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 top 144 Right Bank Bordeaux wines all with 90 points or above.
Producer
Appellation
Vintage
Score
Notes
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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 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 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 Alcée
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
92
Blackcurrant and cherry, smells quite heady and concentrated with lifted floral edges. Supple and agile, this has a nice bounce to the expression on palate, a lovely weight in the clear concentration and just-fleshy red berry fruit yet keeps the direction from start to finish. Touches of bitter liquorice, dark chocolate and wet stone on the finish. Long and lovely with a real understone of understated power, this has character and will be a beauty. Great freshness and balance. An upscore from Primeurs.
Château Joanin Bécot
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
92
Open and alive, not crisp but not creamy, tangy but not too sharp, this has a good drive of fresh acidities and bright raspberry and cranberry fruit. Lean and straight, it's all in one line, not dense but carries some weight and character in the purity of the fruit. I love the initial juiciness that then turns too salty, minerality on the finish. Well made, if missing a bit more of a bridge between the initial start and finish which will happen over the next few years. A good effort.
Château Montlandrie
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
92
Textured, nicely direct and well defined in the mouth. This has an instant appeal with bright, shiny and concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit with a sleek frame, high acidity and freshness on the finish. It's not weighty, it's gentle but still carrying tons of flavour. A solid effort where they got ripeness and didn't overdo the extraction or oak. Very charming and appealing still with bite, touches of spice and oak giving it good ageing potential.
Clos du Milieu
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
92
Gorgeous scents on the nose, rose petals, cherries, really floral and fragrant and expressive. Juicy and lively from the off, a sharp tang of buzzy fruit hits the palate, totally mouthwatering but stays away from being sour and changes to develop an almost bitter spiced edge. Focussed and well defined, keeps its definition and straightness from start to finish. It has density and power but well masked by the acidity at this point. Bright and streamlined, gorgeous purity of fruit and the florality really carries all the way. Delightful drinking and you do feel this has ageing potential with some reticence on the finish. Lovely.
Clos Lunelles
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
92
Clean, minty and fresh nose, lifted blue fruits with a salty edge. Really juicy matched with high acidity, lots of life here, not so deep, streamlined but with precision to the fruit and bitter toasted edges. Mouthwatering with tension, a good food wine. Will be drinking well sooner, lots of strawberry and red cherry summer fruits. Lovely expression, contained and relatively tense right now but very good.
Château Corbin
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Perfumed floral notes with raspberry and fragrant cherry - smells pretty. Lean and initially quite sharp, lightly presented with a creamy, salty mineral texture balancing the high acidity. It's a little subdued however, not as fruit forward as some or carrying much weight, but it's focussed and retains the same balance the entire way through with a minty, fresh finish. Everything is well presented, just dialed down. While you're not getting desne, plush fruit, this has a great and easy drinkability to it.
Château de Ferrand
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Lovely heady fragrance on the nose with perfumed black fruits. Clean and clear on the palate, excellent precision and focus, direct and lean, but still with a fun juiciness and sense of lift. The tannins are straight and supportive - this doesn't really deviate from the core - but it has a lovely fruit and tannin expression with a long finish. Elegant and nicely worked with freshness and juicy red cherries and raspberries alongside some slightly green fruit notes and a salty tang to the finish. Great for early to medium term drinking to enjoy the freshness and sense of ease.
Château Fombrauge
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Smells quite strong and oaky with almost ripe and under ripe elements on the palate. It's broad and a bolder style that will reward more ageing. There's concentration and power, acidity and minerality, so all the pieces are there - it feels like they could have relaxed the oak a bit but this will soften in time.
Château Grand Corbin Despagne
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
A gorgeous nose full of milk chocolate, black cherries, fragrant raspberries, tapenade and cinnamon. Supple and nicely weighted on the palate, tannins are chewy and grippy in the best way and this has a fun, juicy element that nicely counters the structure. Round and more full than some, this still needs a bit of time to settle, but there's lots of life in this with ripe fruit, mouthwatering acidity and lovely salty, minerality on the finish. A lovely wine with plenty of savoury elements on show still in the flint, wet stone, liquorice, toast, tobacco and cocoa powder. Shows great promise.
Château Grand Mayne
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Smells ripe and dark and heady. A plump start, bright and round, with concentration to the dark fruits. It's clean and well worked, not pushed too hard, but it feels as if they struggled to get full ripeness from the soft texture in the mid palate. However, there is a nice sleekness and sense of gentle energy from start to finish. I loved this En Primeur and it may just need some more time to fill out a little. Shows promise and better to be restrained than try to force a style that wouldn't work in 2021.
Château La Commanderie
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Pure blackcurrants on the nose, a touch of Ribena cordial to the aromatic display with slightly mineral, graphite edges. Smooth and elegant in terms of tannins - excellent sculpting with slightly plush and chewy red and black berry fruit and a core of freshness edged by mint and flint. It's not the most demonstrative or stand out, but all the elements are well presented and this has a lovely ease to it. Mineral, salty, liquorice, chocolate and black cherry finish. Delightful.
Château La Serre
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Redcurrants and raspberry leaf on the nose, slightly herbal and fragrant. Smooth and supple, a nice gentle chew to the texture with a juicy core of freshly-picked strawberries and red cherries underpinned by bright but not seeing acidity. Tannins are just a touch dry towards the finish, hints of menthol and eucalyptus give some freshness and sense of leanness, but also just giving some constriction to the fun fruitiness but this is nicely structured - not too light - with a long finish.
Château Le Chatelet
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Cool blue fruits with violets, crisp and fresh on the nose. Concentrated and round, not fleshy, but this has a small bounce to the palate with bright juicy red fruits, crystalline minerality that gives a soft wet stone aspect and touches of cola and menthol on the finish. Feels well balanced, nothing harsh or too much, nice gentle structure and powdery finish with a kick of power.
Château Pavie Decesse
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Fragrant dark bramble fruit on the nose, really aromatic and open. Supple and agile, this has a really nice weight in the mouth, not fleshly but there’s something quite plump about the texture with a lifted acidity and really clear minerality on the tongue - lots of slate and liquorice, dark chocolate and tobacco. The wood is definitely on show but once this integrates more this will be a lovely wine. I like the weight, good example for 2021. Last vintage. Now integrated into Pavie 2022.
Château Peby Faugères
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Strongly scented and quite ripe and potent on the nose. Quite closed and oaky, fruit is clearly concentrated and acidity is there which offers lift and brightness but this also feels a bit pushed and as such the frame and texture takes over a little from the mid palate at this point with some wood notes and dry tannins. Give this a few years before opening.
Château Petit Faurie de Soutard
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
A delicate rose perfumed on the nose with black bramble berries. Succulent and clean, great precision and clarity with a lean, salty core that keeps this quite straight and focussed but with well balanced juiciness and easy to drink and enjoy. I love the salty minerality on the finish that still is allied to fresh strawberries and black cherries. A lovely expression that really works in 2021 with tons of freshly picked mint leaves on the finish too.
Château Sansonnet
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Smells ripe and quite jammy. Sharp and sour, high toned, raspberry, cherry and strawberry flavours, which move towards savoury minerality with liquorice, wet stone and graphite. It loses the connection a little between the initial flavour and mid palate, almost too ripe and sweet at first, then acidic, then a little dry so this is still a little youthful. Tannins are well integrated though, smooth and supportive so this will provide excellent drinkability when ready. Give this a few years before opening.
Clos St-Martin
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
92
Quite a perfumed nose with touches of toast, clove and tobacco allied to menthol and green peppercorn notes. This has bite and grip with tannins that are a touch rustic but do well to give the frame and support the bright fruit and high acidity. Clean and clear, creamy strawberry and mint and liquorice laced cherries are at the fore with an undercurrent of salty minerality and toasted elements. This needs more time, but has all the elements.
Château Ausone, La Chapelle d'Ausone
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
A bit subdued on the nose, lightly scented with soft floral accents and some red and black berry fruit. Tangy and a little tart at first, bright and bold, sharp but sleek and straight. Loses some punch towards the middle and end, softening a little but keeping the direction. Lots of cherry notes and raspberry leaf with some menthol accents on the finish. Delicate and poised, juicy. Lightly framed but flavourful and feels finessed with some underlying power too. Definitely not a light wine but needs time.
Château Bellevue Mondotte
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Fragrant blackcurrants and black cherries on the nose, smells vivid and vibrant. Plump and sweet with a real ease of drinking. Quite straight but finessed, nothing sticking out harshly, tannins have a slight mineral grip with underlying tones of tobacco, cedar and clove but still with lots of fruit too. Easy to enjoy - clean and clear, a stony element on the finish still with lots of flavour and juiciness throughout. Very nice.
Château Cheval Blanc, Le Petit Cheval
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Cool and toasted aromas on the nose, liquorice, tobacco, purple flowers and cherries. Smooth and well rounded, high in acidity which gives the initial lift before the salty minerality comes in giving a slight wet stone / chalky texture in the mouth. It’s really quite fruity and lifted but with a serious core, straight and well defined. Not heavy at all. A nice second wine. Detailed and feels very polished. Needs more time to expand as it’s still a little tight.
Château La Clotte
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Lovely intense fragrance on the nose, bright and full in aromas of blackcurrant, liquorice and tobacco. Juicy and supple, a nice concentration of black fruit with bright acidity and a steely mineral undertone. Quite straight and focussed, not so layered, but delivers an enjoyable and characterful glass of wine. Nothing harsh or too light. I like the mineral grip on the finish. Still feels quite young but approachable nonetheless with menthol elements as well as tobacco, graphite and soft spiced clove. Long lasting flavour.
Château Quinault L'Enclos
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Quite a dark nose, graphite and pencil led. Slightly floral with fragrant blue and purple fruit. Supple and lively, this has a nice energy and focus to it. Crisp red fruit with bite. Lean and quite straight, lovely cool fresh blue fruits with liquorice, soft toasted spice and menthol elements at the end. Clean and well balanced with high acidity and lots of flavour together with an enjoyable mouth-filling texture.
Château Tour St Christophe
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Fragrant and perfumed blackcurrants and black cherries on the nose. Bright and focussed, an instant buzz of fresh acidities and zingy fruit open the palate before the salty undercurrent shows through ending on notes of flint and graphite. Relatively lean and light, but direct with real polish to the tannins and fruit presentation. Certainly not plush, but this carries a nice proportion of density with finesse and the acidity is well balanced to the minerality and structure. Feels effortless and very enjoyable with a really salty, flinty, aniseed finish.
Mazerat
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
92
Quite a toasty nose, lots of oak (80% new) on the nose. Deeply scented black berries and soft floral touches. Smooth and supple, a nice energy and focus to this. Good body too, has tension and focus in the sense it's tangy and straight, doesn’t deviate too much from the core. Slightly spiced and lean, but purity is there. Needs time to soften and expand a little as it's a but unyielding at the moment yet there's excellent structure, crunchy fruit, bite, tang and lovely salinity. Easy going and nothing harsh. Less Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual as all went into Le Dome. 90% Merlot.
Domaine Simon Blanchard, Guitard
St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion)
2021
92
Dark fragrance and black fruit on the nose, touches of cedar, liquorice and dark chocolate. Nice energy and weight straight away, lively and focussed, not fleshy at all, but equally the tannins give this some weight in the mouth adding a powdery, chalkiness to the tongue and cheeks. I like it a lot, feels nicely balanced and would be good with food, will also age as well. Juicy red fruits, cool blueberries and a chalky undertone.
Château Fontenil
Fronsac
2021
92
Clean and sappy, bright and focussed with a touch of raspberry, green strawberry and cherry. This has bite and a welcome grip by the slightly chalky tannins ending with power and length. Nicely balanced, not a deep wine, but this still has a kick and sense of quiet power underneath with hints of chocolate, tobacco and clove on the fiihs. A good effort with a lingering finish.
Château George 7
Fronsac
2021
92
Floral and fragrant with chocolate and vanilla hints, strawberry and cherry. Smells intense and expressive. Supple and characterful, full of flavour, intensity and texture on the palate. Juicy and alive, lean, tangy and grippy, but in a mineral way, leaving a zesty, wet stone aspect on the tongue. Really lingers and lasts. Not the fullest, but a great balance of delicacy and drinkability.
Château Les Trois Croix
Fronsac
2021
92
Lovely bramble fruit and floral aromatics. Clean and clear, lifted on the initial attack, really quite tangy red fruits before a dose of chalky minerality comes in and puts a coating of liquorice, graphite and wet stones around the mouth. Ends fresh and cool with mint, dried herbs, chocolate and toast. Not particularly layered but lovely purity and still with some power and heft.
Château Bonalgue
Pomerol
2021
92
Plummy and floral aromatics on the nose, quite dark and intense but pure too with hints of tobacco and liquorice and savouriness. Intense and juicy, full of life on the palate with mouth-watering acidity. Verging on sour, this is sharp and really gives a kick on the palate, before settling and focussing towards the finish. Overall quite lean but with plenty of energy. Tannins are smooth and well defined, really quite silky. I like the upfront fun nature, it’s certainly accessible and ready to enjoy with a crystalline purity towards the finish.
Château Bourgneuf
Pomerol
2021
92
Clear and clean in the glass, a light colour, almost translucent. Floral and fruity, notes of roses and violets with raspberries and red cherries. High acidity, salty, gripping tannins and a menthol undercurrent. Quite a pretty, delicate take on the vintage for Pomerol, really haven't pushed this, tannins are a touch grippy and grainy but this balances out to a finish with high-toned red berry fruit and lots of wet stone salty, minerality. Not super long, but very enjoyable.
Château Certan de May
Pomerol
2021
92
Juicy and vibrant, this starts with a kick of almost chewy tannins and ripe fruit which moves into creamy blueberries and cola tones with a salty, liquorice finish. Textured and nicely weighted, nice acidity and a good food wine. Drink young and enjoy the youth and sense of buzz. This doesn't feel like they've tried too hard but this is definitely on the slightly more pushed edge with full/filling tannins and a density to the fruit profile.
Château de Sales
Pomerol
2021
92
Smooth and charming, this has a nice focus to it with zesty fresh fruit, raspberry, bright orange, cherry and chalky tannins. I love the ease to it, it’s got power, but delicately poised, still with freshness and a lot of length. Nothing harsh here. Quite charged but really works with such freshness and cooling mint on the finish. Great acidity, not the most layered but really not trying too hard and leaning into the vintage in the best way. Streamlined and a touch lean but this will fill out in time.
Château Fayat
Pomerol
2021
92
Succulent and nicely round, a good gentle body to this, not weighty and not too light, smooth and well defined with blackcurrant and raspberry flavours and a soft salty undercurrent. Really well presented, not a big wine, but finessed with delicacy on show and this is all the better for it. A great effort in 2021 with succulence and tang.
Château Feytit-Clinet
Pomerol
2021
92
Softly supple, this is quite delicate and lightly presented, almost lean but there's a gentle chew and bright acidity to the raspberry and blackcurrant fruit with elements of dried herbs, liquorice, green pepper and toast. Feels a touch sombre at this point, clearly there's power underneath but needs more time to soften and expand. A little disjointed right now but good potential.
Château Gazin
Pomerol
2021
92
This is lifted, bright and high toned. There's some energy here with tannins that are fine but have bite and tang and support the expression and coat the mouth in grippy saltiness. A good effort this year, not trying too hard. Mouthwatering but cool and crisp with a lovely weight and frame and flavours of blueberry, liquorice, flint and dried herbs.
Château La Clemence
Pomerol
2021
92
Smells heady an floral with touches of oak, plums and roses. Nice crunchy fruit on the palate, more fresh than I was expecting with raspberry and strawberry elements and high acidity to counter the soft underlying power. A gentle chew and bounce to the expression. Feels as if it has a touch of the Pomerol charm here, albeit in a 2021 outfit. Shiny, bright and well textured. Keep for a few years before opening or give it a good air to soften the slightly grippy tannins.
Château Le Bon Pasteur
Pomerol
2021
92
Lightly presented, raspberries, strawberries and cherry floats on the palate with almost salty, softly chalky tannins that give the outline and structure. It's a bit quiet, degingiely not pushed or overdone, more so that it's not yet very expressive and open. Feels they have treated very carefully here and gone for finesse over substance. Touches of dark chocolate, clove and liquorice on the finish. Definitely less bold than it was during the Primeurs, it's more soft and subtle now, the oak worked judiciously.
Château le Bon Pasteur
Pomerol
2021
92
Oaky nose, smells heavily extracted and potent. Great high acidity opens the palate, sharp and bright, before turning quite salty and sombre. The frame is definitely taking over right now, putting the fruit and acidity to the back and presenting fine but massy tannins and lots of toasty concentration. Nice licks of freshness and liquorice though. Give this a few years to soften.
Château Porte Chic
Pomerol
2021
92
Gorgeous floral and perfumed notes on the nose, creamy rose and strawberry yoghurt. Streamlined and sleek, this has a lovely silky texture, so smooth with delicate flavors of raspberry, cherry and strawberry. Doesn't have so much weight on the mid palate, really quite finessed, not what you'd expect for a Pomerol, but it's really well balanced and harmonious for its style and I like it for that. Nothing out of place and all in line. Super elegant and refined with some chalky touches on the finish.
Château Sainte-Marie
Pomerol
2021
92
Intensely fragrant and floral on the nose with ripe blackcurrant aromas. Nicely round and filling, not heavy at all, but this has structure in the mouth with silky tannins and ripe fruit. Acidity isn't as obvious as some wines, less sharp and tangy, more calm and gently fleshy. Sweet and cool, this has a good balance and power all the way through. Feels young still, certainly one that feels like it has the ability to age with lots of character on show. Stylish, but not showing off. This works.
Clos de la Vieille Eglise
Pomerol
2021
92
Ripe fruit on the nose and palate, succulent blackcurrants and strawberries but with sharp aspects too, a push-pull of weight and acidity. Needs a bit more time to balance out but there's good potential. Tannins are well integrated and this has a silky texture that really works. Fresh and sappy, juicy and textured. Not so long but I really like this.
Clos du Beau-Père
Pomerol
2021
92
Juicy and supple, lovely bounce and brightness here but with intensity from the tannins and a lingering aspect of liquorice, clove and wet stones - input from the oak and terroir. I like the character, it has some power and push and keeps an intensity of flavour through to a long finish all while being quite sleek and silky. Acidity is good too which keeps things lifted. One to watch.
Château Ad Francos, Réserve Ad Aeternam
Francs Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
91
Juicy and tangy, lots of bright fruit, high acidity and quite lean salty tannins. A little constricted still, a bit tense and focussed but nice detail and precision. Needs some time to expand but good detail. Rich fruit and heady scents and a long finish. Streamlined if not full.
Château Marsau
Francs Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
91
Sleek but with a slight chew and sense of texture and weight to the palate. Lots of strawberry and herbal edges - dried herbs, mint, green peppercorns, liquorice, fennel and cocoa powder. This has character and personality and sustains the interest and sense of liveliness from the start to the finish. Licks of minerality come through on the finish ending with a salty, almost iodine tang. Nicely constructed without overdoing it.
Château Balestard La Tonnelle
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Smells full of dark fruit and herbal elements. Supple and juicy, with high acidity. A touch restricted on the mid palate, with fairly present tannins giving depth, but this has a nice lift towards the end with bright strawberries and cherries coming into play. Feels well worked and easy to enjoy.
Château Chauvin
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Nicely fragrant and perfumed on the nose with blackcurrants and bramble berries. An instant splash of just ripe red and black fruit - tart strawberries and cherries - makes the mouth water before being replaced by salt-edged tannins that leave a slightly grainy, but pleasant, texture in the mouth. Lingering elements of vanilla, black chocolate, graphite and touches of liquorice accent the finish though in a savoury rather than spiced way. Nicely balanced and not trying too hard. Soft, gently filling and elegant.
Château Clos de Sarpe
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Creamy vanilla, strawberry and black cherry notes on the nose with hints of toast and black chocolate. Bright and high toned, juicy with a kick of high acidity that lifts the palate and gives a tingling sensation rather than being overly mouthwatering as the tannin structure is relatively full for the vintage giving a wide frame. The fruit is certainly more plush than some of the wines, and the 14.5% alcohol just makes an appearance towards the end with a flash of heat, cinnamon and clove spice, but this keeps focus and direction too. Still needs a bit more time to harmonise the fresh, lean acidity with the tannins and fruit but this will be an enjoyable, if atypical bottle.
Château Côte de Baleau
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Juicy and bright, a nice sense of life and ease to this, not trying too hard but still with some grip and hold to the salty, wet-stone edged tannins. Nicely textured, not overly fruit-forward, some strawberry, fragrant raspberry and creamy blackcurrant - the structure still taking the limelight right now, but it's balanced and well worked with a long mineral finish accented by a touch of cinnamon, tobacco and clove spice.
Château Dassault
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Blue fruits and cola tones on the nose. Smooth and juicy, this is fun and tangy, with the focus on the ripe fruit and high acidity. VIbrant and energetic, this has gently chewy tannins with blackcurrant and black cherry elements alongside salty, grippy tannins that give the minerality to the texture and flavour. Well built, this has an undercurrent of power with flashes of green fruit, heat and depth despite the 13.5%. A nice wine in 2021 that doesn't feel as if it's trying too hard, ending on a salty, fresh note. Not the most persistent, it's light and lean, but very enjoyable an easy to drink.
Château Faurie de Souchard
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
High toned and verging on sour with a sharp burst of raspberry and strawberry and some green fruit before the cola, graphite, liquorice, wet stone and mint come into play giving this a focussed, less fruit-forward expression on the finish. Feels well built, the tannins are well integrated and this has a lightness that is easy to enjoy. Ends savoury and salty, but this is easy to drink with vintage markers and terroir markers.
Château Fonplégade
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Smooth and fun but with a sense of structure and length too. Nicely balanced, the interplay between fresh acidities, just ripe blackcurrant, black cherry and strawberry work well together with well integrated tannins that have a touch of liquorice, tobacco and wet stone to them. This grips and holds interest, not heavy or weighty, this is certainly in keeping with the vintage in it's light and lean expression but nicely presented. It's not the weightiest but it is finessed and pure and really easy to drink still with structure and length.
Château Franc Mayne
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Lightly framed but with clarity and precision. Quite lean and direct, not in a harsh way, but this is focussed on the purity of fruit, high acidity and delicacy of the slightly chalky tannins. It's silky and fresh with mouthwatering acidity and fun strawberry juicy flavours but is missing just a touch more push. Still, it's easy to drink and enjoy, balanced with each element in place and nothing trying too hard.
Château le Prieuré
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Supple and nicely agile on the palate, with flavors of cool blackcurrants, just ripe strawberries - verging on tart, but actually giving this quite a lifted, bright expression. High toned for sure but works with fine just gripping tannins and a cool mentholated finish. Complete and works with the vintage still with juice on the finish.
Château Les Grandes Murailles
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Almost sweet strawberry and vanilla cream on the nose, with some green peppercorns and dried herbs. Juicy and fresh acidities give way to a salty mid palate with gently textured tannins. Nice and easy, nothing harsh here, the fruit could be a bit more persistent, but this is easy and likeable.
Château Soutard
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
91
Super perfumed on the nose. Sappy acidity with a pretty sleek and lean core, sharp but then softens and settles with an easiness about it. Not too sharp or too dry, balanced. Well presented with finesse and still mouthwatering on the final flavour which is enjoyable. Fun and lifted.
Château La Fleur Pourret
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
91
Dark berries on the nose, some tobacco and ash notes. Juicy and succulent, nice and easy going on the palate, smooth and supple, good tannin integration with crunchy, high acidity. So bright, not deep, more straight and streamlined but still with plenty of buzzy tangy character. Easy enjoyment on offer here. I love the hit of bright red tangy fruit that then softens and elongates with hints of spice and tobacco.
Château Laforge
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
91
Fresh and fragrant nose, roses, pink flowers and red summer berry fruit. Punchy and characterful, this has great burst of tangy strawberries and red cherries, clean and succulent, a nice amount of mouth-watering acidity with a saline finish. Very easy and a good showing, nothing harsh. Tannin management is excellent and this has great purity. Light, but not lacking flavour. Streamlined texture, nothing plush, but sleek and direct. Good focus. 80% new oak.
Château La Cabanne
Pomerol
2021
91
Sharp and high toned, tangy straight away with a hit of buzzy red fruit, it's light but pleasurable, some slightly dry and salty tannins but overall this has a nice fun character with a juicy core. Not the longest but very approachable with a clean and pure finish.
Château La Croix de Gay
Pomerol
2021
91
A nice pure and clean wine, initially full of flavour and intensity with a nice tannic profile that suggests it's still at the start of its life. The mid palate softens a little with the favours becoming more delicate and nuanced but still with focus. An elegant take on 2021, this has a lovely character with high acidity, salty almost chalky tannins and a long finish. Not massively demonstrable but that makes this all the nicer.
Château La Violette
Pomerol
2021
91
Sappy and not as concentrated as the potent and ripe nose suggests. Quite lean and straight, focussed but light and lacking a touch more fruit density to really make this shine. A little sombre, may just be closed as many are right now. It's direct and streamlined, but there's some austerity and lots of toasty wood on show so it's not so charming right now.
Château Monregard la Croix
Pomerol
2021
91
Quite intense and dark aromatics, liquorice, tobacco, blackcurrant, crayon, bramble fruits and some savoury herbal elements. Quite sharp, high acidity, almost sour but stops short and has a chalky, almost mineral vein that, together with the tannins, gives grip and interest to the palate. It has a certain density on the palate, not light not plush but with definition. Certainly bright and buzzy, the emphasis here is on the tangy red cherry, strawberry and blackcurrant fruit. Juicy, straight, well controlled and very pleasant with a kick of minty liquorice on the finish. I like the texture. Consistent and not trying to be something it’s not. Lean, fresh, bright. Easy and accessible. First year of organic conversion. Indigenous yeasts.
Château Pierhem
Pomerol
2021
91
Tight and quite lean, instantly you feel the grip of the salty, just shy of dry tannins on the palate, the fruit that was there initially - high acid, bright blackcurrant and strawberry - fades into the background with the minerality and structure taking the fore. It needs some more time to harmonise but there's purity here and a nice sense of easy drinking when it'll be ready.
Château Vray Croix de Gay
Pomerol
2021
91
Five spice, green peppercorn, cinnamon and blackcurrant on the nose. Ripe and cool fruit, almost sweet strawberries with cool blueberries and lots of fresh menthol aromas too. I like the texture, sleek and well defined, good movement and energy. It's sleek - silky even with forward motion. Not trying too hard. Cool and creamy and salty on the finish.
Clos Beauregard
Pomerol
2021
91
A little toasted and spicy on the nose with dark bramble fruit aromas. Fresh and sappy but tight and coiled too, there's tension here and a sense of strictness in terms of texture and width of the palate. Fruit and acidity is there, but feels like the oak is on show a little and the tannins need more time to settle and expand. Good acidity underneath so give this time.
Château Angélus, Tempo
2021
90
Herbal edged raspberries on the nose, smells floral, lifted and softly savoury too. Clean and clear, a lovely punchy energy straight away offset by high, mouth-watering acidity. Sleek and pure, slightly tangy with red summer berries, some bitter orange elements and an undertone of salty minerality which lingers on the finish. Very likeable and easy to drink. Great tannins and hit of mint at the end. Drink straight away. Why wait.
Château Canon Pécresse
Canon-Fronsac
2021
90
Juicy and clean, a nicely presented wine with balanced gentle juiciness and fruit profile - delicate cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Feels well made with a subtle charm. Not trying too hard, but great for easy drinking with lingering fruitiness and not dry on the finish. A success.
Château Ad Francos
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
90
Richly scented, deep and heady notes on the nose. Quite succulent and juicy, almost sweet and sour with touches of flesh and high acidity dotting the palate as well as some cooling mint and liquorice aspects on the finish. Smooth and with character. Nice energy here.
Chateau La Croix Lartigue
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
90
Lovely floral fragrance on the nose, bright and lifted with violets, roses and red cherries. Smooth and soft, nice shot of acidity really gives this a lift with crystalline and mineral edges to the red berry fruit. Ends powdery and soft with a touch of bitter, spicy grapefruit and liquorice which adds a bite to the finish. On the high-toned spectrum, sleek and straight but juicy and easy too. Give this some time as the finish is a little marked by wood, but a nice example with plenty of racy acidity and minerality.
Château Destieux
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Fragrant and perfumed on the nose. Quite highly charged for the vintage, the blackcurrant fruit is certainly ripe with a slight chew to the tannins and lashings of dark chocolate, liquorice toast and cinnamon suggesting the oak still needs time to wear off or integrate a little more. The expression is wide but the texture remains quite lean and straight, but this still has a juicy lift to the finish. The ripeness of the fruit and the alcohol stand out a little for the vintage and this feels a touch pushed.
Château Grand Corbin
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Slightly sharp and sour on the initial taste, a burst of raspberries, green apple and just picked cherries which then fades quite quickly into quite mineral, creamy chocolate, liquorice and cola laden flavours that coat the mouth. Tannins have a touch of a grip to them giving the mineral aspect even more. It's well made with a good construction and underlying power. Needs a few more years but there's enough freshness to sustain early to mid term ageing.
Château La Tour Figeac
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Quite subdued, some bitter orange and dark chocolate elements with herbal notes and dark berry fruit. You get the underlying power more than any overt fruit or juiciness, but feels like it'll come together. A little compact right now but there's polish to the tannins and lovely fruit purity. It's not super exciting but feels well made with a good structure and long finish. There's ripeness and concentration no doubt. First year of organic certification.
Château Larmande
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Direct and straight, a nice linear core of cool red and blue fruit with a salty minerality and undercurrent of liquorice and wet stone. Nicely constructed, a touch of green pepper, herbs, blackcurrant and fennel on the palate. Ends clean and fresh with a cool flint accent.
Château Laroze
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Heady, fragranced and ripe notes on the nose. Sour and slightly sweet initially, a burst of really quite zingy, almost unripe raspberries and strawberries before the fruit fades into some austere touches around the mouth. Doesn't quite sustain the fun fruitiness and feels just a touched pushed and dry towards the finish. A shame as I loved this En Primeur.
Château Monbousquet
St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé)
2021
90
Smoky and slightly spicy on the nose, chocolate and cherries with soft floral scents. Tight and nicely constructed, still lean - the tannins have a salty grip on the tongue, but there's good depth of dark fruit with just chalky, powderiness on the finish. Really dark fruit. Nice acidity, not plump, more straight with lashings of liquorice and bitter tones on the finish.
Château Angélus, No.3
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
90
Green apple, just ripe strawberries, soft floral reflections and a hint of dried herbs on the nose. Fruity and fun, this has bounce and a soft chew to the texture giving a round body in 2021. More dense than Tempo, this has a bit more push but keeps the definition and tension with slightly grippy tannins and a layer of chalkiness. Well made. Same mouthwatering acidity, not a heavy wine by any means, this is sleek and lightly footed but has depth and character. An easy option.
Château Badette
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
90
Fresh and fragrant blackcurrant on the nose, smells lively and forward. Smooth and supple, a nice energy and focus straight away with high-toned and a high acid juiciness that verges on tart and zingy but gets reigned in by a touch of flinty minerality and soft chalky finish. Overall, enjoyable with plenty of life and bright fruit despite the quite lean frame
Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
90
Aromatic and fragrant on the nose, floral and pink fruited. Clean and clear, lacking a touch more density and vibrancy, but this has purity and nicely integrated tannins with enjoyable juiciness underneath. This carries to a precise and well defined finish.
Château Puyblanquet
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
90
Oaky and savoury on the nose. Softly fleshy, clean and mineral at the same time - a mixture of ripe and perhaps just-ripe fruit gives this both a sense of purity and linearity as well as fruit concentration and weight. Needs some more time to harmonise but I like the cool blue fruit touches and hints of flint on the end. Nice potential for ageing.
Château Saintayme
St-Émilion (Grand Cru)
2021
90
Delicate and light, feels like they could have pushed this a little more, but there's enjoyable strawberry juice with a creamy palate and salty undercurrent. The tannins have a nice texture, very slightly crushed velvet, adding grip to the sides of the mouth while the red berry fruit carries the flavour. A good effort.
Domaine Baudon, Cuvée Terres Blanches
St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion)
2021
90
Quite a fresh and lifted nose, smells cool with blue fruit and wet stones. Quite a lean style, not so fleshy, but juicy and flavoursome. Bright red cherries, some licks of minerality and a touch of liquorice and slate. Not the most sustained but equally feels like they've done a good job of not making something they couldn't. Easy to drink, fresh and lively.
Château Clarisse, Vieilles Vignes
St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion)
2021
90
Juicy and lithe, quite lightly presented, the fruit is focussed on cherry and red berry elements. The richness displayed during Primeurs has settled down but the expression remains controlled. Ends structured and round, nothing harsh, no dry tannins or too much wood. Clean and balanced, still with texture and flow. A bit gripy on the finish with some wet stone and tobacco elements. I like this.
Château Clarisse
St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion)
2021
90
Clean and clear, a touch of weight missing from the texture here, but the fruit is pristine, blacucrant an black cherry, just a bit diluted on the mid palate and ends a bit horribly with oak and dried herbs.
Château des Laurets
St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion)
2021
90
Sweet, clean, tangy and lively, this has a good energy, it's lean and streamlined, not fleshy or weighty, with a salty, chalky core of tannins that give a soft grip to the mouth. Feels clean and well presented. Certainly for easy and accessible drinking still with finesse. Nothing harsh here.
Château Puygueraud
Francs Côtes de Bordeaux
2021
90
Supple and lively, a nice burst of bright strawberry and tangy raspberry fruit before soft dried herbs and liquorice come through on the mid palate. Well constructed, this has bounce and a sense of movement from start to finish with lots of minty freshness throughout. A little light at the end, missing some extra push, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Château La Fleur de Boüard
Lalande-de-Pomerol
2021
90
Sleek and shiny, a nice level of calm juiciness and soft tannins but still with bite and tang giving a calm texture but spicy flavour. A good effort with acidity, fine tannins and an easy drinking appeal. Leans into the vintage and works.
Château Le Gay
Pomerol
2021
90
Sapply and lithe, sleek, a good energy and focus to this, lifted and bright with ripe fruit but also quite a lot of structure that is taking over the finish a little right now. Toast, liquorice and oak with mint and dried herbs, it's not too much, just reminds you that there is underlying power. A little consumed by wood right now - constricted and tight - but this should smooth out.
Château La Patache
Pomerol
2021
90
Vivid aromatics on the nose, floral fruity and spicy. A little tight and constricted on the palate, but there's a sense of good tension to this too, fruit is pristine and well presented, more lean than fleshy with cooling mint and liquorice undertones. Rather than being unbalanced it just feels as if this hasn't fully opened yet but there's good potential. I like the acidity and the juicy cherries but the fruit fades in favour of the structure so this will need more time.
Château Tour Maillet
Pomerol
2021
90
A vivid colour in the glass and heady aromatics on the nose. A nice sense of ease to this wine, it really feels as if it's not trying too hard, tannins are silky and well integrated and the fruit is just ripe with balanced acidity. Feels finessed and carefully worked, I like the delicacy of the presentation. A touch of liquorice, tobacco dryness on the finish, the wood still playing a part, but this has nice potential for an easy-drinking wine in a few years.
Clos Vieux Taillefer
Pomerol
2021
90
Quite ripe fruit on the palate - blackcurrants and plums. The bright expression is a little shut down by the frame right now, oaky and toasted with some acidity missing. Feels quite a sombre expression but it's nicely textured with a slight weight to the tannins. A touch of greenness and some dried wood notes that just distract from the fruit and sense of fun. Give this a few years.
