Wow, Latour is jaw-droppingly good. Frederic Engerer has made astonishingly good set of 2009s; the grand vin is the best wine we have tasted yet – and it will take some beating. Both Pichons are good, but Lalande is comfortably better than Baron. After lunch we concentrated on St Julien. Leoville Poyferre is stunning; dense, complex and very stylish. The Bartons are, well, of course they’re great, they always are, but the `09s are even more concentrated, even more impressive, even better than usual. Bruno Borie is understandably delighted with his range; Croix de Beaucaillou is delicious and Ducru is very special – a wine of great intensity and class. Leoville Las Cases is regal and Clos du Marquis and Petit Lion are delightful too. Beychevelle is delicious; supple, fresh, beautifully pure. Our last appointment was with Lynch Bages; a fabulous effort; rich, with beautiful savoury notes – a real stunner.So what have we learnt from our first day? We were expecting enormous wines, and they are big, but they have surprised us by how fresh and elegant they are. Certainly in the Medoc the 2009s are possibly more refined than the 2005s. This vintage is not all about power, there are some really silky, high-toned, complete wines that demonstrate wonderful precision and class.
