2007 St Julien Wines & Tasting Notes

The Berrys' Fine Wine team are in Bordeaux sending back regular, comprehensive reviews on the 2007 vintage. The tasting notes below highlight some of the stand-out wines from St Julien.

Berrys' Points
Wines are scored out of 20. Berrys' points are given regardless of price, value and reputation, and are in absolute terms rather than relative to the vintage.

Drink Dates
By definition these are estimated drink dates only based on our experience of how the wines age. As some of the wines mature these drink dates may not turn out to be different from those originally stated.

With more than a hint of the Godfather about him, owner Jean-Hubert Delon is a man of extremely high standards but he is rightly pleased with this outstanding Clos du Marquis. Easily of Classed Growth quality, its pure, crunchy blackcurrant and dark chocolate nose is followed by an elegant, minerally blackberry and coffee palate with finely textured tannins and a rich, polished finish. Made with more Cabernet Sauvignon than last year (58%) this is very close to the magnificent 2006 and as good as the 2005, which is not something you can say of many wines this year. Excellent value.
BBR Score 16/20 Drink 2012-2020

This is another estate very much on the up with Director Jean-Pierre Marty continuing to coax wonderfully enjoyable and classic St Julien wine from this much-loved estate. Made in a sleek, seductive style, its creamy blackberry and cassis nose is a hint of the rich, generous fruit to follow. It has an impressive cedar, coffee and vanilla complexity with the velvety tannins revealing themselves on the long intense finish. Made from 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, this Talbot will make for deliciously hedonistic early drinking.
BBR Score 15/20 Drink 2010-2017

Thankfully for Claret lovers, Ch. Lagrange continues (for now!) to be underpriced given the excellent quality of its wines. As this fine, highly attractive 2007 convincingly illustrates, the investment from owners the Suntory Group has paid off handsomely. With finesse and harmony sitting happily alongside St Julien polish, the 2007 contains more Cabernet Sauvignon (68%) than any Lagrange since the 2000. The result is extremely impressive with a serious morello cherry nose leading on to a rich heady palate with creamy blackberry, strawberry and plum fruit, silky tannins and bags of personality. An enticing 2007 well worth snapping up.
BBR Score 15.5/20 Drink 2012-2020

With its stunning château and Versailles-like vista stretching to the Gironde, Beychevelle has produced a stylish 2007 that perfectly matches its surroundings. It is incredibly harmonious and elegant while the seductive, velvety texture merely adds to its appeal. The honest, affable Philippe Blanc has produced an extremely attractive 2007 with a rich, dried fruit nose, a creamy palate with generous blackberries, coffee and exotic spice and a long damson finish. Surprisingly concentrated for 2007 this will be delicious after five years but will age as gracefully as always.
BBR Score 15.75/20 Drink 2013-2022

"Serious, savoury nose. Real lift. A refreshing drink! Some light tannins are pretty chewy but not green. Not a big wine but a well balanced one."
Jancis Robinson: 16.5/20
Drink: 2012-2017

The Bartons never make a bad wine; they always offer outstanding value and also have a knack of producing gorgeous wines in slightly off vintages. This may make life a tad predictable but it certainly explains why Langoa-Barton rightly flies out the door year in, year out. Made from almost 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, their 2007 is a particularly good edition with lovely pure plums and damsons on the nose and surprisingly refined, fresh, creamy raspberries and cassis on the palate. There is surprising weight, grip and focus although a fleshy structure will ensure highly pleasurable early drinking. BBR Score 15/20 Drink 2013-2020

"Very dark crimson. Sweet blackberries on the nose – much riper than most. Very flashy! Tastes like Rolland style even if I can’t immediately think of a St-Julien where Rolland consults. Blind, this didn’t taste like a wine from the Barton stable to me…, although it was certainly much more luscious than the Léoville Barton."
Jancis Robinson: 16/20
Drink: 2011-2015

The wine of choice for the Bordeaux cognoscenti, Patrick Maroteau's stunning wine is close to the quality of the First Growths in 2007. With the same (albeit much riper) tannins as the 1996, Patrick ranks this as the 5th or 6th best Branaire of the last 15 years. The rich, fresh, almost porty nose of spicy damsons and blackberries simply oozes class while the precise, creamy cassis palate is as sleek and balanced as anything we have tasted. Fine grained tannins add structure while a long, pure black fruit, coffee and bitter chocolate finish is the icing on the cake.
BBR Score 17/20 Drink 2015-2030

"Very dark crimson. Sweet blackberries on the nose - much riper than most. Very flashy! Tastes like Rolland style even if I can't immediately think of a St-Julien where Rolland consults. Blind, this didn't taste like a wine from the Barton stable to me…, although it was certainly much more luscious than the Léoville Barton."
Jancis Robinson: 16/20
Drink: 2011-2015

As ever, the urbane Antony Barton is the voice of reason in 2007: prices must come down but we should not forget that 2007 has yielded some very good wines. His Léoville-Barton is convincing proof of that! More feminine than usual with lovely charm and finesse, this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated (70%) wine has harmonious, focused black cherry and blackberry fruit supported by firm but supple tannins and an impressive minerality. Creamy and restrained it has the cedar and leather notes of great St Julien. Like a finely tailored bespoke suit, this Léoville-Barton is perfectly judged and as classy as ever.
BBR Score 16.25/20 Drink 2015-2025

Manager David Launay's ever-impressive Gruaud has punched well above its weight in 2007. It is quite simply one of the most sumptuous, upfront, early-drinking Gruauds we have ever tasted. The intensely rich, pure, fresh nose is followed by generous, creamy, raspberry and blackcurrant fruit that seduces the senses while cedar and licorice add complexity. Without even a hint of the astringency that is apparent in many 2007s, this is as good as some wines double the price, and certainly more enjoyable. A must-have 2007.
BBR Score 16.5/20 Drink 2010-2018

"Dark crimson. Serious nose (Julia found the meatiness almost brett-y) and quite gentle black fruits on the palate. Pretty dry finish after rather a sweet start. A fruity core."
Jancis Robinson: 16/20
Drink: 2012-2016

Helped by a 98 point Parker rating for its 2003, Léoville-Poyferré is finally getting the credit it deserves. Didier Cuvelier calls 2007 a great restaurant vintage - like 1999 but better made - but this feels like excessive modesty for a wine of this class. Intensely concentrated, minerally and stylish, it is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. A serious, fragrant nose leads on to a precise, complex palate with finely tuned, supple tannins, generous blackberry and kirsch fruit and mocha and leather hints. This is another great success from the most underrated member of the Léoville clan.
BBR Score 17/20 Drink 2014-2025

"Pretty high volatility. Light, slightly powdery nose. Light fruit and a bit chewy and astringent on the finish. Sweetness on the front palate - far from classic dry claret! Slightly pinched finish but quite elegant - the right approach for the vintage."
Jancis Robinson: 16/20
Drink: 2011-2016

This beautifully poised Ducru is as modern and seductively fruity as ever but displays a purer more intellectual edge in 2007 that reveals the estate's enormous potential. Ruthless work in the vineyard was the key to Ducru's success, with extensive green and pink harvesting throughout the year. Made from far more Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) than usual, its enticing nose of black cherries, eucalyptus and mocha is followed by exuberant, fresh, brambly spice, rich raspberries, vanilla and cedar all wrapped in a lovely polished structure. This is a classy, impeccably balanced Ducru well worthy of its glorious heritage.
BBR Score 17/20 Drink 2015-2030

"Pretty dark, opulent crimson. Scented. Rather compact. Inky and savoury and there's a recognisable relationship with the grand vin in other vintages. Good! Appetising - I think that's the first time I have written that about the 07s. Quite interesting rather than super sweet. Fleshy. Good dust! Long and well balanced."
Jancis Robinson: 17/20
Drink: 2012-2020

Owner Jean-Hubert Delon has described Las Cases as `a First Growth for wine drinkers' and his 2007 has lived up royally to its billing. Arguably the best wine in the Médoc (yes, including the First Growths) its concentration, fleshiness and complexity are atypical for the vintage. Restrained blackcurrant, vanilla, minerals and coffee on the nose act as an amuse bouche for the multi-layered, incredibly elegant palate of intense cassis, dark chocolate and very, very fine tannins. Nipping at the heels of its 2005 and 2006, this seamless, focused Las Cases is, for 2007, nothing short of a masterpiece.
BBR Score 18/20 Drink 2015-2035

"Mid crimson. Tingly fruit. 15% press wine, as in 1995. Good energy. Cuts off quite suddenly after a rich, sweet start. So soft with flattering black fruits on the front palate and then tough and tarry on the finish. A bit toughened up. Not fine or gentle. Very tough compared with the Clos du Marquis. Not in the spirit of the vintage but certainly in the spirit of Las Cases. An interesting comparison with that other wine which usually has no shortage of tannin, Ch Latour."
Jancis Robinson: 16.5/20
Drink: 2014-2020

• Connétable Talbot
• Croix de Beaucaillou
• Lalande Borie
• Ch. Moulin Riche
• Sarget de Gruaud Larose

For further information on these and other St Julien wines please contact us.