Organic Wines

Release date: 10/6/2024

Distinctive as ever, right at the top of what Pessac Léognan Blanc can deliver. Structured, fleshy white peach and pear, waves of salted cracker and sage, creamy texture, great length, just aDistinctive as ever, right at the top of what Pessac Léognan Blanc can deliver. Structured, fleshy white peach and pear, waves of salted cracker and sage, creamy texture, great length, just a brilliant wine. A buy. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 98 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 10/6/2024

As usual a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. This seems more reticent on the nose than Les Hauts, with powdered chalk, green pear and orange peel, the Semillon dampening down theAs usual a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. This seems more reticent on the nose than Les Hauts, with powdered chalk, green pear and orange peel, the Semillon dampening down the expression a little I think. Nevertheless it shows beautiful texture and presence through the palate, with supple texture, finely veined phenolics and a fresh core of acidity. This will, I suspect, need some time to open up, through the élevage or in bottle, but it should be very good when it gets there. The alcohol is around 14%. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 3/6/2024

Wafting from the glass with pure aromas of cherries, berries, plums and potpourri, the 2023 Alter Ego de Palmer is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, with a vigorous core of fruit framed byWafting from the glass with pure aromas of cherries, berries, plums and potpourri, the 2023 Alter Ego de Palmer is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, with a vigorous core of fruit framed by supple tannins. It's a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Rating: 92-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 15/5/2024

The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, picked September 14th and 19th for the Merlot, picking a week later than much of the left bank and a little later than a number of right-bank peers,The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, picked September 14th and 19th for the Merlot, picking a week later than much of the left bank and a little later than a number of right-bank peers, finishing with the Cabernet Franc on September 25th, 28th and 29th. The vines ere aged 55 years on average, and the yield was 38 hl/ha after a saignée of 4 hl/ha. The aromatics here are divine, high-class and finely polished, with rose petals, currants, dark griottes, toast and spiced dark chocolate. This translates into a palate that starts with silk before moving to a more velvety style, with such seamless upper layers, and great harmony, a little underpinning of ripe and tightly knit tannin, and fresh acidity. Dense and compact in the finish, coherent with a firmer tannic backbone but the fruit substance and texture to cope, so it feels confident, long and balanced. Beautifully styled, so approachable and bright, majoring on elegance and precision more than power, with undeniable potential. What a stunner; an Ausone to bring back memories of vintages past, for sure. Rating: 95-97 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 21/5/2024

Wonderfully fragrant aromatics that climb through the palate, this has the juice and power that 2023 does so well in the right hads, majoring on squid ink and cassis, with clear expansion through theWonderfully fragrant aromatics that climb through the palate, this has the juice and power that 2023 does so well in the right hads, majoring on squid ink and cassis, with clear expansion through the palate, liqourice, sage, saffron, pomegrante, orange zest and salt-scrape. Harvest September 11 to October 4, 35hl/h yield, 3.66ph, 66% new oak, 33% amphoras for ageing. Right up there with the best of Margaux. Drinking range: 2033 - 2048 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 21/5/2024

This is one of the best Ferrieres for years, with waves of blackberry, cassis, fennel, anis, liqourice root, all sweet and pure and intense, with velvety tannins. Great stuff. 40hl/h yield, 3.79ph,This is one of the best Ferrieres for years, with waves of blackberry, cassis, fennel, anis, liqourice root, all sweet and pure and intense, with velvety tannins. Great stuff. 40hl/h yield, 3.79ph, harvest Septemboer 13 to october 2, highest yields for for 12 years, 40% new oak for ageing overall, along with concrete eggs, touch of amphoras. Drinking range: 2030 - 2044 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 21/5/2024

Intense and crunchy blue and black fruits, delivering tons of Pauillac character, reserved and well judged, juicy cassis, liqourice root, slate and cocoa bean. Delicous, a lovely vintage of thisIntense and crunchy blue and black fruits, delivering tons of Pauillac character, reserved and well judged, juicy cassis, liqourice root, slate and cocoa bean. Delicous, a lovely vintage of this wine. Harvest September 12 to 30. 53hl/h yield, just a little higher than the already high yield of Pauillac in this vintage, no mildew. 3.48ph, 40% new oak, with the rest of one year old, pls concrete eggs and amphora. Claire Villars-Lurton owner. Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 24/5/2024

The 2023 Château de La Dauphine has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar and light floral scents—one of the classiest that you will find from Fronsac this year. The palateThe 2023 Château de La Dauphine has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar and light floral scents—one of the classiest that you will find from Fronsac this year. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fine depth and gentle grip. There is a sense of poise to this Fronsac that I really admire, and it feels persistent on the finish. This is an excellent de La Dauphine that should aged well in bottle. Drinking range: 2028 - 2045 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 21/5/2024

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and fully 13% Petit Verdot, the 2023 La Gurgue exhibits aromas of dark berries, licorice and boot polish, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palateA blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and fully 13% Petit Verdot, the 2023 La Gurgue exhibits aromas of dark berries, licorice and boot polish, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate built around powdery tannins. Rating: 88-90 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 3/5/2024

Concentrated spiced plum, billowing red and white roses fragrance, opening to a confident tannic architecture, and an expansive but controlled delivery of textured autumnal fruit. Rose stems andConcentrated spiced plum, billowing red and white roses fragrance, opening to a confident tannic architecture, and an expansive but controlled delivery of textured autumnal fruit. Rose stems and grippy tannnins suggest full ripeness was challenging, but this has character and depth, and lift through the palate. Caroline Frey owner, 30hl/ha yields. Drinking range: 2030 - 2048 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

Release date: 15/5/2024

The blend of Mangot is 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, vinified with a cold soak for eight days, after which there was a slightly shorter post-fermentation maceration. AThe blend of Mangot is 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, vinified with a cold soak for eight days, after which there was a slightly shorter post-fermentation maceration. A very pure and expressive nose, but evidently dry and savoury, with notes of blackberry and damson, laced with liquorice, tar, slate and dark chocolate. The palate follows with a gently creamed texture, rich with notes of slate, chocolate and blackberry, with deliciously savoury substance, plenty of juicy texture, a saline minerality and spice supporting the fruit. This is an another impressive sample from the Todeschini family, with a sappy grip which persists in the finish. The élevage will be in a mix of barrels (new and used), foudres and amphorae. The alcohol is around 14.5%, although probably slightly lower than that on analysis. Rating: 92-94 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 3/6/2024

Director Thomas Duroux and his team elected to harvest late in pursuit of full maturity, beginning with the Merlot on September 11 and finishing the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 5 to produce aDirector Thomas Duroux and his team elected to harvest late in pursuit of full maturity, beginning with the Merlot on September 11 and finishing the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 5 to produce a beautiful 2023 Palmer, redolent of cherries, wild berries, rose petals and violets. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it's medium to full-bodied, plush and enveloping, with a cool core of fruit, succulent acids, ultra-refined tannins and a seamless, complete profile. Rating: 96-97 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 30/4/2024

A very structured Pontet-Canet that expands in the mouth with a gorgeous combination of beautifully ripe fruit and intense tannins. Very structured for the vintage. Full-bodied with excellentA very structured Pontet-Canet that expands in the mouth with a gorgeous combination of beautifully ripe fruit and intense tannins. Very structured for the vintage. Full-bodied with excellent presence and length. So much raw pencil shavings to the blackcurrants. Graphite and tar. Fresh and vivid. They picked cabernet at the right time at the end of September. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Rating: 97-98 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: 10/6/2024

The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever here, beating the 2019 vintage which was about 65%,The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever here, beating the 2019 vintage which was about 65%, but future vintages are likely to stay around this figure given the way the climate is changing. This took about one-third of the crop, which was just 26 hl/ha. Beautifully pure Cabernet fruit on the nose, with fresh blackcurrants, gorse and tobacco from the oak. The palate feels immediately understated but quickly reveals its sinew, substance, polish and longevity, with a great depth of fruit wrapped around the ribbons of beautifully knit-together tannins. There is drive and precision here, great energy, with deliriously dark fruits. A beautiful finish and length. This is a fabulous wine which transcends any doubts you might have about the potential hidden within this vintage – you just need to know where to look. So impressive. Tasted twice. The alcohol is about 14%. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)