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 Haut Bailly | 75cl | £345 per case of 6 | Château Haut Bailly 2024 / / 75cl £345 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Savoury, precise and poised, with lovely texture, softly spoken with high floral aromatics, rose petals, peony, fine tannins, drawn out character, long slow build of tension through the palate, unrolling to show white truffle and mint leaf. Tannic grip, estate signature, more softly spoken than in recent vintages, but Haut-Bailly has proved over and over again that it is capable of delivering over the long term, and that it delivers excellence even in challenging vintages - an upscore potential in bottle. Harvest 18 September to 4 October, 30hl/h yield. Gabriel Vialard technical director. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Haut-Bailly is an elegant, classy wine. Soft, sensual contours lend notable charm. The 2024 is an especially aromatic, perfumed Haut-Bailly. Its mid-weight structure is best described as Burgundian, for lack of a better term. Silky tannins frame it all in style. Readers should expect a decidedly understated, quiet Haut-Bailly. 2030 - 2054. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Haut-Bailly was picked from September 25 to October 4 and matured in 50% new oak, possibly with a shorter élevage. As usual, it deserves patience at this stage as it gradually opens and coheres with aeration. This has a perfumed bouquet built around redcurrant, cranberry and wild strawberry fruit. It's quite floral in style with finely delineated touches of freshly-rolled tobacco and wilted rose petal. The palate is creamy on the entry and velvety in texture, with finely chiseled, lace-like tannins. It is very well balanced with one of the few sensual vintages that you will find from this year. This will be much earlier drinking than other vintages, but that does not detract from what will be one of the most pleasurable 2024s to drink. 2030 - 2055. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Haut Brion | 75cl | £1,440 per case of 6 | Château Haut Brion 2024 / / 75cl £1,440 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Medium to full intensity, takes its time to open, this is carefully built, slow and steady in its expression, textured, restrained, cocoa bean, espresso, redcurrant, orchard, sage, bilberry. Very much a classical style of Haut-Brion that will I am sure give great pleasure after a decade in bottle - not as monumental as some, but don't count this out - there are all the bones of this exceptional wine, and the tannic architecture will widen over ageing. 1.7% press, 75% new oak, 26hl/h yield, Jean-Pierre Masclef technical director and Jean-Pierre Delmas estate director. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Haut-Brion is more perfumed than La Mission Haut-Brion, unfurling in the glass with aromas of raspberries, cassis, dark berries and spices mingled with elegantly floral touches. Medium to full-bodied, layered and sappy, it has a firm texture and powdery tannins, leading to a long, spicy and lead pencil-inflected finish. Composed of 47.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Merlot and 15.3% Cabernet Franc, this vintage features one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Franc in recent years—comparable to vintages such as 1993, 2004, 2010, 2011 and 2020—and should gain harmony with the élevage. In the context of the vintage, this is a notable success, owing in large part to Haut-Brion’s intramural position in Pessac, where the estate’s terroir benefits from slightly warmer average temperatures than properties located outside the city, contributing to more complete ripening of the grapes. 93-95 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Haut-Brion, which contains more Cabernet Franc this year from a high-performing vat, has an altogether more polished, powerful and fruit-driven bouquet than La Mission at the moment. Black and blue fruit, black olive and subtle sea spray scents emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, vibrant and focused, with fine tannins and an engaging underlying sapidity coming through with more weight and sustain on the finish. This is a very capable Haut-Brion that will not kowtow to the challenges of the 2024 season—rather, it seems to relish them. 2030 - 2055. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Haut-Brion is dark and brooding in demeanor, but obviously not as tannic or forbidding as it can be in the early going. All the Haut-Brion signatures are very much present, but they're portrayed in a decidedly understated style that speaks to the personality of the year. Black fruit, scorched earth, spice, tobacco and leather build with time in the glass. The 2024 is a super-classy Haut-Brion. There's gorgeous substance here. 2034 - 2054. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a lot of shaking to wake up scents of crushed black currants, red currant jelly, and boysenberries, followed by hints of Sichuan pepper, garrigue, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate has a firm texture of ripe, fine-grained tannins and great freshness framing the tightly wound, mineral-laced fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. 95-97 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent ------"I wouldn't be surprised to see the 2024 Château Haut-Brion be the wine of the vintage, and while it's not going to make you forget any of the recent truly great releases, it has more depth, suppleness, and charm than the vast majority of wines in the vintage. Ripe blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, crushed stone, and violets all define the aromatics, and it has nicely integrated oak, a layered, ripe, seamless mouthfeel, and building tannins. It's a beautiful, layered, elegant Haut-Brion. 95-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"This year, the style of Haut Brion shows through with transparency, beautiful balance and precision. Fine austerity, with excellent minerality, dark olives and red and dark berries. Structured on the mid-palate. Beautiful depth for the vintage, with really fine-grained tannins and a lengthy finish that lingers. So much vibrancy and finesse. A classic vintage. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château La Chenade | 75cl | £144 per case of 12 | Château La Chenade 2024 / / 75cl £144 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 La Chenade offers up aromas of pepper, pencil shavings, dark berries and licorice. Medium-bodied, structured and firm, it's layered with a good chassis of tannins built around tangy acids, concluding with a grippy, short finish. 85-87 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Redcurrant, blueberry and white pepper, with gentle earthy notes. Less 'Pomerol-adjacent' than in some vintages, but this has charm, and a sense of precision and lift, 35hl/h yield after hail. No chaptilisation, harvest September 22 to 28, 57% new oak. 88 points" janeanson.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Notes of fresh black and red plums and wild strawberries spill from the glass, followed by hints of damp soil and black pepper. The light to medium-bodied palate is soft with black and red berry flavors with soft acidity and a peppery finish. 87-89 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent ------"The 2024 La Chenade was picked on September 22 and September 28 for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, respectively. It then matured in 52% new oak. Lovely blueberry and violet scents blossom on the nose, fresh and seductive in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, gentle grip, fine backbone and a subtle graphite note on the finish. This will be difficult to resist from the get-go. Drink: 2027-2038. 88-90 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, named after the lieu-dit in Lalande-de-Pomerol, the 2024 Château La Chenade is deep purple-hued and has impressive aromatics of juicy black cherries, violets, red plums, and tobacco. This upfront, juicy, medium-bodied, round, lush 2024 is a crowd pleaser. 89-91 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 La Chenade is gorgeous. Deep, pliant and textured, the 2024 has so much to offer Dark red fruit, mocha, espresso, lavender and licorice all meld together in a sumptuous, beautifully layered Lalande-de-Pomerol that hits all the right notes. Floral and citrus overtones perk up the vibrant finish. 2026-2034. 90-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A linear and crunchy red with mineral and stone character. Medium body, fine tannins and a lightly chewy finish. A blend of 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. 92-93 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château La Gaffeliere | 75cl | £213 per case of 6 | Château La Gaffeliere 2024 / / 75cl £213 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Unwinding in the glass with a gently oaky bouquet of dark berries, spices, mulberries and licorice, the 2024 La Gaffelière is medium to full-bodied, lively and tense. Its incisive mid-palate is framed by brittle tannins that assert themselves in a short, chalky finish. Time will likely tame its slight rusticity. 90-92 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Smoky oak impact on the opening, dense fruit to accompany, with lilac and iris, chalky palma violets, good quality and texture, cloves and cassis. Austerity comes in pretty strongly through the mid palate, this is one to look out for after ageing, and is a potential upscore in bottle. Third vintage since they stepped back from the classification. Harvest 25 September to 7 October. 50% new oak. Tasted twice. 93 points" janeanson.com------"Rose petals, some black cherries and red berries. A hint of coffee beans. Fleshier on the palate than many of its counterparts, showing medium body and bright acidity. Good length to close. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com------"Based on 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, and aging in 50% new oak, the 2024 Château La Gaffelière sports a deep purple hue and reveals darker cherries, blue fruits, graphite, and floral nuances. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated, it has a focused, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 La Gaffelière was picked from September 24 to October 8 at 42 hl/ha, aged in 60% new oak including 10% in 500-liter casks. This has a very seductive bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry and light Indian ink scents unfolding in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with succulent tannins, impressive mid-weight density and a crisp, mineral finish. La Gaffelière has been on a run of form recently and the 2024 overcomes the challenges of the vintage with style. 2029 - 2050. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 La Gaffelière confirms its place as one of the top properties in Saint-Émilion in this challenging vintage. Bright and dynamic in the glass, with terrific persistence, the 2024 sizzles with tension. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender and crushed rocks open in the glass. The finesse of the tannins is impossible to miss. The 2024 is not a huge wine, but its finesse is evident. Blue/purplish fruit, slate and clean mineral overtones extend the long, sculpted finish. Tasted three times. 2034-2054. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château La Mission Haut Brion | 75cl | £870 per case of 6 | Château La Mission Haut Brion 2024 / / 75cl £870 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Medium to full intensity, vibrant plum colour, this is elegant and balanced, with the same juicy orchard apple character that you find in La Chapelle, along with cloves, incense, slate, crayon and baking spice, lots of complexity and balance. The aromatics are a little subdued right now but this has ageing ability and estate signature. 5.3 press, 75% new oak, 26hl/h yield. 94 points" janeanson.com------"Notes of dark berries, spices, mulberries and discreet hints of new oak preface the 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, dense and attractively seamless wine for the vintage, with a textural mid-palate that's underpinned by a firm chassis of tannins, concluding with a long, broad and rather ripe finish. Slightly austere at this stage, it is likely to flesh out with élevage, developing into a structured and serious La Mission with promising aging potential. Like its sibling Haut-Brion, the estate benefited from its intramural location in Pessac, which allowed for more complete ripening in a year that posed greater challenges for some other Pessac-Léognan properties. 93-95 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion is such a classy wine. Strong floral and savory notes meld into a core of plum, blackberry, gravel, spice, leather, tobacco and incense. Medium in body, with no hard edges, the 2024 is a delight. It offers lovely freshness and energy throughout. There is a bit of graininess in the tannin, a reminder of the challenges of the growing season. Drink 2038-2039. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Red and black currants, cold fireplace, violets, and a beautiful tobacco and lead pencil quality all emerge from the 2024 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium-bodied Pessac based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's pretty and perfumed, with good intensity and a seamless, layered mouthfeel. The tannins are fine and integrated, giving it a graceful, approachable style that still holds to the classic La Mission profile. Compared to the more inward and structured Haut-Brion, this is more open-knit and front end-loaded. It should offer plenty of early appeal yet still have the class to evolve gracefully. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion has a beautifully defined bouquet with pure, mineral-led black fruit, hints of blueberry and a subtle sea spray influence. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins. Fresh and vibrant, this La Mission feels very cohesive and sophisticated. No, there is not the depth and persistence of a top-drawer vintage, but its noticeable complexity is a cut above. 2031 - 2050. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a little patient swirling to bring out evocative scents of juicy black plums, fresh blackberries, and kirsch, plus nuances of lilac, star anise, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is satiny textured with great energy and freshness, delivering layers of blackberries and floral notes, finishing long and perfumed. 94-96 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent |
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| RED | 2024 | Château La Petite Eglise | 75cl | £204 per case of 6 | Château La Petite Eglise 2024 / / 75cl £204 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 La Petite Eglise offers up aromas of dark berries, spices and licorice, followed by a medium-bodied, compact palate with tangy acids and firm structuring tannins. 88-90 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 La Petite Eglise is really in a class by itself when it comes to the second wines of Pomerol. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2024 exudes attractive inner perfume and fabulous balance. Inky dark red fruit, pomegranate lavender, spice, menthol, incense and rose petal stain the palate. This racy, striking Pomerol is lights out. I would be thrilled to own it. 2026-2034. 91-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 La Petite Eglise was picked between September 20 and 28 and matured in 70% new oak. This was showing a bit of reduction on the nose that made it a little harder to read, but there is certainly decent fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and impressive structure given the vintage and that this is a Deuxième Vin with plenty of mineral-driven black fruit on the vivacious finish. It is excellent. 2027 - 2040. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The colour here is vibrant ruby and violet, this has so much precision and energy, sapidy, cherry pit, violets, again the textural side of the vintage is at the fore, coffee beans, espresso and black chocolate, notes that I have not written in many wines this year, No chaptilisation, 3.62ph, 70% new oak, harvest september 20 to 28. Love this, has a sense of vibration that might make this the 2nd wine of the vintage. If this comes out at a good price, run don't walk, as they say. 93 points" janeanson.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Sashay out with eager-to-please scents of kirsch, fresh mulberries, and red plums, followed by hints of rose bud tea and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate has fantastic freshness with impressive intensity and fine-grained tannins, finishing long and minerally. Nice! 92-94 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"Medium-bodied with caressing, cashmere-textured tannins that are very pretty. Hints of chocolate and spices. The richness comes through beautifully in the pure fruit finish. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Lafite | 75cl | £1,713 per case of 6 | Château Lafite 2024 / / 75cl £1,713 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2024 Lafite Rothschild offers up aromas of minty blackcurrants, violets, incense, loamy soil and cigar box, followed by a medium-bodied, pillowy and open-knit palate built around tangy acids and powdery tannins, concluding with a discreetly herbal finish. Harvest began on September 24 and concluded on October 4, delivering a Lafite in something of a throwback style, nodding to the wines made here in the 1970s. 91-94 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Rich texture, this stands head and shoulders above many in the vintage, with graphite, crayon and cassis bud rather than exuberant black fruits. This is precise, savoury, delineated, floral, gunsmoke, juicy, captures the effortless elegance that Lafite does so so well, and it totally delivers. Harvest 23 September to 7 October, 32hl/h yield, above the Pauillac average, 16% press wine included in the blend. Director Eric Kohler's 33rd year in Pauillac. I am giving a slightly earlier begin drinking date than usual, but I am certain this will age exceptionally well as Lafite always does. 95 points" janeanson.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Lafite - Carruades de Lafite | 75cl | £714 per case of 6 | Château Lafite Carruades de Lafite 2024 / / 75cl £714 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2024 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 47% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet France and 2% Petit Verdot. Unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries, plums, lilac and tobacco leaf, it's medium-bodied, lively and open-knit, with a moderately persistent finish. 89-91 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Gorgeous deep plum colour, very juicy, extremely well handled, savoury and mouthwatering, cassis bud, roses, crayon, shorter on the finish than a typical Carruades, but this has plenty of subtle pleasure and will be ready to drink sooner than usual. Harvest 23 September to 7 October, 32hl/h yield, 47% of the harvest is in this wine, 12% press. 92 points" janeanson.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Langoa Barton | 75cl | £157 per case of 12 | Château Langoa Barton 2024 / / 75cl £157 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2024 Langoa Barton was picked from September 29 to October 5 and matured in 60% new oak. This is quite closed on the nose—indeed, General Manager Damien Barton had forewarned that for whatever reason, the samples had aromatically clammed up on a sunny day! The palate is medium-bodied with black plummy fruit, touches of graphite and cracked black pepper and nice grip on the mid-palate. The 2024 is not as complex as, say, the 2022, but it has an appealing, linear finish. Drink: 2029-2050. 89-91 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Ripe black cherries, spicy herbs, and nicely integrated oak all define the 2024 Château Langoa Barton, a charming, medium-bodied, nicely balanced, elegant Saint-Julien based on 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. I love its overall balance, and it has ripe, polished tannins and outstanding length. 89-92 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 Langoa-Barton is such a pretty wine. Floral and bright, with lovely mid-weight structure, Langoa is a total charmer. Rose petal, crushed red berry fruit, spice, orange peel and mint are beautifully lifted. Bright saline undertones extend the finish. The 2024 is a promising Langoa. Tasted two times. 2029-2039. 91-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Floral peony and lilac aromatics on the Langoa, and the fruit character keeps things finessed and soft - think red cherry, cherry pit, tobacco, black tea, thoroughly charming, just a little short on the finished compared to the exceptional 2022 or 2023 vintages. The difference in the blends between the two Barton St Julien wines is significant this year, with just over 50% here of Cabernet Sauvignon compared to over 90% in Léoville. Harvest 24 September to 5 October. 60% new oak, 30hl/h yield. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Langoa Barton is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries and plums mingled with notions of licorice, pencil shavings and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, with lively acids and good depth and density, it's pure and refined. This is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, picked between 24 September and 5 October. 92-94 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"A firm and refined red with blackcurrant and mineral character. Medium-bodied, chewy and polished, suggesting well-selected grapes for the vintage. Well done. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Lascombes | 75cl | £249 per case of 6 | Château Lascombes 2024 / / 75cl £249 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Reserved aromatically but fresh and appealing. Supple fruit and finely integrated tannins. Firm and persistent on the finish with marked length. Vertical in expression. Should age. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"Aromas of cassis, lilac and nicely integrated creamy new oak introduce the 2024 Lascombes, a medium to full-bodied, dense and youthfully structured young wine underpinned by a bright spine of acidity and concluding with gently chewy tannins. This was cropped at 38 hectoliters per hectare and saw a combination of tank bleeds and reverse osmosis to amp up its concentration. Maturation is in 60% new oak, with lighter toasts than was formerly the case at this address. 89-91 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Lascombes was picked between September 23 and October 9 according to ripeness levels in parcels at 38 hl/ha. This vintage is aged in barrels with less heavy toasting (60 % new), 80hl foudres and amphorn. The wine is usually finished in the last two or three months in those foudres, though Axel Heinz said that might be omitted this year. It has an elegant and pure bouquet with bright black cherry and cassis fruit. There is remarkable underlying mineralité in this wine. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite crisp and linear like many other Margaux wines. Light on its feet and very fresh with impressive precision on the finish, the 2024 is a "nimble" Lascombes that you would never have seen in the 1990s or 2000s. This is a very commendable, classically-styled wine that will give pleasure after three or four years. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"This has elegance, fine tannins, a clear expression of how Cabernet Sauvignon can perform in the vintage, rosebud, peony, slim, savoury, with fine and attractive aromatics, lovely salinity on the finish, nuanced and mouthwatering. Rises above the reputation of the vintage. Axel Heinz director. As of this vintage, only the original 1855 plots are in the wine Harvest 23 September to 9 October. 38 hl/ha yield, Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted twice. 60% new oak for ageing, 38 hl/ha, harvest 23 September to 9 October. 94 points" janeanson.com------"Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and aging in 60% new oak, the 2024 Château De Lascombes is deeper hued than the Chevalier de Lascombes and offers more cassis, graphite, classy oak, and scorched earth. Medium-bodied, it has remarkable purity, ripe, building tannins, solid mid-palate depth, balance, and length. It's another brilliant effort by technical director Axel Heinz at this château that's up there with the crème de la crème of the vintage. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2024 Lascombes represents another important step for Lascombes under its current leadership. Silky and elegant, with notable depth, the Grand Vin impresses with its textural resonance and persistence. New leather, licorice, lavender and incense weave through a core of dark-toned fruit. Lascombes is shaping up to be one of the sleepers of 2024. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. Impressive. Tasted three times. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A touch of warm bread, graphite and fresh blackberries with a touch of black pepper. Richer and more concentrated than many from this vintage, this has excellent depth, full body and very complete, fine-grained tannins. Long, broad and juicy. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc and petit verdot combined. Around 60% new oak with lighter toast now. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Léoville Barton | 75cl | £288 per case of 6 | Château Léoville Barton 2024 / / 75cl £288 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2024 Léoville Barton was picked from September 24 to October 5 and contains just a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than previous vintages. Matured in 60% new oak, this has an open bouquet with black fruit, potpourri and light sous-bois scents—quintessentially Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, well balanced and sapid in style with slightly powdery tannins on the entry and a little sinew on the finish that should be abraded during barrel maturation. This is a finely crafted Léoville Barton that should age with grace. Drink: 2030-2060. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Château Léoville Barton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's a classic Léoville Barton that brings to mind the vintages of the 1980s and 1990s, but with greater purity and precision. Aromas of cassis, ripe cherries, graphite, spicy wood, and loamy earth all emerge from the glass. Medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, it has fine tannins, integrated acidity, and a seamless mouthfeel. 91-94 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"Stands out for the elongated and supple shape and texture of the tannins, builds complexity over the palate and this is well structured, with elegant, finessed, savoury but carefully extracted cassis and bilberry fruits, with cocoa bean and cigar. One of the wines in the vintage with definition and ageing ability, and retains clear Léoville Barton character. Harvest 24 September to 5 October. 60% new oak for ageing. 94 points" janeanson.com------"A serious wine that will delight patient purists, but which also showcases the new levels of purity and precision that this estate has been attaining since completion of the new winery, the 2024 Léoville Barton is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated, with a taut but nicely integrated profile, concluding with a pure, penetrating finish. 92-94 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Léoville Barton is a very beautiful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, new leather, graphite, crushed rocks, mocha and spice all meld together. A wine of classical build, Léoville Barton is also wonderfully deep and expressive. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards, but there is a lot of wine here. I can't wait to taste this from bottle. Tasted two times. Drink 2034-2049. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A classic Bordeaux that shows finesse and poise. This is understated, with a medium body, lovely texture and acidity, freshness and brightness. It shows firm tannins that aren't chewy. Very long and honest, with pure fruit. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 2% cabernet franc. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Les Carmes Haut Brion | 75cl | £354 per case of 6 | Château Les Carmes Haut Brion 2024 / / 75cl £354 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Inky depths to the colour, touch of reduction on the opening as is often the case with En Primeur Carmes, this delivers energy, density, clarity. Austerity on the finish, but plenty of interest, savoury and muscular juicy black fruits, expect a wine that is built around about texture, architecture and savour, which is not something that I have found in many bottles in the vintage. 90% new oak, split between barrels and casks, 11% amphoras. Harvest 17 to 27 September. 3.61 pH, clay and limestone, 60 years old average vine age. 46hl/H yield in vineyard, 41hl/h after picking selection, then 24hl/h after cellar selection. All press used, no chaptilisation. 94 points" janeanson.com------"One of the most impressive wines of the vintage, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a striking effort that sets itself apart with seamless integration, even at this early stage, and a strong sense of identity. Poised, precise and unmistakably singular, it opens in the glass with a perfumed bouquet of iris, violet, dark berries, cherries, vine smoke and gentian. Medium to full-bodied, supple and notably fleshy for the vintage, it’s layered and textural, with a sappy, enveloping core of pure, vibrant fruit framed by finely grained, velvety tannins, culminating in a long, precise and gently stemmy finish. This is one of the rare wines of the vintage where sappiness is expressed with such finesse and charm, thanks in no small part to meticulous vineyard work and severe sorting in the winery. The blend is composed of 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, and it's maturing in a combination of 70% new oak, 19% foudres and 11% amphorae. 93-96 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion contains more Cabernet Franc at 48% of the blend. Picked between September 17 and 27 using 52% whole bunch, this is aged in 70% new barrels, 19% new foudres and 11% amphora. This has impressive fruit concentration on the nose with redcurrant and blackberry fruit, hints of cassis and a dab of dark chocolate. Fine delineation. After time, there is something that nods to the Northern Rhône without losing typicité. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh with fine tannins, a subtle pepperiness imparted by the whole bunches and a tingle of pain d'épices towards the finish. Very harmonious and very delicious, this should provide 20 to 25 years of drinking pleasure. 13.2% abv. 2031 - 2060. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Slowly unfurls to reveal classic Franc notes of red currant jelly, fresh blackberries, and pencil shavings, followed by hints of rose oil, fragrant soil, and crushed rocks. The light to medium-bodied palate shimmers with electric red and black berry flavors, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Nice! 60-year-old vines on clay and limestone. 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot. 52% whole bunches. pH 3.61. Aging 70% in new oak barriques, 19% in vats of 18 hl and 11% in amphorae. 95-97 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"Seamless and silky in the glass, with superb balance, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one of the wines of the vintage. All the elements are so well balanced, always a sign of a superior vintage at this address. Floral notes, spice, leather and mocha run through a core of layered, beautifully persistent dark red fruit. Harvest took place between September 17 and 25, during one of the rare windows with little rain. As always, Les Carmes is done with a high percentage of stems (52%), specifically 100% for the Cabernet Franc, 50% for the Merlot and 20% for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Aging is 70% new oak barrels, 19% 18HL foudre and 11% amphora. New oak is already very nicely integrated, another sign of a superb vintage. The 2024 is a brilliant effort by the team led by Technical Director Olivier Pouthier. 2034 - 2054. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"This is always an idiosyncratic wine. This year it’s stunning, with a unique floral aspect and excellent depth of pure blue fruit, mulberries, dried herbs and white pepper. So juicy and mouthwatering on the palate, with a medium to full body and fine tannins. There is a crystalized mouthfeel, but the tannins are fresh and well knit. This is already delicious, which indicates its superb balance. 48% cabernet franc, 29% cabernet sauvignon and 23% merlot. points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Les Cruzelles | 75cl | £96 per case of 6 | Château Les Cruzelles 2024 / / 75cl £96 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2024 Les Cruzelles is shy and introverted, offering up aromas of pepper, oak and incense. Moderately weighted, supple and lively, it's built around tangy acids and powdery tannins. 85-87 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Pops out of the glass with notes of juicy plums and Morello cherries, giving way to hints of garrigue and tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate delivers lightly chewy tannins and a good amount of expressive black and red fruit flavors, finishing earthy. 88-90 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"There is austerity here, as is classic in the vintage, but beautifully handled and balanced, with muscles, touch of cloves and again this white pepper character, with white plum, fine tannins, mouth-watering salinity on the finish. No chaptilisation, 57% new oak for ageing. 91 points" janeanson.com------"The flagship from this 9-hectare site, the 2024 Château Les Cruzelles is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc vinified all in tank and aged in 50% new oak. Ripe black cherries, red plums, violets, sappy herbs, and graphite all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a nicely balanced, concentrated mouthfeel, ripe yet firmer tannins, and outstanding length. 90-92 points" Jeb Dunnock, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Les Cruzelles was picked on September 20 and 22 with the Cabernet Franc picked on September 28, and matured in 57% new oak. This has more harmony and sensuality on the nose with a mixture of very pure black cherry and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and very well balanced, with supple ripe tannins and real delineation and poise on the finish. This surpasses many Pomerols in this vintage and, given its potential price, comes highly recommended. Drink: 2028-2045. 90-92 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Dried peonies and roses with ripe cherries and berries on the nose. Quite structured and tight, with a medium to full body and a flavorful, medium-long finish. Tannins are slightly sinewy. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. 92-93 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com------"The 2024 Les Cruzelles is laced with blue/purplish fruit, cloves, licorice, menthol, incense and gravel. Ample and broad, with terrific resonance, the 2024 is super-expressive right out of the gate. There's gorgeous resonance and fine balance here. 2026 - 2036. 91-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Lynch Bages | 75cl | £360 per case of 6 | Château Lynch Bages 2024 / / 75cl £360 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare (the lowest yield at this address since 1991), the 2024 Lynch-Bages is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Opening in the glass with aromas of minty berries and creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, dense and heavily extracted, with firm, chalky tannins that assert themselves on the mouth-puckering finish. Lynch-Bages has historically performed well in challenging vintages, but the 2024 will demand considerable patience. 87-89 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Lynch-Bages was cropped at just under 30 hl/ha and aged in 75% new oak for a planned 18 months. It has some initial reduction that is shaken off after several minutes. Very pure blackberry and blueberry fruit emerges with hints of melted tar and graphite, and iodine eventually lends more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and quite focused with grippy tannins that are impressive for their fineness. The 2024 possesses palpable mineralité and a poised finish. Though this does not touch the skyscraping heights that have been achieved in recent years, it is a "capable" Lynch-Bages that might warrant two or three years in the cellar and drink well for up to 15 years or possibly longer. Drink: 2030-2048. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Ruby with violet edging, opens to show chalk and slate tannins, giving a sense of restraint and grip, this is savoury and juicy with plenty of cassis fruits, delivers Pauillac consistency in an inconsistent vintage, and also it is just rather delicious. 75% new oak. 3.67 pH. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Lynch-Bages is packed. Cedar, scorched earth, licorice, incense and pipe tobacco weave through a core of dark, sepia-toned fruit. I especially admire the long, polished finish and overall balance here. The 2024 is a virile Lynch Bages with a bright future. Tasted two times. Drink 2034-2054. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Montlandrie | 75cl | £168 per case of 12 | Château Montlandrie 2024 / / 75cl £168 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Harvested between September 26th and 30th for the Merlot, October 3rd to 5th for the Cabernet Franc and October 4th to 5th for the Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2024 Montlandrie reveals a more open and gourmand bouquet than its siblings, with aromas of cassis, mulberries and fresh flowers. Moderately weighted and supple, the palate is enveloping, with a juicy core of fruit that offsets some firmer tannins through the mid-palate, concluding with a fresh, fruit-driven finish. Composed of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine should gain further harmony and integration throughout its élevage. 87-89 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Montlandrie was picked between September 26 and October 5 and matured in 42% new oak. This has a more low-key bouquet than the Les Cruzelles with tightly wound black plum and tertiary aromas. The palate is more expressive with smooth tannins and a keen line of acidity, though it is more linear on the finish than the aforementioned Lalande-de-Pomerol. Still, this should drink well for eight to ten years. Drink: 2028-2039 89-91 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Plum ruby colour, medium intensity, white pepper and cloves, gentle but insistent lift through the palate, very much on the textural side of the vintage, more austere than in recent years but still full of character and charm, no chaptilisation, 42% new oak, harvest September 26 to October 5, winemaker Noêmie Durantou. Tasted twice. 91 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Château Montlandrie is 60% Merlot and 20% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 50% new barrels. It has a deep purple ruby hue to go with ripe darker cherry and currant fruits as well some plenty of chalky minerality, graphite, and some violet nuances. It's nicely concentrated, medium-bodied, has plenty of mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. 90-92 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Is a touch closed to start off, needing a little patient swirling to bring out evocative notes of black raspberries and fresh blackberries, plus hints of licorice, crushed rocks, and tapenade. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers great intensity and tension with grainy tannins and a vibrant, lifted finish. Nice! 91-93+ points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"The 2024 Montlandrie is a potent, deep wine with strong Cabernet character. Dried herbs, licorice, menthol, lavender and blue/purplish Merlot fruit all race across the palate before Cabernet Sauvignon tannins come alive to frame the potent, explosive finish. Superb. 2028 - 2039. 91-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A juicy and fresh wine that delivers some nice density from this rainy year. Good depth and structure, with a medium to full body and fine-grained tannins built into the fruit. Tight-grained and pretty long. Good tannins on the palate. 60% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 20% cabernet sauvignon. 93-94 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Montrose | 75cl | £507 per case of 6 | Château Montrose 2024 / / 75cl £507 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Montrose is a serious, muscular effort that numbers among the wines of the vintage. Unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, burning embers, cigar wrapper and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, with a lively spine of acidity, rich structuring tannins and a long, penetrating finish. With both the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon recorded at Montrose and a rather low pH of 3.55, it will surely number among the longest lived 2024 Bordeaux. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Beautifully deep colour, this shows chalk, violet flowers, peony, fragrant and enticing floral profile compared to so many in the vintage, this is excellent, cocoa bean, cassis, depth, layers and concentration - one of the wines of the vintage. 15% press wine, a little more than usual. Harvest 23 September to 8 October, Pierre Grafeuille estate director. 95 points" janeanson.com----"The 2024 Montrose exudes Cabernet Sauvignon character in its aromatic savoriness and tannic structure. In fact, the 2024 has the most Cabernet Sauvignon ever. Tightly wound today, the 2024 impresses with its energy and focus. There's a bit less mid-palate and overall heft than most years, as well as a brighter fruit profile. Floral, spice and mineral overtones lend brightness throughout. The 2024 is a super-classic, nervy Montrose that will need a number of years to be at its most expressive. Aging is projected to be 18 months, with 60% new oak. 2034-2064. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Montrose has a little more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend due to the yields in various parcels. It was picked between September 23 and October 7 and matured in 60% new oak. The well-defined and very able nose demonstrates classicism, fine delineation and a little more florality than the Terrasse III. The palate is medium-bodied with very finely chiselled tannins and a keen line of acidity. This symmetrical Saint-Estèphe is blessed with an elegant, sapid and reassuringly precise finish that the estate seems to have honed in the last few years. It does not have the unbridled ambition of, say, the 2020 Montrose, but it is exceptionally well crafted and will become a fine Saint-Estèphe. 2032 - 2058. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Château Montrose is on another level and clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, it's aging in 60% new barrels. Gorgeous notes of cassis, violets, graphite, and smoky tobacco all emerge from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it has remarkable purity, fine yet building tannins, and a great finish. Coming in at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.5, this estate continues to deliver First Growth quality year after year. 94-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"This shows finesse and elegance as well as plenty of subtle red currant and blackcurrant character. Medium-bodied with refinement and length. Tender, vivid and pure. Extremely well done in a difficult year. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 3% cabernet franc. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Mouton Rothschild | 75cl | £1,521 per case of 6 | Château Mouton Rothschild 2024 / / 75cl £1,521 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Deep purple hue. Purity on the nose with notes of dark fruit and spice. Rich and full for the vintage with a fine grain of tannin. Structured and long. Good potential. 17.5 points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"Harvested between September 23 and October 5, the 2024 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot that attained 12.9% alcohol. Offering up aromas of crème de cassis, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, with a muscular, monolithic style built around austere, chalky tannins. Somewhat reminiscent of the estate's 2001 vintage (which is just coming around today at age 24), this structured, youthfully angular Mouton will require patience. 91-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Savoury and juicy, this is full of crushed rose petals, generosity of spirit even if it shows the austerity of the vintage, wrapped by bitter chocolate, cloves and spiced rosemary. Slate texture, delicious and understated, with clear ageing capacity. 3.71ph,give a good eight to ten years before drinking. Harvest 23 September to 5 October. 3.71 pH. 100% new oak. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Mouton Rothschild is embryonic. Dark, powerful and imposing, the 2024 is deeply intriguing, but also a wine that is going to need time to be at its best. Today, the tannins feel a bit brooding, the wine's mid-weight structure notwithstanding. The 100% new oak needs to integrate, but this is a barrel sample. Drink 2034-2054. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Mouton Rothschild, which has a little more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, was picked between September 23 and October 5 and aged for 18 months in 100% new oak. This has an understated bouquet with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents that take their time to unfold. The nose possesses very fine delineation though the oak is a little more prominent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style with fine tannins. A less flamboyant Mouton Rothschild in keeping with the style of the vintage, the 2024 discretely gains depth towards the finish and reveals a dash of white pepper on the aftertaste. Classy, very classy. 2031 - 2059. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"One of the wines of the vintage, if not the wine of the vintage, the 2024 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, hitting 12.9% alcohol and a pH of 3.71, that's resting in 100% new barrels. It sports a dense purple hue as well as absolutely rocking aromatics of blackcurrants, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and smoked tobacco. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, opulent mouthfeel, velvety tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's an incredible achievement in the vintage that will need just 4-6 years of bottle age and have a broad, lengthy drinking window. Hats off to technical director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy and the entire Mouton team. 95-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"This shows plenty of drive with dusty and creamy tannins that run the length of the wine and builds at the end. It’s medium-bodied showing a focus and energy. Dark currants and flowers flavor. This really has length and it has the depth to improve with age. 93% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Pichon Baron | 75cl | £489 per case of 6 | Château Pichon Baron 2024 / / 75cl £489 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2024 Pichon-Longueville Baron opens in the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries, cigar wrappers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with a dense core of fruit, tangy acids and powdery tannins, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot is a serious young Pauillac that will demand patience. 90-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Pichon Baron was aged in 70% new oak. The nose is immediate and well-defined, with mineral-driven black fruit, a touch of pencil box and subtle estuarine scents. It is quintessential Pichon Baron. The palate is fresh and delineated on the entry, endowed with a core of sapid black olive tapenade-infused black fruit. I appreciate the energy that comes through, especially towards the second half, which maintains a sense of symmetry. It will be earlier drinking compared to the 2020 or 2022, but it is a successful Pauillac in the context of the challenging growing season, though it might require a little more time in bottle. 2030 - 2055. 92-94 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Majors on the fragrant, slim and precise side of Cabernet Sauvignon, waves of cassis bud, rose stems, tobacco leaf and a mouthwatering finish. Don't expect the intensity of 2022 or 2023 at this excellent Pauillac estate, and yet there is impact and slow build through the palate. One of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon on record, will be ready to drink within five to six years compared to the usual ten to 15. 3.71pH, 70% new oak for ageing, 52% of overall production in the first wine. Harvest 15 September to 10 October, Pierre Montegut technical director, Christian Seely CEO. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Pichon Baron is a very sexy wine. Deep and layered on the palate, with fine depth, the 2024 exudes balance. Sumptuous black cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice, menthol, lavender and pine are all dialed up. There's gorgeous breadth and overall presence here. The Cabernet Sauvignon is quite high at 87%, but it is really the wine's balance that speaks loudest. Here, too, the reduction of new oak to 70% really helps the wine speak with precision. 2034-2054. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A dense wine with good richness and concentration. Slightly chewy, with an almost full body and a tight-grained finish. Long, structured and powerful. Not a lighter year for Pichon Baron, thanks to the low yield of just around 20 hectoliters per hectare. 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot. 95-96 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Pontet Canet | 75cl | £360 per case of 6 | Château Pontet Canet 2024 / / 75cl £360 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Vibrant ruby in colour with violet edging, this is beautifully measured, with a careful release of black fruits. Puts the focus on the floral side of Cabernet Sauvignon, with rose petals, chamomile, fragrant tomato leaf and lilac. There is austerity on the opening, with tight architecture but as it opens juice begins to flow through the pumice and slate-textured tannins, and this delivers a finessed, slim-style of Pauillac, with plenty of ageing potential and quiet confidence. One of the successes of the vintage. Harvest September 26 through to October 11. 3.8ph, 50% new oak, 35% concrete amphoras. Tasted twice. 2032-2046. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Pontet Canet was picked between September 26 and October 11. It matured in 50% new oak, 15% used oak and 35% in concrete amphoras. It has a very pure bouquet with black cherry, wild strawberry, cassis and light violet scents vying for attention. This is not quite as complex as the '22 I tasted a few months earlier. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins on the entry, a keen line of acidity and veins of blue fruit commingling with black pepper and light graphite notes. Cohesive on the finish, there is an attractive linearity to this Pontet Canet, with satisfying sustain that delivers about as much precision as anyone could hope for in this vintage. Give this two or three years once in bottle, and drink over the next 15. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Pontet-Canet is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here in some time, as in a long time. Brisk acids and beams of tannin shape a mid-weight, classically built Pontet Canet unlike any I have tasted. The 2024 is not an obvious wine, it does not have the opulence of most recent years, rather it is a wine that impresses with its energy, tension and class. Floral, spice and mineral notes stain the palate in this vibrant, beautifully sculpted Pontet Canet. The 2024 is seriously impressive, but it is also less immediate than what was once the norm because of a shift towards a style that favors greater energy and vibrancy than in the recent past. The evalution here is going to be fascinating to follow in the coming years. Tasted three times. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Pontet-Canet underlines the fact that daring to harvest late paid dividends in this challenging vintage, wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, black raspberries and plums mingled with accents of rose petals, licorice and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and integrated, with mid-palate density that's all too rare this year, it's layered, suave and seamless, concluding with a long, sapid finish. Picking began on September 26 and concluded on October 11, with the heart of the estate's old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon coming in between the seventh and the ninth, well after many châteaux had finished their harvest. Greater reactivity during the season means that Pontet-Canet's vineyards are gaining in vigor, while in the winery, a lighter touch with extraction, systematic climate control and a wholesale refinement of the estate's cooperage choices have brought new harmony and sensuality to this estate's wines. That has combined with a willingness to take risks with harvest dates to deliver what is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is roughly half Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. 94-96 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com |
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| RED | 2024 | Château Poujeaux | 75cl | £170 per case of 12 | Château Poujeaux 2024 / / 75cl £170 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Berry fruit with a minty freshness. Attractive, aromatic fruit on the palate. Fresh, juicy and harmonious. Some potential. 2028-2038. 16 points." (JL) Jancisrobinson.com------""Based on 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot resting in 30% new barrels, the 2024 Château Poujeaux is deep purple-hued with solid Cabernet notes of darker currants, blackberries, scorched earth, and graphite. Medium-bodied, with a focused, structured mouthfeel, ripe yet building tannins, and a good finish, it should easily end up being an outstanding wine. 88-90 points." Jeb Dunnuck------"The 2024 Poujeaux includes less Merlot but more Petit Verdot this year. It was picked from September 27 to October 9 and matured in 33% new oak for a planned 12 months. The 2024 has a straightforward bouquet with blackberry and briar scents, a little conservative compared to the fireworks in the '22, though the bottle at the chateau shows more complexity and nuance. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins, tertiary black fruit and graphite notes, classic in style with more tobacco notes towards the composed finish. This is an early- drinking Poujeaux with the substance to give 15 to 18 years of drinking pleasure. 2028-2038. 88-90 points." Neal Martin, Vinous------"Medium intensity deep plum colour, fragrant cumin and turmeric spice, this is enjoyable, sappy, a little leafy for sure but manages to capture the old school charm of a cooler Médoc vintage, and will deliver pleasure for a long time to come. Harvest September 27 to October 9. 33hl/h yield, 3.85ph, Mathieu Cuvelier owner. Tasted twice. 90 points." Jane Anson------"The 2024 Poujeaux is quite bold and savory, largely because of the elevated presence of Petit Verdot in the blend. Dried flowers, lavender, spice and licorice end dark tonalities to the bouquet. In 2024, Poujeaux is quite reticent, despite its mid-weight structure and modest 12.5% alcohol. I would cellar it for a few years, as this needs time to come together I find the 2024 a bit raw and unformed at this stage, and yet it has plenty of depth to make me cautiously optimistic about the future. Tasted two times. 2028-2044. 89-91 points." Antonio Galloni, Vinous------"Good depth on the nose for this vintage, showing smoked herbs and dark cherries. Fluid in the middle with firm, chewy tannins and a tight-grained finish. 91-92 points." James Suckling |
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