berries leads to a powerful palate of creamy black berries and crème de cassis, mineral notes, and gripping tannins while retaining superb elegance. A 50+ year wine.
RP 97-100

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 5ème Cru Classé
Exceptionally full bodied with bold tannins, sweet black currant flavours, slightly floral, and ultimately really quite elegant.
RP 93-96

Château Haut-Bages Libéral, 5ème Cru Classé
Deep colour, ripe palate of damsons and crème de cassis. Firm and bold tannins but not lacking finesse.
RP 91-93+

Carruades de Lafite
(Category A)

A noticeable shift in quality for the 2010. Intense with gentle spice, deep black fruits, liquorice, herbs and cedar. A stunning second wine with great poise and balance.
RP 91-94

Château Duhart-Milon, 4ème Cru Classé
Well structured, great depth of fruit, powerful tannins, but with rich dark fruit to match. A very serious wine with an almost perfect balance.
RP 94-96

Château Lafite-Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé
(Category A)
84% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bold, great intensity, rich fruits coffee, gentle spice, brooding black fruits, a creamy texture with fine and elegant tannins. The highest alcohol ever in Lafite but still only 13.5% is well balanced by the mineral acidity providing a superb freshness.
RP 98-100

Tourelles de Longueville
Well structured with black berries, gentle spice, notes of cedar, and brambly fruit on nose on the palate. Soft and elegant tannins. A wine for early consumption of absolute pleasure.

Château Pichon Longueville, 2ème Cru Classé
Intense nose, intense creamy fruit, dark berries, plums, soft dense palate with concentrated fruit, dark chocolate and coffee. Unctuous and superbly balanced. This is a rising star of the Médoc reaching its zenith.
RP 97-99

Château Batailley, 5ème Cru Classé
Elegant crushed rock, red and black currant, spice box and earth notes result in a classic Pauillac to smell and taste. Dark ruby/purple-coloured, slightly austere because of the robust tannins, beautifully pure and built for the long haul, patience of 5-7 years will be required and should keep for 25+ years.
RP 89-91+

La Dame de Montrose
Almost austere, steely in character. Crunchy black fruits. Big structure and very fresh.
RP 91-93

Château Montrose, 2ème Cru Classé
Impenetrable black colour with a very dense nose. Dense on the palate with marked acidity and minerality producing superb freshness. The complex fruit and fine tannins are extremely well balanced and leads to a very long finish. A superb wine as always and a text book Claret.
RP 96-99

Les Pagodes de Cos
A little closed on nose. The palate is tight with very fine tannins producing a wine of elegance and freshness. This second wine displays the hallmarks of the grand vin without the intensity. Will drink well in 8-12 years.
RP 90-93

Château Cos d’Estournel, 2ème Cru Classé
Subtle nose in its youth. On the palate both mineral and precise. A very opulent style, especially considering the vintage. Great purity of fruit, packed with black fruits, oaky notes and mocha. Fresh and extremely elegant. Will age gracefully for decades to come.
RP 95-97

Château Ormes de Pez, Cru Bourgeois
Very bold fruit, great concentration, pulpy black fruits, a touch of spice and an intriguing creaminess. A superb value wine for drinking as often as possible.
RP 87-90

Château Tronquoy-Lalande, Cru Bourgeois
Deep purple, sweet, opulent black currants and floral notes. Good concentration, fine tannin.
RP 90-93

The Selection

May 22nd, 2011

One of the most interesting quotes to come out of Bordeaux regarding the quality of the vintage emanated from esteemed proprietor Alexandre Thienpont of Vieux Château Certan, noting that “fewer people are spitting this year’, referring to the trade en-masse taking a very high view of the overall quality…and enjoying themselves at the tastings!

We have selected a breadth of wines in terms of price and character, but you can be assured that whether you are looking to enter the world of en primeur for the first time for stunning wines to drink over the next decade, or are a savvy investor who knows the potential returns that can be made by buying shrewdly we have something to offer everyone

On the following pages you will find wines that demonstrate the greatest quality in their respective fields, and versus their peers. There are old favourites like Gruaud Larose and Montrose both resurgent in recent times and back to top form. There are the “like children in a sweet shop” wines of Pétrus, lafite Latour et al all rubbing shoulders to get to the top of the class, and there are some delicious new additions perfect for drinking on a special occasion without feeling guilty such as Puy Blanquet and Amiral de Beychevelle.

Both sweet and dry white wines have performed very well in 2010, but at this stage we are only to offer an exclusive selection. We will, of course, look at any specific request so please contact the team at enprimeur2010@leclos.net with any enquiry you may have.

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