Nothing to complain about here! Pauillac has made an impressive set of wines in 2025. All the wines tasted at the UGCB in Bordeaux back in April looked very good indeed and had all the elements you’d expect. There is plenty of purity and freshness but also lots of density and extract too. The picks at the top-quality level were outstanding efforts from Château Lynch-Bages and Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Château Duhart Milon is laser focused and Château Batailley looks like great value. Château Clerc Milon has made attractive, complex Pauillac and Château Haut-Batailley is layered and fresh. Again, these are all wines that will need a certain amount of time in bottle, but 2025 is a very good vintage indeed for the wines of Pauillac.

The following notes were taken at the UGCB in Bordeaux on 20^th April, 2026. I hope you find them useful. I hope to catch up with Château Grand Puy Lacoste, Château Pontet-Canet and the first growths at some point soon.

Château Batailley, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Bold and opaque; fresh, stalky blackcurrant aromatics; nicely pure; creamier palate which is nicely extracted with a softer tannin profile than some; this works really well for me; more blackcurrant fruit on the end. An excellent Batailley which should offer good value. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2031-2050. 92-94+

Château Clerc Milon, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Mid depth; blackcurrants and some boiled sweet notes; resin and ink; some gamey notes at the back too; blackcurrant fruit on the palate with rounder tannins than you might expect here in 2025; attractive blackcurrant purity; works well. Attractive complex Pauillac. [62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, 1% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2031-2050. 92-94+

Château Croizet-Bages, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Mid depth; not so much density in colour as the others; blackcurrant notes, iodine and freshness on the nose; like the purity here which carries over to the palate; nice texture with leafy blackcurrant notes; pure and fresh. Bravo! [83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 90-92+

Château d’Armailhac, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep colour; fresh stalky blackcurrant aromatics; some cassis too; refreshing; lots of pure blackcurrant flavours on the palate; nicely done; has an earthy edge which is attractive; structure evident and freshness too. Should work out well. [67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 92-94+

Château Duhart Milon, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep and saturated look; pure blackcurrant aromatics; caressing blackcurrants on the palate; softer edge to the tannins; very nicely handled extraction; laser focused and pure. Such refinement. [73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2050. 93-95+

Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep and saturated looking; some resin, blackcurrants and cassis notes; mineral and iodine; has genuine layers; softer palate than some with attractive texture and middle; spices and leafy blackcurrant notes; this works very well and will be drinking sooner than many, which these days is no bad thing! [66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 91-93+

Château Haut-Batailley, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep and saturated; little reductive sample; pure blackcurrant aromas; fresh and pure; stalky blackcurrants on the palate; layered and fresh with typicity; intense palate which shows harmony and nice freshness; well-balanced. Nicely done. [58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 92-94+

Château Lynch-Bages, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Opaque and saturated colour; powerful aromatics; blackcurrant, menthol, camphor and resin; packed palate with lots of extract and spicy blackcurrant fruit; softer tannins than some but has the volume in the middle. This is terrific Lynch-Bages. Wow. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2035-2065. 95-97+

Château Lynch-Moussas, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep; purple at edge; wet rock, wheat flour and blackcurrant sweet notes; softer palate with good texture and less dry tannins; this works well in a less ambitious style where the emphasis is on near-term drinkability. Still has the structure and freshness to age but should be ready sooner than many other Pauillacs. 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 90-92

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Cru Classé, St Julien, 2025

Deep and dense; meaty blackcurrant Cabernet notes; opens up well; super deep; blackcurrants, wheat flour; meaty blackcurrant tones on the palate; masses of extract but clean and fresh; very attractive blackcurrant flavours; this works super well. Up there with Lynch Bages. Super wine. [81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc]. 20/4/26 Drink 2035-2065. 95-97+