Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Château Canon-La-Gaffelière 2023 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé

Overview
An immediately approachable yet confidently structured Saint-Émilion driven by Merlot 45% blend with Cabernet Franc 45% and Cabernet Sauvignon 10% as a support. Expressive dark fruit, polished tannins, and vibrant freshness combine to deliver a wine that feels energetic, juicy, and dangerously easy to drink while still carrying clear pedigree and depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, ripe raspberry, plum skin, violet, crushed limestone, sweet baking spice, cocoa nib, subtle graphite and fresh herbal lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with a silky, flowing entry, finely textured tannins, lively yet integrated acidity, supple mid-palate juiciness, and a clean, polished finish that glides effortlessly.

Food Pairings
Grilled duck breast, pork tenderloin, herb-crusted lamb, mushroom tagliatelle, aged Gouda, charcuterie boards.

Verdict
A beautifully tuned balance between accessibility and sophistication. The wine shows clarity of fruit, finesse of structure, and immediate pleasure without sacrificing complexity, a modern, confident Saint-Émilion expression.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is pure driving joy, confident lines through the corners but relaxed enough to enjoy the scenery. Slightly juicy, deliciously drinkable, and dangerously charming, it’s the kind of bottle that disappears faster than expected while still leaving a serious impression. — 11 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Double decanted the night before. The 1998 pours a deep garnet purple with a opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous and imbued with an incredible perfume of ripe black cherry, black plum, purple flowers, pipe tobacco, cocoa, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is a wine in its prime and it’s a beauty. Drink now with some time for it to breathe before service and this should drink well through 2048. — 9 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , medium wide ruby rim , youthful colour . Quite open and fruit forward with quite high toned cassis , grafite tinged blackberry , and an earthy , dusty character . On the palate quite round and generous but well balanced , sweet blackberry, blackcurrant fruit with the grippy grafite tannins and enough freshness . Reasonable length sweet cassis , with a grafite and herbal tinged finish . Drinking well now , though obviously youthful , will probably to continue to show well over the next 10 years or so. At Hawksmoor , Liverpool , 18th Jan 2026 — 9 days ago

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. — 11 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

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

Overview
A youthful yet promising Saint-Julien showing early elegance, fine balance, and clear upward trajectory. The blend delivers freshness, precision, and layered fruit while still carrying a few youthful edges that signal excellent aging potential.

Aromas & Flavors
Red currant, black cherry, raspberry compote, graphite, cedar shavings, crushed herbs, light cocoa dust, subtle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with fine-grained tannins, lively acidity, polished mid-palate, slightly angular finish that tightens at the end, a clear marker of youth and future integration potential.

Food Pairings
Herb-roasted chicken, duck breast, pork tenderloin, grilled mushrooms, mild aged cheeses (Tomme, young Comté).

Verdict
A high-quality, early-showing Saint-Julien that already flashes elegance and balance, but will benefit significantly from a few years of cellaring to soften edges and broaden complexity.

🍷 Personal Pick
The talent is obvious, can be enjoyed now. I’d happily cellar this and come back when smooths out a bit more and when aromatics stretch their legs. — 11 days ago

Vino Joe

9.8

Wow. Wow and wow. This was amazing! It’s definitely still early on. I let this decant for 2.5 hours before the first sip. It was revved and ready by then and was stellar by hour 4+. Rich and deep but silky smooth. Currants and an earthy/smokey quality. Loved this! — 3 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Mostly black fruits, full bodied with cedar, leather, sweet spices & tobacco — 20 hours ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

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

Overview
A structured and expressive Saint-Julien showing youthful intensity and precision, driven by 65% Cabernet Sauvignon–led blend with 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine delivers power, polish, and depth, yet remains clearly in its developmental phase, signaling strong aging potential.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, cassis, dark plum, graphite, cedarwood, crushed stone, subtle cocoa, fresh tobacco leaf, light violet lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with firm, polished tannins, vibrant acidity, tightly wound core, excellent structural grip, and a long, focused finish that hints at future complexity.

Food Pairings
Chargrilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, venison, mushroom ragù, aged Manchego or Comté.

Verdict
A serious, high-potential Saint-Julien that stands confidently in the mid-pack today while clearly projecting upward trajectory. Best enjoyed after a few years of cellaring to allow texture and aromatics to fully integrate.

🍷 Personal Pick
You can feel the horsepower under the hood, this just needs track time. Not quite ready for full send yet, but absolutely worth waiting for. Future star energy all over this bottle. — 11 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Canon 2023 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 1er Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A poised and beautifully balanced Saint-Émilion showing depth of fruit, polished texture, and quiet structural authority, driven primarily by Merlot 70% with Cabernet Franc 30% support. Dark fruit concentration is layered with mineral tension and refined oak, delivering a wine that feels complete yet still evolving in the glass, inviting extended exploration.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, ripe plum, blackberry compote, crushed stone, violet, subtle cocoa dust, graphite whisper, gentle spice and refined cedar.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with supple entry, fine-grained tannins, excellent mid-palate density, seamless acidity integration, and a long, resonant finish that lingers with freshness and precision.

Food Pairings
Roast duck, lamb loin, mushroom risotto, beef tenderloin, truffle pasta, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
A composed, terroir-driven Canon showing purity, balance, and textural polish rather than brute force. The finish is especially compelling, signaling strong aging potential and classic limestone-driven Saint-Émilion finesse.

🍷 Personal Pick
This one pulls you back for a second lap, deep fruit framed by elegance, not excess, with a finish that keeps unfolding. It feels confident, grounded, and quietly powerful, exactly the kind of wine that rewards patience and attention. — 11 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Medium deep ruby garnet with wide garnet rim . Open and classic on the nose with tobacco , grafite , herbal , mint , seaweed and some mixed summer fruits . On the palate this is quite fresh and slightly lean in style , quite rustic , bitty tannins and a herbal touch. Mixed summer fruits on the mid palate and a reasonable earthy tobacco tinged finish . Best drunk now and over the next few years on the basis of this bottle . — 9 days ago