2024 Futures
In the category « Long keeping », we gather all the wines of the vintage 2017 that will have, according to us, an ageing potential of at least 20 years (even if they will reach their peak before). This category is thus intended for the (very) patient ones with a great cellar, or for those who will have something to celebrate in 20 years (or more).
The ability to age well is the preserve of the finest wines, but more affordable wines can also have a great ageing potential due to their excellent vineyards, the grapes varieties used or to the winemaker’s will. The ageing varies as well depending on the temperature of the cellar (the colder the cellar is, the slower the wine will age) and the bottle’s size (wines in large containers like magnums will age slower and longer than wines in bottles).
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In white, Domaine de Chevalier produces a model unique among its peers, made of tension, vivacity and energy. Its mineral side and its capacity to age (30 years and more) bring it closer to the greatest Burgundy whites.
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 95-97/100 "The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc hasit all. Powerful yet elegant, deep yet light on its feet, the 2024 is a wine of contrasts and harmony that will thrill readers for many years to come. Nothing in particular stands out rather it is the wine's balance that carries the day. Chamomile, crushed flowers, chalk and hint of new oak run throught a core of citrus-tinged fruit. The long, sustained finish is remarkable. Superb."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has just a tad more Sauvignon in the blend this year. There is impressive intensity on the nose with scents of apple blossom, orange cordial and hints of yellow flowers. It unfolds wonderfully in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a winsome, slightly resinous texture, notes of ginger-infused orange pith and wild peach flavours. Very harmonious and tensile on the finish, this is gearing up to be a superb Domaine de Chevalier Blanc that could well end up at the upper end of my banded score."
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur pâle. Nez intense, fin, fruité, pur. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, délicat au milieu, avec un corps caressant, le vin évolue savoureux, vers une longue finale vive et citronnée. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Robe pâle et reflets verts. Distinction et réserve dans l’expression aromatique, très pure, sans marque d’élevage voyante. Magnifique élan de fraîcheur en bouche, matière intense sans être glycérolée. Beaucoup de fond et de sérénité dans ce blanc d’avenir. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 75% SAauvignon Blanc, 25% Sémillon
- Organic certification:
- 2023
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Administered by the Rothschilds (Mouton) since 1996, Coutet has joined the leading pack of the biggest Sauternes after Yquem. Like Climens, it is a true Barsac, pure and remarkably subtle, but with a more marked liquor. Since 2005, Coutet has been in great shape! In a rare feat, the exceptional 2020 vintage came top (ahead of Yquem) in the Revue du Vin de France's ranking of Sauternes 2020 « un sommet de pureté, de précoce harmonie, de naturel ! ».
Vinous (N. Martin) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Coutet has quite an intense bouquet with beautifully defined lemon thyme and light peach aromas. The palate is well balanced with a vivacious opening, lively apricot and quince notes and concentration effortlessly offset by the silver thread of acidity. Composed and persistent on the finish, this is a superb Coutet."
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Coutet is a dense, voluptuous Sauternes. Orange peel, apricot jam, passion fruit, pineapple and white flowers convey tons of exoticism. Ample and resonant on the palate, with superb depth, Coutet is outstanding in 2024"
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur jaune doré, aux reflets verts. Nez intense, fruité, subtil et vanillé. Délicat en entrée de bouche, suave au milieu, avec un corps fondant, le vin s'achève savoureux et distingué, sur une bonne longueur. C'est très bon. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « La pureté du fruit est d’emblée saisissante. La liqueur svelte mais profonde (132 g/l), appliquée, est portée par une tension acide supérieure, une veine fraîche longue et fondue. Il y a beaucoup de relief dans ce vin, complet, sobre, cristallin, qui s’affirme avec une brillante évidence à ce stade très précoce de sa vie. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 98,9 % Sémillon, 1 % Sauvignon Blanc, 0,1 % Muscadelle
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur pâle. Nez intense, fruité et botrytisé. Bouche aérienne à souhait, au corps fondant, avec un goût de citron vert dans la persistance. C'est long et très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-95/100 "The 2024 Doisy-Daëne is redolent of apricot, tangerine oil, baked apple tart, pineapple and spice. Bold and luscious in feel, Doisy-Daëne is quite overt in 2024. It offers ample body to match its abundant curves and sexy, flamboyant profile."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Doisy-Daëne is a little more backward on the nose than expected, with finely delineated peach skin, beeswax and wild honey scents emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with a very peachy opening, then apricot and quince join the chorus line. As usual, the acidic thread keeps this Barsac on its toes and there is real intensity and sustain on the finish that leaves you wanting more. Bravo."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Une liqueur racée, intense, cohérente, d’une classe manifeste. La proximité du fruit signe l’identité du cru ; il suggère ici admirablement la poire fraîche, juteuse, sa chair fondante ou craquante. Le centenaire de l’acquisition de Doisy-Daëne par la famille Dubourdieu, en 1924, est ainsi dignement fêté ! »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- 75% Sémillon - 25% sauvignon blanc
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Classified among the first growths of Sauternes during the classification of 1855, the vineyard of Rayne Vigneau (84 hectares, including 62 in one piece) is famous for its soil, which is well known to geologists, as it is composed of a great variety of precious minerals of Pyrenean origin. Without losing sight of these "luxurious" origins " Rayne Vigneau offers smooth, easily accessible wines with floral aromas that are particularly marked in their youth.
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Rayne-Vigneau has a relatively light bouquet that doesn't quite deliver the complexity of recent vintages, though it is clean with pleasant dried honey aromas. The palate is better, with ample weight, fine acidity and dried honey mixed with peach and marmalade notes that lead to a stem ginger-tinged finish. One of the more early-drinking vintages from Rayne-Vigneau, but it has class."
J-M Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur jaune, aux reflets verts. Nez intense, fin, fruité et même noble. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, suave au milieu, le vin évolue sur un corps un brin collant avant de finir plus savoureux et long. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Plus en finesse qu’en puissance, avec une matière harmonieuse, présente, mise en mouvement par une acidité “piquante”. On cherche les tendances aromatiques, pour l’heure peu évidentes à définir. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- 72% Sémillon, 28% SauvignonBlanc
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In the commune of Preignac, Suduiraut offers a wine that reflects its geographical position: halfway between Sauternes and Barsac. The latest vintages are dazzling in terms of contained power and aromatic distinction.
According to Bettane & Desseauve (Guide 2025), “Yquem is the only wine that can still do a little better”.
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur jaune, aux reflets verts. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil et botrytisé. Devient complexe à l'aération dans le verre. Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin fond sur le palais, complexe et raffiné. C'est long, très bon et incrachable. 100 % sémillon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Suduiraut offers up a beguiling mix of passion fruit, mango, pineapple and tangerine oil. Even with 130 grams of residual sugar, the 2024 is not an especially opulent Sauternes. I especially admire its freshness. What a beautiful and expressive wine."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Suduiraut is very pure on the nose, less intense than the previous two vintages, offering wild honey, peach skin and light nectarine scents. The palate is well balanced with a fine thread of acidity. It is not as dense or unctuous as recent vintages, but there is wonderful tension with a pure and quite sensual finish. Excellent."
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « L’échantillon offre une liqueur modérée, aux contours bien définis, mais sans extravagance ni flamboiement aromatique. Au vu de la qualité et de l’intensité des trois derniers millésimes à Suduiraut, on reste dans l’expectative… Il est possible que le vin cache son jeu. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- Sémillon 100%
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The only 1er cru classé in the commune of Sauternes with Yquem, Guiraud offers rich, voluminous, powerful wines with a formal classicism. Certified organic since the 2011 vintage.
J-M Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur jaune clair, au reflets verts. Nez intense, fin, subtil, noble et complexe. Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, avec une grande classe dans le toucher et beaucoup, beaucoup de goût, le vin fond sur le palais tout à la fois délicat, délicieux, noble et profond. Grande persistance incrachable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Guiraud is a bold, luscious Sauternes. Apricot jam, chamomile, passion fruit, spice and burnt sugar convey notable intensity to match the wine's creamy, ample feel. Guiraud is a rich heady Sauternes, but all the elements are impeccably balanced."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Guiraud, now under the aegis of winemaker Sandrine Garbay, has a very assured and detailed bouquet with wild honey, peach and light apricot scents, with a touch of vanilla pod tucked underneath. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a keen line of acidity, gaining weight as it moves toward the clementine-tinged finish. What a gorgeous Guiraud!"
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Guiraud 2024 présente une teinte dorée plutôt soutenue. Le nez se présente ouvert, exotique, richement botrytisé, évoquant tour à tour la mangue, la goyave… Il affiche une plénitude et une séduction immédiates, avec une magnifique lisibilité du fruit, à la fois rôti et frais, dont la saveur prime sur la puissance de la liqueur. Guiraud s’affirme avec une sensualité et une exubérance rare dans le millésime. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- Sémillon (62%) et Sauvignon blanc (38%)
- Organic certification:
- 2011
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Climens has been, for more than 50 years, the finest, the fruitiest and the most endearing of the Sauternes wines. Almost discreet in its first youth, Climens does not cease to develop and to refine itself in bottle. Biodynamic since the 2014 vintage. Magnificent 2016 "a fruit of an exemplary purity" noted 99/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Following 4 years of almost no production (none in 2017, 2018 and 2020, barely 1200 bottles in 2019), Climens changed hands in 2022.More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Organic certification:
- 2016
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Selection of the best parcels of Château de Carles (10 ha out of the 20 ha of the estate), certainly the finest and most ambitious wine of Fronsac, making since 2000 equal game with the best classified growths of the slopes of Saint-Émilion. A great wine that should be kept for at least 6 to 8 years.
Vinous (N. Martin) : 90-92/100 "The 2024 Haut-Carles has a more opulent bouquet than the regular cuvée, although it doesn't quite have the same terroir expression or delineation. The palate has more sweetness and substance, grippier tannins, minerally black fruit and a harmonious finish. This is still a well-crafted wine that will just require a bit longer in bottle."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
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Started in 2003, the adventure of Clos Louie is a textbook case: doll's vineyard (2.3 ha) on a beautiful clay-limestone terroir of Castillon, very old vines (150 years old!) mostly Merlot and red tail malbec, careful biodynamic cultivation, double manual sorting during the harvest, little interventionist vinification, gentle maturing in 500-litre demi-muids. A true artist's wine, absent from the guides but that informed amateurs know well.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-90/100 "The 2024 Clos Louie is a rich, burly Côtes de Castillon. A blast of dark fruit, espresso, licorice, spice and menthol races across the palate. This potent 2024 could turn out to be quite good if the tannins are polished with elevage."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 86-88/100 "The 2024 Clos Louie has a light nose with dark plum and briar scents that have a pleasant edginess to them. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly dry tannins, but I appreciate the blackberry, cassis fruit and the composure on the finish. Fine."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Très belle approche florale, une aromatique aérienne, et surtout cette délicatesse de texture d’entrée de jeu. Un beau délié et un certain raffinement tannique. Une belle réussite. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2012
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Haut-Bailly is the most delicate of the Graves wines with a particularly silky tannic structure.
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « 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. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Haut-Bailly has a perfumed bouquet built around redcurrant, cranberry and wild strawberry fruit. It's quite floral in style with finely delineated touches of freshly-rolled tobacco and wilted rose petal. The palate is creamy on the entry and velvety in texture, with finely chiseled, lace-like tannins. It is very well balanced with one of the few sensual vintages that you will find from this year. This will be much earlier drinking than other vintages, but that does not detract from what will be one of the most pleasurable 2024s to drink."
Vinous (A. Galoni) : 92-94/100 "The 2024 Haut-Bailly is an elegant, classy wine. Soft sensual contours lend notable charm. The 2024 is an especially aromatic, perfumed Haut-Bailly. Its mid-weight structure is best described as Burgundian, for lack of a better term. Silky tannins frame it all in style. Readers should expect a decidedly understated, quite Haut-Bailly."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « L’aspect visuel est plutôt tendre. L’expression aromatique conjugue un fruit très frais, framboisé, suggestif, avec de jolies notes chlorophylliennes, de tabac aromatique, cadrées par un boisé frais qui reste à bonne distance. La matière est certes mince mais savoureuse et surtout harmonieuse, témoignant d’un travail tout en délicatesse, jusqu’à la finale, délicatement armée par de petits tanins, à peine saillants. À aucun moment le vin ne cherche à surjouer le millésime. Grâce lui en sera rendue au fil de son évolution, une sagesse interprétative dont le bien-fondé est accrédité par la dégustation du 2021 aujourd’hui ! »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
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Occupying the southern flank of the Haut-Brion gravelly hillside and capable of exceptional success in "small" vintages, La Mission is a powerful first growth in a more fleshy and opulent register than Haut-Brion. Proof of this is its formidable 2017 rated 96/100 by M. Galloni (Vinous) "Effortless, graceful and wonderfully nuanced, this 2017 simply has everything going for it. What a wine". As for the 2016, rated 99/100 by N. Martin (Vinous), critics compare it to the dazzling 1989, no less!
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Superbe couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez intense, fruité, subtil, pur et noble. Touche crémeuse à l'évolution dans le verre. Ample à l'attaque, caressant et juteux en milieu de bouche, le vin évolue savoureux et fin avec de la grâce dans le toucher et le déroulé. Il va loin juteux et noble. Quel goût ! »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion has a beautifully defined bouquet with pure, mineral-led black fruit, hints of blueberry and a subtle sea spray influence. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins. Fresh and vibrant, this La Mission feels very cohesive and sophisticated. No, there is not the depth and persistence of a top-drawer vintage, but its noticeable complexity is a cut above."
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion is such a classy wine. Strong floral and savoty notes meld into a core of plum, blackberry, gravel, spice, leather, tobacco and incense. Medium in body, with no hard edges, the 2024 is delight. It offers lovely freshness and energy throughout. There is a bit of graininess in the tannin, a reminder of the challenges of the growing season."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « La différence de profil avec Haut-Brion est particulièrement nette en 2024, beaucoup plus que sur le millésime 2023. L’échantillon se livre sans se faire prier, avec une ouverture aromatique et une disponibilité remarquables, un corps charnu, en largeur sans être véritablement puissant, un fruit frais mais aux accents suaves, une structure relativement discrète et une allonge harmonieuse mais moindre que celle de Haut-Brion. Tout est en place et on sent beaucoup de bonne volonté dans ce vin qui semble décidé à exprimer rapidement ses qualités. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 51 % cabernet sauvignon, 46,5 % merlot, 2,5 % cabernet franc
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Haut-Brion is the most famous of all the Bordeaux growths, having twice been classified as 1er grand cru, in 1855 and again in 1959 (Graves classification). Haut-Brion is both the oldest of the Grands Crus, with more than five centuries (since 1509) behind it, and the most innovative, introducing stainless steel vats as early as 1960 and green harvesting as early as 1980.
Its particular situation within the Bordeaux agglomeration makes it the earliest Premier Cru on the left bank, a clear advantage in less mature vintages. For this reason, Haut-Brion's consistency is a benchmark for the whole of Bordeaux, with the intense bouquet of fresh earth, smoke and pine resin so characteristic of the appellation.
Fortunately, the unique silhouette of its bottle has disrupted the Asian market and has not triggered the same speculative interest there as it has for the other 1er grands crus classés. Haut-Brion is today without question the most qualitative and the least expensive of the premiers.Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Haut-Brion is dark and brooding in demeanor, but obviously not as tannic of forbidding as it can be in the early going. All the Haut-Brion signatures are very much present, but they're portrayed in a decidedly understated style that speaks to the personality of the year. Black fruit, scorched earth, spice, tobacco and leather build with time in the glass. The 2024 is a super-classy Haut-brion. There's gorgeous substance here."
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Magnifique couleur sombre et intense, aux reflets grenat. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil et même complexe que je mettrais bien volontiers dans le Médoc tant le cabernet domine l'expression. Dense dès l'entrée en bouche, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin évolue juteux, savoureux, sur une texture impeccable et un goût unique. Longueur normale. Ensemble encore plus éblouissant si l'on considère qu'il y a là 51 % de la récolte. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Haut-Brion has an altogether more polished, powerful and fruit-driven bouquet than La Mission at the moment. Black and blue fruit, black olive and subtle sea spray scents emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, vibrant and focused, with fine tannins and an engaging underlying sapidity coming through with more weight and sustain on the finish. This is a very capable Haut-Brion that will not kowtow to the challenges of the 2024 season-rather, it seems to relish them."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Il faut reconnaître à ce vin le talent de dépasser le propos habituel du millésime sans surjouer la partition. La dégustation est dominée par la distinction de la structure tannique, serrée, exigeante mais finement tramée, très longue. Elle est suivie par une veine acide qui fait ressortir l’éclat ténébreux d’un fruit plus noir que rouge. La chair est en retrait, mince mais sans creux. Cette impression de sveltesse, de fluidité, n’empêche pas le vin d’apparaître complet, racé et armé pour la garde. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 47,2 % cabernet sauvignon, 37,5 % merlot, 15,3 % cabernet franc
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With remarkable consistency, Potensac has been one of the most regular crus bourgeois in the northern Médoc for 30 years, proof of the know-how of the Léoville-Las Cases team (same owner). Its ability to age is always surprising, even and especially in the "early years".
Vinous (A.Galloni) : 89-91/100 "The Potensac is laced with hints of cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and leather. The 2024 shows good aromatic presence and fine depth, especially for the year. Clean saline notes extend the finish. As is so often the case, Potensac is an under-the-radar gem."
J-M Quarin : 89/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez un peu discret, au fruité mûr. Bouche juteuse, fondante, savoureuse, un poil vive dans la persistance (plus haut pourcentage de cabernet franc et cabernet sauvignon). L'élevage le fondra. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 86-88/100 "The 2024 Potensac was tasted twice. The first time, it came across a little green. The second tasting, at the château, was far better, with red berry fruit, incense and a touch of pencil box in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with powdery tannins, balanced with just a slight attenuation toward the finish."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-92/100 « C’est un Potensac serré et sérieux, marqué par des cabernets (sauvignon et franc). Le vin est droit et doté d’une belle allonge et de tanins musclés qui lui garantiront un bon potentiel. À ouvrir d’ici cinq ans. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
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We no longer present Sociando-Mallet, which should be in a good place in the cellar of any wine lover, as the quality and above all the regularity of its last thirty vintages are so impressive. Without wishing to underestimate the hard work of the late Mr Gautreau since 1969, it must be said that the terroir, against the Gironde on a gravelly ridge comparable to that of Montrose, is indeed that of a Grand Cru Classé. Unavoidable 2016, the greatest wine of Sociando-Mallet since 1996.
J-M Quarin : 90/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Intense. Nez moyennement intense, au fruité précis. Délicat à l'attaque, savoureux au milieu, le vin caresse le palais, juteux, parfumé et sans angle tannique. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Sociando-Mallet is elegant, polished and very sophisticated. Fine tannins wrap around a solid bas of dark plum, lavender, mocha, licorice and mint the 100% new oak is barely perceptible. Floral and saline undertones shape the long beautifully persitent finish. This is a super-impressive Sociando."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 87-89/100 "The 2024 Sociando-Mallet has a light, slightly gravelly, herbaceous bouquet that needs to muster more fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and typical of the estate's style–maybe a bit green around the edges, but there is an attractive core of red fruit and a touch of spice on the finish. Those who like this château will appreciate this wine, though it is not a long-term prospect."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 « Ce millésime s’appuie sur un peu plus de merlot qu’à l’ordinaire (57 %). Le vin est donc logiquement assez rond, charnu et finalement charmeur, avec un joli fruit, de l’épice et une bonne constance en bouche. Il s’étire sur des tanins fins. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 57% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon
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In organic conversion from 2013, Durfort-Vivens was one of the very first classified growths in the Médoc to claim and display organic certification from 2016. M. Bettane is one of its most fervent defenders: "the quality/price ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality of terroir and work.
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 92-94/100 « The 2024 Durfort-Vivens is laced with dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice and mocha. It offers gorgeous texture and fine balance. The pliant, creamy mid-palate is especially appealing. The 2024 is naturally still coming together, but it is a striking, beautifully rendered wine. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « La belle série se poursuit et le cru défend son style, réussissant encore en 2024 à combiner un admirable raffinement de tanins avec un toucher de taffetas et une structure solide en milieu de bouche. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 94,5 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 % Merlot, 0,5 % Cabernet Franc
- Organic certification:
- 2016
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Back in top form since the early 2000s, the great Giscours estate has once again become one of the major Margaux growths, in its own distinctive style: very colourful, full-bodied and richly fruity for a Margaux. Its ageing ability has made its reputation as much as its always wise prices.
“The latest vintages are all priorities for the wine-lover,” emphasizes Bettane & Desseauve in its latest guide (2025).
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le cru change d’expression depuis quelques millésimes, avec une droiture plus marquée et l’expression d’un fruit plus juteux. On retrouve ces marqueurs dans le 2024, à l'expression de fruits rouges et à la bouche tendue, presque sur le fil. Très subtil. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Giscours is impressive. Elegant and sleek, with fine balance, Giscours is all class. The bouquet alone is so enticing. Small red berry fruit, spice, tobacco, mint and cedar are all finely sketched in a mid-weight, nervy Giscours that is quite showy right out of the gate. There is a bit of edginess in the tannins, but that's not anything that can't be addressed with elevage. A closing burst of aromatics leaves a long-lasting impression."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Giscours has a forward and generous bouquet with ripe red cherry, kirsch and cassis scents, with a touch of pencil shavings in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and grainy tannins that frame mainly black fruit. Overall, this is a Giscours cut in a classical style, although the finish needs to cohere and muster more precision during its barrel maturation. An enjoyable Giscours for sure, even if it does not reach the heights of recent vintages."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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The most serious and regular of the great classified growths of Saint-Julien, and even of the Médoc. Whatever the vintage since 1986, Lagrange never disappoints, with a constancy and an accuracy that force respect!
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, intense. Nez moyennement aromatique, au fruité mûr, évoluant floral (violette) à l'évolution dans le verre. Charnu en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, avec du goût, le vin monte délicatement en finale, séveux et aromatique. C'est très bon et bien servi par 84 % de cabernet sauvignon, second record après le 2022 (86 %). »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-93/100 "The 2024 Lagrange is quite promising. Deep and vibrant in the glass, with terrific energy, Lagrangeoffers fine depth and plenty of harmony to match. Dark red cherry, spice, new leather, tobacco and incense resonate on the layered finish."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 90-92/100 "The 2024 Lagrange has a tightly-wound bouquet that demands a little more coaxing than the Les Fiefs, though this was on a day when, for some reason, some Saint-Julien samples requiredit. The palate is medium-bodied and obviously driven by the dominant Cabernet, with grainy tannins and black fruit laced with graphite and cedar. Cohesive on the finish with just the right amount of sapidity, this is obviously not in the league of the benchmark 2022, but it constitutes a successful wine for the vintage."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 84 % cabernet sauvignon, 10 % merlot, 6 % petit verdot
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Clos du Marquis is no longer the second wine of Léoville-Las Cases, but a wine in its own right produced on the parcels adjoining Léoville-Poyferré and Lagrange. In any case, his exemplary consistency for more than 30 years now commands respect.
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets grenat. Nez intense, au fruité mûr. Touche suave. Charnu en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux et raffiné. Jolie longueur savoureuse. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos du Marquis has an expressive bouquet with blackberry, blueberry and light violet scents that lend it Margaux-like allure. The palate is medium-bodied with a citric entry thanks to the acidity, edgy tannins and more black fruit laced with cedar and graphite toward the finish. This is slightly leaner, but it maintains focus."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos du Marquis is a very pretty, aromatic Saint-Julien. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, white pepper and slate give the 2024 an attractive upper register to match its mid-weight, nervy personality. There is a bit of dryness on the finish that hopefully will be resolved with elevage."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Le cru possède son charme habituel, avec un velouté de texture superbe et un soyeux de tanins qui signent une grande bouteille. Il ne manque pas non plus de volume, d’ampleur et de profondeur. Concentré mais raffiné. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 65 % cabernet sauvignon, 30 % merlot, 5 % cabernet franc
-
Even if their evolution always involves a period of austerity, Léoville-Barton wines have a supreme class and elegance, due as much to the advanced age of the vines as to meticulous work. Always praised by the critics, as in 2015 "fine, sapid and very long, lots of class on the palate, with a juicy side and superb texture", rated 97/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Difficile de ne pas succomber au charme de ce vin au fruité éclatant. La bouche déroule des saveurs de fruits frais avec une grande gourmandise et il termine sur une signature tannique toujours ultra soyeuse. »
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Barton is a very beautiful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, new leather, graphite, crushed rocks, mocha and spice all meld together. A wine of classical build, Léoville-Barton is also wonderfully deep and expressive. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards, but there is a lot of wine here. I can't wait to taste this from bottle."
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, au fruité mûr. Nuances d'encre et de cabernet sauvignon à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin évolue juteux, un brin sur le bois, vers une finale plutôt austère pour le millésime. L'élevage le patinera. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Léoville Barton has an open bouquet with black fruit, potpourri and light sous-bois scents–quintessentially Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, well balanced and sapid in style with slightly powdery tannins on the entry and a little sinew on the finish that should be abraded during barrel maturation. This is a finely crafted Léoville Barton."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 92 % cabernet sauvignon, 6 % merlot, 2 % cabernet franc
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Of all the second classified growths in St-Julien, Gruaud-Larose is the most vigorous and massive in young wine. But, the magic of the terroir, it acquires softness and finesse if it is given time to age. Its quality/price ratio puts it ahead of the other second classified growths of St-Julien!
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et vive. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité. Délicat en entrée de bouche, délicieux au milieu, avec du goût, un corps fondant, le vin s'étire en finale, parfumé et délicat. C'est très bon. Observez comment le petit degré d'alcool ne pénalise en rien la densité de ce vin. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94+/100 "The 2024 Gruaud Larose is very fine. Dark and ample, with gorgeous presence, the 2024 has so much to offer. Dark blue/purplish fruit, new leather, gravel, spice, lavender and dried herbs build effortlessly. Readers will find a Saint-Julien endowed with notable textural depth. The finish is perhaps just a touch narrow, but elevage may very well help with that."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Gruaud-Larose has an impressive bouquet for the vintage with pure blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light pressed flower scents. This leans a little toward Margaux in style. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and quite saline, with sappy black fruit laced with notes of black olive tapenade. Not a persistent Gruaud Larose insofar as there is no peacock's tail on the finish, yet it has a statesman-like classicism that you could not find 10 or 15 years ago."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 81 % cabernet sauvignon, 17 % merlot, 2 % cabernet franc.
- Organic certification:
- 2022
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Intended for very long ageing in the cellar (at least 10 years even in small vintages), the wines of Léoville-Las Cases represent in each vintage one of the most perfect and purest expressions of the Médoc vineyard. As Wine Advocate has written, "Léoville-Las Cases looks more and more like Lafite rather than its close neighbour Latour".
Every vintage, Léoville-Las Cases is one of the contenders for the title of "best Bordeaux of the year", as once again with its 2020, rated 98+/100 by M. Galloni "Las Cases is one of the wines of the 2020 vintage, there is no doubt about that" and 99-100/100 by the Revue du Vin de France "a superlative wine for its depth, richness, but above all its definition".
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Le nez profond et frais introduit encore un très grand Las Cases. En bouche, pas de doute, sa précision, son éclat et sa persistance en font un modèle du millésime. Son tour de force consiste à allier une impressionnante puissance et une grande finesse en finale. Il déroule une fantastique allonge. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touche inédite de violette. Ample à l'attaque, très savoureux en milieu de bouche, avec de la classe dans le déroulé et un brin de vivacité, le vin s'étire long, juteux et même noble. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, almost surly bouquet with introverted black fruit, cedar, touches of cumin and light sea spray scents. Superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with less structure than the last two vintages, yet it upholds wonderful balance with lace-like tannins. With crisp black fruit and beautifully assimilated new oak, this fans out towards the finish. It is paradoxically a more conservative Las Cases in keeping with the limitations of the growing season, but I suspect it will gain weight and sustain with time in barrel."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 84 % cabernet sauvignon, 11 % cabernet franc, 5 % merlot
-
Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the finest of Pauillac's 5th classified growths, held with competence and care by Mr. François-Xavier Borie and his children. The latest vintages show even greater aromatic precision and tannin nobility, especially the superb 2020 vintage.
Variation Case
In music, a variation is an evolution based on a defined theme. Grand-Puy-Lacoste has thus chosen to combine 3 different formats in a single case, enabling the evolution of the wine to be followed over time. The "Caisse Variation" thus contains 1 Double-Magnum, 2 Magnums and 4 Bottles, equivalent in volume to 12 bottles.J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil, sentant bon le cabernet sauvignon. Touches de fruits noirs. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très raffiné au toucher, (la texture évoque le gras fin d'un vin blanc sec), tout fond, subtil, délicat et incrachable. C'est très bon. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Ce pauillac bien typé est doté d’une belle matière avec une pointe acidulée qui apporte une touche tonique à la finale. Joli fruit frais et souplesse des tanins, voilà un vin déjà très séduisant. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a light bouquet for this estate, primarily revealing fresh black fruit laced with tobacco and light smoky scents. It is simple but exhibits impressive delineation. You get the feeling that the aromatics are holding something back. The palate is medium-bodied and classic Pauillac in style with all that graphite-tinged black fruit and edgy tannins. This is not a complex Grand-Puy-Lacoste per se, but I admire its balance, charm and gentle grip on the finish. This is classy in an unpretentious way."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is pure charm. This is an especially soft, fruity Grand-Puy-Lacoste with good aromatic presence and fine freshness, if not quite the depth or complexity of the very best years. Floral overtones lift the finish effortlessly. This is a delicate, understated Pauillac that will drink well with minimal cellaring. The balance between the 13% alcohol and 70% new oak is sublime. I won't be surprised if the 2024 turns out to be even better from bottle, especially if it gains a bit of mid-palate pliancy in barrel."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 78 % cabernet sauvignon, 22 % merlot.
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Known for producing one of the firmest and tightest (even robust) Pauillacs available, Duhart-Milon has since 2010 refined its style to gradually approach that of Lafite (same owner and same team). New direction and progress amply confirmed, with an unprecedented charm and fatness from the 2015 vintage onwards. Given the quality of its terroir (the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Duhart-Milon has certainly not finished its progression.
As the latest Bettane & Desseauve guide (2025) points out, “So many changes in recent vintages, with a great wine that has rediscovered the depth and dimension of the greatest Pauillacs”!
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru est droit, séveux et bien en place. Dans un esprit de noble classicisme, d’harmonie et d’équilibre. Rien ne dépasse, la bouche est traçante avec des tanins de belle fraîcheur. Délicieux, posé. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Belle couleur sombre. Nez moyennement intense, au fruité mûr, devenant suave à l'agitation du verre. Bouche au corps tendre et particulièrement fruitée, se développant un peu coulante, mais très savoureuse et très parfumée dans la persistance. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon opens with strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections. Blue-toned fruit, lavender, spice and dried herbs open first, all framed by brisk acids and supporting tannins that lend shape. The 2024 includes 14% press wines, about the norm here. This is a very promising Duhart."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon was matured in 50% new oak. The aromatics take their time to coalesce. It's a little herbaceous at first although that ebbs away to reveal quite pure blackcurrant, raspberry and Morello scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit and a dab of licorice toward the finish that just tapers slightly. Overall, this is a decent Pauillac in an old-school style that I approve of."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 78% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 22% Merlot
- Organic certification:
- 2024
-
Contiguous to Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet is in good vintages the very type of great Pauillac, straight and racy. The first of the Grands Crus Classés to be certified "organic" (in 2010), Pontet-Canet has been at the top of the Médoc since 2000.
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Le vin se distingue une nouvelle fois par son élégance et son soyeux, avec une texture délicate mais un cœur de bouche juteux et une finale enrobée, très posée. Un beau classique qui ravira par son équilibre et son harmonie. »
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pontet-Canet is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here in some time, as in a long time. Brisk acids and beams of tannin shape a mid-weight, classically built Pontet-Canet unlike any I have tasted. The 2024 is not an abvious wine, it does not have the opulence of most recent years, rather it is a wine that impresses with its energy, tension and class. Floral, spice and mineral notes stain the palate in this vibrant, beautifully sculpted Pontet-Canet. The 2024 is seriously impressive, but it is also less immediate than what was once the norm because of shift towards a style that favors greater energy and vibrancy than in the recent past. The evolution here is going to be fascinating to follow in the coming year."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Pontet Canet has a very pure bouquet with black cherry, wild strawberry, cassis and light violet scents vying for attention. This is not quite as complex as the '22s I tasted a few months earlier. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins on the entry, a keen line of acidity and veins of blue fruit commingling with black pepper and light graphite notes. Cohesive on the finish, there is an attractive linearity to this Pontet Canet, with satisfying sustain that delivers about as much precision as anyone could hope for in this vintage."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Blend:
- Cabernet Sauvignon 52% Merlot 43% Petit Verdot 4% Cabernet Franc 1%
- Organic certification:
- 2010
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Apart from the first great classified growths, no other Bordeaux wine is as world famous as Lynch-Bages. Its worldwide success comes as much from its opulent, full-bodied and robust style, from its unfailing regularity since 1975, and from its media promotion orchestrated by Jean-Michel Cazes. Lynch-Bages was the first wine sent into space (Discovery shuttle in 1985). It is even said that it is him who gave the taste of Bordeaux to the Americans!
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Le vin affiche une admirable concentration, beaucoup de profondeur et de précision dans le fruit. On retrouve la patte du cru, très suave et avenant mais avec une définition et une précision qui ne cessent de progresser. Déjà sacrément bon, il ira aussi fort loin. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez très aromatique, pur, fruité et subtil, évoluant légèrement fumé dans le verre. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec du goût et sans perte de velouté, le vin fond sur le palais très parfumé, sur des tannins bien enrobés. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A.Galloni) : 93-95/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages is packed. Cedar, scorched earth, licorice, incense and pipe tobacco weave through a core of dark, sepia-toned fruit. I especially admire the long, polished finish and overall balance here. The 2024 is a virile Lynch Bages with a bright future."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages has some initial reduction that is shaken off after several minutes. Very pure blackberry and blueberry fruit emerges with hints of melted tar and graphite, and iodine eventually lends more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and quite focused with grippy tannins that are impressive for their fineness. The 2024 possesses palpable mineralité and a poised finish. Though this does not touch the skyscraping heights that have been achieved in recent years, it is a "capable" Lynch-Bages."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 70 % cabernet sauvignon, 24 % merlot, 3 % cabernet franc, 3 % petit verdot
-
Bought in 1986 by the AXA group, initially under the leadership of Mr. Cazes (Lynch-Bages), Pichon-Longueville Baron regained its best form in the powerful and distinguished style of the great Pauillac. It must be said that a small half of its vines are located next to those of Latour, on a first growth terroir! For the Revue du Vin de France: "Pichon-Baron is at the top in the last vintages".
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le vin affiche une grande race et beaucoup de profondeur. Un Pichon à la trame sérieuse, avec beaucoup de volume et une belle chair qui l’enrobe. Les tanins sont mûrs, avec un grain fin. L’allonge est admirable. Il ira loin. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité. Nuances de violette et réglisse zan à l'agitation du verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, puis de suite très savoureux, avec du corps et un déroulé très enrobé et même suave, le vin s'achève long, sur une tannicité présente, mais parfumée. Qu'il est agréable de retrouver du tannin et du bon en finale, c'est si rare cette année. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pichon Baron is a very sexy wine. Deep and layered on the palate, with fine depth, the 2024 exudes balance. Sumptuous black cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice, menthol, lavender and pine are all dialed up. There's gorgeous breadth and overall presence here. The Cabernet Sauvignon is quite high at 87%, but it is really the wine's balance that speaks loudest. Here, too, the reduction of new oak to 70% really helps wine speak with precision."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 92-94/100 "The nose of the 2024 Pichon Baron is immediate and well-defined, with mineral-driven black fruit, a touch of pencil box and subtle estuarine scents. It is quintessential Pichon Baron. The palate is fresh and delineated on the entry, endowed with a core of sapid black olive tapenade-infused black fruit. I appreciate the energy that comes through, especially towards the second half, which maintains a sense of symmetry. It will be earlier drinking compared to the 2020 or 2022, but it is a successful Pauillac in the context of the challenging growing season, though it might require a little more time in bottle."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 87 % cabernet sauvignon, 13 % merlot
-
Mouton-Rothschild's upgrade in 1973 from second to first grand cru classé was as legitimate as it was deserved in view of the quality of its terroir, a plateau of 90 hectares of deep gravel to the north of Pauillac, with Lafite-Rothschild as a neighbor. Despite this promotion, and even though it regularly tops the rankings in tastings, Mouton-Rothschild remains to this day the least expensive of the Médoc's premier crus classés. Its powerful, full-bodied style and its ability to age well have led Mr. Bettane to write "perhaps the most formally perfect wine in the Médoc...".
La Revue du Vin de France : 96-97/100 « C’est un Mouton de grande classe qui est né en 2024. Le vin, profilé par ses beaux cabernets (93 % de l’assemblage), offre distinction et éclat. Le nez exhale un parfum subtil et complexe, très floral. La bouche est persistante, avec des tanins très doux, un toucher soyeux et raffiné. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité, subtil. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et plutôt gras au milieu, avec du goût et de la puissance, le vin monte dans le dernier tiers du palais. Il finit long, juteux, séveux, avec un brin de vivacité qui reste à fondre. »
Vinous (N. Martin) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Mouton Rothschild has an understated bouquet with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents that take their time to unfold. The nose possesses very fine delineation though the oak is a little more prominent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style with fine tannins. A less flamboyant Mouton Rothschild in keeping with the style of the vintage, the 2024 discretely gazins depth towards the finish and reveals a dash of white pepper on the altertaste. Classy, very classy."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Mouton-Rothschild is embryonic. Dark, poxerful and imposing, the 2024 is deeply intriguing, but also a wine that is going to need time to be at its best. Today, the tannins feel a bit brooding, the wine's mid-weight structure notwithstanding. The 100% new oak needs to integrate, but this is barrel sample."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- Cabernet Sauvignon 93 %, Merlot 7 %
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Appointed cellar master in 1994, Mr. Chevallier focused on developing Lafite-Rothschild wines without losing any of the characteristic bouquet of blackcurrant, graphite and cedar. This objective was quickly achieved, placing Lafite at the top of the 1st classified growths (this was already the case in 1855), and revered as such by the Chinese market. The incredible qualities of Lafite's terroir make it a unique vintage and give Cabernet Sauvignon (more than 90% present each year) its most beautiful aromatic expressions.
The great 2020 vintage was awarded the supreme score of 100/1000 by the Revue du Vin de France: "Spectacular, bordering on perfection".
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Voilà un vin à ne pas mettre entre toutes les papilles. Il faut aller chercher ce 2024 à 96 % de cabernet-sauvignon. Il est très sérieux, profond et complexe mais pas expansif. Ce qui le caractérise ? Son harmonie et son incroyable longueur. Un Lafite ultra racé et prometteur. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nuances vives. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et floral. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très parfumé au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, délicat, savoureux, avec un joli retour de la saveur dans la persistance. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2024 Lafite-Rothschild is a sensual, elegant wine very much in the style of the year. Plush and enveloping, with lovely forward fruit, the 2024 is very Lafite, perhaps a bit reticent, but super-expressive just the same. Black cherry, pomegranate, blood orange and a kiss of espresso all build in the glass, framed by quintessentially finessed Lafite tannins. The 2024 is sublime. I expect it will be one of the to be one of the wines in the Médoc when all is said and done."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 95-97/100 "The 2024 Lafite-Rothschild has an understated and typical Lafite nose with crushed stone infusing the black fruit, black olive tapenade and marine scents. It comes across as astatesmanlike, which is just how you want your First Growth, even in a tricky vintage like this. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh saline notes on the entry. Tensile from the start, this has very impressive focus and is a tad more peppery than previous vintages. This is an assured Lafite-Rothschild with a very seaweed/Japanese wakame-tinged finish. Very promising and one of the very few "cerebral" Left Bank wines in 2024."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 96% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
- Organic certification:
- 2024
-
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
-
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.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. »
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. Aging projected to be 18 moths, with 60% new oak."
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.