100-Point Wines

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A prodigious Petrus, this wine has that extra level of intensity and complexity that is monumental. The magic is clearly Petrus, and the 2000 will always be an interesting vintage to compare to another legend in the making, the 1998, or more recently, of course, the 2005, 2008, and 2009. Extremely full-bodied, with great fruit purity, an unmistakable note of underbrush, black truffle, intense black cherries, licorice, and mulberry, the wine seems to show no evidence of oak whatsoever. It has a sumptuous, unctuous texture, plenty of tannin, but also vibrancy and brightness. This is a remarkable wine that seems slightly more structured and massive than the 1998, which comes across as slightly more seamless, as if it were haute couture. This wine needs at least another 5-10 years of cellaring and should age for 50+ years.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2000 Petrus was served blind as an extra in an already formidable line-up. Deep, inky in hue, it has an intense nose of black and red fruit laced with pencil shavings and black truffle, the latter more prominently featured vis-à-vis previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied, one of the most youthful examples that I have encountered, perhaps more masculine. Superb backbone here, grippy with that broody finish it exhibited a couple of years back. What you might call a "slow burner". Tasted at Epure restaurant in Hong Kong (again).Vinous Media | 98 VMThis has a pretty jam-packed core of blackberry, plum and boysenberry confiture notes inlaid with ample charcoal-edged tannins and carrying through a robustly tobacco-coated finish. But even with that density and power, there is a really beguiling backdrop of incense and black tea flavors waiting to emerge further. It’s all there, but this seems a touch more backward than the rest of the field, so hold on here.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Best from 2018 through 2035. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSConcentrated plum colour, medium-full intensity and star bright. Powerfully complex aromatically with waves of dark berry fruits - blackberry, black cherry and bilberry. Still fairly young in expression, although it slowly unrolls to show campfire smoke and liquorice notes. With time in the glass, a more animal, liquorice bud note arrives, and the retro olfaction brings waves of violets. Exceptionally good quality and nuanced, finishing with black pepper and a hit of spice alongside black chocolate shavings. The tannic structure remains muscular and closed, suggesting this is just at the beginning of its drinking window and will age for many decades to come. From previous experience of this wine, this particular bottle seems entirely in keeping with a Petrus 2000 and is a beautiful example of this particular vintage and estate. Tasted as part of the Space Cargo Unlimited experiment, this bottle remained on earth while another sample was tasted that had returned from space. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECWhile the first impression with Pétrus is the wood, it is the fruit which gradually shows itself. It is extraordinary, this dense fruit, which simultaneously manages to float with elegance. There is layer after layer of fruit, sometime black, sometimes smoky, sometimes spicy. The wine is not yet totally integrated, still intensely young, with decades to go. But what a development it will be Wine Enthusiast | 98 WENo written review provided. | 94 W&SA delicious nose of black olives, brown sugar, and sliced plums. Full bodied but shy, with a dense palate and soft and silky tannins. Flavors of milk chocolate, plums, and light vanilla bean come through. This is so good now, but wait three to four years to really see it shine. Find the wineJames Suckling | 93 JS

Amazing! The limestone soils of Ausone appear to have been the perfect foil for resisting the extreme heat and drought of June, July and August, 2003. This black/purple-colored effort boasts a glorious nose of violets, truffles, lead pencil shavings, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied with staggering concentration, a voluptuous texture, low acidity and well-integrated, melted tannins, this deep, multidimensional, profound Bordeaux is beginning to drink exceptionally well. It should continue to do so for another two decades or more.Robert Parker | 100 RPLoads of blackberry, plum and strawberry. Intense fruit. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and layers of everything. Wonderful balance and refinement. Closed up already. Very serious wine. Best after 2012. 1,375 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFull ruby. Black raspberry, mocha, minerals, graphite and nutty oak on the superripe nose. Extravagantly rich and sweet in the mouth without coming off as heavy. This boasts extraordinary fruit intensity and verve (it’s hard to imagine cabernet franc better than this), and finishes with great palate-staining persistence. But this powerfully tannic wine may already be starting to shut down in the bottle. Like the 2005, it will need a decade of aging at a minimum, and possibly a lot longer.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

The 2005 Ausone is a perfect wine of the vintage. It displays crushed rock, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity and richness, and perfect harmony among all of its component parts (acidity, tannin, wood, alcohol and extract). Still youthful, but oh, so promising, this wine should be set aside for another decade and drunk over the following 50-75 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPI love the tobacco, berry, cigar box, toasty oak, ripe fruit and fresh mushroom flavors in this full-bodied red, which has ultralayered tannins and vanilla, new oak and berry character. Powerful and superconcentrated, with great length. This is a muscular, full-throttle wine, racing very, very fast. Best after 2019. 1,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSDeep ruby-red. Penetrating aromas of cassis and minerals. The nose does not prepare one for this huge, improbably sweet, palate-saturating wine, whose pungent minerality and epic intensity makes it solid as a rock. The three-dimensional texture here is uncanny, and the wine’s explosive finishing flavors of dark berries, bitter chocolate and minerals persist for minutes. This must be one of the three or four greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted. The numbers here: 14.28% alcohol, 3.55 pH and an IPT between 80 and 85. This will go on for several decades, and I would not be at all surprised if it shut down in bottle for a very long time.Vinous Media | 98+ VMA superb wine that brings together all the qualities of this vintage. It has great fruit, layers of acidity, dark tannins and a velvety texture, without losing the sense of place that sets great Bordeaux apart.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE

What fun, excitement and joy it will be to compare the four perfect wines Perse has made in 2005, 2009, 2010 and, of course, the 2000, in 25 or so years. This wine is truly profound Bordeaux. Everything is in place – remarkable concentration and a beautiful nose of cedar and ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with some kirsch and spice box in the background. Lavishly rich, with slightly more structure and delineation than the more Rabelaisian 2009, this wine does show some serious tannins in the finish, and comes across as incredibly youthful. Of course, it’s five years old, but it tastes more like a just-bottled barrel sample than a 2010. In any event, this wine is set for a long, long life and should be forgotten for at least another decade. Consume it over the following 75 or more years.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2010 Château Pavie is straight-up magical, and while it matches the 2000, 2005, 2009, and 2015, it has a style all its own. (It’s probably most similar to the 2005, yet even more tannic and backward.) Checking in as blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon from tiny yields of 26 hectoliters per hectare, it’s still ruby/plum-colored and has a powerful, inward bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked earth, graphite, chocolate, and white truffle. Deep, powerful, and massive on the palate, yet also incredibly delineated and focused, it’s shed just a touch of the baby fat it had in its youth and still needs another 4-5 years to hit prime time. Given its depth of fruit, flawless balance, and both purity and freshness, it’s going to be a 75- to 100-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is really exceptional with such freshness, firmness and focus. Full body, incredibly tight tannins and a lengthy finish. Such power and elegance at the same time. The beginning of a new era of Pavie.James Suckling | 99 JSA brick house, still rather tight, with loads of apple wood and juniper flavors holding the core of red currant, blackberry and bitter plum fruit in check. Offers ample grip through the finish, with a mouthwatering chalk, graphite and tobacco spine. A huge wine that hasn’t budged and probably won’t for some time.--Non-blind Pavie vertical (March 2017). Best from 2025 through 2050. 7,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is accomplished and enjoyable, starting to come into its own at ten years old, and very much infused with the limestone impact of its soils. One of my favourite Pavies that scrapes along the palate in that way that just weakens my knees. A style of vintage that suits this property, where the acidity provides a natural break but doesn’t detract from the fruit and concentration. It is exerting its power gently and imperceptibly, turning the screw until the tannins are barring your way at the close of play. Brilliant stuff. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 98 DECThe 2010 Pavie has a very generous bouquet with intense red cherries, cassis, orange essence and even a hint of dried honey. This is exuberant and very intense. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, wonderful detail and precision. The energy in this Pomerol is palpable and it fans out gloriously towards the finish. This represents one of the best examples of the 2010 Pavie that I have tasted. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis feels very juicy, the fruit almost over-ripe. There is a generous new world feel to it, very opulent, super-rich. Open black plum and damson fruits push through the dark, perfumed tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDChâteau Margaux’s grand vin accounts for 35% of production in this vintage. It stood out as a potential wine of the vintage during en primeur and it is more than living up to its promise. The concentration is stunning, with a fruit structure that is darker, tighter and more insistent than Pavillon. It’s so fresh, there is an opulence here, a dense silkiness to the tannins that is fleshed out across the palate, building to a big finish with menthol freshness. This is classically-styled Margaux with aromatic acrobatics and tannins so fine that the stitching is seamless and perfectly pulled together. Even though extremely ripe, there is freshness too - the acidity measures 3.6pH. The 100% new oak is barely perceptible even now, fresh out of the cask. One to savour over the long term. Bottled in August 2017.Drinking Window 2027 - 2045.Decanter | 100 DECPredominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine shows a wonderful black-currant purity on the palate, along with intense, vibrant acidity. The background is all tannin, which speaks to its aging potential. This wine is the last vintage produced by Paul Pontallier, who was general manager from 1990 until his death in 2016. It’s a memorable wine and one for aging. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEThis is a haunting young wine that shows you a subtle and hidden strength on the nose with rose petals, currants, currant leaves, stones and plums. Wonderful ripeness yet brightness, too. Takes your breath away with the intensity and structure. Full-bodied, powerful and muscular, yet there’s an agile undertone to the whole thing. Compact and condensed. A new legend for Margaux. The 1961 that didn’t happen. Try in 2024.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2015 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose features oh-so-seductive notes of warm blackberries, cassis and black forest cake with touches of forest floor, sandalwood, anise and cigar boxes plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers taut, muscular, densely packed black fruits and exotic spice flavor layers supported by a very firm backbone of grainy tannins with oodles of freshness and a long, savory finish. It is tightly knit and a little reticent at this very youthful stage; afford it at least 15 years in the cellar, and it will open out into a classic Chateau Margaux of incredible proportions. Readers may be interested to know that this wine is beautifully packaged in a special commemorative bottle honoring winemaker Paul Pontellier, who passed away in 2016. The gold-etched black bottle bears the message, “Hommage à Paul Pontellier” at the bottom. This 2015 is an achingly beautiful swan song from an incredibly gifted winemaker, taken from us too soon. In my view, this alone makes this vintage more than worth the investment for the many lovers of history in a bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPSublime, with captivating sandalwood, black tea and mesquite aromas that infuse the core of gently steeped red and black currant and raspberry fruit. The structure is seamless and thoroughly embedded throughout, letting warm tar, lilac, juniper and iron notes display themselves at will through the finish. The finish is about as long as it gets, with echoes of fruit and warm earth that should prove haunting when this reaches full maturity. Best from 2030 through 2050. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 99 WSThe 2015 Château Margaux has a beautifully defined bouquet of intense black fruit laced with graphite and mint; light rose petal aromas develop with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a crisp line of acidity. Not a powerful 2015 but so elegant, displaying wonderful detail on the cedar-tinged finish. This is a lovely Château Margaux, although I feel it has lost a little panache in the last few months, indicating that perhaps it is beginning to close down. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97+ VM

One of the monumental wines in the vintage is the 2016 Château Eglise Clinet from proprietor Denis Durantou. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this utterly perfect wine boasts a saturated purple color as well as an essence of Pomerol bouquet of ripe black cherries, blackcurrant liqueur, smoked tobacco, camphor, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and layered, yet always with class and balance, it offers a remarkable marriage of power and finesse. It’s already sexy and seductive yet also a baby, and needs 7-8 years of cellaring. It should keep for 3-4 decades (probably longer), but why wait?Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDWe are now levitating somewhere above the rest of Denis Durantou’s excellent range. Typical of the incredibly deft and precise way of working that is his signature, this wine brings cinammon and clove then hugely deep, rich dark fruits. Utterly elegant, it completes a circuit around your mouth. This is a physical reaction to a wine that you only get in certain vintages and in very few wines. A great European wine. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged in 80% new oak. 43hl/ha yield from 4.2ha. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050Decanter | 98 DECThe depth and beauty in the aromas really draw you in with black truffles, blackberries, crushed stones, violets and other flowers. Black olives, too. Full-bodied, super refined and structured with perfectly manicured tannins and a very, very long finish. It’s full of soul and precision. Take a look after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 L’Eglise Clinet has a medium to deep garnet-purple color with aromas of warm black cherries, mulberries and Black Forest cake slipping seductively from the glass plus nuances of rose hip tea, baking spices, fragrant soil and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it’s wonderfully elegant in the mouth with fantastically plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very perfumed. Beautiful!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2016 L’Eglise-Clinet was matured in 80% new oak and bottled in mid-April 2018. Crystal clear in color, it has an equally crystal clear bouquet that is utterly seductive, featuring red cherries, wild strawberry, peony and iris flowers and a hint of bay leaf. You could sit and nose this all day. The balanced palate is medium-bodied and grippy in the mouth, displaying supple tannin and a perfect line of acidity. Again, there is a symmetry about this Pomerol that is utterly beguiling, and the persistence is up there with the very best. Simply put, this is one of the best L’Eglise-Clinet wines I have tasted in recent years. Stunning.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis pulls it all together, with a gorgeous core of creamed plum, blackberry and boysenberry confiture notes, laced with singed anise and incense accents and backed by long echoes of anise and black tea. Delivers ample flesh from start to finish, and should easily finish soaking up its toast with some time in the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines of the vintage, the 2016 Château Montrose is a monument in the making. Checking in as a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new French oak (the balance was in once-used barrels) and representing a tiny 36% of the production, this deep purple-colored 2016 possesses powerful, incredibly classic Saint-Estephe notes of creme de cassis, graphite, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and burning embers. With a powerful, full-bodied style on the palate, a huge mid-palate, lots of underlying structure and tannic grip, and perfect balance, this magical wine will need upwards of a decade or cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Montrose is a little youthfully shy to begin, but with coaxing, it unfurls to reveal the most beguiling scents of wilted roses, oolong tea, crushed rocks, wild sage, star anise and candied violets over a wonderfully pristine, well-defined core of crushed blackcurrants, black raspberries and kirsch plus wafts of pencil lead and wood smoke. The taut, muscular, medium to full-bodied palate straddles jaw-dropping intensity and finesse superbly, featuring a solid backbone of ripe tannins and giving a firm frame right through the incredibly long, exquisitely nuanced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPNow owned by the Bouygues family and managed by Hervé Berland, formerly at Mouton Rothschild, Montrose is one of the finest classed growths. Structured, long-living, this needs time to settle and open up but will be stunning. Pure dark currant and berry fruit, mineral and menthol notes, glossy oak and tannins and a lingering finish suggest this may be the finest Montrose since 1990. (Drink between 2025-2050)Decanter | 98 DECThe floral and fresh aromas to this are mesmerizing. Roses and lilacs galore. The pure cab aromas coming from the glass – blackcurrants and blackberries – are so memorable. Full-bodied, deep and profound. The ultra-fine tannins on the palate are so polished and fine-grained. The finish goes on for minutes with subtle yet superb fruit. It’s all about precision and form here. A modern classic for Montrose. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Montrose is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel, maybe more. Tightly wound and vertical, with remarkable intensity, the 2016 is simply magnificent. The tannins are there, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. All the elements are impeccably balanced in a wine of pedigree, depth and character. The 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, but it is clearly a very special wine in the making. In a word: dazzling.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGWhile this wine’s tannins are powerful. they are buried in a surprisingly soft texture of rich black fruits. With both structure and ripe blackberry flavors, the wine is already balanced. A juicy aftertaste lifts the tannins, pushing the wine into greatness. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEVery pure, with lilac, violet, cassis, bitter cherry and damson plum notes streaming through in lockstep right from the start. A fine chalky underpinning gives the finish a sleek and racy edge. A beautifully precise wine, with a lot in reserve, that could benefit from a little added weight in the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Spectacular aromas of crushed berries, such as blueberries and raspberries. Fresh flowers with hints of sandalwood. Exotic. Saturated palate of so much fruit, yet remains agile and energetic. Great length and texture. Fills your mouth. This needs time, but a classic. Twin brother of the perfect 2015.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2016 Pavie a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal a fragrant perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blueberries and eucalyptus over a core of preserved plums, kirsch, black raspberries and crème de cassis plus hints of licorice and chargrilled meat. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid foundation of firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness interknit with the black fruit preserves and minerally layers, finishing very long and very decadent. Superb!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPTurning the dial up considerably, the 2016 Château Pavie leaps out of the glass with a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasty oak, graphite, white truffle, crayons, and flowers. A blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 85% new French oak (the new oak has been dialed back in recent vintages), this full-bodied Pavie is made in a more elegant, seamless style compared to prior great vintages, yet it still has brilliant depth of fruit and concentration, ripe, present tannins, a seamless texture, and an awesome finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2016 Pavie is simply magnificent. Gracious, perfumed and exquisitely beautiful, the 2016 has it all. I can’t remember seeing a Pavie with this much translucent energy and nuance. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol all infuse this explosive, young wine with tremendous character. In the glass, the 2016 is vivid, aromatically deep and full of saline-infused energy. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. As it turns out Gerard Perse also opened the 2008. Although the two vintages (2016 and 2008) in question are quite different in style and quality, the trajectory Pavie has taken in recent years is evident. The 2016 is a thrilling wine. That’s all there is to it. The blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGThis is a rather showy—and captivating—display of fruit, with waves of lush cassis, raspberry and plum reduction flavors flowing through with authority and grace while a swath of chalky minerality stays deeply buried throughout. Toasty, glistening with vanilla and apple wood notes, but the fruit has the oak bridle easily in hand. One of the Right Bank showstoppers of the vintage. Best from 2024 through 2040. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis release underlines this estate’s change in style towards more elegant wines. While concentrated, the wine has stylish layers of black-plum fruit, beautiful acidity and freshness. Black-chocolate flavors are fully integrated into the rich tannins. This will develop into a great wine. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe nose is unsurprisingly reticent, with smoky black fruits lurking. Very rich and dense, but the 22% Cabernet Franc seems to have given greater lift and intensity than usual. Fresher than 2015, but shows similar concentration, with precision, drive and length. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 93 DEC

Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it’s not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that’s hard to describe, it’s a 50-year-wine. While this cuvée has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it’s important for readers to know it’s much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOne of the greatest wines that this estate has produced in the modern era, the 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant classic that no Bordeaux lover is going to want to do without. Mingling aromas of cassis and plums with notions of licorice, sweet tobacco leaf, rich soil tones, licorice, cigar smoke and violets, it’s full-bodied, seamless and complete, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish. Standing out for its unerring precision, impeccable balance and ineffable sense of completeness, it should prove almost immortal.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is every bit as regal as it has always been. Towering and spectacularly rich in the glass, the 2016 captures every ounce of potential is showed from barrel. The 2016 is a vivid, dramatically sweeping wine that will leave readers weak at the knees. Beams of tannin give the 2016 soaring intensity that is matched by a host of aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. Blackberry jam, graphite, spice, menthol, licorice, pencil shavings and spice are all finely sketched in a bold, savory Pauillac that hits all the right notes. The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has been riveting on each of the four occasions I have tasted it from barrel thus far, making it easily one of the wines of the vintage. Nicolas Glumineu and his team turned out an epic Pichon Comtesse in 2016. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 100 VMGlorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSChampagne house Louis Roederer owns Pichon Lalande and, under winemaker Nicolas Glumineau, quality has been restored to the glory-years of the 80s and early 90s. Less weighty, but more focussed, than neighbour Pichon Baron, the 2016 has an exotic nose with violets, star-anise and lead-pencil notes, whilst the intense, blackcurrant fruit dominated palate has concentration, fine-grained tannins and graphite notes on the lingering finish. Very fine. (Drink between 2024-2050)Decanter | 97 DECSaturated with dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this has a fleshy, nearly glycerin feel at first before stretching out to reveal singed cedar, tobacco leaf, dark earth and cassis bush flavors. A terrific tug of cast iron emerges at the very end. Deliciously juicy dark fruit keeps rolling throughout. Best from 2025 through 2040. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis wine is full of freshness and life as well as serious tannins and structure. The two sides complement each other to give a wine that has power as well as delicious black fruits and acidity. With the tannins it will age well. Drink this balanced wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2018 Ausone is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, rather predictably, the nose is almost completely shut-down on first sniff, taking considerable aeration to begin to reveal its jaw-dropping perfume of ripe black cherries, wild blueberries and plum preserves, leading to suggestions of candied violets, molten chocolate, licorice and crushed rocks with subtle cedar and pencil lead hints. The medium to full-bodied palate (14.5% alcohol) is so tightly wound and nuanced at this stage, it requires a lot of focus unravel all that is going on here. In short: a lot. The ripe, rich, black and blue fruit layers eventually give way to the beautifully cerebral earthy/minerally subtext, carried by fantastically well-knit tension, delivering an incredibly long, foundation-shaking finish. If the earth doesn’t move when you drink this, you’re probably not doing it right.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThis is deep and ripped, coming out you like a powerhouse, then it stops, tiptoes away, then rises up to slowly stretch out through the palate, displaying incredible tension and length. Graphite, flint, earth, crushed stone, blackberry, cassis and a juicy salinity from the scrape of limestone. Pretty clear this is going to power through the next 30-40 years effortlessly. And it just keeps going. Clearly survived the drought of the summer without so much as breaking a sweat. 3.6pH. Average age of the vines is 52 years old. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2018 Ausone is mind-blowing. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. I don’t know what more to say. Cabernet Franc is so expressive, so vibrant so nuanced. Rose petal, cinnamon, star anise and sage meld into a core of red fleshed fruit. The 2018 doesn’t impress with opulence or richness, rather it is a Saint-Émilion that is all about persistence and energy. I won’t be at all surprised if it merits a higher score in the future. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The 2018 is a viscerally thrilling wine of the highest level.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGRatcheting up the intensity, the 2018 Château Ausone has an essence of limestone-like character as well as thrilling notes of blackberries, black raspberries, white flowers, truffle, forest floor, and graphite. Possessing full-bodied richness, a deep, beautifully concentrated mid-palate, ample tannins, and a great finish, this is a powerful, layered Ausone that’s going to need 5-7 years of bottle age but should knock your socks off over the following 25+ years. The 2018 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, brought up in a mix of new and used barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-99 JDThe perfumes of this wine just pour from the glass. They measure up to the promise of the black tannins and dark, dense fruits, the monumental structure and juicy black-plum flavors. The whole ethos of this wine is towards long-term aging to great power and intensity for the future. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEFragrant black and blue berry aromas with a whiff of old balsamic vinegar and some volatile character. Ripe and rich with a surprisingly mature personality. Plenty of richness and structure, but it doesn’t quite have the clarity of the best wines of this vintage. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2018 Château Larcis Ducasse checks in as 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that comes from a gorgeous hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, located between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier. Aged 18 months in 60% new barrels, it offers a truly sensational bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, espresso roast, scorched earth, bloody meat, chocolate, iron, and bouquet garni. A massive, super-rich Saint-Emilion with a dense, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, it has building yet sweet tannins and incredible purity of fruit. Reminding me of the 2005 shortly after release, this heavenly juice offers astonishing richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and elegant. Sadly, there are less than 3,000 cases produced, but this monumental, legendary wine won’t hit maturity for a good 8-10 years and will have 40-50 years of longevity if well stored. Hats off to Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for producing one of the wines of the vintage as well as one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPolished aromas of lavender, plum, dried blueberry, clove, sandalwood and dark chocolate. Hints of praline. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Supple, seamless layers with great length and precision. Still reserved and tight. A toned and textured red with great structure. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Larcis Ducasse is one of the real overachievers of the vintage. Richness and classicism meld together in a Saint-Émilion that dazzles from the very first taste. Rich dark fruit, mocha, licorice, espresso and leather all open in the glass. Time brings out bright acids and that firm spice of Larcis tannin. More than that, though, Larcis impresses with its exquisite balance and class. It is easily one of the most undervalued wines on the Right Bank. Don’t let its modest price fool you. Larcis is one the most compelling wines of the vintage. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Larcis Ducasse needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock notes of crushed blackberries, plum preserves and boysenberries with suggestions of black truffles, tapenade and crushed rocks coming through, building to a subtle underlying perfume of roses and cloves. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits and loads of savory sparks, framed by firm, slightly chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPPowerful but with a sense of restraint, this is extremely well handled in 2018. The difference between this and a more massive St-Emilion is subtle for sure - it’s unquestionably on the dark fruit register - but you notice it in the way that the tannins respond and bounce rather than stiffen up in the mouth. You can enjoy them as they close in around you rather than beg for air. The palate has lots of dark chocolate, liquorice and slate notes, with cassis and blackberry fruits. This is from south-facing slopes, so there’s plenty of ripeness in the grapes, but the limestone helps to temper it, along with the natural water sources that are found at this spot. Owned by Famille Gratiot-Attmane, but with the Nicolas Thienpont team overseeing winemaking. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECA concentrated wine with big tannins and a smoky character, this is rich, darkly textured and full of blackberry fruit. The wine is powerful, spicy and fresh on the end.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWarm cherry, raspberry and plum preserve flavors form the core here, with nicely polished structure supporting it through the finish where anise, black tea, singed alder and savory details steadily emerge. A touch austere in feel, but the breed and length is there. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 2,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

One of the wines of the vintage is the 2018 Château Pavie, and Gérard Perse continues to produce one of the greatest wines in the world, in just about every vintage. Based on 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 shows the slightly more restrained style of the estate today yet still brings classic Pavie richness, depth, and grandeur. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, tobacco, chalk, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible purity, a dense, concentrated mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality on the blockbuster finish. There’s a backward, inward style here that actually reminds me of the 2000. This is another magical, probably immortal wine from this terroir that marries power with elegance perfectly. Don’t miss it!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDImpressive aromas of pure, crushed blackberries and brambleberries with red and black licorice and black olives, as well as incense, following through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and lots of fruit. Yet, it’s tight and reserved at the finish. Needs three or four years to open and start showing its true character. Powerful and linear. Cellar-bound. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with a fabulously expressive nose of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry preserves, leading to an impressive array of nuances, featuring notions of dark chocolate, camphor, licorice, rose petals and fertile loam, plus hints of crushed rocks and iron ore. The rich, full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruits with loads of exotic spice sparks and pretty floral and mineral accents, supported by firm, super plush tannins and remarkable tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This could only be Pavie. It makes for a seductively stylish glass now, but patience will be rewarded if it is afforded 5-7 years in bottle, at least, then drink it over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis is packed with raspberry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors that sail through thanks to the unencumbered feel provided by the polished structure. Fine chalky threads curl throughout as this opens in the glass, with flamboyant flashes of apple wood, anise and violet emerging through the finish. Youthfully dense, but everything is in proportion. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 98 WSPavie is positively striking in 2018. Rich and sumptuous to the core, the 2017 possesses stunning depth and impeccable overall balance. Dark cherry, mocha, plum, spice, new leather and licorice all build as the 2018 shows its allure. Silky, polished tannins round out the finish. This is a stellar showing from the Perse family. The 2018 is absolutely gorgeous.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGNot so long ago, Pavie would have rejoiced in the massive tannic and alcohol potential of this vintage, but they really have done a great job practicing restraint. It doesn’t sacrifice Pavie’s power but of all the wines in this particular lineup it’s the one that carries the weight of the vintage the best, building power by stealth rather than grabbing it from you. This is great quality, with inky depths to the black fruits, accompanied by liquorice and chocolate, and the beautiful salty lick on the finish really completes the picture - your tongue just licks the wall and it’s highly enjoyable! Harvest began on 26 September, later than some in the appellation, with a 38hl/ha yield. Although extraction was kept gentle, with the grapes given a week-long cold soak before fermentation at no more than 28°C, then a five-week maceration (longer than some, but these guys used to do eight weeks or more!), they have achieved a high tannin count of 97IPT and 3.58pH. Drinking Window 2028 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DEC

A tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSButterscotch, vanilla, a soft honeyed caramel, lemon and orange notes with green apple. Quite bitter straight away, the lemon and orange rind and grapefruit juice elements all to the fore alongside a hit of bright, lemon juice acidity. Then it settles, almost closes, or narrows into a funnel, quite tight and sleek, definite tension there, but there’s power and structure still with elegance. It’s not giving, generous and approachable right now but this has been well made - really focused and polished. Body, freshness and structure with lovely hints of minerality and such a wide aerial, aerated finish. It’s serious - this is bold but with something so special about it. Ageing 50% new oak, 50% one year old barrels, 12 months with three months in vats before bottling.Decanter | 96 DECSuave and caressing in feel, this drapes beautifully, with creamed yellow apple, gooseberry and lemon curd notes on the flattering side, offset by hints of tarragon, blanched almond and salted butter on the racier side. The finish is enhanced with paraffin and smoke hints. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2030. 2,400 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is superb. Élevage has done wonders in lending energy and brilliance. The 2020 shows the soft curves of the warm vintage, but it has tons of energy, too. That makes for an absolutely brilliant, compelling white that delivers on so many levels. The 2020 offers enough approachability to drink well now, but also the energy to develop well in bottle for many years to come.Vinous Media | 95 VMA strong effort, the 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, lemongrass, Sauvignon botanicals, toasted bread and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s rich and concentrated, with ripe acids and chalky structuring extract. It’s not quite as vibrant and precise as the 2019, but it’s a success nonetheless.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP