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...

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...

Aromas of minty cassis, herbs and pencil shavings introduce the 2022 Siran, a medium to full-bodied, velvety and lively wine that's seamless and integrated. This is an especially strong effort for this estate. - William...

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...

The assemblage of the Delon grand vin is 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot, and the press wine accounts for 8% of the blend. The élevage was in 85% new oak barrels for 18 months. The aromatics...

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...

(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...

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...

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...

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...

(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...

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...

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...

(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...

91+ Powerful but with no lack of focus, the 2022 Morgon Cuvée Château-Gaillard is an expression that intricately mirrors the profound terroir. Driven by its structural elements, the wine boasts tightly woven, powdery...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Impériale is just about all Grenache yet includes a mix of other permitted varieties, all raised in concrete. Playing in the medium-bodied, perfumed, elegant style of the vintage, this...

Textural intrigue seduces in this muscular and meaty red, with a well of black currant and plum, plus plenty of smoky depth. Chalky in feel, with black pepper and lavender details, including bitter plum pit at the end...

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...