More proof that St-Julien was making quality wines this year. This one majors on rich fruit extraction, layered over with a heavy dose of tannins that retract their claws just at the right moment. Expect big shoulders and long ageing potential. Goes long on liquorice, vanilla bean, dark bitter chocolate, again touch of bitterness on the finish that brings it all together. Good, big and beautiful. (Drink between 2019-2032)

This vintage always benefits in a vertical from coming after the 2013, but no question that this is a excellent wine with dark fleshy fruits and slate-textured tannins. Confident powerful, nuanced, rich, balanced. A signature St Julien vintage, with smoked cigar box from the opening notes, balanced but expands and rises from the mid palate onwards. 50% new oak.

Sweet, moderately oaky nose with much chocolate and a hint of something vegetal in the background from the cab. Generous ripe fruit and some lovely warm dry tannins behind it. Already very harmonious on the rather long finish. Give it a couple of years to come together.

The 2014 Saint-Pierre 2014 was one of the surprises of the Saint Julien appellation, a wine that has blossomed throughout its élevage and in bottle to the point where it has overtaken its stablemate, the 2014 Château Gloria. It has a more floral bouquet: vibrant and energetic with fine mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied, a silver bead of acidity, energetic and intense with tobacco and graphite on the finish. For me, the Saint-Pierre has the upper hand this year and it should give two decade's worth of drinking pleasure. - Neal Martin