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The 2016 Pavie a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal a fragrant perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blueberries and eucalyptus over a core of preserved plums, kirsch, black raspberries and creme de cassis plus hints of licorice and chargrilled meat. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid foundation of firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness interknit with the black fruit preserves and minerally layers, finishing very long and very decadent. Superb! 

A towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won’t be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Technical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team.

An amazing wine in every sense, this classic, full-bodied Pauillac is the quintessential Pontet Canet from proprietor Alfred Tesseron, who continues to reduce yields and farms his vineyards biodynamically a rarity in Bordeaux. Black as a moonless night, the 2009 Pontet Canet offers up notes of incense, graphite, smoke, licorice, creme de cassis and blackberries.

A wine of irrefutable purity, laser-like precision, colossal weight and richness, and sensational freshness, this is a tour de force in winemaking that is capable of lasting 50 or more years. The tannins are elevated, but they are sweet and beautifully integrated as are the acidity, wood and alcohol (which must be in excess of 14%). This vineyard, which is situated on the high plateau of Pauillac adjacent to Mouton Rothschild, appears to have done everything perfectly in 2009. This cuvee should shut down in the cellar and re-open in a decade or more.

The wines of Chateau Pontet-Canet obtained organic certification from Ecocert and biodynamic certification from Biodyvin in 2010 and from Demeter in 2014.

This is the great wine of the Castello Nipozzano, from the vineyard Mormoreto planted in 1976. The first vintage was from the 1983 harvest, and since then has been produced only in the most favourable years. It was not produced from the harvests of 1984, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1998 or 2002. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot have, over time, formed an intimate bond with this terroir and now bring out all of its unique qualities. It is a wine of great depth, opulent and refined, that you can cellar for many years.

A deep ruby announces Mormoreto, almost opaque in its concentration. The nose is ultra-complex, delivering inebriating draughts of wild blackberry, raspberry, redcurrant, dried plum, dates, and wild red berry fruit, delicately lifted by floral impressions of sweetbriar and violets. Gradually emerging to deepen the rich bouquet even further are spicier nuances of vanilla, cocoa powder, tobacco leaf, and roast espresso bean, which act as a delicious foil to pungent notes of balsam and chlorophyll. A crisp, nervy acidity complements a suite of silky tannins, and both contribute to a palate that is notable for its warmth and roundedness. A finely-balanced, leisurely progression culminates in a lengthy, subtly-aromatic finish.

James Suckling: 94Pts; Falstaff 93Pts; Robert Parker: 91Pts; Wine Enthusiast: 90Pts

Crafted from substainably-grown grapes, certified by Agriqualita

The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%, according to administrator Charles Chevalier. The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more.

Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10-12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years.

Composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Pontet-Canet gives up beautifully fragrant notes of rosehip tea, lilacs, cinnamon stick, cloves, dried leaves and underbrush with a core of kirsch, raspberry coulis, warm plums and red and black currants plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing, minerally and wonderfully elegant with a well-played texture of approachable, plush tannins and a long, fragrant finish. Beautiful. Aging took place in 50% new and 15% in second fill barrels and the remaining 35% in amphorae for 16 months, much of the material for which came from the soil at Pontet-Canet!

The wines of Chateau Pontet-Canet obtained organic certification from Ecocert and biodynamic certification from Biodyvin in 2010 and from Demeter in 2014.

This is stunning. Troplong never has trouble conjuring up wonderfully rich fruit, but here it is plump and dense without being pumped up. The tannins are chewy rather than chalky, but the elegance of the vintage is unmistakable, and the rich chocolate flavours are dusted with mint. There is a very pretty salinity on the finish that lasts for minutes. I had a fascinating visit here at the start of the week, and retasted several times as this is a wine that I sometimes have trouble understanding. My main takeout is that the majority of the richness here is found naturally in the terroir – limestone on the plateau but with cool clay over the top, which explains why they are such late harvesters. But there are always winemaking and viticultural choices coming into play in any wine, and here there are adjustments being made to bring out a more finely wrought version of what is always a high impact and successful wine. Yields are higher this year, up at 48hl/ha, which helps, as does the style of the vintage and quieter extraction in the cellar, but Troplong remains true to itself.

2005 was an exceptional vintage, and Chateau Croizet-Bages display its great potential. The wine has a dark ruby color, with aromas of ripe blackcurrant and some notes of spice on the nose. Good volume in the mouth, excellent material, rich, with beautiful tannins.

Rating: Wine Enthusiast: 90 Pts

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pape Clement is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, is outrageously beautiful. Rich, deep and luscious on the palate, it possesses tremendous energy and richness from start to finish. Sweet red cherry, red plum, blood orange, spice and herb notes abound in an unctuous, racy wine of the highest level. The 2017 is deep, explosive, and wonderfully persistent.

A blend of 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored, 2017 Palmer gives a very serious nose of pronounced blackcurrant cordial, warm plums and blackberry preserves with hints of cedar chest, pencil shavings, violets, dark chocolate and star anise plus exotic wafts of sandalwood and cassia. Medium-bodied, the palate features fantastically vibrant, crunchy black fruits with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. It will need a good 5-7 years to really blossom with all those tightly wound nuances, but it should be a stunner! 

Bright garnet colour with ruby reflections. The nose is very complex. It releases notes of cherry and black pepper. We feel these southern notes of garrigue and black olive as well as a discreet touch of vanilla. It is an expressive wine dominated by ripe fruit and spices (roasted mocha, blueberry and wild blackberry). Good aging potential with a more promising development. 

The quintessence of the great terroirs of Provence. Le Lion et Dragon rouge will go perfectly with game such as hare stew à la royale or veal cheek casserole with asparagus.

Wine Enthusiast: 93Pts
Certified Organic & Biodynamic

The 2010 Haut Bailly has consistently been a fantastic wine, and at seven years of age I have no reason to alter that view. It has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, wet stone, black olive and a light marine influence. It is still backward compared to other vintages, but it has not relinquished one iota of its intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This is a voluminous Haut Bailly, one that is beginning to stretch its muscles, with a gentle grip in the mouth with a wonderful saline finish. There is huge potential locked into this wine, but patience is needed. 

Pale straw in colour with a lively green tinge. The nose displays freshly crushed grapes, with lemon scents and a hint of musk. The palate is lively and fresh as one would expect from a frizzante style wine. The palate tastes of freshly crushed grapes with just a squeeze of lemon & ginger on the finish. The fruit was picked and pressed cold, in new state of the art bag presses. Juice was left to settle naturally and then racked clean. The wine was fermented cold to retain fresh fruit characters. Fermentation was stopped once a balance was reached between alcohol, sweetness, acidity and bubbles.