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Saint Estephe
Andron Blanquet An encouragingly correct St. Estephe in an albeit less than stellar vintage for the appellation. May indicate an upswing for an estate which has traditionally failed to live up to its soil and location.
Calon Segur An impressive, uncompromising, burly wine, of muscular silkiness. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, the balance Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc and a seasoning of press wine.  Crafted. Pronounced Cabernet Sauvignon character. Profound, dark purple. Strong, harmonious, enduring tannins. Classic, "gritty". Cassis, graphite and the makings of old bones. Owner, Mme. Gasqueton: " The sunshine of September rescued the vintage."
La Dame de Montrose Oaky aromas. Sleek and powerful for a second wine. Smoky, dark fruit. 64% Cabernet sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Extracted fruits and emphatic tannins.
Cos d'Estournel Classic Cos nose, with smoke, oak and black fruit. Alcoholic ( 13.6º ), though not obviously so. 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Pain grillé, smoke and a  lot of oak on the nose ( 60% new ), but integrated on the palate. Sweet fruit, some minerality. Takes on mid-palate richness. Very concentrated, complex and well balanced. 
Cos Labory In a vintage whose measure lies in the quality of the tannins, Cos Labory has continued a recent trend of straightforward, potentially long-lived, broad-shouldered and old-fashioned St.Estephe.  62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Merlot. Restrained extraction, flavors finish on an up-note.
Haut Marbuzet In the top bracket of the elite Crus Bourgeois, but not up to the level of the property's best efforts. Some tropical fruit and coconut nuance. Characteristic smoky black fruit cannot mask decided green stemminess to the tannins.
Lafon Rochet Deep garnet. Lots of tannins, acidity and bold fruits, just short in the finesse department to crash top of the appellation's hierarchy. 45% Merlot, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. 
Marbuzet 59% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. Somewhat hard. Simple, with some late-on cassis flavor. Overt new wood.
Meyney Disappointing. Quite simply not up to standard. Hard fruits and tannins. Many chateaux complained that atmospheric conditions during the early April barrel tastings caused diametric mood swings in their samples. If there is a scientific basis to this contention, then Meyney may have been a victim here.
Montrose Not the thrilling majesty of 2003, but more characteristic of one of Bordeaux's benchmarks. More austere and withdrawn, but classic Montrose, harmonious, powerful and elegant. Fine tannins for slow evolution.  Similar to 1996. The Chateau's largest crop on record: 57 hl/ha, as opposed to 2003's 33 hl/ha, despite stringent green harvests throughout the growing season. 73% went into the grand vin.  Pronounced fruit component. This demands time to evolve.
Les Ormes de Pez Very lively with a pleasant leafy character woven into the ripe fruit aromas. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. 30% new oak. Best of the St. Estephe Bourgeois this time. Emphatic tannins.
Pagodes de Cos High-tone aromas. Straightforward fruits and tannin. 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 54% Merlot.
Pauillac
d'Armailhac 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Rich. Opens with great breadth, generosity, concentration and forward fruit. Spicy, cedary. Tasted twice, and a prolonged finish noted on each occasion. Should drink relatively early.
Batailley A flattering opening with blackberry and floral aromas and initially soft dark fruits with a little spice gives way to a flood of astringent tannins. The question is, which of two diametric tendencies in this wine will prevail, or will they reconcile?
Carruades de Lafite 2nd of Lafite. Highly polished.  Classic Pauillac nose. Moderate tannins. Mid-scale, some restrained cedar qualities. Nice berry, clove aromas. Lovely purity of fruit upfront. Elegant, moderate controlled tannins. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. For early consumption.
Clerc Milon Reticent aromatically.  51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere. 50% new oak. Very fresh and lively. Prominent, vivid fruit. Noticeably New World in style. Gentle, expressive tannins. With mineral interplay. 
Croizet Bages Once again Croizet outdoes itself in rank, astringent, underachievement, somehow combining notes of chives and unfortunate funk with raw tannins.
Cuvee Pauillac de Latour Chateau Latour's 3rd wine after Les Forts. Fine graphite, cedar, cassis in classic appellation mold. Light oak treatment. Opens sweetly. 26% press wine is a very high proportion in a blend delivering 13.4º of alcohol. Finely delineated and exceptionally long.
Duhart Milon Rothschild Sweet, forward fruit. Beautifully crafted, offering tobacco notes, sumptuous sleekness. More tannic than the Carruades, developing complex flavors of chocolate, coffee, raspberry and herbs. Length and persistence.
Fonbadet Located between Lynch-Bages and Pichon Baron, this Pauillac cru bourgeois has produced a structured wine with red berry and dark plum flavors, some smoke on the nose, and a surprisingly long finish.
Les Forts de Latour Perhaps the best of an elite group of second wines that star in their own right. Super-rich in all departments. Opaque deep purple. Cassis-laden, dense and polished. Plum, sherry syrup and cola. Great definition at the finish. 41% of the estate's material, comprising 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot and a 10% press-wine component.
Grand Puy Ducasse 60% Cabernet to 40% Merlot. 30% new oak, 30% 1 year, 40% 2nd year oak. A recent tendency of solid improvement continues. Nice black fruit with a little smoke, anisette and spice. Refreshing. Powerful but sustainable tannins.
Grand Puy Lacoste A little chestnut on an otherwise reticent nose. Pure, clean fruit, raspberry and blackcurrant.  Good length, soft, persistent tannins. High in alcohol, but well integrated. Generous yield of 51 hectoliters per hectare. The 1978 grafting onto riparia rootstock is now coming into its own.
Haut Bages Liberal 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. 40% new wood. Good flavors, controlled tannins. Classic Pauillac profile and good ripeness and length. Abundant fruit around a taught framework. Powerful structure. Cassis, cedar, graphite. 
Haut Batailley An intense, expressive Cabernet-dominated nose. Plenty of grip and bold fruit. Mineral, black fruit, smokey. Vat-fermented. 70%-30% Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot.
Lafite Rothschild 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, .5% Petit Verdot. Concentrated aromas. Deep black, opaque. Immense, latent power, purity and refinement.  Beautifully toned, jittering with nerve. Identifiably Lafite with cassis, cedar, graphite and spice notes, all coalescing into stupendous length.
Latour Most tasters' favorite for Wine of the Vintage. Certainly among the top handful.  Citrus peel, Grand Marnier on the nose. 56 hl/ha tests the limits of the legally permitted yield. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon ( a historic high), 10% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. 100% new wood. Profound, deep, aromas. Fleshy, interwoven with acidity. Generous fruits, licorice. Outstanding richness and an exceptionally long finish.
Lynch Bages 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, seasoned with 9% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very concentrated aromatically, but somewhat backward and lacking expression on the palate. Muscular, powerfully extracted, impressive length. with hints of earthiness. Black currant and a little minty. On the edge of harshness.
Lynch Moussas 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Good currant and mocha. Burly. On recent form, moving up a notch or two. Should provide good value. With a longer finish this would have bordered on the spectacular.
Mouton Rothschild Surprisingly straightforward and friendly for a First Growth in this vintage. Rich, blackcurrant fruit, but not the signature expresso. Concentration and chewiness, deep purple in color. It may take the new winemaking team here some time to adjust itself and the wine. 69% Cabernet sauvignon,15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 92% new wood. 57% of yield went into the grand vin.  Just a little on the scaled-down side.
Pichon Lalande 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Sweet, rich, uncharacteristically powerfully structured. A very, very good Pichon Lalande, with smoky, bold, dark currant, mocha, tarry licorice and kirsch flavors with a solid mineral base. Tannins well integrated and proportioned. Right up there amongst the top handful of '04's.
Pichon Longueville Baron 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. 80% new oak. Streamlined and powerful. Tarry violet nose. Deeply colored. Complex black cherry, spice, coffee. A powerful statement.
Pontet Canet 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak. A vin de garde. This time it veers more to the Latour style than the Lafite. Sweet and ample fruit presence. Big and edgy, with muted cedar notes. Controlled with a great, steely backbone.
Reserve de La Comtesse Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Voluptuous soft fruit with a tannic undercarriage. Should knit well with time. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc.
Saint Julien
Beychevelle Very sweet upfront fruit, though with perhaps a little stemminess in the mid-palate. Only 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak.
Branaire Toasted brioche aroma. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 50% new oak. A little more power than customary. Mulberry, blueberry,  redcurrant. Tannins silky and sweet. Good length.
Clos du Marquis Leoville Las Case's "second" wine, but mainly from its own vineyard plots, is once again at the quality level of a  goodThird Growth. 56.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2.3% Cabernet Franc. Dominant cedary cassis aromas, powerful red and black currant and bramble character. Tannins refined and lengthy.
La Croix de Beaucaillou 50-50 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot. Cedary with spice notes. Delicacy and elegance, if a trifle dilute.
Ducru Beaucaillou 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot with a 77 index of tannin ( 10% up on 2003). Lovely fresh brioche nose and a rich floral character, hints of violet. Great sweet currant flavors, silky, rich and elegant. Markedly fresh. Tannins well integrated. Up there among the best of the vintage, where, interestingly, this, together with Latour, Pichon Lalande and Las Cases, among others, make up a block of contiguous high achievers on the Pauillac - St. Julien border.
Les Fiefs de Lagrange A closed sample of Lagrange's second wine, tasted at the chateau was neither expressive nor, almost certainly, representative. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.
Gruaud Larose 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. 40-45% new oak. A wine unto itself, with breed and signature. Expressive. Dark nervy plum fruit, wet stoniness, a touch of iron, almost prickly. Great purity as well as muscle. Very good.
Lagrange In a relatively high-acid vintage, director Marcel Ducasse's assertion that  "higher acidity lends to freshness" is clearly born out. Some lovely sweet, black fruit flavors, mild smokiness and notably long finish. A high proportion of Petit Verdot a perennial signature here, providing vividness, depth and definition as well as aromatic and structural qualities. On this occasion, 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 10% PV. Very good, well-styled with a persistent finish. Just 38% went into the grand vin.
Lalande Borie Tasted at same ownership's Ducru Beaucaillou. Cold-vatted fermentation, then 30% new oak. Rich classic cedar/cassis, low-extract, harmonious tannins. Includes material from La Croix de Beaucaillou. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc.
Langoa Barton Aromatically powerful and profound, with black cherries and raspberry. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Excellent classic, "clean" tannins, sweet currant fruits. Well integrated. Less aggressive than is often the case. Impressive.
Leoville Barton Perhaps as consistently classical a style of claret as any in Bordeaux over the past several vintages. A wine of great poise and polish. Assertive structure of ultra-pure tannins. Same cepage as Langoa. Dark and glycerol. Muted kirsch. Ferrous notes. Everything balanced and in check. Exceptional length.
Leoville Las Cases 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, with a 5.96% seasoning of press wine. With a 50.7hl/ha yield, despite draconian crop-thinning, at almost 2 1/2 times the 2003 rendiment, Las Cases has again come up with one of the top wines of the vintage. Bold and black. Refreshing acidity. Fabulous currant, smoke, anise and minerality. Huge tannins beautifully integrated. A wine for large format and laying down. 
Leoville Poyferre Powerful toasted oak aromas. Uncharacteristically tannic, but with large doses of compensating dark rich, ripe fruit and licorice. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Cabernet Franc declassified to Moulin Riche. 
Moulin Riche Poyferre's second. Crunchy fruit and tannins. Not up to the quality level of a second wine from a major estate.
Talbot Rather dense and one-dimensional. Lack of focus and concentration. Perhaps a case of an unrepresentative, premature sample in a late vintage which left less time than usual for the assemblage to meld. 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.
Terrey-Gros-Caillou A gratifying overachievement here. Vigorous, bold fruit. Plenty of St. Julien character from the middle of the appellation. Nicely smoky with berry character and straightforward tannins.
Margaux
Alter Ego de Ch. Palmer The selection of grapes for Palmer's second wine is made at the time of picking, and undergoes a shorter, colder maceration than the grand vin to emphasize fruitiness. 30% new oak, the rest divided equally between 1-year and 2-year barrels. Floral aromas, bright, forward fruit and lively tannins. Very attractive with all the signs of early approachability.
d'Angludet Deep red color, dense yet controlled tannic structure. Refreshing acidity in the red raspberry palate. More impressive than often of late.
Blason d'Issan d'Issan's second wine accounts for 40% of the chateau's production. Berry aromas and forceful fruit. Good depth here. Same varietal proportions as the grand vin. 35% new barrels, including an experimental 5% American oak. Easy style, black raspberry fruit.
Brane Cantenac Opens softly. Elegant and faithful to appellation. Floral, a little tea. 60% new oak. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Restrained, but some good dark plum and light mocha in the middle. Moderate finish. Malolactic fermentation carried out in barrel.
Cantenac Brown A good solid Margaux. Mid-weight, nicely perfumed with sweet fruit and well- knit tannins. Dark fruit, licorice, kirsch. Moderate tannins, almost sweet.
Clos Margalaine Marojallia's second wine. Lovely upfront fruit. Some mulberry and plum. Easy charm, though quite bold tannins. This should drink nicely from the outset.
Dauzac 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot. 50% new oak. Quite compact, classy, notably tannic, but with plenty of substance in the form of good if not spectacular fruit.
Durfort Vivens Dark fruits with a  suggestion of roasted herbs. Some fleshiness. A big improvement, which was certainly needed. The 65% Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively high, and may account for a characteristic dryness at this property. Mineral. 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. 
Ferriere A highly assertive, lively wine. Compelling notes of fig, spices, mocha purple, black plums and a thread of acidity, largely due to a generous 10% lacing of press-wine. Here a high ( 70% ) Cabernet Sauvignon ration is used to advantage.
Giscours Notably dark, rich and lush. 60-40 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot. Appealing licorice here, with cedar, cassis - almost Northern Medoc character, but some Margaux finesse. Good length.
d'Issan Fresh, ripe blackberry and flowering black currant aromas. A thread of refreshing acidity. Emmanuel Cruse's elegant wine typifies its appellation in its rich, expressiveness. 50% new oak, 60-40 Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot. 54 hl/ha.
Kirwan Sweet fruit, quite rich. Bigger and greater viscosity than many Margaux wines. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, equal Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A little lacking in definition, though this could be due to the sample. Michel Rolland consulting oenologist.
Labegorce 48% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Spicy red/black fruits. Tannic structure under control.
Lascombes 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot, the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec. 100% new oak. Since the 2001 change of administration here, the rap against Lascombes has been a  lack of appellation typicity, but this concentrated, streamlined and focused product of low-yield, late picked (the Cabernet Sauvignon was finished on October 25th), slow, cold maceration and new oak is a vast improvement. Chocolate, spices and  powerful black fruits. Power, purity and length.
Malescot St. Exupery 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Very dark, exuberant, good concentration. Sweet and ripe. Cherry liqueur and kirsch notes. Quite earthy. Good length.  Forward with the promise of early approachability in the context of this vintage.
Margaux Technical director Paul Pontailler declares himself " Truly touched by this wine because it is very close to my sensibility." The wine describes an intriguing glycerol crescent pattern on the glass and lingers an age before slowly disintegrating into tears. Balanced freshness, cerebral. A wine of extraordinary softness, grace and length. In every respect, this has the quintessential Margaux elegance. The purity and suppleness of tannins stand alone in the vintage. Two wines of quite opposite tendencies - this and Latour -  contend for top Medoc honors this year.
Marojallia Sixth vintage of the Medoc's first micro-cuvee, overseen by Murielle Thunevin for owner Catherine Laurent of Le Pavillon de Margaux restaurant.  Between du Tertre and Monbrison. 500 cases made. Mouth-coating. Good, measured extraction. Very dark, blue/black. 100% new oak. Expresso and violet notes. Not overdone. Power allied to the appellation's classically graceful profile. More " Margaux" than many of the classified. The 45 hl/ha yield is relatively low for this abundant vintage.
Marquis d'Alesme Becker Rustic and tannic. A truly dull wine. Old world in the worst sense.
Marquis de Terme One of a significant number of wines compromised by ongoing malolactic fermentation in the sample. Unpleasant, pungent aromas and dire, ugly tannins.
Monbrison How this property came to be excluded from the Crus Bourgeois Exceptional category in the 2003 classification is a mystery. Monbrison consistently outdoes a good half of the Margaux Classified Growths and '04 is no exception. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. 6% press wine included.  Some mocha/cocoa on the nose. Woodsmoke and violet. Sweet fruit and powerful tannins.
Palmer Profound aromatically, with woodsmoke, plum, vanilla and mocha scents and a top note of violets. Black cherry, plum, boysenberry, blueberry and red currant flavors. In a year where crop reduction was key, they went to extraordinary lengths here, deploying a team of 50 pickers to green-harvest over  four weeks. 55% new oak. 47% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot. Balance, elegance, style and concentration.
Pavillon Rouge 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, accounting for more than half the estate's production. Exceptionally fresh and pure in aroma and deep amethyst appearance. Stylish, dynamic. Margaux technical director Paul Pontailler projects a 25 year future for this wine, but should drink beautifully from an early age.
Prieure Lichine 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak. A modern wine in the positive sense. Anise and licorice. Good extraction. For a while, both Michel Rolland and Stephan Derenoncourt consulted here. Now Rolland has stepped aside. Elegant with torque. Plenty of substance.
Rauzan Gassies The upswing continues here. Frontloaded with nice sweet, dark fruits, with moderate but persistent tannins. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon. 25% Merlot. 7% Cabernet Franc. 3% Petit Verdot.
Rauzan Segla 52.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1.5 % Cabernet Franc.  50% new oak. 13% press wine is incorporated into the blend. Great style, structure and refinement. 50% of production for the grand vin. Likely to provide some of the vintage's best value among the top Second Growths. Floral and spicy. Deeply  vivid color. Blackcurrant, smoke. Fine, long finish.  
du Tertre 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Exceptional fragrance. Fresh mouth-feel, excellent balance. Nicely nervy. Dark plums, and impressive balance. A frequent over-achiever, close to the top flight.
La Tour de Mons Ripe, balanced. Will need time, but nicely proportioned.
Siran 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot. 40% new oak. Quite floral with pure fruit, black cherry and kirsch. A refreshing delicacy.
Medoc, Haut-Medoc
d'Agassac Very elegant, lengthy and refined. Berries and minerals. Outstanding at this level. Should offer superlative value.
Beaumont 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, balance of Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot. Nice upfront cocoa and raspberry. Good lively freshness. Should drink well young.
Belgrave 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. Sweet fruit, but strangely perfumey. Vanilla and new wood. Lowish tannins.
Bernadotte From Pichon Lalande's ownership. Bright, abundant fruit, plenty of gripping tannins. Dark raspberry. Not for the short term.
Cambon La Pelousse Complex with high-toned, polished fruit and nicely harnessed oak.
Camensac A good showing for a forgotten classified growth. Black cherry, elastic, supple. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot.
Cantemerle Very Medoc. High Cabernet Sauvignon component. Cedar and cassis. A little menthol. 
La Chapelle de Potensac New second wine for Potensac. 55% Merlot, 24% and 21% Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc respectively. Slatey and cedary, with good fruit to offset the sternness.
Cissac Some real quality here. Robust with solid fruit and definition. Should offer good value. Divergence of opinion on this wine: The dissenting opinion cites overly dried-out.
Citran Well made large production, large-scale 50-50 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot, with vibrant fresh fruit and forceful tannins. Some licorice highlights.
Coufran 85% Merlot. Round and soft. Simple, but good fruit. Should come around early.
La Goulée Cos' Jean-Guillaume Prats' project to produce a Northern Medoc garage wine from two specific vineyards ( soon to encompass a third), to sell in the $30 range. Vinified at Ch. Marbuzet. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, low yield, 50% new oak. Raqspberry and cassis, new-world in style. Well weighted, rich fruit and forceful tannins. To look out for.
Les Grands Chenes From the expanding Bernard Magrez stable. Despite the 50% Merlot, this showed up a little stern and ungiving. Structured, but with, perhaps, a streak of greenness.
Haut Condissas Of the "garage" persuasion. Very rich, with smoky Malbec, raspberry tones and excellent length with marked tannins.
La Lagune Seems to be on the way back. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot. 50 % new oak. Focused. Pure red fruits predominate with a little kirsch. Tannins are reticent but present. Substantial middle and moderate length.
de Lamarque Good robust berry fruits. Turns a bit tannic.
Lanessan A difference of opinion:  On the one hand, "Perplexing. This could have been an extremely closed sample. It really gave nothing away whatsoever. "  On the other, "Stylish, interesting example of the appellation. A good value prospect."
La Tour-Carnet A serious wine in the "classic" mould. Well proportioned, living up to 4th growth classification under Magrez ownership. Upfront sweetness of cassis and ripeness. Not overly tannic.
Potensac 52.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40.7% Merlot, 6.8% Cabernet Franc. Taking structure to the edge of austerity, but this wine, containing 7.4% vin de presse, counterbalances with assertive red and black fruits, fine tannins and a long finish. 
Malescasse Good color. Sweet and fragrant nose.  Solid, well made. Licorice, anise and red plums. Simple and attractive.
Moulin a Vent Balanced and integrated. Unspectacular but solid and reliable. Consistently good value.
La Tour de By A mouthful. Strong, assertive tannins. Hefty fruits. Well balanced, integrated. Equal Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Sociando Mallet A wine of exceptional power and refinement, once again showing up a great many classified chateaux. Bright red fruits, deep raspberry components and ripe blackcurrants. Intriguing mineral length and structure.
Moulis/Listrac
Chasse Spleen An aristocrat amongst the crus Bourgeois. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. A tight, aromatically closed sample. Red berry fruit, tightly wound tannins, but well balanced.
Clarke 70-30 Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon. Uncompromising dose of tannins. 
Ducluzeaux From the Listrac residence of Ducru Beaucaillou's Bruno Borie. 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lightly vinified for early consumption. Very pretty red plum fragrance.
Fourcas Dupree Fragrant, aromatic. Good interplay of fruit and tannic structure.
Maucaillou Strong, forceful tannins. Chunky, muscular fruit. Good length. 35% Merlot, 58% Cabernet sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot
Poujeaux Brawny, long-lived 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and equal doses of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Will require patience.
Pessac-Leognan
Bahans Haut-Brion 22% Merlot, 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Cocoa, thyme, tobacco. Very bright appearance as well as palate. Well delineated, firm tannins. Black currant.  
Branon Micro-Graves. Well-extracted and harmonious. Via Michel Rolland for the Garcin-Cathiard family, also of Haut-Bergey, Barde-Haut and the Pomerol Clos L'Eglise. Powerful tannins, but the fruit is ripe here and will more than hold its own. For the long haul.
Clos Marsalette Lovely mocha, red fruits and mild licorice to this from Count Stephan von Neipperg, overseen by consultant Stephan Derenoncourt. 50-50 low-yield (36 hl/ha) Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, from Martillac. 50% new oak.
Haut Bergey A nice smoky, earthy, well-fruited Graves. Some raspberry and moderate tannins. Hint of tea on the finish. 
Haut-Brion The imposing, classic face of Haut-Brion. Arresting, expressive aromas, largely attributable to the high Cabernet Franc proportion. An orchestral interplay of 61% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc with the Cabernet Sauvignon balance providing the lower register. Noteworthy length. Smoke, earthiness and powerful dark fruits. 74% new oak. 55% went into the grand vin.
Leonie Tasted on two occasions. Bright, forward, lively wine from the deep south of the Graves. Notable freshness with orange peel notes. One third new oak, the remainder from the owner's brother's Eric Prissette's Rol Valentin.
La Chapelle de La Mission A whopping 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, laced with 6% Cabernet Franc went into La Mission's Second this time.  Stylish. An intriguing hint of bacon on the nose. Round, dark plumminess. A thread of astringency wrapped in the emerging dark fruit, leading to a slightly herbal finish.
La Mission Haut-Brion 55% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc. 76% new oak. Complex, elusive perfumes. Somewhat reticent notes of currants,  lightly toasted brioche and a little violet. A hint of baked orange peel. Sweet fruits upfront.  Dark red, cranberry, currant and cassis. Lush and complex with forceful tannins.
Pape Clement 54% to 46% Merlot is a relatively high Cabernet Sauvignon proportion for this estate. Black in fruit and color and very soft, in large part due to 100% manual de-stemming policy in force since 2001. 38 hl/ha yield is strikingly low for the vintage and reflects crop-thinning throughout the growing season. Cedar, dark, smoky, tobacco. Some bacon and earth hints.
Poumey A tannic wine, nicely delineated. 60-40 Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon. Agreeable menthol notes, and red fruits dominate. 75% new oak and low yield, stringent de-stemming. Should reward patience if the price is right.
La Tour Haut-Brion