Red Bordeaux
| RED | 2025 | Château Calon Ségur | 75cl | £399 per case of 6 | Château Calon Ségur 2025 / / 75cl £399 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"Aromas of ripe black currants, yet menthol and other fresh herbs come through. Medium body, with firm and slightly chewy tannins and a savory finish. Plenty going on here. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. 95-96 points." James Suckling, Apr '26------The 2025 Calon Ségur is a total head-turner. Aromatic and structured, the 2025 hits all the right notes. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2025 is packed with intense fruit and equally potent tannins that will need a decade to soften. This is a big, big wine. Here, too, the aromatics are so present, with lingering notes of dried herb, crushed rose petal and mint. 2035-2065. 95-97 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Apr '26------A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Calon-Ségur offers up a deep and incipiently complex bouquet of dark berries, rose petals and violets, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Full-bodied, deep and layered, with terrific energy, abundant but ultra refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, it checks in at a very classically proportioned 13.6% alcohol and pH of 3.6. 95-97 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26------"The 2025 Calon Ségur contains just a little more Merlot this year at 17%, though it is still dominated by the 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked between September 4 and 20 over 15 days at 35 hl/ha. It represents 65% of the estate's total production this year. As usual, this is matured entirely in new French oak for a planned 20 months. This has immense clarity and precision on the nose, blackberry and cedar, a little sous-bois, beautifully delineated and more elegant than some recent vintages. The new wood is folded in and barely noticeable even at this early juncture. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, slightly chalky tannins on the entry. There is quite a conspicuous marine/estuarine element with hints of Japanese nori infusing the black fruit, almost briny in style…I like that. It gives this Calon personality and bandwidth. Classical in style and lower alcohol at 13.6% compared with recent releases (the 2022 was 14.5%), this has a very promising future. Drinking Window 2032 - 2060. 95-97 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26------"The most firmly constructed wine of the Calon stable of course, but it still delivers the combination of finesse and concentration that is typical of the best wines in 2025. Much more graphite and slate on the texture of this main wine, this is one of the wines that really showcases the highest potential of the vintage, and it is an exceptional Calon. So layered, iris bud, cassis, crushed violet flowers, espresso and cocoa bean. A slow unroll. 100% new oak. 3.6 pH. Yield 35 hl/ha, Harvest September 4 to 20. 2034-2048. 98 points." Jane Anson, Apr '26 |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Canon | 75cl | £435 per case of 6 | Château Canon 2025 / / 75cl £435 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"An impressive Canon, seductive limestone character that showcases what was possible in the vintage. Slate, chalk and pumice stone, all wrapped up in bright and vivid iris flowers, push and pull momentum through the palate where things stop, take a breath, then kick off again with a new layer of nuanced understated toasted spice and cool blue fruits. Deft, skilful, rooted in place. 40hl/h yield. Tasted twice. Nicolas Audebert director. Thomas Duclos consultant. 3.5ph. 2028-2040. 97 points" janeanson.com------"A blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Canon continues this property's brilliant decade-long run of exceptional wines. Unwinding in the glass with a complex bouquet of cherries and raspberries mingled with hints of exotic spices, licorice and petals, it's medium- to full-bodied, suave and concentrated, with a bright spine of acidity and a long, penetrating finish. Harvest stretched from August 28 to September 18. 96-98 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Ripe cherries, graphite, crushed flowers, and assorted blue fruits all define the 2025 Château Canon, another great wine from this team, which checks in at 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc and will spend 16 to 18 months in 49% new French oak, with the balance in foudre. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a remarkably polished, flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It hits 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.5 and is very much in the ultra-pure, graceful, classic style this terrific château is known for today. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes. Yields here were 40 hectoliters per hectare with harvest running from the 28th of August (one day earlier than 2022) to the 18th of September. 96-98 points" jebdunnock.com------"The 2025 Canon was picked between August 28 and September 18 at 40 hl/ha. This is very pure and refined on the nose, with wonderful delineation, not as flattering as, say, the 2015 or 2019 at this stage, yet very focused and mineral-driven. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, quite sapid, with a pinch of cracked black pepper. Like its "sister", Berliquet, the limestone terroir comes through and seems to "tingle" on the finish. Maybe not a crowd-pleaser, but I like its uncompromising nature that reflects its place of birth. Drinking Window 2032 - 2055. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The finesse and sophistication are very impressive, with a medium body, ultra-fine tannins and a rather endless finish. It’s medium-bodied ad poised. Great length. A great wine. 98-99 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2025 Canon is a total stunner. Deep and sumptuous in the glass, it offers tons of the vintage's textural intensity along with all the vibrant, saline energy that is such a signature here. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, new leather, herbs and dried flowers build gradually in the glass, leading to a huge, dramatic finish laced with hints of blood orange, pomegranate and chalk. The interplay of finesse and power is dazzling. Tasted two times. 2035-2065. 98-100 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Cantemerle | 75cl | £232 per case of 12 | Château Cantemerle 2025 / / 75cl £232 per case of 12 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Cantemerle is terrific. Plush, deep and quite powerful, Cantemerle has a lot to offer. Dark red fruit, leather, cedar, tobacco and dried herbs are all dialed up. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, which is very much in evidence in the wine's savory intense and structure. There's a lot of wine here. 2030-2043. 91-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Cantemerle has a pretty nose with violet and iris flower-infused black fruit, very well defined, the oak very well integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very well balanced, impressive weight and cohesive, with more precision on the finish than I have noticed on previous vintages of Cantemerle. I appreciate the sapidity here, a moreish Haut-Médoc in the making, and I look forward to revisiting this in bottle. Drinking Window 2031 - 2050. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"This shows an attractive nose of flowers and subtle spices from the oak. It has good concentration and a balanced palate, with a clear, expressive fruit profile. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com------"Captures the austerity that you expect and want during En Primeur, wet stones and graphite, plenty of elegance and balance, measured acidities that give Left Bank typicity, a ton of ageing potential and curls of gunsmoke and flowers. Very pretty, very enjoyable, impressive. Yield 32 hl/ha. 35% new oak. First vintage in new cellars. 2034-2044. 94 points" janeanson.com------"Quite a fragrant, aromatic nose, full of intense violets and irises. The Petit Verdot and the Cabernet Sauvignon really stand out in terms of aromatics. Vivid purple in the glass. Sleek and so svelte, this has such a silky, almost creamy texture, tannins are gorgeous and this has such a juicy, lively core. Nothing out of place here. Super accessible and one of the best primeurs samples for consistency tasted three times. Ends salty with a stony grip. Completed new cellar in July 2024 with 114 vats. The team used a thermal camera for plot-by-plot harvest in 2025. New label as this vintage. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.6pH. A yield of 30hl/ha. 60% grand vin production. Ageing 12 months in barrel, 35% new wood. 95 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Capbern | 75cl | £174 per case of 12 | Château Capbern 2025 / / 75cl £174 per case of 12 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Capbern is an absolute delight. Bold, juicy and super expressive, the 2025 is so showy today. A rush of dark red-toned fruit, new leather, spice, menthol, dried flowers and mocha makes a strong opening statement. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend. Capbern is usually pretty burly. The 2025 offers plenty of fruit intensity along with tannins that are more refined than most years. This is such a gorgeous wine. Best of all, Capbern should be a terrific value. 2028-2040. 90-93 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Apr '26------"A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Capbern now sports a new label that reflects its historic links to Calon-Ségur. Offering up notes of violets, dark berries and a deft touch of creamy new oak, it's medium- to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with supple, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully structured finish. It checks in at 13.8% alcohol. 91-93 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26------"Beautiful tension and concentration, delivers energy and balance, cassis, bilberry, orange peel, showing the gravel clay limestone terroir, lovely fresh lift, well balanced with finesse. A real drinkability is apparent, helped by wine making choices such as low temperature fermentation, low extraction, low amounts of press wine. Harvest September 4 to 20. New label from 2024 vintage, has the Calon heart and makes explicit the link that the two estates were owned by same family since the 19th century. Vincent Millet director. 60% new oak. 3.60 pH. Yield 32 hl/ha. 2032-2040. 93 points." Jane Anson, Apr '26------"The 2025 Capbern comes with a redesigned label that now sports the same heart-shaped motif in order to visibly link it with Calon-Ségur. This was picked from September 4 with the Merlot until September 20, the fastest harvest ever at 15 days since the maturity was already there. Yields are 32 hl/ha and it was matured in 60% new oak barrels, alcohol 13.8% with a 3.25 pH. This has an attractive bouquet with brambly black fruit, briar, cedar and light tea leaf scents that gradually open in the glass. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, gentle grip, a little chalkiness and plenty of freshness and poise towards the finish. More cohesive than recent vintages, I really appreciate the control and minéralité towards the finish. This is one of the best Capbern releases to date. Drinking Window 2031 - 2055. 92-94 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26 |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Cheval Blanc | 75cl | £2,010 per case of 6 | Château Cheval Blanc 2025 / / 75cl £2,010 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting NotesON ALLOCATION "Of all the wines I tasted in the 2025 En Primeur season, this is the one that I have thought about the most. The lowest ever yield at 15hl/ha yield, close to 1961 in terms of volume. There were tiny berries, barely scraping 1g even for the Merlots, even after dropping 10-50% of the grapes even on young vines to minimise water stress. Visually beautiful, deep plum colour, intense, slate, graphite, this has a construction that is clear, muscle, sinew, carved tannins, going long on campfire, chamomile, bitter chocolate, incense, anis, cassis, mint leaf, eucalyptus, crushed rocks, savoury broth. This forces you to project forward - if we are lucky enough to be pulling a bottle out of a cellar in 2060, this Cheval will still be powering along. The honest truth is that I can't tell you with 100% certainly how long it will take to get to its full drinking window. I have not seen a young Cheval with this kind of construction, and I am erring on the side of caution in this note, hoping that it will be more readable in bottle. Stunning and impressive, but I have not yet fallen in love. No Petit Cheval. Harvest September 1 to 18. 3.76ph. Pierre Olivier Clouet director. 2032-2050. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Cheval Blanc includes all 47 plots on the estate except one that was sold off. This nose is more immediate than some of its neighbours, a mixture of blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry, very expressive, underneath which lie tobacco and graphite scents. It is open, nothing hidden here. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid red berry fruit, just a touch of black pepper, a more reserved and structured Cheval Blanc than usual, vertical in style, the Cabernet Franc driving the finish. Not what I would call a sensual Cheval Blanc, but it has a distinctive character. Not everyone is going to fall head over heels for this Cheval Blanc because it is uncompromising, and I like that. Just be patient. This will need time. Drinking Window 2033 - 2055. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Cheval Blanc is seamless and textured. A wine of mystery and seduction, the 2025 dazzles. Time in the glass brings out the wine's tension and energy. Sage, mint, lavender, cloves and cool, blue-toned fruit all build in the glass. In one tasting, Cheval Blanc was massively tannic; in a second tasting, those tannins were much more seamless, highlighting how differently wines can show from day to day. In the case of Cheval Blanc, en primeur samples are mini-bottlings, and both samples I tasted came from the same batch. Yields in 2025 were just 15 hectoliters per hectare, tiny by any measure. The winemaking team, led by Pierre-Olivier Clouet, used 46 of the 47 parcels on the estate for the Grand Vin. A small amount of wine was sold in bulk; the rest was bottled as Grand Vin. There is no Petit Cheval. Time on skins ran from 26 to 32 days, longer than the 22-28 that's more typical. For those who care about the data, alcohol is just 12.7%, which is hard to believe, with brisk acids that clock in at 3.76 pH. In many vintages Cheval Blanc can be exuberant, but the 2025 is rather closed, more of an intellectual wine that will require years in bottle to truly show everything it has to offer. 2035-2075. 96-99 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Perfumed, with aromas of flowers, brambleberries and wild berries. Medium-bodied with tight, fine tannins that run forever on the palate. Hints of cedar, mushrooms and bark. Crunchy at the end. Just a hint of fancy bitterness and chocolate. Transparent and complete. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com------"A blend of 51% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Cheval Blanc stands out once again as among the finest wines of the vintage in Bordeaux. Wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of blood orange and iris, it's full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with terrific mid-palate density, sweet tannins and a long, vibrant, violet-inflected finish. With its striking aromas, intensity of flavor and resolutely classical proportions (checking in at 12.7% alcohol and pH of 3.76), the 2025 gives every indication of being one of the great Cheval Blancs of the decade. 98-100 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Clerc Milon | 75cl | £309 per case of 6 | Château Clerc Milon 2025 / / 75cl £309 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"A balanced, graceful Pauillac, the 2025 Château Clerc Milon is based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Carménère and Petit Verdot, still resting in barrel. Cassis and black cherries, graphite, and a crushed stone-like minerality all define the nose. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied with a pretty, pure, almost understated profile that builds nicely with time in the glass. It's a beautiful Pauillac in the making, and I'd certainly be happy with bottles in the cellar. 92-94 points." Jeb Dunnuck------"The 2025 Clerc Milon has turned out beautifully, offering up notes of dark berries, petals and orange zest, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with lively acids and a chalky finish, it's a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and the rest Carmenère and Petit Verdot. 93-95 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate------"A juicy and structured Clerc that is very typical with a firmness and brightness. It's medium-bodied with a solid center palate and a linear and racy finish. Just a hint of flint in the end. Vivid and pretty. A blend of 62% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 8% cabernet franc, 1% carmenere and 1% petit verdot. 94-95 points." James Suckling------"Raspberries and red cherries on the nose with some rose petal aromas. Juicy and alive, great energy and brightness straight away, so generous, plump, a little darker on the palate with some dark chocolate, liquorice, blackcurrant and hints of cedar and bitterness. But equally the acidity is pronounced giving this real lift. Energetic with a mineral edged acidity. Dynamic and vibrant, great tannic frame, lively and so compelling. 1% Carmenere and 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 2033-2050. 95 points." (GH) Decanter, Apr '26 |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Clinet | 75cl | £270 per case of 6 | Château Clinet 2025 / / 75cl £270 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"Less marked by oak than in recent vintages, the 2025 Clinet reveals a refined bouquet of cedar, dark berries, spice and fresh licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it’s broad-shouldered yet more tensile than usual, built around a structured core of fruit and concluding with a long, perfumed finish. Reflecting the vintage in its balance between density and approachability, it remains true to the estate’s style, with a firm, robust frame. It will benefit from some years in bottle to fully harmonize. This is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 93-95 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"A composed, well-structured and precise Pomerol showcasing red berries and baking spices on the nose. Full-bodied with plush tannins and fresh acidity. There is energy at the center despite the solid frame of tannins shaping the midpalate. Focused and driven finish. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2025 Clinet is a dark, brooding wine, largely because of the significant presence of Cabernet Sauvignon—a rarity in Pomerol, but a tradition here dating back to vines that were planted in the 1930s and 1950s. Plum, blackberry, gravel, incense, licorice and scorched earth stain the palate. Harvest started on September 4, the earliest ever. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Lots saw about 30 days on the skins, on the longer side for the château. Malolactic fermentation was done in barrel. Élevage is 60% new oak and 40% once-filled new oak. 2033-2055. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Clinet was the earliest picking ever, from September 4, and aged in 60% new oak plus 40% one-year-old barrels. Vintages now have a little more Cabernet Sauvignon, as a hectare of Merlot was uprooted. Now this has a delightful nose, perhaps the most elegant and refined that I have encountered at this stage: vivid red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry scents, neatly embroidered oak, more floral in style. The palate is medium-bodied with chiselled, fine tannins, bright and tensile, exquisite focus, with a peacock's tail on the finish. Quite crystalline on the finish, this is a Clinet that I would like in my cellar. Or at the dinner table. Or in my glass. Drinking Window 2032 - 2058. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Cos d'Estournel | 75cl | £510 per case of 6 | Château Cos d'Estournel 2025 / / 75cl £510 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Cos d'Estournel was picked between September 3 and 19 and matured in 50% new oak, the analytic alcohol at 13.25%. There is just a touch of CO2 on the nose that soon dissipates, gorgeous black plum and damson aromas, pencil lead and light iodine scents all delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a hint of cracked black pepper and pencil lead that infuse the layered black fruit. There is a real crescendo of flavours in this Cos d'Estournel, fanning out gloriously towards the sustained finish. This is a serious Saint-Estèphe that will age supremely well in bottle. Drinking Window 2032 - 2060. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Incense and sandalwood aromatics, combines the density and concentration of a hot vintage with the freshness and balanced alcohols of a cooler vintage, meaning both weight and lightness of touch (this is something you will hear a lot with the 2025 vintage but rarely find in reality). A real breadth and wide spectrum of possibilities are contained here, a little austere right now but these dark berry fruits and firm tannins are waiting to bloom with ageing. 3.68pH. 50% new oak. Harvest was September 3, earliest since the Reybier era (they began September 7 on 2022, and also in 1989) through to September 19. Last year in organic conversion. 2036-2055. 97 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Cos d'Estournel appears to be one of the finest wines this property has produced in the last decade. Unwinding in the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berry fruit mingled with violets, pencil shavings, burning embers and anise, it's full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a broad attack, layered mid-palate and beautifully fresh, concentrated flavors. All of this terroir's inherent power is present, contained within very classical proportions at 13.3% alcohol. The 2025 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. 96-98 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Cos d'Estournel is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Grand, dramatic and sweeping, with notable textural intensity, the 2025 hits all the right notes. Even in the very early going, the 2025 is magical. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, tobacco, lavender and mocha build effortlessly in the glass. More than anything else, I am blown away by the wine's magnificent balance. A masterpiece. 2035-2075. 96-99 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A density to this, yet it remains balanced and complex, with well-integrated tannins and a juicy finish. It seems to be a wine with lots of fruit, but then it diffuses and shows open-grained, velvety tannins. Intense yet subtle blackberries, lead pencil and hazelnuts. Some flint. Persistent and reserved at the end. Great potential. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot and 1% petit verdot. 98-99 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château d'Armailhac | 75cl | £184 per case of 6 | Château d'Armailhac 2025 / / 75cl £184 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2025 d'Armailhac bursts with aromas of dark berries, violets and lilac. Medium- to full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit, tangy acids and a youthfully chewy finish, this is a comparatively structured young d'Armailhac. 91-93 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2026------"The 2025 d'Armailhac was picked between September 9 and 20 and matured in 50% new oak. This has fine definition and purity on the nose, though perhaps it does not quite grab you like some recent vintages. This plays it "cool". The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannins that frame the blackberry and cassis fruit. Quite peppery on the finish, less flamboyant than some vintages, though very refined and quite long. Good potential. Maybe it has something up its sleeve?Drink 2030 - 2055. 91-93 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026------"Very polished, with fine tannins that caress your palate while the fruit is ripe but al dente, with red currants, plums and peach undertones. Medium body. Refined and intense finish. 67% cabernet sauvignon, 21%, 10% cabernet franc, and 2% petit verdot. 95-96 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2026------"Aromatic intensity, wild flowers, some chocolate and blackcurrant notes. Red cherries. Grippy and filling but soft, chalky and saline, a gorgeous weight on the palate with ripe bramble berries, cool blue fruit and lots of cola, liquorice and wet stones. Very transparent and hands off. A touch straight but lovely muscular edge without the heft. Juicy, fun, clean, pure. Balanced. Savoury. Great job controlling the extraction – tannins are there but this is sapid too. A little more serious and structured and perhaps overall elegant than Clerc. A 2% dash of Petit Verdot completes the blend. 96 points." (GH) Decanter |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Ducru Beaucaillou | 75cl | £540 per case of 6 | Château Ducru Beaucaillou 2025 / / 75cl £540 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The intensity is very impressive on the nose, with black currants, raspberries and graphite. Medium- to full-bodied with a powerful structure of steely tannins that are polished and long. Turns fluid, fine and chewy at the end. Wait and see. A blend of 79% cabernet sauvignon and 21% merlot. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com------"Stunning, nuanced, and just full of joy. Reserved flesh, toasted cumin, fresh blueberries and raspberries with rich seams of cassis, fresh pomegranate, and cappuccino, this is very Ducru in its width and breadth, but with a freshness and lift that is very much of the 2025 vintage. Almost certainly this will close down for a number of years, but all is well controlled, with quiet confidence. A wine you will be happy to spend a lot of time with. 3.74 pH. Harvest September 2 to 23, 100% new oak. Bruno Borie owner. 2036-2055. 97 points" janeanson.com------"Such a vivid and vibrant colour in the glass with a bright pink rim. Ripe almost heady aromatics – perfumed bramble fruits with a dried floral aspect and dark chocolate. Ripe and massy in the mouth, not as sexy and smooth as Ducru can be, this is more grainy and a little grippy with the tannins and structure clearly on show and dark fruit in the background. Serious, sultry even, with oak on show – liquorice and clove spice. The aromatic display is quite incredible, certainly full of intensity but this hasn't settled yet. Mouthwatering acidity, great tannin structure, there’s a lot going on with this wine. Ends cool and fresh and lifted. I love the intensity, quite unlike many other wines this vintage – this is built like a racehorse, muscular and filling but chewy and soft too. I love the personality and think this wine has a long life ahead. There’s purity, clarity and gloss. 3.74pH. A yield of 22hl/ha. Harvest 2–23 September. 98 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine------"The 2025 Ducru-Beaucaillou is fabulous. Vibrant red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, mint and blood orange are all beautifully sculpted. The purity of the fruit is just remarkable. New oak is 100%, but lower toast levels and a more dialed-in approach here are palpable. Gorgeous floral and savory Cabernet top notes lift the finish. Superb, and one of the highlights of the year, Ducru is absolutely stunning in 2025. 2035-2065. 96-99 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Deep purple-hued and completely opaque, the blockbuster 2025 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou checks in as 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, all resting in 100% new barrels. The nose is rich and concentrated, with pure crème de cassis, graphite, ripe black cherries, spicy wood, and freshly sharpened pencil-driven aromatics. On the palate, it's full-bodied, with a dense, concentrated mid-palate, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It checks in at 13.44% alcohol with a pH of 3.8. This structured, pure, and incredibly precise Ducru reminds me slightly of the 2010, with perhaps a touch more finesse. 97-99 points" jebdunnock.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Duhart Milon | 75cl | £294 per case of 6 | Château Duhart Milon 2025 / / 75cl £294 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Duhart-Milon offers a captivating mix of brilliant red-toned fruit, blood orange, pomegranate and wild flowers. Readers will find a Duhart that bristles with energy. The purity of the flavors is just captivating. It's one of my favorite recent vintages here because of its vibrancy and textural finesse. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, picked from early to mid-September, always a few days later than at Lafite. 2030 - 2040. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Duhart-Milon was picked from September 4 to 22. It has a very delineated and quite mineral-driven bouquet, very focused with beautifully integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with chiselled tannins, layered graphite-infused black fruit and a strict and linear, sapid finish that could only come from Pauillac. Almost a minimalist Duhart-Milon in some ways, but less is more. 2030 - 2055. 92-94 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A Cabernet-dominant blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, the 2025 Château Duhart-Milon opens with beautiful Pauillac aromatics of cassis and black raspberries intermixed with graphite, lead pencil, violets, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, graceful, seamless mouthfeel, remarkable purity, and just gorgeous tannins. It has a certain understated elegance that grows on you with time in the glass. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, the 2025 Duhart-Milon is a lovely classic in the making, offering up notes of wild blueberries, cassis, rose petals and orange zest, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, pure and polished palate that's lively, harmonious and suave. It checks in at a modest 12.5% alcohol. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Rosebud, liquorice, beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon character, savoury but super floral and characterful, lots of lift and tension, great quality, There is an edge of austerity that you feel will really benefit from the ageing - which is the feel overall of this vintage, where the ageing will be important. Harvest September 4 to 24. Yield 25 hl/ha. 45% new oak. 3.7 pH. 2034-2044. 95 points" janeanson.com------"A juicy and savory red with blackberry, chocolate, dried meat and earth aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with plenty of flavor and a forest floor aftertaste. Ripe tannins. A blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon and 27% merlot. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Figeac | 75cl | £690 per case of 6 | Château Figeac 2025 / / 75cl £690 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"A dense yet open-grained red. It’s layered, with dusty tannins that give it a velvety texture and a medium- to full-bodied palate with plum, currant and cedar flavors. Juicy. 13% alcohol. Merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. 96-97 points." James Suckling, May '26------"The 2025 Figeac is a powerful, deeply structured wine. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, incense, scorched earth, tobacco and grilled herbs soar across the palate in a towering Figeac of the highest level. All the elements are so well balanced. A season marked by very gradual ripening yielded an especially aromatic, perfumed Grand Vin. Yields were 25 hectoliters per hectare, harvested at a very modest 13% potential alcohol. The 2025 saw a cold maceration lasting six to eight days, with no sulfur added at crush, followed by another three weeks or so on the skins. Tasted two times. 2035-2075. 96-98 points." Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Apr '26------"The 2025 Figeac was cropped at 25 hl/ha between 1 and September, matured entirely in new oak as usual. The Cabernet components shape the aromatics at the moment, with a mixture of blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of tobacco and dark powdered chocolate, all very precise and, if anything, remarkably understated considering the warmth of that summer. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, slightly granular tannins. Darker fruit than normal, nicely structured, linear and correct, this is a Figeac that veers towards the more elegant side in Saint-Émilion. Just a touch of bitterness on the finish neatly counterbalances the contained opulence. If it ends up at the top of my banded score, I would not be surprised. 13.1% alcohol. 2033 - 2060. 96-98 points." Neal Martin, Vinous, May '26------"Inky colour with violet reflections, swirling cooca bean and espresso, blood orange, baked plum, blueberry, blackberries, chalky tannins, palma violets, peony, iris flowers, slate-strewn tannic architecture, intense and concentrated, great stuff with clear ageing potential. Harvest September 1 to 19, 3.64 pH, 25hl/ha yield, 3.64ph. Frederic Faye director. No deleafing during the growing season, and reduced canopy height, and a cool vinifcation approach. 90% Grand Vin, 10% Petit Figeac. 2034-2050. 98 points." Jane Anson, Apr '26------"Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Figeac is based on 38% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Cabernet Franc, harvested September 1-10 from yields of 24 hectoliters per hectare and raised in 100% new French oak. Its deep color gives way to an ultra-classic bouquet of cassis, violets, graphite, and leafy tobacco that gives this a slightly Médoc-like character. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with an incredibly pure, graceful mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and flawless balance in its fruit, acidity, and alcohol. It hit 13.1% alcohol with a pH of 3.64, and it's a brilliant, finesse-driven, incredibly classic Figeac. 97-99 points." Jeb Dunnuck, Apr '26------"The 2025 Figeac shows exceptional potential, unwinding in the glass with aromas of ripe cherries and minty blackberries mingled with sweet spices, pencil lead and burning embers. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, with terrific concentration, sweet tannins, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish, this integrated and balanced Figeac is a serious wine, built for the long haul. Fully 90% of production went into the grand vin this year, and it's a blend of 38% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon. 97-99 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26 |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Giscours | 75cl | £0 per case of 6 | Château Giscours 2025 / / 75cl £0 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Giscours is another brilliant wine from this resurgent property, unwinding in the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets, rose petals and pencil shavings. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and perfumed, it's suave and seamless, with ultra-refined tannins, vibrant acids and a long, perfumed finish. This classy and precise blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc was produced in Giscour's functional temporary winery, which makes temperature control easier than in the estate's old facilities. 94-96 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26------"The 2025 Giscours was picked at around 31 hl/ha, just above the average for the Margaux appellation, and matured in around 50% new oak for a planned 16 or 17 months from nine cooperages. This has a quintessential Margaux nose, floral in style, violets and iris flower that infuse the quite lush but well defined mixture of black and blueberry fruit. The oak is very well integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannins on the entry matched by a keen thread of acidity. There is a touch of graphite on the back palate, a pleasing crescendo that leads to quite a structured and saline finish. This is one of the finest Giscours in recent years but it will deserve five or six years in bottle to show its mettle and it may well settle at the top of my banded score. 13.3% alcohol. 2032 - 2060 94-96 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26------"Excellent depth on the aromatics here, plenty of energy, plum and cassis bud, savoury with edge, great depths to the fruit, cocoa bean and incense adds a gourmet smile and a slow build, with oak adding structure and weight. Such good work being done at Giscours over the last few years, with director Alexander van Beek on a roll. Not easy when you've been heading up an estate for so long to make such a transformation but there is undoubtedly a sense of renewal at this estate right now, and this is one to watch. Tasted twice. 2034-2044. 96 points." Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, Apr '26------"As to the Grand Vin, red, blue, and black fruits, intermixed with spring flowers, iris, graphite, and sappy tobacco, all define the 2025 Château Giscours, giving it a beautiful Cabernet-driven style. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that's resting in 50% new oak, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a focused, pure, precise mouthfeel, beautiful yet building tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. It checks in at 13.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.68. 94-97 points." Jeb Dunnuck, Apr '26------"The 2025 Giscours is another magnificent wine for a château that has made giant steps in the last handful of years. Plush and succulent in the glass, with silky, exceptionally polished tannins and stunning mid-palate richness, the Giscours is pure and total sensuality. Dark red-toned fruit, pomegranate, spice, new leather, incense and dried flowers all race across the palate. The purity of the flavors is just remarkable. Tasted two times. 95-97+ points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Apr '26------"Such a balanced and harmonious red with control, texture and length. It has aromas of red berries, cedar, pebbles and baking spices. Medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Velvety and attractive, with a long, flavorful, precise finish. A blend of 64% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. 97-98 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, Apr '26 |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Gloria | 75cl | £135 per case of 6 | Château Gloria 2025 / / 75cl £135 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"This has a ton of intense cassis and bilberry fruits, lovely quality, this has balance and finesse, squid ink squid, cocoa bean, espresso, silky tannins, a very impressive wine. Yield 20 hl/ha. 2034-2044. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Gloria is fabulous. Bright, floral and full of life, Gloria is so impressive. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, cinnamon and dried herbs all add energy to this delicious, mid-weight Saint-Julien. Gloria is especially fine in 2025. Don’t miss it. Taste two times. 2030 - 2045. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Sporting a vivid purple hue, the 2025 Château Gloria offers up cassis, assorted red and blue fruits, liquid violets, and classy oak. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that's being raised in 50% new barrels, it's pure and incredibly polished on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. It checks in at 13.2% alcohol. As I've written in the past, the quality at this estate continues to soar, and this will hold its own in a blind tasting with some of the top wines with ease. This château needs to be on everyone's radar. 93-95 points" jebdunnock.com------"The 2025 Gloria was picked between September 10 and 19 and matured in 50% new oak. It has a lovely bouquet with well-defined blackberry, violet and crushed stone scents, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, grainy tannins, good concentration and a tensile, minerally finish. Bon vin. 2030 - 2055. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A solid red, structured and textured, showing cherries and baking spices on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with sinewy tannins. Crunchy at the center, with a flavorful, vivid and persistent finish. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Grand Puy Ducasse | 75cl | £153 per case of 6 | Château Grand Puy Ducasse 2025 / / 75cl £153 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Grand Puy Lacoste | 75cl | £228 per case of 6 | Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2025 / / 75cl £228 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a relatively fruity, soft wine for the château, notwithstanding the warm, dry year and yields 30 hectoliters per hectare (in line with the appellation, but much less than the norm). This is the first vintage Grand-Puy-Lacoste made in their new cellar, so the more vibrant style is not a total surprise. Even so, there is no question that 2025 opens the door to a new chapter. Stylistically, it is quite different from the wines that have preceded it. 2033 - 2065. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com ------"Vibrant, in the spirit of the 2025 vintage, cloves, capsicum, blueberry and cassis fruits, plenty of delicious texture, lovely sappy and bright juice, firm tannins, appellation typicity, crayon and mint leaf. First year for the new cellar. 65% new oak for ageing. 2036-2055. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the first to be made in the new gravity-fed winery. It was picked between September 4 and 18 at 30 hl/ha, much lower than normal, with a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%). Matured in 65% new oak, it has a perfumed bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit, touches of graphite emerging with aeration, beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannins. Definitely one of the most refined GPLs that I have tasted at this stage, very harmonious, complex and engaging. Superb persistence on the finish, this is a complete Pauillac that is going to give immense pleasure. 2032 - 2060. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A Cabernet-dominant blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot from yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare, the 2025 Château Grand Puy Lacoste is gorgeous, with ultra-classic Pauillac aromatics of red and black fruits, lead pencil, graphite, and crushed stone. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's up there with the top vintages of this cuvée, and it doesn't get more Pauillac than this. 94-96 points" Jebdunnuck.com-----"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste reveals a classic, refined bouquet of cassis, dark berries, cedar and lead pencil, with discreet floral nuances. Medium- to full-bodied, structured and precise, it’s built around a well-defined core of fruit framed by finely grained, youthful, filigreed tannins with a tensile profile. Less demonstrative than some of its peers in Pauillac, it privileges balance and typicity over sheer power, concluding with a long, elegant and mineral finish. Produced from a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, this is the first vintage vinified in the estate’s new gravity-fed cellar, enabling more precise parcel selection—an evolution that appears to reinforce the wine’s precision and coherence. 95-97 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Excellent GPL, medium- to full-bodied with a great expression of dark fruit that is evenly distributed. It’s fresh and precise with grainy, integrated tannins that should only integrate more. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon and 24% merlot. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Grand Puy Lacoste - Caisse Variation : 1 double magnum, 2 magnums and 4 bottles | 9l | £510 per bottle | Château Grand Puy Lacoste Caisse Variation : 1 double magnum, 2 magnums and 4 bottles 2025 / / 9l £510 per bottle |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a relatively fruity, soft wine for the château, notwithstanding the warm, dry year and yields 30 hectoliters per hectare (in line with the appellation, but much less than the norm). This is the first vintage Grand-Puy-Lacoste made in their new cellar, so the more vibrant style is not a total surprise. Even so, there is no question that 2025 opens the door to a new chapter. Stylistically, it is quite different from the wines that have preceded it. 2033 - 2065. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com ------"Vibrant, in the spirit of the 2025 vintage, cloves, capsicum, blueberry and cassis fruits, plenty of delicious texture, lovely sappy and bright juice, firm tannins, appellation typicity, crayon and mint leaf. First year for the new cellar. 65% new oak for ageing. 2036-2055. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is the first to be made in the new gravity-fed winery. It was picked between September 4 and 18 at 30 hl/ha, much lower than normal, with a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%). Matured in 65% new oak, it has a perfumed bouquet with blackberry and raspberry fruit, touches of graphite emerging with aeration, beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannins. Definitely one of the most refined GPLs that I have tasted at this stage, very harmonious, complex and engaging. Superb persistence on the finish, this is a complete Pauillac that is going to give immense pleasure. 2032 - 2060. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A Cabernet-dominant blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot from yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare, the 2025 Château Grand Puy Lacoste is gorgeous, with ultra-classic Pauillac aromatics of red and black fruits, lead pencil, graphite, and crushed stone. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's up there with the top vintages of this cuvée, and it doesn't get more Pauillac than this. 94-96 points" Jebdunnuck.com-----"The 2025 Grand-Puy-Lacoste reveals a classic, refined bouquet of cassis, dark berries, cedar and lead pencil, with discreet floral nuances. Medium- to full-bodied, structured and precise, it’s built around a well-defined core of fruit framed by finely grained, youthful, filigreed tannins with a tensile profile. Less demonstrative than some of its peers in Pauillac, it privileges balance and typicity over sheer power, concluding with a long, elegant and mineral finish. Produced from a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, this is the first vintage vinified in the estate’s new gravity-fed cellar, enabling more precise parcel selection—an evolution that appears to reinforce the wine’s precision and coherence. 95-97 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Excellent GPL, medium- to full-bodied with a great expression of dark fruit that is evenly distributed. It’s fresh and precise with grainy, integrated tannins that should only integrate more. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon and 24% merlot. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Gruaud Larose | 75cl | £258 per case of 6 | Château Gruaud Larose 2025 / / 75cl £258 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Gruaud Larose comes in a specially designed etched bottle to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first vintage labelled as Gruaud Larose (although there were already vines in situ). Picked between September 3 and 20 at 26 hl/ha, average for the appellation, and aged in new oak, it has a less outgoing bouquet than its peers, tightly wound black fruit, sous-bois and tobacco. Fine delineation and firmly classical in style. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins. A more tertiary Gruaud Larose, hints of dark powdered chocolate combine with black fruit, leading to a more structured vintage that lingers nicely in the mouth. Perhaps slightly less deep than some of its peers, this has a tendency to gain weight during élevage. Englishman's claret! 2032 - 2060. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"You get the tannic grip of the vintage in spades, but as you sit with the wine, a creaminess appears through the mid palate that is highly appealing, with a cocoa bean and espresso lick alongside berry fruits, crayon and graphite. Smoky signoff on the finish right now, will integrate over ageing, a ton of potential here, great quality. 75% new oak. Virginie Sallette 8th vintage, a lovely expression of Gruaud. Harvest September 3 to 20. 3.71 pH. 2032-2050. 95 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Gruaud Larose is rich, ample and exotic right out of the gate. Dark-toned fruit, graphite, licorice, mocha and lavender are all dialed up. The 2025 has a lot to offer, but will need a number of years to be at its finest. There's a lot of wine here. Even with all its intensity, the tannins show no signs of stress. All the 2025 needs is a lot of time in the cellar to shed its considerable baby fat. 2040-2075. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits intermixed with spring flowers, graphite, tobacco leaf, and spicy wood all emerge from the 2025 Château Gruaud Larose, a deep purple-hued Saint-Julien based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that's resting in 80% new French oak. This beauty stopped me in my tracks with its sheer class and purity. Full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, graceful mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish, all grounded by a remarkable sense of balance and elegance. It checks in at 13.47% alcohol with a pH of 3.71. This is a heavenly Saint-Julien that brings the richness of the vintage alongside an unmistakable sense of class. Bravo! 97-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Haut Bages Liberal | 75cl | £156 per case of 6 | Château Haut Bages Liberal 2025 / / 75cl £156 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"Intense, gunsmoke and roses opening, the perception of acidity that is typical in the vintage is higher here than in the Claire Lurton Margaux wines, but measured by salinity, autumnal fruits and chalky tannins, Eric Boissenot consultant. 3.56ph, with the highest proportion of limestone in any vineyard in Pauillac. Harvest September 8 to 18. Yield 32 hl/ha. 35% new oak. 3.56 pH. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Haut-Bages Libéral was picked at 32 hl/ha between September 8 and 18 and matured in 35% new oak with 30% in concrete ovoid tanks. What distinguishes this property is that half the vines lie on limestone soils, which is unusual in Pauillac. This has clearly the most beguiling aromatics among the three wines that I tasted with Claire Villars Lurton, with pure black cherries, cassis and violet scents that burst from the glass. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a silver thread of acidity and, crucially, that tingle from the limestone soils that defines the finish. What a superb and distinctive Pauillac this is. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Haut-Bages Libéral is a powerful, tightly wound wine. Bright acids and beams of tannin are front and center. In this tasting, it is driven and also very shut down. The saline-drenched finish reverberates with tension. Intense red-toned fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and blood orange fill out the layers. 93-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"One of the best Haut-Bages Libérals I've tasted from barreel. Perfumed blackcurrants, quite dark and true to form with a gorgeous perfume. Aromatics are great. Juicy and crisp, sleek and svelte, definitely quite streamlined but with such soft, velvety tannins that give grip but support the vibrant fruit so well. I love this. Really very classic, muscular but gentle with purity and focus. Hard to explain but this is great, maybe quite light and not layered enough, but there’s such complex flavours and aromas. And the acidity is excellent. A very friendly wine that will be easy to approach. Half gravelly soil, half limestone with 50% chalk on Cabernet – really rare for a cru classé. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.56pH. A yield of 32hl/ha. 96 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine------"Bright and vivid on the nose and palate, with blackberries, black currants, raspberries and violets. It's medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins and a salty undertone in the finish, Such real energy. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2025 | Château Haut Bailly | 75cl | £384 per case of 6 | Château Haut Bailly 2025 / / 75cl £384 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2025 Haut-Bailly is fabulous. Here, too, the purity of the fruit is remarkable. Dried herbs, crushed flowers, blood orange, pomegranate, mint and star anise give the 2025 a gorgeous and palpable sense of exoticism. The 2025 impresses with its elegance and finesse. Floral and savory overtones linger on the clean, supremely polished finish. Very fine. 2035-2065. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Haut-Bailly was picked between September 4 and 22 at 26.6 hl/ha, raised in 50% new oak. Similar to elsewhere this year, I found a distinct difference between the Grand and Deuxième Vins, this possessing greater delineation and complexity. A mixture of brambly red fruit, briar, a touch of cassis and orange rind that is beautifully delineated. The palate is exquisite: very fine tannins, tangible minéralité, very cohesive and focused, with a very complex, peppery finish that goes on and on and on. Svelte, harmonious and tender, this ranks amongst the best vintages from Haut-Bailly in recent years. 2032 - 2058. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Checking in as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Château Haut-Bailly is a sensational Haut-Bailly all about finesse and elegance. Ripe black cherries, currants, smoky tobacco, violets, spice, and flowers all define the bouquet, and on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, graceful mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a very long, elegant finish. It's not a blockbuster, but it's exactly what this terroir yields with its complex, nuanced, layered, graceful style. You should buy this. 97-99 points" jebdunnock.com------"A beautiful fruit to this delicate and refined wine. The tannins are perfectly integrated into the wine and almost give it a pinot texture. The finest silk. It’s medium-bodied with precise and focused fruit and an endless finish. The exceptional harmony of this young wine makes you want to drink it. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 13.3% alcohol. pH 3.67. 98-99 points" jamessuckling.com------"Super slow and steady expansion as it goes through the palate, this absolutely makes you smile and is right up at the top of my expectations for how Haut-Bailly would perform in this often-conflicting vintage. Beautiful, crushed rose petals, wet stones, iris flowers, squid ink, shows finesse but also generosity, a wine with so many dimensions and layers to experience. Sit back, give it a good 6 to 8 years in bottle, then get ready to celebrate. 55% in first wine, 50% new oak, 3.6ph. harvest September 4 to 22. 2035-2055. 98-100 points" janeanson.com |
|||||||||||
Our long history of buying wines en primeur direct from Bordeaux means we have excellent relationships with the châteaux and negociants. As one of the first UK wine brokers, we buy widely from among our contacts with private collectors, Oxbridge Colleges and other institutions. All wines are priced to the latest fine wine market prices.
E-mail sales@richardkihl.ltd.uk to order
No minimum order. All prices exclude carriage and UK VAT. Wines listed 'IB' (in bond) exclude UK duty. All wines offered subject to confirmation of stock availability, condition and price, E&OE. Full terms & conditions.
YOU MUST BE 18 AND OVER TO PURCHASE AND CONSUME WINE AND ALCOHOL