A nose of inviting chocolate powder and dark fruits - very specifically aromatic, after a few minutes the soft florals and medicinal herbs come into play. Super sleek, but not round to begin with, more direct and...

The 2009 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet colored, it barrels out of the glass with bold notions of baked blackberries, warm cassis, and stewed plums...

Bright, full ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, chocolate, cedar and violet. Sweet and rich but tight, with sound acidity accenting the wine's spicy intensity and extending its dark fruit flavors. A distinctly rich style of...

A spicy and fat, rich wine, atypical of Bordeaux. There is grip and depth of flavour here, with blackcurrant coulis character and some lovely menthol edging. A balanced wine.

A blend of 91.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.7% Merlot, the opaque garnet‑black 2009 Latour prances from the glass with showy notes of black cherry preserves, blueberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, leading to an undercurrent...

Wonderful quality for this appellation. Fascinating nose of peaches, berries and spices follow through to a full body, with dark chocolate, nutmeg, blueberries, and raspberries. Long and flavorful. Better after 2017.

Plum colour, still intense right through to the core of the wine, this is just a near-perfect St Estèphe, concentrated yet finessed, with balance, less muscular than you would find in most vintages of Calon today, still...

The first year with sufficient quality grapes, plus an improved global outlook, at least with the Chinese market, to allow the new owners to show what they had achieved over the previous four or five years. It is one of...

Here we are in classic Pauillac territory, still young even at 15 years old, with a ton of tannic grip, slate and pencil lead, cassis and cocoa bean, channeling tension, freshness and bright fruits. A wonderful example of...

The 2009 Leoville Poyferre is medium to deep garnet-brick in color. It bursts from the glass with bombastic notions of kirsch, raspberry preserves, warm cassis, and stewed plums, plus suggestions of Ceylon tea, candied...

The 2009 Rauzan-Gassies has a refined bouquet with blackberry, cedar and light graphite notes, maybe a little closed down though, it opens nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, and fine...

Melted tannins, juicy black fruits, finessed appellation signature, this opens to grilled blackberry and bilberries, brambed and pureed, with slate tannins and a wave of campfire smoke. Well balanced acidity also, this is...