109 products
Chateau Marquis De Terme Margaux 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews
James Suckling 94 Points | This is a solid Margaux with blackberries, blackcurrants and undertones of fresh tobacco and a wet earth. It’s full and layered with beautiful energy and structure. Tight at the end, as it should be. Try after 2025. (2019).
Decanter 94 Points | Great depth, starting to really achieve class and depth with generous dashes of chocolate, coffee, mocha. Combines tannic hold with great freshness, an excellent wine; black fruits, bilberry, blackberry, finished off with the fine tannins of smoked oak. A brilliant Marquis de Terme. (2019).
Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | The 2019 Château Marquis De Terme showed better now than from a bottle tasted earlier this year. Giving up plenty of darker, almost black fruits as well as tobacco, gravelly earth, and spice, it's medium to full-bodied, has a round, fleshy, sexy mouthfeel, quality tannins, and a great finish. (2019).
Wine Spectator 91 Points | Features cherry and black currant puree notes with some inner freshness, while black tea, alder and violet hints form a pretty backdrop. Nice steady finish, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now. (2019).
Robert Parker 90+ Points | Aromas of rich black fruits, cherry preserve and pencil shavings introduce the 2019 Marquis de Terme, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine with a broad attack that segues into an ample mid-palate framed by ripe but youthfully assertive tannins. This is a muscular, rather chunky Margaux that will reward a bit of bottle age and which, with time, may make my score seem conservative. This is an evolving estate, as fully 25% of its vineyards have been replanted since 2009. Cabernet on rich soils between Labégorce and Château Margaux represents the core of the blend. Best After 2025. (2019).
Chateau Lagrange Saint-Julian 2020 750ml 95 pts Jeff Leve
Jeb Dunnuck | Coming from depressingly low yields of just 26 hectoliters per hectare (the lowest since 1991), the 2020 Chateau Lagrange checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. It's a gorgeous, complete Saint-Julien offering remarkable purity in its cassis, violets, chocolate, and leafy tobacco-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with terrific balance, a pure, focused mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and beautifully integrated oak, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following 2+ decades in cold cellar. Best After 2027. (2020).
Points Wine Enthusiast | This wine, with its red plum and spice flavors has an initial smoothness that is belied by the wine's dry, firm core. Its dark tannins are there to ensure a fine future. Barrel Sample | 92-94. (2020).
Points James Suckling : Attractive nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, walnuts, ink and kaffir leaves. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with chewy and tight tannins. Dark and intense, with a long and persistent finish. Turns to graphite and cedar. Needs time to open and soften. (2020).
Decanter | A perky, bright and enjoyable Lagrange, showing some angularity and austerity to the tannins but at the same time it is bright with clarity of direction, firm and concentrated fruits and juicy on the finish. A little subdued, but this is a quality Lagrange with extremely carefully placed fine tannins and fruit - it shows the essence of St-Julien balance, and one that will not need the full 10 years to come around. 50% less volume than usual. (2020).
Points Wine Spectator | Very sleek, with a racy iron edge driving through in lockstep with cassis and cherry coulis flavors. Reveals a subtle black tea accent on the finish, with the minerality eventually holding center stage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036. (2020).
Points Robert Parker | The 2020 Lagrange (Pomerol) wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cherries, loamy soil and new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and fleshy palate with a gourmand core of fruit framed by powder tannins that assert themselves on the finish. Best after 2025. (2020).
Chateau Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien 2019 750ml
Beautiful blue fruits, tobacco, damp earth, and floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Branaire-Ducru. It's medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, has silky tannins, and shows the quality of the vintage perfectly. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. It reminds me of the 2009. Barrel Sample | 94-96
Points Wine Enthusiast | This is a richly perfumed wine that has bold tannins and dense black fruits. There is a fine line of juicy acidity cutting through all the richness to lend freshness against all the concentration. This is for long-term aging. Barrel Sample | 94-96.
Points Robert Parker | The 2019 Branaire-Ducru unwinds in the glass with aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, sweet soil tones and hints of cigar wrapper, rose petals and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's youthfully tightly wound, with terrific concentration, tangy acids, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. While this is a little reserved out of the gates, its energy and classical proportions will richly reward bottle age. Best after 2029.
Points James Suckling | Very clear fruit character of blackcurrants, orange peel and spices. Some walnut, too. It’s full-bodied with integrated, polished tannins and shows finesse and focus. Love the focused fruit at the end of this. Strength with finesse. Give it four to five years of bottle age. Try after 2024.
Points Wine Spectator | Leads with vivid violet and cassis, while dark plum, blackberry and boysenberry reduction notes follow quickly. Racy, structured and well-built, with graphite and apple wood driving through the finish. Very pure and aromatic, featuring a nice sanguine echo that lingers at the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025.
Points Decanter | Floral-studded nose along with cassis fruits, this is an enjoyable Branaire Ducru that is easy to recommend. Lighter-framed than some in the appellation with its characteristic fine tannins making this a medium-term drinker within the St Julien context. Plenty of juice running through the palate, enjoyable baked earth and menthol notes and a kick of salinity on the finish. Barrel Sample | 93.
Chateau d'Issan Margaux 2019 750ml 96 pts Jeff Leve
Expert Review - Vintage 2019
Neal Martin of Vinous writes 94 Points | The 2019 Château d'Issan has a glorious Margaux bouquet with pressed violets fusing with the black fruit and crushed stone scents. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, taut and fresh, a pinch of black pepper towards the structured and detailed finish that lingers in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. - Drinking 2025 - 2045.
William Kelley of the Wine Advocate writes 94 Points | The 2019 D'Issan is showing well from bottle, offering up aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with violets, orange rind and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a seamless, elegant profile, it's a charming, perfumed wine that will offer a broad drinking window. The blend is dominated by an atypically high proportion (70%) of Cabernet Sauvignon. The heart of Issan is its walled "Clos" to the rear of the picturesque moated château, which is complemented by more recently acquired holdings situated on the same gravel terrace. Drinking 2025 - 2055.
James Suckling writes 97 Points | Fresh currants and raspberries pop out of the glass, together with oranges and cedar. Such purity of fruit in the nose. Full-bodied, yet so refined and vertical. It goes deep and long with tight, compressed tannins that are pure and exciting. Really tight and focused. Precise. Try after 2026. - James Suckling 97
Georgina Hindle writes Decanter 96 Points | Stylish nose, feels polished and poised. A svelte style with satiny tannins and such depth of flavour - intense but nuanced with perfumed edges and red and black cherry flavours. You feel the sculpting of the fruit, there are layers of flavour and with good support round the edges and softly chewy tannins. Such a long finish too, really goes on and on. I love it, you get the power without doubt but it's very neatly packaged right now with a smoothness and clarity that's impressive. Drinking 2025 - 2045. - Decanter 96
Jane Anson of Decanter writes 96 Points | A concentrated but graceful feel to this Issan, showcasing why it is one of the powerhouses of Margaux without necessarily flexing its muscles the most obviously. Takes a few moments to unroll on the palate but as it does it expands both forward and outwards, beautifully filling the mid palate with creamy brambly fruits and firm but flexible tannins. This inches open, suggesting it has an extremely long life ahead of it, and is close to the 2016 in expression, although not quite with the depth of expression of that exemplary vintage. 50% new oak, 3.7pH. 45% of overall production went into the 1st wine. Harvest from 25th September to 11th October. Drinking 2029 - 2045. - Decanter 96
Jeb Dunnuck writes 95 Points | Pure cassis, graphite, violets, damp earth, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2019 Château D'Issan, a richer, medium to full-bodied, powerful Margaux. It develops a gorgeous sense of minerality with time in the glass, has plenty of mid-palate oomph, integrated oak, and just terrific overall balance. It's a stunning success in the vintage in Margaux, which was one of the more challenging in the vintage. This will round into form with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. Bravo. Drinking 2026 - 2047. - Jeb Dunnuck 95
James Lawther MW of Jancis Robinon writes 17.5 Points | A touch restrained but pure, bright, juicy and intense. Palate silky and substantial with the backing of plentiful tannins. Perception of old-vine intensity. Builds to an impressively long finish. Similar to 2016 but more aromatic freshness. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Drinking 2027 - 2045. Jancis Robinson 17.5
Winemaker Description
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot
Chateau La Bastienne Montagne Saint-Emilion 2015 750ml
Our Professional Review
Starts out with sweet, slightly stewed red plum and cherry fruit on the nose and on entry, then opens up to baking spice, medicinal herbs, and crushed flowers. Medium bodied, and very satisfying on the palate with finely etched but assertive tannins.
Rand Sieger, 67 Wine Buyer
Chateau Laffitte Carcasset Saint-Estephe Cru Bourgeois Superieure 2018 750ml
This is open overall in terms of its tannic structure, and there are lovely plum and blackberry fruits, with a slate texture through the finish. Enjoyable, with St Estèphe character. 40% new oak. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038
Points James Suckling | Blackcurrants, brambleberries, walnut husks, dried leaves and dark spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh and structured. Crushed stone comes through in the aftertaste. Better from 2024.
Winemaker Description
Château Laffitte Carcasset benefits from the mild climate typical of the great terroirs on the left river bank of the estuary.
The average age of the vineyard is 30 years old, composed of 60% of Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% of Merlot and 5% of Cabernet Franc.
Faithful to Saint-Estèphe’s style, Château Laffitte Carcasset produces complex and fruity red wines with a beautiful tannic structure giving a very good aging potential. Winemaker Description.
Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2014 750ml 95 pts Robert Parker
Expert Reviews
Wine Spectator 95 Points | Deep garnet with a hint of purple to the color, the 2014 Pontet-Canet gives a very serious, classic Pauillac nose of blackcurrant preserves, baked blackberries and warm black plums with suggestions of menthol, pencil lead, woodsmoke, cassia and cast-iron pan plus a hint of baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with black and blue fruit preserves with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, giving lift to the long, exotic spice-laced finish. It is approachable now, but really should start to make jaws drop in another 4-5 years.Wine Enthusiast 96 points This is a finely structured wine with dark tannins and intense black fruits. The estate, with its biodynamically grown fruit, has given an impressively pure wine, packed with tight serious tannins and a fine structure of black-plum skins and intense acidity. It is direct, firm and with a huge potential over many years. Drink from 2027. Cellar Selection
Decanter 96 Points | Classic Cabernet nose of cassis. Lovely purity and depth with a silky texture that caresses the palate - more obviously Pontet-Canet than Pauillac. An extremely fine wine almost in a class of its own.Jeb Dunnuck 96 points A final blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2014 Pontet-Canet is brilliant stuff, and I was able to taste this wine from barrel as well as multiple times from bottle, both at the estate and from a bottle purchased in the United States. It offers a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, and minerals, as well as an unmistakable Pauillac lead pencil characteristics that I just adore. Possessing full-bodied richness, a rounded, surprisingly opulent, sexy texture, awesome purity, and sweet, succulent tannin, it’s a sensational 2014 that might just surpass what they accomplished in 2015. This is a 2014 you won’t regret buying in bulk as it’s going to keep for 2-3 decades and be drinkable for the vast majority of it. Bravo to Alfred Tesseron and his team!James Suckling 98 points A stunning wine for this vintage although it’s still a bit shy on the nose (more spice than fruit showing than now). There’s wet earth, too, but on the palate it’s bursting with ripe yet subtle flavors. Very long and complex finish that goes on and on.
Chateau Gazin Pomerol 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
Neal Martin writes: The 2019 has a beguiling bouquet with red berry fruit, truffle and light Provençal herb scents that are beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. This is exquisite in terms of balance, silky smooth, building gradually with a harmonious and quite effortless finish. Divine - this is a stellar showing. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. - Vinous 97
Georgina Hindle writes: A rich, full and heady nose. On the palate there's ripe blackcurrant, red cherries, raspberries and strawberries but also some mint, black pepper and truffle. Excellent precision and density with a seductive dark chocolate edge. Feels well handled with a sense of classicism. A powerful, muscular and confident wine, but with suppleness - this has density but also grace with a cooling finish comprising liquorice, mint and soft salinity. A great wine. Drinking - Decanter 97
James Suckling writes: A perfumed nose of mulberries, plums, chocolate orange and cloves. Hints of toffee, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Caressing, velvety and rich core of dark fruit. So supple and polished. 88.5% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon and 4.5% cabernet franc. Drink after 2024. - James Suckling 95
William Kelley writes: The 2019 Gazin is a fleshy, dramatic wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of ripe berry fruit mingled with subtle hints of truffle and violets, its new oak already entirely integrated. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's broad and textural, with lively acids, powdery tannins and fine length on the finish. - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 94
Jeb Dunnuck writes: While the 2019 Château Gazin isn't going to match the 2018, it's an elegant, solid Pomerol delivering spicy red and black cherry fruits, notes of cedary herbs and flowers, medium-bodied richness, silky yet building tannins, and a great finish. This elegant, nicely structured, balanced beauty will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years. - Jeb Dunnuck 94
Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac 2019 100 pts Jeb Dunnuck 99 pts Vinous
Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien 2016 ORGANIC 750ml
Expert Ratings - Vintage 2016
Wine Spectator 93 points This has a wide range of red currant, blackberry, black cherry and açaí berry fruit flavors forming the core, with a very sleek iron note lurking underneath it all. The finish uses a fine singed wood stitching to pull the fruit and minerality together. Lovely.Wine Enthusiast 94 points This is a dense, smoky wine with powerful tannins. It follows the line of richness set since the 2014 vintage and balances rich black fruits and con-centrated tannins cut with final acidity. Drink from 2025
Wine Advocate 94 points The 2016 Gruaud Larose is blended of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with notes of red and black cherries, warm plums and freshly crushed blackcurrants plus hints of violets, oolong tea, aniseed and tilled soil with a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied, the palate struts tons of elegantly fragrant red and black fruit flavors with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.
Decanter 95 points This is well built and powerful, not exactly subtle, but then none of these wines are. Instead you get complex, layered and concentrated inky fruits, with some aniseed too. The balance and elegance of St-Julien comes in through the tailored and fine tannins on the finish, but while these tannins may be fine, there are lots of them. 80% new oak. Drinking Window 2024.James Suckling 94 points So much sweet-tobacco and currant character with some earth on the nose. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Closed and complex still, but a typically beautiful Bordeaux. Try after 2022.
Vinous 93 points The 2016 Gruaud-Larose has quite a fruit-driven, generous bouquet of layers of black and red fruit laced with graphite and tertiary aromas. Is there just a slight touch of brettanomyces here? The medium-bodied palate is earthy and a little ferrous, with rounded tannin, and quite approachable compared to its peers. Slightly smudged toward the finish, but it shows great persistence. Very fine, very Gruaud.
Chateau Valandraud Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 2020 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020
Jeb Dunnuck writes: One of the wines of the vintage is Jean-Luc Thunevin's 2020 Château Valandraud, which comes from the cooler, eastern side of Saint-Emilion. Exhibiting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, violets, new leather, and an almost Hermitage-like burning embers character, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, seamless tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a finish that won't quit. A blend of 85% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it's clearly in the same league as the 2019, if not slightly more concentrated. Give bottles 5-7 years in the cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-25 years or so. Drinking 2028 to 2053. - Jeb Dunnuck 99
William Kelley writes: If the 2019 vintage at this address was something of a guilty pleasure, the 2020 Valandraud is simply guilty as charged. Exhibiting aromas of jammy black fruits mingled with toasted coconut, spices and caricatural slatherings of new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and chewy, with generously extracted tannins that clamp down on the finish. All that oak and extract impedes access to the wine's generous fruit, rendering it less demonstrative and gourmand than its 2019 counterpart, and that's a pity, as recent vintages of Valandraud have been among the more successful of the few remaining hold-out "garagiste" wines of the Right Bank. Drinking 2025 to 2043. - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92
Jane Anson writes: Juicy, perfectly judged, delicious brambled fruits, this is exuberant without being overdone, just oozing with pleasure, inviting you to come on board. Expect waves of liqourice, powerful damson brambled jam, lime blossom, orange peel marmalade and saffron. This needs a good five more years in bottle before approaching, but you want this in your cellar. Founders Arnaud-Thunevin now in a 50% ownership with the Lefevre family from Sansonnet, 100% new oak, 49hl/ha yield. Drinking 2027 to 2048. - Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux
James Suckling writes: Very opulent and expressive aromas of black fruit and pine needles. So floral. Full-bodied with plush, velvety tannins and lots of fruit and texture. It goes on for minutes. Rich at the finish, but remains fresh and vivid. Superb. One of the great Valandrauds. Drink after 2027. - James Suckling 99
Antonio Galloni writes: The 2020 Valandraud is a stunner. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2020 possesses dazzling intensity from start to finish. Silky tannins wrap around a core of plush dark red/black fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 is bright and wonderfully focused. Sweet floral and blood orange accents liven up the explosive finish. Magnificent. Drinking 2028 to 2060. - Vinous 98
Georgina Hindle writes: Juicy and alive, a brightness to this even though the fruits are dark in profile - blackcurrant, black cherry, herbal-tinged blueberries - heady and seductive. Layers of acidity, mint, freshness and toast combine to give quite a full and complex palate with everything at the fore yet staying the right side of being too much. Strong and characterful but totally charming. I love the St-Emilion glamour and muscle, softly flexing with a salty minerality and unmistakable signature. Drinking 2027 to 2046. - Decanter 93
Jane Anson writes: This is excellent, broad-shouldered with ample depth to the brambled fruits, liquorice, cigar box spice, with a gorgeously saline finish. Chalky, grippy tannins keep tugging you back into the body of the wine. The tannic grip is helped by a linen rather than silk texture that stops things being overly smooth and instead adds depth and interest to the powerfully knitted body, as do white flowers on the aromatics as it opens. Good stuff. 100% new oak for 24 months. A yield of 49hl/ha. Thunevin has sold a 50% stake in Valandraud to the Lefevre family at Sansonnet (also the new owners of Villemaurine, so a busy year for them). Drinking 2029 to 2046. - Decanter 96
Julia Harding MW writes: Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark and oaky – lots of 70% dark chocolate. Pretty oaky, covering all else. The tannins are big and dense but there’s enough fresh fruit to fill it out for the long term. Drinking 2030 to 2045. - Jancis Robinson 17++
James Molesworth writes: Tilts to the showy side, with a flourish of black currant and fig preserves, warmed black tea, melted black licorice and a hint of alder smoke as well, all framed by a warm loam- and espresso crema-accented finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2040. - Wine Spectator 93
Winemaker Notes
Freshness and opulence, fruit and structure. A perfect balance.
Blend: 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint-Julien 2015 750ml
Expert Reviews- Vintage 2015
Vinous 97 Points | The 2015 Léoville-Poyferré is spectacular. Inky, dense and explosive, the 2015 possesses off the chart richness, with soft contours, no hard edges and exceptional balance. All the elements are simply fused together. inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, new leather, blueberry jam, exotic spice and violet notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. Fresh, vibrant and totally sexy, Léoville-Poyferré is one of the wines of the vintage. Don't miss it! Tasted two times.
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | The 2015 Leoville Poyferre is cut from the same cloth as the 2016, yet is more sexy, rounded and opulent. Notes of cassis, licorice, crushed rocks, lead pencil shavings and graphite all emerge from this unctuous, ripe, pedal-to-the-metal beauty that's absolutely loaded with fruit and texture. Reminding me of the 2003, yet only fresher, don't miss this beauty. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 3-4 decades.
Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | Following the style that this estate has now adopted, this is an ultrarich, concentrated wine. However its acidity and bright black-currant fruits contrast well with this solid base. Drink this impressive wine from 2026.
Wine Spectator 95 Points | Dark plum cake, blueberry reduction and acai berry fruit tilts this to the exotic side of the ledger, with warm ganache, melted black licorice and tar notes providing the spine through the lush finish. Displays some serious latent grip, so there's no rush despite the showy fruit. Best from 2022 through 2040. 18,439 cases made.
Wine Advocate 94 Points | The 2015 Leoville Poyferre is deep garnet-purple colored with a nose of grilled meats, baked plums, crème de cassis and baker's chocolate with nuances of dusty soil and iron ore plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and muscular in the mouth, it is built like a brick house with a mineral-tinged finish.
Chateau Lascombes Margaux 2019 750ml
Winemaker Description
This is extremely linear and refined with a super-fine line of tannins running through the center of the wine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and sophisticated, with a long, long finish. Plenty of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, walnut and cedar in the aftertaste. Try after 2025.
Expert Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | The 2019 Château Lascombes showed well, with outstanding notes of cassis fruits as well as cedarwood and tobacco, and it displays more dark, earthy nuances with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific balance, building tannins, and the vintage's pure, fresh, and focused style front and center. Hide bottles for 4-6 years and enjoy them over the following two decades. Best after 2026. Rating: 93+
Robert Parker 92 Points | Offering up a rich bouquet of blackberries, cassis, burning embers and sweet spices, the 2019 Lascombes is full-bodied, lavish and textural, with a voluminous core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of ripe, powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully firm finish. This is a powerful, muscular style of Margaux that remains nicely balanced in its register. Best After 2027 Rating : 92+
Wine Spectator 90 Points | Richly fruity and very forward, with plum sauce, Black Forest cake and black currant pâte de fruit notes flanked by violet and alder accents through the finish. This will have fans for sure; drink in the near term. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now.
Clos de la Cure Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2019 750ml
Expert Review - Vintage 2019
The quality in the vintage is undeniable, "perhaps the best I have ever tasted at this stage." Jancis Robinson
James Suckling writes 90 Points | Dark plums, wet earth, dried herbs and walnuts on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins. Chalky with dark-fruit character and a chewy finish. Drink in 2024. - James Suckling 90
Lisa Perrotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate writes | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Clos de la Cure comes tumbling out of the glass with playful black cherries, fresh black plums and redcurrant jelly scents plus hints of dried Provence herbs, damp soil and moss-covered tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate has plenty of herb-laced black fruits with a chewy texture and racy acidity, finishing on a lingering wild thyme note. - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Winemaker Description
Clos de la Cure is a beautiful walled 6 hectare vineyard situated on the St. Émilion plateau. This estate and Château Milon are owned by Alexia and Pierre Bouyer and the estates represent more than seven generations of viticultural heritage. The domaine treats their vineyards with all the respect due to a Grand Cru with an ecological friendly approach.
This classic right bank Bordeaux has great structure, medium plus body, good complexity and depth with thick tannin and balanced acidity. The vibrant palate has intense flavors of blackberry, plum, raspberry, black cherry, red cherry, earth, mushroom, leather, tobacco and spice. The finish is long lasting. Think hearty beef stew.
Chateau Gloria Saint Julien 2016 750ml
Expert Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck writes: I was lucky enough to taste the 2016 Château Gloria on multiple occasions and it’s unquestionably the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 42% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful, medium to full-bodied wine that has thrilling purity in its ripe black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite-laced aromas and flavors. Deep, layered, with ripe tannins and the purity and freshness that makes the vintage so special, this is a brilliant Gloria to drink over the coming 20+ years. Drinking 2019 - 2039 - Jeb Dunnuck 94
William Kelley writes: The 2016 Gloria is showing brilliantly and appears to be entering the beginning of its drinking window. Offering up a deep bouquet of sweet crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with sweet spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with fine concentration, ripe tannins and bright acids, it's a vibrant, precise wine from this sometimes rather flamboyantly styled estate, impressing for its purity of fruit and structural seamlessness. Gloria in excelsis! Drinking 2022 - 2040 - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93
Elin McCoy writes: Though it's hardly under-the-radar, this unclassified château (one of the few in this appellation) consistently offers rich bright fruit , charm, and juicy generosity in a lighter, elegant St-Julien style, especially in top vintages like 2016. The plots that make up its vineyards were painstakingly acquired by the late Henri Martin and it's now run by his daughter and son-in-law, along with fourth growth Château Saint-Pierre. The blend in 2016 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot and aged in 40% new barrels. This was the first vintage made in a new winery, with 76 different-sized tanks, and it's one of the best wines ever from Gloria. - Drinking 2022 - 2040 - Decanter 93
James Suckling writes: Beautiful aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries. Hot-stone undertones. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with very fine tannins that are strong and bright. Compressed. Serious. Try in 2023. - James Suckling 94
Antonio Galloni writes: The 2016 Gloria is one of the undisputed stars of this vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all add complexity. In 2016 Gloria is a real head-turner. It should be a fabulous value as well. There is not much else to say. Drinking 2026 - 2046 - Vinous 96
Jane Anson writes: Immediately on the nose you get the rich structure of the fruit, rippling with texture and life. It has just the right amount of drama, offering a tight and well-focussed delivery. This is beautiful, showing great underlying freshness and grip with real tension and minerality. Drinking 2027 - 2040 - Decanter 94
Jancis Robinson writes: Tasted blind. Restrained nose suggests there’s a lot going on here. Savoury – as dry as a Barton wine – but with great constitution. Drier than usual. Drinking 2027 - 2045 - Jancis Robinson 17.5
Chateau Le Gay Pomerol 2018 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | From one of my favorite estates in Pomerol, the 2018 Château Le Gay knocks it out of the park and has that classic Pomerol mix of sexy opulence paired with an incredible sense of finesse. Offering an already complex bouquet of crème de cassis, black cherries, white truffle, camphor, tobacco, and acacia flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, expansive texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar. It's going to put a smile on any wine lover's face over the coming 20-25 years.
James Suckling 97 Points | Aromas of plums, violets and mushrooms with earthy notes. Fleshy and succulent texture to the full body with round, firm tannins and a salivating, savory finish. Very persistent. Opulent and reserved at the same time. Contrastive wine. Drink after 2025.
Wine Advocate 95 Points | Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Le Gay has a beautifully perfumed nose of lavender essence, chocolate-covered cherries and preserved plums, leading to a fragrant undercurrent of kirsch, licorice and fertile loam. The concentrated, full-bodied palate (15% alcohol) delivers bold, black fruit flavors with compelling red berry sparks and a plush texture, finishing long with just enough freshness.
Vinous 94 Points | The 2018 Le Gay is unusually reticent today. Lavender, rose petal, mint, blood orange and crushed red berry fruit emerge over time. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2018 packs serious punch. It is one of more sensual wines of the vintage in Pomerol, but readers will have to be patient, as the 2018 is in no mood to show its cards just yet.
Wine Spectator 93-96 Points | Plum, boysenberry and açaí berry flavors give this a slightly exotic character, with a polished texture and lingering anise notes. Shows latent grip on the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Beausejour Heritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse Saint-Emilion 2018 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018
Decanter 100 Points | Nicolas Thienpont has been director here for 10 years now, and the changes that he has brought have had a stunning and important effect, firmly placing this as one of the best estates in the appellation. Everything feels a little deeper and darker than its sibling Pavie Macquin in this vintage: the tannins are a little less pliant and a little more serious. This is clearly going to age well - you can feel the scrape of the limestone, the concentration of the cassis and tight tobacco flavours, the lift of the spices through the finish, and the tannic mass that's undeniable. 2018 saw half the normal yield, down in the mid-20hl/ha, and you can't miss the concentration it lends to the wine. The vines come from the slopes with clay over limestone, and with such natural power allied to these low yields I am sure this will take a full 10 years to become drinkable, but watch it really come into its own in 40 or 50 years! 98-100 points. Drinking Window 2028 - 2042.
The Wine Advocate 97 Points | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Beausejour Heritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse comes prancing out of the glass with the most gorgeous perfume of plum preserves, kirsch, redcurrant jelly and red roses, followed by suggestions of molten licorice, raspberry leaves, oolong tea and iron ore, with a waft of forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with black and red berry preserves layers, framed by fantastically plush tannins and a seamless backbone, finishing long and earthy. A wine of impeccable poise and polish, it is delicious now, but allow it 3-4 years in bottle to really fan its feathers and drink it over the next 20 years or more.
James Suckling 97 Points | Aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, black olive, oyster shell and black tea. Some ash and dried flowers, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Sleek and compact with a savory, mineral finish. Great length and depth. Wonderful texture. Such precision. Try from 2026.
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | Aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, black olive, oyster shell and black tea. Some ash and dried flowers, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Sleek and compact with a savory, mineral finish. Great length and depth. Wonderful texture. Such precision. Try from 2026.
Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | Barrel Sample. This is a perfumed wine, with delicious spice, tannins and acidity all coming together well. Its black plum flavor is well integrated with the structure of this fine, fruity wine that has a bright future.
Wine Spectator 95 Points | A head-turner, with velvety-textured cassis, plum sauce and cherry reduction flavors gliding through with a bit of panache thanks to bittersweet cocoa, black tea and dried anise notes. Chalky minerality extends the finish and leaves a mouthwatering echo. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,165 cases made.
Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere Saint-Emilion 2018 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018
Vinous 97 Points | The 2018 Canon La Gaffelière is bright, punchy and full of character, just as it was from barrel. Sage, blood orange, mocha and spice add pretty aromatic top notes to a core of inky red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are so well balanced in this super-expressive Saint-Émilion. Bright floral and savory Franc notes punctuate the salivating finish, mineral-drenched finish. The 2018 needs a lot of air to open, but when it does, it is dynamite.
Wine Spectator 96 Points | This has a lovely core of mulled cassis, damson plum and raspberry reduction notes, framed with an applewood note that integrates nicely while red tea, savory and chalky mineral notes develop through the finish. Restrained style, precise and very long. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 5,833 cases made.
James Suckling 96 Points | Fantastic depth and richness to the nose with plums, mushrooms, bark and some mahogany. Full-bodied, tight and focused with very fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Lovely polish, balance and clarity. Drink after 2025.
Wine Advocate 95 Points | Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Canon la Gaffeliere out of the gate delivers a seductive nose of plum preserves, kirsch and Black Forest cake with nuances of lilacs, underbrush, Indian spices and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is filled with black fruit preserves and loads of spicy accents, supported by chewy tannins and well-balanced freshness, finishing long and savory.
Wine Enthusiast 94-96 Points Barrel Sample | This already shows sophistication in a stream of black currant fruit set alongside the firm tannins that are still developing. Its structure and juicy berry fruits give richness and freshness at the end while also promising aging.
Decanter 95 Points | This has the clear edge over La Mondotte for me because it combines the polish and glamour of a St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé with the salt taffy tang of limestone. Still a silky texture but a more attractive slate edge coming in on the finish to temper the sweet fruit and slow things down. A highly impressive wine. The harvest ran from 19 September to 4 October, with a yield of 35hl/ha. 50% new oak. Certified organic.
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points | This has the clear edge over La Mondotte for me because it combines the polish and glamour of a St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé with the salt taffy tang of limestone. Still a silky texture but a more attractive slate edge coming in on the finish to temper the sweet fruit and slow things down. A highly impressive wine. The harvest ran from 19 September to 4 October, with a yield of 35hl/ha. 50% new oak. Certified organic.
Chateau Pavie Macquin Saint-Emilion 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
Decanter 97 Points | Violet-edged floral attack, hitting you straight up with the full range of concentrated black fruits and spices. Such a great quality wine that stands out from the pack. Full of nuance, just when you think you are done it pushes another flavour into the room. The texture is controlled and precise, with slate edges that slow down its progress through the palate; just all round excellent terroir and winemaking. Tasted twice, a week apart, and its the depth to the palate that really sets it apart, and the mouth-scrapingly slow slate finish.
James Suckling 97 Points | Lots of roses and dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries on the nose. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised, with real focus and firmness and seamless tannins that run the length of the wine. Minerality and persistence in a cool way. This is very serious for the vintage and for the cellar. Try after 2025.
Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points | The 2019 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a beautiful, cooler terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. A wine that always demands bottle age, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a tight, reserved wine with notes of ripe cassis, mulberry, and blackberry fruits as well as notes of spring flowers, sandalwood, and flowers. The purity is truly something, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a rich, layered mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This is a wonderfully complete, nuanced, flawlessly balanced Pavie Macquin that will round into form with just 5-6 years of bottle age yet keep for 2-3 decades. 96+
Vinous 95-97 Points | The 2019 Pavie Macquin feels very tight on the nose at first and certainly from my sample bottle, I allowed it 15-20 minutes to open. Eventually it reveals very intense scents of black cherries, cassis and crushed violet, touches of blood orange in the background. The palate has a satin-like texture, almost Vosne-Romanée-like, with extraordinarily pure blue and black fruit. Seamless! There is fine tension on the finish with impressive persistence. This is a seriously good Pavie-Macquin from Nicolas Thienpont and his team.
Chateau Duhart Milon Pauillac 2016 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2016
Decanter 95 Points | I remember how delicious this was at en primeur, and it remains a stately, elongated, perfectly poised Pauillac. It's austere, certainly, but is also full of rich fruit pared down by a slate texture, the sense of minerality scraping along the palate as you approach the blackcurrant leaf and tobacco finish. It's excellent quality, and clearly a vintage that suits the personality of Duhart - juicy but restrained. Matured in 50% new oak.
James Suckling 95 Points | Enticing aromas of crushed berries, blackcurrants, sweet tobacco, hot stones and licorice follow through to a full body, chewy and dusty tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A juicy and savory young 2016. Try after 2024.
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | Ranking with the finest vintages of this wine to date, the 2016 Château Duhart Milon shows how successful the Médoc was in 2016. About as pure class as it gets, with full-bodied notes of red and black currants, tobacco leaf, graphite, and leafy herbs, this beauty hits the palate with sweet tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a layered, deep, powerful texture. It’s about as sexy as Pauillac can be and has 2-3 decades ahead of it.
The Wine Advocate 93 Points | Blended of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot, the 2016 Duhart-Milon has a deep garnet-purple color and features plums preserves, wild blueberries and cassis scents with touches of violets and underbrush with a waft of tobacco. Medium-bodied and elegant, with a backbone of finely grained tannins and oodles of freshness, it has a great core of perfumed black fruit, finishing on an earthy note.
Wine Spectator 93 Points | This is very vivid, with racy violet, cassis and plum aromas and flavors coursing through, laced with a mouthwatering anise note and leading to a long, focused finish. Displays a terrific iron underpinning. Best from 2024 through 2038.
Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | This bottling shows the vastly improved quality of this estate that still represents good value for the appellation and for its provenance as part of the Lafite-Rothschild stable. The wine is structured while full of ripe berry fruits. It has weight and density, rich with swathes of delicious fruits as well as tannins. It will develop well; Best after 2023.
Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
James Suckling 99 Points | The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now.
The Wine Independent 99 Points | Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. It features notes of prunes, creme de cassis, and wilted roses, followed by suggestions of spice box, iron ore, Ceylon tea, and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, concentrated, and seductive, with a racy backbone and ripe, fine-grained tannins supporting the complex, layered flavors, finishing long and minerally.
Decanter 98 Points | Such gorgeous aromatics of freshly picked violets, cherries and bramble fruits - pretty and quite delicate. The texture is smooth and succulent, mouth coating but full of soft tannins which have the most delicious black cherry, blackcurrant flesh and liquorice tinge to them - so satisfying. Extremely well balanced and well integrated, this has restrained power, it's not rich or particularly round but straight, direct and layered rather than wide. Really long finish with great freshness and touches of cool blueberries. This is just such a great wine, everything you want and you know there's power there promising a long life. Great winemaking on show. 35% aged in concrete, 50% new oak, 15% in barrels of one year, for 16-18 months. This year there's a new label, the drawing of the house has remained but the font is more elegant and modern.
Jane Anson 98 Points | Particularly successful during En Primeur, and even better now, just bursting out of the glass. Plump and fruit forward, plenty of character, with spiced cedar and smoked earth, violet and iris notes play around the edges, but the focus is on creamy cassis, bilberry, cocoa bean and aniseed. Last vintage with Jean-Michel Comme as technical director, and you really now see the skilled use of amphoras, which added notes of austerity in the early years (they introduced them in 2012) but now showcase the precision of the fruit. 100% 1st wine, with the ageing taking place in a mix of 45% new oak barrels, 15% one year barrels and 40% amphoras.
Chateau Calon Segur Saint-Estephe 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
Lisa Perotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate 95-97 Points | Displaying a very deep purple-black color, the 2019 Calon-Ségur strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, pencil shavings and clove oil plus nuances of lilacs, cinnamon stick, chocolate box and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with tightly wound, muscular black fruits and loads of bright floral accents, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and graceful.
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | As to the Grand Vin, the 2019 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in new barrels. This full-bodied, spicy, complex, decadent beauty has building, polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and incredible aromatics of spiced red and black currants, lead pencil, cedary herbs, smoked tobacco, and flowery incense. Complex, ripe, and even sexy, it will need just 4-6 years to hit the early stages of its drink window and is going to cruise for 30 years if properly stored. It's another brilliant wine from this estate.
Chateau Lilian Ladouys Saint Estephe Cru Bourgeois 2019 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Château Lilian Ladouys 2019, a vintage that is fresh yet sumptuous. The tannins are velvety, the balance exceptional: here is a wine similar in some ways to 2016 or 2018, yet even fresher and more aromatic.
James Suckling 92 Points | Château Lilian Ladouys 2019, a vintage that is fresh yet sumptuous. The tannins are velvety, the balance exceptional: here is a wine similar in some ways to 2016 or 2018, yet even fresher and more aromatic.
Decanter 91 Points | Lovely, expressive nose of sweet ripe fruits. The tannins are a bit too present at the moment, they take over and have a drying effect due to quite high acidity. There is definitely a core of ripe dark fruits with herb and liquorice edges but this needs more time to integrate
Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | Château Lilian Ladouys 2019, a vintage that is fresh yet sumptuous. The tannins are velvety, the balance exceptional: here is a wine similar in some ways to 2016 or 2018, yet even fresher and more aromatic.
The Wine Advocate 90 Points | Offering up aromas of sweet berries, cherries, licorice and spices, the 2019 Lilian Ladouys is medium to full-bodied, ample and charming, with a giving, easygoing profile and a clean, precise finish. It's a competent effort that shows none of the appellation's stereo typically hard edges. Best After 2021
Winemaker Description
Château Lilian Ladouys 2019, a vintage that is fresh yet sumptuous. The tannins are velvety, the balance exceptional: here is a wine similar in some ways to 2016 or 2018, yet even fresher and more aromatic.
Les Pagodes de Cos Saint-Estephe 2019 750ml
Winemaker Description
Experience the exquisite Les Pagodes De Cos 2019, a true testament to the artistry of winemaking. Crafted with precision and passion, this vintage showcases the unique terroir of the renowned Cos d'Estournel estate, offering a harmonious blend of elegance and complexity in every sip. With its rich aromas and velvety texture, this exceptional wine is perfect for enhancing special moments and fine dining experiences. Indulge in the luxurious notes of dark fruits, spices, and subtle oak that define this exceptional vintage. Elevate your wine collection with Les Pagodes De Cos 2019 and savor a taste of unparalleled sophistication.
Expert Review - Vintage 2019
James Suckling 94 Points | This is very spicy and linear with fine tannins that run the length of the wine. It’s medium-bodied with freshness and lovely length. Very classic in style. Closed at the end. Drink after 2025.
The Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | The name of the second wine of Cos d'Estournel highlights the exotic Chinese pagodas that adorn the roof of the cellars. It is a dense wine, smoky, spiced from wood aging. Licorice flavors will integrate as the wine ages further. Drink this fine wine from 2025.
The Wine Advocate 92-94 Points | The 2019 Les Pagodes de Cos (14.03% alcohol) is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, aging in 20% new barriques. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, notions of wild blueberries, boysenberries and redcurrant jelly come bounding out of the glass, followed by a profound core of warm cassis, licorice and bouquet garni with a touch of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with bright, expressive black and red fruit flavors, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing on a lingering spicy note.
Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | The second wine of Cos D'Estournel, the 2019 Pagodes De Cos is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Petit Verdot. It's classic Saint-Estèphe on the nose with its pure black and blue fruits as well as notes of damp earth, sappy tobacco, cedar pencil, and graphite. This carries to a medium-bodied, elegant 2019 with impeccable balance, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. The balance and purity are spot on, and this will drink nicely for over two decades. It's not far off the style of the 2018 and certainly in the same ballpark qualitatively.
Margaux de Brane 750ml 2018
Winemaker Description
Purple colour. The nose is spicy and slightly smoky, with notes of tobacco evolving with airing into aromas of red fruits. The attack is silky, and the mid-palate is fleshy. The wine has a good balance and a tasty and aromatic finish.
Sarget de Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien 2020 750ml
Expert Review - Vintage 2020
Falstaff 92 Points | Dark ruby, purple reflections, opaque core, subtle rim brightening. Fine black forest berry confit, blackberries and liquorice, subtle notes of nougat and orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fresh red cherries, fine, integrated tannins, a chocolate touch on the finish, good ageing potential.
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron Pauillac 2020 750ml
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020
Decanter 95 Points | Dark and heady on the nose, richly fruited and perfumed, smells serious and deep and totally inviting with dark chocolate, coffee and mocha notes with blackcurrant and black cherry and spiced vanilla, tobacco and cedar. Energetic, lively, vivid and bright on the palate but deep too, such a lovely vibrancy laced with liquorice, tobacco and bitter chocolate. Definitely serious but I love the energy, potency and florality. Structured and intense, totally seductive in a heady way yet still lively with a juicy core of strawberry, red cherry and blackcurrant. Feels nicely constructed and considered. A great second wine.
James Suckling 95 Points | Blackcurrants and dark chocolate with rose stems and flowers. Full-bodied with chewy tannins, racy texture and a spicy finish. Polished. 50% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon and 8% petit verdot. Try after 2028.
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | More Cabernet Sauvignon-based in most vintages, the 2020 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron is a slight shift and is based on 50% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. More pure cassis, redcurrants, acacia flowers, violets, and graphite flow to a full-bodied, beautifully textured, concentrated 2020 with enough tannins to warrant 4-5 years of bottle age.
Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This wine is firm, its balance of Cabernet Sauvignon giving rich concentration and structure. The wine is dense, offering ripe tannins over the black currant fruits. Drink from 2027. (Cellar Selection).
Chateau La Lagune Haut-Medoc 2019 750ml
Winemaker Description
Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019
Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut-Medoc 2020 750ml
Winemaker Description
This has a pretty nose with dark spices, nut shell and cedar notes with a dark fruit backbone, following through to a medium body with firm and finely polished tannins that go on and on. Refined and nicely balanced with velvety texture. Lingering and chalky finish. Try after 2026.
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020
James Suckling 94 Points | This has a pretty nose with dark spices, nut shell and cedar notes with a dark fruit backbone, following through to a medium body with firm and finely polished tannins that go on and on. Refined and nicely balanced with velvety texture. Lingering and chalky finish. Try after 2026.
Vinous 93 Points | The 2020 Sociando Mallet has retained its impressive aromatics from its showing in barrel with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit, pressed violet and light cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm backbone, a little powdery in texture, fine backbone with ample freshness and tension towards its graphite-infused finish. Bravo!
The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2020 Sociando-Mallet is very attractive, exhibiting aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, loamy soil, tobacco leaf and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with lively acids and powdery tannins, it's a strong effort from a site that always does well in warm vintages. The 2020 is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Decanter 92 Points | Wonderfully fragrant on the nose, just stopping short of being potent. Glorious perfumed scents and rich, ripe black fruits. Clean and clear, this has a lively energy to it and a little bit of liquorice which gives a savoury, dark and sticky edge to the fruit. Clarity, classicism and precision on show. Sculpted, muscular, grippy and chewy. Excellent potential with a slate and coffee-toned finish.
Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2021 750ml
Producer Description
The wine is a crimson-hued garnet red. The nose reveals red berry fruit aromas combined with delicate floral notes of peony and fresh mint. A dense and muscular attack leads into a full-bodied mid-palate whose juicy and expressive substance is underlined by well-rounded, silky tannins. The long and balanced finish lingers on notes of spice, especially white pepper.
Expert Reviews - 2021 Vintage
James Suckling 95 Points | This is surprisingly full-bodied and round, reflecting the warmth and sunny exposure of the vineyard around the chateau. Tangy and vivid with currants, fresh flowers and plenty of energy and length. Delicate yet ripe. 77% cabernet sauvignon, 19.5% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 0.5% petit verdot. Needs two or three years to come together completely. Drink after 2027.
Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 Points | The second wine of this great estate, the 2021 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new barrels. It has plenty of class and charm, with pure Cabernet notes of cassis, graphite, tobacco, and damp earth. These carry to a medium-bodied, balanced, elegant, seamless wine with fine tannins, integrated oak, and a great finish.
Vinous 90-92 Points | Representing 40% of the total volume, a little more than usual, the 2021 Le Petit-Mouton, is aged in 50% new oak. A very Cabernet nose with conspicuous graphite scents infusing the black fruit, a little Earl Grey in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy opening, not amazingly complex but well balanced with fine tannins and just a pinch of black pepper on the finish. Classic in style, it should give 15-20 years of drinking pleasure.
Decanter 92 Points | Beautifully fragrant strawberries and red cherries, just so perfumed and appealing, really a very lovely nose drawing you in. An excellent Petit Mouton in 2021; serious intensity here but also such a liveliness as well as creaminess. It has weight and layers while having fruit intensity and a core of aromatics. There's a softness and delicacy in terms of the tannins and frame - beguiling - but a real base of concentrated blue, red and black fruits - strawberries, red cherries and blackcurrants. You get the stony tones and the clove on the finish but this feels round, expansive and approachable. It's uber glamorous, still with freshness and lift. A gorgeous wine with lots going on! 0.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.73pH. 14% press wine.
Wine Advocate 89-91 Points | Since Mouton-Rothschild itself this year derives exclusively from the two plateaus that always make up the core of the blend, the 2021 Le Petit Mouton benefits from the inclusion of parcels that often make it into the grand vin. Exhibiting aromas of crème de cassis, mint, cigar wrapper, violets and espresso roast, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a rich core of fruit, powdery tannins, succulent acids and a persistent finish. Characterful and beautifully made, I wonder if I'm being a little severe with my score?
Carruades de Lafite Pauillac 2021 750ml
Expert Reviews - 2021 Vintage
James Suckling 95 Points | The currants, cedar and violets are very bright on the nose, with sandalwood undertones and pencil shavings. This is medium-bodied, beautiful and firm, with finesse and real Lafite character for their second wine. Racy at the end. Drinkable now but even better in three or four years.
Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | Cherries and ripe black-currants give this second-label wine a generous, open character. It is succulent with rich tannins and pure black-currant acidity. This is sure to age well. Drink from 2028.
Decanter 93 Points | Ripe, dark perfumed blackcurrant and black cherries on the nose. Fragrant but also herbal, liquorice, clove, tobacco and toast. Supple and juicy on the palate, a lovely sense of life and energy to this straight away. Gorgeous texture, full and expansive in the mouth with gently plush and crushed velveted tannins. Feels like a serious wine with a great fresh backbone of lively acidity, ripe fruit and structured tannins. I love the high acidity and sense of explosion you get here. Raspberry, red cherry and blackcurrant - so red and black fruits with tinges and hints of liquorice, cola and mint around the edges. Really nuanced but very approachable. Fun with clarity and precision. Such a clear palate. A lively baby brother.
Antonio Galloni of Vinous 92 Points | The 2021 Carruades de Lafite is gorgeous. Supple, dynamic and lively, the 2021 pulses with energy. It's a wine of vibrancy. Dark cherry fruit, plum, grilled herbs and graphite all build effortlessly in the glass. There's a bit of graininess in the tannin, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. There's a ton to like, that's for sure.
Wine Advocate 91 Points | The 2021 Carruades de Lafite is mostly composed of the younger replacement vines dotted throughout Lafite's vineyards on the plateau, which are harvested separately. Offering up aromas of red berries, cassis, cedar box and orange rind, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with good concentration and a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, part of which was matured in wooden vats rather than barriques.
Chateau Clerc Milon Pauillac 2019 750ml
Producer Description
The wine is a crimson-hued garnet red. Elegant and refined, the nose exudes floral aromas, going on with airing to develop notes of blackcurrant and licorice root. The full and smooth attack reveals an alluring and complex array of flavors in which ripe fruit is magnificently set off by notes of toasted cereals and violet. The mid-palate is underpinned by high-quality close-knit and creamy tannins, leading into a saline and slightly minty finish which lingers on hints of chocolates.
Expert Reviews
James Suckling 96 Points | Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. (v.2019).
Wine Enthusiast 94-96 Points | Dense and rich, with a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this is another great vintage from the estate. Its black fruits ooze concentration alongside firm tannins that promise a potential for long aging. The aftertaste has opulent black currant richness. (v.2019).
Wine Advocate 95 Points | The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates.(v.2019).
Decanter 95 Points | The wine has the highest levels of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1980s, and even on the nose you can feel its impact in terms of the depth of tight black fruit. Extremely good quality with fine tannins that build, build, build over the palate, and grip on, forcing you to slow down and pay attention. Beautiful spice with menthol, slate, pencil lead, blackberry and blackcurrant. An exciting wine with real energy and forward motion, helped to withstand the summer heat by its position by the river, and the fact that the average age of the vines at Clerc Milon is almost 50 years. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Jean Emmanuel Danjoy's last outing doing the full vintage at Clerc Milon before he heads over to Mouton as technical director. (v.2019).
Wine Spectator 93 Points | Presents a very fresh core of cassis, red cherry and damson plum fruit flavors that meld nicely with a racy iron streak, while light savory and floral details run along the edges. A very pure and bright version that should age well. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. (v.2019).
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Another beautiful effort from this team, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, from vines just across the street from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it has a healthy ruby/plum color to go with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits supported by some classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and spice box notes. I love its overall balance, it's medium-bodied, has silky tannins, and the fresher, elegant style of the vintage. I wouldn't call it mid-weight, but I compared this to the 2014 on release, and I still think that comparison holds, although there's a touch more length and intensity in the 2019. This will drink well today with a decant (I followed this bottle for two days) and will shine for a good two decades.(v.2019).