100-Pointed Ornellaia 2023 Release

Every spring, as the Bordeaux campaign opens, the same question dominates collector conversations: Is this wine priced fairly?

It sounds simple. It isn't. En Primeur pricing is the result of several overlapping forces — vintage quality, market positioning, currency dynamics, critic influence, and commercial strategy — all operating simultaneously. Understanding how pricing works is the difference between buying with confidence and guessing.

 

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The starting point: vintage quality at barrel tasting

Pricing begins in April, when merchants, critics and négociants taste the new vintage from barrel. At this stage the wines are unfinished — blending decisions may not yet be finalised — but their fundamental character is already legible to an experienced taster. Structure, tannin quality, acidity, fruit concentration and balance all reveal themselves clearly enough to make a reasonable assessment of quality and ageing potential.

This assessment forms the commercial foundation for the entire campaign. A vintage that shows exceptional precision and depth at barrel tasting will be positioned differently — and priced differently — than one that shows competent but unexciting fruit. The châteaux know what the trade has tasted. They know what the early critical reactions are. Pricing follows from there.

What this means in practice: the first releases of the campaign, which tend to come from the most prominent Right Bank estates, function almost as pricing signals for everything that follows. Where Pétrus, Cheval Blanc and Angélus open the campaign sets an expectation — and the Médoc First Growths subsequently price relative to that context.

 

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How châteaux compare to back vintages

The single most important pricing variable — more than vintage quality itself — is how the new release compares to available back vintages of similar or higher quality.

Buyers are constantly running this calculation. If 2025 is being released at a price that makes 2019 look cheap on the secondary market, demand for 2025 will be selective. If 2025 is priced attractively relative to 2022 or 2023, it will move quickly. Châteaux understand this, and their commercial teams spend significant time modelling these comparisons before setting opening prices.

The 2019 vintage is the clearest recent illustration of this working well. Châteaux priced it realistically relative to 2018 — which had been well-received but felt expensive to some buyers — and the market responded with genuine enthusiasm. Demand was strong, allocations moved fast, and the vintage has appreciated meaningfully since bottling. The pricing decision reinforced the vintage's reputation rather than undermining it.

The 2022 vintage showed the opposite dynamic at the top end. Several First Growths and prominent Right Bank estates opened at prices that felt difficult to justify relative to 2019 and 2020 sitting on the secondary market. The market pushed back. Uptake was selective. Some wines were subsequently discounted through the négociant system. The lesson was noted — and visibly influenced how 2024 was approached, with meaningful price reductions across the top end.

 

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The role of critic scores

Critic scores don't determine pricing — châteaux set prices before most scores are published — but they have an enormous influence on demand once prices are announced.

The mechanism works like this: a château releases at a given price, early critic scores land within days, and the market either validates or questions the pricing. A First Growth that releases at €500 per bottle and receives near-universal 98–100 point scores will sell immediately regardless of whether the price feels high. The same wine with scores in the low-to-mid 90s will face a much more critical reception.

This is why the major critical voices — Robert Parker's successors at Wine Advocate, James Suckling, Jancis Robinson, Neal Martin — publish their notes as quickly as possible after tasting week. Speed matters. Early high scores create momentum; early equivocal notes create hesitation. Châteaux track this carefully, and estates that consistently receive high critical praise have considerably more pricing flexibility than those with uneven track records.

For collectors, the practical implication is this: in a campaign where a wine receives exceptional scores, the window between release and sell-out can be very short. Waiting for a second or third opinion before committing is a reasonable strategy for wines with average critical reception. For the most decorated wines in a celebrated vintage, hesitation costs you the allocation.

 

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Supply, scarcity and yield

Quantity available directly affects pricing power — but not always in the direction you might expect.

In low-yield vintages like 2025, where total Gironde production is estimated at around 15% below the five-year average, châteaux have a legitimate commercial argument for higher prices: there is simply less wine to sell. Whether they exercise that option is a separate question, and the market will determine whether it was wise.

The more nuanced version of this is appellation-level scarcity. Pomerol is always small. The Right Bank's top estates — Pétrus, Le Pin, Lafleur — produce quantities measured in hundreds of cases rather than thousands. For these wines, scarcity is a permanent condition rather than a vintage-specific one, which is why their pricing trajectory has been consistently upward over time regardless of campaign conditions.

On the Left Bank, where production volumes are larger, scarcity matters less at the château level and more at the allocation level. The question is not whether the wine exists — it's whether your merchant has an allocation, and how much of it is available to you.

 

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Currency and global demand

Bordeaux prices are set in euros, but demand is global. Currency movements create real-time arbitrage opportunities that shape which markets are most active in any given campaign.

When the dollar or pound is strong relative to the euro, Bordeaux becomes more attractively priced for US and UK buyers, and demand from those markets rises. When Asian currencies are performing well, demand from Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China increases. Châteaux are aware of these dynamics and factor them into timing and pricing decisions — there's little point releasing at a price point that feels expensive to your three largest buyer markets simultaneously.

The 2020 pandemic campaign, conducted remotely with critics tasting samples sent from Bordeaux, illustrated how global demand dynamics can support prices even in extraordinary circumstances. Buyers who had been locked down for months engaged actively with the campaign, demand was strong, and many wines performed better than expected given the context.

 

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The négociant system and release tranches

Bordeaux doesn't release En Primeur all at once. The campaign runs over six to eight weeks in tranches, and the sequencing is deliberate.

Early releases — typically from prominent Right Bank estates and some Médoc second labels — test market appetite and establish a pricing reference point. If early releases sell strongly, subsequent châteaux gain confidence to hold or increase their pricing. If early releases are met with hesitation, later-releasing estates tend to be more conservative.

The négociant layer adds another dimension. Fine Wine Library buys through La Place de Bordeaux — the established system of Bordeaux négociants who act as intermediaries between châteaux and international merchants. Négociants take a margin, merchants take a margin, and the price you pay reflects both. The advantage of this system is transparency: La Place pricing is consistent across the market, and the provenance chain from château to bonded warehouse is clear and documented.

 

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What "fair pricing" actually means

After all of this, how do you assess whether a wine is priced fairly?

The most reliable framework is comparative: how does this wine's release price compare to the same château's previous vintages, currently available on the secondary market? If 2025 Léoville-Las Cases is releasing at a price significantly above 2019 Léoville-Las Cases — a vintage with outstanding critical scores, now bottled and fully assessed — you need a compelling reason to prefer the futures. If it's releasing at a discount or at parity, the En Primeur proposition becomes much more interesting.

The second test is scarcity: will this wine be widely available after bottling, or does the estate produce in quantities that make it genuinely difficult to find? For wines with tight allocations and consistent demand — the Pomerol grands vins, certain Pessac-Léognan estates, the cult Right Bank producers — En Primeur pricing is almost always competitive with what you'll pay later, because "later" often means the secondary market at a significant premium.

The third test is quality relative to price tier. En Primeur is not only a First Growth game. Some of the most compelling value in any campaign comes from classified growths — Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth — that have outperformed their classification in a particular vintage but whose pricing hasn't caught up with their quality. The 2025 campaign, like every campaign, will have wines that punch significantly above their price point. Finding them is what separates opportunistic cellar building from simply collecting names.

 

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Ready to buy Bordeaux 2025 En Primeur? Browse our current allocations →

New to En Primeur? Read our complete guide to how it works →

For those that don't know, there are 3 top names in Ribera. Vega Sicilia, Pinugs and Dominio del Aguila.

 

96 Points - Tim Atkin MW

"Floral and elegant, partly because of the 100mm of rain in September, it's a focused, comparatively forward red with bramble, red cherry and blackberry fruit, scented oak spices, a hint of rocket and a refined, tapering finish"

 

95 Points - Wine Advocate

"It matured in barrel and oak vats during the first year, and in the second one, it aged exclusively in oak vats of different sizes, 8,500 and 21,000 liters. In 2020, the wine is finer-boned, more fluid and only medium-bodied, perhaps because of the dilution from the rain; the tannins are fine-grained and polished, but there's less juiciness in the wine. It calls for food. With time in the glass, the wine opens up and becomes more aromatic, and it even seems to gain juiciness and change texture"

 

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Few names in the world of wine command the reverence of Vega Sicilia. Widely seen as Spain’s “First Growth,” it helped define Ribera del Duero’s global reputation, blending Bordeaux techniques with Spanish terroir to produce age-worthy, iconic wines. Tradition, patience, and precision remain the pillars of this legendary estate.

Valbuena 5° is the purest expression of Tinto Fino at Vega Sicilia, drawn from estate vineyards set on limestone and alluvial soils near the Duero River. Aged over five years across oak, vats and bottle, it balances structure with finesse. The 2020 highlights the estate’s precision, delivering a refined and expressive style that favours clarity, detail and elegance, while retaining the depth and ageing capacity that define Vega Sicilia.

The 2020 Valbuena 5° is a beautifully composed wine, shaped by careful selection and thoughtful winemaking. A blend of 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Merlot, it reveals blackcurrant, cedar and balsamic notes, layered with herbs, tea and dark chocolate. Medium-bodied and polished, with fine tannins and integrated oak, it opens gracefully in the glass, offering purity, balance and the promise of long, elegant ageing.

We have some beautiful cases of 3x75cl available this week at a great price.

 

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Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2020 3x75cl

3x75cl Cases

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97 Points | Jeb Dunnuck, Virginie Boone
The 2020 Valbuena 5° ages five years in oak and bottle, which gives it its name. Harvest was challenging due to Covid and rain, requiring due diligence in the field and a faster, earlier harvest than anticipated, the grapes coming from the Vega Sicilia estate’s vines with about 35 years of age. It’s an ethereal, medium-bodied wine of lovely delicacy and elegance, 97% Tempranillo blended with 3% Merlot, then aged 12 months in French and American oak, six months in stainless steel and then 18 months in bottle. Blackcurrant, cedar, and balsamic highlight a citrusy freshness. It will hit its prime in five years and age another 20-25.

96 Points | Decanter
Produced with a selection form the more ethereal parcels that don't deliver the power sought for Unico, Valbuena 5º is however much more than a younger sibling of the iconic wine. The 2020 vintage, a child of a challenging growing season, both due to natural and operational challenges (remember Covid?...), it is a great achievement of nuanced power and detailed complexity, with a luscious fruit core lined with oregano, dried sage and thyme. Dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans build a broody background layer while Assam and Oolong tea leaves add umami depth. Beautiful detail and depth to the tannins.

96 Points | Tim Atkin MW
The 2020 Valbuena all comes from the Vega Sicilia estate and is a blend of Tinto Fino and 3% Merlot from vines close to the river. Gonzalo Iturriaga uses 70% new wood here, 15% of it American, but then switches to older foudres. Floral and elegant, partly because of the 100mm of rain in September, it's a focused, comparatively forward red with bramble, red cherry and blackberry fruit, scented oak spices, a hint of rocket and a refined, tapering finish.

95 Points | Wine Advocate, Luis Gutiérrez
The 2020 Valbuena is from a year marked by COVID-19 and lots of rain before the harvest, which resulted in a more ethereal wine, with 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.9 and 4.45 grams of acidity. It was produced with 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Merlot, cooled down for 24 hours and then fermented with indigenous yeasts from a pied de cuve in stainless steel. It matured in barrel and oak vats during the first year, and in the second one, it aged exclusively in oak vats of different sizes, 8,500 and 21,000 liters. In 2020, the wine is finer-boned, more fluid and only medium-bodied, perhaps because of the dilution from the rain; the tannins are fine-grained and polished, but there's less juiciness in the wine. It calls for food. With time in the glass, the wine opens up and becomes more aromatic, and it even seems to gain juiciness and change texture. This is a production of 186,286 bottles, 5,673 magnums and some larger formats. It was bottled in May 2023.

95 Points | Vinous
The 2020 Valbuena 5º is Tinta del País from Ribera del Duero. Balsamic and herbal aromas mingle with forest, red fruit, cherry, violet and a hint of apple peel on the nose. The palate is intense, with a velvety texture, moderate concentration and enveloping flow. Chalky tannins and a touch of creaminess define the structure. Ample and richly flavored, with subtle oak in the background. A fine example of elegant Ribera.

 

View all wines from Vega Sicilia

2021 Talenti Brunello -  top vintage and great value

“Talenti remains one of the best values in age-worthy Brunello in the market”

- Eric Guido, Vinous on the 2016s

“In many cases, the 2021 vintage yielded fantastic Brunellos that run neck and neck with, or even surpass, the single-vineyard and selection wines. This is a significant benefit for readers seeking value. The Talenti winery fits comfortably into this category. The Talenti Brunello di Montalcino is often a standout for its fantastic balance and longevity. Winemaker Riccardo Talenti tends parcels that stretch from the southern hill leading toward Sant’Angelo in Cole across the Strada di Sesta and down to the deepest reaches of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. His wines are harmonious throughout and age remarkably well”

- “Eric Guido, November 2025

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Perched on the southern slopes of Montalcino, Talenti has quietly become one of the region’s most consistent and respected estates. Founded in the 1980s and now led by Riccardo Talenti, the winery farms a mosaic of vineyards across different altitudes and exposures. This diversity of terroir, combined with precise, measured winemaking, results in wines that balance richness with clarity, always rooted in place.

Talenti Brunello di Montalcino is a classical expression of Sangiovese, shaped by the estate’s varied soils of clay, sand and limestone. Fermented with care and aged in large oak casks, the wines emphasise purity over excess. Red cherry, dried herbs and subtle spice define the profile, supported by firm yet refined tannins and a freshness that reflects the estate’s elevated sites and thoughtful vineyard work.

The 2021 Brunello is a standout, capturing a near-perfect growing season. Warm, even conditions delivered ripe, concentrated fruit, while cool nights preserved aromatic lift and structure. The wine shows vibrant cherry, wild strawberry and hints of tobacco and earth, layered with fine tannins and bright acidity. Precise, energetic and built for ageing, this is Talenti at its most complete.

This week we have a small parcel available at €38.50* In Bond per bottle, which Vinous scored 95-Points.

Coming from a top vintage, a fantastic producer and at a great price, Talenti Brunello offers exceptional value for classic, terroir-driven Brunello and is well worth securing for the cellar.

 

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Talenti Brunello di Montalcino 2021

€38.50* In Bond per bottle

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95 Points | Vinous

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is darkly perfumed, evolving with nuances of dried rose, sage, cedar shavings and balsamic-tinged black cherries. It is beautifully balanced with silken depths of ripe red and blue fruits elevated by cooling acidity and a slightly spicy twang toward the close. The sweetest tannins imaginable frame the finish as this tapers off structured and long yet still perfumed and pleasurable. There's a lovely harmony here that keeps me coming back to the glass, even as the 2021 requires extensive cellaring.

93 Points | Jeb Dunnuck, Audrey Frick

Pouring a youthful red color, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is perfumed and expressive on the nose, with notes of crushed roses, pomegranate, sweet Mediterranean herbs, and fresh leather. The palate is medium-bodied, refreshing, and a total pleasure, with fine tannins and outstanding balance. It’s a delightful Brunello that offers plenty already, yet it should have no trouble aging for a decade or more. Drink 2026-2040.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from Talenti.

It is clear from the in-bottle scores that are coming out that 2023 is a Sauternes vintage.

 

One estate that stood out was Chateau Suduiraut which Galloni just awarded a 100-Points. It's no fluke either, solid scores from all publications including a 98+ Points score from the Wine Advocate which is their joint highest ever score.One of the greatest Sauternes of the vintage, 100-Points, a wine that will drink to 2070 and at the original release price of €50.40* IB per bottle. It just makes a lot of sense to me as a deal to good to pass up.

 

100 Points - Antonio Galloni 

 "The 2023 Suduiraut is a model of modern Sauternes. Orange peel, burnt sugar, crème-brûlée, tangerine peel, and wild flowers inform a Sauternes of total finesse and silkiness. [...]Everything about the 2023 is perfectly judged. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or cellared for decades. The 2023 is a timeless wine that is among the most notable successes of the year."

 

98+ Points - Wine Advocate 

 "the 2023 Suduiraut is exquisite, unfurling from the glass with aromas of pineapple, exotic fruits, spices, honey, ripe orchard fruits and a touch of menthol. Medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and deep, it is layered and finely textured, built around a powerful yet perfectly controlled core of fruit, concluding with a long, fresh and perfumed finish. Entirely crafted from Sémillon"

 

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Chateau Suduiraut, a Premier Cru Classé in Sauternes, sits on gravelly, sandy soils that favour exceptional botrytised wines. The estate balances tradition with precision viticulture. Careful canopy management and selective harvesting encourage noble rot, while ageing in oak brings depth. The wines combine richness with freshness, shaped by the unique microclimate of the Ciron and Garonne rivers.

The 2023 vintage is marked by clarity and rhythm. A humid spring required vigilance in the vineyard, before stable warmth guided even ripening through the season. Botrytis arrived early and clean, followed by a long, dry window that allowed estates to pick with patience, concentrating sugars and extract while retaining enough freshness to carry the wines.

In the glass, the 2023 Suduiraut is both expressive and composed. Layers of apricot, saffron and candied citrus unfold into a palate shaped by careful selection over multiple passes. Fermentation and ageing in French oak bring texture and gentle spice, while the estate’s gravel soils lend focus, framing a wine that is generous yet finely structured.

We have some 75cl bottles & 37.50cl half bottles on the website, depending on how you want it. 

 

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Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes 2023

75cl Bottles:

€50.40 In Bond per bottle
€61.78 inc NL VAT per bottle

Loose bottles and 6x75cl 

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37.50cl Bottles:

There is a small premium for half bottles as the glass is more expensive.

€26.50 In Bond per half bottle
€32.46 inc NL VAT per half bottle

Loose half bottles and 12x37.50cl

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100 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni
The 2023 Suduiraut is a model of modern Sauternes. Orange peel, burnt sugar, crème-brûlée, tangerine peel, and wild flowers inform a Sauternes of total finesse and silkiness. Yields were a measly 12 hectoliters per hectare. The 150 grams of residual sugar are not especially evident. Everything about the 2023 is perfectly judged. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or cellared for decades. The 2023 is a timeless wine that is among the most notable successes of the year.

98+ Points | Wine Advocate
With 150 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2023 Suduiraut is exquisite, unfurling from the glass with aromas of pineapple, exotic fruits, spices, honey, ripe orchard fruits and a touch of menthol. Medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and deep, it is layered and finely textured, built around a powerful yet perfectly controlled core of fruit, concluding with a long, fresh and perfumed finish. Entirely crafted from Sémillon, it registers a pH of 3.8.

96-99 Points | Jeb Dunnuck
Killer juice, the 2023 Château Suduiraut has a drop-dead gorgeous nose of honeyed orange, white flowers, warm croissant, and spice. This carries to a full-bodied Sauternes with a round, layered mouthfeel, terrific sweetness of fruit, and bright acidity.

97 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin
The 2023 Suduiraut is a knockout Sauternes for the vintage. Very pure on the nose with wild honey, apricot and touches of lychee, this is packed with botrytised fruit. The palate has just the right amount of viscosity without overloading in terms of weight, making this relatively easier drinking compared to other vintages. Irresistible. 150 g/L residual sugar.

97 Points | Decanter
A top-notch Sauternes this vintage, with both exuberance and finesse in vivid - and clean - aromas and flavours of pear, apricot, pineapple, mango, mandarin peel and ginger, cinnamon and bergamot tea. The palate combines opulence with the fine acidity of the 2023 vintage, as the estate handled the late summer heat wave and went through the vineyard three times, to be sure to get the best botrytis. Long finish, and potential for higher score once bottled. Ageing in 50% new oak for about 18 months. 150 grams of residual sugar.

 

View all wines from Suduiraut

2019 Latour - Do not miss:

Latour 2016 was released last year at €615 In Bond per bottle, making the 2019 release at €540 IB particularly compelling at roughly a 12.9% saving.

 

100-Point - Jeb Dunnuck
“Classic Pauillac darker currants, smoky tobacco, spicy wood, damp earth, and graphite all define the 2019 Château Latour, a ripe and approachable Latour that has more accessibility than many vintages while still possessing quintessential Latour character and depth”

 

100 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle
"To me this is how a great Pauillac can taste, serious, deep, classic Cabernet markers, lots of minerality in the flint and stoney aspects, strong tannins and a powerful, muscular structure with minty sides. An amazing Pauillac, this is really my style. Still so full of concentration and life, this will last forever."

 

100 Points | The Wine Palate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

"The 2019 Latour is deep garnet in color. It rockets out of the glass with powerful notes of boysenberry preserves, juicy plums, and crème de cassis, followed by hints of dark chocolate, licorice, tar, and crushed rocks. The medium to full bodied palate is rich with juicy black fruit layers, supported by velvety tannins and bold freshness, finishing epically long and flamboyantly spicy."

 

99+ Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

"The 2019 Latour is a profound wine in the making, and it will surely emerge as one of the most long-lived wines of the vintage, as well as one of the greatest"

 

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Few names in Bordeaux command the reverence of Chateau Latour. Located at the southern edge of Pauillac, its vineyards sit on deep gravel mounds overlooking the Gironde, with clay beneath that retains vital moisture in warm vintages. This exceptional terroir favours Cabernet Sauvignon, producing wines of remarkable power, structure and longevity that have defined First Growth excellence for centuries.

The 2019 Bordeaux vintage is widely regarded as one of the modern era’s finest, combining ripeness, freshness and precision across both banks. By this stage, Chateau Latour had already left the en primeur system, choosing instead to release wines only when they are ready. This shift allows the estate greater control over timing and quality, reinforcing its long-term focus on ageing potential.

The 2019 Chateau Latour is a monumental Pauillac built on 92.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of cassis, graphite, tobacco and crushed stone unfold into a layered palate of dark fruit, velvety tannins and remarkable freshness. Both powerful and refined, it carries the unmistakable depth of Latour. With multiple 100-point scores, this is a profound wine destined to evolve for decades.

 

Price Comparison of top vintages scores by the WA:

Today sees the release and we have cases of 1x75cl OWC and 3x75cl OWC available at €540 In Bond per bottle.

Latour is rarely available on release, and demand will be intense. Collectors would be wise to secure their cases early.

 

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Latour 2019

€540* In Bond per bottle

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100 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Classic Pauillac darker currants, smoky tobacco, spicy wood, damp earth, and graphite all define the 2019 Château Latour, a ripe and approachable Latour that has more accessibility than many vintages while still possessing quintessential Latour character and depth. Blended from 92.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and aged 18 months in new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied with a round, layered mouthfeel, beautiful, almost velvety tannins, and a tremendous finish. I'd happily drink a bottle today (don't tell anyone), yet it's going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 50 years or more in fine form. Drink 2031-2081.

100 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle
Dark blackcurrants with smokey tobacco, liquorice and slate. Cool straight away, fresh but so perfectly mouthfilling, not sweet like 2020, this is more cooling and fresh, blue fruit, black cherry, fleshy like fruit skin texture. Dark, I love the 2019s because they're more controlled and serious but so nuanced. To me this is how a great Pauillac can taste, serious, deep, classic Cabernet markers, lots of minerality in the flint and stoney aspects, strong tannins and a powerful, muscular structure with minty sides. An amazing Pauillac, this is really my style. Still so full of concentration and life, this will last forever.

100 Points | The Wine Palate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2019 Latour is deep garnet in color. It rockets out of the glass with powerful notes of boysenberry preserves, juicy plums, and crème de cassis, followed by hints of dark chocolate, licorice, tar, and crushed rocks. The medium to full bodied palate is rich with juicy black fruit layers, supported by velvety tannins and bold freshness, finishing epically long and flamboyantly spicy.

100 Points | Falstaff

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the edge. Delicate floral nuances of candied violets, fresh blackberry confit, fine herbal savouriness, a hint of old wood, candied orange zest. Juicy, fruit texture, ripe cherries and plums, firm tannins, finely structured, pleasant nougat note in the finish. Mineral and fresh, salty finish, already shows great length, will only benefit from further bottle ageing; great future. (2030-2070).

99+ Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

The 2019 Latour is a profound wine in the making, and it will surely emerge as one of the most long-lived wines of the vintage, as well as one of the greatest. Unwinding in the glass with scents of rich cassis fruit, English walnuts, cigar wrapper, black truffle, loamy soil and violets, it’s full-bodied, layered and muscular, with huge depth at the core, ripe tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, seemingly interminable finish. Checking in at 14.1% alcohol, this prodigious Latour will require two decades to hit its stride, but it will be more than worth the wait.

99 Points | Jane Anson

By turns powerful and extremely subtle, the 2019 vintage at Latour highlights the resculpting and evolution of this 1st Growth over the past decade. Nuanced aromatics of peony, gunsmoke and campfire. Things take their time in the glass, with waves of charcoal, slate and black truffle weaving through supple blackcurrant, raspberry and mulberry fruits. Sappy acidities let light through to the muscular, take-no-prisoners, tannins. Clever winemaking, expansive yet concentrated, with hidden power and depths that will need a good decade before opening up and yet already seductive. Delivers on it En Primeur promise. 36% of overall production. 100% new oak. Overall yield of just under 45hl/h, unusual as the average yield at Latour is closer to 35hl/h, largely due to old vines and the powerful clay that sits under the gravel here.

98 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

The 2019 Latour is every bit as impressive as it has always been. Silky and caressing on the palate, with exceptional balance, the 2019 has so much going on. Dark red fruit, new leather, spice and a kick of blood orange are some of the notes that build in the glass, but ultimately the 2019 impresses most with its textural finesse. There was a bit of rain during harvest, but that does not appear to have been much of an issue. The 2019 is a quintessentially modern Latour, a wine that deftly marries power with elegance. Yields came in at 45 hectoliters per hectare, quite a bit higher than the long-term average of 34 hectoliters per hectare.

98 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin

The 2019 Latour has a discrete nose that unfurls gradually, taut and fresh, with touches of graphite and cedar. This just wants to underplay everything. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit framed by fine tannins. Very precise though it feels as if it is closing down on the finish. Yet there is clearly a very long aftertaste. A really cerebral Left Bank for long-term consideration. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from Latour.

Beau-Sejour Becot 2022

If your palate matches Galloni’s, you’ll be wanting this bargain in your cellar.

100 Points - Antonio Galloni

“The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot is a total stunner. What a wine! The 2022 was magnificent en primeur, and it is all that from bottle. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Crushed rose petal, mint, blood orange, new leather and cedar meld into a core of pliant red-toned fruit. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine's precision and finesse. I have never tasted a Beau-Séjour Bécot like this.

 

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Perched atop Saint-Émilion’s prized limestone plateau, Beau-Séjour Bécot has risen to the top tier of Right Bank estates. This Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate is family-owned and run with thoughtful precision, producing wines of remarkable purity, minerality, and poise. With Cabernet Franc increasingly playing a leading role, the wines show fine tannins, lifted aromatics, and tension. Recent vintages have drawn high praise, confirming Beau-Séjour Bécot’s place among Bordeaux’s most exciting properties.

The 2022 beautifully captures both the estate’s terroir and the character of the vintage. Ripe Merlot brings depth and generosity, while Cabernet Franc adds aromatic lift and structure. Beneath the polished fruit lies the signature limestone freshness that defines the plateau, giving energy and precision. It is a refined, mineral-driven Saint Emilion with fine tannins and impressive ageing potential.

The critics have responded emphatically. With huge scores across the board, the 2022 is widely seen as one of the estate’s greatest modern releases. Even William Kelley, rarely generous with praise, wrote that it is a Saint Emilion of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will reward those who seek it out.

For a perfect 100-Point Right Bank wine, the price of €75* In Bond per bottle feels remarkably compelling compared with its peers. Fans of Saint Emilion and the Right Bank should not hesitate.

 

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Beau-Sejour Becot 2022

€75* In Bond per bottle

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100 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot is a total stunner. What a wine! The 2022 was magnificent en primeur, and it is all that from bottle. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Crushed rose petal, mint, blood orange, new leather and cedar meld into a core of pliant red-toned fruit. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine's precision and finesse. I have never tasted a Beau-Séjour Bécot like this.

99 Points | The Wine Cellar Insider, Jeff Leve

The bouquet of red and purple flowers stands out in the nose before you get to the sweet, red, black and blue fruits, licorice and spice. On the palate the wine is incredibly dense, sensuous, opulent and deep. Yet, with all the concentration, the wine is weightless, and effortless to drink. On the mid-palate, the waves of fruits keep coming as they coat your palate. The purity in the fruit, the energy, length, balance, and complexity is at a new level here. The seamless finish, with its ocean of berries, topped by a salty, crushed stones hits the 60 second mark. The best part of the experience is the velvet-drenched-texture that needs to be experienced. The wine blends 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5%, ABV, 3.55 pH. The harvest took place, September 5 - September 26. Yields were 33 hectoliters per hectare. Make no mistake, this is the best wine ever produced at Beau-Sejour Becot. Drink from 2027-2060.

98 Points | Jeb Dunnuck, Jeff Leve

Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is flat-out sensational, as well as the finest wine I’ve tasted from this château. Powerful aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits as well as crushed stone and violets define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, has integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. Based on 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this heavenly Saint-Emilion will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and have 30 years or more of overall longevity. Back up the truck.

97 Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of sweet wild berries mingled with rose petals, orange zest, violets, gentian and espresso roast, it's full-bodied, supple and suave, with a deep core of cool, layered fruit, beautifully vibrant flavors and polished structuring tannins, concluding with a saline finish. As I wrote when I tasted it from barrel, this is a Saint-Émilion of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will be worth a special effort to seek out.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all vintages of Beau-Sejour Becot. 

Dog Point Chardonnay 2023

96 Points - Wine Advocate

“This is overwhelming "white" in character, and I love it. The saline, mineral aspect of it is highly attractive to me, and as it unfolds like an origami paper crane through the finish, it shows precision and finesse in equal measure. While 2022 may have been a challenging vintage in the vineyard, they saw none of that it in the 2023 season. This is sapid and penetrating in its quiet way. Wow."

 

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New Zealand Chardonnay is quietly entering a golden era. Cool climates and long growing seasons deliver ripe fruit at modest alcohol, preserving natural acidity and energy. Winemakers now favour restrained oak, wild fermentations and single vineyard expressions, producing wines of texture, minerality and precision. With outstanding quality and remarkable value compared with Burgundy or California, it remains one of the world’s most exciting Chardonnay frontiers.

Dog Point Vineyard is one of Marlborough’s most respected estates, founded by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, former pioneers at Cloudy Bay. Farmed organically and focused on low yields, the estate produces wines of precision and authenticity. Old vines, careful hand harvesting and minimal intervention in the cellar define the style, delivering expressive wines that capture Marlborough’s maritime freshness and distinctive soils.

The 2023 Dog Point Chardonnay is a tightly wound, mineral-driven expression of Marlborough. White flowers, crushed shells and flint lead into lemon, pear and subtle brioche notes. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in French oak, it balances ripe fruit with saline tension and bright acidity. Scoring up to 96 points, it is precise, textured and remarkably compelling value.

This week, we have a small parcel available at an excellent price. For those curious about the rise of New Zealand Chardonnay, this is a brilliant place to start.

 

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Dog Point Chardonnay 2023

€26.50* In Bond per bottle

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96 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2023 Chardonnay is incredibly tightly coiled and mineral on the nose, with white flowers, crushed shells, wet chalk and white pepper. This is overwhelming "white" in character, and I love it. The saline, mineral aspect of it is highly attractive to me, and as it unfolds like an origami paper crane through the finish, it shows precision and finesse in equal measure. While 2022 may have been a challenging vintage in the vineyard, they saw none of that it in the 2023 season. This is sapid and penetrating in its quiet way. Wow. Sealed under screw cap.

95 Points | Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy, Jane Skilton MW

5-Star Wine. Flint and gunsmoke adds complexity to the red apple and pear fruit.There is a powdery pithy grip to the palate which is realy lovely and works to offset the ripe fruit flavours. Long and precise, there is plenty of flavour here and whilst it is a bold wine, it retains a very charming sense of place. Alcohol 13.50%. Drink from 2025-2032.

95 Points | James Suckling

A precise, driven and vibrant chardonnay with aromas of lemons, sweet spices, flint and brioche. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. So focused, with plenty of drive and patina on the palate. Succulent and tactile, with a long, bright finish. Good value. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from New Zealand.

Clos Saint Jean 2022s

“This is another brilliant lineup from the Maurel brothers, who continue to produce some of the greatest wines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Following the passing of consultant Philippe Cambie in 2021, the estate has continued to fire on all cylinders”

“As I’ve written in the past, Clos Saint Jean is at the top of their game and producing some of the most singular, hedonistic and brilliant wines in the world”

- Jeb Dunnuck

 

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Clos Saint Jean has become one of Chateauneuf du Pape’s most recognisable names since Vincent and Pascal Maurel took charge of the family estate in 2002. Working with the late consultant Philippe Cambie, they refined a house style defined by richness and expressive fruit. From 48 hectares of galets roulés and sandy soils around the famed La Crau plateau, the wines combine power, warmth and remarkable consistency across vintages.

The estate is particularly known for its trio of flagship cuvees, La Combe des Fous, Deus Ex Machina and Sanctus Sanctorum, which helped cement its reputation among the appellation’s elite. While unmistakably generous in style, the wines remain rooted in terroir, capturing the warmth, wild herbs and stony power that define the best sites of Chateauneuf du Pape.

La Combe des Fous draws fruit from the stony terraces of Chateauneuf du Pape, where galets roulés store heat and help Grenache reach full ripeness. Built mainly on old vine Grenache with Syrah and southern Rhone varieties, it offers kirsch, wild strawberry, rose petals and garrigue. Velvety tannins frame a rich yet lifted palate of depth and balance.

Deus Ex Machina is sourced largely from parcels on the famed La Crau plateau, one of the most revered terroirs in Chateauneuf du Pape. Here, deep galets roulés sit over red clay, storing heat and helping Grenache and Mourvedre achieve profound ripeness and structure. The 2022 shows black cherry, cassis, sandalwood and cured meat with striking intensity. Full bodied and deeply layered, it carries ripe tannins, mineral depth and immense concentration through a long, powerful finish built for long ageing.

Today, we have a small selection of 75cl and 150cl of the highly esteemed 2022 vintage. Both cuvees come with fantastic scores from both Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous.

Rhone fans, especially those who prefer a nice amount of Grenache in their blends, don’t miss these.

 

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Clos Saint Jean CNDP La Combe des Fous 2022

€65* In Bond per bottle

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We also have maguns at €145* IB - BUY

96 Points | Vinous

The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous is not to be missed. Hauntingly floral, it launches with radiant orange blossom, rose petal and crushed violets, mingling with wild strawberries, incense and garrigue. Gently enveloped in velvety tannins, the 2022 is a seductive and explosive La Combe des Fous. It packs spot-on balance and cruises at the same high altitude as the brilliant 2019.

96 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Kirsch liqueur, darker berries, new leather, ground pepper, and sweet garrigue all shine in the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Combes Des Fous, which shows the pure, focused, more elegant style of the vintage. It’s full-bodied, with ripe, polished tannins, flawless balance, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish.

 

Clos Saint Jean CNDP Deus ex Machina 2022

€65* In Bond per bottle

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We also have maguns at €155* IB - BUY

97 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Lastly, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina shows a similar profile to the Combes des Fous, yet it brings another level of tannins and concentration. Kirsch liqueur, white flowers, sandalwood, cured meats, and graphite notes all shine here, and it's full-bodied, has a deep, layered, powerful, yet weightless profile, lots of ripe tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. This ripe, sexy, seamless, incredibly impressive beauty will compete with anything in the vintage. As usual, this cuvée is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, which is brought up in roughly 40% new demi-muids.

96 Points | Vinous

Powerful and nuanced, the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina unwinds with prominent black cherry compote, melted licorice, crème de cassis, black tea and clove. Anchored by a firm tannic core, the full-bodied 2022 is a bold and ambitious Deus Ex Machina, closing with utter persistence on the refined finale. As usual, this is one for the hedonists.

 

View all wines from Clos Saint Jean.

d’Yquem 2023 - Hot New Release:

100 Points - Wine Advocate

“With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction."

100 Points - Jane Anson

“Power, freshness, depth, after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional, mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish”

100 Points - James Suckling

“Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. […] I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever.

 

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Chateau d’Yquem stands alone as the world’s greatest sweet wine. The only estate classified as Premier Cru Superieur in 1855, it has defined Sauternes for centuries. From gravelly soils overlooking the Ciron and Garonne rivers, morning mists encourage noble rot, concentrating sugars and flavour. Meticulous selection through multiple harvest passes creates a wine of extraordinary richness, balance and longevity.

The 2023 Sauternes vintage unfolded with remarkable harmony. After a humid spring demanded careful vineyard work, steady warmth allowed grapes to ripen gradually. Early botrytis developed cleanly, followed by nearly a month of dry conditions that concentrated berries slowly and evenly. The finest wines show layered richness balanced by freshness, built on density and patience, with structure designed for long ageing.

The 2023 Chateau d’Yquem ranks among the estate’s most profound modern vintages. With around 153 grams of residual sugar, concentration is immense, yet the wine remains vibrant and precise. Aromas of pineapple, mango, confit citrus and beeswax lead into a dense yet crystalline palate, framed by freshness and tension. Monumental in scale yet perfectly controlled, it promises decades of evolution.

 

Score Analysis of d’Yquem:

In the past 23 vintages, the Wine Advocate has awarded a perfect 100-point score to only three releases of Chateau d’Yquem: the exceptional 2001, 2009 and now the newly rated 2023.

 

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Chateau d'Yquem 2023

 

€300 In Bond per bottle

€150 In Bond per half bottle

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100 Points | Wine Advocate, Yohan Castaing

With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction. It unfurls from the glass with a complex, vibrant and remarkably pure bouquet of pineapple, guava, mango, confit citrus, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it combines formidable depth with perfectly judged control, built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by lively acidity and a crystalline texture and culminating in an endless, refined and ethereal finish. Yquem’s natural power is here masterfully harnessed by the vintage’s freshness and tension, revealing an aesthetic of precision and vibrancy encountered only in the estate’s greatest years—made all the more remarkable by the fact that the château now achieves even higher levels of concentration than a decade ago, without any perceptible increase in sweetness on the palate.

100 Points | James Suckling

Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. Full-bodied but weightless and silky, with an excellent balance of fruit, sweetness and spices. Some peanut brittle, dried oranges and lemons at the end. I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever. 154 g/L residual sugar. Drink or hold.

100 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Power, freshness, depth, after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional, mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish. The botrytis came early and quickly in 2023. Francis Mayeur in final vintage as consultant, after many years as inhouse winemaking team, Lorenzo Pasquini director. 154g/l residual sugar, 3.85ph, harvest September 14 to October 11.\

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from d'Yquem.