2023 Futures
In the "Top of the Top" category, we group together the podium (i.e. the dozen or so most exciting wines with the best scores of the vintage) of what we consider to be the most reliable tasters and which we regularly report on:
- Michel Bettane, bettanedesseauve.com
- Jacques Dupont, Le Point
- La Revue du Vin de France
- Jean-Marc Quarin (quarin.com)
- Bernard Burtschy (burtschy.com)
- Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin (vinous.com)
You will see in good place the most prestigious domains, therefore the most expensive, but also several challengers who create the surprise...
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Administered by the Rothschilds (Mouton) since 1996, Coutet has joined the leading pack of the biggest Sauternes after Yquem. Like Climens, it is a true Barsac, pure and remarkably subtle, but with a more marked liquor. Since 2005, Coutet has been in great shape! In a rare feat, the exceptional 2020 vintage came top (ahead of Yquem) in the Revue du Vin de France's ranking of Sauternes 2020 « un sommet de pureté, de précoce harmonie, de naturel ! ».
Revue du Vin de France : 96-99/100 « La robe est claire, le nez d’une évidence brillante, le tranchant de la feuille de citronnier s’insinuant dans un fruit profondément rôti. La matière se pose en bouche avec des pattes de velours, prenant son temps pour définir les dimensions d’une forme que l’on peut qualifier de classique, plus élancée que celle du 2022, d’une beauté apollinienne. Tout se met en place avec aisance, concourant à une sérénité unique et voluptueuse. »
Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur dorée. Nez intense, fruité. Touches d'iode et de coquille d'huîtres. Magique en entrée de bouche, fondant au milieu, le vin évolue complexe et savoureux vers une belle finale au toucher subtil. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Coutet is stellar. Soaring aromatics and bright acids drive through a core of lemon confit, apricot, mint, spice, passion fruit and pineapple. The interplay of deep, layered flavors and energy is so compelling. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « The 2023 Coutet has a tightly-wound bouquet that demands more coaxing than its peers. It typically already possesses laser-sharp focus and is less flamboyant than fellow Barsacs, underpinned and sharpened by its limestone soils. The palate is well balanced with intense botrytised fruit, lightly spiced dried honey and orange rind notes, just a hint of apricot in the background, stretching out on the finish that lingers on the tongue. I am not sure it is the best Coutet in recent years, but it is certainly a very fine contribution to the vintage that should age well in bottle. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 95% Sémillon, 4% Sauvignon blanc, 1% Muscadelle
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The only 1er cru classé in the commune of Sauternes with Yquem, Guiraud offers rich, voluminous, powerful wines with a formal classicism. Certified organic since the 2011 vintage.
Revue du Vin de France : 96-99/100 « À l’aveugle, la finesse et la tension de ce cru emblématique de Sauternes nous transportent à Barsac ! L’incarnation semble cette année encore plus aboutie, grâce à ce que nous percevons comme un surcroît de profondeur. La distinction évidente du vin, ses détails précieux mais exprimés avec la plus élégante réserve affirment avec éclat la pertinence de cette évolution stylistique. »
Quarin : 96/100 « Nez intense, fin, fruité et subtil. Nuances de poire, d'épices et de menthe. Cristallin en entrée de bouche, fondant et aérien au milieu, le vin évolue profond dans la seconde partie du palais, avec les nuances complexes décrites au nez. Très longue persistance. Ensemble envoûtant. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « Guiraud 2023, now made by former Yquem winemaker Sandrine Garbay, has a rather reticent nose at first, opening up to aromas of orange marrow and pear. [...] It is a little spicier than its peers - jam and ginger on the stem, with more peach on the finish. Harmonious and balanced.»More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.8%
- Blend:
- 65% Sémillon, 35% Sauvignon blanc
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In the commune of Preignac, Suduiraut offers a wine that reflects its geographical position: halfway between Sauternes and Barsac. The latest vintages are dazzling in terms of contained power and aromatic distinction.
Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur jaune vert. Nez intense, fin, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, particulièrement aromatique au milieu. Pour la première fois ce vin évolue en donnant l'impression d'être d'abord un grand vin blanc et ensuite un grand vin blanc liquoreux. Ensemble minutieux, subtil et profond, particulièrement difficile à cracher. »
Galloni : 98/100 « The 2023 Suduiraut is a real stunner. Light on its feet yet wonderfully deep, the 2023 offers up a heady mix of tangerine oil, mint, white flowers, apricot and passion fruit. Readers will find a Sauternes that is more finesse than power. »
Martin : 96-98/100 « Matured in 50% new oak, it has a lovely, beguiling bouquet with dried honey, quince, almond and saffron aromas that are beautifully defined. The palate is well balanced with a spicy, tensile opening. Very impressive richness matches with a silver bead of acidity here. This is armed with immense purity on the finish that effortlessly manages the 150g/L residual sugar. Supremely gifted Suduiraut, ahoy. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 57% Sémillon, 43% Sauvignon Blanc
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Haut-Bailly is the most delicate of the Graves wines with a particularly silky tannic structure.
Revue du Vin de France : 95-97/100 "Un vin clair, sans saturation chromatique, mais d’une magnifique plénitude et d’une grande sérénité. L’identité du cru est parfaitement retranscrite dans cette version tout en finesse, expressive, d’emblée charmeuse, au parfum charnel de pivoine rouge. Indéniablement svelte. La matière s’exprime en longueur étirée, sans le moindre creux, maigreur ni angulosité. La saveur est pure, prenante, distinguée. La structure tannique suit le flot de la chair sans jamais s’imposer. C’est une grande réussite qui confirme que les millésimes moins massifs conviennent à merveille à Haut-Bailly."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Although Les Carmes is adjacent to Haut-Brion and its vines were once part of those of Haut-Brion, the wines produced there are radically different from those of its prestigious neighbour. Due to a particular subsoil with the presence of clay, the vines are mainly Cabernet Franc (42%) and Merlot (40%) and the wines, deep and tasty, have an immediate generosity more typical of the right bank than the left bank. The new team set up following the acquisition in 2010 immediately propelled Les Carmes to the top of the Pessac-Léognan's wines.
Revue du Vin de France : 96-98/100 "La robe est saisissante de profondeur. Tout aussi profonde, l’expression du fruit, “noir” comme la robe mais paradoxalement d’une grande fraîcheur, développe des nuances presque extravagantes, qui ne sont pas sans évoquer celles que l’on trouve dans les crus du cœur du plateau saint-émilionnais : muscade, pain d’épices, cacao, figue rôtie, évolution vers la rose fanée... Et le bois n’est pour rien dans tout ça. Satinée dès l’entrée en bouche, la matière regorge de saveur. La tension interne est forte, les dimensions multiples, l’harmonie évidente."
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur noire. Grand nez complexe et nuancé. Touches de bois de pin et de fumée. A l'agitation du verre, il change. Nuances de framboise écrasée. Fond crémeux. En bouche, c'est l'art de la glisse, tout fond, tendre, juteux, minutieux, sur un déroulé aérien qui prend peu à peu de la puissance et s'élève en finale, avant de finir mesuré, incrachable et délicieux. C'est superbe ! »Galloni : 94-96/100 « The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is increasingly a wine of seamlessness. [...] A pretty big departure from so many other recent vintages that have been far showier at this stage. [...] As always, Les Carmes is marked by its strong presence of Cabernet Franc and use of whole clusters, but as mentioned above, those signatures are less immediately evident than they once were. Les Carmes has been one of Bordeaux's stars over the last few years. I can't wait to see how the 2023 turns out. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « This offers plenty of dark berry fruit mixed with cedar and pinecones on the nose, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, and the acidity is very well-judged. Just a soupçon of white pepper appears toward the finish. This is a much more succinct Les Carmes than the 2022, but it's extremely harmonious and characterful. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Haut-Brion is the most famous of all the Bordeaux growths, having twice been classified as 1er grand cru, in 1855 and again in 1959 (Graves classification). Haut-Brion is both the oldest of the Grands Crus, with more than five centuries (since 1509) behind it, and the most innovative, introducing stainless steel vats as early as 1960 and green harvesting as early as 1980.
Its particular situation within the Bordeaux agglomeration makes it the earliest Premier Cru on the left bank, a clear advantage in less mature vintages. For this reason, Haut-Brion's consistency is a benchmark for the whole of Bordeaux, with the intense bouquet of fresh earth, smoke and pine resin so characteristic of the appellation.
Fortunately, the unique silhouette of its bottle has disrupted the Asian market and has not triggered the same speculative interest there as it has for the other 1er grands crus classés. Haut-Brion is today without question the most qualitative and the least expensive of the premiers.Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, subtil, profond et complexe. Gras en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, savoureux, riche, le vin évolue juteux et long. Finale à la tannicité enrobée et aux parfums nobles et sophistiqués. C'est superbe ! »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
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Back in top form since the early 2000s, the great Giscours estate has once again become one of the major Margaux growths, in its own distinctive style: very colourful, full-bodied and richly fruity for a Margaux. Its ageing ability has made its reputation as much as its always wise prices.
Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez aromatique, au fruité mûr et frais. Délicat en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin caresse le palais, aromatique, avant de s'achever sur une finale un brin ferme, de longueur normale. »
Galloni : 96-98/100 « The 2023 Giscours is the very best wine I have ever tasted here. Giscours has been knocking on the door of Bordeaux's elite for a few years now. Two thousand twenty-three is the year in which Giscours joins the region's big boys and girls. A towering, majestic Margaux, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. What a wine! »
Martin : 90-92/100 « The 2023 Giscours has a classically styled bouquet, less open and concentrated than the 2022, but well-defined with graphite-tinged black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a bright entry, a crisp line of acidity and fresh black fruit, with a noticeable marine/briny influence that guides the finish. This is not a powerful Giscours and doesn't quite have the persistence of the previous vintage, but I admire its linearity and classicism. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc
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An exceptional terroir classified in 1855 at the top of the second classified growths (with Mouton-Rothschild). Classicism in its purest form, an exemplary Margaux and certainly the cru classé whose style is the closest to that of Château Margaux.
Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire et intense. Nez très aromatique, au fruité frais et suave, qui s'amplifie encore à l'agitation du verre. Charnu en entrée de bouche, parfumé au milieu, accompagné d'un gras fin et d'un déroulé impeccable, le vin évolue long. Touche légèrement tannique dans la persistance, mais aussi en même temps florale. »
Galloni : 96-98/100 « The 2023 Rauzan-Ségla is fabulous. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2023 soars out of the glass with captivating aromatics. Readers will find a vertical, deep Margaux endowed with tremendous character and nuance. All the elements are so well-balanced. Crushed rocks, plum, blood orange, spice and leather are some of the notes that explode into the finish. In 2023, the Grand Vin is distinctly red-fruited and vibrant. Rauzan-Ségla is one of the most memorable wines of the vintage. It was nothing short of stellar on the four occasions I tasted it. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Rauzan-Ségla has a very aromatic bouquet of wilted violets, black cherries and hints of camphor, with a faint oyster shell note lingering in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. This is endowed with tension and purity, while a light marine influence imparts character. Armed with an energetic, spicy finish, this is a more classical Rauzan-Ségla that deserves five or six years in bottle. Even so, it already conveys an air of sophistication. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
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No other vintage can better express the magical association that is so difficult to obtain simultaneously finesse and power. A first growth without rival in its style!
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur sombre, pourpre et vive. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et noble, avec du fond et pour autant une note florale de violette. Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, délicat, subtil et aérien au milieu, le vin évolue dense, juteux et parfumé, sur un toucher fin. Il s'achève long, sur une saveur de fruits noirs. C'est superbe ! »
Galloni : 97-100/100 « The 2023 Château Margaux is fabulous. Sensual, silky and exceptionally polished, is shaping up to be a classic. Seamless, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Hints of spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and rose petal fill out the glass. There's a bit of new oak peeking through today, but that won't be an issue in a few years' time. Only Bordeaux can produce wines that offer so much flavor intensity at a low alcohols. Margaux is the least showy of the First Growths, but it is often the most refined. The 2023 is sublime. »
Martin : 97-99/100 « The 2023 Château Margaux, is quintessential Château Margaux. It immediately blossoms in the glass with irresistible crushed violets on the nose, instantly demanding attention-you will gladly give it. Exquisitely defined and very focused with supremely well integrated oak, this is blessed with laser-like precision. The palate is silky smooth on the entry, perhaps a little feistier than expected thanks to a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. Quite structured and gentle, you can almost overlook its grip. It finishes with a concentrated, graphite-tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth. This First Growth will require ten years in bottle to really show what it is capable of. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
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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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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
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Mr Rouzaud (Champagne Roederer) acquired it in 2007 and has since strengthened the technical team by adding the advice of Mr Boissenot. Pichon-Comtesse remains faithful to the style that has made it so successful, as dense, suave, charming, enchanting and above all endearing.
Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche et de suite très savoureux, le vin se développe avec de la classe dans le toucher, élancé par 80 % de cabernet sauvignon. Délicatement charnu, savoureux, il s'achève long et séveux sur une touche de fleurs dans la persistance. C'est très bon. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
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Mouton-Rothschild's upgrade in 1973 from second to first grand cru classé was as legitimate as it was deserved in view of the quality of its terroir, a plateau of 90 hectares of deep gravel to the north of Pauillac, with Lafite-Rothschild as a neighbor. Despite this promotion, and even though it regularly tops the rankings in tastings, Mouton-Rothschild remains to this day the least expensive of the Médoc's premier crus classés. Its powerful, full-bodied style and its ability to age well have led Mr. Bettane to write "perhaps the most formally perfect wine in the Médoc...".
Revue du Vin de France : 96-98/100 « Dès le nez, il est difficile de résister à l’intensité du fruit. En bouche, le vin est tout aussi spectaculaire, avec une attaque explosive qui tapisse la bouche et libère des saveurs de fruits frais qui persistent très longuement. Un vent de fraîcheur mentholée signe la finale. »
Quarin : 97/100 « Nez intense, fin, pur, au fruité mûr, frais et complexe. Évolue profond à l'agitation du verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, complexe dans sa saveur, le vin évolue un peu discret après le milieu de bouche avant de repartir plus long en finale, où il offre un beau retour parfumé et fumé. »
Galloni : 96-99/100 « The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintages on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. [...] I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. »
Martin : 96-98/100 « This has an intense, floral bouquet with violet petals infusing the black fruit and touches of licorice loitering just off stage-very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely refined tannins. Focused and harmonious, it's velvety smooth with a long and tender finish that has more crispness than the 2022. In fact, I might ultimately end up preferring this over the 2022... it will be interesting finding out in the future! »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.3%
- Blend:
- 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot
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Appointed cellar master in 1994, Mr. Chevallier focused on developing Lafite-Rothschild wines without losing any of the characteristic bouquet of blackcurrant, graphite and cedar. This objective was quickly achieved, placing Lafite at the top of the 1st classified growths (this was already the case in 1855), and revered as such by the Chinese market. The incredible qualities of Lafite's terroir make it a unique vintage and give Cabernet Sauvignon (more than 90% present each year) its most beautiful aromatic expressions.
The great 2020 vintage was awarded the supreme score of 100/1000 by the Revue du Vin de France: "Spectacular, bordering on perfection".
Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Comme c’est le cas depuis une dizaine d’années, l’assemblage se compose de plus de 90 % de cabernet-sauvignon. Le vin est très épuré, longiligne, persistant, délicatement enrobé. Le fruit pur scintille et la finale est formidablement persistante. Ultra-classique. »
Quarin : 97/100 « Nez très aromatique et de suite complexe. [...] Charnu en entrée de bouche, avec de suite beaucoup de goût au milieu et de la classe dans le toucher, le vin gagne du gras dans son déroulé. Il monte vers une finale riche en parfums et délicatement tramée. C'est délicieux. »
Galloni : 95-98/100 « The 2023 Lafite-Rothschild races out of the glass with notable textural intensity. Explosive and deep, with striking balance, Lafite dazzles in this vintage. The 2023 is a somber, virile Lafite endowed with remarkable depth and tons of sheer character. »
Martin : 95-97/100 « This takes time to unfurl in the glass, slowly revealing black fruit laced with pencil box and just a touch of pressed violet. There's wonderful precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with a cashmere texture, very pure (again) with a judicious dab of cracked black pepper. The finish is very sleek, thanks to its almost filigree tannins, seeming to glide across the palate. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.9%
- Blend:
- 93% Cabernet sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 1% Petit verdot
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After 43 vintages, Mr Charmolüe sold the estate to Mr Bouygues in 2006. The change of ownership was accompanied by a spectacular project designed to bring Montrose into the 21st century: use of geothermal energy, installation of photovoltaic panels, recycling of CO2 from alcoholic fermentation...
There has also been a change of style in the wines, with a move towards greater aromatic complexity and textural refinement. Montrose nevertheless remains a wine of great breed, resting on a powerful tannic architecture and reserved for the most patient connoisseurs.Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité, subtil et complexe. Moelleux à l'attaque, complexe en milieu de bouche, avec un corps fondant et énormément d'arômes, le vin évolue lentement en prenant du relief dans la seconde partie du palais. Il s'achève long et noble, avec une qualité de pulpe haut de gamme, du goût et des tannins fins. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc
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The very high quality of Cos d'Estournel's recent vintages is impressive, placing it undoubtedly among the first great classified growths of the Médoc. A single qualifier comes to mind when we think of Cos d'Estournel: monumental, for its wines as well as for its cellar.
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité et momentanément légèrement toasté. Personnalité aromatique très différente. Ample à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec une importante sensation de volume et beaucoup de goût, ce vin riche fond au palais. Il évolue vers une finale plus aérienne que parfois. Déroulé haletant. C'est superbe. »
Galloni : 96-98/100 « The 2023 Cos d'Estournel is fabulous. Dark, resonant and inviting, the 2023 has so much to offer. All the elements are beautifully woven together. Black cherry, plum, licorice, espresso, mocha and incense fill out the layers. Readers will find a Cos endowed with tremendous substance and intensity. I can't remember a young Cos with this much fruit concentration, yet there is nothing overdone here. I loved it. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « The aromatics deliver nearly immediate gratification: black cherries, wild strawberries, crushed violet petals and vanilla pod. It's all quite sumptuous but very well focused. [...] It's beautifully balanced with a very pure and seductive finish. This is a notably composed and assured Cos d'Estournel, almost a lesson in how less can be more. It's only a couple of steps behind the previous vintage. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.91
- Blend:
- 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
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Delicately perfumed (the aromatic bouquet is always very floral, with violets and peonies in the lead) and elegantly suave whatever the vintage, La Conseillante occupies a special place among the greatest Pomerols, perhaps the most endearing of them. Its finesse and superiorly sensual and refined texture are reminiscent of the great wines of the Côte de Nuits (on the Vosne-Romanée side). However, behind the apparent friendliness of La Conseillante lies a wine of great energy and excellent ageing potential.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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A talented and perfectionist winemaker, Denis Durantou, at the service of a great terroir on the edge of the church of Pomerol between Lafleur and Clinet. L'Église-Clinet is one of the most subtle Pomerols in terms of its aromatic precision, fine grain and satiny texture. Mr. Durantou passed away far too soon in 2020, but fortunately he has three daughters who are united and determined to continue their father's work.
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et complexe. Touche raffinée de framboises, de réglisse zan et de vanille à l'agitation du verre. Superbe entrée en bouche caressante, fraîche et délicatement pulpeuse. Puis le vin fond parfumé, juteux et calme dans son déroulé. Il gagne une puissance minutieusement contenue en finale. Très belle persistance longue et séveuse. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.6%
- Blend:
- 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
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Vieux Château Certan is certainly, with a high proportion of Cabernet Franc (30% on average), the most classic, firm and distinguished Pomerol wine. It does not have the softness and immediate charm of other great Pomerol, but still keeps all these promises as it ages. Very classy!
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 82% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc
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Like Pétrus, Le Pin is 100% Merlot. But if Pétrus has adopted a more classic style in recent years, Le Pin remains a hedonistic wine, often exuberant, sometimes even exotic. And unlike Pétrus, Le Pin is much rarer (500 cases per year).
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et tellement subtil. Notes délicates de fleurs et de truffe à l'agitation du verre. Une délicatesse qu'il conserve en bouche où il se montre suave, ascendant dans son déroulé, profond et presque aérien. Ensemble à l'hédonisme fort, sans rien céder à l'esthétique. De la race. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 100% Merlot
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Bought out in 2017 by the reinsurer SCOR, a page is turned in Troplong-Mondot, a formidable terroir in Saint-Emilion. Up to and including 2016, these are the richest in extract and most generous wines of the appellation, made by Christine Valette and her husband, under the aegis of Michel Rolland.
Radical break in style from the 2017 vintage, with less dense but oh so precise, elegant and racy wines, confirmed in 2018 by Mr. Galloni (vinous) "The 2018 is regal, refined and absolutely exquisite", rated 97/100.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Self-taught, Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle got their start in the Bordeaux vineyards when they bought a tiny 0.6 hectare plot in Saint-Émilion, near Pavie-Macquin. Produced in minute quantities, vinified with the means at hand but with meticulous care, Valandraud soon made a name for itself, to the point of giving rise to the 'garage wine' movement in the 1990s.
Now with a vineyard of almost 11 hectares on the cooler limestone terroirs of Saint-Etienne de Lisse (on the eastern edge of the appellation) and a bioclimatic cellar allowing gravity-fed vinification, Valandraud is now a Premier Grand Cru Classé in its own right.Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, pur et subtil. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, particulièrement gras au milieu, le vin évolue dense et complexe, avec de la classe dans le toucher de bouche. Il fond en finale noble, profond, sur une grande longueur savoureuse, au grain fin. »
Galloni : 95-97/100 « The 2023 Valandraud is a full-throttle, opulent Saint-Emilion endowed with notable textural richness and tons of intensity. This really feels pushed to the edge, but it pulls back at the very last second. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and menthol saturate the palate. I image tha the 2023 will require a number of years to shed some of its baby fat. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Valandraud delivers exactly what you expect on the nose from Jean-Luc Thunevin's crown jewel: very polished scents of black cherries, cassis and crushed violets. [...] The palate is rich and fruit-driven with layers of black fruit. The sample at the château showed more backbone and grip, a healthy sprinkling of cracked black pepper and a long and persistent finish. Give this three to five years, because it is a seriously good Saint-Émilion. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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On a subsoil of deep gravel (alluvium of the Isle), Figeac has logically opted for a grape variety more Medoc than Libourne: 70% Cabernet (half Sauvignon and half Franc), 30% Merlot. Hence a naturalness, a freshness and a distinction unparalleled in Saint-Emilion. The latest 2022 classification has rightly corrected the omission of the previous one by granting Figeac the title of 1er grand cru classé A.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Brilliant even in small vintages (1992 was a masterpiece), Angélus has become a world star in 20 years by producing dense, fleshy and superbly velvety wines while remaining distinguished.
Great class!Quarin : 97/100 « Nez très aromatique, au fruité frais et mûr, évoluant complexe dans le verre. Touche fumée évoquant le cabernet franc. Bouche tout en minutie tactile, avec de la classe dans le toucher et un déroulé noble. Le vin fond, s'étire, suave, savoureux, long et complexe. »
Galloni : 94-96/100 « The 2023 Angélus is elegant and polished right out of the gate. Floral top notes and bright acids bring out the more refined side of Angélus. The 2023 shows how much Angélus has evolved in recent years. [...] It is one of the best recent vintages I have tasted. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « It has a crisp and precise bouquet, not powerful, a light marine influence coming through with background scents of oyster shell. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. There's a pleasant saline edge to this Angélus, perhaps a little more compact on the mid-palate than usual, with touches of white pepper toward the finish. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet franc, 1% Petit verdot
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Neither quite Saint-Émilion nor quite Pomerol, the inimitable Cheval Blanc occupies a special place on the right bank, on the famous gravelly terroir of the Figeac plateau. Inimitable because its wines subjugate in a perfect alchemy between freshness, subtlety and hedonism, the whole on tannic frames at the same time refined and melting, between silk and cashmere.
Quarin : 98/100 « Couleur noire et pourpre. Nez intense et magique, le plus beau de toute cette campagne Primeur 2023. Touches de framboise, de vanille, de réglisse, de goudron. Il est celui sur lequel j'ai passé 10 mn, complexe, beau et rare. Minutieusement gras dès l'entrée en bouche, avec une texture de rêve et une qualité du déroulé où tout glisse et avance lentement pour devenir peu à peu profond dans la persistance, envahi par la saveur d'une très grande longueur complexe. Une fois de plus au sommet. »
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. Moderate in length, there's lovely linearity here and an underlying salinity that becomes evident with continued aeration. Very fine. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
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Impossible to resist the unspeakable complexity of its bouquet, floral and fruity, spicy and liquorice, as well as the incredible depth of its fresh and sumptuous finish. Great art, all the glory of Cabernet Franc on a limestone hillside. Alain Vauthier and his children, Pauline and Édouard, manage the 7 hectares of Ausone like a (very) great Burgundy wine. Magistral!
Quarin : 98/100 « Nez intense, fin, pur, au fruité mûr et subtil. [...] C'est superbe ! Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, avec tout à la fois un toucher cristallin et une suavité jamais vue jusqu'alors avec un tel pourcentage de cabernet franc, le vin fond sur le palais. Délicatement gras et puissant, élancé et pour autant charnu, il s'étire long, profond et complexe. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot
