See Steven Spurrier's top five Bordeaux chateaux and our list of 'most improved' this year.
Team Decanter tasted over 600 wines in Bordeaux during en primeur week. And here, for the left bank, are Spurrier’s top five choices for the vintage of 2010.
Spurrier’s choice for his own cellar
Ch Langoa-Barton (3CC) St-Julien
Fine concentration, quite understated at the start, then the purity and depth of fruit, classical Leoville firm texture and length becomes plain, a wine that repays keeping. Drink 2020-40. (18.5 points)
Ch Pouget (4CC) Margaux
Crushed black fruits dominating impressive fleshy richness, the Cabernets contributing to the very long finish. Drink 2016-24. (17 points)
Pauillac de Ch Latour, Pauillac
Wonderful cassis fruit, fleshy and succulent with controlled tannins, the best Cuvée Pauillac ever from Latour. Drink 2014-20. (16.5 points)
Ch Fourcas-Borie, Listrac
Fragrant Merlot-dominated nose, smooth, rich and polished, a seductively modern Listrac. Drink 2014-20. (16 points)
Ch Branon, Pessac-Léognan
Lots of tobacco leaf fruit, good robust flavours, depth and terroir. Drink 2014-20. (16 points)
Most-improved châteaux
Ch d’Issan (3CC) Margaux
Fine fragrant nose, perfect extraction, already beautifully textured, great future, probably the best d’Issan yet. Drink 2016-35. (18 points)
Ch La Lagune (3CC) Haut-Médoc
Excellent concentration of ripe black fruits, spice and oak blended in, subtle and supple power and depth, great length and balance, a triumph, even better than 2009. Drink 2016-30. (18 points)
Ch Calon-Ségur (3CC) St-Estèphe
Superb expression of black fruits, sensational depth of supple/succulent flavours, great harmony, purity and length, for me the best Saint-Estèphe this year. Drink 2020-50. (19 points)
Ch St-Pierre (4CC) St-Julien
Dense, smoky rich fruit, succulent flavours over classic structure, fine freshness and strong tannins for the long term, probably the best ever from this rather discreet 4th Growth. Drink 2020-35. (18 points)
Ch Clerc-Milon (5CC) Pauillac
Rich blackcurrant fruit with some dry herbs/coffee spice nose, very good middle fruit and a firm, elegant structure and class, a château on top form. Drink 2018-35. (18 points)
Written by Matt Chappell
