I’ve been a fan of Château de Pressac for a number of years. This is an impressive property that is surrounded by its own vineyard which looks out over the Dordogne valley in the [now fashionable] St-Etienne-de-Lisse commune of St Emilion. I had the chance to visit the château for the first time during my recent primeurs trip. Château de Pressac is the project of the ebullient and driven Jean-François Quenin who purchased the property in 1997 with his wife Dominique. Not only have they ploughed their own fortune into the property investing heavily in the vineyards and the cellar but also with time and hands-on graft as owner-occupiers and as champions of the wines of St Emilion more generally. It’s a big property at 40 hectares and has the most sublime terroir. The grand vin, Château de Pressac itself, has always had lots of purity and depth in my experience and the second label Château Tour de Pressac I’ve found to be impressive for what is effectively a second wine here. So how did the property fair in 2025?

Château Laroque continues to go from strength to strength. Director David Suire has now been at the helm for just over a decade, arriving here at the start of the 2015 vintage. He has helped fashion a set of terrific wines on what is a wonderful slice of varied terroir surrounding the property. Laroque continues to be one of the best wine values in Bordeaux. The release price [£117/$150 per six] is competitive with comparable vintages on the market. Frankly, it’s a bit of a bargain for the quality, though Laroque hunters should seek out the 2019 for immediate enjoyment! David Suire describes 2025 Laroque as, ‘Classical, in the very best sense.’ I know what he means.

I certainly need to buy more Fronsac. The wines here offer very good value and in a vintage like 2025 they really do shine. The best terroirs here are on limestone and clay limestone and produce wines of complexity that can age well. More modern methods in the cellar combined with more attention in the vineyards have further transformed Fronsac in the last few decades and today the wines here offer increasing refinement and sophistication. This year I have been especially impressed by the wines of Château de La Dauphine, Château Dalem, Château Villars and Château La Vielle Cure. Château Fontenil, Château Les Trois Croix, Château Moulin Haut Laroque, Château de La Huste and Château de la Riverière also look very good.

The Côtes de Bordeaux is always a source of great value Bordeaux, especially in decent vintages. I don’t expect this to be news to you, but it is worth repeating! 2025 is an exciting year for the best terroirs in Bordeaux and there are notable successes for me amongst the Bordeaux Côtes – in my tastings this includes Cadillac, Blaye, Francs and Castillon. Very good wines have been made at Château Alcée, Château Côte Monpezat, Château d’Aiguilhe, Château de Laussac and Clos Puy Arnaud in Castillon. There are also good wines to be had in Cadillac including Château Carignan, Château de Ricard and Château Réaut. In the Francs, Château La Prade and Château Puygueraud are very impressive for the reds with Château Puygueraud and Château Les Charmes Godard looking great for the whites. Château d’Aiguilhe has also succeeded with an excellent white [100% Sauvignon Blanc] in 2025.