Bordeaux 2013 – St-Julien

Opulent fruitiness – brambles and cherry. Modern, sleek and aromatic with a white pepper and sweet spice element. Good persistence – really nicely done. (RH)

Liquorice, aniseed – very savoury and dark. Fruit is quite suppressed – this is very traditional and very successful. Bundles of tannin on the finish. Aristocratic and self-assured. (RH)

52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak. Baked black fruit on the nose. Rather perfumed on the nose – more Margaux than Margaux, in this year! The fruit has something quite compelling about it on the mid palate – really fine tannins and lovely length. Delicious savoury quality on the finish – loads of personality here. (RH)

13.2%

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. 100% new oak. Much less expressive than their Croix, but the fruit has a fabulous purity on the palate. Malleable tannins, elegant perfume, soft texture. Tender and balanced. At present, the Croix is more immediate and interesting, but this has plenty of potential. (RH) 13%

Black cherry jam, vibrant and chewy on the palate. Full of vigour. Shame that the body and length are victim to the 2013 gentleness! Even so, a good, well-made wine. (RH)

Strong liquorice scent, black cherry fruit, light body and medium tannins. Very much a middle-of-the-road bordeaux, with a little violet fragrance on the finish. (RH)

Sweet, light red fruit. Pretty chewy tannins that don’t quite befit a second wine – they overwhelm the fruit. Workaday stuff. (RH)

Closed nose, very tough palate. Super-traditional style – very restrained and austere. Needs long ageing to resolve the tannins. (RH)

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. 30% new oak. Black cherry, really smooth and sleek. Well-managed tannins, just giving a nice chewy finish. Lots of dark chocolate – but not too bitter. (RH) 13%

Smoky, flinty character to the nose. Elegant aromatic quality – plenty of perfume. Pretty firm build, with a long, grippy persistence. Lots to enjoy here. (RH)

Jammy, rich fruit. Higher than average acidity on the palate. Furry tannins, light body. Not quite balanced. (RH)

53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc. 20% new oak. Lovely granite sort of aroma, and loads of ripe fruit. Modern but with one foot firmly in the St-Julien soil – really savoury and dry and complex. (RH) 13.1%

73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. 50% new oak. Fruitcake aromas, dense black fruit on the palate. Lacking a bit of body – another wine symptomatic of 2013. The tannins have a lovely texture, and will need some time to soften, but there is not quite enough power for very long life. (RH) 13%

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot. 85% new oak. Beautifully scented and aromatic. Cassis, plum, attractive oak spicing. Fine, polenta-like tannins that coat the mouth but don’t obstruct the rest of the balance. Lots of substance and depth – even so, a litheness that is far lighter than the most famous vintages. (RH) 13.1%

Some burnt-fruit character here. And rather grizzly tannins on the palate. Not exactly very welcoming, and doesn’t quite have the fruit flesh to really stand up to the structure. (RH)

Fairly basic black fruit, light tannins. Easy, smooth, unremarkable. (RH)

Light grassiness on the nose, decent if unconcentrated black fruit. Waif-like. Soft tannins too, so entirely drinkable. (RH)

Very red-fruited nose – unexpected but very attractive. Owes a lot to Pinot Noir, in fact – that pure red-berry flavour. Sweet, creamy oak, very fine tannins. Light but not dilute. Excellent quality of fruit. (RH)