Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Quite light ruby , with a wider garnet , terracotta rim. Really aromatic and open , starberry jam , raspberry , dried flowers , dried rosemary , earthy spices , orange rind and black tea. On the palate this has a juicy red fruit character , raspberry and strawberry preserve , earthy notes , liquorice touches , and herbal bitters . Very fine , slightly grippy tannins , with extract and substance on the finish , lively even though the acidity isn’t that high. Long and balanced on the finish , red fruits , herbs and aromatic bitters . Shows already some development, but will continue to show well over the next 10 years if not more . Elegant and charmingly aromatic , lovely balance and showing no excess weight or heat form the 15% alcohol , quite a feat . — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Tasted blind. Medium ruby garnet , medium garnet rim . Quite classic and elegant, with cigar box , grafite and some dried earth , some slightly toasty notes also . On the palate this shows good balance , fresh acidity , classic blackcurrant , cigar box , earthy touch . Good depth and length , grafite tinged finish , quite correct and no extra sweetness or weight . Good length and a spicy , mineral , blackcurrant tinged finish . Lafite ? Still young , really well balanced. From now and over the next 10 to 15 years. This was actually the Mouton , which was a great surprise, but certainly a pleasant one ! — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Again quite deep ruby , with a wider garnet rim , slightly cloudy appearance. This is a little more smudged on the nose with , earthy , slightly swimming pool note , tobacco and some dried flowers . However with time this starts to gain stature and complexity with cigar box , cedar and grafite notes . On the palate this is a little rounder and deeper in style , a bit more generous . More cassis and blackberry , along with some cherry . Herbal tobacco notes , fresh acidity and more rounded tannins , perhaps better length that the Ducru too. This also is showing well , if not as young as the Ducru , from now and over the next 10 years in this format. — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium lemon yellow . Quite closed at first , with some toasted brioche and touch of lemon peel , white flowers, stem ginger , quite rich impression . On the palate this is quite creamy and rounded , candied peel , honey , rich pastries , with quite high mineral tinged acidity . Good long , mineral tinged finish . Needs a bit more time though I don’t get the feeling this will be as profound or as long lived as the 2012. Better in 5 years and will continue to drink well a further 10. — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Tasted Blind. Again very similar appearance with ruby centre still , slightly thinner garnet rim . Different on the nose and on the palate to the others . Sweeter more toasty notes , earthy also , tobacco touches , bonfire , fire side hints. On the palate this has a spicy note , with a mix of red and black fruits , that earthy fireside hint . Good tobacco tinged finish . Juicier tannins , and balanced acidity . Really poised and pretty , spiced fruits, perfectly balanced . Lovely to drink now , though will give another decade of enjoyment . Haut Brion ? — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Tasted blind. Deeper slightly brighter in colour, deeper ruby and a thinner garnet rim . Bit more closed and deeper in fruit , grafite , blackcurrants , wet stones , mineral . There is also a seaside , sea shore hint coming back to this . On the palate this has more volume than 1 , richer in style . More dusty and drier tannins , balanced acidity and good grafite tinged length . Mouton ? Lovely depth and expressiveness , exuberante, young still but with time really shows well. From now and over the next 10 -15 years. This was the Lafite , which surprised me , but still a beautiful wine. — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Quite deep with a ruby core , light garnet rim . Quite young looking . Quite tertiary , with cigar box , grafite some cassis and a grafite note , still very alive and relatively young . On the palate this is quite dusty and earthy , menthol, cassis , tobacco and that grafite hint . Ripe but noticable tannins and refreshing acidity with good lightly grippy length, quite classic . Compared to the Poyferre this is younger but sterner and more foursquare , but classic and unapologetically traditional claret in style. From now with a decant , but this will probably keep well and perhaps improve over the next 10-15 years . — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Tasted blind. Again medium deep ruby with medium wide garnet rim . Again slightly aloof , showing a touch of herbaceous blackcurrant , mineral and slate notes . Probably the most closed of all coming back . Quite deep and rich again , mineral , blackcurrant, wet stones . Muscular tannins and balanced acidity , deep with a slight herbaceous touch on the decent finish . Latour ? Compared with the rest this is slightly pedestrian, even though it is still an excellent wine it’s not as thrilling as its Pauillac stablemates Lafite or Mouton. Perhaps needs even more time , come back in 5 years and will last well a further 10 -15. — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Tasted Blind. Maybe slightly lighter appearance than 1 , with ruby centre and lighter garnet rim . Slightly more floral in tone, touches of spice and elegant redder fruits . The most aromatic of all coming back to this . On the palate this has lovely red fruits , very precise with a juicier mouthfeel , velvety tannins and refreshing acidity . Long very well balanced finish, slightly saline hint. Long and very pretty . Tonight more aromatic , more joyful than all others , long and detailed , in a lovely place now and over the next 10-15 years. Margaux ? — 7 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Pretty deep ruby with a medium wide bright ruby rim . Quite dense nose , with dark blackberry, plum , nutmeg , touch of soy and cocoa powder. On the palate this is quite rich and ripe , with dark cherry , black plum , touches of spice and vanilla , balanced acidity and grippy but fine tannins , with a touch of alcohol noticeable . Dusty cocoa , grafite and dark cherry finish , ok length and just a touch of heat . Will probably improve over the next few years as this is still pretty young, and drink well a further 8-10 years . At Figueira Rubiyat, São Paulo — 7 days ago