Andrew Cullimore

9.3

5th wine . medium deep ruby , touch more garnet . Slightly wider rim . Quite cool and mineral again , more grafite with some cool cassis , blackberry. On the palate this is slightly lighter in body , leaner perhaps but very elegant , fresh and quite saline, tobacco , grafite and herbal tinges on the finish . Reasonable saline length. Fine lightly grippy tannins , good acidity . This is showing quite well though would perhaps benefit from a few more years . Better in 3-5 years and drink well a further 7- 10 . The next day this actually shows a little better , elegant and refined, nothing showy , very Lafite , so I’m glad I guessed this correctly ! Overall this was a very interesting tasting , there is nothing showy or remarkable about the 2006 1st growths , they are quite classic and also showing quite a lot of structure still , with good freshness though they perhaps lack a little stuffing and intensity . They were quite even quality wise, with the high points being the Mouton (though the Lafite improved the following day to upgrade its score and draw level ) and the low point being a relatively disappointing Margaux . The vintage will continue to improve over the next 5 perhaps 10 years in general , though they may always just lack a little density and excitement . — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium deep ruby garnet , with quite wide garnet rim . Slightly smoky , earthy nose , mint , some spicy cigar , red currant , raspberry , dried cherry . On the palate this is quite lean in style , with fresh acidity , cherry , raspberry , red currant , some smoky blackberry , tobacco , cigar box. Quite good length and fine tannins herbal , mineral tinged finish . This is ready, just at peak still, now and over the next 5-10 years , don’t think this will improve much from here , but is still showing very well — 14 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium lemon yellow . Slight waxy note at first, then herbal tinged yellow fruits , with some citrus , and chalky notes . On the palate this is lightly creamy , with good weight but well balanced with decent quite grippy acidity . More of the citrus , white peach , honied ripe apple . Good length, light herbal tinged finish . Drinking well now and probably over the next 5 years or so . — 25 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

1st wine. Medium garnet with quite thin , garnet rim . Some herbal touches , with earthy terracotta note , touches of dry spices, grafite . On the palate this has good freshness and of tobacco and earthy cassis , quite grippy, dry tannin. A bit foursquare , but quite good length and balance . This probably needs a bit more time , 5 -8 years and will last well a further decade . Had this down as the Haut Brion. — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

2nd wine . Medium garnet ruby, thin garnet rim . Quite serious and mineral , more grafite and , tobacco , seaside scents , spice . Quite cool and elegant in the mouth , sweeter tannin though quite dense still on the palate . Cassis , grafite , cocoa and tobacco finish . Quite rich , good length , spiced finish. This is quite refined and elegant , well balanced freshness , if rounder , more plump than the others (alcohol perhaps ? This is 14,5% but it doesn’t stick out ). Again quite young , needs another 5 years and will last a further 10 or so . Had this down as the Margaux ! — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium deep ruby with a thin garnet ruby rim . Quite closed with some grafite, hickory , cedar and crème de cassis , dark cherry , red plum , quite dense but with quite a classic , dusty profile . On the palate this is again quite classic , with crème de cassis , cedar , blackberry, plum . Good acidity and fine , gritty tannin , well balanced . Pretty good length with a saline, grafite touch. With time
in the glass this is drinking quite well , still showing dark fruit and youthfulness but at the same time quite classic and serious. Probably will improve over the next 5 years or so and last well a further 5-10 — 15 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.4

Tasted blind . More terracotta , garnet core and terracotta , amber rim . Medicinal , herbal nose , a bit musty, swimming pool notes . Not attractive on the nose at least , I did actually wonder if this was slightly corked but in the end didn’t think it was . On the palate , dusty with some spice and orange rind , earthy tobacco and iodine, though this is rounder and sweeter than wine 3 . Touch of camphor and herbal tinged dried red fruits . Though rounder on the palate but still pretty high acidity and lightly gritty tannins . Black tea and dusty herbal tinged finish , of ok length . Should have been drunk by now, in fact probably a decade or two ago would have been better . Passable , yes , though you probably could expect more from a 1978. Drink now . — 25 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

3rd wine . Medium ruby garnet slightly brighter in colour . Lighter garnet ruby rim . Slightly deeper more meaty, herbal in character , more red fruits with cassis , cool blackberry. On the palate this is denser and more saline , quite good dark cassis and tobacco notes, with some red plum too . Lightly grippy tannins , slightly clipped finish , cool saline freshness . A little below the others in length and intensity . From now but will last over the next 10 years or so . Thought this was the Latour , oh dear . — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

4th wine . medium deep ruby garnet , thinner garnet rim . Quite deep and serious again , spicy with more cassis , touch smoky , mineral with touches of dry spice and cool sea breeze . On the palate this again has more grip a touch more mid palate , quite masculine in style, cassis , tobacco , grafite and resonable length. Polished and quite suave in style , more intensity and density than the others , more generous too. Probably better in 5 years and will last well a further 10. Guessed Mouton on this one . — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Lighter in colour than the GPL, with ruby , garnet core and wider ruby garnet rim . Quite open , cool , lightly herbal nose with redder fruit , red currant , touch of red plum , cedar , grafite and tobacco . Quite light and elegant on the palate , cool , mineral, earthy tobacco . Quite good mouthfeel but certainly more focused and reserved , nothing showy . Quite ‘Lafite lite’ in style, doesn’t have the complexity or depth of the 1st wine obviously, but gives a good impression as to the style of the Chateau . Resolved tannins , balanced acidity , reasonable length . Grafite and tobacco tinged finish. Drink now and over the next 5 years or so — 15 days ago