92-94 Point Wines

wines

Poyferré produced a shimmering, polished Cabernet in 2006, supple and more harmonious than many in the Médoc. Rich new oak lends the wine opulence and darkens the graphite mineral character of the tannins with an espresso-roast blackness. The fruit has dimension, balanced between plump blueberry and a more restrained vegetal note. Satisfying and delicious as a young wine, this should age with grace.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SBeautifully dense, this generous, rich wine combines great fruit with a firm but sweet structure. The new wood element is still prominent, but this is now beginning to blend well with the ripe fruit. To finish, the tannins reassert themselves.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WETasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Léoville Poyferré has one of the most harmonious and complete bouquets from Saint Julien: very well-defined blackberry, briary and chalky scents, real focus and delivery here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, ripe tannin matched with well-judged acidity. Like the 2006 Léoville-Barton, it is stubborn and backward, but there is clearly harmony and focus on the finish, the new oak deftly assimilated in the fabric of the wine. This is a lovely wine from Didier Cuvelier. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMFull ruby-red. Ripe aromas of currant, milk chocolate and smoky oak. Lush, sweet and full, with superripe yet backward flavors of dark berries, dark chocolate and minerals. Wonderfully layered, structured wine whose excellent vinosity and firm tannins call for several years of patience.Vinous Media | 91 VMWonderful aromatics that display beautiful aromas of bramble fruits, evolving with age into glowing embers without sacrificing fruit. A rich smoked chicory note is evident that sets Léoville Poyferré apart from the other two Bordeaux Léovilles. Still young and crackling with life with undeniable exoticism. There is a real sense of lift through the palate and excellent persistency. Drinking Window 2018 - 2034Decanter | 90 DECBlackberry, licorice and blueberry aromas lead to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a clean finish. Firm and attractive. Best after 2014.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Rich yet firmly structured this is a very classic St.-Julien that’s generous and polished with so much energy driving the long plush finish. Delicious now, but should hold for many years. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 95 JSA beautiful, young, and still burly 2009, the Clos du Marquis comes from a single vineyard in the Léoville Las Cases stable (it’s not a second wine) and is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a beautiful wine offering classic Saint-Julien crème de cassis fruits as well as lots of rocky minerality, cedarwood, graphite, and spring flowers. With full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, stunning purity of fruit, and a great finish, it needs a solid decant if drinking today and has another two decades or more of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA dense wine, the wood just showing at this stage through its dark tannins and superb rich fruit. The wine is ripe, with a density of tannins that go right down deep. Big and powerful.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENow positioned as a totally separate vineyard and a real clos (enclosed walled vineyard), this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Jean-Hubert Delon is a beauty. Creme de cassis notes intermixed with some vanillin, crushed rock and spring flowers jump from the glass. Full-bodied and powerful (nearly 14% natural alcohol), this is a generously endowed, rich wine that was first made in 1902. The 2009 should drink well for 20-25 years. Readers need to think of it as a true classified growth, although technically it is not.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2009 Clos du Marquis is tightly wound on the nose, gradually unfurling to reveal blackberry pastilles, boysenberry, pencil shaving and subtle mint aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, good weight in the mouth, and crisp acidity. Fresh and vibrant with a gentle grip on the finish that perhaps would benefit from more persistence. Otherwise this is very fine. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis has a perfumy espresso edge to its racy red currant, briar and blackberry bush notes. Long and refined through the finish, with a pronounced minerality that should soften in a decade. Tight, but a rather elegant expression of Cabernet overall. Best from 2016 through 2024. 15,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Léoville-Las Cases, Clos du Marquis, St-Julien, Red) 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. This is utterly delicious. Around 45% new oak is used; well balanced with tight, dark berry fruits, liquorice and soft tannins. You could certainly start drinking this now, but no question that it will age. (Drink between 2017-2030)Decanter | 91 DEC

The 10-year barrier is just about perfect for such a great second wine in an exceptional vintage, and I highly recommend that you start opening and enjoying it soon. It’s silky smooth and juicy, with saline touches, exotic spices and edges of black truffle - and yet it’s super-elegant. I keep waiting for this to drop off through the palate but it keeps holding on, opening up to reveal a floral edge that adds an extra layer of complexity and balance, with mouthwatering flavours and textures. A brilliant yet softer reflection of the grand vin in this vintage. Drinking Window 2019 - 2034Decanter | 94 DECThis has fruit, with delicious black berry frutis, It cjharms with elegance and ripeness, at the same time as giving a core of tannin. Definitely on the fruity side.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEAromas of blackberry and blueberries, with Chinese spices, follow through to a full body, with firm tannins and a mineral, floral and chewy finish. Beautiful already, but needs at least three or four years to soften and open.James Suckling | 93 JS(La Croix de Beaucaillou) Since 2005 the Croix de Beaucaillou has been made each year from a specific section of the estate’s vineyards up on the plateau, and is truly a second wine at the estate, rather than a second label for the younger vines from Ducru-Beaucaillou. The nose on the 2009 is excellent, as it delivers a fine mélange of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, gravelly soil tones and a nice framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, long and delivers a fine core of ripe fruit, with firm, beautifully integrated tannins and excellent focus and grip on the long and classy finish. A fine, fine wine. (Drink between 2020-2045)John Gilman | 89-91 JGThe grand vin is the result of an increasingly strict selection process, with approximately 50% of the production going into the final wine and the balance used in the Croix de Beaucaillou. The 2009 may be the finest example of this cuvee I have yet tasted. Up-front, precocious and generous, it possesses a dense purple color, a big, broad, unctuous texture and abundant notes of creme de cassis and black cherry fruit intertwined with hints of wood smoke, vanillin and earth. This nearly viscous-styled wine can be drunk in 2-3 years or cellared for 15+.Robert Parker | 91 RPShows nice range, with crushed plum, blackberry and steeped fig notes lined with singed mesquite and backed by black tea and licorice snap accents. Should be approachable soon. Best from 2014 through 2024.Wine Spectator | 91 WS(a blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot; pH 3.69; 60% new oak) Very deep purple. Fresh cabernet sauvignon-dominated nose shows floral, cassis and graphite aromas. Also vibrant on entry, with ripe, soft black fruit and mineral flavors that resonate through the smooth finish. This very well-made wine shows much more complexity, depth and freshness than usual; while there’s a hint of slightly drying tannins, this looks to be the best Croix ever. Owner Bruno Borie told me that beginning in 2005 this became a wine of terroir too: rather than including grapes from Ducru’s youngest or less favorably situated vines (fruit that now goes into private labels), the Croix is made only with the grapes of certain specific parcels.Vinous Media | 87-90 VM

The 2009 Lagrange was picked from 28 September to 6 October. This has a sensual and very floral bouquet with lavender and violet aromas infusing the plush and generous red berry fruit. It retains fine delineation despite its concentration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, velvety smooth with layers of red berry fruit laced with clove and thyme, gently fanning out towards the caressing finish. Superb. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is a good Lagrange, showing well now with no need to wait too long. It perhaps doesn’t have the concentration and precision of today’s Lagrange, but it’s a good 2009 with lots to enjoy. It has a firm cassis and blackberry purée character, with spiced herbs through the mid-palate, and firm but pliable tannins, all leading to a finish with good lift. Effortless and with St Julien elegance. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036.Decanter | 94 DECRipe wine, with soft tannins allied to great density. Weight and lovely, juicy, final fruit flavors meld together easily. This is solid, dense, impressive and for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Lagrange rolls out of the glass with beautiful redcurrant jelly, warm blackcurrants and blueberry preserves notions plus hints of fallen leaves, camphor and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with red and black fruit preserves and lively herbal sparks, with a firm grainy backbone and great freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLovely ripe cassis character, fullish body and elegant tannins make this an easy 2009 to enjoy in spite of the wine’s ample structure. Drink now. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 93 JS(Château Lagrange) Lagrange harvested from September 28th until October 20th and the team here has produced one of the reference point wines on the Left Bank. The bouquet is deep and simply superb, as it jumps from the glass in a classic mélange of black cherries, dark berries, coffee, woodsmoke, espresso, tobacco leaf, a lovely base of soil and a discreet touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with excellent focus and balance, fine-grained tannins and beautifully length and grip on the palate-staining and impressively tangy finish. There are not a lot of wines on the Left Bank with this type of zesty acidity and pinpoint focus. A terrific 2009. (Drink between 2020-2070).John Gilman | 92-93+ JGOne of the more backward, tight wines in this retrospective, the 2009 Château Lagrange needs lots of air to show at its best, yet still holds things close to its vest. A youthful ruby color is followed by beautiful and classic Bordeaux notes of crème de cassis, cedar pencil, unsmoked tobacco, and a touch of earth. It’s not massive by any means, yet it’s beautifully balanced, with ripe, polished tannins and a great finish. With a Château Lafite-like elegance and seamlessness, it will be loved by the Claret lovers out there and is certainly a beautiful wine. It should evolve for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis has a solid core of juicy plum, red currant and blackberry fruit that sits in reserve, while mouthwatering briar and toasty spice notes move along the edges. Grippy and focused through the finish, with well-embedded acidity. Best from 2013 through 2024.Wine Spectator | 91 WSSaturated with the warm ripeness of the 2009 vintage, this is well upholstered rather than hyperripe. Its plump blueberry and currant flavors feel concentrated, completely integrating the oak so that the tannins are cushioned rather than extracted. Its vintage character shows in caramelized notes at the end of the wine, in spice that builds out of the warmth. Enjoyable now with roast duck, this will gain complexity as it ages.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

The 2009 Langoa-Barton has a gorgeous bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light tobacco aromas that blossom from the glass. This feels so composed and pure. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine-grain tannin, beautifully judged acidity and a svelte, languorous finish that fans out with style. What a gorgeous and utterly seductive Saint-Julien. It turns out to be Langoa Barton, a wine that I have rated very highly in the past. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery dense and still rather reserved, with dark blueberry, blackberry and fig notes rolled together, framed by freshly brewed espresso and Black Forest cake notes. Long and tarry through the finish, with a melted licorice snap note hanging on at the very end. Best from 2014 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA deceptively approachable wine. Its gorgeous fruits are right up front, their ripeness powered by a generous, complex texture. There is concentration, but it is surrounded by so much richness. It can almost be drunk now, but should age well.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA rich and fleshy wine, yet it remains decisively dry. Attractive blueberry aroma and impressive supple tannins make this very harmonious. If it was slightly brighter in the nose this would rate even higher.James Suckling | 93 JSBackward, tannic and beefy, this youthful but formidable 2009 Langoa Barton exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of damp earth, underbrush and black currant aromas and flavors, medium to full body, lively acids and, not surprisingly, massive tannins (a characteristic of all the Barton wines). The overall impression is somewhat incongruous, having a certain precociousness in the aromatics, but then clamping down on the taster in the mouth. I recommend waiting 5-7 years before opening a bottle. It should drink well over the following 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 90+ RP

Aromas of cocoa powder and currants, follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a juicy, berry and chocolate aftertaste. Lovely polish to this. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSA firm, complex wine, solidly based on ripe tannins, dark flavors. There is some spice and juiciness to fit with the dense tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA well structured wine with smoke and cedar edging to the aromatics, a generous, ripe fruit structure and soft, well-integrated tannins. It has clear appeal. At this stage, the 2005 seems to better encapsulate the heart of St-Julien but the 2009 offers an extremely enjoyable wine, even if less typical of the appellation. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 93 DEC(Château Talbot) Our sample at the UGC tasting at Branaire-Ducru was a bit reduced, but not enough so as to impact one’s ability to get a read on the wine. The nose underneath is a classic Talbot, with its black fruity mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, soil, woodsmoke and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite soil-driven, with fine focus, a very good core of fruit, and a properly reserved, long and ripely tannic finish. A fine success for the vintage. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 90-92 JGExtremely sexy, soft, supple and opulent, with notes of cedar, herbs, incense and black currant fruit, this is a full-bodied, generously endowed but silky Talbot to drink now and over the next 20+ years. By any standard of measurement, this is irresistible.Robert Parker | 91 RPDark plum and blueberry compote notes lead the way, followed by dark cocoa and tobacco. A fleshy feel runs throughout, with a stony edge adding length and balance on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2009 Talbot has a much more modest bouquet than the Gruaud Larose, missing the same horsepower and fruit concentration, airy in style, attractive but not as memorable as others. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, and a fine bead of acidity. Quite linear and conservative but with satisfying precision on the finish. It is a classic Talbot that should give 25 to 30 years of pleasure, though not the best amongst its peers. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Ripe raspberries and blueberries with hints of fresh flowers. Deep nose of dark fruits. Full body, with silky tannins and a beautifully integrated tannin structure. It’s long and very refined. Better than 2009. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSRich and ripe black fruits, both concentrated and expressive, florality and fragrance are there waiting to come out. Firmness, breadth and precision, an excellent wine. Drinking Window 2016 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECFor anybody looking for classic Bordeaux, this is the bottle to seek. “Classic” here means a wine with a tannic structure that also relies on a black currant flavor, with acidity providing freshness but not losing any concentration or aging potential. Keep for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2010 Gruaud Larose has an attractive bouquet with brambly black fruit, freshly tilled loam and melted tar scents that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a superb line of acidity that keeps this Saint-Julien tensile from start to finish. Plenty of energy here and beautifully proportioned, this is excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMDark garnet/plum/purple, with loads of spice, earth, underbrush, red and black currants, licorice, and even a hint of Provencal garrigue, this full-bodied, tannic, masculine style of St.-Julien needs 5-6 years of cellaring, but is full, beefy, rich and impressively endowed. There are plenty of firm tannins in the background of this blockbuster wine, which has been built for the long haul. This is one 2010 where patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Robert Parker | 93+ RPThis is distinctive, with an aromatic roasted alder wood streak leading the way, quickly followed by dense but sleek blackberry cobbler, currant paste and warm plum sauce notes. Well-polished through the finish, offering deeply embedded acidity. Best from 2015 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Château Gruaud Larose) The 2010 Gruaud Larose has turned out very well indeed and is another of the stars in St. Julien this year. The bouquet is deep, complex and handsomely reserved in tone, as it offers up scents of cassis, dark berries, espresso, cigar wrapper, gravelly soil tones and a deft framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and powerfully constructed, with a rock solid core of fruit, plenty of ripe, well-integrated tannins and a very long, well-balanced and classy finish. (Drink between 2022-2075).John Gilman | 92 JG

One of the best Talbots over recent years, and possibly the best since the 1986 and 1982, this sexy juggernaut of a wine struts forth with an opaque plum/ruby/purple color and terrific notes of creme de cassis, licorice, roasted herbs and smoky barbecue. It is a brilliant effort, with full body, wonderful fruit, a savory, expansive mouthfeel, sensational texture and a long finish, but no hardness or astringency. This is a fabulous Talbot to drink over the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPAlways a more understated style, and this is benchmark stuff from Talbot. If you had to close your eyes and say what St-Julien tastes like you could do a lot worse than bring this wine up in your mind. Balanced, understated, unfussy, not trying too hard, lovely lovely lovely! Doesn’t mean that it is at the very top of what the appellation can give in 2010 but it is just so enjoyable.Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 94 DECThere’s a real purity of fruit here with currant and blueberry aromas coming out in the glass. Full body, with fine tannins and a fresh and clean acidity. Very polished tannins. It’s all about balance and drinkability here. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine shows black currant fruit, with just the right balancing acidity. Talbot is progressing well in its quest to bring out its fine terroir.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2010 Talbot is consistent with the vertical in December 2018 with blackberry and briary on the nose, not quite clicking into fifth gear but nicely poised. The palate if very well balanced with cedar and graphite infused black fruit leading to a conservative, "correct" finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis features a fairly plump core of crushed plum, blackberry and mulled boysenberry notes, coated with tar and driven by a strong graphite accent. An echo of pastis lingers on the finish, displaying good latent grip. Best from 2015 through 2027. 32,791 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(Château Beychevelle) According to the estate’s Director, Philippe Blanc, the harvest at Beychevelle took place from September 14th to the 29th this year, and the 2011 is a blend of forty-seven percent each of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with four percent cabernet franc and two percent petit verdot rounding out the mix. The wine was raised in fifty percent new oak this year, and has been the case for the last several years, one third of the wine went through malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine has turned out beautifully and is one of the stars on the Left Bank this year, offering up a superb nose of black cherries, dark berries, espresso, cigar smoke, lovely soil tones and a very discreet base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a fine, sappy core of fruit, a suave attack and a very long, ripely tannic finish. The acids here come across as slightly on the low side, but this is a lovely and very complete wine that should blossom with a decade or so worth of bottle age and should age long and gracefully. Beychevelle is making truly superb wines at the present time. At 13.2 percent alcohol, the 2011 is a full point lower than the ripe 2010 vintage here. (Drink between 2023-2075).John Gilman | 93 JGLess intense than the 2010 vintage, but there are still rich dark cassis and bilberry notes on offer, with blonde tobacco and walnut edging. Another wine that suggests it's time to reassess the 2011 vintage. It was pretty much the driest year on record, but still managed a 39hl/ha yield. A little closed right now, this is not the most approachable 2011 wine that I have tasted recently, however there's a lovely delicacy and elegance to the tannins, with lashings of St-Julien character. 4% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. Matured in 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECThis impressive wine follows a straight line of structure, acidity, firm tannins and dark black fruits. The combination is a wine with depth, ripeness and an edge of austerity that demands aging. Drink from 2018.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA textbook St.-Julien, offering tightly layered dark plum, currant and blackberry fruit, with a strong graphite spine and dark tar and mouthwatering pastis notes on the finish. A well-built, confident wine. Best from 2017 through 2027. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAn attractive 2011 with lots of blackberry, hazelnut and walnut character. Medium to full body with chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Better in 2017.James Suckling | 90 JS

Controlled power, gorgeous complexity – a really beautiful wine. The tannins feel fine, well expressed and well balanced, holding the fruit without strangling it, with a gorgeous touch of St-Julien flair and finesse. An underrated vintage that is displaying some 2001 character and it’s currently showing even better than the 2009 vintage. It has long life ahead but it could also be enjoyed along the way. There was plenty of natural concentration in the grapes at harvest and – although it remains a little strict right now – boy will it age. 6% Cabernet Franc makes up the rest of the blend. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DECThis property, which has been on a qualitative tear over the last generation, has produced one of the most successful wines of 2011. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it is broad, rich, medium to full-bodied and dense. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as lots of concentration, silky tannins, and a bigger, richer mouthfeel than any of its St.-Julien peers. The result is one of the stars of the vintage.Robert Parker | 94 RPThis is a really fruity wine that's opulent and gorgeously rich. There is a pepper edge, touches of new wood and a firm, dark core. Acidity and concentration are already integrated. Drink from 2018.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEBlackberry and currant aromas with hints of minerals. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Chewy and reserved. Just the right amount of fruit covering the tannins. Harmony for the vintage. Better in 2017.James Suckling | 93 JSInky ruby. Exotic, inviting scents of black cherry, cassis, orange zest, coffee and smoky underbrush. Fat, sweet and rich, with lively acidity giving noteworthy lift to its rich dark fruit, pepper and cocoa flavors. Wonderfully delineated Saint-Julien wine with plenty of fleshy substance but more than enough energy to keep it from being weighed down; in fact, this seems almost delicate for such a big wine. Finishes with soft tannins and lingering notes of pepper and violet. This is already fun to drink but ought to evolve gracefully for another decade or so. Should turn out to be one of the stars of the vintage.Vinous Media | 92+ VMShows a warm charcoal note from the start, backed by melted fig, crushed blackberry and steeped black currant fruit. A strong graphite edge pins down the finish. Dark in profile, but defined and well-suited to mid-term cellaring. A very solid effort. Best from 2016 through 2026.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This wine promises a great future ahead. It has all the elements in balance—rich tannins, intense black fruits and fragrant acidity—to suggest successful long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WESuper aromas of blackberries, minerals, roses and spices. Full body, firm tannins and a long and beautiful finish. Fantastic center palate. Like a tight ball of silky thread. Seamless. Try drinking in 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2014 Gloria has a ripe and voluminous bouquet with plenty of blackberry, raspberry, pencil box and cedar aromas all well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite focused and poised with very well integrated new oak. There is plenty of freshness here, a 2014 Saint Julien full of energy with a persistent graphite finish that is very satisfying. Like its sibling, the Saint-Pierre, there is great potential here. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMA grippy style, with a pleasantly rugged edge to the copious brambly tannins that push the core of plum and blackberry reduction along. Lots of licorice snap and tobacco notes show on the finish, which offers persistent grip. Delivers more guts than polish, but will age solidly. Best from 2020 through 2030. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

I love the nose of blackberries, blueberries, flowers and citrus. Hints of stones and wet earth. Full body and ultra-fine tannins that are so long and seamless. Incredible length. A wine that you want to drink now.James Suckling | 98 JSThis is a great wine. It has all the elements in place to produce a wine that will last for years: powerful fruit, rich tannins and a structure that is built to last. This is elegant, impressive and concentrated. Almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape gives the wine its fruit and its tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA brilliant effort, the 2014 Léoville Las Cases is a tightly wound classic that will delight purists. Mingling aromas of dark berries and cassis with hints of bitter chocolate, sweet spices, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and sweet new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with tangy acids and a deep, firm mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, penetrating finish, the only missing ingredient is time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPReaders will have to be patient with the 2014 Léoville-las-Cases, as it is not likely to show well for a number of years. Tightly wound but also medium-bodied and classic in its construction, the 2014 is going to need quite a bit of time to come together. Léoville-las-Cases is so often a wine of power, but here the refined site of the vintage is very much in evidence. The 2014 is a Las Cases built on finesse.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGDensely packed, with cassis, steeped plum and blackberry coulis notes that are compressed with layers of cold charcoal and graphite. Very pure, giving this a long, sleek and racy feel, while an iron underpinning drives the finish. Best from 2020 through 2040. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFragrant density from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fine, chalky tannins and great purity and depth – severe in the Las Cases style but a wine of great class. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2014 Leoville Las Cases is a terrific blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot, and it’s one of the more backward, tight, age-worthy wines in the vintage. Offering sensational purity in its crème de cassis, graphite, licorice and subtle background oak, it hits the palate with a tight, focused, yet impressively concentrated profile that needs 3-4 years of cellaring and will shine for three decades. It’s another incredibly classy wine from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JD

The 2014 Talbot is soft, silky and wonderfully nuanced on the palate. Much more refined from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2014 has moved toward greater finesse over the last two years. This is a lovely effort. Lifted rose petal and lavender notes add closing nuance. The blend is 62 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 % Merlot and 6 % Petit Verdot. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe smoky oak, full body and chunky tannins make a bold statement; indeed, the wine has plenty of flesh and packs a big tannic punch on the finish. Best Talbot in years. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSGood, firm fruits are well placed, with notes of cedar, liquorice and cassis – this really is an enjoyable Talbot that offers the promise of a long life. There's enjoyable grip and tenacity through the palate, with spicy, flexible tannins. It has a substantial weight that fleshes out and deepens. It's savoury in the French sense of 'savoureux', with connotations of juiciness and a 'give me more' appeal. Aged in 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECThis generous wine is on the fruity side of the 2014 spectrum. Blueberry and black-currant fruits are supported by the spice and tannins from wood aging. The wine is likely to develop easily over the medium term. Drink from 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThis has melded together nicely already, with a core of gently steeped plum, blackberry and anise flavors intertwined with light licorice snap and roasted apple wood notes. Focused and solid, but with a charming supple edge. Best from 2020 through 2030. 26,283 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2014 Talbot felt reticent and tightly knit on the nose, so I placed my glass to one side and allowed it to aerate for 15-20 minutes. This paid dividends as it revealed blackcurrant, smoke and tobacco aromas, hints of boysenberry with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite structure and perhaps needing more flow. It feels a little rigid at the moment and I would want more persistence and depth on the finish. Let's see how this ages in bottle, because it certainly showed improvement between samples in October 2016 and February 2017.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90+ RP-NMCut from the same cloth as the 2015, just more classic in style, the 2014 Château Talbot offers lots of black fruits, smoked herbs, graphite and a touch of lead pencil on the nose. This is followed by a classically styled, medium-bodied, dense, impressively concentrated 2014 that has another 10-15 years of prime drinking. This is always a well-made, classic Saint-Julien and readers can’t go wrong here.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

What a gorgeous and supple young wine with ultra-fine tannins and vivid acidity. Medium to full body and direct and driven tannins. Shows such beauty. Better in 2020 but already beautiful.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Gloria is another Saint-Julien that has improved over the last 12 months. It has a bolder and more exuberant bouquet than some of its peers, featuring lush blackberry and blueberry fruit and revealing a touch of iodine and crushed violet with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and very pure fruit intensity (black cherries, bilberry and boysenberry), although it clams shut toward the finish. Slightly more modern in style than its peers, this should still age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMWell-steeped plum, fig and boysenberry fruit is richly layered, supported by embedded brambly grip and backed by waves of ganache and sweet tobacco on the finish. This has plenty of energy to carry it in the cellar while it rounds into form. Best from 2023 through 2038. 18,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 40% new oak, the 2015 Château Gloria is a beautiful Saint-Julien that’s well worth seeking out and drinking. Blackcurrants, damp earth, spicy oak and hints of leafy herbs all flow to an upfront, elegant, yet fruit forward 2015 that has sweet tannin and good freshness. It’s no doubt a charmer, yet will see its 20th birthday in fine form. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 Gloria, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, matured for 14 months in 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has an earthy/meaty nose with a core of black plums and blackberries plus touches of eucalypt and anise. The medium-bodied palate is just a little lean and chewy with an earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFine, fragrant nose and succulent fruit. It has a lovely texture, rounded tannins and fresh finish, with more finesse than in past years. Drinking Window: 2020 - 2028Decanter | 90 DEC

Rock ’em, sock ’em St.-Julien, with mouthcoating ganache and tar notes backed by commensurate cassis, blueberry paste and blackberry reduction flavors. The long finish rumbles through, with buried brambly grip providing the support for the dense fruit and toast to meld. Best from 2025 through 2040. 29,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2016 Talbot is aromatically quite expressive, but less available on the palate, where it is quite closed down. Time in the glass brings out a host of sweet tobacco, smoke, leather, cedar, mint, licorice and red-toned fruit. In two tastings, Talbot gave the impression it is going to need at least a few years to fully come into its own. Even so there is plenty to look forward to once the tannins start to melt away a bit. Consultants Stéphane Derenoncourt and Julien Lavenu have done quite a bit to raise the bar here, but I get a sense more is possible. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThis is already a beautiful St.-Julien that’s ripe and elegant with not a jot too much oak or tannin, but a very fresh and lively finish that keeps on going. However, there are some serious reserves in this wine that need time to be released. Already very harmonious, but better from 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSBrought up in 50% new oak, the 2016 Château Talbot is a winner and certainly over-delivers. Powerful notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil, and leafy herbs all give way to a silky, seamless Saint-Julien that has remarkable purity of fruit and building, fine tannins. It’s the texture as well as the purity that set this apart, and readers looking for a great value should purchase a case of this beauty.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThere’s a strong team in place at Talbot, with Jean-Michel Laporte (formerly of La Conseillante) as technical director and Stéphane Derenoncourt as consultant. This has a perfumed elegance on the nose, with spicy blackcurrant aromas. Suave and very concentrated, it shows ample ripe tannins and a discreet oaky structure. Its length should guarantee a good future too. Drinking Window 2022 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECThe smooth texture of this wine is deceptive. Behind its ripe black fruits and acidity, the wine has a strong sense of structure to give shape and potential to the freshness and fruit. The wine will age, not perhaps for the really long term but certainly it is worth waiting until 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Talbot is medium garnet-purple colored and opens with pretty floral notes of roses and lavender with a core of cassis, blackberry preserves and kirsch plus wafts of cigar box and spearmint. Medium-bodied with a lovely intensity of black and red fruit flavors, it has a ripe, grainy texture and compelling freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Based on 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Gruaud Larose sports a dense purple hue as well as a stunning nose of pure crème de cassis, cedar pencil shavings, blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. This dense, almost broodingly backward, concentrated Saint-Julien has flawless balance, a remarkable sense of purity, masses of tannins, and one hell of a great finish. Seemingly almost from a more austere year (say 2000 or 2010), it’s not going to hit maturity for at least a decade and should cruise in cold cellars for 20-30 years. It’s a brilliant wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAromas of currants, blackberries, dried flowers, dark chocolate and tobacco leaves. Citrus zest, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins. Complex and layered with a juicy core of ripe fruit. Silky and delicious. Very creamy and fine-tannined. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSA densely textured and rich wine, this has power and concentration. Smoky tannins show strongly as well as juicy black-currant fruits that are still young. The wine, with its structure, is just starting on a journey to aging. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a bit of polish to its mix of cassis, crushed plum and blackberry fruit flavors before a wave of bittersweet cocoa, tobacco, and iron score the finish. But while muscular and grippy in the end, there’s ample freshness here throughout. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 12,133 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSHere the tannins are pretty hefty, matched by deep brambly black cherry notes. Good-quality with slate, cigar, chocolate, earth and black pepper spice through the mid-palate. Not as elegant at this stage as some St-Julien in the vintage but this has a long life ahead and is full of promise. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECComposed of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Gruaud Larose has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It comes barreling out of the glass with powerful scents of blackberry preserves, baked plums and crème de cassis plus hints of fruitcake, Indian spices and tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate offers bags of baked berries flavors and a chewy texture with just enough freshness, finishing spicy. Judging by the slightly rustic tannins and suggestions of dried berry characters, I’m guessing the heat and drought had an impact this year. This said, the wine is very well crafted and delicious right now, although a good 3-4 years in bottle should soften the tannins and bring out further nuances.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPI was delighted to taste the 2018 Gruaud Larose, as I missed it en primeur. Ripe and sweet on attack, Gruaud Larose is an especially dense, flamboyant Saint-Julien. Inky red fruit, mocha, wild flowers and spice abound. I find the new oak a bit overpowering, but the 2018 is an undeniably gorgeous and enticing wine.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it’s going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 2018 Lagrange is charming and gracious. Sweet, lifted aromatics and mid-weight structure give the 2018 tons of immediacy. Bright red berries, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and cedar build with time in the glass. Polished, silky tannins grace the beautifully persistent finish. Best of all, the 2018 will be ready to go with only minimal cellaring.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBeautiful reflections through the body of this wine, with fresh acidity, and an attractive sense of uplift through the palate, although the actual fruit is a little subdued right now, which as it opens shows damson and bilberry. There is real tannic frame, and build-up on the finish as you see just how concentrated these dark fruits are. (Drink between 2026-2044)Decanter | 94 DECThis smoky wine still shows some wood aging flavors. Structure comes from this wood aging as well as the rich blackberry-fruit tannins and concentration. The succulent Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe and full. It needs time, so drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERock solid Cab here, with mouthwatering black currant and blackberry fruit flavors laced with a graphite edge and innervated with bramble, tobacco, bay and violet notes through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 20,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSExtremely perfumed with currant and blackberry aromas, as well as flowers. It medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins that frame some pretty, elegant fruit for the vintage. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JS

Beautifully textured and rich in black-currant flavors and tannins, this is a generous wine. The fruits and the dusty tannins partner each other well giving structure, concentration, a sense of poise and final freshness. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WECurrants, cloves, graphite and cigar box on the nose. Some pine and citrus zest, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Structured and vivid with plenty of tension. Lovely sweet fruit at the finish. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSRuby red in colour, with clove aromatics. Firm tannic structure, without having the 360-degree reach of the 2016s, but this is an enjoyable, well-balanced and well-judged St-Julien with power but careful extraction. Bright berry fruits, a little austere - at least right now - but plenty of potential. Drinking Window 2026 - 2044.Decanter | 94 DECRipe and focused, with a lovely core of steeped plum, fig and cassis notes laced liberally with graphite and applewood. A violet note chimes bright on the finish. Absolutely rock solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 7,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSMade by the stellar team at Léoville Barton and a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Langoa Barton sports a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a charming, medium to full-bodied, velvety-textured 2018 with terrific notes of red, blue, and black fruits as well as spice box, dried flowers, and a touch lead pencil. It has surprising up-front appeal, with ripe, velvety tannins and nicely integrated acidity, and it’s going to shine with just 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20+.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2018 Langoa Barton has a deep garnet-purple color and notions of ripe blackcurrants, fresh blackberries and kirsch with touches of bouquet garni, cedar chest and pencil lead plus a hint of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled and refreshing with bright, red fruit and herbal sparks lifting the black fruit and an approachable, chewy texture, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2018 Langoa Barton is succulent and racy right out of the gate. Inky red fruit, sweet floral notes, cedar and spice all mesh together effortlessly. This mid-weight, pliant Saint-Julien is every bit as seductive as it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Pure crème de cassis, tobacco, black cherries, lead pencil, and a wonderful sense of minerality emerge from the 2020 Clos Du Marquis, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, elegant texture, plenty of ripe tannins, and the vibrant, focused, lengthy style of the vintage front and center. It’s going to need 4-6 years of bottle age, possibly more, but the balance, purity, and precision are all brilliant. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in 40% new French oak. The technical information checks in with the alcohol at 13.57%, pH of 3.76, and an IPT of 84. This will be a long-lived Saint-Julien!Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.57%, a pH of 3.76 and an IPT (tannins index) of 84. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 26th to 29th of September, the Merlot from the 11th to the 16th of September and the Cabernet Franc from the 18th to the 29th of September. Deep purple-black in color, it bursts from the glass with flamboyant notes of crushed blackberries, ripe, juicy plums and blackcurrant pastilles, with suggestions of licorice, red roses and espresso. The medium-bodied palate is completely coated with perfumed black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Simply gorgeous.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPA tighter, more linear red with blackcurrant, olive and floral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a firm, racy finish. Tight. Sweet tobacco. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 33% merlot.James Suckling | 94-95 JSFragrant black currants give a classic wine that shines with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Its density comes from concentration, offering the potential of density without weight. The wine will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is plush, sensual and inviting, with soft contours that make it a real pleasure to taste today. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal, mint and cedar all take shape as this sexy Saint-Julien shows off its allure. All the elements are so nicely balanced. In 2020, only 25 of the 46 hectares of the property were used for the Grand Vin.Vinous Media | 91-93+ VMThis has the most gorgeous savoury fruit edge, a brilliant Marquis with a sappy chalky quality, concentrated and intense but still keeps the St-Julien balance. 40% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DEC

A very pretty wine, showing blackberry and blackcurrant aromas with crushed stone. Medium to full body with layers of fine-grained tannins. Bright and refined. Lots of dark fruit at the end. Solid weight.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2021 Branaire-Ducru has realized all the potential it showed en primeur. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, menthol, violets and baking chocolate, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and suave, with a velvety attack that segues into a deep, fleshy palate. This is especially impressive in the context of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPOpen and explosive in its aromatics, the 2021 Branaire-Ducru is deep, layered and super-expressive, promising to evolve well for many years to come. The Cabernets are especially evident in the wine’s remarkable savory character. Black cherry, lavender, graphite, and dried herbs lend considerable nuance. In 2021, Branaire-Ducru is not quite as charming as it often is at the outset, so readers should plan on being patient.Vinous Media | 94 VMGreen peppercorns, menthol and sightly herbal aspects on the nose. Smooth and silky, a shot of bright high acidity with a balancing creamy touch to the texture. Tannins are barely there, but do give the frame which nicely carries the flavours. Really charming and fruity, great energy if not masses of weight and depth. Clean and precise fruit expression. A great effort in 2021.Decanter | 94 DECMade from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, and 5.5% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Branaire-Ducru is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes bounding out of the glass with bold scents of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, and ripe black plums, followed by hints of camphor, violets, black truffles, and tapenade, with a waft of wood smoke. Light to medium-bodied, the palate delivers impressive intensity with firm, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a mineral lift.The Wine Independent | 91-93 TWIBright red and blue fruits, violets, and floral notes define the bouquet of the 2021 Château Branaire-Ducru, a medium-bodied, nicely balanced, elegant Saint-Julien. It has nicely integrated background oak, plenty of mid-palate depth, and the balance and length to shine for two decades. It’s incredibly well done and should end up being an outstanding wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 89-92 JD

Loaded with juicy acidity and layers of spice. The wine is packed with fruit that contrasts with the firm tannins that lie in the background giving a polished structure to this ageworthy wine. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2021 Léoville Barton has turned out beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis and plums mingled with subtle hints of pencil shavings, menthol and spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated, it’s layered and refined, built around lively acids and a chassis of sweet, powdery tannin that will reward some bottle age with greater plenitude. It’s a real success.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2021 Léoville-Barton is a gorgeous, classically built Saint-Julien. Graphite, leather, blue-toned fruit, spice, tobacco, licorice and lavender are immediately alluring. Medium in body and vibrant, the 2021 exudes finesse from start to finish. It is very much on the restrained side, with all the elements impeccably balanced. I would give this a few years in the cellar. It really blossoms with air, but the best is clearly yet to come.Vinous Media | 94+ VMI continue to love Château Léoville Barton, and their 2021 doesn’t disappoint. (If anything, the fresher style favored here played nicely with the vintage character.) Lots of cassis and darker currants as well as crushed stone, graphite, and floral notes emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, pure, elegant tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s not going to match the all-time greats here, but it’s a seriously good wine in the vintage and I’d be happy with bottles in the cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDHeady on the nose, perfumed and scented. The palate is alive and playful, delivering high acidity but also focused fruit so it’s both lightly framed and fun, but also savoury and serious. Smooth and silky tannins give the gentle frame, letting the strawberry, creamy raspberry and red cherry fruit do the talking. It’s unfussy, all the elements to the fore but all well balanced with a charming texture overall and persistence of high-toned red berry fruits with saline sides. Hints of green pepper, black pepper, slate and pencil lead on the finish. I like this a lot!Decanter | 94 DECA medium-bodied red with redcurrant, crushed-stone and earth character, following through to fine tannins and a polished finish. Balanced.James Suckling | 93-94 JSA stride ahead of the pack, with more flesh to its core of black currant and black cherry notes. Backed by singed applewood, cedar and tobacco accents, this shows a subtle twang of iron on the slightly austere finish, but the grain is relatively fine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2036. 11,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2021 Leoville Barton is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 27 September to 7 October. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to shake loose notes of fresh blackberries, mulberries, and cassis, plus touches of garrigue, wild blueberries, violets, and licorice with a touch of wood smoke. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone with loads of crunchy black fruit layers and an impressive array of savory sparks on the long finish.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

The top wine, the 2021 Château Léoville Poyferré is a beauty and certainly makes the most of the vintage. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 14% alcohol (with an IPT of 78 and a pH of 3.85), its dense purple hue is followed by a rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien that has terrific purity of fruit, notes of cassis, violets, and spicy wood, ripe tannins, and remarkable overall balance. It brings more richness and depth than most in the vintage and is unquestionably going to offer tons of pleasure over the coming 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-97 JDThe 2021 Léoville-Poyferré has developed into a fabulous wine. Surprisingly rich, the 2021 possesses notable depth. Kirsch, blood orange and wildflowers open first, lending a decidedly exotic, perfumed quality. On the palate, the 2021 is fleshy and expressive. There’s a bit of new oak that needs to integrate. Otherwise, the 2021 is impeccably balanced. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 96 VMExcellent depth and complexity with a nice modern touch of cocoa powder to the black olives, pencil shavings, cassis, violets, black mushrooms and dark earth. Full-bodied palate with fresh, vertical tannins and lots of juicy fruit that seamlessly dissolve into the flavorful, persistent finish. Refined power with real length. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA rich, ripe toasted nose, clearly concentrated. Good fruit density, underlying power and sense of structure. This has personality, it does feel a tiny bit pushed on the palate with acidity opening the expression but the fruitiness fades quite quickly and is replaced by the tannic structure and menthol, herbal Cabernet aspects. It’s smooth with a long length. Nice bones for ageing, so give this a few years.Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Leoville Poyferre slowly expands from the glass, revealing notes of warm cassis, blackberry pie, and black cherry preserves, followed by hints of menthol, pencil lead, red roses, and charcoal. Medium-bodied, the palate offers great intensity of youthful black fruits with firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and peppery. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested between 28 September and 12 October, is to be aged 18-20 months in French oak, 80% new. The wine has a pH of 3.84 and an IPT of 78.The Wine Independent | 92-94 TWIThe 2021 Léoville Poyferré opens in the glass with notes of minty berries, dark berry compote, pencil shavings and toasty oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that’s quite muscular and extracted, built around a chassis of sweet, abundant tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish. This will require a bit of patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP