The Farr Vintners team was up at the crack of dawn today for a slow crawl up the back roads of the Médoc to our 9am start at....Lafite. Talk about setting the bar high. We were only starting the day with the world's (well OK, China's) most demanded wine!
There is a feeling in Europe that Lafite is now over-priced so it is ripe for criticism but there is simply no way to say anything against this wine. Lafite 2010 is clearly outstanding - yet another stunning Lafite from Charles Chevallier. What a way to start the day! The only debate is if it gets 19 points or 20. A really good Duhart Milon here too by the way....
Next stop was Cos d'Estournel - the scene of a blockbuster monster last year. We are ready for another massive attack but, surprise surprise, this a classically structured Bordeaux with backbone and some serious tannins. Jean-Guillaume Prats insists that the winemaking and viticulture were the same as last year and it is simply Mother Nature that has changed the recipe. A very impressive wine but clearly different from last year - guaranteed to please the sceptical British critics more this time round we reckon.
Jean Guillaume Prats conducts the tasting at Cos
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We followed Cos with a trip up the road to Montrose. No surprise that this is a tannic powerhouse. One to buy for the kids - it should be ready to drink in about 30 years.....
Back to Pauillac and Mouton Rothschild. This is certainly less sexy than the super-opulent 2009 and if that wine resembles the 1982 then maybe this is the new 1986? Time will tell.
At Pichon Lalande we find a wine that is atypical of the vintage - quite soft, smooth and charming. A typical Pichon more than a typical 2010.
Then it's over the garden wall to Latour - what a wine! Frédéric Engerer has no doubt that 2010 Les Forts de Latour is the best vintage that he has ever made but what about the Grand Vin? If the 2009 is the new 1959 then is this the new 1961? If only we had knowledge of what the 1961 tasted like in the Spring of 1962. Well we do actually because step forward Derek Smedley who actually tasted it then! And yes, says Derek, it does taste like 1961 Latour did 49 years ago, case closed. 20 points. Awesome wine.
the twins at Latour
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Then it's on to Pontet Canet where Melanie and Alfred Tesseron present the first ever 100% organic and bio-dynamic cru classé wine. This is a fabulous Pontet with almost the same richness and intesity as the 2009 but with extra backbone and structure.
Seeing the light at Pontet Canet
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We then taste a benchmark Léoville Barton (and excellent Langoa) and a fleshy Léoville Poyferré before we arrive at Grand Puy Lacoste where once again Xavier Borie has produced a classic Pauillac that we hope will be sold at a modest price as usual. A word of praise also for Haut Batailley which looks set to be one of THE best values of vintage. For those who find the great names of Bordeaux too expensive these days, this is the wine to put at the top of your shopping list.
It's then back on the bus for a trip South to Margaux where we taste a simply gorgeous Chateau Margaux and one of the best Pavillon Rouges ever. With the recent price rises for the second wines of the First Growths, Paul Pontallier feels morally obliged to crank up the quality of Pavillon and the Chateau will now be bottling a third wine to use all the fruit rejected from the top two labels.
team photo at Margaux
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Over the road, we are seduced by the sexiest, creamiest wine of the vintage so far - a sumptuous Chateau Palmer. After yesterday's brilliant performance by Rauzan Segla it does seem that the commune of Margaux has some real superstars in 2010.
We conclude the day with a trip back up to Saint Julien where the affable Bruno Borie has produced an impressive Lalande Borie, a classed growth quality Croix de Beaucaillou and a real stunner at Ducru Beaucaillou. This could be his best Ducru yet and it's certainly in the same league as the famous 1982, 1970 and 1961 produced here.
Stephen Browett and Bruno Borie
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2010 Bordeaux in one paragraph - a long, dry, sunny but not hot summer produced grapes with a high ratio of skins to juice. This is a ripe but fresh vintage - the wines are much more classically structured than in 2009 with more grip and backbone. Are they better? Well that depends on your taste. Clearly we have two great vintages in a row of contrasting styles. People keep mentioning 1928 and 1929 but even Barry and Derek can't come up with their en primeur notes on those two years.
