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Staff Favorites - Andrew Shaheen
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Reviews
2025 Montrose, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 06-08-2026
One of the wines of the vintage, and an epic release from an estate that has been on a remarkable run. Slightly austere at the start, with firm tannins, mineral tobacco, leather, subtle spice box, and star anise. Beautifully balanced despite its intensity, with a very long finish. As with all great vintages from this estate, exceptional aging potential is a given. Those who have followed Montrose in recent years will not want to overlook this one.
2025 Margaux, Margaux
Review Date: 06-08-2026
A wine of unanimous praise. I don't recall encountering a single taster during en primeur week who did not place Château Margaux among their top wines of the vintage. I can't disagree. The 2025 Margaux is incredibly pure and expressive on the nose, with violet, lavender, and graphite framing a silky, elegant palate of cassis, plum, subtle cocoa, and baking spice. The 2025 will likely take its place among the great releases from this estate. A must-have for the cellar.
2025 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 06-08-2026
One of the whites of the vintage. Exceptionally textural, rich and silky with layers of lemon, apple, honey, honeysuckle, and orange blossom. Remarkable balance and depth, with more subtle yet beautifully integrated oak allowing the fruit and minerality to shine. This should age very well, but it is already so delicious I found it difficult to spit. For me, this was an absolute standout.
2025 Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 06-08-2026
A very powerful Haut-Brion. Bigger and richer than La Mission, but less generous on the fruit up front. It will undoubtedly take some time to unfurl and show its full potential. With notes of graphite, leather, mocha, and dried herbs, this is a concentrated and very pure wine with stunning depth and a very long life ahead. A fantastic release showing concentration and balance in equal measure.
2025 Ducru-Beaucaillou, St-Julien
Review Date: 06-08-2026
A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot. Polished, rich and layered with black currants, cocoa, purple floral notes of violet on the nose, leading to a silky, refined palate with a grippy precision that is distinctly Ducru. A beautiful wine with lots of promise ahead.
2025 La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan
Review Date: 06-02-2026
Precise, controlled, and elegant, the wine delivers everything this estate does best with an effortless sense of composure. The texture is silky, the tannins velvety, and a hint of minerality adds depth without dominating. Few wines in the campaign better illustrate the balance between concentration and refinement. An excellent La Mission Haut-Brion.
Price:
$224.99
2025 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac
Review Date: 06-02-2026
A perennial K&L favorite, and the 2025 continues what has been a fantastic run from this property. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, the wine competes with the best of the vintage, delivering the kind of first growth quality that has made it one of the most compelling wines in Pauillac. The tannins are very fine, the wine concentrated but remarkably fresh and refined, and the overall impression is one of elegance and concentration working in perfect tandem. A very strong buy in 2025.
Price:
$149.99
2025 Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
Review Date: 05-19-2026
Lafite produced a phenomenal wine in 2025. Pure balance and finesse, with an absolutely seamless texture. Floral and red fruit notes on the nose carry over to cassis, violet, and mineral notes on the palate. This is a wine of exceptional purity, refined and precise, with fine-grained tannins and a long, velvety finish. Nicely concentrated but at 12.5% alcohol, the wine is remarkably fresh and light on its feet. A stunning Lafite and highly recommended.
2025 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-10-2026
Record low yields and high expected demand will almost certainly make this one of the most limited releases of the 2025 campaign. A perfumed, floral nose of cassis, dark cherry, and plum opens with subtle hints of cacao and delicate herbal notes. The tannins are soft and fine, the texture silky and remarkably fresh, the wine stays light on its feet throughout. The finish carries the seamless elegance that defines this estate at its best, and all signs point to a bright future in the cellar. Those interested should act quickly to secure an allocation.
2025 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
Review Date: 04-27-2026
Pontet-Canet has produced yet another standout wine in 2025. A classic Pontet-Canet, built for the cellar. Deep black cherry, cassis, and subtle floral notes open on the nose, lead to a richly textured palate of black fruit, cocoa, and cigar box. The wine's polished tannins carry genuine weight without sacrificing balance, while high acidity and a modest alcohol keep the wine composed and precise throughout. There is real depth and length here. With releases like this, it is little wonder the estate has earned such an unwavering following over the past two decades.