Chateau Lafon-Rochet 2007: This has an unusual character on the nose, nutty and gamey. There is some spiced, rather plummy fruit, but no flesh or flattery through the midpalate, This is very firm, overtly St Estèphe in style, and shows a very bare, hard structure through the midpalate. Hard, aggressive grip, and a sweet and gritty finish. A difficult wine. 13.5-14.5+/20

Chateau Montrose 2007: This is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with 60% new barrels. A dense hue, and on the nose little more than some smoky, brooding fruit. Very complete style on the palate, easy and approachable with some substance. The tannins are well covered, and there is some texture which is impressive for the vintage. It seems ripe, and impressive in terms of its dry structure. Fresh acids too. There is some potential here. 16-17+/20

La Dame de Montrose 2007: The second wine of Montrose is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot, and 15% new barrels. An appealing crimson rim. Sweet vanilla and blackcurrant on the nose, but also an overt green character. Nicely balanced on the palate, the tannins seem ripe despite the unripe aromas. Not very well defined or vigorous on the palate, but it is softly approachable despite the structure underneath. 13-14+/20

Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande 2007: A bright presence of fruit here, tinged with liquorice, with an intense, crunchy-stony character. More texture on entry than the Sainte Anne (the second wine) below, which persists. Broader and a little more concentrated. Peppery grip at the end. Riper, and certainly a step up, but the intrinsic quality isn't really there. 13-14+/20

Chateau Tronquoy de Sainte Anne 2007: The second wine of Tronquoy-Lalande. An overt green note here on the nose. Fresh and crunchy fruit alongside, but this is certainly on of the greener samples assessed on this trip. Notes of orange peel. Nice weight on entry, gentle, rather lean midpalate though, peppery tannin. This has a light presence although there is a rounded edge to it, and some balance. 12-13+/20

Chateau d'Armailhac 2007: Good plummy fruit on the nose here, quite full and expressive, and a little firmer than the corresponding barrel sample of Clerc-Milon. Supple, with classic structure underneath. An appealing composition, firm acidity. This is a wine with some potential. 15-16+/20

Chateau Batailley 2007: Very sweet, overt, cola-tinged fruit on the nose which doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me. Nevertheless, the palate starts off quite supple, fresh and clean. But there is a firm and broad tannic base very evident through the midpalate and a firm acidic core. There is quite some extraction here. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Clerc-Milon 2007: Rather open on the nose, with some nutty oak and sweet black fruits. The palate is fairly gentle, attractive, with a little supple flesh. That tannins are fairly well covered. It shows ripeness, and has a good structure, which doesn't really show through until the finish. 15-16+/20

Chateau Croizet-Bages 2007: A sweet, light and lifted nose here. It is quite rounded and supple, although not showing a lot of direction or vigour here. Softly composed on the palate, with ripe and gentle tannins with a balanced undercurrent of acidity. Soft and sweetly attractive, but it lacks precision. 12.5-13.5+/20

Chateau Duhart-Milon 2007: This was tasted between Carruades and Lafite, and it struggled in this setting. Less expressive, and a rather gamey character to the fruit. The palate is similarly ungiving, although it shows rather nice texture and well covered tannins. No greenness. Broad, with more grip and a good texture. Reserved, but demonstrating good potential. 15-16+/20

Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse 2007: The fruit here is very well hidden under a layer of charry oak, but there is a nice sweetness to it. On the palate, though, there is a lot of extract apparent and it seems rather hard to me as a result. The midpalate throws out a rather bitter, sharp, needling character. I think this has been over-worked. 12-13+/20

Chateau Haut-Bages-Libéral 2007: An appealing nose, although the fruit is somewhat dominated by the oak at present. Rather a gentle character to the palate at first, soft and supple, but with a firm grip beneath. There is not a lot of flesh or texture. Obvious tannic structure. Short. 13.5-14.5+/20

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2007: In this vintage just 38% of the harvest went into the grand vin, and the blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. A dense and brooding nose, yet sweet and freshly appealing. Very balanced style, very approachable, stylish and structured. Lots of sweet and ripe fruit here, and a harmonious quality. Good grip, good acidity, but a sweetness and silkiness to the texture as well. This is surprisingly integrated and appealing. For the vintage, an impressive wine. 17-18+/20

Carruades de Lafite 2007: The second wine of Lafite-Rothschild which is 44% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. A fine, deep, fruit intensity; I find this impressive. Very finely poised on entry, balanced here, persistent and a touch creamy. A good, toffee-edged finish with a little sweetness and richness here. Supple, elegantly balanced, and with gentle acidity, grip and extract. A very good second wine, and certainly superior to Les Forts de Latour. 15.5-16.5+/20

Chateau Latour 2007: A blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot in the 2007 vintage. Rather unyielding on the nose, revealing a little sweet stony fruit with time. Reserved and fairly classic, also showing a little tobacco character but it remains much tighter than the other wines shown here. There is a more flattering character on the palate, although it is still devoid of any real flesh. The tannins seem to slowly build through the palate, and these are nicely balanced with the acidity. The tannins, grip and tightness are perhaps to be expected, but I was anticipating more flesh or substance. A note of caution here for Latour lovers. 16-17+?/20

Les Forts de Latour 2007: The second wine of Latour, 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot. Rather organic quality on the nose, some better fruit than the generic Pauillac (the third wine) below, but also a minerally and stony character. With a little time it shows a more open, tobacco-tinged character. Very reserved on the palate, with a lot of peppery midpalate structure. Grippy and a but hard, through to the finish which is unyielding and stony. Short, but decent Pauillac. 14-15+/20

Pauillac de Chateau Latour 2007: The third wine of Latour, comprising 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 7% petit Verdot, marketed as a generic Pauillac. It has a stony freshness on the nose, but it doesn't seem to be expressing any fruit. Firm on entry, quite a lot of midpalate tannin, grippy with no flesh. A gentle weight and a lot of structure. 13-14+/20

Chateau Lynch-Bages 2007: Lots of sweet and nutty oak on the nose here, and some spiced plum fruit. It has an appealing presence on the palate, a very gentle style, and not a lot of vigour or direction. There is quite some grip behind it though. The concentration isn't particularly impressive. 13-14+/20

Chateau Pibran 2007: An attractive, sweet, open nose here, showing accessible fruit, which is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. A touch buttery, from the oak, but a cool style. Lots of structure, nice flesh too, a little touch of austerity, quite classic and firmly composed. Decent wine. 13.5-14.5+/20

Chateau Pichon-Baron 2007: At Pichon-Baron, 60% of the harvest went into the grand vin, higher than some other leading estates. Cabernet dominates, at 74%, the balance being Merlot. This has a very appealing nose, intense fruit, with a floral and aromatic character. Nicely textured, gently weighty, with good grip showing towards the finish. Firmly structured, not flattering, a touch austere rather than fleshy. Overall, though, good. 16-17+/20

Les Tourelles de Longuville 2007: The second wine of Pichon-Baron, with 62% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. A rather flashy, open, stylish nose here, showing pretty and attractive fruit. An appealing palate showing uncomplicated style, gentle flesh and a nice balance. Rather firm tannins showing just on the finish. This has a good quality. 14-15+/20

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2007: This sample has a rather inexpressive nose today, showing some fresh redcurrant fruit. It has a nicely composed palate, rather gentle and integrated, with a good ripe structure, nicely covered by some texture to the fruit. It has an elegant style, with ripe tannins showing at the finish, and overall has a good substance and poise for the vintage. 16-17+/20

Chateau Beychevelle 2007: This has attractive fruit on the nose, which is open and expressive. There is a moderate weight on the palate, a nice and gently composed structure, although there is a grittiness to it. This has good structure and also some potential. 15-16+/20

Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2007: This has some very sweet fruit on the nose, with a bright bramble and blackberry character, painted with a little oak. On the palate it has a very cool style which is stony, but ripe and clean. It is attractive, but shows leanness through the midpalate and reveals a firm structure here. Quite nicely styled, with some potential. 15-16+/20

Chateau Gruaud-Larose 2007: This has beautiful fruit on the nose, with exotic notes of cashew nut and liquorice over the oak. A good texture on the palate, supple and even a little silky. Underneath, a rather firm core of tannin; it has a firmness as a result, but it is balanced and has good acidity. This is attractive and appealing, and potentially one of the better wines of the appellation based on this sample. 16-17+/20

Chateau Lagrange 2007: An inexpressive wine today, showing very little character on the nose. The palate is similarly reticent in terms of revealing any flavour or scent. There is a lot of structure, with overt tannins suggestive of rather aggressive extraction, and firm acids. There is just no fruit detectable, and this certainly seems rather awkward at present. Difficult to judge. 13-14+?/20

Chateau Langoa-Barton 2007: A lifted and aromatic style, showing attractive peppery redcurrants. A nice palate, rather stony, rather reserved, a vin de garde perhaps. Rather classic, with light redcurrant fruit matching the nose. Leafy, and in fact just a trace of green. Underneath, the firm grip of the vintage. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Léoville-Barton 2007: There is some sweet fruit showing on the nose here, but it is not the most expressive nose. It has a reserved quality of aroma, and on the palate a very cool, stony and detached presence. A very upright and firm composition, the tannins hard but well hidden. Rather sandy fruit. Another classic, vin de garde which has good potential. 15.5-16.5+/20

Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases 2007: Cabernet dominates, with 58% Sauvignon and 5% Franc, then 35% merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Dark and attractive fruit here, rather floral aromas, with impressive dark fruit sweetness. Appealing, without showing overt or overpowering oak at this stage. Impressive palate, some flesh and sweet fruit, a good balance, and a nice texture over the tannins. Ripe, pervasive, but nicely poised. Good harmony. This has very good potential indeed. 16.5-17.5+/20

Clos de Marquis 2007: The second wine of Léoville-Las-Cases. Firm black fruits, quite aromatic but with very firm and reserved fruit rather than anything pretty or floral. A firm palate, good weight through the midpalate, classically composed wine. Nice balanced of tannins and flesh. Pretty good. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Léoville-Poyferré 2007: A very flattering, rounded nose showing attractive clean fruit and some new oak. A good density, greater than many of its peers in this vintage. More obvious forepalate concentration, and a nice creaminess in the midpalate. A supple composition, well covered ripe tannins and balanced acidity. Very good potential here. 16-17+/20

Chateau Saint-Pierre 2007: A lovely presence of open fruit, expressive and pretty. Showing a lot of smoky and toasty oak at present, but that is quite normal at this stage. Appealing and supple, a very firm core of tannins, moderate fruit and flesh. Firmly composed, classic style, good acidity and bright fruit character. It has the potential to drink well. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Talbot 2007: A nice, forward, open nose showing some crunchy fruit and with an edge of green. Supple and elegant on the palate, an appealing style, tannins well covered, with clean lines although also showing some greenness to the fruit. This has some attractive components, but the fruit ripeness may deter many. 15-16+/20

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2007: Dark and spicy fruit here, although it is not hugely expressive. There is a soft, rounded, creamy quality on the palate, which is gentle and rather understated. There are spicy tannins and a well balanced character, but this lacks energy, and has a short finish. 13-14+/20

Chateau Durfort-Vivens 2007: There are aromas of rich fruit and some new oak here. Cool on entry, quite stylish, with bright red-black fruits. This sample has a dry midpalate extraction, with a drying, smoky, dark fruit finish. It has the necessary structure to develop. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Ferrière 2007: An attractive, open, gentle but lifted character on the nose. It is not overly expressive. Soft and supple on the palate, with gentle tannins and a firm acidity. There is an appealing grip, and more extract becoming apparent at the finish. It is a little drying here. But there is a little length. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Giscours 2007: This has some appealing black, complex, lifted fruits on the nose, with a vanilla twist. Freshly composed on the palate, with appealing structure. Elegance, with a ripe fleshed out midpalate, and a little chewiness to the tannins. A sappy finish, where the tannins persist. A nice acidic structure. Could be good based on this sample. 15-16+/20

Chateau Kirwan 2007: Black fruits and exotic spices on the nose. Soft on entry, not very well defined, and then showing a lot of extract in the midpalate. A very sharp, green apple acidity, and not a lot of direction here. Lots of extracted tannin throughout, and a drying finish. This seems overdone to me. 13-14+/20

Chateau Lascombes 2007: This sample is packed to the rafters with with spicy new oak, which dominates on the nose. It has an immediately apparent creamy style on entry, and with considerable extract. Green peppercorns, spice, dry wood tannins, this all seems too much for this vintage. 13-14+/20

Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry 2007: This is very pure in style on the nose, and rather expressive, with a wealth of deep cassis fruit. Dense and a little spicy, pure and rounded, but with a little less texture and depth than I was expecting. Nevertheless, it is quite grippy, firm and structured, and that grip comes out a lot on the finish. Firm with a good presence of acidity. Good wine but there are some that overshadow it in this tasting. 15.5-16.5+/20

Chateau Margaux 2007: This year the grand vin accounts for just 32% of the harvest, and at 87% Cabernet Sauvignon predominates, with 11% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol 13.2%. There is a great concentration of fruit on the nose, a spicy and elegant style, with a fresh and stony lift. Full, balanced, with a good backbone of tannin, fine acids and a lovely balance, but there is also substance and style. It opens out in the glass to reveal some peppery perfume. Impressive stuff; not a truly great Margaux by a long shot, but in the context of this vintage, really very good indeed. 16.5-17.5+/20

Pavillon Rouge de Margaux 2007: The second wine of Margaux, this is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Alcohol 13.2%. There is a lovely aromatic character here, pure and elegant, and lifted. Nice flesh on entry, gentle tannins which are nicely covered, and fresh acids. A lovely balance and freshness, but there is some substance here too. Fleshy, with some grip at the finish. Just a little green peppercorn edge. Nice. 15-16+/20

Pavillon Blanc de Margaux 2007: In truth this, the white wine of Margaux, has the Bordeaux Blanc appellation, but I have included it here for simplicity's sake. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, fermented in oak, one-third new, and 50% of the wine underwent batonnage on the lees. The alcohol is a whopping 15.5%, although you would not think it quite this high on tasting. Fresh and aromatic on the nose, pure and rather green in style. Full rather peppery, with an inordinate amount of grip on the palate reflecting the use of oak I think. Very structured, and despite that high alcohol level very good. 16-17+/20

Chateau Marquis de Terme 2007: A dark, slightly meaty, macerated fruit feel to the nose, with a background of vanilla. The palate gives some pleasure, starting with a bright, fleshy, pulpy weight which surrounds an appealing tannic core. There is moderate substance, with nice grip. It is not as harmonious as some, but there is a nice definition and it will certainly be good enough to drink. 15-16+/20

Chateau Palmer 2007: Alcohol 12.5%, and 50% new oak. Just 40% of the harvest went into the grand vin this year, and Merlot is the lead variety at 49%, with 44% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot. This is expressive, showing spicy complex fruit presented in a fresh and appealing style. Fine, fresh and mineral style on the palate, not weighty but elegant, sappy and harmonious. A complete and well composed style, and a ripe tannin core. A very lovely expression. A lighter style of Palmer but it captures the vintage rather nicely, and has very good potential. 16-17+/20

Alter Ego de Palmer 2007: Alcohol 12.5%, and 30% new oak, a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The second wine of Palmer, accounting for 50% of the harvest in 2007. A fresh and floral nose, slightly meaty, with a sandy mineral character. On the palate, a fresh and immediate stony quality, not fleshy but structured, with obvious tannins coming through. Fresh, gently textured, harmonious and sappy, with a clean finish. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Prieuré-Lichine 2007: Dark and rather handsomely styled fruit on the nose, and an attractive, pure, rounded, rather seamless character on the palate. The tannins are well covered at first, but have a very firm nature, and provide a rather fierce grip at the finish. Nevertheless there is a fresh, attractive crispness to the fruit, which has a cranberry and blackcurrant leaf character, and overall this has a nice, upright style. As is the case with a number of other wines, provided the fruit and texture outlasts the tannins, this could be very good indeed. 16.5+/20

Chateau Rauzan-Gassies 2007: This is considerably more reticent on the nose than the Rauzan-Ségla, but it has some attractive fruit alongside the oak. Supple, rounded, becoming a little more lean through the midpalate. Appealing, peppery, ripe and dense tannins and good acidity. Some perfume here, a grippy finish, and a rather aromatic length. Good, but it just lacks a little precision. 15-16+/20

Chateau Rauzan-Ségla 2007: Lovely fruit here, it is presented in a very open and accessible style. Firm, perhaps a touch burly, certainly not the apparent elegant nature of some other wines, but on the palate it has a nice approach, and a soft and almost creamy texture which covers the firm tannic backbone very well. Ripe and dense, but with a brightness to the fruit here. Lifted and potentially very good. 15.5-16.5+/20

Chateau Siran 2007: Lots of new oak on the nose here, which I find rather surprising. Nice fruit as well though. The palate shows a good texture on entry, but it is immediately followed by chewy tannins, trying unsuccessfully to hide under the soft flesh of the wine. A touch rustic. 13.5-14.5+/20

Chateau du Tertre 2007: Rather meaty and aromatic on the nose, full and open, showing red berry fruits but in a rich style. Rather creamy, nicely balanced, with a gentle harmony at the outset. Supple midpalate tannins give an attractive structure, but there is grip here, and it is well framed. Good. 15-16+/20

Chateau Potensac 2007: A little more perfume here, and dark fruits. Firm character, but a touch sweeter with a more flattering start than the Chapelle, the second wine. Rounded, a little creamy flesh, but with tannins ripe and firm showing in the midpalate. Firmly structure. Could be good with time. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chapelle de Potensac 2007: The second wine of Potensac. A little less aromatic than the grand vin, subtle fruit and new oak here, although there was only 10% used. It seems quite apparent despite that. A nice entry, midpalate tannins, without the flesh to cover them. Very overt structure and some unwelcome austerity. 12-13+/20

Chateau Preuillac 2007: Smoky, charcoaly fruit showing a lot of new oak here although this is over represented in the sample and will only influence 33% of the final blend. A nice, gentle substance, a nice tannic grip, and decent acidity. Straightforward, nicely composed wine. 14.5-15.5+/20

Chateau Sociando-Mallet 2007: Firm fruit, more aromatic and open than La Demoiselle, showing a brighter character. It is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Some flash on the palate, moderate midpalate substance, with firm tannins apparent throughout. Some weight, and grip on the finish. Gentle in terms of fruit and flesh, but very firmly composed. 14-15+/20

La Demoiselles de Sociando-Mallet 2007: The second wine of Sociando-Mallet. Rather reserved on the nose, with a slightly medicinal quality to the fruit. Gentle palate, a little sweetness, but overt structure. A little freshness and sappiness to it, but overall not the substance for the firm acidity and structure I think. 12.5-13.5+/20