Bravo again to François Despagne for this year’s Château Grand Corbin Despagne which is a Saint Emilion which just tastes real, remarkably unforced, and unites the English palates: “Good juice and flow, it tastes like real wine” L&S, “Proper wine!” Jancis Robinson, “very pure and precise” Neal Martin, “Splendid wine with extra depth and purity of fruit” James Lawther (Decanter). It is offered at the same price as last year, and comes recommended.
Château du Tertre is possibly slightly pushing its luck – it is no better than the 2009 (but probably very close in quality), but offered around 11% more than last year. But it’s hard to find a Cru Classé Margaux for less, and it offers solid value in a big, round, slightly sweet and smudgy style.
Of the other wines offered here, Lacoste Borie offers a bright and well, defined, crunchy-fruited, well made and yummy second wine, and a price I just wish were a little lower, and Senéjac, which we are offering rather late in the day, seems to promise good value if you want to buy at this level – which in my view means having somewhere to put it when it arrives, as it is not worth paying storage at this price. The excitement around this wine stems from the association with the names of Alfred Tesseron (of Pontet Canet) who is looking after this property now. Monbrison is a wine I traditionally offer, but I must admit to having been marginally underwhelmed by my one tasting of the 2010, which seemed thicker and less aromatically precise than some earlier vintages. As before click any wine name if you want to read some other views which may give a rounder picture. Nairac is down a long way form its 2009 price, but I’d still rather have Doisy Daëne