Saint Estèphe

Release date: 3/5/2024

Always one of the Médoc's most sensual wines, the 2023 Haut-Marbuzet wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis and cherries mingled with cigar wrapper in violets, revealing littleAlways one of the Médoc's most sensual wines, the 2023 Haut-Marbuzet wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis and cherries mingled with cigar wrapper in violets, revealing little trace of its maturation in new barrels. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, it's deep and seamless, with an enveloping core of juicy, fleshy fruit framed by sweet, melting tannin. It's a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Rating: 92-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

Release date: 2/5/2024

A structured and focused red with good volume and concentration to its fruit. Medium-bodied with firm but well-integrated tannins that form the backbone of the wine. It’s layered and complex withA structured and focused red with good volume and concentration to its fruit. Medium-bodied with firm but well-integrated tannins that form the backbone of the wine. It’s layered and complex with impressive length. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

Release date: 29/4/2024

2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the Lorenzetti family's first move into the Medoc. Now owners of Pedesclaux, Lafon Rochet and a considerable stake in Chateau d'Issan, Lilian Ladouys may no longer2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the Lorenzetti family's first move into the Medoc. Now owners of Pedesclaux, Lafon Rochet and a considerable stake in Chateau d'Issan, Lilian Ladouys may no longer be there most prestigious estate but it is certainly a real passion project. Run by Manon Lorenzetti, with help from Pedesclaux's winemaker Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen - this estate gets better every year. Now into their third year of organic conversion and benefitting in 2023 from having more parcels on-stream - they have made a beauty. There's a sophisticated and classic Saint Estephe freshness to the crunchy black fruit. For the first time ever Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead on the blend with 57% only reinforcing the upright, pure feel. This has great lines a delicious, ripe mid-palate and all the finesse you could ask for in Saint Estephe. Proper Bordeaux and so well priced. At 12.9% it really does feel like a very classic Claret. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet franc L&S (Apr 2024)

The 2023 Calon-Ségur is another en primeur success for this resurgent Saint-Estèphe third growth. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, wild berries and plums, it's medium toThe 2023 Calon-Ségur is another en primeur success for this resurgent Saint-Estèphe third growth. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, wild berries and plums, it's medium to full-bodied, cool and layered, with a deep and integrated core, terrific concentration, lively acids and refined structuring tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that checks in at 14% alcohol. Rating: 94-96 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

The blend here is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, because the Cabernet Sauvignon was of high quality. AlsoThe blend here is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, because the Cabernet Sauvignon was of high quality. Also the yields were good, at 45 hl/ha. The picking began September 6th for the Merlot, finishing the 20th, the Cabernets began on the 28th, finishing the 30th, the same as the Calon wines. Sweet and perfumed Cabernet flowers on the nose, a more confident expression than Vincent Millet’s right-bank wines (such as Le Prieuré), with gorse flowers and violets. A modest texture at the start, very controlled through the middle, with well knit and clearly ripe tannins, nicely polished, with a gentle and rather powdery body of fruit, and supremely fresh acidity. Pure, finessed and elegant, this is a very nice example of Capbern this year. The alcohol is about 14.6%. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Step into Cos d'Estournel, with its richness, depths and layers of cocoa bean, liquorice, espresso, chocolate, exceptional chewiness on the tannins, making things fairly serious at this early stage,Step into Cos d'Estournel, with its richness, depths and layers of cocoa bean, liquorice, espresso, chocolate, exceptional chewiness on the tannins, making things fairly serious at this early stage, with a promise of slow-revealed pleasure over the decades ahead. First time doing green harvest in the vineyards since 2008, causing some worries over the late heat waves on already ripening grapes, but they have retained balanced alchols here, and there is plenty of juice to lift things up on the finish. Harvest September 12 to 29 (last year finished September 22). 50% new oak for ageing, 53% 1st wine. In organic conversion (that began in 2021, but have had to extend after addition of a few more plots to the vineyard). Drinking range: 2032 - 2050 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

The 2023 de Pez confirms the progress taking place at this address. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and developmentThe 2023 de Pez confirms the progress taking place at this address. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and development laboratory for its sibling, Pichon Lalande, and director Nicolas Glumineau and his team have been working to bring more precision and purity to the wine. Offering up aromas of cassis, violets and pencil shavings, framed by nicely integrated new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, polished and suave, with a layered core of sweet, vibrant fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

This is very St.-Estephe, with blackcurrant, lead pencil, graphite and crushed stone. Medium-bodied, linear and structured. Excellent finish. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 4% petit verdot andThis is very St.-Estephe, with blackcurrant, lead pencil, graphite and crushed stone. Medium-bodied, linear and structured. Excellent finish. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 4% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. 13.35% alcohol. 3.75 pH. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

The 2023 Ormes de Pez is a powerful, bold Saint-Estèphe. Black cherry, gravel, incense, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and cured meat infuse the 2023 with tons of Saint-Estèphe personality. Burly andThe 2023 Ormes de Pez is a powerful, bold Saint-Estèphe. Black cherry, gravel, incense, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and cured meat infuse the 2023 with tons of Saint-Estèphe personality. Burly and rustic, in a good sense, the 2023 has tons of character. The Merlots feel pretty ripe and exuberant in this sample. Drinking range: 2027 - 2038 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)

The 2023 barrel sample from Meyney offers up a nose of sweet red fruits, with a smoky and leafy overlay, pressed red cherry with notes of blackcurrant leaf and menthol. The palate is a curiousThe 2023 barrel sample from Meyney offers up a nose of sweet red fruits, with a smoky and leafy overlay, pressed red cherry with notes of blackcurrant leaf and menthol. The palate is a curious combination of pressed berries, sweet plum and most prominently an over-confident wrapping of oaky lactones, which give the palate a spirity feel. Rather sappy and dense on the palate, with creamed fruit and a rich wrapping of oak, all underpinned by finely grained and tight-knit tannins, this is a rather sappy and modest Meyney which does not seem to echo the estate’s successes in some other recent vintages. One to revisit after the élevage perhaps. Rating: 88-90 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

Gorgeously dark and vibrant fruit, with gunsmoke and campfire, concentrated cassis and blackberry pastille, grilled almond, saffron and pomegrante, luscious but measured, showing the inky characterGorgeously dark and vibrant fruit, with gunsmoke and campfire, concentrated cassis and blackberry pastille, grilled almond, saffron and pomegrante, luscious but measured, showing the inky character that seems to be at the heart of the best Cabernets of this vintage, with their ripe but not overly exuberant classicism. Organic conversion, to be certified 2025. The first vintage this 1st wine of Montrose is coming only from the section of the vineyard located on Terrace 4 of the Médoc gravel banks that line the Garonne river along the peninsula. Following soil studies from Pierre Becheler, this comprises 35% of the overall production in 2023, or 45ha of vines, and is the historic heart of the property. Pierre Grafeuille director, Vincent Decup technical director. Rating: 98 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs, lavender and mocha infuse the 2023 with striking complexity. Persistent saline notesThe 2023 Phélan Ségur is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs, lavender and mocha infuse the 2023 with striking complexity. Persistent saline notes lend energy, dimension and shape. The Cabernet Sauvignon really screams with intensity here. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2028 - 2043 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)

Another strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings andAnother strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's polished, pure and layered, with sweet tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. It's a blend of 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)

The second wine of Calon is 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and the picking began September 6th for the Merlot, finishing the 20th, the Cabernets beganThe second wine of Calon is 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and the picking began September 6th for the Merlot, finishing the 20th, the Cabernets began on the 28th, finishing the 30th. Dusty dried plum and cherry blossom on the nose, with a hint of orange peel. A rather open, juicy and loose character at the start of the palate, with a slowly building powdery grip of tannins, and strident acidity. This feels a little less finessed than its stablemate Capbern, in terms of balance and texture at least, although the tannins are nicely managed and give a fine, polished grip beneath the light blanket of fruit. Naturally, this grip persists more than any other feature in the length. The alcohol is about 14.6%. Rating: 89-91 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)

The polished and creamy texture here is extremely attractive, with blueberry, blackcurrant and crushed-stone aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with linear tannins, showing polish and finesse.The polished and creamy texture here is extremely attractive, with blueberry, blackcurrant and crushed-stone aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with linear tannins, showing polish and finesse. Creamy mouth-feel. Second wine of Cos. 12.9% alcohol. 51% cabernet sauvignon, 45% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)

This is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot, just a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, and the Petit Verdot was also of high quality, hence Merlot was pushedThis is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot, just a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, and the Petit Verdot was also of high quality, hence Merlot was pushed into a minority position. Picking start September 6th, commonplace in St Estèphe and Pauillac, and finished on the 26th. Beautiful aromatics on the nose, expressive, with concentrated and lightly dried berry fruits, wrapped in cedar, dark chocolate and crushed chalk. A rather cool and fresh entry, with the sinewy and taut character of the vintage, with a savoury restraint to the texture, with a finely extracted and powdery grip of tannins underneath, and the vibrant acid freshness of the vintage. This has delicious poise and a fine sense of energy and balance, and should provide great value drinking. The alcohol here is 13.2%. Rating: 92-94 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)