Saint Estèphe

Release date: 12/6/2024

Containing an unusually high 51% Cabernet Sauvignon this year (complemented by 38% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot), the 2023 Tronquoy offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, burning embers andContaining an unusually high 51% Cabernet Sauvignon this year (complemented by 38% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot), the 2023 Tronquoy offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, burning embers and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and refined palate with good depth at the core, lively acids and a persistent finish. Foudres are now complemented barriques for élevage. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 12/6/2024

Another strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings andAnother strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's polished, pure and layered, with sweet tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. It's a blend of 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 12/6/2024

The 2023 Montrose is a dark, brooding powerhouse but with the elegance that is such a signature today. Black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, mocha, spice, tobacco and dried flowers infuse the 2023The 2023 Montrose is a dark, brooding powerhouse but with the elegance that is such a signature today. Black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, mocha, spice, tobacco and dried flowers infuse the 2023 with tons of character. The Cabernet Sauvignon is so expressive here. Readers will have to be patient, as this is a wine built for the cellar. It's not especially showy today, but all the ingredients are there. The 2023 is quite the bruiser. In other words, it’s classic Montrose. In the end, that's not terribly surprising, as the winemaking team relied exclusively on the original holdings of about 45 hectares from what the estate calls the 'grand plateau' or 'Terrace 4', essentially the historic core of the property. Harvest ran from September 5 to 28. There was some rain on the 21st, but 15mm of precipitation after a heat spike was not meaningful. The 2023 is magnificent in every way. Drinking range: 2032 - 2063 Rating: 95-97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)

Release date: 6/6/2024

The blend here is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, because the Cabernet Sauvignon was of high quality. AlsoThe blend here is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, because the Cabernet Sauvignon was of high quality. Also the yields were good, at 45 hl/ha. The picking began September 6th for the Merlot, finishing the 20th, the Cabernets began on the 28th, finishing the 30th, the same as the Calon wines. Sweet and perfumed Cabernet flowers on the nose, a more confident expression than Vincent Millet’s right-bank wines (such as Le Prieuré), with gorse flowers and violets. A modest texture at the start, very controlled through the middle, with well knit and clearly ripe tannins, nicely polished, with a gentle and rather powdery body of fruit, and supremely fresh acidity. Pure, finessed and elegant, this is a very nice example of Capbern this year. The alcohol is about 14.6%. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 6/6/2024

A serious Marquis with higher Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, ink, spiced plum, damson, orange peel, chocolate, cocoa bean. Slightly exuberant, silky texture, with a flash of heat. 30% new oak forA serious Marquis with higher Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, ink, spiced plum, damson, orange peel, chocolate, cocoa bean. Slightly exuberant, silky texture, with a flash of heat. 30% new oak for ageing, 3.6ph, 45hl/h yield. Drinking range: 2029 - 2040 Rating: 90 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 6/6/2024

The 2023 Calon-Ségur is another en primeur success for this resurgent Saint-Estèphe third growth. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, wild berries and plums, it's medium toThe 2023 Calon-Ségur is another en primeur success for this resurgent Saint-Estèphe third growth. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, wild berries and plums, it's medium to full-bodied, cool and layered, with a deep and integrated core, terrific concentration, lively acids and refined structuring tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that checks in at 14% alcohol. Rating: 94-96 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 3/6/2024

The grand vin is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 38% Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot for the final 2%. It has 10% press wine in the blend. It is 60% of the production, the usual figure. The aromaticsThe grand vin is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 38% Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot for the final 2%. It has 10% press wine in the blend. It is 60% of the production, the usual figure. The aromatics on the first sample I taste here are led by the wood, with plenty of high-quality and toasted oak apparent, alongside notes of liquorice, salted black bean, toast and olive, although revisiting it at the property a week later the fruit comes more to the fore, and a third sample feels more in balance. The palate is fresh, polished and bright, with a juicy core of bright cherry and berry fruit, set over a frame of ripe and tightly knit tannins, offering a seamless structure to the palate, with a fresh acidity which feels in harmony with the rest of the palate. This is confident, charming and full of promise, with texture, grip and structure. An smart result in this vintage. Tasted three times. The alcohol is about 13.5%. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 3/6/2024

The 2023 de Pez confirms the progress taking place at this address. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and developmentThe 2023 de Pez confirms the progress taking place at this address. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and development laboratory for its sibling, Pichon Lalande, and director Nicolas Glumineau and his team have been working to bring more precision and purity to the wine. Offering up aromas of cassis, violets and pencil shavings, framed by nicely integrated new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, polished and suave, with a layered core of sweet, vibrant fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 16/5/2024

The 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos makes a strong statement out of the gate. A blast of intense dark fruit, leather, spice, menthol, game, licorice, dried herbs and chocolate infuses the palate withThe 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos makes a strong statement out of the gate. A blast of intense dark fruit, leather, spice, menthol, game, licorice, dried herbs and chocolate infuses the palate with remarkable textural intensity. Ample and resonant in the glass, with fabulous balance, Les Pagodes is exceptionally fine in 2023. The long, sustained finish is a thing of beauty. Drinking range: 2027 - 2043 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)

Release date: 16/5/2024

The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and the grand vin takes 53% of the crop. The picking began September 12th, a few days later than some on theThe blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and the grand vin takes 53% of the crop. The picking began September 12th, a few days later than some on the northern Médoc, finishing on the 29th. Beautiful aromatics here, with scents of dark fruit, griottes, dark chocolate and powdered minerals. The fruit profile on the palate feels even darker, all currants, blackberries and chocolate again, with a supple and sinewy presence of texture, holding up very nicely in the midpalate, supported by integrated, ripe and tightly knit powdery tannins. This shows great promise, framed within the delineated substance and fruit of the vintage, the acidity fresh but far from domineering. And the powdery structure is divine, coating the finish but never drying or puckering. A very fine Cos this year. The alcohol is 12.91% on analysis. Rating: 95-97 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 15/5/2024

The 2023 Meyney is surprisingly backward on the nose with blackberry, kirsch, touches of black pepper and loamy aromas. It remains understated in the glass yet gains purity. The palate isThe 2023 Meyney is surprisingly backward on the nose with blackberry, kirsch, touches of black pepper and loamy aromas. It remains understated in the glass yet gains purity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Maybe a little conservative in style, it stays within the confines of the vintage yet feels harmonious. What is missing is just a bit of grip and density on the finish. Fine. Drinking range: 2027 - 2039 Rating: 89-91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 14/5/2024

Plenty of Ormes de Pez sappy tannins and rich black fruit character, great quality, easy to recommend and should offer good value. No frost, and despite mildew pressure final yields of 51hl/h, 45%Plenty of Ormes de Pez sappy tannins and rich black fruit character, great quality, easy to recommend and should offer good value. No frost, and despite mildew pressure final yields of 51hl/h, 45% new oak, harvest September 14 through into October 4. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 7/5/2024

Confident colour extraction, this is dark ruby but nuanced, with vibrant reflections. After two years with Christophe Congé as director, you are starting to see more precision and focus in theConfident colour extraction, this is dark ruby but nuanced, with vibrant reflections. After two years with Christophe Congé as director, you are starting to see more precision and focus in the constructino of the wine, with blackberry and bilberry fruits set against slate and smoked earth. Balanced alcohols, firm taninins. All four varieties in the blend. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 3/5/2024

There are increasingly few truly old school independent St Estèphes, making Haut-Marbuzet an outlier to celebrate. The tannic build up starts pretty quickly, as they lean into the rich but slightlyThere are increasingly few truly old school independent St Estèphes, making Haut-Marbuzet an outlier to celebrate. The tannic build up starts pretty quickly, as they lean into the rich but slightly austere tannins of the vintage, giving balance by savoury raspberry bud, fragrant tomato leaf and cassis fruits. Cocoa bean and espresso come through from the mid palate, with lift on the finish. 100% new oak for ageing, estate today run by Bruno and Hughes Duboscq, with father Henri still very much involved. Drinking range: 2027 - 2038 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 2/5/2024

Sappy and cheerful, bright ruby red fruit, well balanced with chewy tannins that give plenty of expectation. Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in theory, although the new classification, that will confirmSappy and cheerful, bright ruby red fruit, well balanced with chewy tannins that give plenty of expectation. Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in theory, although the new classification, that will confirm for 2023, is coming in January 2024. 25% new oak, final year of organic converstion, and 52hl/h yields, so a particularly good crop. Harvest September 8 to 29. Drinking range: 2025 - 2032 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 29/4/2024

2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the Lorenzetti family's first move into the Medoc. Now owners of Pedesclaux, Lafon Rochet and a considerable stake in Chateau d'Issan, Lilian Ladouys may no longer2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the Lorenzetti family's first move into the Medoc. Now owners of Pedesclaux, Lafon Rochet and a considerable stake in Chateau d'Issan, Lilian Ladouys may no longer be there most prestigious estate but it is certainly a real passion project. Run by Manon Lorenzetti, with help from Pedesclaux's winemaker Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen - this estate gets better every year. Now into their third year of organic conversion and benefitting in 2023 from having more parcels on-stream - they have made a beauty. There's a sophisticated and classic Saint Estephe freshness to the crunchy black fruit. For the first time ever Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead on the blend with 57% only reinforcing the upright, pure feel. This has great lines a delicious, ripe mid-palate and all the finesse you could ask for in Saint Estephe. Proper Bordeaux and so well priced. At 12.9% it really does feel like a very classic Claret. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet franc L&S (Apr 2024)