2024 Futures
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 64 % cabernet sauvignon, 26 % merlot, 10 % petit verdot
- Organic certification:
- 2024
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 62 % cabernet sauvignon, 26 % merlot, 10 % petit verdot, 2 % cabernet franc
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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 : 92-93/100 « 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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 55 % cabernet sauvignon, 35 % merlot, 5 % cabernet franc, 5 % petit verdot.
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- 50% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
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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%
- Blend:
- 68 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 2 % Petit Verdot
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The acquisition of Calon-Ségur in 2012 by a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel (a French bank) heralds the great awakening of this famous terroir of gravel on limestone, in one piece and entirely surrounded by a wall (a unique fact in the Médoc). All of Bordeaux wants Calon-Ségur to be as fabulous as those of the middle of the last century after a 15-year investment plan.
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%
- Blend:
- 82 % cabernet sauvignon, 9 % merlot, 8 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot
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After 43 vintages, Mr Charmolüe sold the estate to Mr Bouygues in 2006. The change of ownership was accompanied by a spectacular project designed to bring Montrose into the 21st century: use of geothermal energy, installation of photovoltaic panels, recycling of CO2 from alcoholic fermentation...
There has also been a change of style in the wines, with a move towards greater aromatic complexity and textural refinement. Montrose nevertheless remains a wine of great breed, resting on a powerful tannic architecture and reserved for the most patient connoisseurs.Bettane & Desseauve : 98/100 « Sommet absolu du Médoc dans ces premières dégustations. Couleur intense, perfection du corps et de la texture, noblesse du retour de bouche, bref impossible d’imaginer un vin plus complet et plus complexe dans le futur. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 96-97/100 « Le cru poursuit son impressionnante série, il faut dire qu’il ne néglige aucun détail pour produire le plus grand vin possible. Ce dernier est désormais élaboré avec le cœur du terroir (une autre cuvée, différente de la Dame, sera d’ailleurs bientôt mise sur le marché). Le vin est multi-dimensionnel, avec une pureté de bouche exemplaire, mais surtout une matière qui se déploie très longuement et s’étire sur des tanins très civilisés. »
Le Point : 18/20 « Grillé, epicé, bouche ronde, onctueuse, dense, joli fruit, long, réglisse, beaucoup d'éclat. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Montrose exudes Cabernet Sauvignon character in its aromatic savoriness and tannic structure. In fact, the 2024 has the most Cabernet Sauvignon ever. Tightly wound today, the 2024 impresses with its energy and focus. There's a bit less mid-palate and overall heft than most years, as well as a brighter fruit profile. Floral, spice and mineral overtones lend brightness throughout. The 2024 is a super-classic, nervy Montorse that will need a number of years to be at its most expressive."
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Montrose has a well-defined and very able nose that demonstrates classicism, fine delineation and a little more florality than the Terrasse III. The palate is medium-bodied with very finely chiselled tannins and a keen line of acidity. This symmetrical Saint-Estèphe is blessed with an elegant, sapid and reassuringly precise finish that the estate seems to have honed in the last few years. It does not have the unbridled ambition of, say, the 2020 Montrose, but it is exceptionally well crafted and will become a fine Saint-Estèphe."
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets vifs. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, parfumé au milieu, le vin évolue fondant, savoureux, avec de la classe dans le toucher. Bien construit, il s'achève long et très bon. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 80 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 17 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc.
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The very high quality of Cos d'Estournel's recent vintages is impressive, placing it undoubtedly among the first great classified growths of the Médoc. A single qualifier comes to mind when we think of Cos d'Estournel: monumental, for its wines as well as for its cellar.
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Grande couleur, grand corps, grande suite en bouche, difficile d’imaginer vin plus complet dans ce millésime : grande garde garantie. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « “Raffinement” est sans doute l’adjectif qui qualifie le mieux ce Cos d’Estournel 2024. Le vin ne manque cependant pas de volume, avec un cœur de bouche dense et une finale montante. Avec moins de 13° d’alcool il se montre particulièrement digeste, sans pour autant manquer de potentiel de garde. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité. Touche légèrement boisée à l'agitation du verre. Ample à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond en finale, puissant, séveux et très long. C'est incroyable de ressentir une telle puissance avec un si petit degré d'alcool ! »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-98/100 "The 2024 Cos d'Estournel could very well be one of the wines to the vintage. Bright and vibrant in the glass, with tons of energy, the 2024 impresses with its vertical structure, depth and overall balance. Blue/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, lavenderand mocha are beautifully delineated throughout. The 2024 is super-classic. The modest 12.8% alcohol is notable, especially because that also means there is less extraction of wood. Cos Is one of early favorites in 2024."
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Cos d'Estournel has an atypically powerful bouquet, revealing black fuit laced with graphite and gravelly scents. The palate has a Pauillac-like entry that's fresh but certainly intense. There's plenty of grip in this Cos d'Estournel that's a little sweeter and reassuringly persistent on the finish compared to its peers. It does not deliver the mineralité of a top-flight Cos d'Estournel, though there's certainly much more fruit intensity than you would expect given the growing season. I observed more classicism during my second record, which suggests that the depthof fruit may become more prominent during barrel maturation."
Le Point : 17.5-18/20 "Nez profond, mûre, baies noires avec un côté terrien, minéral, bouche dense, veloutée, droite, tanins enveloppants, finale tendue, un pH assez bas qui lui confère de la tonicité."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 60 % cabernet sauvignon, 38 % merlot, 1,5 % cabernet franc, 0,5 % petit verdot
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The late Mr. Durantou's confidential Pomerol, made from a 0.6-acre parcel belonging to L'Église-Clinet. Its very high proportion of Merlot (90%) and sandier terroir give it a softer profile and an almost immediate charm. More rapidly accessible, without excessive stature, with crisp fruit and fine ageing, La Petite Église is a fine entry into the Durantou universe.
More than a second wine, it's certainly one of the appellation's best value for money.La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Assurément un des meilleurs rapports prix/plaisir de Pomerol ! Dès le nez, on devine un fruit de qualité, avec un accent mis sur la délicatesse. Les tanins sont particulièrement soignés, poudrés, soulignés par les notes traçantes des 10 % de cabernet franc. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 La Petite Église was showing a bit of reduction on the nose that made it a little harder to read, but there is certainly decent fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and impressive structure given the vintage and that this is a Deuxième Vin with plenty of mineral-driven black fruit on the vivacious finish. It is excellent."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 La Petite Eglise is really in a class by itself when it comes to the second wines of Pomerol. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2024 exudes attractive inner perfume and fabulous balance. Inky dark red fruit, pomegranate lavender, spice, menthol, incense and rose petal stain the palate. This racy, striking Pomerol is lights out. I would be thrilled to own it."
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin glisse sur le palais avant de marquer un peu le tannin dans la persistance. Longueur normale. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 90 % merlot, 10 % cabernet franc
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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%
- Blend:
- 88 % merlot, 12 % cabernet franc.
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Nénin is like Léoville-Las Cases (same owner): a great wine, straight, tight, with a lot of length and always excellent ageing potential. In great shape in the last vintages, as Bettane&Desseauve underlines "In constant progress for its structural and aromatic precision, it is now in the court of the greatest".
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Loin du style plantureux du cru, 2024 tempère la générosité classiquement exotique de ses merlots sur graves et offre une interprétation al dente. Dans un style pur, à 13°, il arbore des tanins crayeux, une mi-puissance, avec une finale rappelant le pétrichor. L’apport modéré de fût neuf (65 %) devrait respecter cette matière. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur intense. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Juteux à l'attaque, suave en milieu de bouche, avec du goût et un toucher velouté, le vin file droit vers une finale de bonne longueur. Un profil inféré par le plus haut pourcentage de cabernet franc et de cabernet sauvignon recensé jusqu'alors. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Nénin is redolent of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and new leather. The strong presence of Cabernets, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, in this vintage yields a Grand Vin that is quite different in style for Nénin is quite appealing. The 2024 is a touch slender –that is inescapable– but the direction here is extremely positive."
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Nénin has a tertiary bouquet at first and takes a few swirls of the glass to find its feet, but touches of black plum and incense finally emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. The fleshy mid-palate gives way to a lightly spiced finish with a splash of soy. This should be quite approachable once bottled."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 54 % merlot, 38 % cabernet franc, 8 % cabernet sauvignon
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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%
- Blend:
- 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%
- Blend:
- 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%
- Blend:
- 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%
- Blend:
- 71% Merlot ; 20% Cabernet Franc ; 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
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A talented and demanding winemaker, Mr. Durantou, at the service of a great terroir flush with Pomerol's church (between Lafleur and Clinet), has revealed and propelled L'Église-Clinet among Pomerol's finest crus. L'Église-Clinet is undoubtedly one of the most subtle in terms of aromatic precision, fine grain and satiny texture. Much too soon lost in 2020, Mr. Durantou fortunately has three daughters, united and determined to continue their father's work with brio.
J-M Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité, sentant bon les fruits noirs, puis les fleurs à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux dès l'entrée en bouche, particulièrement aromatique au milieu, avec un corps dense et beaucoup de goût, le vin évolue savoureux et complexe vers une grande longueur, tout à la fois séveuse et fondante. C'est remarquable pour l'année. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 L'Église-Clinet is brilliant and intensely aromatic in its first impression. Vibrant red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, cedar and rose petal soar from the glass. Readers will find a vertical, explosive L'Église-Clinet that impresses with its poise and balance. The 2024 deftly marries finesse and power to a degree I have seldom seen here in the past. Superb."
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 "The 2024 L'Eglise-Clinet takes time to unfurl generous black cherry, mint and cassis aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chiseled tannins that frame the mineral-driven black fruit. It's not the most powerful L'Eglise-Clinet I have ever tasted at this stage, but you have to admire the manner in which this just builds toward the finish whilst retaining poise and tension. The 2024 is a wonderful Pomerol that will age effortlessly in bottle."
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Arômes de fruits noirs juteux, accompagnés de notes florales subtiles évoquant la violette. Texture soyeuse et pure, attaque sensuelle suivie d’une bouche harmonieuse où les tannins sont puissants et raffinés. La finale est longue et élégante. Grand potentiel. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-96/100 « Le nez, réservé, nous rappelle le pedigree de ce cru de plateau, et distille de fines notes de fruits bleus et de violette. Le toucher est particulièrement savoureux, avec des tanins serrés, une définition acide vibrante, une grande allonge. Une des meilleures réussites de l’appellation. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 90 % merlot, 10 % cabernet franc
-
A doll-like vineyard comprising 4 pure Merlot parcels, located between Lafleur-Pétrus, Le Pin and Trotanoy. Henri Parent, owner and son of the late Mme Péré-Vergé, is committed to producing at La Violette the most melting, radiant and exuberant version of Pomerol. All this under the guidance of oenologist Michel Roland, who has made La Violette a showcase for his expertise: the search for the most accomplished maturity, manual de-stemming grain by grain, complete vinification in barrel, etc. The critics have succumbed to the charm of La Violette.
Critics succumb to La Violette's charm: “A great wine of emotion that touches the heart as much as the mind” for M. Bettane, “More than ever, La Violette offers a unique experience in Pomerol” for La Revue du Vin de France.
La Violette is undoubtedly the most sensual and extrovert Pomerol, but also one of the rarest (800 cases per year).J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et profond. Ample à l'attaque, minutieux en milieu de bouche, très aromatique, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux et dense. C'est long, complexe et noble. Bravo ! »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 La Violette is a sensual yet powerful Pomerol. Blue/Purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, chocolate and espresso all meld together. La violette is vinified entirely in Franch oak barrels. It's an approach that seems especially well-suited to this wine, as the wood amplifies flavor intensity. In recent years, La Violette has shed some of the heavy extraction that was penalizing in the past."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Particulièrement profond et sapide. La vinification en barrique apporte un enrobage bienvenu dans ce millésime filiforme ; elle apport de l’amplitude, du dynamisme. Son relief acide de belle qualité promet à ce pomerol une belle capacité de garde. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 La Violette has a gorgeous bouquet with pure black cherries and crushed violet scents–well defined while retaining that opulent style. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins in its signature style, not as complex as the best vintages but it maintains balance and purity to the end."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 100 % merlot
-
Like Pétrus, Le Pin is 100% Merlot. But if Pétrus has adopted a more classic style in recent years, Le Pin remains a hedonistic wine, often exuberant, sometimes even exotic. And unlike Pétrus, Le Pin is much rarer (500 cases per year).
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Accents de cèdre et de résine avec des touches florales vaporeuses. Le tannin caressant donne une profondeur qui se prolonge parfaitement en finale. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense, vive et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et truffé. Gras à l'attaque, gras en milieu de bouche, parfumé, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond à la fois juteux, aérien et en même temps dense. C'est superbe ! C'est du Le Pin. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Le Pin has a relatively light, delineated bouquet of red berry fruit and touches of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine lattice of tannins. Very elegant and harmonious with a deft touch of white pepper, this is a delightful, slightly ferrous Pomerol that will drink well for 15 to 20 years. It just sashays along without a care in the world. 13.05% abv."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Loin du style plantureux du cru, 2024 tempère la générosité classiquement exotique de ses merlots sur graves et offre une interprétation al dente. Dans un style pur, à 13°, il arbore des tanins crayeux, une mi-puissance, avec une finale rappelant le pétrichor. L’apport modéré de fût neuf (65 %) devrait respecter cette matière. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-92/100 "The 2024 Le Pin is aromatic and light on its feet, with lovely perfume but less in the way of mid-palate pliancy or persistence. Perhaps I caught Le Pin at an awkward stage, but my distinct impression is of a wine marked by elements of dulution and very fragile balance. Elevage will be critical. Wines like this can sometimes blossom in bottle, so we will see."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 100 % merlot
-
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%
- Blend:
- 95 % Merlot, 05 % Cabernet Franc
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Fombrauge, the largest vineyard in Saint-Émilion with 57 hectares, has been offering since its purchase by Mr. Magrez (1997) structured wines that do not deny their terroir, full, gourmet and devilishly seductive thanks to a luxurious maturing process.
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Fombrauge se recentre sur trois terroirs de plateaux calcaire et la côte sud de Saint-Émilion. Les 90% de merlot et 10% de cabernet franc sont élevés en bonne part en cuve béton (30%). Une dimension calcaire se profile et accompagne ce vin de bout en bout, en bouche comme en aromatique. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-93/100 "The 2024 Fombrauge is supple, forward and open-knit, all of which make it a fine choice for drinking upon release. Supple contours wrap around a core of plum, dark red cherry, spice, new leather, cedar and rose petal. This is a very different style than the past because of the reduction of new oak and gentler winemaking overall. There is a bit of firmness on the finish that needs time to resolve. Hopefully, elevage will take care of that. Aging is 70% in oak (50% new) and 30% in a combination of ceramic, cement and stainless steel."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- 90% Merlot, 10% Cab. Franc
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More infused than extracted, finely oaked, with a beautiful balance between fresh fruit and velvety tannins, this sapid and sensual Dragon is more than a second wine.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 " The 2024 Dragon de Quintus opens with very pretty floral aromatics. Medium in body and gracious, the 2024 is quite attractive. Macerated cherry, cinnamon, rose petal and blood orange are very nicely delineated. The Dragon is perhaps on the lighter side, but its balance is impeccable. This is such an attractive wine."
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, pur, fruité et subtil. Moelleux à l'attaque, suave et rond en milieu de bouche, le vin s'étire en finale, persistant et subtil, sur une longueur normale. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 88-90/100 " The 2024 Dragon de Quintus presents tightly wound dark berry fruit intermixed with light marine scents on the nose. The palate offers a bit more flesh but still feels rather lean on the mid-palate, needing more weight and rondeur on the finish. However, there is freshness here, and appreciate the peppery aftertaste.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 78,5% Merlot, 21,5% Cabernet Franc
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As well maintained as Canon-La Gaffelière (same owner), under the direction of Mr. Derenoncourt, Clos de l'Oratoire offers practically the same fullness and intensity for half the price.
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « De bonne longueur avec une finale fraîche, bien dans le ton de ce que l’on attend du millésime. Le cabernet franc lui confère de la personnalité. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-94/100 "The 2024 Clos de l'Oratoire is a very beautiful. Dark, layered and vibrant, Clos de l'Oratoire has a lot to offer. The 2024 is a bit more on the refined side, a reflection of both the vintage and stylistic shift that has been in place for a number of years. Lavender, spice, licorice and espresso weave into a core of blue-toned fruit. Silky tannins wrap it all up in this stylish Saint-Émilion."
Vinous (N. Martin): 86-88/100 "The 2024 Clos de l'Oratoire has a light bouquet with briar, cranberry pencil box aromas. This at least has more character and presence than the Clos Marsalette or d'Aiguihe. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and delicate tannins, though it does attenuate toward the finish and leaves you wanting more."
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruits rouges, baies sauvages, note florale, fraise, bouche savoureuse, bon volume, vif en milieu de bouche, tonique, finale épicée, relevée. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- 80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc
- Organic certification:
- 2020
-
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
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet franc
- Organic certification:
- 2023
-
With today 11 ha, the vineyard of Valandraud allows Mr. Thunevin to tighten his selections for the great wine and his second, Virginie de Valandraud (there is a 3rd, Clos Badon, and even a 4th wine!). Rich in colour, always delicious with an elegant tannic structure, Virginie de Valandraud makes those who think that second wines have no soul lie.
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Nez frais et intense, profil mûr et frais, en bouche avec une texture crémeuse qui lui donne beaucoup de charme. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-93/100 "The 2024 Virginie de Valandraud is a dense, potent wine. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice and a good dose of new oak lend notable richness to the Virginie. Readers will find a dense, opulent Saint-Émilion. This is in line with the style of the Grand Vin in terms of its flamboyant fruit intensity."
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Bouche suave, parfumée, évoluant tendre, juteuse et très difficile à cracher. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 88-90/100 "The 2024 Virginie de Valandraud has an intense black plum and cassis-scentend nose driven by the wood at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, pointed acidity and is quite spicy towards the pastille-like finish. Hopefully, this will soak up the oak with bottle age."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 90 % merlot, 5 % cabernet franc, 5 % cabernet sauvignon
-
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
-
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%
- Blend:
- 85 % merlot, 15 % cabernet franc
-
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
-
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%
- Blend:
- 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc
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An ultra-refined great wine, with a mineral tension that is out of the ordinary in Bordeaux, the fruit of the great terroir of the Côte Pavie, but also of the complicity of Mr Nicolas Thienpont and Mr Stéphane Derenoncourt since 1994.
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Attaque délicate suivie d’un milieu de bouche où cohabitent des accents de fruits noirs et d’orange ainsi que des touches de fleurs épicées, prolongés par une finale fraîche et élancée qui dynamise cette sensualité. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Fruits noirs, baies sauvages, feuillage, bouche complexe, savoureuse, tanins racés, bonne fraîcheur, très savoureux, épicé en finale. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pavie Macquin is positively gorgeous. Silky, layered and voluptuous, the 2024 is so impressive right out of the gate. Plush contours wrap around a core of purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice, menthol and chocolate. All the signatures of this site come through loud and clear. Savory and floral notes supported by clean veins of salinity extend the persistent finish. Pavie Macquin shows what was possible in 2024 The choice to harvest everything in October (from the 3rd to the 8th) paid off big time."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Pavie Macquin has an impressive bouquet for the vintage, quite composed and delineated with brambly red fruit, sous-bois and light rose petal scents. The palate is medium-bodied and nicely chiselled compared to its peers, with pliant tannins and a fresh, saline finish. It does not have the persistence of other vintages that fire on all cylinders, but this is a success for 2024."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Pavie-Macquin est le métronome de Saint-Émilion. Même dans les millésimes compliqués, ce vin au garde son d'identité unique. Peu flatteur à ce stade, l'assemblage de merlot (85%) et de cabernet franc (15%, une part anormalement basse due à des pertes). Cette part anormalement faible de cabernet franc exprime néanmoins de fines nuances réglissées et florales, et une certaine froideur aromatique. En bouche, il se profile ciselé, avec une grande élégance. Nous ne sommes qu'aux prémices d'un vin promis à de belles années de garde. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 84 % Merlot, 15 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Cabernet Sauvignon
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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%
- Blend:
- 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc