Owned by Hubert de Bouard, the 2012 Angelus was harvested between October 8-18, yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the natural alcohol was over 14%. The final blend was 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the superstars of the vintage, the dense opaque purple/blue-colored 2012 offers up notes of barbecue smoke, graphite, charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, sweet cherries and forest floor. With terrific fruit intensity, a powerful, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel and full body, it should be drinkable at an early age given the sweetness of the tannin. It should easily evolve for 15-20 years.

Inky with black core. Sweet charred oak is the first impression. And the second. But there is finesse to the tannins and some nice (hidden) dark fruit. Firm grip on the finish and just about fresh, though it is very hard to judge this wine now when the oak is all dominant. Tannin texture is very fine and I am sure this will become elegant if you can be patient enough and wait for the oak to subside. Too oaky for my taste but I know it will be admired by others.

Drink 2022-2035

A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, picked from 8th October and 19th October, affected by the rains on the final days. They have not used optical sorting machine since the 2009 vintage, and use the Winery de pellanc, the Mistral (fan-blower) and a long vibrating table. I have to say straight away that I find much more clarity on the bouquet here than on the primeur sample of the 2011 this time last year - bright blackberry, raspberry leaf and minerals with hints of violet underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite sturdy tannins, crisp acidity, very fine focus and good precision on the finish. This could turn out to be one of the best wines of the appellation. Excellent. Tasted April 2013.

Owned by Hubert de Bouard, the 2012 Angelus was harvested between October 8-18, yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the natural alcohol was over 14%. The final blend was 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the superstars of the vintage, the dense opaque purple/blue-colored 2012 offers up notes of barbecue smoke, graphite, charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, sweet cherries and forest floor. With terrific fruit intensity, a powerful, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel and full body, it should be drinkable at an early age given the sweetness of the tannin. It should easily evolve for 15-20 years.

Inky with black core. Sweet charred oak is the first impression. And the second. But there is finesse to the tannins and some nice (hidden) dark fruit. Firm grip on the finish and just about fresh, though it is very hard to judge this wine now when the oak is all dominant. Tannin texture is very fine and I am sure this will become elegant if you can be patient enough and wait for the oak to subside. Too oaky for my taste but I know it will be admired by others.

Drink 2022-2035

A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, picked from 8th October and 19th October, affected by the rains on the final days. They have not used optical sorting machine since the 2009 vintage, and use the Winery de pellanc, the Mistral (fan-blower) and a long vibrating table. I have to say straight away that I find much more clarity on the bouquet here than on the primeur sample of the 2011 this time last year - bright blackberry, raspberry leaf and minerals with hints of violet underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite sturdy tannins, crisp acidity, very fine focus and good precision on the finish. This could turn out to be one of the best wines of the appellation. Excellent. Tasted April 2013.

Deep plum colour, very pretty black fruits here quite open and expressive for a primeur, layered too, a little smoke and piercing blackcurrant, effortless palate, ripe generous fruit not big on the structure here, dusty tannins, well hidden, leaving the palate nicely coated, ripe is the word a very good Ausone in the lighter style. Drink 2020-2040.

The 2012 Ausone is another prodigious effort that should turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. It boasts a dense purple color along with abundant notes of mulberries, black currants, blueberries and a hint of raspberries interwoven with spring flower and crushed chalk-like characteristics presented in a full-bodied yet ethereal, stylish, racy, noble manner. This is a high class, aristocratic, nearly perfect wine to cellar for a decade and then watch it unfold over the following 40-50 years.

32 hl/ha. Two-thirds of the crop in the grand vin. 55% Cabernet Franc (picked 13, 15, 17 October), 45% Merlot (9, 11, 12 October) – very late. Fermented in small wooden cuves, (will have) 20 months in barrique, 85% new.
Rich dark purple and inky. Touch of oak but not overworked. A touch reduced so has a smoky edge. Supple on the mid palate. Elegant and still richly fruity and a light Cabernet Franc leafiness in the empty glass. Great length. No excess of extraction or oak.

Drink 2022-2035

The Grand Vin is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot that is being raised in 85% new oak. A lot of young vines of Cabernet Franc were put into Chapelle instead of the Grand Vin this year, but the older vines were not affected. It was picked on 9th, 11th and 12th October (Merlot) and 13th, 15th, 17th October (Cabernet Franc.) It has a broody bouquet compared to the 2011 last year, with a marine-like influence – seashells and a touch of seaweed. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity (pH3.55) with a compact, tense and structured finish. This is a very composed Ausone, finely tuned, understated and classy. I feel it will give more out of bottle. Tasted April 2013.

Deep plum colour, very pretty black fruits here quite open and expressive for a primeur, layered too, a little smoke and piercing blackcurrant, effortless palate, ripe generous fruit not big on the structure here, dusty tannins, well hidden, leaving the palate nicely coated, ripe is the word a very good Ausone in the lighter style. Drink 2020-2040.

The 2012 Ausone is another prodigious effort that should turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. It boasts a dense purple color along with abundant notes of mulberries, black currants, blueberries and a hint of raspberries interwoven with spring flower and crushed chalk-like characteristics presented in a full-bodied yet ethereal, stylish, racy, noble manner. This is a high class, aristocratic, nearly perfect wine to cellar for a decade and then watch it unfold over the following 40-50 years.

32 hl/ha. Two-thirds of the crop in the grand vin. 55% Cabernet Franc (picked 13, 15, 17 October), 45% Merlot (9, 11, 12 October) – very late. Fermented in small wooden cuves, (will have) 20 months in barrique, 85% new.
Rich dark purple and inky. Touch of oak but not overworked. A touch reduced so has a smoky edge. Supple on the mid palate. Elegant and still richly fruity and a light Cabernet Franc leafiness in the empty glass. Great length. No excess of extraction or oak.

Drink 2022-2035

The Grand Vin is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot that is being raised in 85% new oak. A lot of young vines of Cabernet Franc were put into Chapelle instead of the Grand Vin this year, but the older vines were not affected. It was picked on 9th, 11th and 12th October (Merlot) and 13th, 15th, 17th October (Cabernet Franc.) It has a broody bouquet compared to the 2011 last year, with a marine-like influence – seashells and a touch of seaweed. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity (pH3.55) with a compact, tense and structured finish. This is a very composed Ausone, finely tuned, understated and classy. I feel it will give more out of bottle. Tasted April 2013.

The 2012 offers up a beautifully fragrant nose of mocha, coffee beans, black cherries, black currants, spring flowers and forest floor. The complex aromatics are followed by a medium to full-bodied St.-Emilion with beautiful density and purity as well as a touch of toasty oak. Barde-Haut has been an over-achiever since the Garcin-Leveque family acquired it. Bravo! Drink the 2012 over the next 12-15 years.

The Barde Haut, 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the latter fermented in 500-litre Sylvain barrels and then transferred back into 500-litre barrels, has a lifted, rounded, quite sensual bouquet with a lot of fleshy, expressive Merlot fruit. It is modern in style, very pure and generous. The palate is nicely poised with sumptuous red berries, kirsch, a touch of white pepper and a nice grip on the finish that refrains from becoming over-powering. Excellent. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep plum, this is very rich on the nose, perfumed. I like the sweetness of fruit, bright and fresh, a supple spicy textured palate with vigour and sparkle, interesting and inviting with admirable retention. Drink 2017-2025.

A serious yet surprisingly precocious and supple-textured Pauillac, the dense ruby/purple-colored, medium to full-bodied 2012 Batailley exhibits sweet, nicely textured tannins along with plenty of black fruit, forest floor, underbrush and cedar characteristics. Ripe, fruity and exceptionally well-made, it will benefit from several years of cellaring, and can be drunk over the following 15 years.

Blackish purple. Unusually savoury - meat-extract notes. Interesting! Then sweet and voluptuous on the palate. Very different structure to the St-Juliens. Big and bold and makes a splash. I might have guessed a Pichon if they participated in the UGC blind tasting… Just cuts off a little suddenly on the finish.

Drink 2022-2038

Tasted en primeur at the chateau. The Grand Vin is a blend 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in colour, the Batailley has decent fruit concentration on the nose with blackcurrant, small red cherries and a pleasant graphite scent. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy ripe tannins. There is certainly a sweet core of fruit, quite smooth and perhaps a little more modern in style compared to recent vintages, but that is no bad thing and there is very fine weight and volume towards the harmonious finish that really comes together over 10 minutes in the glass. Tasted April 2013.

Very dark crimson, hint of oak but lively, fairly light and fresh and not too challenging. Correct. No extra leafy notes but a bit lean on the finish.

Drink 2017-2025

This is a surprisingly fruity, attractive, elegant as well as inexpensive Haut-Medoc that should qualify as a sleeper of the vintage if it gets into the bottle at this level of quality. The wine is heady and round without the excesses of tannin or mid-palate deficiency that plague many 2012 Medocs.

There is just a touch of under-ripeness on the nose of the Beaumont. The tannins offer good structure on the palate and the oak lends the black fruit a hand, fanning out nicely towards the cedary finish. Fine. Tasted April 2013.

80% Merlot nice open nose of black cherry and earthy notes, quite fresh, jammy, medium extraction not overly tannic some length too, sweet fruit not at all bad. Drink 2018-2025.

A very good effort from Beauregard, the attractive, up-front, medium-bodied 2012 offers notes of black cherries, mulberries and barbecue smoke in a medium-bodied, velvety-textured, lush style. It appears to be an over-achievement for both the estate and the vintage, and therefore, qualifies as a sleeper of the vintage.

I was only given a tiny sample of this wine at the UGC (despite pleading for more – request declined.) It offers light black cherry and blueberry fruit on the nose – conservative and correct. There is a little flatness on the entry here where I was seeking brightness, but there is decent fruit on the finish that is just a little conservative at the moment. Tasted April 2013.

No problem with the depth of colour here. Quite an animal austere edge on the nose, good concentration, pronounced black fruits underneath, elegant and perfumed. Definite finesse, a cool palate, almost seamless with plenty of acidity and charm in the fruit, maybe a touch jammy on the finish but attractive all the same. Open again and expressive. Promising future, this is a fine Beausejour Becot. Drink 2018-2030.

A spectacular wine from this nearly 50-acre vineyard situated atop St.-Emilion’s famed limestone plateau, the final blend for the 2012 Beau-Sejour Becot was 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. It achieved 14% natural alcohol and yields were 31 hectoliters per hectare. One of the stars of the vintage, it is elegant yet powerful, rich and authoritative with abundant black raspberry, blueberry, graphite and toasty vanillin notes. Full-bodied and super rich for a 2012, it is packed with potential. The tannins are ripe as well as abundant suggesting several years of bottle age will be required. It should turn out to be a 20 year proposition. Kudos to the Becot family for producing this beauty.

Inky with black core. Intense, very dark yet fresh fruit, heading towards savoury with all that intensity. Lighter on the palate than I expected, the tannins fine and reined back. A little abrupt on the finish.

Drink 2016-2023

A blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Beausejour Becot has a vibrant, brightness on the nose. The palate is packed full of lush ripe red berry fruit – quite lavish and exotic for the vintage with a “furry”, sexy finish. Modern in style, this is an opulent Beausejour Becot that should be approachable after bottling, but age well. Tasted April 2013.

The 2012 exhibits a black/purple color along with a striking nose of incense, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries and hints of mulberries and crushed chalk. The sumptuous aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, super-concentrated, rich, layered wine that builds incrementally across the palate, finishing with an explosion of fruit, spice, tannin, glycerin and minerality. While neither as backward nor impenetrable as the 2009 and 2010, the 2012 should be approachable in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades. A massive, concentrated effort from this great terroir.

The ripest of the Nicolas Thienpont line-up so far. Ripe sweet cherry. Merlot energy and generosity. Rich but held in check by the finesse of the tannins and the freshness. Lovely and long too. All well judged. But has the firmness and freshness for a good long life. 

The 2012 is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, cropped between 13th and 18th October and 20th and 23rd October respectively. That late picked Cabernet tells on the nose that is glossy and ostentatious with touches of raisin and fresh prune informing the red fruit profile. The palate is full-bodied with sumptuous, decadent ripe red fruit. It has a soft, sexy mouthfeel and it glides across the mouth without a murmur. Yet I prefer the tension and delineation exuded by Pavie-Macquin this year. I would have picked a little earlier. Tasted April 2013.

The 2012 Bellevue Mondotte may turn out to be just as powerful and exquisite as the 2010, perhaps even superior to that beauty. This full-bodied super-star of the vintage boasts deep notes of graphite, creme de cassis and blackberries as well as a full-bodied, viscous texture, a huge mid-palate (atypical for a 2012), and a whopping amount of fruit, glycerin and tannin in the finish. However, the tannins are ripe and remarkably well-integrated. Sadly, this amazing effort is extremely limited in production. It should drink well for 20-25 years. 

90% Merlot, 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. 100% new French oak.
Colour of elderberry juice. Smells rather like it too. Very ripe, very intense but not porty! Highly extracted, deep in char but the fruit is compact. Tannins also compact and firm but not hard or bitter. Extreme but balanced. Just not my style.

Drink 2020-2035

The Bellevue Mondotte, which should be a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, had not quite finished its malolactic fermentation when I tasted it in early April. Cropped at 22hl/ha and raised entirely in new oak, it has a hedonistic, very generous, ostentatious bouquet that you might think was born three years earlier. The palate is very ripe and decadent with soft tannins. There is a lot of wood to be subsumed and there is a distinct lactic/chocolate note towards the finish that cuts away a little abruptly. Tasted April 2013.

The 2012 Bellevue Mondotte may turn out to be just as powerful and exquisite as the 2010, perhaps even superior to that beauty. This full-bodied super-star of the vintage boasts deep notes of graphite, creme de cassis and blackberries as well as a full-bodied, viscous texture, a huge mid-palate (atypical for a 2012), and a whopping amount of fruit, glycerin and tannin in the finish. However, the tannins are ripe and remarkably well-integrated. Sadly, this amazing effort is extremely limited in production. It should drink well for 20-25 years. 

90% Merlot, 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. 100% new French oak.
Colour of elderberry juice. Smells rather like it too. Very ripe, very intense but not porty! Highly extracted, deep in char but the fruit is compact. Tannins also compact and firm but not hard or bitter. Extreme but balanced. Just not my style.

Drink 2020-2035

The Bellevue Mondotte, which should be a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, had not quite finished its malolactic fermentation when I tasted it in early April. Cropped at 22hl/ha and raised entirely in new oak, it has a hedonistic, very generous, ostentatious bouquet that you might think was born three years earlier. The palate is very ripe and decadent with soft tannins. There is a lot of wood to be subsumed and there is a distinct lactic/chocolate note towards the finish that cuts away a little abruptly. Tasted April 2013.

A strong, solid effort from Beychevelle, the 2012 exhibits a deep ruby/plum color in addition to a sweet perfume of mulberries, black currants, jammy cherries, vanilla and damp earth. With good power and more depth than many Medocs as well as the estate’s hallmark finesse and elegance, this excellent, possibly outstanding wine possesses sweet tannin and more mid-palate depth than many of its peers.

Particularly dark purple. Minerals and oyster shells on the nose. Then unexpectedly sweet on the palate. Gratingly green on the finish. A bit brutal.

Drink 2020-2032

Philippe Blanc is a winemaker in the ascendency in Saint Julien and he has crafted some lovely Beychevelle wines recently. The Grand Vin is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot picked from 27 September until 18 October (16 days picking) and it is being raised in 50% new oak. It has a ripe, rounded, quite generous bouquet with floral, crushed violet scents developing in the glass. The palate has quite a surprising grip on the entry. The IPT of 75 makes its mark – there is real backbone to this Beychevelle and it could be one of the longer-lasting Saint Julien wines. Graphite and a touch of dried herbs on the classic finish show that this could be one of the 2012 worth allocating a berth in your cellar. Tasted April 2013.

This has a bright jammy nose, nice perfume, cool fruit but a bit lacking on the mid-palate, good nuanced finish quite long not bad. Drink 2018-2030.

The 2012 Branaire Ducru is a seductive effort that is a credit to this chateau, which did not try to over-extract or push the fruit past what it was capable of providing. The result is an elegant, pretty, mid-weight wine with soft, velvety tannin, spicy mulberry and black cherry fruit, hints of spring flowers and loamy soil undertones, medium body and a moderate finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

Dark crimson. Sweet, fragrant, rather floral nose. Opulent. Not at all typical of the vintage! Round and flattering. Some real energy here but not that true to type, though there are some nice dry appetising tannins on the finish.

Drink 2020-2030

It is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and is being raised in 60-70% in new oak. It offers light fresh strawberry, red cherry and cedar scents that are very typical Saint Julien. It is nicely defined but would benefit from more vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with a light, comparatively fleshy opening. This seems a forward Branaire that might yearn to be drunk sooner rather than later after bottling. It is fresh and harmonious, but is missing the backbone of the 2010 on the finish. This is conservative, but correct although a second sample proved more appealing. Tasted April 2013.

Dark crimson. Firm, fully ripe palate (contrasts with the lesser appellations of the southern Médoc). Spreads across the palate. Quite lip smacking and well judged. Not too sweet and, just, not too oaky. Broad.

 Drink 2020-2034

A beauty from Henri Lurton, the 2012 Brane Cantenac exhibits classic notes of spring flowers intermixed with black raspberries, black currants and damp forest floor. This medium-bodied, sweet, ripe, quintessentially elegant, medium-bodied Margaux is nicely concentrated as well as sexy. Enjoy it over the next 10-12 years.

Tasted thrice at chateau, UGC and negociant, the Brane-Cantenac 2012 is a blend of 32% Merlot and 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and represents 32% of production. It has a slightly muted bouquet with light graphite and mineral notes that need several minutes to really unwind. The palate is medium-bodied with rather abrasive tannins that encase blackberry and raspberry notes with hints of sea salt. It is a conservative Brane-Cantenac and it feels a little raw at the moment. Then again, it often tastes exactly like this en primeur before improving in bottle, so let us see. Tasted April 2013.

Lots of red fruits on the nose here, pronounced cherry, again plenty of interest here on the nose. On the palate there is good density, as always under the Nieppberg regime this is not forced, its pure fruit driven style is not overly extracted leaving a pretty open St Emilion. Ripe tannins and a tasty finish. Medium length. 

Exotic notes of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, cassis, espresso roast and chocolate soar from the glass of this sensual, impressively well-endowed 2012. Full-bodied with silky tannin and well-integrated wood, this beauty is a tribute to the impeccable viticulture and fermentation techniques of Neipperg and his head consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. This wine will be drinkable upon release and should evolve for 15 years.

50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc - more than usual. Deeply coloured with purple rim. Strong Cabernet Franc character comes through: really zesty fruit with graphite layers. Attractive combination of fruit and dark savour, with the oak showing firmly on the finish at the moment (80% new). But it is fresh too, the tannins fully ripe and compact but not heavy.

Drink 2018-2028

The Canon-la-Gaffeliere is an equal blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc picked between 3rd and 11th October and aged in 80% new oak. It has a perfumed floral bouquet with creamy new oak, succulent dark cherry fruit and creme de cassis emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and then it just dips a little on the mid palate. It remains balanced with fine acidity and a subtle saline touch on the finish. Fine – this might improve further in barrel. Tasted April 2013.

Inky nose, chewy density, a supple wine with good freshness. This has an attractive edge of austerity surrounding the plump palate. A good mid-term drinker. Drink 2017-2025.

Deep dark crimson. Sweet cherry chocolate on the nose. Rich but fluid. Lively, juicy, fresh and harmonious. Very attractive in a lighter style but has very good length too. 

Drink 2016-2023

Cantemerle’s ethereal elegance and racy, classy style are unmistakable in this understated yet pretty, dark ruby-colored 2012. Offering lots of cherry, raspberry and black currant fruit, this is a wine of unmistakable finesse and delicacy. Enjoy it over the next 10-12 years.

The Cantemerle has a fine bouquet that demonstrates clarity and lift – graphite infused black fruit, expressive Cabernet fruit to the fore. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, edge tannins and a lovely citric seam that cuts through the mocha-tinged fruit. The oak feels a little heavy-handed at this stage, but it should integrate well and become a fine Cantemerle for the vintage. Tasted April 2013.

Deep dark cherry. Leafy verging on green. Pretty green on the palate.

Drink 2015-2019

Good deep plum, spicy fig and pencil shavings. There is generosity and plenty of acidity, leaving the finish nicely fresh with delicate nuances of dried fruits and earthy notes. Very attractive for the medium term. Drink 2018-2026.

The second wine, the 2012 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft, round, accessible and delicious, but uninspiring, it possesses a dark ruby/plum color, medium body and hints of lead pencil shavings intermixed with red and black currants and vanillin. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. 

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Rather a blueish tint. It is extraordinary how refined the Lafite wines are, even in this difficult year. One whiff of this and it's Lafite stable stuff. Albeit it's very light and pale with quite strong acidity. Firm and fine. Bone-dry finish. No concessions. I think this will probably always be a tad demanding to drink but it's certainly trying hard to make as good a fist of it as possible.

Drink 2018-2030

Tasted en primeur at the chateau. The Carruades de Rothschild 2012 is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It has a very light for nose for Carruades with brambly red fruit and gravel scents. It is a light Carraudes, perhaps missing a little weight in the mid-palate, with a satisfactory, classic finish that tails away a little too quickly. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep plum, spicy fig and pencil shavings. There is generosity and plenty of acidity, leaving the finish nicely fresh with delicate nuances of dried fruits and earthy notes. Very attractive for the medium term. Drink 2018-2026.

The second wine, the 2012 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft, round, accessible and delicious, but uninspiring, it possesses a dark ruby/plum color, medium body and hints of lead pencil shavings intermixed with red and black currants and vanillin. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. 

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Rather a blueish tint. It is extraordinary how refined the Lafite wines are, even in this difficult year. One whiff of this and it's Lafite stable stuff. Albeit it's very light and pale with quite strong acidity. Firm and fine. Bone-dry finish. No concessions. I think this will probably always be a tad demanding to drink but it's certainly trying hard to make as good a fist of it as possible.

Drink 2018-2030

Tasted en primeur at the chateau. The Carruades de Rothschild 2012 is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It has a very light for nose for Carruades with brambly red fruit and gravel scents. It is a light Carraudes, perhaps missing a little weight in the mid-palate, with a satisfactory, classic finish that tails away a little too quickly. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep purple not quite so as the Moulin St Georges, the nose is fine and complex, this is quite lovely on the nose, plenty of leverage here, but tails off a little quickly on the back of the finish. Good though. Drink 2016-2025.

The second wine, the 2012 La Chapelle d’Ausone, is an equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc displaying an inky/blue/purple color as well as a sweet kiss of blueberry, blackberry, crushed rock and spring flower characteristics. Remarkably, no one at a blind tasting would ever believe this medium to full-bodied effort is a second wine – it’s that impressive! It should drink well for 15-20 years.

One third of the crop. 60% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented in small wooden cuves, (will have) 20 months in barrique, 85% new.
A little reduced at the moment. Some sweet oak spice and a touch of char, though that may be reinforced by the reductive smokiness. Dense and chewy but very fresh and pure fruited. Tastes as if there is a touch of Syrah! Fine and compact tannins. Very promising. Mouthwatering finish from both the freshness and the tannins.

Drink 2018-2028

The Chapelle is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was picked between 9th and 16th October. It is being matured in 80% new oak. To be honest, I found the level of new oak slightly oppressing the fruit – which is not usual for Chapelle. Perhaps it will meld together with time. The palate is medium-bodied with good fruit intensity, firm tannins, but again, I would have preferred say 60-70% oak to let the fruit speak more. Fine. Tasted April 2013.

Rich, apparently superripe fruit on the nose. Then very, uncomfortably green on the palate. A real mismatch. Did they think we wouldn't notice?!

Drink 2019-2027

This attractive dark ruby/plum-colored 2012 offers up notes of lead pencil shavings, vanillin, earth, black currants and black cherries. Medium-bodied, easygoing, seductive and consumer friendly, drink it over the next decade.

The Chasse-Spleen has an attractive citrus-fresh bouquet with very fine freshness and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry. I like the strictness and linearity of the pre-natal Chasse-Spleen. It does not possess the persistency or volume of a top vintage, but there is plenty of attractive, cedar and smoke infused fruit to enjoy. It will probably need several years bottle age. Commendable. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep, colour this is layered, subtle and focused on the nose, with bright cranberry and good minerality,  the palate is very silky with good density, earthy and coffee notes. A supple wine, impressive on the finish, the tannins are quite reserved, does it have the depth of the best vintages? The layers are there but they all covered at the moment. The mid-palate is the key here, and the length, it is seamless, very good for the vintage. Drink 2020- 2040.

The final blend for the 2012 Cheval Blanc was 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. Despite the use of 100% new oak, there is not a hint of vanillin, toast or espresso notes in the aromatic bouquet, which is filled with scents of black currants, sweet cherries, lavender, forest floor and a hint of underbrush. Concentrated with a surprisingly lofty alcohol level of 13.9% as well as a tannin level that equals their 2010 (a wine bestowed a three-digit score), this full-bodied, opulent 2012 has a pH of 3.8, which accounts for its suppleness, velvety texture and heady richness. It is a great success in this vintage. It will be approachable early given its silky structural aspects, and should last for two decades.

54% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc. Deep dark crimson. Marked Cabernet nose. Smells pure and fresh and crunchy. Finest of fine tannins but they go deep, as does the fruit. It is not leafy but there that classic Cabernet Franc fresh aroma that tends that way. There's some grip but fine friction. Elegant, long; energy underneath a relatively gentle-seeming exterior. 'Power and sweetness of Merlot and finesse of Cabernet Franc. The true Cheval Blanc style we like', says Kees van Leeuwen. Very clean, complex aromatic profile. Delicious and I think you could drink it, with much pleasure, even earlier than I have suggested.

Drink 2020-2035

The Grand Vin is a blend of 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc, 26th September until the 13th October that comes from 35 different parcels. The picking is done in the vineyard for the first sorting by the pickers and then sorted by hand as they are sure delicate than using optical sorting machine. It has a dense, broody nose that has the looming presence of the Quinault L’Enclos. It veers towards a red fruit profile, with “rocky” aromas, perhaps a touch of marmalade and quince. The palate is medium-bodied but displays very good concentration for the vintages. It feels very harmonious – silky but with a citric acid edge that lends the finish the tension it needs to maintain the freshness. This will probably become a masculine Cheval Blanc that will need a decade in bottle. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep, colour this is layered, subtle and focused on the nose, with bright cranberry and good minerality,  the palate is very silky with good density, earthy and coffee notes. A supple wine, impressive on the finish, the tannins are quite reserved, does it have the depth of the best vintages? The layers are there but they all covered at the moment. The mid-palate is the key here, and the length, it is seamless, very good for the vintage. Drink 2020- 2040.

The final blend for the 2012 Cheval Blanc was 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. Despite the use of 100% new oak, there is not a hint of vanillin, toast or espresso notes in the aromatic bouquet, which is filled with scents of black currants, sweet cherries, lavender, forest floor and a hint of underbrush. Concentrated with a surprisingly lofty alcohol level of 13.9% as well as a tannin level that equals their 2010 (a wine bestowed a three-digit score), this full-bodied, opulent 2012 has a pH of 3.8, which accounts for its suppleness, velvety texture and heady richness. It is a great success in this vintage. It will be approachable early given its silky structural aspects, and should last for two decades.

54% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc. Deep dark crimson. Marked Cabernet nose. Smells pure and fresh and crunchy. Finest of fine tannins but they go deep, as does the fruit. It is not leafy but there that classic Cabernet Franc fresh aroma that tends that way. There's some grip but fine friction. Elegant, long; energy underneath a relatively gentle-seeming exterior. 'Power and sweetness of Merlot and finesse of Cabernet Franc. The true Cheval Blanc style we like', says Kees van Leeuwen. Very clean, complex aromatic profile. Delicious and I think you could drink it, with much pleasure, even earlier than I have suggested.

Drink 2020-2035

The Grand Vin is a blend of 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc, 26th September until the 13th October that comes from 35 different parcels. The picking is done in the vineyard for the first sorting by the pickers and then sorted by hand as they are sure delicate than using optical sorting machine. It has a dense, broody nose that has the looming presence of the Quinault L’Enclos. It veers towards a red fruit profile, with “rocky” aromas, perhaps a touch of marmalade and quince. The palate is medium-bodied but displays very good concentration for the vintages. It feels very harmonious – silky but with a citric acid edge that lends the finish the tension it needs to maintain the freshness. This will probably become a masculine Cheval Blanc that will need a decade in bottle. Tasted April 2013.

Savoury and meaty and very well balanced. Dry and serious initially. Then sweet and rather luscious and well managed on the palate. A much smoother, less jagged drink than some of its peers.

Drink 2018-2028

The 2012 Citran exhibits a dark saturated color, lots of toasty oak and a hollow, thin palate presence. On the finish, astringent tannins kick in.

Deep plum with lots if glycerol on the glass, the nose is elegant again quite similar to the D'Armailhac, a little tobacco leaf, and perfume, this has a little more density though on the palate, more punchy cedary notes particularly on the finish this is stylish and will require a little bottle age. Very good for me. Drink 2020-2030+.
 

This attractive, medium-bodied Pauillac reveals tough tannins as well as hints of herbs and underbrush. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and the rest Carmenere and Petit Verdot, it was angular when I tasted it in March, and, like many Medocs, it seems to err on the side of austerity and the lack of mid-palate charm. Its upbringing in barrel will help somewhat, but just how much remains to be seen.

Dark purple. Sappy and urgent on the nose. Leafy without being underripe. Quite plump but certainly not fat. Lacks the extra dimension of a 2009, and without the superripe tannins of 2010. A good fist of it.

Drink 2020-2032

The Clerc Milon 2012 was tasted on two visits to the property, several days apart. It is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest percentage for 15 years and picked ten days later than the usual date), 29% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere and 9% Cabernet Franc picked between 1st and 16th October. It is matured in 40-45% new oak. Immediately, the aromatics are much more convincing than the d’Armailhac with ebullient ripe blackberry, raspberry and tobacco aromas that are well defined and vigorous. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannins and well integrated new oak that is in synch with the fruit. This is a superb Clerc-Milon for the vintage with a silky smooth, harmonious finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2013.

There was a common theme of spicy, honeyed fruit coming through on both the nose and the palate, one particular lot relatively high in alcohol that should provide the foundation for the more nuances pickings. In many ways, this is a quintessential Climens with subtle orange peel and mandarin notes allied with finely tuned acidity.

As always, this was a tasting from barrel of the components that are likely to go into the final wine. This year, because some of the lots were so small, they had already made some micro-blends prior to this tasting. I find it quite difficult to do this tasting and wonder how useful it is in terms of getting an idea of the final wine, but it does perhaps give an indication of the overall quality of the lots. There were two main harvest periods: 15-19 October (the rain and then humidity returned on the 19th) and 29-31 October, after the wind had dried things out on the 28th. Rain returned on 1 November and it was all over. 45% of the crop harvest came in this second picking. Bérénice Lurton said she thought the first picking was, on the whole, a little more floral, the second picking very pure and mineral – although I found it hard to discern this distinction in the samples tasted. The RS levels on the first picking were higher (around 135 g/l) than on the second (100 g/l). Overall yields were 10 hl/ha, which was very good given the vintage, though about half that of 2011. She was also happy that the wine is not too concentrated this year as this is not her preferred style.
1 A blend of two lots from the first picking period (16/Oct and 19/10): Spicy aroma, then spicy apricot on the palate, intense.
2 The fourth lot of the first picking, 17/10, which made up 6.5% of the harvest: Less spicy than the first sample but richer on the palate. Some almond paste along with the characteristic orange and apricot.
3 Lots 3 and 5 from the first picking (16/10 and 17/10), 15% of the harvest: Almonds again on the nose, beautifully fresh and pure with lots of energy but also silky.
4 First lot from second picking (29/10): A hint of mushrooms on the nose, seems less intense than the previous sample but tense and fresh. Lovely sour-fresh finish. Alcohol a little higher (20.3 potential).
5 Micro-blend of sixth lot from first picking (18/10) and last from second picking (31/10); 8.5% of the harvest: Honeyed and pure apricot, but also more mineral and citrusy. Sour, orange-peel intensity without excess sweetness.
6 Lot from second picking (30/10): Almond freshness and less immediately seductive than previous. Intense and more savoury/mineral than lusciously fruity.
7 Blend from first lot (15/10) and one lot from the second picking: Again that slight mushroom note along with almonds on the nose and then full-throttle apricot on the palate. Sour freshness and an almost oily minerality. Great length and depth. One of the best lots tasted.

Overall a promising and exciting vintage, with quite a bit of variation between the lots for them to play with in the blending. Though as Bérénice Lurton said at the end of the barrel tasting, the wines are changing all the time and the result of the blend is sometimes completely different from what you expected. Score and drink date are therefore approximate, based on the likely quality of the final blend.

Drink 2022-2042

Good colour lots of legs, multi-layered nose, some meaty notes, and freshness too. This is attractive. There is elegance here; this is delicious. Very ripe fruit concentration here, lots of expression really delicious nice dusty tannins on the finish. I like this, slightly better balance than in the very good 2011. Drink 2016-2025.

Although hardly comparable to what Clinet achieved in both 2009 and 2010, the 2012 Clinet is another star of the vintage. A powerful, full-bodied, muscular Pomerol, it reveals a dense purple color in addition to lots of opulence, a layered, full-bodied richness (somewhat atypical for the vintage), beautiful density and plenty of mocha, black cherry, truffle and graphite notes. It is a surprisingly full yet accessible Clinet that will be drinkable long before the 2009 and 2010 hit their plateaus of maturity. Drink the 2012 over the next 15 years.

Clinet was expanded in 2011, so the blend is now 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc and Ronan told me that he is considering increasing the percentage of Cabernet in the future. There is fine precision on the nose with marine influences – hints of Japanese nori and seashells developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied and very natural with fine tannins. This is a less hedonistic Clinet for sure, but very well balanced and full of character, perhaps reflecting the terroir with more clarity. With modest length, this is a well-crafted Clinet for medium-term drinking. Tasted April 2013.

Good colour lots of legs, multi-layered nose, some meaty notes, and freshness too. This is attractive. There is elegance here; this is delicious. Very ripe fruit concentration here, lots of expression really delicious nice dusty tannins on the finish. I like this, slightly better balance than in the very good 2011. Drink 2016-2025.

Although hardly comparable to what Clinet achieved in both 2009 and 2010, the 2012 Clinet is another star of the vintage. A powerful, full-bodied, muscular Pomerol, it reveals a dense purple color in addition to lots of opulence, a layered, full-bodied richness (somewhat atypical for the vintage), beautiful density and plenty of mocha, black cherry, truffle and graphite notes. It is a surprisingly full yet accessible Clinet that will be drinkable long before the 2009 and 2010 hit their plateaus of maturity. Drink the 2012 over the next 15 years.

Clinet was expanded in 2011, so the blend is now 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc and Ronan told me that he is considering increasing the percentage of Cabernet in the future. There is fine precision on the nose with marine influences – hints of Japanese nori and seashells developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied and very natural with fine tannins. This is a less hedonistic Clinet for sure, but very well balanced and full of character, perhaps reflecting the terroir with more clarity. With modest length, this is a well-crafted Clinet for medium-term drinking. Tasted April 2013.

Copious aromas of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, underbrush, incense, black currants and black cherries emerge from this sexy, medium-bodied, lush, fruit-forward St.-Emilion. It should be enormously appealing to consumers over the next 10-12 years. 

 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Sweet juicy red fruit. Lively and very fresh and crunchy. Fragrant and refined in aroma and structure. 60% new oak but not OTT. Tannins are super fine, giving a long finish where the fruit fragrance returns.

 Drink 2017-2025

The Clos de l’Oratoire was picked at 25hl/ha between 11th and 22nd October and is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Considering how late it was picked, it shows no signs of dilution or rot on the nose – suave and sensual with lush red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte ripe tannins. It is well balanced with a keen line of acidity and a gently gripping, tannic finish. This is well crafted as always. Tasted April 2013.

The wine is pure with lots of creme de cassis, crushed rock and vanillin characteristics in its long, medium to full-bodied personality. Given the fact that this vineyard was once part of the larger Leoville Las Cases estate, it is no surprise that it is similar to its more famous as well as more expensive cousin. A strong effort in this vintage, it should drink well for 15-20 years. 

The Clos du Marquis is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc cropped at 33hl/ha and matured in 40% new oak. It has a tobacco-scented bouquet of blackberry and a touch of blueberry fruit. It is tightly coiled compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. There is good density of fruit here with plenty of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, although it is presently rigid and conservative towards the finish. Fine. Tasted April 2013.

Good deep colour, quite closed but with hints of damson right at the limit, this is packed with dense fruit on the palate, certainly well endowed with good grip and earthy tannins, the palate is a little sickly at present but with a little more oak will be a decent prospect. Much more obvious than the Figeac at present. Drink 2018-2030.

The 2012 Clos Fourtet was cropped at 32 hectoliters per hectare and achieved 14% natural alcohol. The final blend was 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. It offers an opaque dense purple color along with attractive blackberry, licorice, truffle and cassis fruit notes. It is full-bodied and dense with an authoritative mid-palate, sweet tannin and a layered mouthfeel that builds incrementally into a stunningly long finish. Precocious and charming already, it will drink better at an earlier age than the massive, prodigious 2009. Drink this killer St.-Emilion over the next 15+ years. 

Inky with purple rim. Rich, ripe and spicy. More damson than cassis but fresh. Chewy, some oak char, fruit not as rich on the palate as on the nose so finishes a touch too dry/stringy. 

Drink 2017-2024

Good deep colour, quite closed but with hints of damson right at the limit, this is packed with dense fruit on the palate, certainly well endowed with good grip and earthy tannins, the palate is a little sickly at present but with a little more oak will be a decent prospect. Much more obvious than the Figeac at present. Drink 2018-2030.

The 2012 Clos Fourtet was cropped at 32 hectoliters per hectare and achieved 14% natural alcohol. The final blend was 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. It offers an opaque dense purple color along with attractive blackberry, licorice, truffle and cassis fruit notes. It is full-bodied and dense with an authoritative mid-palate, sweet tannin and a layered mouthfeel that builds incrementally into a stunningly long finish. Precocious and charming already, it will drink better at an earlier age than the massive, prodigious 2009. Drink this killer St.-Emilion over the next 15+ years. 

Inky with purple rim. Rich, ripe and spicy. More damson than cassis but fresh. Chewy, some oak char, fruit not as rich on the palate as on the nose so finishes a touch too dry/stringy. 

Drink 2017-2024

The 2012 possesses a creamy texture along with a big, sweet bouquet of mulberry and black cherry fruit judiciously touched by smoky oak, graphite and forest floor notes. Round and generously endowed with a dense plum/purple color, fragrant aromatics, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and silky tannins, it should age effortlessly for 12-15 years. 

The Grand Vin was picked from 26th until 28th September, including 15% Cabernet Franc. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires patience, opening with aeration to reveal marine-tinged red and black fruit, with subtle floral notes. The oak is very well integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry, plenty of sweet red fleshy fruit laced with white pepper and a touch of spice on the finish. There is good substance here with fine grip on the finish. This will have long-term potential. Tasted April 2013.

It has a saturated purple color, a classic style, abundant tannin, slight austerity, superb concentration, huge fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a structured, muscular, well-delineated finish. This impressive, full-bodied Cos will need time to round into shape. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. 

Very dark and purple. Very interesting, almost putty nose. Intriguing and not so flamboyant and flashy as in some years. Really rather like Lafite 2012 on the nose! Perhaps a little tiny bit bitter on the finish but no excess of sweetness nor alcohol. Very measured. Solid impact. Very dry finish. I absolutely love the nose but find it a bit austere on the finish – but at least it is classic St-Estèphe. Slightly hard work at this stage; the most youthful wine I have tasted so far. '100% gravity-fed cellar helped us to be restrained in extraction', explained the new director Aymeric de Gironde.

Drink 2025-2040

It has a saturated purple color, a classic style, abundant tannin, slight austerity, superb concentration, huge fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a structured, muscular, well-delineated finish. This impressive, full-bodied Cos will need time to round into shape. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. 

Very dark and purple. Very interesting, almost putty nose. Intriguing and not so flamboyant and flashy as in some years. Really rather like Lafite 2012 on the nose! Perhaps a little tiny bit bitter on the finish but no excess of sweetness nor alcohol. Very measured. Solid impact. Very dry finish. I absolutely love the nose but find it a bit austere on the finish – but at least it is classic St-Estèphe. Slightly hard work at this stage; the most youthful wine I have tasted so far. '100% gravity-fed cellar helped us to be restrained in extraction', explained the new director Aymeric de Gironde.

Drink 2025-2040

Smells juicy and bright-fruited. Then a touch lean on the palate, with oak char covering the lightish fruit. 

Drink 2016-2022

Dominated by Merlot (which seems to be successful in the Medoc), this wine offers up mocha, berry fruit and toasty, smoky oak notes along with medium body and an attractive, elegant, moderately endowed style. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

Nice deep plum, pretty nose here, quite elegant black cherry, touch of oak, really lovely and fresh, touch of spice, the palate is reasonably well endowed with quite a good texture, with noticeable acidity and a spicy peppery finish of new oak, a nice friendly wine. Drink 2018-2028.

A stronger effort than its stablemate, Clerc-Milon, the 2012 d’Armailhac is an intriguing blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Complex notes of menthol, coffee beans, black cherries and black currants are followed by a rich, medium-bodied wine with copious tannin as well as sufficient fat and flesh to cover the structure. The harvest took place during the first ten days of October, most of the grapes being brought in prior to the deluge that began on October 7 and lasted until October 9. This excellent Pauillac is a successful Medoc in this challenging vintage for this region.

Heady and fragrant. No trace of underripeness on the nose but a slight lack of generosity on the palate. Peppery! (Unusual.) Dry and neat but not scrawny. Lots of complexity and pleasure with the bracing signature of the vintage only on the very end. This has some St-Estèphe minerally notes on the finish. An attractive whole with a cool, confident finish.

Drink 2022-2037

Dark crimson with a pale-ish rim. Hint of greenness on the nose. Round and sweet. Simpler than some but fresh and appetising. Just a little lightweight.

Drink 2019-2028

Sweet black currant, lead pencil shavings, charcoal and camphor aromas are followed by a medium-bodied, front end-loaded, dark ruby/purple-colored wine with attractive fruit, medium body, sweet tannin and a surprisingly well-balanced, long finish. This potentially outstanding wine is another example of how successful Pessac-Leognan was in 2012. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

Very dark crimson. 40% Merlot – young vines. Minerally almost metallic nose. Very sweet start and easy to like. 35% new oak. Racy and fresh. Though there is something just a little strange on the nose. Lovely texture and admirable freshness. Much fresher than most Margaux.

Drink 2018-2026

A touch of herbaceousness and abundant underbrush characteristics kept my score from going higher. Nevertheless, the wine offers an attractive fragrance of herbs, blue and red fruits and loamy soil undertones. Medium-bodied with an angular mouthfeel, it should drink well for a decade or more. An elegant, restrained style of Margaux. 

Lovely intensity on the nose this has tension, liqueur like texture even a faint hint of botrytis a very attractive Graves Blanc with a long future. Drink 2017-2030.

Sweet and rather oily start. Lots of weight. Could only be Pessac-Léognan - tant mieux! Big and beefy but not sweet. I admire this style - for food. Long, with an admirably dry finish.

Drink 2014-2024

A gorgeous effort, the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier, made from a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon that reached 13.5% natural alcohol, boasts abundant notes of creme brulee, lemon custard, candle wax and oranges in its beautifully rich, honeyed personality. Great acidity gives laser-like precision to its component parts. Drink this full-bodied white wine over the next 2-3 decades.

Sweet and rather oily start. Lots of weight. Could only be Pessac-Léognan – tant mieux! Big and beefy but not sweet. I admire this style – for food. Long, with an admirably dry finish.

Drink 2014-2024

Full attractive colour, with good intensity on the nose. This has an excellent mouthfeel, for me one of the best in the room, dense and balanced with pronounced cassis and earthy tones. No lack of stuffing and as always great finesse on the finish, a very good result for the chateau. 

Very dark crimson. Very concentrated and interesting on the nose. Sweet and voluptuous. Perhaps lacking a teensy amount of energy and drive. And the tannins are a little drying on the end. Acidity and grip are marked. Very much work in progress. As usual.

Drink 2018-2030

One of the stars of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of red and black currants, graphite, subtle flowers and well-integrated, toasty oak. Impressively built rich and medium to full-bodied without losing the quintessential elegance and finesse for which this famous estate is renowned, the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier is filled with purity, equilibrium and balance. The tannins are sweet enough that this wine should be accessible when released, and will last for 15-20 years. Is this a modern day clone of their brilliant 1953 (which I drank from magnum at Bern’s Steak House in November for less than $500!)?

A little subdued on the nose, some attractive redcurrant notes underneath with coaxing, quite elegant here, this is fairly intense but supple with some grip too, I like the depth and definition here. Touch of vanilla too on the finish. Drink 2018-2030.

Crimson at the rim. Smells of blackcurrant gums. Slightly loose and slack – without real tension. Cool and well behaved but not exactly dramatic or attention-grabbing.

Drink 2021-2034

Owned by the proprietors of Giscours, the 2012 Du Tertre is marginally richer and more textured than that cuvee. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as notes of licorice, charcoal, red and black currants, forest floor and background oak. Medium-bodied, well-made and pure with soft tannins and low acidity, it can be drunk over the next 10-12 years.

The color is a healthy deep ruby/purple and the wine smells beautiful, exhibiting lots of floral, creme de cassis, licorice and graphite notes. Medium-bodied but slightly deficient in the mid-palate at present, it picks up speed and finishes with serious authority and power. This 2012 should be outstanding, but it is difficult to favorably compare the 2012 to the prodigious wines produced at Ducru in 2009 and 2010. The 2012 will require 4-6 years of cellaring and should drink well for 15-20 years. 

91% Cabernet Sauvignon! Bruno Borie had a vat that represented 0.75% of the total blend and Bruno claims you could taste the difference between whether it was included. Brilliant crimson. Just a hint of green leaves. A bit of meat extract. Great texture. Transparent. Really rather delicate – more so than other St-Juliens. Chapeau! Very distinctive. Fresh and delicate. Good interpretation of the vintage.

Drink 2022-2038

The color is a healthy deep ruby/purple and the wine smells beautiful, exhibiting lots of floral, creme de cassis, licorice and graphite notes. Medium-bodied but slightly deficient in the mid-palate at present, it picks up speed and finishes with serious authority and power. This 2012 should be outstanding, but it is difficult to favorably compare the 2012 to the prodigious wines produced at Ducru in 2009 and 2010. The 2012 will require 4-6 years of cellaring and should drink well for 15-20 years. 

91% Cabernet Sauvignon! Bruno Borie had a vat that represented 0.75% of the total blend and Bruno claims you could taste the difference between whether it was included. Brilliant crimson. Just a hint of green leaves. A bit of meat extract. Great texture. Transparent. Really rather delicate – more so than other St-Juliens. Chapeau! Very distinctive. Fresh and delicate. Good interpretation of the vintage.

Drink 2022-2038

As always slightly deeper than Carruades, this has an attractive, pretty, elegant nose, really quite fine in its purity with good sweetness of fruit and a touch of white chocolate. Really attractive if a bit monolithic, creme caramel, very supple tight and polished on the palate the spicy edge coming through on the finish, which is correct but a little underwhelming for me, an elegant Duhart but lacks the usual concentration. 89-91+ 2018-2025A little subdued on the nose, some attractive redcurrant notes underneath with coaxing, quite elegant here, this is quite intense but supple with some grip too, quite like the depth and definition. Here. Touch of vanilla too on the finish. Drink 2018-2030.

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, this 2012 exhibits good ripeness as well as a strong herbaceous streak throughout the aromas and flavors. It is a very good, medium-bodied effort, but it is not as exceptional as some of the Duharts we have seen in recent vintages (2008, 2009 and 2010). It is slightly richer than the second wine of Lafite Rothschild, Carruades.

 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot. A little deeper than Carruades. Very light nose indeed. Quite a strong palate impact. Very firm and quite complex. Veering towards St-Estèphe austerity. Admirable restraint. Hums on the finish. I do like this. Suave.

Drink 2020-2035

As always slightly deeper than Carruades, this has an attractive, pretty, elegant nose, really quite fine in its purity with good sweetness of fruit and a touch of white chocolate. Really attractive if a bit monolithic, creme caramel, very supple tight and polished on the palate the spicy edge coming through on the finish, which is correct but a little underwhelming for me, an elegant Duhart but lacks the usual concentration. 89-91+ 2018-2025A little subdued on the nose, some attractive redcurrant notes underneath with coaxing, quite elegant here, this is quite intense but supple with some grip too, quite like the depth and definition. Here. Touch of vanilla too on the finish. Drink 2018-2030.

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, this 2012 exhibits good ripeness as well as a strong herbaceous streak throughout the aromas and flavors. It is a very good, medium-bodied effort, but it is not as exceptional as some of the Duharts we have seen in recent vintages (2008, 2009 and 2010). It is slightly richer than the second wine of Lafite Rothschild, Carruades.

 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot. A little deeper than Carruades. Very light nose indeed. Quite a strong palate impact. Very firm and quite complex. Veering towards St-Estèphe austerity. Admirable restraint. Hums on the finish. I do like this. Suave.

Drink 2020-2035

Dark and lustrous. Very headily scented. Then dry oak. Disjointed at present. Very green finish. Raw fruit. Shame because it starts so well…

Drink 2020-2030

Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, which gives the wine a sexy, up-front, well-integrated wood component to accompany its black raspberry, black currant and flowery notes. The wine possesses remarkable intensity, a full-bodied richness and terrific purity. It appears to be one of the superstars of the vintage. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.  Possibly the finest wine Feytit Clinet has yet produced (even superior to their remarkable 2008, 2009 and 2010),

This is more serious on the nose, much more linear and defined, not giving too much away, just enough to entice you back for another go, all in line and layered, creamy, there is density here in the mid-palate well made, the terroir coming through in the minerality on the finish, stylish here, long and sleek. Drink 2020-2035.

The dark ruby/garnet/plum-colored 2012 Figeac is somewhat angular (no doubt because the Cabernet Sauvignon was not as ripe as it could have been), but it possesses an attractive, cedary, underbrush, Christmas fruitcake, black cherry and black currant-scented nose. Elegant and medium-weight with good purity as well as a slightly narrow finish, it is a very good to excellent Figeac that should drink well for 12-15 years. 

Deep dark cherry colour. Bright, cedary and blackcurrant aroma. Slightly herbaceous but not overly so. Very gentle tannins, velvety already. Super-suave and approachable, just fresh enough. (I tasted this blind but extended the drinking dates when I saw at the end of the tasting that it was Figeac!)

Drink 2016-2028

This is more serious on the nose, much more linear and defined, not giving too much away, just enough to entice you back for another go, all in line and layered, creamy, there is density here in the mid-palate well made, the terroir coming through in the minerality on the finish, stylish here, long and sleek. Drink 2020-2035.

The dark ruby/garnet/plum-colored 2012 Figeac is somewhat angular (no doubt because the Cabernet Sauvignon was not as ripe as it could have been), but it possesses an attractive, cedary, underbrush, Christmas fruitcake, black cherry and black currant-scented nose. Elegant and medium-weight with good purity as well as a slightly narrow finish, it is a very good to excellent Figeac that should drink well for 12-15 years. 

Deep dark cherry colour. Bright, cedary and blackcurrant aroma. Slightly herbaceous but not overly so. Very gentle tannins, velvety already. Super-suave and approachable, just fresh enough. (I tasted this blind but extended the drinking dates when I saw at the end of the tasting that it was Figeac!)

Drink 2016-2028

No Defi de Fontenil was made in 2012, but the 2012 Fontenil is a very strong effort. Its dark ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of charcoal, graphite, black raspberries and black currants. Attractive and elegant with hints of crushed rocks and flowers, this medium-bodied beauty should drink well for a decade.

Dark purple. Sweet then savoury on the nose. Good freshness. Very plush texture and wonderful work to make this as engaging as possible but it all rather falls away towards the finish. Shame… Greenness and meanness assert themselves towards the end.

Drink 2017-2024

Instant new oak here, sweet as a result, bright and sexy with a good minerally finish. How good is this for the price? No wonder they wanted to show off the new wine-making facilities. Drink 2015-2020.

Ripe blackcurrant fruit. And strongly aromatic. Pretty mean streak in this wine even though it certainly has aromatic appeal but it just has no follow through.

Drink 2017-2024

Harvested 20th sept - 4th Oct. The Cabernet suffered here hence the mono blend. Tinged with dark chocolate at the edge quite closed, a cool palate plump with good freshness, caramac notes, interesting generous style here this is an excellent Gazin. Dusty tannins and not as fierce as usual. Drink 2019-2030.

This may be the first time in the history of this estate that Gazin has been made from 100% Merlot. That was the favored cepage (grape varietal) in 2012, and Gazin has produced a powerful, concentrated, dark plum/purple-hued wine displaying notes of balsam wood, forest floor, camphor, blackberries and cassis. As the wine sits in the glass, hints of white chocolate and espresso roast (no doubt from the barrels used) emerge. Full, rich and intense, this impressive 2012 reminds me of the 2001, only slightly more masculine. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades.

Again quite reserved on the nose, but there is expressive fruit here underneath, intense and beefy with dark chocolate, this is a little light on the mid-palate, reasonably harmonious but does it have the oomf it usually does? I am not sure. Drink 2017-2025.

Drink 2020-2035
Dark crimson. Hint of wood shavings on the nose. Well-melded fruit and great balance on the palate. Nothing forced, with real zest and great balance. Something a little meat flavoured about this – a welcome change from all the obvious sweetness.

Deep colour here, concentrated black tarry fruits, cool and pure mouth-coating on the palate. Good depth. I like the balance here, this is a stylish St Julien. Drink 2019-2030+.

Another winner from this estate, which has been on a hot streak over recent vintages, the 2012 Gloria is unquestionably of classified growth quality. It offers a dark ruby/purple color, attractive, elegant, herbaceously-tinged black currant fruit, soft tannins, a satisfying, fleshy mouthfeel, a good mid-palate and ripe tannin in the finish. I would not be surprised to see it evolve for 10-12+ years.

Very dark purple. Mineral and fresh on the nose – quite a contrast to the flight of Haut-Médoc wines I have just been tasting. Real vitality here. Lots of dryness on the finish but no aggressive underripeness or greenness. Very zesty. Bone dry.

Drink 2022-2038

This is deep in colour, a classic Emilion nose, attractive, cooler fruit here quite silky, ripe tannins good balance, Grand Mayne is a very consistant performer, quite extracted as a rule though perhaps less so this year. A good prospect. Drink 2018-2030

One of my favorite “under the radar” St.-Emilion estates (the 1998 is spectacular), the full-bodied, impressively well-endowed, opaque purple-colored 2012 Grand-Mayne offers up scents of blueberries, crushed rocks, spring flowers, vanilla and black raspberries. It is a blue fruit-dominated wine with lots of body, sweet tannin and hedonistic, almost primordial appeal because of its exuberant glycerin, texture and fullness. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

Inky core, purple rim. Cedar and blackcurrant pastille, plus a blueberry sweetness and a very slightly herbaceous note. Savoury and dark on the palate, savoury but not austere, just that the fruit takes more of a back seat at this point. Dense but smooth tannins. Well shaped but not yet revealed.

Drink 2017-2025

Earthy, herbal, angular and somewhat weak in the mid-palate, this dark ruby/purple-colored 2012 exhibits attractive cassis and graphite aromas, but it tails off dramatically in the mid-palate and finishes with soft tannin. There is too much missing to make this an exciting offering.

Sweet and rich on the nose and then quite tight and edgy with minerals on the palate. Uncomfortable for the moment but it should come round. Just slightly worried about the cocoa notes on the start. And a certain looseness of texture.

Drink 2022-2035

This has definition and poise on the nose, old viney. This is concentrated with subtle, red fruit high notes, with a really lovely palate entrance. Silky, smooth and decadent this stands out on the finish too, with lingering freshness and powdery tannins. Not at all forced but is very expressive. A serious wine for the vintage. Drink 2020-2040.

Aromas of tobacco leaf, roasted herbs and red and black currants cascade from the glass of this medium-bodied, restrained, down-sized 2012 Grand Puy Lacoste. Displaying a dark ruby/purple color and no herbaceousness, this lighter-styled wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1999 and 2001. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

Edgy blackcurrant aromas. Dense and, for the first time, this wine seems a little lacking in freshness. Almost as though it had been deacidified! Perhaps this was not a good sample as this property usually over-delivers.

Drink 2018-2030

Deep plum, a charming black fruited nose of blueberries and cassis, the palate is chunky and dense, plenty of substance. The tannins are a little spiky, there is good grip, a touch herbaceous, needs time to round off. Drink 2020-2032.

I detected a touch of wet vegetative material in this muscular, solidly constructed, dark ruby/purple-colored 2012. There is abundant austerity as well as a certain hollowness in the mid-palate, and the wine seems directionless at present. The firm tannins, medium body and deficiency in the mid-palate raise questions about where this cuvee is heading. It’s possible that the mid-palate will fill out with additional cellaring, leading the wine to perform better than this note suggests.

Blackish crimson. Sweet, almost cooked nose. Very sweet indeed – almost violet cachou-like. Then some palate-pinching effect on the finish. Not the most appetising 2012 but very flattering. But I think it could be a bit tiring after a while.

 Drink 2020-2030

Despite a slightly pinched, narrow mid-palate, the 2012 Haut Bages Liberal has turned out to be reasonably attractive. Medium-bodied and elegant with notes of plums, black currants, cassis, cedar wood and underbrush, it is a well-made, pure effort to drink over the next 10-12 years.

Driven wine with slightly simple Cabernet notes in evidence. Chalky finish. Not one of those trying hardest.

Drink 2020-2030

Dark with a purple rim. Lifted, appetising nose. Racy and flattering even if without enormous concentration. Flattering mouthfeel. No rusticity here! Though perhaps a little alcohol on the dry, slightly angular finish. A menthol note.

Drink 2020-2032

While the 2012 Haut-Bailly is not as powerful or rich as the 2009 and 2010, it is classically elegant, racy and noble. This medium-bodied effort is the poster child for elegance, finesse, balance and equilibrium. The Cantemerle of Pessac-Leognan? Its deep ruby/plum/purple color is followed by a sweet nose of black cherries, black currants, lead pencil shavings and a touch of spicy oak. This medium-bodied, pretty wine will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and last for two decades. 

Dark with a purple rim. Lifted, appetising nose. Racy and flattering even if without enormous concentration. Flattering mouthfeel. No rusticity here! Though perhaps a little alcohol on the dry, slightly angular finish. A menthol note.

Drink 2020-2032

While the 2012 Haut-Bailly is not as powerful or rich as the 2009 and 2010, it is classically elegant, racy and noble. This medium-bodied effort is the poster child for elegance, finesse, balance and equilibrium. The Cantemerle of Pessac-Leognan? Its deep ruby/plum/purple color is followed by a sweet nose of black cherries, black currants, lead pencil shavings and a touch of spicy oak. This medium-bodied, pretty wine will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and last for two decades. 

Elegant but somewhat diluted, this is a pleasant, one-dimensional, superficial Pauillac that can be drunk uncritically. It is not up to the standards of more recent vintages, no doubt because of the challenges of the 2012 vintage.

Very dark with a nuanced, quite developed rim. Big, bold nose. Cool start. Dry finish. Without real magic or excitement on the mid palate but it ticks the boxes. Cool finish. Rather muted overall. Stolid.

Drink 2019-2029

Another brilliant effort from proprietress Helene Garcin, the opaque ruby/purple-colored, medium-bodied 2012 Haut-Bergey reveals lots of smoky barbecue, forest floor, black currant and damp earth notes in a surprisingly dense, concentrated, positive, complete style. An outstanding mid-palate and length make for an impressive showing. This 2012 should drink well for 12-15 years.

The deepest colour of the group, very expressive, baked apples, cedar, this is complex, fruit cake again I could spend a long time nosing this The palate is velvety, seamless, almost weightless but in a good way, it glides across he palate. The finesse here is just brilliant, this is obviously an elegant style of Haut Brion lacking a little punch perhaps but it will be a very impressive wine to consider against its peers. Really fine for me one of the wines of the vintage, a deft touch. Burgundian like. Drink 2022-2040+.

65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Much less aromatic than La Mission. Dense and dark. Rich and sumptuous. Some spiciness. Very broad and rich. Very grand. And easy to see where it comes from and how it will proceed. Very pure. Much more forward than La Mission. Zesty but with grandeur and great persistence.

Drink 2022-2045

The 2012 Haut-Brion, which represents only 46% of the production, is a blend of 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. One of the stars of the vintage, it is a complete, medium to full-bodied, soft, round, atypically accessible effort displaying lots of minerality along with red and black fruits, exceptional fragrance and purity, a fleshy mid-palate and a long finish. A remarkable fact in both these wines is that the alcohol levels in 2012 hit 14.8%, which nearly equals the record levels achieved in 2010 – that’s astonishing! This 2012 should drink well 3-4 years after bottling, and last for 20-25 years.

The deepest colour of the group, very expressive, baked apples, cedar, this is complex, fruit cake again I could spend a long time nosing this The palate is velvety, seamless, almost weightless but in a good way, it glides across he palate. The finesse here is just brilliant, this is obviously an elegant style of Haut Brion lacking a little punch perhaps but it will be a very impressive wine to consider against its peers. Really fine for me one of the wines of the vintage, a deft touch. Burgundian like. Drink 2022-2040+.

65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Much less aromatic than La Mission. Dense and dark. Rich and sumptuous. Some spiciness. Very broad and rich. Very grand. And easy to see where it comes from and how it will proceed. Very pure. Much more forward than La Mission. Zesty but with grandeur and great persistence.

Drink 2022-2045

The 2012 Haut-Brion, which represents only 46% of the production, is a blend of 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. One of the stars of the vintage, it is a complete, medium to full-bodied, soft, round, atypically accessible effort displaying lots of minerality along with red and black fruits, exceptional fragrance and purity, a fleshy mid-palate and a long finish. A remarkable fact in both these wines is that the alcohol levels in 2012 hit 14.8%, which nearly equals the record levels achieved in 2010 – that’s astonishing! This 2012 should drink well 3-4 years after bottling, and last for 20-25 years.

Some oak and toughness on the nose. Redcurrant fruit but no opulence.

Drink 2019-2027

Some oak and toughness on the nose. Redcurrant fruit but no opulence.

Drink 2019-2027

This has decent dimension on the nose, meaty chocolatey notes, a touch of dry grass. The palate is supple with a pleasant texture, tobacco notes on the finish. It is all in balance but there is not quite the depth of a fine vintage. Drink 2018-2030.

Extremely dense. Sappy and vital – most attractive – nose. Then just a hint of green on the palate. But there is energy here. Just a slightly strange (oak?) note.

Drink 2020-2034

This muscular, firmly structured, intense, powerful 2012 exhibits an attractive ruby/purple color along with aromas of flowers, black currants, vanillin and a hint of graphite. A modern styled Margaux with plenty of muscle, firmness and a more tannic structure than other wines of the appellation, it will benefit from several years of cellaring and can be drunk over the following 12-15 years.

Maybe slightly deeper than the Chapelle, a heady nose, deep and perfumed. There is freshness with no sense of over ripeness, slightly inky, very elegant, a soft velvety wine. The mid-palate is not quite so plump, but a touch more toasty complexity on the finish and slightly firmer tannins. Drink 2018-2030.

Haut-Brion’s second wine, the 2012 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, is a delicious, seductive, fruity, lighter-styled effort exhibiting plenty of crushed rock, floral and mineral notes intermixed with red and black currants, camphor and forest floor. This pretty, medium-bodied wine can be drunk upon release or cellared for a decade.

As always not the deepest, jolie fruit on the nose, fresh, very sweet here, jammy confiture, nice grip. The finish is attractive. Elegant not forced. At Conseillante they are traditional, looking for freshness and fruit purity. as usual it is found here in abundance. Drink 2018-2030. 

The 2012 La Conseillante exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as a beautiful, up-front, projected fragrance that includes mulberry and raspberry jam, licorice, lavender and underbrush. Rich and medium-bodied, this attractive effort possesses the estate’s hallmark elegance, finesse and sweet, velvety tannins. It should be approachable in its youth and last for 15+ years. 

The 2012 La Croix de Gay comes across as a bigger, denser, more well-endowed claret than it has been in the past. The 2012 exhibits a nicely saturated dark ruby/plum/purple color along with plenty of sweet black cherry and black currant fruit judiciously touched by spicy oak and underbrush. Medium-bodied, soft and round with a long finish, it should drink well for 10-15 years.

The 2012 La Croix de Gay comes across as a bigger, denser, more well-endowed claret than it has been in the past. The 2012 exhibits a nicely saturated dark ruby/plum/purple color along with plenty of sweet black cherry and black currant fruit judiciously touched by spicy oak and underbrush. Medium-bodied, soft and round with a long finish, it should drink well for 10-15 years.

Very deep, here, lots of freshness with good concentration of blackcurrant, very creamy here on the palate, generous ripe and dense fruit, not overly extracted, polished. Good length no problems here, good result. The recent good form continues. Drink 2017-2028.

The 2012 La Dominique is a hedonistic, medium to full-bodied effort with lots of black olive, black raspberry, licorice and kirsch characteristics. It is a well-endowed, fleshy, succulently textured wine exhibiting outstanding ripeness, no dilution and sweet tannin. Consume it over the next 10-15 years. This is a resounding success for La Dominique

Very dark, black almost to the rim. Refined aromas – restrained pure dark fruit, a very very slight and attractive leafy note. Smells cool. Cedary, firm and has lots of lovely Bordeaux elegance. Beautifully proportioned. Finishes dry but not drying. Very fine tannins and plenty of them. 

Drink 2018-2025

A 100% Merlot cuvee made from yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare that reached 13.5% natural alcohol and was aged in 100% new oak, it exhibits copious notes of black raspberries, charcoal, toast and graphite. Full-bodied and opulent with low acidity as well as sweet tannin, it should drink well young and keep for 10-15 years. 

A 100% Merlot cuvee made from yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare that reached 13.5% natural alcohol and was aged in 100% new oak, it exhibits copious notes of black raspberries, charcoal, toast and graphite. Full-bodied and opulent with low acidity as well as sweet tannin, it should drink well young and keep for 10-15 years. 

Good deep colour, a bit of a block here, muted, hints of rose petals, and spicy ginger. This is super refined and silky on the palate, sits so easily, yielding nuances, the flavours are nondescript but all in harmony, giving the feeling of control, and tension. The grip is quite pronounced and the finish is persistent, needs time to reveal its personality. Drink 2022-2040.

62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatic and a little lean but very sophisticated. Lots of energy here. Extremely ramrod straight with lots of fine tannin. A very long-term wine. Super demanding with its heavy charge of tannins. Still quite inky and ambitious in the extreme. One of the more youthful wines of the vintage. At the moment just a little stringy. Neat and certainly no blockbuster. 14.95%

Drink 2023-2040

The 2012 La Mission Haut-Brion, which represents 41% of the total production, is a blend of 62% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Lots of tobacco leaf, forest floor, underbrush and red as well as black fruit aromas jump from this aromatic, seductive, open-knit La Mission. Medium to full-bodied, round, generous, lush and flattering to taste, even at this young age, it is built along the stylistic lines of the 2001 or 1999. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. 

Good deep colour, a bit of a block here, muted, hints of rose petals, and spicy ginger. This is super refined and silky on the palate, sits so easily, yielding nuances, the flavours are nondescript but all in harmony, giving the feeling of control, and tension. The grip is quite pronounced and the finish is persistent, needs time to reveal its personality. Drink 2022-2040.

62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatic and a little lean but very sophisticated. Lots of energy here. Extremely ramrod straight with lots of fine tannin. A very long-term wine. Super demanding with its heavy charge of tannins. Still quite inky and ambitious in the extreme. One of the more youthful wines of the vintage. At the moment just a little stringy. Neat and certainly no blockbuster. 14.95%

Drink 2023-2040

The 2012 La Mission Haut-Brion, which represents 41% of the total production, is a blend of 62% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Lots of tobacco leaf, forest floor, underbrush and red as well as black fruit aromas jump from this aromatic, seductive, open-knit La Mission. Medium to full-bodied, round, generous, lush and flattering to taste, even at this young age, it is built along the stylistic lines of the 2001 or 1999. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. 

Inky nose , the palate is nicely poised with good freshness and expression, juicy acidity and a pretty finish will evolve nicely in 3 to 4 years. A balanced Medoc. Drink 2016-2025.

Very dark purplish with a strong blue note. Dense, interesting nose. The fruit and tannins seem relatively ripe here. Complex, complete, while without quite the savour and sap of a top growth but very well done. Far from opulent, mind you!

Drink 2022-2032

One of the better values in classified growth Bordeaux over many recent vintages has been La Tour Carnet, which proprietor Bernard Magrez has resurrected to a very high class performance. However, the 2012 La Tour Carnet did not impress me nearly as much as earlier vintages. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort reveals a certain austerity and astringent tannin despite the high Merlot content (about 66% with the rest mostly Cabernet Sauvignon). It is an earthy, angular, medium-bodied, slightly astringent effort. Certainly elevage in the cellars will soften this cuvee somewhat, but for now, it looks like it needs several years of cellaring. It should keep for 12-15 years.

Inky core. Lifted inviting dark fruit aroma. Smells cool and fresh. Tastes that way too. Tannins are dryish but ripe enough, sandy and yet gently fluid. Sustained.

Drink 2017-2025

A straightforward cru bourgeois with decent fruit, a touch of herbaceousness and a short finish, the 2012 La Tour de By should keep for 5-6 years.

Black cherry colour. Blackcurrant pastille on the nose. Dry and a little green on the palate, but still fresh at the end. 

Drink 2015-2018

A top sleeper of the vintage, this property overachieves in just about every vintage. Composed of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep ruby/blue/purple-colored 2012 offers up notes of tobacco leaf, black currants, underbrush and cedar. This medium to full-bodied, rich Haut Medoc offers terrific value. Drink it over the next 5-10 years.

Good deep colour, with a violet rim, bacon fat and cream instantly hit on the nose, perfume, white chocolate, this is open for Lafite. On the palate there is plenty of body but not at all extracted, supple is the word here, grainy tannins on the finish, with subtle layers. The nose seems to promise a bit more at present. A sexy Lafite will open early, nice spicy grip. 

The classically styled 2012 exhibits attractive elegance, medium body and outstanding concentration, but not the complexity and depth or prodigious qualities of many other recent Lafites. It is a relatively soft, spicy effort displaying notes of crushed rocks, white chocolate, black currants and graphite. It should be drinkable in 5-8 years and last for two decades.If the 2012 fills out completely it could turn out similar to the 1998 Lafite.

91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Very dense and lustrous. Unusually (for Lafite) intense and creamy; it's almost as though Carruades has assumed Lafite character and Lafite is more Moutonish, almost flamboyant! Dry edge but very savoury and rather lords it over us – see how ripe our Cabernets were…! Perhaps the tannins are not the ripest but the fruit certainly is. Classic Pauillac if not exactly classic Lafite. Not quite as 'whole' as Haut-Brion perhaps.

Drink 2022-2045

Good deep colour, with a violet rim, bacon fat and cream instantly hit on the nose, perfume, white chocolate, this is open for Lafite. On the palate there is plenty of body but not at all extracted, supple is the word here, grainy tannins on the finish, with subtle layers. The nose seems to promise a bit more at present. A sexy Lafite will open early, nice spicy grip. 

The classically styled 2012 exhibits attractive elegance, medium body and outstanding concentration, but not the complexity and depth or prodigious qualities of many other recent Lafites. It is a relatively soft, spicy effort displaying notes of crushed rocks, white chocolate, black currants and graphite. It should be drinkable in 5-8 years and last for two decades.If the 2012 fills out completely it could turn out similar to the 1998 Lafite.

91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Very dense and lustrous. Unusually (for Lafite) intense and creamy; it's almost as though Carruades has assumed Lafite character and Lafite is more Moutonish, almost flamboyant! Dry edge but very savoury and rather lords it over us – see how ripe our Cabernets were…! Perhaps the tannins are not the ripest but the fruit certainly is. Classic Pauillac if not exactly classic Lafite. Not quite as 'whole' as Haut-Brion perhaps.

Drink 2022-2045

The opaque purple-hued 2012 Lafon Rochet reveals plenty of incense, blueberry, black raspberry and spring flower notes intermixed with a hint of forest floor. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it is a complete wine from beginning to end. It may tighten up once it’s in bottle, but this wine has 15 or more years of cellaring potential. This superb effort is a major sleeper of the vintage.

Very dark. Warm, cosy nose is very flatteringly ripe. But it lacks real savour and structure. Loose finish.

Drink 2018-2026

A solid, masculine-styled effort, the 2012 Lagrange lacks charm, but it does offer a muscular, medium-bodied, slightly rustic style with plenty of wood (a signature of this property), and an adequate mid-palate, texture and finish. The tannins and structured style suggest 2-3 years of cellaring are needed. It should age for 12-15 years.

Open but sappy, energetic nose. Sweet start. Then very chewy. Very youthful. Just a little raw with the merest hint of leafiness.

Drink 2024-2036

Very aromatic and beguiling; not forced but a bit simple.

Drink 2016-2023

Quite intense nose here, with black cherry and cranberry. The palate has good texture and breadth. The overall wine is in balance, even though there is noticeable extraction on the back. This will evolve nicely. Drink 2020-2030+.

Fruity, short and narrowly constructed, the 2012 Langoa Barton displays a deep ruby/plum/purple color, fresh acids, sweet tannins and less weight, muscle and power than usual. It is a good but uninspiring effort to drink over the next 10-12 years.

Dark crimson. Edgy, leafy nose with thick appeal though it lacks a bit of really spontaneous freshness. Solid.

Drink 2020-2032

Dark crimson. Edgy, leafy nose with thick appeal though it lacks a bit of really spontaneous freshness. Solid.

Drink 2020 to 2032

Good deep plum, attractive plummy nose with a hint of damson. There is freshness here with a lovely textured palate. Well-endowed compared to some of the Graves with good breadth and density in the mid-palate. Long and fine on the finish. This is a sensibly priced chateau and shows super quality for those that follow it. Drink 2017-2028.

Very dark with a much more mature rim than most. Voluptuous nose even if not that sweet. Solid and glossily polished. Very nuanced and appetising. Lots there even if there is a slight cocoa hint on the finish. Difficult not to like!

Drink 2020-2035

A sleeper of the vintage, this 2012 offers up scents of smoked meats, charcuterie, balsam wood, black currants and unsmoked cigar tobacco in a juicy, attractive, medium-bodied, well-made, lush style. It should drink well for 10-12 years.

This is quite perfumed. A cool ripe palate, dense jammy fruit, some extraction as would be expected here, chocolaty tannins. I am sure it will as usual fill out with cask and bottle aging. High expectations here now. Drink 2018-2030.

Dark purplish crimson. Very fresh nose. Good integrity. Though quite sweet on the palate and very drying oak tannins on the finish. Quite demanding. But there is some succulence here.

Drink 2024-2030

An outstanding wine in this vintage, the full-bodied 2012 Lascombes reveals more power, concentration and texture than many of its peers. Its dense blue/purple color is followed by notes of acacia flowers, blueberries, black raspberries, black currants, vanillin and toast. Medium to full-bodied with excellent texture (for a 2012), as well as good follow through and length, this soft, plush, outstanding Margaux should drink well for 12-15 years.

This is very deep, almost black. Wow this is intense this is super intense. Cassis, earthy, brooding not exposing too many nuances, all wrapped up and powerful. The palate is so heavy and silky you can let it sit and evolve on the palate for ages. Chalky tannins here really excellent wine.

Reminiscent of the 2008, the 2012 is a classic Latour, but is neither profoundly concentrated nor potentially one of the greatest efforts from this exceptional terroir. While noble, racy, stylish and medium-bodied, the normal power and density one expects of Latour is missing in this vintage. It is made in a more elegant, softer, lighter style, undoubtedly a smart decision since pushing extraction with potentially less than ideal grapes could have resulted in rustic aromas and flavors. This medium-bodied Latour reveals moderate tannin, but it should be drinkable when released, and last for nearly two decades. 

Looks a little less blue than Les Forts. Scented and lovely on the nose. Playing the playful card. Dense and rich. Vibrant. Not made to show well at this stage – which may be a good thing. A little tiny bit of green but very fine and confident. Just rather hidden and restrained. Not the butch style of some years. A little short.

Drink 2025-2045

This is very deep, almost black. Wow this is intense this is super intense. Cassis, earthy, brooding not exposing too many nuances, all wrapped up and powerful. The palate is so heavy and silky you can let it sit and evolve on the palate for ages. Chalky tannins here really excellent wine.

Reminiscent of the 2008, the 2012 is a classic Latour, but is neither profoundly concentrated nor potentially one of the greatest efforts from this exceptional terroir. While noble, racy, stylish and medium-bodied, the normal power and density one expects of Latour is missing in this vintage. It is made in a more elegant, softer, lighter style, undoubtedly a smart decision since pushing extraction with potentially less than ideal grapes could have resulted in rustic aromas and flavors. This medium-bodied Latour reveals moderate tannin, but it should be drinkable when released, and last for nearly two decades. 

Looks a little less blue than Les Forts. Scented and lovely on the nose. Playing the playful card. Dense and rich. Vibrant. Not made to show well at this stage – which may be a good thing. A little tiny bit of green but very fine and confident. Just rather hidden and restrained. Not the butch style of some years. A little short.

Drink 2025-2045

There is a slightly confectioned edge which quickly blows off, concentration, cool fruit texture on the palate, good minerality maybe a little more alchohol than most. Others preferred but very good. Drink 2018-2025.

The elegant, softer-styled 2012 Bon Pasteur is reminiscent of the 1999 and, if it puts on some weight, the outstanding 2001. The 2012 exhibits hints of mocha, cherry liqueur, damp earth and berry fruit. Medium-bodied, round and seductive with soft tannins, this attractive, lighter-weight effort should drink well for 10-15 years.

Earthy, gravelly, blue and red fruits, damp earth, vanillin and spice characteristics are present in this medium-bodied St.-Estephe. It exhibits some gritty tannins as well as a well-balanced mouthfeel and finish. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

Bright and dark purple. Some green notes on the nose. Plus some sweetness. Not well married. Awkward. Very chewy.

Drink 2018-2028

The 2012 Le Pin exhibits a surprisingly opaque purple color, moderately high tannin, deep mocha and jammy berry characteristics, unexpected headiness, an alcoholic blast and lots of glycerin and fruit. This beauty should come into its own in 4-5 years, and last for 15 or more. This 100% Merlot cuvee is a fresher, lighter-styled effort than this estate’s blockbuster 2009 and 2010, but it is surprisingly intense with plenty of weight, clout and class. 

Along with Petrus, the 2012 l’Eglise Clinet is the potential wine of the vintage. An amazing tour de force in winemaking, the wine’s inky/purple color is accompanied by copious notes of spring flowers, creme de cassis, kirsch liqueur, truffles, caramels and graphite. Full-bodied with enormous concentration, the purity, exquisite balance and sheer gravitas and palate presence of this massive yet phenomenally compelling Pomerol are something to behold. Kudos to l’Eglise Clinet. This wine will be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades or more.

Along with Petrus, the 2012 l’Eglise Clinet is the potential wine of the vintage. An amazing tour de force in winemaking, the wine’s inky/purple color is accompanied by copious notes of spring flowers, creme de cassis, kirsch liqueur, truffles, caramels and graphite. Full-bodied with enormous concentration, the purity, exquisite balance and sheer gravitas and palate presence of this massive yet phenomenally compelling Pomerol are something to behold. Kudos to l’Eglise Clinet. This wine will be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades or more.

Good deep plum colour, this has good dimension on the nose sweet fruit, blackberries and cream, nice cool feel to fruit on the palate, supple and with nice balance not overly done, soft and attractive. It finishes with lots of the telltale Barton grip but will be fine with bottle age. Drink 2022-2040.

This well-made, complete St.-Julien possesses a dense purple color as well as surprisingly soft tannins for this wine which tends to be jacked up with a lot of structure, masculinity and muscle in most vintages. The 2012 offers attractive cedary, black currant fruit and vanilla notes, and a medium-bodied, denser mid-palate than many of its peers’. The tannins are noticeable in the finish, so give this wine 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades as it will be one of the longer lived wines of the vintage.

Very neutral nose that opened out to something pretty savoury. Very attractive, fine, top-quality oak on the finish. Lovely balance. Should just get better and better. Everything seems ripe and in balance here.

Drink 2022-2045

The seriously endowed 2012 Las Cases exhibits a dense purple color as well as surprisingly sweet tannin and a forwardness that one does not normally find at this address. Medium to full-bodied with beautiful black currant, graphite, crushed rock and subtle oaky notes, it possesses lots of minerality and precision, impressive power, a rich mid-palate (which sets it apart from other St.-Juliens), and a long finish. It appears this beauty will be drinkable in 5-6 years, and last for 25 or more. One of the best, if not the finest wines made in St.-Julien in 2012 is Jean-Hubert Delon’s famed Leoville Las Cases.

Black crimson. Angular and savoury. Appetising above all. Not deep, nor sweet. Even slightly skinny. Very vibrato with the vintage character. Not one of the standouts of the vintage. Too angular.

 Drink 2025-2038

The seriously endowed 2012 Las Cases exhibits a dense purple color as well as surprisingly sweet tannin and a forwardness that one does not normally find at this address. Medium to full-bodied with beautiful black currant, graphite, crushed rock and subtle oaky notes, it possesses lots of minerality and precision, impressive power, a rich mid-palate (which sets it apart from other St.-Juliens), and a long finish. It appears this beauty will be drinkable in 5-6 years, and last for 25 or more. One of the best, if not the finest wines made in St.-Julien in 2012 is Jean-Hubert Delon’s famed Leoville Las Cases.

Black crimson. Angular and savoury. Appetising above all. Not deep, nor sweet. Even slightly skinny. Very vibrato with the vintage character. Not one of the standouts of the vintage. Too angular.

 Drink 2025-2038

This is deep in colour, holding back a touch on the nose but there is elegance here with perfume and smoke, very creamy here on the palate, delicious covered fine tannins. This is very fresh and satisfying, with great balance of power and finesse, leaves you with a long sleek finish, this is a fine wine for the vintage.

This wine seemed primary and not totally filled out or complete. No doubt it will put on some weight given the significant Merlot content in the final blend. There is a certain firmness, stiffness and lack of intensity on the mid-palate, and some tannins kick in in the finish. Nevertheless, there is more to this wine than first meets the palate. It is medium to full-bodied with an opaque color, good ripeness and some attractive weight, but is closed and hard. It needs time to pull itself together, and it should turn out to be an excellent, possibly outstanding effort.

Dark purple. Some real energy hidden in this, not desperately expressive wine. Voluptuous on the palate. Gosh what a lot of effort has gone into this. Full marks for effort… Lots of lusciousness and then it's drawn to a dry close like someone tightening a purse string. Though I'd guess not too much purse-string tightening while making this… Appealing freshness.

Drink 2022-2038

This is deep in colour, holding back a touch on the nose but there is elegance here with perfume and smoke, very creamy here on the palate, delicious covered fine tannins. This is very fresh and satisfying, with great balance of power and finesse, leaves you with a long sleek finish, this is a fine wine for the vintage.

This wine seemed primary and not totally filled out or complete. No doubt it will put on some weight given the significant Merlot content in the final blend. There is a certain firmness, stiffness and lack of intensity on the mid-palate, and some tannins kick in in the finish. Nevertheless, there is more to this wine than first meets the palate. It is medium to full-bodied with an opaque color, good ripeness and some attractive weight, but is closed and hard. It needs time to pull itself together, and it should turn out to be an excellent, possibly outstanding effort.

Dark purple. Some real energy hidden in this, not desperately expressive wine. Voluptuous on the palate. Gosh what a lot of effort has gone into this. Full marks for effort… Lots of lusciousness and then it's drawn to a dry close like someone tightening a purse string. Though I'd guess not too much purse-string tightening while making this… Appealing freshness.

Drink 2022-2038

Very dark purple. Almost excessively sweet, coconut-like oak – the sort I just happen not to like though I'm sure some people do. An awful lot of work has gone into extracting and polishing this fruit. But the overall effect lacks the freshness that is to me characteristic of Graves. Even a bit bitter on the end. Exaggerated wine that lacks a bit of soul. Overworked.

Drink 2019-2027

Very dark purple. Almost excessively sweet, coconut-like oak – the sort I just happen not to like though I'm sure some people do. An awful lot of work has gone into extracting and polishing this fruit. But the overall effect lacks the freshness that is to me characteristic of Graves. Even a bit bitter on the end. Exaggerated wine that lacks a bit of soul. Overworked.

Drink 2019-2027