There is excitement about the 2014 vintage at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and sibling Château Haut-Batailley. In the end the complex growing season really suited the Cabernet Sauvignon here in Pauillac and has resulted in wines of great freshness and personality, but also depth and substance. Clearly this is a vintage if not quite the equal of 2009 or 2010, then it is something not that far behind. The Borie family who own both properties have this year chosen to price accordingly. Still the wines represent good value for money versus their competitors and, for devotees of both properties, 2014 is extremely satisfying.

Pauillac has produced a number of brilliant wines in 2010. There’s a lot of texture and material here. If the wines lack the creamy fruit of the come-hither 2009s, they possess extremely impressive concentration and power. Château Mouton-Rothschild led the pack of the sixteen or so wines shown late last year by the MW Institute. It is a formidable effort and was wonderful on the day. It is closely followed by Château Pichon-Longueville, which continues to show the great promise it did during its primeur days. Château Lynch-Bages, Château Pichon-Lalande, Château Pontet-Canet, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Lafite Rothschild have also produced very impressive wine as has Château Clerc Milon. Château Batailley is worth a special mention. It has produced excellent Pauillac in 2010 and continues a great run of recent form at this popular estate.

Pauillac in 2013 reminds me of a lesser version 2011. Sound like faint praise? Given the extremely challenging vintage conditions this is a success. There are some very good wines here; some are good values too. Others are a little compact and there is a degree of austerity to a few. Partly this is because of the increased percentages [even for Pauillac] of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends, partly perhaps also because of less than fully ripe tannin, partly too the combined affect of very fresh acids this year, more so than 2011, 2008 and 2007, the vintages to which 2013 has been already been compared.

François-Xavier Borie’s Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one the vintage standouts for quality and value in 2013. There is plenty of creamy blackcurrant fruit on offer and the wine is generous and, surprisingly for the vintage, full in the middle. There’s real delicacy and harmony here. It is easily one of the most enjoyable Pauillacs. Château Haut-Batailley shares these qualities to a degree, although it is a little more modest and some oak needs to integrate further during elévage. Lacoste-Borie, Grand Puy Lacoste’s second wine, is bright and vigourous with plenty of upfront fruit.