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Please see below "Futures campaign".
The logo "bio" indicates the wine in organic culture in official under reserve of certification after bottling.
The campaign "Futures 2024" will stop on 2026 July 31st, in the limit of the available stock.
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).
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.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Subtil et racé avec un fruit expressif, des notes de tilleul, de rose ancienne, de bergamote et une grande minéralité. Bouche enveloppante alliant vivacité et salinité. Un vin charmeur. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has it 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."
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. »
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. »
Le Point : 17/20 « Nez fin, fruits blancs, pêche jaune, élégant, bouche saline, légère amertume, long, savoureux. »
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 ! ».
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Robe dorée, nez crémeux et miellé, jolie touche rôtie avec un bois bien intégré ; bouche moelleuse mais fraîche, sur les agrumes et l’abricot, avec une belle longueur en finale. »
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"
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. »
Le Point : coup de ♥ 17/20 "Abricot frais, pêche blanche, bouche pure, citronnée, agrumes, bon équilibre, tendu, nette, fine amertume, zeste."
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. »
Doisy-Daëne is located at the top of Barsac, between Climens and Coutet. Brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu (nicknamed the ‘pope of Bordeaux whites’) until 2016, his two sons Fabrice and Jean-Jacques are now continuing his work.
Doisy-Daëne is never the sweetest wine in its sector, but it always possesses unrivalled expression and aromatic refinement. Its purity and elegance make it all the more sought-after, especially as its prices remain reasonable.
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."
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Nez sur les notes de pierre à feu ; bouche bien boisée, rôtie, autour de 140 g de sucres, avec une légère amertume et une finale fumée. Bon équilibre dans l’ensemble. »
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. »
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 ! »
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."
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.
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. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 89-90/100 « Beaucoup de fruit et des touches florales qui commencent à apparaître pour ce premier millésime effectué en collaboration avec les équipes de Thomas Duclos. »
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."
Haut-Bailly is the most delicate of the Graves wines with a particularly silky tannic structure.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Nez exubérant et noble, très parfumé, sur des fleurs suaves, des fruits rouges frais et mûrs, et une touche de rose. Bouche profonde aux tannins fins et ciselés avec une longue finale fraîche. Harmonieux, subtil, et promis à un bel avenir, il est impressionnant de charme. »
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 ! »
Le Point : 17.5/20 "Fruits noirs, mûre, baies sauvages, velouté, tanins fins, enrobés, vin tout en longueur, très élégant."
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!
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Nez intense et racé, centré sur le fruit, avec des notes fumées et d’aiguille de pin. Bouche généreuse, beau milieu de bouche, tannins harmonieux, saveur, énergie et belle persistance aromatique. Un Mission élégant, plein de charme et de vigueur. »
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 ! »
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruits rouges, bouche droite, fraîche, élégante, tanins vifs, nerveux en finale accrocheuse. Joyeux. »
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. »
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.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Dense, racé, très bien constitué mais avec un tannin pour le moment un peu strict qui se fondra avec l’élevage. »
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. »
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."
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).
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Grande couleur, excellent corps, texture complète pour le millésime, qui va demander encore un peu de temps pour se fondre. Grand potentiel et style affirmé. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 "Fermé, un peu de réduction qui disparaît à l'aération, fruits noirs, un milieu de bouche soyeux. Vin complet, droit, frais, équilibré."
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."
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 (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."
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!
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Droit, classique entre le cèdre, les épices douces et l’harmonie tannique qu’on attend de lui. »
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."
Of all the second classified growths in St-Julien, Gruaud-Larose is the most vigorous and massive in young wine. But, the magic of the terroir, it acquires softness and finesse if it is given time to age. Its quality/price ratio puts it ahead of the other second classified growths of St-Julien!
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Profond, harmonieux, encore sur la réserve mais avec une finale qui ne trompe pas par son allonge et la distinction de son tannin. Excellent comme dans les précédents millésimes. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et vive. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité. Délicat en entrée de bouche, délicieux au milieu, avec du goût, un corps fondant, le vin s'étire en finale, parfumé et délicat. C'est très bon. Observez comment le petit degré d'alcool ne pénalise en rien la densité de ce vin. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94+/100 "The 2024 Gruaud Larose is very fine. Dark and ample, with gorgeous presence, the 2024 has so much to offer. Dark blue/purplish fruit, new leather, gravel, spice, lavender and dried herbs build effortlessly. Readers will find a Saint-Julien endowed with notable textural depth. The finish is perhaps just a touch narrow, but elevage may very well help with that."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Gruaud-Larose has an impressive bouquet for the vintage with pure blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light pressed flower scents. This leans a little toward Margaux in style. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and quite saline, with sappy black fruit laced with notes of black olive tapenade. Not a persistent Gruaud Larose insofar as there is no peacock's tail on the finish, yet it has a statesman-like classicism that you could not find 10 or 15 years ago."
Even if their evolution always involves a period of austerity, Léoville-Barton wines have a supreme class and elegance, due as much to the advanced age of the vines as to meticulous work. Always praised by the critics, as in 2015 "fine, sapid and very long, lots of class on the palate, with a juicy side and superb texture", rated 97/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 « Magnifique couleur, nez ultra classique entre les fruits rouges et noirs propres à Saint-Julien et les notes plus épicées des beaux pauillacs du sud. Excellente intégration du boisé et grand avenir. Un des vins les plus complets du millésime. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Difficile de ne pas succomber au charme de ce vin au fruité éclatant. La bouche déroule des saveurs de fruits frais avec une grande gourmandise et il termine sur une signature tannique toujours ultra soyeuse. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Barton is a very beautiful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, new leather, graphite, crushed rocks, mocha and spice all meld together. A wine of classical build, Léoville-Barton is also wonderfully deep and expressive. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards, but there is a lot of wine here. I can't wait to taste this from bottle."
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, au fruité mûr. Nuances d'encre et de cabernet sauvignon à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, le vin évolue juteux, un brin sur le bois, vers une finale plutôt austère pour le millésime. L'élevage le patinera. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Léoville Barton has an open bouquet with black fruit, potpourri and light sous-bois scents–quintessentially Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, well balanced and sapid in style with slightly powdery tannins on the entry and a little sinew on the finish that should be abraded during barrel maturation. This is a finely crafted Léoville Barton."
Le Point : 18/20 "Fermé, bouche onctueuse, fraîche, dense, réglissée, finale tannique, éclat. Équilibre, pureté. Un très beau Léoville."
Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the finest of Pauillac's 5th classified growths, held with competence and care by Mr. François-Xavier Borie and his children. The latest vintages show even greater aromatic precision and tannin nobility, especially the superb 2020 vintage.
Variation Case
In music, a variation is an evolution based on a defined theme. Grand-Puy-Lacoste has thus chosen to combine 3 different formats in a single case, enabling the evolution of the wine to be followed over time. The "Caisse Variation" thus contains 1 Double-Magnum, 2 Magnums and 4 Bottles, equivalent in volume to 12 bottles, as well as an invitation to an exclusive visit and tasting at the Château for 4 people (valid indefinitely).
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil, sentant bon le cabernet sauvignon. Touches de fruits noirs. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très raffiné au toucher, (la texture évoque le gras fin d'un vin blanc sec), tout fond, subtil, délicat et incrachable. C'est très bon. »
Le Point : 17/20 " S'ouvre à l'aération, floral, bouche élégante, tramée par des tanins fins, fraîche, vin étiré. Un Pauillac délicat."
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."
Known for producing one of the firmest and tightest (even robust) Pauillacs available, Duhart-Milon has since 2010 refined its style to gradually approach that of Lafite (same owner and same team). New direction and progress amply confirmed, with an unprecedented charm and fatness from the 2015 vintage onwards. Given the quality of its terroir (the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Duhart-Milon has certainly not finished its progression.
As the latest Bettane & Desseauve guide (2025) points out, “So many changes in recent vintages, with a great wine that has rediscovered the depth and dimension of the greatest Pauillacs”!
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Complet, particulièrement précis et raffiné dans sa texture et son intégration du boisé, long, c’est un vrai petit frère du Lafite. Il nous a rarement autant plu dès sa naissance. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 « Le cru est droit, séveux et bien en place. Dans un esprit de noble classicisme, d’harmonie et d’équilibre. Rien ne dépasse, la bouche est traçante avec des tanins de belle fraîcheur. Délicieux, posé. »
J-M Quarin : 92/100 « Belle couleur sombre. Nez moyennement intense, au fruité mûr, devenant suave à l'agitation du verre. Bouche au corps tendre et particulièrement fruitée, se développant un peu coulante, mais très savoureuse et très parfumée dans la persistance. Longueur normale. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon opens with strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections. Blue-toned fruit, lavender, spice and dried herbs open first, all framed by brisk acids and supporting tannins that lend shape. The 2024 includes 14% press wines, about the norm here. This is a very promising Duhart."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Duhart-Milon was matured in 50% new oak. The aromatics take their time to coalesce. It's a little herbaceous at first although that ebbs away to reveal quite pure blackcurrant, raspberry and Morello scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit and a dab of licorice toward the finish that just tapers slightly. Overall, this is a decent Pauillac in an old-school style that I approve of."
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."
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « Texture raffinée, tendresse naturelle du soutien tannique, beau fruit avec un peu plus de souplesse et de profondeur que dans les millésimes précédents. D’un naturel parfait. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Baies noires, poivre, bouche souple, onctueuse, généreuse, dense. Vin bien construit. »
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."
Apart from the first great classified growths, no other Bordeaux wine is as world famous as Lynch-Bages. Its worldwide success comes as much from its opulent, full-bodied and robust style, from its unfailing regularity since 1975, and from its media promotion orchestrated by Jean-Michel Cazes. Lynch-Bages was the first wine sent into space (Discovery shuttle in 1985). It is even said that it is him who gave the taste of Bordeaux to the Americans!
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Charpenté et vertical, profil très pauillacais, avec des notes déjà expressives de havane, un grain de tanin ultra précis et une fraîcheur remarquable. Sans développer la grande vinosité des millésimes glorieux, il définit avec intensité et fermeté une ligne exigeante et sincère. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Le vin affiche une admirable concentration, beaucoup de profondeur et de précision dans le fruit. On retrouve la patte du cru, très suave et avenant mais avec une définition et une précision qui ne cessent de progresser. Déjà sacrément bon, il ira aussi fort loin. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez très aromatique, pur, fruité et subtil, évoluant légèrement fumé dans le verre. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, avec du goût et sans perte de velouté, le vin fond sur le palais très parfumé, sur des tannins bien enrobés. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (A.Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages is packed. Cedar, scorched earth, licorice, incense and pipe tobacco weave through a core of dark, sepia-toned fruit. I especially admire the long, polished finish and overall balance here. The 2024 is a virile Lynch Bages with a bright future."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Lynch-Bages has some initial reduction that is shaken off after several minutes. Very pure blackberry and blueberry fruit emerges with hints of melted tar and graphite, and iodine eventually lends more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and quite focused with grippy tannins that are impressive for their fineness. The 2024 possesses palpable mineralité and a poised finish. Though this does not touch the skyscraping heights that have been achieved in recent years, it is a "capable" Lynch-Bages."
Bought in 1986 by the AXA group, initially under the leadership of Mr. Cazes (Lynch-Bages), Pichon-Longueville Baron regained its best form in the powerful and distinguished style of the great Pauillac. It must be said that a small half of its vines are located next to those of Latour, on a first growth terroir! For the Revue du Vin de France: "Pichon-Baron is at the top in the last vintages".
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le vin affiche une grande race et beaucoup de profondeur. Un Pichon à la trame sérieuse, avec beaucoup de volume et une belle chair qui l’enrobe. Les tanins sont mûrs, avec un grain fin. L’allonge est admirable. Il ira loin. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Coloré, ferme, épicé, grand tannin, très sérieux. A l’air, la violette et les arômes se développent parfaitement. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité. Nuances de violette et réglisse zan à l'agitation du verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, puis de suite très savoureux, avec du corps et un déroulé très enrobé et même suave, le vin s'achève long, sur une tannicité présente, mais parfumée. Qu'il est agréable de retrouver du tannin et du bon en finale, c'est si rare cette année. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Pichon Baron is a very sexy wine. Deep and layered on the palate, with fine depth, the 2024 exudes balance. Sumptuous black cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice, menthol, lavender and pine are all dialed up. There's gorgeous breadth and overall presence here. The Cabernet Sauvignon is quite high at 87%, but it is really the wine's balance that speaks loudest."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The nose of the 2024 Pichon Baron is immediate and well-defined, with mineral-driven black fruit, a touch of pencil box and subtle estuarine scents. It is quintessential Pichon Baron. The palate is fresh and delineated on the entry, endowed with a core of sapid black olive tapenade-infused black fruit. I appreciate the energy that comes through, especially towards the second half, which maintains a sense of symmetry. It will be earlier drinking compared to the 2020 or 2022, but it is a successful Pauillac in the context of the challenging growing season, though it might require a little more time in bottle."
Le Point : 17/20 " Réglisse, mûre, baies noires, bouche ronde, tanins moelleux en milieu de bouche, de l'éclat, joli fruit moins sévère que certaines années."
Always of a high standard for a reasonable price (in Pomerol), the wines of Gazin, medium-bodied and marked by truffles, are the archetype of the appellation and of exemplary consistency vintage after vintage. “One of Pomerol's best wines, with happy surprises after 10 years” for Bettane & Desseauve as for us.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « On apprécie sa délicatesse soyeuse et son tannin qui s’étoffe et gagne en densité. Une valeur sûre dans un style classique chic. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux, subtil et long. C'est très bien fait et difficile à cracher. Ce pourcentage de cabernet sauvignon est très appréciable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Gazin is classy and elegant even if it is a bit strict at this stage. Rose petal, mint, blood orange and cinnamon meld into a core of red-toned fruit. There’s gorgeous textural depth and resonance here. Clean saline notes extend the finish. All this needs is a bit of polish and pliancy in the mid-palate, but elevage should take care of that. Gazin is distinguished in 2024 by its unusually high presence of Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), along with 90% Merlot and no Cabernet Franc in this vintage."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-92/100 « Le profil frais du millésime rappelle la réserve naturelle du cru. Sans être austère, il laisse entrevoir une droiture singulière tout en gardant de l’harmonie et de la chair. Les tanins crayeux (10 % de cabernet-sauvignon) étirent la finale avec grâce. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Gazin has a light, tertiary bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit. This needs a little more vigor but it is nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, a healthy dash of white pepper and a structured, grippier finish than its peers. I appreciate the freshness in this Pomerol and it should show well once in bottle, but this needs more substance."
Vieux Château Certan is one (the last?) of the very few Bordeaux grands crus where the owners, Alexandre Thienpont and his son Guillaume since 2011, are still the only cellar masters on board. Thanks to its Cabernet Franc (30% on average), Vieux-Certan offers a firm, distinguished and refined version of Pomerol, closer to Lafleur than Petrus. Its 2022 vintage has been showered with praise, as in Vinous, where the two tasters (Galloni and Martin) each rated it 100/100.
Vinous (N. Martin): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Vieux Château Certan contains a higher proportion of Cabernet this year (23% Sauvignon and Franc combined). That Cabernet is articulated on the nose: graphite and light tobacco scents percolating through the mainly black fruit. This has plenty of freshness and more fruit than some other Pomerol cuvées. The palate is medium-bodied, but there is much more weight and density on the back palate than nearly all of its peers. Distinctly peppery and quite spicy in style, this is one of the few to transcend the strict limitations of the growing season. In some ways, it is an uncompromising VCC that does not have the finesse of the greatest vintages I have tasted over the years, yet there is flavour and substance packed inside this nascent wine. Deeply impressive. This is one of the very few '24s that will oblige bottle age."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Un vin de grande classe, très “VCC”, porté par des cabernets francs traçants (20 %) et un équilibre remarquable entre droiture et velouté. La bouche est fine, de mi-puissance, avec une texture de cachemire et une sapidité florale (fleur de vigne, fleur d’oranger) très nuancée. Les tanins de graphite, presque médocains, rappellent les 9 % de cabernet sauvignon et sont soutenus par 5 % de presse bien intégrés. L’élevage (deux tiers de fûts neufs) accompagne un style serein et ancré, tout en subtilité et en relief. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-96/100 "The 2024 Vieux Château Certan is a delicate, elegant wine driven by its strong floral component from the significant presence of Cabernets in the blend this year. Silky tannins add to an impression of restraint. I can't remember tasting a young VCC with this equilibrium, one that approaches a Burgundian textural feel, for lack of a better word. The 2024 opens with a bit of time in the glass, but it is a decidedly understated, calm VCC. I can't wait to see how it ages."
An oenologist by training, Ms. Papon-Nouvel owns two tiny properties at the bottom of Saint-Émilion near Canon-La Gaffelière: Petit Gravet Aîné (2.4 ha) and Clos Saint-Julien (1.3 ha), where the vines are mainly old cabernets francs. From the vine to the cellar, she manages all the stages in the production of her wines on her own and, whatever the vintage, her talent as an instinctive winemaker gives wines of natural elegance and exemplary sweetness.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Petit Gravet Ainé, mostly Cabernet Franc, is so distinctive. Mocha, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco and macerated cherry lift the bouquet nicely. The 2024 is a bit strict on the palate, but that may change with élevage. This is very nicely done, if a touch reticent."
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Grande fraîcheur aromatique de l’attaque à la finale, donnant du tonus à la bouche élancée et subtile. »
J-M Quarin : 89/100 « Couleur sombre et intense. Nez un peu discret, sentant bon les fruits mûrs. Touche florale. Juteux à l'attaque, savoureux en milieu de bouche, le vin se développe aromatique et très agréable sur une longueur moyenne, mais avec beaucoup de goût. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 87-89/100 "The 2024 Petit Gravet Ainé has a straightforward bouquet with kirsch and blueberry scents that gradually reveal a touch of cola. It just misses some complexity compared to previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied, lightly tannic and fleshly but doesn't have much grip. Though smooth in texture, it doesn't quite translate its 90% Cabernet Franc as well as, say, the 2022."
Mrs Papon-Nouvel's other grand cru (with Petit Gravet Aîné). Same organic culture, same sensitivity, same style, with extra flesh and depth. Great wine! Great wine, logically promoted to grand cru classé in 2022.
Bettane & Desseauve : 93-94/100 « Nez poivré et floral, typique des cabernets francs. On retrouve cette aromatique dans une bouche énergique, parfaitement structurée. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, aux reflets pourpres. Nez pour l'instant un peu discret, mais subtil. Joli fruité. Minutieux dès l'entrée en bouche et très vite très savoureux au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, séveux et long, sur une jolie texture. C'est très bon. Après le grand succès du 2022, Catherine Papon ne lâche rien ! »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Clos Saint-Julien is a very pretty wine. Black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, licorice and lavender all meld together. The oak is not totally integrated just yet, but that is a question of elevage."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos Saint-Julien has a perfumed, Margaux-like bouquet with a mélange of blueberry and blackcurrant fruit. This has fine delineation and the oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, decent weight on the mid-palate and just a bit of grip on the finish that bodes well for the future. This is one to keep an eye on."
La Revue du Vin de France : 87-89/100 « Une certaine suavité se dégage de ce vin, construit sur la légère pente sableuse et calcaire orientée au nord, à l'entrée de Saint-Émilion. Son toucher de bouche tout doux propose une allonge élancée. »
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."
Troplong-Mondot and its formidable terroir dominate Saint-Émilion both literally (the commune's water tower adjoins the winery) and figuratively. Led by Aymeric de Gironde (formerly of Pichon-Baron and Cos d'Estournel) and benefiting from generous investment from reinsurer SCOR since 2016, Troplong-Mondot shines brightly, producing wines that are consistently fresh, flavourful and refined despite their high concentration.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now? The Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « La molasse de l’Agenais donne de la densité à ce millésime, ce qui permet d’aller chercher du fruit. La minéralité se fait sentir en finale, apportant salinité et profondeur tout en renforçant l’équilibre de ce vin séducteur. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Expressif, fruits rouge, baies sauvages, rose sauvage, trame calcaire, densité, tanins sapides, finale saline, relevée. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Troplong Mondot offers minerally, tightly wound black fruit, blueberry and light chalky scents. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant yet tensile tannins. Like the Mondot, it is peppery in style, pretty and sapid towards the finish. Not a huge amount of persistence, yet this is still a serious Saint-Émilion that could well end up at the top of my banded score."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « Un élevage à moitié en barriques neuves et une part intéressante de foudres (26 %), voilà l'équation brillante pour Troplong. Derrière sa jolie robe éclatante, le vin dévoile un bouquet aromatique lumineux et une bouche pleine de panache : beau délié de matière, en demi-puissance en cœur de bouche, sans creux. Dynamique, la finale provoque une salivation intense qui ponctue cette interprétation contemporaine de Bordeaux. »
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."
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.
Amazing story as that of Dominio de Pingus. Created in 1995 by Peter Sisseck, a Danish (!), this estate a few kilometres from Vega Sicilia has become a cult in less than 15 years.
Pingus is the great wine, made from the 4 ha of the estate, 100% tempranillo aged 70 years, biodynamic since 2000. 450 cases per year (an average yield of 10hl/ha, not counting small vintages, such as the 2002, totally downgraded in Flor de Pingus).