2025 Futures
In this category, we highlight new wines—both small and large—that were not included in our lists last year:
• either because they have just been released,
• or because their prices have become more attractive again,
• or because their quality has improved,
• or because they produced little or no wine the previous year.
In any case, they are well worth your attention, as they have captured ours, and we are confident they will remain in our selections for a long time to come.
-
Although produced in Lamarque in the heart of Haut-Médoc, this is the most original dry white wine in the Gironde, a blend of gros manseng (as in Jurançon), sauvignon gris (superior to the more common sauvignon blanc) and savagnin (as in Jura). All this gives a dry white wine with golden reflections, powerful, sapy, fruity, complex and elegant. A special wine!
J-M Quarin : 92/100
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 14%
-
Clos Haut-Peyraguey, a Premier Grand Cru Classé from Bommes, is situated on the highest point of the plateau overlooking the Sauternes region. The smallest vineyard among the Sauternes Grands Crus Classés, it covers 8.5 hectares of sandy gravel soil, predominantly planted with Sémillon. Created following the division of the former Château Peyraguey in 1879, the estate passed through several owners before being acquired by Bernard Magrez in 2012, making him the sole owner of estates in every classified appellation (alongside Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan, La Tour Carnet in the Médoc and Fombrauge in Saint-Émilion). Production remains exclusively dedicated to sweet wines, with a style characterised by aromatic richness, concentration and excellent ageing potential, bringing it closer to Yquem vintage after vintage.
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 93-96/100 "The 2025 Clos Haut-Peyraguey was picked in three passes between 19 September and 7 October with 140 g/l residual sugar. This is quite pure and delineated on the nose with vanilla pod, acacia honey, French patisserie and light almond scents. The palate is well balanced with a viscous entry. The acidity here is very well judged, the pure botrytis coming through and shaping the very focused finish. Maybe not the most complex Sauternes that I tasted in what was a fecund vintage, but one of the finest Clos Haut-Peyraguey I have tasted at this early juncture."
Bettane+Desseauve : 95/100 “Intense aromas of apricot, candied orange, honey, menthol and flint, with a smooth palate, a texture of great elegance and a lovely finish.”
Vinous (N. Martin) : 93-95/100 "The 2025 Clos Haut-Peyraguey is a very delicate, nuanced wine. Hints of passion fruit, crème brûlée, mint, chamomile, floral-infused honey and orange confit fill out the layers. Soft contours add to the wine's total feeling of finesse, shaping the regal mid-palate and finish."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Sauvignon blanc:
- 30%
- Sémillon:
- 70%
-
The arrival of Mr. Denz in 2014 has restored all its luster to this 1er cru classé de Bommes, a perfect synthesis between the elegance and distinction of Barsac and the richness and power of the Haut-Sauternes region.
La Revue du Vin de France : 97-99/100 “In a very consistent vintage, this wine has that certain something extra… The sample is deeply fruity, indulgent and luscious, with an enticing flavour of roasted peach. Very pure, straightforward and progressive on the palate despite its overflowing sensuality, it masterfully balances its rich body (171 g/l, albeit less than the memorable 2022 and 2023 vintages), returning on the finish to a moving closeness to fresh fruit.”
Vinous (N. Martin) : 96-98/100 "The 2025 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is the only cuvée this year, there is no second wine. This was cropped at 12 hl/ha between September 16 and October 9 via three tries, one just to clean the vineyard, and comprises 100% Sémillon with 175 g/l of residual sugar. It has a very nuanced bouquet that opens nicely with aeration, dried peach, pear and light waxy scents, a touch of saffron in the background. The palate is beautiful, very well balanced with pure botrytised fruit, a little almond and chamomile towards the finish with very well integrated oak. This is a really classy Sauternes that has a long future ahead."
J-M Quarin : 96/100 “A hint of oak. On the palate, it has a delicate texture and is highly aromatic, developing notes of mandarin liqueur. A very refined palate despite the immense richness of residual sugars. A long, flavourful finish.”
Bettane+Desseauve : 94-96/100 “Powerful and full-bodied, admittedly a little less developed or open than others at this stage, but knowing the estate, there is no doubt about its class and potential.”
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2025 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is airy and gracious right out of the gate. Orange confit, candied ginger, passion fruit and tangerine oil are some of the notes that grace this understated, silky Sauternes endowed with regal finesse and class."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Sémillon:
- 100%
-
Couhins' clear progress, seen in white wine since 2009, is now being felt in red wine. Here, it is not power that is sought but balance, aromatic delicacy and palatability.
Bettane+Desseauve : 91-92/100 “Very smoky and mineral on the nose, it combines flavours of ripe black fruit with roundness and vigour in a generous palate that is never excessive. The finish retains its vigour.”
La Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 “This wine charms with its fresh fruit and delicate spicy notes. On the palate, it is juicy and elegant, favouring finesse over power. Although less full-bodied than some of its counterparts, it is nonetheless harmonious and promising.”
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Organic certification:
- 2022
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 53%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 4%
- Merlot:
- 43%
-
Léoville-Barton did not have any attached cru (such as Potensac and Léoville-Las Cases, Pibran and Pichon-Baron, etc.). This "gap" was filled in 2011 with the acquisition of a beautiful historical cru bourgeois de Moulis, Mauvesin, immediately renamed Mauvesin-Barton to show the Barton family's involvement in this new challenge. In all confidence!
Bettane+Desseauve : 92/100 “Open and sincere in character, it charms with its vibrant fruitiness and pleasant freshness. Clear progress in this vintage, following in the footsteps of the family’s great successes in Saint-Julien.”
La Revue du Vin de France: 90–91 “With its appealing suppleness and elegance, this wine showcases lovely, fresh and approachable fruit. The palate is harmonious, supported by mellow tannins and a silky texture. The delicate, smooth finish makes this a particularly pleasant wine to enjoy whilst still young.”
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 89-91/100 "The 2025 Mauvesin Barton is packed with black fruits, mocha, gravel, chocolate and baking spices. This is a pretty extroverted vintage for the Mauvesin, a wine with notable textural depth and richness. There is some edginess in the tannins that needs to soften, but élevage should help with that."
Vinous (N. Martin) : 88-90/100 "The 2025 Mauvesin Barton is matured in one-third new oak. It has a fairly straightforward bouquet with black plum and a light pressed flower note. It just needs a tad more energy. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a fine, cohesive middle and an edgy, tobacco-tinged finish. Just a bit on the rustic side and needing a tad more precision."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 12.5%
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 48%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 4%
- Merlot:
- 48%
-
Since 2009 and the acquisition by Mr. Lorenzetti, we can talk about a new vintage wine classified in Pauillac. Unworthy of his ranking, Pédesclaux had until then disappeared from the Bordeaux scene. The ambition and resources of the new owner are there: complete overhaul of the installations, acquisition of new plots of land ideally located. The first vintages offer the image of a supple and easily accessible Pauillac, at a price that defies all competition in the appellation.
J-M Quarin : 95/100 « Robe noire aux reflets pourpres. Nez intense, fin, fruité, pur et vanillé. Charnu en attaque, très aromatique en milieu de bouche, avec une texture onctueuse et un corps dense, le vin évolue sans perdre de son onctuosité, vers une longue finale au grain fin. Remarquable maîtrise de la puissance tannique du millésime sans réduire le corps. Bravo ! »
La Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 “More distinctly characterised by Cabernet than previous vintages, it offers fine precision and a more assertive expression. The fruit is crisp, with pronounced graphite notes, a taut palate and a salty finish. It benefits from subtle ageing, a pure expression, a lovely texture and fine tannins. Slightly less dense than the very best.”
Vinous (A. Galloni): 92-94/100 “The 2025 Pédesclaux is powerful, rich and expansive, yet it retains striking finesse to temper all of the natural intensity of this warm, dry year. Pédesclaux certainly has a lot to offer. Lifted floral notes, silky contours and gorgeous blue/purplish fruit are some of the signatures that grace this expressive, generous Pauillac.”
Bettane+Desseauve : 92/100 “More floral than is typical for the region, it charms with its soft tannins and elegant style. Behind this immediate approachability, however, lies a structure designed for excellent ageing potential.”
Vinous (N. Martin): 88-90/100 “The 2025 Pédesclaux was picked from September 8 to 19, finishing with the Petit Verdot. It has a sorbet-fresh nose, more red than black fruit, touches of pine emerging, a little natural in style. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and slightly coarse tannins. Quite grippy, peppery, but I find the finish missing some substance and precision. Hopefully, it will gain a little more complexity during its barrel maturation."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Organic certification:
- 2022
- Alcohol degree:
- 13%
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 69%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 9%
- Merlot:
- 21%
- Petit Verdot:
- 1%
-
This 45-hectare estate (in a single block to the south of Saint-Estèphe), famous for its Tuscan yellow façade and label, was acquired by Mr Lorenzetti in 2021. Knowing the investments made and the care given to the other crus in his stable of grands crus (Lilian-Ladouys, Pédesclaux and d'Issan), there is no doubt that Lafon-Rochet will shine with new lustre from the 2022 vintage, while remaining very affordable among its peers.
Since 2022 and the arrival of new cellar master M. Congé (ex-Lafite-Rothschild), Lafon-Rochet has shown more depth of flesh than in the past, while retaining the unctuousness and fruity brightness that are its signature features, thanks to its high Merlot content (40%).
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2025 Lafon-Rochet is classy and polished, as it so often is. Readers will find a Saint-Estèphe of nuance, delineation and understated class. Vibrant blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage and menthol are some of the many nuances that begin to open with some coaxing. This is classic Lafon-Rochet all the way."
J-M Quarin : 94/100 “A deep, intense purple colour. A very aromatic, refined, fruity, pure and floral nose. Delicately full-bodied on the palate, with a classy texture; the wine melts on the palate with a charming development. On the finish, the tannins are the most distinguished ever seen from this estate. A lovely, fragrant length. It is very good.”
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-94/100 « Le vin est puissant, compact, sur le muscle. Le fruit est dense, avec des notes de réglisse. L’élevage en foudres (40 %) lui apporte un joli naturel, respectant l’éclat du fruit et la fraîcheur. Il pourrait mériter une meilleure note s’il se détend et dompte ses tanins. »
Bettane+Desseauve : 92-93/100 “With a fine physique that is still slightly tight today, he has all the potential needed to quickly develop into a well-balanced horse.”
Vinous (N. Martin) : 91-93/100 "The 2025 Lafon-Rochet was picked from September 9 to 23 and matured in less new oak than usual, around 15%, with more foudres, 40%, including around one-third new from Stockinger and Taransaud. I think the influence of the new foudres is tangible on the nose and at the moment just masks a little of the fruit profile. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, classic and a little austere in style, very Saint-Estèphe with an off-dry finish. I would have liked just a little more sustain and complexity, but it delivers an attractive salinity on the aftertaste."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 12,7%
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 66%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 3%
- Merlot:
- 29%
- Petit Verdot:
- 2%
-
Created in 1985, Clos La Gaffelière is now independent, with its own winery and vat room. Made from the estate's clayey foothills, the blend is predominantly of Merlot and entirely aged without new wood, giving it a pure, delicate fruitiness (cherry, redcurrant).
Vinous (N. Martin) : 90-92/100 "The 2025 Clos La Gaffelière has an attractive nose with brambly red berry fruit, redcurrant and bright orange pith scents. Fine delineation, and it seems just effortless. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, chalky tannins, nicely balanced, with a touch of sour cherry on the finish. Worth seeking out."
J-M Quarin : 90/100 “Rich and flavourful on the palate, developing a touch of tannin, but the aroma masks this. A lovely, unmissable finish.”
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 13,6%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 20%
- Merlot:
- 80%
-
Owned by the Lefévère family (Villemaurine, Valandraud), Sansonnet is a little gem east of Saint-Émilion. Its 7-hectare vineyard, a single contiguous plot overlooking Trottevieille, produces dense, round, and charming wines.
Bettane+Desseauve : 95-96/100 “Rich fruit, sensuality and freshness combine to create a silky, elegant texture. Peppery floral notes enliven a very long finish.”
J-M Quarin : 95/100 “Juicy, light, dense and fragrant on the palate, with a particular elegance and a strong return of the aroma on the finish, without any tannic harshness. It’s very good.”
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 94-96/100 "The 2025 Sansonnet is remarkable. Explosive and racy, it delivers floral overtones that meld into red/purplish fruit, blood orange, sweet spice and cedar. This is an especially mid-weight, refined Sansonnet, a wine that marries finesse with power. The long, resonant finish is so attractive, but everything about the 2025 speaks to superb balance. Élevage is 50% new oak, 20% once-used barrels, 20% foudre and 10% in amphora."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 “It is characterised by a rich maturity that envelops a refreshingly high acidity. The nose is reminiscent of a white wine, with notes of peach and blood orange. The palate evokes fruit compote with a zesty edge.”
Vinous (N. Martin) : 91-93/100 "The 2025 Sansonnet comes from a seven-hectare vineyard close to TrotteVieille, 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon on hard limestone, aged 50% in new oak, lower than before when it was 70-80%, plus amphora and wooden vats. It has a powerful nose that manages to retain delineation, with layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit and a touch of vanillary new oak. This has a little more terroir expression than its "sibling", Soutard-Cadet. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins, actually more low-key than the aromatics imply, fresh acidity and decent sapidity on the finish. I am just seeking a little more complexity to materialise."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 13.5%
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 5%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 10%
- Merlot:
- 85%
-
This 8-hectare vineyard, located on the outskirts of the village of Saint-Émilion, sits directly on the Saint-Émilion asterian limestone bedrock, which features an extensive network of underground quarries. Unlike the rounded Sansonnet, Villemaurine stands out for its freshness, its slender structure, and its aromatic vibrancy.
Bettane+Desseauve : 95/100 “Blackberry, blackcurrant and floral notes combine to create a charming bouquet. On the palate, it combines elegance and depth in a mature style.”
J-M Quarin : 94/100 “A hint of vanilla when the glass is swirled. Delicate on the palate at first, very refined in the mid-palate, with a graceful texture; the wine melts on the finish, which is long, succulent and fragrant, with no harsh tannins. It’s very good.”
Vinous (A. Galloni) : 93-95/100 "The 2025 Villemaurine is impressively deep and polished, even if there is some reduction. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, grilled herbs and lavender convey tons of textural intensity and sheer power. A reduction in new oak and the introduction of casks for both vinification and élevage are some of the recent developments here."
La Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 “We should commend the skilful handling of this vintage, which has resulted in a wine with crisp fruit, intense citrus notes and a delicate texture. The palate is clear and pure, with velvety tannins.”
Vinous (N. Martin) : 91-93/100 "The 2025 Villemaurine has a refined nose, mainly red fruit (strawberry and raspberry) with hints of pressed violet in the background. The oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with bright red cherry and strawberry fruit that dovetails into darker fruit towards the structured finish. There is a pleasing fluidity to this Villemaurine with a peppery aftertaste. Quite a serious wine."
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 14%
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- 5%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 15%
- Merlot:
- 80%
-
A little gem of 6.8 hectares in a single block, perched atop the limestone hillside following Ausone and Belair-Monange and ahead of Canon, Beauséjour J. Duffau-Lagarosse remains the most understated of the Premier Grands Crus Classés. Owned by the Duffau-Lagarosse family since 1847, the estate began a new chapter in 2021 with the arrival at its helm of a young, committed female duo: Prisca Courtin, granddaughter of the founder of Clarins cosmetics, and Joséphine Duffau-Lagarosse, the ninth generation of this historic family. Together, they are breathing new life into the estate, with the ambition of fully revealing the potential of this exceptional limestone terroir, considered one of the purest, most subtle and delicate expressions of the Grand Coteau de Saint-Émilion.
J-M Quarin: 97/100 “Intense, vivid, purple colour. Very aromatic, pure, fruity and slightly truffle-like on the nose, developing complex and deep aromas when swirled in the glass. Extremely delicate on the attack, very flavourful on the mid-palate, with a rich texture and a lovely fruity brightness; the wine melts on the palate, long, noble and full of flavour. A delicious wine that gives an impression of restraint.”
La Revue du Vin de France : 96-97/100 "A superbly composed wine, both in terms of aroma and texture. It impresses with its refinement and the delicacy of its floral and fruity aromas. The mineral finish is remarkable, highlighting striking tannic quality and a rare fruity precision. The texture is full, harmonious and luminous.”
Vinous (A. Galloni): 95-97/100 “The 2025 Beauséjour J. Duffau-Lagarrosse is a fabulous, contemporary Saint-Émilion. Notes of lavender, rose petal and mocha lift the effortless bouquet. Silky tannins and deceptively mid-weight structure are some of the signatures. Stylistically, Beauséjour is one of the most aromatic, understated wines in Saint-Émilion. Bright red-toned fruit, spice and pomegranate unfold with time in the glass.”
Bettane+Desseauve : 96/100 "The precision of the body is complemented by a texture of great delicacy. Electric tannins, peppery floral notes and a delicate cherry finish combine to create a moving wine."
Vinous (N. Martin): 94-96/100 “The 2025 Beauséjour J. Duffau-Lagarrosse [...] has a very nuanced bouquet with pure Morello cherry, blueberry and cassis fruit, violet and iris emerging with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins, similar to those found on the Left Bank this year, edgy and tensile, energetic and certainly translating the limestone soils, hints of shucked oyster shell emerging with time. Finely balanced with impressive length, in some ways this is an uncompromising Saint-Émilion that is all about the terroir. Linear towards the finish, this will fill out, gain a bit of flesh during its élevage and it should require maybe three or four years in bottle before it's ready to rock 'n roll.”
More- Availability:
- Early 2028
- Alcohol degree:
- 13.5%
- Cabernet Franc:
- 31%
- Merlot:
- 69%