A very classic and classy Margaux, the 2024 Cantenac Brown has aromas of wild starwberry, cherry, sandalwood and subtle earthy notes. It is delicate and full of finesse with a vibrant line of acidity, supple tannin and a gracefulness and ease on the palate. It finishes with a lift of wild flowers and ocean spray.

This year a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, this is real success for the vintage. There is the flesh and the charm that is characteristic of Poyferré with an elegance that goes right to the core of the wine. There are aromas of violets, pepper and cedar with accents of plum and bramble fruit. A wine with aromatic charm and aeriel lift, it is full of brightness and energy.

A great Figeac this year it opens with a beautifully defined nose of incense, five spice, violets and a little liquorice. Aromatics are so seductive here - there is an enticing perfume of wet rocks, pepper, charcoal, and dried herbs. Full of elegance it offers notes of pomegranate, cherry and blue fruits with a fine and supple energy. It packs a lot of intensity and complexity into its mid-weight frame, this is a real success for the vintage.

Quite serious and brooding Ausone, it is quite restrained for the moment offering aromas of pepper, dried herbs, sandalwood and cedar. There is a slightly sanguine and soy note here with compact, fine grained tannin, intense dark berry fruit with a fine black tea and violet lift. It is tightly coiled and vibrant - a wine that will require patience.

This is quite a bold wine for the vintage. It leads with a rich dark chocolate note with dark cherry fruit. The palate gives more spice with notes of violets, wild herbs and a fine cocoa bitterness. The tannins are supple with a hint of soy and excellent freshness running through to the finish.

Aged in 55% new wood, the 2024 Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a beautiful and elegant wine this vintage, full of finesse. It offers flavours of a little blood orange, wild cherry, some dried herbs, and a slight ferrous note. There are accents of a little exotic spice with charming floral notes of cherry and violets. A complex wine that keeps unfolding to reveal orange peel, pomegranate, kirsh notes. There is a fine seamless texture here it, opens with richer cherry fruit then tightens on the finish with a real sense of purity and salinity.

Slightly restrained aromatics here, they need some coaxing from the glass at this time. If offers quite mineral inflections of oyster shell, soy and wet stones. There is a rather silky and fluid feel on the palate here with details of liquorice and violets. The finish is bright and focused with a hint of brine and wild herbs.

An expressive Haut-Brion this year there is fine detail of Cabernet with notes of warm gravel, violets and cassis fruit. Accents of pepper and cocoa add complexity here with a sinewy, fine-grained and tense tannin structure framing the fruit. It is a fine, supple and elegant Haut-Brion this year which can be considered a success for the vintage.

This is everything we want from outstanding claret. Notes of plum and cassis on the nose, with a floral note and plenty of sea spray. The palate is structured yet balanced, with an impressive core of fruit. Just starting to open up and will last for years.