France

96 Points! Velvety tannins, perfumed floral nose, opening to cedar, mint leaf, red cherry puree, all expanding outwards through the palate, with finely boned tannins adding a touch of control. Plenty of tertiary notes of truffles, campfire smoke and saffron-laced spices, but the fruit is still very much in tact. As it opens further you get intense aromatics of violet and exotic spices. You could sit with this for hours, just enjoying how finessed Cabernet Sauvignon can become with age - and how the clay that underpins the gravels on so much of Palmer's vineyard has helped keep freshness. Exceptional, and it has been delivering at this level for at least a decade. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, September 2021  

95 Points! The 1990 Palmer has long been one of my favorite vintages; at 31 years of age, it is still utterly sublime. It opens wonderfully in the glass with blackberry, forest floor, crushed iris petals and just a touch of dried blood. You would actually think that this comes from a cooler growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins. This has evolved since I last tasted it, mellowed and lost some of its plumpness, becoming more linear and almost reserved towards the finish. There's a touch of green bell pepper on the aftertaste. Wonderful. - Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2022

97 Points! Still remarkably dark, intense and youthful in appearance, this Mouton shows more flamboyant characters on the nose than other vintages, with spices, cigar-box and blackcurrant leaf all to the fore. Rich, dense and fleshy palate with plenty of stuffing for further ageing. An impressive Mouton which lives up to the ‘star’ billing for the 1995 vintage with nearly all of the components in great balance. The only question mark regards the firm, slightly drying tannins, which still need to fully integrate. I suspect they will, but the 1995 may not quite reach the height of the 1996. Harvested 12 September to 27 September. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. - Andy Howard MW, Decanter Magazine, September 2021 

95 Points! Produced in the magnificent new cellars at Montrose, this big, tannic wine is powerful and concentrated. It has something of the classic severity of a wine from this estate, but that's mitigated by the ripe, generous blackberry fruitiness and the final freshness of a 2012. A great success, to drink from 2022. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, May 2015

94 Points! From a blend of 37% Merlot, 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, Montrose managed to take advantage of the good weather that returned in October, and brought in its last grapes on 20 October. Its gravelly soil also meant it fared far better than the more clay-led St-Estèphe terroirs. Great structure with a wonderful floral aroma and touches of cedar, with good persistency. Astringency on the tannins suggests a good life ahead. - Decanter Magazine, Apr 2015 

94 Points! The 2012 Montrose has a taut and focused bouquet with crisp blackberry, tobacco and light earthy scents on the nose. Fine vigour and class evident here. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a nicely proportioned and focused finish. This is a solid, almost swarthy Montrose, though it is surpassed by more recent vintages. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.- Neal Martin, Vinous Media Feb 2022 

96+ Points! The 2021 Léoville Las Cases has turned out beautifully in bottle and clearly numbers among the very finest wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins and girdled by lively acids, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Serious and structured without being austere, it's a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and a mere 5% Merlot. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

97 Points! A classic Leoville Las Cases with blackcurrants, blackberries, stone, graphite and lavender aromas that follow through to a medium body with firm and refined tannins and a juicy finish. Plenty of subtle flavor at the end. Racy tannins. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. Already very integrated and attractive but will be even better in three or four years. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! Utterly captivating on the nose, fragrant and floral with soft orange flecks, sweet cedar and cinnamon. Textured like heavy silk, weighty with a hold to the tannins that says ‘I’m a serious wine’, offering energy and focus. Precision and density, finessed layering that lets the wine deepen and expand over time. Not immediately as attention-seeking as some, but this is classy no doubt and ultimately calls for another sip, and then another. A gorgeous wine that is all the better for what it’s not saying at this point. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Wide, powdery, fine but firm tannins; a lovely density to this. Concentrated and intense, very straight and streamlined. Finessed and focused. Clearly powerful, the energy is apparent, but all the elements are kept quite tight and controlled, so you're not getting so much expansion or nuance necessarily. Still, well worked with clarity to the fruit and tannins. Wet stone, liquorice, toasted caramel all giving elements of wood but integrated and supportive. Feels like a sleeping giant, will be good in time, sleek and stylish. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine

“Deep garnet-purple colored. Sashays out with bold notes of raspberry coulis, black cherries, and mulberries, leading to hints of forest floor, crushed rocks, and lavender oil. The medium-bodied palate is bright and shimmery with layers of red berries and mineral, framed by super-silky tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and layered.” 94-96, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2025

“Solid and very precise, showing wonderfully integrated tannins with drive and focus. Polished and extremely poised. Medium-bodied, this has creamy texture and a long, vibrant finish. Reminds me of the superb 1995. A blend of 64% merlot and 36% bouchet (cabernet franc).” 94-95, James Suckling, May 2025 

“The 2024 Les Pensées was picked September 23 to 30. This has quite a complex bouquet with blackcurrant, bilberry and light estuarine scents percolating through with time. The palate is quite arresting, one of the few Merlot wines with genuine grip and heft, but it maintains refinement on the peppery finish. The 2024 feels long and sustained and worthy of bottle age. It will develop wonderfully in time.” 92-94, Neal Martin, Vinous, Apr 2025 

*Pre Arrival - Jan 2027 

96 Points! So much black fruit, black walnuts, blueberries, wet earth, black truffles and some graphite. Medium to full body with lots of tension and focus. It runs very long with a salty undertone and some bitter, burnt lemon. Yet ever so subtle and refined. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The 2020 Château Tour Saint Christophe showed spectacularly well, and based off past vintages, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new barrels (the balance is in second- and third-fill oak), it offers a full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins. It's worth pointing out that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre. This terrific Saint-Emilion will evolve for two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

*Pre Arrival - Jan 2027 

98-99 Points! A superb red for the vintage with so much character, singing Lafleur like a world-class opera singer. So spicy and floral, showing tobacco, cherries and redcurrants. Some milk chocolate and truffles. Complex with seductive tannins and creamy acidity. Wonderful length. Reminds me of the 1978. A blend of 45% merlot and 55% bouchet (cabernet franc). - JamesSuckling.com

95-97 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a lot of shaking to unlock notes of fresh red cherries, black raspberries, and blackberries, opening out to hints of lilac, Sichuan pepper, underbrush, and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate delivers a firm frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the tightly knit red and black berry layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent

94-96 Points! The 2024 Château Lafleur is classic in every way, offering a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, gravelly earth, and spring flowers that evolves toward more violet and mineral-driven notes with air. Medium-bodied, with a layered, rounded mouthfeel, it's not massive but shines for its precision, ripe, polished tannins, and gorgeous finish. This is a wine that gains in nuance the longer it sits in the glass, and these subtle, graceful 2024s from the Guinaudeau family feel like a throwback to the 1980s, made with remarkable purity and precision. - Jeb Dunnuck

*Pre Arrival - Jan 2027 

95 Points! The 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion unfurls in the glass with a complex, detailed bouquet of plums, cassis, flowers, spices, licorice and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, its fleshy, layered core of fruit is framed by beautifully velvety tannins. In bottle, much as en primeur, this blend of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc is a charming, sensual rendition of La Mission. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

95 Points! Green peppercorns and tomato leaf mingle with blackcurrant on the nose. Quite herbal and savoury, earthy almost with hints of fragranced perfume also. Supple with lots of energy, focus and precision - this has a real brightness to the red berry summer fruits. Crystalline and pure, a weightless touch almost but there are still tannins that give a soft support around the palate. Elegant and charming, not demonstrative really, but confident nonetheless. Quite high acidity keeps the freshness and zing and this also has a graphite undertone giving the minerality. Well worked and a characterful wine. Delicate but very enjoyable. - Decanter Magazine

96 Points! Blackcurrants and graphite aromas follow through to a medium body with very fine tannins and a savory finish. Fluid, with a subtle and open character. Stone and dust at the end. So drinkable now but will improve with age. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Plums, currants, pine cones, mushrooms and bark on the nose. Some licorice, too. It’s medium-bodied with tightly knit tannins. Tight and fresh with fantastic tension and drive. Refined and focused. Spicy and lightly salty at the end. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! This delivers a tumble of ripe raspberry, plum and boysenberry fruit flavors, lined with violet, red tea and sweet tobacco notes that add lift and range. The long, racy, chalk-lined finish leaves a pure feel that’s not easy to achieve in this vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. 10% of the 2020 base wine fermented and aged in barrel. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Hints of brioche and lemon meringue pie enrich the flavors of cassis and apricot fruit, pickled ginger, smoke and roasted hazelnut in this classy Champagne, backed by vibrant acidity. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 2024. Drink now through 2030. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Dark and brooding in bearing, the 2021 Pichon Baron is a somber, mysterious wine. It is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur. Graphite, leather, spice, mocha and dried herbs meld together in a wine of power, precision and contemporary classicism. It's one of my early favorites in this vintage. I won't be too surprised if it turns out even better than this note suggests. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Baron is showing very well in bottle, unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, sweet berries and violets mingled with subtle hints of orange zest and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with good depth at the core, bright acids and sweet tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish, its serious, slightly reserved profile reflects the unusually high (89%) percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2021 concluded its élevage in large wooden vats for a month and a half, saw a touch less racking than normal, and was only fined with a small amount of gelatin, not egg white, as has been the rule at this address for several years now. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

95 Points! Black currant, violet, lemon blossom and black berry aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and tobacco, black fruit and cedar undertones. It’s tight and chewy, suggesting it needs some bottle age. Some iodine. Oyster shell. 88% cabernet sauvignon. Give this four to five years. Try after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

Sourced from 60+ year-old vines in Landonne, Lancement and Chavaroche

95+ Points! Like the Hermitage, the 2022 Côte Rôtie Vieilles Vignes is ripe and unevolved, yet it brings another level of mid-palate density and overall concentration. Awesome red and blue fruits, spring flowers, pepper, and violet notes all define this beauty, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. It's a big Côte Rôtie that has balance as well as finesse, although the cellar will be your friend on this one, and it has ample baby fat to shed. Give bottles 4-5 years if you can, and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047. - Jeb Dunnuck

Sourced from 45+ year-old vines in Paton, Lys de Volan, la Bonnette, Rochecourbe, Les Rivoires, Merlant

95 Points! Slightly deeper hued (barely) than the classic Condrieu, the 2023 Condrieu Vieilles Vignes is another tour de force from this producer. Stone fruits, toasted nuts, orange liqueur, and crushed stone all give this a slightly more mineral-laced, masculine style. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's concentrated, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, a terrific sense of freshness, and outstanding length, with a touch of salinity on the finish. It's geared for the dinner table and should drink nicely through 2033. Both of these latest Condrieu from Tardieu-Laurent are brilliant wines. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! A high percentage (75%) of new wood has given this wine a very fine polished character. Along with the structure, it has brought out impressive aromas of black fruits, cinnamon spice and power. The wine is has a fresh black-fruit aftertaste. - Wine Enthusiast

95 Points! Lovely depth to the nose of this young Bordeaux with black currant, ink and walnut aromas that follow through to a medium to full body with a solid core of polished and integrated tannins. This will drink beautifully in 2026 and onwards. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2021 Lynch-Bages has a wonderful bouquet with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, retaining the estuarine element I remarked upon from barrel. The oak here is seamlessly integrated and gains complexity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, very supple and focused, a little more peppery toward the finish with impressive grip and depth in context of the vintage. This is a superb achievement in a tricky season. Chapeau, Jean-Charles Cazes. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

95 Points! Slight hints of wax, earth and lemon show on the still-shy nose. The palate is equally reticent, tightly coiled but speaking of concentrated citrus freshness that verges into zestiness. The bone-dry nature makes it hard to sense ripe citrus slumbering at the core but the fruit will reveal itself with bottle age. Concentration, purity and power promise a future firework, discernible now in the tangerine zestiness on the finish. - Wine Enthusiast

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

97-98 Points! Really impressive concentration for the vintage with dusty tannins that give density and intensity. Medium-bodied, this shows dark fruit and chocolate plus walnut and hazelnut undertones. Juicy and flavorful but always in reserve. Winemaker Noemie Durantou Reilhac likens it to the 2015 but with finesse. 90% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. - James Suckling

95-97 Points! The 2024 L'Eglise-Clinet is brilliant and intensely aromatic in its first impression. Vibrant red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, cedar and rose petal soar from the glass. Readers will find a vertical, explosive L'Eglise-Clinet that impresses with its poise and balance. The 2024 deftly marries finesse and power to a degree I have seldom seen here in the past. Superb. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94-96 Points! The 2025 L'Eglise Clinet was picked on September 21, 23 and 24 apropos the Merlot and September 23, 24 and 28 for the Cabernet Franc, which constitutes 10% of the blend. It matured in 85% new oak (90% Darnajou and 10% Taransaud). This takes time to unfurl generous black cherry, mint and cassis aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chiseled tannins that frame the mineral-driven black fruit. It's not the most powerful L'Eglise-Clinet I have ever tasted at this stage, but you have to admire the manner which this just builds toward the finish whilst retaining poise and tension. The 2024 is a wonderful Pomerol that will age effortlessly in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

93-95 Points! Based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, and aging in 80% new barrels, the 2024 Château L'Eglise Clinet is one of the deeper-hued Pomerols in the vintage. It offers rocking aromatics of dark berries, black cherries, graphite, scorched earth, and violets. Medium-bodied on the palate, it brings serious richness, with ripe, round, layered tannins and a great, mineral-laced finish. This is one of the denser, more concentrated wines in the vintage, yet it stays balanced and precise. - Jeb Dunnuck

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 full-bodied young red with blackberries, lemons, chewy tannins and a fresh finish. There’s an earthy, terroir-drive vibe at the end. Solid. Well done. - James Suckling

92-94 Points! The 2024 Clinet is a dark, stylish wine. Black cherry, lavender, spice, licorice and blue-toned fruit are beautifully delineated. Dark and vibrant in the glass, with terrific depth, Clinet is super-expressive in 2024. Ronan Laborde bled the musts to bring the wine into the rich, textured style he seeks here. Clinet is a rare Pomerol that is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Cabernet very much in evidence. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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

97-98 Points! Really impressive depth, concentration and perfume this year, with fine tannins. Lots of violets, red flowers, black cherries and currants. Full-bodied and seriously structured, with impeccable freshness and a very long finish. Dense and powerful for the vintage, with tension, vibrations, good concentration and a tannin framework. 93% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 1% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. - Zekun Shuai, James Suckling

94-96 Points! Representing 46% of the total crop (a little higher than recent yearsdue to higher yields in the best Cabernet blocks), the 2024 Château Margaux contains slightly less Merlot (5%). It has a sophisticated bouquet in the context of the growing season, with black fruit, pressed violet and hints of pencil box that almost lend a Pauillac-like allure. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and modest depth. This is clearly a leaner Château Margaux compared to, say, the 2020 or 2022, but it is razor-sharp with superb tension and mineralite. Unapologetically classic in style with modest length, this noble First Growth will benefit from four to five years in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

94-96 Points! Based on 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Château Margaux is similarly deep purple-hued, with a more inward, closed, yet impressive style. Crème de cassis, graphite, spring flowers, and subtle spicy nuances all define the aromatics. It's medium-bodied with a concentrated, ripe, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and nicely integrated background oak. It's going to need time, but this is unquestionably a beautiful, elegant Margaux. The 2024 is 12.8% alcohol with a pH of 3.62. - Jeb Dunnuck

93-95 Points! The 2024 Château Margaux has turned out beautifully, unfurling in the glass with notes of cassis, violets, cigar box and iris. Medium to full-bodied, deep and vibrant, with excellent density and concentration for the vintage, it's lively and layered, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. This is a serious, youthfully tightly wound blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc that attained 12.8% alcohol. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate