Chateau Saint Pierre Saint-Julien 2014 750ml 93 pts Vinous

Founded in the 17th Century, this 4th Grand Cru Classé was broken up and scattered as a result of several inheritances. In 1982, through a combination of luck and persistence, Henri Martin managed to re-form the estate as it was known in 1855, the year of the famous classification. Since then, thanks to the owners’ commitment, Saint-Pierre has become universally known as a perfect representative of the Saint-Julien Grands Crus Classés.

Wine Spectator 92 points The fresh blackberry coulis and plum paste notes are laced with a dried star anise edge. Shows a hint of graphite on the finish.Wine Enthusiast 93 points Oak notes dominate this in wine, with spice, toast and vanilla tones hovering over fruit. There is a sense of over extraction that is luckily mitigated by lively acidity. It needs time to balance out. Range: 91-93Wine Advocate 92 points 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.James Suckling 92 points Pretty depth of fruit with firm and silky tannins. Full body, bright acidity and a clean finish. Chewy finish. Vinous 93 points The 2014 Saint-Pierre has the most fruit-driven bouquet of the flight of Saint Julien wines with copious red cherries, boysenberry and fig-like scents. It certainly is the one with the immediate appeal rather than intrinsic complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, quite solid tannin that provide good backbone to support the weight of fruit. There is a lot of extraction here but everything remains nicely proportioned and there is more than enough freshness towards the finish. This should not be under-estimated and it will provide long-term drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. -- Neal Martin