2010  Haut-Medoc

"A wine with blueberry and mineral aromas follows through to a full body, with fine tannins and a juicy finish. Best for years from here. Needs at least three years of bottle age to soften. Could be better than 2009 in the long run." - 94pts JS

2009  Margaux

"The 2009 Cantenac Brown repeats the solid showing six years ago. It has a clean and precise, very focused bouquet with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, hints of sandalwood and mint emerging with time. This is very elegant. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, taut and linear with real precision and grace towards the finish. Lovely touches of Asian spice linger on the aftertaste. What a superb Margaux. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting." - 93pts Vinous ---- "Wonderful aromas of crushed raspberries, flowers, and hints of vanilla bean. Full body, with silky tannins and a juicy finish. Fresh and minerally." - 93pts JS

2010  Margaux

"Very attractive, leafy black fruit, tertiary in style and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very well judged acidity and plenty of substance towards the finish. I love the cohesion and focus of this Margaux. I wrote to buy this after its impressive showing at Southwold in 2014 - yet another blind tasting confirms its pedigree. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal." - 94pts Vinous

2009  

1975  Low Shoulder Fill

Low Shoulder Fill

2012  

"A big, powerful wine, the 2012 Haut-Brion possesses stunning richness and intensity, with all of the depth that is lacking in so many other wines in this vintage. Not here. The 2012 possesses remarkable depth and tons of raw, animal power that is going to require considerable time in bottle to soften. Readers should be in no rush; the 2012 Haut-Brion is a wine for the ages. Smoke, graphite, dried herbs and blue/purplish stone fruits grace the exotic, alluring finish." - 97pts Vinous -- "Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 Haut-Brion has an open and generous bouquet with blackcurrant pastille, cassis and briary aromas the exude very pure Merlot. The palate is medium-bodied with a sumptuous opening that is rare in 2012: rounded and generous, caressing in the mouth with black plum and blackcurrant towards the finish, residues of truffle and white pepper lingering on the aftertaste that turn very savory after 15 minutes—bacon fat or Italian cured meats. There is a lot to love about this Haut-Brion although in this blind showing I scored it the same as La Mission Haut-Brion. Who will stick their neck out as the two wines mature? Tasted January 2016." - 96+pts WA

1988  

2009  Saint-Estephe

"The 2009 Meyney is a step up from Haut-Marbuzet and Lafon-Rochet on the nose: blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone, forest floor and a hint of pain d’épices - wonderful definition and intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, very well judged acidity. Good grip and quite stocky/broad-shouldered in style with a persistent but at the moment, still a tightly wound finish. This is impressive and when its identity is revealed - cue gasps from the audience. Go buy. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting." - 94pts Vinous

2009  Saint-Estephe

"The 2009 Phélan-Ségur has a more generous and slightly more exotic bouquet than its peers with plush red cherry, redcurrant, soy and forest floor aromas that soar from the glass. Thankfully it maintains ample freshness and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, quite firm and slightly chalky tannin with unerring symmetry and tension towards the finish that is pure class. This is an outstanding contribution to the vintage and it surely constitutes one of the best wines ever made at the estate. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting." - 95pts Vinous

1986  Mid-shoulder fill

Mid-shoulder fill ---- "A fabulous wine, and one of the two greatest Talbots of the last 50 years, this wine still has a very murky garnet/plum/purple color and a spectacular nose of sweet creme de cassis intermixed with freshly ground pepper, melted road tar, herbes de Provence, and beef blood. It is followed by an enormously concentrated wine of full body, layers of concentration and sweet tannin. The wine seems to be just hitting its plateau of maturity, where it should last for at least 10-15 more years. A prodigious Talbot. Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 6/02." - 96pts WA

2009  Margaux

"Wonderfully perfumed with dark berry, mineral and chocolate character. Full body, great tannins and a long and racy finish. Very refined. Tight and racy." - 94pts JS

2008  Saint-Julien

"A delicate and refined red, with blueberry, spices and meat aromas. Medium body, with fine tannins and a earthy finish. Almost Burgundian in style. Try after 2012." - 90pts JS