Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Léoville Barton 2023 – Saint-Julien, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic Saint-Julien expression showing clarity, harmony, and structural polish, driven by a 77% Cabernet Sauvignon–led blend with 20% Merlot Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine balances ripe fruit concentration with restraint, delivering precision, finesse, and a seamless flow from attack through finish.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, red plum, cassis, graphite, cedar, subtle baking spice, crushed stone, light tobacco and gentle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with finely woven tannins, excellent balance, fresh integrated acidity, supple texture, and a long, graceful finish that feels effortless rather than forceful.

Food Pairings
Herb-crusted lamb, roasted duck breast, grilled filet mignon, mushroom risotto, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
An elegant, dependable Saint-Julien that delivers purity, structure, and drinking pleasure without excess. Refined, polished, and quietly authoritative, a wine that rewards both immediate enjoyment and patient cellaring.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the kind of wine that wins through composure and precision rather than horsepower. Easy to enjoy today, yet layered enough to keep you leaning back into the glass. Subtle sophistication done right. — 4 days ago

Dheilan Williams

8.9

Very delicate body with almost invisible tannins. Surprising acidity and a wonderfully complex blend of summer fruit and mellow herbaceousness. — 7 months ago

Mark Stephany

9.2

Needs food and air — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Saint Cosme is famous for its estate vineyards in Gigondas but they are also a highly regarded negociant with long standing relationships throughout the Rhone, giving them access to fruit from some highly regarded lieu-dits. Their Cote Rotie is no exception and this was a killer expression of 2014, if you’re into that sort of thing like I am. This bottle was provided from my cellar and was purchased upon release. Opened and splash decanted just before service. No formal notes and holy whole cluster Batman! This was straight up bussin, with rotundone for dayz! A black pepper and olive bomb with all of the garrigue and purple flowers your heart could ask for and some blood and bacon for good measure. The tannins are well integrated and the fruit is just really well balanced with the structure at this point. The finish was long with a dance of fruit and earth on the palate that was hugely satisfying. Some might be turned off by the sanguine, feral funkiness this wine possesses but for me, it’s hugely charming. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years with ease. Would be great with a meal or on its own (as it was tonight). — 3 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Pavie Macquin 2023 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A refined and confidently composed Saint-Émilion driven by a 78% Merlot-dominant blend with 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon support, showcasing noble structure, polished fruit, and effortless balance. The wine emphasizes finesse, reliability, and clarity rather than sheer power, delivering a harmonious expression that feels immediately approachable while retaining long-term pedigree.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, blackberry, red plum, crushed limestone, violet petal, subtle graphite, cocoa powder, gentle spice and fresh herbal nuance.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with a supple, graceful entry, finely woven tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, excellent mid-palate harmony, and a long, elegant finish that glides with precision and calm authority.

Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs, duck confit, filet mignon, mushroom risotto, aged Comté, grilled vegetables with olive oil and thyme.

Verdict
A beautifully proportioned Right Bank wine emphasizing elegance, consistency, and structural purity. It delivers high-level craftsmanship without excess drama, a wine that earns trust and admiration through balance and restraint.

🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a wine you can always count on, noble, polished, quietly confident, and endlessly drinkable. Tons of finesse without any rough edges, making it both comforting and impressive at the same time. The kind of bottle that never disappoints. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Double-decanted earlier in the day; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1995 pours a perfect garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe cassis, black cherry, mixed flowers, tobacco, earth, menthol and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, integrated tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Classy. This is an elegant expression of Bordeaux and showed so well tonight. Thanks Andy! Drink now through 2040. — 8 months ago

B A

9.3

Best expression of Syrah I’ve had in some time. 2021 was a hell of a Rhône year — 2 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Léoville Poyferré 2014
Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinguished Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth) from Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Poyferré has been elevated under the stewardship of the Cuvelier family and Michel Rolland’s consultancy. The 2014 vintage is a classic Bordeaux blend comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. This cooler year yielded wines with notable polish, freshness, and age-worthy structure.  

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and refined, the bouquet opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and plum, framed by cedar, graphite, violets, and aromatic spice. The palate is layered with ripe red and dark fruits, along with hints of tobacco, pepper, and soft oak—a harmonious reflection of balanced ripeness and terroir depth.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins and vivid acidity. The finish is long and mineral-tinged, echoing Saint-Julien’s limestone terroir while expressing both strength and grace.

Winemaking Notes
Vinified traditionally and aged in French oak barrels (predominantly new), the 2014 benefits from meticulous attention to extraction and maturation, resulting in elegant concentration and finesse.  

Food Pairing
Wonderful with roast lamb, herb-crusted beef, or rich mushroom dishes. Decanting for an hour enhances its layered complexity.

Verdict
A classic expression of Left Bank finesse and depth, Château Léoville Poyferré 2014 strikes an artful balance between fruit, structure, and refinement. Enjoy now with decanter or cellar it to explore its evolution over the next decade.Cheers! — 5 months ago

R Bl

8.9

Gooseberry, grapefruit but also some stone fruit - assertive flavor makes an interesting flavor but challenging food pairing — a year ago

Rich Huber

9.0

The nose does not present much. A slight hint of apricot but you really have to dig deep to search it out. The pallet on the other hand is very pronounced. Slightly dry and acidic the fruit is lemon and apricot with a hint of straw. The finish of apricot lingers. A bargain at 15.98 from Wine Exchange. — a year ago