Suckling hails ‘superb’ 2010 vintage

Wine critic James Suckling has awarded 11 100 pointers in his review of the 2010 Bordeaux vintage as its release date nears.

Is the 2010 the best ever?

With fellow critic Robert Parker slated to release his scores in the spring, Suckling a veritable brace of 100 pointers for the widely lauded vintage – only nine were given to the 2009s.

In addition, three wines were given 99 points and nine 98 points.

The 100 pointers were: Cheval Blanc; Latour; Margaux; Vieux Château Certan; Lafleur; Le Pin; Mission Haut-Brion; Mouton Rothschild; Pétrus; Ducru Beaucaillou and Pontet Canet.

Angélus, Léoville-Las-Cases and Lafite were the 99 pointers while the 98s included Figeac, Palmer, Ausone, l’Eglise Clinet and Rauzan-Ségla.

The 100-point wines reveal a fairly even split between Left and Right Banks but Suckling was particularly effusive in his praise for Cheval Blanc, which he dubbed, “truly one of the greatest Chevals ever.”

What Parker will make of the vintage now is still guesswork. In 2011 he praised the vintage but was sparing with his points – unlike the 2009s.

He called the year “compelling” and gave 10 estates 100-point potential although a number of the 2009 high-rollers were not among them – notably Margaux which was a controversial decision considering the praise it garnered elsewhere.