From: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Varietal: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot


Taste & Critical Acclaim: The Wine Cellar Insider 93 pts
Fresh, vibrant, racy red fruits with notes of flowers, smoke, tobacco leaf, herbs, and cedar shine through. Medium/full-bodied, vibrant, juicy, and just about ready to go, give it an hour or two in the decanter. Drink from 2022-2040. -Tasted July 8, 2022. 

Wine Spectator 93 pts
Dense, juicy and inviting, with bouncy briar, blackberry, steeped black currant and melted black licorice notes framed by roasted apple wood and graphite notes. The finish courses along with good definition. Energetic and tempting, but the gripping, iron-laden finish will benefit from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030. -James Molesworth, March 31, 2013

Wine Advocate 93 pts
Another sensational effort from Philippe Dhaluin, the administrator of Mouton Rothschild, this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot shows complex floral notes intermixed with forest floor, camphor, black currants and mulberries that all jump from the glass of this aromatic style of d'Armailhac. This wine possesses very good acidity, a surprisingly higher percentage of Merlot than usual, but the quality is impressive, and the good news is that there are 20,000 cases of this full-bodied beauty, which should age nicely for 15-20+ years. -Robert Parker, February 2013


Pairing: This is a wine you should splurge on when pairing food. Sous vide Wagyu filets with sauteed mushrooms, and Joël Robuchon’s pommes purée is ideal. Entrecôte à la Bordelaise would be great as well. If you’re going vegetarian, punch up the umami flavors with something like a mushroom risotto.

About. Château d’Armailhac, once part of the vast Mouton Rothschild estate, traces its origins to the late 17th century when the d’Armailhacq brothers, riverboat captains on the Gironde, began acquiring land in Pauillac. By 1740, the estate's wines were marketed as Mouton d’Armailhacq, though the château never rivaled the prestige of its neighbors. Financial difficulties in the 19th century led to the partial sale of the estate and the halting of chateau construction, leaving it famously half-finished. Eventually, it was acquired by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in 1934, who recognized the value of the property’s proximity to Mouton Rothschild and leveraged the estate to expand his wine business, including launching the renowned Mouton Cadet brand.

Over the years, the estate underwent several name changes before officially becoming Château d’Armailhac in 1989. Today, it covers 70 hectares planted predominantly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, though it once held one of the Médoc’s highest concentrations of Cabernet Franc. Its gravel-rich terroir, some of Bordeaux’s oldest vines—dating back to 1890—and its modern, gravity-fed winery (completed in 2021) support precise, parcel-by-parcel vinification. Producing around 18,000 cases annually, Château d’Armailhac delivers classic Pauillac character at a more accessible price point, offering both historical intrigue and solid value in the Bordeaux landscape.