During the En Primeur tastings in April 2011 we were immensely surprised and indeed pleased that the viticultural stars had once again aligned to produce a sterling vintage in 2010 Bordeaux. At this point however the impressive shadow of the opulent and flamboyant 09s still loomed heavy, and many in the world of wine looked on with a degree of scepticism as the châteaux prepared to make their case for the new vintage. After all, how could 2010 improve upon 2009? As the tastings commenced however, this trepidation seemed to vanish, the wines acquitted themselves extraordinarily well, and a significant number of wines strove even from barrel to be something more than their 09 equivalent.
Perhaps never in wine have so many experts been so glad to have been proven wrong. We then allowed ourselves the exciting hope that some of the 10s might prove surpassing in their quality, and give the world of wine something it hasn’t seen before, or at least has been lacking for a number of generations, (let us be honest it needs it). We are delighted to say that the recently released in-bottle scores for the 2010 vintage by the esteemed Robert Parker have confirmed our opinions and more than justified our optimism for both the wines and the world market.
2010 in Bordeaux is a vintage of grandeur, majesty and profundity. Across the board, over all appellations and down the ranks the wines are beautifully well structured, concentrated, and precise. It is also a record breaking vintage in terms of the sheer level of alcohol, tannin and acidity in the wines. For this reason it is truly remarkable that the wines have achieved the elusive Holy Grail of balance and harmony, and in doing so they represent Bordeaux at its most classic and timeless. The result is a vintage that has many incredibly age-worthy wines, but also a gratifyingly large amount of approachable early drinking ones.
In many ways 2010 defies comparison with previous vintages, but in our opinion it represents the best of 09 and 05, the perfect balance of flamboyance and clarity of structure. With such an embarrassment of riches to be found, we thought we would provide a summary of our highlights:
*all tasting notes contained herein are Robert Parker’s.
The First Growths:
The in-bottle scores have served to dispel some of the anxieties relating to the pricing of the 10s at the same level as the 09s, but what is by far the most important thing to bear in mind is that along with Parker’s other 100 Pointers these are the wines which represent the pinnacle of a classic vintage which will probably be remembered for a generation. They are the standards which are set to define the market of 2010 Bordeaux for decades.
Château Latour 1er Cru Pauillac, £12,500 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
100 Parker Points
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1er Cru Pauillac, £8,000 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
97-99+ Nickolls & Perks En Primeur Score
98 Parker Points
The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot (a 3% difference from the barrel sample shown two years ago), achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%…The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more. Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10-12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years.
Château Haut-Brion 1er Cru Pessac-Léognan, £6,700 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
97-99+ Nickolls & Perks En Primeur Score
100 Parker Points
Château Margaux 1er Cru Margaux, £6,500 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
97-99+ Nickolls & Perks En Primeur Score
99 Parker Points
The 2010 is a brilliant Chateau Margaux, as one might expect in this vintage. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend hit 90%, the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and only 38% of the crop made it into the Chateau Margaux. Paul Pontallier, the administrator, told me that this wine has even higher levels of tannin than some other extraordinary vintages such as 2005, 2000, 1996, etc. Deep purple, pure and intense, with floral notes, tremendous opulence and palate presence, this is a wine of considerable nobility. With loads of blueberry, black currant and violet-infused fruit and a heady alcohol level above 13.5%…its beautifully sweet texture, ripe tannin, abundant depth and profound finish all make for another near-perfect wine that should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
Château Mouton-Rothschild 1er Cru Pauillac, £6,500 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
98+ Parker Points
Robert Parker’s 100 Pointers
Ten wines were given a perfect score in this vintage. These two are among the finest examples of the dizzying heights Bordeaux was able to reach in 2010, and they also represent significant improvements on wines given perfect scores in previous stand out vintages such like 09 and 05.
Château Beauséjour-Duffau 1er Grand Cru Saint-Émilion, £2,750 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
The 2010 is a more structured, masculine and steely version of the utterly compelling 2009. Tasting like black raspberry confiture with subtle notes of graphite and crushed chalk along with enormous floral notes, the wine displays a slightly smoky character but a voluptuous attack, mid-palate and finish. Its is full-bodied and massively endowed, with every component perfectly etched in this extraordinary wine, which should be drinkable after 7-8 years of bottle age and last for a half-century or more…astonishing freshness and precision that is hard to believe in view of its power, density and length. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2055+.
Château Pontet-Canet 5th Cru Pauillac, £1,600 per case of 12/75cl Bottles
An absolutely amazing wine…It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux…An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and 2full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience…it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this…This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux…Pontet-Canet’s 2010 is a more structured, tannic and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009.
Most Improved Out of Barrel
Parker’s in bottle scores for most of the 10s represented an improvement on his earlier assessment, which is impressive on its own but even more important given that they improved without attracting a sharp increase in the price they are currently being traded for! Therefore we thought we would list our pick of the most improved 10s.
Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan, £1000 per case of 12/75cl bottles
93-95+ Nickolls & Perks En Primeur Score
95-7 Parker Points (May 2011)
98 Parker Points (February 2013)
Deep plum/purple, Haut-Bailly’s 2010 required some coaxing to appreciate its subtle notes of barbecue smoke, lead pencil shavings and creme de cassis as well as its touches of pomegranate and forest floor. The oak is pushed far into the background and the tannins are extremely silky, but the intensity of the wine is profound and the finish lingers for close to 55 seconds. This wine is ripe yet delicate, powerful yet stylish…This wine needs a good 7-8 years of bottle age and should keep for 40-50+ years.
Château Léoville-Barton 2nd Cru Saint-Julien, £850 per case of 12/75cl bottles
94-96+ Nickolls & Perks En Primeur Score
91-93+ Parker Points (May 2011)
96+ Parker Points (February 2013)
A splendid showing, much stronger from bottle than it was from barrel, the Leoville Barton is one of the spectacular wines of the vintage. Inky purple to the rim, its huge tannin gives this wine real potential for 30-50 years of longevity. It is a classic, powerful Bordeaux made with no compromise. A superstar of the vintage, the wine has notes of pen ink and creme de cassis, good acidity, sweet, subtle oak, and massive extraction and concentration. I thought it was one of the most backward wines of the vintage two years ago, and nothing has changed in the ensuing upbringing of the wine in cask except that the wine now seems even richer, denser and fuller than I previously thought. The beautiful purity, symmetry, and huge finish of nearly a minute make this one of the all-time great classics from Leoville Barton. Anticipated maturity: 2028-2065+.