Corney & Barrow 

Just south of Mouton-Rothschild, a first growth after all, we find Pontet-Canet, classified as a fifth growth in 1855. There are many inadequacies in the old classification and this is one such. Pontet-Canet probably warranted little more, at the time, as it had deteriorated over a number of years, yet the terroir is worth so much more. We have followed Pontet-Canet enthusiastically for a great many years. Alfred Tesseron runs the property with meticulous attention to detail, never becoming complacent and always trying to improve quality. Every year he has something new to show us – most recently the comeback of horses to work the, now biodynamic, vineyard. The quality of Pontet-Canet is outstanding in its class.

Somewhat incongruously sited, the cellars of Grand Puy Ducasse lie on the quai in the centre of Pauillac, with vineyards dotted around the commune – excellent value Pauillac and a perennial favourite at Corney & Barrow.

After the town, we come upon the Bages plateau, home to Lynches-Bages. No expense was spared in turning this property around and it consistently produces great crowd pleasers. Xavier Borie is now in sole charge of two of the Borie family properties, Châteaux Haut-Batailley and Grand-Puy-Lacoste. These are two properties on the up and up and, with Xavier’s undivided attention and his planned investment, we are already seeing great things.

The two Pichon properties appear to glare at one another across the main road south. Both are making very fine wines each vintage, eager to be pronounced the better of the two.

Finally, sweeping down towards the river, on very deep gravel is the haloed ground of Château Latour. Frédéric Engerer, the dynamic and enthusiastic president, has transformed practices in both the vineyard and the cellar, so that Latour is perhaps the most consistently great first growth.