Carruades , one of the most sought-after wines every year has just been released. It is the second wine of Ch Lafite Rothschild, and has been released at £930.00 per 6x75cl, a price reduction of... 19% on the 2022 vintage. It is one of the best recent vintages of Carruades and at this price it will be one of the top performers among the 2023’s you buy. Simply put -it is investment Gold Dust, largely due to its particularly strong following in the Asian market. Carruades is in reality much more than you could ask of a second wine, with its own personality, yet made providing a glimpse of what makes Lafite the global success which it is. 2023 sees the inclusion of grapes from the ‘Caudeyrac’ plot, a prominent portion of the Lafite plateau, which has given Carruades a more Pauillac personality than ever before this year. "A savory and juicy Carruades with softness and notes of ripe berry, cedar and dried tobacco. Like Lafite from the 1980s but more precise. Round and pretty. It really grows on the finish with such sweetness of fruit and length. Pointed, fine tannins at the end. Very long. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot." 95-96 points, James Suckling "Medium intensity ruby, fairly austere right now, structured, with the same mint leaf and ink quality as Lafite. The sweet brambled black fruits only come in through the mid palate, this is well paced, unrolls slowly, a serious and concentrated Carruades that has its eye on the future. 12% pres wine, harvest September 7 to 29, unusually only using Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend." 94 points, Jane Anson "The 2023 Carruades de Lafite is a very pretty, sensual wine that very much captures the personality of the Grand Vin, naturally in a more approachable style. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with no Franc or Petit Verdot. I have to say, there is something very direct about the 2023—something frank that is really evident. I admire its purity. Succulent red plum, spice, cedar, tobacco and a lifting touch of white pepper open first, while beautifully persistent saline undertones extend the finish." 92-94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous "The 2023 Carruades de Lafite is deep garnet-purple in color. After a swirl or two, a beautiful perfume of rose oil and lavender is released, opening out to a classic core of cassis, fresh plums, and pencil lead with a touch of red, iron-rich soil. The light to medium-bodied palate is delicately styled, with compelling vibrancy and nice, ripe, fine-grained tannins supporting the black fruits, finishing long and fragrant. This is very pretty! The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with pH 3.70. The alcohol is 13.2%." 92-94 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW "The 2023 Carruades de Lafite is notable for some of the Cabernet being picked prior to the Merlot, between September 7 and 29. This year, there is no Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot in the blend. It has a far superior bouquet to some of the vintages I was tasting a decade or so ago—much more purity and precision, with notes of black plum, wild strawberry and a touch of cassis. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky texture and a crisp line of acidity. It’s fresh, precise and saline, with a long tail on the finish. This is surely one of the best Carruades I have tasted at this stage." 91-93 points, Neal Martin, Vinous

Chateau Beychevelle 2023 has been released at £718 per case (12x75cl). making it the cheapest Beychevelle on the market and a marvellous investment grade wine with the last 5 vintages showing an... average 15% increase in value – see the graph below. It is a classic example of the benefits of buying wine ‘en primeur’ and a must buy for us all who can get some. When we tasted Beychevelle in Bordeaux last month, we were all in awe as to what a gorgeous wine it was already – all the critics agree. It is without question, one of the stars of the vintage "The 2023 Beychevelle is fabulous. As always, Beychevelle includes quite a bit more Merlot than most wines in the appellation, but the Cabernet is especially high here. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, mocha, licorice and lavender build in the glass. This juicy, extroverted Saint-Julien has a ton to offer. The combination of fruit intensity, acid and supporting structure is superb. The 2023 is showy, but not at all overdone. Beychevelle remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Bordeaux. It is especially classy in this edition. Tasted two times. 2033-2063" 94-96 points, Antonio Galloni "Pure fruit to this, with blueberries, hazelnuts, walnut and blackcurrants. Just like eating grapes at this stage. It has a full body, juicy tannins and a savory finish. Remains vivid and energetic." 94-95 points, James Suckling "From a château that seems to have hit another gear over the past five to seven years, the 2023 Château Beychevelle is based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, pulled from 60% of the total production, and will see 18 months in 70% new French oak. Its deep purple hue is followed by a deep, rich, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien loaded with ripe red and blue fruits, leafy herbs, truffle, iron, and spring flowers. It's medium to full-bodied, has a remarkable sense of freshness and purity, velvety tannins, and outstanding length. The 2023 hit 13.3% alcohol with a rock-solid pH of 3.67." 93-96 points, Jeb Dunnuck “The 2023 Beychevelle has turned out especially well this year, exhibiting a more integrated, seductive style than recent vintages that were constructed in a punchier, more extracted register. Offering up aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pen ink, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit and a classy, suave profile that foregrounds the estate's prime vineyard holdings on the plateau around Ducru-Beaucaillou. It's a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot that represents 50% of the estate's production.” 93-94 points, William Kelley "The 2023 Beychevelle was picked from September 13 through October 6 over 17 days of harvest, partly because of the size of the crop and not having to rush. It has the highest proportion of Merlot under winemaker Philippe Blanc (35%), and it matured in 70% new oak. This has a notably floral and tightly-knit bouquet, leaning a little more toward blue fruit than other Saint-Julien wines tasted from barrel. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins that impart a sense of linearity. Very saline, this is a saliva-inducing Beychevelle, lightly spiced with a structured, almost Pauillac-like finish. Excellent." 92-94 points, Neal Martin

Château d'Aiguilhe benefits from the keen eye, nuanced management and meticulous attention that has seen the quality and reputation of stablemates La Mondotte and Canon-La- Gaffelière reach new... heights under the ownership of Stephan von Neipperg, with both elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 2012 Saint Émilion Classification. Château d'Aiguilhe benefits from the keen eye, nuanced management and meticulous attention to of stablemates La Mondotte and Canon-La- Gaffelière. "The 2023 d’Aiguilhe is packed with blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice. Bright saline notes lend freshness and verve. The vibrancy of the flavors is really quite striking." 90-92 points, Antonio Galloni

Château d’Armailhac is part of the Château Mouton Rothscild stable and is a wine we follow every year as it is always well priced and an excellent wine to invest in (see the table below), as well... as to add to your cellar. The 2023 vintage is no exception with price 15% down on the 2022 vintage and very favourable reviews from the critics. Ch. d'Armailhac blurs the lines between superb value for drinking and equally tremendous investment value: it would take pride of place in any cellar, whilst it should also quietly delivers returns to those who buy it. Please see Liv-ex graph below for the lower scored comparative 2015 vintage which is up 74% since it’s en primeur release price. Château d’Armailhac is not to be missed, everyone should add it to their holdings of fine wines. “There’s a powdery and open texture to this red. Full-bodied and layered with a pretty and weightless texture. Blackcurrants and blueberries and an orange-peel undertone. Velvety texture at the end. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot.” 96-97 points, James Suckling “Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 d'Armailhac sings of black raspberries, wild strawberries, and tilled soil with hints of dried herbs and wet slate. The medium-bodied palate is lively and elegantly styled, with plush tannins supporting delicate red and black fruit layers, culminating in a well-sustained finish. Very impressive! The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest ever percentage for d'Armailhac), 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.75. The alcohol is 13.5%.” 93-95 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown “High Cabernet, as is the story of the vintage on the Left Bank. A wine that also continues the new story of Armailhac following serious investment in vineyards and cellar, and technical director Lucie Lauilhé. Bright and vivid from the first moment, layered cassis, crushed mint, liqourice root, crushed rocks, an excellently precise, structured and textured Armailhac. Love it. Harvest September 7 to 30. 80ha in production, 50% new oak barrels for ageing.” 94 points, Jane Anson “The 2023 d'Armailhac is an attractive effort, bursting with aromas of cherries, raspberries, licorice and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with a pretty core of fruit, sweet powdery tannins and lively acids, it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot—which is a rather high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon for this address.” 91-93 Points, Neal Martin

Punching well above its weight, offering great value and great drinking to the discerning consumer. A delightful, highly scored claret and long-time favourite of UK claret drinkers 2022 is almost certainly the best ever Château Poujeaux.

Château Puygueraud, located in the Côtes de Francs appellation, is crafted by the esteemed Thienpont family, known for their renowned estates Vieux Château Certan, Le Pin, and l’If. The estate... is situated adjacent to the Saint-Émilion plateau, sharing the same exceptional terroir. The vineyards are planted with a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small amount of Malbec, producing wines of exceptional quality, with the same keen winemaking as is evident across the Thienpoint stable. Made by the highly regarded Thienpont family (Vieux Château Certan, Le Pin, and l’If.) Located adjacent to and with the same terroir as the plateau in Saint-Émilion. “Full of blackberry, black-olive and chocolate aromas and flavors on a medium to full body with lightly chewy tannins.” 92-93 points James Suckling

Premier Grand Cru Classé Château La Gaffelière is amongst the finest in Saint-Émilion. Clos La Gaffelière is the estate’s excellent second wine. "Love the bright fruit here, bright, zesty, real orange peel and tar, heavy spice but plenty of love. 45hl/ha, harvest September 7 to 29. 50% new oak, rest in stainless steel." 92 points, Jane Anson