Bordeaux

95–96 Points – James Suckling
“Medium- to full-bodied with delineated dark fruit and precise, delicate tannins, showing good freshness, a wonderful silky texture and a subtle saline note in the finish.”

94-96+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Tour Saint Christophe reveals darker red and blue berries, chocolaty herbs, graphite, and crushed stone, as well as a beautiful floral character. Coming from a picturesque, terraced hillside on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, it's based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a concentrated, layered, pure mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate depth, and a great finish, it's a concentrated, opulent 2025 that ticks all the right boxes.”

93–95 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Tour Saint Christophe is a stunner. Rich and explosive, the 2025 possesses remarkable depth and pure power. All the elements are so well balanced. Tour Saint Christophe is always a big wine, but the 2025 has an unusual level of finesse. Dark-toned fruit, leather, gravel, chocolate and dried herbs caress the palate. Aging the Francs in 20HL cask seems very well judged in moderating oak impact, something that has also been a signature here in the past.”

93 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Charred cedar on the opening, balanced by lovely grippy tannins, slate and pumice stone, this has plenty of brambled dark fruits to balance out the salinity of the limestone fingerprint. Harvest September 11 to 24. 25% new oak. Yield 27 hl/ha. 3.35 pH.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Lynch-Moussas is so classy. Silky and refined, the 2025 is all charm. All the elements are so well balanced. Readers will find a Pauillac of undeniable appeal. This is so precise. The 2025 is going to need a few years to soften as the tannins are quite imposing, and yet there is so much wine. A major step forward.”

94 Points! Beautiful nose, blackcurrant, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, tobacco, cherries, crushed stones, blue fruit and bramble fruits. Sleek and straight, nice acidity, but this is quite linear with the Cabernet really giving the backbone, length and overall structure. Feels a bit tense, but it does have texture too so it’s not austere or harsh, just strong. Really well built, delivering power no doubt, but keeping a soft juiciness underneath. Very medicinal - clove, liquorice, unmistakable Cabernet speaking here, but feels clean and well worked. Nothing sticking out too much with body, plushness and cool freshness. Good potential, really impressively constructed. 3.7p. Ageing 30% new oak. - Decanter Magazine

94 Points! More Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, the 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 14 months in 20% new French oak. It's even better than the Les Hauts de Smith and has gorgeous aromatics of black cherries, currants, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite. This textured, medium to full-bodied, seamless beauty has ripe tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. This matches, if not exceeds, the 2020. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Aromas of currants and blackberries with orange peel and rose petals follow through to a medium body with racy and polished tannins that go on for a long time. Vivid and energetic. Second wine of Smith Haut-Laffite. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. Give it two to three years. -  JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a rich, heady wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, licorice, menthol, chocolate, tobacco and incense makes a strong opening impression. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend is all opulence. I would give it a few years to settle down. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93 Points! This is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with an élevage lasting 14 months in 20% new oak. A completely different nose to Les Hauts de Smith, which has all that lightly roasted Merlot fruit;this has the same intensity but now in a pure, perfumed, floral Cabernet style, touched with mint and white peach. This continues through into the palate, now joined by darker tones of liquorice, toast, tar and charcoal, with a very pure and finely knit together backbone of tannins. A remarkable wine bearing in mind it is a second label, with dark fruit, high-quality structure and great length. This is a delicious Pessac-Léognan with fine potential. Give it ten years at least. A long grip to this rather solidly built wine. - The Wine Independent

95 Points! Based on 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc from deeper, clay soils, the ruby/plum-hued 2023 Château Grand Village spent a year in 30% new French oak before bottling. It tastes like a mini Pomerol with its ripe, juicy black cherries, damp earth, roasted herbs, and graphite. It's medium-bodied and has a pure, focused, layered mouthfeel and a great finish. Drink 2026-2038. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Crunchy red fruit and blackberries, dried flowers and an earthy touch. Chalky and vibrant with precise flavors on the medium- to full-bodied palate, leaning toward medium. Fine tannins add definition and structure in the finish. A blend of 91% merlot and 9% bouchet (cabernet franc).  - JamesSuckling.com

93-94 Points! This is a wild GV with so much sliced lemon, green apple and lime, as well as hints of flint. Mussel shells, too. Medium-bodied, tangy and vivid. A blend of 78% sauvignon and 22% semillon. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! This has attractive, glossy, ripe red-plum and licorice aromas with cedar, flowers and red berries, as well as a stony edge. A very fragrant, cabernet-driven nose. The palate has elegance and grace with sleek and charming, balanced style and a discreet tannin structure that holds the finish long and fresh. A blend of 81 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 19 per cent merlot. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2016 Giscours is built around 81% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a wonderful bouquet with pure blackberry, crushed violet and mineral scents, with exquisite delineation and poise. The palate is framed by fine tannins and a perfect line of acidity. Slightly grainy in texture, it boasts gentle grip, yet there is real intensity and focus here. The 2016 is only just beginning to open and should be cellared for several years. - Neal Martin, Vinous, October 2024

94 Points! Slightly more high-toned, with layers of black cherries and cassis fruit. Iodine and pressed violets seep through with aeration. Very composed, the Merlot adds a soupçon of opulence. The palate is medium-bodied, again high-toned with mulberry and blueberry fruit and a dab of salted licorice. The finish seems to indicate some Petit Verdot wanting a say in matters. It's just delicious from start to finish. - Neal Martin, Vinous, October 2023

94 Points! Soft truffle and tobacco, this was a hot year that comes through in its exotic cinnamon spice flavours, and its freshly cut rosemary and sage herbs that sit against bilberry and black cherry fruits. There are still tannins here, now fully integrated, and a kick of fresh acidity that adds a mouthwatering feel from the mid palate. - Jane Anson, July 2021

97 Points! Awesome, richly textured, powerful still with its ripe yet now-savoury red fruits on display, the sweetness edged out by truffles and spice. A great wine that remains full of life. One of the best Pauillacs in the vintage. - Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine, 2018

95 Points! This bottle of 1983 Pichon-Lalande (I really can't be bothered to type out its full name) is the best of many encountered over the years. This offers gorgeous melted red fruit, woodbines, smoke and cigar humidor scents that could only come from Pauillac. Hints of black truffle and morels follow after about an hour in the glass. The palate displays lovely balance, poised and fresh, perhaps more vigor than I ever expected, with just a hint of dried blood on the finish. Impeccable provenance played a role here, but it is still a 1983 that should not be underestimated. -  Neal Martin, Vinous, 2023

93 Points! The 1999 Pavie is medium to deep garnet-brick in color. It springs out with spritely notes of redcurrant jelly, Morello cherries, and blackberry preserves giving way to suggestions of red roses, tobacco leaf, and pencil lead with a touch of tapenade. The medium-bodied palate has bags of energy, with a fine-grained texture and lively line to lift the long, mineral-laced finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, December 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

96 Points! I continue to love the 2008 Château Latour, unquestionably in the top handful of wines in the vintage. A rich, powerful blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, this ruby/purple-hued beauty boasts a classic Latour nose of blackcurrants, spice box, saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and cedar pencil. Deep, medium to full-bodied, and perfectly balanced, give it another 2-3 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, 2019

95 Points! A little subdued, as with the Lafite right now, but this is built to last and is layered and structured. Liquorice, cassis and blueberry notes take the lead, with a punch of tannic power and a crushed mint leaf finish. A classic Latour, starting to be ready to drink but sure to age for decades from here. A seductive smoke note appears with time in the glass. Harvest September 29 to October 14. 40% of overall production. - Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine 2021

95 Points! The 2020 Distique 13 is the best wine I have tasted from Mangot in some time, perhaps ever. Vibrant and explosive, the 2020 offers up blueberry jam, graphite, crushed rocks, lavender, licorice and exotic spice. Distique 13 remains an unabashedly opulent, full-throttle wine, but in this vintage there is a good kick of energy that lends balance and proportion. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93+ Points! Notes of minty blackberries, cherries and plums preface the 2020 Todeschini Distique 13, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine that's more concentrated and structured than the regular Château Mangot, featuring a more elevated percentage of Cabernet and seeing élevage in barrels, foudres and amphorae. It will require a bit more patience. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

93 Points! A wild and exotic white with pineapple and cooked-pear character that turns to baked pears as well. Full-bodied, dense and layered. 70 per cent semillon and 30 per cent sauvignon. - JamesSuckling.com

ETA: Early Winter 2026

Jeb Dunnuck, 96 Points A blockbuster of a Les Forts. Deep ruby/plum hue followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, with a powerful structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.

James Suckling, 96 Points Blue fruits and lead pencil come through here. Medium to full body. Firm and silky tannins and a crisp and citrusy finish. Nice zest. Floral and fruity. Al dente fruit. Needs four or five years to show its excellence. Try after 2028.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 95 Points The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs, game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour.

93 Points! A textbook example of excellent dry white in 2023: you get the sumptuousness of ripe Sémillon with nectarine juiciness and the verve and citrus punch, in this case kiwi, from the Sauvignon Blanc. No malolactic fermentation to maintain acidity, given the summer heatwaves, and voilà. This wine also has some classy pear on the finish, but above all a juicy mid palate. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! A timid nose of pears, grapefruit and nectarines with stony austerity. The medium- to full-bodied palate shows precise texture and a growing saline note that adds complexity, turning incisive yet textural. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Honey, apple tart and lemon rind. Full-bodied, medium-sweet and very spicy with intense flavors of mace, apple and honey. Long finish. Thick and powerful. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! The 2019 Couhins is rich and textured right out of the gate.  Plum, blood orange, spice, new leather and licorice infuse the 2019 with quite a bit of character. Firm tannins wrap it all together, finishing real depth and density. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93 Points! Very pretty blueberry and chocolate with some walnut and bark undertones. Pretty, pure fruit here. Medium to full body with creamy, polished tannins and a flavorful finish. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2019 Faugères is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from Silvio Denz's Saint-Émilion estate. Silky, aromatic and super-expressive, Faugères is absolutely exquisite. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, dried flowers and cinnamon are some of the many nuances that open in the glass. There is plenty of the textural richness readers have come to expect over the years, but the 2019 is less over the top than some previous vintages. And that's a good thing. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

95 Points! A full-bodied red with fine tannins and plenty of plum, milk-chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s creamy and attractively textured. Rather flamboyant for the vintage. Generous and formed. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! The 2020 Ferrière is a powerhouse. Gravel, scorched earth, licorice, cloves, lavender and inky dark fruit saturate the palate. A virile, potent wine, Ferrière shows the more virile side of Margaux off to great effect. Readers will find a wine of tremendous gravitas. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous 

95 Points! Complex aromas of crushed berries, walnuts, wet earth and spice follow through to a full to medium body, chewy yet juicy tannins and a savory finish. This needs time to soften but I like the character and intensity. 68% cabernet, 27% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Seductive fragrance on the nose, perfumed, clean and pure. Rich yet direct too, I like the sleekness with clarity, energy and a vibrancy to the dark fruits edged with clove and liquorice. Tannins are firm and grippy, taking hold of the palate, showing off the muscular side. Feels well made with a full body and persistence from start to finish. Nicely approachable. - Decanter Magazine