2019 is a wonderful vintage in Pauillac. Whilst Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Grand Puy Lacoste were missing from the MW Institutes line-up, the range included most of the other top properties. Château Lafite Rothschild was sublime. It had terrific purity, precise blackcurrant fruit profiles and wonderful balance. This quality was also mirrored in two epic wines from the Pichons. If Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande fractionally topped Château Pichon Baron in early primeurs tastings, then maybe Baron is now fractionally head by a whisker, but that is more to do with how they are currently drinking. Both are show-stoppers, and both must surely rank amongst the very top wines of the vintage. Château Lynch-Bages is full-throttle but currently a lot rawer and needs another three of four years [it will age well for decades]. Château Duhart Milon has made classic Pauillac along with Château Batailley, and Château Clerc-Milon looks to be one of the best wines here in the last decade. It has great purity and balance.

The following twelve wines were tasted at the MW Institute’s Annual Bordeaux tasting at Vintners Hall in London on Tuesday 31^st October, 2023. I hope you find the notes useful!

Château d’Armailhac, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and fresh looking; little dumb at first; some blackcurrant, spice; on the palate some sturdy blackcurrant fruit; fresh with structure; inky on the end; bit old fashioned in terms of grip and tannin management for me. [62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 14.5% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2026-2039. 89

Château Batailley, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Mid depth; fresh looking; some chalk and blackcurrant; little dumb at first; clean blackcurrant fruit on the palate; some texture, extract and ripe tannin. Currently a bit between freshness of youth and development. [74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 14% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2026-2049. 92+

Château Clerc-Milon, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and dark; chalky and a bit of menthol at first, clean blackcurrant aromatics emerge; this is quite classic Pauillac; blackcurrant fruit on the palate which has freshness and grip. Classical and cool. Has length and grip. Very good. Needs a bit of age, or time in a decanter if you want to dip in now. [72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 13.5% alc].  Tasted Oct’23. Drink 2024-2044. 93+

Château Croizet-Bages, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Mid depth; bright and breezy; stalky blackcurrant; open and easy; earthy and savoury palate; almost old-fashioned Pauillac in terms of the stalky blackcurrant notes; fresh with good acidity. Lacks a bit of depth but bright and fresh. [66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 14.5% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2025-2039. 87

Château Duhart Milon, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Mid depth; deep to edge; bit reticent, some spice and blackcurrant notes; blackcurrant tones on the palate with fresh acidity; this is classical Pauillac. Tight and composed. [70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 13.5% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2029-2049. 93+

Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deepish; some chalk, savoury tones; bit dumb; some grip and acidity with good blackcurrant fruit; tannins on the finish. Slightly higher toned and less fleshy than some. [80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 14% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2027-2039. 88+

Château Haut-Batailley, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and saturated; blackcurrant notes; has finesse and elegance with some inky intensity here; fresh blackcurrant fruit on the palate; has acidity and structured; some alcohol noticeable on the end. [76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14.5% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2027-2045. 91+

Château Lafite Rothschild, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Mid depth; blackcurrant aromatics, mineral and iodine; with further aeration more layers of blackcurrant fruit emerge; terrific balance on the palate – beautiful blackcurrant fruit profiles with freshness; this is the epitome of Cabernet; textured and pure with velvet tannins on the end. [94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 14.5% alc]. Drink 2026-2056. 98+

Château Lynch-Bages, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and saturated looking; super dark; blackcurrant aromatics; pure; inky blackcurrants on the palate too, consistent profiles; this has texture and muscle but needs to settle a bit as the tannins are present and has a chewy finish. This Lynch-Bages needs a decade really, and I’d leave it for five years at least. [70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 14.5% alc]. Tasted Oct ’23. Drink 2027-2055. 96+

Château Lynch-Moussas, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and saturated colour; inky and deep; some savoury blackcurrants on the nose; palate had dimensions and lots of inky, blackcurrant fruit. This is impressive in its extract and concentration but has some tannins to shed. [73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% alc]. Tasted Oct’23. Drink 2027-2043. 91+

Château Pichon Baron, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

This is inky and dark in the glass; saturated looking; pure blackcurrant aromatics; lovely cool aromas; with some tobacco also creeping; layer upon layer of fruit; exceptional Pauillac and Cabernet expression here; spot on in every respect. Great stuff. You can enjoy the fruit now but this wine is set for another two to three decades of development I reckon. [87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 14.5% alc]. Tasted Oct’23. Drink 2024-2054. 99+

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019

Deep and saturated; a little chalky at first with initially less piercing blackcurrants than the Pichon Baron, but this opens up superbly on aeration; creamy blackcurrant notes – dazzling purity; beautifully judged palate with caressing and silky blackcurrant fruit. Great extract and textured tannins. Marvellous wine. Bravo! [71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 14% alc]. Tasted Oct’23. Drink 2024-2054. 98+