2023 Futures
To find out about the week's releases, go to our Latest News page.
You can also sort all the wines in our selection by release date.
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Second wine of Talbot, creamy and quickly accessible.
Martin : 87-89/100 « The 2023 Connetable Talbot contains some Petit Verdot in the blend, as two plots were deselected from the Grand Vin. It has a well-defined bouquet, predominantly black fruit laced with tabacco and touches of sous-bois. There is a sorbet-like freshness here. The palate is medium-bodied with a crunchy entry. Alinear and nicely focused Connetable in the making, this shows a little more depth on the finish compared to recent vintages. Fine. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13,16%
- Blend:
- 56 % Merlot, 41 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 % Petit Verdot
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Second wine of Gruaud-Larose. In a rather powerful and tight register, Sarget is a serious and convincing Saint-Julien, with substance, at its best after 5 to 7 years of ageing.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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Named Château Lalande-Borie until 2017, Le Petit Ducru is made from plots of great classified growths. A fine and distinguished Saint-Julien, in the spirit of Ducru-Beaucaillou.
Galloni : 89-91/100 « The 2023 Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou is packed with blackberry, chocolate, licorice, cloves and menthol. A wine of substance and textural richness, Le Petit Ducru shows the more opulent side of a year marked with late-season heat, also revealing some stylistic choices by way of its bombastic personality. This Saint-Julien is certainly not shy. »
Martin : 90-92/100 « The 2023 Le Petit Ducru de Ducru Beaucaillou has a seductive bouquet with pure red fruit, incense and light cedar scents, just a slight minty element emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit and fine structure. There's a dash of black pepper and more fruit concentration on the finish than the Madame de Beaucaillou. Very promising. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 72% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot
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The best cru bourgeois of Saint-Julien (it could easily have been classified in 1855), kept by the Saint-Pierre team, even owner, and in very good shape in the last vintages. The Médoc's best value par excellence.
Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Le cru signe encore une belle réussite, avec une belle mise en avant de son fruité légèrement acidulé et très juteux. Un ensemble de bel équilibre, à la fois digeste et persistant en finale. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Excellent fruit, très ouvert, très typé de son secteur, boisé presque insensible et vrai caractère saint-julien. »« Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, charnu au milieu et surtout très aromatique dans le dernier tiers du palais, le vin glisse, suave et gras vers une finale séveuse et charmante. C'est très bon. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Gloria is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Red-toned fruit, crushed flowers, white pepper and mocha are nicely dialed up. this super-classic Saint-Julien delivers the goods. Best of all, it should be a great value. »
Martin : 90-92/100 « It has a succinct bouquet with black cherries, red plum and pronounced floral aromas that emanate from the Petit Verdot. The palate is medium-bodied with bright blackberry and raspberry fruit, quite a minerally Gloria with a more linear, stricter finish than the 2022, as you would expect. There's also fine salinity here. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.3%
- Blend:
- 50% Cabernet sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet franc
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In the shadow of its older brother (Léoville-Barton), Langoa-Barton with a vineyard of barely 17 ha is the smallest and least known of the classified growths of Saint-Julien. Nevertheless, it offers the elegant and graceful fruitiness of Saint-Julien with a remarkable capacity for ageing. And a very reasonable price!
Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Ce cru réputé pour ses vins délicieux, soyeux et gourmand est au rendez-vous. Le 2023 offre une très jolie expression acidulée du fruit, un côté crémeux, des tanins tendres et une finale croquante. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « Bon corps, grain de tannin encore sur la réserve qu’il faudra revoir à la fin de l’élevage. »
Quarin : 92/100 « Délicat à l'attaque, savoureux au milieu, avec un corps tendre, le vin avance prudent dans la dernière partie du palais, où la finale reste réservée, mais sans marquer le tannin. »
Galloni: 91-93/100 « The 2023 Langoa Barton is packed with dark red cherry, plum, spice, cedar and tobacco. Over the last few years, an updated style of vinification in a new cellar has yielded a bit more mid-palate sweetness, pliancy and resonance than in the past. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but clearly, we have entered into an era of Langoa. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « The palate is medium- bodied with pliant tannins, a sorbet-fresh Langoa with a bright, almost pastille-like finish that lingers in the mouth. Very seductive and vivacious, I appreciate the nascent energy here. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 60 % Cabernet sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet franc
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Second wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou. As for the other wines made by Bruno Borie (Le Petit Ducru and Ducru-Beaucaillou), La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou has considerably progressed since 2003 to the point of becoming a direct rival of the 3rd/4th classified growths of St-Julien. Moreover, it now benefits from a contribution of vines purchased from Château Terrey-Gros-Cailloux.
Bettane & Desseauve : 93/100 « Très beau vin, parmi les plus complets de sa catégorie, avec cette fois le caractère cèdre que possède moins le grand vin. Ne pas hésiter. »
Galloni : 90-92/100 « The 2023 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou marries sophistication with the textural richness that is such a signature here. All the elements are so well balanced. Jammy dark red fruit, pomegranate, blood orange, spice and mocha infuse the 2023 with tons of nuance. Supple tannins wrap it all together. This Saint-Julien screams with character. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « The 2023 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou has a very perfumed and floral bouquet: plush red berry fruit, vanilla, cedar and blood orange, well-defined with deftly integrated new oak (60%). The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins that lend this La Croix a bit more backbone than recent vintages. It's very fresh; white pepper and thyme complement the bright red fruit, leading to an overtly peppery finish, with a touch of graphite on the aftertaste. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 58% Merlot Noir, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot
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Since its purchase by Mr. Maroteaux, Branaire-Ducru has made rapid progress, as did the construction of the new winery, which allows it to work only by gravity, without a pump that could "chew" the wines. Branaire-Ducru is the leader of the appellation's 3-4ème crus classés (Lagrange, Talbot, Beychevelle, Saint-Pierre) and certainly the finest of them.
Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le vin se montre solide, avec de la profondeur et une bonne définition. Belle qualité des tanins au grain fin. Un Branaire très expressif et racé. »
Quarin : 95/100 « C'est la révélation du millésime dans le Médoc. [...] Couleur intense, pourpre et belle. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Délicat à l'attaque, délicieux au milieu, avec un toucher fin et une texture qui prend du gras au fil des secondes, le vin monte et s'élève aromatiquement vers une finale juteuse, complexe et même profonde. Equilibre sans faille. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Branaire-Ducru offers up pretty notes of crushed red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice and mint. At this stage, the 2023 comes across as a bit light, even within the context of this property, where the wines are always laid back relative to neighboring estates. Perhaps the 2023 will flesh out over time. We will see. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « Lucid purple in color, it has a charming, very pure bouquet, perhaps less opulent than some of its Saint-Julien peers, yet precise. Delicate floral scents permeate the predominant red fruit, never bursting from the glass but unfurling with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy tannins that impart tension, veering slightly more to black fruit on the mid-palate. This is certainly one of the most elegant Branaire-Ducru vintages to date, but it has more weight on the finish. Understated and sapid, it should be open for business a little earlier than others. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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The most serious and regular of the great classified growths of Saint-Julien, and even of the Médoc. Whatever the vintage since 1986, Lagrange never disappoints, with a constancy and an accuracy that force respect!
Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre et pourpre. Nez intense, fruité, mûr et subtil. Touche de goudron. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin se développe velouté, vers une belle finale à la tannicité enveloppée. C'est du Lagrange et c'est très bon. »
Martin : 92-95/100 « The 2023 Lagrange is bright, punchy and full of character. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol, licorice and rose petal lend exuberance and freshness to this mid-weight Saint-Julien. Readers will find a wine of total class and sophistication. In a word: terrific. Tasted two times. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Saint-Pierre's obvious progress since 2003 now places it as a great rival to its peers in Saint-Julien, even surpassing them in depth of flesh. Magnificent in recent vintages, such as the 2019 rated 95/100 by the Revue des Vins de France "Great success" or the 2020 rated 96/100 "one of the most accomplished and refined ever".
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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Always black with ink, always deliciously fat and sweet, always St-Julien and above all always regular. Supervised by Mr. Derenoncourt since 2009, Talbot has gained in intensity and aromatic precision.
Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « L’échantillon était légèrement marqué par une petite prise de bois aux notes fumées. La matière est très belle, avec une texture fine, beaucoup de distinction et de raffinement. Nul doute qu’il se mettra en place. »
Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur intense et pourpre. Nez moyennement aromatique, au fruité mûr. Délicat en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, avec un toucher élégant, le vin évolue ascendant, savoureux et long, avec du goût, de la présence et des tannins fins. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Talbot is another strong wine for this re-emerging estate. Powerful, deep and impressively resonant, the 2023 is striking. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, lavender and dried herbs build over time. There's terrific depth and intensity here, with fine balance to match. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « Quite precise with blackberry, cedar and light pencil box scents, there is a Pauillac-like tincture here. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled, grainy tannins. It's overtly classic in style, albeit with more mid-weight depth compared to some vintages of Talbot. Displaying fine cohesion and sapidity, this fans out on the finish, with a deft touch of white pepper livening things up. This is a very promising Talbot, and I may actually prefer it to the previous vintage. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 77 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot
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Clos du Marquis is no longer the second wine of Léoville-Las Cases, but a wine in its own right produced on the parcels adjoining Léoville-Poyferré and Lagrange. In any case, his exemplary consistency for more than 30 years now commands respect.
Revue du Vin de France : 92-95/100 «D’un très grand classicisme, il offre beaucoup d’équilibre, avec un côté très frais dans le fruit et une belle définition de tanins. Un vin brillant, ciselé et salivant en finale. »
Quarin : 95/100 « Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. [...] Charnu en entrée de bouche et immédiatement captivant pour sa saveur de fruits noirs, légèrement replissée, le vin offre un déroulé noble et ascendant. Il s'achève complet, homogène, long et superbe. Une grande réussite du millésime. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Clos du Marquis might very well be the best Clos du Marquis I have ever tasted. A wine of freshness and verve, the 2023 is all nuance. Sweet red plum, blood orange, spice, flowers, mint and white pepper are all finely cut. The 2023 shows more vibrancy, less oak extraction and more refined tannins than in the past. It's a glorious wine in every way. This early tasting is hugely promising. Clos du Marquis could turn out to be one of the real surprises of 2023. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « It has a complex bouquet, comprising a mélange of red and black fruit, cedar and subtle touches of violet - very charming. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip. It's a little creamy in texture on the entry, but there is solid backbone and a saline finish. This is very promising. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc
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Even if their evolution always involves a period of austerity, Léoville-Barton wines have a supreme class and elegance, due as much to the advanced age of the vines as to meticulous work. Always praised by the critics, as in 2015 "fine, sapid and very long, lots of class on the palate, with a juicy side and superb texture", rated 97/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Ce 2023 est fantastique de définition et de puissance. La matière, tout en muscle, est éclatante, juteuse et les tanins sont parfaitement extraits. Mais c’est une fois encore la finale qui impressionne par son allonge et son éclat. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Excellent corps, boisé mieux intégré que dans les millésimes précédents, grâce à un travail intelligent sur l’origine des bois. La finale doit encore se fondre mais le vin a du style et même du panache. » « Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Fond de fleurs et de fruits noirs. Délicat en entrée de bouche, suave au milieu, avec un beau toucher, le vin fond au palais, juteux et raffiné. Finale à la saveur profonde et légèrement réglissée. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Léoville-Barton marries the classicism the château is so well-known for with an extra kick of textural intensity from the heat of the year. It's powerful, dark and serious, with compelling notes of black cherry, lavender, spice and blackberry. This is an especially dense, somber Léoville-Barton endowed with tremendous presence. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « A touch of dark chocolate infuses the black fruit, harmonious with a patina of new oak that will integrate with time. This is classic Léoville Barton from tip to toe, and whilst it does not match the imperious 2022, it is a very impressive follow-up due to its interwoven elegance. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 87% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet franc
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Emblematic cru of the Médoc by its architecture as well as by the delicacy of its wines, internationally sought-after. Beychevelle has taken another step up in finesse and aromatic precision with the commissioning in 2018 of its new vat room, and is now on first-name terms with the commune's second growths.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.33
- Blend:
- 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
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Of all the second classified growths in St-Julien, Gruaud-Larose is the most vigorous and massive in young wine. But, the magic of the terroir, it acquires softness and finesse if it is given time to age. Its quality/price ratio puts it ahead of the other second classified growths of St-Julien!
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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With the help of Michel Rolland, Léoville-Poyferré has gained in depth since 1993, voluptuousness of texture and ability to age. It is now approaching the quality of its prestigious neighbours in which it is landlocked: Léoville-Las Cases and Pichon-Lalande. The competition between the three Léoville is intense but Léoville-Poyferré now prevails with an easier, more voluptuous approach, and a superior quality/price/pleasure ratio.
Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le cru semble imprimer un petit virage stylistique, avec une recherche de finesse et non de puissance. Il en résulte un vin frais et très séduisant dans l’expression du fruit et dans la définition des tanins, moins extraits qu’à l’habitude. Une belle réussite. »
Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et complexe. Touche de fruits noirs, de réglisse et goudron. Charnu en entrée de bouche, charnu au milieu, avec de la classe dans le toucher et beaucoup de goût, le vin fond sur le palais. Il évolue opulent et aromatique, vers une longue finale séveuse et parfumée. Il y a du vin dans le verre et c'est superbe ! »
Galloni : 95-97/100 « The 2023 Léoville-Poyferré is positively stellar. Medium in body, vibrant and beautifully persistent, the 2023 is all class. It also signals a shift away from the richer (but equally successful) style favored here in the recent past, now moving toward an approach that favors more vibrancy. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, mocha and cedar infuse the 2023 with notable freshness and verve. The new Léoville-Poyferré is quite the stunner. Tasted two times. »
Martin : 95-97/100 « This has an intense bouquet with black cherries and iodine, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate opens with a medium body and pliant tannins, fleshy and ripe, dovetailing into a dense and multi- tiered mid-palate. Typical Poyferré in style, blood orange and light graphite notes are embroidered into the ripe black fruit, and there is noticeable glycerol on the finish.[...] This is a contender for the best Saint-Julien in show. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
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Since the arrival of Bruno Borie in 2003, Ducru-Beaucaillou has been flying from success to success. No one has forgotten that, until 1980, Ducru was the greatest of the Médoc's second growths, a position it is now regaining. Bravo !
Revue du Vin de France : 96-98/100 « Le côté voluptueux de Ducru est une fois encore la force de ce 2023 très spectaculaire. L’éclat de son fruit est remarquable ; sa salinité en finale, les notes de graphite signent une grande réussite. Comment résister au soyeux de ses tanins et à la finesse de son grain ? La grande classe. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Très puissant et intense, avec dans ce millésime de la force et de la profondeur dans le tannin qui en impose de manière magistrale, en attendant ses habituelles nuances de cèdre. Grand avenir. »
Galloni : 95-97/100 « The 2023 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a heady, sumptuous Saint-Julien. The aromatics alone are captivating. Truffle, rose petal, blood orange, pomegranate, spice and menthol build in a creamy, lavish Ducru. The 2023 is a classic Bruno Borie wine that emphasizes textural opulence. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous floral and spice-driven top notes. The balance of opulence and vibrancy is compelling. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry. Showing moderate depth, it's quite linear in style and grippy. A faint touch of bell pepper emerges on the classically styled finish that reminds me of some of the old vintages of Ducru-Beaucaillou. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot Noir
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Intended for very long ageing in the cellar (at least 10 years even in small vintages), the wines of Léoville-Las Cases represent in each vintage one of the most perfect and purest expressions of the Médoc vineyard. As Wine Advocate has written, "Léoville-Las Cases looks more and more like Lafite rather than its close neighbour Latour".
Every vintage, Léoville-Las Cases is one of the contenders for the title of "best Bordeaux of the year", as once again with its 2020, rated 98+/100 by M. Galloni "Las Cases is one of the wines of the 2020 vintage, there is no doubt about that" and 99-100/100 by the Revue du Vin de France "a superlative wine for its depth, richness, but above all its definition".
Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Composé à 96 % de cabernets, ce 2023 est fantastique de définition et de puissance. La matière, tout en muscle, est éclatante, juteuse et les tanins sont parfaitement extraits. Mais c’est une fois encore la finale qui impressionne par son allonge et son éclat. »
Quarin : 97/100 « Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Plus floral que d'habitude. [...] Ample à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche et complexe dans ses arômes, le vin prend ses aises. Puis il subjugue éclatant de fruits, caressant, en nous offrant une grande finale séveuse et profonde, au grain de tannin fin. »
Galloni : 94-97/100 « The 2023 Léoville Las Cases is a wine of understatement and class. [...] It's a rather intellectual Las Cases, a wine with tremendous potential, but also a wine that is quite reserved at this early stage. Time in the glass brings out hints of blueberry, graphite, spice and mocha. It will be interesting to see where this goes. »
Martin : 95-97/100 « This has a very precise bouquet, and, like the Clos du Marquis, it is imbued with an attractive estuarine element- aromatics that transport the imbiber to the banks of the Gironde. [...] This is a more linear Las-Cases than recent vintages, conveying a sense of "seriousness" toward the almost saturnine finish. Impressive in terms of persistence, this is a worthy follow-up to the magnificent 2022, but it will demand patience. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.10%
- Blend:
- 86% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Cabernet franc, 4% Merlot
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Second wine of Grand-Puy Lacoste. Fruity, tender, silky, and always elegant. A classic at a reasonable price.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Ideally located on the Mouton plateau, next to prestigious crus classés such as d'Armailhac, Clerc-Milon and Pontet-Canet, Pibran is owned by the insurance company AXA and benefits from the expertise of the technical team of Pichon-Baron (same owner). There are only a few unclassified wines left in Pauillac, and Pibran is by far the best of them!
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.1%
- Blend:
- 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot
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New denomination of the second wine of Pichon-Baron from the 2012 vintage, undoubtedly at the level of the 5th growths of Pauillac.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.2%
- Blend:
- 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
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Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
Galloni : 94-96/100 « The 2023 Haut-Bages Libéral is fabulous. Deep, layered and exquisitely beautiful, the 2023 bristles with tension. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, leather, menthol and licorice grace a wine of depth, richness and sensuality. It's a terrific effort from proprietor Claire Villars-Lurton. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « The nose was quite backward when I tasted it, though Claire Villars-Lurton commented that it had just closed down the week that I visited. It will be more open once in bottle. The palate is more indicative: clean, fresh, linear and nicely focused, with more grip than the Ferrière. Touches of graphite linger on the finish. This is very classically styled, and there is nothing wrong with that-a wine for Pauillac purists and those seeking wines with less sulfites. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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Since 2009 and the acquisition by Mr. Lorenzetti, we can talk about a new vintage wine classified in Pauillac. Unworthy of his ranking, Pédesclaux had until then disappeared from the Bordeaux scene. The ambition and resources of the new owner are there: complete overhaul of the installations, acquisition of new plots of land ideally located. The first vintages offer the image of a supple and easily accessible Pauillac, at a price that defies all competition in the appellation.
Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « La proportion des cabernets dans le grand vin est historique en 2023 (80 %), ce qui lui convient à merveille. Il délivre un beau nez de fruits rouges écrasés. On retrouve ces notes en bouche, avec un côté acidulé, très “cabernet” dans sa structure, mêlant tension, précision et grande longueur. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Le vin le plus équilibré et le plus harmonieux des dernières années, avec un côté floral élégant qui le rapproche dans ce millésime du style des pauillacs sur la finesse et la sève. »
Quarin : 94/100 « Belle couleur sombre, très unie. Nez intense, fin et subtil. Touches raffinées d'encre et de bois blond. Délicat. Minutieux en entrée de bouche et de suite tramé, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin glisse, fond, résiste à la palpation. Il s'achève sur une longue finale savoureuse dont le gras laisse augurer d'un bel avenir après l'élevage. Une réussite. »
Galloni : 92-94/100 « The 2023 Pedesclaux is one of the best wines I have tasted here in some time, maybe ever. It offers a striking mix of ripe dark fruit and bright acids. My impression is that the extractions are less pushed, which really seems to emphasize vibrancy in the fruit. The 10% Cabernet Franc really lifts the aromatics, but it's the wine's balance and energy that I admire most. Terrific. »
Martin : 89-91/100 « The 2023 Pédesclaux has a comparatively opulent bouquet with perfumed black cherries, violet petals and a hint of licorice. I would like a little more Pauillac DNA to be articulated on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, quite peppery on the entry, with modest depth. Salted licorice and graphite notes emerge toward what feels like a more structured finish. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13,3%
- Blend:
- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
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The arrival of Mr. Dhalluin in 2004 not only benefited Mouton-Rothschild, but also the two other classified growths of Barony: d'Armailhac and Clerc-Milon. Their vines occupy the southern (d'Armailhac) and northern (Clerc-Milon) part of the Mouton gravel plateau. D'Armailhac is barely less rich than Clerc-Milon, but it gives the same aromatic nobility of blackcurrant, tobacco and cedar blends.
Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Le côté étiré, longiligne et sapide du vin s’explique par la grande proportion de cabernets (sauvignon et franc). Un vin aux arômes de fruits frais, juteux et velouté en finale. Très jolie texture. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93/100 « Joli style, sur le cèdre et le tabac blond, bon corps, bonne persistance, il donne une définition précise du millésime. »
Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, pourpre et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité pur, subtil, évoluant crémeux et profond dans le verre. Joli caractère vivant. Tendre à l'attaque, tendre en milieu de bouche, puis aromatique et savoureux, le vin gagne de la puissance en finale. Pour autant son déroulé est précis, minutieux, presque doux et charmant. »
Galloni : 90-92/100 « The 2023 d'Armailhac is a plump, juicy wine that very much captures the generous side of the year. Succulent red plum, spice, new leather, rose petal and pomegranate are nicely amplified. Armailhac can have a slight edginess in its tannin profile, but today, that is not especially evident. This is a very sexy, almost opulent d'Armailhac, despite having the most Cabernet Sauvignon ever in the blend. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « Son bouquet très serré exige d'être encouragé dans le verre, mais il lui manque peut-être le panache qui a élevé le millésime précédent. On pourrait dire que ce vin semble plus « sérieux ». La bouche est moyennement corsée, avec des tanins granuleux et une colonne vertébrale ferme. Il est un peu plus poivré que les millésimes précédents et s'achève sur une finale épurée. Donnez-lui deux ou trois ans en bouteille. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
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Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the finest of Pauillac's 5th classified growths, held with competence and care by Mr. François-Xavier Borie and his children. The latest vintages show even greater aromatic precision and tannin nobility, especially the superb 2020 vintage.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Second wine of Pichon-Comtesse de Lalande: velvety, generous, with well-polished tannins and aromas of ripe fruit with a very Pauillaise cedar note. A reliable and regular value, quickly developed.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
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Property Rothschild (Mouton), with d'Armailhac. Apart from the terroir, the main difference between the two crus is the increased proportion of Merlot in Clerc-Milon (35% as opposed to 20%), giving it additional smoothness and richness. Since 2007 Clerc-Milon has benefited from its own vat room, a new winery and a dedicated team of 21 people so that Clerc-Milon can compete qualitatively with Lynch-Bages and Pontet-Canet.
Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru évolue dans sa forme, avec une tendance à augmenter la proportion de merlot, sans pour autant se passer de quelques très beaux cabernets historiques (19 %). Il gagne en définition, sans perdre son charme et son intensité de saveurs. Il tapisse le palais avec une finale crémeuse, sphérique. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Plus de corps et d’enveloppe qu’Armailhac, avec autant de finesse, très beau vin complet. Dans ce millésime, ce clerc milon affiche une certaine vélocité qui lui donne beaucoup d’allure. »
Quarin : 94/100 « Moelleux en entrée de bouche, caressant au milieu, le vin s'élève en finale, juteux, savoureux, très minutieux dans sa réalisation et surtout complexe dans la persistance. Il s'achève crescendo et incrachable. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Clerc Milon is a packed with blackberry, grilled herbs, leather, incense, gravel and cloves. A dark, brooding powerhouse, the 2023 will need a few years to settle down. Today, its imposing, tannic personality is very much front and center. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « The palate is very well balanced with a slightly creamy texture and a lovely mouthfeel. Its concentration is neatly counterbalanced by the acidity, and it feels very harmonious and long on the finish. Superb. If Mouton-Rothschild is beyond your budget -yes, I am familiar with that feeling- then this is where should look. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Carmenère, 1% Petit Verdot
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Known for producing one of the firmest and tightest (even robust) Pauillacs available, Duhart-Milon has since 2010 refined its style to gradually approach that of Lafite (same owner and same team). New direction and progress amply confirmed in 2015 and 2016, with an unprecedented charm and fatness. Given the quality of its terroir (the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Duhart-Milon has certainly not finished its progression.
Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru aligne une belle série de millésimes, et le 2023 s’inscrit comme un Duhart très classique et classieux. La bouche est vibrante, tendue, légèrement crémeuse, avec des cabernets mûrs et raffinés.
Quarin : 93/100 « Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, le vin caresse le palais avant de prendre de la puissance en finale. Ceci fait tout en restant sur le registre du charme. »
Galloni : 92-94/100 « The 2023 Duhart-Milon is seriously impressive. Dark, virile and brooding in its intensity, the 2023 screams with Cabernet Sauvignon character. Plum, blackberry, incense, leather, grilled herbs and licorice lend notable textural resonance and pure power. There's a good bit of tannin, so patience is a must. A virile, authoritative wine, Duhart- Milon is hugely promising in this edition. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that belie the backbone of this Pauillac. That graphite element is accentuated in the mouth and controls the classic finish that could only come from this appellation. This is excellent, but patience is required. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.1%
- Blend:
- 80% Cabernet sauvignon, 20% Merlot
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Contiguous to Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet is in good vintages the very type of great Pauillac, straight and racy. The first of the Grands Crus Classés to be certified "organic" (in 2010), Pontet-Canet has been at the top of the Médoc since 2000.
Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « 2023 a engendré les plus longues vendanges de l’histoire du cru, soit trente-quatre jours. Une nécessité pour amener les cabernets à leur point de maturité et leur permettre de développer le soyeux typique du cru. C’est encore un vin très velouté, délié, mais aussi persistant et éclatant dans une finale qui tapisse la bouche. »
Galloni : 94-97/100 « The 2023 Pontet-Canet is a powerful, impressively constituted wine. Dark, vibrant and sensual in the glass, the 2023 is somber and mysterious in bearing. Black plum, gravel, lavender, graphite and licorice all meld together in the glass. More than anything else, the 2023 is incredibly well put together. [...] This is a gorgeous and hugely promising Pontet-Canet. I especially admire its finely cut precision and soaring aromatics. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Pontet Canet, [...] has a very pure bouquet with dark cherries, blackcurrant and touches of vanilla, cohering over the course of ten minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with very supple tannins matched by a keen line of acidity. There is plenty of creaminess on the mid-palate, fine grip and a pinch of black pepper toward the finish. Very fine. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
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Apart from the first great classified growths, no other Bordeaux wine is as world famous as Lynch-Bages. Its worldwide success comes as much from its opulent, full-bodied and robust style, from its unfailing regularity since 1975, and from its media promotion orchestrated by Jean-Michel Cazes. Lynch-Bages was the first wine sent into space (Discovery shuttle in 1985). It is even said that it is him who gave the taste of Bordeaux to the Americans!
Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le vin est spectaculaire et flamboyant. Dès le nez, il impose l’intensité de son fruit. La bouche déroule des flots de saveurs très intenses et persistantes, mais avec un équilibre et une qualité de tanins remarquables. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Grande robe bleu nuit, corps considérable, tannins sans astringence, texture veloutée, tout en profondeur, peut-être un peu moins réactif que quelques pairs dans le retour de fraîcheur propre aux cabernets du millésime. »
Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité. Ample à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, gras et même complexe, le vin évolue un brin tannique, mais si riche en saveurs ! Il fond en finale, long, fruité et profond. C'est très bon ! Et pour les passionnés de dégustation, j'ajoute que je l'ai en plus regoûté après la dégustation du vin blanc. Chose épatante, cette confrontation ne renforce pas le tannin du vin rouge, un signe très positif. »
Galloni : 94-97/100 « The 2023 Lynch-Bages is a dark, brooding wine. In so many vintages, Lynch-Bages is a wine of sensuality, but in 2023, it is quite the powerhouse. Formidable tannins wrap around a core of black fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and gravel. This is a somber, introspective Lynch-Bages with a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon character. I can't wait to taste this from bottle. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « On the nose, glossy black fruit mixes with touches of cassis, graphite, violets and blood orange, perhaps demonstrating more horsepower than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. There is a lovely symmetry to this Pauillac (not unlike Latour), armed with a cashmere texture and plenty of backbone on the finish, even though I would not describe it as a "grippy" Lynch-Bages. There's plenty of graphite character on the aftertaste. Excellent. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
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Bought in 1986 by the AXA group, initially under the leadership of Mr. Cazes (Lynch-Bages), Pichon-Longueville Baron regained its best form in the powerful and distinguished style of the great Pauillac. It must be said that a small half of its vines are located next to those of Latour, on a first growth terroir! For the Revue du Vin de France: "Pichon-Baron is at the top in the last vintages".
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
