Bordeaux

95 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Sultry nose with ripe red fruit and soft jasmine and fragrance – dried flowers, pot pourri. Juicy and filling with a lovely light hand in terms of tannins. Mouthwatering and lifted, nothing feels heavy and you're left with a smile on your face.”

95 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Closed on the nose, elegant with fine but plentiful tannins that layer up fast in the palate. Violet and peony floral notes, clear savoury edge of blue fruits. This is precise, well structured, with huge potential for ageing but also for pleasure.”

93–95 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Cigar wrappers, flowers, cedar, mint leaves, currants, blackberries and licorice scents blend together to create the nose. Elegant, soft, and polished, the layers of fruit with their refined character and lift make this a standout wine.”

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.”

98-100 Points - Wine Advocate 

"A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that weighs in at 13.3% alcohol, the 2025 Pontet-Canet is one of the finest wines this estate has produced. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cassis, wild berries and plums mingled with notions of violet and burning embers, it's full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a degree of structural polish and sensuality that is rare in the Médoc, ripe acids and a long, penetrating finish. Over the last handful of years, technical director Mathieu Bessonnet and his team have revitalized Pontet-Canet's vineyards with well-timed soil work and precise phytosanitary treatments; and since 2023, the careful use of "pieds de cuve" in the winery, along with early blending, more refined barrel choices and cooler temperatures in the chai—plus more precise bottling practices—have conspired to take this estate to new heights of quality and consistency. In 2025, the team formed lower-than-usual "ponts" (whereby the canopies of adjacent vines are braided together in an arch) to retain denser foliage to protect the fruiting zone from sunshine, and they waited to pick late in pursuit of full maturity in Cabernet Sauvignon, finishing on September 23. The result is one of the wines of the vintage.times."

97–98 Points – James Suckling
“A precise and beautiful wine with total integration of the fruit and polished tannins that give a caressing and seductive mouthfeel. It’s medium-bodied with lovely fruit, a gentle nature and an overall softness and gorgeousness. Yet structured.”

96–98+ Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Pontet Canet is a wine of exquisite class. Silky, aromatic, and vibrant, the 2025 is all finesse. Crushed red and purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, and a gentle hint of spice are all wonderfully put together. Pontet-Canet is one of the more refined, sublimely beautiful wines of the year. This could turn out even better than my notes suggest. Tasted two times.”

98 Points – Falstaff
“Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, violet reflections, delicate edge brightening. Delicate notes of candied violets, black cherries, some nougat, inviting hint of precious wood, multi-faceted bouquet. Juicy, elegant, ripe heart cherries, fine extract sweetness, ripe, silky tannins, freshly structured, mineral, blackberry confit in the finish, finesse-rich, harmonious style.”

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

100 Points! Pichon Baron 2016 is a riveting, classy wine, richly aromatic and expressive from the start with a complex bouquet of black cherry, liquorice, graphite, menthol and subtle spices. The palate combines fleshy texture and linearity. The fine-grained tannins have the laser-like precision that Christian Seely likes so much, and contribute to the overall impression of crystalline purity so conducive to the terroir expression of this benchmark wine destined to reach new heights over the next 20 to 30 years. Magnificent wine. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter Magazine 2021

99 Points! The concentration and largesse of the 2016 Pichon Baron is apparent from the get-go with incredibly alluring, ripe and expansive fruit aromas in the blackberry, dark-cherry, mulberry and plum zone. Espresso and cedar, as well as a slate-like, stony mineral edge add complexity. The palate has incredible depth, drive and detail. Fine and plush tannins stretch the palate in every direction. So fresh and vivacious, this is the greatest Pichon Baron since 1989 and has a long future. Try from 2024. - James Suckling

99+ Points! Borderline perfection in a bottle, the 2010 Pichon-Longueville Baron (79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot) boasts a saturated purple color as well as truly extraordinary aromatics of crème de cassis, licorice, crushed rock-like minerality, graphite, and spring flowers. Possessing full-bodied richness, a huge, unctuous mid-palate, and building tannin, it shows the purity, grandeur, and precision that makes this vintage so remarkable. Hide bottles for another 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, February 2018

99 Points! Incredible depth apparent from the first whiff as well as powerful aromatics combining graphite, black fruit and spices. The palate is concentrated but brimming with energy, yet what really stands out is its confounding freshness as well as the finesse and precise contours of the tannic framework. An already profound wine that will reach new heights over the next two decades. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter Magazine, December 2021

100 Points! A wine of noble bearing and exceptional beauty, the 2010 Mouton Rothschild is a flat-out stunner. The aromatics alone are beguiling. On the palate, the wine is every bit as thrilling, with myriad layers of flavor that continue to open up in the glass. Graphite, gravel, smoke, plum, black cherry and savory herbs are all strikingly delineated throughout. Vivid and crystalline, the 2010 is a jewel of a wine, but it is impossibly young now. Readers who can be patient will be treated to a fabulous wine. Today, the 2010 reminds me of a more civilized version of the 1986. The 2010 is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest amount of Cabernet ever here). Dollops of Merlot round out the blend. Harvest took place between September 29 and October 13. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

100 Points! Clearly a perfect wine that shows incredible depth of fruit with currants, dark chocolate, minerals and licorice. Full-bodied, tight and wound up with ripe tannins that let go and seduce you. Makes me want to drink it now. But this is a wine for the long term. Extraordinary. - James Suckling

100 Points! Smoked grilled tar on the nose, it feels both very 2010 and supremely Mouton - accomplished and confident. A more glamorous, enticing edge than the other Pauillac Firsts at this 10 year window. There are plentiful tannins but they are lined with air, and the overall feel is of plush, plumped fruits, like being rolled-up in luxurious sheets. It is very different in character to the other two Pauillac Firsts, but no less enjoyable. It feels higher in alcohol, more Cos than Lafite in terms of personality, in the way that Pichon Baron is more Latour than Comtesse, but it is nuanced and clever and surprising. - Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine, Janaury 2020

100 Points! This is one of my favorite wines ever. Full-bodied, with layers of silky fruit and masses of currant, mineral and berry character. Amazing. It's a wine with perfect structure, perfect strength. It's 1961 Latour in modern clothes. It's hard not to drink it now. - James Suckling, Wine Spectator 2005

99 Points! A superb wine, ageing well, the 1990 Latour still seems deceptively youthful, with plenty of ripe mulberry and blackcurrant fruit, but there is also a graceful evolution, with truffle, earth and smoke notes. The texture is supple and warm, but it avoids the softness of some of the clarets from 1990. The tannins are still reasonably firm and the wine should continue to improve in the cellar for at least another 20 years. - Decanter Magazine, 2022

100 Points! One of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux this year is the 2019 Lafite Rothschild, an impeccably balanced classic of immense charm and grace. Wafting from the glass with arresting aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries mingled with violets, cigar box and warm spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, concentrated mid-palate framed by exquisitely powdery tannins and ripe acids, and concluding with a long, perfumed finish. This rivals the 2010 and 2016 as the greatest Lafite of the decade, and of those three vintages, it's clearly the most sensual and demonstrative out of the gates. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

100 Points! So much sweet tobacco, Spanish cedar, dried flowers, dark mushrooms and roses. Really aromatic. This is so polished and very powerful, yet ethereal and refined at the same time. The finish goes on for minutes. Tight and harmonious. You want to drink it! So balanced, yet it will age beautifully. It will be this good forever. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! The nose is fresh, bright, and dense. With aromas of violets, minerals, spices, cool stones, mint, dark fruits, and plum skins, this is beautiful. Very much still a baby right now, it needs much more time. This is a wine for the next generation. Finesse and elegance, truly a wine that makes you contemplate life. This is not about power, there is really nothing like it. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon. - JamesSuckling.com, February 2011

100 Points! A brilliant, heavenly wine that simply couldn't be any better, the 2000 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. Ripe currants, lead pencil, cedary spice, leather, and tons of tobacco and truffle all emerge on the nose, and on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a broad, layered, deep yet at the same time weightless and seamless mouthfeel. It still has tannins and structure but is so complex and nuanced, with that classic Lafite elegance. It has another 30-40 years of prime drinking and will most likely see its 100th birthday still offering pleasure. Drink 2026-2066. - Jeb Dunnuck, April 2026

99 Points! This is incredibly complex, with all the cabernet descriptors, from mint and lead pencil to blackberry, blackcurrant and menthol. It changes all the time in the glass, just as in the nose. Yet, it remains cool and classy. Full-bodied with very fine, tight tannins that run the length of the wine, carrying on and on and on. Well-framed and compact wine. Never-ending procession of currant, berry and black cherry fruit, together with licorice, earth and just a hint of black truffle. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Give this until 2028 to show its true greatness. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

98+ Points! The 2019 Mouton Rothschild is the most dramatic of the Médoc first growths, soaring from the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries and violets mingled with rich aromas of cedar, cigar wrapper, licorice, loamy soil and spices. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and powerful, with huge levels of concentration and an ineffably complete, seamless profile, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Plenty of ripe tannin is hidden by its ample core of fruit, and despite its youthful polish, this will require plenty of bottle age to realize all its potential. This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot tastes in many respects like the 2016 Mouton's more sun-kissed cousin. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

98 Points! A deep intense nose, this is another brilliant Pauillac First Growth in 2019, all different in style and true to themselves. The tannins are ripe and fleshed out, taking a confident hold around well-textured blackberry and cassis fruits that are fluid, supple and frankly delicious. This is pure Mouton, you couldn't mistake it, with its touch of mocha and chocolate, and its core of freshness. Has a feel of the 1996 about it. - Jane Anson, Decanter

ETA: Early Winter 2026

Jeb Dunnuck, 100 Points Deep purple in color, offering a powerful and complex array of pure Pauillac cassis-like fruit, lead pencil, graphite, chalky minerality, truffle, and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, with ripe, sweet tannins, classic Latour regalness, concentration, structure, and class, with just a hint of its normal youthful austerity. This flawless, balanced, structured, insanely good Latour will be drinkable in just 7 to 8 years but evolve for 40 to 50 years in cold cellars.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, 100 Points Deep garnet-purple in color, coming barreling out of the glass with powerful notes of blackcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, followed by suggestions of pencil shavings, cast-iron pan, and charcoal. The medium to full-bodied palate is exquisitely constructed with a myriad of very fine layers, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful tension, finishing epically long and mineral-laced. Still very tightly wound and will require at least 5 to 7 more years in cellar, then should age gracefully for 50-years+. Drink 2027-2077.

Georgina Hindle, Decanter, 100 Points Dark blackcurrants with smoky tobacco, liquorice and slate. Cool straight away, fresh but so perfectly mouthfilling. Blue fruit, black cherry, fleshy like fruit skin texture. This is how a great Pauillac can taste: serious, deep, classic Cabernet markers, lots of minerality in the flint and stony aspects, strong tannins and a powerful, muscular structure with minty sides. An amazing Pauillac. This will last forever.

99 Points! Decadent and rich aromas of black cherries and plums with wet earth and sandalwood. Turns to dried mushrooms. Full-bodied, tight and closed with big, polished tannins, yet this is very closed and shy right now. Despite this, underneath it shows such depth and beauty. Tangy acidity. This is a combination of 2005 and 2009. - James Suckling

99 Points! The crème de la crème from the northern Médoc is the 2015 Mouton Rothschild and this incredible wine flirts with perfection. Made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, this inky purple-colored effort offers sensational Cabernet flare in its crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, floral, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. It is full-bodied, dense, and incredibly concentrated, yet still has the sexy, opulent, seductive style of the vintage front and center. It will be a candidate for perfection in 10-12 years and is going to be one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. Hats off to Philippe Dhalluim and his team for this incredible effort that’s a step up over just about every other northern Médoc out there! - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! This is a luxurious wine that's opulently rich. Ripe black fruits dominate, lending fullness to the firm structure in the backdrop. It's a wine with great potential, density and weight. Touches of chocolate and licorice combine with flavors of dark plum, toast and spice. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2014 

93 Points! A dense, chewy wine for the vintage, with plum, currant and blackberry character. Full body, polished tannic texture and a bright finish. Very pretty indeed. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2008 Lynch Bages is brilliant stuff as well as a textbook Pauillac. Revealing a still youthful ruby/purple color as well as impressive notes of graphite, cedar pencil, cassis, tobacco, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, polished tannins, and a concentrated, layered texture. Jean-Charles Cazes described the vintage as late and great for Cabernet Sauvignon, and this beauty has classic Cabernet flair in spades. Powerful yet also fresh and elegant, it benefits from a decant and will continue drinking beautifully for another 20-30 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2008 Lynch-Bages is deep in color with minor aging on the rim. The nose is well-defined but demands coaxing, almost reluctantly revealing blackberry, briary, tobacco and mint aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but fine tannins, lovely black fruit laced with tobacco and spice, dense and grippy. This is beautifully proportioned on the finish. Superb. Tasted at the Lynch-Bages vertical at the château. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

94 Points! Lead-pencil aromas with currants and plums, too. Full body, silky tannins and a focused and very refined finish. It's the tannins that drive things. An excellent second wine of Lafite. Needs two or three years to soften. Start drinking in 2021. - JamesSuckling.com 

92 Points! The second wine of Lafite Rothschild is the 2015 Carruades De Lafite and is a beautiful wine in its own right. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up mostly in used barrels, it has classy notes of cassis and lead pencil shavings as well as a medium to full-bodied, elegant, beautifully balanced style on the palate. It’s not a massive wine by any stretch, yet it exudes class and elegance, and is already a joy to drink. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafite Rothschild is a little mute on the nose at this stage, opening to reveal warm blackcurrants, baked plums and boysenberry scents with hints of chocolate mint, violets, cedar chest and pencil lead. Full-bodied, rich and densely packed with perfumed black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of fantastically ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing very long and minerally. Still very youthful! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, robertparker.com, 2020

100 Points! Almost black in color, this stunning wine is gorgeous, rich and dense. It's grand and powerful, with a strong sense of its own importance. The beautiful tannins and the fragrant black currant fruits are palpable. It's a great wine, with huge potential. - Wine Enthusiast

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

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 dense wine with good richness and concentration. Slightly chewy, with an almost full body and a tight-grained finish. Long, structured and powerful. Not a lighter year for Pichon Baron, thanks to the low yield of just around 20 hectoliters per hectare. 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot. - Zekun Shai, James Suckling

94-96 Points! Beautiful stuff, the 2024 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron has ripe currant and cassis fruit intermixed with classic lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco nuances. It's medium-bodied, with a pure, layered, and elegant mouthfeel, notable tannins, and outstanding length. The 2024 is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, hitting 12.7% alcohol with a pH of 3.71. - Jeb Dunnuck

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

97-98 Points! This shows plenty of drive with dusty and creamy tannins that run the length of the wine and builds at the end. It’s medium-bodied showing a focus and energy. Dark currants and flowers flavor. This really has length and it has the depth to improve with age. 93% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. - James Suckling

95-97 Points! One of the wines of the vintage, if not the wine of the vintage, the 2024 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, hitting 12.9% alcohol and a pH of 3.71, that's resting in 100% new barrels. It sports a dense purple hue as well as absolutely rocking aromatics of blackcurrants, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and smoked tobacco. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, opulent mouthfeel, velvety tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's an incredible achievement in the vintage that will need just 4-6 years of bottle age and have a broad, lengthy drinking window. Hats off to technical director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy and the entire Mouton team. - Jeb Dunnuck

94-96 Points! The 2024 Mouton Rothschild, which has a little more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, was picked between September 23 and October 5 and aged for 18 months in 100% new oak. This has an understated bouquet with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents that take their time to unfold. The nose possesses very fine delineation though the oak is a little more prominent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style with fine tannins. A less flamboyant Mouton Rothschild in keeping with the style of the vintage, the 2024 discretely gains depth towards the finish and reveals a dash of white pepper on the aftertaste. Classy, very classy. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media