Once again, this wine is of first-growth quality, not only from an intellectual perspective, but in its hedonistic characteristics. More open-knit inaccessible than the 1996, Ducru's 1995 exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color folowed by knock-out nose of blueberry and black raspberry/cassis fruit intertwined with minerals, flowers, and subtle toasty new oak. Like its younger sibling, the wine possesses a sweet, rich mid-palate (from extract and ripeness, not sugar), layers of flavors good delineation and grip, but generally unobtrusive tannin and acidity. It is a classic, compelling example of Ducru Beaucaillou that should not be missed. Drink 2003-2025.

Blend: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot Drinking Window for Magnum Size: 2028–2060 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.”

Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac) – there’s no denying that no matter what vintage, the name of Rothschild will carry the weight and cachet for selling itself, not to mention scoring very high. Cassis, raspberry coulis, and blackberry dominate on a palate of crisp tannins, enormous structure and concentration. Always give this time to age to allow the wine to come into itself. Drink from 2027- 2045. 

Not always a first growth, Chateau Mouton, owned Baron Philippe Rothschild was originally a 2nd growth in the original 1855 classification, but after a 20 year battle was elevated to a first growth in 1973, now in the elite five first growths. In 1988, Baron Philippe's daughter took over the Chateau. During her time as CEO, she brilliantly enhanced and modernized Chateau Mouton. Her three children now are co-owners and united in the same ambition to carry on the work of their mother and grandfather. The Chateau spans 90ha in the Pauillac appellation on the left bank of Bordeaux. A red blend made with 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot which offers an intense, expressive wine with aromas of blackberry, cassis, pencil shavings, cedar and mint. The palate has fine tannins with a rich, medium to full bodied wine. The finish is extremely lengthy. Always scoring very high, put this away for a few years. Best from 2025-2040.

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.

Blend: 70% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc Drinking Window: 2008-2040 99 Points - James Suckling "This is a classic d’Yquem, with brilliant honeyed aromas and rich, concentrated flavors of apricot, peach, and marmalade, layered with spices and a stunning freshness. The texture is silky and the wine has perfect balance, finishing with remarkable length."

"The hint of new wood still shows in the aroma of this wine. But on the palate, it has the richness and exuberance that comes with this great estate. Tannins show structure and intensity, bringing out the bold black fruits. Packed with freshness as well as structure, the wine will age well. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 95/100, Wine Enthusiast

"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

"Aromas of wood and fresh fruit translate to the palate, giving this wine depth and concentration. It is powerful but also balanced and fresh, displaying the elegance of the vintage. While never overpowering, the wine's structure will allow it to age well. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 96/100, Wine Enthusiast

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.

Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (58%), Sémillon (42%) Drinking Window: 2028-2048 98-99 Points – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com “A breathtaking La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc with extraordinary intensity, precision and complexity. The nose bursts with aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest, white peach and passion fruit, layered with acacia blossom, fresh herbs, flint and crushed stones. The palate is remarkably concentrated yet flawlessly balanced, combining crystalline acidity with a rich, silky texture and profound mineral tension. Waves of citrus, orchard fruit and subtle smoky nuances unfold seamlessly toward an exceptionally long, saline finish of remarkable purity and elegance. A world-class dry white Bordeaux with immense aging potential.”

Blend: Merlot 54%, Cabernet Franc 46% Drinking Window: 2017-2038 97 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2013 Château Cheval Blanc offers a captivating bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, including blackberry, cherry, and raspberry, intertwined with hints of licorice, sweet spices, and subtle floral notes. The wine displays remarkable precision and clarity with finely woven tannins and vibrant acidity. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with layers of fruit seamlessly balanced by mineral undertones and a polished texture. The finish is long, showing complexity and freshness typical of this cool vintage. This wine is impeccably structured and promises excellent aging potential over the next 20+ years."

Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc Drinking Window: 1990-2030 91 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "In weight and texture, the 1981 Margaux is closest in style to the 1979. It is an outstanding wine, even in the company of the monumental wines of 1982, 1983, and 1986, although it does not have the power and weight of these vintages. It is still very dark ruby/purple‑colored. The aromatics suggest ripe cassis fruit, spicy vanillin oakiness, and violets. On the palate, the wine is medium‑bodied, concentrated, tannic, and extremely long. It is just beginning to open and evolve. Anticipated maturity: now–2015”

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.

Chateau Margaux is one of the prestigious first growths, and the only one from the Margaux appellation of the left bank of Bordeaux. In existence since 1500, the Ginestet family acquired the property about 1950, then purchased by the Mentzelopoulos in 1977 who still runs it to this day. The Chateau Margaux red blend is an assemblage of 90% Cabernet Sasuvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. A brilliant Bordeaux according to critics boasting powerful aromas of blackcurrants, sweet tobacco, spices, violets and pencil shavings. The palate is elegant, yet complex and compelling. This vintage scored a perfect 100 points from several critics; one of several vintages of the decade to have scored this high. This will age for decades.

Blend: 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc Drinking Window: 2020-2047 96 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2012 Château Cheval Blanc is an exceptional wine from this renowned Saint-Émilion estate. It displays a deep, vibrant ruby color and a complex bouquet that combines aromas of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, and plums with hints of graphite, fresh tobacco, and spice. Floral notes of violets and subtle hints of cedar and sweet baking spices emerge with aeration. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with silky, well-integrated tannins providing a plush texture. The wine shows remarkable purity and freshness, combining vibrant fruit intensity with an elegant structure and an underlying minerality characteristic of the estate’s terroir. Flavors of black fruit are layered with nuances of dark chocolate, licorice, and a touch of earthiness. The finish is long, refined, and persistent, with balanced acidity giving the wine excellent aging potential. This vintage is a classic example of Cheval Blanc’s finesse and power and is expected to evolve beautifully over the next two decades."

Embodying an iconic legacy, Chateau Cheval Blanc 2020 offers silky tannins interwoven with flavors of blackberry, tobacco, and graphite —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

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

Blend: 57% Cabernet Franc and 43% Merlot Drinking Window: 2018-2060 95 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate "The 2006 Château Cheval Blanc is an exquisite example of this legendary Saint-Émilion estate. It opens with an intensely floral bouquet of crushed violets, potpourri, and fresh spring flowers. These aromatics are layered with deeper, more complex notes of leather, cigar box, and truffle that develop with time in the glass. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied but resolute, showing remarkable precision and finesse. Flavours of dense cassis, plum, and dark cherry are underscored by a vibrant mineral backbone and bright acidity. The tannins are fine-grained and persistent, coating the mouth with a gripping, almost tooth-dusting texture. The finish is long and refined, lingering with subtle spice and earthy undertones. Initially reserved and tightly wound, this wine reveals complexity and balance that make it a truly majestic vintage. The structure promises excellent aging potential, with a maturity window spanning from 2015 to at least 2035, and some critics suggest it may evolve gracefully for even longer."

Blend: 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc Drinking Window: 2020-2055 96 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2014 Château Cheval Blanc is a beautifully balanced wine with fresh aromas of blackcurrant, plum, tobacco, and a hint of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with excellent definition and finesse, offering vibrant dark fruit flavors supported by polished tannins and a mineral-driven finish. It has a silky texture and a bright acidity that provides energy and length. This is a precise and elegant vintage, combining richness with restraint, and will develop gracefully over the next 15–20 years."

The 1982 Château Lynch-Bages is a legendary, fully mature Fifth Growth Pauillac that defines the vintage's power and richness, often considered a benchmark for the estate. It offers a complex bouquet of cedar, creme de cassis, tobacco, and cigar box, with a full-bodied, opulent, and fleshy palate that has fully resolved tannins.

This wine is smooth, ripe with fine tannins and red plum and black-currant fruits that are soft and gentle. Acidity dominates at this stage, supported by the tannins. It brings out the fruit and freshness of the year while also keeping some structure from the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Drink from 2025.

The 2019 Château Cheval Blanc is a sensational, perfectly balanced Saint-Émilion, praised for its stunning purity, incredible energy, and complex aromas of black cherry, violet, graphite, cocoa, and fresh herbs, with velvety tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, saline finish, showcasing deep fruit balanced by remarkable freshness and structural finesse, making it a wine of the decade with huge aging potential. 

Reflecting centuries of winemaking mastery, Chateau Ausone 2014 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.

The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion was stunning from barrel, and now in bottle. It has a sublime bouquet of blackberries, briar and hints of dark chocolate and rose petals that gain intensity with aeration while maintaining ethereal delineation. It never steps on the accelerator too hard. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. There is still a veneer of new oak that will need to be assimilated over the coming years. This is a deep La Mission that caresses the mouth. Touches of graphite lingering on a finish that fans out gloriously. Is the 2016 up there with the 1955 or 1989? Nearly. Drink 2026-2066

Blend: Merlot 55%, Cabernet Franc 45% Drinking Window: 2012-2040 97 Points - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate "The 2006 Château Cheval Blanc is an exquisite example of this legendary Saint-Émilion estate. It opens with an intensely floral bouquet of crushed violets, potpourri, and fresh spring flowers. These aromatics are layered with deeper, more complex notes of leather, cigar box, and truffle that develop with time in the glass. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied but resolute, showing remarkable precision and finesse. Flavours of dense cassis, plum, and dark cherry are underscored by a vibrant mineral backbone and bright acidity. The tannins are fine-grained and persistent, coating the mouth with a gripping, almost tooth-dusting texture. The finish is long and refined, lingering with subtle spice and earthy undertones. Initially reserved and tightly wound, this wine reveals complexity and balance that make it a truly majestic vintage. The structure promises excellent aging potential, with a maturity window spanning from 2015 to at least 2035, and some critics suggest it may evolve gracefully for even longer."

The purity of fruit here is terrific, with redcurrants, blackcurrants, licorice, lead pencil and hints of fresh basil—so aromatic—that follow through to a full body with creamy, round tannins and lots of volume and fluidity in the center-palate for the vintage. Very structured at the end. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Leave this for at least five or six years. Try after 2030.

Crafted with elegance and power, Chateau Ausone 2019 offers a full-bodied profile with vibrant acidity and layers of dark fruit —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Blend: Cabernet sauvignon 83 %, Merlot 15 %, Cabernet franc 1 %, Petit verdot 1 % Drinking Window: 2026 - 2055 96 Points - Decanter "Gorgeous deep pink purple rim to the glass. The nose is bright and intense, heady with perfumed aromatics and edges of graphite, cocoa and sweet red cherries. Such clarity on the palate, excellent tension from the get go with beautifully expressed cherry and strawberry fruit that has a soft, ripe fleshy core. The tannins are fine but plentiful, coating the mouth providing the structure and frame. This has such a sense of quiet confidence - it's not shouting so much but gently showing off its many layers of fruit, acidity, minerality and freshness. This really grows on you, expanding and deepening as the flavours travel across the palate, coming in waves. Understated and introverted at the moment but still harmonious and classy. I love it. Just 41% of grand vin. 3.73pH. Drinking Window: 2027-2050"

Blend: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot Drinking Window: 2028 - 2058 95 Points - Robert Parker "The 2021 Château Margaux saw a traditional élevage in new barrels, with bottling in July, and as readers will remember, it's a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that benefited from late picking, appreciable percentages of saignée, and a strict selection. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, blueberries and raspberries mingled with hints of licorice, white flowers and charcoal, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a broad attack, lively purity and sweet structuring tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It's a classic that will richly reward bottle age."

Château Haut-Bailly 2015Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
ABV: 13.5%
 Drinking Window: 2023–2035 Tasting Note:
The 2015 vintage presents a vivid and powerful red with an intense bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, and crème de cassis, underscored by subtle black olive aromas. On the palate, it offers a full body with chewy tannins and a harmonious balance of fruit and spice. The finish is long and persistent, revealing layers of dark fruit and a touch of minerality. Château Haut-Bailly 2016Blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.5% 
Drinking Window: 2023–2055 Tasting Note:
The 2016 vintage is characterized by its brilliant nose, offering exquisite delineation and focus with aromas of blackberries, potpourri, crushed stone, and hints of violet petal. The medium-bodied palate is supported by fine-grained tannins and perfectly judged acidity, leading to a cohesive and almost Pauillac-like finish. This wine is a classic example of Haut-Bailly's elegance and aging potential.

"This wine is poised, gathering freshness and good acidity in the same structured container as the pure black-currant fruits. With 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has a classicism about it: fruity and structured at the same time. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 97/100, Wine Enthusiast

Picture walking into a flower show with a basket of fresh berries and a lit Cuban cigar, and while that is not quite PC, it is the aromatic profile here. The wine is fresh, bright, vibrant, lifted, and floral on the palate. The wine is elevated, refined, soft, and silky, with a refreshing, silky edge to the fruits in the finish. The wine is pure elegance. There is nothing between you and the fruits. There is intensity, length, and a striking sense of purity. The wine lingers seamlessly for 60 seconds or longer..

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider: "It was a close call picking a favorite here between LMHBB and HBB, but, perhaps the La Mission has just a bit more going here. The perfume is packed with honeysuckle, lemon rind, pomelo, white peaches and herbs, with a touch of spice cover all the bases. Full-bodied, rich, fleshy and deep, the wine fills your palate with wall of ripe, yellow and orange citrus, crushed rocks, mango and a dab of honey, with ample acidity to keep everything up-beat and fresh. Drink from 2025-2040." 97 Points

Crafted with elegance and power, Chateau Margaux 2020 offers aromatic intensity featuring truffle, plum, and subtle oak nuances —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Dark, almost opaque in colour, the wine opens with a cornucopia of scents; spice-box, dark Cuban cigar wrapper, flowers, creme de cassis, blackberry espresso, mint and a drop of dark chocolate. Concentrated, full-bodied, deep, long, intense and complex, texturally, the wine is opulent, plush and velvety. But there is also more than ample lift to keeping everything upbeat. The seamless finish is perfectly balanced, with all its layers of polished, sensuous, silky fruits in the right place for over 60 seconds! The wine blends 84% Cabernet Sauvignon,13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, pH 3.8. Yields were low at 32 hectoliters per hectare with only 49% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin, so not much wine was made.

Blend: 74% Cabernet Franc 8% Merlot 18% Drinking Window: 1997-2031 86 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 1991 exhibits a moderately dark ruby/purple color, as well as a promising and complex nose of such classic Pauillac aromas as lead pencil, roasted nuts, and ripe cassis. The initial richness is quickly obliterated by frightful levels of tannin, and a tough, hard finish. Although there is an interesting and alluring dimension to this wine, the tannin level is excessively high and the wine is likely to dry out after 10-15 years of cellaring. Readers who admire austere, fruitless wines will rate it higher.”

Of a deep ruby colour with a garnet hue, our Romanée-Saint-Vivant "Les Quatre Journaux" 2019 unveils pepper, liquorice and blackcurrant bud aromas on the nose. This wine is generous and fresh with silky tannins. It reveals black cherry and liquorice notes on the palate. Nice toasted hint. Beautiful length.

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.