A mixture of notes and thoughts here on wines from the Médoc and the Haut-Médoc in 2025. Generally, the same patterns are true here as with the wines in other appellations in this vintage. The colours are strong, the wines show plenty of fruit and structure and there is freshness and zap too. In the Médoc, I was particularly impressed by Château Loudenne which has depth and ambition. Château La Cardonne and Château Ramafort were also sturdy and fresh. Classic Médoc. The Haut-Médocs were generally very impressive. Amongst the picks were an intense Château Belgrave, a vivid Château de Camensac and a typically well-proportioned Château Coufran. Stand-out wines have been made at Château Cantemerle and Château La Tour Carnet, which have produced some of their best ever wines in my opinion. At Château La Lagune, some of the Cabernet Sauvignon was drought affected and not up to scratch, but the unusually Merlot dominant blend in 2025 is very enticing. Lots to enjoy here and they are sure to be at competitive prices for the quality.

The following notes were taken from tastings at the Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux and the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux [UGCB] on 19^th and 20^th April respectively. It is probably obvious, but many of these properties below are actually quite far apart geographically, not just between the Médoc and the Haut-Médoc but also within the Haut-Médoc. For example, Château Coufran and Château La Lagune are both Haut-Médocs but Coufran borders St Estèphe in the north of the appellation whereas La Lagune is way down in Macau, some 25 miles [40km] further south.

Médoc

Château  Bellerive, Médoc, 2025

Mid depth; ripe very Bordeaux Médoc notes; good; sweet entry, easy; soft palate with some smoky wood notes. Easy and light. Uncomplicated. Will be early drinking but rewarding. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 85-87

Château La Cardonne, Médoc, 2025

Mid depth; stalky and sturdy notes; some dust; ripe fruit tones; red fruit notes; some spices; stalky and spicy palate; nice mid-weight fresh Médoc. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 86-88+

Château La Grivière, Médoc, 2025

Mid depth; solid, chalky; wet rock notes; fresh; some grip; relatively easy if light-ish Médoc. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 85-87

Château Loudenne, Médoc, 2025

Deep and bold; nice sappy Médoc; works well; earth, graphite, blackcurrant notes; leafy earthy notes on the palate; solid; textured nice mid palate; ripe and gutsy but with the tannins nicely handled. Works well. Renaissance here. Bit of texture at the back. Impressive effort here. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2029-2040.  88-90+

Château Ramafort, Médoc, 2025

Dark at centre, sturdy aromatics; quite ripe; solid; chunky Médoc. Will work. Has some intensity. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 86-88.

Haut-Médoc

Château d’Arcins, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep colour; some dusty elements on the nose; some spices, some dusty Cabernet Sauvignon notes; opens up and in an attractive way; still has that earthy Haut-Médoc style [d’Arcins is not that far from Margaux]; grippy, spicy Haut-Médoc, works well; leafy and soft on the finish. Works well. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 86-88+

Château Beaumont, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated; nice sappy blackcurrant aromatics; shows ripeness but also freshness; works well on the palate; comparatively soft tannins to some other properties; good reliable Haut-Médoc – usually at a very fair price. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2029-2038. 90-91+

Château Belgrave, Grand Cru Classé, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated; intense cassis and blackcurrant notes with some resin; layered and intense; attractive wine; good entry on the palate which is really well handled; has fruit and structure and firm acidity but nicely handled. Manages the intensity and focus without being too dry on the end. Impressive Belgrave. Seriously worth considering. Good value. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045.  91-93+

Château de Camensac, Grand Cru Classé, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated; vivid purple at edge; fresh looking; bit dumb initially but pure blackcurrant notes emerge; cassis and earth; blackcurrants follow through on the palate which is structured but works well. Nicely handled tannins. Great palate that is balanced and harmonious. Another one to consider. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045.  91-93+

Château Cantemerle, Grand Cru Classé, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated look; very bold colour; fresh blackcurrant purity with saline notes; super pure and fresh; nicely handled on the palate; the blackcurrant purity continues with freshness. Very nicely done. Super low yields here of only 30hl/ha in 2025. Dry on the finish currently but these tannins will round out. Very impressive Cantemerle. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045.  92-94+

Château du Cartillon, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep, ambitious looking; sweet and ripe aromatics; ripe merlot; some satin aspect; easy and soft on the palate; works well. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/6. Drink 2029-2035. 86-88.

Château Citran, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated; glossy; some wet rock, blackcurrant cassis; some oak influence yet to integrate; quite dry and tannic on the palate this sample; has fruit but quite sharp edges in terms of tannin and acidity; seems to have suffered more than some in the drought. I’d like to look at this further down the track. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045.  86-88?

Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Mid depth; attractive Haut-Médoc; pretty Bordeaux with freshness and life; nicely done; has harmony and balance; with decent texture and structure. Good wine. A small proportion is released en primeur but usually the estate holds back stock and releases when mature. Always a property to consider for mid-weight, drinkable Bordeaux. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040.  90-91

Château La Lagune, Grand Cru Classé, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Glossy and healthy in the glass; deep; fresh blackcurrant and plum notes; attractive purity here; really like this; the purity is very enticing; works well on the palate; very fresh and pure and more caressing than most tasted in the afternoon. A consequence of even more Merlot than usual in the blend, owing to not all the Cabernet reaching sufficient ripeness in the drought and hot conditions. [50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot]. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2029-2045.  92-94

Château La Tour Carnet, Grand Cru Classé, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and saturated; bold colour; black cherry and plum notes; clean and fresh too; has genuine depth; nicely worked on the palate; has extract and depth but the tannins don’t have hard edges; like the purity here and the freshness in this vintage. There is a lot of extract here but they have managed to maximise that without overdoing it. Attractive La Tour Carnet which I think works really well. Tasted UGCB 20/4/26 Drink 2029-2045.  92-94

Château Lestage Simon, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep colour; dark at centre; some boiled sweet notes; quite ripe and red fruit like; quite lifted; solid palate, some chocolate; has plenty of extract and middle; tannins a bit chewy but should soften during élevage. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/6. Drink 2029-2035. 87-89+

Château du Retout, Haut-Médoc, 2025

Deep and solid colour; some blackcurrant and cassis notes; fresh and some graphite; blackcurrants and creamy; quite attractive; soft entry; easy; quite modest but soft and easy going; has freshness and purity; could have more middle but works nicely. Solid. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/6. Drink 2029-2035. 86-88