Ten 2010 Pomerols presented last November by the MW Institute were developing wonderfully, showing just how great the vintage is for the appellation. As with many other Bordeaux 2010s there is seemingly [even] more matter, structure and density to the wines than in 2009. If the latter vintage offered opulence, then 2010 shows power and scale. Despite the concentration, a number, including a stand out effort from Château Beauregard and a gorgeously forward Château Petit Village, are drinking beautifully already. At the very top end, brilliant wines from Château Clinet, Château La Conseillante, Château La Fleur-Pétrus and Château Trotanoy still need some time in bottle. Château Gazin and Château Nénin, in particular, have both made fabulous wine, Nénin perhaps their best ever in recent vintages.

The MW Institute’s Annual Claret tasting of over one hundred top chateaux held last November was a good opportunity to assess how the 2010 Bordeaux vintage is developing. There is no doubt that this is a great vintage for many reds. It has been pretty consistent from cask to bottle, a vintage generally much more classical than the precocious and forward 2009, but of similarly prodigious quality. Taken together these two vintages make an exceptional back-to-back duo for Bordeaux, especially so on the Left Bank and in Pessac-Léognan. The same can also be said for Sauternes and Barsac. Pomerol and St Emilion once again have made many excellent wines in 2010, often extremely well endowed and big framed, though sometimes too much so in St Emilion when they nudge sixteen degrees.

The nine wines from Pomerol shown at last month’s UGCB tasting were forward and delicious. It’s a small snapshot of the appellation obviously but there was nice life and zest in the wines shown. Château La Conseillante, Château Gazin and Château Petit-Village led the pack, along with Château Clinet. Château Beauregard, Château La Croix de Gay and Château La Pointe looked very good too.

An enjoyable, forward set of wines were shown at the UGCB’s 2012 in-bottle tasting in London on Thursday, their annual gathering held at the Royal Opera House in London. Pessac-Léognan’s whites were generally delicious as were their reds but there were successes in most appellations with some good showings in Margaux, St Julien, Pauillac and St Emilon and Pomerol especially. It doesn’t appear to be a long-term vintage but there is genuine charm here and more harmony shown in the wines than in 2011. Overall the reds seem more enjoyable now [and perhaps more consistent] than that vintage at the same stage.