All prices are including VAT but excluding transport.
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.
Immediate neighbour of Pavia, Larcis-Ducasse was logically promoted to 1st Grand Cru Classé in 2012 due to its full south-facing hillside exposure and the brilliant work of the Thienpont-Derenoncourt tandem.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Nez de fruits rouges et noirs purs avec des notes de pivoine, tannin moelleux, cœur de bouche éclatant avec des accents pulpeux d’orange sanguine et de mûre. La texture soyeuse et délicate est ponctuée d’une finale somptueuse. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-97/100 "The 2024 Larcis Ducasse is dense, powerful and imposing almost surprisingly so. All of the mid-palate. Black cherry, plum, mocha, lavender, chocolate and cinnamon meld together in the glass, but is the wine's mind-blowing balance that stands out most. This is another stellar showing from Larcis Ducasse. There's real potential here."
Le Point : 17/20 « Bien aromatique, mûre, élevage très précis, milieu de bouche bien en place, tanins veloutés, harmonieux, finale relevée. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un parfum fruité très séduisant, tout en nuances. Il développe une certaine immédiateté au nez, avec ces 85 % de merlot accompagnés de 15 % de cabernet franc venus de la côte sud de Saint-Émilion, voisin de Pavie. On retrouve cette séduction première dans le premier contact tout en douceur de la bouche. Il se prolonge avec une ampleur particulièrement enveloppante, presque une sucrosité. Ce confort en bouche est très appréciable cette année, plus qu'ailleurs. La finale, poudrée et dynamique, s'élance avec beaux amers. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur noire, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr et subtil. Joli arôme de mûre. Délicat en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin caresse le palais, sans cesse parfumé, vers une jolie finale persistante qui ne marque pas le tannin. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Larcis Ducasse offers strawberry and raspberry pastilles intermixed with vanilla on the nose, quite expressive even if it lacks a bit of complexity compared to the best vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly "thick" tannins that lend a bit more grip. The 2024 is a solid Saint-Émilion that lacks a bit of finesse but has flavour and density. It could come around if given a prudent élevage."
Owned by Mr. Neipperg (Clos de l'Oratoire, La Mondotte, d'Aiguilhe) at the foot of the hill Ausone.
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Grande délicatesse du bouquet de fleurs sauvages, mêlé aux effluves de fruits noirs mûrs. Le fruit est dense, précis, profond, accompagnée par des tannins soyeux et soutenu par la fraîcheur saline et florale de la finale. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Besoin d'air, fruits rouges, cerise, juteux, sur la réserve à ce stade, profond, tanins serrés, feuillage, amer délicat. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "The 2024 Canon La Gaffelière is all class. Delicate and pliant, the 2024 is another fine offering in this range from Stephan von Neipperg. Dark red-toned fruit, pomegranate, spice, blood orange, new leather and pipe tobacco build in the glass. Like all the wines here, Canon-La Gaffelière is on the lighter side, but it very much retains all of its signatures. Exquisite."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le vin est issu d'un assemblage judicieux (43% merlot, 43% cabernet franc, le reste en cabernet-sauvignon). Grâce à un élevage qui utilise moins de bois neuf (de 40 à 20%) et 20% de cuves, il exprime un fruité particulier supplémentaire. Ce millésime peu démonstratif convient bien à ce Canon-La-Gaffelière, établi avec une texture cajolante et longue. »
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Couleur sombre, d'intensité normale. Nez d'abord discret et fruité, évoluant sur une note de framboise et de fleurs à l'agitation du verre. Bouche agréablement veloutée, au corps fondant et aérien. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Canon La Gaffelière has a light and airy bouquet with tertiary red fruit and touches of tobacco coming through slowly in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a tiny bit of greenness on the entry, although I feel it will assimilate with time. This just needs more density and grip on the finish, so it is a Canon La Gaffelière that I should broach in the medium term."
Exceptional terroir of 4 hectares on a south-facing slope (like Pavie) at the entrance to the village of Saint-Émilion. Taken over in 2014 by the Vauthier family (Ausone), who is committed to highlighting the deep, juicy flesh of her grapes, with a confounding naturalness and a splendid aromatic radiance. La Clotte has everything it takes to quickly become one of the most cult wines of the appellation.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Juteux à l'attaque, très minutieux au développement, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond au palais, aromatique et distingué. Bonne longueur. C'est superbe. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-95/100 "The 2024 La Clotte is a heady, engaging wine. Aromatic, deep and wonderfully dynamic, La Clotte shows the pedigree of this south-facing site. Rose petal, crushed flowers, mint, spice, cedar and tobacco all soar from the glass. Blood orange, red-toned fruit and white pepper open later. The 2024 is distinguished by its complexity and myriad shades of nuance. It is an especially fine 2024. Saldy, yields are just 22 hectoliters per hectare. As always, La Clotte speaks with eloquance."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 La Clotte has one of my favorite aromatics amongst the Vauthier family's cuvées, with delightful wild strawberry, raspberry and iodine aromas, although it's quite tight on the nose at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, almost silky opening, a fine bead of acidity and impressive precision on the finish. It is not as intense as the 2022 as you would expect, but this is a sophisticated Saint-Émilion."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Le millésime a été dur à la propriété, avec des rendements de 25 hl/ha à cause de la coulure et du millerandage. Mais ce cru emblématique de la splendide vallée de Fongaban révèle une intensité aromatique particulière. Il est établi en demi-corps, d'une retenue qui pousse à l'introspection. La sève calcaire se révèlera avec le temps ! »
Rocheyron is the result of a friendly and professional partnership between Sylvio Denz (Faugères and Lafaurie-Peyraguey) and Peter Sisseck (Pingus). Since 2010, they have been investing in this small 8-hectare vineyard, located entirely on the asteriated limestone plateau characteristic of Saint-Émilion: tilling the soil, conversion to organic farming (certified in 2020), gentle vinification at low temperatures... Rocheyron is constantly progressing, and each year offers wines with an unequalled tannic softness.
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le vin espagnol naît au soleil, le vin de bordeaux naît dans le puits ». Peter Sisseck aime rappeler ce vieil adage pour évoquer ce millésime sauvé des eaux. Mais quelle réussite à Rocheyron ! D'abord de subtiles nuances aromatiques, à la fois florales, réglisse et cerise. C'est le fruité que l'on apprécie tant à ce stade, et pourtant si difficile à retrouver ailleurs. En bouche ? Une silhouette traçante, filiforme, imprégnée de son terroir calcaire tardif. Loin d'être un vin consensuel, c'est une flèche calcaire qui file jusqu'à une finale extrêmement revigorante. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 88-90/100 "The 2024 Rocheyron was picked from September to October 3 at 33 hl/ha, underwent has pumping over during extraction, and was matured in 10% new French oak and 10% in foudre. It offers red plum and crushed strawberry on the nose, with a slight confit-like quality. The palate has a fleshy entry, rounded in texture with pretty red fruit, but it lacks grip and backbone on the finish. As such, this latest iteration will be more for early drinking before broaching the excellent '22."
Advised by Mr. Derenoncourt, Clos Fourtet regularly and unobtrusively demonstrates that the upper part of the Saint-Émilion plateau can produce wines as great as the Ausone or Pavie hillsides. Sobriety, depth, finesse and intensity are exemplary.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Palette aromatique sur le fruit et des notes crayeuses qui apportent le salin à la finale encore compacte. Grand avenir d’un vin toujours difficile à juger à ce stade, mais qui fera une grande bouteille. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Touche de suie, fruits noirs, baies sauvages, élégant, beaucoup de finesse, tanins veloutés, note de réglisse, finale élégante, très beau grains de tanins. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, intense, belle, aux reflets grenat. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, avec du goût au milieu, un corps élancé et savoureux, le vin fond sur le palais, avec un brin de vivacité dans la persistance. Mais c'est réellement incrachable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Clos Fourtet is a gorgeous, elegant wine. Medium in body, with terrific persistence and notable purity, Clos Fourtet impresses with its balance more than anything else. Dark Blue fruits, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and framed by bright chalky notes that lend freshness. In 2024, Clos Fourtet is built more on persistence than overt textural richness, as has, been the case in some recent vintages."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « À l'image de la propriété, le vin propose une élégante retenue aromatique, des nuances florales et de réglisse. En même temps qu'il est sombre, froid, presque impénétrable, le bouquet aromatique dévoile beaucoup d'éclat. Le vin, svelte cette année, est moins dense qu'à son habitude. Il évoluera lentement avec sa sensation calcaire particulière. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Clos Fourtet is clearly a level-up from Le Closerie with pure, well defined and focused blueberry, raspberry, and blood orange scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is quite linear, keeping with the style of the vintage, so this doen't have a peacock's tail like the 2022. Yet this feels tensile and the limestone terroir shapes the mineral-driven finish. This is a well-crafted and delicious Clos Fourtet, a success given the challenges of the vintage."
Second wine of Angelus, made in the same luxurious and distinguished style that has made the reputation and international success of this wine.
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur très beau rouge sombre, intense et vive. Nez très aromatique, au fruité mûr. Nuances de fraise. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très aromatique, le vin caresse le palais, puis monte en finale tout en douceur et avec du goût. C'est délicieux et très agréable. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « La bouche déroule un tannin soyeux, fondant et présent, sur fond de fruits noirs et de menthe poivrée. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "Creamy and resonant on the palate, the 2024 Carillon is laced with dark cherry/plum fruit, new leather, spice, menthol, espresso and kiss of french oak. There's terrifictextural depth and resonance here. I especially like the way the 2024 explodes on the back end. This is beautiful done."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Le Carillon d'Angélus has a perfumed, finely delineated and focused bouquet with violet-tinged black and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Tensile with touches of orange rind and Asian spices, there is decent concentration on the mineral-driven finish."
In 2012, Haut-Brion bought and combined two grands crus classés (Tertre-Dauguay and L'Arrosée) on the slopes of Saint-Émilion (Côte Ausone), and put a foot in the right bank, called Quintus because it is their fifth property (after Haut-Brion, La Mission HB, Laville HB and Latour HB).
Their first objective is to make fine, long wines, focusing on freshness and delicacy rather than power or density, more typical of the left bank than the right bank.
Second objective: to shine in the next Saint-Emilion classifications (its immediate neighbours are Ausone, Belair-Monange, Angélus and Canon, all 1st classified grands crus).
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, profond, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, au fruité pur, mûr. Ensemble subtil et légèrement vanillé. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, avec beaucoup de goût, ce vin monte lentement vers une longue finale séveuse, fruitée, florale, au grain fin. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Quintus is gracious, elegant and polished. Spice, tobacco, cedar and an exotic touch of blood orange give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. There is a touch of new oak, but that should not be an issue with elevage. Here, too, the balance is very fine."
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « Parfums floraux et fruités avec une touche délicate de poivre noir. Le tannin se montre svelte et élancé. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Quintus is streets ahead of the second and third wines on the nose, with pretty black cherry and blueberry fruit, a little Margaux-like in style thanks to the violet scent. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit mixed with blood orange and crushed stone towards the finish. Touches of cracked black pepper and cumin linger on the aftertaste. Very fine."
A small estate located near Troplong-Mondot and Valandraud, acquired in 2009 by Jacques Thienpont (already owner of Ch. Le Pin). A wine that is as exceptional as it is confidential (6 hectares)!
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Combinaison de fruits noirs mûrs (cassis, cerise noire, myrtille) et de notes plus subtiles de fruits rouges frais (framboise, fraise des bois). Des arômes de violette et de rose sauvage apportent une touche florale délicate. Les tannins sont subtils et parfaitement intégrés. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Beau nez très aromatique, fin, pur, sentant bon les fruits noirs. Immédiatement délicieux dès l'entrée en bouche, très savoureux, avec du goût, de l'équilibre et une présence allongée, le vin glisse sur le palais, long, suave et complexe dans la persistance. C'est superbe ! Une grande réussite du millésime. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 L'If is an elegant, sleek wine. Crushed flowers, tobacco, cedar, incense, dried herbs and menthol give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence. L'If is light on its feet, with a bit less overt concentration than most years, but there's more than enough persistence to compensate for that, shaping the wine in a style that favors linear energy over volume."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 L'If has a fragrant bouquet, with mainly red fruit and slate-like scents. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with slightly chalky tannins and a little flesh on the mid-palate. Lightly spiced on the finish, this is a comparatively straightforward L'If compared to previous vintages that will serve as a fine earlier drinking Saint-Émilion."
Purchased in 1996 by the Chanel group (also in Rauzan-Ségla), Canon required a complete restoration, both of the vines and the cellar/vat room tool. Since 2008, Canon has fully justified its status as a 1er grand cru classé, with brilliant, distinguished wines that draw their energy from the Cabernets francs at the top of the limestone plateau.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Canon is superb. One of the standouts of the vintage, the 2024 possesses striking mid-palate depth to match its vertical personality. Chalk, white pepper, mint, lavender, rose petal, slate and blue/purplish fruit all stain the palate. There's gorgeous depth and density here, and yet the 2024 remains a super-classic wine from the property. This is a real stunner. That's all there is to it."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Arômes de fruits rouges tels que la framboise avec des notes florales (rose poivrée) qui se révèle progressivement. La texture veloutée est soutenue par des tannins élégants et énergiques. On aime ses nuances salines et sa finale longue et persistante. Grand style. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez un peu discret, au fruité frais et mûr. Délicat en entrée de bouche, particulièrement aérien au milieu, avec du goût et de la classe dans le toucher, le vin finit long, ascendant et savoureux, avec une touche suave dans la persistance. »
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruité pur, baies sauvages, nez frais, ronce, bouche tonique, tanins savoureux, touche acidulée, élevage équilibré. Vin tendu et élégant. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un vin d'un grand raffinement ! 2024 s'inscrit dans le plus pur style de Canon : la fraîcheur du millésime épouse avec brio l'identité du plateau calcaire du cru. Les nuances florales, fraîches, de fruits rouges, animent une bouche d'une immense délicatesse. La structure tannique poudrée le mène avec une douceur magnifique une matière longiligne de bout en bout. Le souffle salin sculpte avec panache la finale de cet assemblage de 78% de merlot et 22% de cabernet franc. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Canon has a bouquet well defined with pure black cherry, raspberry and a subtle marine influence that develops in the glass, though I find the Troplong Mondot tasted alongside has more amplitude. The palate is medium-bodied and pliant with fine tannins and finesse. One bottle at the château had more weight on the finish than others that feel attenuated and missing a bit of substance."
Bought out in 2017 by the reinsurer SCOR, a page is turned in Troplong-Mondot, a formidable terroir in Saint-Emilion. Up to and including 2016, these are the richest in extract and most generous wines of the appellation, made by Christine Valette and her husband, under the aegis of Michel Rolland.
Radical break in style from the 2017 vintage, with less dense but oh so precise, elegant and racy wines, confirmed in 2018 by Mr. Galloni (vinous) "The 2018 is regal, refined and absolutely exquisite", rated 97/100.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now? The Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « La molasse de l’Agenais donne de la densité à ce millésime, ce qui permet d’aller chercher du fruit. La minéralité se fait sentir en finale, apportant salinité et profondeur tout en renforçant l’équilibre de ce vin séducteur. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Expressif, fruits rouge, baies sauvages, rose sauvage, trame calcaire, densité, tanins sapides, finale saline, relevée. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot offers minerally, tightly wound black fruit, blueberry and light chalky scents. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant yet tensile tannins. Like the Mondot, it is peppery in style, pretty and sapid towards the finish. Not a huge amount of persistence, yet this is still a serious Saint-Émilion that could well end up at the top of my banded score."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un élevage à moitié en barriques neuves et une part intéressante de foudres (26 %), voilà l'équation brillante pour Troplong. Derrière sa jolie robe éclatante, le vin dévoile un bouquet aromatique lumineux et une bouche pleine de panache : beau délié de matière, en demi-puissance en cœur de bouche, sans creux. Dynamique, la finale provoque une salivation intense qui ponctue cette interprétation contemporaine de Bordeaux. »
Self-taught, Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle got their start in the Bordeaux vineyards when they bought a tiny 0.6 hectare plot in Saint-Émilion, near Pavie-Macquin. Produced in minute quantities, vinified with the means at hand but with meticulous care, Valandraud soon made a name for itself, to the point of giving rise to the 'garage wine' movement in the 1990s.
Now with a vineyard of almost 11 hectares on the cooler limestone terroirs of Saint-Etienne de Lisse (on the eastern edge of the appellation) and a bioclimatic cellar allowing gravity-fed vinification, Valandraud is now a Premier Grand Cru Classé in its own right.
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Nez est complexe et élégant, texture crémeuse en bouche avec des tannins d’une finesse rare, parfaitement fondus, offrant une sensation de soyeux. Ce millésime combine avec brio la richesse du fruit, la fraîcheur et une dynamique incroyable qui le propulse parmi les plus grands vins de l’appellation saint-émilion. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire, aux reflets grenat. Incroyable nez très aromatique, sentant bon les fruits mûrs. Touches de fruits blancs, de cerise et de truffe. Ce n'est qu'à l'agitation du verre que viennent des repères de vin rouge. Voila qui trouble les sens et les savoirs ! Ce qui est la définition même du Grand Vin. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond sur le palais, puis gagne de la profondeur dans la persistance. Finale séveuse et plus parfumée que jamais. Ensemble difficile à cracher. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Fruits noirs, bon volume, tanins veloutés, riche, bouche saline, très bel équilibre, finale sur le côté minéral du calcaire, très long, élevage soigné. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-95/100 "The 2024 Valandraud is a quite the powerhouse. Dense and explosive, Valandraud packs a huge punch. Macerations reached up to four weeks, long for the vintage, yielding an especially huge, deep Saint-Émilion. Valandraud is atypically concentrated for the year. Let's see what happens with élevage. There is so alluring. This is an especially heady, opulent wine in 2024. That was clearly the intent, and an approach that worked."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Valandraud can handle the 100% new oak, with a floral style and more red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black cherries and raspberry, showing a firm grip towards the finish with moderate length. It will require three or four years to cohere, but I am concerned about the oak averhelming the fruit, hence my score."
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Avec ses 85% de merlot, le vin est toujours haut en couleur. On sent le résultat d'une réflexion menée de bout en bout. Formidable de droiture, il affiche la forte signature fumée-grillée de l'élevage. Les amateurs de vins au boisé assumé apprécieront. »
On a subsoil of deep gravel (alluvium of the Isle), Figeac has logically opted for a grape variety more Medoc than Libourne: 70% Cabernet (half Sauvignon and half Franc), 30% Merlot. Hence a naturalness, a freshness and a distinction unparalleled in Saint-Emilion. The latest 2022 classification has rightly corrected the omission of the previous one by granting Figeac the title of 1er grand cru classé A.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « De grands cabernets donnent un vin intense et complexe, avec des arômes de fruits noirs (cassis, mûre), et des touches poivrées, tout en maintenant une belle fraîcheur. Superbes notes florales. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Superbe nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Délicieux en entrée de bouche, avec une texture minutieuse et de la grâce dans le toucher, le vin évolue sur un corps fondant, moelleux et parfumé, vers une longue finale séveuse et complexe. Une touche de vivacité reste à fondre à l'élevage. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Très jolie robe soutenue, d'une superbe complexité aromatique mêlant nuances florales, finesse végétale et framboise. Une palette aromatique fraîche aux allures océaniques. L'élevage, réalisé à 100 % en bois de neuf, est déjà parfaitement fondu, témoignant du travail minutieux de sélection des barriques. L'ensemble présente un équilibre élancé, tenu par une épine dorsale fine, où le trio cabernet-sauvignon (39%), merlot (33%) et cabernet franc (27%) déploie un relief aromatique énergique, fidèle à la signature de Figeac. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "Silky and aromatic, with velvety tannins, the 2024 Figeac is sublime. Floral and savory aromatics meld into a core of blue/purplish fruit, spice, licorice, lavender and menthol. All the elements are so well balanced. The blend is 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, with 8% press wines. Not surprisingly, the 2024 is a very Cabernet-driven Figeac. Production is 60,000 bottles, or 50% of normal, because of low yields and further selection in the cellar."
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Figeac is matured entirely in new oak. That wood is neatly assimilated on the nose with blackberry, raspberry and light pine resin scents, all fashioned with wonderful delineation. Later, a hint of wilted rose petal emerges from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a keen line of acidity. This is very elegant and classical Figeac in style. There is a little more linearity, but this feels quite effortless overall. Its buvabilité is perhaps higher than other vintages, even if the likes of the 2020 or 2022 might have longer legs. This becomes spicier with aeration, which seems to prolong the finish."
Second wine of Ausone, rare (1 ha in production out of the 7 ha of the Ausone vineyard), slightly less powerful but just as racy and energetic as the Grand Vin. And like it, it has a remarkable capacity for ageing.
Like all Vauthier vineyards (Ausone, La Clotte, Moulin Saint-Georges, Haut-Simard...), Chapelle d'Ausone began its conversion to organic farming in 2020.
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur vive, intense et sombre. Nez sentant bon la framboise, évoluant intense dans le verre, fin, subtil, complexe et noble. Minutieux à l'attaque, doté d'une texture ravissante et d'un corps fondant, le vin évolue raffiné, racé et distingué dans la persistance. Une qualité de déroulé et d'arômes unique induit par 85 % cabernet franc et 15 % cabernet sauvignon. La magie des jeunes vignes d'Ausone. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Chapelle d'Ausone, like the 2021, contains no Merlot. It has an intense bouquet with brambly red berry fruit, blueberry and light violet scents. This is finely delineated, although the 2022 was more complex. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth entry, a linear style and more black fruit compared to say, La Clotte."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Chapelle d'Ausone is a very pretty wine second wine. Floral aromatics, bright red-toned fruit and refined tannins convey an impression of finesse in a mid-weight, nuanced Chapelle. Today, the 2024 is a bit quiet. I won't be at all surprised it is even better from bottle."
Brilliant even in small vintages (1992 was a masterpiece), Angélus has become a world star in 20 years by producing dense, fleshy and superbly velvety wines while remaining distinguished.
Great class!
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Complexe et intense, élégant et précis, avec une expression minérale et subtile qui se retrouve dans la texture du vin avec de l’éclat et une fraîcheur due à l’acidité naturelle des sols calcaires. Structure tannique fine et bouche de grande légèreté malgré sa puissance. Le terroir d’Ausone a pris le pas sur le millésime. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nuances vives. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touches de truffe et de cerise à l'agitation dans le verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très savoureux, le vin glisse sur le palais, très charmeur, avec de la classe dans le toucher et beaucoup de goût. C'est long et très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Angélus is very fine. It is the first vintage I have tasted that captures the newer approach at Angélus, one where the wines are not extracted as in the past. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and menthol fill out the layers effortlessly. Here, too, the wine shows superb balance and real textural presence. The 2024 is mid-weight, classy and polished."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Angélus has an intriguing bouquet that deserves a little more reflection than some of its peers. A touch of fish scales commingles with black olive tapenade alongside dark berry fruit in what you might describe as a "cool" nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. The 2024 is certainly a more linear Angélus, saline with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. It gains modest depth on the graphite-tinged and Cabernet-driven finish, which is drier than previous vintages (as expected in this vintage). There is fine salinity with a shorter aftertaste than you would find in a warm vintage. This is well-crafted and just needs more flesh on the slender finish. Maybe that will develop during its élevage? It will be an enjoyable Angélus rather than a profound one destined for long-term aging."
Neither quite Saint-Émilion nor quite Pomerol, the inimitable Cheval Blanc occupies a special place on the right bank, on the famous gravelly terroir of the Figeac plateau. Inimitable because its wines subjugate in a perfect alchemy between freshness, subtlety and hedonism, the whole on tannic frames at the same time refined and melting, between silk and cashmere.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Des notes de pivoine et de fruits noirs, beaucoup de profondeur et de sophistication. En bouche, l’attaque est fraîche, précise, avec une texture soyeuse suivie par une structure tannique fine et élégante, d’une grande subtilité. La finale se prolonge sur des notes de menthe fraîche, de violette avec subtile touche de graphite. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et crémeux. Touches complexes de truffe et de fruits noirs à l'agitation du verre. Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, gras et même complexe au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, tout à la fois délicat et profond, sur une saveur de fruits noirs. C'est long et très bon. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Besoin d'air, fruité pur, baies sauvages. Bien bâti, très cabernet, bons tanins denses et solides, austère en l'état, élevage très en place, belle matière. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « À Cheval Blanc, l'éclat et l'élan du cabernet franc (48%) ont porté le millésime, au côté du merlot (46%) et du cabernet-sauvignon (6%) », annonce le directeur général Pierre-Olivier Clouet. Affichant seulement 12,8° d'alcool en 2024, le vin nous fait éprouver une sorte de nostalgie : il y a longtemps que l'on n'avait vu des vins à ces degrés. Il affiche une couleur soutenue rare dans ce millésime. Un tri drastique a engendré un vin précis et soigné, d'une grande retenue aromatique sur les fleurs et les fruits rouges. La bouche développe une superbe suavité, un élan frais, svelte, aux allures océaniques. La finale s'étire avec grâce, portée par des tanins caressants. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Cheval Blanc is aged entirely in new oak. The purity on the nose is the first facet that you notice with perfumed black cherry, blackcurrant, wild strawberry and touches of potpourri and crushed stone. There is certainly some mineralité here. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly brittle tannins. Very well balanced, this is clearly a Cheval Blanc built in a more elegant, sapid, linear style with a residual pepperiness that lingers in the mouth. The 2024 is charming and refined."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Cheval Blanc is a blend taken from 37 of the 45 parcels on the property. Dried flowers, mocha, rose petal and blood orange open nicely in the bouquet, leading to an understated mid-palate and a subtly persistent finish. Understated and nuanced, the 2024 offers lovely forward fruit in a soft, accessible style with no hard edges or awkward contours. All the elements are nicely pur together, and yet there is no denying the fact that the 2024 is very light. Elevage be everything here."
Impossible to resist the unspeakable complexity of its bouquet, floral and fruity, spicy and liquorice, as well as the incredible depth of its fresh and sumptuous finish. Great art, all the glory of Cabernet Franc on a limestone hillside. Alain Vauthier and his children, Pauline and Édouard, manage the 7 hectares of Ausone like a (very) great Burgundy wine. Magistral!
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Complexe et intense, élégant et précis, avec une expression minérale et subtile qui se retrouve dans la texture du vin avec de l’éclat et une fraîcheur due à l’acidité naturelle des sols calcaires. Structure tannique fine et bouche de grande légèreté malgré sa puissance. Le terroir d’Ausone a pris le pas sur le millésime. »
J-M Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et complexe. Il se développe sur une touche de fleurs et de framboise à l'agitation du verre. Texture ultra minutieuse dès l'entrée en bouche. Le vin se développe sur une structure fondante à la sucrosité miraculeuse. Élancé, il évolue juteux, parfumé et long. Ensemble subtil, noble, profond et impossible à cracher. »
Le Point : 18/20 « Joli fruit, fruité pur, cerise, bouche charnue, tanins denses, bien bâti, profond, feuillage en finale, bon amer, de la fraîcheur. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "The 2024 Ausone is pure sensuality. Intensely perfumed, pliant and silky on the palate, Ausone is haunting in its beauty. All the elements are so well balanced. Black cherry, lavender, mocha, espresso and exotic spice overtones all take shape in the glass. A wine of understated depth, the 2024 is impressive. Even in the early going, the 100% new oak is not at all evident, suggesting a wine with superior balance."
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Ausone has a very pure nose with black cherry, wild strawberry and a touch of cracked black pepper in the background. It just misses some of the profound complexity that a top Ausone can deliver. The palate is lovely, though, one of the most velvety 2024s that I tasted out of barrel. This is very harmonious with a focused and sustained finish. Whilst it doesn't quite have the horsepower or sheer ambition of a top-drawer Ausone, this is a success for the vintage simply because it is endowed with greater substance and persistence. There's presence here."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « À l'ouverture, il y a une très belle retenue aromatique, naturellement d'une densité particulière, avec ses 65% de cabernet franc, le reste en merlot. Cette année, Ausone dessine une silhouette très svelte, traçante. Cet équilibre détonne par rapport aux derniers millésimes, plus denses et concentrés. La sensation du calcaire est presque électrique. L'élevage lui fera le plus grand bien. »
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Predominantly Marsanne (vines over 50 years old), a Crozes-Hermitage Vieilles Vignes dry white wine, aromatic (apricot, peach, frangipane...) and fat, with a judicious touch of bitterness on the finish.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Saint-Joseph Vieilles Vignes, with a dominant of marsanne, comes from 30 to 40 years old vines.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Saint-Péray Vieilles Vignes: 50% marsanne (with 100 years old vines!) and 50% roussanne. On a background of honeyed and toasted notes, intense aromas of white flowers and quince, the freshness is well present and, in the mouth, the vivacity balances the roundness.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
A blend of grenache, roussanne, clairette and bourboulenc, this white Châteauneuf plays the card of freshness and discretion. With aromas of white peach and orange blossom, its natural power will be fully expressed after 5 to 6 years of aging.
Since 1994, Maison Tardieu-Laurent has selected and matured wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Partnered until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favor elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections. Thanks to their precise selection of the best terroirs and their expertise in winemaking and ageing, Michel and his son Bastien produce great wines from the north to the south of the Rhône Valley.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France Guide.
100% Viognier (50 years old), from the appellation's best terroirs. A Condrieu that's restrained, expressive and complex, but not exuberant.
Since 1994, Maison Tardieu-Laurent has selected and matured wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Partnered until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favor elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections. Thanks to their precise selection of the best terroirs and their expertise in winemaking and ageing, Michel and his son Bastien produce great wines from the north to the south of the Rhône Valley.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France Guide.
Splendid Hermitage blanc, 80% marsanne (50 years old) and 20% roussanne (40 years old), with aromas of peach and acacia honey, and a characteristic touch of almond paste.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Thanks to vines (Syrah) 60 years old, Michel Tardieu produces a 'grand' Crozes-Hermitage. Divided between fruit and minerality, in a round and silky style more Burgundian than Rhodanian, a perfect introduction to the Hermitage's wines.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
This Saint-Joseph Vieilles Vignes is a perfect balance between the gourmet raspberry/cherry fruit (as in Hermitage) and the mineral tension of the schist and granite subsoil (as in Cornas). Syrah and serine (small syrah), aged 60 and over 100 years respectively.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Cornas from Syrah and small Syrah aged 60 years minimum. The austerity due to the schistose soil is perfectly balanced here by Michel Tardieu's talent as a breeder. A model for the northern Rhône.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
The rare Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is uncompromising, with Syrahs aged from 80 to over 100 years on two plots of land on the hillside, vinified 75% in whole clusters. Expect at least 15 years of cellar ageing.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.
A new cuvée created in 2017, a Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes from the heart of the hillside on the major terroirs of the Côte Brune. Phenomenal concentration, energetic tannin, a compact but refined wine, to wait at least 10 years before considering tasting.
Since 1994, Maison Tardieu-Laurent has selected and matured wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Partnered until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favor elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections. Thanks to their precise selection of the best terroirs and their expertise in winemaking and ageing, Michel and his son Bastien produce great wines from the north to the south of the Rhône Valley.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France Guide.
More round and fleshy than Côte-Rôtie, with a texture of fat, melting tannins, the sunny side of the Hermitage hillside is perfectly brought out here, with all the complexity brought by vines aged 60 years or more.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.
The Côtes-du-Rhône Cuvée Spéciale is made with Grenache, a wine with soft tannins and a fruity character.
Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Blend of Grenache aged 80 years, Syrah (40 years) and Mourvèdre (40 years), on the clay-limestone slopes of Rasteau, a fleshy, generous wine, typical southern Rhône.