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.

Now returning to my 2018 MW Institute tasting notes from a while back. Cabernet Sauvignon arguably reaches its apogee in the Pauillac appellation. There were two great efforts [from the Pichons] in 2018 here, however I feel that overall the wines here are fractionally less consistent than in 2016 and 2019. Château Pichon Baron has produced a thrilling wine, which has great power and depth. Château Pichon Lalande has more delicacy but is nevertheless its equal. Behind these was a strong effort from Château Pontet Canet, a property that has been on a biodynamic footing for at least a decade now. Though some recent vintages have had a few critics complaining about Pauillac typicity here, this 2018 Pontet Canet is full of finesse and classicism. I’m a great fan of Château Grand Puy Lacoste and the 2018 is forward and attractive, though way off their fabulous 2016. Château Lynch Bages is big and bold. It is for the long haul but you get a lot of bang for your bucks here and I expect that to improve a lot in bottle. It needs a decade.

No surprise given what I’ve posted on St Julien in 2019, but Pauillac too has crept into its shell following élevage and bottling. These are strong wines in this excellent vintage, with plenty of extract, alcohol and acidity. Again many will need a decade before they bloom but all the elements are there for a set of classical yet powerful Pauillacs. Of those shown by the UGCB, top of the tree is a monumental effort from Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. This was breathtaking from cask and it continues to show spectacularly well in bottle. Château Pichon Baron is not at all far behind and displays wonderfully pure blackcurrant aromatics.  Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a beauty, almost seductive in the company of the other properties, and continues to show what a great value wine ‘GPL’ is. Château Batailley‘s 2019 is glossy and intense, chalking up another success at this ever improving estate.

Alongside St Julien, Pauillac is one of the most consistent appellations in Bordeaux. On the basis of the eleven shown by the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux [UGCB] in October, 2018 is an exciting vintage for Pauillac. The fruit is sweet; the tannins ripe and super soft. Oodles of blackcurrant fruit and cassis gives the taster the classic stamp of the commune but also obviously of a super ripe year. In some ways these 2018s reminded me of the 2009s at a similar stage. Ultimately I think the Pauillac 2019s that follow will pip this vintage in terms of freshness and overall sophistication but, nevertheless, the 2018s are excellent. The vintage has produced enjoyable wines here that will provide pleasure early on yet importantly have the fruit to last. No surprises in the top wines. For me Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Lynch Bages lead the field, with Batailley up there too, continuing its excellent run of fine vintages in this past decade.