This is more reserved on the nose than the St Estèphe, bedding down for the long haul, showing crayon, graphite, bitter chocolate, cocoa bean, plenty of Pauillac character, a tiny trace of heat on the opening, again 2022 leaves its mark, but the muscular tannic structure does a great job of righting things and this is an impressive wine. Fermentation in concrete, ageing in 100% new oak Burgundy barrels, light toast. 40 year old vines average, 1800 numbered bottles. Plot located on the Bages plateau, with deep and particularly and poor gravel soils.

A medium intensity translucent ruby colour, good appellation differentiation between this Left Bank wine and those up in the Médoc peninsula. Excellent aromatic kickoff, has plenty of cinnammon, sage, fennel, grip and freshness, touches of slate and pummice stone texture through the palate, this one sits comfortably alongside classified Pessacs, but with a distinct personality. A serious wine, perhaps the best in the Xavier Copel lineup in terms of where it stands next to others bottles that you could be selecting from the appellation. Fermentation in concrete, ageing in 100% new oak Burgundy barrels, light toast. Plots by Domaine de Chevalier, fine gravel mixed with black sand, on a clay-gravel subsoil, 3,000 numbered bottles.

Here you get plenty of St Estèphe typicity and character, intense, edges of mint, liqourice and graphite, chalky tannins, good structure, plenty of mid palate weight without being overwhelming, enjoyable, will age but no need to wait too long to begin drinking. 2,100 numbered bottles. Fermentation in concrete, ageing in 100% new oak, Burgundy barrels, light toast. Near the area of Pez, the plot is located on a terroir of Garonne gravel terraces over clay limestone subsoils.

First vintage to bring a Margaux into the Xavier Copel range, and for me a bit of a shame that it is the 2022 vintage, because there is less appellation typicity than I would expect to find considering the work he has done in the other appellations. Deep plum colour, medium intensity, gentle toast, rich and powerful, plenty of damson, black cherry and cassis fruits, heavily spiced with sandalwood, sage and turmeric. An enjoyable wine, and great to see this among the range, but not for me the most impressive in the lineup, at least for now. 1,800 numbered bottles. Plateau of Marsac overloooking the Gironde, deep gravels. ermentation in concrete, ageing in 100% new oak, Burgundy barrels, light toast.