Pessac-Léognan

Release date: 11/6/2024

I am thinking about the purity of fruit here, with blackcurrants, cassis and lead pencil. There's an underlying character of mineral and flint. The palate is dense, focused and precise, with veryI am thinking about the purity of fruit here, with blackcurrants, cassis and lead pencil. There's an underlying character of mineral and flint. The palate is dense, focused and precise, with very fine tannins that are ultra-fine and layered and go vertically down the palate. Everything is in the right place. So much polish and a svelte nature. Then hints of hazelnut and walnut to the refined texture. Sophisticated. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 10/6/2024

Intense spice and fennel, high aromatics, bitter chocolate and fennel, with a fresh kick on the finish. 25% new oak. Production of Le Thil will be smaller than for the others because more MerlotIntense spice and fennel, high aromatics, bitter chocolate and fennel, with a fresh kick on the finish. 25% new oak. Production of Le Thil will be smaller than for the others because more Merlot here, so more impact by mildew, harvest September 8 to October 5. Drinking range: 2026 - 2036 Rating: 90 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 10/6/2024

This has a big structure of polished tannins that are energetic and punchy. Medium to full body with beautiful blackcurrants, as well as dark tobacco and wet earth. Chewy at the end, but a pointedThis has a big structure of polished tannins that are energetic and punchy. Medium to full body with beautiful blackcurrants, as well as dark tobacco and wet earth. Chewy at the end, but a pointed and focused finish. More structured than 2022. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 10/6/2024

Cabernet dominant in terms of aromatics and weight through the palate, opening with fennel, sage, violets, peonies, squid ink, cocoa bean, espresso, with the texture softening and becoming creamierCabernet dominant in terms of aromatics and weight through the palate, opening with fennel, sage, violets, peonies, squid ink, cocoa bean, espresso, with the texture softening and becoming creamier through the mid palate. The hidden depths and slow build that elevates the always-seductive character of Smith Haut-Lafitte into one of the truly exceptional wines of Bordeaux are fully on display. Wine director Fabien Teitgen on his 28th vintage at the estate - and this is the vintage where King Charles and Camilla visited the property, so it comes with a commemorative label. 26hl/h yield, harvest September 8 to October 5. Drinking range: 2031 - 2048 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 5/6/2024

Guillaume Pouthier and his team have once again crafted one of Bordeaux's most unique and characterful wines. Revealing aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with notions of vine smoke, orangeGuillaume Pouthier and his team have once again crafted one of Bordeaux's most unique and characterful wines. Revealing aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with notions of vine smoke, orange zest, rose petals and spices, the 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with a powerful, vibrant and complete mid-palate, concluding with a long, ethereal and mouthwateringly saline finish. Sensual, suave and seamless, its beautifully refined tannins are, analytically, more abundant than even those of the 2022 vintage, yet they are so brilliantly integrated as to be near-imperceptible. This blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot is crafted for longevity, though its refined structure will make it surprisingly approachable at an early age. It's maturing 70% in new oak barrels, 20% in 18-hectoliter foudres and 10% in amphorae. A creditable yield of 50 hectoliters per hectare represents a decided agronomic success in what was a challenging growing season. Drinking range: 2025 - 2065 Rating: 97-99 Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 29/5/2024

Grilled oak, deep ruby colour, touch of rose petals on the nose, more floral than many in the appellation, gives a pretty feel to the opening beats. This is on the fresher side of the vintage butGrilled oak, deep ruby colour, touch of rose petals on the nose, more floral than many in the appellation, gives a pretty feel to the opening beats. This is on the fresher side of the vintage but still with ripe fruits, and a cushion of air that runs through the palate, good quality, elegant, medium term drinking, should be good to go within four or five years, just allow the architecture to soften. 40% new oak, 33hl/ha yield. Drinking range: 2028 - 2038 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 21/5/2024

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a perfumed, incipiently complex bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, rose petals, spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, with aThe 2023 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a perfumed, incipiently complex bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, rose petals, spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by powdery tannins and bright acids, it concludes with a long, saline, gently oak-inflected finish. This blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc is maturing in 40% new barrels. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 94-96 Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 16/5/2024

The blend here is 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, picked at a yield of 35 hl/ha. Less use of oak here now, more focus on cement tanks and eggs. TheThe blend here is 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, picked at a yield of 35 hl/ha. Less use of oak here now, more focus on cement tanks and eggs. The fermentation was aided by inoculation using yeasts isolated from the Pape-Clément vineyard. This presents a rather classy nose, with delicately desiccated dark summer berries and finely polished oak, all wrapped in ribbons of toast and tobacco, with some floral rose and peony notes as well. The palate brings a sense of harmony into play, with a polished and sinewy body of dark summer berries, laced with tobacco, leather, toast and dark chocolate too, with a particularly fine, well-knit and rather powdery frame of tannins. These give it a good grip, which works well with the fine acidity of the vintage. This shows delicious potential, and is ahead of many of its Pessac-Léognan peers in this vintage, especially in the finesse of the structure. Tasted twice, including at the château, with the same findings on each occasion. The alcohol is 13.4% Rating: 93-95 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

Vibrant plum in colour, with juice, density and grip, another sign of how they are evolving the structure and architecture of this wine, giving it nuance without sacrificing the complexity. CocoaVibrant plum in colour, with juice, density and grip, another sign of how they are evolving the structure and architecture of this wine, giving it nuance without sacrificing the complexity. Cocoa bean, sweet berry, fruits, this is delicious. Drinking range: 2027 - 2028 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

The 2023 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, matured in 21% new oak, has a fragrant nose with black plum, cedar and light tobacco scents that gently unfurl. The palate is medium-bodied with aThe 2023 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, matured in 21% new oak, has a fragrant nose with black plum, cedar and light tobacco scents that gently unfurl. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening that suggests you could drink this Deuxième Vin now! Open and expressive with mainly red fruit mixed with subtle white pepper and graphite notes, this is a nicely controlled, quite elegant La Chapelle. Drinking range: 2027 - 2038 Rating: 89-91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of ripe red fruits, dark wild berries, spring flowers, burning embers and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated,The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of ripe red fruits, dark wild berries, spring flowers, burning embers and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s layered and textural with a dense core of fruit underpinned by youthfully firm structuring tannins. This blend of 52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.7% Cabernet Franc its likely to become fleshier and more enveloping with barrel maturation. Drinking range: 2025 - 2061 Rating: 94-96 Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

Intensity and focus to this, with length and raciness for the second wine of Haut-Brion, showing polish and a refined texture. It’s medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and an exquisite finish.Intensity and focus to this, with length and raciness for the second wine of Haut-Brion, showing polish and a refined texture. It’s medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and an exquisite finish. Caressing. 55.5% merlot, 40.9% cabernet sauvignon and 3.6% cabernet franc. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

52.3 Merlot, 38.6 Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1 Cabernet Franc: 68.7% new oak: 14.6% alcohol: 41 hl/ha This is an immensely potent medium-weight wine. Its dimensions seem to defy belief: I kept going52.3 Merlot, 38.6 Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1 Cabernet Franc: 68.7% new oak: 14.6% alcohol: 41 hl/ha This is an immensely potent medium-weight wine. Its dimensions seem to defy belief: I kept going back to the glass expecting a different outcome, but it was immovable and lithe at the same time! Every time I thought the aroma or flavour was starting to senesce, it came back with another masterful wave of stunning fruit and rigid stature. This is as commanding and focused as any Haut-Brion I have tasted, and its dogged persistence makes it a staggeringly brilliant and wondrously refreshing wine. The fruit tone is undoubtedly dark and brooding, and there are textural differences, infinitesimal changes of hue and angles of attack that surprise and amaze. My mind flashed to old war epics with divisions of tanks pushed with extended snooker cues across a cartographical interpretation of an expansive battlescape. I was minded to take the half-step to a perfect score as I sat here at La Mission, tasting through the entire portfolio of Domaine Clarence Dillon wines. I have already typed a 19.5+, as is sometimes the case with a wine that seems perfect, but I require time to inspect every single molecule willing perfection and God-given symmetry. But this wine does not possess these traits. It is restless, active, and ultimately imperfect in its mood, tension, and unreliability. It forces you to try to keep up. It does not conform to a box-fresh Haut-Brion model. And for me, that makes it all the more awesome. It wants me to work, it needs undivided attention, and it never stays still long enough for a complete and uniform analysis. I love that this wine might always be slightly out of reach because, regardless of its wraithlike abilities, I will be hot on its heels. Rating: 20 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2024)

Release date: 7/5/2024

The 2023 Malartic Lagravière has a tightly wound nose with blueberry and blackberry fruit, touches of iris flower and peony. The oak here is nicely integrated, yet it needs more vigor and terroirThe 2023 Malartic Lagravière has a tightly wound nose with blueberry and blackberry fruit, touches of iris flower and peony. The oak here is nicely integrated, yet it needs more vigor and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit. This is nicely structured with a fine line of acidity, though a touch more detail would help the finish. Tasted from two different bottles, the 2023 is a serious Pessac-Léognan, but I found myself more drawn to the 2022 last year. I prefer the estate's impressive white counterpart. Drinking range: 2027 - 2042 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)

The 2023 La Garde has a lifted bouquet that is nicely defined, with plenty of blackberry and bilberry fruit and subtle loamy scents percolating through. The palate is medium-bodied with grippyThe 2023 La Garde has a lifted bouquet that is nicely defined, with plenty of blackberry and bilberry fruit and subtle loamy scents percolating through. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, good body and ample structure, but it delivers more fruit than some of its peers. La Garde has been an improving estate in recent years, and this is another fine wine to add to that roster Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2024)