Pauillac

Three out of the five 1855 classification first growths are located in Pauillac, with the wines having a combination of fruit, oak, cigar-box, with some sweetness and most importantly vigor. There are gravel mounds or croupes in the commune which are relatively high in the Medoc area, but in fact only reaching about 30 metres.

The town is the biggest in Medoc, but there are not that many activities. The vineyards are less divided compared with the other communes, with many estates owning a whole slope, mound or plateau. As a result there are more variations derived from terroir.

The three most famous wines are all quite different, with Lafite Rothschild and Latour on the opposite ends of the parish, the first almost in St-Estephe and the other almost in St-Julien. But their styles are quite on the opposite, with Lafite more on smoothness and finesse of a St-Julien, while Latour more the emphatic firmness of St-Estephe.

Lafite is also one of the biggest vineyards in the Medoc at 100 hectares, making about 700 barrels of its top wine, with even more of its second label Carruades being made.

Latour is firmer and more solid, with the merit of consistency even at poor vintage, with its second wine Les Forts de Latour considered and priced as a second growth. Mouton Rothschild is strong, dark, full of flavor of ripe blackcurrants, with the little museum of works of art connected with wine, making it the showpiece of the whole Medoc.

Cabernet Sauvignon has been the main variety grown in the area, but in fact it has a history of only 150 years, with even the first growths established with a mixture of other varieties before that, most notably Malbec. However, Cabernet Sauvignon is slow to mature, often taking 10 or even 20 years to reach the peak and perfection, but many were drunk too young.

The southern approach to Pauillac is flanked by two rival second growths of the historic Pichon estate, with Pichon-Lalande traditionally had the better reputation but now Pichon-Longueville is catching up. Lynch-Bages, even though ‘only’ a fifth growth, has been long-loved, particularly in Britain, for its richly spicy wine, similar to Mouton.

While Pontet-Canet, the biggest cru classe of all, is located adjacent to Mouton but producing a different style of tannic and reserved. Duhart-Milon belongs also to Lafite Rothschild, with d’Armailhac and Clerc Milon to Mouton, with all three benefiting from the wealth and technical knowledge of their owners and managers.

Batailley and the finer Haut-Batailley lie back from the river in the fringe of the woods. Grand-Puy-Lacoste is recently renovated, producing dependable wine, and also managed by Francois-Xavier Borie, whose brother Bruno runs Ducru-Beaucaillou in St-Julien.

Grand-Puy-Ducasse produces a firm, energetic wine, but unlike Lacoste which is one continuous vineyard on high ground, Ducasse is scattered over three separate parcels to the north and west of Pauillac. Haut-Bages-Liberal is located in St-Lambert, now under a new lease of life.

Lynch-Moussas, in conjunction with Batailley, is selling consistently good wine at modest prices. Croizet-Bages and Pedesclaux are fifth growths having serious competitions from four of the 2003 Crus Bourgeois Superieurs, including Colombier-Monpelou, Fonbadet, Haut-Bages Monpelou and Pibran.

A local co-operative under the name La Rose-Pauillac, is also making creditable wine but in diminishing quantities. On the west is St-Sauveur with no outstanding quality wine but respectable and useful Crus Bourgeois, like Liversan, Peyrabon, Bernadotte and Ramage la Batisse.

I have tasted the following Pauillac wines so far:

Chateau Batailley	2004
Chateau Clerc Milon	2004
Chateau Clerc Milon	2004
Chateau Cos Labory	2005
Chateau Croizet-Bages	2004
Chateau Croizet-Bages	2005
Chateau d'Armailhac	2004
Chateau Duhart-Milon	2002
Chateau Duhart Milon	2003
Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse	2003
Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse	2006
Chateau Haut-Bages Averous	2005
Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal	2004
Chateau Haut-Batailley	2004
Chateau Lynch Bages	2004
Chateau Lynch-Moussas	2004
Chateau Pedesclaux	2005
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron	2004
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtessede Lalande	2002
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtessede Lalande	2003
Hauts de Pontet-Canet	2005
Moulin de Duhart	2007
Reserve de la Comtesse de Lalande	2006