▻ Bordeaux 2025: The Verdict

Let's Talk About

4 May

Written By Sarah Kemp

In conversation with Jane Anson

Episode Summary:-

Jane Anson has just published her full report on the Bordeaux 2025 vintage, reviewing over 800 wines. She talks with Sarah Kemp about where the vintage ranks in reputation among those of the last decade, and reveals that she has given five potential 100-point wines for the 2024 vintage; her highest mark for a red wine was 97 points.

“It is a paradox of a vintage, there are some good wines, but not across the board,” Jane reports. Where the wines have scored high marks, she rates them alongside the great vintages of 2016, 2020, 2022 and 2023.

As we recorded this episode, two prices had been released, Châteaux Pontet-Canet and Batailley. In euros, Pontet-Canet is below 2024 pricing but higher in sterling, and Batailley Jane calls a rock-solid price at £144 per six on the UK market. Both Jane and Sarah believe there could be some great buys in this vintage if pricing is reasonable.

Wine of the vintage for both is Château Margaux. Jane explains the brave decision Phillipe Bascaules took, leaving picking the grapes until the end of September. The other top wines they agree on include Châteaux Haut-Bailly, Petrus, Mouton Rothschild and Beauséjour. Sarah notes Branaire-Ducru is worth keeping an eye out for, and Jane singles out Calon Segur. Potential best value (with the caveat that the price has not yet been released) is Château Moulin St Georges.

While En Primeur has dominated the last few weeks, the reason Jane’s phone has been ringing often may have been the report in the Sun newspaper that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are looking to buy a Margaux property, and the picture the Sun used in its article is of Château Palmer. Jane reports that she has no official confirmation of the accuracy of this, but it is good to see that Bordeaux hasn’t lost its glamour!