Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 92-95/100
The 2023 Lascombes marks a new direction for the Chateau. Dark and
virile, with real intensity, the 2023 marries richness and energy. Black
cherry, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice emerge from the glass.
This fleshes out beautifully on the finish, showing terrific breadth and
nuance. The 2023 is, without question, the most elegant, finessed
Lascombes made in many years. That won’t surprise readers familiar
with wines here that were often monolithic and one-dimensional. The
2023 will be a fascinating wine to follow. This is also a new chapter for
Estate Director Axel Heinz, formerly at Ornellaia, who strikes me as a
liberated winemaker these days—someone freed from the burden of
expectations. Tasted three times.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 92-94/100
The 2023 Lascombes has a fragrant and floral bouquet. Incoming
erstwhile Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz has fashioned more refined
aromatics compared to previous vintages, with lively black fruit laced
with violet and a scintilla of vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied with a
creamy texture and fine acidity, quite poised with a subtle saline note
towards the finish. There’s better structure here than in previous
vintages. This restyled Margaux indicates a welcome new direction for
the estate and evidences greater selection in the vineyard. Watch this
space.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 89-91/100
The 2023 Chevalier de Lascombes is soft, open-knit and very easy to
like. A new emphasis on freshness is evident in the wine’s bright redtoned fruit, citrus and floral notes. Elegant, silky tannins add to the
wine’s palpable finesse. This is very nicely done. I especially admire the
energy here.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 88-90/100
The 2023 Blason d’Issan is a bold, fruity second wine. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal and blood orange are front and center. A dollop of Malbec adds fruit presence to round out this stylish offering. The intensity of the warm, early year is evident in the somewhat incisive tannins.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 93-95/100
The 2023 d’Issan is a powerful, dense wine, especially for a property where the wines tend to be more understated. A rich, muscular Margaux, the 2023 d’Issan exudes intensity in all of its dimensions. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2023 is going to need a number of years to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Dried herbs, tobacco, incense and bold, dark-toned fruit flow into the deep, resonant finish.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 89-91/100
The 2023 La Gurgue suffered a bit of frost on the Petit Verdot but was not touched by mildew, according to Claire Villars-Lurton. Picked at 25hL/ha, it has a crisp and pure bouquet with black cherries and a touch of violet—focused and delineated, though not complex. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, just a slight and actually welcome bitterness surfacing toward the saline finish. This is kind of an old-school Margaux, and I like that.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 91-93/100
The 2023 du Tertre is deep, powerful and resonant right out of the gate. Dark-toned fruit, chocolate, lavender, mocha and dried herbs are broadly sketched. This heady, layered Margaux is certainly not shy. All it could use is a bit more polish in its contours.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 93-95/100
The 2023 Alter Ego is plump, juicy and super-expressive. Soft, silky tannins enshroud a core of plum, red cherry, spice, menthol and mocha. All the elements are so nicely balanced. A burst of red-toned fruit and spice lingers on a finish lifted by bright acids. This is such a sensual Alter Ego.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 97-99/100
The 2023 Château Margaux, which contains 15% vin de presse, is
quintessential Château Margaux. It immediately blossoms in the glass
with irresistible crushed violets on the nose, instantly demanding
attention—you will gladly give it. Exquisitely defined and very focused
with supremely well integrated oak, this is blessed with laser-like
precision. The palate is silky smooth on the entry, perhaps a little
feistier than expected thanks to a liberal sprinkling of black pepper.
Quite structured (like the Pavillon Rouge) and gentle, you can almost
overlook its grip. It finishes with a concentrated, graphite-tinged finish
that lingers long in the mouth. This First Growth will require ten years
in bottle to really show what it is capable of.

Eigendom van de Familie Pagès. Romige, ronde en zachte Médoc. Soepele tannines en volfruitige smaak.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot en Petit Verdot. Prijs kwaliteit een mooie wijn met een subtiel boeket van rood fruit en zachte aromatische intensiteit, in harmonie met de neus (zwart fruit). Mooi schoolvoorbeeld binnen de Médoc regio met mooi geraffineerde tannines.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 88-90/100
The 2023 Noaillac doesn’t quite deliver the complexity I noted in recent vintages, though there is pleasant tertiary black fruit with a light estuarine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It’s nicely balanced with flavors of blackcurrant and black plum, with just a touch of piquancy on the finish. This should be fine once bottled.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 88-90/100
The 2023 Citran is a soft, fruity wine to drink over the next decade or so while the red-toned fruit retains its youthful energy. Pretty floral overtones perk up the finish nicely.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 92-94/100
The 2023 La Lagune is a serious wine, but it is also quite backward. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, leather and dried herbs open with some coaxing. The 2023 is going to need time to come together. Its aromatic intensity and overall persistence suggest it has a bright future. Tasted two times.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 88-90/100
The 2023 Cantemerle is a deep, potent wine. A blast of dark plum, blackberry, mocha, grilled herbs, gravel and lavender make a strong first impression. The aromatics and overall structure are quite appealing, although I find the tannins a touch bruising at this stage. A long, sustained finish compensates to some degrees. Tasted two times.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 90-92/100
The 2023 Les Grands Chenes is soft, round and enveloping, Silky tannins wrap around a core of black fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, dried herbs and mocha. Most of the wine is now aged in a combination of terra cotta, neutral oak and tank, which really seems to exalt the brightness of fruit in this Merlot-based blend.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 92-94/100
The 2023 Clos Manou has a clean and precise nose of earthy black fruit, with touches of freshly rolled tobacco following through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and finely proportioned, with gentle grip and a keen line of acidity. There is a build in the mouth absent in many of its peers, as well as unquestionably greater persistency. Excellent.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 91-93/100
The 2023 Potensac is a seriously beautiful wine that shows just how complex and nuanced wines from this property can be. Crushed flowers, spice, red/purplish fruit, rose petal and mint are some of the notes that lift from the glass. Bright saline tones underpin the mid-palate and finish. This is one of the most complete young Potensacs I can recall tasting.