A brooding, dark version, with a floral perfume followed by a concentrated stream of black licorice, currant and mulberry notes edged in graphite. Alder smoke hovers throughout the rich, round palate, with softened...

A deliciously inviting nose, with dark and perfumed fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry and damson, with smoky crushed chalk, rose petal and toast, as well as a touch of honeyed oak. The palate builds on this start with a...

Another St Estèphe which was blighted by hail in the vintage, reducing yields by 30%. dark and smoky nose, with sweet black cherry, coffee bean and toast draped over black cherry. There follows a sweetly poised palate of...

This flagship Moueix wine is 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, and it suggests wonderful density and purity combined on the nose, with blackcurrant, juniper, garden mint and tobacco. The palate is fresh and elegantly...

In this vintage Siran is a blend of 53% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, and the label carries an artwork depicting Queen Elizabeth II by Damien Elwes. A very classically styled nose...

This is 96% Merlot and just 4% Cabernet Franc, the Moueix family never having leaned into Cabernet Franc in the way much of the right bank has. Absolutely classic Trotanoy on the nose of the 2022 vintage, all dark gravel...

The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of sweet wild berries mingled with rose petals, orange zest, violets, gentian and espresso roast, it's...

This was bottled in September 2024, so at the time of tasting has only been in bottle three months. The blend is 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot, with 70% whole-cluster vinification, and the...

Broad and rich, this red delivers black cherry, blackberry, earth and iron flavors, all framed by sweet spices. Supple and fluid, with a lively feel on the finish. Shows fine harmony and length. Best from 2027 through...

Warmed black cherry compote and melted licorice notes meld nicely with the singed bay and alder hints throughout. A savory, peppery edge emerges on the finish, lending some rusticity. Well-built for cellaring. Best from...

A richly styled, opulent Châteauneuf that offers a streamlined cascade of ripe cherry, licorice root and toasted chestnut. Mineral energy keeps this powering long distance, with a smoldering foundation of iron. Starts off...

(90-93 points) Still in barrel like the rest below. Concentrated purple. Succulent yet with perfume. There is a fine tension to the dark fruit which cannot help offering its juicy dark raspberry aspect. Excellent weight...

The grand vin from the Decosters is a blend of 76% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured mostly in new French oak barrels, with some use of older oak, foudre s and amphorae. A rather restrained...

(98+ points) The 2022 Lafleur is a deeply impressive wine that is obviously in its primal stage. Very pure on the multi-faceted nose with layers of black fruit, graphite and truffle oil, it turns on its heel after 20...

Packed with ripe cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and spice aromas and flavors, this red is complex and sophisticated. A mineral current also courses throughout, while the supple texture and refined tannins add to its...

The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Le Vieux Donjon is a beautifully balanced, classic expression of the appellation, as well as this estate. It has a vivid purple hue, with ripe berry fruits, peppery herbs, floral, and...

(90+ points) The 2022 Le Petit Lion has turned out nicely, offering up aromas of cassis and plums mingled with hints of mint, violets and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's dense and...

A very Cabernet-focused blend on the 2022 Gruaud, with 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, with the 14% remaining being all Merlot. It starts with a dark, brooding and savoury character on the nose, with threads...

Very cool and fragrant, this is a masterpiece of cool-climate pinot noir that has a tremendous structure packed into its sleek and precisely delineated silhouette. Intensely chalky minerality in the powerful and tightly...

This throws off a lovely stream of violet and iris that settles gently over the top of a beam of pure cassis and bright plum flavors. A pure iron note supports the fresh finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet...

A full-throttle and decadent red, this unfurls layer after layer of spiced fruit cake, plum and cherry liqueur grounded by graphite and smoke notes, plus plum skin bitterness. Ripe tannins melt into the structure of the...

A plush, fruit-filled and aromatic red, this exudes crystalline black cherry, blackberry, boysenberry, floral, spice and mineral flavors. Firms up yet remains balanced, vibrant and long while playing out on the...

A very convincing nose of sweet blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate, with an appealing edge of toasty oak. The palate follows with a wealth of dark fruits, dark chocolate, toast and coffee bean, set in a broad...

The grand vin from Mathieu Cuvelier is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, and the élevage was in 40% new oak, 58% second-fill oak barrels and 2% Tava amphorae. I find a nose of sweet...

This is a blend of just 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, a low figure for the appellation although quite typical for Beychevelle, with 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. It is dark, smoky, focused, sweet and concentrated on the nose...

Well-marked by new oak, this red delivers spicy cherry, raspberry, boysenberry and floral aromas and flavors. Turns sleek and elegant by the finish, with vibrant acidity and fine harmony. Though balanced, this will need...

Situated at the borders of the appellation Saint-Estèphe but within the appellation Médoc, the 2022 Larrivaux reveals a somber, dark bouquet of spices and dark berries mingled with elegant toasty notes. Medium to...

The 2022 Belle Dame is a tightly coiled Pinot Noir with a chili pepper-like firmness. This has a ripe, red cherry perfume with excellent concentration and an abundance of well-integrated oak. It has an incredible sense of...

A nose rich in toasted oak here, as well as very dark fruits, griddled blackcurrant and damson, liquorice and tar, along with elegant and perfumed notes of white flowers, crushed chalk, mint, white peach and white pepper...