2010 Bordeaux en primeur: Haut-Bergey, Larrivet, Tour Carnet, Phelan-Segur, Talbot, Langoa, Le Gay

09/06/11

Releases are coming thick and fast and wines which we'd hope to have seen in May are in danger of being overshadowed by some of the vintage's most exciting - and expensive - ones. So, in the melee, don't overlook these.

Haut-Bergey: 'This estate is well-worth following given the fact that is always a realistic value and in most top vintages an over-achiever as well. Owned by the Garcin family, the 2010 Haut-Bergey (from a vineyard near Haut-Bailly) is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot (unusual for this area). Possessing a deep ruby/purple hue as well as notes of creosote, charcoal, tobacco leaf, black currants and cherries, this sleeper of the vintage is opulent and luscious with a multilayered texture. Surprisingly forward with excellent freshness and depth, no hard edges, and a heady finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 10-12 years. Drink 2013-2023. 92-94 points.' - Robert Parker, erobertparker.com

La Tour Carnet 'From their 180 acres, this large estate fashioned a blend of 53% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and small quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvested over a three week period (September 29 - October 17), it is a big, tannic, nearly over-sized wine boasting a dense purple color along with notes of graphite, blueberries, black raspberries and spring flowers. Great fruit on the attack, a powerful, full-bodied mouthfeel and an unusually masculine, muscular style suggest this 2010 will require patience, but it could turn out to be one of the finest La Tour Carnets ever produced. Drink 2015-2045. 92-94 points.' - Robert Parker, erobertparker.com

Phelan-Segur 'Typically refined and undemonstrative, the 2010 Phelan is grassy, scented and comparatively light for a Saint Estephe, but don't let that put you off, because it's a really good drinking claret, made with consumers rather than wine critics in mind. Grainy tannins, notes of cassis, graphite and green pepper and a long, tapering finish make this a delicious drop. Probably inexpensive, too. 10+ years. 95 points.' - Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com

Today's biggest news is, of course, Leoville-Poyferre. Production is down 20% on last year and our allocation is similarly affected so we are unlikely to have any stock for those who didn't buy last year. We are in a better position with the following.

Talbot 'I tasted this twice during en primeur week and it impressed me on both occasions with its racy freshness and poise. In a year of some blockbuster wines, especially on the Right Bank, this is elegant and fine with pure cassis fruit, well integrated oak and a fresh finish. A great old-fashioned claret. 15+ years. 94 points.' - Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com

Langoa Barton 'For sheer quality, this is only a whisker away from its stable mate, Leoville-Barton. It's also one of the best young Langoas I've ever tasted: focused, fresh and well balanced, with just a hint of feral rusticity to its tannins, like rubbing your face against a woollen blanket. This will be a smart buy, slipping under the radar of some wine critics. 15+ years. 95 points.' - Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com

Le Gay 'The 2010 Le Gay is another extraordinary achievement from proprietoress Catherine Pere-Verge, who purchased this estate in 2004. A tiny production of around 1,300 cases achieved 13.5% natural alcohol and the final blend was 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by a distinctive perfume of liqueur of rocks, blueberries, blackberries, truffles and a subtle hint of oak. Extremely tannic, full-bodied, structured, masculine and backward with abundant minerality as well as ferocious extract and intensity, this 2010 requires at least a decade or cellaring. It should keep for three decades or more. Drink 2013-2041. 95-97 points+.' - Robert Parker, erobertparker.com

Halves & magnums £10 extra per 9 litre case; other formats on request

View all 2010 Bordeaux en primeur