2010 Haut-Brion (Pessac-Leognan)

Intense and concentrated blackberry and cassis fruits, with olive tapenade and sweet red liquorice. This is muscular and opulent, seriously structured but with beautiful black truffle and squid ink notes that I find more usually in vintages like 2010 or 2016 - a suggestion of truly ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. The generosity of the vintage comes through in cinnamon and cumin spice, overlaid with incense and crushed rose petals. Exceptional. 100% new oak for ageing, Jean-Philippe Delmas director. 100 points

The 2010 Haut-Brion is a bit of a monster at the moment. I don`t mean that pejoratively. Black fruit, melted tar and Earl Grey soar on the nose, perhaps showing a little more mineralite than prior bottles. The palate is huge (more concentrated than the 2010 La Mission served alongside); it`s almost burly and grippy with a muscular finish. This is going to need many years to be tamed. Tasted at the chateau. 97 points