2023 Futures
To find out about the week's releases, go to our Latest News page.
You can also sort all the wines in our selection by release date.
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.More roundness and flesh than Côte-Rôtie, with a texture of fatty and melting tannins, the solar side of the Hermitage hillside is perfectly highlighted here.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 100% Serine/Syrah
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2021 Revue du Vin de France guide.The Côtes-du-Rhône Cuvée Spéciale is made with Grenache, a wine with soft tannins and a fruity character.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 95% Grenache, 5% autres cépages
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.
Blend of Grenache aged 80 years, Syrah (40 years) and Mourvèdre (40 years), on the clay-limestone slopes of Rasteau, a fleshy, generous wine, typical southern Rhône.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes: a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, firm and earthy vigour, in a style comparable to that of the Gigondas.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.Built like a "small" Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this Gigondas is just as velvety, just as fruity, but slightly softer. Very strong majority of grenache (vines aged from 60 to more than 100 years), completed with syrah and mourvèdre.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 90% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.In addition to his classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Michel Tardieu produces a cuvée Vieilles Vignes, a blend of grenache (80 to over 100 years), mourvèdre (60 to 80 years) and syrah (50 years), more tense and spicier (pepper, clove, laurel), an interminable finish, a wine of great style and long ageing potential.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.In addition to his classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Michel Tardieu produces an original cuvée, the Cuvée Spéciale, 100% century-old Grenache, which is incredibly rich and voluptuous. A superlative wine aged in barrels in barrels of at least one wine (no new barrels to best express the sweetness of old grenaches).
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 99% Grenache, 1% autres cépages
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Since 1994, Michel Tardieu has been selecting and growing wines from very old vines and from the best terroirs of each appellation. Associated until 2007 with Dominique Laurent, known for the concentration of his Burgundy wines, Michel Tardieu has, because of the innate richness of the Rhone Valley wines, always sought to favour elegance and aromatic complexity in his selections.
Promoted two stars in the 2022 Revue du Vin de France guide.A true Bandol, almost pure Mourvèdre, taking with ageing accents of Cabernet Sauvignon. Very long ageing potential (20 years or more).
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 95% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache
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PSI (Peter Sisseck Initiative?) is the wine of a group of producers brought together by Mr. Sisseck according to precise specifications: tempranillo plots at least 30 years old, necessarily biodynamically grown, gentle extractions, long macerations and maturing practically without wood. A superior fruity wine, fine and with a great tannic softness.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Amazing story as that of Dominio de Pingus. Created in 1995 by Peter Sisseck, a Danish (!), this estate a few kilometres from Vega Sicilia has become a cult in less than 15 years.
Flor de Pingus is the second wine, coming from the Dominio de Pingus and neighbouring parcels acquired by fermage, 100% tempranillo 35 to 50 years old, biodynamic since 2005. Delicious and elegant, Flor is a modern vision of Ribera del Duero.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Amazing story as that of Dominio de Pingus. Created in 1995 by Peter Sisseck, a Danish (!), this estate a few kilometres from Vega Sicilia has become a cult in less than 15 years.
Pingus is the great wine, made from the 4 ha of the estate, 100% tempranillo aged 70 years, biodynamic since 2000. 450 cases per year (an average yield of 10hl/ha, not counting small vintages, such as the 2002, totally downgraded in Flor de Pingus).
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
Martin : 92-94/100 « The 2023 Haut-Bergeron has a clean and precise bouquet with saffron-tinged white peach and apricot aromas, quite restrained but well-defined. The palate is excellent: very citrus-fresh on the entry, a superb line of acidity and a vivid, marmalade- and quince -driven finish that urges you back for more. Recommended. This is a Sauternes that punches above its weight. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Neither quite Saint-Émilion nor quite Pomerol, the inimitable Cheval Blanc occupies a special place on the right bank, on the famous gravelly terroir of the Figeac plateau. Inimitable because its wines subjugate in a perfect alchemy between freshness, subtlety and hedonism, the whole on tannic frames at the same time refined and melting, between silk and cashmere.
Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Un Cheval Blanc d’un grand classicisme [...] On y retrouve une floralité inimitable, des nuances réglissées, un bouquet sur la retenue. Timide lors qu’il entre en bouche, il se déploie crescendo avec un magnifique flot de saveurs, une matière sereine jusqu’à une finale dynamique, sans à-coup ni aspérité. Plein d’énergie et de sérénité. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Tanins présents, élégant et frais avec ce qu’il faut de délicatesse, édifié à partir d’un assemblage de 52 % de merlot, 46 % de cabernet franc et 2 % de cabernet sauvignon. »
Le Point : 18.5/20 « Nez fin, délicat, frais, aérien, notes florales, rose, structure bien en place, tanins poudrés, bouche pleine, onctueuse. »
Quarin : 98/100 « Nez intense et magique, le plus beau de toute cette campagne Primeur 2023 [...], complexe, beau et rare. Minutieusement gras dès l'entrée en bouche, avec une texture de rêve et une qualité du déroulé où tout glisse et avance lentement pour devenir peu à peu profond dans la persistance, envahi par la saveur d'une très grande longueur complexe. Une fois de plus au sommet. »
Galloni: 95-98/100 « The 2023 Cheval Blanc is silky, elegant and exceptionally polished. Cabernet Franc is rarely as expressive as it is here. Everything in the 2023 is about detail. All the elements are so well balanced-so integrated. Red/purplish berry fruit, mint, cinnamon, rose petal and blood orange meld together, while seamless tannins wrap it all up in grand style. What a wine. »
Martin : 96-98/100 « Quite strict and focused (surprisingly so), the bouquet reveals black fruit, a touch of bilberry, with just a whiff of iris flower. The palate has wonderful symmetry, outstanding mineralité and ample tension. It's extremely pure, with less weight than the 2022 but perhaps a touch more nerve. Modestly grippy on the finish, this "serious" Cheval Blanc will deserve several years in bottle. It's cerebral...and I like that. The 2023 is very different from the 2022-a beautiful minor chord. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Blend:
- 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet franc, 2% Cabernet sauvignon
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Léoville-Barton did not have any attached cru (such as Potensac and Léoville-Las Cases, Pibran and Pichon-Baron, etc.). This "gap" was filled in 2011 with the acquisition of a beautiful historical cru bourgeois de Moulis, Mauvesin, immediately renamed Mauvesin-Barton to show the Barton family's involvement in this new challenge. In all confidence!
Revue du vin de France : 90-92/100 « Délicieux, tel est le terme qui qualifie ce 2023 au fruité savoureux et à la bouche très soyeuse. Un vin très charmeur et élégant qui devrait offrir beaucoup de plaisir dans sa jeunesse. »
Le Point : 16/20 « Nez baies noires, bouche sérieuse, un vin moins flatteur que certaines années mais solide, droit, juteux. »
Galloni : 87-89/100 « The 2023 Mauvesin Barton is a potent, dark wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, chocolate and gravel gives the 2023 its exuberant profile. I find the tannins a bit imposing and large in scale. It will be interesting to see if this softens with time. Today, it is quite the bruiser. »
Martin : 89-91/100 « The 2023 Mauvesin Barton has an attractive bouquet with black plum, cassis and light floral scents. This is nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and modest weight, but the oak is a little conspicuous toward the finish. It doesn't quite have the ambition or complexity of the 2022, though it represents a fine, perhaps earlier- drinking Moulis-en-Médoc. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.40%
- Blend:
- 56% Cabernet sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 1% Cabernet franc
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In the shadow of its older brother (Léoville-Barton), Langoa-Barton with a vineyard of barely 17 ha is the smallest and least known of the classified growths of Saint-Julien. Nevertheless, it offers the elegant and graceful fruitiness of Saint-Julien with a remarkable capacity for ageing. And a very reasonable price!
Revue du Vin de France : 92-93/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Ce cru réputé pour ses vins délicieux, soyeux et gourmand est au rendez-vous. Le 2023 offre une très jolie expression acidulée du fruit, un côté crémeux, des tanins tendres et une finale croquante. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 92/100 « Bon corps, grain de tannin encore sur la réserve qu’il faudra revoir à la fin de l’élevage. »
Le Point : 17/20 ♥ Coup de cœur « Avec ce millésime, il fait presque jeu égal avec son frère pas tout à fait jumeau, Léoville. Nez ouvert, floral et fruits rouges, bouche soyeuse, élégante, tanins d'une belle finesse, glissants avec une pointe de croquant, finale relevée. »
Quarin : 92/100 « Délicat à l'attaque, savoureux au milieu, avec un corps tendre, le vin avance prudent dans la dernière partie du palais, où la finale reste réservée, mais sans marquer le tannin. »
Galloni: 91-93/100 « The 2023 Langoa Barton is packed with dark red cherry, plum, spice, cedar and tobacco. Over the last few years, an updated style of vinification in a new cellar has yielded a bit more mid-palate sweetness, pliancy and resonance than in the past. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but clearly, we have entered into an era of Langoa. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « The palate is medium- bodied with pliant tannins, a sorbet-fresh Langoa with a bright, almost pastille-like finish that lingers in the mouth. Very seductive and vivacious, I appreciate the nascent energy here. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 60 % Cabernet sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet franc
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Even if their evolution always involves a period of austerity, Léoville-Barton wines have a supreme class and elegance, due as much to the advanced age of the vines as to meticulous work. Always praised by the critics, as in 2015 "fine, sapid and very long, lots of class on the palate, with a juicy side and superb texture", rated 97/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Revue du Vin de France : 97-98/100 « Ce 2023 est fantastique de définition et de puissance. La matière, tout en muscle, est éclatante, juteuse et les tanins sont parfaitement extraits. Mais c’est une fois encore la finale qui impressionne par son allonge et son éclat. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Excellent corps, boisé mieux intégré que dans les millésimes précédents, grâce à un travail intelligent sur l’origine des bois. La finale doit encore se fondre mais le vin a du style et même du panache. »
Le Point : 18.5/20 « Impeccable Barton. D'une régularité horlogère, ce cru géré par la famille Barton-Sartorius nous régale encore d'un vin superbe. Fruits noirs, bouche en fraîcheur et en tension, équilibre, harmonie, densité et élégance. »
Quarin : 95/100 « Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Fond de fleurs et de fruits noirs. Délicat en entrée de bouche, suave au milieu, avec un beau toucher, le vin fond au palais, juteux et raffiné. Finale à la saveur profonde et légèrement réglissée. Tannicité très bien enveloppée. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Léoville-Barton marries the classicism the château is so well-known for with an extra kick of textural intensity from the heat of the year. It's powerful, dark and serious, with compelling notes of black cherry, lavender, spice and blackberry. This is an especially dense, somber Léoville-Barton endowed with tremendous presence. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « A touch of dark chocolate infuses the black fruit, harmonious with a patina of new oak that will integrate with time. This is classic Léoville Barton from tip to toe, and whilst it does not match the imperious 2022, it is a very impressive follow-up due to its interwoven elegance. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
- Blend:
- 87% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet franc
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Renowned for having the best terroir of the Margaux unclassified growths, La Tour de Mons is one of the rare true Margaux Crus Bourgeois at a sweet price, with a faultless regularity for more than 15 years. Bought at the end of November 2019 by the Perrodo family (Ch. Labégorce, Ch. Marquis d'Alesme).
Le Point : 16/20 « Chocolat, bouche tendre, souple, élégante, tanins fins. Un vin étiré, long. »
Galloni : 89-91/100 « The 2023 La Tour de Mons is a pleasant, fruity Margaux to drink young while the flavors remain vibrant. Succulent red cherry, spice, blood orange and pomegranate take center stage. Tour de Mons is not especially complex, but it is tasty. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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With a winegrowing past dating back to the 17th century and classified as a 3rd growth in 1855, Château Marquis d'Alesme has nevertheless fallen into decline as it has been bought up (many times).
The Perrodo family (Labégorce, Labégorce-Zédée, La Tour de Mons) acquired it in 2006 in a poor state of repair, with solid ambitions: redistribution of the small 15-hectare vineyard, meticulous work in the vineyard, and a state-of-the-art winery... The vineyard has regained its credentials in recent vintages, as confirmed by the critics' notes and comments.
Revue du Vin de France : 93-94/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Le cru gagne encore en distinction. Il combine la grande finesse margalaise et l’intensité des saveurs. Mention pour la belle finale sapide aux tanins délicats et soyeux. Une très belle réussite. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94/100 « Excellent corps, arômes fins, il affiche un caractère margalais très marqué. Très recommandable. »
Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur sombre et pourpre. Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil, évoluant à la fois frais et mûr dans le verre. Délicatement pulpeux en entrée de bouche, juteux au milieu, le vin évolue suave et parfumé sur une puissance modérée. Jolie finale savoureuse valorisant les arômes plus que le corps. Vin margalien. »
Galloni : 93-95/100 « The 2023 Marquis d'Alesme is impressive. Raspberry jam, blood orange, white flowers, mint and lavender abound. Silky, elegant tannins wrap it all together in style. A closing burst of bright acids and lifted floral notes lends the last kick of resonance. Classy, elegant and polished, the 2023 is one of the best recent editions I have encountered. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
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Second red wine of La Mission Haut-Brion, created in 1991 and greatly improved since 2006 by the addition of the entire vineyard of La Tour Haut-Brion.
Revue du Vin de France : 90-92/100 « Très sombre, épicée, exubérante, fruit noir et épices douces, La Chapelle garde cette année le cap d’une expression solaire et volubile, davantage que La Mission. Sans caractère massif, on apprécie la richesse du goût, jusque dans les tanins. »
Le Point : 16/20 « Nez marqué par la prise de bois, bouche tendre, élégante, cabernet, tension, nervosité, finale relevée. »
Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur sombre. Nez très aromatique, pur, frais et fruité, sentant bon la gelée de mûres. Délicat en entrée de bouche, savoureux au milieu, accompagné d'un toucher raffiné, le vin évolue juteux et distingué. Il s'achève parfumé sur des saveurs persistantes de Pessac Léognan. Jolie longueur séveuse. »
Galloni : 90-92/100 « The 2023 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is a potent yet accessible second wine. Soft contours add to its considerable appeal. Crushed flowers, spice and sweet pipe tobacco lift a core of red-toned fruit in this racy, sensual Chapelle. Attractive floral and cinnamon notes linger. The 2023 is all charm-I expect it will drink well with minimal cellaring. »
Martin : 89-91/100 « The 2023 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, 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. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.3%
- Organic certification:
- 48,3% Merlot, 39,4% Cabernet sauvignon, 12,3% Cabernet franc
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Second red wine of Haut-Brion, named as such since 2008 (previously Ch.Bahans Haut-Brion). To underline the stylistic kinship with his big brother, Le Clarence is put in the same very special bottle.
Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Distingué, frais et tendu, c’est un vin racé et longiligne, réservé, bien marqué par la structure tannique mais qui se montre nettement plus abordable que Haut-Brion. Bien dans le ton du millésime et fidèle à ce qu’on attend de l’expression du lieu. »
Le Point : 16.5/20 « Fruits noirs, bouche onctueuse, droite, fraîcheur. Bien équilibré. Joli vin. »
Quarin : 93/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Touches d'encre et de goudron. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, avec de la classe dans le toucher, le vin monte en arômes entre le milieu et la finale, ce qui est particulièrement plaisant. L'élevage pourrait le changer. Un brin de plus de charnu m'aurait permis de plus m'enthousiasmer. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a heady wine. Here, the tannins are especially polished, almost uncharacteristically so, even through they are very much present. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather and gravel build effortlessly in the glass. Bright acids punctuate the finish. The 2023 is a showy Clarence with tons of character. »
Martin : 90-92/100 « The 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, cedar and a subtle mint aroma, showing a little more fruit concentration than the La Chapelle. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry and fine backbone. It's a little granular in texture, sorbet-fresh and pliant, with redcurrant and cranberry fruit. This is very enticing, even at this early stage. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 55,5% Merlot, 40,9% Cabernet sauvignon, 3,6% Cabernet franc
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Occupying the southern flank of the Haut-Brion gravelly hillside and capable of exceptional success in "small" vintages, La Mission is a powerful first growth in a more fleshy and opulent register than Haut-Brion. Proof of this is its formidable 2017 rated 96/100 by M. Galloni (Vinous) "Effortless, graceful and wonderfully nuanced, this 2017 simply has everything going for it. What a wine". As for the 2016, rated 99/100 by N. Martin (Vinous), critics compare it to the dazzling 1989, no less!
Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « La fraîcheur qui s’impose crescendo surprend après la suavité aromatique du nez et le moelleux de l’attaque en bouche. La matière ne devient jamais massive bien que le vin s’affirme en largeur. C’est indéniablement un grand vin de garde, centré sur la vitalité davantage que sur la puissance alcoolique, sur le muscle davantage que sur la chair. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 95-96/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Charnu et velouté, grand style et grande maîtrise de vinification propre à l’équipe, tout à fait conforme à ce que le millésime pouvait donner sur ce terroir. » « Moelleux en entrée de bouche et surtout doté d'un gras fin comparable au toucher d'un vin blanc sec, le vin fond au palais. Il gagne de la trame entre le milieu et la finale et s'achève long, subtil, sur des saveurs complexes. C'est à la fois très bon et très différent parmi les vins rouges de Bordeaux. »
Le Point : 17.5/20 « Cerise, bouche élégante, délicate, droite, longueur, toucher de bouche très soyeux, long, étiré. »
Galloni : 92-95/100 « The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion is a dense, powerful wine. Firm tannins give the 2023 a feeling of sternness-a sense of classical austerity that is beguiling. This is the second-most tannic vintage for La Mission, only surpassed by 2010, so readers should plan on being patient. It will be interesting to see what élevage brings. At this stage, the 2023 is quite the bruiser. »
Martin : 92-94/100 « The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion has a wonderful bouquet with brightness and verve: very well-defined red and black fruit, a little floral in style, maybe not as rambunctious as recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins. A perfect line of acidity counterbalances the creamy texture, turning quite plush toward the finish, but it is amazingly well-focused. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 52,7% Merlot, 29,6% Cabernet sauvignon, 17,7% Cabernet franc
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Haut-Brion is the most famous of all the Bordeaux growths, having twice been classified as 1er grand cru, in 1855 and again in 1959 (Graves classification). Haut-Brion is both the oldest of the Grands Crus, with more than five centuries (since 1509) behind it, and the most innovative, introducing stainless steel vats as early as 1960 and green harvesting as early as 1980.
Its particular situation within the Bordeaux agglomeration makes it the earliest Premier Cru on the left bank, a clear advantage in less mature vintages. For this reason, Haut-Brion's consistency is a benchmark for the whole of Bordeaux, with the intense bouquet of fresh earth, smoke and pine resin so characteristic of the appellation.
Fortunately, the unique silhouette of its bottle has disrupted the Asian market and has not triggered the same speculative interest there as it has for the other 1er grands crus classés. Haut-Brion is today without question the most qualitative and the least expensive of the premiers.Revue du Vin de France : 94-96/100 « Dès l’attaque on sent une forte tension interne, une friction des tanins et la vigueur incisive du fruit. [...] La distinction de l’ensemble est évidente, aucun cru ne présente une trame aussi dense et aussi fine. Les tanins pour l’heure prennent le pas sur l’expression du caractère aromatique et le vin semble regarder vers un horizon temporel fort éloigné de nous. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 96-97/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Puissant, net, charnu, avec cette année une petite dominante de merlots plutôt fermes tout en étant dans un registre propre au cabernet. Grand avenir. »
Le Point : 18/20 « Réglisse, bouche droite, poivrée, dense. Droit, un vin puissant mais qui conserve une retenue, une élégance remarquable, finale relevée. »
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, subtil, profond et complexe. Gras en entrée de bouche, très aromatique au milieu, savoureux, riche, le vin évolue juteux et long. Finale à la tannicité enrobée et aux parfums nobles et sophistiqués. C'est superbe ! »
Galloni : 95-97/100 « The 2023 Haut-Brion is superb. Silky, soft tannins enshroud a core of black fruit, gravel, chocolate, cloves and licorice, building into a potent, sumptuous, dazzling wine. Exotic and racy, with remarkable polish, this has a ton of potential. It's an especially sensual, seamless Haut-Brion. »
Martin : 96-98/100 « The nose is less immediate than the La Mission and the fruit is a little darker: blackcurrant, juniper, hints of black olive and a light cedar scent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip and tension. This has superb energy, presenting a crescendo of flavors toward a complex and persistent finish that lingers in the mouth. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Blend:
- 52,3% Merlot, 38,6% Cabernet sauvignon, 9,1% Cabernet franc
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More infused than extracted, finely oaked, with a beautiful balance between fresh fruit and velvety tannins, this sapid and sensual Dragon is more than a second wine.
Quarin : 92/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique et fruité. Touche subtile de gelée de mûres. Délicat en entrée de bouche, moelleux au milieu, sans cesse juteux, le vin fond au palais avant de prendre de la puissance et du gras dans la persistance. Il y a dans ce vin une précision aromatique hors pair qui modifie la perception de la structure elle-même. C'est passionnant à observer. »
Galloni: 90-92/100 « The 2023 Le Dragon de Quintus is a gorgeous, vibrant Saint-Émilion. Crushed flowers, red plum, spice, new leather and cedar lend notable energy and brightness. The 2023 is a fine Dragon with plenty of the breadth that is typical here, but in a slightly more restrained style than in past vintages. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.1%
- Blend:
- 72% Merlot, 28% Cabernet franc
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In 2012, Haut-Brion bought and combined two grands crus classés (Tertre-Dauguay and L'Arrosée) on the slopes of Saint-Émilion (Côte Ausone), and put a foot in the right bank, called Quintus because it is their fifth property (after Haut-Brion, La Mission HB, Laville HB and Latour HB).
Their first objective is to make fine, long wines, focusing on freshness and delicacy rather than power or density, more typical of the left bank than the right bank.
Second objective: to shine in the next Saint-Emilion classifications (its immediate neighbours are Ausone, Belair-Monange, Angélus and Canon, all 1st classified grands crus).Revue du Vin de France : 90-91/100 « Une prise de bois, une note grillée insistent au nez. En bouche, une recherche d’onctuosité. Une constitution plutôt classique de Saint-Émilion. Un vin sérieux, un peu mat, bien façonné, sans pour autant nous procurer une émotion particulière. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 « On sent sur ce millésime une évolution vers plus de précision dans l’allonge et la délicatesse du tannin, avec un cœur de bouche plus étoffé. La finale bien étirée par le cabernet franc a de la classe. »
Le Point : 16.5/20 « Floral, violette, bouche serrée, pimentée, milieu de bouche délicat, plus en finesse que dans les millésimes précédents. »
Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur, fruité, subtil. Nuance de vanille. Ample à l'attaque, charnu en milieu de bouche, avec un superbe toucher, le vin se développe ascendant, puissant, tout bordé d'arômes scintillants. C'est long, complet et délicieux. »
Galloni: 94-96/100 « The 2023 Quintus is a rich, racy Grand Vin. Ample and resonant, the 2023 offers up copious dark-toned fruit, cedar, mint, tobacco, incense and French oak. There's tons of power and breadth but also more freshness than the early vintages, even if the oak is a touch present today. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 15%
- Blend:
- 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet franc
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Climens has been, for more than 50 years, the finest, the fruitiest and the most endearing of the Sauternes wines. Almost discreet in its first youth, Climens does not cease to develop and to refine itself in bottle. Biodynamic since the 2014 vintage. Magnificent 2016 "a fruit of an exemplary purity" noted 99/100 by the Revue du Vin de France.
Following 4 years of almost no production (none in 2017, 2018 and 2020, barely 1200 bottles in 2019), Climens changed hands in 2022.Bettane & Desseauve : 96/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Grands arômes citronnés avec de la richesse en liqueur, beaucoup de caractère de terroir qui a besoin de temps pour donner la pleine mesure de son grand potentiel. »
Quarin : 91/100 « Couleur jaune clair. Nez intense, fruité et légèrement fumé. Très jolie entrée en bouche minutieuse, puis le vin fond avant de se montrer légèrement austère entre le milieu et la finale. L'expression manque. »
Galloni : 93-96/100 « The 2023 Climens is a dense, racy Barsac. Today is embryonic, but the potential is there. A wine of textural resonance, Climens offers up an exotic mélange of dried apricot, pear, spice, dried flowers, orange peel and passion fruit. I am very much looking forward to tasting this in bottle. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 100% Sémillon
- Organic certification:
- 2016
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Like many Sauternes crus, Climens has been producing a confidential 100% Semillon cuvée since 2022. Thanks to precision work during pressing and ageing in glass globes, Lilium expresses with a great purity the aromatic richness of this emblematic Sauternes grape variety, in a great gourmet white wine with a silky texture.
Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « La douceur du fruit est une caresse dans ce sec de sémillon gracieux, au corps aérien, à la saveur nuancée de verveine et de guimauve, abricotée au point qu’elle pourrait évoquer celle d’un condrieu. Une proposition très originale et séduisante, dont la liberté de ton peut surprendre. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « Rich, creamy and beautifully textured, the 2023 offers up scents of apricot, passion fruit, pineapple and exotic white flowers. It's an especially tropical style of Sémillon, but bright acids provide a lovely counterpoint. »
Martin : 89-91/100 « The 2023 Lilium, the pure dry Sémillon from Climens, has a delightful, pretty, finely delineated bouquet with lemon rind and orange blossom scents. The palate is a little more honeyed on the entry compared to other dry Sauternes-a tad richer, with lemon curd and vanilla scents. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 12.5%
- Blend:
- 100% Sémillon
- Organic certification:
- 2022
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The best cru bourgeois of Saint-Julien (it could easily have been classified in 1855), kept by the Saint-Pierre team, even owner, and in very good shape in the last vintages. The Médoc's best value par excellence.
Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Le cru signe encore une belle réussite, avec une belle mise en avant de son fruité légèrement acidulé et très juteux. Un ensemble de bel équilibre, à la fois digeste et persistant en finale. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 91-92/100 « Excellent fruit, très ouvert, très typé de son secteur, boisé presque insensible et vrai caractère saint-julien. »« Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, charnu au milieu et surtout très aromatique dans le dernier tiers du palais, le vin glisse, suave et gras vers une finale séveuse et charmante. C'est très bon. »
Le Point : 17/20 « Ronce, framboise sauvage, bouche élégante, bonne matière. Long, fin, droit. »
Quarin : 92/100 « Nez intense, fin, pur, fruité et subtil. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, charnu au milieu et surtout très aromatique dans le dernier tiers du palais, le vin glisse, suave et gras vers une finale séveuse et charmante. C'est très bon. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Gloria is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Red-toned fruit, crushed flowers, white pepper and mocha are nicely dialed up. this super-classic Saint-Julien delivers the goods. Best of all, it should be a great value. »
Martin : 90-92/100 « It has a succinct bouquet with black cherries, red plum and pronounced floral aromas that emanate from the Petit Verdot. The palate is medium-bodied with bright blackberry and raspberry fruit, quite a minerally Gloria with a more linear, stricter finish than the 2022, as you would expect. There's also fine salinity here. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.3%
- Blend:
- 50% Cabernet sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit verdot, 5% Cabernet franc
- Organic certification:
- 2024
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Full-bodied, fat and with a characteristic vanilla woody taste, the dry white wine of Lynch-Bages plays the charm and fabric card. Less than 2000 cases produced each year, far insufficient for global success.
Quarin : 92/100 « Ce vin vient juste d'être mis en bouteilles. Couleur pâle, aux reflets verts. Nez intense, fin, pur et fruité, sentant bon la poire. En bouche, la joie de boire bon et frais m'enchante. Corps juteux et parfumé (merci la muscadelle), texture soyeuse, le vin jongle dans la bouche. C'est superbe ! »
Le Point : 15.5/20 « Sauvignon mûr, plutôt délicat, frais, une discrétion aromatique à tendance pierreuse qui rappelle le sancerre. »
Galloni : 92/100 « The 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages, just bottled a week before this tasting, is terrific. Bright citrus peel, dried flowers, almond, lime and crushed rocks lend quite a bit of nuance. A dollop of Muscadelle adds tropical flair without
overpowering the balance. This is very nicely proportioned. »
Martin : 87-89/100 « The 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages has a fresh, orchard-fruit-scented bouquet, maybe a bit constrained since it was only bottled two weeks prior to my visit. The palate is well balanced with more complexity than the aromatics at the
moment-pear and white peach, with almond shavings toward the finish. Fine. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.2%
- Blend:
- 81 % Sauvignon blanc, 11 % Sémillon, 8 % Muscadelle
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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!
Revue du Vin de France : 95-96/100 « Le vin est spectaculaire et flamboyant. Dès le nez, il impose l’intensité de son fruit. La bouche déroule des flots de saveurs très intenses et persistantes, mais avec un équilibre et une qualité de tanins remarquables. »
Bettane & Desseauve : 94-95/100 ♥ Coup de cœur « Grande robe bleu nuit, corps considérable, tannins sans astringence, texture veloutée, tout en profondeur, peut-être un peu moins réactif que quelques pairs dans le retour de fraîcheur propre aux cabernets du millésime. »
Le Point : 17-17.5/20 « Bouche large, tannique, tendue, finale serrée. De la matière, mais brut de fonderie à ce stade, comme souvent pour Lynch-Bages. L'élevation devrait adoucir le côté rugueux des tanins. »
Quarin : 95/100 « Couleur noire. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et fruité. Ample à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, gras et même complexe, le vin évolue un brin tannique, mais si riche en saveurs ! Il fond en finale, long, fruité et profond. C'est très bon ! Et pour les passionnés de dégustation, j'ajoute que je l'ai en plus regoûté après la dégustation du vin blanc. Chose épatante, cette confrontation ne renforce pas le tannin du vin rouge, un signe très positif. »
Galloni : 94-97/100 « The 2023 Lynch-Bages is a dark, brooding wine. In so many vintages, Lynch-Bages is a wine of sensuality, but in 2023, it is quite the powerhouse. Formidable tannins wrap around a core of black fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and gravel. This is a somber, introspective Lynch-Bages with a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon character. I can't wait to taste this from bottle. »
Martin : 93-95/100 « On the nose, glossy black fruit mixes with touches of cassis, graphite, violets and blood orange, perhaps demonstrating more horsepower than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. There is a lovely symmetry to this Pauillac (not unlike Latour), armed with a cashmere texture and plenty of backbone on the finish, even though I would not describe it as a "grippy" Lynch-Bages. There's plenty of graphite character on the aftertaste. Excellent. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.7%
- Blend:
- 71 % Cabernet sauvignon, 24 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet franc, 2 % Petit verdot
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On the terroir of Pez, known to be the best in St-Estèphe (excluding classified growths), the Cazes family uses the same recipes here as those that made Lynch-Bages so successful: generous fruit and opulent texture. Ormes de Pez is an'almost' Lynch-Bages but at a quarter of the price!
Revue du Vin de France : 91-93/100 « Il joue dans le club des grands séducteurs, avec une bouche bien fruitée et suave, qui s’étire sur des tanins souples et intégrés, avec un côté très digeste et fluide en bouche. Tout à fait dans l’esprit du cru. »
Le Point : 17/20 « Baies noires, note épicée, bouche droite, épicée, belle matière, tanins enrobés. Long, séduisant avec du fond. »
Quarin : 91/100 « Beau rouge sombre. Nez intense, au fruité mûr. Nuance de goudron. Touche crémeuse. Bouche immédiatement juteuse, se développant très fruitée, avec du corps, de la tendreté sans affaiblir le déroulé général. Longueur normale. Ensemble très réussi. »
Galloni : 91-93/100 « The 2023 Ormes de Pez is a powerful, bold Saint-Estèphe. Black cherry, gravel, incense, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and cured meat infuse the 2023 with tons of Saint-Estèphe personality. Burly and rustic, in a good sense, the 2023 has tons of character. The Merlots feel pretty ripe and exuberant in this sample. »
Martin : 91-93/100 « The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and well balanced with gentle grip. The new oak (45%) is well integrated. Suffice it to say, this is much more promising. »More- To keep or to drink:
- Available early 2026
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Blend:
- 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc