Pauillac
Château Latour 2004 Pauillac
Cassis and dark cherry lead a refined bouquet, with carob, cedar, pencil shavings, nuts and floral notes of lilac, lavender and jasmine. The palate is round, supple and balanced, combining fresh acidity with ripe tannins, chocolate richness and a structured, elegant finish. Still developing, it benefits from about two hours in a decanter before serving with beef or lamb.
Château Mouton Rothschild 1996 Pauillac 3 L
Complex and still poised, with blackberry, cassis and red berry layered with anise, cedar, cigar box, coffee, dark chocolate, leather and subtle exotic spice. Medium- to full-bodied, the palate balances fresh acidity with ripe silky tannins, impressive concentration and a long, structured finish. Decant for about two hours and serve with roast beef or lamb.
Mouton Rothschild 1998 Pauillac
Powerful and still youthful, with crème de cassis and dark fruit layered with pencil lead, roasted espresso, tobacco, smoke, saddle leather and Indian spice. Full-bodied and concentrated, the palate combines depth with fresh structure, fine tannins and a long savoury drive. Decant for about ninety minutes and serve with roast beef, lamb or venison.
Château Lafite Rothschild 1982 Pauillac
Deeply aromatic and still beautifully composed, with red currant, cherry and cassis framed by cedar, tobacco, cigar wrapper and warm spice. The palate is silky and precise rather than weighty, carrying mature earth and leafy complexity through a fresh, persistent finish. Stand upright and decant gently for about an hour, watching for bottle variation, then serve with lamb, veal or mushrooms.
Château Latour 1974 Pauillac
A fully mature, restrained claret with smoke and spice over gently evolved fruit. The palate is round and silky at first, then turns leaner as marked acidity and a lightly astringent finish come forward. Provenance matters at this age; stand upright, decant carefully for no more than thirty minutes and serve with simply roasted beef.
Château Mouton Rothschild 1952 Pauillac
Fully mature and richly textured, with blackberry, liquorice and leather carried by a broad, refined and complex bouquet. The palate is round and warming, balancing sweet fruit with drying tannins and a substantial, gently rounded finish. Bottle condition is essential at this age; stand upright, decant carefully for about ninety minutes and serve with lamb or slow-cooked beef.
Château Mouton Rothschild 2009 Pauillac
Opulent and seductive, with black currant, black cherry and plum surrounded by violet, cigar box, tobacco, liquorice, smoke and bitter chocolate. The palate is rich and satiny, its dark fruit controlled by fine-grained tannins, savoury mineral freshness and a long, pure finish. Still youthful, it benefits from three to four hours in a decanter before serving with veal or lamb.
Château Lafite Rothschild 2001 Pauillac
Cassis, blackberry and red fruit sit at the centre of an increasingly mature bouquet, framed by cedar chest, tobacco, stone and forest floor. Supple and medium-bodied, the palate is polished and fresh, with refined tannins and a silky, composed texture. Decant for about two hours to encourage the secondary notes, then serve with roast veal, duck or mushroom dishes.