Red Bordeaux
| RED | 2025 | Château Lagrange | 75cl | £182 per case of 6 | Château Lagrange 2025 / / 75cl £182 per case of 6 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Langoa Barton | 75cl | £174 per case of 6 | Château Langoa Barton 2025 / / 75cl £174 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Langoa-Barton is a very racy wine. Plush contours and vibrant dark red/purplish fruit are the signatures. Crushed flowers, cinnamon, red plum, blood orange and dried herbs open nicely in the glass. Floral overtones brighten the finish. This mid-weight, fruity, Merlot-driven Saint-Julien is all charm. It should drink well with minimal cellaring. Tasted two times. 2033 - 2050. 91-93 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2026------"Langoa is very much a wine of the moment, with a sense of energy and punch, and you get that here, juicy and characterful, raspberry and cherry pit, hard to beat in terms of pleasure delivery. Great stuff. Very drinkable wine. Tasted twice, love the energy here. 2034-2044. 93 points." Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, April 2026------"Cropped at a mere 20 hectoliters per hectare, one of the lowest yields ever recorded at this address, the 2025 Langoa Barton offers up aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings, spices and new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, with bright acids and chalky tannins, it's a blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. 92-94 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2026------"The 2025 Langoa-Barton was picked between September 4 and 18 and matured in 60% new oak barrels. It has a lively bouquet with the Merlot in full effect, blueberry and cassis scents, and just a background touch of peppermint. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a lovely caressing texture, very well balanced with a touch of pepperiness towards the persistent finish. What a gorgeous Langoa! 2030 - 2055. 92-94 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026------"Focused, with volume and drive, it shows aromas of berries, warm spices and some leather. Medium- to full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Structured and compact, with bright fruit at its core. Long, focused finish. 94-95 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2026------"Liquorice and blackcurrant aromas on the nose, smells quite dark and heady and seductive. Almost a sweet, sticky liquorice aspect with some wet stone salinity. Supple and filling with a really wide and ample expression, firm not overly fleshy tannins with a dark vanilla, cedar, tobacco and blackcurrant edge. I like the serious, quite firm concentration here – it still has acidity to lift but this is focused and really quite determined. An impressive Langoa this year with some wood spice on the finish. Really a cool, classic, fresh, hands-off kind of style. This will be great. A yield of 20hl/ha. 95 points." (GH) Decanter, Apr '26 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Laroque | 75cl | £234 per case of 12 | Château Laroque 2025 / / 75cl £234 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Fresh and floral on the nose. Freshness again on the palate but with an elegant texture of tannin. Smooth attack then firm and chalky on the finish. Terroir evident but kept under control. 16+ points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"Notes of dark berries, cassis, spices and licorice, mingled with delicately oaky nuances, preface the 2025 Laroque. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s built around a rich core of fruit that is framed by youthful, structured tannins and concludes with a taut, saline finish. While the bouquet shows a darker register, the palate remains fresh, lending the wine an elegant austerity that should integrate further with élevage. 91-93 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com-----"The balance of savory fruit with fine tannins is already so attractive. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a refined finish. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com-----"Slate and pumice stone, enjoyable slow build of cassis bud, pomegranate, wet stones, thoroughly enjoyable with plenty of expansion and grip, and estate signature. Harvest September 10 to 19. 50% new oak. Yield 31 hl/ha. 3.4 pH. Beaumartin family. 94 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Laroque is a gorgeous, super-elegant wine. Vibrant, salivating acids and beams of tannin are the first signs we are on the clay/limestone plateau in Saint-Emilion's Saint-Christophe-des-Bordes sector. Blood orange, mint, chalk and white pepper bleed into a core of red-toned fruit. Medium in body, with striking energy and tension, Laroque is positively stellar in 2025. This is another superb showing from the team led by Technical Director David Suire. Tasted two times. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Laroque was picked between 10 and 19 September at 31 hl/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a sublime bouquet with pure black cherry and raspberry scents, crushed flowers and light iodine scents. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins, a silver bead of acidity, bright and lively with an elegant and persistent finish. One of the best Laroques so far-the limestone soil really comes through and lends this Saint-Émilion another dimension. Drink 2031 - 2055. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com-----"Another great success and value pick for Laroque. Really aromatically complex. Ripe and pristine black bramble berries on the nose, perfumed and nicely fragrant. Lovely aromatic purity. Smooth and so silky, smooth, svelte as Laroque does so well. Mouthwatering with bright acidity but so juicy – strawberry and cherry with a hint of cranberry and soft accents of dried herbs liquorice and wet stones. Grippy but so charming even at this point. Tension with freshness, perfectly polished and friendly. A yield of 31hl/ha with varying yields depending on the terroir from 25-45hl/ha. 3.40pH. 96 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Le Tertre Roteboeuf | 75cl | £774 per case of 6 | Château Le Tertre Roteboeuf 2025 / / 75cl £774 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Inimitable Mitjavile style. Red fruit, blood orange, chocolate and toasted notes – the ripe fruit and those Radoux barrels doing the work. Sweet with a silky texture and perhaps a bit more freshness than usual. Right on-key for followers of this wine. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"The 2025 Tertre Roteboeuf was the only sample taken directly from barrel a la Burgundy. It was picked on September 23 and 24, which, to my knowledge, was the latest among the Right Bank wines tasted during my time in the region. Matured in 100% new ook, it actually has quite a Pinot-like bouquet, with mocerated small red cherries, raspberry coulis, a touch of pencil lead and crushed stone. Nicely controlled. The palate is medium-bodied and, as expected, displays a veneer of new oak. Modest depth, gentle grip, quite lactic towards the finish, with a patina of dark chocolate. Very typical of Tertre-Rôteboeufs style, as always, have a cellar and the patience of a saint. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Tertre Roteboeuf is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Silky and seamless on the palate, with exceptional finesse, the 2025 marries power with elegance in grand style. Crushed flowers, blue-toned fruit, mocha and a kiss of French aak expand in the glass. Tertre Röteboeuf is quite rich and deep, as it always is, but the 2025 also offers superb freshness and energy to match. It's a gorgeous Saint-Emilion in the making. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Cassis, sweet tobacco, graphite, and lead pencil notes all shine from the 2025 Château Tertre Roteboeuf, and it's just brilliant, offering everything you look for in a great bottle of wine. Full-bodied on the palate, it has an elegant, seamless mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and that freshness and purity of the vintage. 96-98 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"This is right up there at the top of the vintage, there is still the roasted plum aspect of Tertre Roteboeuf but you feel the juice and salinity of the vintage running through it. These guys stick to their beliefs and their style, and we are all the better for it. 14, 3.8ph. September 23, earlier than usual. 100% new oak. 98 points" janeanson.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château L'Eglise Clinet | 75cl | £1,194 per case of 6 | Château L'Eglise Clinet 2025 / / 75cl £1,194 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 L'Eglise-Clinet is totally seamless. Crème de cassis, lavender, licorice, mocha, pomegranate and jasmine caress the palate. Impossibly fine, silky tannins frame the mid-palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine's textural richness and all the gravitas that is such a signature here. Gravel, dried herbs, mocha and lavender shape the huge, dramatic finish. 2033-2075. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Luscious dark cassis and bilberry fruits, pure perfume, peony and red rose petals, a standout in Pomerol, there is an enveloping and expansive mid palate with full on fennel and anis on close of play, so good, a wine full of emotion and grace. 75% new oak. Harvest September 4 to 12. Cooler fermentation than usual, not higher than 28C, because thick skins. 3.5ph. 4.5ha, so only 3 tanks compared to 5 normally, 30hll/ha. Olivier Guatraut cellar master with Noémie Durantou winemaker. 2034-2048. 97 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked on 4 and 5 September for the Merlot and the same days plus 12 September for the Cabernet Franc; this vintage matured in 75% new oak. The aromatics are timid at first, but unfurl in the glass, revealing enticing scents of raspberry, wild strawberry, truffle oil and cedar. The oak is beautifully integrated, and it gains delineation with each swirl. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins, one of the most mineral-driven L'Eglise-Clinet wines that I have tasted from barrel, gaining cohesion and poise, with perfectly judged acidity and a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. There is a verticality to this Pomerol that gives it a more cerebral slant compared to the 2022, but it is still quite delicious. That said, I would still give it a few years in bottle. 2033 - 2060. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The definition, freshness and complexity are very impressive already. It’s like a finished wine. It’s medium-bodied with precise and vivid flavors of blackberries and cool olives. Long, energetic and dense yet not heavy. Classy. A blend of 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. 96-98 points" jamessuckling.com------"Red and blue fruits, sappy spring flowers, violets, graphite, and chocolate all define the 2025 Château L'Eglise Clinet, a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc resting in 75% new oak. Coming from tiny yields with no saignée and very little press wine, the harvest ran from September 4th through the 12th, and the result is a rich, powerful, yet finesse-driven Pomerol with fine, polished tannins and a wonderful sense of freshness. It's going to require some patience, but it will undoubtedly be worth it. 97-99 points" jebdunnock.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Léoville Barton | 75cl | £320 per case of 6 | Château Léoville Barton 2025 / / 75cl £320 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Another wine that will appeal to purists, the 2025 Léoville Barton offers up notes of crème de cassis, violets, pencils shavings and new oak, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, taut and penetrating palate that's racy and youthfully structured, with a concentrated mid-palate that reflects the very low yields (22 hectoliters per hectare) this year. It's a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 4 and 18. 93-95 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2026------"The 2025 Léoville Barton is one of my early favorites of the vintage. It carries all the textural intensity and richness of a vintage with paltry yields. As such, it is not an especially classic Léoville Barton, but it is undeniably gorgeous. Black fruit, gravel, chocolate, new leather and licorice add to an impression of gravitas. As always, there's a healthy amount of press wine in the blend. Readers will have to be patient with the 2025, but there's a lot of potential...2035 - 2065. 94-96 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2026------"Dark ripe fruit and a touch of licorice on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with a firm tannic structure on the palate, showing dark fruit, chocolate and walnut flavors. 95-96 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2026------"The 2025 Léoville Barton was picked between 4 September and 18 September and matured in 60% new oak barrels. This has an exquisite bouquet already, with ebullient blackberry and bilberry scents, beautifully integrated oak, keeping the DNA of Léoville Barton despite the warm summer. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, gentle grip, very pure fruit and a "cool" and focused finish. With lower alcohol, between 13.0 and 13.5%, the terroir really shows through here. Superb. 2034 - 2055. 95-97 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026------"Beautiful aromas, expressive and open, really fragrant with bright purple flowers and dark cherries. Supple and so energetic, you can feel some tension here with the tension coming from the really quite high acidity matching the soft fleshiness of the dark blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. I love the character, this has personality and focus. Quite a fun and really engaging wine with great balance and plenty of structure and outer bones that should soften and maybe thicken a little over ageing. I’m sure this will be a beauty. Crushed stone minerality on the finish. One of the lowest yields ever at 22hl/ha. 97 points." (GH) Decanter, Ap '26------"Beautiful vintage at Léoville Barton, delivers layer upon layer of crayon, graphite, textural interest and character, we are on another level of St Julien and right at the top of the vintage. Black chocolate and espresso coupled with finesse and fragrance that takes you into the heart of St Julien. A flood of flavour, what a brilliantly judged wine, powerful with air in all the right places. Just a breath below the brilliant 2023 for me. 2034-2044. 97 points." Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, April 2026------"A Cabernet-dominant blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Léoville Barton checks in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.6. Crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, liquid violets, iron, and an incredible sense of graphite all define the aromatics of this brilliant, deep, pure, and layered beauty. On the palate, it's full-bodied, inward, and powerfully structured, and reminds me slightly of the 2010 with its deep, concentrated style. It has enormous potential. 97-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Léoville Las Cases | 75cl | £660 per case of 6 | Château Léoville Las Cases 2025 / / 75cl £660 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"One of the most serious, brooding wines of the vintage is the 2025 Léoville Las Cases, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, it's medium- to full-bodied, deep and dense, with prodigious reserves of sweet but assertive tannin, lively acids and a long, muscular finish. This will require patience. 96-98 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Léoville Las Cases is the earliest harvest since 1989, starting on September 5 until September 20. Yields are 23 hl/ha, with a soft extraction using air pumps introduced in 2019, and it was matured in 80% new oak. It is the third vintage made in the new, impressive facility. This has another intense nose, quite flamboyant for Las Cases due to the warmth of the summer, with hints of pencil shavings and cigar box coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied but very concentrated. Real depth and density here, very primal, with an intense, multi-layered finish that coats the mouth. Not a subtle Las Cases, nor should it be, though I aver that it will oblige long-term ageing. Drinking Window 2035 - 2070. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Léoville Las Cases is powerful, tightly wound and very shut down—in other words, classic Las Cases. In some recent vintages, the Grand Vin has shown somewhat softer contours, but the 2025 is really a throwback to a more muscular, classically austere style. It offers tremendous persistence and sheer power, but beyond that, the wine is pretty hard to read in the early going, certainly much more so than any of the other wines in the Delon stable. I expect this will need many years to be at its most rewarding. Based on this en primeur sample, the 2025 is a wine for readers who have actuarial tables on their side. 2040-2100. 96-98 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Deep, violet-hued in the glass, this barrel sample opens with remarkably expressive aromatics of cool blue fruit and ripe cassis, layered with hints of hawthorn and integrated oak spice, signaling this estate's pedigree. The attack is immediate, initially juicy with mid-palate fruit that swiftly yields to a formidable structure. The tannins are powerful (IPT 82), dense and commanding, their presence further accentuated by a relatively low pH of 3.56. At this stage, the balance clearly favors Pauillac styled power over St Julien charm, with the fruit somewhat restrained by the sheer scale of the tannic frame. The Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend combined with low yields of 23 hl/ha due to the tiny grapes harvested underscores the wine’s concentration and depth. Élevage is expected to extend up to 22 months in 80% new oak, a choice that should help absorb and refine the structure. A distinct mineral, saline edge emerges on the finish, though presently dominated by the tannic grip. This is the first vintage produced in the estate’s new six-story cellar, equipped with 120 fermentation tanks in oak and stainless steel (up from 40), enabling highly precise parcel-by-parcel and intra-parcel vinification. The addition of a vinothèque reflects the estate's long-term vision. Under the direction of Arnaud Delon, marking his first vintage alongside his father, Jean-Hubert Delon, the technical precision is evident in the glass. A wine of impressive scale and clear potential, though one that will require patience to fully harmonize. (PK) 2036-2055. 98 points" Panos Kakaviatos, janeanson.com------"The texture is fantastic, with superb aromas of graphite, blackberries and blueberries. Medium- to full-bodied with tannins that are pure and primary, like eating perfectly ripe grapes. It’s the high quality of the tannins. A very classic Las Cases. 82% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc and 6% merlot. 98-99 points" jamessuckling.com------"Based on a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Merlot that's resting in 80% new barrels, the 2025 Château Léoville Las Cases is one of the wines of the vintage and just has an incredible sense of class, balance, purity, and richness. Harvest began on September 5th, the earliest ever for this estate, wrapping up on the 20th. Cassis, graphite, liquid minerality, and freshly sharpened pencil all define the nose, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with a round, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. If this doesn't make your eyes roll back in your head, nothing will. It checks in at 13.65% alcohol with a pH of 3.56. 97-100 points" jebdunnock.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Léoville Poyferré | 75cl | £318 per case of 6 | Château Léoville Poyferré 2025 / / 75cl £318 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Shy and introverted at this stage, the 2025 Léoville Poyferré reveals a somber bouquet of oak, spice, licorice and ripe dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it’s broad-shouldered and structured, built around a creamy new-oak mid-palate framed by an abundant tannic chassis that carries through to a spicy, oak-influenced finish. 91-93 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Léoville-Poyferré is gorgeous. Rich and juicy, with striking mid-palate pliancy, the Grand Vin shows the vintage at its finest. That is immediately evident in its plush contours and impeccable balance. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, menthol and mocha flesh out in the glass, filling out the layers effortlessly. The 2025 is a sensual Grand Vin. 2035 - 2065. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Léoville-Poyferré was picked from September 8 to 23 at just 20.3 hl/ha, undergoing a six-day cold pre-fermentation maceration and matured in 80% new oak. This is quintessential Poyferré on the nose, quite sensual and pure in style, with layers of ripe black fruit, black plum, a hint of camphor and violet. Wonderful delineation. The palate is framed by fine tannins, beautifully balanced, again quite minerally in style, with a precise and persistent graphite-tinged finish. If you love Poyferré, then you are going to adore this. 2032 - 2060. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Luscious, fabulous construction and grip, a true slow unroll, with waves of orange peel minerality, cocoa bean and espresso, silky texture, great quality, squid ink, yield extremely low at around 20hl/ha but manages to retain an opulent drinkability once you give it time in the glass. An easy one to recommend, and this has so many hidden depths. Harvest September 8 to 23. 3.73 pH. 20.38 hl/ha. 80% new oak. 3.71 pH. Harvest September 8 to 23. Old vines at Poyferre naturally low yields, and with the dry summer, this was the first year since 2011 to do no saignee at all during fermentation because already such natural concentration. 2035-2055. 97 points" janeanson.com------"Beautiful on the nose. Stylish and concentrated, medium- to full-bodied, with freshness and a savory note in the finish. Cohesive and precise, with fine-grained, focused tannins. Very structured at the end. A solid and bracing Medoc. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com------"Ripe, sexy amounts of red, black, and blue fruits, smoke, tobacco, and scorched earth all define the 2025 Château Léoville Poyferré, a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. It's full-bodied on the palate, with a round, layered, exuberant mouthfeel, plenty of velvety tannins, and ample mid-palate depth. It's a ripe, opulent, beautifully balanced 2025 in the making. 96-98 points" jebdunnock.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Les Carmes Haut Brion | 75cl | £429 per case of 6 | Château Les Carmes Haut Brion 2025 / / 75cl £429 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"I was a little nervous to be honest about Carmes Haut-Brion, worried that this would be too sliced-through with steel acidity this year with the high Cabernet Franc, but I was worrying unnecessarily. It's totally beautiful, sleek, grilled campfire, a ton of momentum and there is a spherical feel through the mid palate, expanding and deepening the fruit flavours. High floral as you would expect, a crush of peony, iris, violet right on the first nose, chalky and slate edge to the tannins, full of energy, 14%abv at picking then whole cluster brought it down to 13%, 3.6ph, 65% whole bunch during fermentation. 38hl/h yield (compared to 24hl/ha yield last year after selection), 70% new oak. 3.59 pH. Harvest September 7 to 19, this is highest levels of Cabernet Franc to date. 2035-2055. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Les Carmes Haut-Brion comes from clay-limestone soils and was picked from September 7 to 19, with a high level of Cabernet Franc (54%) and lower Merlot (17%). This vintage has 65% whole cluster, similar to 2022, raised in 70% new oak barrels, 19% in 18hl foudres and 11% amphoras. This takes time to open on the nose: blacker, darker fruit than the Le C, black plum and touches of iris flower. Very pure, very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins on the entry, crunchy in the mouth, black fruit interlaced with Earl Grey, subtle ash-like notes. Linear towards the finish but very sustained in the mouth, there is plenty of energy in this Les Carmes-Haut-Brion and it should age with style and grace. More sapidity on the finish than the Dead Sea. 13.1% alcohol. Drinking Window 2032 - 2060. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot, one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Franc at the estate and comparable to 2016. It was vinified with 65% whole clusters and matured in 70% new oak. It reveals a complex, harmonious bouquet of pomegranate, iris and peony, intertwined with cassis, mulberries and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it’s deep and layered, its concentrated core of fruit framed by velvety structuring tannins, concluding with a long, mineral-inflected finish. Combining tension with an ethereal profile, it delivers remarkable clarity, freshness and elegance. While slightly more overtly structured at this stage than the prodigious 2022, it remains impeccably balanced. 95-98 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a huge, powerful wine that is going to need many years to come into its own. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, incense, melted road tar and licorice make a bold entrance. Fertility in the Merlots was low. As a result, the 2025 has the highest amount of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon ever, 83% in total as opposed to the more typical 70% or so. Whole clusters, always a part of the approach here, are 65%. Time on skins was 45 days at 27°C (80.6°F) compared to the 35 days at 30°C (86°F) that is more typical. Readers will find an especially deep, potent Carmes, a wine that will need the better part of a decade to shed some of its considerable baby fat. It's a telling example of the vintage, with 1% less alcohol than in most recent years. Today the 2025 is a mere infant. It's another exceptional wine from Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier and his team. 2033-2075. 96-98 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Deeper-hued than the C des Carmes cuvée, with a gorgeous perfume of red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with graphite, leafy herbs, iris, and subtle floral, minty, and almost peppery nuances, the 2025 Château Carmes Haut-Brion is based on 54% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, vinified with 65% whole clusters. On the palate, it's wonderfully textured and medium to full-bodied, with a round, layered, expansive mouthfeel and ultra-fine tannins. I love its overall balance, it has no hard edges, and while there's plenty of tannins here (IPT 82), they're perfectly integrated and polished. It checks in at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.59, and this is just loaded with charm and character. 96-98 points" jebdunnock.com------"The precision is so seductive and intellectual, with aromas of fresh flowers, iron, graphite, cedar, blood oranges and black fruit. It's medium-bodied with a compact palate of intense tannins that melt into the wine. Rather weightless in nature. It kicks in at the end with incredible intensity and focus. 13% alcohol. 65% whole cluster. 54% cabernet franc, 29% cabernet sauvignon and 17% merlot, mostly co-fermented. 99-100 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Les Cruzelles | 75cl | £99 per case of 6 | Château Les Cruzelles 2025 / / 75cl £99 per case of 6 |
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Tasting NotesQuite a dark, heady fragrance full of purple flowers and herbal touches with creamy blue fruit. Juicy and lively with a really mouthwatering but smooth and silky texture. This just brings a smile to your face - not overly complex but clean and pure, so harmonious in terms of fruit, acidity and tannins with a fine structure giving lots of enjoyment. Refined, elegant with lots to like. Ageing 55% new oak. A go-to for price and pleasure. 92 points." (GH) Decanter, Apr '26------"The 2025 Les Cruzelles was picked on August 29 for the Merlot, and September 8 and 12 for the Cabernet Franc, and was raised in 55% new oak. This is neat and tidy on the nose, brisk blackberry, blueberry and violet scents that gain vigour in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded tannins that seem to make this Lalande-de-Pomerol just "glide". Precise and delivering perfect acidity, this is a beautifully crafted Les Cruzelles that lingers in the mouth, with white pepper on the aftertaste. Drinking Window 2030 - 2045. 91-93 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026------"Medium- to full-bodied with stylish fruit that’s grainy yet concentrated, supported by velvety tannins that will continue to evolve. Well balanced. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. 92-93 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2025------"The 2025 Les Cruzelles is another stellar wine in this range from sisters Noëmie and Constance Durantou. There's a bit more clay in this section of the vineyard, which comes through in the wine's broad textures and darker fruit profile vis-à-vis La Chenade. Black cherry, lavender, cloves, menthol and licorice add to an impression of somber gravitas. This will need time in the cellar, as the tannins are formidable. 2030 - 2043. 92-94 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2026------"Compared to the La Chenade, the 2025 Château Les Cruzelles is often more structured and serious in style. It's another Pomerol look-alike that brings ample structure, medium-bodied richness, a nicely focused mouthfeel, and beautiful aromatics of ripe blue fruits, spring flowers, violets, and chocolate on the nose. It's another brilliant wine in the lineup from this family estate. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château L'Evangile | 75cl | £582 per case of 6 | Château L'Evangile 2025 / / 75cl £582 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 L'Evangile is showing well, bursting with aromas of sweet cherries, dark berries, spices and licorice, framed by nicely integrated oak. On the palate, it's medium- to full-bodied, with a rather rich, powerful profile, built around ripe but youthfully structuring tannins. It's a blend of 87% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, some 40% of which is being matured in foudre. The vintage conditions, which produced very small berries (as little as 0.6 grams for Cabernet Franc growing on gravel), have delivered an Evangile of unusual density. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 L'Évangile is a very beautiful wine. Silky and medium in body, the 2025 is a classic L'Évangile, which is shocking given the intense heat and drought of the year, along with yields of just 22 hectoliters per hectare in aggregate across the châteaux. Bright red-toned fruit, mocha and rose petal all grace the palate. Touches of blood orange and white pepper lift the brilliant finish. Élevage is 40% new oak, 40% foudre, 15% once-filled barrels and 5% amphora. This is a very precise wine and one of the top Pomerols of the year. 2035 - 2065. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Nice plump roundness on the palate with a touch of strawberry acidity to bring some life and lift. Quite serious, fine tannins, a cool crisp, blue fruit edge with a lot of liquorice and wet stone aspects – a mineral, salty, spiced grip on the finish. I like the frame, not too heavy but it’s still quite tight. I don’t find the density of 2022 or 2023 but there’s definitely charm on offer in a cool, serious way right now with a hint of gloss. Ageing 5% amphora. 40% foudre. 45% new oak. 10% used barrels. 3,7pH. A yield of 22hl/ha. 96 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine------"Damson colour, this has a ton of juicy blue and black fruits, well judged density, energy and lift, clear ageing ability, grilled cumin, peony, iris flowers, slate and crushed rocks, 40% new oak, with large oak casks for almost half of the production. Less Cabernet Franc in this blend simply because of the size of the berries. 3.7ph. Blason no longer sold En Primeur, so not tasted here. Juliette Couderc director. Harvest began on August 26 with young Merlot on gravel. 23hl/h overall yield, fascinating to see how they split across different terroirs in the L'Evangile vineyard - on gravel 15hl/ha, on clay 28hl/ha, on sand, 38hl/h all due to size of berries. In practise this meant a lot of intra-plot harvesting, going through four or five times. The result is impressive. 2032-2050. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 L'Évangile has been given new impetus by winemaker Juliette Couderc. It is initially backward, but it really comes forth with a few swirls of the glass: black cherries, mint and juniper berries, just a hint of truffle, quite vibrant and vivacious. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, a fine bead of acidity, superb minéralité, as if there were a bit of limestone soil, but there is none. Very saline on the aftertaste with impressive length. This is a marvellous L'Évangile given the growing season, and it seems imbued with so much personality. 2032 - 2060. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Lynch Bages | 75cl | £402 per case of 6 | Château Lynch Bages 2025 / / 75cl £402 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Blackcurrant leaf, dark fruit and some black chocolate and dried floral scents. Supple with lovely energy and flex. Grippy but also chewy so you get texture and weight without any dryness or austerity. Juicy, lively, still grippy with a chalky, salty touch to the finish. Nice nuance and approachability while keeping a cool, blueberry element all the way through. ‘Lightly’ presented, certainly nothing overdone here. Bravo. 94 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine------"Damson, cassis, bilberry, a wine that doesn't feel so far away from the very top vintages of the estate, clear expansion in the mid palate, with an uncompromising architecture that has the supple tannins of a warm year, with pomegranate, incense, blackberry, cedar, slate, crushed rocks. Excellently put together with juice, promise and personality. 3.68 pH. 75% new oak. Harvest September 9 to 21. Jean-Charles Cazes owner, along with his three sisters, Nicolas Labenne technical director. 2036-2055. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Lynch-Bages wafts from the glass with aromas of dark wild berries, lead pencil and spices, framed by well-integrated new oak. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it’s deep and muscular, with a broad-shouldered profile, yet more velvety and precise than usual, showing a touch of freshness through the mid-palate, concluding with a long, cassis-inflected finish. Without departing from its customary style—combining power and generosity in youth—it is more approachable en primeur, with softer, more polished tannins than in recent vintages. This is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, matured with 75% new oak. 94-97 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Lynch-Bages is a wine only very patient consumers should contemplate. Dark and explosive, with incisive tannins, the 2025 is quite the powerhouse. Huge beams of tannin lend serious intensity and power. In many warmer years, this level of richness is accompanied by commensurately high alcohols and viscosity, but the 2025 is built around fairly classic lines, which only reinforces its sheer brawn. 2035-2075. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Currants, smoky oak, chocolate, and hints of violets all define the 2025 Château Lynch-Bages, a remarkably balanced, elegant Pauillac from this estate that has more than a passing resemblance to the 2019. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ultra-fine tannins and nicely integrated acidity, and it builds beautifully with time in the glass. It should have some reasonable accessibility, but as with most vintages here, the cellar will be your friend. 96-98 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2025 Lynch-Bages was picked 9 to 21 September and matured in 75% new oak barrels. This has a stunning bouquet with exceptionally pure blackberry, cassis and subtle violet scents, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with finely embroidered tannins, perfect acidity, a touch of cedar and black pepper that dovetails into a peacock's tail finish that “clings” to the mouth. This continues the strongest run from Lynch-Bages since the 1980s and, perhaps with the 2025, it is close to surpassing that. Drinking Window 2032 - 2060. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Lots of great energy, with a precision and focus that sends you down the road to gorgeous dark fruits and mineral nuances. A cool, minty note. Medium- to full-bodied. Racy and intense, with a lightness at the end. Juicy fruit, too. A blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Malescot St Exupery | 75cl | £179 per case of 6 | Château Malescot St Exupery 2025 / / 75cl £179 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Dark fruit with notes of cedar and spice. Finely etched tannins, the texture silky and fresh but a firm structure behind. Persistence on the finish. Very fine. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com (JL)------"A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Château Malescot St. Exupéry offers up aromas of sweet blackberries, plums, pencil shavings and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a sun-kissed core of fruit and powdery structuring tannins, it's a dramatic, generous, crowd-pleasing style of Margaux. 92-94 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2025 Malescot Saint Exupéry is classic Malescot-dark, powerful and quite brooding. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice, tobacco and dried herbs are delineated with serious concentration and pure, unbridled power. This backward, massively tannic Margaux is a wine for readers who can be patient. Drinking Window 2033 - 2045. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A very structured red with black currants, blackberries and chocolate aromas. It’s full and flexing, with solid tannins and a long finish. Impressive. Better than 2022? 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Margaux | 75cl | £2,034 per case of 6 | Château Margaux 2025 / / 75cl £2,034 per case of 6 |
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Tasting NotesSOLD OUT "The 2025 Château Margaux was picked at 22 hl/ha between 10 and 29 September. This year it represents 37% of the total crop, a little down on recent vintages, and was matured in 100% new oak as usual. The first thing that you notice on this Château Margaux is the purity of fruit, a signature of the First Growth but taken to its maximum in this vintage. Perfumed blueberry, crushed violet and iris flower, a touch of iodine and a distant trace of the estuary. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannins, fine delineation and poise. There is backbone to this Margaux but it is disguised under the layers of pure blackberry and blueberry fruit, dovetailing into a lightly spiced but very persistent finish. It fans out wonderfully, completing a very alluring wine in the making. This vintage contains 13.8% alcohol. Drink 2035-2065. 96-98 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26------"The texture of this wine is exceptional, with black currant, dark plum, chocolate and orange blossom aromas. Full-bodied with round and creamy tannins that fill the mouth and give a caressing texture. Very long and seductive. Gentle at the end. It's lush, velvety and luxurious. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. 98-99 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, Apr '26------"The 2025 Château Margaux is shaping up to be one of the wines of this young vintage. Dark and layered, almost mysterious in bearing, the 2025 is going to have a lot to say over the coming decades as it grows up. Today, its superb persistence and exceptional balance are the harbingers. Here, too, there's a ton of tannin, but also more than enough fruit and overall density to keep things in balance. 2035-2075. 97-99 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Apr 26------"A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Château Margaux is a deep, authoritative wine that represents some 37% of the estate's production this year. Unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berries, violets, lilac and pencil shavings, framed by a deft touch of new oak, it's medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids. This will certainly require some patience, but it is a prodigious Château Margaux in the making. It checks in at 13.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.72. 97-100 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26------"A heavenly, magical wine that has perfection written all over it, the 2025 Château Margaux is based on 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, raised entirely in new barrels. Similar in its gorgeous aromatics to the Pavillon Rouge, it shows cassis, blue fruits, and spice, but with a touch more freshness and floral character. It's absolutely seamless on the palate, with full body, a deep, layered, pure, graceful mouthfeel, velvety, polished tannins, flawless balance, and sensational length. Hitting 13.8% alcohol with a pH of 3.72, they took a chance harvesting very late in September, finishing on the 29th, and it unquestionably paid off. While many of the wines of the vintage are beautiful in their richness and elegance, this hits another level of opulence and depth. It reminds me of the 2009 on the palate and is a legendary Margaux in the making. 98-100 points." Jeb Dunnuck, Apr '26------"More dense and yet more soft than the Pavillon Rouge, fully anchored in place and yet rising through the palate, with rose petals, pomegranate, cassis and damson fruits, so juicy and full of character, slate and crushed rocks, peony and iris, with volume that is expansive and striking. These guys held on to harvest after the rains and have been rewarded for it - can't have been easy as everyone was picking around them, but this was a great decision that shows just what was capable in this vintage. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, harvest September 8 for young Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon began September 19 and finished September 29. 14% press wine, so a little less than usual because of the natural concentration. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, IPT81,3.76ph. 37% 1st wine. I dont give 100 points En Primeur, but if I did, this would get it. It's a slam dunk. 2036-2055. 98-100 points." Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, Apr '26 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Margaux - Pavillon Rouge du Margaux | 75cl | £582 per case of 6 | Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge du Margaux 2025 / / 75cl £582 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Pavillon Rouge represents 28% of the volume this year, a little lower than previous years, containing just a little more Petit Verdot (10%), matured as usual in around 60% new oak, though my sample was taken from a new barrel. It has a bright nose, black cherries and blueberry fruit, crushed violet developing in the glass, a hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied, with a pleasing rondeur on the entry, a “pillowy” Pavillon Rouge at this stage, a pleasing countervailing bitterness that balances the opulence that comes through on the slightly briny finish. Less jagged than its peers, this will be quite tempting in its youth, yet it certainly has the substance to last. Drink 2030-2045. 90-92 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26------"The 2025 Pavillon Rouge is a serious, youthfully structured second wine, unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berry fruit mingled with notes of anise, licorice and petals. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and lively, with a deep, tightly wound core of primary fruit and a long, vibrant finish, it will reward a bit of patience. This year, Pavillon Rouge represents 28% of the harvest, and it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. 91-93 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr '26------"The 2025 Pavillon Rouge is a gorgeous, very sexy wine, a Margaux that captures the best the vintage had to offer. Succulent red cherry/plum fruit, mocha and new leather open first. This offers gorgeous mid-palate pliancy and fabulous persistence, not to mention compelling balance all around. It's a very fine Pavillon Rouge, but one that will require cellaring as the tannins are quite imposing.2033 - 2045. 92-94 points." Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Apr '26------"Flavoursome, this is luscious and juicy, with the concentration and ripeness that I was expecting in more of the wines this year. Rose petals, damson, slate, crayon, cocoa bean, mint, DNA of the Margaux appellation on display. Just 2018 and 2022 were higher numbers in terms of phenolic compounds, and the 3.68ph is still low, but the perception is far less intense than in many properties. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, harvest September 8 for young Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon began September 19 and finished September 29. IPT 78. 28% of the overall production. 2032-2040. 96 points." Jane Anson, Apr '26 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Meyney | 75cl | £234 per case of 12 | Château Meyney 2025 / / 75cl £234 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Lovely deep colour, impressive grip and lift, austere at this early stage, needs time to open, but well structured, a ton of life ahead of it, lean cassis and bilberry fruits, liquorice root, 43hl/ha yield, 3.75ph. 2030-2042. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Meyney is packed with blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs, menthol and crushed flowers. Ample, broad and quite powerful, the 2025 builds beautifully with time in the glass. I can’t remember tasting a Meyney with this much sheer purity in its fruit. Impressive.2030 - 2043. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A serious, concentrated Saint-Estèphe, the 2025 Château Meyney reveals darker berries, graphite, chocolate, and hints of tobacco on the nose. It's rich and medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a nicely concentrated, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's clearly an outstanding wine. 92-94+ points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2025 Meyney was picked from 9 to 20 September at 43 hl/ha and matured in French oak for a planned 18 months. It has a bright nose with blackberry and bilberry fruit, cedar and light cigar box scents in the background, all delivered with commendable delineation. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins, but there is plenty of structure here, very well judged acidity, well-integrated oak with a judicious dash of pepperiness and a floral aspect to the finish. The 14% Petit Verdot just lends a little more malleability to the texture and it should be absolutely delicious once in bottle. If this is released at a good price en primeur, as it has been in the past, then this could represent an astute buy. Drink 2031-2050. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A fresh and savory red with ripe currant and raspberry aromas. Medium-bodied with velvety, creamy tannins and a fruity finish. Caressing and pretty. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Montlandrie | 75cl | £168 per case of 12 | Château Montlandrie 2025 / / 75cl £168 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Montlandrie was picked between September 9 and 20 and includes 20% each of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, raised in 60% new oak. (Did you know that they have 400 olive trees and produce virgin oil from the estate? I didn't.) This is more reticent on the nose compared to the Les Cruzelles, displaying a subtle marine tincture tucked behind the black plum and raspberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with very pliant, fluid tannins, a crisp line of acidity, overtly peppery towards the vivacious finish, which disguises the backbone of this Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. Great length, there can be few wines from that appellation better than this. Drink 2030-2048. 91-93 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May '26------"A well-structured, driven red with plenty of focus. Medium- to full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Well framed and compact in the finish. Salty and white pepper character. A blend of 60% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 20% cabernet sauvignon. 93-94 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, Apr '26------"Supple and fleshy with a chewy and bright aspect. Lots of fun on offer here with plenty of personality — ripe yet also freshly picked, just shy of tart strawberries, cranberries and red cherries. Clean and mineral on the finish with a wet stone element that lingers. Friendly, clean, focused yet still with intensity of fruit and push. A fine showing — zippy and alive, very balanced and refreshing. A yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing 60% new oak. 2027-2040. 94 points." (GH) Decanter, Apr '26------"The 2025 Montlandrie is exceptional. A wine of dimension and energy, Montlandrie screams with energy. Blue/black cherry fruit, lavender, spice and grilled herbs possess notable density and sheer power. There's crazy depth and overall complexity here. I would love to taste this blind in a lineup of wines from more "prestigious" appellations. 2030 - 2045. 93-95 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Apr '26 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Mouton Rothschild | 75cl | £1,824 per case of 6 | Château Mouton Rothschild 2025 / / 75cl £1,824 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Mouton Rothschild was picked between September 5 and 20 and matured entirely in new oak. It contains the highest Cabernet Sauvignon ever, at 98%. This has a very pure and controlled bouquet, "cool" black fruit, a light estuarine influence (oyster shells shucked down on the beach in Arcachon?) that filter through the blackberry and cassis fruit. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that feel a little more rounded and suppler than the 2025 Lafite Rothschild tasted just prior. There is a luxuriant aspect, the signature of Mouton Rothschild that differentiates it from the other First Growths, not plush but perhaps a little more flattering at this very early stage thanks to its patina of creaminess. In a sense, it is quintessential Mouton Rothschild and should age extremely well in bottle. 13.1% alcohol. Drink 2035-2065. 95-97 points." Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026------"The 2025 Mouton Rothschild is dense and brooding. Although naturally very, very young, all the elements are so well put together. The 2025 is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, the most Cabernet ever in the Grand Vin, and that very much comes through in the wine's structure and overall presence. Graphite, lavender, rose petal and menthol build into the rich, heady finish. There's a ton of potential here. 2035 - 2075. 96-98 points." Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2026------"A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, the 2025 Mouton Rothschild is a dense, powerful wine, unwinding in the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, blueberries, espresso roast, cigar wrapper and violet. Full-bodied, deep and dense, it's rich, layered and concentrated, with prodigious mid-palate presence and a long, youthfully structured finish. Small berries in Cabernet Sauvignon, below one gram even in the older vines, explain this Mouton's remarkable intensity of flavor. The grand vin represents 52% of the production and checks in at 13.1% alcohol. 97-99 points." William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2026------"Highest Cabernet Sauvignon on record (since 94% for the 2010 vintage), stately and reserved at first, then totally joyful. The right austerity, coupled with squid ink character and fabulous hidden depths that are going to take their time to fully unroll, with the incense of the oak coming through only after a good 10 minutes in the glass, you barely perceive it on the first tasting. What a beautiful Mouton, great stuff from wine director Jean-Philippe Danjoy. 52% Grand Vin, basically pure old vine Cabernet. And an interesting side note - in September there was no weekend picking, a clear indication that there was no stress about the harvest dates. 3.76pH. Harvest September 5 to 20. 100% new oak. 2036-2055. 98-100 points." Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, April 2026------"A glamorous wine for the vintage, with mesmerizing perfumes of flowers, al dente fruit and citrus flowers. Black currants with some mineral and stone undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and an endless finish. The tannins lead you on a great trip. It is the most cabernet sauvignon ever used in the blend in recent memory. Balanced and structured. 98% cabernet sauvignon and 2% merlot. 99-100 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2026 |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Ormes de Pez | 75cl | £204 per case of 12 | Château Ormes de Pez 2025 / / 75cl £204 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Ormes de Pez is redolent of dark cherry, herbs, menthol, tobacco, cedar and iron. This midweight Saint-Estèphe Cru Bourgeois has a lot to offer. Open-knit aromatics and relatively soft tannins suggest the 2025 will drink well pretty much right out of the gate. 2030 - 2040. 89-92 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Revealing elegant oak alongside dark wild berries and mulberries, with spices emerging with aeration, the 2025 Ormes de Pez is medium- to full-bodied, structured and somewhat firm at this stage. It shows good length and notable freshness, while retaining a dense, well-defined profile. 90-92 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Plump and dark fruits, a little sappy and full of vivacity, cherry pit, balanced juices, orange peel, liquorice, plenty of dark colour, good lift. 3.64 pH. 20% new oak. Harvest September 9 to 22, one of earliest harvests since 1989. 40hl/ha yields. 92 points" janeanson.com------"A Merlot-heavy blend of 58% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that's resting in 20% new oak, the 2025 Château Ormes De Pez is a little gem of a wine that should be snatched up by readers. Ripe currants, plums, smoky tobacco, and chocolate all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, round, supple, and charming, with ample mid-palate volume and length. 92-94 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A medium-bodied red with fine tannins and plenty of spice and fruit, with a real sense of St.-Estephe. Juicy and long. Delicious already for barrel. A blend of 58% merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2025 Ormes de Pez was picked 9 to 22 September and matured in 20% new oak barrels. This is very refined on the nose with brambly black fruit, crushed stone and light humidor scents, focused and classically styled. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit, armed with a fine bead of acidity. Black merges into redder fruit towards the finish with commendable length. This Saint-Estèphe has a newfound fluidity which has taken it up a level. Superb. Drink 2030-2055. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Palmer | 75cl | £1,150 per case of 6 | Château Palmer 2025 / / 75cl £1,150 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Clear spice, cumin, cloves, incense, wonderfully balanced, extremely slow unroll through the palate, floral Cabernet character dominant with crushed rose petals, and aromatics are totally jumping out of the glass. 3.65ph, harvest September 8 to 24. In terms of the blend, 1998 had more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon in Palmer, so that is a good sign. Thomas Duroux director. The soils here have that layer of gravel but also clay that really comes in useful in dry vintages such as 2025. 2036-2055. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Palmer was picked between September 4 and 26 at just 20 hl/ha (Duroux mentioned how yields have decreased by around 10 hl/ha over the last decade). Matured in 80% new oak and then racked into foudres the following June, it is quintessentially Palmer on the nose with those almost extravagant floral violet scents that blossom in the glass. Wonderful delineation and focus, touches of Indian ink and cassis emerge with time. The palate is very smooth and velvety on the entry, disguising the substance and weight of this wine. Impressive in terms of density, with a little more grip than the Alter Ego, it delivers just the right amount of spice that gives the finish another dimension. One of the longer-term Margaux wines that would benefit from a cellar in its first few years. Drink 2035-2070. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Palmer is unusual in that Merlot drives the blend this year. That results in an unusually juicy Grand Vin. Even so, there's plenty of supporting structure. The blend is 55% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Black fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice, gravel and chocolate build into a driving, potent finish. There's a lot of gravitas and substance here. I am very much looking forward to tasting this as a finished wine; my impression today is that the 2025 is holding back quite a bit of its potential. 2035 - 2065. 96-98 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Plush is the word to describe this red. Full-bodied and layered, with velvety tannins and a savory finish. Juicy at the end. Flashy and posh. Plenty of blackberry and black currant aromas and flavors. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com------"A brilliant, dense purple-hued wine cut from the same cloth as its stablemate, the 2025 Château Palmer offers a massive array of red, blue, and black fruits supported by chalky minerality, liquid violets, and graphite on the nose. Based on 55% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot that's being raised in 50% new barrels and foudres, it checks in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. It's full-bodied on the palate, with a round, sexy mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It's much more structured and tannic compared to the Alter Ego, with a slightly more inward style, yet it has enough fruit and texture to offer pleasure early, and it's going to deserve at least a decade of cellaring. 96-98+ points" Jebdunnuck.com------"One of the most refined and seamless wines of the vintage is the 2025 Palmer, a blend of 55% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot that wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries, plums and licorice complemented by floral accents of violet and wisteria (yes, the window of the tasting room was closed). Full-bodied, suave and layered, with a deep and concentrated core of fruit, bright acids and supple tannins, it's already harmonious and complete, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. At only 13.5% alcohol, this is quite a bit lower than most recent sunny vintages at Palmer. 97-99 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com |
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