Saint Julien

Release date: 20/6/2023

The 2022 La Croix de Beaucaillou opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and fresh mint, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core ofThe 2022 La Croix de Beaucaillou opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and fresh mint, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit framed by chunky tannins, it's a blend of 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. Rating: 90-92 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 20/6/2023

The 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou is elegant and nuanced. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, blood orange, mint and spice give the 2022 unusual brilliance. In most recent vintages, Ducru has been on theThe 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou is elegant and nuanced. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, blood orange, mint and spice give the 2022 unusual brilliance. In most recent vintages, Ducru has been on the opulent side. The 2022, on the other hand, is strict and linear in construction, a wine that is more about persistence than size. Bright saline underpinnings extend the mid-palate into the striking, beaming finish. Harvest took place over four weeks, the longest ever, as opposed to the two weeks or so that is the norm. Yields were 30hL per hectare, down from the 35-37 typical in recent years. Drinking range: 2032 - 2052 Rating: 95-97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)

Release date: 19/6/2023

83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot. Cask sample. Deep crimson colour. Complex, powerful and refined with blackcurrant, violet, spice and cedar notes. Juicy and dense with83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot. Cask sample. Deep crimson colour. Complex, powerful and refined with blackcurrant, violet, spice and cedar notes. Juicy and dense with layered fruit and tannins. Big structure but the tannins almost hidden. Picks up pace on the finish. Long. One of the top wines this year. (JL) 14.3% Drinking range: 2032 - 2055 Rating: 18+ James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)

Release date: 19/6/2023

A juicy and layered red with blackberry and black cherry character. Full and rich. Crunchy. Fine texture, but lots of tannins. 55.5% cabernet sauvignon, 38.5% merlot and 6% cabernet franc.A juicy and layered red with blackberry and black cherry character. Full and rich. Crunchy. Fine texture, but lots of tannins. 55.5% cabernet sauvignon, 38.5% merlot and 6% cabernet franc. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)

Release date: 19/6/2023

Structured and fluffy with a blanket of fine tannins. Full-bodied yet agile and floating. Juicy at the end. Excellent finish. Lots of lead pencil and crushed stone at the end. 45.5% merlot, 44.5%Structured and fluffy with a blanket of fine tannins. Full-bodied yet agile and floating. Juicy at the end. Excellent finish. Lots of lead pencil and crushed stone at the end. 45.5% merlot, 44.5% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)

Release date: 14/6/2023

This is the first vintage in which the property is certified organic. The blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, all currently resting in 95% new oak. The yield was 30This is the first vintage in which the property is certified organic. The blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, all currently resting in 95% new oak. The yield was 30 hl/ha in total, divided between the two wines, with some sold off in bulk. This has a very convincing nose, with griottes, violets, rose petals and dark chocolate, very cleanly expressed. This translates onto a deliciously harmonious palate, with a supple and velvety core of dark fruits, with currants, toast, violets and dark chocolate, set in a delicious texture, supported by a fine-grained core of tannins. This is very convincing, very cleanly defined, with good energy and cohesion, and a rich, ripe tannic grip nicely hidden within. Is this the highest score I have given Gruaud-Larose for some years? Probably. The alcohol is 13.64%. Rating: 93-95 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2023)

Release date: 14/6/2023

The 2022 Sarget de Gruaud Larose was picked from 7 until 24 September at 29.9hL/ha. The nose bodes well with raspberry and wild strawberry scents. There's a faint mocha scent in the background.The 2022 Sarget de Gruaud Larose was picked from 7 until 24 September at 29.9hL/ha. The nose bodes well with raspberry and wild strawberry scents. There's a faint mocha scent in the background. Overall, the nose is well-defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, a liberal sprinkling of white pepper and a slightly gritty finish. Quite open toward the finish, this will be a decent Deuxieme Vin with drinkability from its youth. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 88-90 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)

Release date: 13/6/2023

The 2022 Léoville Poyferré was picked 8 to 28 September at 33.4hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak. It has a high IPT of 93 and 14.4% alcohol (half a degree less than the 2018). It is quintessentiallyThe 2022 Léoville Poyferré was picked 8 to 28 September at 33.4hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak. It has a high IPT of 93 and 14.4% alcohol (half a degree less than the 2018). It is quintessentially LP on the nose, with those extravagant and sensual black and blueberry fruit, intermingling with crushed violet and iris. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very harmonious and focused, perhaps more linear than expected with a velvety-smooth finish. This is a very classy, sophisticated Saint-Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score once in bottle. Drinking range: 2030 - 2070 Rating: 95-97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)

Release date: 8/6/2023

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. This is a red-fruited style, which is somewhat surprising given the recipe, and even though the oak is reasonably strident,50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. This is a red-fruited style, which is somewhat surprising given the recipe, and even though the oak is reasonably strident, there is plenty of ripeness here to carry the flavour along at a brisk pace. Open and conversational, this is a decent Gloria, and if you can give the oak five years to settle and integrate, it will be a rather stylish and tasty wine. Rating: 17+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)

Release date: 8/6/2023

A particular success for this estate, the 2022 Saint-Pierre offers up aromas of cassis, licorice and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's lively and sapid, withA particular success for this estate, the 2022 Saint-Pierre offers up aromas of cassis, licorice and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's lively and sapid, with powdery structuring tannins and a penetrating finish. Its tannic weight tempers the wine's sweetness of fruit to deliver a classy, nicely balanced result. Rating: 93-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 6/6/2023

Juicy and bright, a nice ease to this, it's quite light, missing a touch more fruit density, but the frame, structure and tannin management are excellent. Will be for super easy and enjoyableJuicy and bright, a nice ease to this, it's quite light, missing a touch more fruit density, but the frame, structure and tannin management are excellent. Will be for super easy and enjoyable drinking with freshness and a cool lift on the finish. Sweet juiciness, punchy, but reigned in. A really nice combination of lively fruit, fleshy tannins, cool mint and liquorice freshness. Feels like you're getting a lot for your money here. Harvest 8-30 September. Ageing 13 months in French oak, 20% new. Drinking range: 2026 - 2036 Rating: 92 Georgie Hindle - Decanter (Jun 2023)

Release date: 6/6/2023

The 2022 Lagrange was picked between 8 and 30 September, it ages in 60% new oak for a planned 21 months. It has an almost clinical bouquet, with very well defined blackberry and blueberry fruit,The 2022 Lagrange was picked between 8 and 30 September, it ages in 60% new oak for a planned 21 months. It has an almost clinical bouquet, with very well defined blackberry and blueberry fruit, graphite and crushed stone. Quite a gap in quality between this and the Fiefs de Lagrange this year. The palate is extremely pure with cashmere tannins, black cherry fruit infused by blood orange, lightly spiced, hints of white pepper toward a very concentrated, fine-boned finish. This will require several years in bottle, but it will be worth waiting for. A serious and very able Lagrange that should not be under-estimated. Drinking range: 2029 - 2055 Rating: 95-97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)

Release date: 1/6/2023

Aromas of rich berries, loamy soil, cherries and licorice introduce the 2022 Connetable de Talbot, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and impressively concentrated wine that represents some 38% of theAromas of rich berries, loamy soil, cherries and licorice introduce the 2022 Connetable de Talbot, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and impressively concentrated wine that represents some 38% of the estate's production this year. Rating: 87-89 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 1/6/2023

The tannins really are integrated and fill out across the palate. The texture is so beautiful and refined. Medium- to full-bodied and crunchy, with lovely texture and refinement.The tannins really are integrated and fill out across the palate. The texture is so beautiful and refined. Medium- to full-bodied and crunchy, with lovely texture and refinement. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)

Release date: 1/6/2023

The 2022 Moulin Riche exhibits aromas of sweet dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's framed by sweet, generouslyThe 2022 Moulin Riche exhibits aromas of sweet dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's framed by sweet, generously extracted tannins that lend it a punchy, modern style. It's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot from a 20-hectare block located in inland Saint-Julien. Rating: 90-92 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 31/5/2023

A brilliant wine that's the finest young vintage I've tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice andA brilliant wine that's the finest young vintage I've tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional palate that's succulent, sapid and perfumed, framed by supple tannins and concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at a healthy pH of 3.65. Why is it so good this year? In addition to the quality of the vintage, the new gravity-flow winery means fruit can be handled more gently, and picked more precisely, sub-block by sub-block, as the team now have fully 63 vats at their disposal, almost double their capacity through 2020. Given the Maroteaux family's sensible approach to pricing, this is likely to number among the must-purchase wines of the 2022 vintage, and it comes warmly recommended. Rating: 95-97 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 16/5/2023

This is largely from the old Lalande-Borie vineyards, although much of them are currently undergoing replanting. It can also take lots from the more easterly (higher-quality) vineyards and it did soThis is largely from the old Lalande-Borie vineyards, although much of them are currently undergoing replanting. It can also take lots from the more easterly (higher-quality) vineyards and it did so even in this successful vintage. It is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, and it is tasted from barrel, the élevage utilising 40% new oak. This has glorious fruit on the nose, all crushed red cherry, peony, smoke and red pepper. The palate is simply delicious in its composition, with a rich blanket of supple red cherry and blackberry fruits, with a tight and peppery vein of tannins, perfectly clean and defined, with well-hidden grip which only really shows through in the finish. This shows very well, and is set to develop very nicely. The alcohol is 14.19%. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2023)

Release date: 15/5/2023

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of violets and licorice, framed by creamy new oak, the 2022 Beychevelle is medium to full-bodied, velvetyUnwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of violets and licorice, framed by creamy new oak, the 2022 Beychevelle is medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by rich, unusually suave and polished tannins in the context of recent vintages at this address. It's a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.85, quite typical for this address. Rating: 92-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 11/5/2023

One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spicesOne of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision. Rating: 96-97+ William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)

Release date: 11/5/2023

Another successful vintage for Langoa, with dense cherry pit, graphite, smoked earth and bilberry fruits. Glass-staining ruby colour, a little atypical for the estate with its gourmet edge that givesAnother successful vintage for Langoa, with dense cherry pit, graphite, smoked earth and bilberry fruits. Glass-staining ruby colour, a little atypical for the estate with its gourmet edge that gives supple tannins and a rich mid-palate, with concentrated fruit and spices all balanced by great tannic architecture. This is an impressive St Julien from the Barton family, with a ton of ageing potential. 60% new oak. Drinking range: 2030 - 2038 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2023)