There is no doubt that Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion occupy two of Bordeaux’s most remarkable vineyard spots. Situated in what has become the urban sprawl of Pessac, divided between a busy main road, these two properties, Haut-Brion to one side, La Mission on the other, and the gnarled, muscular vines that surround them, are somewhat at odds in the hum drum modern setting, testament to another time and five hundred years of history. The white wines here in 2014 are sublime, for me as good as any of the great years. They represent the very heights to which dry white wine can aspire. The reds are fresh and lively, akin to 2008 but with perhaps with a little more weight.

Whilst the incredible Indian summer undoubtedly turned around the fortunes of the 2014 vintage, the growing season in Pomerol was not without its challenges. Stormy showers punctuated much of June, July and August and, in terms of overall rainfall throughout the year, it was one of the wettest since in a decade. Despite the rain, the sunny and generally dry conditions that characterised September and October, were sufficient to successfully ripen the Merlot and were particularly beneficial to Cabernet Franc, which looks to have succeeded very well 2014. As always success depended on terroir and diligence. There is great vibrancy in the best wines, which show genuine style and verve, but in a few cases there also appears some dilution.

Château L’Evangile has produced a plummy, attractive Pomerol with balance and delicacy in 2014. Following an early start to the growing season with good flowering, the wet and cooler weather during the summer months, necessitated much work in the vines. Vine ripening occurred in two periods, late July and then again after mid-August so there were sometimes differences in ripeness between bunches on the same vine. Care was needed at harvest and in selection therefore. Here, as elsewhere, the fabulous weather in September and October, allowed more control than in previous vintages in terms of picking dates. It allowed for the harvesting of fruit at full ripeness, but also with the freshness that speaks of the cooler summer.

This beautiful Pomerol property neighbours Vieux Château Certan and L’Evangile on the border with St Emilion [with Cheval Blanc and La Dominique just across the road]. Château La Conseillante has produced a caressing 2014, that has a pretty satin quality to the fruit. The owners feel that the wine exhibits more power than 2012 and greater aromatic profile than 2006. It is an impressive effort. There is concentration and depth here, showing just how the vintage’s Indian summer saved the day.