Left-bank bordeaux 2010 tasted blind

These 61 tasting notes were taken at the Institute of Masters of Wine's 2010 claret tasting last month, where the wines are available to taste blind or open. I chose the former. All the Grands Crus Classés châteaux are represented, providing a rare opportunity to assess the most reputable estates as neutrally as possible – especially so with a vintage as successful as 2010.

The standard was indeed very high, with no village obviously out-ranking its neighbours. Most of the famous names acquitted themselves well, and some of them are tasting so charming already that I felt you could even...