The 2016 Paveil de Luze is terrific. Wafting from the glass with notions of crème de cassis, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, dark chocolate and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with fine depth at the core and a more introverted, tightly wound profile than the 2019.

Cuvelier & Fils Haut-Médoc is a classic, Bordeaux-blend red wine from a historic, family-owned merchant established in 1804. Typically featuring a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is known for its structured, savory, and full-bodied character with notes of cassis, plum, and earthy undertones. It is a well-balanced, accessible wine suited for pairing with beef or roasted meats.

At twelve years old, this pre-teen is more than ready to be enjoyed! Bordeaux wines with dominant merlot tend to be more approachable and easier to enjoy as a younger wine. The merlot dominant wine is soft and smooth yet full of blackberry, plum, green pepper, smoke and vanilla aromas and flavours. 

Critic tasting note: "Dark ruby red colour. Fresh nose exuding freshly crushed plum and dark berries with dry spices and mild oak. Medium bodied with a youthful texture but ripe tannin, attractive dark berry flavours with a quite long finish." - 88/100, Andreas Larsson - Tasted

"The 2014 Prieuré-Lichine is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Silky, perfumed and gracious on the palate, the wine exudes class. Sweet floral and spice notes meld into a core of red stone fruit, and silky tannins and vivid flavors lead into a creamy and inviting finish. I would prefer to cellar the 2014 for at least a few years, but it is quite beautiful and polished even at this early stage." (AG) (2/2017) -Vinous (94 points)

93 points - James Suckling

93 points - Wine Enthusiast

90-92 points - Robert Parker

"Plum, soy, black currant, and underbrush characteristics comprise this attractive, elegant, mid-weight 2007. Drink it over the next 6-7 years." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate

Floral and black raspberry and coffee bean nose, medium bodied with an open easy to drink, soft and sweet personality. From yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare, the wine was produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The wine reached 13% ABV and is aging in 50% new oak.

The Ybert family has owned the Château for over four generations, maintaining their Grand Cru classification since 1987 through a commitment to outstanding quality and craftsmanship. This 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Red boasts a deep ruby red color with purple and dense notes. It exudes delicate aromas of sweet spices, toasted notes, and intense black fruits. On the palate, it is rich and complex, generously full of fresh fruit aromas with silky tannins that lend it great finesse. The finish is sweet and leaves a memory of an elegant, tender, harmonious, and pleasantly outstanding wine, which can be enjoyed young but will benefit from aging for 8 to 10 years if stored correctly in a temperature-controlled environment.

Producer tasting notes: "Chateau Suduiraut 2002 presents a golden yellow colour with amber glints. The intense nose reveals aromas of nuts, such as hazelnut, with heather honey and candied citrus. The palate is both concentrated and light, combining unctuosity, fruit flavours and freshness. The finish is consistent, ending with mineral, minty and fruit notes." - Chateau Suduiraut

"For the vintage, this is a particularly rich wine. It is structured and firm with opulent black-plum fruit that gives the wine a ripe character. Dense with supporting tannins, the wine is going to develop well over the medium term. Drink from 2022. (RV)" (2/2017) -Wine Enthusiast (92 points)

Dense and layered red with berry and tobacco character, a full body and a savory finish. Got it all here. Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Gloria needs a little swirling before notions of blackcurrant cordial, kirsch, and stewed black tea spill from the glass, followed by hints of chargrill and wood smoke.

94 Points-Wine Enthusiast "Firm and still dry with the solid tannins, the wine's ripe fruitiness is developing well. The combination gives great potential. Black currant and berry fruits are both there with crisp juicy acidity. The aftertaste is a reminder that this wine has a long way to go. Drink from 2024. "

93 Poins-Vinous "The 2014 Lagrange is terrific. Bold, juicy and exuberant, the 2014 possesses striking balance and textural richness. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate, iron, smoke and tobacco underpin a core of intense red-toned fruit in a super-expressive, layered wine endowed with real pedigree. The firm, muscular tannins need time to soften, but there is plenty to look forward to."

Chateau Laurence 'Petite Laurence' is made from 100% Merlot grapes and aged for 14 months in tank and barrel before release. The wine is soft and smooth and gentle with a savouriness and spicy taste.  There is a food friendly meaty and woody undertone, perfect for a variety of Autumnal dishes.

The nose of this wine is characterized by its fruity profile, offering a rich intensity of fruit with notes of fleshy red berries, crushed red berries, and hints of violet and blackcurrant. There are also nuances of fleshy plum, black tea, lily, saffron, and a subtle hint of vanilla. On the palate, it exhibits a mineral freshness and balance, with a defined fruitiness and roundness. The tannic structure is finely tightened, accompanied by a pleasant juiciness and a coating texture. Flavors of fleshy red berry, crushed raspberry, and pulpy red plum dominate, complemented by floral hints, iodine salinity, and subtle notes of liquorice, tobacco, graphite, and mocha. The tannins are smooth, with background nuances of toasted hazelnut and blueberry adding complexity.

Chateau Suduiraut, classed as a Premier Cru in 1855, is made from grapes selected from the finest terroirs of the property. This wine is hand crafted at every stage of its elaboration and reveals remarkable finesse and complexity and a golden colour reminiscent of the sun that made it possible. With age the bright gold evolves to a dark amber colour. With an extensive life-span, it powerfully and harmoniously combines fruit and floral aromas with roasted and candied notes.

"This wine is poised, gathering freshness and good acidity in the same structured container as the pure black-currant fruits. With 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has a classicism about it: fruity and structured at the same time. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 97/100, Wine Enthusiast

"The 2016 Branaire Ducru has a fragrant bouquet of plush blackberry and graphite aromas, hints of bilberry and briar developing in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is quite succulent and multilayered, offering supple tannin and gentle grip on the finish. Real potential here. One of the best Branaire Ducru in recent years. Chapeau! Drink 2023-2055." -Neal Martin, vinous.com (Jan 2019)

96 points - James Suckling

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (39%), Cabernet Franc (4%), Petit Verdot (1%)
Drinking Window: 2032–2045

98-100 Points - William Kelley, 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."

Located in Graves, to the southwest of the Gironde Estuary, the Domaine itself is located in a clearing in the middle of forest which protects the vines from extreme temperatures, sometimes called a secret garden in the Graves. This is the concept of terroir that is so dear to many in France, especially Bordeaux. The terroir of Chevalier is like a greenhouse, a unique ecosystem that the grapes (mostly) benefit from.  ight bank of Bordeaux, to the east of the Gironde Estuary, the Domaine itself is lcoated in a clearing in the middle of forest which protects the vines from extreme temperatures, sometimes called a secret garden in the Graves. This is the concept of terroir that is so dear to many in France, especially Bordeaux. The terroir of Chevalier is like a greenhouse, a unique ecosystem that the grapes (mostly) benefit from. The 2014 Chevalier is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, and 5% petit verdot, giving a wine of great structure that will be a decade old next year. Refined, yet opulent with a full array of blackberries, blackcherry, earth, forest floor and spicy oak notes. 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 30%
Drinking Window: 1992-2042

Experience the extraordinary Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1982, a Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé that exemplifies Bordeaux excellence. This iconic vintage has aged gracefully, revealing layers of blackcurrant, cedar, and fine spice, with a silky texture and impressive length. Perfect for collectors and connoisseurs, it is a rare and highly coveted wine that captures the elegance and tradition of one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious estates.

97 Points - Wine Advocate
“The harvest lasted 16 days from the 16th September," proprietor Bruno Borie mentioned about the 1982 Ducru-Beaucaillou. Medium brick colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with bold, expressive notes of Black Forest cake, preserved plums and mincemeat pie with hints of cigar box, star anise, eucalyptus and espresso plus wafts of roasted nuts and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, generous and opulent, the palate has beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins and tons of youthful fruit, finishing with epically long-lasting layers of preserved black fruits and exotic spices.”

Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little broody and reticent at this very youthful stage, slowly unfolding to reveal profound plum preserves, crème de cassis, black raspberries and star anise with hints of moss-covered bark, truffles and tilled loam plus a waft of red currants and raspberry leaves sparks.

Merlot 100% , Red dark colour, the nose is rich, fresh and fruity, the mouth is full-bodied with spicy notes, the tannins are soft, the end of the mouth is well balanced and round.

Structured, full of promise and with layers of black fruits and tannins, this ripe wine is set for aging. The texture, with its dry core, is dense and powerful. Drink this wine from 2026. Organic. — Roger Voss

The history of Château Durfort-Vivens is linked to the Durfort-Duras family. The consecration of Château Durfort-Vivens took place in 1855 with the obtaining of the prestigious title of Second Cru Classé. The owners who have succeeded one another until today have never ceased to improve the quality of the wine and extend the reputation of the château. The vinification is in cement and wood vats. Aging in 40% new barrels for 18 months. The result is a Margaux full of finesse and freshness.

The bouquet of Durfort-Vivens 2014 opens with clear aromas of black fruits such as cherry and blackberry to evolve towards more subtle aromas of truffle. In the mouth, the wine is revealed, silky and elegant. It is definitely a wine that carries the colors of the prestigious Margaux appellation.

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

This elegant wine has a balanced density that comes from the firm layer of tannins. Its situation in the southern Médoc gives it a final softness and balance. Drink from 2028. — Roger Voss

The 2012 Château de Camensac is an elegant, approachable 5th Growth Haut-Médoc Bordeaux, characterized by soft tannins and a vibrant fruity profile (cherry, raspberry) with notes of cedar and spice. It is a well-structured yet supple wine that matured well, often described as having a pleasant, medium-bodied, and slightly "meaty" palate.

"The hint of new wood still shows in the aroma of this wine. But on the palate, it has the richness and exuberance that comes with this great estate. Tannins show structure and intensity, bringing out the bold black fruits. Packed with freshness as well as structure, the wine will age well. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 95/100, Wine Enthusiast

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Haut-Bailly was harvested from the 9th to 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.3%. Deep purple-black in colour, it prances out of the glass with naturally beautiful notions of fresh black cherries, violets, mulberries and boysenberries, giving way to hints of redcurrant jelly, star anise, tilled soil and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is delicately crafted with velvety/grainy tannins and fantastic freshness framing the perfumed red and black berry layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note.

The 2019 Château Haut-Brion Rouge presents a deep garnet-purple color with aromas of ripe fruit, wilted roses, and spice, evolving to a core of blackcurrant and stewed plums on the palate, exhibiting a firm, grainy tannic structure and a long, spicy finish.

Jane Anson 96 Points for Inside Bordeaux: "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a muscular, beautiful and profound wine full of olive tapendade, tar, smoked earth, and tons of liquorice, bitter chocolate shavings, cassis and blueberry fruits. Things close in to a slate textured finish that gives balance and makes your mouth water, and as things open you get clearer peony floral aromatics curling out of the glass. This was the point at which the Decoster family were really making me sit up and take notice of what was happening at Fleur Cardinale, and it is starting to sing as five years old." (11/2021)

94 points - James Suckling"Dark-berry and currant aromas with hints of spice. Medium body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Shows focus and seriousness for the appellation, as is usual from this producer. Better after 2022." (2/2019)

92-94 points - Robert Parker

Blend: 46% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking Window: 2030–2050

An elegant and cerebral Cheval Blanc, the 2024 vintage balances ripe berries, floral lift, and mineral nuance with polished tannins and freshness. Vinified with precision and aged with a touch of amphora and concrete, it offers a nuanced take on Saint-Émilion power.

97 Points – James Suckling
“So succulent and long on the compacted palate, this shows just enough clean ripe berries as well as cedar and chocolate. This has polished, energizing tannins with a lovely and thoughtful drive, the light austerity giving the wine a push in the finish. Only 12.8% alcohol.”

Thrilling notes of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, crushed mint, graphite, and crushed rock notes all emerge from this deep, powerful, yet elegant Pauillac. The style of this wine has become more and more finesse-driven and pure, yet it hasn't lost a beat on concentration or length.

"Medium deep ruby red, finely toasted nose with mocha, new oak, tobacco and red berries. The palate is fresh and vibrant with good extract, soft fruit, well rounded and rather long on the finish." - 90/100, Andreas Larsson

The Chateau Malescot St. Exupery is a 3rd growth of Margaux that sits right next to Chateau Margaux- one of the 5-first growths of Bordeaux. This exceptional terroir goes all the way back to 1697 when it was owned by the Escousses family. In the 1800's the property was handed to Jean-Baptiste Saint-Exupery enriching the name of the Chateau with HIS name. By June, 1955 the estate had only 7 ha of vines and the Zuger family began to restore the grounds and the castle. 30ha of the property are dedicated to the vines where the varieties of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot are grown. This is one of the most well-priced wines of Bordeaux and always well regarded, garnering high scores from critics. The 2016 vintage is comprised of 55% cabernet, 37% merlot and the 8% balance is cabernet franc and petit verdot. The wine scored high with typical notes of black currant, cedar, earth, tobacco and mocha around a backbone of fine tannins, and fresh acidity with a lengthy finish and great depth of character. Drink now to 2036

Chateau Margaux is one of the prestigious first growths, and the only one from the Margaux appellation of the left bank of Bordeaux. In existence since 1500, the Ginestet family acquired the property about 1950, then purchased by the Mentzelopoulos in 1977 who still runs it to this day. The Chateau Margaux red blend is an assemblage of 90% Cabernet Sasuvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. A brilliant Bordeaux according to critics boasting powerful aromas of blackcurrants, sweet tobacco, spices, violets and pencil shavings. The palate is elegant, yet complex and compelling. This vintage scored a perfect 100 points from several critics; one of several vintages of the decade to have scored this high. This will age for decades.

Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon Product Description:
"Château Pavie Macquin owes its name to the grand-father of the current owners Albert Macquin (1852-1911), who used plant grafting as a way to save the Saint-Emilion vineyard, destroyed by phylloxera. The vineyard of Pavie Macquin, a family property of fifteen hectares, is located on the top of the Saint-Emilion plateau.
The clay and limestone soil, on a chalk/an asteriated limestone bedrock, allows a natural draining and an exceptionally continuous water supply. Strong clays result in fleshy, generous and powerful wines. The winemaker has to tame the natural power of the terroir in order to make this exceptional graceful wine." - Winery
Tasting notes:
Nose:violet, rose, truffle, earth, coffee, leather, tobacco, broccoli, berry, flower, currant, blackberry, cherry, cedar and cigar box
Taste:currant, black cherry, plum, bell pepper, olive, oak, smoke, toast, tar, tobacco, raspberry, cassis, violet, pepper, green bean, blackberry, cherry, asparagus, spice, ginger and vanilla

The jury is out on this wine from St. Emilion, whether to drink or hold. If you're looking for a Merlot dominant wine, look no further than this blend of 90% with added 10% Cabernet France for structure and concentration. As one would expect, it's soft and fleshy with plum and blackberry fruits, laced with clove, walnut, and black tea. This will still evolve over time but can be enjoyed now.

Reflecting centuries of winemaking mastery, Domaine De Chevalier 2019 offers silky tannins interwoven with flavors of blackberry, tobacco, and graphite —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.