Bordeaux 2020

Tasted April 2024. 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. 13.8% ABV. Grand Mayne flies under the radar, but has been making consistently impressive wines under third generation owners Jean-Antoine and Damien Nony. Their 2023 has a lovely mix of fresh bramble and Haribo berry gummy sweets on the nose, with licorice and dried rosemary creating savoury complexity. On the palate there's black cherry and raspberry jelly, with a mineral, saline note running through, combining with refreshing acidity on the long appetising finish.

Tasted April 2024. Blend 99% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. ABV 14.2. This mediaeval property has experienced a new lease of life under David Suire's stewardship and is surely one to watch over the coming years. Aromas of ripe red plums, red cherries and black olive tapenade give way to warm, baking spice notes and a pleasant mossy, earthy undergrowth characteristic. The nose is deceptively ripe as the mouth is fresh and crunchy with slick and silky tannins.

Tasted April 2024. Classic Margaux with satin-like tannins, delicate spice and medium body. There's some refreshing crunchy red fruit in addition to denser blackberry fruit and mocha richnes, and it has a classy, elegant finish.

Tasted April 2024. Pure and detailed on the nose and palate, with savoury fruit, dark plum and blackcurrant. Structured, savoury and appetising on the palate with ripe tannins and plenty of fresh acidity. A classic and delicious iteration of Giscours.

Tasted April 2024. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot. Fresh and soft black and red berry fruit, with delicate spice and toasty oak. Fragrant raspberry and juicy acidity throughout, finishing long and spicy with mouthwatering mineral notes.

Tasted April 2024. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV and 30% in new barrels. Situated on the limestone plateau, between Pavie Macquin, Troplong Mondot and Trottevielle, Le Prieure is one to watch. Bright and vibrant plum, cherry and blueberry fruit. It's lively on the palate too with sappy fruit, bright acidity and a juicy, long finish. Delicate spice, with chalky notes and mineral, saline sensations developing on the palate.

Tasted April 2024. 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot. Fresh black berry fruit on the nose and palate. Creamy texture and medium-body, with silky tannins and a long fruity finish.

Tasted April 2024. 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon. 13.6% ABV and 70% new barrels. The team at Larrivet Haut Brion are convinced this is the best vintage of white wine they have ever produced. Expressive and full of intense yellow fruit and a hint of cream on the nose. Intense and concentrated on the palate too with zesty citrus, and exotic fruit, with a refreshing mineral finish.

Tasted April 2024. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. 13.3% ABV and 50% new barrels, with the Merlot matured in terracotta amphorae. Larrivet Haut-Brion remains one of our hot tips in Bordeaux, seriously puching above its weight. Dense, crushed, juicy black fruit, licorice, sweet spice. More raspberry and cranberry on the palate, with floral, aromatic notes balancing the concentation. Refreshing acidity and a long, silky finish with saline notes.

Tasted April 2024. Refined and elegant in style with lots of floral character and fresh red fruit. Detailed on the palate with herbal complexity, saline notes and a long fine, appetising finish.

Tasted April 2024. Ripe, soft blackberry fruit, with some floral notes and minerals. Similar on the palate with silky, long, fine tannins and lovely purity of aromatic black fruit. A very impressive effort, and the first made in their state of the art new cellar.

Floral and explosive on the nose, thanks to a hefty dose of Cabernet Franc. Dried rose petals, fresh mint, sage, dried peel and wild strawberry on the nose. Crushed chalk element to the texture on the palate with a long, silky finish.

Dense dark fruit on the nose and palate, with complex mocha, floral and spicy notes. Dried herbs and a chalky note on the finish.