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Bordeaux 2024 En Primeur

Bordeaux 2024 En Primeur

After our annual cask-tasting visit to Bordeaux, we are still digesting our notes on the 2024 vintage.  Quality was very uneven, but through careful tasting, we still managed to find wines made to a very high standard. 

2024 was one of the most difficult vintages in recent times, due to a wet summer.  In the vintages of thirty and twenty years ago, weather like this would have shown through in the glass, producing dilute wines with unripe tannins and probably a distinct whiff of musty dampness.  This brings back memories for Antony of working a stage in Margaux in the 1994 vintage, and for Tim of visiting Bordeaux as an MW Student to taste the 2004 vintage and hearing about controversial winemaking trends like reverse osmosis, used to concentrate dilute wines.

In general, the 2024s show how far winemaking practices have come since then, so banish the wines of those days from your mind.  Even the poorer Cru Bourgeois and less successful Cru Classé were miles ahead of vintages like '94 in terms of quality (and it's worth remarking that '94 did produce wines that have aged well, like the bottle of Brane Cantenac which we opened recently!). 

Tasting the 2024s, we generally found attractive floral and fruit aromas, clean fruit flavours, and ripe tannins, with fresh, balancing acidity.  What was harder to find was the level of fruit concentration and, above all, the palate length and complexity that our customers should rightly expect of wines at the prices charged these days by top estates.  We had to make a very rigorous assessment, selecting a much smaller-than-usual range of wines that represent what we feel is the very best of 2024, wines that will live for a long time and that deserve a place in your cellar.  

The wait is now on to see what will happen regarding pricing.  Some Bordeaux merchants are hoping for a drastic return to price levels of a decade ago.  We expect to see the first releases next week!

 

RED 2024 Château Angelus 75cl £1,074 per case of 6 Château Angelus
2024 / / 75cl
£1,074 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, cropped at a very honorable 40 hectoliters per hectare, the 2024 Angélus has turned out well, offering up aromas of dark berries, minty plums and violet, framed by a deft touch of toasty oak. Medium-bodied, ample and suave, it's polished and textural, with sweet but present tannins and creditable persistence on the finish. 90-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Vivid plum colour, cedar and gunsmoke on the opening, skilfully and carefully put together, slim through the palate, but this is very clearly finessed, sleek, with quiet confidence, and pumice stone texture, cherry pit, squid ink, damson, rosebud, Cabernet Franc dominant in terms of its floral aromatics. 39hl/h yield, 40th anniversary vintage of Hubert de Böuard. This will for sure be ready to drink earlier than many vintages of Angélus, but it is well structured and will age for many years to come. No chaptilisation. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Angelus is very fine. It is the first vintage I have tasted that captures the newer approach at Angelus, one where the wines are not as extracted as in the past. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and menthol fill out the layers effortlessly. Here, too, the wine shows superb balance and real textural presence. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, with the Merlot being raised in 80% new oak and 20% once-filled barrels, and the Cabernet Franc in equal parts foudres and new smaller French oak barrels. The 2024 is mid-weight, classy and polished. Drink 2030-2054. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
RED 2024 Château Angludet 75cl £242 per case of 12 Château Angludet
2024 / / 75cl
£242 per case of 12
IB
Tasting NotesFragrant, floral, white flowers, just super sappy and enjoyable, well balanced and carefully constructed, a little dilute through the mid palate but the focus is on the fruit. Sichel family owners, headed up by Benjamin Sichel. 60% barrels and 40% amphoras. 29 hl/ha yield. Biodynamic certified. 91 points" janeanson.com
RED 2024 Château Angludet Magnum £260 per case of 6 Château Angludet
2024 / / Magnum
£260 per case of 6
IB
RED 2024 Château Beaumont 75cl £110 per case of 12 Château Beaumont
2024 / / 75cl
£110 per case of 12
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Beaumont has a perfumed bouquet with black cherry and raspberry scents—it's almost Burgundian in style! The palate is medium-bodied and sapid with grainy tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a fresh, clean, lightly spiced finish that lingers in the mouth. Always a solid performer, this is an enjoyable Beaumont to enjoy over the next decade. Tasted twice with consistent notes.  2027-2037.  88-90 points."  Neal Martin------"The 2024 Château Beaumont is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest 5% Petit Verdot. It has a healthy ruby/purple hue as well as attractive aromatics of red and black currants, leafy herbs, and spicy oak. It's balanced, medium-bodied, has a supple, layered, elegant mouthfeel, and ripe tannins, all making for an undeniably delicious Haut-Médoc.  89-91 points."  Jeb Dunnuck------"The 2024 Beaumont is a very pretty and expressive Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois. Floral, savory and earthy top notes give the 2024 lovely aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. All the elements are so nicely balanced. This is a terrific showing, made all the more notable by highly challenging conditions that included a very rare bout of hail during harvest. Tasted two times.  89-91 points."  Antonio Galloni------"Nicely done, with fine tannins and attractive fruit that deliver currant and dark cherry character. Shows potential.  91-92 points."  JamesSuckling.com
RED 2024 Château Beychevelle 75cl £347 per case of 6 Château Beychevelle
2024 / / 75cl
£347 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.  Aromatically expressive. Red- and dark-berry fruit to the fore. Palate fresh and harmonious with integrated tannins. Structured. Classic in style.  16.5 points."  (JL) Jancisrobinson.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Black cherries, fresh red currants and mulberries scents slowly emerge from the glass, plus hints of wild sage and pencil lead. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers red berry and savory flavors with great tension and lightly chewy tannins, finishing with a skip in its step.  92-94 points."  Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2025------"A pure, balanced, absolutely classy Saint-Julien, the 2024 Château Beychevelle is deep purple-hued with ample red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with notes of graphite, lead pencil, and background oak. It's balanced, medium-bodied, has polished tannins, the fresher, juicy acidity of the vintage, and a great finish. The blend is 55% Cabernet, 42% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot checking in at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.57 and an IPT of 75. 92-94 points."  Jeb Dunnuck------"Good depth and complexity here from this light, acid-driven vintage. Violets, fresh herbs, blackcurrants, berries and a touch of paprika and white pepper. Bright and succulent on the palate with firm, crunchy tannins and a structured finish.  94-95 points."  (ZS) JamesSuckling.com------"The 2024 Beychevelle might very well be the wine of the vintage in Saint-Julien. It is certainly among the very best I tasted on the Left Bank. Plush, inky and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2024 is so silky and inviting. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha and spice are some of the many notes that stain the palate. The sustained, resonant finish is a thing of beauty. Tasted two times. 2032 - 2054.  95-97 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2025
RED 2024 Château Branaire Ducru 75cl £159 per case of 6 Château Branaire Ducru
2024 / / 75cl
£159 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Lovely bright plum colour, slim blue and black fruits, coffee bean and cedar oak notes, carefully constructed with balance, a little short on the finish compared to the excellent recent vintages at Branaire. 55% new oak. 41.5 hl/ha, this is the first vintage with the new cellars, François-Xavier Maroteaux owner and new president of the Union de Grands Crus de Bordeaux. 91 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Branaire-Ducru offers up a pretty and precise bouquet of cassis, violets and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, supple and suave, with polished tannins and tangy acids, it's a fine-boned, delicate wine from Branaire that was harvested between 20 September and 9 October. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that attained 12.8% alcohol, and it's being raised in a touch less new oak than usual. 90-92 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com
RED 2024 Château Cantemerle 75cl £193 per case of 12 Château Cantemerle
2024 / / 75cl
£193 per case of 12
IB
Tasting Notes"Aromas of sweet blackberries, minty cassis and pencil shavings introduce the 2024 Cantemerle, a medium-bodied, bright and lively wine built around sweet, youthfully chewy tannins. It's a solid effort for this large southern Médoc classified growth. 88-90 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Cantemerle is bold and expressive in the glass. Dried herbs, incense, tobacco, mocha, plum and leather build nicely in a mid-weight Haut-Médoc with plenty of layers and fine overall persistence. There's a good bit of potential here. 89-91 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com ------"The 2024 Cantemerle has a nicely composed bouquet with blackberry, sous-bois and subtle cedar scents percolating through with time. The palate is fresh and vibrant with saturated tannins, a keen line of acidity, well-integrated new oak and a very well-proportioned finish. This exceeds my expectations and is a great success in the context of the vintage. It could end up at the top of my banded score. 90-92 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Great quality, sappy, fragrant, savoury Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics. On the palate things open to show squid ink, juice, raspberry puree, liquorice root, really enjoyable, good texture. 48hl/h yield, 35% new oak, Laure Canu director, SMA Group owners. New winery to be ready for the 2025 harvest. 92 points" janeanson.com
RED 2024 Château Chasse Spleen 75cl £216 per case of 12 Château Chasse Spleen
2024 / / 75cl
£216 per case of 12
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Chasse-Spleen offers up aromas of minty cassis and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, somewhat firm and taut palate. 86-88 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Chalky, sappy, redcurrant and raspberry fruits, a little dilute through the mid palate, but skilfully balanced with spice and campfire smoke, unfussy and charming, more austere than in recent vintages. 40 hl/ha yield. 88 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Chasse-Spleen is perhaps a bit firm, but it offers very good energy and persistence. Expressive savory inflections meld into a core of plum, new leather, incense, spice, tobacco and dried herbs. This mid-weight Moulis is promising. 88-90 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
RED 2024 Château Cheval Blanc 75cl £1,650 per case of 6 Château Cheval Blanc
2024 / / 75cl
£1,650 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Cheval Blanc is a blend taken from 37 of the 45 parcels on the property. Dried flowers, mocha, rose petal and blood orange open nicely in the bouquet, leading to an understated mid-palate and a subtly persistent finish. Understated and nuanced, the 2024 offers lovely forward fruit in a soft, accessible style with no hard edges or awkward contours. All the elements are nicely put together, and yet there is no denying the fact that the 2024 is very light. Élevage will be everything here. Drink: 2032-2054. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Lilac, peony flowers, same family of aromatics as the Petit Cheval, same feeling of finesse and precision, but here everything has been taken up a notch, more density, more slate and pumice stone texture. Expect subtle complexity, a wine that steals up on you, impresses in its precision and clarity. July and August just 20mm of rain each month, well below 30 year average, 140mm rain in September, highest since 2006, harvest September 18 to October 3, 3.62ph (3.9ph in 2022), 37 plots out of the 56 in the vineyard are in here. 100% new oak for ageing. Looking forward to seeing after ageing, it has all the elements and bones in place for a totally delicious Cheval. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Cheval Blanc was picked from September 18 until October 3 and aged entirely in new oak with a little dabbling in concrete tanks and amphorae. The purity on the nose is the first facet that you notice with perfumed black cherry, blackcurrant, wild strawberry and touches of potpourri and crushed stone. There is certainly some mineralité here. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly brittle tannins. Very well balanced, this is clearly a Cheval Blanc built in a more elegant, sapid, linear style with a residual pepperiness that lingers in the mouth. It will need just 2 or 3 years in bottle and should drink well for 20 to 25 years. The 2024 is charming and refined. 2029 - 2050. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A blend of 48% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2024 Château Cheval Blanc is one of the stars of the vintage. Unwinding in the glass with notes of minty berries and plums mingled with violets, cigar wrapper and rose petals, it's medium-bodied, suave and complete, with a cool, layered core of fruit, beautifully integrated tannins and a long, aromatic finish. Pierre-Olivier Clouet and his team conducted an aggressive green harvest and also, exceptionally, used densimetric sorting to mitigate heterogenous maturity between and within bunches (a consequence of a protracted flowering), accepting losses to rot in pursuit of full maturity. Yields were 39 hectoliters per hectare at harvest, but some 34% of that was eliminated between sorting and press wine (which is never retained at Cheval Blanc). Of what fermented, however, 70% ended up in the grand vin. 94-96 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com
RED 2024 Château Clerc Milon 75cl £275 per case of 6 Château Clerc Milon
2024 / / 75cl
£275 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Clerc Milon was picked from September 24 to October 6 and raised in 55% new oak with just a little more Cabernet than previous years. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry, briar and light iodine scents that unfold nicely in the glass, though it's not as vigorous as the top vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with finely cut tannins. It has moderate weight and density, with a pleasing sweetness of fruit that comes through on the finish. This Clerc Milon has an appealing sense of composure and it should age well in bottle.  2029-2055.  91-93 points."  Neal Martin, Vinous------"The 2024 Clerc Milon is packed with blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, dried flowers and mocha. Juicy and forward, Clerc Milon has a lot to recommend it. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon savoriness to complement the wine's mid-weight structure. Lovely. Tasted two times.  91-93 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous------"Very well-made, showing warm bread and graphite to the darker fruit. Not quite dense, this is balanced, juicy and supple in the center, showing a mix of black and red berries and cedar in the finish. Medium- to full-bodied, focused and nicely structured. It has fine, firm tannins and a long, nuanced finish. Classic Bordeaux without any sweetness.  94-95 points."  (ZS) JamesSuckling.com
RED 2024 Château Cos d'Estournel 75cl £510 per case of 6 Château Cos d'Estournel
2024 / / 75cl
£510 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Highly textural, with layers and depth, this shows savoury and slim black fruits, real finesse, beautifully precise and grippy texture, cocoa bean, espresso, lovely quality. This feels genuinely old school in the best sense of the word. Harvest 23 September to 7 October. 3.52 pH. 20% new oak, 46% 1st wine. 2030-2044. 94 points." Jane Anson------"The 2024 Cos d'Estournel was picked from September 23 to October 7 and matured in 50% new oak. This has an atypically powerful bouquet, revealing black fruit laced with graphite and gravelly scents. The palate has a Pauillac-like entry that's fresh but certainly intense. There's plenty of grip in this Cos d'Estournel that's a little sweeter and reassuringly persistent on the finish compared to its peers. It does not deliver the mineralité of a top-flight Cos d'Estournel, though there's certainly much more fruit intensity than you would expect given the growing season. I observed more classicism during my second record, which suggests that the depth of fruit may become more prominent during barrel maturation. Readers should note it displayed more depth and precision on my second visit on the final day in Bordeaux. 2032 - 2065. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Cos d'Estournel is shaping up beautifully. Offering up aromas of sweet cassis, plums, pencil shavings and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and suave, reflecting this estate's pivot to a more harmonious, less aggressively extracted style. With a layered, seamless core of fruit framed by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin, it's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at 12.7% alcohol. Cos is an early-ripening terroir, and that clearly played to the relative strengths of the vintage. Harvest here began with the estate's old-vine Merlot on gravel on September 23, concluding with the last Cabernet Sauvignon on October 7. 93-95 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"There is huge depth and lots of intensity from this year's Cos. Quite powerful, deeply colored and dense, but there is freshness. Concentrated and tight-grained, with a full body and a pretty lengthy finish. Quite unique for its broadness and density, with lots of blackberries in the finish. 96-97 points." (ZS) JamesSuckling.com------"The 2024 Cos d'Estournel could very well be one of the wines of the vintage. Bright and vibrant in the g ass, with tons of energy, the 2024 impresses with its vertical structure, depth and overall balance. Blue/purplish fruit, spice, new eather, lavender and mocha are beautifully delineated throughout. The 2024 is super-classic. The modest 12.8% alcohol is notable, especially because that also means there is less extraction of wood. Cos is one of my early favorites in 2024. 2034-2054. 95-98 points." Antonio Galloni, Vinous
WHITE 2024 Château Cos d'Estournel - Château Cos d'Estournel Blanc 75cl £642 per case of 6 Château Cos d'Estournel
Château Cos d'Estournel Blanc
2024 / / 75cl
£642 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Cos d'Estournel Blanc has more delineation and tension than the Pagodes on the nose. It's more citrus-driven with touches of yuzu and lime. The palate is fresh and bright on the entry, with a keen line of acidity and an intense lemon peel- and orange zest-tinged finish. This is a very fine Cos d'Estournel Blanc that will be difficult to resist in its youth. 2027 - 2042. 92-94 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is one of the best editions of this wine I can remember tasting. Rich and ample, the 2024 possesses notable textural richness but also a good bit of moderating vibrancy. The balance here is simp y superb. Lemon confit, almond, white flowers and chalk build into the layered, resonant finish.  2026-2034.  93-95 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous------"Restrained right now, just getting revved up, delivering pear, saffron, elderflower, white tea and liquorice root. Limestone soils in northern Médoc, field grafted from Cabernet Sauvignon in 2021. This needs carafing, and should take a few years before really opening up, but has a ton of texture, confidence and character. 3.04 pH. Harvest 17 to 27 September. 8% new oak.  2026-2036.  95 points."  Jane Anson------"A full-bodied white that’s 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Very bright acidity with creamy wood influence. Intense kiwis, green stone fruit and guavas. Long, intense, textured and so vibrant, with a lasting, mouthwatering finish.  97-98 points."  (ZS) JamesSuckling.com
WHITE 2024 Château Coutet 75cl £167 per case of 6 Château Coutet
2024 / / 75cl
£167 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Dried mangoes, pineapple, sweet lemons and some dried durian. Nicely unctuous with a long, flavorful finish. Waxy and medium- to full-bodied for a Barsac. 93-94 points." (ZS) JamesSuckling.com------"The 2024 Coutet was picked over six tries although the final ones were not used with 134 g/L residual sugar this year. It has quite an intense bouquet with beautifully defined lemon thyme and light peach aromas. The palate is well balanced with a vivacious opening, lively apricot and quince notes and concentration effortlessly offset by the silver thread of acidity. Composed and persistent on the finish, this is a superb Coutet.  94-96 points."  Neal Martin, Vinous------"The 2024 Coutet is a dense, voluptuous Sauternes. Orange peel, apricot jam, passion fruit, pineapple and white flowers convey tons of exoticism. Ample and resonant on the palate, with superb depth, Coutet is outstanding in 2024.  94-96 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous
WHITE 2024 Château Coutet Half bottle £187 per case of 12 Château Coutet
2024 / / Half bottle
£187 per case of 12
IB
Tasting Notes"Dried mangoes, pineapple, sweet lemons and some dried durian. Nicely unctuous with a long, flavorful finish. Waxy and medium- to full-bodied for a Barsac. 93-94 points." (ZS) JamesSuckling.com------"The 2024 Coutet was picked over six tries although the final ones were not used with 134 g/L residual sugar this year. It has quite an intense bouquet with beautifully defined lemon thyme and light peach aromas. The palate is well balanced with a vivacious opening, lively apricot and quince notes and concentration effortlessly offset by the silver thread of acidity. Composed and persistent on the finish, this is a superb Coutet.  94-96 points."  Neal Martin, Vinous------"The 2024 Coutet is a dense, voluptuous Sauternes. Orange peel, apricot jam, passion fruit, pineapple and white flowers convey tons of exoticism. Ample and resonant on the palate, with superb depth, Coutet is outstanding in 2024.  94-96 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous
RED 2024 Château d'Armailhac 75cl £167 per case of 6 Château d'Armailhac
2024 / / 75cl
£167 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 dlArmailhac is a very beautiful wine. Dark, layered and intensely aromatic, the 2024 is so expressive. The percentage of Cabernet Franc from 60+ year-old vines is h-gh -n this vintage, and that very much comes through in the wine's perfume and saline intensity. All the elements are so well integrated. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, cedar and new eather explode on the finish. Tasted two times. 2032-2044.  90-92 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous------"The 2024 Chateau d'Armailhac was picked from September 25 to October 8. It has a slightly distant nose at first that demands coaxing from the glass. This is not its usual outgoing self, though that said, it is well-defined with black fruit and I-ght damp oam scents. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a peppery entry. Th-s lingers nice y in the mouth with fine grip and a p easant roundness that emerges toward the graphite-tinged finish. Give it two or three years in bottle.  2027-2047.  90-92 points." Neal Martin, Vinous------"A fragrant, floral nose with fresh red cherries, berries and touches of cocoa powder and graphite. Bright and poised, this has medium body, vibrant acidity and an expressive finish. No sweetness. Juicier and more classic this year, though not as concentrated. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 14% merlot and 14% cabernet franc.  93-94 points."  (ZS) JamesSuckling.com, April 2025
RED 2024 Château de Fieuzal 75cl £240 per case of 12 Château de Fieuzal
2024 / / 75cl
£240 per case of 12
IB
RED 2024 Château Duhart Milon 75cl £276 per case of 6 Château Duhart Milon
2024 / / 75cl
£276 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Shows density and balance, with leafy but fragrant aromatics that unfurl slowly, and bright acidity that is not overpowering to the blueberry and blackcurrant fruits. The skill of the Lafite team is clear here, and this is a classically balanced Duhart that will age well. Harvest September 25 to October 4, 32hl/h yield, above the Pauillac average. Moulin de Duhart is not being sold En Primeur.  92 points" janeanson.com------"A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, the 2024 Duhart-Milon was cropped at 32 hectoliters per hectare, and it was here that the Lafite team concluded the harvest. Offering up aromas of cassis and red berries mingled with hints of violets, pen ink, licorice and toasty oak, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a round, integrated, charming profile, concluding with a moderately persistent finish. 90-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com
RED 2024 Château Giscours 75cl £213 per case of 6 Château Giscours
2024 / / 75cl
£213 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Giscours was picked from September 19 to October 11 and matured in 50% new oak. It has a forward and generous bouquet with ripe red cherry, kirsch and cassis scents, with a touch of pencil shavings in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and grainy tannins that frame mainly black fruit. Overall, this is a Giscours cut in a classical style, although the finish needs to cohere and muster more precision during its barrel maturation. An enjoyable Giscours for sure, even if it does not reach the heights of recent vintages. This was tasted three times. 2030 - 2045. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Features scents of fresh blackberries and black raspberries with hints of pine sap, pencil shavings, and Provence herbs in the background. The light to medium-bodied palate is light on its feet and vibrant with a lively line and lightly chewy tannins, finishing earthy. 92-94 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"A fresh and vivid red, showing blackcurrants, herbs and hints of needles and dried flowers. Medium-bodied. Nicely chewy tannins extend to the medium-long finish, which is bright, firm and linear. A Giscours that shows the elegance and balance of the vintage. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. 93-94 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com------"Plush, impressive colour, with medium to full intensity inky plum. Good quality, feels like a true En Primeur sample with its fragrance, austerity, well built tannins, impressive, sappy, savoury and understated black fruits. Will take its time to show the fragrant heart of Margaux, but it's in there. Alex Van der Beek director. Famille Albada Jelgersma. 35 hl/ha yield. 94 points" janeanson.com------"Based on 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot, the 2024 Château Giscours offers beautiful darker currants, cassis, and violets intermixed with classy oak notes. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated on the palate, it offers elegant tannins, beautiful balance, and impressive length. The harvest was very late here, and it shows in the depth and concentration of the wine. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 Giscours has turned out very well indeed. Offering up incipiently complex aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with orange zest, licorice, violets and burning embers, it's medium to full-bodied, with good density and richness, with a layered, rather muscular palate and a long, expansive finish. The 2024 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The estate retained cover crops to amplify the dry conditions in July and August, accelerating ripening, and once again picked by vine age within blocks, bringing in the younger-vine fruit earlier before it could rot. Merlot came in between 19 and 28 September, and the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked very late, between 1 and 11 October. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Giscours is impressive. Elegant and sleek, with fine balance, Giscours is all class. The bouquet alone is so enticing. Small red berry fruit, spice, tobacco, mint and cedar are all finely sketched in a mid-weight, nervy Giscours that is quite showy right out of the gate. There is a bit of edginess in the tannins, but that's not anything that can't be addressed with élevage. A closing burst of aromatics leaves a long-lasting impression. Tasted three times. Drink 2032-2044. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
RED 2024 Château Gruaud Larose 75cl £258 per case of 6 Château Gruaud Larose
2024 / / 75cl
£258 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Gorgeous dark ruby colour with vivid reflections, slow and steady reveal of grilled earth, savoury rose bud, peony, black tea and floral Cabernet finesse. This is a little softer than the recent exceptional vintages of Gruaud, but the fragrant aromatics have a ton of charm, and this shows skilful construction. Harvest 27 September to 8 October, 3.55pH, 31hl/h yield, slap bang on the appellation average, organic certified. 40% of production in this 1st wine. 95% new oak for ageing.  93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Gruaud Larose shows excellent potential, bursting with notes of cassis, pencil shavings, iris and violets. Medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, it's ample and pure, with a precise, refined pro-life and good persistence on the finish. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, it is the fruit of a growing season defined by fully 30 organic phytosanitary treatments and a harvest that concluded on October 8. It checks in at 12.4% alcohol and pH 3.77 (for Gruaud, a rather low number). 92-94 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Gruaud Larose is very fine. Dark and ample, with gorgeous presence, the 2024 has so much to offer. Dark blue/purplish fruit, new leather, gravel, spice, lavender and dried herbs build effortlessly. Readers will find a Saint-Julien endowed with notable textural depth. The finish is perhaps just a touch narrow, but élevage may very well help with that. Drink: 2034-2054. 92-94+ points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
RED 2024 Château Haut Bages Liberal 75cl £270 per case of 12 Château Haut Bages Liberal
2024 / / 75cl
£270 per case of 12
IB
Tasting Notes"Leafy and fragrant, attractive quality and you can see the careful construction, just a little tight on the finish. Never the biggest-shouldered wine in Pauillac, but it is juicy and finely boned, good qualty. 3.57 pH. Harvest 24 September to 4 October. 30 hl/ha. 40% new oak. High Cabernet Sauvignon in the vintage, up at almost 95%. 30hl/h yields. 88 points" janeanson.com------"More open and gourmand than expected, the 2024 Haut-Bages-Libéral offers up aromas of dark berries, mulberries, cassis and flowers mingled with delicate notes of menthol. Medium-bodied, structured and dense for the vintage, it's built around firm tannins with a lively mid-palate and a spicy finish. This is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. 87-89 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Haut-Bages Libéral was cropped at 30 hl/ha between September 24 and October 4. It's due to be aged for 12 months in 63% new oak barrels and 37% in avoid amphoras. This has a lucid purple hue. The nose is a little timid at first but opens with a few swirls of the glass, revealing blackberry, wild hedgerow and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied, reserved in style and grainy in texture, with lighter tannins than the previous vintages and a graphite-infused finish. Unashamedly classic Pauillac in style, this is a successful biodynamic wine that has a spring in its step. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Haut-Bages Liberals a classy, polished wine. Silky contours meld around a core of succulent red-toned fruit, white pepper, blood orange and cinnamon. The 2024 is airy and a bit lighter texturally than most vintages, but all the signatures of the property are quite present. 91-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

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