En Primeur 2024

The 2024 Carruades de Lafite is plush, sensual and inviting right out of the gate. Soft contours wrap around a core of plum, black cherry, gravel, incense, licorice and baking spice. This is a rare Carruades that is Merlot-driven. It's a balance that works quite well. This showy, inviting Carruades is quite the charmer

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2044

Gorgeous deep plum colour, very juicy, extremely well handled, savoury and mouthwatering, cassis bud, roses, crayon, shorter on the finish than a typical Carruades, but this has plenty of subtle pleasure and will be ready to drink sooner than usual. Harvest 23 September to 7 October, 32hl/h yield, 47% of the harvest is in this wine, 12% press.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2040

45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 32 hl/ha. First vintage certified organic. Cask sample. Flattering fruit on the palate, the Merlot adding a little more weight. Acidity present all the same so there is freshness. Firm structure, the tannins punchy. Will benefit from élevage. (JL) 12.6%

Score: 16 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2030-2040

The 2024 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion is soft, open-knit and juicy, all qualities that will make it a fine choice for drinking on release. Unusually, Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead in 2024. It's a style that works quite well. Macerated cherry, plum, spice, new leather and tobacco all build nicely in the glass.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2036

High aromatics on the nose, and lovely vibrant fruit, ripe apples, cranberry, raspberry fruits, fresh acidities but crunchy and full of flavour. Austerity on the finish, but this is full of sappy charm, 26hl/h yield, 4.9% press, 31% new oak

Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2024 Cheval Blanc is a blend taken from 37 of the 45 parcels on the property. Dried flowers, mocha, rose petal and blood orange open nicely in the bouquet, leading to an understated mid-palate and a subtly persistent finish. Understated and nuanced, the 2024 offers lovely forward fruit in a soft, accessible style with no hard edges or awkward contours. All the elements are nicely put together, and yet there is no denying the fact that the 2024 is very light. Élevage will be everything here.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2054

Lilac, peony flowers, same family of aromatics as the Petit Cheval, same feeling of finesse and precision, but here everything has been taken up a notch, more density, more slate and pumice stone texture. Expect subtle complexity, a wine that steals up on you, impresses in its precision and clarity. July and August just 20mm of rain each month, well below 30 year average, 140mm rain in September, highest since 2006, harvest September 18 to October 3, 3.62ph (3.9ph in 2022), 37 plots out of the 56 in the vineyard are in here. 100% new oak for ageing. Looking forward to seeing after ageing, it has all the elements and bones in place for a totally delicious Cheval.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050

The 2024 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a very beautiful second wine. Dark and pliant, with terrific nuance, the 2024 is a delight. Cabernet Franc is quite high in this vintage. It’s a style that works so well. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Time in the glass brings out notable aromatic presence and body.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2036

Clearer levels of intensity and concentration than Chapelle from the same stable, evn a touch of fennel and liquorice, a welcome gourmet character in this lean-styled vintage, plenty of spice and savoury black fruits, with salinity on the finish. Quite a different expression than recent vintages with lower alcohol and slim frame, but this delivers estate signature. 6.3% press, 31% new oak., harvest September 17 to October 4, 26hl/h yield.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2024 La Clarté de Haut Brion is terrific. It offers terrific depth, character and personality. Lemon confit, white pepper, slate, chalk and mint build nicely, but I am most struck by the wine's textural depth and overall presence. This is an especially fine Clarté.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2031

Majority of Sémillon across the whole range this year. 42% new oak. Always one of the great value wines of Bordeaux, which might sound ridiculous but the sheer quality is incredibly consistent. Vibrant, structured, pure, touch of stone fruits, dominant apricot pit, juicy and joyful. Lovely quality. Harvest September 2 to 10, 3.22ph, 38hl/h yield.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2030