Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Lynch-Bages 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A powerful, structurally driven Pauillac showing serious depth and long-term ambition, built on a 71% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine carries muscular architecture, dark fruit density, and firm tannic authority, currently showing some youthful rough edges but clearly positioned for future greatness with proper cellaring.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis liqueur, blackberry skin, graphite, cedar plank, crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, dark cocoa and subtle savory spice.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, youthful tannins, strong mid-palate grip, vibrant supporting acidity, dense core concentration, and a long, structured finish that signals serious aging capacity.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, rosemary-crusted venison, aged hard cheeses, slow-braised meats.

Verdict
A high-potential Pauillac still in its formative phase. The structure, depth, and terroir signature are undeniable, but integration will require time. A climber rather than a polished performer today, patience will be rewarded handsomely.

🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a future star in development, powerful, slightly raw, but absolutely loaded with upside. Not a wine for instant gratification, but one that will evolve into something truly special with time. I’d happily cellar this and revisit around 2029 when the polish finally matches the horsepower. — 15 hours ago

Lauren Kessinger

9.0

medium body velvety and deep. love. — 2 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.5

Veramente un bel vino. 94-96.
Puro ed espressivo. Intenso ed elegante.
La miglior maturità riscontrata in tutti i vini assaggiati fin’ora.
Blend 54 CS 43 M 4 PVerdot 1 CF.
Al naso espressivo con frutta e suolo. Al palato fine, molto naturale e altrettanto preciso e pulito. Finale caldo e avvolgente.
Lascia in bocca la natura del luogo.
Super! — 9 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Cantemerle 2023 – Haut-Médoc, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A beautifully expressive Left Bank blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 18%, Petit Verdot 7%, and Cabernet Franc 4% that delivers immediate charm while retaining classic Haut-Médoc structure and aging potential. The wine shows vibrant fruit purity, polished tannins, and a well-judged touch of oak, making it approachable young yet capable of evolving gracefully over the coming decade.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe blackberry, black cherry, cassis, and plum layered with subtle cedar, vanilla spice, graphite, and a gentle floral lift. Fresh berry brightness carries through the palate, framed by light savory notes and a refined oak accent that enhances rather than dominates.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with supple texture and finely integrated tannins. Juicy, energetic entry with excellent balance between fruit concentration and freshness. Smooth mid-palate flow and a clean, persistent finish that stays lively and inviting.

Food Pairings
Grilled steak, roast chicken, lamb chops, mushroom risotto, charcuterie boards, aged Gruyère or Comté, and classic bistro fare. A versatile table wine that shines across a wide range of savory dishes.

🍷 Personal Pick
Cantemerle never disappoints, this is pure drinking pleasure wrapped in Bordeaux elegance. Juicy, polished, and instantly enjoyable, yet grounded with just enough structure to remind you why Haut-Médoc remains timeless. A perfect bottle when you want serious pedigree without serious effort.

Did You Know?
Château Cantemerle is classified as a Fifth Growth in the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification and is known for producing some of the most consistently approachable and age-worthy wines of the Médoc, often offering outstanding value relative to its pedigree. — 14 hours ago

Joe Fischer

8.9

Ruby with red cherry aromas. On the bud, there is a slight tartness with a medium finish. — 5 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.6

This wine gets so much hate and I really don't understand why. Had it 3-4 times and has always been such a pleasure to drink. WOTN contender here with power, elegance and complexity. Could have drunken the whole botttle on my own! — 10 months ago

Adrian Van

9.2

Ott..acular. — 2 months ago

Steve Rura

9.8

Wow!! For sure one of the best white wines I’ve ever had. I realllllly love the aromatics on this - some smokiness, herbs, minerals with lemon. Complex, subtle, layered. The flavors are very refined. Very mineral, perfect acidity. Restrained, elegant fruit, mostly citrus with notes of pecan, popcorn? and fresh greens. Luxurious finish. So balanced! I just learned that Gutedel is another name for Chasselas, which is a favorite grape of mine for Swiss whites. But this is on another level. I’m going to listen to @Lyle Fass and patiently age my other 2 bottles. Just had to try one now :) — 2 months ago

Phil Kessling

9.0

One of my favorite Lauer bottlings. Great orice, great acidity and a little RS. Delicious. — 7 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium ruby , hint of garnet , slight narrower rim , more garnet hue . Quite mineral , herbal tinged blackcurrant, seaside scents . Slightly aloof and austere, though this improves with time in the decanter . However on the palate this opens up with classic cedar tinged dark fruits , blackcurrant, grafite , sea shell and saline tinged. Complex , complete , classic , grafite and mineral tinged with pretty long length finish . Still slightly grippy tannins but these are well integrated and quite polished , fresh balanced acidity. This shows very well and is just coming into its prime drinking window, this also held up very well in decanter for the 4 hours we had it open , always retaining great freshness and verve. From now and over the next 10 to 15 years perhaps . — a year ago