"Gorgeous aromas of mango, pineapple, lime and dusty stone follow through to a medium-bodied palate with a creamy, ultra-fine texture. Flavorful and beautiful. Wonderful length. Extremely racy and fine in the mouth. Drink after 2025."
94 Points, James Suckling

Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot 94 Points- Wine Enthusiast A solid effort, this is a wine with great fruit and firm structure to support it. Ripe and full in the mouth, it’s a firm and complex wine with a delicious juicy aftertaste.

93 Points- Wine Spectator This offers beguiling aromas of bergamot, roasted sandalwood and black tea, before giving way to a well-endowed core of plum, blackberry and raspberry reduction notes. The structure is remarkably fine-grained, showing seamless integration through the long finish. A really great showing.

93 Points -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2012 Cantenac Brown, one of the most impressive Margaux I tasted, is the complete package – from the initial attack to the layered, rich finish. Dense ruby/purple-hued with notes of licorice, mulberries, black currants, asphalt and spring flowers, this medium to full-bodied, concentrated, rich effort does not reveal an excess of rusticity or astringency.

92 Points-James Suckling This is very intense for the vintage in the Médoc with blueberry, mineral and blackcurrant character. Full and chewy. Needs two or three years to soften but already there.

Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window for Magnum Size: 2023-2048

94 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"The 2011 Château La Mission Haut-Brion reveals a deep garnet color followed by a complex nose of blackcurrants, cedar, tobacco leaf, and sweet spices. The bouquet is rich and inviting, layered with notes of plum, dark chocolate, and subtle earthiness. On the palate, this wine is medium to full-bodied with a plush, velvety texture. The tannins are firm yet refined, supporting flavors of ripe black fruits, cedar, and graphite. The wine displays excellent balance between concentration and freshness, with bright acidity giving it energy and precision. The finish is long and persistent, with lingering notes of spice and mineral undertones characteristic of the estate’s terroir. This vintage offers a harmonious blend of power and finesse and is expected to develop gracefully over the next 15–20 years.”

Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2018-2038

94 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"The 2011 Château La Mission Haut-Brion reveals a deep garnet color followed by a complex nose of blackcurrants, cedar, tobacco leaf, and sweet spices. The bouquet is rich and inviting, layered with notes of plum, dark chocolate, and subtle earthiness. On the palate, this wine is medium to full-bodied with a plush, velvety texture. The tannins are firm yet refined, supporting flavors of ripe black fruits, cedar, and graphite. The wine displays excellent balance between concentration and freshness, with bright acidity giving it energy and precision. The finish is long and persistent, with lingering notes of spice and mineral undertones characteristic of the estate’s terroir. This vintage offers a harmonious blend of power and finesse and is expected to develop gracefully over the next 15–20 years.”

The Château Prieuré-Lichine 2016 is a Margaux wine known for its elegant, floral, and silky character. It offers a medium-bodied palate with notes of black fruit, red fruit, and spices, complemented by a long finish with fine, grippy tannins. The wine is described as having a rich and velvety red color with deep violet reflections.

Little is known about this tiny family winery, but the wines are spectacular and true to Sangiovese from Montalcino. With only 7ha purchased in 2000, winemaker Jessica Pellegrini is a rising star in the area making elegant wines that are organic. The 2015 vintage was excellent and with lovely cherry nib, balsamic and tomato leaf, it is a wine for the ages that you will want to drink again and again.

Like Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac Brown is one of the big outperformers in Margaux this year. Is it better than the 2009? It is probably more a question of taste. The 2010 wine is characterised by ripe black fruits well woven together into a sweet oak framework. This is a classic ‘silky’ Margaux but with very present refreshing acidity. Good length. A really successful wine this and with Brane-Cantenac surely a must buy in this vintage.

This is really excellent with creamy tannins and a lovely berry, currant and blueberry character. Full and luscious for the vintage. Superb. Second wine of Ausone.

This 50ha walled vineyard was created by the Monks of Citeaux and the soils in the areahas a large clay content, which accounts to the powerful, well-structured wines that can be rustic when young. This Grand Cru is on 1.28ha plot with 100% pinot noir. The grapes were handpicked and destemmed, then fermented in large oak vats. The wine was further aged for 20 months in French oak. The nose shows floral notes of rose petals, berries and spices. The tannins are fine and elegant with flavours of fresh fruit and spices of nutmeg and pepper.

James Suckling 92/100 points
Aromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it's tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.

Latitude is 100% Côte des Blancs Chardonnay from vineyards on the southern side of Vertus. These vineyards are on roughly the same latitude, hence the name, which also hints at the breadth of texture that the wines from these sites (having more clay in the soil) tend to offer up.

Pairs well with: Shellfish, crab & Lobster

Biodynamic

The Tollot-Beaut family is a based at Chorey-Les-Beaune with vineyards located in Beaune, Savigny, Aloxe-Corton and a small holding in Corton Charlemagne. The 2020 Corton Grand Cru, which comes from Les Combes as usual (though not on the label), has a lovely nose with brambly red fruit, black truffle and subtle pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, very fine tension and an almost sorbet-fresh, quite mouth-coating finish. It will require time in bottle...but this Corton will be worth the wait.

94 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate" Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it absolutely sings of red roses, black tea and tilled black soil with a core of crushed blackberries, Morello cherries and cassis plus a hint of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of ripe black berries and floral layers, framed by soft, silken tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. (LPB)" (11/2018)

94 points - James Suckling

93 points - Wine Enthusiast

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Merlot 20%
Drinking Window: 2020-2050

94 Points - Robert Parker
"The 2014 Pichon-Longueville Baron was broody at first, as if a big No Entry sign had been placed in front of the aromatics. But peeking underneath are some wonderful blackberry, cedar and graphite aromas that just sing of Pauillac and exude typicity. The palate is medium-bodied with very impressive depth and concentration on the entry, a superb line of acidity and outstanding precision on the finish. This is clearly fulfilling its potential that it showed from barrel. The only drawback is that it might be unfairly overshadowed by the 2015 Pichon Baron! This will be one of those over-performing Pauillacs, perhaps like the 1990 Pichon Baron, that will delight for years to come."

Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot
Drinking Window: 2020-2050

94 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"The 2011 Lafite Rothschild is an elegant, medium-bodied wine with aromas of red cherry, tobacco, and spices. The palate is refined with fine tannins and fresh acidity. It shows good balance but lacks some concentration compared to more generous vintages. The finish is medium in length and graceful.”

Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2027-2050

94 Points - Jane Anson
"Excellent quality from the off, this is gripping and fragrant, again slimmer than in recent years but again capturing and harnessing the potential finesse of the vintage, peony, iris, cassis bud, crushed rose petals. The fruit a little less evident that the flowers, this is more about texture and minerality. Winery at La Clotte now totally finished, vineyard is almost 50% replanted, just under 3ha in production, with another three years before the whole project with reception facilties are totally ready to go. 100% new oak. Harvest 1 to 5 October. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. "

Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2027-2050

94 Points - Jane Anson
"Excellent quality from the off, this is gripping and fragrant, again slimmer than in recent years but again capturing and harnessing the potential finesse of the vintage, peony, iris, cassis bud, crushed rose petals. The fruit a little less evident that the flowers, this is more about texture and minerality. Winery at La Clotte now totally finished, vineyard is almost 50% replanted, just under 3ha in production, with another three years before the whole project with reception facilties are totally ready to go. 100% new oak. Harvest 1 to 5 October. Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. "

As good, or better than any bottle of 86 Lafite I have ever tasted, time has been kind to this wine. The nose sports a complex array of spices, dried tobacco leaves cedar, leather, and bright red berries. The palate is energetic, firm, and most importantly, regal in character, with loads of ripe, bright, chewy, currants and cassis in the mid-palate and finish. This could be a 100-year wine. Drink from 2024-2080.

The wine has a rich colour with a garnet hue. The nose opens on blackberry notes mingled with refined hints of roasted coffee beans. With airing, noble and delicate notes of graphite, flint and cocoa round off this very attractive array of aromas.

Clos de Vougeot is located in the heart of the Côte de Nuits between Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée. It represents an area of 49.86 ha, at an altitude varying between 240 and 255 meters above sea level. Founded in 1110 by the Abbaye of Citeaux, Clos de Vougeot is the ideal image of Burgundy, rich with a terroir worthy of art. The village of Vougeot also has 4 climates of 1ers Crus on an area of 12.5 ha, including 3 ha of white wines: Les Cras, La Vigne Blanche, Les Petits Vougeot, and Clos de la Perrière.

Valbuena is the pure expression of a red at Vega Sicilia, with an ageing of five years from barrel to
bottle, which gives it its name, Valbuena 5º (5th year). 225-litre French and American oak barrels,
both new and used, 8,500-litre vats are used in a long and complex process for perhaps, the wine
which has evolved the most over the last few years.
Valbuena 5º presents its splendor in each vintage and a direct view of the greatness of its soil,
where the weather conditions each year make a clear distinction on the vintage.

94 points -Vinous
" Another strong effort, the 2005 Barolo Riserva 10 Anni Fossati Case Nere offers an intriguing interplay of power and sensuality. Dark red stone fruits, menthol, sage and licorice open up, but with considerable aeration. The aromatics are beguiling, while there is quite a bit of depth to the fruit, all of which adds up to a satisfying if reticent Barolo that should be cellared for another year or two, or given a at least a few hours of air."

94 points Decanter: " The construction here is clear in that you can feel the architectural hand of 2016 with St-Julien balance. This is rich and deep with intense, concentrated and juicy cassis fruits joined by a touch of sweet liquorice, dark chocolate and charred oak edging. I like the balance here. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040 (JA)" (10/2018)

94 points -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
" The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet has a very precise, tightly wound bouquet with limestone-tinged, brambly red berry fruit, the Merlot still very expressive and imparting comely floral scents. There is something almost Burgundy-like about the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin surrounding a core of citrus-fresh, lively red fruit, silky smooth in texture, approachable in style, with an almost symmetrical finish. This was a great L'Eglise-Clinet in barrel in the context of the vintage and it remains a very persuasive wine in bottle. (NM)" (10/2016)

Chateau d'Armailhac showcases all of the hallmarks of its big brother, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which is right next door. This is seriously juicy. Succulent ripe fruits dominate the palate, with a cool and racy undertone. The wine is ripe, showing flair and full of gravitas. Aged in 50 percent new and 50 percent old oak from Mouton itself, it has a creamy, fulfilling character. This is a wine which will certainly benefit from spending a few years in the cellar. This could be a treat and might just be a bargain too.

94 Points - James Suckling" Very minerally, silky and refined with a full body, firm tannins and currants, stones and citrus. Racy and fine. This has a little more Merlot in the blend but is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon as always. One of the best Armailhacs in a long time."