Best Vintages of Chateau Latour to Buy

In September 2012, Frédéric Engerer — then president of Chateau Latour — announced that the estate would no longer participate in the Bordeaux En Primeur system. It was, at the time, the most significant departure from Bordeaux convention in living memory.

No other First Growth had done it. No estate of comparable standing had done it. And yet Latour, one of the five most important properties in the world, walked away from the system that had defined how Bordeaux is sold for the better part of a century.

More than a decade on, it is worth understanding exactly why they did it, what the decision changed, and why — for serious collectors — it has arguably strengthened Latour's position rather than weakened it.

---

What En Primeur Actually Is

En Primeur is the system by which Bordeaux châteaux release wines for sale approximately eighteen months after harvest, before they have been bottled. Buyers pay at the point of release and wait, sometimes for several years, for the wine to arrive. Merchants like Fine Wine Library buy allocations through La Place de Bordeaux and pass them to collectors.

The appeal for châteaux has historically been clear: guaranteed cashflow early in the wine's life, broad market exposure, and a way to distribute wine across a global network of merchants before a single bottle has been filled.

The appeal for collectors has also been real: access to the finest wines at the earliest prices, the widest selection of formats, and the security of a guaranteed allocation.

But the system has an inherent tension built into it. The wine being sold is a barrel sample — an educated estimate of what the finished wine will eventually become. Critics taste in the spring following harvest and assign scores. Those scores drive prices. And prices are set before the wine is complete.

---

Why Latour Walked Away

Engerer's stated reasoning was simple, and in hindsight, hard to argue with. Latour's wines need time. Real time — not the two or three years between release and delivery, but ten, fifteen, twenty years or more before the Grand Vin begins to show its full character.

Selling a wine that needs two decades in bottle at a price set by an eighteen-month-old barrel sample creates an inherent distortion. The wine being assessed is not the wine the collector will eventually drink. And the price being paid reflects the critic's projection of what that wine might become, rather than the certainty of what it is.

From Latour's perspective, this created a problem. Their wine — the one they had spent generations perfecting, investing in, and protecting — was being valued on incomplete information. And once released into the market, the estate had no further control over provenance, storage, or how the wine reached its eventual owner.

The solution was radical: hold the wine back entirely. Release it only when it is ready to drink — or at least approaching a point where it can be meaningfully assessed in bottle — and sell it directly into the market at that point.

---

What Changed After 2012

The practical consequences were significant. Latour's wines — from the 2012 vintage onwards — disappeared from the annual En Primeur campaign. Merchants who had historically received allocations found themselves without a Latour line to offer.

The first post-system release came in 2018, when Latour released the 2006 vintage. It was priced considerably higher than it would have been if sold en primeur back in 2008 — but it came with something that barrel samples cannot offer: certainty. The wine was in bottle, assessed in its finished state, and available with impeccable provenance direct from the château.

Subsequent releases have followed the same logic: wines are released when Latour judges them ready, typically ten to fifteen years after harvest. The 2012, 2013, and 2014 vintages were released together in 2021. The 2015 followed. More recently, the 2016 — widely considered one of the greatest Latours ever produced — was released in 2025, nearly a decade after harvest.

---

The Effect on Price and Collectability

The decision has not hurt Latour commercially. If anything, the opposite is true.

By controlling the timing of release, the estate has reframed how the market thinks about Latour. Rather than being one of five First Growths competing for attention during the spring En Primeur window, Latour now arrives on its own terms — announced, assessed, and available in a way that generates its own moment of market attention.

Secondary market prices for Latour have remained strong. The combination of finite supply, impeccable provenance (the estate can trace the full chain of custody for every bottle), and the cachet of a château that operates entirely outside Bordeaux's conventional rules has, if anything, increased the wine's mystique.

For collectors, the key implications are these. Latour is no longer available at release prices eighteen months after harvest. It arrives later, priced at what the market will bear at that point, with no early-access discount. But what you receive in exchange is a wine in bottle, with full provenance documentation, at or near a drinking window that has been validated by the estate itself.

---

What This Means if You Want to Buy Latour

Purchasing Latour today means buying released back vintages rather than futures. Fine Wine Library maintains access to Latour across a range of vintages — including recent releases from the Pinault era — all held in bond, excise duty free, with complete provenance.

For collectors building a serious Pauillac position, Latour's post-En Primeur releases represent a different kind of proposition from its peers. No early entry price, but no barrel-sample uncertainty either. You know what you are buying. You know where it has been. And you know it comes from one of the most precisely managed cellars in Bordeaux.

Whether that trade-off suits your collecting strategy depends on your time horizon and how much you value the certainty of a château-released, fully documented bottle over the early access that En Primeur provides.

For most serious collectors, the answer has been clear. Latour's secondary market tells you everything.

---

Explore Chateau Latour → Buy Chateau Latour wines

Understand En Primeur → The complete guide to Bordeaux En Primeur

Best Vintages → Best Vintages of Chateau Latour to Buy

Compare the First Growths → Bordeaux First Growths: the complete guide

Three of the five Bordeaux First Growths sit within a few kilometres of each other in Pauillac. They are all classified at the very top of the 1855 system. They are all made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in new French oak, and built to last for decades. And yet anyone who has tasted all three seriously knows that Latour, Lafite, and Mouton are unmistakably different wines, different in character, in philosophy, and in what they offer the collector.

This comparison is not about ranking them. All three deserve their status. It is about understanding the differences clearly enough to know which belongs in your cellar, and why.

---

The Shared Foundation

Before exploring what separates them, it is worth acknowledging what they share, because the common ground is substantial.

All three estates sit on the deep gravel and clay soils of Pauillac, where the Garonne's ancient deposits create ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. All three benefit from proximity to the Gironde estuary, which moderates temperature and extends the growing season. All three have been under single, focused ownership through the modern era, Pinault at Latour, the Rothschild families at Lafite and Mouton respectively, with the kind of long-term institutional investment that First Growth terroir demands.

And all three are wines that reward patience above almost anything else in Bordeaux. None of them is at their best young.

The differences, then, are real but subtle in origin, rooted in variations of soil, vine age, blending philosophy, and above all in the aesthetic vision of the people making them.

---

Chateau Latour, Structure and Certainty

Chateau Latour is the most architectural of the three. Its wines are built, first and foremost, on the Enclos, a 47-hectare block at the southern tip of Pauillac whose soils are among the deepest and most gravelly in the Médoc. The result is a wine of uncommon structure: dark, tightly wound in youth, with tannins that take years to begin softening and a core of concentration that seems almost inexhaustible.

In great vintages, 2010, 2016, 2019, Latour produces wines that will outlast almost everything else in the cellar. The 1961, the 1970, and the 1982 are the canonical examples of what it eventually becomes: graphite, cedar, tobacco, dark fruit of extraordinary density, with a mineral backbone that never fully dissolves. It is, in short, a wine about time.

Latour is also the only one of the three that has left the En Primeur system, releasing wines in bottle when the estate judges them ready. This shapes the buying experience profoundly, you pay more at the point of purchase, but you receive a wine with complete provenance and in a state the château has validated.

The Latour collector tends to be the most patient. You are buying for twenty years hence, not five. Latour rarely flatters at ten years old. At twenty, in a great vintage, it becomes one of the most compelling things in Bordeaux.

---

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Precision and Refinement

Where Latour leads with structure, Chateau Lafite Rothschild leads with finesse. The soils at Lafite, gently sloping gravel ridges over limestone and clay, produce a wine of extraordinary aromatic complexity and linear precision. This is the most refined of the Pauillac First Growths, and consistently the most aromatic.

Lafite in its youth shows a characteristic pencil shaving and cassis profile, delicate rather than dense, with a silkiness to its tannin structure that marks it apart from Latour's austerity. The oak is present but measured, the goal at Lafite has never been to overwhelm, but to support. Over fifteen to twenty years in a great vintage, it develops extraordinary length and layered complexity: cedar, graphite, floral notes, a finely tuned freshness that never quite fades.

The 1982, 1996, 2003, and 2010 are canonical Lafite vintages, each showing the estate's capacity for both power and precision at the same time. The 2016 is among the most celebrated recent releases.

Lafite is also the most internationally traded of the three, its name is perhaps the most recognisable in fine wine globally, which has historically supported strong secondary market pricing, particularly in Asian markets.

The Lafite collector values aromatic complexity and elegance over raw structure. If Latour is architecture, Lafite is music, a wine that rewards attention to detail more than it rewards sheer patience.

---

Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Opulence and Identity

Chateau Mouton Rothschild is the most individual of the three, in every sense. It is bolder and richer in style, with a generosity of fruit that makes it the most approachable of the Pauillac First Growths in relative youth. Where Latour demands patience and Lafite rewards careful attention, Mouton announces itself.

This partly reflects blending philosophy. Mouton typically maintains a higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon than the others, often in the high eighties or above, and the style seeks concentration and opulence over the tensile precision of Lafite or the austerity of Latour. The oak treatment is also bold: 100 percent new oak, which in Mouton's greatest vintages integrates into something seamless, but in lesser years can make the wine feel heavy before it has had time to settle.

Mouton also carries the most distinctive cultural identity of any wine on earth. Since 1945, the estate has commissioned a different artist for each vintage label, Picasso, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and dozens more. It is a tradition that makes Mouton's bottles immediately recognisable and contributes something genuine to the wine's collectability: no two vintages look alike, and certain labels (the 1945 in particular) have become genuinely iconic cultural objects.

And then there is the history: Mouton was the only estate elevated within the 1855 Classification, moving from Second to First Growth in 1973 after years of lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. It remains the only reclassification in the system's 170-year history.

The Mouton collector often values the combination of bold flavour, cultural identity, and the wine's relative approachability. Mouton at twelve to fifteen years old is more rewarding than Latour at the same age. For collectors who want a First Growth that can be drunk with pleasure in a shorter window, Mouton is the natural choice.

---

Head to Head: Key Differences

In terms of style, Latour is structured, austere, and monumental, the most powerful and long-lived of the three. Lafite is refined, aromatic, and precise, the most elegant and linearly complex. Mouton is opulent, bold, and richly fruited, the most immediately expressive and approachable.

On drinking windows, Latour is the most demanding: expect to wait fifteen to twenty years before it begins to open, with a peak window running from twenty to fifty years or beyond. Lafite is slightly more generous, drinking well from around twelve to eighteen years with a peak window of eighteen to forty years. Mouton is the earliest of the three, often rewarding from ten to fifteen years of age and peaking somewhere between fifteen and thirty-five years.

On buying, Lafite and Mouton are both available through the En Primeur system, giving collectors early access at release pricing. Latour is not, it releases wines in bottle only, typically ten to fifteen years after harvest, at prices that reflect the wine's maturity and provenance.

Each estate also produces a second wine that offers a more accessible entry point to the same terroir. Latour's is Les Forts de Latour, Lafite's is Carruades de Lafite, and Mouton's is Le Petit Mouton.

---

Which Should You Buy?

There is no right answer, only the right answer for your cellar and your time horizon.

If you are building a collection that will not be opened for twenty years or more, and you want wines that will outlast almost anything else, Latour is the choice. It is uncompromising in its youth and extraordinary in its maturity.

If you value aromatic complexity and want the most internationally recognised name in fine wine, the one with the deepest and most liquid secondary market, Lafite is the natural cornerstone.

If you want a First Growth with cultural identity, bolder flavour in a shorter timeframe, and a wine that rewards collectors who enjoy the story as much as the glass, Mouton is compelling and unique.

Most serious collectors, over time, will have all three. The Pauillac First Growths are not really competing, they are complementary, and owning them side by side is how you come to understand what Pauillac, and Bordeaux, can really achieve.

---

Browse all three:

Chateau Latour Chateau Lafite Rothschild Chateau Mouton Rothschild

Read more:

All five Bordeaux First Growths compared Why Chateau Latour left En Primeur Explore all Pauillac wines

Ornellaia 2023 - Hot new release:

Ornellaia 2023 marks another benchmark release from Ornellaia, a wine that captures the precision and finesse of Bolgheri’s coastal terroir. For those looking to secure a case, you can explore Ornellaia 2023 here.

Scoring a perfect 100 points from Jane Anson, the only vintage she has ever awarded this mark to, alongside an impressive 98 points from the Wine Advocate, the 2023 Ornellaia stands firmly among the leading wines of the vintage. It places itself among the highest-scoring releases in the estate’s history and marks itself as a clear must-have for collectors.

100 Points - Jane Anson

“Moreish, confident and well judged, this is smoky yet ethereal, muscular yet light, wonderfully juicy and fragrant, with a perfectly judged blend of lightness of touch set against an unmistakable punch of damson, loganberry and red cherry fruits”

 

---

Widely considered a Tuscan 'First Growth', Ornellaia’s vineyards are nestled in the prestigious Bolgheri region. This terroir benefits from a unique combination of maritime influences, diverse soil compositions, and a temperate climate that fosters optimal grape maturation. Ornellaia is a shining example of the Super Tuscan category, which defies traditional Italian winemaking norms by incorporating international grape varieties and innovative techniques.

The 2023 vintage in Tuscany and Bolgheri was shaped by a challenging and uneven growing season, with heavy rains and disease pressure demanding rigorous work in the vineyard. The best producers succeeded through strict selection, crafting wines with freshness, aromatic clarity and balance. While slightly lighter in structure than the top vintages, the leading wines offer immediacy, purity of fruit and refined, elegant profiles.

The Ornellaia 2023 is a beautifully judged expression of the vintage, combining richness with restraint. A blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals dark cherry, damson and red berry fruit layered with Mediterranean herbs, spice and subtle oak. The palate is polished and seamless, with a velvety texture and freshness that brings lift, capturing Bolgheri’s coastal influence with precision and finesse.

Scoring a perfect 100 points from Jane Anson, the only vintage she has ever awarded this mark to, alongside an impressive 98 points from the Wine Advocate, the 2023 Ornellaia stands firmly among the leading wines of the vintage.

It captures the shift towards finesse and balance, while retaining the depth and character expected of this iconic estate, placing it among the highest-scoring releases in its history and marking it out as a clear must-have for collectors.

At €175* In Bond per bottle, it represents a compelling opportunity to secure a modern Bolgheri classic.

 

---

Ornellaia 2023

€175* In Bond per bottle

Buy Ornellaia 2023

100 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Moreish, confident and well judged, this is smoky yet ethereal, muscular yet light, wonderfully juicy and fragrant, with a perfectly judged blend of lightness of touch set against an unmistakable punch of damson, loganberry and red cherry fruits. Liquorice, tapenade and slate ensure the texture is slow and steady, and this is just a fabulous wine. Marco Balsimelli director, 65% new oak for ageing.

98 Points | Wine Advocate, Monica Larner

The Ornellaia 2023 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, and it is worth noting that Merlot remains present at nearly the same percentage as previous years, despite the greater challenges faced by early-ripening varieties in this mildew-prone vintage. Careful fruit selection made the difference. The wine shows impressive richness and concentration with a bouquet that leans botanical and complex, marked by dark fruit, Mediterranean thyme and rosemary. The nose was slightly closed when I tasted the wine, but it will open. The texture is velvety and polished, delivering beautiful richness with a sense of succulence that feels expansive on the palate. According to proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi, the goal is to establish a clear through line focused on freshness and balancing fruit and spice while avoiding excess ripeness. This is a meticulously made Ornellaia that captures the vintage with remarkable elegance. The wine was bottled in July 2025 and is scheduled for release in March 2026.

96 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni

The 2023 Ornellaia is elegant and supremely finessed right out of the gate. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs, licorice and lavender all meld together in the glass. There are no hard edges or awkward contours. Readers will find an Ornellaia that speaks to understatement and finesse more than power. This is impressive.

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

 

Buy Ornellaia wines

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

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"

 

---

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.

 

---

Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2020 3x75cl

3x75cl Cases

Add to Cellar - BUY

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

---

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.

 

---

Talenti Brunello di Montalcino 2021

€38.50* In Bond per bottle

Add to Cellar - BUY

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"

 

---

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. 

 

---

Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes 2023

75cl Bottles:

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

Loose bottles and 6x75cl 

Add to Cellar - BUY

----------------------------

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

Add to Cellar - BUY

----------------------------

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"

 

---

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.

 

---

Latour 2019

€540* In Bond per bottle

Add to Cellar - BUY

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.

 

---

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.

 

---

Beau-Sejour Becot 2022

€75* In Bond per bottle

Add to Cellar - BUY

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.