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Château Canon has been taking off over the past few years, and here you see why. Just so much complexity, depth, power, interest in the whole thing. This buzzes with life, rises above the palate, full of gunsmoke, truffle, raspberry, blueberry, so delicious. Needs time but already showing it will be worth the wait. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, Harvest September 11 to October 4, 50% new oak. Thomas Duclos consults.

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.

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. A little subdued to begin, offering subtle notes of crushed rocks and damp soil, it opens out to a core of ripe black and red plums and fresh blackberries, plus a fragrant waft of lilacs. The full-bodied palate is bursting with taut, muscular black fruits and amazing tension, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, and finishing with great length and depth. (LPB)

Readers will find a rich, flamboyant wine in the 2016 Barde-Haut. There is not a ton of subtlety here, but I am not sure that matters all that much given how immensely pleasing the 2016 is. Crushed rocks, graphite, lavender, blackberry, plum, and violet infuse a Saint-Émilion that offers tremendous textural richness as well as vibrancy. Most importantly of all, the 2016 is flat-out delicious. This is a decidedly opulent, dark Saint-Émilion with all of the elements impeccably balanced. I loved it. (AG)

An awesome Saint Emilion, the 2015 Château Barde-Haut showed even better on this occasion than on release. A huge nose of sweet crème de cassis, jammy blackberries, violets, leather, and dried herbs gives way to a full-bodied wine that has a great mid-palate, ripe, silky tannins, not a hard edge to be found, and a great, great finish.

The quality of the fruit and tannins are very pretty here. It’s full-bodied, with round velvety texture and a delicious finish. Very impressive.

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.

Truly flavorsome, the blackberry, raspberry puree and rich black cherry fruits here are dense, generous and fully ripe, but manage to retain a savory rosemary, coffee bean and black olive edge. It makes you smile involuntarily, in that way that great wine does. You almost want to forbid people from eating anything with this wine, at least for the first glass, and certainly forbid them from putting it on a table with other trophy wines where its impact will be softened. It demands - and should receive - full concentration. Textured slate runs through the mid-palate and brings a jolt of minerality through the finish. You could drink this today after carafing but you just know that it's barely out of the starting blocks. (JA)

Bid on this magnum of 1982 Cheval Blanc, St-Émilion (1.5L) (100DC, 100TWI, 99RP, 98JA, 96JG, 96VN, 96WS). Decanter: "Pure class on show with Cheval's heady, perfumed and expressive 1982. Fragrant and open nose of cherries, plums, cola, vanilla, mint and perfumed floral scents. Well defined, elegant and graceful on the palate, instantly mouthwatering with something special about the vibrancy and liveliness that captivates straight away. It's sensual yet tangy, plush yet with bite and grip. Persistent with real terroir markers and such effortless enjoyment. A tasting memory that will linger." (05/2023)

Bid on this 2-half-bottle lot of 1975 Trotanoy, Pomerol (375ml) (97RP, 96ST, 96VN, 94JG). Wine Advocate: The 1975 Trotanoy can be an extraordinary wine on the right day. This was the right day. Served blind from a magnum, unaware of its age, I was struck by the depth of its color. The bouquet is almost ineffably complex, a mixture of red and black fruit, black truffle (indicating its Pomerol origins), sage and dried rose petals. It was the delineation and sheer confidence of the aromatics that leaves you spellbound. The palate is beautifully structured, very Left Bank in style thanks to its tertiary nature, yet bridled with disarming tension and energy from start to finish. There is a twist of sour cherry right on the aftertaste, completing a stunning Trotanoy. I very much doubt I will ever encounter an example of this outstanding Pomerol as good as this again. (NM) (02/2017)

Bid on this 2-half-bottle lot of 1986 Certan de May, Pomerol (375ml) (93JG, 93WS). Wine Spectator: The plum and coffee aromas and flavors merge nicely with the toast and vanilla overtones from good oak barrels. Harmonious and elegant now, it can develop only more nuances with age. (09/1989)

Bid on this bottle of 1982 Petrus, Pomerol (96WS, 95DC, 94VN, 93RP). Wine Spectator: "Dark ruby garnet. Intense tobacco, cedar, berry and blackberry. Full-bodied, silky, firm and fresh. Long. A beauty. One of the best bottles I have ever had. (JS)" (06/2001)

Bid on this bottle of 1990 l'Evangile, Pomerol (95WS, 94DC, 94JG, 93RP, 93ST). Wine Spectator: "Big and ripe. Dark ruby-garnet color. Very ripe berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of tannins and a very ripe fruit finish. Tight, muscular and concentrated. Needs time. (JS)" (08/2000)

Bid on this bottle of 1982 Latour à Pomerol, Pomerol (95RP, 94JG, 93ST, 90DC, 90WS). Wine Advocate: "Tasted at the Latour-à-Pomerol vertical in London. The 1982 Latour-à-Pomerol has been a great wine for many years and this might well be the best that I have ever encountered. It has an exceptional bouquet that here is surprisingly youthful. It comes armed with black fruit, bay leaf, cedar and gravel, almost Left Bank in character. Further investigation yields an intriguing marine-like, seaweed scent that expands upon its engaging personality. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful balance and fine tannin. It has melted a little since my last encounter, softened around the edges and yet there remains that core of intense black fruit and kirsch that will ensure that it continues to age for many years. The Moueix team made several immense wines in 1982 and this is one of them. Tasted December 2015. (NM)" (10/2016)

Bid on this bottle of 1990 La Conseillante, Pomerol (98JD, 97RP, 96DC, 94ST, 93VN). Jeb Dunnuck: "The 1990 La Conseillante is fully mature, and totally brilliant. Its medium ruby color is followed by a perfumed, complex bouquet of sandalwood, cedar, ripe cherries, licorice and Asian spices. Upfront and not holding anything back, it reveals loads of sweet fruit and is incredibly complex and nuanced aromatically. This gives way to a full-bodied, integrated and seamless Pomerol that has resolved tannin, perfect balance, an opulent mouthfeel, and a great finish. This is Pomerol in all its elegant, yet seductive glory... " (12/2017)

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2021 La Gaffelière, St-Émilion ((95-97VN), (93-95JD), (94-95JS), (92-94RP), 93DC). Vinous: "The 2021 La Gaffelière is a wine of extraordinary finesse and class. Time in the glass brings out striking depth and complexity. The aromatics alone are beguiling but everything about the 2021 speaks to elegance. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petals, blood orange, mint and saline notes punctuate the finish. (AG)" (04/2022)

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2021 Canon, St-Emilion (97JS, 97VN, (95-97WE), 96DC, 96TWI, 95JA, 95RP, 94JD). Vinous: "The 2021 Canon shows just how magical this site is. Vertical and explosive in feel, with tons of pure power, it impresses with its intensity, drive and super-classic profile. Bright saline notes and vibrant tannins give the 2021 a feeling of energy that only gains momentum with time in the glass. It's not an easy Canon, like the 2015 or 2018, but it is incredibly expressive. It is the sort of wine that only truly emerges with time in bottle. I would be thrilled to own it. Canon must surely be one of the great relative values in first-class wine. Wow. (AG)" (12/2023)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2004 Pride Mountain "Vintner's Select Cuvée - Mountain Top Vineyard" Sonoma County Merlot (92ST, 92WE, 91CG, 91WS). Wine Enthusiast: "Pride's regular '04 Merlot was very good. This one's better. Intensely rich and concentrated in the way of mountain wines, it shows huge, ripe cherry marmalade, black raspberry pie filling, rum and cola, mocha-choca and Asian spice flavors, enriched by smoky oak. Any really ripe wine can do that, but only one from great coastal vineyards can achieve this balance of acids and tannins. " (03/2007)

Proof that Lazio can do serious Merlot—and that some of the best values come from the regions nobody’s watching. Made by celebrated winemaker Riccardo Cotarella on his home turf outside Rome, this is grown in volcanic soils and given the kind of attention usually reserved for far flashier addresses. With a decade of bottle age behind it, the 2015 has landed right in its sweet spot. Ripe black cherry and plum lead on the nose, then slowly unfurl into cocoa, sweet pipe tobacco, dried herbs, and a savory note of forest floor that only comes with age. The palate is plush and velvety with mature, silky tannins and a mocha-tinged depth from the volcanic terroir, all kept balanced and lifted by a line of fresh acidity. The finish is long, savory, and gently spiced. Drinking beautifully now—give it a 30-minute decant and pour it with braised short ribs, mushroom risotto, or anything off the grill. A sophisticated, mature Merlot from an unexpected corner of Italy.

A pure and focussed nose full of ripe but cool black fruit with soft hints of violets and vanilla. This delighted during Primeurs and it's turned out excellently in bottle. Juicy, clean and crystalline with a perfect balance of fruit, tannins and acidity with plenty of underling power but delivered so elegantly. Great harmony and drinkability on offer. Ends salty with graphite and slate really putting the limestone terroir into the glass. Delicious. Another excellent bottle from this rising start estate under the helm of David Suire. (GH)

I loved the 2009 Château Barde-Haut. (This vintage always seems to rank in the top tier in any retrospective I do.) Still ruby/purple-hued with a huge nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, unsmoked tobacco, toasted spices, and loamy earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, no hard edges, sweet tannins, and remarkable purity of fruit.

Our Discovery Series has arrived! At the heart of this program is a mission to showcase wines of impeccable quality, unmistakable regional typicité, and exceptional value. As I often say, we’re not simply putting a label on someone’s latest release—we’re curating standout selections from our deep and trusted network of producers. Each wine must distinguish itself from its peers, often outperforming bottles that sell for many times the price. Only those that meet this high bar earn a place in the lineup. From one of the most treasured terroirs in the world of fine wine, it’s nothing short of a coup to bottle an exclusive Pomerol of this caliber and deliver it for under $30. This is land where bottles typically fetch $100 to $3,000, simply because production is so limited and quality so high. The plateau of Pomerol is defined by its unique gravel and iron-rich clay soils, which yield wines of remarkable complexity, richness, texture, luxury, and longevity. I was captivated by this particular selection for its quintessential Pomerol character: gorgeous red fruits, striking density, and a textured palate that reflects the famed mosaic of soils beneath the vines. It is a wine that could come from nowhere else. We’ll count ourselves fortunate if we can continue to collaborate on future vintages. This is a delicious, complex, and thoroughly enjoyable Pomerol that easily merits double the price, and one that will be a standout on our shelves while it’s in stock.

The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb. (AG)

The 2022 Château La Gaffelière comes from a mix of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc that's from 22 hectares of classic Saint-Emilion limestone soils. The élevage spanned 19 months in just 50% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by a stunning nose of ripe red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy wood, and crushed stone-like minerality. With flawless balance, a pure, full-bodied, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it's the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted and will most likely warrant a perfect rating in a decade. This is pure Saint-Emilion brilliance! Give bottles 4-6 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-30 years.

The magnificent Merlot in the blend has pushed up the alcohol, while also giving a velvet touch and power to the wine. This estate is now on top form, producing this generously ripe, black plum flavored wine. It is lifted by acidity while powering the wine’s intensity. *Cellar Selection* (RV)

The 2011 Pétrus is another utterly magical example of the vintage that will take plenty of cellaring before it fully blossoms, but will eventually outpace the more powerful 2010 at this estate. Olivier Berrouet commented that “with the 2011 having between ten and fifteen percent more tannins than the 2010, its elevage in new oak will be shorter this year as a result.” The team at Pétrus emphasized that “this was a vintage to restrain oneself in the vineyards and do nothing, so that the vines that were already suffering from the hydric stress would not be further shocked by any human intervention.” The wine has turned out brilliantly and will be a classic in fifteen or twenty years, as it offers up a deep and intense nose of black plums, black cherries, raw cocoa, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil, a touch of fresh herbs and a very suave and understated base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and impressively opulent in the mid-palate, with great focus and balance, ripe, substantial tannins and very long, pure, primary and perfectly balanced finish. A great Pétrus in the making.

A fresh, energetic, medium-bodied wine with a very silky and supple mouthfeel and aromas of red plums, blackberries and mountain herbs. Gentle tannins with flavors of red fruit and citrus. Drink or hold.

Concentrated with a ton of spice, bright and powerful dark cassis and bilberry fruit, and a saline kick on the finish. One of the real value wines of the vintage, has a huge sense of character, great architecture, and silky tannins.

The 2022 Grand Corbin-Despagne offers a striking mix of finesse and textural volume. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mint and espresso build in the glass. Soft and plush, with no hard edges and stunning balance, Grand Corbin Despagne is impeccable. Bright floral notes lift the finish. (AG)

Aromas of blackberries, dark spices, resin, chocolate and leather. Racy, spiced palate with a medium to full body and chalky tannins. Juicy finish with notes of walnut.

Readers looking for a smoking deal in the vintage should grab bottles of the 2019 Château Dalem. This rich, medium to full-bodied, mouth-filling effort has lots of ripe darker cherry and blackberry fruit as well as tobacco, cedar pencil, and violet nuances. Rich, textured, balanced, and with a real sense of purity and class, it's ideal for enjoying over the coming 10-12, if not 15 years or so.

The 2016 is naturally a little more subdued but there's an aromatic complexity with earthy, dark fruit notes. The palate is juicy and fresh with good persistence, the tannic frame powerful but the tannins finely honed. This is clearly a wine for ageing and will reward a little patience. The 'best value' pick. (JL)

Saint-Émilion’s historic vineyard landscape earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999 as the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion. The 2016 Tour de Ripeau comes from this Bordeaux Right Bank appellation, where Merlot—the grape identified with this wine—plays a central role in the vineyards and winemaking tradition.

Bid on this 3 liter of 2015 Figeac, St-Émilion (3L) (100JA, 100JD, 99JS, 98WE, 97TWI, 97VN, 96DC, 96WS). Jeb Dunnuck: "A hold onto your hat wine, the 2015 Château Figeac is pure perfection and one of the wines of this terrific vintage. A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple color is followed by a huge nose of crème de cassis, black raspberries, smoked earth, and graphite. This is followed by a full-bodied, opulent and incredibly concentrated Saint-Emilion that has everything in the right places, no hard edges, thrilling purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. This is one of those rare gems that carries huge intensity and richness, yet still glides across the palate with no sense of weight or heaviness. Winemaker Frédéric Faye thinks the 2016 is even better but that certainly isn’t stopping me from giving this crazy good wine a triple digit score. Everyone owes it to themselves to try and taste this wine at least once!" (11/2017)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2005 Pavie, St-Émilion (100JD, 100JS, 100RP, 100TWP, 97VN, 96ST, 95DC, 93JA), a quadruple 100-point wine from Gérard Perse’s celebrated estate, which he believes is the greatest Pavie he has made. Wine Advocate writes: “Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge... This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc... This is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux. (RP)” (08/2015)

Bid on this bottle of 2017 La Fleur-Pétrus, Pomerol (96JS, 96VN, 95JD, 94DC, 94RP, 94WE, 94WS). Vinous: "The 2017 Lafleur-Petrus is elegant, polished and wonderfully refined from start to finish. Everything just falls into place effortlessly. Aromatic, sculpted fruit gives the 2017 its sense of regal beauty and total finesse. Beautifully lifted and precise, it is framed by gentle, silky tannins. Small red berries, mint, blood orange, spice and licorice develop in the glass, but it is the wine's cashmere-like softness that impresses most. In 2017 Lafleur-Petrus is a real standout. (AG)" (03/2020)

Bid on this bottle of 1985 L'Evangile, Pomerol (95RP, 95VN, 93JG, 92WS). Vinous: "The 1985 L'Evangile is a Pomerol that took many years to come round—bottles were still quite impenetrable after 20 years. Now, after almost 40 years, this is probably my favourite vintage for the estate after the 1989. Slightly darker in colour, this offers black fruit, black truffle and leather as more loamy scents surface with aeration. I appreciate the complexity of this Pomerol. The palate holds onto that structure and grip (I wonder if it underwent a longer maceration than normal?). With lightly spiced red fruit and hints of bacon fat, this L'Evangile is now at its peak. (NM)" (06/2025)

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Château Poesia is more open and showy compared to the Barde Haut, offering fabulous limestone-like character in its kirsch and currant fruits and notes of dried herbs, white truffle, and dried flowers. Possessing medium to full body, ripe, present tannins, terrific concentration, and a great finish, it's another incredibly classy Saint Emilion from the Garcin-Lévêque family.

This is such a lovely wine, with aromas of soft black and blue fruit, herbs, spices and plum skin. The palate is fine, with mouthwatering tannins and bright, vibrant acidity. A very well-balanced and refined merlot. Drink or hold. (RM)

The 2023 Laroque has an outstanding bouquet that shades many of its peers. It conveys transparency and mineralité at a higher level and leaves you wanting more. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that frame the pure black cherry and raspberry fruit. There is structure here, and the finish is notably longer than other wines of its class. This is very impressive, and I can imagine it aging with style. (NM)

The 2016 Canon is deep garnet-black in color. Wow - it rockets out of the glass with a powerful nose of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and blueberry compote followed by fragrant wafts of rose oil, dark chocolate, licorice, and tar. Medium to full-bodied, rich, and concentrated, the palate delivers a firm grainy texture and jaw-dropping tension to counter the profound, muti-layered black fruits, finishing with great length and depth. (LPB)

A wine with aromatic beauty: perfumed and sexy. Full body, super velvety tannins and long and delicious finish. Wonderful intensity and decadence to this. 100% Merlot. Drink or hold. But too good now. (JS)

Coming from dismal yields of 12.5 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Château Haut-Brisson is shockingly good and another brilliant Right Bank that's going to represent a tremendous value. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in just 35% new French oak, it has a sensational perfume of red and black cherries, leafy tobacco, chocolate, lead pencil shavings, and liquid violet-like nuances. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it has ultra-fine tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish.

The magnificent Merlot in the blend has pushed up the alcohol, while also giving a velvet touch and power to the wine. This estate is now on top form, producing this generously ripe, black plum flavored wine. It is lifted by acidity while powering the wine’s intensity. *Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2022* (RV)

Creamy depths of colour and flavour, powerful damson and black cherry fruits, this is utterly compelling and beautifully concentrated. No question that the tannins are crowding in through the front of the palate, eager to make an impression, but they quickly soften and widen, and in between is air, spice, flowers, just nuanced and beautiful. The power of limestone in hot vintages on display. 3.4ph, great stuff from this 14.5ha estate, Nicolas Thienpont director.

The 2013 Masseto is really starting to show off, opening in the glass to aromas of framboise, crushed stones, cypress, fresh leather, and minty lift. Ripe but chiseled, it’s full-bodied, with very well-defined, ripe tannins. Notes of salty dark earth drive the wine forward, while more savory and earthy notes of pu-ehr tea last long after the wine is gone. It’s a wine that will be sturdy in the long run, and its structure is not going anywhere. For my personal taste, the 2020 has a slight edge over this, but it’s a remarkable wine. Drink 2025-2050. (AF)

The 2022 Château La Gaffelière comes from a mix of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc that's from 22 hectares of classic Saint-Emilion limestone soils. The élevage spanned 19 months in just 50% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by a stunning nose of ripe red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy wood, and crushed stone-like minerality. With flawless balance, a pure, full-bodied, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it's the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted and will most likely warrant a perfect rating in a decade. This is pure Saint-Emilion brilliance! Give bottles 4-6 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-30 years.

Attractive black-fruit and berry character with some chocolate and toasted-hazelnut undertones. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Lots of flavor. Lots of polish. Drink after 2024.