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Please see below "Futures campaign".
The logo "bio" indicates the wine in organic culture in official under reserve of certification after bottling.
The campaign "Futures 2024" will stop on 2026 July 31st, in the limit of the available stock.
Clos du Marquis is no longer the second wine of Léoville-Las Cases, but a wine in its own right produced on the parcels adjoining Léoville-Poyferré and Lagrange. In any case, his exemplary consistency for more than 30 years now commands respect.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Corps et parfum classiques, précision impeccable de vinification et d’élevage, hautement recommandable. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets grenat. Nez intense, au fruité mûr. Touche suave. Charnu en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux et raffiné. Jolie longueur savoureuse. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos du Marquis has an expressive bouquet with blackberry, blueberry and light violet scents that lend it Margaux-like allure. The palate is medium-bodied with a citric entry thanks to the acidity, edgy tannins and more black fruit laced with cedar and graphite toward the finish. This is slightly leaner, but it maintains focus."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos du Marquis is a very pretty, aromatic Saint-Julien. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, white pepper and slate give the 2024 an attractive upper register to match its mid-weight, nervy personality. There is a bit of dryness on the finish that hopefully will be resolved with elevage."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Le cru possède son charme habituel, avec un velouté de texture superbe et un soyeux de tanins qui signent une grande bouteille. Il ne manque pas non plus de volume, d’ampleur et de profondeur. Concentré mais raffiné. »
Always black with ink, always deliciously fat and sweet, always St-Julien and above all always regular. Supervised by Mr. Derenoncourt since 2009, Talbot has gained in intensity and aromatic precision.
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93/100 « Aucun manque de maturité de raisin ou la moindre présence raisin altéré. Il prendra sa forme habituelle avec un an de plus d’élevage. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Talbot is an attractive, understated Saint-JUlien. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, mocha, dried herbs and incense lend notable aromatic presence. The 2024 is pleasant but also a bit light texturally. Let's see what happens with élevage."
J-M Quarin : 88/100 « Vin fruité, agréable, mais la construction en bouche et le corps manquent. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Fidèle à sa réputation, le cru a produit un 2024 très charmeur et accessible mais aussi bien construit, avec une belle pulpe en milieu de bouche. Sa jolie finale déroule des tanins soyeux. »
Of all the second classified growths in St-Julien, Gruaud-Larose is the most vigorous and massive in young wine. But, the magic of the terroir, it acquires softness and finesse if it is given time to age. Its quality/price ratio puts it ahead of the other second classified growths of St-Julien!
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Profond, harmonieux, encore sur la réserve mais avec une finale qui ne trompe pas par son allonge et la distinction de son tannin. Excellent comme dans les précédents millésimes. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et vive. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité. Délicat en entrée de bouche, délicieux au milieu, avec du goût, un corps fondant, le vin s'étire en finale, parfumé et délicat. C'est très bon. Observez comment le petit degré d'alcool ne pénalise en rien la densité de ce vin. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94+/100 "The 2024 Gruaud Larose is very fine. Dark and ample, with gorgeous presence, the 2024 has so much to offer. Dark blue/purplish fruit, new leather, gravel, spice, lavender and dried herbs build effortlessly. Readers will find a Saint-Julien endowed with notable textural depth. The finish is perhaps just a touch narrow, but elevage may very well help with that."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Gruaud-Larose has an impressive bouquet for the vintage with pure blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light pressed flower scents. This leans a little toward Margaux in style. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and quite saline, with sappy black fruit laced with notes of black olive tapenade. Not a persistent Gruaud Larose insofar as there is no peacock's tail on the finish, yet it has a statesman-like classicism that you could not find 10 or 15 years ago."
With the help of Michel Rolland, Léoville-Poyferré has gained in depth since 1993, voluptuousness of texture and ability to age. It is now approaching the quality of its prestigious neighbours in which it is landlocked: Léoville-Las Cases and Pichon-Lalande. The competition between the three Léoville is intense but Léoville-Poyferré now prevails with an easier, more voluptuous approach, and a superior quality/price/pleasure ratio.
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Un échantillon éblouissant qui dominait notre dégustation aveugle, avec une sorte de perfection du style Léoville, parfaite synthèse de l’élégance des grands saint-julien et la profondeur de texture des meilleurs pauillacs. Un sommet médocain dans ce millésime. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Comme à son habitude, le cru est assez flamboyant, épaulé, avec de la puissance et de la richesse, mais il n’est pas dénué de raffinement. Un ensemble charnu, persistant, de bel équilibre. Très prometteur. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil et parfumé. Délicatement moelleux en entrée de bouche, avec du goût et un corps qui se trame lentement, le vin évolue juteux et persistant sur des tannins enveloppés. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Poyferré, quasi-Pauillac in style, offers quite backward black fruit, hints of melted tar and graphite on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied and quite succulent with fleshy ripe tannins, tobacco-laced black fruit, brown spices and light undergrowth. With a fine supple landing on the finish in typical "LP" fashion, this constitutes a delicious, early-drinking Poyferré that will be more approachable than other vintages."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-92/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Poyferré offers notable brightness to match its mid-weight personality. Floral and spice notes open into a core of dark red-and black-toned fruit with good persistence, the 2024 is an understated Léoville-Poyferré. Today, it feels a bit compact, which also attenuates the fruit to some degree."
Even if their evolution always involves a period of austerity, Léoville-Barton wines have a supreme class and elegance, due as much to the advanced age of the vines as to meticulous work. Always praised by the critics, as in 2015 "fine, sapid and very long, lots of class on the palate, with a juicy side and superb texture", rated 97/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Magnifique couleur, nez ultra classique entre les fruits rouges et noirs propres à Saint-Julien et les notes plus épicées des beaux pauillacs du sud. Excellente intégration du boisé et grand avenir. Un des vins les plus complets du millésime. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Difficile de ne pas succomber au charme de ce vin au fruité éclatant. La bouche déroule des saveurs de fruits frais avec une grande gourmandise et il termine sur une signature tannique toujours ultra soyeuse. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Barton is a very beautiful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, new leather, graphite, crushed rocks, mocha and spice all meld together. A wine of classical build, Léoville-Barton is also wonderfully deep and expressive. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards, but there is a lot of wine here. I can't wait to taste this from bottle."
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, au fruité mûr. Nuances d'encre et de cabernet sauvignon à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin évolue juteux, un brin sur le bois, vers une finale plutôt austère pour le millésime. L'élevage le patinera. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Léoville Barton has an open bouquet with black fruit, potpourri and light sous-bois scents–quintessentially Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, well balanced and sapid in style with slightly powdery tannins on the entry and a little sinew on the finish that should be abraded during barrel maturation. This is a finely crafted Léoville Barton."
Le Point : 18/20 "Fermé, bouche onctueuse, fraîche, dense, réglissée, finale tannique, éclat. Équilibre, pureté. Un très beau Léoville."
Emblematic cru of the Médoc by its architecture as well as by the delicacy of its wines, internationally sought-after. Beychevelle has taken another step up in finesse and aromatic precision with the commissioning in 2018 of its new vat room, and is now on first-name terms with the commune's second growths.
Bettane & Desseauve : 97/100 « Encore une étonnante réussite, avec les arômes les plus finement floraux de son appellation et son harmonie de constitution : le soyeux inimitable de sa texture ne cache pas une plénitude rare de corps. Un vin fait pour les amateurs les plus exigeants et connaisseurs mais d’une séduction immédiate pour les autres. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Beychvelle might very well be the wine of the vintage in Saint-Julien. It is certainly among the very best I tasted on the Left Bank. Plush, inky and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2024 is so silky and inviting. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha and spice are some of the many notes that stain the palate. The sustained, resonant finish is a thing of beauty."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Belle réussite pour ce cru au joli milieu de bouche, avec du charnu. Il enchaîne sur des tanins polis et intégrés. L’ensemble est charmeur et prometteur. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, crémeux insoupçonnable au nez, le vin caresse fond et s'achève un brin ferme. Longueur normale.et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux, avec une touche vive. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Beychevelle has a nicely composed, warm and sensual bouquet with plush blackberry, cassis and touches of violet. The 42% Merlot is very expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with, again, quite luxuriant tannins that lend this Beychevelle more comeliness than you would anticipate given the growing season. Perhaps it just misses a little sustain on the finish, but othrwise, this is a fine Saint-Julien. 13.3% alcohol."
Since the arrival of Bruno Borie in 2003, Ducru-Beaucaillou has been flying from success to success. No one has forgotten that, until 1980, Ducru was the greatest of the Médoc's second growths, a position it is now regaining. Bravo !
Bettane & Desseauve : 98/100 « Éblouissant par sa profondeur de couleur et son éclat aromatique. Les limites du millésime sont largement dépassées. Profondément supérieur. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Cette année encore Ducru est en lice pour la palme du raffinement. Le vin est fantastique de définition et de précision avec un immense respect du fruit. Saluons la qualité des tanins, l’allonge et la rétro-olfaction montante, fruitée, florale et épicée. »
Vinous (A.Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a sleek, elegant wine. Silky tannins give the 2024 its distinctly mid-weight, lithe personality. Readers will find a gracious Ducru built more on persistence and nervy tension than size or opulence. Blue/black fruits, lavender, cloves, menthol and chocolate open over time. It will be fascinating to see how this ages."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Ducru-Beaucaillou matured entirely in new oak, as usual. The 100% new wood slightly impedes on the aromatics at the moment, masking some of the attractive blackberry and cassis scents tucked underneath. The palate is medium-bodied and, again, the oak is very vocal at the moment. Quite marine-influenced on the finish, this Ducru-Beaucaillou has impressive sapidity, although the key question is how that wood will assimilate in bottle. Only time will tell."
Le Point : 17.5/20 "Baies noires, cerise noire, joli fruit, frais, élégant, tendu, fin, un peu salin en finale. Long, complexe, finale réglissée."
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".
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Nez ultra racé et typé de l’enclos magique qui lui a donné naissance, avec un corps et une texture qui transcendent le millésime. Il va encore s’affirmer et gagner en noblesse. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Le nez profond et frais introduit encore un très grand Las Cases. En bouche, pas de doute, sa précision, son éclat et sa persistance en font un modèle du millésime. Son tour de force consiste à allier une impressionnante puissance et une grande finesse en finale. Il déroule une fantastique allonge. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touche inédite de violette. Ample à l'attaque, très savoureux en milieu de bouche, avec de la classe dans le déroulé et un brin de vivacité, le vin s'étire long, juteux et même noble. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, almost surly bouquet with introverted black fruit, cedar, touches of cumin and light sea spray scents. Superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with less structure than the last two vintages, yet it upholds wonderful balance with lace-like tannins. With crisp black fruit and beautifully assimilated new oak, this fans out towards the finish. It is paradoxically a more conservative Las Cases in keeping with the limitations of the growing season, but I suspect it will gain weight and sustain with time in barrel."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, almost surly bouquet with introverted black fruit, cedar, touches of cumin and light sea spray scents. Superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with less structure than the last two vintages, yet it upholds wonderful balance with lace-like tannins. With crisp black fruit and beautifully assimilated new oak, this fans out towards the finish. It is paradoxically a more conservative Las Cases in keeping with the limitations of the growing season, but I suspect it will gain weight and sustain with time in barrel."
Second wine of Grand-Puy Lacoste. Fruity, tender, silky, and always elegant. A classic at a reasonable price.
Variation case
In music, a variation is an evolution based on a defined theme. Grand-Puy-Lacoste has thus chosen to combine 3 different formats in a single case, enabling the evolution of the wine to be followed over time. The "Caisse Variation" thus contains 1 Double-Magnum, 2 Magnums and 4 Bottles, equivalent in volume to 12 bottles, as well as an invitation to an exclusive visit and tasting at the Château for 4 people (valid indefinitely).
J-M Quarin : 88/100 « Couleur sombre, d'intensité moyenne, aux reflets vifs. Nez intense, fruité et subtil. Bouche suave et aérienne de corps moyen avec de l'éclat dans la persistance. Ensemble difficile à cracher. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 87-89/100 "The 2024 Lacoste-Borie offers light brambly red berry fruit on the nose that's laced with tobacco and pencil box scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft entry, grainy texture, light tannins and an easygoing, slightly attenuated finish. This is early drinking."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Lacoste-Borie is a very pretty second wine. Crushed flowers, bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice and pomegranate are nicely pushed forward in this mid-weight Pauillac from the Borie family. The 2024 will be a delight right out of the gate."
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le cru continue sa progression dans l’expression de la finesse, tout en gardant une belle structure. Ce 2024 est tout en équilibre, avec un grain délicat et une jolie finale allongée. Sans aucun doute une affaire pour les amateurs de vins friands et accessibles. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « Coloré, charnu, tannin harmonieux, bien dans le caractère de son appellation, avec des nuances discrètes mais bien présentes. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 « The 2024 Haut-Bages Libéral is a classy, polished wine. Silky contours meld around a core of succulent red-toned fruit, white pepper, blood orange and cinnamon. The 2024 is airy and a bit lighter texturally than most vintages, but all the signatures of the property are quite present. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Haut-Bages Libéral has a lucid purple hue. The nose is a little timid at first but opens with a few swirls of the glass, revealing blackberry; wild hedgerow and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied, reserved in style and grainy in texture, with lighter tannins than the previous vintages and a graphite-infused finish. Unashamedly classic Pauillac in style, this is a successful biodynamic wine taht has a spring to its step."
Ideally located on the Mouton plateau, next to prestigious crus classés such as d'Armailhac, Clerc-Milon and Pontet-Canet, Pibran is owned by the insurance company AXA and benefits from the expertise of the technical team of Pichon-Baron (same owner). There are only a few unclassified wines left in Pauillac, and Pibran is by far the best of them!
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Joli nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Délicat en entrée de bouche, juteux et savoureux au milieu, avec du corps, le vin évolue parfumé sur une jolie présence en finale. Bonne longueur. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 91/100 « Beaucoup de grâce aromatique et de fraîcheur, tendre pour le millésime mais sans faiblesse, impeccable réussite. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Cette propriété du groupe Axa produit un vin régulièrement délicieux et accessible, misant sur le fruit et la gourmandise. Le 2024 est dans l’esprit, bénéficiant de la belle rondeur d’un merlot juteux et frais. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Pibran is bright and punchy right out of the gate. Brisk acids and lively floral top notes run through a core of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange. There's very fine energy and tons of character here."
Vinous (N. Martin): 87-89/100 "The 2024 Pibran has a pleasant, light, Japanese wakame-scented bouquet with a hint of liquorice. It shows fine delineation, though not powerful. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, fresh on the entry with a keen thread of acidity and graphite-tinged black fruit on the understated finish."
The arrival of Mr. Dhalluin in 2004 not only benefited Mouton-Rothschild, but also the two other classified growths of Barony: d'Armailhac and Clerc-Milon. Their vines occupy the southern (d'Armailhac) and northern (Clerc-Milon) part of the Mouton gravel plateau. D'Armailhac is barely less rich than Clerc-Milon, but it gives the same aromatic nobility of blackcurrant, tobacco and cedar blends.
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru est sérieux, avec une belle tension, de la définition dans le fruit qui vibre bien en bouche. On perçoit bien la trame des cabernet-sauvignon et franc, finement enrobée. Un vin classique et racé. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Beau rouge sombre, profond. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin caresse le palais vers une finale longue et parfumée qui ne marque jamais le tannin. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Château d'Armailhac has a slightly distant nose at first that demands coaxing fron the glass. This is not its usual outgoing self, though that said, it is well-defined with black fruit and light damp loam scents. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a peppery entry. This lingers nicely in the mouth with fine grip and a pleasant roundness that emerges toward the graphite-tinged finish."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 d'Armailhac is a very beautiful wine. Dark, layered and intensly aromatic, the 2024 is so expressive. The percentage of Cabernet Franc from 60+ year-old vines is high in this vintage, and that very much comes through in the wine's perfume and saline intensity. All the elements are so well integrated. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, cedar, and new leather explode on the finish."
Second wine of Pichon-Comtesse de Lalande: velvety, generous, with well-polished tannins and aromas of ripe fruit with a very Pauillaise cedar note. A reliable and regular value, quickly developed.
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Très beau rouge sombre. Nez intense, au fruité mûr, évoluant sur une touche de vanille bourbon à l'agitation du verre. Bouche délicate et délicieuse, fondante, aimable, avec plus de goût que de corps. Longueur normale. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Bon corps, texture sans maigreur, tannin fin, assez complexe, c’est tout ce qu’on attend. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Réserve de la Comtesse offers raspberry and mulberry scents, with light damp undergrowth aromas percolating through, almost moss-like. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannins on the entry and some wood tannins present, although there will be less in the final blend. Light cedar notes emerge towards the finish, moderate in length, clean and classic in style."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Réserve de la Comtesse is a very racy, sexy wine. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, new leather, mocha and spice all grace this exquisite, wonderfully nuanced Réserve. All the elements are so well balanced. Silky tannins add to the wine's total feeling of finesse, but the aromatics are just as inviting."
Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the finest of Pauillac's 5th classified growths, held with competence and care by Mr. François-Xavier Borie and his children. The latest vintages show even greater aromatic precision and tannin nobility, especially the superb 2020 vintage.
Variation Case
In music, a variation is an evolution based on a defined theme. Grand-Puy-Lacoste has thus chosen to combine 3 different formats in a single case, enabling the evolution of the wine to be followed over time. The "Caisse Variation" thus contains 1 Double-Magnum, 2 Magnums and 4 Bottles, equivalent in volume to 12 bottles, as well as an invitation to an exclusive visit and tasting at the Château for 4 people (valid indefinitely).
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil, sentant bon le cabernet sauvignon. Touches de fruits noirs. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très raffiné au toucher, (la texture évoque le gras fin d'un vin blanc sec), tout fond, subtil, délicat et incrachable. C'est très bon. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Ce pauillac bien typé est doté d’une belle matière avec une pointe acidulée qui apporte une touche tonique à la finale. Joli fruit frais et souplesse des tanins, voilà un vin déjà très séduisant. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a light bouquet for this estate, primarily revealing fresh black fruit laced with tobacco and light smoky scents. It is simple but exhibits impressive delineation. You get the feeling that the aromatics are holding something back. The palate is medium-bodied and classic Pauillac in style with all that graphite-tinged black fruit and edgy tannins. This is not a complex Grand-Puy-Lacoste per se, but I admire its balance, charm and gentle grip on the finish. This is classy in an unpretentious way."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is pure charm. This is an especially soft, fruity Grand-Puy-Lacoste with good aromatic presence and fine freshness, if not quite the depth or complexity of the very best years. Floral overtones lift the finish effortlessly. This is a delicate, understated Pauillac that will drink well with minimal cellaring. The balance between the 13% alcohol and 70% new oak is sublime. I won't be surprised if the 2024 turns out to be even better from bottle, especially if it gains a bit of mid-palate pliancy in barrel."
Le Point : 17/20 " S'ouvre à l'aération, floral, bouche élégante, tramée par des tanins fins, fraîche, vin étiré. Un Pauillac délicat."
Known for producing one of the firmest and tightest (even robust) Pauillacs available, Duhart-Milon has since 2010 refined its style to gradually approach that of Lafite (same owner and same team). New direction and progress amply confirmed, with an unprecedented charm and fatness from the 2015 vintage onwards. Given the quality of its terroir (the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Duhart-Milon has certainly not finished its progression.
As the latest Bettane & Desseauve guide (2025) points out, “So many changes in recent vintages, with a great wine that has rediscovered the depth and dimension of the greatest Pauillacs”!
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Complet, particulièrement précis et raffiné dans sa texture et son intégration du boisé, long, c’est un vrai petit frère du Lafite. Il nous a rarement autant plu dès sa naissance. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru est droit, séveux et bien en place. Dans un esprit de noble classicisme, d’harmonie et d’équilibre. Rien ne dépasse, la bouche est traçante avec des tanins de belle fraîcheur. Délicieux, posé. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Belle couleur sombre. Nez moyennement intense, au fruité mûr, devenant suave à l'agitation du verre. Bouche au corps tendre et particulièrement fruitée, se développant un peu coulante, mais très savoureuse et très parfumée dans la persistance. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon opens with strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections. Blue-toned fruit, lavender, spice and dried herbs open first, all framed by brisk acids and supporting tannins that lend shape. The 2024 includes 14% press wines, about the norm here. This is a very promising Duhart."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon was matured in 50% new oak. The aromatics take their time to coalesce. It's a little herbaceous at first although that ebbs away to reveal quite pure blackcurrant, raspberry and Morello scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit and a dab of licorice toward the finish that just tapers slightly. Overall, this is a decent Pauillac in an old-school style that I approve of."
Property Rothschild (Mouton), with d'Armailhac. Apart from the terroir, the main difference between the two crus is the increased proportion of Merlot in Clerc-Milon (35% as opposed to 20%), giving it additional smoothness and richness. Since 2007 Clerc-Milon has benefited from its own vat room, a new winery and a dedicated team of 21 people so that Clerc-Milon can compete qualitatively with Lynch-Bages and Pontet-Canet.
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93/100 « Tout le caractère d’un pauillac classique, entre cèdre, havane, épices douces, et délicates nuances empyreumatiques. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Il est charmeur, introduit par un nez de fruits noirs, de réglisse. La bouche se montre suave, bien remplie en son milieu puis étirée avec élégance. Un ensemble séduisant et équilibré. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr et subtil, évoluant pur et très agréable dans le verre. Juteux à l'attaque, savoureux au milieu, avec un déroulé à la fois velouté et vif, le vin persiste sur une bonne longueur agréable. Touche d'acidité à fondre à l'élevage. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Clerc Milon has a fragant bouquet with blackberry, briar and light iodine scents that unfold nicely in the glass, though it's not as vigorous as the top vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with finely cut tannins. It has moderate weight and density, with a pleasing sweetness of fruit that comes through on the finish. This Clerc Milon has an appealing sense of composure."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Clerc Milon is packed with blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, dried flowers and mocha. Juicy and forward, Clerc Milon has a lot to go recommend it. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon savoriness to complement the wine's mid-wzight structure. Lovely."
Le Point : 17/20 " Nez réglisse, mûre, bouche élégante, fraîche, vin gourmand, assez classe, finale relevée, étirée. Très fin."
Contiguous to Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet is in good vintages the very type of great Pauillac, straight and racy. The first of the Grands Crus Classés to be certified "organic" (in 2010), Pontet-Canet has been at the top of the Médoc since 2000.
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Le vin se distingue une nouvelle fois par son élégance et son soyeux, avec une texture délicate mais un cœur de bouche juteux et une finale enrobée, très posée. Un beau classique qui ravira par son équilibre et son harmonie. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Texture raffinée, tendresse naturelle du soutien tannique, beau fruit avec un peu plus de souplesse et de profondeur que dans les millésimes précédents. D’un naturel parfait. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pontet-Canet is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here in some time, as in a long time. Brisk acids and beams of tannin shape a mid-weight, classically built Pontet-Canet unlike any I have tasted. The 2024 is not an abvious wine, it does not have the opulence of most recent years, rather it is a wine that impresses with its energy, tension and class. Floral, spice and mineral notes stain the palate in this vibrant, beautifully sculpted Pontet-Canet. The 2024 is seriously impressive, but it is also less immediate than what was once the norm because of shift towards a style that favors greater energy and vibrancy than in the recent past. The evolution here is going to be fascinating to follow in the coming year."
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Pontet Canet has a very pure bouquet with black cherry, wild strawberry, cassis and light violet scents vying for attention. This is not quite as complex as the '22s I tasted a few months earlier. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins on the entry, a keen line of acidity and veins of blue fruit commingling with black pepper and light graphite notes. Cohesive on the finish, there is an attractive linearity to this Pontet Canet, with satisfying sustain that delivers about as much precision as anyone could hope for in this vintage."
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Baies noires, poivre, bouche souple, onctueuse, généreuse, dense. Vin bien construit. »
Apart from the first great classified growths, no other Bordeaux wine is as world famous as Lynch-Bages. Its worldwide success comes as much from its opulent, full-bodied and robust style, from its unfailing regularity since 1975, and from its media promotion orchestrated by Jean-Michel Cazes. Lynch-Bages was the first wine sent into space (Discovery shuttle in 1985). It is even said that it is him who gave the taste of Bordeaux to the Americans!
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Charpenté et vertical, profil très pauillacais, avec des notes déjà expressives de havane, un grain de tanin ultra précis et une fraîcheur remarquable. Sans développer la grande vinosité des millésimes glorieux, il définit avec intensité et fermeté une ligne exigeante et sincère. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Le vin affiche une admirable concentration, beaucoup de profondeur et de précision dans le fruit. On retrouve la patte du cru, très suave et avenant mais avec une définition et une précision qui ne cessent de progresser. Déjà sacrément bon, il ira aussi fort loin. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez très aromatique, pur, fruité et subtil, évoluant légèrement fumé dans le verre. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec du goût et sans perte de velouté, le vin fond sur le palais très parfumé, sur des tannins bien enrobés. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A.Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages is packed. Cedar, scorched earth, licorice, incense and pipe tobacco weave through a core of dark, sepia-toned fruit. I especially admire the long, polished finish and overall balance here. The 2024 is a virile Lynch Bages with a bright future."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages has some initial reduction that is shaken off after several minutes. Very pure blackberry and blueberry fruit emerges with hints of melted tar and graphite, and iodine eventually lends more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and quite focused with grippy tannins that are impressive for their fineness. The 2024 possesses palpable mineralité and a poised finish. Though this does not touch the skyscraping heights that have been achieved in recent years, it is a "capable" Lynch-Bages."
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".
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le vin affiche une grande race et beaucoup de profondeur. Un Pichon à la trame sérieuse, avec beaucoup de volume et une belle chair qui l’enrobe. Les tanins sont mûrs, avec un grain fin. L’allonge est admirable. Il ira loin. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Coloré, ferme, épicé, grand tannin, très sérieux. A l’air, la violette et les arômes se développent parfaitement. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité. Nuances de violette et réglisse zan à l'agitation du verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, puis de suite très savoureux, avec du corps et un déroulé très enrobé et même suave, le vin s'achève long, sur une tannicité présente, mais parfumée. Qu'il est agréable de retrouver du tannin et du bon en finale, c'est si rare cette année. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pichon Baron is a very sexy wine. Deep and layered on the palate, with fine depth, the 2024 exudes balance. Sumptuous black cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice, menthol, lavender and pine are all dialed up. There's gorgeous breadth and overall presence here. The Cabernet Sauvignon is quite high at 87%, but it is really the wine's balance that speaks loudest."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The nose of the 2024 Pichon Baron is immediate and well-defined, with mineral-driven black fruit, a touch of pencil box and subtle estuarine scents. It is quintessential Pichon Baron. The palate is fresh and delineated on the entry, endowed with a core of sapid black olive tapenade-infused black fruit. I appreciate the energy that comes through, especially towards the second half, which maintains a sense of symmetry. It will be earlier drinking compared to the 2020 or 2022, but it is a successful Pauillac in the context of the challenging growing season, though it might require a little more time in bottle."
Le Point : 17/20 " Réglisse, mûre, baies noires, bouche ronde, tanins moelleux en milieu de bouche, de l'éclat, joli fruit moins sévère que certaines années."
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.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Harmonieux, profond, doté de tannins nobles, un rien strict aujourd’hui mais promis à un grand avenir. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « La grande classe ! le vin est étincelant et précis, dans la veine des derniers millésimes, servi par des cabernets qui fournissent la colonne vertébrale. Cette colonne est enrobée par une chair finement moelleuse. Très grande allonge avec une pointe mentholée. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Très beau rouge sombre et intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, sentant bon le cabernet sauvignon. Profond à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, avec un corps au dessin de cabernet sauvignon, du goût et un déroulé impeccable, le vin finit long, juteux, séveux, sur une persistance de fruits noirs. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is plush, sensual and inviting. Succulent dark-toned fruit, sweet spice, new leather, mocha, chocolate and lavender build nicely. Here, too, the tannins are so polished, so refined. The 2024 is an especially elegant Pichon-Comtesse. It's also very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Bravo."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is clearly driven by Cabernet Sauvignon on the nose. Predominantly black fruit, freshly rolled tobacco and light cedar scents unfold in the glass, resolutely classic in style, strict yet focused and defined. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, evidencing the much lighter extraction exacted by Nicolas Glumineau. This results in an impressive balanced Pichon-Comtesse, lightly spiced with hints of cracked black pepper towards the finish, dare I say, cut in a "Lafite" style. Though without the ambition of the '22, this keeps within the limitations set by the growing season. I can imagine this Pauillac slipping down the throat with ease in its flush of youth."
Le Point : 17/20 " Baies noires, bouche un peu plus en prise de bois, milieu de bouche suave, réglisse en finale, bonne longueur. "
Second wine of Lafite-Rothschild.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense. Nez très aromatique, fruité, frais et parfumé. Bouche moelleuse, ronde, juteuse et appétente, avec beaucoup de classe dans le toucher. Ensemble caressant et fondant. Jolie finale de fruits noirs, avec paradoxalement une touche de vivacité qui reste à fondre à l'élevage. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 « Fusion réussie entre merlots et cabernet-sauvignon, excellent volume de bouche, tannin raffiné, finale fraîche et montante. C’est une grande réussite. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Carruades de Lafite is plush, sensual and inviting right out of the gate. Soft contours wrap around a core of plum, black cherry, gravel, incense, licorice and baking spice. This is a rare Carruades that is Merlot-driven. It's a blance that works quite well. This showy, inviting Carruades is quite the charmer."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Carruades de Lafite has fine purity on the nose, black cherries mixed with cassis and pencil box aromas. Impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh and focused entry. The 2024 is very well balanced with gentle grip, plenty of tension and a hint of black truffle on the finish. This is a commendable Deuxième Vin."
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...".
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Grand corps et texture, intensité remarquable pour le millésime, très bien défini dès sa naissance et promis à un grand avenir. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 96-97/100 « C’est un Mouton de grande classe qui est né en 2024. Le vin, profilé par ses beaux cabernets (93 % de l’assemblage), offre distinction et éclat. Le nez exhale un parfum subtil et complexe, très floral. La bouche est persistante, avec des tanins très doux, un toucher soyeux et raffiné. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité, subtil. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et plutôt gras au milieu, avec du goût et de la puissance, le vin monte dans le dernier tiers du palais. Il finit long, juteux, séveux, avec un brin de vivacité qui reste à fondre. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Mouton Rothschild has an understated bouquet with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents that take their time to unfold. The nose possesses very fine delineation though the oak is a little more prominent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style with fine tannins. A less flamboyant Mouton Rothschild in keeping with the style of the vintage, the 2024 discretely gazins depth towards the finish and reveals a dash of white pepper on the altertaste. Classy, very classy."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Mouton-Rothschild is embryonic. Dark, poxerful and imposing, the 2024 is deeply intriguing, but also a wine that is going to need time to be at its best. Today, the tannins feel a bit brooding, the wine's mid-weight structure notwithstanding. The 100% new oak needs to integrate, but this is barrel sample."
Le Point : 17.5-18/20 "Nez aromatique, fruits rouges, bouche enveloppante, fruitée, droite, épicée, du volume et de l'élégance, soyeux et suave."
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".
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Voilà un vin à ne pas mettre entre toutes les papilles. Il faut aller chercher ce 2024 à 96 % de cabernet-sauvignon. Il est très sérieux, profond et complexe mais pas expansif. Ce qui le caractérise ? Son harmonie et son incroyable longueur. Un Lafite ultra racé et prometteur. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Complet pour l’année, texture d’une rare élégance, équilibre réussi entre intensité et raffinement, intégration immédiate du boisé, un classique de ce cru si célèbre en préparation. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nuances vives. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et floral. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très parfumé au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, délicat, savoureux, avec un joli retour de la saveur dans la persistance. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Lafite-Rothschild is a sensual, elegant wine very much in the style of the year. Plush and enveloping, with lovely forward fruit, the 2024 is very Lafite, perhaps a bit reticent, but super-expressive just the same. Black cherry, pomegranate, blood orange and a kiss of espresso all build in the glass, framed by quintessentially finessed Lafite tannins. The 2024 is sublime. I expect it will be one of the to be one of the wines in the Médoc when all is said and done."
Vinous (N. Martin): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Lafite-Rothschild has an understated and typical Lafite nose with crushed stone infusing the black fruit, black olive tapenade and marine scents. It comes across as astatesmanlike, which is just how you want your First Growth, even in a tricky vintage like this. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh saline notes on the entry. Tensile from the start, this has very impressive focus and is a tad more peppery than previous vintages. This is an assured Lafite-Rothschild with a very seaweed/Japanese wakame-tinged finish. Very promising and one of the very few "cerebral" Left Bank wines in 2024."
Le Point : 18/20 "Fruits rouges, bouche serrée, tendue, tonique, élégante et tramée, réglisse en finale. Vin très pur, très long."
Owned by the same people since 1894, Capbern's history is intimately linked to that of Calon-Ségur. With a vineyard of 38 hectares spread over two distinct areas (one near Calon, the other near Meyney), Capbern has a more chalky terroir, providing just the right amount of acidity and freshness to counterbalance the natural richness of Saint-Estèphe.
With more body than the Marquis (thanks to its high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, but also to longer ageing), Capbern is a mini-Calon, for a quarter of the price.
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Capbern has a fresh bouquet with blackberry, cranberry, incense and pencil shaving aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins. This is armed with satisfying freshness, brightness and hints of allspice and cumin in the background. This is cohesive on the modest, sapid finish. Although this is not the best Capbern that I have encountered in recent years, it is certainly a decent wine for the vintage."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Capbern is a very pretty, delicate Saint-Estèphe. Cabernet Sauvignon takes the leading role in this elegant, nuanced wine. Crushed flowers, spice, new leather, cedar, licorice and incense all delineated in the glass. Vibrant floral notes reappear on the long persistent finish."
Bettane & Desseauve : 90-91/100 « Toujours aussi réussi et fidèle à son style, entre classicisime des arômes et accessibilité par sa souplesse et sa texture sans dureté. Il a cette force et cette puissance intérieure qui lui permettront d’évoluer patiemment en bouteille. Grand rapport qualité-prix. »
On the terroir of Pez, known to be the best in St-Estèphe (excluding classified growths), the Cazes family uses the same recipes here as those that made Lynch-Bages so successful: generous fruit and opulent texture. Ormes de Pez is an'almost' Lynch-Bages but at a quarter of the price!
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Un vin bien construit qui séduit par son joli fruit, sa souplesse et son bon volume en bouche. Belle réussite. »
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Bouche moelleuse à souhait, avec un corps fondant, un déroulé velouté, du goût et du parfum. Bonne longueur. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Ormes de Pez is a very pretty, expressive Saint-Estèphe. Strong floral, savory and earthy elements abound. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, cedar and new leather lend notable punch. This is a very fine vintage for Ormes de Pez."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Le vin séduit par sa belle rondeur et son côté généreusement fruité. La bouche est ciselée, nette, marquée par les fruits rouges. Très jolie finale tendue. »
Second wine of Calon Ségur with, since 2013, a heart on the label like its big brother.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "THe 2024 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a classy, polished wine. Dark cherry, spice, new leather, cedar, incense and tobacco fill out the layers nicely. Medium in body, with terrific depth, the 2024 is impeccably done. It offers lovely textural resonance and fine balance, making for a very impressive second wine from the château."
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Texture souple et raffinée, très bon corps, tannin fondu, belle longueur, c’est un séducteur. »
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez discret au premier abord et plus suave à l'agitation du verre. Bouche ample et séduisante à souhait, avec sa nuance de fruits mûrs et son gras fin. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 86-88/100 "The 2024 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is missing some fruit concentration on the nose. Therefore, it comes across a little austere, especially when compared to recent vintages. The palate is simple with rounded tannins, fine acidity, light spiced black fruit and touches of brown spices on the finish. But it just lacks some bite and complexity, so this one for earlier drinking."
On a magnificent gravelly hillock that has nothing to envy that of its neighbour Montrose, Meyney (Crédit Agricole property) is a serious candidate for the title of best Médoc bourgeois cru in each vintage. Long, complex, refined, distinguished tannins: a great Médoc cut for long ageing. Recommended by Mr. De Boüard (Angelus) from the 2014 vintage.
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94 « Grande couleur, vin complet et harmonieux avec une originalité aromatique liée à ses argiles et ses merlots et petit verdots denses et expressifs. Grand avenir et excellent rapport qualité-prix. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Ce vin possède une race indéniable, avec beaucoup de définition et de profondeur. Il est élancé et charnu, avec un grain de tanins admirable. L’équilibre est superbe et la finale éclatante. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Meyney is another big step in the right direction for this re-emerging. Saint-Estèphe estate. In 2024, Meyney is refined yet still very deep, without the heaviness that was once typical here. It will be interesting to see in future years how much of that is the new style here and how much is the vintage. Either way, the 2024 Meyney is standout."
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nez moyennement aromatique, sentant bon les fruits mûrs, les épices et le petit verdot. Délicat en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, bien construit, le vin glisse sur le palais, très agréable vers une longueur tout en arômes. Tannins enveloppés. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Meyney has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and light cassis notes, but I just seek a little more delineation and nuance. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and saline with sappy black fruit, finely knit tannins and a cohesive finish. I like the length of Meyney and, given its reasonable price, it should be worth seeking out once released."
Previously settled on firm tannins that made them stark in their youth, Cos Labory's wines have for the last ten years changed in style, becoming more pleasant and gaining in depth and refinement (its vineyard is adjacent to those of Lafite-Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel). “Probably the best value in the 1855 classification to date”, as Bettane & Desseauve (Guide 2025) points out.
The Audoy family having sold its vineyard to the neighboring Cos d'Estournel at the beginning of 2023, a new era begins at Cos Labory.
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Deuxième millésime réalisé par les équipes de Cos d’Estournel et deuxième année en conversion bio, 2024 est un vin élégant et équilibré, mais avec de la structure. Il est doté d’une belle rondeur et d’une finale vive et soyeuse. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Cos Labory is powerful, burly wine. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, licorice, incense and chocolate are all dialed up. Strong saline accents extend the brooding finish. Ample, deep and quite imposing. Cos Labory offers plenty of impact. There is still some rusticity here that needs to be addressed, but Cos Labory is moving in the right direction."
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Beau rouge sombre et intense. Nez très fruité, fin, intense et pur. Moelleux à l'attaque, suave en milieu de bouche, avec du goût, le vin caresse le palais, puis rebondit en finale long et savoureux. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 88-90/100 "The 2024 Cos Labory has another powerful, fruit-driven bouquet with black cherry, cassis, iodine and violet aromas. You would assume it comes from a warm vintage like 2020 or 2022. The palate is dense medium-bodied with a noticeable lattice of tannins, firm grip and a dash of black pepper on the finish. This is one of the few Left Bank wines that might require some bottle age."
Unquestionably the most popular vintage of the Médoc. Over the years, Haut-Marbuzet has been able to gain in finesse and balance by keeping its Merlot dominance and maturing in new oak barrels. Delicious !
Bettane & Desseauve : 92-93 « Frais, élégant, fringant même, avec un tannin qui doit encore se nourrir dans ses belles barriques neuves. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Issu des rendements les plus faibles depuis 1991, soit 19 hl/h, le vin est toutefois très soyeux, tout en fruit, avec une trame droite portée par une proportion plus importante de cabernets qu’à son habitude. Il est toutefois dans l’ADN du cru, avec son velouté habituel. »
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, pur, au fruité mûr. Bouche tout en délicatesse tactile, au moelleux délicat, évoluant parfumée et tellement agréable. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Haut-Marbuzet has quite an exuberant bouquet with orange rind-infused red berry fruit, hints of violet and peony that emerge with time. The palate is grippy and medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a fresh, minerally finish. It will need 2 or 3 years to shave its edges, but there is energy here."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 85-87/100 "The 2024 Haut-Marbuzet is a bit awkward. The aromatics are unfocused and the contours are angular. There's good depth of fruit and brightness underlying it all, but also a metallic edge that is impossible to look past. It will be interesting to see if the 2024 comes together. The undated samples tasted a week apart do not reflect well on the château, one whose wines I have long admired."
Second wine of Cos d'Estournel, probably the best second wine of the Médoc after those of the first classified growths (for half or even a quarter of the price).
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Les Pagodes de Cos is terrific. Medium in body and vibrant, the 2024 is impeccable. Blackberry, spice, leather, menthol and chocolate open gradually. A wine of balance and harmony, the 2024 is super-elegant. I find the less bombastic style here vis-à-vis the past quite interesting."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Les Pagodes de Cos has quite a rich bouquet for the vintage with black cherry, hints of cassis and black olive, the latter only emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied and a little spicier than expected, with chalky tannins and a compact finish."