Wines

97–99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A Merlot-heavy blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a dense purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of ripe currant and black cherry fruit intermixed with smoky tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone. Deep, rich, and full-bodied on the palate, it has a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It might end up being in the top handful of wines in the vintage.”

98–100 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Black cherries, plums, violets, licorice, espresso, caramel, black raspberries, and a hint of mint pop in the nose. Creamy, opulent, sweet, powerful, and also fragrant, fresh, and light on its feet. The palate is drenched in fruits, accompanied by a mineral essence that adds length and vibrancy to the long, intense finish. One of the wines of the vintage, this is in contention for the best vintage ever produced in the history of Larcis Ducasse.”

95–97 Points – Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing)
“The 2025 Larcis Ducasse reveals an elegant, vibrant and gourmand bouquet of violet, dark berries, dark cherries and flowers, accented by delicate spicy notes. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it’s built around a ripe core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a floral, harmonious and ethereal finish. One of the most accomplished renditions produced here to date.”

95–97 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Larcis Ducasse is another exceptional wine from one of the most under-the-radar estates in Saint-Émilion. Dark red-fleshed fruits, rose petal, lavender, mocha, licorice, sage and graphite are all seamless in the glass. The 2025 marries power with finesse to a degree that is exceptionally rare. This is a stellar effort.”

95–97 Points –  Lisa Perrotti-Brown
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Larcis Ducasse prances out of the glass with showy notes of ripe, juicy plums, blueberry pie, and crushed black cherries, giving way to hints of violets, sassafras, and sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate is bright and juicy with great tension and firm yet velvety tannins, finishing long and perfumed.”

95–97 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 Larcis Ducasse has a gorgeous bouquet already, with pure blackberry and cassis fruit, seamlessly integrated new oak, retaining focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, with very fine lace-like tannins, perfectly judged acidity, bright acids towards the finish upholding tension and a silky texture that is totally disarming. Outstanding.”

Points – James Suckling
“Well composed, balanced, seductive and vivid. Medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Well shaped, with an inspired and focused mid-palate. Flavorful and lingering finish.”

97 Points! Beautiful aromas of currants, blackberries and flowers follow through to a full body with ultra fine tannins that are polished and so long and persistent. Linear and very, very fine, yet structured. Try after 2025, but already very impressive to taste. - JamesSuckling.com

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

97 Points! Looking at the Grand Vin 2022 Château Laroque, it checks in as 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new oak with a mix in larger formats, as well as a portion in foudre. Gorgeous black raspberries, spring flowers, graphite, and truffly mineral and crushed stone-like nuances all shine in this stunningly complex, medium to full-bodied effort. With ripe, polished tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins, it's going to drink well for at least 30 years. The alcohol here is a healthy 14.7 with a pH of 3.4. This is an absolutely gorgeous wine! Buy a case for your cellar. You can thank me later. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Superb quality delivering grip and lift, with the fleshy black fruits underpinned by steel, crushed slate and softer crayon. Well defined black fruits, mouthwatering, vivid, energetic, one to look out for. 3.55ph reductive ageing on fine lees, 1st racking after 6 months, harvest September 14 to 30, Vineyard located on the limestone plateau and slopes at one of highest points of St Emilion in St Christophe des Bardes, owned by the Beaumartin family, David Suire director. - Jane Anson

97 Points! A pure and focussed nose full of ripe but cool black fruit with soft hints of violets and vanilla. This delighted during Primeurs and it's turned out excellently in bottle. Juicy, clean and crystalline with a perfect balance of fruit, tannins and acidity with plenty of underling power but delivered so elegantly. Great harmony and drinkability on offer. Ends salty with graphite and slate really putting the limestone terroir into the glass. Delicious. Another excellent bottle from this rising start estate under the helm of David Suire. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine

95 Points! The 2022 Laroque has turned out very well indeed in bottle, offering up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, suave and vibrant palate that's pure, concentrated and penetrating. Harmonious and integrated, this limestone terroir's identity really shines through. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

95 Points! The 2022 Laroque is even better from bottle than it was en primeur. Dark, rich and enveloping, the 2022 is seriously impressive. Black cherry, leather, licorice, dried herbs and mocha race across the palate. The possesses superb depth and nuance while capturing all of the richness of the year. Laroque is very clearly one of the sleepers of the year. Superb. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

96+ Points! Based on 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Lascombes pulls from 40% of the total production and was aged 18 months mostly in barrels (60% new) with a small portion in foudre. This inky hued beauty boasts a rich, concentrated, full-bodied, well-oaked style as well as pure cassis and darker berry fruits, some graphite, scorched earth, and licorice nuances, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. This more modern styled, pure, seamless beauty will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 30 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Displaying a jeweled red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard is very layered and beautiful, offering striking clarity in its notes of wild herbs, ripe raspberries, sunny but bright fruit, and fresh rosemary. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and has wonderful balance and a harmonious feel. Highly appealing now, with a light, juicy feel throughout the palate, it’s long and elegant and is only going to improve in another few years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

94 Points! A Pinot with style and intensity, with a keen structure framed by detailed flavors of blueberry and raspberry that take on clove, forest floor and savory spice accents. Finishes with broad-shouldered tannins. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Beautiful fragrance to the nose, perfumed and delicate yet so expressive, nothing out of balance with cherries and violets bursting out of the glass. Gorgeous smooth mouthfeel with some milk chocolate dusting on the fruit, tannins are delicate and softly mouth filling with a lovely salinity to the palate - creamy and unctuous but at the same time there's lots of acidity. This has a verticality to it, layered but with an aerial quality too, the flavours just glide across the palate with lift on the finish - so satisfying and drinkable. Just a glorious, shining, bright, velvety, succulent glass of wine. Pure elegance. - Decanter

97+ Points! Moving to the tiny production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Quartz, which is mostly Grenache with around 25% or so of Syrah, it has a rich, full-bodied, dense, and almost backward style to go with powerful black fruits, ground pepper, and violet aromas and flavors. I love its purity of fruit, and it builds nicely with time in the glass, showing more mid-palate depth as well as ripe tannins. It’s a stunning bottle of wine, but patience will be required. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Mulled black cherries, roasted garrigue, spice, and hints of fresh cut flowers and rose define the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Quartz, which is based on 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah from 50% galets roulés and 50% sandy Safre soils in les Cassanets lieu-dit, fully destemmed and aged in 80% demi-muids and 20% neutral barrels. It's medium to full-bodied and elegant, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered, elegant mouthfeel, and fine tannins. It's impeccably made, very clean, and pure, with beautiful length on the finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! A luscious red with redcurrant, chocolate, plum and hazelnut. Rather opulent on the nose. Full-bodied and very structured with chewy tannins that are intense and powerful. This needs time to come together and soften. 68% cabernet sauvignon and 32% merlot. Better after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points! The 2019 Le Petit Mouton clearly retains its bold bouquet of bravura scents of blackberry, blood orange, and touches of cassis and violet petals, the 50% new oak seamlessly integrated over 18 months. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry, deep and displaying fine grip. This is definitely one of the most seductive Le Petit Mouton releases in recent years. It tightens a little toward the graphite-tinged finish, so afford it more time in bottle than I originally predicted. Superb. Neal Martin, Vinous Media

96 Points! A really flamboyant wine beginning with lots of berries, plums, asphalt and orange peel before turning to blue fruits. Full-bodied and medium round tannins give a softness and drinkability. Long finish. Give it three to four years to come together but already gorgeous. Hard not to drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Up there with the top second wines in the vintage, the deep purple-hued 2022 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild offers up textbook Pauillac (and Mouton) notes of ripe black fruits, spicy wood, crushed stone, and graphite, with a terrific floral character with air. It's medium to full-bodied, pure, layered, and flawlessly balanced. Drink bottles over the coming two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Flowers, cherry pipe-tobacco, black raspberry, spearmint, black cassis, and plums open the perfume. On the palate, the wine is lush, fresh, sweet, spicy, pure, and rich, with a vibrant, long deep, black and blue fruit and tobacco packed finish. This is Jr. Mouton Rothschild! The wine blends 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.14.2% ABV, 3.86 pH. Drink from 2024-2045. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

94 Points! Darkly scented nose, liquorice, dark chocolate and black bramble fruits, smells rich, intense and fragrant. Smooth and supple, clean, clear and crisp, a nice purity to this with clear minerality and bite. A touch lean, some austerity here though balanced by juiciness and corresponding acidity, nicely bright but serious at the same time given the dark fruits and spiced edges. Tannins are well integrated, this is just a little sharp and straight, not yet softening and expanding but such great potential. Good grip and intensity, this is a powerful wine, focussed with persistence. A great stand out with lots of promise. 11.3% press wine - usually at 7-8% maximum. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.86pH. 80 IPT. Aged 60% in new barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it features evocative cassis and black cherry preserves scents, giving way to a very pretty perfume of lilac, cinnamon stick, and licorice. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating blackberry preserves flavors with beautifully ripe tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

96 Points! The 2018 Le Prieuré is all class, just as it was en primeur. Silky, perfumed and light on its feet, the 2018 is a fabulous example of how refined Saint-Émilion can be. Once again, I am so impressed by the wine's freshness and vitality. Sweet red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint and cinnamon all build over time, but what stands out most is the wine's exceptional balance and harmony. Technical Director Penelope Godefroy has done a magnificent job at Le Prieuré since taking over a few years ago. The 2018 is superb, and an incredible value. - Antoni Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! An utterly gorgeous wine, rippling with freshness and hidden power. It has an amazing texture with notes of freshly cut herbs and flowers by the armful. Seductive, concentrated but joyful, I love this - it's the best they have made here so far in my opinion. - Jane Anson, Decanter

96 Points! The 2020 Le Prieuré is so elegant and nuanced. As always, readers will find a Saint-Émilion built on linear intensity and vibrancy more than size. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mocha and crushed rocks are all beautifully delineated. The clean, intensely mineral finish is absolutely striking. This is such a gorgeous wine. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

96 Points! The 2021 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is lighter in color and tannic intensity than the 2020 tasted beside it. No surprise for the vintages that birthed these wines. The latter was sunny, hot and dry, while the 2021 season was decidedly cooler, with more cloud cover and rain. This wine bears the fruits of the diligent labor in the vineyards and is one of the shining lights in the region this year. There are notes of raspberry and nori, moss and petrichor, blood and forest floor. This is a lighter style of Cabernet—and a lovely one at that. - Erin Larkin, robertparker.com

95 Points! The nose is perfumed and lifted, showing aromas of blackcurrants, boysenberries, cedar, tobacco leaves and graphite. The full-bodied palate has finely integrated tannins and focused acidity, giving complex notes of mulberries, wild blackberries, mocha and spices. Wonderfully balanced and fresh with an underlying power. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

97+ Points! The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

95-96 Points! A classic Bordeaux that shows finesse and poise. This is understated, with a medium body, lovely texture and acidity, freshness and brightness. It shows firm tannins that aren't chewy. Very long and honest, with pure fruit. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 2% cabernet franc. - Zekun Shuai of James Suckling

93-95 Points! The 2024 Leoville Barton is a very beautiful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, new leather, graphite, crushed rocks, mocha and spice all meld together. A wine of classical build, Leoville Barton is also wonderfully deep and expressive. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards, but there is a lot of wine here. I can't wait to taste this from a bottle. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

92-94 Points! A serious wine that will delight patient purists, but which also showcases the new levels of purity and precision that this estate has been attaining since completion of the new winery, the 2024 Léoville Barton is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated, with a taut but nicely integrated profile, concluding with a pure, penetrating finish. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

97–99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A Cabernet-dominant blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Léoville Barton checks in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.6. Crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, liquid violets, iron, and an incredible sense of graphite all define the aromatics of this brilliant, deep, pure, and layered beauty. On the palate, it's full-bodied, inward, and powerfully structured, and reminds me slightly of the 2010 with its deep, concentrated style. It has enormous potential.”

97 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Beautiful vintage at Léoville Barton, delivering layer upon layer of crayon, graphite, textural interest and character. Black chocolate and espresso coupled with finesse and fragrance take you into the heart of Saint-Julien. A flood of flavour, what a brilliantly judged wine.”

97 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Beautiful aromas, expressive and open, really fragrant with bright purple flowers and dark cherries. Supple and so energetic, with tension coming from really quite high acidity matching the soft fleshiness of the dark blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. Crushed stone minerality on the finish.”

95–97 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 Léoville Barton has an exquisite bouquet already, with ebullient blackberry and bilberry scents, beautifully integrated oak, keeping the DNA of Léoville Barton despite the warm summer. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, gentle grip, very pure fruit and a cool, focused finish. Superb.”

95–96 Points – James Suckling
“Dark ripe fruit and a touch of licorice on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with a firm tannic structure on the palate, showing dark fruit, chocolate and walnut flavors.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Léoville Barton is deep, powerful and wonderfully refined. Dark red-toned fruit, graphite, lavender, cedar and spice all build beautifully in the glass. A Saint-Julien of real pedigree and class.”

95–97 Points – The Wine Independent (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Léoville Barton bursts with bold notes of cassis and kirsch, leading to hints of crushed rocks, violets, mossy tree bark, and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully bright and earthy with great tension and firm, fine-grained tannins supporting the intense black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.”

93–95 Points – Wine Advocate (William Kelley)
“Another wine that will appeal to purists, the 2025 Léoville Barton offers up notes of crème de cassis, violets, pencil shavings and new oak, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, taut and penetrating palate that's racy and youthfully structured.”

95–97 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, black currants, cedar, cigar wrapper, spice, and graphite create the perfume. Deep, layered, vibrant, and energetic, with polished tannins and a long cassis-filled finish.”

98 Points! 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. - Jane Anson, December 2022

94 Points! I thought the 1989 Château Leoville Las Cases showed brilliantly, with a classy, elegant, regal feel that's very much in the style of the estate. Certainly in its prime drink window, it has lots of pure cassis and darker fruits as well as graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and hints of saddle leather. Medium-bodied on the palate, it's balanced, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, resolved tannins, and outstanding length. While it doesn't hit the same heights as the 1982, 2000, 2003, 2009, or more recent vintages, it's a classic example of this terroir that will continue to evolve gracefully for another two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, February 2023

98 Points! 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. - Jane Anson, December 2022

94 Points! I thought the 1989 Château Leoville Las Cases showed brilliantly, with a classy, elegant, regal feel that's very much in the style of the estate. Certainly in its prime drink window, it has lots of pure cassis and darker fruits as well as graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and hints of saddle leather. Medium-bodied on the palate, it's balanced, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, resolved tannins, and outstanding length. While it doesn't hit the same heights as the 1982, 2000, 2003, 2009, or more recent vintages, it's a classic example of this terroir that will continue to evolve gracefully for another two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, February 2023