2025 Futures

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.

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.

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 ! ».

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.

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 : La Revue du Vin de France awarded the 2016 vintage 99/100, describing it as “masterful”, Vinous (Galloni) awarded the 2023 vintage 100/100: “A model of modern Sauternes, of absolute finesse and smoothness. A timeless wine that ranks among the finest achievements of the year” and according to Bettane & Desseauve (Guide 2025), “Yquem is the only wine that can still do a little better”.

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.

Haut-Bailly is the most delicate of the Graves wines with a particularly silky tannic structure.

Although Les Carmes is adjacent to Haut-Brion and its vines were once part of those of Haut-Brion, the wines produced there are radically different from those of its prestigious neighbour. Due to a particular subsoil with the presence of clay, the vines are mainly Cabernet Franc (42%) and Merlot (40%) and the wines, deep and tasty, have an immediate generosity more typical of the right bank than the left bank. The new team set up following the acquisition in 2010 immediately propelled Les Carmes to the top of the Pessac-Léognan's wines.

Virtually abandoned in 1993 when Mr and Mrs Cathiard bought it, Smith Haut Lafitte now shines brightly among the elite of Bordeaux's left bank. The progress made is admirable, as the Cathiards spared no effort: restoring the vineyard, building a vat room and an underground cellar, introducing state-of-the-art equipment, converting to organic farming... The latest vintages demonstrate increased structural finesse and aromatic delicacy. Bravo!

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!

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.

Under the direction of Henri Lurton, Brane-Cantenac has gained in recent years in fullness and density and has become one of the leading growths of the appellation along with Palmer and Rauzan-Ségla and even the most authentically Margalese of them all. Let there be no mistake, behind a typically Margalaise elegance and delicacy that encourages tasting it too young, Brane-Cantenac needs time to blossom and reveal itself.

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.

Among the greatest wines of the Médoc, Palmer is undoubtedly a cru in a class of its own, utterly captivating, with unrivalled opulence and refinement. This unique character owes much to its high proportion of Merlot (46%) and its rigorous viticultural practices (organic since 2016, biodynamic since 2018). Palmer is capable of producing legendary wines (1961, 1989, 2009...), such as the 2023 vintage, rated 100/100 by Vinous (Martin): "With a sumptuous and fascinating texture, Palmer delivers on all its promises in 2023. As always, it is one of Bordeaux’s most remarkable wines.”

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 !

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".

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".

Mr Rouzaud (Champagne Roederer) acquired it in 2007 and has since strengthened the technical team by adding the advice of Mr Boissenot. Pichon-Comtesse remains faithful to the style that has made it so successful, as dense, suave, charming, enchanting and above all endearing.

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...".

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".

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.

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.

The very high quality of Cos d'Estournel's recent vintages is impressive, placing it undoubtedly among the first great classified growths of the Médoc. A single qualifier comes to mind when we think of Cos d'Estournel: monumental, for its wines as well as for its cellar.

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.

Delicately perfumed (the aromatic bouquet is always very floral, with violets and peonies in the lead) and elegantly suave whatever the vintage, La Conseillante occupies a special place among the greatest Pomerols, perhaps the most endearing of them. Its finesse and superiorly sensual and refined texture are reminiscent of the great wines of the Côte de Nuits (on the Vosne-Romanée side). However, behind the apparent friendliness of La Conseillante lies a wine of great energy and excellent ageing potential.

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.