2024 Futures
In the "Top of the Top" category, we group together the podium (i.e. the dozen or so most exciting wines with the best scores of the vintage) of what we consider to be the most reliable tasters and which we regularly report on:
- Michel Bettane, bettanedesseauve.com
- Jacques Dupont, Le Point
- La Revue du Vin de France
- Jean-Marc Quarin (quarin.com)
- Bernard Burtschy (burtschy.com)
- Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin (vinous.com)
You will see in good place the most prestigious domains, therefore the most expensive, but also several challengers who create the surprise (Château Gazin...).
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Smith Haut Lafitte's white wine has built up a solid reputation over the past 20 years, even though it is not a grand cru classé (but neither are Haut-Brion blanc and Pape-Clément blanc). A happy marriage of wood and fruit, it always delivers a beautiful aromatic complexity, from lime blossom to citrus fruit, and a lively, rich, fine structure.
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is complex, dynamic and an absolut delight. Everything about the 2024 speaks to class. Brisk acids drive through a core of citrus fruit, almond, mint, chamomile and white pepper. More than anything else, I admire the wine's tension and energy. Clean saline notes extend the dry, bracing finish."
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 « Nez racé et complexe, avec un fruit pur, une grande minéralité, des notes florales et mentholées. Bouche voluptueuse, pleine de réserve, alliant pureté, allonge, tension, vivacité et une touche d’amertume en finale. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur pâle. Très beau nez, très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touche de citron très rare dans ce cru. Évolution très parfumée dans le verre. Bouche aérienne à souhait, au toucher gracieux, au corps minutieux et fondant. C'est magique et incrachable. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc needed a bit of aeration in the glass, eventually revealing scents of Anjou pear, gooseberry, white flowers and light flinty aromas. The palate is well balanced with lilting nectarine, pear and stem ginger notes. Fine weight and depth, with a judicious touch of spice towards the finish. The sapidity and linearity of this impressive Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc mean it should repay cellaring."
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-95/100 « L’expression aromatique de cet assemblage, classique pour la propriété (90 % sauvignon blanc, 5 % sauvignon gris et 5 % sémillon), est distinguée – un discours détaillé sans être roboratif. Le déroulé de la matière, cristalline, retient plus encore l’attention, avec une très belle allonge, ponctuée par une impression à la fois de grain tannique et de grain de sel. L’acidité du millésime est incorporée au propos du vin, elle participe à sa construction sans s’imposer au premier plan. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2019
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 90% Sauvignon blanc, 5% Sauvignon gris, 5% Sémillon
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Grape varieties:
- 75% Sémillon - 25% sauvignon blanc
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 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!
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. »
2.15.1.0More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 51 % cabernet sauvignon, 46,5 % merlot, 2,5 % cabernet franc
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An exceptional terroir classified in 1855 at the top of the second classified growths (with Mouton-Rothschild). Classicism in its purest form, an exemplary Margaux and certainly the cru classé whose style is the closest to that of Château Margaux.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Magnifique coup de nez floral, texture élégante, tannin raffiné, peut être le vin le plus complet de son appellation dans ce millésime. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-98/100 "The 2024 Rauzan-Ségla is magnificent. One of the top wines of the Left Bank, Rauzan-Ségla possesses tremendous textural density and mind-blowing balance. Dark fruit, lavender, spice, licorice and new leather are all dialed up in potent, layered Margaux that offers stunning harmony and incredible purity. At this stage, Rauzan-Ségla is on wines of the vintage in Bordeaux. Elegant yet powerful, the 2024 is simply magnificent."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Le vin impressionne par son ampleur et sa définition. Le nez ouvre sur une corbeille de fruits rouges et la bouche enchaîne avec une belle vivacité, une touche d’épices, du volume et des tanins au grain très fin. Un futur classique qui ne craindra pas les années. Le château est certifié bio depuis 2024. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Rauzan-Ségla has a fuller bouquet than the Deuxième Vin, with pure black fruit, a hint of violet and a splash of India ink–refined rather than powerful. The palate is medium-bodiedand tensile, with lighter tannins than the '20 or '22, poised and quite linear in style. A dash of black pepper and graphite emerges towards the liquorice-tinged finish. Clearly, this is a more approachable Rauzan-Ségla."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 51 % Cabernet-sauvignon, 47,5 % Merlot, 1,5 % Petit verdot
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No other vintage can better express the magical association that is so difficult to obtain simultaneously finesse and power. A first growth without rival in its style!
Bettane & Desseauve : 97/100 « Elégant, pur, très bien construit, avec un support tannique raffiné. Il retrouvera un esprit parfaitement margalais avec l’âge. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 96-97/100 « Le cru peut encore une fois s’appuyer sur la qualité de ses célèbres cabernet-sauvignon. Leur état sanitaire, leur maturité et leur rendement n’ont pas trop souffert des conditions du millésime. On les retrouve donc logiquement dans la trame du vin. 2024 est un margaux de grande finesse, très élégant et parfumé, avec des tanins de dentelle et une finale acidulée. Le blanc est remarquable de fraîcheur et d’équilibre, avec une superbe longueur. »
J-M Quarin : 96/100 « Couleur rouge sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité, sentant bon les fruits noirs. Aérien dès l'entrée en bouche et immédiatement accompagné de la texture si minutieuse et inénarrable propre à ce cru, le vin fond sur le palais tout en s'élançant en finale, savoureux, séveux et long. C'est impressionnant de délicatesse et de profondeur. Et je suis convaincu que l'élevage patinera plus encore la fin de bouche. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Château Margaux contains slightly less Merlot (5%). It has a sophisticated bouquet in the context of the growing season, with black fruit, pressed violet and hints of pencil box that almost lend a Pauillac-like allure. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and modest depth. This is clearly a leaner Château Margaux compared to, say, the 2020 or 2022, but it is razor-sharp with superb tension and mineralité. Unapologetically classic in style with modest length, this noble First Growth will benefit from four to five years in bottle."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Château Margaux is quite soft and delicate. It shows fine delineation in its aromatics and on the palate, but it's distinctly on the lighter side, even for Château Margaux. The mid-palate and finish are a touch compact, while there is a bit of edginess in the tannins that needs time to resolve. Bright acids and the lack of fruit pliancy expose the tannins at this stage. Élevage will be everything. Châtau Margaux is a bit of a question mark."
Le Point : 17.5/20 "Joli nez floral, rose, cerise, bouche tonique, l'élevage est un peu marqué. Droit, frais, tanins très élégants, soyeux, finale relevée."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 93 % cabernet sauvignon, 5 % merlot, 1 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot
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With the help of Michel Rolland, Léoville-Poyferré has gained in depth since 1993, voluptuousness of texture and ability to age. It is now approaching the quality of its prestigious neighbours in which it is landlocked: Léoville-Las Cases and Pichon-Lalande. The competition between the three Léoville is intense but Léoville-Poyferré now prevails with an easier, more voluptuous approach, and a superior quality/price/pleasure ratio.
Bettane & Desseauve : 97-98/100 « Un échantillon éblouissant qui dominait notre dégustation aveugle, avec une sorte de perfection du style Léoville, parfaite synthèse de l’élégance des grands saint-julien et la profondeur de texture des meilleurs pauillacs. Un sommet médocain dans ce millésime. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Comme à son habitude, le cru est assez flamboyant, épaulé, avec de la puissance et de la richesse, mais il n’est pas dénué de raffinement. Un ensemble charnu, persistant, de bel équilibre. Très prometteur. »
J-M Quarin : 94/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil et parfumé. Délicatement moelleux en entrée de bouche, avec du goût et un corps qui se trame lentement, le vin évolue juteux et persistant sur des tannins enveloppés. C'est très bon. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Poyferré, quasi-Pauillac in style, offers quite backward black fruit, hints of melted tar and graphite on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied and quite succulent with fleshy ripe tannins, tobacco-laced black fruit, brown spices and light undergrowth. With a fine supple landing on the finish in typical "LP" fashion, this constitutes a delicious, early-drinking Poyferré that will be more approachable than other vintages."
Vinous (A. Galloni): 89-92/100 "The 2024 Léoville-Poyferré offers notable brightness to match its mid-weight personality. Floral and spice notes open into a core of dark red-and black-toned fruit with good persistence, the 2024 is an understated Léoville-Poyferré. Today, it feels a bit compact, which also attenuates the fruit to some degree."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 64 % cabernet sauvignon, 27 % merlot, 8 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 92 % cabernet sauvignon, 6 % merlot, 2 % cabernet franc
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Emblematic cru of the Médoc by its architecture as well as by the delicacy of its wines, internationally sought-after. Beychevelle has taken another step up in finesse and aromatic precision with the commissioning in 2018 of its new vat room, and is now on first-name terms with the commune's second growths.
Bettane & Desseauve : 97/100 « Encore une étonnante réussite, avec les arômes les plus finement floraux de son appellation et son harmonie de constitution : le soyeux inimitable de sa texture ne cache pas une plénitude rare de corps. Un vin fait pour les amateurs les plus exigeants et connaisseurs mais d’une séduction immédiate pour les autres. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Beychvelle might very well be the wine of the vintage in Saint-Julien. It is certainly among the very best I tasted on the Left Bank. Plush, inky and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2024 is so silky and inviting. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha and spice are some of the many notes that stain the palate. The sustained, resonant finish is a thing of beauty."
La Revue du Vin de France : 94-95/100 « Belle réussite pour ce cru au joli milieu de bouche, avec du charnu. Il enchaîne sur des tanins polis et intégrés. L’ensemble est charmeur et prometteur. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, crémeux insoupçonnable au nez, le vin caresse fond et s'achève un brin ferme. Longueur normale.et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux, avec une touche vive. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Beychevelle has a nicely composed, warm and sensual bouquet with plush blackberry, cassis and touches of violet. The 42% Merlot is very expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with, again, quite luxuriant tannins that lend this Beychevelle more comeliness than you would anticipate given the growing season. Perhaps it just misses a little sustain on the finish, but othrwise, this is a fine Saint-Julien. 13.3% alcohol."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 55 % cabernet sauvignon, 42 % merlot, 3 % petit verdot.
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Since the arrival of Bruno Borie in 2003, Ducru-Beaucaillou has been flying from success to success. No one has forgotten that, until 1980, Ducru was the greatest of the Médoc's second growths, a position it is now regaining. Bravo !
Bettane & Desseauve : 98/100 « Éblouissant par sa profondeur de couleur et son éclat aromatique. Les limites du millésime sont largement dépassées. Profondément supérieur. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Cette année encore Ducru est en lice pour la palme du raffinement. Le vin est fantastique de définition et de précision avec un immense respect du fruit. Saluons la qualité des tanins, l’allonge et la rétro-olfaction montante, fruitée, florale et épicée. »
Vinous (A.Galloni): 94-96/100 "The 2024 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a sleek, elegant wine. Silky tannins give the 2024 its distinctly mid-weight, lithe personality. Readers will find a gracious Ducru built more on persistence and nervy tension than size or opulence. Blue/black fruits, lavender, cloves, menthol and chocolate open over time. It will be fascinating to see how this ages."
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Ducru-Beaucaillou matured entirely in new oak, as usual. The 100% new wood slightly impedes on the aromatics at the moment, masking some of the attractive blackberry and cassis scents tucked underneath. The palate is medium-bodied and, again, the oak is very vocal at the moment. Quite marine-influenced on the finish, this Ducru-Beaucaillou has impressive sapidity, although the key question is how that wood will assimilate in bottle. Only time will tell."
Le Point : 17.5/20 "Baies noires, cerise noire, joli fruit, frais, élégant, tendu, fin, un peu salin en finale. Long, complexe, finale réglissée."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 86 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot
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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."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 87 % cabernet sauvignon, 13 % merlot
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Acquired in 2012 and completely renovated (vineyard, cellar and château) by a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel, Calon-Ségur quickly regained the level of excellence that had made it famous in the middle of the last century. Its style, combining pedigree and exuberance, gives it a special place among the classified growths of Saint-Estèphe. It is also the only vineyard in the Médoc to be both a single block and entirely surrounded by a wall.
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Notes légèrement truffées grand soyeux de texture liée à la haute maturité habituelle du raisin de ce cru si solaire. Grand avenir pour ce vin parfaitement typé de son origine. »
La Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Nous retrouvons un Calon de grand équilibre et saluons le beau travail sur la texture du vin, point fort ici, avec un grain d’une finesse admirable. Le vin est très posé, avec un fruit explosif, une finale de grande ampleur qui s’épanouit dans un registre frais, avec une minéralité saline. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et suave, se développant floral, réglissé et fumé dans le verre. Magnifique entrée en bouche, ample, juteuse et soyeuse, puis le vin fond, noble dans son déroulé vers une grande longueur séveuse et délicatement parfumée par un fond boisé subtil. C'est incrachable ! Calon Ségur navigue de plus en plus fréquemment dans 90 % de cabernet. Improbable il y a quelques années ! »
Le Point : 17/20 « Fruits noirs, épices, boisé, bouche souple, fraîche, élégante, tendue, étiré, fin, tanins délicats. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Calon Ségur is shaping up very nicely. Dark and ample, with terrific balance, the 2024 is another strong wine from the team led by Technical Director Vincent Millet. Readers will find a Calon Ségur of inner strenght, its deceptively mid-weight structure notwithstanding. The 2024 is a wine of restraint and class more than power, never a bad thing at this property. The 100% new oak is very nicely balanced, even in the early going. This has great potential."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Calon Ségur has a well-defined bouquet, with more prominent wood than previous recent vintages, which consequently obscures the property's DNA. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit tinged with black olive. It's quite lively, with a liberal sprinkling of white pepper and thyme. I admire the freshness of this Saint-Estèphe and there is decent length on the finish. This is not a top-ranking Calon-Ségur, but it should still provide up to 20 years of drinking pleasure."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 82 % cabernet sauvignon, 9 % merlot, 8 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot
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Always of a high standard for a reasonable price (in Pomerol), the wines of Gazin, medium-bodied and marked by truffles, are the archetype of the appellation and of exemplary consistency vintage after vintage. “One of Pomerol's best wines, with happy surprises after 10 years” for Bettane & Desseauve as for us.
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « On apprécie sa délicatesse soyeuse et son tannin qui s’étoffe et gagne en densité. Une valeur sûre dans un style classique chic. »
J-M Quarin : 93/100 « Beau rouge sombre, aux reflets noirs. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Délicat en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, le vin fond sur le palais, juteux, subtil et long. C'est très bien fait et difficile à cracher. Ce pourcentage de cabernet sauvignon est très appréciable. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Gazin is classy and elegant even if it is a bit strict at this stage. Rose petal, mint, blood orange and cinnamon meld into a core of red-toned fruit. There’s gorgeous textural depth and resonance here. Clean saline notes extend the finish. All this needs is a bit of polish and pliancy in the mid-palate, but elevage should take care of that. Gazin is distinguished in 2024 by its unusually high presence of Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), along with 90% Merlot and no Cabernet Franc in this vintage."
La Revue du Vin de France : 91-92/100 « Le profil frais du millésime rappelle la réserve naturelle du cru. Sans être austère, il laisse entrevoir une droiture singulière tout en gardant de l’harmonie et de la chair. Les tanins crayeux (10 % de cabernet-sauvignon) étirent la finale avec grâce. »
Vinous (N. Martin): 89-91/100 "The 2024 Gazin has a light, tertiary bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit. This needs a little more vigor but it is nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, a healthy dash of white pepper and a structured, grippier finish than its peers. I appreciate the freshness in this Pomerol and it should show well once in bottle, but this needs more substance."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 90 % merlot, 10 % cabernet sauvignon.
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A small estate located near Troplong-Mondot and Valandraud, acquired in 2009 by Jacques Thienpont (already owner of Ch. Le Pin). A wine that is as exceptional as it is confidential (6 hectares)!
Bettane & Desseauve : 95/100 « Combinaison de fruits noirs mûrs (cassis, cerise noire, myrtille) et de notes plus subtiles de fruits rouges frais (framboise, fraise des bois). Des arômes de violette et de rose sauvage apportent une touche florale délicate. Les tannins sont subtils et parfaitement intégrés. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Beau nez très aromatique, fin, pur, sentant bon les fruits noirs. Immédiatement délicieux dès l'entrée en bouche, très savoureux, avec du goût, de l'équilibre et une présence allongée, le vin glisse sur le palais, long, suave et complexe dans la persistance. C'est superbe ! Une grande réussite du millésime. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 "The 2024 L'If is an elegant, sleek wine. Crushed flowers, tobacco, cedar, incense, dried herbs and menthol give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence. L'If is light on its feet, with a bit less overt concentration than most years, but there's more than enough persistence to compensate for that, shaping the wine in a style that favors linear energy over volume."
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 L'If has a fragrant bouquet, with mainly red fruit and slate-like scents. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with slightly chalky tannins and a little flesh on the mid-palate. Lightly spiced on the finish, this is a comparatively straightforward L'If compared to previous vintages that will serve as a fine earlier drinking Saint-Émilion."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Grape varieties:
- 85 % merlot, 15 % cabernet franc
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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. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
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Brilliant even in small vintages (1992 was a masterpiece), Angélus has become a world star in 20 years by producing dense, fleshy and superbly velvety wines while remaining distinguished.
Great class!Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 « Complexe et intense, élégant et précis, avec une expression minérale et subtile qui se retrouve dans la texture du vin avec de l’éclat et une fraîcheur due à l’acidité naturelle des sols calcaires. Structure tannique fine et bouche de grande légèreté malgré sa puissance. Le terroir d’Ausone a pris le pas sur le millésime. »
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Beau rouge sombre, intense. Nuances vives. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touches de truffe et de cerise à l'agitation dans le verre. Moelleux en entrée de bouche et de suite très savoureux, le vin glisse sur le palais, très charmeur, avec de la classe dans le toucher et beaucoup de goût. C'est long et très bon. »
Vinous (A. Galloni): 93-95/100 "The 2024 Angélus is very fine. It is the first vintage I have tasted that captures the newer approach at Angélus, one where the wines are not extracted as in the past. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and menthol fill out the layers effortlessly. Here, too, the wine shows superb balance and real textural presence. The 2024 is mid-weight, classy and polished."
Vinous (N. Martin): 91-93/100 "The 2024 Angélus has an intriguing bouquet that deserves a little more reflection than some of its peers. A touch of fish scales commingles with black olive tapenade alongside dark berry fruit in what you might describe as a "cool" nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. The 2024 is certainly a more linear Angélus, saline with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. It gains modest depth on the graphite-tinged and Cabernet-driven finish, which is drier than previous vintages (as expected in this vintage). There is fine salinity with a shorter aftertaste than you would find in a warm vintage. This is well-crafted and just needs more flesh on the slender finish. Maybe that will develop during its élevage? It will be an enjoyable Angélus rather than a profound one destined for long-term aging."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Grape varieties:
- 60 % merlot, 40 % cabernet franc.
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Cyprien Arlaud has awakened this beautiful family estate of 15 hectares between Gevrey, Morey and Chambolle. Its wines, biodynamic since 2010, complete and delicious, have a frankness, a voluptuousness of texture and a rare aromatic elegance. The most recent vintages attest to remarkable progress, this domain clearly aims for excellence. Rated two stars in the guide of La Revue du Vin de France.
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru was blended with around 30% whole bunch. This is quite fragrant and floral on the nose—some similitude to an Echézeaux, just a hint of undergrowth behind the red fruit, very commendable in terms of purity. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy strawberry and cranberry, a fine bead of acidity, quite taut and focused with a twist of black pepper on the more Mazoyères-like finish. Good backbone—it will need three or four years to shave its edges."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2010
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Owning the largest parcel (6 ha) of Clos Vougeot and the only producer vinifying and maturing its wines within the Clos, Château de la Tour is the custodian of the Clos Vougeot tradition. Always vinified unstemmed, its wines are powerful (certified organic from the 2021 vintage), structured and long-lasting.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France annual guide.
Vinous (N. Martin): 90-92/100 "The 2024 Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru, the older vines suffering as much as the younger though benefitting slightly from its location on a slope, has a little more presence and lift compared to the Cuvée Classique, a little more floral in style. The palate is medium-bodied with finely hewn tannins, a keen line of acidity, slightly edgy towards the finish that has plenty of freshness. This will be thoroughly enjoyable over the next decade."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2021
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Owned by AXA Millésimes since 1987, Domaine de l'Arlot spans 15 hectares between Nuits-Saint-Georges (Prémeaux) and Vosne-Romanée. This is an estate of excellence, producing some of the most intense, precise whites on the Côte de Nuits, as well as dense reds with chiselled structures that are simultaneously fleshy and delicate.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France guide (from 2026 onwards).
Vinous (N. Martin): 92-94/100 "The 2024 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru has a lovely nose, pure dark berry fruit laced with pressed violet and iris flower, seemingly unperturbed by the traumatic growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with quite grippy tannins, more backbone than the Clos des Fôrets, although there is a slight herbaceousness on the finish, almost as if there were stems in the mix. Still, I admire the freshness and sapidity and it should age well in bottle."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2022
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Owned by AXA Millésimes since 1987, Domaine de l'Arlot spans 15 hectares between Nuits-Saint-Georges (Prémeaux) and Vosne-Romanée. This is an estate of excellence, producing some of the most intense, precise whites on the Côte de Nuits, as well as dense reds with chiselled structures that are simultaneously fleshy and delicate.
Rated two stars in the Revue du Vin de France guide (from 2026 onwards).
Vinous (N. Martin): 95-97/100 "The 2024 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru comprises two barrels instead of the usual five with one barrel new. It has fine concentration on the nose in the context of the vintage. The palate is well balanced with ample structure, quite solid tannins but cloaked in layers of pure black cherry and cassis fruit. Very harmonious and poised on the finish that feels very sustained, this is a sophisticated and classy RSV that might even outclass the previous vintage."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2027
- Organic certification:
- 2022