Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe B owned by Chanel SAS since 1996. 22 hectares with limestone plateau parcels; organic certified; Nicolas Audebert director.
Signature wines: chateau-canon, croix-canon
Scores: Wine Advocate 98 (2016), James Suckling 98 (2019)
Address: Chateau Canon, 33330 Saint-Emilion, France, Bordeaux
Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe de Graves with origins traced to 1300. 32 hectares; Bernard Magrez owner; truffle-enhanced restaurant and botanical gardens featuring a 1,000-year-old olive tree.
Tasting: Hotel and restaurant on-site; visits and tastings available.
Signature wines: pape-clement-rouge, pape-clement-blanc
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2016), James Suckling 97 (2018)
Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe de Graves owned by the Cathiards since 1990. 67 hectares including white wine production; Les Sources de Caudalie luxury spa resort on-site.
Tasting: Les Sources de Caudalie hotel with Vinothérapie Spa and Michelin-starred restaurant; open to hotel guests and visitors.
Signature wines: smith-haut-lafitte-rouge, smith-haut-lafitte-blanc
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2018), James Suckling 98 (2019)
Sauternes Premier Cru adjacent to d'Yquem, owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild since 1984. 93 hectares of Semillon-dominant botrytised dessert wine production.
Tasting: Visits and tastings available by appointment.
Signature wines: chateau-rieussec-sauternes, r-de-rieussec
Scores: Wine Advocate 98 (2001), Wine Spectator 98 (2009)
Sauternes Premier Cru within a fairytale 1618 castle; 18 hectares of enclosed vineyard. Lalique luxury hotel with two-Michelin-starred restaurant and 350,000-bottle cellar.
Tasting: Lalique hotel with two Michelin-starred restaurant; open to hotel guests.
Signature wines: chateau-lafaurie-peyraguey, la-chapelle-de-lafaurie-peyraguey
Scores: Wine Advocate 98 (2017), Decanter 97 (2019)
Saint-Estephe Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel with 51 hectares and a former Celestine priory. Reliable, full-bodied Cabernet-dominant style representing excellent appellation value.
Tasting: Visits by appointment.
Signature wines: chateau-meyney, prieur-de-meyney
Scores: Wine Advocate 92 (2016), Decanter 93 (2018)
Pomerol estate of 9 hectares dominated by old-vine Merlot. Ronan Laborde family-owned; 1998 vintage scored 100 points from Wine Advocate; old-vine character a distinguishing feature.
Tasting: By appointment only.
Signature wines: clinet
Scores: Wine Advocate 100 (1998), Wine Advocate 98 (2000)
