Chateau Les Ormes de Pez 2004: An attractive nose here, characterised by accessible, forward, rather seductive fruit with little nuances of pickling spices. The palate has firm but very integrated, well knit tannins and a precise acidity, with a good flavour. This has been well put together. 16+/20

Chateau Cos Labory 2004: Rather plump fruit on the nose here, with traces of smoky blackberry. The palate follows on in a very modern style, showing a firm, extracted structure of ripe tannins which roll across the palate with a dominating flourish at the finish. Moderately low acidity, overall firm, perhaps a little overdone, but nevertheless it is good. 15.5+/20

Chateau Lafon Rochet 2004: Rather reserved on the nose, but there are faint echoes of black fruits backed by a little oak; this is just rather closed down today. Rather a middleweight on the palate, very well put together, a balanced tannic structure, nicely covered in a well textured layer of fruit. Grippy finish with notes of blackberries. This is good. 16+/20

Chateau Phélan-Ségur 2004: Rather sweet blackcurrant and blackberry fruit on the nose here. Firm, stony, structured style on the palate, nicely balanced with fruit and texture and a grippy structure beneath it. Good acid. Rather primary, oak-derived dark fruit crumble character. Good style. 16+/20

Chateau d'Armailhac 2004: An appealing, rather crisp, red fruit nose here, with some rather obvious sweet oak showing alongside. A well composed, somewhat traditional structure, with some admittedly rather ripe, supple tannins which sit well with the fruit, which has a light feel to it. Moderate acidity. This should age well, but I much prefer the Clerc-Milon from this stable. 16+/20

Chateau Clerc-Milon 2004: An exotic fruit nose with real depth here, with pickling spice nuances of future complexity, overall a seductive welcome. There are lovely, svelte tannins, beautifully composed, and elegantly styled palate with a crisp acidic structure. This is a real success that will do well in the cellar. 17+/20

Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse 2004: A forward nose showing some appealing, red fruit character. Rather creamy style, although with quite prominent tannins which transect the wine on the palate. Firm acidity. Overall a lot of structure showing here, although there is a good presence of fruit too, and it certainly has texture. I think it will hold together. 16.5+/20

Chateau Lynch-Bages 2004: An appealing nose, exotically spiced, with good depth of character. Rather svelte tannins early on to say the least, and a nicely composed, creamy texture. Through the midpalate seems firmer, more traditional, although they are well covered. This could be excellent, but will need to lie in the cellar for some time. 17+/20

Chateau Lynch-Moussas 2004: Nicely spiced fruit on the nose here. Appealing style, again rather ripe, softly structured tannins. This is a well composed, attractive wine which will do well short to medium term in the cellar. 15.5+/20

Chateau Pichon-Baron 2004: A newly opened bottle, reserved nose, a little brooding perhaps, but when the fruit emerges it shows a paradoxical, vibrant freshness. Very nicely balanced on the palate; a firmer structure, more muted than the other Pichon, more traditionally styled perhaps. Good acid structure, crisp and fresh, the tannins only rounding on the finish. This will be fine in the cellar. 17+/20

Chateau Pichon-Lalande 2004: Oh my - this has a wonderfully expressive nose, full of perfumed fruit, highly spiced raspberry and blackberry aromas presented in a sexy, seductive fashion. Beautifully balanced, with a firm presence of nicely poised tannins, well coated with fruit and an elegant, gliding texture. Fresh and flavoursome, this is a wine with a very admirable style. 17.5+/20

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2004: Rather closed on the nose; I get some sense of a deeply fruited wine as I work it in the glass, but each time it quickly recedes into its shell. Firmly structured, with an exuberant wealth of ripe velvety tannin. Almost purely creamy, yet fresh and balanced with a very correct acidity. Lovely composure. Although there is little flavour in this wines closed down state, this still has great impact. Pontet-Canet continues to turn out wines to match almost any in this commune. 17.5+/20

Chateau Beychevelle 2004: An exotic nose of nutty oak and dark fruit presented in a very distinctive style. The palate has plenty of attractively presented fruit carried along by a creamy, rounded, softly caressing style. Ripe tannins, correct acidity, not a great impact but very nicely assembled though. 16.5+/20

Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2004: This has a highly perfumed, minerally nose, and on the palate it has a very nice composition. Fine grained tannins, elegant, balanced with fine fruit and rather crisp. light-footed acidity. There is freshness in abundance. This has a distinctive style which can also be found in the more impressive 2005 vintage and is distinctively Branaire-Ducru. Very good potential here. 17+/20

Chateau Gruaud-Larose 2004: A firm, meaty, classically Gruaud nose with great depth of character. Firm and very tannic structure with a lovely presence on the palate; fine fruit, with a complex, meaty style. The tannins round with a flourish on the finish. This has lovely typicité. Very good indeed, with plenty of potential. 16+/20

Chateau Lagrange 2004: A gorgeously styled nose here, vibrant and mineral, with appealing red and black fruit flavours. This is very classic; what a relief after last year's awful experience with the wacky 2003. Ripe, supple style of tannins, well structured. with a fine presence of mineral-tinged fruit like that on the nose. Fine acidity. Very good indeed, again fine potential. 17+/20

Chateau Talbot 2004: Vibrant mineral fruit on the nose, quite attractive. Very good style on the palate, ripe and well knit tannins, nicely integrated with the rest of the wine, and with crisp, fresh acidity. Over it all there is a good blanket of fruit. This is classic St Julien; an admirable vintage for Talbot, and hopefully a good value. 17+/20

Chateau d'Angludet 2004: Deep, slightly meaty aroma, complex, with notes of slightly baked fruit. Elegant, perfumed, herby, with ripe, firm, grainy tannins. Firm acidic structure although a little baked character to the fruit here. Nice, traditionally structured style though. Good. 16+/20

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2004: Slightly muted nose, but still displaying a good amount of fruit and perfume. On the palate a wall of tannin; there is good, ripe fruit and texture but it is a little overwhelmed by the structure. But doesn't feel stretched or over-extracted. This will need plenty of cellar time. 16-17+/20

Chateau Dauzac 2004: A good, very typical, mineral-edged perfume on the nose. A leaner style on the palate than some of the other wines, showing some very firm tannins and correct acidity, but not the grace of many of the other wines. Not as finely put together, but good. 15.5+/20

Chateau du Tertre 2004: Rather youthful, nutty, toasted oak on the nose, with some dense, perfumed fruit. Gentle, balanced palate, with sweet fruit and supple tannins. Nicely put together, with a lovely floral style and appealing texture. Better than its Giscours stablemate. Very good indeed. 17+/20

Chateau Durfort-Vivens 2004: A fine, exuberant and yet precisely defined nose with a lovely perfume; this seems surprisingly good. No disappointment on the palate either, where there is a very attractive, ripe style with a beautifully integrated tannin structure. Perfumed, minerally, with fine acidity. This is very well put together. A real success for Durfort-Vivens in this vintage. 17.5+/20

Chateau Ferrière 2004: An elegant nose, with gently perfumed fruit and a little oak. Good style on the palate, supple structure, perfume and mineral character in a rather elegant style, nicely defined by correct acidity. Ripe and supple tannins. My palate prefers this to the 2003 vintage, but which ever way you look at it its another success for Claire Villars. Very good, excellent potential. 17.5+/20

Chateau Giscours 2004: Quite a fine, red fruit and perfume nose, with youthful cashew nut oak on the nose. On the palate it is rather lighter in impact than some other wines. There is a firm wall of tannin and rather bracing acidity too, the texture and fruit isn't quite up to the same level. Good character, but perhaps a little over worked. 15+/20

Chateau Kirwan 2004: A little subdued on the nose, reticent but not completely shut down, showing just a little appealing perfume of fruit. Another wine showing a lot of tannin on the palate, but there is good texture to match, and appropriate acidity. Nicely composed in fact. Closed on the palate, so difficult to make a judgement on character, but the intrinsic quality is all there. 16-17+/20

Chateau Lascombes 2004: A great nose, very expressive, deep fruit with oak too, but it still carries that typical Margaux perfume. There is great appeal on the palate too; classic structure, but with a lovely velvety quality to the tannins, smothered in a blanket of fruit and texture. This can't be criticised for lack of typicité, it fits in very well here. The efforts at Lascombes in recent years have really paid off. 18+/20

Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry 2004: Very closed down. Fine texture and weight on the palate though, with well knit, supple, velutinous tannins. Lots of texture and presence here, with firm acidity. The character is difficult to assess in such a closed state, but this will be wonderful after a at least a decade in the cellar. 17-18+/20

Chateau Marquis de Terme 2004: Rather deep presence of fruit on the nose, less appealing perfume than the other wines, and a little oak. An unusual nuance, like a hint of cola? Leaner structure than some, more stark tannins, but it has an appealing, rounded mouthfeel. A little coarse in its composition, but still a good wine. Certainly better than last year's effort. Could do well. 15.5+/20

Chateau Prieuré-Lichine 2004: More typicité here, with a perfumed edge to the spiced oak found on the nose. Full structure, ripe and integrated tannins on the palate. Nicely textured, with good acidity. Perfume and an appealing mineral quality to the fruit coming across very well. A success. Very good indeed. 16.5+/20

Chateau Rauzan-Ségla 2004: Rather closed, sadly. A subdued tannic structure on the palate, with appropriate acidity and texture. This is really shut down on the palate, and difficult to assess. But it has a fine presence, good weight and this bodes well for the future. 16-17+/20

Chateau Chasse-Spleen 2004: Really seductive fruit and some oak on the nose here. Ripe and svelte style of tannins on the palate, quite a firm structure, but with lots of fruit, flavour and character too. Good, fresh acidity. This is a delight. Another success for Claire Villars. 16.5+/20

Chateau Poujeaux 2004: Exotic, spicy, deeply fruited, seductive style. No slouch on the palate either, which has some ripe fruit framed by some cracking acidity. Firm, peppery, with a good mouthfilling style. Balanced and characterful. Really impressive. 16.5+/20

Chateau Cantemerle 2004: This has a surprisingly crisp and fresh character on the nose, with good fruit and oak. This is a nicely composed wine on the palate, supple tannins with an upright, firm, peppery presence. Nicely textured too. This is good. 15.5+/20

Chateau Coufran 2004: This has a lovely, fresh, expressive nose. Rather ripe and plummy, with plenty of fruitcake Merlot character in the blend. Supple tannins, well textured, and with fresh acidity. This is good, although with a very unusual style for the left bank. 15.5+/20

Chateau La Lagune 2004: Rather closed, but when worked hard it does reveal a little deep, oaky fruit. Appealing texture, with lots of ripe, velvety tannins. A rather fat, rich style, but nicely cut with a firm acidity. Rather hard to judge, but it has good potential. 15.5-16+/20

Chateau La Tour Carnet 2004: A nose of dark black fruits, with some very nice creamy oak, presented in a very attractive style. Reserved, stylish palate, nicely textured, with ripe and peppery tannins. Smoky, tannic grip, and nice extract. This is very good. 16+/20