Bordeaux 2021 in bottle: ratings of many of the top wines
I don’t taste the cask samples of the new vintage of Bordeaux en primeurs, for quite a few reasons, but I do like the opportunity to assess the new vintage once it’s in bottle. 2021 wasn’t a vintage that got the trade terribly excited. It was viticulturally challenging: there was frost at the beginning of the season, and then surviving grapes had to deal with cool temperatures and quite a bit of downy mildew. The proof is in the pudding, though. Lots of really nice wines in a more classic style with freshness and moderate alcohol levels. These are my scores and notes from the UGC tasting in November 2023. Spared the usual hype, you can probably pick some of these up at sensible prices.
WHITES
Château Ferrande Graves Blanc 2021
40% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Gris. Bright and pure with crisp citrus fruit showing precision and good acidity. Linear and quite taut, with class. 90/100
Château Bouscaut Pessac-Léognan 2021
70% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc. Lovely aromatics here: grapefruit and pear with some smoky barrel-ferment notes. Pristine. The palate is pure, focused and detailed with high acidity and a beautiful focus to the fruit, with supporting oak. Superb. 94/100
Château Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan 2021
67% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Sémillon. Stylish and linear with nice focused citrus and pear fruit, showing good concentration and nice acidity. Stylish and a bit unfurled. 92/100
Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 2021
70% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc. Good concentration of taut citrus fruit here with nice brightness. Has some pear, some lemon and then a twist of spiciness. The oak is very much in the background and there’s potential for development here. 93/100
Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan 2021
65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Sémillon. Bright, linear and focused with zippy lemon and lime fruit with a hint of aniseed and nice acidity. A very pure, focused style that offers lots of pleasure and potential for development. 93/100
Château de France Pessac-Léognan 2021
80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon. Restrained aromatics here but very appealing taut citrus and pear fruit with some subtle nutty hints on the finish. 90/100
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2021
78% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Sémillon. Lovely aromatics with grapefruit, lime and some smokiness. The palate is pure, vivid and bright with nicely concentrated citrus fruits and fine spicy framing. Serious stuff, and very bright. 94/100
Château Latour-Martillac Pessac-Léognan 2021
58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sémillon. Juicy and linear with focused, taut citrus fruit. Light on the finish, but with good acidity. 91/100
Château La Louvière Pessac-Léognan 2021
100% Sauvignon Blanc. This has a beautiful balance to it with concentrated lemon, pear and grapefruit notes and some stony mineral notes, finishing with a nice acid line. 93/100
Château Olivier Pessac-Léognan 2021
80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon. Quite concentrated and dense with bright lemon and pear fruit with a nice acid line. Juicy and linear, with good focus. 92/100
Château Pape Clément Pessac-Léognan 2021
70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon. Very stylish with bold citrus, pear and white peach supported by well integrated, classy oak. This is an impressivewine with a good acid line and potential for development. 94/100
Château Picque Caillou Pessac-Léognan 2021
90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon. Bright and linear with keen acidity, showing nice intensity of citrus and pear fruit. Good acid line here. 91/100
GRAVES
Château de Chantegrive Graves 2021
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Lovely fresh aromatics of sweet open berry fruits. The palate is savoury and taut but also nicely fruity with bright blackcurrant and berry notes as well as a bit of spicy oak. Stylish. 92/100
Château Ferrande Graves 2021
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot. Good density to the forward blackcurrant fruit with some appealing spicy notes. This has freshness and some concentration, and it’s really attractive. 93/100
Château Rahoul Graves 2021
67% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot. Grainy and quite gravelly with good concentration and some stony minerality as well as swe et berry fruits. Nicely proportioned. 92/100
Château Bouscaut Pessac-Léognan 2021
47% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec. There’s some oak and a bit of grunty structure under the sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nice grip. 91/100
Château Carbonnieux Pessac-Léognan 2021
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot. Good structure with gravel and chalk mineral notes alongside sweet blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Well balanced. 92/100
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2021
40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. Great balance here with good acidity and appropriate structure as well as pure linear red berry and blackcurrant fruit. I like the focus and line of the fruit here. Stylish and understated, but very good. 94/100
Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 2021
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Great concentration and focus, allied to real purity. Linear red cherry and blackcurrant fruit with fine tannins and some firm but beautifully managed tannins. Has a bright future ahead of it. 95/100
Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan 2021
45% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot. Appealing sweet blackcurrant fruit with a slight creaminess as well as good structure and acidity. Bright and expressive with good balance, offering a lot of pleasure. 93/100
Château de France Pessac-Léognan 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. This has a core of sweet berry fruits with nice texture, and some spicy oak. Nicely structured, this is a forward, expressive wine showing lovely fruit. 92/100
Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Beautifully proportioned offering a core of sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit with nice concentration and good acidity. Youthful and compact, with everything pulling in the same direction. Should age well. 95/100
Château Haut-Bergey Pessac-Léognan 2021
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. This shows very ripe, open meaty fruit with some meaty, spicy, slightly wild notes and then a tingling slightly metallic finish. Ripe, open and old school. 88/100
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2021
81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc. The spicy, coffee-infused oak is quite prominent here, and clashes a bit with the polished berry and black fruits. Ambitious and may resolve in time. 90/100
Château Latour-Martillac Pessac-Léognan 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Ripe but restrained showing good balance and weight with sweet black fruits and a grainy, spicy structure. Quite classic. 93/100
Château La Louvière Pessac-Léognan 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot Fresh and focused with bright, sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit. Nice flesh here: there’s some grainy structure but also appealimng sweet fruit. 92/100
Château Malartic-Lagravière Pessac-Léognan 2021
67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. I like this: it’s a bright, lean, taut expression of Pessac with keen acidity supporting focused cherry and raspberry fruit, along with a touch of sweet blackcurrant. Juicy and grainy. 94/100
Château Olivier Pessac-Léognan 2021
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Fresh and with some leanness, this is a really expressive wine showing taut blackcurrant and cherry fruit with some nice structure. Finishes with good acidity and some tannin. 93/100
Château Pape Clément Pessac-Léognan 2021
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cocoa, spice, coffee and rich blackcurrant fruit on the nose with the oak making its presence felt. Good concentration and structure on the palate: this is an ambitious wine made for ageing, that I think will turn out very well once the oak has integrated. 94/100
Château Picque Caillou Pessac-Léognan 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Juicy and linear showing bright cherry and blackcurrant fruit with nice acidity and appropriate structure. Stylish and pure, and may be approachable early. 93/100
SAINT-EMILION
Château Balestard La Tonnelle Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
82% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some structure here, and also some oak. Vivid berry fruits with some spice and a hint of tar on the finish. 91/100
Château Berliquet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Franc. Lively aromatics: juicy and bright with some spicy detail. The palate has nice bright, pure berry fruits with some freshness on the finish. Juicy and vivid. 92/100
Château Canon Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
71% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc. Nice acidity here with fresh, vibrant berry and cherry fruits, showing some juiciness and a nice acid line. Pure and fine. 92/100
Château Canon-La-Gaffelière Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
35% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is stylish, showing ripe but restrained cherry and berry fruits, with some nice structure in support. Has ripeness and texture with lovely purity, finishing long and fresh. 94/100
Château Cap de Mourlin Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
82% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Chalky and grainy with nice bright berry and cherry fruits as well as some raspberry. Has nice juiciness and focus, finishing with fine spices. Impressive. 93/100
Château La Couspaude Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This bright wine shows lovely freshness with chalky grainy structure supporting fresh red berry fruits. Really appealing and quite elegant in style. 94/100
Château La Dominique Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice grip to this wine which shows a concentration of ripe cherry and berry fruits. Polished, ripe and appealing with lots to like. 93/100
Clos Fourtet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc. Brightly aromatic this is a detailed, textured wine that has a good concentration of sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit. Stylish and appealing, and already approachable, but has structure for mid-term ageing. 93/100
Château Franc Mayne Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
100% Merlot Open and sweetly fruited with some appley, slightly oxidative notes in the background. Sweet fruit dominates, but I’m wary of the oxidative characters. 87/100
Château La Gaffelière Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
58% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Franc. Ripe, rich and generous with some spicy, cedary notes under the rich, dense berry and black cherry fruit. Has palate weight and richness. 92/100
Château Grand Mayne Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. Dense, concentrated and rich with stylish but prominent spicy oak and sweet blackcurrant fruit, showing a lot of impact. Perhaps a little made in the cellar, but will appeal to many. 92/100
Château Larcis Ducasse Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
86% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc. Very ripe and lush with sweet bold black fruits as well as a bit of structure, and also some spicy oak. Grainy and dense, and quite ripe. 90/100
Château Pavie Macquin Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
79% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lively and bright with vivid ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Polished but not over-done, showing a juicy finish and some spicy notes. Ripe and appealing. 92/100
Château La Tour Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc. Perfumed, bright raspberry fruit on the nose with lots of freshness. The palate is pure, linear, fresh and elegant with more of a red fruit character, well integrated oak, and nice texture. So vibrant and fresh, but also with textured fruit. 94/100
Château Troplong Mondot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
Stylish and focused with a core of sweet red cherry and blackberry fruit as well as nice structure and acidity. It’s very well balanced with everything in place. 94/100
Château TrotteVieille Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
54% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh and bright with nice structure under the balanced berry fruits. Nicely proportioned this is juicy and fresh but has some structure too. 92/100
Château Valandraud Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice structure to this wine, which combines well integrated oak with dense berry fruits, finishing with a gravelly, stony twist. Ambitious and a bit unfurled, but there’s a lot of wine here. 94/100
Château Villemaurine Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021
92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. Sweet, ripe berry fruits here with some fine spices and a twist of blackcurrant. Nice fruit here. 92/100
POMEROL
Château Beauregard Pomerol 2021
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Appealing, ripe, spicy nose with sweet black fruits. The palate is ripe, quite rich and structured with fresh cherry and berry fruits and a stony twist on the finish. 92/100
Château Le Bon Pasteur Pomerol 2021
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Nice density here with some coffee and cedar notes from the oak blending in fairly well with the ripe berry and blackcurrant fruit. Polished style. 91/100
Château La Cabanne Pomerol 2021
94% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Good balance, with some sweet, pure, fresh cherry and berry fruit and then a hint of spicy structure. Stylish in a mid-weight style. 92/100
Château Clinet Pomerol 2021
75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s nice density and structure here with some firmness under the sweet berry fruits. Has a bit of grip, and there’s some restraint to the fruit. Real potential for development. 94/100
Château La Croix de Gay Pomerol 2021
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Ripe berry fruits combine with some spicy structure and a twist of oak, and the overall effect is good, but this needs time to integrate. 92/100
Château Gazin Pomerol 2021
100% Merlot. Lush and concentrated with luxurious, rich blackberry fruit, showing great density. It’s ripe and full, and some will really love this forward style. 91/100
Château Le Gay Pomerol 2021
Ripe and open showing sweet blackberry fruit with some tarry, spicy detail, finishing plump and lush. 91/100
Château Petit-Village Pomerol 2021
75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Impressive with smooth, ripe cherry and berry fruits and appropriate oak, delivering a polished wine with real appeal, but which keeps a sense of balance. 93/100
Château La Pointe Pomerol 2021
82% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc. Sweetly aromatic nose leads to a bright open palate, with good acidity and a chalky texture to the blackcurrant fruit. Stylish and well balanced, with nice structure. 93/100
Château Rouget Pomerol 2021
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Open and sweetly fruited showing bright but lush blackberry and blackcurrant fruit with nice acidity. This is open already, and offers some immediate pleasure. 91/100
LISTRAC MÉDOC
Château Clarke Listrac-Médoc 2021
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite classic and really appealing with a chalky edge to the sweet blackcurrant fruit. Beautifully proportioned with ripe fruit. Lovely. 93/100
Château Fonréaud Listrac-Médoc 2021
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Fresh, bright, gravelly and with a slight twist of olive, this shows lovely fruit, and some chalky texture. 92/100
Château Fourcas Dupré Listrac-Médoc 2021
54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot. Cherries, plums and spice here with nice blackcurrant fruit and a bit of grip. Has good balance. 91/100
Château Fourcas Hosten Listrac-Médoc 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Nice aromatics. Palate is beautifully balanced with appealing ripe berry and blackcurrant fruit as well as some spiciness, and a gravelly twist to the finish. Very stylish and expressive. 94/100
MOULIS-EN-MÉDOC
Château Chasse-Spleen Moulis-en-Médoc 2021
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot. Dense, gravelly and nicely weighted in a classical style with lovely blackcurrant fruit. Has great balance. 94/100
Château Maucaillou Moulis-en-Médoc 2021
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot. Vibrant and lively with a hint of coffee and cedar from the oak supporting bright berry and blackcurrant fruit. Juicy and vivid. 92/100
Château Poujeaux Moulis-en-Médoc 2021
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Smoky notes on the nose as well as vivid, intense blackcurrant fruit, with good structure. Finishes firm. This might evolve in interesting ways. 92/100
HAUT MÉDOC
Château Beaumont Haut-Médoc 202
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot Supple and approachable with nice midweight bright blackcurrant fruit as well as good acidity. Fleshy and bright, with good purity. 91/100
Château Belgrave Haut-Médoc 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Open and fresh with cherry and plum fruit as well as a touch of blackcurrant. Fresh style with nice fruitiness. 91/100
Château de Camensac Haut-Médoc 2021
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot. Juicy, vivid and bright with nicely focused blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. Good balance here with a nice juicy finish. 91/100
Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Some nice green hints on the nose with well balanced, juicy, mid-weight berry and blackcurrant fruit. Has good acidity. 91/100
Château Citran Haut-Médoc 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Supple, midweight and juicy showing sweet berry and red cherry fruit. It’s open and expressive, and very drinkable in a classic style. 90/100
Château Coufran Haut-Médoc 2021
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Taut, compact, structured blackcurrant and berry fruits here. Compressed and slightly reduced, but should develop nicely. 92/100
Château La Lagune Haut-Médoc 2021
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Firm and structured with good acidity, showing some flesh to the berry and blackcurrant fruit, but finishing compact and firm. 92/100
Château de Lamarque Haut-Médoc 2021
30% Merlot, 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot. Fleshy with a touch of oak supporting the structured blackcurrant fruit. Has some grip here, with nice acidity. 91/100
Château La Tour de By Médoc 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Supple and quite classic with mid-weight blackcurrant and berry fruits together with a hint of oak and some nice structure. Very drinkable. 92/100
MARGAUX
Château Angludet Margaux 2021
23% Merlot, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petit Verdot. Ripe sweet berry fruits here with some lushness, a touch of liqueur-like richness, and a sweet finish. 90/100
Château Brane-Cantenac Margaux 2021
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenère, 1% Petit Verdot. Grippy and nicely structured with sweet plums, cherries and blackberries. Good structure with nice sweetness to the fruit. 92/100
Château Cantenac Brown Margaux 2021
73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot. This has good concentration with a core of sweet berries and blackberries as well as some spice and tar. Well balanced and appealing. 93/100
Château Dauzac Margaux 2021
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Lovely sleek, ripe blackcurrant fruit here with a nice core of fruit as well as some structure in the background. Fleshy and fun. 92/100
Château Desmirail Margaux 2021
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Nice weight here: sweet blackcurrant fruit with some spicy underpinning. Bright and lively, and quite approachable. 92/100
Château Giscours Margaux 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. Juicy and vivid with some brightness to the sweet berry fruits. There’s a briskness and focus to this wine. 91/100
Château Kirwan Margaux 2021
73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Vivid with keen acidity supporting the fresh blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. The fruit is sharply in focus and it has nice purity. 93/100
Château Labégorce Margaux 2021
Bright and linear with keen acidity supporting the juicy black fruits. Has some structure too. Very fresh. 92/100
Château Lascombes Margaux 2021
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Some oak evident on the nose, leading to a compact, unfurled palate with vivid black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Could go the distance: there’s plenty of stuffing here. 93/100
Château Marquis de Terme Margaux 2021
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Open sweet blackcurrant fruit nose, with nice aromatics. The palate is juicy with some olive and spice, as well as a bit of grip. Lovely fruit here. 94/100
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry Margaux 2021
49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Good structure and lovely fruit here. Quite compact, but there’s potential, with lovely blackcurrant fruit and fine supporting structure. 94/100
Château Prieuré-Lichine Margaux 2021
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Fresh, well balanced and showing good concentration: everything is nicely in place and there’s a core of sweet, balanced blackcurrant fruit. Very appealing. 93/100
Château Rauzan-Gassies Margaux 2021
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot. Nice bright blackcurrant fruit with some cherry notes, showing good balance and a sense of elegance. Classic and really nicely balanced. 94/100
Château Rauzan-Ségla Margaux 2021
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. This is juicy and bright with good purity and nice acidity sittinng under sweet blackcurrant and cherry fruit. Stylish. 93/100
Château Siran Margaux 2021
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Well structured with a slight savoury edge to the sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit. Has a compact form. 92/100
Château du Tertre Margaux 2021
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Alluring ripe blackcurrant fruit with a hint of olive and cured meat, as well as some nice spiciness. Has ripeness but also balance, and a lovely texture to the fruit. Nice density and structure here: impressive. 95/100
SAINT-JULIEN
Château Beychevelle Saint-Julien 2021
57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. This is really good: there’s some ripe sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit, nice texture, and then supporting structure. It’s plush and enjoyable, but there’s some seriousness here. 94/100
Château Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien 2021
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5.5% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc. Concentrated with nice structure and good acidity, showing a core of sweet blackcurrant fruit and then some gravelly, chalky texture. Very stylish and quite serious. 94/100
Château Gloria Saint-Julien 2021
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Firmly structured with good acidity, and a nice core of blackcurrant fruit. Substantial but still very fresh with nice purity. 93/100
Château Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien 2021
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. There’s a lovely chalky, gravelly underpinning to the ripe, sweet cherry and blackcurrant fruit with a nice acid line. Has nice flesh, and should be a good mid-term ager. 94/100
Château Lagrange Saint-Julien 2021
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. Great balance to this wine: fresh acidity keeping the sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit in focus, with some nice tannic structure. Lovely depth. 94/100
Château Langoa Barton Saint-Julien 2021
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Nicely aromatic. Bright, vivid palate with high acidity and some nice structure as well as pure red cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Vivid and with nice brightness and focus. 93/100
Château Léoville Barton Saint-Julien 2021
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Good density to this, but also lots of freshness, with pure, focused blackcurrant fruit and some fine tannins in support. It’s very youthful and primary, and also very bright. Lots of potential. 95/100
Château Léoville Poyferré Saint-Julien 2021
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. There’s some meatiness here, a touch of oak, and also some subtle oxidative hints. Shows appealing black fruits. 89/100
Château Saint-Pierre Saint-Julien 2021
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot. Nice concentration here: juicy and bright with cherries, plums and blackberries. Has good acidity. 90/100
Château Talbot Saint-Julien 2021
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Blackcurrant, blackberries and cherries, supported by some nice spicy notes. Has good density and a bit of flesh on the bones. Twist of briny olive on the finish. 93/100
PAUILLAC
Château Batailley Pauillac 2021
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Nice freshness and balance here with good acidity under the compact blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Stylish. 93/100
Château Clerc Milon Pauillac 2021
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Carmenère, 1.5% Petit Verdot. Ripe nose of sweet blackcurrants. The palate is fresh and linear with nice focused berry and cherry fruits. Classically styled and very good. 92/100
Château Croizet-Bages Pauillac 2021
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. Spicy savoury edge to the nose. Has some liqourice and cedar as well as fresh blackurrant fruit. Nice weight. 92/100
Château D’ Armailhac Pauillac 2021
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Juicy, stony and quite mineral with blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. Tight and compact. Nice balance. 91/100
Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac 2021
81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot. Supple and fresh with mid-weight cherry and plum fruit, some herby hints, and nice freshness. 90/100
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse Pauillac 2021
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot. Fresh, vivid and juicy with red fruits, some herbs, good acidity and a touch of sour cherry on the finish. 91/100
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac 2021
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. Taut, fine and linear with some gravelly structure under the fresh berry fruits. Very bright with good acidity and structure. Linear and juicy, more red fruits than black. 93/100
Château Haut-Batailley Pauillac 2021
Firm and structured showing bright blackcurrant and berry fruits with some spice on the finish. There’s some herbiness here. 92/100
Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac 2021
67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. There’s flesh here, with lovely sour cherry, plum and blackcurrant. Juicy but with some density to the fruit. Nice brightness and structure, finishing firm and fresh. 94/100
Château Lynch-Moussas Pauillac 2021
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot. Concentrated but also quite firm and fresh, with black cherry and blackcurrant fruit and nice acidity. 92/100
Château Pichon Baron Pauillac 2021
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot. Dense and structured with plenty of stuffing, showing intense blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with nice acidity. This is backward and unyielding, but it has the substance to age well in a classical style. 94/100
SAINT-ESTÈPHE
Château Cos Labory Saint-Estèphe 2021
33% Merlot, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot. Ripe, intense blackcurrant fruit here with freshness and structure. Lots of weight, but also beautifully fresh. Nice finesse. 93/100
Château Ormes De Pez Saint-Estèphe 2021
40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Superb balance: fresh and a bit lean, but in a nice way, with lovely focused black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Tannic and juicy with a nice bitterness on the finish. 93/100
Château Phélan Ségur Saint-Estèphe 2021
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Concentrated and focused with firm structure sitting under compact blackcurrant fruit, finishing with acid and tannin. I like this, even though it’s tending to austerity. 94/100
