Chateau Montrose (St Estèphe) 1995: This darkly coloured but clearly maturing wine really needs at least three hours before it really starts to open out, revealing with this sort of time in the decanter classically burly St Estèphe aromas, with notes of gravel with a subtle, white flower perfume. Behind it there are little nuances of iron filings and tea leaves, and later on more exotic aromas of black olives, black beans and dry soy sauce. On the palate there is a little generosity that develops with air, providing a good texture and substantial body, but this is certainly still a wine trading on structure and potential at the moment. Dry, composed, with a svelte tannin core and fresh acids, this is a wine full of promise, Right now it starts off with the mouthfeel of a polished billiard ball, initially unyielding but there is substance within. With time in the glass it shows more generosity and ultimately this is fine to drink now with the right food but it is really crying out for more time, another 3-5 years at least. 18+/20

Chateau Haut-Batailley (Pauillac) 1995: A fairly dense hue, showing only early maturity, although with a very fine sediment giving it a very slightly murky appearance. A good nose which takes a couple of hours in the decanter to open up, giving a really quite dense and meaty style of fruit, with nuances of claretty iron filings and stone, chalky redcurrant and violets, as well as a little green edge, of peppercorn and roasted thyme. Nicely textured, a very substantial mouthfeel although this is influenced somewhat by that fine sediment, and a firm, stony, dry and reserved midpalate leading to a precise finish. A very slightly sappy feel to it, very slightly loose-knit, but overall it holds together well. Shows some ripe, grainy tannin in the finish. Drinking well now, although a good future too, although this is the last of my bottles - which were bargains, as many young clarets were 10-12 years ago. 17+/20

Chateau Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1995: I have fond memories of the last time I tasted this wine, even though it was a decade ago! I was blown away by its sweet fruit and undercurrent of coffee grounds, so I immediately went out and bought some; ten years later, this is the first of those bottles. A dark hue in the glass. Initially quite stony on the nose, a touch animally, but I think it merely needs a little air. It shows some dark and hot fruit, with hints of warm plum, later firming up with more stony-gravelly plum and cherry character, with a touch of brûlée, vanilla and caramelised fruit. Fabulous, fresh, complex, deep, rich and yet masculine in style, with bags of texture and weight. Great acidity to counterbalance the creamy substance. Ripe tannins in the back, quite incisive, and appealing. Overall a fine, rounded substance, and character-packed finish. Very long, and really under-rated. 17.5+/20

Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry (Margaux) 1995: A dark hue, not opaque though, and still with a good fresh-red tinge. Nose is lovely, notes of roasted meats, fleeting elements of cherries and blackcurrant fruit, but also darker and more maturing characteristics including black olives, game, rust and sweet, fresh tea leaves. A fine palate, fresh and light-footed rather than ponderous, moderate weight, cool but with good extract, almost supple towards the finish. Perhaps a bit lean in midpalate - will it fatten out? Delicious, well outside the creamy spectrum of modern Bordeaux, and a fine food wine. Still on the way up, too. 17+/20

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (Pessac-Léognan) 1995: A rich golden hue in the decanter, where this wine rested for two hours before tasting. Initially served at about 8°C (better too cool than too warm), but allowed to warm significantly in the glass. The nose is reserved and linear, not tight but certainly tightly framed, with nuances of pear and lime fruit intermingled with polished acacia wood. The palate is substantial, vigorous, well defined as the nose suggested, broadening out a little in the midpalate to reveal a richer character, warm and yet firmly composed. The finish is delightful, with a little grip here, but also evolved, slightly honeyed lime and wood. It is also very long. Delicious, and ready now, although there is no urgent rush to drink up. 17.5+/20

Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac-Léognan) 1995: Probably one of the least reassuring wines straight out of the bottle, although it does open up in the decanter to show what it's made of. A nice mature hue, with oxblood tones, but not the densest of wines. Although it holds onto its lean and mean character for some time, it does eventually reveal some soot and charcoal aromas, followed by some slightly diffuse but undeniable black cherry notes, with a certain crystalline edge. There's also a little vanilla pod and a floral element to it as well. Rather lean on entry but there is a substance here, giving the midpalate a little flesh, although it seems rather lost, as it the texture is all concentrated in the middle, the edges rather more dilute. Good clean style though, with somewhat over-obvious slightly structure; it would work much better with food I think, otherwise leave well alone for now. 16+/20

Chateau Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan) 1995: A really impressive colour, as although when decanting I noticed some mature tones in the gently cascading wine, in the decanter and glass it displays a very dark hue, deep oxblood but with an almost black core. The nose is just beautiful; dark, pure, well-defined fruit to the fore, like plum skin or black cherry, firm rather than sweet or soft, with nuances of violet perfume, tea leaves, green peppercorn, leather and tobacco. On the palate its character matches its appearance, with a big and substantial midpalate, rather bold at first, with a broad, mouth-filling shell, within which there is still some peppery alcohol and fat, glycerol-tinged texture, although this soon integrates with a little air. This is a wine only just coming into its true drinking window I suspect, and is still displaying a slightly disjointed, youthful character here. But it is still a lovely wine to experience now, and it is just stuffed with potential for further cellaring, as evinced by the rounded, tannic grip showing at the end, the balanced acid backbone, and the length, which is very good. 18+/20

Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan) 1995: Today this is part of the La Mission Haut-Brion stable. A great and very dark colour in he decanter, and a fabulous nose too; it has beef and blood, rusty iron filings, with crispy tobacco leaf, green peppercorn, mint and dried tea leaves. It all seems very lifted and fresh, rather than anything over the top. A great presence in the mouth, very cool and unforced, certainly not a block buster, but there is plenty of richness here, in terms of flavour and structure. There is a ripe seam of grainy-velvety tannins, and a stony texture although with little glimmers of light cream here and there, with all the complex elements found on the nose coming through. Gently subsiding finish, linear, elegant and composed, yet with substance. It is perhaps in need of a little more texture and weight, but otherwise this is fine. I think this will keep going well for the next ten years at least. 17.5+/20

Clos de l'Oratoire (St Emilion) 1995: A good and rich colour, although with some tinges of oxblood maturity, and showing plenty of fruit on the nose after a short while in the decanter. It is only with 2-3 hours of aeration that this wine really begins to open up and show its true potential though. Simple fruit aromas give way to a remarkable panoply of beef, blood, tea leaves, cranberry and leafy autumnal undergrowth. This is glorious and so delicious. The palate shows good flesh, but underpinned by a dry and well formed structure, and overall there is plenty of rich, mouth-filling, appealingly bitter substance. A lovely savoury character on the finish too. A great wine that is very ready for drinking now. Open one if you have one! 18+/20