Château Mouton Rothschild : Aile d'Argent 2024

Medium golden-yellow; on the nose, exotic fruits, lychee, mint, elderflower and blackcurrant; creamy attack, perfectly ripe fruit, medium body, lively acidity, the wine has drive and freshness, finishing saline on exotic fruits with a peppery note.

Bright lemon and lime on the nose with some white acacia floral scents too. Green grapes, crisp Bramley apples and white peach. Piercing brightness that then softens with a peach and apricot element. Focused and taut, with gorgeous hints of pineapple as well as some wet-stone minerality that really cleans the palate on the finish. There’s definitely a bitter vein with grapefruit pith, but I like the upfront nature. Racy, yet with enough mouthfeel to counter the acidity. A hint of oily, waxy character brings breadth, too. It makes you smile at the end. Perfect with oysters. Aged 45% in new barrels for nine months. pH 3.05. 6.5% malolactic fermentation, with four more weeks of bâtonnage to balance brightness with richness.

54.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Sémillon, 12.5% Sauvignon Gris. Cask sample. Fragrant and floral with citrus and exotic-fruit notes as well. Good depth of fruit. Lively and fresh with line and length. Persistent. Lovely balance. Good potential. Quality, but at a price. (JL)

A vibrant nose combining pineapple, pear, pear blossom, chamomile and dandelion. On the palate, this energetic white immediately grabs attention: bright acidity, finely etched minerality and generous fruit intertwine with a subtle hazelnut note. The finish lingers on minerality, delivering inviting purity.

The brilliance of the bouquet goes hand in hand with its elegance—two seeming paradoxes that come together beautifully. Nuances of white flowers and peach lead into notes of lemon zest. Saline on the attack, the wine shows real character, yet it is beautifully framed by a velvety texture, resulting in a balance worthy of praise. Aile d’Argent has lost none of its elegance, while gaining in energy. A wine that deftly combines density with a mineral character, enhanced by a subtle, precise backbone.

Tropical fruits, honeysuckle, pineapple, green apples, pears, and white peaches combine with a touch of saffron to create a lively aroma. Energetic, crisp, and vibrant, the finish draws your focus to its core of green apples, yellow and orange citrus, and juicy pineapples that linger. You can enjoy this on release. The wine was made from a blend of 54.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, and 12.5%. Drink from 2027-2034. 94-94 pts

Beautiful aromatics, this is a gorgeous wine, with white peach, pear, lemon peel, capsicum, sage spices, gunsmoke, apple orchard. Extremely elegant and finessed, builds through the palate, a slow slow build that layers on grated ginger, lemongrass, white pepper, cold ash, gunsmoke... sublte layers that set it apart. Harvest 9 to 20 September. 3.05 pH. 45% new oak. Just 6.5% malolactic only on Sauvignon Blanc, with more lees stirring than in a normal year.

Pale color with yellow highlights. Intense nose, with slightly stewed fruit, tinged with menthol and Sauvignon. Juicy and broad from the attack, then flavorful on the mid-palate, the wine melts—delicate, delicious, fragrant, seamless and yet vibrant. It’s impossible to spit out. Blend: 54.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Sémillon, 12.5% Sauvignon Gris. Alcohol: 12.8% - pH: 3.05.