All En Primeur

A welcome return of GrisiŠres after last year. 30% whole bunches were used to bring freshness to the wine which is very deep and concentrated with rich plum-laden fruit, plenty of spice and a more gentle floral note before a creamy, elevated finish. 3-12 years.

A clean fresh nose, with floral tones. Very attractive on the palate with super balance, the freshness coping admirably with a rich weighty fruit and demonstrating a chalky mineral note under sweet white peach fruit and super succulence on the finish. 3-7 years

Always the brooding one in the line up, more herbal and floral in nature. It is rich, shows great texture and mouthfeel as well as great intensity of cooked orange and spice. 3-7 years.

A very attractive nose with white flowers and sweet yellow fruits. It has a lovely silky mouth-feel, rich orangey fruit, a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne, with the latter bringing freshness and the former weight and depth. 0-5 years.

The vines are now over 40 years old so bring extra depth and concentration to the wine. Brambly with a touch of damson, before some present but well balanced tannins and a very pure fruit character with just a hint of dark chocolate, long on the finish. 3 years.

Attractive dried stone fruits on the nose, yellow plum and golden honey, citrus peels, soft red fruits, tropical touches and a host of nut, toast, and cream. This has a clean salt-kissed chalky note which adds to a sense of definition and lift, and the palate shows great concentration, a firm core overlaid with layers of texture… this is less an aperitif and more a Grande Année for the main course. Drink 2028-2038+

Super fruit on the nose with an almost liqueur-like intensity. Damson and black cherries to the fore with a more red fruit character underneath. Beautifully weighted on the palate with a freshness and very fine tannins which leave a lingering finish. 5-15 years.

With no Telegraphe produced this year and this wine bolstered with what remained, Telegramme doesn't disappoint. Rich, ripe brambly fruit with raspberry overtones and notes of violets before a hint of strawberry and garrigue herbs on the finish. 5-10+ years.

Very fine, elegant cherry and strawberry fruit. Wonderfully balanced on the palate, the lovely sweet fruit character countered with freshness and supported by some super-fine tannins. 5-10+ years.

Case includes: 6x Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, 5e cru classé Pauillac 20236x Château Laroque, grand cru classé Saint-Emilion 20236x Château Batailley, 5e cru classé Pauillac 20236x Château Tronquoy, Saint-Estèphe 2023

Case includes: 6x Château Léoville Poyferré, 2e cru classé Saint-Julien 20236x Château d'Issan, 3e cru classé Margaux 20236x Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 5e cru classé Pauillac 20236x Château Pontet-Canet, 5e cru classé Pauillac 2023 (organic)

Case includes: 12x Château Angludet, Margaux 202312x Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, 5e cru classé Pauillac 202312x Château Lafleur-Gazin, Pomerol 202312x Château Laroque, grand cru classé Saint-Emilion 2023

Case includes: 3x Château Angludet, Margaux 2023 - Magnum3x Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, 5e cru classé Pauillac 20233x Château Lafleur-Gazin, Pomerol 20233x Château Laroque, grand cru classé Saint-Emilion 2023

Set in a magnificent position up on the limestone plateau, Laroque must be one of the most impressive châteaux in the Saint-Emilion region, with the bonus that it is making fabulous wine! Between 1920-1950 it fell into disrepair but is forging back; with David Suire at the helm the critics (and ourselves) love it. Crushed raspberry and strawberry fill the nose, then it is limpid in the glass, juicy and vibrant. The texture is suave, the wine very focused with a bright fresh feel. It has a chalky structure but there's superb balance and a sensual core of fruit. A lovely long, sophisticated style, truly impressive. 5-15+ years.

Showing a youthful, mellow and creamy nose with a delicate sweet black fruit frame, notes of cherry liqueur and understated pretty, floral aromatics. The palate leads with an intense sweet and rich attack, followed by some fine chalky grip, and a lifted r

Showing a youthful, mellow and creamy nose with a delicate sweet black fruit frame, notes of cherry liqueur and understated pretty, floral aromatics. The palate leads with an intense sweet and rich attack, followed by some fine chalky grip, and a lifted r

Another really good Angludet that stood out at the Margaux tasting for its equilibrium and restraint while some others were more clumsy. Plenty of violet on the nose, then juicy, round black fruit coupled with silky tannins, with purity and freshness forging through to the finish. Balanced and accurate, a very successful Margaux. 5-15 years.

Ben Sichel, winemaker at Angludet, described a particularly challenging time in 2023, with the heat of 2022 as the root cause of a significant drop in yield compared with many other properties.There is 17% Petit Verdot in the blend, which gives a lush core to the wine and a pretty, juicy character. There's silky tannin backing the fresh raspberry fruit, and a clean, pure finish. This is a mid-term Margaux of high quality, it's organic traits very much to the fore. 5-15 years. 

The last of an excellent lineup tasted at the chai, the Grand vin is superb! A delicious nose of ripe black fruit, floral, dark berries and spice hint at the underlying power and svelte nature of the Ausone. Irresistible, it delivers a concentrated core of dark fruit, seamlessly integrated oak, velvety tannins and joy. Add into the mix an evident minerality and saline, mocha notes on the finish you get an effortless, precise wine not to be missed! 5-15+ years.

An exotic floral nose with hints of creamy Kirsch and framboise. Fresh and polished with excellent depth and purity of fruit. This is wonderfully intergrated, a very classy second wine! 5-15 years.

Delicious hints of framboise, morello cherries, rose petal and garrigue lead onto a dense mid-palate of plums, spice, crumble and sweet black cherry. Full-bodied with warming notes of creamy oak and touch of salinity on the long finish. 5-15+ years.

Frederic Casteja makes things happen in Bordeaux. “A good campaign is a quick campaign,” he said, while berating neighbours who watch the market and sit on their hands. His tenure at Batailley has improved the quality while keeping the price under control, and his wine is once again a firm recommendation. Almost minty on the nose, over sweet black fruit. Then dense on the palate with a bit of chew, currant on the back palate. Linear and grainy with an oak framework, this feels blocky, gourmand and should keep a bit.

Beychevelle is a large property (bizarrely with a flock of stone penguins in the garden to the rear!) that has long been pursued by the Chinese market. With that outlet somewhat dried up, we have been lured back and encouraged by recent investment and a step up in quality. The new chai is superb and the wine coming out in 2023 is very impressive. It is most seductive on the nose, ripe currant and cassis with a swirl of raspberry, then dense, rich damson in the mouth, lovely supporting oak and a harmonious finish. Length is excellent, it is bold yet refined with the substance to go further than others. Phillippe Blanc has made a delicious wine worthy of note.

An attractive lesser-known Pomerol which flies somewhat under the radar because the quality here is always good. Ripe dark plum on the nose with a touch of mulberry. Nice mouthfeel, soft and round backed with nice tension and good length. Very nice juiciness with texture and substance, and a precise slightly salty finish. Another good effort.

On the nose the violets, black cherry and blackcurrant are followed by a plush, deep black core of summer fruit and hints of liquorice. Quite sumptous with nicely intergrated tannins, this is an excellent release from this ever improving estate. 3-9 years.

A very complete wine with masses of blackcurrant fruit, supple tannins and good freshness. This has real presence together with balance and elegance. The 9 hectare proprty has belonged to the Vayron family sine 1840 and is well situated on the gentle slope of the Pomerol plateau.

There is a quiet level of refinement at Branaire that has become more apparent in recent times, and we like it a lot. Saint Julien is often the overall winner when we look back at our notes on the value and class across the appellation, and Branaire is right up there. François-Xavier Moreteau told us that the blend of 60:30 Cab to Merlot with 10% Cab Franc seems to be optimum across these vineyards, and we agree. His wine has lovely aromas, a hint of oak under blackcurrant, then blueberry and cinnamon on the palate. Juicy, round and fresh with lovely mouthfeel, some density but very pure and beautifully balanced, it?s a dream to taste now yet presence and command. A winner. 5-15 years.

A wonderfully supple wine with great purity of ripe fruit. Elegant and long, this is almost Burgundian in style with very fine tannic structure, the result of gentle maceration and extraction.  There is a fantastic new winery at Bélair which Edouard Moueix is rightly proud of and which enables them to work in a much more precise manner. Fantastic wine.

Often overlooked, this estate is definitely one to seek out. A beautifully crafted wine, the 2022 offers up enticing notes of damson, forest fruits, plums and flora. Big in structure but still supple, the minerality and youthful acidity shine through. Long and layered on the finish, this is another classy release from this consistently excellent Chateau. 5-15 years

Another superb nose, full of fruit and blossom, very attractive. Nice sweet fruit in the mouth, great balance and soft, rounded feel in the finish. Enough structure but an earlier drinker than some. 3-9 years.

One of the stars of the commune that keeps delivering. A most lovely nose of cassis, violet, blackberry and blueberry fool cascades onto the palate backed by classy, creamy oak. Good grip that balances the richness of fruit, quite chalky on the finish with warmth and good length. Feels like a keeper. 5-15+ years.

An oaky, vanillary nose over some spicy fruit on entry, then quite a broad but tightly-grained structure. Some depth of flavour but, apart from a stony finish, this feels a little atypical compared with other Saint-Estèphes with more tannin and extraction. 3-9 years.

Delicious compote of flavours on the nose: raspberry and red plum, cinnamon spice, mulberry and stewed damson, all continuing into the palate too. Super mouthfeel, layered cassis richness and round texture, good depth of character and clean on the finish.

Another very fine Canon and one in which the limestone terroir really shows through giving fantastic uplift and elegance to the layers of juicy red and black fruit. There are beautifully soft and integrated tannins here with he amount of new oak restrained and some large foudres being used instead of barrels. Almost ethereal, very long, very fine. 5-15 years.

A very attractive wine that director Thomas Soules describes as 'Atlantic style' with juicy, soft fruit with easy, ripe tannins and good freshness, minerality and balance. The Cabernet Franc was very successful here, resulting in a high percentage being used in the blend. This property is located just below the town of St-Emilion and has a fascinating history. One of the ancestors of the owners, the Malet-Roquefort family, even accompanied William of Normandy in 1066!

Hugely impressive from the dominant Calon-Segur stable, there?s a lovely round feel to this. Blackcurrant and blackberry fool, then an energy and finesse on the palate backed up by firm but supple new oak and good length. Great wine and great value.

Cissac does it again, with a wine they liken to a blend of 2020 and 2022. Winemaker Laurent Saint Pasteur added that he works hard to preserve the fruit character so he limits the extraction a bit more than he did a decade ago, and, interestingly, they have a fine plot of old Malbec which almost ‘seasons’ the blend. Harmonious and ripe, we were very impressed and Cissac gets top marks this year. Will keep a bit too.

Mulberry fruit on the nose, more on the palate with a ripe compote feel, lovely texture with chalky tannins propping up the mouthfeel. Generous and attractive, cool and fresh in the finish. Neat and polished. Drink 5-15 years.

This consistent performer instantly draws you in with aromas of grapefruit and honeysuckle. Zesty and fresh on the palate, with notes of lime, green apple and white currant and a lingering mineral finish. It hits the mark again! 0-5 years.

Another Dubourdieu entry, the Grand Vin Doisy Sec is wonderfully aromatic. Leaning towards the richer end of the scale, with notes of white peach, lemon rind and wet stone the Doisy is a nervy, fine lined joy. 100 % Sauvignon Blanc, the 2023 is nimble on its feet, energetic and the epitome of exciting Bordeaux Blanc. 0-5 years. Expected abv 13%

Bruno Borie was hobbling rather when we pitched up, recently fitted with a bionic part. His enthusiasm for his latest vintage was as infectious as ever, You've come to taste a great wine? A big job to make but we love it!? he said. They had a long harvest here, from 16th Sept to 7th Oct but the grapes came in healthy and with good yields. Ducru feels very plush this year, good tannins maybe more four-square than some other places but supple enough with tempered oak coming through on the finish. It's long in the mouth, saturated black fruit with a raspberry edge and the whole quite fresh on the end. Another very good effort, full of character and flavour.

The high point of a superb tasting at Ducru-Beaucaillou. Spiced damson to start, then blueberry and mulberry cascades onto the palate with silky tannins, very fine, intense with poise and finesse, very fluid, clean finish and lovely persistence. The whole feels very complete, nicely concentrated with impeccable balance. Lots of energy about it, definitely worthy of its status and rank. 5-15 years.

Opening with a gorgeous perfumed, nose of violet, spices and black cherry, the mid-palate delivers more, juicy black fuits, plum, liquirice, cranberry and mulberry fruit . Well knit with fresh acidity and fine grain tannins this is a sumptuous effort which has a promising future.

Very fresh with a core of raspberry and red plum fruit at its centre, black fruit coming through behind. Lovely poise as you expect from the Lafite stable, good focus and purity, then fresh on the finish. 5-15 years.

Gonzargue Lurton has fashioned a delicious, structured yet ripe and concentrated wine this year. For a second growth Durfort is always good value and the depth and definition of the black fruit is wrapped in chunky, grainy tannins that work well to support the texture here. Biodynamic practices have created a bright, vibrant character, lots of freshness on the finish. A super effort and a Margaux to admire. 5-15 years.

Appealing, fresh blackberry and currant on the nose that continues to the palate where a framework of toasty oak takes over with a lick of liquorice in behind. Claire Villars-Lurton explained that the tannins here have got silkier from better vine management and stopping pumping-over several vintages back. Ferrière is stylish, has a swish feel to it, and is rather overlooked in Margaux in general - it is a Third growth and Eric Boissenot consults.

Intoxicating notes of violets and plum leap out of the glass, quickly followed by a dense core of purple fruits, dark chocolate, cherry tobacco and graphite. Medium bodied, with well-integrated tannins, its deceptively smooth with a long finish. A return to form for this underrated estate. 5-15 years.

Gorgeous blackberry jelly nose with a touch of spice. Velvety with a complex mix of classic clarety flavours on the palate. Tobacco and cedar are in the background at this stage, but that great GPL structure of long, fine, silky tannins underpin some lush fruit. Restrained in the finish yet very persistent. Length and precision, the hallmarks of another great Pauillac at a decent price. 5-15 years.

So often 'Gentleman's Claret', this year you'll find a svelte, trimmed wine with lovely curranty notes on the nose, some cedar even, then very swish in the mouth, poised and elegant with layers of fruit and spice. Refined and easy while long in the finish, it has perfect oak and a fluid, fresh feel. Emmeline Borie was very pleased with it, rather more so than with her builders who have started on a new winery but are taxing her patience. "It will be wonderful for your next visit, she said, adding, "hopefully next year!" No need to wait until then for a brilliant wine, however. Buy the 2023.

Super mix of fruit: damson, plum, raspberry and a shot of currant. Soft, round and svelte in the mouth, restrained and mineral with plenty of power but refined tannins and great persistence. Very good length too. Superb focus and definition, a very good to excellent wine. 5-15+ years.

The second wine of Château Gruaud-Larose is always worth consideration. Initially a little tightly wound but it soon opens up showing aromas of black cherry, plum and spice. On the palate, it exudes hints of liquorice, mocha and more black fruits. Well-structured with evident grippy tannins, this is a more serious wine than the 2022 so will reward further time in your cellar. 3-9 years.

Superb damson and cassis on the nose with creamy oak behind. This is a seductive wine with richness, layers, complexity in the mouth, that bright finish again over wet stones. The length is prodigious and the wine more accessible and charming than we have seen in the past. There is more Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual (double that of Haut-Brion), and perhaps this has lifted and lightened the whole wine.

Fruit forward this year with pure black fruit on the nose backed up by nice warm spice and some licorice. The balance is fine, the emphasis on early drinking with that juicy fresh fruit backed by easy, soft tannins. Fronsac, to the west of the major Right Bank areas, still has great terroir and can produce some lovely, expressive wines that are invariably good value. 3-9 years.

The Pauillac member of the Villars-Lurton stable made plenty of wine this year, 53 hl/ha and all of it biodynamic with that clean, fresh Villar feel that Claire puts on her wines. Darker in colour with a riper, richer nose from being further up the Médoc, the fruit fills the mouth and there’s some chalky tannin behind it. More intense than the Margaux wines, it has drive and presence as well as a fuller finish. A good, well-made choice this year.

With the highest yield across Pauillac, this wine has done well with very good balanced proportions. Blackberry fruit with damson jelly gives a juicy, ripe but pure feel to it. Forward with generous flavours, some tannin and a keen seam of acidity, good depth and concentration at the end. The whole effect is charming and a success. 5-15 years.

Lovely nose with toasty oak underpining attractive plum and damson fruit on the nose. Fresh on the palate, with a bit more blueberry and a jacket of ripe, grainy tannins. Good Pauillac character, this feels like it will take on more weight with age. 5-10 years.

Richer and more mouth filling with riper fruit feel than La Mission, there is again plenty of concentration and density, grainy tannins power through the middle and it is very long in the mouth. This is a wine of real presence and, while it feels a bit clumsy at the moment, should deliver in spades in the long run. 5-15+ years.

Sleek and fresh this was so moreish. Less power than its counterparts but brimming with intense purple & black fruit and liquorice. The fine tannins and lifted acidity are seamless, a real precise engaging wine which I adored! 5-12 years.

The 12th vintage of this sought after estate delivers alluring aromatics of mulberry and spice. With some appealing grippy tannins, this is intense yet wonderfully fresh and plush in style. Rich and polished with a hint of salinity on the finish, the increasing use of Cabernet Franc in the blend is paying dividends. 5-15 years.

A very silky and seductive wine with plenty of fruit and elegant tannins. There is real refinement and elegance here overlying good structure and with the hallmark balance and freshness of the vintage. Owned by JP Moueix since 1950 this is on the best ter

From a property on the limestone plateau close to the town of St Emilion this has lovely strawberry aromas with a very complete palate with more black fruit and even hints of liquorice. There is just a hint of oak on the finish which also has good, soft tannins and attractive freshness. 5-15 years.