ST-JULIEN
Simon Field MW shares his tasting notes from the 2025 Bordeaux en primeur tastings, focusing on the St-Julien wines.
Château Beychevelle 4ème Cru (52% CS, 43% M, 5% PV)
- This wine presents a generous blend of damson, Morello cherry, and hints of vanilla from new oak. The shorter maceration and measured extraction have resulted in a sensually approachable wine. Rating: 95–96
Amiral de Beychevelle (56% CS, 44% M)
- This exciting wine offers rich, focused flavors with a predominance of peppery black fruits and a croquant style. It’s clean and has great energy. Rating: 92–93
Château Branaire-Ducru 4ème Cru (62% CS, 26% M, 6% CF, 6% PV)
- With a jewel-like clarity, this wine is both fresh and refined. It balances assertive Merlot and svelte Cabernet Sauvignon, with seamless tannins and impressive aging potential. Rating: 95–96
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2ème Cru (79% CS, 21% M)
- This wine showcases a festival of blue and black fruit flavors with precise finishing notes of gunpowder and lavender. Fine-grained tannins create a classic structure reminiscent of past great vintages. Rating: 94–95
Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou (66% M, 32% CS, 2% CF)
- Reflecting the influence of specific gravelly terroir, this wine presents expressive Merlot flavors alongside spice and generous mid-palate richness. Rating: 91–92
Château Gloria (56% CS, 34% M, 6% PV, 4% CF)
- Although an "arriviste" among St-Julien wines, Gloria in 2025 proves to be richly perfumed and hedonistic, with pleasing longevity. Rating: 93–94
Château Gruaud-Larose 2ème Cru (77% CS, 21% M, 2% CF)
- Celebrating its 300th anniversary, this wine features a deep color and initial reticence, eventually revealing herbal, tea, and mint notes alongside dark fruit. Its controlled tannins and line of acidity ensure an exceptional finish. Rating: 97–98
Sarget de Gruaud-Larose (58% CS, 36% M, 2% CF, 4% PV)
- This wine captures the essence of its terroir with floral aromas and a complex texture. Despite an early harvest, it maintains aromatic harmony. Rating: 94–95
Château Lagrange 3ème Cru (77% CS, 18% M, 5% PV)
- High Cabernet content results in a glossy wine that is both intense and precise, offering a rich display of blue and black fruit and a clean finish. Rating: 95–96
Les Fiefs de Lagrange (57% M, 33% CS, 10% PV)
- This atypical Fiefs highlights Merlot’s influence and possesses a fleshy quality with spicy intrigue. Rating: 92–93
Château Langoa Barton 3ème Cru (45% M, 40% CS, 15% CF)
- With a focus on length and intensity, this Langoa offers juicy forwardness while remaining structured and lengthy, exhibiting notes of black and red fruit. Rating: 94–95
Château Léoville Barton 2ème Cru (86% CS, 12% M, 2% CF)
- Bringing together a classic style with a joyful quality, this wine reflects fresh vineyard practices that enhance its rich, dark fruit complexity. Rating: 95–96
Château Léoville-Las-Cases 2ème Cru (82% CS, 12% CF, 6% M)
- With a focus on new oak, this wine presents an array of complex aromas and a long, layered palate. Its acidity provides an invigorating lift. Rating: 96–97
Clos du Marquis (73% CS, 21% M, 6% CF)
- This wine demonstrates elegance and complexity with intense aromas and a balanced structure. Rating: 94–95
Le Petit Lion (49% CS, 48% M, 3% CF)
- Exhibiting a harmonious balance between Cabernet and Merlot, this wine offers polished tannins and concentration with an elegant finish. Rating: 93–94
Château Léoville Poyferré 2ème Cru (61% CS, 26% M, 8% CF, 5% PV)
- This wine’s complexity is derived from meticulous oak selection. It’s exuberant and shows great promise from this thoughtful vintage. Rating: 95–96
Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré (58% CS, 21% M, 14% PV, 7% CF)
- Enjoying a bit more Petit Verdot, this wine boasts luscious flavors and a creamy texture while keeping a pleasingly cool finish. Rating: 93–94
Château St-Pierre 4ème Cru (78% CS, 15% M, 4%CF, 3% PV)
- Sacha le Baube-Triaud focuses on a natural approach and careful extraction, yielding a restrained wine with blue fruits and cedar notes. Rating: 94–95
Château Talbot 4ème Cru (74% CS, 17% M, 9% PV)
- The highest proportion of Petit Verdot results in a wine that is statuesque and complex, with a refreshing finish. Rating: 94–95
Connétable Talbot (59% M, 41% CS)
- With a focus on accessibility, this wine features juicy fruit flavors and an enjoyable, generous structure. Rating: 92–93
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