Lacoste Borie

Red berries, currants and a little fruit cake on the nose, on the palate there is freshness and soft tannins and the wine has natural balance. Clearly cut from the GPL cloth but in an earlier-drinking style, this is perfect for those who don't fancy the ten-year wait! Drink 2015-2025 - armit

Sweet berry and coffee aromas, with hints of China tea. Medium-bodied, with lovely sweet fruit and a balance of fine tannins. Clean and pretty. Second wine of Grand-Puy-Lacoste.
James Suckling

Grand Puy Lacoste, 5eme Cru

Notes of loganberry, bramble and fresh cassis on the nose, this is fresh, stylish and charming with lots of energy and lift. On the palate, there is excellent depth but nothing is forced, the wine moving in the mouth with silky elegance backed up by good, ripe tannic structure. Minerality on the finish adds seriousness to accompany the succulence of the fruit. This is supremely elegant, stylish Pauillac that will also go the full distance. Drink 2019-2030+. 80CS:18M:2CF. - armit

A very impressive Pauillac that won't require you taking out a second mortgage to buy a case, this is deeply coloured and profound. Big and boldly structured, but not over-done. Very Cabernet in style, with lovely richness and concentration, fresh acidity and polished tannins. The decision to use less Merlot than usual is vindicated by what's in the glass. 10+ years.
Tim Atkin MW

Echo de Lynch Bages

Classic notes of cassis and cedar from fully ripe, quality Cabernet (72% of the blend). No new oak has been used here allowing for a purer more natural style, made for early drinking, but there is still impressive tannic structure. This has the poise and definition of the Grand Vin and is now amongst the best second wines in the commune. Drink 2015-2025. - armit

Sweet berry and currant on the nose and palate, with hints of mint. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish. This is like Lynch from the 1980s. This is made with more Cabernet Sauvignon than the old second wines of Lynch, and shows more class. - James Suckling

Grand Puy Ducasse, 5eme Cru Pauillac

Pure, fresh and detailed on the nose. Cedar and cassis, this is classic and discreet. On the palate the tannins are grippy and a little raw, with the acidity coursing through. The fruit is a little subdued today but there is certainly good depth here, pointing towards a solid future. Drink 2017-2030 - armit

Possibly the finest wine yet produced at this estate, the 2009 is even fatter, richer, and more unctuously textured than the 2005 (which I loved). It boasts an opaque purple color, thrilling levels of sweet creme de cassis and blackberries along with hints of underbrush as well as forest floor, silky tannins, full body, and a plush, heady, opulent personality. This stunning wine should drink well for two decades. (Tasted three times.) Drink 2010-2030. - Robert Parker

Château Clerc Milon, 5eme Cru Pauillac

armit: 16.5
Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 93-96
Rober Parker: 90-92+
Neal Martin: 90-92
Decanter: 17.5

Punchy, rich blackcurrant and bramble fruit on the nose but with style and swagger too. On the palate, there is a breezy acidity, dense forest fruit and a lifted, minty note but this is nonetheless a serious, brooding wine and up a division from where we have seen this in the past. Drink 2019-2030+. - armit

Delivers blackberry galore, with fabulous floral and currant undertones. Complex on the nose. Full-bodied, offering chewy tannins and lots of black licorice and currant character. Chewy, but reserved at the same time. A top Clerc. 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 44 percent Merlot, 4 percent Cabernet Franc, 1 percent Petit Verdot and 1 percent Carmenère.- James Suckling

Château Duhart-Milon Rothschild, 4ème Cru Classé

Jancis: 17.5
Wine Spectator: 91-94
Neal Martin: 91-93

63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot. Dark crimson. Scented and satiny with lots of lush mulberry fruit in the middle. Not at all flashy. Low key. Very dry, Cabernet finish. Polished again and sleek. Fine tannins. Not for the very long term but very beautifully made in a polished Cabernet way. Bone dry finish. More solid than Carruades. Light and lively on the finish. Sprightly – fully fledged status now. Not an also ran – though there is just a little astringency on the finish. 17.5 Jancis Robinson

Intense aromas of currant and blackberry, with hints of toasted oak and flowers. Full-bodied, with thick and powerful tannins that are polished and racy. A persistent young wine. 91-94 James Suckling

Tasted at Lafite-Rothschild. Picked between 23rd and 30th September and 1st to 8th October, the Duhart is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot. It has that typically obdurate, almost sulky bouquet, dark berried fruit, cold stones, a touch of black olive and oyster shell. The palate is much more approachable than previous vintages, very fine tannins, a little purer than previous vintages, very harmonious and subtle with an almost feminine (for Duhart) finish. A classic Duhart fashioned in a more modern, pleasing style without losing its gravitas. Tasted March 2010. 91-93 Neal Martin

Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé

Jancis: 19
Wine Spectator: 96-99
Neal Martin: 98-100

43% of the crop. 82.5% Cabernet Sauvignon(!), 17% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Deep, lustrous, dark crimson. Mineral, low-key nose, slow to open, but it did with time into something really very refined with great minerality. Very muted and super-restrained. Very fine boned, with a bit more flesh than is usual for Lafite but no flashiness whatsoever. Bravo for making such a good wine in such a buoyant market. Even a hint of milk chocolate! Though no trace of oak. Very vibrant, very fine and a great undertow. Very complex and subtle indeed. Bone dry finish. A little less ethereal than usual. Super refined. Bravo! - Jancis Robinson

Offers currant and wild raspberry, with a lilac and exotic character on the nose, turning to sweet tobacco and cedar. Full-bodied, showing very racy tannins and a balance of pretty fruit. This is powerful yet elegant, almost delicate, with a wonderful polish. But then the tannins take off. Muscular yet agile. A very classic Bordeaux style. - James Suckling

Tasted at the chateau from a sample taken on 19th March 2009 and the sample left 20-30 minutes before approaching. The Lafite 2009 has a very dark, almost opaque black/purple hue. The nose is very intense with blackberries, griottes, a touch of apricot and an almost sorbet like freshness. Powerful but also, so graceful and elegant, nothing over-ambitious. The palate is full-bodied with silky smooth tannins, seamless texture, pure blackberry, plum, minerals, crushed stones. I have never tasted a Lafite at this stage so elegant and graceful. The puissance is deceptive, only at the finish are there lapping waves of pure, heavenly black cherries, minerals, a touch of cassis, cedar and graphite. Astounding persistency. Tasted March 2010. - Neal Martin

Château Latour, 1er Cru Classé

Jancis: 19
Wine Spectator: 97-100
Neal Martin: 98-100

Very deep and glowing crimson. Very rich and sweet ink on the nose. Wonderfully gorgeous and lush on the front palate. Then lots of heat and richness. Amazing power of fruit on the mid palate gives way to extremely pronounced tannins. Transparent, mellifluous, spicy. Violets, says Engerer. Dry Taylors port? Latour backbone. Glossy ripe fruit. Candied violets. Maybe in 03 we went overboard. Enormous energy. Very impressive.13.7%. - Jancis Robinson

This is incredibly floral on the nose, with violet and lilac as well as dark and ripe raspberry and blueberry. Full-bodied, with a dense and incredibly rich palate yet held back and in reserve. Such precision and beauty. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This reminds me of the 1990, but better made and better raised. It is really the style of Latour, where the tannins grab you at the end. This will most likely be a perfect wine. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château. Very deep purple colour. The nose is very well defined with scents of small blackberry, boysenberry, cold granite and just a hint of pencil lead. Great clarity and expression here. This is a majestic Latour, utterly pure, wonderful minerality showing through, very fine tannins and incredible poise. Blackberry, touches of briary, coiled up energy towards the finish, utterly focused with that tannins leaving an off-dry finish with bewitching persistency. There is paradoxically weight and weightlessness...sorry to be so cryptic, but that is how it is! A monumental Latour that constitutes one of the greatest wines of the vintage. Tasted March 2010. - Neal Martin

Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé

Jancis: 18.5
Wine Spectator: 97-100
Neil Martin: 94-96

48% of the crop, picked 3 days earlier than usual because the grapes were so ripe. Average yield 45 hl/ha. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot.Very dark indeed. Very Mouton. Very exotic, minerals, spice and old ladies’ handbags. Lovely topnotes. Real excitement on the nose here. Obviously great density but lots of grace notes. Lovely palate entry and glossy texture. Then again drier and a little more astringent than its peers on the finish. A difficult wine to mark because the nose is SO gorgeous! I think it may require just a bit more patience than some. Just seemed in a slightly low register when I tasted it. All the Mouton wines had ruder tannins than usual in 2009. 13.10% - Jancis Robinson

I am speechless over the nose in this wine. Mint, blackberry, currant and black licorice turn to flowers such as lilacs and roses. Wow. It fills your mouth with the same fruit, but with an intensity of superpolished tannins. It finishes with complex yet reserved coffee, toasted oak and ripe fruit and then in two or three minutes it becomes milk chocolate. Just a joy to taste. Best Mouton since 1982 or 1986; in fact, it's like a blend of the two. A perfect Mouton? 88 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 12 percent Merlot. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot, the highest percentage of Cabernet since 1963. Delivering 13.1% alcohol and an IPT was close to 80. The nose is tight at first and demands so coaxing from the glass, but unfurls to reveal a very pure aromatic profile: quite strict, more like Grand Puy Lacoste, a touch of smoke, very fine mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied very precise, supple tannins, superb Cabernet Sauvignon, taking time to open up but it does towards the finish, touches of tobacco and sous-bois underlying the ripe but not decadent fruit. The tannins are not quite as fine as Latour, but there is a lovely sensuality on the finish. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Château Pichon Longueville Baron, 2ème Cru Classé 

Jancis Robinson: 18
Wine Spectator: 92-95
Neil Martin: 95-97

33 hl/ha, older vines. Two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, one third Merlot – they say Merlot quality in 09 was very Cabernet Sauvignon-like. IPT (total polyphenol index) 88, TA 3.4 g/l. One of the most concentrated vintages ever – from fruit not extraction. Very very dark crimson. Very mineral and grown up. Lovely lift and great, polished tannins. Very fresh and fine tannins with density and lift on the finish. Very sophisticated. Lots of mass. Remjnds me a little of their 1990, though the yields were very much lower in 2009. Very glossy and confident. Very sophisticated. 13.8% - Jancis Robinson

Loads of currant and blackberry, with mineral and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with ultrafine, very long tannins. Really builds on the palate. A racy style, with excellent length. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château and at the UGC. A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot, picked between 24th September and the 9th October, cropped at around 35hl/ha and bestowed with 13.76% alcohol. This has a very tight nose at first, demanding coaxing from the glass. Very fine definition, a strict linearity at first, opening up a glacial pace, graphite, smoke, small black cherries, a hint of bilberry and crushed stones. The palate is full-bodied with brilliant definition and focus, even finer tannins than the stupendous 2008, very rounded and supple and yet with a firm linear backbone. No frills at the moment, just pure concentration. Wonderful persistency towards the finish. Top class. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse, 2ème Cru Classé

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 95-98
Neil Martin: 93-96

Dark crimson and a little more complex-looking than the Réserve de la Comtesse. Heady and rich and spicy and lightly gamey. Very solid and dark and dense – almost brooding. Sweet, polished and fun. Just lacks a bit of bottom and density on the palate. Very flirtatious. Complete and savoury on the finish with very polished tannins. Appetising and not at all forced. But not the most ambitious 2009. - Jancis Robinson

Wow. This has an incredible complexity on the nose of currant, spice, mineral and flowers. Full-bodied, with a great density of fruit and tannins, yet polished and beautiful. This could be the new 1982 from here. Made from 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot and 5 percent Petit Verdot. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château and at the UGC. A limpid deep purple colour. This has a very fragrant nose, not quite as well defined as Pichon Baron, but very elegant and graceful with blackberry, raspberry leaf, pencil lead, graphite and wild hedgerow. Very pure and feminine. Second bottle at the UGC is actually better...much more precision here, the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) really showing through. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very compact, not as expansive as other wines, much more conservative than I was expecting, but very graceful with an unerring sense of symmetry. I cannot help feeling that the wine would benefit from a greater percentage of Merlot, especially on the finish, but over time is does expand in the glass, becoming more and more supple, with a sense of Cabernet invoked authority on the finish. This should coalesce beautifully by time of bottling. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Les Forts de Latour

Jancis: 18
Wine Spectatory: 92-95
Neil Martin: 91-93

Toasty and rich nose. Very plush and velvety – much more so than usual. Rich and velvety – such an amazing texture yet with Les Fort’s solidity. Very firm backbone. Explosive. But it will need quite a time to come round. Very fine and deep. Hint of oyster shells.  Lifted. Wonderful texture. Very tight and tense. Dry finish. - Jancis Robinson

Violet and mineral, with hints of blackberry and blueberry on the nose. Full-bodied, with superreserved and refined tannins, yet dense and very impressive. Long and racy. Lasts for minutes. Second wine of Latour. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château, a blend of 65.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32.3% Merlot, 0.6% Cabernet Franc and 1.9% Petit Vedot, this Les Forts de Latour sports a deep garnet core. The nose is very well defined, very graceful, very well defined, not as opulent as previous vintage, but imbued with a sense of natural clarity and pellucidity. The palate is medium-bodied with real intensity and focus of fruit, much more minerality coming through than in previous vintages. Lovely, cedar infused finish with just a hint of tobacco. A much more graceful Les Fort de Latour. Very alluring.  Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Château Grand Puy Lacoste, 5ème Cru Classé

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 94-97
Neil Martin: 94-96

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Very dark crimson. Dense and rich and supple – less obviously fresh than its Haut-Batailley stablemate. Very sweet and just a little lacking depth compared with some Grand-Puy Lacoste vintages. Sinewy. - Jancis Robinson

Lovely nose of sweet currant and blueberry that follows through to a full body, with juicy, velvety tannins and a licorice, tar and dark chocolate finish. Like it. The new 1982? - James Suckling

Tasted at the château. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc picked the between the 24th September and 7th October. The nose is introverted and broody at first, hints of seaweed inflecting the pure black fruits. Very minerally – lots of character here. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins a little firmer and structure than other Pauillacs, which is exactly in keeping with the estate’s style. Lovely poise on the finish, wonderful focus and edginess with a savoury note on the finish. Insistent grip. Superb persistency and yet typically conservative in its youth. No doubt it will demand at least ten years cellaring, but it will be worth the wait. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Château Lynch Bages, 5ème Cru Classé

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 97-99
Neil Martin: 94-96

Dense crimson. Rich and spicy and lifted. Really rather flirtatious. Not heavy or dense but very nicely balanced without aggressive notes of rough tannin or greenness. - Jancis Robinson

The nose shows amazing aromas of mint, spices and currant, with underlying licorice and tar. Full-bodied, with amazing fruit and a long, long finish. Powerful. Blockbuster, but balanced. So structured. Lynch has not made a wine like this since perhaps 1989 or 1982. Better than Wine of the Year 1985 Lynch. - James Suckling

Tasted at the château and UGC. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, raised in 70% new oak. Merlot was cropped from the 28th to 30th September and the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked from the 6th to the 12th October. The nose soars from the glass, pure blackberry, briary, pencil lead and a touch of tobacco. Very fine definition: reminiscent of the 2006 but with a little more horsepower. The palate is full-bodied with very well integrated new oak that really sings with the concentrated black fruit and does not disguise the minerality in this wine. Tons of freshness, that acidity really driving the wine to the finish and then the persistency is superb. Still very linear, with a strictness that is seductive. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Château Pontet Canet, 5ème Cru Classé

Jancis: 18
Wine Spectator: 95-98
Neil Martin: 94-97

Yields a bit more than in 2008, with more grand vin too. 81 ha total vineyards. This year they are trying for 24 ha by horse. They can’t tell us the alcohol but think it’s 13-13.5%. Very dark crimson. Firm and broad and very lively with real vibrant elderberry nose - there IS a bit of extra vitality in this wine! Very very nice and satisfying indeed. There is life to this and great breadth and depth. Intense richness that seems to come from the fruit rather than from winemaking. Something of Lafite’s complexity and integrity. Plus Mouton’s richness. Dry finish. Very well done. But it is not a wine you want to undertake young – still lots to sort out. Much less open than most. Dense – really quite dry on the end but appetising though very long term. Muscular. - Jancis Robinson

Delivers aromas of blueberry skin, fresh flowers, licorice and raspberry sauce, with something exotic underneath it all. Full-bodied, with wonderful clarity and freshness. It's like looking at a full moon on a crystal-clear night in the country. This keeps coming at you, with tannins and ripe fruit. What balance, yet power to the wine. I love how the wine changes and challenges you with every sip. - James Suckling

Tasted on four separate occasions, including twice at the chateau, though actually showing best at a negociant. Representing 80% of the crop, 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The nose is very pure, blackberry, small black cherries, a touch of griottes, a hint of cedar and mint. Quite feminine. Not too powerful. Very fine definition. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins, insistent grip and good acidity, perhaps one of the most structured, masculine Pauillac 2009s but that does not detract from the finesse and poise. But certainly there is backbone here that segues into a tertiary note towards the finish. Very focused, more minerally elements towards the finish, hints of black truffle and smoke towards the finish. Very good persistency, somehow, an assured Pontet Canet. Superb. Tasted March 2010. - Neil Martin

Batailley, 5ème Cru Pauillac - £265                                                add to basket

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 92-95
Neal Martin: 94-96
Robert Parker: 90-92
Decanter: 16.5

Bright crimson. Pretty deep. Succulent and sumptuous on the nose. Lots of sweetness. Just a little attenuated but should deliver satisfaction eventually! - Jancis Robinson

Currant and blackberry on the nose, with hints of toasted oak. Full-bodied, with big, chewy tannins. This is the biggest Batailley in years. Lots of improvement here. - James Suckling

The 2009 Batalley should give the 2005 a run for its money. Its is a slightly sweeter, richer, softer wine (somewhat atypical for Batailley as it is generally one of the more structured and backward of the Pauillacs) exhibiting a dense purple color as well as note of smoke, blackberries, cassis, charcoal and oak. Depp, full-bodied, rich and already seductive, it should have 25+ years of evolution ahead of it (Tasted two times). - Robert Parker

Haut Batailley, 5ème cru Pauillac £285                          add to basket

Jancis: 17.5
Wine Spectator: 90-93
Neal Martin: 92-94
Robert Parker: 88-90
Decanter: 17.5

Lovely fresh red berry fruit, lithe and supple with great finesse and bags of charm. There is real freshness here and silky textures that allow the wine to move with grace. Never big or showy, this is perfect ‘lunchtime claret’. Drink 2015-2030+ 16.5 points armit