Saint Estèphe

Release date: 7/5/2025

Beautifully deep colour, this shows chalk, violet flowers, peony, fragrant and enticing floral profile compared to so many in the vintage, this is excellent, cocoa bean, cassis, depth, layers andBeautifully deep colour, this shows chalk, violet flowers, peony, fragrant and enticing floral profile compared to so many in the vintage, this is excellent, cocoa bean, cassis, depth, layers and concentration - one of the wines of the vintage. 15% press wine, a little more than usual. Harvest 23 September to 8 October, Pierre Grafeuille estate director. Drinking range: 2032 - 2050 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2025)

Release date: 7/5/2025

73 Merlot, 20 Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 Petit Verdot, 3 Cabernet Franc: 20% foudre with 15% new oak: 38 hl/ha: 13.2% press wine

Juicy, direct, and pristinely clean, with silky fruit,73 Merlot, 20 Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 Petit Verdot, 3 Cabernet Franc: 20% foudre with 15% new oak: 38 hl/ha: 13.2% press wine

Juicy, direct, and pristinely clean, with silky fruit, lovely volume, and enticing exoticism, this wine is the light-hearted side of the Montrose story. While the fruit notes are amazingly pure, the finish is loaded with minerality and brightness, and the tannins wait patiently until the finish appears. When they do, they are raw, active and refreshingly delicious. 17.5/20 QP Rating: 17.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2025)

Release date: 6/5/2025

The 2024 Ormes de Pez is a very pretty, expressive Saint-Estèphe. Strong floral, savory and earthy elements abound. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, cedar and new leather lend notable punch. This is aThe 2024 Ormes de Pez is a very pretty, expressive Saint-Estèphe. Strong floral, savory and earthy elements abound. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, cedar and new leather lend notable punch. This is a very fine vintage for Ormes de Pez. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2026 - 2034 Rating: 90-92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)

Release date: 5/5/2025

The 2024 Lilian Ladouys, which has slightly higher levels of Merlot and Petit Verdot, has a touch of dark chocolate and espresso on the nose that marginally obscures some of the fruit and slightlyThe 2024 Lilian Ladouys, which has slightly higher levels of Merlot and Petit Verdot, has a touch of dark chocolate and espresso on the nose that marginally obscures some of the fruit and slightly detracts from its delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with light and grainy tannins, simple with a somehow "generic" finish. I'm not sure the composition of the blend really suits this Lilian Ladouys, and that is reflected in my score. Drinking range: 2029 - 2039 Rating: 86-88 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)

A fruity wine that’s approachable but still serious and complex, with cocoa, currants, paprika and berries. Medium- to full-bodied. The tannins are taut, chalky, caressing and superbly knit with theA fruity wine that’s approachable but still serious and complex, with cocoa, currants, paprika and berries. Medium- to full-bodied. The tannins are taut, chalky, caressing and superbly knit with the fruit. Really juicy and long, and there aren't any hard edges. 82% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Rating: 96-97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2025)

Good depth on the nose with a juicier palate this year, with a mixture of berries, red peppers and cherries. The chalky tannins are still quite firm and the wine delivers lots of fruit, with a longGood depth on the nose with a juicier palate this year, with a mixture of berries, red peppers and cherries. The chalky tannins are still quite firm and the wine delivers lots of fruit, with a long finish. Tight and tense. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2025)

60 Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 Merlot, 1.5 Cabernet Franc, 0.5 Petit Verdot: 50% new oak.
12.76% alc: 3.57 pH: 29 hl/ha: 71 IPT: Harvested between 23 September and 7 October.
Cos owner Michel60 Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 Merlot, 1.5 Cabernet Franc, 0.5 Petit Verdot: 50% new oak.
12.76% alc: 3.57 pH: 29 hl/ha: 71 IPT: Harvested between 23 September and 7 October.
Cos owner Michel Reybier and winemaker Dominique Arangoïts always go to great pains to explain the vagaries of each vintage with exquisite detail before tasting their wines. This in-depth analysis brings more understanding to the resulting flavours. And so it was that after a very rainy winter (a record since 2000), there was a good budbreak, and fertility seemed promising. Then, it was cold and rainy, affecting flowering with millerandage on Merlot and coulure on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This impacted yields greatly, and the harvest was one of the lowest ever at 29 hl/ha. These lower yields meant that even though there were infrequent showers throughout the vendange, the fruit achieved perfect ripeness, which is clear to see in the glass. The result is a stunning Cos nose of opulence and power, with beauty and control in equal measure. I love Pagodes in 2024, and it is certainly a wine to hunt down, but this Grand Vin takes the Pagodes model and turns up the volume delivery a grander and more all-encompassing composition. The tannins are sensational: old-school, bitter, teasing and Nebbiolo-like and the finish is incredible. While this is not a rich, heady, voluminous style of Cos, it is every bit as engaging as the wines found in more ostentatious vintages. 2024 Cos is a more controlled, stealthy and well-drilled wine with immense class and tone, and it will age like clockwork. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2025)

The 2024 de Pez is seriously beautiful. Dark, powerful and deeply savory, the 2024 possesses gorgeous textural depth and resonance. Mocha, dried flowers, spice, cedar and tobacco are all dialed up inThe 2024 de Pez is seriously beautiful. Dark, powerful and deeply savory, the 2024 possesses gorgeous textural depth and resonance. Mocha, dried flowers, spice, cedar and tobacco are all dialed up in this wonderfully fleshy, sumptuous Saint-Estèphe. This is impeccably done. Tasted three times. Drinking range: 2028 - 2039 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)

The 2024 Haut-Marbuzet has quite an exuberant bouquet with orange rind-infused red berry fruit, hints of violet and peony that emerge with time. The palate is grippy and medium-bodied with grainyThe 2024 Haut-Marbuzet has quite an exuberant bouquet with orange rind-infused red berry fruit, hints of violet and peony that emerge with time. The palate is grippy and medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a fresh, minerally finish. It will need two or three years just to shave its edges, but there is energy here. Drinking range: 2029 - 2042 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)

The 2024 Lafon-Rochet contains the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) in thirty years, matured in 40% new oak. This, again, has a rather light and straightforward bouquet. It is clean andThe 2024 Lafon-Rochet contains the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) in thirty years, matured in 40% new oak. This, again, has a rather light and straightforward bouquet. It is clean and delineated, though it does not deliver the same complexity as the previous two vintages. Fine tannins frame the cohesive palate, and the prudent use of oak (with 10% aged in concrete) proved to be an assiduous decision as it imparts elegance on the finish. Overall, this Lafon-Rochet doesn't possess the complexity of the best recent vintages, but is a capable and fresh Saint-Estèphe that should drink well for 15 years or more. Drinking range: 2029 - 2045 Rating: 89-91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)

The 2024 Meyney is another big step in the right direction for this re-emerging Saint-Estèphe estate. In 2024, Meyney is refined yet still very deep, without the heaviness that was once typical here.The 2024 Meyney is another big step in the right direction for this re-emerging Saint-Estèphe estate. In 2024, Meyney is refined yet still very deep, without the heaviness that was once typical here. It will be interesting to see in future years how much of that is the new style here and how much is the vintage. Either way, the 2024 Meyney is a standout. Drinking range: 2029 - 2044 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)

The 2024 Phélan Ségur is an absolute delight. Dark and ample, the 2024 offers up a compelling mix of black cherry, leather, game, incense, licorice, gravel and pipe tobacco. All the elements are soThe 2024 Phélan Ségur is an absolute delight. Dark and ample, the 2024 offers up a compelling mix of black cherry, leather, game, incense, licorice, gravel and pipe tobacco. All the elements are so well balanced. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, in other words, a very high percentage of Cabernet. That comes through nicely in the wine's aromatic finish. Phélan Ségur is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the year. Tasted four times. Drinking range: 2028 - 2039 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)

The 2024 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a classy, polished wine. Dark cherry, spice, new leather, cedar, incense and tobacco fill out the layers nicely. Medium in body, with terrific depth, the 2024 isThe 2024 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a classy, polished wine. Dark cherry, spice, new leather, cedar, incense and tobacco fill out the layers nicely. Medium in body, with terrific depth, the 2024 is impeccably done. It offers lovely textural resonance and fine balance, making for a very impressive second wine from the château. Drinking range: 2026 - 2034 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Pagodes de Cos, and it celebrates this occasion with a luxurious, engraved bottle design. This is an extraordinarily impressive second wine. There are more spice,2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Pagodes de Cos, and it celebrates this occasion with a luxurious, engraved bottle design. This is an extraordinarily impressive second wine. There are more spice, cherry, and plum notes than I have ever seen in this wine, and coupled with a cooler finish packed with lip-smacking acidity, this is a glorious experience from start to finish. Every element is exemplary, from the thrilling nose and its stunning fanfare to the impeccably balanced fruit topped with rhythmic, percussive tannins and keen amaro bitterness. This is a tremendous wine for the patient collector, and it is destined to be yet another dramatic and rewarding Pagodes. Rating: 18+ *QP* Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2025)

The 2024 Le Crock was picked from September 27 to October 7 at just 17 hl/ha. It is in its third year of organic conversion, so the mildew was acute. The Cuvelier family made the decision toThe 2024 Le Crock was picked from September 27 to October 7 at just 17 hl/ha. It is in its third year of organic conversion, so the mildew was acute. The Cuvelier family made the decision to discontinue and use minimal synthetic treatments instead. It has a straightforward, quite tensile nose with crushed stone filtering through black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, maybe just missing some depth and grip though there is ripeness on the peppery finish. Give this a couple of years once in bottle. Drinking range: 2027 - 2039 Rating: 88-90 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)