Bordeaux 2023

Tasted April 2024. 100% Merlot. 14.6% ABV. 30% new barrels. Expressive and refreshing, with blackberry, aromatic plum, violet and delicate spice. Medium-bodied, smooth and generous at this early stage.

Tasted April 2024. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 12.9% ABV. Vibrant fresh lemon, apple and grapefruit on the nose, with lip-smacking, tangy acidity. Pithy and textural on the palate, with surprising weight as it develops, before a long, saline finish.

Tasted April 2024. The 2023 vintage marks a new era at Chateau La Garde, with a significant reduction in production of this, their first wine. It concentrates on Cabernet from the highest terrace, with deep gravel. Concentrated and pure with blackcurrant, plum, and a broad feel to the tannins on the palate that are ripe and grippy. Refreshing and gourmand on the palate with savoury notes towards the finish and subtle herbal notes.

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. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 12.9% ABV. Vibrant fresh lemon, apple and grapefruit on the nose, with lip-smacking, tangy acidity. Pithy and textural on the palate, with surprising weight as it develops, before a long, saline finish.

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. 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. 14.1% ABV. Pure and expressive, with the explosive aromatics of the vintage matched by the natural density of the Troplong Mondot terroir. Rich and spicy on the palate, tempered by mineral tones and grippy but elegant tannins. There's inate power here but reined in effortlessly by the textural complexity the team have created.

Tasted April 2024. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.7% ABV and 75% new barrels. Spicy and structured, with savoury dark fruit and delicate dried herbs. Fresh acidity and tons of densely packed tannins. Built to age, with power and intensity.

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. 52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.7% Cabernet Franc. Restrained and savoury dark bramble fruit on the nose with tobacco and graphite complexity. Grippy, broad tannins further contribute to this savoury style. Elegant and long on the palate.

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. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. 14.1% ABV, 50% in new barrels. The first vintage vinified in the new cellar, with eight hectares now in production. Aromatic and pure on the nose, with some limestone influence. Similarly on the palate there are chalky notes and edges to the ripe tannins. The fruit is restrained and vibrant, with red and black berry fruit. Lots of pomegranate acidity leads to a long, juicy finish with saline mineral notes.

Tasted April 2024. Bright and pretty on the nose, with dark plum, cherry and bramble fruit on the palate. Layers of complexity already with spice, balsamic and subtle truffle. Savoury and appetising on the finish.

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. 64% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Carmenere. Dark, ripe fruit and a vertical feel on the palate, due to a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannins also have a Cabernet shape, long and mouth-coating, and that structure is balanced by refreshing acidity.

Tasted April 2024. Rich and structured, with incredible complexity. Wild rosemary, sage, truffle, clove and mocha. Dense plum and cherry fruit. Impressive depth on the palate.

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

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. Elegant and structured, with a chalky feel on the palate. Fresh dark berries, plum, balsamic, truffle and licorice. Bright acidity and a long, savoury 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. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Red and black fruit with subtle vanilla and a creamy texture on the palate. It finishes with more spice and bramble, with silky tannins.

Tasted April 2024. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc 5% Petit Verdot. A very impressive, satin-like vintage of Pavillon Rouge. Pure and lively on the nose, plush dark fruit, rose petals and flint. Satin texture on the palate, with fresh red fruit, darker berries and mint. Incredibly long and fine, saline finish.

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.

Tasted April 2024. 82% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc. 14% ABV with two thirds of the wine matured in new barrels. An elegant iteration of one of our favourite Bordeaux estates, with crushed velvet texture, and layers of mineral and savoury complexity with truffle, graphite and exotic spice on the nose.

Tasted April 2024. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 12.91% ABV. Vines here are on average 55 years old. The 2023 expression of Cos still has its inate power, but it's restrained by gentle techniques in the cellar. The result is a fresh, expressive wine with lots of structure and velvet tannins.

Tasted April 2024. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. 13% ABV. Focused and detailed on the nose with black berry fruit, violets and anise. Rich, layered, dense on the palate, with concentrated black fruit. There's lovely perfume throughout and a fine, flinty finish.

Tasted April 2024. 13% ABV and 100% new barrels. Effortless and refined in 2023, the grand vin of Chateau Margaux has fresh blackcurrant fruit, black cherry and waves of sweet spice, pepper, floral notes and salinity. Refined, glossy tannins, delicate oak spice, and refreshing, mineral-laced acidity. A beautifully charming and expressive wine.

Tasted April 2024. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. 12.8% ABV. Poised and elegant, with racy, mouthwatering acidity, fresh red fruit and layers of comlpexity. Incense and graphite, with floral lift, and a sleek, silky feel on the palate. Powerful but in a restrained, tightly-wound way. Incredibly appetising and moreish.