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Staff Favorites - Ryan Moses
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Reviews
2014 Tronquoy-Lalande, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 09-29-2026
This is easily one of the most compelling buys in aged Bordeaux on today’s market. It’s a long-time K&L favorite—both the producer and the vintage—a legit 95-pointer from a superb St-Estèphe year, and crafted by one of the most talented winemaking teams in the world. With more than a decade of age and impeccable provenance, it offers a rare combination of maturity, pedigree, and serious quality.
Now over ten years old, the 2014 vintage from the northern Médoc continues to impress, showing the kind of poise and structure that define great Bordeaux. Few producers captured the vintage’s potential with as much finesse as the team at Montrose. While the Grand Vin rightly earns accolades as one of the wines of the year, their work at Château Tronquoy-Lalande is equally compelling.
This wine is a masterclass in precision and character—deeply fruited, with layers of ripe black and red berries, subtle notes of spice and dried herbs, and a savory undertone that has emerged beautifully with age. Silky tannins and a fine, polished texture round it all out. There’s remarkable complexity and energy here, and the wine is drinking beautifully now with a long, long way to go.
Opportunities where maturity, pedigree, and value align aren’t exactly rare in Bordeaux, but the degree to which this wine delivers on all three makes the 2014 Tronquoy-Lalande a truly exceptional buy.
2020 Tronquoy, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 09-29-2026
Another hall-of-famer from Tronquoy, the 2020 is magical stuff that shows its Montrose pedigree and ranks among the finest wines of a great vintage in St-Estèphe, at a fraction of the price of its peers.
Owned by the same family as Château Montrose and benefiting from the same obsessive attention to detail, Tronquoy has become one of the most exciting estates in the Médoc. That was on full display at the annual Southwold tasting, where Bordeaux’s top wines are tasted blind against their peers. Neal Martin called the 2020 Tronquoy the “surprise performance” of the St-Estèphe flight and perhaps its most sophisticated wine.
The wine itself is classic northern Médoc: deep cassis and dark cherry, graphite, earth and a touch of chocolate, with real breadth through the middle and fine, polished tannins carrying a long, fresh, mineral finish. There is plenty of power here, but what stands out is the precision and composure.
At this price, the value is simply stunning. This is serious, cellar-worthy Bordeaux performing in the company of wines that cost multiples more.
2022 Meyre, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 09-28-2026
Another not-to-be-missed value gem from the 2022 vintage, Château Meyre is all class and a remarkable wine for the price. Just outside Margaux, this under-the-radar estate was an early adopter of organic farming in Bordeaux, works with legendary Médoc consultant Eric Boissenot, and brings a level of care and pedigree that you simply don't expect at this price.
For me, the refinement of the 2022 Meyre is undeniable. There's terrific depth here, with dark cherry, cassis, plum, and a touch of graphite, but it's the texture that really sets it apart. The palate is polished and seamless, with fine tannins, fresh lift, and a long, composed finish. It has all the richness and generosity of the vintage without ever feeling heavy.
This is the kind of 2022 Bordeaux that I keep coming back to. There are plenty of extraordinary wines at the top of the vintage, but bottles like Meyre show just how deep the quality runs. It drinks with the polish and pedigree of a much more expensive wine and is an easy one to recommend by the case.
2016 Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux
Review Date: 09-21-2026
The 2016 vintage is one of the defining Left Bank benchmarks of the modern Bordeaux era, and Rauzan‑Ségla is one of the wines that embodies its brilliance. Just as the Chanel team reshaped the Right Bank landscape with the groundbreaking 2015 Canon, 2016 Rauzan‑Ségla is their landmark achievement in Margaux—a breakthrough wine that crystallizes everything the estate has been building toward.
Aromatically, it’s quintessential Margaux at its most refined: lifted florals, a touch of blood orange, and deep cassis. But the palate is where the wine’s stature becomes undeniable—pure, focused, elegant, and seamless. The red‑and‑black‑fruit profile is beautifully sculpted, yet the finish is what truly sets it apart: long, mouthwatering, and saturated with that unmistakable Cabernet essence that only the greatest 2016s deliver.
This is a wine with decades ahead of it—easily twenty years or more—but the harmony and precision it’s showing right now make it irresistible. It’s luxurious without excess, precise without austerity, and absolutely one of the signature achievements of this unforgettable vintage.
And the kicker: we’re delivering it direct from Bordeaux at a genuinely stunning price. For collectors, it’s one of the smartest buys in top‑tier Margaux. Absolutely superb.
2020 Le Murmure de Larcis-Ducasse, St-Emilion
Review Date: 09-21-2026
Larcis Ducasse is making some of Bordeaux’s finest wines, and that includes this under‑the‑radar gem, Murmure de Larcis Ducasse—made all the more compelling in the brilliant 2020 vintage. With multiple recent 100‑point reviews and relatively limited production, these are wines that could easily command multiples of their current price, but that’s part of the charm for those who have the inside track on the modern era of this estate.
As with the Grand Vin, Murmure clearly conveys the limestone terroir that shines through every layer of the wine, offering real depth of fruit, striking elegance, and a purity that would impress even in many first wines. It’s a cuvée that’s often overlooked for reasons I can’t quite explain, because nearly every bottle I’ve opened leaves a deep impression on everyone in the room.
I can’t wait to follow it over time, but it’s already brilliant today. Either way, it’s a big‑time winner from one of Bordeaux’s top estates.
2016 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion
Review Date: 09-21-2026
The 2016 Barde‑Haut is all about precision and poise—a wine that seems to know exactly what it wants to be. From the first swirl, there’s an almost crystalline clarity to the aromatics: lifted notes of blueberry compote, cassis, and a touch of graphite that signal a vintage built on purity rather than power. It’s immediately inviting, yet there’s a quiet confidence underneath that hints at the structure to come.
The palate follows through beautifully. Juicy black and blue fruits glide across a frame that feels remarkably refined, with tannins so seamless and weightless they almost disappear into the fruit. Everything is clean, fresh, and impeccably detailed, the kind of balance that makes you stop for a moment just to appreciate how dialed‑in the winemaking has become here.
What’s especially compelling is how this fits into the broader arc of the estate. We’ve been fans of Barde‑Haut for a long time at K&L—through vintages that impressed on release and others that blossomed with age—but the recent evolution in style is genuinely exciting. There’s more nuance now, more definition, more of that quiet sophistication that separates very good wines from truly memorable ones.
And with this parcel arriving a decade past the vintage, carrying perfect provenance and offered at below‑market pricing, the value proposition becomes almost absurd. The 2016 is a beautifully composed, deeply satisfying St‑Émilion that will reward patience, but it’s already showing the kind of class that makes cellaring feel like a bonus rather than a requirement.
2015 Barde-Haut, St-Émilion
Review Date: 09-21-2026
Usually one of the top high‑end values in Bordeaux, Barde‑Haut’s 2015 takes things to another level entirely. It’s the kind of bottle that reminds you why the estate has become such a quiet favorite among people who actually follow St‑Émilion closely. The aromatics are incredibly intriguing—nuanced, layered, and constantly shifting. At its core, it’s classic St‑Émilion, but there’s this wild blue‑fruit streak that keeps flashing through, giving the wine a dynamic edge you don’t always see here.
On the palate, the focus and balance are terrific. It’s dialed back from the more flamboyant, high‑octane styles of 2009 or 2010, yet the quality absolutely belongs in the same conversation. A bright burst of acidity carries deep red fruits, subtle earth and mineral tones, and mouth‑coating tannins that feel both serious and inviting. The 20% Cabernet Franc makes itself known on the finish in a wonderfully engaging way—lifted, aromatic, and just a touch savory.
And the real advantage here: we’re delivering this a full decade past the vintage, with perfect provenance and at pricing that sits comfortably below current market levels. That combination—mature stock, pristine condition, and genuine value—almost never lines up for wines of this caliber. It’s a lot of wine for the money, full stop, and a bottle that will thrill Bordeaux fans of every persuasion over the next 15–20 years.
2009 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion
Review Date: 09-21-2026
Not surprisingly, Hélène Garcin crafted an exceptional Barde‑Haut in 2009—a wine that has proved itself again and again over the years. But this vintage is a gem for another reason as well: painfully low yields cut production by more than half, making it an even rarer treat. Carrying all the charm and luxury of the 2009 vintage, Barde‑Haut is undeniably delicious, yet also complex and nuanced. Deep plum, currant, and black cherry drive a palate that is long, layered, wonderfully textured, and impressively persistent.
There’s a touch of evolution, as expected after a decade and a half, but the wine remains fresh and vibrant in all the best ways. Easy to recommend for a special occasion this holiday season—or for the cellar over the next decade plus—everything that makes Barde‑Haut so cherished is here in abundance in the 2009.
2022 Grand Corbin-Despagne, St-Emilion
Review Date: 09-19-2026
Coming from the northern reaches of St-Emilion, not far from Pomerol, this under-the-radar gem does a wonderful job of borrowing from both regions, combining the depth of its clay-rich soils with a healthy proportion of Cabernet Franc that brings lift, perfume, and definition. It is a compelling expression of this corner of the Right Bank, where richness and structure come together with real finesse.
Their 2022 is another screaming success in this heralded vintage, displaying the inherent richness of the year but with terrific lift and detail throughout. Deep plum and dark berry fruit mingle with fine, mineral-rich tannins, a wonderfully polished texture, and a long, entrancing finish that keeps unfolding in the glass. It is a luxurious but refined wine, with the structure and balance to age beautifully, but nearly irresistible as it is today.
2022 Le "C" des Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 09-19-2026
Le “C” des Carmes Haut-Brion is quickly becoming one of the greatest second wines in the region. For me, the perfect recipe is a mix of pedigree, house character, and a rewarding price—something this 2022 delivers in spades. The Grand Vin for this vintage notched three 100-point scores, making it clear that the team made the most of the growing season, but even this wine benefits from grand-vin-quality press, for what it’s worth.
I also believe the secret lies in the estate’s boutique scale and relatively limited production, which lends a hand-crafted quality that shines through in “C” des Carmes. It’s this no-compromise approach that makes Guillaume Pouthier’s wines feel so genuine and distinctive across the board. While most of the Cabernet Franc goes into the Grand Vin, Cabernet Sauvignon steals the show in “C” des Carmes, though the fresh, lively character of the estate still provides an unmistakable signature.
For those looking to experience the magic happening at this property, I can’t recommend the 2022 “C” des Carmes Haut-Brion enough—a remarkable buy already, and one that I suspect will reward those with bottles in their cellar for many years to come.
2022 Le "C" des Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 09-19-2026
Le “C” des Carmes Haut-Brion is quickly becoming one of the greatest second wines in the region. For me, the perfect recipe is a mix of pedigree, house character, and a rewarding price—something this 2022 delivers in spades. The Grand Vin for this vintage notched three 100-point scores, making it clear that the team made the most of the growing season, but even this wine benefits from grand-vin-quality press, for what it’s worth.
I also believe the secret lies in the estate’s boutique scale and relatively limited production, which lends a hand-crafted quality that shines through in “C” des Carmes. It’s this no-compromise approach that makes Guillaume Pouthier’s wines feel so genuine and distinctive across the board. While most of the Cabernet Franc goes into the Grand Vin, Cabernet Sauvignon steals the show in “C” des Carmes, though the fresh, lively character of the estate still provides an unmistakable signature.
For those looking to experience the magic happening at this property, I can’t recommend the 2022 “C” des Carmes Haut-Brion enough—a remarkable buy already, and one that I suspect will reward those with bottles in their cellar for many years to come.
2022 La Gaffelière, St-Émilion
Review Date: 09-16-2026
Is this one of the best buys in all of fine wine? It’s hard to argue otherwise. The 2022 La Gaffelière brings together an epic vintage, a singular limestone‑rich terroir, and a pair of legitimate 99‑point scores, all while landing under $90. That combination borders on surreal. This is elite, top‑tier St‑Émilion at a price that feels almost out of step with the quality in the bottle.
La Gaffelière has long been a favorite of ours at K&L, a château we’ve championed for years, and one whose reputation has only grown as they’ve leaned more intentionally into their hillside, Ausone‑adjacent parcels for the Grand Vin. These slopes give the wine its unmistakable identity—brightness, lift, and that limestone‑driven minerality that separates the great from the merely very good. In 2022, they managed to capture all the luxurious depth and textural generosity of the vintage while still preserving the tension and definition that make the estate’s best wines so thrilling. Achieving that balance is a feat; achieving it at this price point is something else entirely.
Layered, expressive, and genuinely unputdownable, the 2022 La Gaffelière is a triumph—one of the most compelling sweet‑spot collectible buys in modern Bordeaux.
2024 d'Yquem "Y" Bordeaux Blanc 3-Pack in OWC
Review Date: 09-03-2026
There are very few dry white wines in Bordeaux with the pedigree—or sheer individuality—of Y d’Yquem. Produced from the same extraordinary vineyard as Château d’Yquem, it turns the estate’s traditional formula on its head, with Sauvignon Blanc leading Sémillon and the fruit harvested earlier to capture freshness, energy, and precision.
That makes 2024 an especially intriguing vintage for Y. In a challenging year overall, Bordeaux’s dry whites were a clear highlight, with the cooler conditions preserving vivid aromatics, bright acidity, and impressive tension. The 2024 Y captures that beautifully, combining freshness and focus with the depth and texture that make this wine unmistakably Yquem.
Production is minuscule—fewer than 2,000 cases for the entire world—making this one of Bordeaux’s rarest and most distinctive dry whites.
Price:
$590.00
2022 Brane-Cantenac, Margaux
Review Date: 09-03-2026
I’ve been watching Brane-Cantenac closely over the past decade as they’ve steadily raised their game, delivering some of the most refined and rewarding releases in Margaux during that time. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re among the kindest and most welcoming people in Bordeaux. But while their wines have been on the rise, the 2022 is on an entirely different level. Neal Martin even called it out in his recent Southwold tasting as "a wine for the ages," where it ranked fifth in the entire vintage, outscoring a few First Growths.
The 2022 Brane-Cantenac leads with tons of typicité, showing unmistakable Margaux notes of florals, blackcurrant, and spice. The palate has a Cab-forward character, oscillating between black and red fruits, plum, cedar, graphite, and more. But the true mastery lies in its incredible freshness, textural refinement, and precision—the tannins are so pure, and the wine endlessly refreshing and long.
To find this kind of ethereal expression in such a powerful vintage is a real tribute to the work being done at Brane-Cantenac. This deserves to be in the conversation for the top wine of Margaux—and one of the greats of the Left Bank in 2022. Considering that, the asking price is also very impressive.
2009 Chadenne "La Fleur" Fronsac
Review Date: 08-26-2026
This new discovery is almost too good to be true. Chateau Chadenne's La Fleur is a gorgeous Fronsac from the famed 2009 vintage, a wine that I fell head over heels for when tasting a few months back and couldn't wait to share with folks at K&L. It's now here and stands tall as one of the best buys in Bordeaux, the kind of combination of value, vintage, and age that you really don't see anywhere else.
Just as when I first tasted it, I'm enamored with how fresh and lively this 2009 is. When I think about how the style and panache of the 2009 vintage should evolve with time, it tastes like this. Floral and wild berry aromas lead to a palate that's full of red-to-black fruit, terrific acid lift, and well-integrated tannins that follow through to a finish with a stony, mineral edge that feels very much at home in Fronsac's clay-limestone hills, along with a touch of spice. A beautiful combination of freshness and richness, it hits all the hallmarks of this celebrated vintage.
A remarkable wine that defies its low price, this is one to buy by the case. It will impress wine drinkers of all stripes and, given how fresh, composed, and vibrant it remains today, should continue to evolve gracefully for another ten to twenty years. This is a modern classic and a not-to-be-missed value.
Price:
$19.99
2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion
Review Date: 08-18-2026
At the core of the Discovery Series is a mission to showcase wines of impeccable quality, unmistakable regional typicité, and exceptional value. As I often say, we’re not just placing a label on someone’s latest release—we’re curating standout selections from our deep, trusted network of sources. Each wine must rise above its peers, often outperforming bottles at multiples of the price. Only those that meet this high bar make it into the lineup.
And speaking of high bars, we just set the standard for remarkable value in the Discovery Series, with a delicious St-Emilion with over fifteen years of bottle age for under $15. Only a dollar a year, which is an incredibly high standard at any stage in the game. I adored this opportunity when we first tasted it, and through tough negotiations, and even after a round of tariffs, I'm still shocked that we're able to offer a wine this solid, with this kind of age, all for this price. It is a generous expression of St-Emilion, but the broad, delicious quality of the vintage also shines through. Approaching maturity with a long life ahead, it carries beautiful aromatics of red fruits, leather, and florals, with a palate that has a core of plum and cassis, wild berry, and a soft, easygoing finish. Everything is in place, and I'm certain there's not a better buy in today's market for a perfectly aged Bordeaux from a signature vintage.
Price:
$14.99
2016 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
Review Date: 08-13-2026
For me, this is right up there with the 2009 and 2010 as one of the finest releases of the modern era at Pontet-Canet. It has that undeniable character the estate does so well, somehow deeply Pauillac and luxurious at the same time, never fussy and always delicious. What stands out in 2016 is the added level of precision and refinement it brings to the richness and sheer appeal that made the 2009 and 2010 so famously adored. That’s no easy feat, and it gives this wine a sense of completeness that puts it among the very best Pontet-Canets of the past two decades.
The nose is deep and dark, with black cherry, graphite, plum, and tar, immediately speaking to both the power of the vintage and the character of the appellation. The palate, however, is fresh, focused, and lively, with blackberry, cassis, hints of baking chocolate, and a fine, polished texture that keeps the wine from ever feeling heavy. There’s impressive concentration here, but also real lift and energy, with beautifully integrated tannins and a long, persistent finish that just carries on and on. This is a blockbuster, no question, but one with tremendous poise, balance, and detail.
What I love most is how naturally all of those elements come together. It has the scale and depth you expect from a great Pontet-Canet, but also a sense of control and harmony that makes it compelling even at this relatively young stage. There’s plenty of structure for the long haul, but the fruit and texture are already expressive enough to make it enormously enjoyable today with some air.
This is one of my favorite Pontet-Canet releases in a long time and still represents remarkable collectible value among the Left Bank’s finest wines from this unforgettable vintage. It has the pedigree to age for decades, but just as importantly, it already has that unmistakable Pontet-Canet quality that makes you want to keep coming back to the glass.
2022 Montrose, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 08-13-2026
2022 Montrose has potential legend written all over it. With endless 100-point scores and comparisons to every banner vintage in the estate’s storied history, it’s no wonder many consider Montrose a de facto First Growth in quality, complexity, and, well, just about everything but price. The 2022 vintage also gave the wine a relative accessibility you don’t normally see in Montrose, but beyond that, it has all the hallmarks of an epic St-Estèphe.
Deeply pitched but bright fruit lines an incredibly concentrated yet elegant palate, full of cassis, plum, graphite, and a seemingly endless mélange of flavors that coat the perfectly fine tannins and lead into a long finish. It’s one of those wines that keeps showing another dimension with each sip, while everything remains in exactly the right place. A joyful wine, it encapsulates the one-of-a-kind character of this address, and its quality and caliber are already unmistakable at this young stage. It’s a wine you simply want to spend time with.
Montrose has made the most of the brilliant 2022 vintage, and when you consider it alongside its peers, whether the First Growths or the pantheon of Montrose’s own legends, it still remains a remarkable collectible buy. This is a wine that will be talked about for decades to come.
2022 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien
Review Date: 08-13-2026
2022 Branaire-Ducru is one of my favorite wines from the entire Left Bank in the 2022 vintage, no faint praise when considering the caliber of the vintage in question. At its heart, this is an incredible buy in collectible Bordeaux: it has the composure and caliber to stand up to peers at multiples of the price, yet is refreshingly and undeniably delicious at a price where it’s all too easy to pull corks. It’s also a great credit to François-Xavier Maroteaux and his team, who have clearly mastered the estate’s state-of-the-art winemaking facility without losing the thread of what has made Branaire distinctive across generations. For all the polish and precision of a top-tier vintage, it remains deeply of its place and quintessentially Branaire.
Full of bright red fruits throughout, there’s a viscosity to the palate that speaks to a concentrated wine, but it still comes off bright and airy, with remarkably fine tannins and a long finish that brings out a slight minerality at the end. It is so composed, and somehow retains a classic St-Julien profile. The refinement and detail are just next level. I’ve considered this a special wine since tasting it En Primeur, and it’s done nothing but confirm its status among St-Julien’s elite since then. I’m thrilled to have this in my cellar, and I think anybody with a deep stash of 2022 Branaire-Ducru will be drinking like royalty for years to come.
2022 Croix de Labrie, St-Emilion
Review Date: 08-11-2026
Axelle and Pierre Courdurié are crafting some of the finest wines in Bordeaux at Croix de Labrie, a fact made unmistakable when tasting their absolutely stunning 2022 vintage. Sourced from hillside parcels between Troplong Mondot and Larcis Ducasse, this tiny, cult‑caliber estate feels almost Burgundian in scale and humility, yet the wine is unmistakably Bordeaux in character.
I love how this wine delivers endless depth of flavor while maintaining extraordinary elegance. The texture is perfect, the tannins seamless, the acids bright, and a beautiful mineral thread runs throughout. It’s so thoughtfully composed and endlessly delicious. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting it with the team on multiple occasions, and it has been one of the most impressive wines in every setting.
If you want a first-hand experience with one of the region’s ascendant properties—or to add a true under‑the‑radar gem with immense potential to your collection—this is it. The 2022 Croix de Labrie is a masterpiece, and one I cannot recommend highly enough. They produce only a few hundred cases per year, so our property‑direct allocation represents a meaningful share of what exists for the world. It’s a get‑it‑while‑you‑can wine, made even more compelling by the soaring success of the benchmark 2022 vintage.
2023 Coutet, Sauternes (375ml)
Review Date: 07-29-2026
2023 is quietly shaping up to be one of the great modern vintages in Sauternes—a true classic that marries brightness and richness in a way that makes these wines both immediately approachable and deeply ageworthy. One of the region’s standout successes is Coutet in Barsac, a property run by the Mouton team and fully deserving of First Growth stature in 2023.
Beautifully expressive on the nose, it opens with orange blossom, honey, and lime pith. The palate follows through with superb balance among sweetness, acidity, and botrytis spice, delivering a vibrant mix of stone fruit, grilled pineapple, and Meyer lemon. There’s ample sweetness and structure to carry this for decades, yet I love how irresistibly delicious and open it is right now. Add in best‑in‑class press, and you have one of the most rewarding buys in the region—especially in the wonderfully convenient 375ml format.
2020 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Review Date: 07-24-2026
This is the first Lynch Bages made at the new winemaking facility, and they've rung in the new era in style. Another 2020 that looks like a long distance runner, especially compared to the more elegant and bright 2019, it feels like an echo of their 2010—sure, it'll need time, but those who get in early will be thrilled with what they have in their cellar for the years to come. Dark cassis, graphite, tobacco, and black cherry line the palate that retains a level of freshness, but the depth is just stunning. Long, energetic, and dynamic, it is in the style that makes it so apparent why folks adore Lynch Bages, while still keeping its feet planted firmly in Pauillac. I can't wait to see how this develops, but for now, it is a sleeping giant and one of the best buys you'll find from this estate.
2023 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
Review Date: 07-23-2026
Every once in a while, I get the chance to taste in the humble cellars of Vieux Chateau Certan, where Alexandre Thienpont lets the wines speak for themselves, and they not only speak with volume, but also great harmony. The 2023 is such a wine, one that just puts a smile on your face. Thienpont called this vintage "back to Bordeaux," capturing the classic notes of a fine VCC. The most vibrant wine aromatically of perhaps the whole vintage, it had wild aromas of bright fruit, florals, and a deep clay minerality. On the palate it is layered, with perfect fruit, balanced and seamless texture, and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, and each smell/sip brings another nuance. It's a wine you want to spend time with. 2023 Vieux Chateau Certan is a brilliant Pomerol and a success by any measure.
2019 Troplong Mondot, St-Émilion
Review Date: 07-23-2026
For me, Troplong Mondot’s renaissance is perfectly captured by this incredible 2019—a wine that champions brightness and freshness in a way that needs to be tasted to be believed. Just a decade ago, Troplong Mondot was also producing 100‑point wines, but they were built on power and extraction. The graceful, ethereal, and lifted wines now emerging from this estate show that the terroir is undeniable, but perhaps it simply needed a gentler touch to shine.
The nose is bright, crisp, and floral, while the palate delivers a mélange of thirst‑quenching fruit, fine texture, driving acidity, and freshness throughout. The long finish keeps revealing nuance after nuance, and the depth of flavor never tips into weight. A thread of limestone minerality carries through from start to finish.
It’s no surprise this has earned a litany of near‑perfect scores from nearly every major critic—something you don’t often see at this price point. Congratulations to Aymeric de Gironde for the revolutionary turnaround at one of Bordeaux’s great estates, and for a foundational 2019 that should not be missed.
2023 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
Review Date: 07-23-2026
Every once in a while, I get the chance to taste in the humble cellars of Vieux Chateau Certan, where Alexandre Thienpont lets the wines speak for themselves, and they not only speak with volume, but also great harmony. The 2023 is such a wine, one that just puts a smile on your face. Thienpont called this vintage "back to Bordeaux," capturing the classic notes of a fine VCC. The most vibrant wine aromatically of perhaps the whole vintage, it had wild aromas of bright fruit, florals, and a deep clay minerality. On the palate it is layered, with perfect fruit, balanced and seamless texture, and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, and each smell/sip brings another nuance. It's a wine you want to spend time with. 2023 Vieux Chateau Certan is a brilliant Pomerol and a success by any measure.
2020 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac
Review Date: 07-23-2026
Pichon-Lalande is crafting wines today that stand among their finest releases, and the 2020 is a resounding example. What makes these modern vintages so irresistible is how clearly they express their terroir—regardless of the era, this is Pichon-Lalande at its core. Yet the added refinement and polish bring a decadence reminiscent of its First Growth neighbor.
Hints of graphite, deep cherry, and that signature, subtle herbal note lead the way, but the weightless concentration is the star—somehow poised and elegant while still rich in flavor. Precise texture, vibrant acidity, and refined tannins carry a long, persistent finish. The 2020 offers a level of density that makes it slightly less immediate than the 2019 or 2022, but that depth will pay dividends with time. Either way, it’s an unmistakable success and one of the standouts of the great 2020 vintage.
2009 Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 07-11-2026
One of the standout values of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage, I didn’t expect to see any more of this vintage of Lilian Ladouys in meaningful quantity ever again. That’s why I snapped this up the moment I found it earlier this year. For many, 2009 was a benchmark for the estate—an intersection of a brilliant Northern Médoc vintage and an estate hitting its stride, resulting in a scintillating, delicious, and undeniable wine.
I wasn’t patient enough to let the case I bought En Primeur last through the following decade, but every bottle showed tremendous potential, and it’s a joy to revisit it at this stage. The aromatics are bountiful, with deep cassis, blackberry, graphite, and thyme. The palate is pure and expressive, built around a core of red cherry, terrific texture, and well‑judged tannins. Beautifully evolved yet still packed with fruit, it’s a charming wine that will cruise through the next ten years, but is as irresistible now as it has ever been.
I don’t know if these are the last bottles around, but I’ll cherish them as if they are—and I’m thrilled to share this brilliant St‑Estèphe at fifteen years on.
2022 Larcis Ducasse, St-Emilion
Review Date: 07-08-2026
There’s something special about this 11‑hectare property in the heart of St‑Emilion. Its proximity to Pavie may once have been its claim to fame, but these days the truth might run the other way. Over the past two decades, David Suire has worked real magic here, and the 2022 is arguably his finest achievement. Jeb Dunnuck certainly agrees, awarding it a 100‑point score and naming it Wine of the Year.
For me, it’s the combination of remarkable terroir—pure limestone that echoes the greatest sites of the Right Bank—paired with incredible depth of fruit delivered without weight, and a price that feels almost too rewarding. As one of the true stars of the benchmark 2022 vintage in Bordeaux, this level of acclaim would justify a much higher tariff, which is just one more reason Larcis Ducasse holds such a cherished place among collectors.
2022 Clos Puy Arnaud, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Review Date: 07-07-2026
I’ve been excited to share this gem from one of Bordeaux’s up‑and‑coming producers, a domaine that’s making undeniably great wines these days—especially in the amplified 2022 vintage. Run by Thierry Valette, who previously worked at both Pavie and Troplong Mondot, Clos Puy Arnaud’s 2022 is the result of years spent building a world‑class operation in the Côtes de Castillon.
Focused on the more finessed, precise style now defining the Right Bank, and shaped by the limestone character of the appellation’s best sites, this is a genuine, age‑worthy, and deeply characterful wine. Once again, the 2022 vintage shows its quality, delivering an impressive balance of accessibility, structure, and irresistible charm.
It’s no surprise Jane Anson named it her top value buy of last year, especially given its modest retail price. This is one to load up on and enjoy anytime over the next decade or two—just don’t miss it while it’s available, as it stands tall among the best buys in Bordeaux.
2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 06-23-2026
One of our all‑time best‑selling bottles of Bordeaux is back in stock. Coufran has been a go‑to for us for years, but we’re especially fond of this 2009—a generous, complex, perfectly aged gem at a remarkable price. From the northern Médoc near Saint‑Estèphe, Coufran leans heavily on Merlot, earning it the nickname “the Pomerol of the Médoc.” That plush, Merlot‑driven charm is on full display here, capturing everything that has made the 2009 vintage so beloved.
Now fully mature yet still packed with plenty of stuffing and structure to cruise through the next decade, this is the kind of bottle that keeps us—and our clients—coming back time and time again.
2015 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
Review Date: 06-17-2026
This is a quietly great vintage on the Right Bank, one we’ve been fans of since release. The very top wines of the year—especially in Pomerol—produced some all‑timers, bottles with remarkable density, structure, and depth. Right at the peak of that class sits the 2015 Vieux Château Certan. The 100‑point scores are really just the appetizer; what’s in the bottle is the true reminder of why collectors have such deep affection for this limited‑production Pomerol estate.
After about an hour in the decanter, all the brilliance of VCC comes forward: dense fruit without heaviness, a harmony of richness and precision, and a long, incredibly fine finish. We’ve tasted it a few times over the years, but this recent look—now a decade on—shows that the early promise is coming through in a big way. It should age effortlessly for another 30 years, yet there’s already so much to enjoy with a bit of air.
A genuine and wonderful Pomerol that will rival the greats of the region, which is no easy feat.
2022 Lamothe-Bergeron, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 06-11-2026
One of our favorite under-the-radar value producers, Lamothe-Bergeron, elevated their game even further in 2022. Located between St-Julien and Margaux, Lamothe-Bergeron delivers exactly the kind of Cabernet-led, Left Bank value that savvy Bordeaux buyers love: undeniably delicious yet complex, with classic Médoc character. The 2022 vintage provides remarkable accessibility without sacrificing depth, as layers of deep red and black fruit cover the palate, accented by notes of tobacco and lifted by enough acidity to carry the fruit through a long finish. Polished, refreshing, and already highly enjoyable, this is a bottle that should age well, though I imagine it will be hard to resist pulling corks now. A top value selection and another winner from both the 2022 vintage and Lamothe-Bergeron.
2025 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
Review Date: 06-10-2026
One of my favorite moments of the year is tasting Vieux Château Certan En Primeur, and this year was no different. The Thienpont family—this time with Guillaume leading the way—always lets the wine speak for itself. And the 2025 speaks volumes.
Fragrant, perfumed red‑to‑black fruits lead the way, lightly oak‑kissed in all the right ways. Any initial sense of opulence quickly gives way to precision and focus on the palate: powerful yet silky, driven by fruit and mineral, with black fruit, baking spice, and a lifting acid backbone. Fine, long tannins frame an intense but beautifully balanced wine. The finish is long and layered, carrying the clay soils with it alongside mouthwatering fruit.
It’s a wine you simply want to spend time with, and once again it brought a smile to all of our faces—placing Vieux Château Certan firmly among the finest in Pomerol.
2025 Margaux, Margaux
Review Date: 06-10-2026
The 2025 Margaux has the potential to be a singular wine on many fronts. With production down 40%, it will be rarer than recent vintages, but it’s really the decisions in the vineyard that define it. Among the last to pick, the team at Château Margaux held steady through one difficult call after another, and the result makes clear that their risks paid off.
Highly floral, red‑fruit‑driven aromatics lead into a silky palate that carries more intensity than is typical for this address. Everything feels precisely placed: delicate spice, deep red fruits, an endless finish, and very fine tannins. It is, however, a powerful Margaux—one that will almost certainly reward time, even if it won’t strictly require it.
I’ve tasted prettier, more overtly elegant versions of Margaux in the past, but if this comes together in bottle, it will deliver all of that and more. I hope to have the chance to revisit it in the years ahead.
2025 Lafleur Vin de France
Review Date: 06-09-2026
Lafleur’s 2025 is the first release since leaving the appellation, a move made to ensure they can craft the best possible expression of their treasured Pomerol terroir. The Grand Vin is a remarkable wine in 2025—every bit as inspiring as it has ever been—and the only thing not‑Pomerol about it is the name.
Aromatically it leaps from the glass with a beautiful perfume, flowers, and blackberries. On the palate, the incredibly seamless texture is hard to get over, yet it’s supported by deep red and black fruit, a distinct minerality, and a touch of spice on the finish. Dense but never heavy, as long as anything in the vintage, it’s a wine you simply want to spend time with as it reveals one nuance after another without ever becoming tiring.
I think Lafleur continues to reach new heights these days, and 2025 will be a signature vintage for reasons that go well beyond classification. This is a remarkable wine that will be an absolute treasure in the years to come.
2025 Beau-Séjour Bécot, St-Emilion
Review Date: 06-08-2026
Beau-Séjour Bécot is an elite wine at an incredibly reasonable price in 2025. I was absolutely spellbound by their 2022, and this echoes that style of an elevated and electric wine. A brilliant intensity surrounds the 2025 Beau-Séjour Bécot, with high-toned, vibrant acidity supported by waves of bright black fruit and a lingering limestone saline note that begs for another sip. It is a remarkably complex, thought-provoking wine that I can’t wait to follow over the years. The work being done at this address is astounding, and while the word has already gotten out, considering the multiple potentially perfect scores, it still somehow flies under the radar. This might be the last vintage it does so, and for that reason, I can’t recommend it enough as a high-upside buy. Either way, congrats to Julien Barthe and Juliette Bécot on a superb 2025.
2025 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 06-02-2026
The 2025 at Haut‑Bailly reminds me a bit of their remarkably good 2023—which itself echoed the 2016. More simply put, this is clearly among the finest wines at this address, and very possibly among the best of the 2025 vintage. A core of red fruit drives the wine from the aromas through the palate, and while consistently refreshing, it remains complex, serious, and sneakily long. The concentration and balance are genuinely impressive. Layers of flavor unfold on the finish, making it a wine that rewards attention without ever demanding it.
It’s remarkable to see the strides Haut‑Bailly has made in recent years, especially given the heights they had already achieved. Congratulations to Véronique Sanders and her team on a brilliant 2025.
2025 Brane-Cantenac, Margaux
Review Date: 06-02-2026
Brane‑Cantenac is building on an incredible run with this 2025, a stunning wine that once again marries true Margaux typicité with extraordinary elegance and depth. From the start, it’s aromatically Margaux to its core, offering lifted black fruits and violets. The palate delivers the château’s signature elegance—precise, pure, and effortlessly refined. The fruit profile wavers beautifully between red and black, the texture is seamless, and the tannins are remarkably well‑integrated. The core of this is 80% Cabernet. This is a superb expression of place, property, and vintage—and one of fine wine’s great collectible values. It’s absolutely a release I’d urge people not to miss.
2025 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac
Review Date: 06-01-2026
My notes lead with “most impressive aromatics of the vintage,” and then continue that “most impressive” theme through to the very long finish. It is a wine you just want to spend time with: a brilliant array of deep black‑to‑red fruits, a slight herbal note, and one nuance after another tucked into every corner. Dense without being heavy, regal without being overbearing, and flawlessly textured, the 2025 Pichon Comtesse delivers a pure expression of the estate’s character. One of my favorites from Pauillac and from the 2025 vintage overall, it’s awesome to see one of our favorite properties operating at such a high level.
Price:
$149.99
2025 Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 05-26-2026
Malartic‑Lagravière is one of the most compelling wines in Pessac in 2025, bringing a combination of southern Médoc character with remarkable refinement and poise. Aromas of deep cassis and blackberries lead to a pure, focused, and complex palate that never feels heavy, but instead carries its black‑fruited core with ease, finishing on a subtly mineral‑tinged note. It is unmistakably Pessac, yet the way it delivers that signature character with such finesse and quiet confidence is an impressive feat.
It’s a ton of wine for the price, as is usually the case with Malartic‑Lagravière, but I think that’s even more true with this 2025, which feels especially complete and rewarding. Great work here from the Bonnie family, who continue to elevate this estate in all the right ways.
2025 La Gaffelière, St-Émilion
Review Date: 05-22-2026
In 2025, the contrast between the St‑Emilion limestone plateau and the surrounding areas was unmistakable. The best terroirs had both relief from the extreme heat and the ability to handle the late‑season rain thanks to their exposure and soils. La Gaffelière is exactly that kind of site, and it’s easy to see why it stands out as one of the highlights of the vintage.
This was a wine I had a hard time putting down—remarkably seamless and elegant, with effortless concentration. Aromatically complex, with bright florals and Cab Franc lift, the palate follows through with pure deep red fruits, fine minerality, and a long, driven, layered profile that stays refreshing at every turn.
I can’t wait to taste it again on release, and at release pricing it will be all too easy to keep pulling corks over the years. A remarkable wine, and a towering value in the landscape of top‑tier St‑Emilion.
2025 Angélus, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-21-2026
I feel like Angélus has been chasing a style that speaks more clearly and transparently to their terroir, and in 2025 they’ve nailed it. You still get the layered black fruit and fine tannins, but it’s the balance that really grabs me—bright, focused, fully integrated. The wine builds on the palate with remarkable detail, bringing in floral notes, limestone salinity, and nuance after nuance, all carried by nearly invisible tannins.
Flavorful and complex, open and bright, it’s a wine you could all too easily enjoy right now, yet it’s poised to evolve gracefully in the cellar for years. Congratulations to the team at Angélus for what they’ve crafted in 2025.
2009 Clos l'Eglise, Pomerol
Review Date: 05-19-2026
It’s a real treat to find this tiny‑production Pomerol anywhere, much less with perfect provenance a decade and a half after the vintage. Clos l’Eglise has long been one of the appellation’s most characterful, quietly elite estates—an old, historic property on the plateau whose modern renaissance began under Hélène Garcin and Patrice Lévêque. The vineyard sits on prime clay‑and‑gravel soils in the heart of Pomerol, a compact parcel dominated by old‑vine Merlot with a meaningful proportion of Cabernet Franc that brings lift, spice, and structure. Despite its blue‑chip neighbors and consistently high critical praise, Clos l’Eglise has always remained a touch more grounded in price than the region’s most famous names.
The 2009 is clearly one of the estate’s all‑time signature releases, a wine that earned its place among Robert Parker’s top Pomerols in this legendary vintage. Rich, heady, and texturally luxurious, it layers dark cherry, plum, warm spice, and cocoa with the velvety tannins that define the best ’09s. There’s impressive depth and concentration, but also a sense of polish and completeness that makes it especially compelling today.
It’s singing right now, wide open and expressive, yet it will be fascinating to follow over the next decade or more. There are few better buys for celebrated, top‑tier Pomerol from the famed 2009 vintage.
2025 Langoa-Barton, St-Julien
Review Date: 05-19-2026
Velvety and intense, the 2025 strikes me as a very serious Langoa, though perhaps not as stern as in years past. Lovely floral aromatics and a core of deep red fruit lead into a long finish framed by very fine, well‑integrated tannins.
Few labels deliver as much value—or spark as much excitement—as a well‑aged Langoa Barton, and it’s hard not to notice how the wines have continued to improve lately. The drinking window seems to be broadening on the early side without sacrificing character.
Count me in as a fan of 2025 Langoa Barton.
2025 Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien
Review Date: 05-19-2026
What I adore about Gruaud-Larosse these days is that they've somehow managed to keep the character of the estate that has defined their age-worthy, classic style, while still evolving in a way that has made their wines more apparent in their youth. Such is the case with the 2025, celebrating its 300th anniversary. The aromas are heady here, hinting at darker fruits and florals, but on the palate is bright, with a core of St Julien red fruit, seamless texture, and a ton of depth that both demands and deserves attention in the glass. This is a wine you'll want to spend time with, and at this release pricing, it's all too easy to do so.
2025 Larcis Ducasse, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-13-2026
Larcis Ducasse is continuing to produce landmark wines that deserve attention among the finest on the Right Bank. Now under the direction of David Suire, who also crafts the incredible wines of Laroque, the estate has been going from strength to strength over the past decade. A literal stone’s throw from Pavie, the limestone, hillside soils of Larcis Ducasse have long yielded distinctive wines, but the refinement, tension, and complexity now seem to be operating on another level.
Deep black‑fruit aromas hint at an imposing wine, yet waves of vivid red fruit, bright acidity, beautiful texture, and soft, integrated tannins reveal something far more expressive, precise, and endlessly compelling. A long, saline‑tinged finish keeps you coming back to the glass for this impeccable, delicious wine.
At our En Primeur pricing, it remains one of the great values in the region, thanks to the combination of terroir, limited production, and remarkable quality.
2022 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Review Date: 05-11-2026
Is there a more custom-fit vintage for Lynch-Bages than 2022? This wine takes full advantage of a landmark Left Bank vintage, delivering loads of Pauillac character while showcasing the irresistibly delicious yet remarkably complex style that has defined the estate’s reputation over the past few decades. Aromatically compelling and striking in its balance of richness without excess weight, this is a long, extremely fine, and undeniable Lynch-Bages. I see a bit of the 2010 in this one, but with an added level of elegance and precision, thanks to tireless work in the vineyard and the revolutionary new winemaking facility. Combining the accessibility of the 2022 vintage with the depth and density that promise a long, graceful evolution, I expect we’ll be talking about this 2022 as a reference point for the estate for years to come.
2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-06-2026
Yields were low across Bordeaux in 2025, but then there’s Cheval Blanc, which produced roughly half of what many of its neighbors did. With fewer than 5,000 cases for the world, this is a wine to secure early for anyone who keeps the cherished Right Bank estate on their shortlist. But rarity alone does not make the wine—it’s what’s in the bottle that matters.
What I found was an incredibly elegant, ethereal, and lifted Cheval Blanc, a wine whose concentration is on full display while remaining feather-light on its feet. There is ample structure, but it never feels demanding—if anything, it is refreshingly graceful. At a mere 12.7% alcohol, this is a poised and refined Cheval Blanc that will be fascinating to follow over the years, singular both in its production and in its profile.
2025 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux
Review Date: 05-04-2026
There are few things more comforting than a great vintage of Malescot St-Exupéry, and this 2025 is firmly in that class. Aromatically, the wine hints at deeper black fruits, underpinned by Margaux’s signature floral note. On the palate, it opens with purity and poise, then builds to an explosive expression of fruit and flavor, expanding with terrific texture and detail. Well-judged acidity carries the richness effortlessly, resulting in a wine that deftly balances fruit and terroir. Jean-Luc and now Léa Zuger have done wonders with this property over the years, and this 2025 cuts no corners. When Malescot is this good—and priced this well—it’s often one of the most compelling wines to load up on during En Primeur.
2020 La Conseillante, Pomerol
Review Date: 04-17-2026
Conseillante has long been known for its incredible terroir in the heart of Pomerol—next to Vieux Château Certan, across the street from Cheval Blanc, and near Pétrus. But what Marielle Cazaux has accomplished at the estate over the past decade is another story altogether, elevating it from a fan favorite to a wine-of-the-vintage contender year after year. Such is clearly the case with the 2020, from an especially fine Right Bank vintage—a wine that received a 100-point score from The Wine Advocate, where it was called “a Pomerol of striking purity and sophistication.” Considering its elite status and roots in some of the world’s most treasured terroir, the asking price is remarkably reasonable for Pomerol perfection.