BORDEAUX VS. CHINA
JAMES SUCKLING RANKS THE 12 WINES ON THE DAY OF THE BLIND TASTING
CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC 2015
Score: 99
Firm and powerful with blackberries, blueberries, currants and wet earth. Full-bodied, yet tight and angular with very pretty fruit and brightness. Really racy and super, and set for a long, long life. Better after 2025.
AO YUN SHANGRI-LA 2015
Score: 96
Currants and sweet berries. Tobacco and hints of cedar. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins and chocolate, tobacco and cedar at the end. The quality of the tannins is absolutely excellent. Long and driven. Give this time, but so beautiful already. Drink or hold.
CHÂTEAU PICHON-LONGUEVILLE BARON PAUILLAC 2015
Score: 95
Blackberries, sweet tobacco, incense and currants. Aromatic. Medium to full body and firm, sleek tannins. Racy and refined. Shows lovely balance and finesse. Pretty now, but needs another three or four years of bottle age. Try from 2023.
CHÂTEAU CANTENAC BROWN MARGAUX 2015
Score: 94
The blueberries, blackberries and fresh violets come through nicely on the nose. Full body with round, juicy tannins. Hints of vanilla. Lots of ripe fruit. A little tight now. Try after 2022.
CHÂTEAU PHÉLAN SÉGUR ST.-ESTÈPHE 2015 Score: 94
A beautifully perfumed young red with blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate. Some sweet tobacco. It is medium-to full-bodied with a very balanced and refined palate, showing focus and tightness. This needs time to open. Try after 2023.
KANAAN WINERY NINGXIA HELAN MOUNTAINS EAST FOOTHILLS CRAZY FANG 2013
Score: 94
Aromas of currants and berries with fresh herbs and tobacco. Perfumed. A pretty red with currant, sweet-tobacco and spice flavours. It’s long and racy. Beautiful focus and persistence. Excellent wine. Drink or hold.
CHÂTEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE LALANDE PAUILLAC 2013
Score: 93
Ripe berries and prunes with some tobacco and vanilla character. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savoury finish. Very drinkable now. Drink or hold.
JADE VINEYARD NINGXIA HELAN MOUNTAINS EAST FOOTHILLS ARIA RESERVE 2015
Score: 93
Beautiful tobacco with sweet berries and cherries. Hints of spice and chocolate. Full-bodied with ripe, velvety fruit and a long, balanced finish. Some stewed fruit. Shows ripeness with balanced, polished tannins. Impressive length.
Drink after 2022.
SILVER HEIGHTS NINGXIA HELAN MOUNTAINS EAST FOOTHILLS EMMA'S RESERVE 2015
Score: 93
Aromas of tobacco, cedar and currants with a medium body, soft and silky tannins and beautiful fruit at the finish. Needs time to open, but very attractive already. Drink or hold.
GRACE VINEYARD SHANXI CHAIRMAN'S RESERVE 2013
Score: 92
Lots of chocolate, stone, sweet tobacco, walnuts and ripe berries. Slightly stewed. Full-bodied, round tannins and a juicy finish. Extremely long and flavourful. So drinkable now.
CHÂTEAU LAFON-ROCHET ST.-ESTÈPHE 2013
Score: 89
Blackberries, fresh wood, violets and sandalwood. Floral and aromatic. Some chocolate and hazelnut undertones. Medium to full body and dry tannins. This is drying out a bit. Slightly too much wood. Needs drinking.
HELAN QINGXUE VINEYARD NINGXIA HELAN MOUNTAINS EAST FOOTHILLS JIABEILAN RESERVE 2015
Score: 87
Stewed fruit on the palate with prunes and green wood. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins and a savoury finish. Funky. This is disappointing. Bad bottle? Drink now.
PORSCHE X PORSCHE DESIGN
Channelling the spirit of the Golden Age is the colour of the Porsche 911 Targa 4S Heritage Edition in Cherry Metallic, which echoes the popular dark red exteriors of cars in the 1950s, as well as the intense red favoured by the marque for its manuals, workshop letterings and even dealership décor of that era. This tribute model also revives another vintage fashion mainstay – the tactile corduroy fabric, which was used to trim the seat centre and door panels of the Porsche 356 from 1952 onwards. If these styling features are already bringing back fond memories of the Porsches of yesteryear, you’ll be happy to know that more Heritage Design models will be unveiled, and they will showcase other historic fabrics such as pepita, pasha and tartan. Also only available to owners of this ride is a new, eponymous Porsche Design 42mm Cosc-certified chronograph watch in polished titanium, with a Bordeaux Red strap made of the same leather used in the car.