Catalog

The most mythical vintage of Bordeaux, among all! Already, in 1855, it was the only cru to be recognized as a premier cru classé supérieur, placing it above the red premiers crus classés.

Beautiful vineyard of 10 ha (90% Merlot) in Fronsac, where the owner, Mrs. Rullier, invests herself without counting. We find his energy in Dalem, with wines, full and assertive but also endowed with a real elegance.

Applying the same principles of cultivation and vinification as in Angelus, Hubert de Boüard brought his Château de Lalande de Pomerol to the top of his appellation. Rich and luxuriously aged wines, of incredible charm, with each vintage praised by critics. An exceptional 2017 vintage, of which the tiny production (saved from frost) is only available in magnums.

Bought in 1988 and then renovated from top to bottom, Malartic-Lagravière is back to the fine, straight and distinguished style that made it successful in the 1950s and 1960s. Malartic-Lagravière continues its ascent has earned the 2018 vintage unanimous critical acclaim: 93/100 from the Revue du Vin de France and 94/100 from En Magnum « il faut plus que jamais compter avec Malartic parmi les incontournables de l'appellation ».

Practically abandoned in 1993 when Mr. and Mrs. Cathiard bought it, Smith Haut Lafitte is today one of the 10 greatest vintages of the Bordeaux left bank. The road they have travelled is truly admirable, and the Cathiards have spared no effort: restoration of the vineyard, construction of a vat room and underground cellar, introduction of state-of-the-art equipment, conversion to organic viticulture...

Haut-Bailly is the most delicate of the Graves wines with a particularly silky tannic structure.

With remarkable consistency, Potensac has been one of the most regular crus bourgeois in the northern Médoc for 30 years, proof of the know-how of the Léoville-Las Cases team (same owner). Its ability to age is always surprising, even and especially in the "early years".

Bought in 2008 by M. Cuvelier (Clos Fourtet), a new era is beginning at Poujeaux under the leadership of Messrs Thienpont and Derenoncourt.

With its racy elegance, natural velvetiness and delicate yet deep texture, Poujeaux is the most Saint-Julien of the Moulis wines, and a model of style for all the crus bourgeois of the Médoc. The vintage is making steady progress, as evidenced by the 94/100 rating awarded by the Revue du Vin de France for its 2020 vintage « voilà un vin très séveux et prometteur ».

Although contiguous to Poujeaux, Chasse-Spleen offers another face to Moulis wines, more tannic and, in its first youth, more austere. A great Medoc classic.

Chasse-Spleen expands in 2023 with the acquisition of Brillette, 35 ha of a beautiful terroir of deep gravel in Moulis.

We no longer present Sociando-Mallet, which should be in a good place in the cellar of any wine lover, as the quality and above all the regularity of its last thirty vintages are so impressive. Without wishing to underestimate the hard work of the late Mr Gautreau since 1969, it must be said that the terroir, against the Gironde on a gravelly ridge comparable to that of Montrose, is indeed that of a Grand Cru Classé. Unavoidable 2016, the greatest wine of Sociando-Mallet since 1996.

We no longer present Sociando-Mallet, which should be in a good place in the cellar of any wine lover, as the quality and above all the regularity of its last thirty vintages are so impressive. Without wishing to underestimate the hard work of the late Mr Gautreau since 1969, it must be said that the terroir, against the Gironde on a gravelly ridge comparable to that of Montrose, is indeed that of a Grand Cru Classé. Unavoidable 2016, the greatest wine of Sociando-Mallet since 1996.

The arrival of Mr. Derenoncourt as a consultant in 2002 relaunched Prieuré-Lichine, giving it first of all a better aromatic dimension thanks to a more mature grape. The limitation of yields since 2009 has resulted in additional density and volume, which he lacked to compete with his peers. Progress hailed by the Revue du Vin de France, notably for its 2020, rated 95/100 « the most complete in a long time ». 

No other vintage can better express the magical association that is so difficult to obtain simultaneously finesse and power. A first growth without rival in its style!

The most serious and regular of the great classified growths of Saint-Julien, and even of the Médoc. Whatever the vintage since 1986, Lagrange never disappoints, with a constancy and an accuracy that force respect!

Always black with ink, always deliciously fat and sweet, always St-Julien and above all always regular. Supervised by Mr. Derenoncourt since 2009, Talbot has gained in intensity and aromatic precision.

Of all the second classified growths in St-Julien, Gruaud-Larose is the most vigorous and massive in young wine. But, the magic of the terroir, it acquires softness and finesse if it is given time to age. Its quality/price ratio puts it ahead of the other second classified growths of St-Julien!

Emblematic cru of the Médoc by its architecture as well as by the delicacy of its wines, internationally sought-after. Beychevelle has taken another step up in finesse and aromatic precision with the commissioning in 2018 of its new vat room, and is now on first-name terms with the commune's second growths.

With the help of Michel Rolland, Léoville-Poyferré has gained in depth since 1993, voluptuousness of texture and ability to age. It is now approaching the quality of its prestigious neighbours in which it is landlocked: Léoville-Las Cases and Pichon-Lalande. The competition between the three Léoville is intense but Léoville-Poyferré now prevails with an easier, more voluptuous approach, and a superior quality/price/pleasure ratio.

Since the arrival of Bruno Borie in 2003, Ducru-Beaucaillou has been flying from success to success.  No one has forgotten that, until 1980, Ducru was the greatest of the Médoc's second growths, a position it is now regaining. Bravo !

Since 2009 and the acquisition by Mr. Lorenzetti, we can talk about a new vintage wine classified in Pauillac. Unworthy of his ranking, Pédesclaux had until then disappeared from the Bordeaux scene. The ambition and resources of the new owner are there: complete overhaul of the installations, acquisition of new plots of land ideally located. The first vintages offer the image of a supple and easily accessible Pauillac, at a price that defies all competition in the appellation.

Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.

Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the finest of Pauillac's 5th classified growths, held with competence and care by Mr. François-Xavier Borie and his children. The latest vintages show even greater aromatic precision and tannin nobility, especially the superb 2020 vintage.

Property Rothschild (Mouton), with d'Armailhac. Apart from the terroir, the main difference between the two crus is the increased proportion of Merlot in Clerc-Milon (35% as opposed to 20%), giving it additional smoothness and richness. Since 2007 Clerc-Milon has benefited from its own vat room, a new winery and a dedicated team of 21 people so that Clerc-Milon can compete qualitatively with Lynch-Bages and Pontet-Canet.

Known for producing one of the firmest and tightest (even robust) Pauillacs available, Duhart-Milon has since 2010 refined its style to gradually approach that of Lafite (same owner and same team). New direction and progress amply confirmed, with an unprecedented charm and fatness from the 2015 vintage onwards. Given the quality of its terroir (the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac), Duhart-Milon has certainly not finished its progression.

As the latest Bettane & Desseauve guide (2025) points out, “So many changes in recent vintages, with a great wine that has rediscovered the depth and dimension of the greatest Pauillacs”!

Apart from the first great classified growths, no other Bordeaux wine is as world famous as Lynch-Bages. Its worldwide success comes as much from its opulent, full-bodied and robust style, from its unfailing regularity since 1975, and from its media promotion orchestrated by Jean-Michel Cazes. Lynch-Bages was the first wine sent into space (Discovery shuttle in 1985). It is even said that it is him who gave the taste of Bordeaux to the Americans!

Contiguous to Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet is in good vintages the very type of great Pauillac, straight and racy. The first of the Grands Crus Classés to be certified "organic" (in 2010), Pontet-Canet has been at the top of the Médoc since 2000.

Contiguous to Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet is in good vintages the very type of great Pauillac, straight and racy. The first of the Grands Crus Classés to be certified "organic" (in 2010), Pontet-Canet has been at the top of the Médoc since 2000.

Mouton-Rothschild's second wine, which appeared in 1993, has since made its place among its peers (Carruades de Lafite, Forts de Latour, Pavillon Rouge) by offering each vintage a great Pauillac, full, fleshy, muscular, barely less deep and full-bodied than its famous big brother but with the same cassis finish. Petit Mouton has grown up!

The acquisition of Calon-Ségur in 2012 by a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel (a French bank) heralds the great awakening of this famous terroir of gravel on limestone, in one piece and entirely surrounded by a wall (a unique fact in the Médoc). All of Bordeaux wants Calon-Ségur to be as fabulous as those of the middle of the last century after a 15-year investment plan.

After 43 vintages, Mr Charmolüe sold the estate to Mr Bouygues in 2006. The change of ownership was accompanied by a spectacular project designed to bring Montrose into the 21st century: use of geothermal energy, installation of photovoltaic panels, recycling of CO2 from alcoholic fermentation...

There has also been a change of style in the wines, with a move towards greater aromatic complexity and textural refinement. Montrose nevertheless remains a wine of great breed, resting on a powerful tannic architecture and reserved for the most patient connoisseurs.