I started this tasting of the 2007 Bordeaux with low expectations, and by the time I had tasted the first eight wines from Pessac-Léognan, all fresh, crisp and rather light, my outlook had certainly not changed. I wasn't expecting much relief as I moved onto the wines of the Médoc communes.

When drinking at home, low expectations can sometimes be beneficial, as you may find unexpected pleasures. You pull a ten-year old Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon from the cellar, unintentionally overlooked for far too long, and expect it to be lean and disjointed. Instead you find something surprisingly integrated and harmonious, and the unexpected nature of this finding tends to reinforce the pleasure of the experience. You naturally find yourself picking out all the good qualities, and perhaps overlooking the fact that, despite all this unhoped-for joy, the wine is still a fairly basic one.

I think it is important to acknowledge this happens. And, in fact, it is one of the joys of cellaring wine; sometimes a simple wine can exceed our expectations. But when it comes to reviewing wine, it is important to not fall into this same mindset. We are not drinking unprepossessing petits vins here; these are the grand vins of Bordeaux, wrapped up in their self-important history and prestige, and wearing very high price tags. Let us thus remain objective, and not fall into the trap of scoring wines too highly simply because they aren't quite the disappointments we half-expected.

The Story so Far

The whispered aside I recounted in my Pessac-Léognan report describing the 2007 vintage as a petit millésime was uncharacteristically honest; much more common as I tasted up and down the Médoc in April 2008 were reports of a hard-won victory, snatching a vintage saved by favourable late-summer weather, this work including severe selections leading to reduced yields and thus smaller volumes of wine (and, of course, the unspoken implication was that prices would have to be maintained in view of this). I concluded, however, that the wines were not worth purchasing en primeur unless prices were very favourable, and I made clear at the time that I meant down at 2002 levels. Of course it wasn't so; prices were maintained.

Bordeaux 2007

Moving on two years, I next tasted the wines at the UGC tasting in London. St Estèphe was dealt with in a peremptory fashion; none of the wines shone. As for Pauillac, the wines here were lean, the only real success being the wine of Pichon-Baron. Otherwise there were many dull wines in this commune; as with Pessac, not terrible wines, but not wines that offer any excitement either. They are serviceable, pleasant, light, largely but not entirely free of overt faults, but lean and not generally suitable for tucking away in the cellar for many years. This is a vintage that should have been sold off to be drunk up by Bordeaux enthusiasts as the greater vintages rest in the cellar; instead the prices were maintained at a very high level, thereby no doubt adding a few more to the growing ranks of once loyal Bordeaux drinkers who have turned their backs on this region in recent years, as they seek better value for their hard-earned money elsewhere.

St Estèphe: The Wines

In recent years the annual Institute of Masters of Wine Bordeaux tasting has featured wines of all levels, cru classé and cru bourgeois, but with this vintage only the higher of these two classifications were included. In many communes this is not a cause for great regret, although it is a shame that we miss out on what are often very good wines from the likes of Phélan-Ségur and Ormes de Pez in this commune.

So there was a quartet of wines representing this commune on the day, four of the five classed growth châteaux, the sole absentee being Calon-Ségur. Both Montrose and Cos d'Estournel were noteworthy wines, although for different reasons. The former showed a remarkably firm streak of greenness which would be off-putting for many people I suspect, although I confess I found it strangely appealing. Cos d'Estournel, meanwhile, showed rather well, with a nice polish to it; it was only in the subsequent vintages - 2009 especially - that this wine started to display its steroid-induced bulk. Meanwhile I found Lafon-Rochet and Cos Labory to be less convincing, although for a difficult vintage both probably represent very good efforts.

Pauillac: The Wines

Although representation from St Estèphe is always sparse, that is not often the case with Pauillac, which gave forth fourteen wines to this tasting, a good proportion of the entire body of classed growth châteaux. The most notable absentee was as always Latour, the only left-bank first growth not to join in with this tasting at which Lafite, Mouton, Haut-Brion, Margaux, occasionally Cheval Blanc and Petrus, and now even Yquem all participate. Both Lafite and Mouton showed very well, with the former perhaps the more convincing of the two on the day.

Moving on to wines more affordable (in relative terms at least), this commune at last provided me with a truly convincing wine, in the shape of Pichon-Baron, happily reaffirming my thoughts having tasted the wine at two years of age, as described above. In light of my recent comments about this property in my 2009 Pauillac report I really cannot deny that this AXA-owned estate is one of the current stars of all the left bank communes. But there are also impressive wines - within the greener context of the vintage of course - from Pontet-Canet and Pichon-Lalande, wines that also showed well at the UGC tasting when the wines were two years old. On this occasion both were more convincing than the very best wines from the commune of St Estèphe just to the north.

Having said all this, and having given the wines appropriate coverage, and credit where credit is due, it is worth me pointing out again though that this is still - despite some relative success stories - a vintage of pleasant rather than truly desirable wines. This remains true for the two communes under the spotlight in this report; here in St Estèphe and Pauillac, as in Pessac-Léognan, we have two more cohorts of wines that lack excitement and have been generally over-priced from the outset. (11/1/12)

St Estèphe & Pauillac 2007: Tasting Notes

Tasted at the Institute of Masters of Wine tasting in November 2011. Click to locate stockists.

St Estèphe

Château Cos d'Estournel 2007: The nose here is certainly distinctive, showing a firm, meaty, feral character, with a lack of freshness in terms of fruit aroma. It certainly suggests density and concentration, but will this be at the expense of other characteristics? The palate happily seems to have a good polish to it, coming across as rounded and seamless, with more elegance and lift than I was expecting. It seems quite seductive, in that the bright and forceful acidity seen in so many wines isn't anywhere near as firm here. I find it rather attractive, in an admittedly 'made' or 'forced' manner, with its well controlled tannins and slightly chewy finish. It does at least have some length to it. 16/20

Château Cos Labory 2007: A dark, crunchy and fairly convincing nose here, suggestive of a depth of fruit, with a chalky, redcurrant, perfumed style to it. It seems quite attractive, suggesting brightness but not without some substance possible. The palate is polished and round, softly formed, although the acidity sits at its core in quite a firm manner, in keeping with the vintage. The tannins don't seem particularly prominent, giving just a light layer of soft grip which doesn't do much to influence the structure of the wine. There is more grip in the finish though, giving it quite a firm style in fact. A good effort for Cos Labory in a difficult vintage. 14/20

Château Lafon-Rochet 2007: I only tasted this at the château a week ago. It seems to be showing the same style here; a confident nose, with defined fruit, fresh and bright but with a solid feel to it that is perhaps not that common in this vintage. The palate follows on in the same vein, solid and with a light grip, but with fairly good definition around the fruit, light in terms of concentration, and with a bright acidity at the core of the wine. Somewhat soft and short in the finish. But aromatically it has appeal. 14.5/20

Château Montrose 2007: If you like green (and personally I'm definitely not allergic to it) then this is the wine for you. This has a firm green streak running though the aromatic profile, quite dominant in fact, with immediate suggestions of green peppercorn and smoked mint. The palate has a supple and quite nicely formed structure, with a fine seam of quite grainy tannins which are impressive for the vintage, perhaps becoming rather more coarse towards the middle, with much less prominent acidity than I was expecting after that impression on the nose. There is a perfumed red-fruit edge to it as well. Quite well integrated and elegant on the palate. There is some astringency here though. But overall I would take it rather than leave it. 16/20

Pauillac

Château d'Armailhac 2007: The nose here is dominated at first by a nutty layer of oak, but returning to it the fruit does come to the fore with a little time, showing a deep red character, red cherries, ripe but still with crunchy skins. The palate has a soft and chalky perfume on entry, attractive and seemingly nicely balanced, and indeed this is the case through the middle of the wine. This has real promise, the wine certainly lighter in style but appropriate, integrated, This has gentle acidity rather than the forceful seam found elsewhere, and the tannins are surprisingly well hidden. In the finish, it has shape and a light grip. An attractive wine. 14.5/20

Château Batailley 2007: Rather bright red fruit here, walking hand in hand with some golden, toasty oak. Certainly it has a restrained, elegant character, suggesting suppleness and an appropriate blend of different components in a relaxed, unforced manner. The wood does bring an interesting tinge of exoticism as well. I like it. It feels elegantly alluring rather than voluptuous. The palate follows on in the same vein, an appropriate weight, lovely balance, delicately formed but with a really appealing integration of different components. An attractive wine made within the confines of the vintage, with freshness, light and lift. 14.5/20

Château Clerc-Milon 2007: Rather a dense a meaty style to the nose here, rather more withdrawn than some, not expressive, but when you work it hard you do get this rather perfumed, chalky, slightly confected suggestion of violets and red fruit out of it. The palate seem less forced, happily, with a polished nature to the texture, quite stolid in terms of weight, but there is appealing structure beneath. Well formed, appropriate, perhaps with a little more weight than Batailley but not necessarily any better for that in this vintage. The acidity seems quite well done and the tannins appropriate. Long-ish, and a grippy finish. Good. 15/20

Château Croizet-Bages 2007: This seems rather muted on the nose, with some suggestions of smoke and a slightly meaty edge to the fruit. But it is all very low key and ungiving. The palate has a keen texture, with a little more shape to it than I was expecting for Croizet-Bages. The fruit is lightly chewy and tannic, although the texture seems slightly stretched out across it. Slightly firmer acidity, but appropriate tannins, and a light grip towards the end. It sits well within the commune in this vintage. 13.5/20

Château Duhart-Milon 2007:This has a much more expressive nose than many of its peers, a really crunchy weight of fruit here, bouncing out of the glass, followed by oak-related aromas of charcoal and smoke, and a little matchstick too. A polished palate, quite elegant, supple even, with well formed edges. The finish has a good seam of fruit showing through. It seems soft and supple but there is some good definition to this too. A wine with some good potential. 15.5/20

Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse 2007: There are some unusual aromatics here, reminiscent of sweet, cola-like confectionery, a slightly vegetal aroma which I often naturally associate with the use of rather less-than-ripe fruit. This character comes through on the palate too, where there are notes of aubergine and green vegetables. This is rather more reminiscent of ratatouille than I was expecting. Perhaps the two would be a good match? Overall the fruit profile does not appeal to me, which is a shame as the structure on the palate seems to have a very decent definition, with only moderately firm acids and nice if rather chewy-in-the-finish tannins. A disappointment as this showed better two years ago. 12.5/20

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2007: Lightly gamey fruit on the nose here, complicated by a rather generous helping of oak. It suggests a little density and concentration, and there are slightly perfumed red fruit notes coming in behind. The sense of polish it brings to the palate is attractive, but then though the middle it reveals a coarser structure, the wine showing some slightly astringent fruit characteristics along with a fairly forceful seam of acidity. The tannins are somewhat more integrated though. It comes across as rather coarser than I expected, compared to its peers. A firm finish. 15.5/20

Château Haut-Batailley 2007: Sweet, perfumed, with a slightly deeper and darker style of fruit. There is surely some substance here, as although this has a good perfume it does not suggest lightness. It suggests red fruits mixed with crumbled soft rocks. The palate has a good polished substance despite that, light and elegant rather than anything more substantial, which seems appropriate. This is well integrated and appealing, perhaps just a touch stolid though the middle, but otherwise it has an attractive, lifted, bright composition, where everything seems to have come together very well, for the vintage. 15/20

Château Lafite-Rothschild 2007:There is certainly an extra dimension here compared with the other wines of the commune, evident on the aromatics, long before the wine gets in the mouth. The nose starts off perfumed, but with a lovely definition to it, with aromas of violets and black tea coming in alongside the fruit which has a darker profile, moving away from the red fruit of the vintage and resembling blackcurrant instead. There is a gentle, understated start to it on the palate, remaining harmonious and nicely styled throughout. There is nothing out of place here, the tannins and acidity fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the wine, so that they are hardly noticeable at this point. This is hugely convincing for the vintage; it is an elegant, gently bodied wine in keeping with the 2007 style, but the purity and definition it possesses set it apart, as does that finely-tuned aromatic profile. 17/20

Château Lynch-Bages 2007: This has quite an unusual nose, in that it is bright, open and evocative, and yet despite that the fruit profile it presents is not the perfumed, red fruit character that some of the better, more elegant wines possess. It has a more solid feel, although it is only slightly more heavily built than the competition. In fact, as I return to it, I find it more and more convincing. There is both definition and depth suggested here, but with a fruit profile appropriate for the vintage. The palate has a supple start, and builds more structure and substance into the middle of the wine, showing good depth and with bright acids and well hidden tannins. There is a slightly stony detachment on the palate though, possessing a reticent form rather than one more warm or welcoming, but overall I find this quite appealing. 14.5/20

Château Lynch-Moussas 2007: Really quite classic on the nose, showing perhaps more evolution than I would expect though, with aromas of pencil shavings and graphite alongside the soft fruit. It seems quite cedary too, and surely all these elements can't be oak-derived? There is a soft. leafy, undergrowthy edge to it as well. Gently polished, soft, supple, with flavours to match the aromatic profile. A supple and slightly chewy finish. There is a fair weight to it on the midpalate, certainly with some acid definition, although this is not a unique feature in 2007. A good effort but the advanced aromatics seem slightly worrying; one for drinking soon, perhaps. 14/20

Château Mouton-Rothschild 2007: There is something just so aromatically ypical of Mouton, year-in, year-out, and I find it here on the nose as usual. It is a sexy, seductive, alluring spice, and in this vintage it is complemented by notes of black bean, chalk, violets and bright cherry fruit. This is a remarkably attractive, sccented, open and accessible wine. The palate doesn't have the depth I might hope for, nor the pure definition of a first growth, but there is a good harmony of structure beneath the soft upper layers of fruit. It has a convincing structure through to the finish though. A strong effort considering the context of the vintage. 17/20

Chateau Pedesclaux 2007: An attractive nose here, the fruit showing admittedly a rather sandy, pine needle edge, but these elements provide some interest alongside the fruit at least. It is fairly expressive, and the fruit has a slightly dark, sweet, almost confected character. The palate is quite supple at first, and has a very direct, firm, linear start. It softens in the middle but nevertheless maintains a very well defined presence in the mouth. A smoky nose too. The palate has a light and stony feel overall, very cool-climate in style, with a firm finish though, where there is a little bitter astringency to it. 13.5/20

Château Pichon-Baron 2007: Grainy oak on the nose here, a touch of cedar too, with an exotic fruit style alongside. This is one of the few wines of the vintage to give real interest on the nose. The palate is supple and alluring, with a very well formed, elegantly stylish composition. At last a truly convincing wine! The tannins are appropriate and give a good backbone but do not step out of line at any moment, the acidity is bright but integrated , and the finish slowly fading. This is extraordinarily impressive for the vintage. It is perhaps just a touch dry in terms of composition on the midpalate, but that is no bad thing. 16.5/20

Château Pichon-Lalande 2007: An appealing depth of fruit on the nose, slightly sandy at the edges, but the overall style is one of fresh, bright, lightly perfumed red fruits, with cedary overtones, elegant but convincing. The palate is rather cold and solid, than it relaxes a little in the middle, where it feels broad and lightly stony, with a supple but tense composition. Rather grippy and lightly chewy in the finish, features which certainly suggest some potential. Overall, elegant but with a solid and stony foundation. This will be very pretty with time I think. 16/20

Château Pontet-Canet 2007: The nose starts off with expressive fruit, but almost immediately this yields to a more complex set of aromas, and the nose becomes much harder to perceive. I think what is unusual about it is that the fruit character has a darker style than is found in some other wines, more like blackcurrant and damson, with a sweet and slightly lactic suggestion. There is also a rubbery reticence to it as well. The palate is surprisingly laid back and relaxed though, as I was expecting something more intense. It has that easy-going character at first, then in the middle showing more what I expected, fruit depth, defined but nevertheless showing substance, and with some good tannins coming in through the middle of it as well. This is certainly more convincing than many, and should show very well in the future. 16/20