Bordeaux 2022

Tasted April 2024. 69% Sémillon, 31% Sauvignon Blanc. White peach on the nose with citrus and acacia flowers. Zesty on the palate with lively acidity and broad texture from the large proportion of Sémillon. Complex and tense finish.

Tasted April 2024. 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon, 8% Muscadelle. 13.2% ABV and 50% new barrels. Pithy with lemon, grapefruit and crisp apple.

Tasted April 2024. 56.3% Sauvignon Blanc, 43.7% Semillon.

Tasted April 2024. 65.3% Sauvignon Blanc, 34.7% Semillon. Lemon barley and delicate aromatic peach aromas. Zesty acidity with herbal notes on the finish.

2023 is the second vintage of G de Guiraud with ex-Chateau d'Yquem Sandrine Garbay in charge, and this year's conditions have created an expressive, rounded wine with punchy aromatics. Pink grapefruit, sweet orange and white flowers dominate the nose, and there's a long, mouthwatering finish with a seam of zesty acidity. It's 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc, from dedicated plots in the Guiraud estate. Partial malolactic fermentation gives some extra body and texture, as does some careful use of old oak barrels.

Tasted April 2024. Fresh exotic pineapple and ginger on the nose. Energetic on the palate, with lemon barley, dried pineapple and mango. Delicious, mouth-cleansing acidity.

Tasted April 2024. Fresh exotic pineapple and ginger on the nose. Energetic on the palate, with lemon barley, dried pineapple and mango. Delicious, mouth-cleansing acidity.

Tasted April 2024. 58.2% Sauvignon Blanc, 41.9% Semillon. Pure with steely notes on the nose, along with lemon and fresh apple. Zesty acidity, with some sappy texture on the palate, and some subtle weight from Semillon that will no doubt leave this ageing beautifully for many years to come.

Tasted April 2024. 58.2% Sauvignon Blanc, 41.9% Semillon. Pure with steely notes on the nose, along with lemon and fresh apple. Zesty acidity, with some sappy texture on the palate, and some subtle weight from Semillon that will no doubt leave this ageing beautifully for many years to come.

Tasted April 2024. Sémillon 65%, Sauvignon Blanc 35%. 13.8% ABV and 90% new barrels. Rich with botrytis character, with honey, spice, subtle mushroom, and marmalade. Then cascading freshness and precision on the palate with a bright finish.

Tasted April 2024. 80% Sémillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Unctuous initially, with cascading refreshing acidity. Fresh orange, lemon, and pear.

Tasted April 2024. Unctuous initially, with cascading refreshing acidity. Fresh orange, lemon, and pear.

The 2023 Lune d’Argent from the Bernard family of Domaine de Chevalier is an aromatic and full-flavoured reflection of some of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs. Sourced from 35 year old vines that neighbour the vineyards of Châteaux d’Yquem and Guiraud, this is always a lot of wine for your money. Gravel soils in Sauternes and Bommes provide power and freshness, while alluvial soils in Barsac lend the wine a unique minerality. Textured, zingy, and utterly delicious, the 2023 Lune d’Argent is an absolute bargain.

Tasted April 2024. One of the best Haut Medoc wines we tasted this vintage, with fragrant perfume and tension. There's dark plum, cherry, amaro herbs on the nose and palate, with fine tannins and a dense feel on the palate suggesting it will age well. Fresh with mineral complexity on the finish. Basile Tesseron is taking this humble estate to new heights.

Tasted April 2024. 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot. Pure and stony on the nose, with blackberry fruit and some aromatic plum. Grippy on the palate with fine tannin, and more blackberry.

Tasted April 2024. 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.2% ABV. Floral and fresh on the nose and palate with a mixture of red and black berry fruits. Refreshing style.

Tasted April 2024. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Fragrant, with good concentration on the palate of dark berry fruit and some aromatic raspberry. Supple, densely packed tannins and a refreshing finish.

Tasted April 2024. Pure and aromatic bramble fruit, with savoury spice. Appetising mineral notes and refreshing acidity. Medium-weight and gourmand in style.

Pierre Lurton and the team at Château Marjosse place aromatic purity and the expression of fruit at the heart of their winemaking. The team eschews the use of new oak, instead preferring used 400 litre barrels that allow the aromatic, floral, cherry-fruited nature of the wine to take centre stage. In 2023, the quality of the Cabernets was excellent and forms a higher part of the blend (40%) than in previous vintages. This is always friendly, delicious, and one of Bordeaux’s great values.

Tasted April 2024. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Fresh on the nose with blackcurrant, plum and fresh mint. Similar on the palate with some delicate spice. Well balanced, with a savoury finish and ripe tannins.

Tasted April 2024. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. Aromatic on the nose with damson, blackcurrant, licorice root and woody herbs. On the palate there's juicy bramble fruit, crunchy red berries and fresh mint. Pure, with intensity and drive on the palate. It finishes long and savoury.

Tasted April 2024. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot. 13.5% ABV. Classic Pauillac characteristics of savoury cassis and graphite. There's a roundness on the palate, with refreshing acidity, spicy oak flavours and a savoury finish. Lovely balance, purity and breadth on the palate.

Tasted April 2024. 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV. Fresh and brambly with sappy notes and wild herbs. Tannins are present but ripe and there's plenty of refreshing acidity. Savoury and restrained in style.

Tasted April 2024. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV. 50% new barrels. Fresh blackcurrant and blackcurrant pastille on the nose, with juicy, sappy bramble on the palate. Refreshing and lively with bright acidity and generous, ripe fruit. The tannins are smooth even at this early stage.

Tasted April 2024. Blackberry and woody herbs on the nose. Juicy on the palate with fresh blackberry and black cherry. Refreshing acidity, mineral and appetising on the palate.

Tasted April 2024. 55% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV and 45% new barrels. Powerful and opulent, with lots of sweet spice on the nose and woody herbs on the palate. An especially concentrated iteration of Ormes de Pez that punches above its weight.

Tasted April 2024. Montaiguillon in 2023 is classic Bordeaux at its best, and remains one of our easiest recommendations. There’s lots of fresh bramble fruit and spiced plum, with graphite and subtle truffle as it opens in the glass. Balanced and proportioned, it has lots of smooth tannin and a refreshing, appetising finish.

Tasted April 2024. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, a higher proportion than in previous vintages, with 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV and 50% new barrels. Lovely depth and concentration on the palate, in a classic style with structure and freshness. There's plenty of dense black berry fruit with bright fresh mint on the nose and creamy, toasty notes from high quality oak. Appetising and saline on the finish.

Tasted April 2024. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc. 13.4% ABV. 20% new oak. This vintage has majority Cabernet Sauvignon which is happening more and more at Potensac, and cassis aromas dominate the nose and palate, and along with influence of their limestone terroir the Cabernet gives a firm, ageworthy feel to the tannins. Fresh and lively towards the finish with chalky notes and juicy red berry fruit.

Tasted April 2024. 55% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. 13.6% ABV. Lots of structure and dark, brooding berry fruit. Spicy vanilla and cedar on the finish.

Tasted April 2024. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Carmenere, 1% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV and 55% new barrels. A higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage, matched only by 2019 and 1986 in recent decades. Dense and structured, with classical fruit style of ripe aromatic, black fruit with savoury notes and delicate spice from oak maturation. Savoury, gourmand and appetising in style.

Tasted April 2024. 67% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.39% ABV. 40% new oak. This is the first vintage to include Cabernet Sauvignon, with vines planted in the early 2000s. Black and red plum on the palate, with some blue fruit notes and delicate exotic spice. The wine feels balanced and fresh, with only moderate alcohol for Pomerol.

Tasted April 2024. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Rich and structured, with expansive, ripe tannins on the palate and a core of fresh blackcurrants tinged with graphite. Vibrant and fresh on the finish to balance its full-bodied, intense frame.

Tasted April 2024. More Cabernet Sauvignon than ever, and 4% Petit Verdot. Dark berry fruit and blue fruit, with aromatic lavender and rosemary. Fine and with Lafon-Rochet's characteristic bright, saline freshness. Especially dense, rich and compact in this vintage.

Tasted April 2024. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. 13% ABV. Dense and concentrated with black fruit. Spicy and complex on the nose and palate, with dry spice, cedar, and hints of graphite. Impressive in its subtlety and balance.

Tasted April 2024. 53% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV. Trotte Vieille seems to be improving with every new vintage, and the 2023 is particularly impressive. Explosive and decadent with ripe dark berries, mint, licorice and violets. Peppery and savoury on the finish.

Tasted April 2024. 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc. 13.6% ABV. Serious second wine with lots of spice and complexity. Juicy initially, with savoury edges as the wine develops. Leafy, herbal notes, around a core of al dente black fruit. Angular and classy.

Tasted April 2024. Restrained red and black berry fruit on the nose and palate. Herbal notes throughout, with an appetising finish.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Classic Pauillac characteristics of savoury-tinged cassis, bramble and graphite. The tannins are fine, densely packed and ripe. Fresh black fruit continues on the palate but with plenty of cleansing acidity and mineral notes that create a mouthwatering finish, along with creamy oak influence. Intense and concentrated but pure, vibrant, and with everything in good proportion.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Classic Pauillac characteristics of savoury-tinged cassis, bramble and graphite. The tannins are fine, densely packed and ripe. Fresh black fruit continues on the palate but with plenty of cleansing acidity and mineral notes that create a mouthwatering finish, along with creamy oak influence. Intense and concentrated but pure, vibrant, and with everything in good proportion.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Classic Pauillac characteristics of savoury-tinged cassis, bramble and graphite. The tannins are fine, densely packed and ripe. Fresh black fruit continues on the palate but with plenty of cleansing acidity and mineral notes that create a mouthwatering finish, along with creamy oak influence. Intense and concentrated but pure, vibrant, and with everything in good proportion.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Classic Pauillac characteristics of savoury-tinged cassis, bramble and graphite. The tannins are fine, densely packed and ripe. Fresh black fruit continues on the palate but with plenty of cleansing acidity and mineral notes that create a mouthwatering finish, along with creamy oak influence. Intense and concentrated but pure, vibrant, and with everything in good proportion.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.3% ABV and 50% new barrels. Aromatic blackberry and blueberry fruit with savoury spice, fresh mint, and white pepper on the nose. Fresh on the palate, with silky tannins and creamy vanilla. Elegant and fine on the finish.

Tasted April 2024. 13.7% ABV. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 17% Petit Verdot. Château Angludet, run by the Sichel family, is farmed biodynamically, and since 2019 they have aged nearly half the wine in amphorae (this year 40%). This lends the barrel sample tasted a distinct aromatic purity, with damson, blackberry and plum complemented by some creamy, toasty notes from 35% new barrels.

Tasted April 2024. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot. 13.1% ABV. 80% new barrels. This year marks the first year Las Cases is made in the brand new cellar, with an increased number of vats resulting in greater precision. They now only pick into small crates, and infusion techniques replace pumping over for extraction. Brooding blackcurrant and black plum on the nose, with graphite, smoky notes. Impressive density on the palate with more dark berry fruit and fine, delineated tannins. It finishes very long and fresh with juicy acidity. Dark chocolate, exotic spice and delicate vanilla on the palate.

Tasted April 2024. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. 13.2% ABV and 65% new barrels. Bold and structured with a core of dark cassis. Cedar and creamy vanilla on the finish.

Tasted April 2024. 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 14% ABV, with the Merlot in new barrels and the Franc in larger foudres. Pure and floral on the nose, with plush black orchard fruit and bramble. On the palate there are more elegant floral characters, fresh mint and some savoury notes in the background. The style is restrained and refined, with pure fruit character.

Tasted April 2024. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV. Pure, vibrant style with excellent length, and fine, delineated tannins. Detailed and savoury on the palate.

Tasted April 2024. 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5% ABV. This vintage the Cabernet Franc is especially singing, and there's savoury depth throughout the wine. Tension on the palate with ripe, linear tannins. Fresh, savoury-tinged dark fruit, bramble and plum, with strong herbal notes.

Tasted April 2024. 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.6% ABV. Very floral with violet and aromatic spice like anise and coriander on the nose. Delicate and ethereal on the palate with paper-fine tannins, and a juicy core of soft black fruit. A lot of concentration but in a very elegant frame.