(96+ points) The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is deep, bold and explosive, yet also closed in on itself. That won't be a problem in another few years' time, but today, the Grand Vin is embryonic. Time in the glass brings out...

The 2023 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out beautifully in bottle, revealing a perfumed, fresh and finely detailed bouquet of rose petals, dark cherries, wisteria, lilac and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, it is...

Dense but purely rendered, offering violet, ink and lilac notes that stream through in unison with the core of cassis, damson plum and bitter cherry puree. A chalky underpinning runs from start to finish, providing a...

(95+ points) The 2023 Laroque is classy, elegant and polished. A wine of total understatement and class, Laroque sizzles with all of the tension that is such a signature of the limestone parcels. In some recent...

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is quite backward on the nose at first, less forthcoming than some of its peers. It eventually opens with blackberry, violet and crushed strawberry, still just a little confit-like in character. The...

Coming from the gravelly soils of Saint-Julien, the 2023 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot, brought up all in new barrels. This deep purple-hued beauty...

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier has turned out beautifully in bottle, offering aromas of sweet cherries, dark wild berries, licorice, mulberries and peony. Medium- to full-bodied, it is rich yet supple, layered and...

The 2023 Canon has turned out brilliantly, unfurling aromas of cassis, mulberries, rose petals, raspberries and violets. Medium- to full-bodied, it is layered and finely textured, built around a seamless, deep core of...

The 2023 Lafleur is just as compelling in bottle as it was in cask. Deep, complex and resonant, it unwinds in the glass to reveal notes of cherries, raspberry liqueur, iris, violets and mint. Full-bodied, supple and...

The 2023 Pontet-Canet envelops the palate with silky tannins as hints of vibrant red-toned fruit, crushed flowers, spice and dried herbs fill out the layers. The 2023 is an exceptionally finessed Pontet-Canet. This is...

The 2023 Figeac has turned out beautifully, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of blackberries and cassis mingled with notions of crushed mint, pencil shavings and violets. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and...

The AOC’s typical forthright spine of graphite runs through this red, along with textbook flavors of black currant, blackberry and boysenberry paste that show intensity and definition. A cast iron accent lurks through the...

The 2023 Giscours is a potent, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, dried herbs, chocolate and gravel infuse the palate with notable depth and intensity. This has really shut down post-bottling. Giscours is...

(94-96 points) The 2023 Les Perrières de Lafleur reveals aromas of violet, dark wild berries, spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, enveloping and deep, layered and textured, it has a good depth of fruit with...

A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 3.5% Petit Verdot aged 18 months in 60% new French oak, the 2023 Château Branaire-Ducru offers terrific aromatics of pure cassis, graphite, lots of...

The 2023 Tour Saint Christophe has a well-defined, dark chocolate-tinged bouquet that is fresh and becomes quite minty with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite fleshy on the mid-palate with a...

Generous and stylish, with a mouthwatering apple wood thread that curls in and around a core of gently mulled boysenberry, blueberry and blackberry compote flavors. Flashes of dried anise and cast iron flitter through...

Cassis, graphite, sappy tobacco, damp earth, and violets all emerge from the 2023 Château Gruaud Larose, a classic, quintessential Saint-Julien that ranks with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Based on 83% Cabernet...

With roughly 2,800 cases produced, the 2023 Château Valandraud is based on 85% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. This beautiful, layered, seamless effort...

The 2023 Château d’Issan is certainly a significant step up from the Blason this vintage. It has a well-defined nose with predominantly red berry fruit (redcurrant and wild strawberry), with light rose petal scents...

Crème de cassis, graphite, flowers, and spicy wood all emerge from the 2023 Château Rauzan-Ségla, a truly brilliant Margaux that is particularly unique in the vintage due to a 30-40% loss of Merlot, resulting in an...

Deep purple-hued, the 2023 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge offers gorgeous crème de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and spicy wood-driven aromatics. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, remarkably pure, and has...

The 2023 Clinet is fabulous. It is one of the most refined, silky Clinets I can remember tasting. ool blue-toned fruit, lavender, spice, mocha and rose petal caress the palate. The balance here is just sublime. The 2023...

From healthy yields and a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc aged 16 months in 50% new French oak, the 2023 Château Haut-Bailly is an ultra-classy Haut-Bailly with...

(JD 91-93 points) The second wine of the estate is the 2023 La Dame De Montrose, which checks in as 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in mostly used barrels. It's a...

The 2023 Duhart-Milon is showing very well from bottle, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, violets, orange zest and exotic spices. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's supple and charming, with...

(JD 92-94 points) The second wine of this reference point château, the 2023 Carruades De Lafite is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, resting in 50% new French oak. Crème de cassis, graphite, wildflowers...

A serious and impeccably made wine, the 2023 Château Lagrange is cut from the same cloth as the Les Fiefs yet has more of everything. Pure crème de cassis, graphite, spicy wood, and assorted floral nuances all shine on...

A brilliant Siran, the 2023 Château Siran offers ripe, perfumed, incredibly complex aromatics of red and black fruits, spicy herbs/flowers, tobacco, and cedar pencil. Based on 49% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10%...