After tasting more than 450 Bordeaux 2021 wines in bottle, Georgie Hindle has given her verdict on how the wines are tasting now.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the 133 top-scorin Bordeaux wines all with 93 points or above.
Producer
Appellation
Vintage
Score
Notes
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
97
Richly scented and vibrant nose of dark fruits, liquorice and cocoa. Supple and invigorating, fresh acidity lifting the expression, nuanced and detailed. Softly grained tannins have a chalky aspect giving structure and a filling texture, lots of graphite and wet stones with black berry notes and such energy throughout. Juicy and alive, this is classic in the best sense, and has immediate charm but with the potential to age. I also love the fresh, zesty orange aspects and cool lift throughout.
Château Figeac
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
97
Deep, complex and precise, what a wine in 2021. Grippy and intense, this captures attention and holds it: the sharp zing of acidity, wet stone minerality, crystalline fruit. Bright and fresh, excellent tannin integration, mid-palate depth and a salty, liquorice twist at the end. You almost want to chew this wine, yet it's spot-on and totally moreish; freshness is the focus but not a beat is missed with the texture and mouthfeel. No one can be disappointed with this wine!
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan (1er Cru Classé)
2021
97
Scented flowers and red berries on the nose, lovely aromatics with green peppercorns, herbal blackcurrant leaf and floral scents. Rich and round for a 2021, high acidity gives the life-force but this has a great structure in the mouth. Quite imposing tannins cover the entire tongue and cheeks, and I love it. Grippy, focused, this is one of the more demonstrative 2021 wines in terms of texture and power, but still keeps precision and direction. Chalky grip, a mineral undertone and feeling of substance on the finish. Allow a few more years before starting on this.
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac (1er Cru Classé)
2021
97
I loved this wine during en primeur and I love it still, hovering over giving it 98 points. It’s round and lively but also full and complete, not plush or opulent but supple with intensity and a really enjoyable, juicy acidity and chalky, mineral grip to the tannins. It’s not trying too hard yet still displays power: such concentration and balance. The 96% Cabernet works so well and gives Lafite a star performer this year. This is one you're still going to want to crack open and finish, in 10, 20 or 30 years.
Château Léoville-Las Cases
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
97
Utterly captivating on the nose, fragrant and floral with soft orange flecks, sweet cedar and cinnamon. Textured like heavy silk, weighty with a hold to the tannins that says ‘I’m a serious wine’, offering energy and focus. Precision and density, finessed layering that lets the wine deepen and expand over time. Not immediately as attention-seeking as some, but this is classy no doubt and ultimately calls for another sip, and then another. A gorgeous wine that is all the better for what it’s not saying at this point.
Château Palmer
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
97
A showstopper of a wine that offers a fragranced nose of purple flowers, blackcurrant, cola and liquorice. Smooth and silky, this has a gorgeous weight and texture, full and filling, a density of chalky, almost chewy tannins but bright, juicy acidity. Excellent construction, delicately layered but builds to an impressive whole that has such allure on the palate. A joyous wine brilliantly delivered.
Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
96
Pale lemon in the glass. Aromatic green/herbal edged nose, elderflower but not sweet, toasted pear and apple tatin, bitter lemon and peel. Tangy, sharp, bright and focussed, lovely hit of citric acid, gorgeous pineapple, tangy and so seductive before the honeyed, toast, caramelised lemons and quite bitter green fruit come in towards the sides and ends. A combination of richness and liveliness - the texture remains sleek and in one line, just the flavours change and evolve. The two are fighting a little now - one then the other. Feels serious and structured but with the most enticing bright, shiny juiciness, that makes your mouth water and want to take another sip straight away. Fun, fruity, sweet, salty, bitter, I love this, will be intriguing as to how it ages. Different style here, elegant but plucky, confident and totally drinkable.
Les Champs Libres, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
96
Creamy herbs, green and red apples, oranges and truffles. Very hard to tell the grape variety from the nose. Filling and fleshy, bright and smooth, mouthwatering and fresh, succulent and just so enjoyable. Gorgeous density yet lightness, you get a ton of lemon and lime, green apple and soft bitter orange elements with saline undertones and a sense of energy and direction. It's a mouthful but leaves no trace of heaviness. Again, where the reds truly shine is the nuance at the end, and this has that. A few minutes later you're still tasting all the nuances and makes you think this is an excellent white Bordeaux. Refreshing, tangy, moreish and clean. Fabulous.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2021
96
Lemon and lime, such purity and scintillating freshness, bright and sharp, so well positioned and poised with licks of mineral salinity on the finish. Great texture, weight and sense of life. I love this wine! The juiciness is moreish and this makes you want another sip straight away.
Château La Conseillante
Pomerol
2021
96
Gorgeous fragrance, very floral and almost evocative in terms of perfume, flowers, spices and dark blue fruits with hints of liquorice. Bright and shiny, but so calm and controlled. A tiny bit grippy from the grainy tannins and oak, a touch tight, but there’s such purity and gently expansive fruit - you can feel the concentration - no green elements, nothing harsh here. Pure and fine, really not a light wine but not heavy either. Crunchy, juicy, not fleshy but there’s texture here enough to give a wide mouthfeel and not feel too lean. Fun and fruity with refinement too so you're getting the Conseillante DNA. I love it, not trying too hard. You're not getting plush power but this is wonderful to open and enjoy.
Château Le Pin
Pomerol
2021
96
A gorgeous 2021 from Le Pin. Summer autumn berries on the nose - crunchy strawberry and ripe blackcurrant. So expressive with a beautiful fragrance and nuance of aroma. Incredibly precise and sharp, gorgeously clean and nuanced. It's delicate no doubt, there’s barely any weight here but just such beautiful delineation of flavours that just linger on the tongue. It’s fresh and al dente. Really not trying too hard with lychee, orange peel, slightly exotic elements and a bitter spice on the finish. Silky and smooth, with drive and definition the whole way through. The signature is just slightly more cool in terms of aromatics but it’s still Le Pin.
Château Ausone
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A)
2021
96
Perfumed nose, full of pot pourri, scented flowers, dried raspberries and cherries. Really quite evocative, maybe in a vertical you'd pick this out from the nose but it smells wonderful and rich with cool blueberries. Round and charming, this is gorgeously soft, tannins are so inviting, caressing the mouth, not deep at all, this is delicate and primed to float across the tongue, registering the flavours but no heaviness. Almost ethereal in its performance. Really very delicious, full of flavour and character. Gorgeous styling and only got better after half an hour in the glass. Succulent, mineral, graphite, limestone touches on the finish remind you where you are.
Château Cheval Blanc
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A)
2021
96
Smells wonderful, the nose full of milk chocolate and fragranced cherries, so pure and precise. Wonderfully clean and delineated - also has a sense of weight and expanse to the aromas - blueberries and blue flowers. Taut and controlled, this strikes an immediate buzz in the mouth, straight and focussed, not much deviation from the core, but this has a nice texture that gives a bounce to the expression. Still young and a bit coiled, but this carries wonderful freshness and a real sense of drinkability. It’s on the light side, some new oak coming out in the spiced edges and liquorice undertone but I like the no frills nature. Not showing off at all, but giving refined elegance. When it’s ready, it will be a real pleasure to drink.
Château Angélus
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A)
2021
96
Rich and dense aromatics, lovely black cherry and dried flowers, the Cabernet Franc bringing all the aromas. Supple and smooth, so alive in the mouth yet this has density and depth, something to chew on. It’s not plush, but there’s texture from start to finish, with delicacy and finesse to the expression. A highly drinkable Angélus that has really benefited from dialling back on the power. Great freshness and precision, while feeling as if it will age well. Impressively keeps the structure and density but with energy.
Château Beauséjour
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
96
Pink floral and raspberry aromas, fragrant red cherries and just-ripe strawberries. Incredibly well textured, alive and forward in the glass, this has energy and lift. A really pure and precise bite to the fruit with excellent acidity and style. A delicious, moreish wine, revealing layers of flavour and texture with lovely gentle acidity and a soft, cooling menthol minerality that lingers.
Château Canon
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
96
Gorgeous fragrance, pretty and pure. Juicy and clean, this has such a lovely energy and focus to it – lifted, bright but not searing, juicy but not too acidic, weighty but still streamlined and direct. I love the fine tannins, still with some tension, and a soft, sality liquorice outline. Feels elegant and finessed, polished and stylish with lift and movement.
Château Cos d'Estournel
St-Estèphe (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
96
This stands out for its structure, subtle power, balance and finesse. Perfumed and softly sweet on the nose, ripe and concentrated, glorious and inviting. Creamy and chalky at the same time, lovely texture and density with bright and concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit. Crisp, sweet, salty and sour, a lovely combination of flavours and textures with great drive and an undercurrent of minerality and salty wet stone finish – real St-Estèphe signature.
Château Lafleur
Pomerol
2021
96
Floral and mixed berry nose. This is rich, ripe and round from the first sip, almost so you'd forget you’re drinking a 2021 – not plush but something to chew on here, textured and fleshy. Deep in terms of penetrating flavour yet with tension, too, keeping the precision and focus. Barely a detail out of place, and it’s perhaps still not showing it’s true potential, but I love the mineral markers, the finesse and the underlying power. Delicious, totally keeps the magic signature of the estate despite the vintage conditions.
Château Latour
Pauillac (1er Cru Classé)
2021
96
Richly scented, potpourri and herbs, ripe bramble fruit, dark chocolate, aniseed, cinnamon; so much going on on the nose. Fruity and full, but sleek and sharp, a buzz of almost tart acidity with the slightly grippy tannins giving a sense of bite and tense frame. Confident and compact, and a little more juicy and gently charming than Latour can be. Toasty, oak-edged tannins are still prominent but this has clarity and definition and a true sense of place. Give it some more time to come together.
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan
2021
96
A gorgeous aromatic display draws you in: crystalline, floral with iris, peony and violet, herbal, earthy and fruity. Sumptuous, this is a classy wine, beautifully smooth but with powdery tannins that give grip and intensity to the structure. It’s grippy at the moment, not as ethereal or silky as some right now, but it’s characterful with power, all while being nuanced and detailed. Charming but still yet to fully come out of its shell. Crunchy, great energy and focus with salty minerality on the finish. This will be a beauty.
Château Margaux
Margaux (1er Cru Classé)
2021
96
Lovely soft floral aromatics, pretty and perfumed with red cherries, raspberries and blackcurrants, some liquorice and toasty hints. Round and smooth, silky yet concentrated, there's a fleshy aspect to the fruit and texture while a lean core of salty minerality and high acidity keeps things straight and direct. It's a little reserved now, but this is suave, playful and sharp, full of energy and texture but not yet at the charming, graceful stage and a little atypical for the vintage. The estate picked late, bled the wine more to keep the structure and the result is mouthfilling and succulent, with Margaux charm.
Château Montrose
St-Estèphe (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
96
Dark and milk chocolate, raspberries and red cherries on the nose, with a soft vanilla fragrance and some pink floral aspects. Great tension and direction, personality and verve, high acidity but balanced with the tangy red berry fruit – buzzy with energy and focus. Has precision and drive as well as power and concentration, but all with a lovely elegance and sense of style. Classy and classic, a brilliant wine in 2021.
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac (1er Cru Classé)
2021
96
Concentrated and characterful, layered and super-finely presented. Round and full, juicy and textured, more powdery than tense and grippy with almost blackcurrant skin texture, while juicy red and black cherry juice goes through the centre, added to by dried mint, wet stones, clove and liquorice. Serious, with power but poise, all the elements on show – perhaps not quite settled, but individually showing the complexity of this great wine in the making.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
96
You might question this was a 2021 vintage, with its structure, style and charm combined with drinkability and ageability. A vibrant nose: pink roses, blackcurrants, strawberries, vanilla and milk chocolate, touches of pepper and toast. Supple, with bounce and energy, a firm frame but with a juicy, bright core of red berry fruits. Not light but not plush, dense but balanced, fun and friendly with precision and focus, as well as lots of flavour and texture.
Château Troplong Mondot
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
96
Delicate and beguiling fragrance with a bright and shiny, sleek expression on the palate. Direct and focused with tangy red berry fruit, acidity on the high side giving an immediate buzz, supportive tannins that give density and structure but retain grace and elegance. A full and serious wine while still being streamlined and on the leaner flavour spectrum. Lots of texture and interest.
Château Trotanoy
Pomerol
2021
96
Perfumed and vivid nose. Supple and alive, plump yet streamlined, too - the initial bounce of round, ripe fruit straightens and focuses like a laser with cool blue fruits and menthol touches supported by the grippy, salty tannins that keep the mouth full of texture. A serious wine yet nuanced, pure and fresh. Perhaps not the weight you’d usually expect, but this has total charm and really delivers an enjoyable, cellarable wine.
Clos du Clocher
Pomerol
2021
96
Dark floral and black berry fragrances and some toasty aspects on the nose, rich but pure. Scintillatingly fresh and bright, the acidity is the main focus before softly gripping tannins come in and take over. Great structure but still with nuance and soft touches of minerality, mint freshness. A little tight and compact right now, but does display hints of chewy Pomerol charm and density while still being finessed. Elegant, characterful, with a long life ahead.
Vieux Château Certan
Pomerol
2021
96
A wine you don’t want to put down. Not light, but round and full for 2021, with body and concentration, carrying its frame well with a direct piercing of flavour through the middle. Tension and tang, bite and grip, gravel and clay nuances in texture and flavour. Juicy and succulent with tobacco, wet stones, slightly creamy and chalky with red and black fruits. Not the longest in terms of the initial expression, but lovely terroir character with lots of energy. Sublime.
Château Pavie
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A)
2021
96
Extremely dark aromatics on the nose, dark bramble fruits, cedar and liquorice with a really vibrant but dark indigo rim to the wine. Focussed and sharp, high toned in the best way, this really makes you smile when you first taste it, the juicy but almost sweet acidity making the mouth water while salty, but so well defined tannins coat the mouth giving the structure and support. Lovely finesse and movement from start to finish and an excellent weight too - deep and round but straight and pristine. Feels a bit relaxed, quite elegant and not pushed or too tense at this point. A lovely wine to drink, acidity, fruit purity, fine tannins and a sense of balance and good construction. Still a little constricted on the finish, this will need time, but when it hits its drinking window this will be lovely to drink. Fresh and invigorating but keeping the structure and power.
Château Grand Village, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
95
Matcha, white chocolate and gooseberries - clean fresh and expressive on the nose. Crisp and tense, this has an immediate burst of energy and flavour on the palate, mouthwatering, pineapple, grapefruit, green apple and grapes, but so juicy, nothing bitter here at all. Fun and fresh, clean all the way through, and so uplifting. Feels perfectly manicured and there’s power, this is not light, it’s filling but at the same time elegant. Hard to explain just how good this is. Pure enjoyment with a sharp, almost sour edge that is very enjoyable.
Les Perrières de Lafleur
Bordeaux Supérieur
2021
95
Saline, mineral notes on the nose, crayon, liquorice and graphite with light blackcurrant and blueberry. Strong and intense, a lovely weight to this in the mouth, texture and flesh, but smooth, well constructed and harmonious. This has something to chew on at first then sleeks out and focusses towards the finish, ending sharp with liquorice and wet stones. Delicate and nuanced, not in your face at all, more confident perhaps than Grand Village but less detail immediately on show. A great effort in 2021 but it's sleeping now, will need more time.
Château Brane-Cantenac
Margaux (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Wild pink flowers on the nose, with blackcurrant and cherry fruit, fragrant, almost sweet and sour, super inviting. Cool but concentrated fruit on the palate, supple, agile, ripe full and direct. It has a gorgeous weight on the palate, not plush - it's in keeping with the vintage for sure, but such a finessed, elegance to the frame. Lovely licks of minerality that don't overhwelm the wine and the flavours carry to a long finish. A great sense of fun, joy and delicate beauty. Pretty and super charming, a delicate take from Brane but so much to like with its subtle charm.
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2021
95
Quite herbal and green on the nose, aromatic but intensely. Full and intense also on the palate, bright lemon and grapefruit, some bitter and spied touches too. Again like the red wine, Haut-Brion steps it up a notch in 2021 giving more body and richness than La Mission. Tangy, lively, upfront, tense but also direct, this has character and a flavour that lingers long after its left the mouth. A memorable wine in 2021. Structured and compact.
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
95
Clean and clear, a nice weight to the palate here, slightly oily and full with honeyed lemon tones, some bitter grapefruit and crisp green apple. Lots of complexity and nuance, well built, a serious wine with an acidic backbone, long length and lifted finish accented by a stone, flinty minerality. Lovely potential and great drinkability on offer.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
95
Green peppercorns and tomato leaf mingle with blackcurrant on the nose. Quite herbal and savoury, earthy almost with hints of fragranced perfume also. Supple with lots of energy, focus and precision - this has a real brightness to the red berry summer fruits. Crystalline and pure, a weightless touch almost but there are still tannins that give a soft support around the palate. Elegant and charming, not demonstrative really, but confident nonetheless. Quite high acidity keeps the freshness and zing and this also has a graphite undertone giving the minerality. Well worked and a characterful wine. Delicate but very enjoyable.
Château Bélair-Monange
Pomerol
2021
95
A bit quiet aromatically. Bright and shiny straight away, juicy with acidity and minerality to the fore - a real coating of liquorice and flint straight away, fruit feels ripe and perfumed with a lean texture and racy acidity - salty, straight and focused. Tannins are slightly grippy and grainy giving the frame and structure. Needs more time to come together but this feels well worked, with a certain fullness. Salty strawberries, herbal raspberries, wet stone, flint and graphite. You really get the terroir effect here and the final flavour leaves you wanting more. Delicate yet determined. I like it a lot.
Château La Fleur-Pétrus
Pomerol
2021
95
Smooth and supple, a nice energy and focus to this, clean and clear with a lovely purity and finesse. Lots of red berry fruit, just ripe, almost on the tangy sour side but stays in the right place, giving a good, wide mouthful without feeling too heavy or dense or pushed. Clear and racy with nicely gripping tannins and lots of fresh mint, menthol and wet stone on the finish. Tension, focus and drive, I'd like to see how this evolves. Excellent potential.
Château Lafleur, Les Pensées de Lafleur
Pomerol
2021
95
Blackcurrant and black cherry nuances on the nose, smells aromatic but delicate. Strong and intense straight away, you can feel the power here, but it’s cloaked in silk. Smooth and shiny, this is giving confidence and brightness with tang and bite, Gorgeous succulence and crunch but pure too. There’s no sun so you get layers of pixelation and nuance of flavour, hints of spice, coolness, tang and acidity. Taught and tense, strict almost, but you can feel the beginnings of it start to soften. A delicious, pure and straight wine that will be a beauty.
Clos Fourtet
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B)
2021
95
An improvement on its Primeurs score. Delicately fragranced on the nose with soft red berry and pink floral notes. Smells pretty and inviting with delicate accents of green peppercorns, vanilla and clove. Supple in a juicy, textured way with a finessed energy that definitely doesn't shout out of the glass but is quietly confident. Finessed and well put together, almost sinewy in the construction - fine tannins, acidity, pure red fruit and a long liquorice and wet stone finish. Really complete, just dialed down, very in keeping with the vintage. Nothing is out of place. A lovely wine with the delicate sweet juiciness that I love. May be too light for some, but this is great.
Château Calon Ségur
St-Estèphe (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Gentle cherry blossom fragrance with raspberry, cranberry and red cherry. Floral and super aromatic. Tangy and clean, a lovely crystalline aspect to the palate - nicely lean and straight, touching on austere but this also has an enjoyable creaminess that gives the weight and texture and sustains the wine to a long finish. I love the mineral ending, pure and precise. Really elegantly presented, not trying too hard. Very drinkable.
Château de Fargues
Sauternes
2021
95
Rich golden honey colour. Smells clean and fresh, white flowers, yellow fruit - quince, pear and apricot. Supple with lots of energy in the mouth. Feels quite sugary, the sweetness really lingering on the mid palate, penetrating the tongue giving a sense of sherbet tang as well as weight. The sugar is doing most of the talking right now but there's a nice undercurrent of acidity that lifts the expression. Not so nuanced right now, but this is packing lots of flavour and texture. Definitely the 'largest' sweet wine. The bottle still says barrel sample as of 02/01/2024.
Clos Haut-Peyraguey
Sauternes (1er Cru Classé)
2021
95
Lovely purity straight away, a gorgeous texture in the mouth, clean, not overly sweet. Touches of pear, bitter orange peel, sweet peaches, honey, caramel and ever so soft floral reflections. I like this a lot, totally moreish and easy to drink with lots of flavour and plenty of nuance. Ends clean. Pretty good!
Château Brane-Cantenac
Margaux (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Very inviting nose, pink flowers with blackcurrant and cherry, fragrant, almost sweet and sour. Cool but concentrated on the palate, supple and agile, full and direct. Gorgeous weight, not plush, in keeping with the vintage but with a finessed elegance to the frame. Lovely licks of minerality don't overhwelm the wine and the flavours carry to a long finish. A great sense of joy and delicate beauty.
Château Calon Ségur
St-Estèphe (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Gentle cherry blossom fragrance with raspberry, cranberry and red cherry. Tangy and clean, a lovely crystalline aspect to the palate, lean and straight, but this also has an enjoyable creaminess that gives weight and texture and sustains the wine to a long finish. Lovely mineral ending, pure and precise. Elegantly presented, and very drinkable.
Château Clinet
Pomerol
2021
95
Floral and lifted nose, clean, clear and fragrant. Soft but grippy, chalky and intense, with a push and movement to the textured strawberry and red cherry fruit. Almost fleshy but cool, giving some roundness but no heaviness. This has character and something to get your teeth into. Nice persistence, well presented.
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
A pretty and fragranced nose, then a sense of true classicism with bright, shining acidity underpinning crushed-velvet tannins and undertones of cola, liquorice and cool blue fruit. Slightly lean but also with lots of Cabernet characters supporting the frame – good weight and focus, with drive. Quite linear and straight, but this works and makes you come back for more.
Château Gruaud-Larose
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Scented nose full of cedar, coffee, chocolate, liquorice, blackcurrant and floral fragrance. Light and lean, but full of flavour, the fruit dances across the palate while the relatively tight but fine tannins give structure. Great acidity and lovely elements of sour cherries, fresh-picked blackcurrants and crushed strawberries with an underlying mineral, slightly salty tang. Delicious.
Château la Gaffelière
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
95
One of the more complete 2021 wines in terms of energy and harmony. Fragrant and ripe fruit on the nose, perfumed black cherries and a dusting of milk chocolate, toasty wood and dark spices. This has a lovely presence on the palate, pure but with concentration and coolness at the same time. Stylish with energy and focus, lots of movement and forward motion. A great showing already.
Château Léoville Poyferré
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Underlying power and a real sense of structure that many are missing in 2021. An initial tang of bright acidity opens the expression and then the tannins come in, giving this a serious edge with lots of menthol and herbal Cabernet character. It's smooth and long, with excellent potential for ageing.
Château Pavie Macquin
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
95
Gorgeous cool blue fruits, liquorice and salinity on the nose, clean but really expressive. Full and forward, quite intense with plump fruit, however there's great depth and energy. Concentrated and ripe, but also with cool touches of blueberry, cola and wet-stone nuances. Nice energy and focus, streamlined, but this has a great weight with the bite and grip of 2021. Great effort.
Château Petit-Village
Pomerol
2021
95
Delicate but inviting aromatics of raspberry, red cherries and pink roses. Plump and nicely fleshy, this has a really enjoyable texture, is forward and in your face right now but has just the right weight and balance, with a gorgeous salty tang to the tannins and cool blue fruit. Tannins are perfect and this has the potential to age, too. Delicious.
Château Pichon Baron
Pauillac (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
95
Inviting, fragrant nose with pink flowers and red berry fruit. Pure and elegant with a crystalline aspect to the fruit, juicy and lively balance. A super, classic take that I really love: firm and appealing mineral grip, a sense of power and drive but also delicacy and finesse. Reflecting the vintage, it's light and delicate but persistent from start to finish, with tension. Linear but well contained, a solid effort.
Le Dôme
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
95
Heady and expressive, lovely dark black fruit aromas and soft floral hints, vanilla, chocolate and toasted oak. Full, round and succulent, softly chewy, has great texture but is smooth and sleek, too. The nuanced, gorgeous menthol-fresh undertones and lovely mineral element on the finish reveal the fruit element sourced from 1ha on the St-Emilion plateau. A wine that shines in a year where you can feel the winemaking and terroir; tasty, enjoyable and drinkable.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
94
Green apple skin, gooseberry and soft floral nuances. Lovely juicy core, high but balanced acidity gives the life while the toasted, quite bitter (grapefruit, orange, wood) elements come in towards the mid palate giving extra layers of nuance and depth and interest. It's not complete yet but good potential. Feels clean and precise and well worked. Maybe loses a touch of push and persistence on the finish, but there's nice purity and vibrancy from start to finish.
Château Grand Village
Bordeaux Supérieur
2021
94
Subtle floral and tomato leaf aromas, something herbal and earthy with exotic spices and red berry and cherry fruit - a nice complexity on the nose. Juicy and bright, a hit of acidity and salinity makes the mouth water straight away, tangy and alive, but pure and focussed. Not so deep, more streamlined but crunchy and crisp. Really get a sense of the tension to this wine which is nice. Almost quite dramatic in its brightness and focus. Fresh, fun and fruity. Ends chalky and mineral. Very easy to like this. Not light but streamlined, balanced and elegant. Great definition, energy and focus. Immediately impressive and upfront. Great to drink now/soon.
Château Palmer, Alter Ego
Margaux
2021
94
Quite a rich, dark heady nose, full of blackcurrants, bramble leaf, raspberry and some dried herbs with floral touches too. Smooth and supple, you can feel the concentration in the mouth but the texture is so silky and fresh too. Bursting with energy and brightness - the fruit has a ripe touch to it - plummy and blackcurrant but the acidity is great giving a real lean and direct frame to the wine and driving it from start to finish. Polished and very enjoyable still with lots of flavour. A real cool element to the dark fruit - it’s not rich and chewy and exuberant and plush, it’s streamlined but full of juicy brightness and then a slick wet slate touch to the finish. Perfumed all the way through with cola, blueberry and liquorice touches as well. Serious and layered. A successful second wine to match the gorgeous grand vin.
Château Rauzan-Ségla
Margaux (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Beautifully perfumed on the nose, smells sweet and delicate. Smooth and ample in the mouth, succulent and juicy, quite lean, a sense of austerity in the cool, mineral edged fruit - blackcurrant and blueberry with cola edges and wet stone touches too. It's refined for sure, missing a touch more weight but there's great winemaking on show. First year in organic conversion which can't have been easy. They've done a great job and it's beautifully delicate and poised, an elegant and polished rather than weighty expression.
Château Cantenac Brown
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Gorgeous fragrance and florality on the nose with ripe and perfumed black fruit and some peony touches. Smooth and supple, nicely weighted with lovely finesse and concentration to the fruit - blackcurrant, cherry and raspberry - with really juicy acidity. A lovely almost creamy aspect to the texture with just grippy and spiced tannins towards the finish. Nice aspect of oak throughout showing the ageing potential. I like this a lot, well formed, well delivered. Easy to enjoy with tons of personality.
Château d'Issan
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Mint and flowers on the nose with delicate fragrant black bramble fruit. Smooth and elegant, lifted with a lovely balanced acidity to this, not sharp - it's all very calm and delicate but with texture ot the tannins, slightly grippy and softly chalky giving the frame and the definition. I feel they've treaded delicately here, not tried to overdo it, and it's not as ample or fleshy as some in Margaux but what it doesn't have in confrontation it has in finesse. Really easy to drink and easy to enjoy with gorgeous fragrance throughout, lovely raspberry and strawberry elements, and some black tea on the finish.
Château Mouton Rothschild, Petit-Mouton
Pauillac
2021
94
Toasted notes on the nose; cinnamon, clove with dark rich black fruits, then roses come through, some sweet blackcurrants and red cherries. Sleek and direct, a nice balance and weight in the mouth - halfway lean and focussed halfway textured and creamy, so the flavours give bite, acidity gives tang and tannins give the weight but this remains straight and streamlined. Quite a complete, understated wine, feels more serious than many other second wines, thick and rich, but not heavy. Concentrated, still with high acidity, but feels complex and polished. No rawness here, no shiny brightens either, this is serious.
Château Duhart-Milon
Pauillac (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
After a few minutes soft notes of dark chocolate, red cherry, blackcurrant, green peppercorns and strawberry leaf emerge from the glass. Full and smooth on the palate - silky and sustaining with a lovely fresh juiciness but matching texture that gives a wide expression and layers of chalk, wet stone, graphite and blackcurrant. Feels nicely structured, not opulent at all - in keeping with the vintage but a certain fullness and sense of character. Well delivered. I love the juiciness here, really mouthwatering - clean and clear - precise, but carefully presented with a delightful texture and long menthol finish. Very enjoyable and already very drinkable. Subtle and nuanced, totally moresih and the flavour really lingers. So smooth and silky.
Château Clerc Milon
Pauillac (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Ripe, dark and fragrant fruit on the nose - dark plums, cherries, damsons and blackberries with a dusting of black chocolate - coolness but also touches of floral sweetness. Smells softly floral and softly herbal with the fruit at the fore. Smooth and round, nice fullness to the texture - very slightly chewy and plush tannins, this has a bit of flesh to it which I like - textured and filling in the mouth. Ripe strawberries, chewy blackcurrants, it’s cool but textured, grippy, salty and stony. Really a great expression with nuance and layers of different elements. Holds the interest. A touch narrow a bitter still on the finish, though excellent high acidity gives life and vibrancy and nicely counters the plush fruit. Quite a complete wine, not with sunny exuberance but finessed and still flavourful.
Château d'Armailhac
Pauillac (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Smells heady, black bramble fruit on the nose, fragrant black cherries, a dusting of clove and cinnamon spice, orange peel - slightly bitter but juicy with a hint of toast too. Quite tight and lean, direct and focussed, this is streamlined - you can feel the cool blue fruit and slightly tense tannin structure, seamless but all held in one line in the centre of the wine. A little strict, but pure, precise and clean. There is lovely clarity to the expression, a silky texture with mouthwatering acidity. Tastes fresh and lively and so clean with that moreish salty and menthol tang that lingers on the tongue. Sleek with a really long finish. Really intense flavours that coat the mouth - cinnamon, clove, redcurrants, cherries, blueberries and blackcurrants. Cola and liquorice lingers on. Sleek and well delivered.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2021
94
Floral and green fruit aromas on the nose. Juicy and upfront, lively and fun, this has zing and focus. I love the almost sherbet lemon touch to the initial expression followed by soft green fruit and some softly spiced herbal accents. It’s clear and clean, bright and focussed. Tapers a little towards the finish, just lightening, but lovely and enjoyable - very aerial in style.
Château Pape Clément, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2021
94
High toned, almost sherbet and wild honey, toasted fruit, a real combination of flavours on the palate with brightness but also quite serious toasty elements. I do love the flavours but this needs more time to come together, feels punchy and forward, expressive with lots of oak nuances still at play. Good acidity though, this should be good in a few years.
Château Couhins-Lurton, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
94
Clean and crystalline, pure and precise with lemon, green apple and touches of tangerine juice to the expression. The juiciness is taken over a little by the minerality, just turning the focus away from the fun freshness towards the finish, but this has a sense of precision and gentle charm.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
94
A fresh and fragranced nose with green fruit, apple, pear and lemon touches. Crisp and clean, lots of bitter grapefruit and orange combined with creamy lemon and apple giving a push pull of flavours. Not yet fully harmonised but there is potential. Lots of flavour nuance and good viscosity and weighty texture with a long length and good lift on the finish. Well made with promise.
Domaine de Chevalier
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
94
Cherry blossom and ripe cherry on the nose. Smooth and supple, a nice energy and focus to this straight away with lifted acidity and a chalky core that is super mineral and laced with liquorice and wet stones. Feels like a serious wine with well-handled oak and tannins on the prominent side but really supportive and giving the frame. Needs to age, but more importantly it feels like it will be able to age and develop really well. Lots of life and style to this. A great effort. I like this alot.
Château Guillot Clauzel
Pomerol
2021
94
Perfumed nose, something mineral about the scent, stoney with lots of cherry aromas. Smooth and alive, a nice upfront brightness to this - shiny but sleek. Crunchy fruit, clean but this has texture too and a real mineral undertone. You can feel the tension, it's straight and well defined, to the point, long and piercing. A very good wine that’s interesting and characterful. Nuanced with tomato leaf and spiced accents around the sides. A clean and easy to enjoy wine made by Guillaume Thienpont.
Château Hosanna
Pomerol
2021
94
Ripe and fragrant black fruit on the nose, cherries and blackcurrants. Grippy, vibrant and rich, an element of quite perfumed fruit here. It tastes on the border of being overly ripe in terms of fruit concentration, but has a very lean, direct texture that is streamlined with an undercurrent of liquorice, cola and salty minerality. It comes together nicely on the chalky, slightly spiced finish. Charming and confident.
Vieux Château Certan, La Gravette
Pomerol
2021
94
Fresh and appealing summer berry fruit and soft floral aromatics on the nose ,cherry and raspberry. Smooth and supple, this carries its weight and energy nicely. Easy to approach with crunch and bite. Well defined, hints of spice and minerality. Gorgeous purity and ease to this, just so effortless and enjoyable. Not the longest or heaviest but really wows on the palate for its finesse. Great acidity and purity, it’s clean but still flavourful. Very impressive for a second wine. I love the ease and effortless nature, you couldn't not drink all of this. Delicious.
L'If
St-Émilion
2021
94
Lovely aromatic profile, softly aromatic and flowery with nice touches of black fruits. Something really quite perfumed about the nose. Smooth and succulent, instantly so juicy and alive on the palate, very clean and balanced, cleans the tongue and scrapes with a graphite and mineral, wet stone texture. Very appealing and utterly drinkable still with hallmark tones of tobacco, liquorice and spice on the finish. I love the energy, really feels lively in the glass, crunchy and so fruity. Well executed, full of flavour and polished.
Château la Gaffelière
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B)
2021
94
Fragrant and ripe fruit on the nose, perfumed black cherries and a dusting of milk chocolate. Lots of toasted aromatics too, wood, clove, cinnamon and spice. Weighty and well textured, this has a lovely presence on the palate, pure but with concentration yet cool at the same time. Stylish with energy and focus. Really sustains the palate, lots of movement and forward motion. One of the more complete wines in terms of energy and just harmony. Still the oak there so this will age but a great showing.
Château Larcis Ducasse
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B)
2021
94
Rose petals, pink flowers, raspberries and a touch of cardamom and cinnamon to the red berry fruit. Grippy and textured, quite a lean expression, direct and focussed, with bite to the tannins and a touch of dry salty, flinty minerality that coats the cheeks. It's well worked but hasn't quite settled yet and doesn't quite have the fruit density to carry more of the motion and energy. Sleek though and definitely confident. Will be lovely once it calms.
Château Pavie Macquin
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B)
2021
94
Gorgeous cool blue fruits, liquorice and salty nose, smells clean but really expressive. Ripe and round, full and forward, quite extracted with plump/thick fruit, however there's great depth and energy here, concentrated fruit clearly ripe but also with cool touches of blueberry and cola and wet stones that bring nuance. Nice energy and focus, streamlined but it has a great weight and sense of character. Very good - energy and liveliness still with bite and grip from 2021, but a great effort.
Château Figeac, Petit Figeac
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
94
Soft florally, lightly delicate flowers, blue fruits and spices. Gorgeous succulence and texture - fluffy almost, textured, pillowy, the flavours caresses the mouth and linger. Salty, spicy, liquorice, tobacco and clove, but fruity too with the cleanest finish. Delicious. A serious second wine, one of enjoyment, juicy blackcurrant, black cherry and chalk. Sexy and not many 2021s are that sexy, they're more svelte. Great character.
Château Léoville Poyferré
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
A rich, ripe toasted nose, clearly concentrated. Good fruit density, underlying power and sense of structure. This has personality, it does feel a tiny bit pushed on the palate with acidity opening the expression but the fruitiness fades quite quickly and is replaced by the tannic structure and menthol, herbal Cabernet aspects. It's smooth with a long length. Nice bones for ageing, so give this a few years.
Château Branaire-Ducru
St-Julien (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Green peppercorns, menthol elements, sightly herbal aspects too. Smooth and silky, a shot of bright high acidity with a creamy touch to the texture. Tannins are super fine, barely there, but do give the frame which nicely carries the flavours. Really charming and fruity, lively with great energy if not depth. Fruit so well worked and then whole thing is presented delicately with finesse. I like this.
Château Doisy-Daëne
Barsac (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Smells clean and fresh, pure and lively. Almost refreshing on the palate, there's sweetness of course, but there's energy too, tangy lemon and pineapple, soft touches of ripe peach and then orange and grapefruit peel. Not the sugariest, this ends on a lighter cleaner note, but there's lovely detail here.
Château Bastor-Lamontagne
Sauternes
2021
94
Clean and clear, a lovely hit of sweet lemons and pineapples with edges of tangy lime, salted honey caramel and orange peel. Lightly presented, not the most thick of rich or the leanest, this walks a lovely line of flavour and focus. Very enjoyable and easy to drink.
Château de Rayne Vigneau
Sauternes (1er Cru Classé)
2021
94
Thick and ample in the mouth, weighty and full of sweet orange peel, slightly wild honey, spiced lemon and pineapple, a real mixture of flavours and textures in the mouth. Doesn't have the sugary density of some, this is more focussed and straight with a lightness of touch come the finish, but I like it's style and character.
Château Belgrave
Haut-Médoc (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Aromatic and expressive nose, perfumed and black-fruited with dark chocolate and clove. Supple and agile, a lively character but with a stony undercurrent that provides the grip and texture in the mouth. Great tannin management and focus, cool character but concentration, too, a lovely gravelly aspect that puts the terroir in the glass and gives a mineral salinity.
Château Branaire-Ducru
St-Julien (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Green peppercorns, menthol and sightly herbal aspects on the nose. Smooth and silky, a shot of bright high acidity with a balancing creamy touch to the texture. Tannins are barely there, but do give the frame which nicely carries the flavours. Really charming and fruity, great energy if not masses of weight and depth. Clean and precise fruit expression. A great effort in 2021.
Château Cantenac Brown
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Gorgeous fragrance and florality on the nose with ripe and perfumed black fruit and some peony touches. Smooth and supple, with finesse and concentration to the berry and cherry fruit. A lovely, almost creamy aspect to the texture with just-gripping and spiced tannins towards the finish, a nice aspect of oak throughout showing the ageing potential. I like this a lot. Easy to enjoy with tons of personality.
Château Fleur Cardinale
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
94
Fragranced and scented nose. Elegant, a little light and may be missing some extra plumpness for some, but it has backbone and structure with balanced and intense flavours, and the texture is sleek and well defined. Straitlaced, but with fragranced cherry and strawberry, a touch creamy yet with plenty of energy and verve, all in good proportion. Fresh and flavourful.
Château la Dominique
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
94
Ripe, fragrant nose, chocolate, cherries and roses. Enjoyably textured, this has energy and focus as well as fruit concentration. Touches of vanilla and cream come in to give smoothness, ending on a softly salty note with liquorice and dark cocoa powder. Juicy, fruity and enjoyable, still with licks of oak so will need time but has ageing potential.
Château Léoville Barton
St-Julien (2ème Cru Classé)
2021
94
Concentrated and herbal, creamy and smooth, this is immediately classy with concentration, while keeping a cool blue fruit and mint freshness throughout. Structured, with well-defined texture and some power, it doesn't have the overt acidity and vibrancy some 2021s do, so this is a more serious take, but I like it a lot – a classic St-Julien wine with signature and salty, wet-stone finish. Tannins are verging on austere, but this has the bones to age well and to be very enjoyable.
Château Valandraud
St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé)
2021
94
Perfumed and potent on the nose with wood and toast tones. Lively on the palate, though, a shot tangy acidity and high-toned raspberry fruit before green peppercorns and clove spice, the wood still clearly on show and dominating right now, but this feels really well thought-out with good potential to age.
Domaine de Chevalier
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
94
Cherry blossom and ripe cherry nose. Smooth and supple, with nice energy and lifted acidity, a chalky core that's super-mineral and laced with liquorice and wet stones. A serious style with tannins on the prominent side but really supporting the frame. Lots of life and style to this, will be able to age and develop really well.
Château Cheval Blanc, Le Petit Cheval Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
93
Very Sauvignon nose, green peas, straw, lemon zest and elderflower - smells very expressive with cool citrus elements. Crisp and alive, so delicious, crunchy with mouthwatering acidity but then a weight - almost oiliness / fat from the wood and lees adds to to the texture that immediately counters the acidity and gives the mouth filling expression. Bitter grapefruit and lemon zest on the finish. Great energy and complexity. A touch green in some places, you know this isn’t from a warm vintage, a touch of metallic element on the finish, but extremely enjoyable.
Château Duhart-Milon, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2021
93
Grassy, lemon yellow gold in the glass. A herbal and white stone fruited nose, ginger, flowers, apricot, melon, orange, lime and some green fruits. Bright and energising, lovely fresh acidity hits straight away - a sherbet-esque flavour but with a honeyed, toasted note too from the Semillon really giving different flavours and textures right now. Feels serious in the honeyed, waxy lemon, toast, buttery caramel but the acidity underneath is so great. A lovely potential for this. Ends chalky, flinty and clean, a gorgeous mineral grip. Succulent, fun, fresh, juicy and layered. I like this a lot. Interesting to see this project progress.
Château de La Dauphine
Fronsac
2021
93
Beautifully lifted and aromatic nose, smells wonderful with such clarity. Juicy and succulent, lovely energy straight away, fruit is bright but not sour with a soft hint of both sweetness and cooling freshness. Layers of minerality and wet stones offset the fruit and the well integrated tannins give the structure. Not lean but not massy, a lovely balance for a finessed, delicate wine in 2021. Ends a touch light but give this time.
Château de Chantegrive, Cuvée Caroline
Graves
2021
93
Nicely lively and well balanced, this has both texture, structure and brightness giving energy and seriousness. I love the citrus and apricot elements with some bitter orange flecks and stoniness too. Fun and so easy, a lovely succulence on the mid palate and really round frame all the way through. Complex and nuanced. Well made and a lovely white in 2021.
Château Angludet
Margaux
2021
93
Fragranced and spiced nose full of nuance and detail - roses, cinnamon, cherries and strawberries. Smooth and succulent, a drive of bright and clear red fruits begin this wine with such purity to the expression. It's lightly framed, more lean and juicy than plush, which is to be expected, but this carries the weight well with energy and focus. Needs a bit of time to put on a little weight around the edges but this has finesse and plenty of juicy appeal. Still has the Margaux elegance, but a bit light on the finish.
Château Margaux, Pavillon Rouge
Margaux
2021
93
Rich and intense on the nose, fragranced red and pink flowers with red cherries and plums. Really vibrant pink rim to the glass too. Touches of dark chocolate, cedar and green pepper, herbal, and eucalyptus. Round and vibrant, a playfulness - super high acidity, almost sharp and tart and tangy, with grippy tannins that give the texture and structure. Half crushed velvet and half lean and austere so you get both weight and direction. Feels quite youthful and buzzy right now but this has a nice juiciness, great fresh acidities, bite on the tongue, a clean - wet stone slate feeling and texture. A touch of green peppercorn and toast gives the spicy angles and the minerality on the finish. Well constructed, not the most easy to drink at the moment, this is more serious, but there's good potential and a lot of flavour. It has a certain intensity, a touch of green leeness sets it apart from being totally charming right now, but this certainly carries interest and nuance.
Château Giscours
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Coffee beans, menthol, blackcurrants, roses and clove on the nose - super complex and inviting. Tangy, sharp and bright, the acidity is great but does give this quite a lean, almost austere frame making it seem as if it's missing a bit of weight. Nicely worked in the sense of clarity and precision but doesn't have the concentration and density that some other Margaux wines have. Certainly finessed and elegant though so give this a few more years to settle and soften. Good potential.
Château Kirwan
Margaux (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Curry leaf on the nose, strong aromatics with ripe black fruit too. Tangy and sharp, a nice buzz of energy and lovely acidity starts the wine before calming with slightly herbal, medicinal Cabernet touches and minty freshness on the finish. Feels well worked. Calm, elegant, not trying too hard. All in balance, nothing harsh, a direct frame and sense of straightness but with precise fruit, clarity and finesse. A really nice wine with a salty, cola finish. Great effort and totally easy to drink.
Château Marquis de Terme
Margaux (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Smells perfumed with curry leaf notes to the aromatic expression, vanilla, cherry, cola and toast. Bold and well formed, slightly more amplified than some of the others in terms of the fruit concentration, ripe blackcurrant and cool blue fruit that carries past the mid palate with fine grained tannins that are a touch fleshy and crushed velvet in texture. Ends a touch mineral and sombre but this has been well made with attention to the fruit maturity and ageing. I like this and has good potential for easy drinking
Château Prieuré-Lichine
Margaux (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Scented and alive on the nose. Upfront, forward and bright, it's lean but not severe or too austere. The fruit is not plush but it's concentrated and got some texture thanks to just-ripe tannins that give a softly wide mouthfeel. I like the sense of finesse, the juicy acidity and really elegant nature from start to finish - focussed and balanced. Ends chalky and mineral. Lots to like here, feels like it will age well too.
Château Dauzac
Margaux (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Green peppercorns, blackcurrant leaf, curry powder. Supple and nicely ripe fruit on the palate - blackcurrant, black cherry - lovely high acidity with freshness and brightness. The minerality and wet stone aspects come in quite quickly, adding a nuance and just taking over the fun, making this quite serious, although there's lovely acidity all the way through. Nicely constructed and delivered. Easy to enjoy. Has lift and energy which sustains the palate. A success.
Château du Tertre
Margaux (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Sweet and spicy on the nose, curry leaf, sage, pepper and sweet red fruits. Bright acidity straight away, an instant buzz of tangy fruit before subsiding a little giving way to the chalky, mineral tannins. Nice freshness all the way through with an undercut of fresh fruit. They've been very careful here and this hasn't been pushed. Could have maybe taken on a bit more weight, but this is straight and streamlined, elegantly presented with balance all the way through. Not a showstopper but quietly charming.
Château Lafite Rothschild, Carruades de Lafite
Pauillac
2021
93
Ripe, dark perfumed blackcurrant and black cherries on the nose. Fragrant but also herbal, liquorice, clove, tobacco and toast. Supple and juicy on the palate, a lovely sense of life and energy to this straight away. Gorgeous texture, full and expansive in the mouth with gently plush and crushed velveted tannins. Feels like a serious wine with a great fresh backbone of lively acidity, ripe fruit and structured tannins. I love the high acidity and sense of explosion you get here. Raspberry, red cherry and blackcurrant - so red and black fruits with tinges and hints of liquorice, cola and mint around the edges. Really nuanced but very approachable. Fun with clarity and precision. Such a clear palate. A lively baby brother.
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Lovely pretty and fragranced nose. A sense of classicism with bright, shining acidity underpinning crushed velvet textured tannins and a cola, liquorice cool undertone. Slightly lean but also with lots of Cabernet markers that do well to support the frame. Good weight and focus, with drive on the palate. It's light, it's not plush at all, and in that sense really quite linear and lean, but this totally works.
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, Blanc, ,
Pessac-Léognan
2021
93
Fresh and fragrant, white flowers, smells clean. Quite punchy on the palate, strong lemon and lime, sweet tropical and exotic fruit and juicy, a round body and nice freshness too. It has some zip and zing, really lively and captivating definitely with a ripe element, with some small hints of vanilla and white chocolate on the finish along with a kick of acidity that leaves a fresh feeling. Seems the vintage really suits the estate and this style is lovely.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2021
93
A honeyed, slightly wild, toasty nose with apricot, pineapple orange and fragrant stone fruit on the nose. Round and calm, a lovely gentle confidence to this wine, gorgeous acidity gives the lift and sense of life, while the really fruity, juicy lemon, apple, orange and pineapple give the fruity core. Nothing too much, if anything still a bit quiet, but pure and precise. Really easy to like and enjoy, with body, freshness, complexity and nuance.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan
2021
93
A herbal, blackcurrant scented nose. Lively and tangy, this has bite and grip, a little more closed and tight compared to Les Hauts which is more expressive and charming but this has great precision to the dark fruit and fine tannins. Almost creamy texture but with tension and grip from the flint and wet stone edges. A serious take, but works so well, really in keeping with the vintage, nothing over the top. Juicy and mouthwatering with crunchy black fruit, balanced acidity, fine tannins and a chalky, salty, gravel-like finish. I like this a lot, it's calm and controlled but with an underlying confidence. Great potential. Dense and more tannic for sure. Needs time to open and relax.
Château Latour-Martillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
93
An oily texture but gorgeous juicy core with bright acidity and ripe green apple, creamy peach and softly bitter orange and toasted lemens son the finish. Great acidity though which really sustains the wine. Well constructed with lots of nuance and interest and ageing potential.
Château Olivier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
93
Lemon and lime, nice freshness and sense of lift. Precision with purity to the texture and fruit with lots of salty tones on the finish and edges of the mouth. Mouthwatering acidity does well to give life and this has a nice easy balance and good drinkability. A little bitter and toasted on the finish which will settle.
Château Malartic-Lagravière
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2021
93
Sleek and pristine and nice crystalline element to this, it's light and lean, certainly driven from start to finish in one line but this has a sense of finesse and not trying too hard. I love the salty finish, a touch of black tea and some liquorice elements. Good weight and balance, lots of great drinkability here with a lovely lift on the finish that many do not have. Fun, friendly and really sustains. A great effort.
Château Beauregard
Pomerol
2021
93
Smells aromatic and fruity, lively and full of nuance, chocolate, menthol notes, fragranced dried flowers and liquorice touches and red fruits. Rich and well textured on the palate, juicy and alive. Nice purity and clarity to this, it has bite and a touch of high toned tangy red fruit to it, but it's lovely and light on its feet. Great body and character to this, enough fruit for sure, and well handled tannins. A really enjoyable glass with plenty going on. Still a touch tight but it's tension that gives energy rather than something being hidden. Very good. Flavour goes on and on, really lingers with cherry, liquorice and some minty touches. An upscore on Primeurs.
Château Latour à Pomerol
Pomerol
2021
93
Red berries and herbal strawberry leaf on the nose. Smooth and supple, a nice energy to this straight away, juicy core with slightly metallic tannins that coat the mouth and give the frame. Delicate in style but still with lots of flavour. Refined and well worked, it's missing the plushness that can be so brilliant at this estate but there is good fruit vibrancy and clarity and this has character. I like it. Feels serious albeit with no heaviness. Tannins are good and feels like the ageing and oak treatment was right.
Château Montviel
Pomerol
2021
93
Smooth, supple, lively and fresh but still with dark fruit and a touch of Pomerol charm in the slightly chewy and plush texture. Tannins are giving support and coating the mouth in powdery almost fleshy cherry fruit while a minty, liquorice aspect is underneath and on the finish. A lovely example, all in balance, lots of push and persistence and balance of flavour. Lovely.
Château Rouget
Pomerol
2021
93
Concentrated blackcurrant and black cherries on the nose. Nicely textured, this has some grip to the tannins and a little bit of a plush, salty, crushed stone texture ot the palate. Still needs some time, but this has energy and some juicy, fun aspects. Salty, tangy and stony. I like this. Not trying too hard. Has a long length and good potential. In organic conversion.
Enclos Tourmaline
Pomerol
2021
93
Lovely scented aromatics on the nose. Juicy and succulent, not fleshy, this is more lean and straight but there's nice attention to detail and it's presented with finesse. Body and structure, smooth tannins, a bite of liquorice and clove, the wood still on show, but there's precision to this and a certain dark charm on the finish. There's not the texture or depth you might expect, its streamlined but is very enjoyable. A sleeping beauty that will be very disarming and drinkable in a few years.
Château Lagrange
Saint-Julien (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Menthol, dark chocolate and bramble fruit on the nose. Some cola touches and cool blue fruits too. Supple and agile, nice movement and energy here, I like the weight and the depth, it has good concentration with an enjoyable touch of sweetness to the mid palate but cool blue fruit too, with kick and underlying power but nothing overdone here. Great length and juicy, fruity with lots of savoury markers of the vintage. Liquorice, dark chocolate, dried herbs and the Cabernet character of blackcurrant leaf. Very consistent good work from Lagrange.
Château Langoa Barton
Saint-Julien (3ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
An expressive nose full of dark fruit, spiced and herbal elements. Clean and clear, juicy and lively, more of a light, lean delicate take, everything is there just a subtle version of the blackcurrant and strawberries, acidity and tannin profile. I do like it though, it's well made and still has an enjoyable juicy core and long finish. Likely to be extremely pleasant and easy to drink in a few years still with typicity. Same score as Primeurs but this was lovely to taste again.
Château Bellefont-Belcier
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Blackcurrants, rose petals and cocoa powder on the nose. Fresh and slightly tart in a lively way, the fruit and acidity is at the fore giving life and energy. It's light and lean, but doesn't feel as if it's missing the mid-palate depth, it's complete in its way with redcurrants, creamy black cherries, freshly-picked strawberries and a salty, wet stone finish.
Château Berliquet
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Rose petals and red berry fruit on the nose. Smells pure and pretty. Purity continues on the palate, this is finessed and sleek with a soft plushness to the expression - tannins are present and fill the mouth with a crushed velvet texture supporting the fruit. Lovely juicy acidity, really well balanced and friendly. Not trying too hard. It's light but no harsh leanness or austerity. Fruit is pure and this is really enjoyable.
Château de Pressac
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Smooth and silky, this has a lovely texture from the start - singing fruit of dark blackcurrants, red cherries and raspberries with balanced acidity - not too sharp and licks of wet stone and salt on the finish. This has a good structure without being too much. Easy to enjoy, still with ripe fruit and a hint of underlying power which some of the 2021s lack. Juicy, light, fun, food friendly with appealing liquorice, cola and graphite on the finish. A touch of heat on the finish suggests the 14% but adds to the overall width rather than detracting anything from it. A success.
Château Laroque
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Fragrant and a touch smoky on the nose with perfumed floral notes and ripe blackcurrants. Smooth and supple, a nice juicy intensity with high but not too seering acidity makes way for slightly austere touches against a salty mineral core. It's lightly framed and delicate, very easy to drink and enjoy. Friendly, charming, juicy, fun, fresh and well worked. A touch savoury and minty on the finish.
Château Lassègue
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Smells strong and concentrated with lots of oak and dark fruit nuances. Cool blue fruit with vanilla and tobacco, still needs time to harmonise and for the wood to integrate and as such isn't giving total balance and connectivity right now. The texture is sleek, and there is weight and acidity, but the flavours need to meld a little. Confident and structured, shows lots of promise.
Château Villemaurine
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
High toned and full of energy and spark straight away, it's light and flexible, with a juicy core full of red strawberry and cherry fruit, liquorice and minty edges. Lovely purity and poise, it's not the fullest, but carries its light frame really well with plenty of ripe fruit flavours and really quite high acidity that lifts the whole expression. A nice effort in 2021 and a joy to drink. Clean and clear.
Clos des Jacobins
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
93
Smells forward and nicely scented. Fresh and bright, a lovely almost sour cherry and freshly picked strawberry aspect to this which is nicely balanced by hints of vanilla, liquorice, chocolate, cardamom and cinnamon with the crushed stone, chalky tannins giving the width and depth. It's not hugely persistent but really delivers on a clean, elegant and still fresh and fruity glass of wine with a delicious salty mineral finish.
Château Angélus, Carillon d'Angélus
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
Beautifully expressive aromatics, really jump from the glass, alive and nuanced, floral, fruity - rosehip, cranberry, cardamom, cinnamon. Supple and lithe, this has movement to it which is so nice. Not super tense and straight, not dense and chewy, somewhere in-between with bright, mouth-watering acidity that lifts the expression. Hints of chalky minerality on the finish brings it back to focus with a moreish aspect. Tannins are great, barely noticeable but still giving the frame and support to the structure. Well delivered. Gorgeous purity, balance and harmonious, really lovely drinking here.
Château Croix de Labrie
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
Lovely fragrance on the nose, really quite aromatic blackcurrants. Smooth and supple, juicy and lifted, a really great energetic expression. Just shy of lean, a slight bounce although with slightly rustic tannins that grip the mouth and leave a salty, liquorice and graphite texture and taste. I like the expression, lots of fruit, freshness, acidity and structure with so much life. Focussed and finessed with a really prominent mineral core and mint, eucalyptus finish. You can tell this was from a cool vintage but it still has power.
Château de Millery
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
A new in-bottle showing for Château Figrac's small sister estate in St-Emilion. Lovely rich scent, dark creamy blackcurrant and bramble fruits on the nose. Clear and clean on the palate, finesse matches the texture, slightly plush and fleshy. Not heavy, but this has a nice mouth filling texture and long finish. Enjoyable mineral undertones too, graphite and wet stone. Freshness is there and no question regarding the ripeness of fruit with hints of liquorice, wet stone - creamy, and mineral. I really love the juiciness and weight, strong but slight, and sleek. Great persistence and character.
Château Pavie, Aromes de Pavie
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
Cherries and blackcurrants, quite strong aromatically. Liquorice, slate, blueberries, vanilla and floral scents. Nicely juicy and plump, lots of energy here with focus and precision. I like the fun side of things, this has a confidence about it, full of flavour and texture - a chalky and stony grip, but with well integrated wood. The Cabernet Franc is giving lots of great floral scents and some spicy back bone to the wine. Lots of freshness but there’s underlying power here too. Quite a serious wine, it’s not light at all, very accomplished. A true introduction to the grand vin here. Suggest waiting a few years but actually it’s got a lot to offer right now. Ends stony and mineral.
Château Troplong Mondot, Mondot
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
Lovely aromas on the nose - beautifully delicate and fragrant - a touch of cola, blue fruits and salt with green pepper and toasted oak. Smells youthful, taut and lean on the palate but with a gorgeous tannin structure and a delicate yet filling weight. Certainly not plush or heavy, this is refined and focussed - crisp and mouthwatering, excellent energy and sense of life with a delicious moreish liquorice, wet stone finish. Extremely easy to like and super drinkable. They didn't try too hard here, this is a serious, well-constructed wine with depth but no heaviness.
Clos Dubreuil
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
93
Ripe and round, a nice fullness to the expression for the 2021 vintage. Juicy, succulent and direct, still with a sense of lean focus, but with accents of ripe fruit and a touch of chew to the tannins edged by salty liquorice, dark chocolate and soft tobacco. Nicely sculpted, juicy and fresh - clean and pure - with lots to like. Lifted and fully expressive ending on a mineral and freshly-picked mint leaf note. I like this a lot. Not trying too hard but still giving a full expression.
Château Phélan Ségur
St-Estèphe
2021
93
Fragranced roses, raspberry and vanilla nose. Smooth and supple, a nice juicy core. Clean and clear, good use of oak and extraction. A pleasant and really enjoyable glass of wine with bright red fruits, fine silky tannins and a long mineral finish. Becomes a bit more serious on the second taste, the tannin mass amplifying in the mouth, growing in structure. This is a good example and wil age too. Has some density and character.
Château Cos Labory
St-Estèphe (5ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Gently fleshy and ripe on the palate, this has chew and bounce to the expression with ripe strawberry and blackcurrant with a really enjoyable wet stone and liquorice element. This is a great effort this year, lovely long length and persistence. Juicy, but really juicy - blackcurrant and strawberry with lift. Lovely freshness all the way through. Appealing and easy to recommend.
Château Talbot
St-Julien (4ème Cru Classé)
2021
93
Cranberry, red berry fruit and green peppercorns - something a little spicy on the nose. Charming and effortless. Clean and crunchy on the palate, crisp and high toned with some green apple, just ripe raspberry and strawberry fruit with juicy, bright but balanced acidity and a gently creamy, chalky texture all the way through. Nice personality, pretty but nuanced and well built. Not a showstopper, certainly on the lighter more delicate side, but they've done a good job here. Tangy, but cheerful and characterful. A nice effort.
