The 2016 Palmer is a blend of 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Opaque garnet-purple colored, it slowly glides out of the glass with compelling notes of blueberry compote, warm cassis and kirsch with emerging hints of violets, cigar box, black tea, sandalwood and Sichuan pepper.

The 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is a blend of 54.7% Sauvignon Blanc and 45.3% Semillon, harvested from 19th to 28th August, with an estimated alcohol of 13.8%. The nose tingles with electric notes of lemon zest, orange blossoms, pink grapefruit, hints of fresh ginger, elderflowers, crushed rocks, and a waft of lime leaves. The medium-bodied palate quivers with intense, tightly wound citrus fruit layers, backed up by a racy backbone and finishing long and steely.

2009 is perhaps the greatest young Château Margaux we have tasted over the last 30 years. The 2009 Château Margaux is an unparalleled vintage in its tannic power and fullness (reminding us of 2005) and its softness (reminiscent of 1990). And since its alcoholic degree is barely over 13, its finish remains fresh, flavoursome and of astonishing length. When to drink it? This is a question that is difficult to answer as it already gives so much pleasure, but with such enormous potential.

The Cabernet, is both fine and dense at the same time and dominates the personality of the Château Margaux 2007. The Merlot gives full, tender and rich texture, along with the Cabernet Franc which clearly benefited from the conditions of the vintage. We can start drinking it now even if wisdom would have us wait several more years.

1986 is an astonishing vintage; its very slow development in a way reminds us of the previous generation's wines. Its tannic structure is very tight-knit, very dense and softens only very slightly from year to year. The bouquet is starting to open up; however, we feel that it is still only showing a limited part of its enormous potential. It is full and rich on the palate, still a little bit firm. Should we drink it?. A great vintage, but which seems to belong to another, older era.

This is a prodigious effort. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc (only 37% of the crop qualified for Las Cases), this dense ruby/purple wine has a stunningly pure bouquet of dark fruit, wet rocks, graphite, and subtle background toast/vanillin. Full-bodied, masculine, and very deep and concentrated, this titanic effort is at least 8-10 years away from its plateau of maturity. The Delon family have produced another legend. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2050+.

Spiced sandalwood, white pepper, saffron, cigar box, oyster shell salinity, orange peel, and still juicy blackcurrant and blueberry fruit, even as it heads towards 35 years old. Utterly gorgeous, effortless even, the word beguiling comes out of nowhere. Love this, and provides a glimpse into what this wine can acheive when you are lucky enough to catch it at the right moment. 50% new oak, Michel Delon owner. Harvest September 5 to 25, after a hot dry year.

The 2020 L'Eglise Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was picked between the 11th and the 14th of September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.4% and is aging in French oak barrels, 80% new. Displaying and opaque purple-black color, it needs a bit of swirling to reveal a fascinating array of earthy notes —black truffles, charcoal, mossy tree bark and fallen leaves—over a profound core of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and violets, with a waft of tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate has exquisitely ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the seductively ripe, black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

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)

Surprisingly woodsy, with truffle, cassis, earth, tobacco, cedar chest and blackberry in the developed nose. There is a nice softness to the tannins and fruit. Not yet fully mature, but quite developed for a vintage of Latour at 10 years of age, the wine offers pleasure, refined textures, balance and sweet berries in the finish. Drink now, or wait 5 years for more complexity

Medium to deep ruby red in color. Notes of graphite & chocolate dominate the dark fruit on the nose. The palate is big, rich and concentrated with lots of cassis that is lifted by good acidity. The tannins are huge with good grip, but do not quite close-up the fruit. Alcohol is balanced and the finish has good length. A big wine but with lively fruit & good equilibrium

93 points Vinous: "The 2016 Lascombes is grown into a gorgeous wine. Blackberry jam, chocolate, new leather, espresso and copious new oak all flesh out in this ample, resonant wine. As always Lascombes is done in a style that brings out the more lush, flamboyant side of Margaux. In this vintage, all the elements meld together effortlessly, something that isn't always the case. (AG)" (1/2019)

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)

Deep, dark, ruby-red, is not quite opaque. The nose is cedary with quite high-toned, ripe dark fruit, overlaid by lovely top notes of coconut & vanilla. The concentrated cassis fruit in the palate is very classy, it is lean, structured & cedary with hints of coconut & vanilla. Fine tannins give grip while retaining some suppleness. The wine has a wonderful elegance thanks to beautifully balanced acidity. Alcohol is also balanced, leaving the finish long & fine.

Deep, dark, ruby-red, is not quite opaque. The nose is cedary with quite high-toned, ripe dark fruit, overlaid by lovely top notes of coconut & vanilla. The concentrated cassis fruit in the palate is very classy, it is lean, structured & cedary with hints of coconut & vanilla. Fine tannins give grip while retaining some suppleness. The wine has a wonderful elegance thanks to beautifully balanced acidity. Alcohol is also balanced, leaving the finish long & fine.

The medium to deep ruby-red color is not quite opaque. The nose shows a little clean cassis perfume over precise toasty oak. On the palate lovely freshness allows vivid cassis hints to show ahead of a classic cedary mid-palate that is dominated by the wine's fine tannic structure. Alcohol is balanced & the finish endures well. The fruit on the finish is closed & unsupple.

The medium to deep ruby-red color is not quite opaque. The nose shows a little clean cassis perfume over precise toasty oak. On the palate lovely freshness allows vivid cassis hints to show ahead of a classic cedary mid-palate that is dominated by the wine's fine tannic structure. Alcohol is balanced & the finish endures well. The fruit on the finish is closed & unsupple.

Deep ruby-red color is not quite opaque. The aromas are tightly wound being dusty at first over cassis, them becoming more ceadry & perhaps chalky. The palate is tight & closed at present. There is a delicate leafy cassis fruit but the wine is dominated by plentiful, fine, smooth tannins. Acidity is good alcohol is balanced & the finish has superb length. The wine's fruit is largely closed up, but its excellent balance suggests this could open spectacularly with age.

Almost opaque ruby red in color. Restrained cassis fruit is dominated by cedary & earthy notes. Black fruit on the palate is quite closed with cedar & meaty notes dominating at present. There are plenty of very firm, fine tannins. The wine's acidity & balanced alcohol ensure it is finely poised, however the fruit has a restrained & elegant nature, leaving the structure to carry the enduring finish

The wine is a dark, well-pigmented ruby-red in color. Cedar, coffee, tobacco & earthy notes overlay cassis fruit on the nose. The palate is very nicely together, with plentiful coffee notes overlaying black-cherry fruit Balanced acidity & slightly warming alcohol combine to give a firm, well-structured mid-palate. The finish lasts well.

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.

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (Pessac-Leognan) - a blend of 72% Semillon and 18% Sauvignon Blanc. The Semillon provides richness and acidity with the Sauvignon adding an array of citrus and stone fruits. White wine luxury - who says white wines can't age? Drink now to 2030.

Composed of 48.6% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, the 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion has an alcohol of 14.7%. It needs considerable swirling and coaxing to reveal slowly emerging scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and forest floor, leading to suggestions of violets, baker's chocolate and cardamom with wafts of dusty soil and oolong tea. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with impactful, fresh red, black and blue fruit layers, supported by impressive freshness and fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long and fragrant. A stunning expression of this vintage!

"This perfumed wine shines with black fruits. Against this, the wine's tannins are solid and firm, promising long-term aging. The wine's structure—black fruits against tannins—is a classic for this estate. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 96/100, Wine Enthusiast

A blend of 71.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 28.6% Semillon, harvested 20th to 27th August and with an alcohol of 13.9%, the 2020 Haut Brion Blanc slowly unfurls to reveal notes of fresh pears, spiced apple slices, orange zest and lemongrass, plus touches of wet pebbles, dillseed and baking bread. The medium-bodied palate wears its lightly spicy apple and pear layers with grace and sophistication, supported by a racy backbone and subtly creamy texture, finishing long and mineral-laced. It will need time, but there's no doubting it's a knock-out.

The 2019 Château Haut-Brion Blanc is a more Sauvignon Blanc-dominated white that includes 36% Semillon. Its light gold hue is followed by a bright, racy Sauvignon nose of crushed limes, caramelized grapefruit, white flowers, and subtle minerality. It's incredibly pure, vibrant, and crystalline on the nose.

Producer tasting notes: "The wine is a superb, deep purple-red color. The first nose is at once intense and subtle. It has a ripe fruitiness, and swirling brings out its aromatic complexity. The first expression is incredibly smooth and delicate, muscles". The tannins are precise but not aggressive, and subtly enchanting. The finish is long and fragrant. Once again, Haut-Brion surprises for its ability to enhance the complementarity of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This Haut-Brion 2019 vintage is one of the most successful vintages produced after a hot and dry summer. This fine wine has the structure of a 2005, with the freshness of a 2010. A modern, richer version of the 1990 vintage." - Chateau Haut-Brion

Chateau Haut-Brion is the only first growth outside the Medoc in the Graves region, acquired in 1935 by Clarence Dillon. It is also the only winer to be both First Growth from the 1855 classification and Classified Growth of the Graves. This was the first of three estates acquired by the Dillon family, and is the oldest winegrowing property in the region. The 2016 is a red wine blend made from 56% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 37% Cabernet Sauvignon. Black currants, violets and plums that is full-bodied and juicy on the palate with rich tannin and structure.

A surprisingly dense color which stays very bright despite its depth. Initially, a certain reticence conceals the wine’s aromas, but its richness is very quickly felt. The attack surprises with its sensation of dense, highly complex fruit volume. Little by little the tannins fill the mouth. They are silky, smooth and mellow, to which is added gentle notes of very subtle woodiness. The whole effect is so succulent you could almost eat it. The wine is long and very elegant. It is perfectly balanced in structure.

A surprisingly dense color which stays very bright despite its depth. Initially, a certain reticence conceals the wine’s aromas, but its richness is very quickly felt. The attack surprises with its sensation of dense, highly complex fruit volume. Little by little the tannins fill the mouth. They are silky, smooth and mellow, to which is added gentle notes of very subtle woodiness. The whole effect is so succulent you could almost eat it. The wine is long and very elegant. It is perfectly balanced in structure.

Extremely good color, dense and young for this vintage. The aromas of this young wine burst upon you. Again this is a wine that is aromatically perfectly balanced. Wood scents do not prevail in this young wine. The approach is soft, and unctuous. The aromatic balance melds in the mouth with soft dissolving tannins. No rigid tannin but rather a slight hint of licorice that melts into the softness of the finish. Thanks to its ageing, the wine will reach its apogee.

Extremely good color, dense and young for this vintage. The aromas of this young wine burst upon you. Again this is a wine that is aromatically perfectly balanced. Wood scents do not prevail in this young wine. The approach is soft, and unctuous. The aromatic balance melds in the mouth with soft dissolving tannins. No rigid tannin but rather a slight hint of licorice that melts into the softness of the finish. Thanks to its ageing, the wine will reach its apogee.

Extremely good color, dense and young for this vintage. The aromas of this young wine burst upon you. Again this is a wine that is aromatically perfectly balanced. Wood scents do not prevail in this young wine. The approach is soft, and unctuous. The aromatic balance melds in the mouth with soft dissolving tannins. No rigid tannin but rather a slight hint of licorice that melts into the softness of the finish. Thanks to its ageing, the wine will reach its apogee.

The characteristic of this wine is its harmony between the very soft and very fine structure and the complex aroma given by the earth of the “Graves”. There is a lot of charm in this bottle which could be consumed either in the next few years or be kept in the cellar as the wine will age remarkably.

The characteristic of this wine is its harmony between the very soft and very fine structure and the complex aroma given by the earth of the “Graves”. There is a lot of charm in this bottle which could be consumed either in the next few years or be kept in the cellar as the wine will age remarkably.