2010 Château Clinet

I continue to love the 2010 Château Clinet, and I'd say it's just now in the early phases of its prime drinking window. Based on 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has the powerful, full-bodied, structured style of the vintage as well as beautiful red and black fruits, spicy wood, tobacco, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. This classic Clinet blossoms with air and it's balanced, has ample structure and well-integrated tannins, and a great finish. I think you can safely open bottles any time over the coming two decades or more. Drink 2025-2044.

Grilled oak, touches of bitter chocolate and smoked rosemary and cumin herbs, this is clearly still muscular, cassis fruits, liquorice, slate, dark and bristling, needs another few years in bottle but it is on the way towards a brilliant wine. 60% new oak. Ronan Laborde owner.

This has the appeal of a confident, well-sculpted wine that knows exactly what it was setting out to do, and has achieved it. The tannic structure is still fully in play, giving a firm outline to the fruit, where the 2009 tanins are more caressing - fully in line with expectations for these two vintages. There are cloves and fennel notes as it opens, even touches of black truffle and slate, as the Left-Bank-leaning character of Clinet comes into play. So much more serious than the 2009, but with its own beautiful character and an undercurrent of fersh mint. 60% new oak. Ronan Laborde owner.