Day two on the primeurs trail covered the top properties in St Julien, St Estèphe and Pauillac. The brief but significant September rain on the eve of harvest here affected estates differently and there is variation in the wines. Amongst the top growths on the finest terroirs beautiful wines have been produced. Perhaps these are not quite at the very top like 2009 or 2010, or perhaps even 2005, [though in certain cases they are close] but nevertheless there is real magic and beauty in the best wines. There is an accessibility too that almost hides their power. Château Mouton-Rothschild in Pauillac stood out as exceptional, along with Château Montrose and Château Cos d’Estournel in St Estèphe. Château Ducru Beaucaillou, Château Léoville-Las-Cases and Château Léoville Poyferré were all very impressive in St Julien. Ducru has made exceptionally attractive wine this year. It is a beauty – a term that is constantly turning up in my tasting notes in 2015.

For me St Estèphe has produced some of the 2014 vintage’s most exciting wines. I’ve already written on Château Cos d’Estournel, Château Calon Ségur and Château Montrose who have jointly produced a set of 2014s can will probably hold their own alongside their remarkable 2010s. But this is not the end of the story. Very impressive wines have also been made at Château Capbern, Château Lafon-Rochet, Château Meyney, Château Ormes de Pez, Château Phélan Ségur, and Château Tronquoy-Lalande. Château Le Boscq, Château La Commanderie, Château Le Crock are all potentially excellent too. I’m a great fan of this appellation usually but 2014 is a wonderful vintage here. Given the reasonable pricing of so many of these wines, this vintage provides an excellent hunting ground for price-savvy Bordeaux enthusiasts. 

For me Château Montrose is wine of the vintage in 2014. It is a towering achievement and surely hot on the heels of the brilliant 2010. The purity and the power are knockout, with layers of fruit, but also great freshness too. If Calon Ségur is St Estèphe’s answer to Lafite, Montrose is clearly its Latour. La Dame de Montrose is impressive, a notch or two down in scale from the grand vin, but this is caressing and aromatic St Estèphe. Château Tronquoy-Lalande is also very much worth considering. It is glossy and exciting and amongst the best I have tasted from this property.

For me Château Calon Ségur is one of the wines of the vintage in 2014. This is enthralling St Estèphe and it is not far off the quality of the legendary 2009 and 2010. Calon’s technical director Vincent Millet described 2014 as ‘very exciting.’ The technical analysis is similar to that of 2010 and 2012, and in terms of flowering and picking conditions, similar to 2009. The purity here in 2014 is exceptional. The grace and delicacy is difficult to match, but there is also considerable concentration in 2014 too. Château Capbern, the ‘Gasqueston’ now dropped from the name, is vivacious and enticing in this vintage, a year in which St Estèphe reigns supreme.