2024 Futures
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Phélan-Ségur is one of Saint-Estèphe's historic estates, with a 70-hectare vineyard on the front line of the Gironde estuary, bordered to the north by Calon-Ségur and to the south by Meyney and Montrose. The arrival in 2018 of a new Belgian owner (Mr. Van de Vyvere) ushered in a new era and new ambitions at Phélan-Ségur: 20 hectares under organic management, braiding of the vines (instead of trimming), gradual reduction in planting density to 8,000 vines/ha to combat summer drought, sparing use of sulfur, parcel-by-parcel vinification using indigenous yeasts...
Recent vintages have been very convincing, with racy wines combining intensity, vinosity and finesse in the image of Calon-Ségur.Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Nez élégant, fruit raffiné, notes florales et de menthe fraîche, bouche ample à l’attaque avec des tannins francs et une belle fraîcheur en finale. Du caractère et une présence énergique. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le cru confirme sa belle forme, avec des vins qui ont gagné en précision ces dernières années. Le 2024 s’inscrit dans cette dynamique : il est précis, longiligne, persistant, avec un fruit frais et des tanins épicés élégants. Notons les progrès réalisés sur le second vin, vraiment délicieux en 2024. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Phélan Ségur is an absolute delight. Dark and ample, the 2024 offers up a compelling mix of black cherry, leather, game, incense, licorice, gravel and pipe tobacco. All the elements are so well balanced. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, in other words, a very high percentage of Cabernet. That comes through nicely in the wine's aromatic finish. Phélan Ségur is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the year."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "In the 2024 Phélan Ségur, 12,9% alcohol (analytical), Cabernet Sauvignon clearly exerts the most influence over its understated bouquet with blackberry, cedar and light graphite scents. The nose displays fine delineation, though obviously not the intensity of, say, the 2022 vintage. The palate is medium-bodied and linear in style with lighter tannins than in recent vintages and an attractive sapid note that runs from start to finish. The strict, black-olive-tinged finale seems almost Pauillac-like. There is an appealing classicism to the 2024."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 68 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 2 % Petit Verdot
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Acquired in 2012 and completely renovated (vineyard, cellar and château) by a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel, Calon-Ségur quickly regained the level of excellence that had made it famous in the middle of the last century. Its style, combining pedigree and exuberance, gives it a special place among the classified growths of Saint-Estèphe. It is also the only vineyard in the Médoc to be both a single block and entirely surrounded by a wall.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Notes légèrement truffées grand soyeux de texture liée à la haute maturité habituelle du raisin de ce cru si solaire. Grand avenir pour ce vin parfaitement typé de son origine. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Nous retrouvons un Calon de grand équilibre et saluons le beau travail sur la texture du vin, point fort ici, avec un grain d’une finesse admirable. Le vin est très posé, avec un fruit explosif, une finale de grande ampleur qui s’épanouit dans un registre frais, avec une minéralité saline. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et suave, se développant floral, réglissé et fumé dans le verre. Magnifique entrée en bouche, ample, juteuse et soyeuse, puis le vin fond, noble dans son déroulé vers une grande longueur séveuse et délicatement parfumée par un fond boisé subtil. C'est incrachable ! Calon Ségur navigue de plus en plus fréquemment dans 90 % de cabernet. Improbable il y a quelques années ! »
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruits noirs, épices, boisé, bouche souple, fraîche, élégante, tendue, étiré, fin, tanins délicats. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Calon Ségur is shaping up very nicely. Dark and ample, with terrific balance, the 2024 is another strong wine from the team led by Technical Director Vincent Millet. Readers will find a Calon Ségur of inner strenght, its deceptively mid-weight structure notwithstanding. The 2024 is a wine of restraint and class more than power, never a bad thing at this property. The 100% new oak is very nicely balanced, even in the early going. This has great potential."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Calon Ségur has a well-defined bouquet, with more prominent wood than previous recent vintages, which consequently obscures the property's DNA. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit tinged with black olive. It's quite lively, with a liberal sprinkling of white pepper and thyme. I admire the freshness of this Saint-Estèphe and there is decent length on the finish. This is not a top-ranking Calon-Ségur, but it should still provide up to 20 years of drinking pleasure."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 82 % cabernet sauvignon, 9 % merlot, 8 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot
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Attention: great wine! Quietly, Feytit-Clinet is closing in on the biggest names in Pomerol, with only the price lagging behind. As the Revue du Vin de France rightly points out, "there are no spectacular château or ultra-modern wineries here", the reputation of this cru is built solely on the consistent quality of its wines.
More impressive than its success in great vintages is Feytit-Clinet's performance in "smaller" vintages: the 2013 is a Guide Hachette Coup de Coeur, the 2017 is one of the wines of the vintage according to A. Galloni (Vinous)...Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-94/100 "The 2024 Feytit-Clinet is a very good wine in a challenging harvest marked by hail, mildew, coulure and millerandage. Dark and layered, with very good textural presence, the 2024 possesses notable depth. Black-toned fruit, leather, spice, gravel, incense and licorice convey an impression of somber gravitas. Some saignée in vinification as well as bâtonnage helped build attractive texture. As has been the case for some years now, the tannins are quite a bit less imposing here than they were in the past."
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Nez très aromatique, fruité et un brin boisé. Bouche fruitée, élancée, savoureuse, agréable et de longueur moyenne. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 89-91/100 « Le terroir tendre de Feytit-Clinet, combiné à la fraîcheur du millésime, a enfanté un pomerol simple, aux tanins poudrés, à la tension citronnée. Le bâtonnage prévu permettra sûrement d’envelopper le toucher et les notes racinaires. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 88 % merlot, 12 % cabernet franc.
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Always of a high standard for a reasonable price (in Pomerol), the wines of Gazin, medium-bodied and marked by truffles, are the archetype of the appellation and of exemplary consistency vintage after vintage. “One of Pomerol's best wines, with happy surprises after 10 years” for Bettane & Desseauve as for us.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « On apprécie sa délicatesse soyeuse et son tannin qui s’étoffe et gagne en densité. Une valeur sûre dans un style classique chic. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux, subtil et long. C'est très bien fait et difficile à cracher. Ce pourcentage de cabernet sauvignon est très appréciable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Gazin is classy and elegant even if it is a bit strict at this stage. Rose petal, mint, blood orange and cinnamon meld into a core of red-toned fruit. There’s gorgeous textural depth and resonance here. Clean saline notes extend the finish. All this needs is a bit of polish and pliancy in the mid-palate, but elevage should take care of that. Gazin is distinguished in 2024 by its unusually high presence of Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), along with 90% Merlot and no Cabernet Franc in this vintage."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-92/100 « Le profil frais du millésime rappelle la réserve naturelle du cru. Sans être austère, il laisse entrevoir une droiture singulière tout en gardant de l’harmonie et de la chair. Les tanins crayeux (10 % de cabernet-sauvignon) étirent la finale avec grâce. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Gazin has a light, tertiary bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit. This needs a little more vigor but it is nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, a healthy dash of white pepper and a structured, grippier finish than its peers. I appreciate the freshness in this Pomerol and it should show well once in bottle, but this needs more substance."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 90 % merlot, 10 % cabernet sauvignon.
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One of the appellation's ripest and most hedonistic crus until 2000, Clinet has since gained in distinction and refinement through successive touches (15% Cabernet in the vines, state-of-the-art technical equipment...). All this without losing the aromatic intensity and depth of flesh that are its hallmarks. Today, Clinet is unquestionably one of Pomerol's finest wines.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, au fruité mûr. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, avec un toucher velouté, le vin glisse sur le palais, aérien, vers une finale à la saveur de mûre et sans angle tannique. C'est bon et c'est du Clinet. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Clinet is a dark stylish wine. Black cherry, lavender, spice, licorice and blue-toned fruit are beautifully delineated. Dark and vibrant in the glass, with terrific depth, Clinet is super-expressive in 2024. Ronan Laborde bled the musts to bring the wine into the rich, textured style he seeks here. Clinet is a rare Pomerol that is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Cabernet very much in evidence."
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93/100 « Belle entrée en bouche, voluptueuse se développant sur un toucher caressant, et soyeux avec des notes de violette et de fruit noirs frais. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Le style classiquement généreux de Clinet est tempéré par le millésime. Avec 13° et 20 % de cabernet-sauvignon, 2024 offre donc un Clinet sans excès, très digeste, avec de beaux tanins traçants du cabernet mis en avant par une réduction de barriques neuves (60 %). Gourmand et défini, il vieillira avec grâce. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Clinet was matured in 60% new oak. The bouquet opens with red and black fruit, pencil shavings from the Cabernet and light tertiary scents in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. The oak is neatly integrated and benefits from slightly less new wood, which allows the terroir to show through. Cohesive toward the finish with decent length, this is thoughtfully produced Clinet."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet sauvignon
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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.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-98/100 "The 2024 La Conseillante is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive, with spectacular depth, the 2024 is an eye-opening wine, with regard to both the potential of the property and the vintage. In 2024, La Conseillante separates itself from the pack by a wide margin. It may ultimately not merit the very highest of scores, but it will almost certainly come close. Dark blue fruit, violet, spice, new leather, menthol and licorice stain the palate all the way through the creamy finish. Conseillante is a very serious wine. Technical Director Marielle Cazeaux made all the right choices in a very challenging year."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Fusion de suavité, de vibration dès le début de bouche, La Conseillante offre un cœur de bouche crémeux très stylé qui diffuse ses accents floraux avec une touche d’orange sanguine jusqu’à sa finale. C’est un modèle de sensualité. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Marielle Cazaux continue de faire briller La Conseillante et livre une interprétation aérienne de 2024. L’âme de ce millésime réside dans la délicatesse du toucher animé par une fraîcheur ligérienne, tout en gardant de la chair et un velouté de tanins. Très nuancé, ce vin fait partie des réussites du millésime. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 La Conseillante has a clean and focused bouquet, with quite pure scents of blackberry, boysenberry and light blueberry. This is clearly without the flamboyance of a warming vintage, yet with ample freshness and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with slightly grainy yet fine tannins. This is a La Conseillante that wisely stays within its means. Quite strict on the finish, it's a nimble Pomerol that will drink earlier than say, the 2020, 2022 or 2023."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
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Vieux Château Certan is one (the last?) of the very few Bordeaux grands crus where the owners, Alexandre Thienpont and his son Guillaume since 2011, are still the only cellar masters on board. Thanks to its Cabernet Franc (30% on average), Vieux-Certan offers a firm, distinguished and refined version of Pomerol, closer to Lafleur than Petrus. Its 2022 vintage has been showered with praise, as in Vinous, where the two tasters (Galloni and Martin) each rated it 100/100.
Vinous (N. Martin): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Vieux Château Certan contains a higher proportion of Cabernet this year (23% Sauvignon and Franc combined). That Cabernet is articulated on the nose: graphite and light tobacco scents percolating through the mainly black fruit. This has plenty of freshness and more fruit than some other Pomerol cuvées. The palate is medium-bodied, but there is much more weight and density on the back palate than nearly all of its peers. Distinctly peppery and quite spicy in style, this is one of the few to transcend the strict limitations of the growing season. In some ways, it is an uncompromising VCC that does not have the finesse of the greatest vintages I have tasted over the years, yet there is flavour and substance packed inside this nascent wine. Deeply impressive. This is one of the very few '24s that will oblige bottle age."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Un vin de grande classe, très “VCC”, porté par des cabernets francs traçants (20 %) et un équilibre remarquable entre droiture et velouté. La bouche est fine, de mi-puissance, avec une texture de cachemire et une sapidité florale (fleur de vigne, fleur d’oranger) très nuancée. Les tanins de graphite, presque médocains, rappellent les 9 % de cabernet sauvignon et sont soutenus par 5 % de presse bien intégrés. L’élevage (deux tiers de fûts neufs) accompagne un style serein et ancré, tout en subtilité et en relief. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "The 2024 Vieux Château Certan is a delicate, elegant wine driven by its strong floral component from the significant presence of Cabernets in the blend this year. Silky tannins add to an impression of restraint. I can't remember tasting a young VCC with this equilibrium, one that approaches a Burgundian textural feel, for lack of a better word. The 2024 opens with a bit of time in the glass, but it is a decidedly understated, calm VCC. I can't wait to see how it ages."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 71% Merlot ; 20% Cabernet Franc ; 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
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A small vineyard of 8 ha of old vines (70% Merlot), owned by Clos Fourtet. Superb wine, balanced and fruity and tasty, for a very modest price, which rightly became a grand cru classé in 2012. Totally agree with La Revue du Vin de France "The best quality/price ratio in Saint-Émilion".
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nez très aromatique et fruité. Fondante et séveuse à la fois, avec de la classe dans le toucher et un joli rebond aromatique final. C'est bon ! »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Côte de Baleau excludes the sandy stretches of the vineyard this year, so 33% of the production was sacrificed. This has a pretty, fragrant bouquet with red cherry, blueberry and touches of violet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. A bit pinched at first, it is fresh if just missing substance toward the finish. This is a thoroughly enjoyable Côte de Baleau."
Bettane & Desseauve : 90-91/100 « Pulpeux avec un toucher de tannin soyeux, il séduit du début à la fin de bouche. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Côte de Baleau is soft and plummy, with good forward fruit and solid balance, all in the understated style of the year. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and chocolate are nicely pushed forward. In 2024 most of the blend is from parcels planted on clay and limestone, while those on gravel were left out. Elevage will be critical, especially in softening the tannins."
La Revue du Vin de France : 87-89/100 « La dominante de merlot est inhabituelle dans ses proportions (95%), car le cabernet franc sur les sables était trop faible pour entrer dans l'assemblage de la famille Cuvelier (Clos Fourtet). Sa tendresse fruitée le rend très avenant. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 95 % Merlot, 05 % Cabernet Franc
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The terraces of Moulin Saint-Georges (7 ha) face those of Ausone (same owner). Thanks to the quality of its terroir and the refined style of its wines, Moulin Saint-Georges is a sure bet in the appellation. As the Revue du Vin de France's 2024 guide points out, "quality has been impressively consistent for over two decades, and prices remain reasonable. The only regret is the quantities available...".
Like all Vauthier vineyards (Ausone, La Clotte, Haut-Simard...), Moulin Saint-Georges began its conversion to organic farming in 2020.J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur vive, d'intensité normale. Nez intense, fin, fruité et subtil, évoluant truffé à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, puis rapidement très aromatique et soyeux, le vin évolue juteux, vers une finale profonde et incrachable. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93/100 « Vin expressif à la bouche veloutée et enveloppante. La finale de bonne longueur lui donne une belle personnalité. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Moulin Saint-Georges is all charm. Soft, plummy and forward, the 2024 offers up an attractive mix of blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, menthol and violet. There's a touch of sweet oak from the 100% new barrels, but the 2024 has enough depth to handle it. Pliant contours wrap it all together very pretty wine for the year."
La Revue du Vin de France : 88-90/100 « Élaboré depuis les 7 hectares orientés plein ouest en face d'Ausone, ce Moulin cherche la légereté, avec des arômes racinaires et d'orange sanguine. Il conclut sur une allonge vigoureuse. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2023
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet franc
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An oenologist by training, Ms. Papon-Nouvel owns two tiny properties at the bottom of Saint-Émilion near Canon-La Gaffelière: Petit Gravet Aîné (2.4 ha) and Clos Saint-Julien (1.3 ha), where the vines are mainly old cabernets francs. From the vine to the cellar, she manages all the stages in the production of her wines on her own and, whatever the vintage, her talent as an instinctive winemaker gives wines of natural elegance and exemplary sweetness.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Petit Gravet Ainé, mostly Cabernet Franc, is so distinctive. Mocha, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco and macerated cherry lift the bouquet nicely. The 2024 is a bit strict on the palate, but that may change with élevage. This is very nicely done, if a touch reticent."
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Grande fraîcheur aromatique de l’attaque à la finale, donnant du tonus à la bouche élancée et subtile. »
J-M Quarin : 89/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez un peu discret, sentant bon les fruits mûrs. Touche florale. Juteux à l'attaque, savoureux en milieu de bouche, le vin se développe aromatique et très agréable sur une longueur moyenne, mais avec beaucoup de goût. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 87-89/100 "The 2024 Petit Gravet Ainé has a straightforward bouquet with kirsch and blueberry scents that gradually reveal a touch of cola. It just misses some complexity compared to previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied, lightly tannic and fleshly but doesn't have much grip. Though smooth in texture, it doesn't quite translate its 90% Cabernet Franc as well as, say, the 2022."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2011
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From 2005, La Dominique, prestigious terroir adjacent to Cheval Blanc, L'Évangile and La Conseillante, returns in great shape. His velvety and sensual style places him halfway between Saint-Émilion and Pomerol : “the tannin texture is very Pomerol-like, then the silky, floral, firm follow-through continues with the class of the great Saint-Emilions” (Bettane & Desseauve).
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 « Les tannins enveloppent la bouche avec délicatesse, offrant une structure qui porte le fruit sans le dominer. La complexité se déploie peu à peu, en parfaite harmonie avec une texture soyeuse. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 La Dominique, matured in 50% new oak, is distinctly fresher on the nose than many of its peers. This is nowhere near as complex as the 2022 yet it conveys brightness and a sense of place. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with crisp, ripe tannins and a marine-influenced finish. It's a little reserved in style. This is not a blockbuster and nor should it be. It's just a well-crafted Saint-Émilion."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 La Dominique is a very pretty wine for this reemerging Saint-Émilion estate on the Pomerol border. Creamy and textured, with lovely mid-palate presence and bright fruit, La Dominique is quite attractive. Supple contours wrap around a core of red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mocha, building into the soft, caressing finish. Production is down about 50% due to drastic selection."
La Revue du Vin de France : 88-90/100 « 50% des volumes de la propriété ont été consacrés au grand vin. La tendresse spécifique de La Dominique se profile : chair pulpeuse, allonge suave, avec ce soin apporté au moelleux de tanins. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 85 % merlot, 15 % cabernet franc
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Mrs Papon-Nouvel's other grand cru (with Petit Gravet Aîné). Same organic culture, same sensitivity, same style, with extra flesh and depth. Great wine! Great wine, logically promoted to grand cru classé in 2022.
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 « Nez poivré et floral, typique des cabernets francs. On retrouve cette aromatique dans une bouche énergique, parfaitement structurée. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez pour l'instant un peu discret, mais subtil. Joli fruité. Minutieux dès l'entrée en bouche et très vite très savoureux au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, séveux et long, sur une jolie texture. C'est très bon. Après le grand succès du 2022, Catherine Papon ne lâche rien ! »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Clos Saint-Julien is a very pretty wine. Black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, licorice and lavender all meld together. The oak is not totally integrated just yet, but that is a question of elevage."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos Saint-Julien has a perfumed, Margaux-like bouquet with a mélange of blueberry and blackcurrant fruit. This has fine delineation and the oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, decent weight on the mid-palate and just a bit of grip on the finish that bodes well for the future. This is one to keep an eye on."
La Revue du Vin de France : 87-89/100 « Une certaine suavité se dégage de ce vin, construit sur la légère pente sableuse et calcaire orientée au nord, à l'entrée de Saint-Émilion. Son toucher de bouche tout doux propose une allonge élancée. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2011
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Dazzling success since 2015 of this great terroir just below Ausone: aromatic precision, superlative but harmonious depth, a big congratulations to Mr. Mallet (owner) and Mr. Derenoncourt (consultant). Since 2010, La Gaffelière is undoubtedly flying from success to success!
"We are here at the heart of what is most sensual and singular in Saint-Emilion", according to the Revue du Vin de France.Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Grande précision aromatique entre fruits rouges et touches crayeuses, avec des touches salines qui enrichissent le bouquet aromatique et la texture en bouche. Cela donne au vin de la profondeur et une complexité supplémentaire. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 La Gaffelière confirms its place as one of the top properties in Saint-Émilion in this challenging vintage. Bright and dynamic in the glass, with terrific persistence, the 2024 sizzles with tension. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender and crushed rocks open in the glass. The finesse of the tannins is impossible to miss. The 2024 is not a huge wine, but its finesse is evident. Blue/purplish fruit, slate and clean mineral overtones extend the long, sculpted finish."
Le Point : coup de ♥ 17/20 "Fruits noirs, sureau, beaucoup de finesse, violette, bonne acidité en milieu de bouche, ronce, beaucoup de fond, tanins serrés, sérieux, vin de calcaire typé, amer fin. Très bon vin."
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez moyennement intense, au fruité pur et mûr. Touches de cerise et de fleurs à l'agitation du verre. La bouche se déroule tout en douceur pulpeuse, avec de la classe dans le toucher et un corps fondant. C'est délicieux ! Bonne finale parfumée. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 La Gaffelière has a very seductive bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry and light Indian ink scents unfolding in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with succulent tannins, impressive mid-weight density and a crisp, mineral finish. La Gaffelière has been on a run of form recently and the 2024 overcomes the challenges of the vintage with style."
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Immédiatement, le floral et la réglisse s'expriment au bouquet, dans ce vin profilé comme une flèche. Sa droiture et sa tension le rendent un peu ferme en finale à ce stade. Une sensation pierreuse signe la finale de cet assemblage 60% de merlot et 40% de cabernet franc. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc
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Beau-Séjour Bécot is now in the hands of the third generation, represented by Juliette Bécot and her husband Julien Barthe. These dynamic forty-somethings have no shortage of inspiration when it comes to producing “modern” wines, adapted to climatic challenges and consumer expectations: replanting in a north/south direction to avoid overheating the grapes, the choice of a new consultant oenologist (Thomas Duclot) who favors wines that are not overly demonstrative, early harvesting and measured extractions to preserve the freshness of the fruit, less new wood (55%) and the use of tuns and jars (20%) to lighten the tannic structure...
Since the construction of the new winery in 2023, the wines have excelled thanks to their elegant, uncluttered structure, their gourmet, fruity and floral aromas, and their dynamic, sapid finishes. For the Revue du Vin de France, as for us, “this is the archetypal Bordeaux that can be enjoyed now, but also put away in the cellar”.Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 « The 2024 Beau-Séjour Bécot is deep, vivid and wonderfully alive. Dynamic and explosive, with striking inner perfume, Beau-Séjour Bécot is hauntingly beautiful. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and rose petal soar out of the glass. Silky, refined tannins add to the wine's finesse. The increase of Cabernet Franc in the blend has added aromatic depth and textural elegance. There's a feeling of transparency here that is impossible to miss. Beau-Séjour Bécot has grown into one of the most distinctive wines in Bordeaux. Simply put, the 2024 is magnificent. That's all there is to it. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « D’une grande subtilité où cabernet franc et terroir calcaire se combinent de la plus belle des façons. Vibrant et précis en bouche, complexe, avec du rebond en final. Long, persistant, portée par une fraîcheur de fleurs poivrées et une minéralité subtile. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur rouge bordeaux, intense, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil et noble. Magnifique entrée en bouche, très aromatique, à la texture de rêve. L'ensemble, complexe et noble, fond sur le palais, délicat, délicieux et incrachable. Un monde brillant de minutie. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Les sélections massales de cabernet franc (22 %) plantées il y a quinze pour accompagner les merlots portent leurs fruits. Il s'aligne parfaitement avec les derniers millésimes au château. Une superbe robe violine, pleine d'entrain. Sa distinction aromatique florale, très marquée par la violette, le place au sommet de Saint-Émilion en 2024. Sa silhouette finement dessinée, à la fois douce et traçante, conduit jusqu'à une finale extrêmement salivante. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc
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Owned by Mr. Neipperg (Clos de l'Oratoire, La Mondotte, d'Aiguilhe) at the foot of the hill Ausone.
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Grande délicatesse du bouquet de fleurs sauvages, mêlé aux effluves de fruits noirs mûrs. Le fruit est dense, précis, profond, accompagnée par des tannins soyeux et soutenu par la fraîcheur saline et florale de la finale. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Besoin d'air, fruits rouges, cerise, juteux, sur la réserve à ce stade, profond, tanins serrés, feuillage, amer délicat. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "The 2024 Canon La Gaffelière is all class. Delicate and pliant, the 2024 is another fine offering in this range from Stephan von Neipperg. Dark red-toned fruit, pomegranate, spice, blood orange, new leather and pipe tobacco build in the glass. Like all the wines here, Canon-La Gaffelière is on the lighter side, but it very much retains all of its signatures. Exquisite."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le vin est issu d'un assemblage judicieux (43% merlot, 43% cabernet franc, le reste en cabernet-sauvignon). Grâce à un élevage qui utilise moins de bois neuf (de 40 à 20%) et 20% de cuves, il exprime un fruité particulier supplémentaire. Ce millésime peu démonstratif convient bien à ce Canon-La-Gaffelière, établi avec une texture cajolante et longue. »
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Couleur sombre, d'intensité normale. Nez d'abord discret et fruité, évoluant sur une note de framboise et de fleurs à l'agitation du verre. Bouche agréablement veloutée, au corps fondant et aérien. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Canon La Gaffelière has a light and airy bouquet with tertiary red fruit and touches of tobacco coming through slowly in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a tiny bit of greenness on the entry, although I feel it will assimilate with time. This just needs more density and grip on the finish, so it is a Canon La Gaffelière that I should broach in the medium term."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2014
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 43 % merlot, 43 % cabernet franc, 14 % cabernet sauvignon.
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Exceptional terroir of 4 hectares on a south-facing slope (like Pavie) at the entrance to the village of Saint-Émilion. Taken over in 2014 by the Vauthier family (Ausone), who is committed to highlighting the deep, juicy flesh of her grapes, with a confounding naturalness and a splendid aromatic radiance. La Clotte has everything it takes to quickly become one of the most cult wines of the appellation.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Juteux à l'attaque, très minutieux au développement, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond au palais, aromatique et distingué. Bonne longueur. C'est superbe. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-95/100 "The 2024 La Clotte is a heady, engaging wine. Aromatic, deep and wonderfully dynamic, La Clotte shows the pedigree of this south-facing site. Rose petal, crushed flowers, mint, spice, cedar and tobacco all soar from the glass. Blood orange, red-toned fruit and white pepper open later. The 2024 is distinguished by its complexity and myriad shades of nuance. It is an especially fine 2024. Saldy, yields are just 22 hectoliters per hectare. As always, La Clotte speaks with eloquance."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 La Clotte has one of my favorite aromatics amongst the Vauthier family's cuvées, with delightful wild strawberry, raspberry and iodine aromas, although it's quite tight on the nose at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, almost silky opening, a fine bead of acidity and impressive precision on the finish. It is not as intense as the 2022 as you would expect, but this is a sophisticated Saint-Émilion."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Le millésime a été dur à la propriété, avec des rendements de 25 hl/ha à cause de la coulure et du millerandage. Mais ce cru emblématique de la splendide vallée de Fongaban révèle une intensité aromatique particulière. Il est établi en demi-corps, d'une retenue qui pousse à l'introspection. La sève calcaire se révèlera avec le temps ! »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2023
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet franc
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Advised by Mr. Derenoncourt, Clos Fourtet regularly and unobtrusively demonstrates that the upper part of the Saint-Émilion plateau can produce wines as great as the Ausone or Pavie hillsides. Sobriety, depth, finesse and intensity are exemplary.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Palette aromatique sur le fruit et des notes crayeuses qui apportent le salin à la finale encore compacte. Grand avenir d’un vin toujours difficile à juger à ce stade, mais qui fera une grande bouteille. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Touche de suie, fruits noirs, baies sauvages, élégant, beaucoup de finesse, tanins veloutés, note de réglisse, finale élégante, très beau grains de tanins. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, intense, belle, aux reflets grenat. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, avec du goût au milieu, un corps élancé et savoureux, le vin fond sur le palais, avec un brin de vivacité dans la persistance. Mais c'est réellement incrachable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Clos Fourtet is a gorgeous, elegant wine. Medium in body, with terrific persistence and notable purity, Clos Fourtet impresses with its balance more than anything else. Dark Blue fruits, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and framed by bright chalky notes that lend freshness. In 2024, Clos Fourtet is built more on persistence than overt textural richness, as has, been the case in some recent vintages."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « À l'image de la propriété, le vin propose une élégante retenue aromatique, des nuances florales et de réglisse. En même temps qu'il est sombre, froid, presque impénétrable, le bouquet aromatique dévoile beaucoup d'éclat. Le vin, svelte cette année, est moins dense qu'à son habitude. Il évoluera lentement avec sa sensation calcaire particulière. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Clos Fourtet is clearly a level-up from Le Closerie with pure, well defined and focused blueberry, raspberry, and blood orange scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is quite linear, keeping with the style of the vintage, so this doen't have a peacock's tail like the 2022. Yet this feels tensile and the limestone terroir shapes the mineral-driven finish. This is a well-crafted and delicious Clos Fourtet, a success given the challenges of the vintage."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 84 % cabernet sauvignon, 10 % cabernet franc, 6 % cabernet sauvignon.
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In 2012, Haut-Brion bought and combined two grands crus classés (Tertre-Dauguay and L'Arrosée) on the slopes of Saint-Émilion (Côte Ausone), and put a foot in the right bank, called Quintus because it is their fifth property (after Haut-Brion, La Mission HB, Laville HB and Latour HB).
Their first objective is to make fine, long wines, focusing on freshness and delicacy rather than power or density, more typical of the left bank than the right bank.
Second objective: to shine in the next Saint-Emilion classifications (its immediate neighbours are Ausone, Belair-Monange, Angélus and Canon, all 1st classified grands crus).J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, profond, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, au fruité pur, mûr. Ensemble subtil et légèrement vanillé. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, avec beaucoup de goût, ce vin monte lentement vers une longue finale séveuse, fruitée, florale, au grain fin. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Quintus is gracious, elegant and polished. Spice, tobacco, cedar and an exotic touch of blood orange give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. There is a touch of new oak, but that should not be an issue with elevage. Here, too, the balance is very fine."
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « Parfums floraux et fruités avec une touche délicate de poivre noir. Le tannin se montre svelte et élancé. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Quintus is streets ahead of the second and third wines on the nose, with pretty black cherry and blueberry fruit, a little Margaux-like in style thanks to the violet scent. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit mixed with blood orange and crushed stone towards the finish. Touches of cracked black pepper and cumin linger on the aftertaste. Very fine."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 77,2% Merlot, 22,8% Cabernet Franc
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A small estate located near Troplong-Mondot and Valandraud, acquired in 2009 by Jacques Thienpont (already owner of Ch. Le Pin). A wine that is as exceptional as it is confidential (6 hectares)!
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Combinaison de fruits noirs mûrs (cassis, cerise noire, myrtille) et de notes plus subtiles de fruits rouges frais (framboise, fraise des bois). Des arômes de violette et de rose sauvage apportent une touche florale délicate. Les tannins sont subtils et parfaitement intégrés. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Beau nez très aromatique, fin, pur, sentant bon les fruits noirs. Immédiatement délicieux dès l'entrée en bouche, très savoureux, avec du goût, de l'équilibre et une présence allongée, le vin glisse sur le palais, long, suave et complexe dans la persistance. C'est superbe ! Une grande réussite du millésime. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 L'If is an elegant, sleek wine. Crushed flowers, tobacco, cedar, incense, dried herbs and menthol give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence. L'If is light on its feet, with a bit less overt concentration than most years, but there's more than enough persistence to compensate for that, shaping the wine in a style that favors linear energy over volume."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 L'If has a fragrant bouquet, with mainly red fruit and slate-like scents. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with slightly chalky tannins and a little flesh on the mid-palate. Lightly spiced on the finish, this is a comparatively straightforward L'If compared to previous vintages that will serve as a fine earlier drinking Saint-Émilion."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 85 % merlot, 15 % cabernet franc
-
Purchased in 1996 by the Chanel group (also in Rauzan-Ségla), Canon required a complete restoration, both of the vines and the cellar/vat room tool. Since 2008, Canon has fully justified its status as a 1er grand cru classé, with brilliant, distinguished wines that draw their energy from the Cabernets francs at the top of the limestone plateau.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Canon is superb. One of the standouts of the vintage, the 2024 possesses striking mid-palate depth to match its vertical personality. Chalk, white pepper, mint, lavender, rose petal, slate and blue/purplish fruit all stain the palate. There's gorgeous depth and density here, and yet the 2024 remains a super-classic wine from the property. This is a real stunner. That's all there is to it."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Arômes de fruits rouges tels que la framboise avec des notes florales (rose poivrée) qui se révèle progressivement. La texture veloutée est soutenue par des tannins élégants et énergiques. On aime ses nuances salines et sa finale longue et persistante. Grand style. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez un peu discret, au fruité frais et mûr. Délicat en entrée de bouche, particulièrement aérien au milieu, avec du goût et de la classe dans le toucher, le vin finit long, ascendant et savoureux, avec une touche suave dans la persistance. »
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruité pur, baies sauvages, nez frais, ronce, bouche tonique, tanins savoureux, touche acidulée, élevage équilibré. Vin tendu et élégant. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un vin d'un grand raffinement ! 2024 s'inscrit dans le plus pur style de Canon : la fraîcheur du millésime épouse avec brio l'identité du plateau calcaire du cru. Les nuances florales, fraîches, de fruits rouges, animent une bouche d'une immense délicatesse. La structure tannique poudrée le mène avec une douceur magnifique une matière longiligne de bout en bout. Le souffle salin sculpte avec panache la finale de cet assemblage de 78% de merlot et 22% de cabernet franc. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Canon has a bouquet well defined with pure black cherry, raspberry and a subtle marine influence that develops in the glass, though I find the Troplong Mondot tasted alongside has more amplitude. The palate is medium-bodied and pliant with fine tannins and finesse. One bottle at the château had more weight on the finish than others that feel attenuated and missing a bit of substance."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 78 % merlot, 22 % cabernet franc
-
Troplong-Mondot and its formidable terroir dominate Saint-Émilion both literally (the commune's water tower adjoins the winery) and figuratively. Led by Aymeric de Gironde (formerly of Pichon-Baron and Cos d'Estournel) and benefiting from generous investment from reinsurer SCOR since 2016, Troplong-Mondot shines brightly, producing wines that are consistently fresh, flavourful and refined despite their high concentration.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now? The Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « La molasse de l’Agenais donne de la densité à ce millésime, ce qui permet d’aller chercher du fruit. La minéralité se fait sentir en finale, apportant salinité et profondeur tout en renforçant l’équilibre de ce vin séducteur. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Expressif, fruits rouge, baies sauvages, rose sauvage, trame calcaire, densité, tanins sapides, finale saline, relevée. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot offers minerally, tightly wound black fruit, blueberry and light chalky scents. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant yet tensile tannins. Like the Mondot, it is peppery in style, pretty and sapid towards the finish. Not a huge amount of persistence, yet this is still a serious Saint-Émilion that could well end up at the top of my banded score."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un élevage à moitié en barriques neuves et une part intéressante de foudres (26 %), voilà l'équation brillante pour Troplong. Derrière sa jolie robe éclatante, le vin dévoile un bouquet aromatique lumineux et une bouche pleine de panache : beau délié de matière, en demi-puissance en cœur de bouche, sans creux. Dynamique, la finale provoque une salivation intense qui ponctue cette interprétation contemporaine de Bordeaux. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
-
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 boasting nearly 11 hectares of vineyards on the cooler limestone soils of Saint-Etienne de Lisse (on the eastern edge of the appellation) and a bioclimatic winery enabling gravity-fed vinification, Valandraud is a first growth in its own right, sharing the hedonistic, indulgent style of Troplong-Mondot.Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Nez est complexe et élégant, texture crémeuse en bouche avec des tannins d’une finesse rare, parfaitement fondus, offrant une sensation de soyeux. Ce millésime combine avec brio la richesse du fruit, la fraîcheur et une dynamique incroyable qui le propulse parmi les plus grands vins de l’appellation saint-émilion. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire, aux reflets grenat. Incroyable nez très aromatique, sentant bon les fruits mûrs. Touches de fruits blancs, de cerise et de truffe. Ce n'est qu'à l'agitation du verre que viennent des repères de vin rouge. Voila qui trouble les sens et les savoirs ! Ce qui est la définition même du Grand Vin. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond sur le palais, puis gagne de la profondeur dans la persistance. Finale séveuse et plus parfumée que jamais. Ensemble difficile à cracher. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Fruits noirs, bon volume, tanins veloutés, riche, bouche saline, très bel équilibre, finale sur le côté minéral du calcaire, très long, élevage soigné. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-95/100 "The 2024 Valandraud is a quite the powerhouse. Dense and explosive, Valandraud packs a huge punch. Macerations reached up to four weeks, long for the vintage, yielding an especially huge, deep Saint-Émilion. Valandraud is atypically concentrated for the year. Let's see what happens with élevage. There is so alluring. This is an especially heady, opulent wine in 2024. That was clearly the intent, and an approach that worked."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Valandraud can handle the 100% new oak, with a floral style and more red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black cherries and raspberry, showing a firm grip towards the finish with moderate length. It will require three or four years to cohere, but I am concerned about the oak averhelming the fruit, hence my score."
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Avec ses 85% de merlot, le vin est toujours haut en couleur. On sent le résultat d'une réflexion menée de bout en bout. Formidable de droiture, il affiche la forte signature fumée-grillée de l'élevage. Les amateurs de vins au boisé assumé apprécieront. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 85 % merlot, 9 % cabernet sauvignon, 6 % cabernet franc
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Second wine of Ausone, rare (1 ha in production out of the 7 ha of the Ausone vineyard), slightly less powerful but just as racy and energetic as the Grand Vin. And like it, it has a remarkable capacity for ageing.
Like all Vauthier vineyards (Ausone, La Clotte, Moulin Saint-Georges, Haut-Simard...), Chapelle d'Ausone began its conversion to organic farming in 2020.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur vive, intense et sombre. Nez sentant bon la framboise, évoluant intense dans le verre, fin, subtil, complexe et noble. Minutieux à l'attaque, doté d'une texture ravissante et d'un corps fondant, le vin évolue raffiné, racé et distingué dans la persistance. Une qualité de déroulé et d'arômes unique induit par 85 % cabernet franc et 15 % cabernet sauvignon. La magie des jeunes vignes d'Ausone. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Chapelle d'Ausone, like the 2021, contains no Merlot. It has an intense bouquet with brambly red berry fruit, blueberry and light violet scents. This is finely delineated, although the 2022 was more complex. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth entry, a linear style and more black fruit compared to say, La Clotte."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Chapelle d'Ausone is a very pretty wine second wine. Floral aromatics, bright red-toned fruit and refined tannins convey an impression of finesse in a mid-weight, nuanced Chapelle. Today, the 2024 is a bit quiet. I won't be at all surprised it is even better from bottle."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2023
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
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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!Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Complexe et intense, élégant et précis, avec une expression minérale et subtile qui se retrouve dans la texture du vin avec de l’éclat et une fraîcheur due à l’acidité naturelle des sols calcaires. Structure tannique fine et bouche de grande légèreté malgré sa puissance. Le terroir d’Ausone a pris le pas sur le millésime. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nuances vives. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touches de truffe et de cerise à l'agitation dans le verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très savoureux, le vin glisse sur le palais, très charmeur, avec de la classe dans le toucher et beaucoup de goût. C'est long et très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Angélus is very fine. It is the first vintage I have tasted that captures the newer approach at Angélus, one where the wines are not extracted as in the past. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and menthol fill out the layers effortlessly. Here, too, the wine shows superb balance and real textural presence. The 2024 is mid-weight, classy and polished."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Angélus has an intriguing bouquet that deserves a little more reflection than some of its peers. A touch of fish scales commingles with black olive tapenade alongside dark berry fruit in what you might describe as a "cool" nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. The 2024 is certainly a more linear Angélus, saline with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. It gains modest depth on the graphite-tinged and Cabernet-driven finish, which is drier than previous vintages (as expected in this vintage). There is fine salinity with a shorter aftertaste than you would find in a warm vintage. This is well-crafted and just needs more flesh on the slender finish. Maybe that will develop during its élevage? It will be an enjoyable Angélus rather than a profound one destined for long-term aging."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 60 % merlot, 40 % cabernet franc.
-
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.Predominantly Marsanne (vines over 50 years old), a Crozes-Hermitage Vieilles Vignes dry white wine, aromatic (apricot, peach, frangipane...) and fat, with a judicious touch of bitterness on the finish.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne
-
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.Saint-Joseph Vieilles Vignes, with a dominant of marsanne, comes from 30 to 40 years old vines.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne
-
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.Saint-Péray Vieilles Vignes: 50% marsanne (with 100 years old vines!) and 50% roussanne. On a background of honeyed and toasted notes, intense aromas of white flowers and quince, the freshness is well present and, in the mouth, the vivacity balances the roundness.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 2/3 Marsanne, 1/3 Roussanne
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.A blend of grenache, roussanne, clairette and bourboulenc, this white Châteauneuf plays the card of freshness and discretion. With aromas of white peach and orange blossom, its natural power will be fully expressed after 5 to 6 years of aging.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne
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Since 1994, Maison Tardieu-Laurent has selected and matured wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Partnered until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favor elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections. Thanks to their precise selection of the best terroirs and their expertise in winemaking and ageing, Michel and his son Bastien produce great wines from the north to the south of the Rhône Valley.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France Guide.
100% Viognier (50 years old), from the appellation's best terroirs. A Condrieu that's restrained, expressive and complex, but not exuberant.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 100% Viognier
-
Since 1994, Maison Tardieu-Laurent has selected and matured wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Partnered until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favor elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections. Thanks to their precise selection of the best terroirs and their expertise in winemaking and ageing, Michel and his son Bastien produce great wines from the north to the south of the Rhône Valley.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France Guide.
Splendid Hermitage blanc, 80% marsanne (50 years old) and 20% roussanne (40 years old), with aromas of peach and acacia honey, and a characteristic touch of almond paste.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne
