Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Contrary to popular opinion, there is no favouritism in château tastings such as this one; on the contrary, we are freer than ever to be critical. But this wine, sampled at the château under the (discreet) eye of the owners, did genuinely prove to be flawless. The 2004 Beaucaillou is a towering triumph, capturing with near-holographic precision the true nobility of Cabernet grapes grown in ideal surroundings. Behind those pristine cedar aromas lies a sappy density not seen in this cru since 1970, and probably even more impressive this year than then. A jewel of a wine, made in the same mould as the Lafite or the Léoville-Las-Cases. 18.5

Margaret Rand: Serious and spicy, with concentrated, roasted fruit and great elegance through to an impressive finish. Will be super. 19

Michael Schuster: Black red. Dense nose of ripe, blackcurrant Cabernet fruit and minerals. Very nicely balanced, fresh, concentrated middleweight with a firm tannin. Long, elegant and even, an aromatic, close-grained, fine St-Julien: crisp, complex, restrained, complete and with lovely mineral length. Finer, if less concentrated, than Barton, not up to Las-Cases. Very good, fairly long term. 16.5