Bordeaux 2010 - Saint-Estèphe

With only five of the Medoc's 62 crus classés, Saint-Estèphe might be seen as less able to compete for attention, but it is the variety of styles allied to a certain robust solidity from the more clayey soils that makes it a sure bet, and one that became even more sure in 2010. Plantings of Merlot have increased, yet when their Cabernet ripens to perfection, it is this that dominates the blend. A natural richness leads to wines opening up earlier than the Pauillacs, but their structure gives them equal potential for ageing. By Steven Spurrier