Bordeaux 2013 – Pauillac

59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Pure black cassis fruit, light style on the palate. Slightly simple on the mid palate, though the spiciness is very charming on the finish. Correct balance, easy drinking – especially for Pauillac. (RH)

Sweet fruit, but with a very slight herbal edge to give a savoury twist. Dry, furry texture, but plenty of refreshing acidity to balance. Nicely made – not too ambitious, but offers lots of drinking pleasure. (RH)

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère. Rich, juicy black fruit – very modern and smooth. Light, plasticine tannins, soft and easygoing. The tannins outweigh the body slightly. (RH)

Milk chocolate, blackcurrant, firm but spherical tannins. Toasted and smoky on the finish. Bright acidity. (RH)

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. Glossy cabernet fruit, and a tell-tale hint of greenness. Fine but grippy tannins on the finish. Slightly medicinal on the finish. Has an attractive structure, though not huge concentration. (RH)

Sweet, spicy oak that rather overwhelms the fruit. Abrasive tannins too. Rather too worked and full-on. (RH)

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Aniseed and fennel. Lots of liquorice. Lovely black fruit on the mid palate. Savoury, with classic Pauillac cedar and sandalwood. Attractively bitter notes on the finish. Fully ripe, good length, soft tannins. (RH)

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. Vibrant purple. Compact, tight nose, but superbly supple on the palate – sieved tannins, milk chocolate, just a little bit light on the finish. Very attractive and sensitively made – very powerful, very Pauillac. (RH)

Menthol and blackcurrant nose – very pleasant and fragrant. Just enough chew to give definition without intruding on the palate. Attractive, minty finish. (RH)

76% Cabernet Sauvignon 24% Merlot. Ripe, juicy cassis, sappy oak but well integrated. Finely ground tannin that really grips the finish. Fine, traditional Pauillac, with lovely balance and good persistence. (RH)

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Impressive, wonderfully toned cassis and cedar. Softest tannins, and very light body. I expect it will develop quite nicely in the short to medium term, but it doesn’t have the strength to last into old age. (RH)

98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot. Closed nose. Bold black fruit on the palate, moderate tannins on the mid palate that become pretty strong on the length. This is very classic Pauillac with excellent fruit clarity – but in the context of the price and provenance, it’s clear that 2013 is a levelling vintage. (RH)

Reductive on the nose, giving a strong sulphidic impression. Firm tannins, ripe fruit, light body. Dry, smooth. (RH)

Fruity and juicy and quite chunky on the palate. Moderate concentration, very savoury. Pretty unyielding – typically Pauillac, perhaps. (RH)

Sumptuous, gorgeous fruit on the nose – really a big step up from the Forts, this year. Fine but very persistent tannins. Has great fruit and intensity, but stops short of widescreen greatness. (RH)

Cassis, chocolate, fine-grained tannins that are pretty jaw-clampingly potent on the finish. Very traditionally moulded. Needs lots of time to resolve – yet doesn’t have the body for very long life. (RH)

Blackcurrant, tomato stalk, cedar and tobacco – couldn’t be more classic in terms of flavour profile. Pert tannins with good acidity. Masterful, clever winemaking. Encapsulates tradition, and masters a tricky vintage. Very good. (RH)

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot. Grand cassis scent – lovely purity. Incredibly soft tannins – far more accessible than you’d ever expect for young Pauillac. A little toastiness to finish. Absolutely ready to drink now, and offers a lovely classic savoury claret experience with plenty of bright fruit. (RH)

89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Sweet, ripe fruit. Finely tuned balance with very gentle tannins. Surprisingly gentle. They match the light body, however, and make it approachable in youth. Straightforward, fruity and digestible – though there is a length and concentration that suggests grander development awaits. (RH)

Very deep, dramatic purple. Lots of floral, violet scent. Black cherry fruit, fine but prominent tannins. Smooth and sumptuous – but short too. (RH)

52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot. 50% new oak. Tiniest hint of reduction, then rather luscious and succulent fruit that slides over the palate. Lovely soy note. Some toastiness to finish. (RH)

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot. Gorgeous cassis scent, beautiful weight – light but not thin or dilute – has an elegance that fits with the ripe fruit and feathery tannins really well. Really attractive and sophisticated. (RH)

100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackcurrant, herbs, lovely tannic softness. Not a hint of bitterness. Weightless, yet substantial. Excellent, lively, entrancing wine. (RH)

63% Merlot, 30% Cabernet sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot. 30% new oak. Little bit of reductive rubberiness. Quite light tannin, considering the appellation. Gentle, tip-toe balance and just slightly light on the finish. (RH)

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot. Ripe cherry, dry and tender with a light body and pretty chalky tannin. Much firmer than the Comtesse. Needs plenty of time, I suspect – unusually for 2013s. (RH)

40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. Mushy red fruit that reminds me of great Pinot. Fantastic sweet vanilla oak and really broad, brooding nose. The palate doesn’t quite match the nose for complexity – but that may well come, and the balance is really accomplished – supple tannins, medium body, high, integrated acid. But it’s the nose that really distinguishes this wine. Tremendous. (RH)