The 1982 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière is a highly regarded, mature Saint-Émilion Grand Cru known for its silky texture, medium-bodied profile, and notes of sweet red/black cherries, tobacco, and earthy, rustic spice. Considered a success in a strong vintage, it generally shows a, complex, and developed character with softened tannins, often offering notes of truffle and, occasionally, smoky oak.

Le Réviseur XXO (Extra Extra Old) is a premium, single-estate cognac produced by Francis Abécassis in the Petite Champagne cru. It is characterized by its significant aging, with the youngest eau-de-vie

Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc Drinking Window: 2026 - 2050 96 Points - James Suckling "This wine has a tightness and linear energy, with red currants, herbs, plums and hints of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied with beautiful integration and length. Racy and focused. Just the right amount of wood and fruit with tannins. Second wine of Chateau Margaux."

Balancing complexity and finesse, Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2016 1.5L offers rich aromas of ripe berries, dark cherries, and delicate floral hints —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Blend: 51% Merlot, 47.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1.5% Petit VerdotDrinking Window: 1988-2030 Discover the exceptional Château Pape Clément 1982, a Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé that has matured to perfection. This iconic vintage reveals complex layers of dark fruit, tobacco, and subtle spice, framed by a silky texture and elegant, lingering finish. Highly prized by collectors and connoisseurs, it showcases the heritage, finesse, and timeless quality of one of Bordeaux’s most esteemed estates. 86 Points - Neal Martin“A mature, tawny rimmed colour. The nose is typically -Graves- with scents of cedar, singed leather, briary, cigar box and a touch of wild mint. Good definition but lacking a little vivacity. The palate is certainly mature, rather diffuse with soft, furry tannins and low acidity. Mocha on the finish that deserves more grip and persistency, but this wine has a degree of charm."

Blend: 65,8 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 31,9 % Merlot, 2,3 % Petit Verdot Drinking Window: 2025-2050 95 Points - Vinous "The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing."

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. The harvest took place September 10– 24, yielding 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.46% with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 80. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 55% new. Deep purple-black in colour, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances.

Super perfumed, attractive violets with a thread of fresh blueberries, cassis, blackberries and dark plums, delivering a very enticing impression. Beautiful ripeness here. The tannins are perfectly ripe and layers meld into each other, carrying deep, graceful and plush, velvety dark fruit long into the vibrant and seductive, chocolate-laced finish. Great potential. Try from 2024.

The 2014 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a complex, full-bodied red from Pessac-Léognan, praised for its aromatic intensity, structural power, and velvety texture. A blend of 54% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc, it features dark fruit, mineral, and truffle notes. It boasts a long finish, offering excellent aging potential until 2030-2040.

Balancing complexity and finesse, Chateau Figeac 2020 offers rich aromas of ripe berries, dark cherries, and delicate floral hints —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

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.”

Blend: Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (27%) Drinking Window: 2035-2060 98-99 Points – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com “A captivating Château Palmer with extraordinary precision and elegance. Aromas of blackberries, cassis, violets, graphite and subtle spices lead to a palate of remarkable purity and depth. The texture is silky yet structured, with ultra-fine tannins seamlessly woven into layers of dark fruit and mineral complexity. Fresh acidity brings energy and length, while the finish lingers effortlessly for minutes. A refined and harmonious Palmer that perfectly balances power, finesse and terroir expression.”

The 2019 La Fleur-Pétrus dares to outshine Trotanoy this year, wafting from the glass with aromas of rich berry fruit, plum preserve, dark chocolate, cigar box and spices. Full-bodied, rich and enveloping, it's broad and layered, with beautifully polished tannins, a ripe core of fruit and a seamless, enveloping profile. This is an elegantly muscular, generous Pomerol whose sumptuous personality reflects the warm, dry vintage. Drink Date 2025 - 2055

The Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2020 is a powerful, concentrated, and elegant Saint-Julien Bordeaux, praised as a legendary vintage with incredible purity, featuring notes of cassis, violets, graphite, and tobacco, built on a backbone of ultra-fine tannins, requiring significant cellaring (best after 2030-2035) for its full expression, often compared favorably to the iconic 2010

Blend: Pinot Noir 100% The 2022 Échezeaux Grand Cru from Bruno Desaunay-Bissey is a powerful yet elegant Pinot Noir, showcasing the depth and complexity of Burgundy’s Grand Cru vineyards. The nose offers aromas of ripe red and black cherry, raspberry, floral hints, and subtle spice. On the palate, it reveals layered fruit, silky tannins, and a refined minerality, finishing long and precise. A Grand Cru of exceptional finesse, perfect with game, roast poultry, or fine mushroom dishes.

A wine that transcends the vintage's challenges, the 2021 Figeac is performing brilliantly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries and cherries mingled with striking top notes of violet, rose petal, iris and mint. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and suave, it's pure and vibrant, its enveloping core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, concluding with a long, floral finish. Readers in the habit of drinking top grand cru Burgundy are liable to find themselves seduced by this immensely elegant, perfumed Saint-Émilion, a wine I'll definitely be adding to my own cellar. It's the result of gamble that paid off, as Figeac's team chose to wait to pick their Cabernet Sauvignon despite the menace of forecast rain—a menace that, in fact, scarcely transpired. The 2021 saw a somewhat shorter-than-usual élevage of 16 months in barrel without fining. Drink 2027-2050.

Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is a Second Wine from the famed First Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild, that offers an opportunity for oenophiles to experience its sensuous winemaking style at a great value. Château Mouton Rothschild was initially ranked as a Second Growth during the Official 1855 Classification, and in 1922, the estate was acquired by Baron Phillippe de Rothschild, a true renaissance man who added his name to the label. The Baron was a successful winegrower, a playwright, a screenwriter, a theatrical producer, a poet, and a Grand Prix racecar driver. He also referred to Château Mouton Rothschild’s Second Growth classification as a “monstrous injustice.” Pairs well with: Beef, Lamb and Venison

The 2019 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is a, "gorgeous," and, "fabulous," second wine from the famed Pauillac First Growth, offering remarkable intensity, energy, and elegance that rivals previous, lesser-vintage First Growths. Composed primarily of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot, this 2019 vintage showcases a deep, complex, and full-bodied profile with a long, velvety finish. 

ABK6 Abecassis Grande Champagne XXO is a premium, single-estate Cognac from the prestigious Grande Champagne cru, characterized by its "Extra Extra Old" classification. It is known for a complex, elegant profile with notes of dried fruits, jasmine, cedarwood, and sandalwood, often featuring a long, candied ginger finish.

Reviseur Cognac Extra Origin is a premium, single-estate Extra Cognac from the Petite Champagne terroir, lauded for its intense, aromatic, and complex profile. Crafted from 100% Ugni-blanc grapes by Domaine Francis Abecassis, this award-winning, aged blend features a powerful, spicy nose, strong notes of honey and cinnamon, and a rich, slightly dry finish at 45% ABV.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little broody and reticent at this very youthful stage, slowly unfolding to reveal profound plum preserves, crème de cassis, black raspberries and star anise with hints of moss-covered bark, truffles and tilled loam plus a waft of red currants and raspberry leaves sparks.

Blend: Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (50%) Drinking Window: 2035 - 2065 95-97 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous.com “The 2025 Angélus was picked from September 10 to 20, and Stéphanie de Bouard told me that they halved the pumpovers. The Cabernet Franc is aged half in foudres and half in new barrel, and the Merlot is half in new barrel and half in one-year-old barrels that were used for the 2023 vintage. The alcohol is 14.05% with a pH of 3.6, many grapes showing a gram or more malic acid. This note comes from a narrower Riedel glass that showed the wine in a better and more accurate light. The bouquet opens with blackberry, raspberry, light cassis scents and a touch of iodine, well defined, the oak seated politely in the background. The palate is silky smooth with filigree tannins, very well judged acidity plus palpable underlying sapid notes that come through towards the finish. Fine tension, very focused with a very persistent aftertaste, this is an Angélus with great potential and it should give 25 to 30 years' drinking pleasure.”

The 2016 is a red wine blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The wine has notes of black fruit and cocoa bean on the noes with a dense texture and elegant tannins. The palate is full-bodied with notes of black currant, pencil shavings and spice that lead into a very pleasant long finish. Drink from 2026-2036.

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon: 70%, Merlot: 30% Drinking Window: 2014-2045 96 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous "The 2009 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux is a splendid example of this second wine’s quality. It presents an expressive bouquet of dark fruits, floral notes, and cedar. On the palate, it is full-bodied and well-balanced with velvety tannins and a seamless texture. Layers of blackcurrant, plum, and subtle spice build through to a long, refined finish. This wine is seductive yet structured, demonstrating excellent ageing potential and the hallmark elegance of Margaux.”

Elegant, sophisticated, long, clean and expansive, this is showing just great due to all its layers of perfectly ripe, red fruits, silky tannins, length and freshness. There is a real verve here, with concentration, sweetness, lift and complexity allowing the wine to age and evolve. The finish leaves you with more of those sweet, ripe, juicy berries. Today the second wine of Mouton Rothschild is superior to every vintage of Mouton produced in the 70s and most of the 80s! The wine blends 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.

Reflecting centuries of winemaking mastery, Carruades De Lafite 2020 offers rich aromas of ripe berries, dark cherries, and delicate floral hints —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the remainder Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot Drinking Window: 2022-2055 98 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous "The 2015 Pichon Lalande is richly layered and impeccably balanced. It opens with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, rose petals, and toasted oak. On the palate, it is full-bodied and lush, with velvety tannins and bright acidity that lift the fruit. Complex notes of graphite, licorice, and spice weave through the dense core of dark fruit. The finish is long and elegant, showcasing the wine’s harmonious texture and purity. A superb vintage that combines power with finesse.”

Second label of Chateau Latour. Critic tasting note: "There is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity aftertaste." - 94/100, Wine Enthusiast

For 6 generations the family of Rothschild is synonomous with quality and luxury when it comes to the world of wine. First noted as a wine producer in the 1200's it earned the 1855 classification of a Premier Grand Cru Classe even before the chateau was acquired in 1868 by Baron James Rothschild. Today the family owns 9 seperate domaines expanding to countries outside of France including Chile, New Zealand and China. The Carruades de Lafite is the 2nd label of it's famous first growth Chateau Lafite. While Lafite will use 100% new barrels, the Carruades use the same barrels, but a year later. The 2016 vintage is a blenf of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The terroir of Pauillac shines through with an intense floral nose of lavender and other flowers, yet black currant, tobacco, pencil lead and cedar. Great ageing potential!

Blend: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot Drinking Window: 2025 - 2056 98 Points - James Suckling "The 2018 Pichon Lalande is rich and opulent with expressive aromas of blackberries, black cherries, rose petals, and toasted spices. The palate is full-bodied and dense with silky tannins and layers of ripe fruit supported by fine acidity. Flavors of dark chocolate, licorice, and graphite add complexity, while the finish is long and persistent. This is a powerful yet elegant wine with excellent ageing potential, showcasing the hallmark finesse of Comtesse de Lalande.”

A testament to its prestigious terroir, Chateau Durfort Vivens 2016 3L-341 offers aromatic intensity featuring truffle, plum, and subtle oak nuances —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Like many Chateaux, Palmer was always owned by families. The Pereire brothers purchased the property in 1853 working hard to bring the estate up to first growth status in time for the famous 1855 Classification. It was ranked a Third Growth, although widely recognized as among some of the greatest wines of Bordeaux. Now owned by several families of Bordeaux, English and Dutch heritage since 1938, these families have always given priority to quality and authenticity. A typical blend of almost equal parts Cabernet and Merlot, this 2019 is a red blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot, this elegant Margaux is beautifully defined with pencil lead infused black fruit of cassis and blackberry, spice, crushed rock and pressed flowers. Juicy, yet creamy on the palate, it offers substantial tannins and a beautiful long finish. Drink from 2025-2049

Blend: Pinot Noir 100% The 2022 Grands Échezeaux Grand Cru from Bruno Desaunay-Bissey is a wine of exceptional power, elegance, and complexity. The nose reveals concentrated red and black cherry, raspberry, floral nuances, and subtle spice. On the palate, it offers silky, layered red fruit, refined tannins, and a mineral-driven structure, culminating in a long, precise, and age-worthy finish. A Grand Cru of outstanding finesse, ideal for pairing with game, roast poultry, or fine mushroom dishes.

Leyrat Glory Extra is a premium, single-estate XO cognac from the Fins Bois cru, renowned for its age (roughly 40–70 years) and high-end presentation. It features an intense, floral, and spicy nose with notes of cinnamon, tobacco, and dried fruit, leading to a smooth palate of peach, apricot, and honey.

A blend of 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored, 2017 Palmer gives a very serious nose of pronounced blackcurrant cordial, warm plums and blackberry preserves with hints of cedar chest, pencil shavings, violets, dark chocolate and star anise plus exotic wafts of sandalwood and cassia. Medium-bodied, the palate features fantastically vibrant, crunchy black fruits with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. It will need a good 5-7 years to really blossom with all those tightly wound nuances, but it should be a stunner!

Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot Drinking Window: 2020-2052 95 Points - Robert Parker "The 2010 Pichon Lalande is performing extremely well and at the top of the range I predicted several years ago. A final blend dominated much more by Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot), the wine is a tighter, more tannic and structured version of this famed Pauillac, which often tends to have more of a St-Julien-like personality than most Pauillacs. Structured, backward and tannic, yet showing a fat mid-palate that is more savory, broader and more expansive than I remember from barrel, this wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1986, given the Cabernet Sauvignon domination of the blend. Full-bodied, impressively endowed, and less sexy and velvety than normal, this is a somewhat different style of Pichon Lalande than most readers have been used to. Whether you like it more or less will depend on your point of view, but this wine, unlike most Pichon Lalandes, needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for 30+ years."

The 1983 Château Lagrange, a Saint-Julien Third Growth (3ème Cru Classé), is described as a classic, savory Bordeaux with firm tannins, earthy notes, and mature black fruit (plum, cassis), showing complexity with hints of leather and pencil shavings, holding up well with age but benefiting from decanting to reveal its depth, reflecting the era when Suntory began its major revitalization of the estate.

Mature first impressions from this Pavie 2007, with its intense ruby color and violet highlights, reveal a carefully crafted structure and concentration. The aromatic range is very expressive, showing ripe and juicy aromas of pepper, abundant spice, licorice and black cherry jam. The wine is smooth and supple in the mouth, with a tight and powerful texture from well-presented tannins; the mid-palate is worthy of a great terroir. This dense wine from a rather difficult vintage with a hint of severity needs time and aeration for greater accessibility. A long finish of flavorful, complex aromas with pepper and cinnamon notes. Prepare rich meats for this wine, like flank steak, beef cheek stew, thyme-scented lamb filet, or a winter dish of feathered game.

Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%) Drinking Window: 2028-2048 97-99 Points – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com “A breathtaking Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux that exemplifies the purity and sophistication of great Sauvignon Blanc. Intensely aromatic, it reveals layers of grapefruit, lemon zest, white peach and passion fruit intertwined with acacia blossom, fresh herbs and crushed stones. The palate is vibrant yet remarkably textured, delivering exceptional concentration balanced by crystalline acidity and striking mineral tension. Elegant and seamless, it unfolds with notes of citrus, orchard fruit and a delicate saline character that carries effortlessly through the extraordinarily long, refined finish. A world-class Bordeaux Blanc with remarkable precision, complexity and aging potential.”