Alain Vauthier’s wines have been so remarkable since he acquired full control of Ausone that readers probably feel I have thrown my critical wits away. However, the proof is in the tasting, and the 2010 Ausone is unquestionably extraordinary. There are 1,500 cases of this beauty, which exhibits an inky/blue/purple color as well as an exotic, seamless bouquet of incense, Asian spices, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Full-bodied with a striking liqueur of minerality as well as a magical combination of complexity, substance and nobility, it reveals softer tannins than I expected for this vintage, so perhaps it will be more accessible in its youth than recent Ausone vintages have tended to be. It is another prodigious effort from Vauthier that should be drinkable in 6-8 years and keep for a half century.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

94-97 Points, Wine Spectator - "Very sappy and intense, offering racy red licorice, red currant and violet notes, with nice taut acidity and a long, minerally finish. Combines power and austerity, with excellent drive. For those who like backbone in their wines.

96-97 Points, James Suckling - "There is something almost unnerving with Ausone this year. It has almost supernatural fruit character and earth shattering acidity. Full and tannic, it finishes with a dark fruit jam but then goes to citrus acidity and freshness. A tiny bit too much"

93-95 Points, Neal Martin, erobertParker.com - "A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, picked between 5th and 15th October. The nose takes some coaxing from the glass; raspberry, a touch of Dorset plum, wild strawberry and with further aeration there are touches of orange rind developing. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, very focused, hints of dark chocolate on the entry, wonderful mineralité and poise towards the seamless finish with a creamy veneer. Long in the mouth, this is a sensual Ausone."

19.5/20 Points, James Lawther, Decanter - "As pure as the '09 but a more emphatic structure. 55% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Fragrant fruit and floral nose. Dense, ripe fruit and an abundance of firm but finely knit tannins. Minerally freshness provides a classical edge. Great length and persistence. Huge ageing potential. Drink 2022-2060."

95-98 Points, Derek Smedley MW - "The nose is concentrated serious with a mass of fruit. Behind all of the richness the voluptuous power there is freshness red fruit and mineral that balances and gives elegance. The mix of flavours gives complexity and the fruit lingers long on the back palate."

18.5-19.5/20 Points - Chris Kissack, WineDoctor.com - The yield here is a 26 hl/ha - a remarkable figure in itself, although not really any different to 2009 or 2008 - giving 18000 bottles. The grand vin takes 67% of production. The blend is the usual 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, and the élevage will be in 100% new oak. A very concentrated hue here, dark at the core and with an equally dark crimson rim. Amazing intensity on the nose, which speaks of forest fruits presented in a very concentrated and defined, pure style, lifted and bright, and yet also clearly defining the pure, concentrated, fruit essence that they represent. I could savour the purity of this aroma all day. The palate is tense, concentrated and substantial, the fruit sits here like a rich, tightly packed ball, with a sorbet-like intensity, slowly unfolding and relaxing, and yet never fading for one instant, The tannins are silky and almost go unnoticed as a result, the structure very fine, seemingly coming from the acidity and grip of the fruit. But there are tannins here....deeply buried. This has a taut and effortless presence. Wonderful.

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  Wine notes

The 2010 Cheval Blanc contains 13.8% alcohol, which is very high for this estate, and has an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the final blend (56% versus 44% Merlot). Yields were tiny, adding to the richness and intensity already instilled by the drought of summer and resulting tiny berries. In the style of some of the great Cheval Blancs of the late 1940s, this wine is rich, opulent, full-bodied, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, as saturated purple in color as any Cheval Blanc I have seen. Mulberries, black currants, fresh minerals, and floral notes jump from the glass of this full-bodied, dense wine. With its tannins, good acidity and surprisingly modest pH, this should be an exceptionally long-lived wine, more backward and delineated than the fatter, more opulent 2009. Drink it over the next 30+ years.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

20/20 Points, James lawther, Decanter - "Sublime wine. Fresh, floral, perfumed. More elegant and sensual than the '09. Pure, sumptuous fruit. Refined texture and tannins. Lovely acidity for balance. Seamless. Drink 2020-2050."

99-100 Points, James Suckling - "The blueberry and blackberry character and bouquet of violets is off the charts. Full body, the Cabernet Franc dominates the blend now, with so much dark fruits, minerals and flowers with hints of spices. It is a very powerful and linear CB and shows amazing length and purity. Zen-like focus."

95-98 Points, Wine Spectator - "Lush and very rounded, with lots of muscle and heft, but also great polish and pose to the gorgeous boysenberry, plum and fig notes. Supercreamy on the finish, with bittersweet cocoa, violet, mint, anise and tobacco in reserve. Tasted non-blind"

94-98 Points, Derek Smedley MW - "There is a serious feel about both nose and palate. Rich fruit gives weight on the nose and depth on the palate. It is generous lush but not over sweet as there is enough freshness to balance and enhance the flavours. Towards the back the black fruits have a hint of spice that adds to the excitement."

95-97 Points, Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com - "A blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, the latter suffering a little coulure (so bunches were cut earlier during the season after veraison to increase homogeneity.) The Merlot were reaching around 14.5% alcohol and the clay/gravel soils inhibited the increased alcohol level at the end. The harvest began on 15th September and finished on 13th October with a major part of the vineyard picked on 7th October. Like many samples, the Cheval Blanc takes a long time to open but eventually reveals a very refined, tightly-knit bouquet with dark berries, espresso, underbrush, the Cabernet Franc dominating the Merlot at present. The palate is medium-bodied and much more masculine compared to the fleshier 2009 last year, like the nose, the Cabernet Franc defining the wine with touches of dried herbs, a little allspice and white pepper. There is a firm backbone to this Cheval Blanc, quite structured towards the spicy finish, fresh but obdurate and broody. This will need a decade to really open up. Very promising, but do not expect fireworks...yet. Drink 2020-2040+ Tasted March 2011."

17.5-18.5+/20 Points - Chris Kissack, WineDoctor.com - "The assemblage here is 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot, and the grand vin accounts for 60% of production. The alcohol is 14.5% here. A very dark core, purple with an intense and narrow crimson rim. This has a brighter style of fruit, and is a real step up from the bolder, firmer Petit Cheval. There are scents of crushed red forest fruits, a little lifted and perfumed, with a lightly chalky and mineral edge, overall very stylish. On the palate it is very polished, showing quite a bold structure though, very firmly composed, but it is harmonious despite the tannic force coming through from underneath the wine. These tannins are ripe and polished but very firm, bold and confident. This is an upright style for Cheval, defined and really impressive, but also extraordinarily masculine and concentrated. It seems to have taken on board everything the vintage could bring in terms of structure and alcohol; and while it is balanced, and technically excellent, I don't find here the ethereal excitement I look for at this level. It could be magnificent given time though."

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  Wine notes

Following a harvest that finished on October 10, Haut-Brion produced a 2010 that should turn out to be one of its all-time greats ... an amazing feat given what they have accomplished over recent vintages. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc that came in at 14.6% alcohol, the 2010 boasts an opaque purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of scorched earth/burning embers, blueberries, black currant liqueur and crushed rocks. Full and opulent with nobility, finesse, purity and elegance, this amazing effort possesses extraordinary levels of extract as well as formidable, but sweet, well-integrated tannins. It requires 8-10 years of cellaring and should drink well for 50+ years.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

19.5/20 Points, Steven Spurrier, Decanter - "Stunning aromas of beautifully concentrated red fruits, already expressive, even exuberant, a taffeta-like finesse hides great strength for the long term. Drink 2020-45."

95-99 Points, Derek Smedley MW - "There is a black fruited power to the nose rich deep flavours. Minty blackcurrant is backed by black cherry and firmer sloe layers of flavour that give complexity. The mid palate is profound and deep intense structured yet with an attractive suppleness towards the back."

97-98 Points, James Suckling - "Wonderful aromas of dark fruits with sweet tobacco and lilac character. Blackberries too. Amazing nose. This is tight and powerful with beautiful tannins and a racy structure. It lasts for minutes. Super refined yet muscular style of Haut-Brion due to a much lower percentage of Merlot in the blend. I like the 2009 better. Its more typical. This is 57 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 23 percent Merlot and 20 percent Cabernet Franc."

96-98 Points, Neal Martin - "A blend of 23% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, this has a quintessential Haut-Brion nose with that trait of fresh black olives defining the nose straight out of the blocks. It is a little less opulent than La Mission but with slightly better clarity at this stage. The palate displays very fine, succulent tannins and like the La Mission there is a Pauillac-like personality thanks to the graphite imparted by the ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderful definition towards the finish. This is a superb Haut-Brion. Tasted March 2011."

18+/20 Points, Jancis Robinson MW - "23% Merlot, 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. 7,800 cases, not 10,000+ as in 2009. 42% grand vin (compared with 57% in 2009). Full, opulent nose in which the classic Haut-Brion aroma is well masked by lots of slightly austere fruit. Very fine tannins - very drying finish. An extremely slow burner. Much drier than La Mission, and at the moment not desperately expressive. Its lips are pursed at the moment, and so are mine tasting it. Unusual to come across such a long-term wine even here. This may not make a massive impact en primeur because it is keeping so much in reserve. I think it will eventually make a great wine but it's surly at the moment.

18.5-19.5/20 Points - Chris Kissack, WineDoctor.com -  "Cabernet Sauvignon 57%, Merlot 23%, Cabernet Franc 20%. The alcohol here is 14.6%. A very dark and restrained hue here, concentrated with a black plum character. Vibrant and yet totally opaque. Oh my, the nose. There is such purity here, such definition, a pure essence of blackcurrant and damson. What follows on the palate is a defined, rolling and sweet layer of fruit, which glides across the palate revealing as it does so a wonderfully fine tannic structure, displaying the wine's powerful substance but keeping it all very balanced and in keeping with the wine. The tannic substance is wonderful, the tannins showing a sooty density although they have a deep, velvety texture. Fantastic substance here. Really great wine but there is a very certain substance to it especially in the finish. Really super despite the higher alcohol here."

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  Wine notes

This exceptionally rich, thick Lafite came in with the highest level of natural alcohol (13.5%) ever achieved at Lafite Rothschild. To put that in its proper context, the 2009 and 2005 were 13.3% and in the hottest Bordeaux summer ever recorded in over 200 years, the 2003 achieved 12.8%. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, all harvested between October 9 and 14, the 2010 exhibits an extraordinarily dense color, an unctuous texture and sweet black currant fruit intermixed with graphite, charcoal and truffle notes. A director Charles Chevalier told me, between July and the October harvest, Bordeaux had its driest weather since 1949, but it never got excessively hot. Hence the tiny berries, freshness and extraordinary precision of Lafite Rothschild. This superb effort will undoubtedly shut down slightly once it is bottled despite a pH of 3.8. It needs no building up because much of Lafite Rothschild has now become an obsession with the wealthy Chinese and most of it will undoubtedly be consumed before it ever hits its prime. Ideally, it should be cellared for 10-15 years and drunk over the following 50+ years.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

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  Wine notes

"Paul Pontallier was rattling off some interesting statistics about Chateau Margaux. The 2000 (a great, great wine) was 13.1% natural alcohol, the 2005 13.1%, the 2009 13.2%, and the 2010, the highest ever measured, 13.5%. That is still nearly one degree less than the Pauillac first-growth of Chateau Latour at 14.4%. This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc (representing only 38% of the total production) has the classic, quintessential Margaux character of spring flowers, almost cool-climate precision, medium body, and a seamless integration of tannin, wood and alcohol. The blue and black fruit characteristics are present, and the wine restrained. The most measured and polished of all the first growths I tasted, it is also less concentrated than any of the other first growths, but the elegance is classic. The harvest finished on October 15, which was not their latest by any means. This is one of the few first growths of 2010 where the tannins are remarkably delicate and sweet, and the softness of this wine will provide magical drinking at a relatively early age, yet its balance and concentration will carry it for 20 or more years."

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

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  Wine notes

"The 2010 Mouton possesses the highest level of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%) of any wine this estate has produced. Combined with 6% Merlot, the wine achieved 13.9% natural alcohol. Under director Philippe Dalhuin, the harvest was accomplished between September 28 and October 13, and only 49% of the crop made it into this powerful effort. Reminiscent of the 1986, it is a 50-60 year wine that is not meant for consumers looking for near-term gratification. This backward, tannic, full-bodied, exceptionally promising 2010 reveals enormous weight along with extravagant levels of precise, fresh boysenberry and creme de cassis fruit. The abundant minerality is due no doubt to the fresh acidity. In need of at least 15 years of cellaring, it will undoubtedly remain an infant at age 25 (as does the 1986)."

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

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  Wine notes

"Picked predominantly over 10 days from October 14, the 2010 d’Yquem has 141gms/L residual sugar and pH 3.80. It is a slow-burner, the nose understated at first but unfurling with each passing moment with subtle scents of freshly sliced apricots, Clementine, clear honey and white flowers. There is an underlying minerality that really defines this bouquet. The palate is similar to the nose, revealing hidden facets with almost each swirl of the glass – orange blossom, limestone, white peach and honeysuckle. This is such a precise d’Yquem; it is after you have swallowed the wine that one comprehends just how brilliant it is."

  Neal Martin, Wine Advocate Issue (194)

18-19/20 Points - Chris Kissack, WineDoctor.com - "Lovely fruit character on the nose, with a fruit salad character. Very composed, a very elegant presence here, fresh and creamed and lightly honeyed, more a textural suggestion rather than a flavour or aroma element. Very defined and fresh. The style on the palate is in the same keeping, fresh, yet textured and harmonious, and so very typical for Yquem. There is botrytis here, showing through both in terms of texture and flavour. What is most impressive is the integration of the components, the slightly liquorous botrytis texture, and the fresh floral overtones lying with the exotic and citrus fruit tinges. And with it there is a fine grip and lovely acidity, that grip showing very nicely in the end which is freshened by some lovely acidity as well. Brilliant."

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  Wine notes