92-94 Point Wines

wines

This wine has an austere structure, with firm tannins. The fruit comes through slowly, revealing an attractive black-currant flavor and ample acidity. This will be a very fine wine with time; try after 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEVery pretty and finely formed with currant, cherry and raspberry character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and fresh finish. Fine textured. Lovely second wine for d’Issan.James Suckling | 93 JSThe quality of this 2016 just shines out. It’s full of plump fruit, with great balance and plenty of Margaux typicity - plump red and black berry fruits and high floral aromatics, an exemplary second wine. And from a yield of 55hl/ha; a great example of how (low) yields are not a necessary indicator of quality. Some menthol notes on the finish also, this is juicy and although you could drink now, it will develop further in bottle. Drinking Window 2020 - 2034Decanter | 91 DEC

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Prade bursts boldly from the glass with notions of chocolate-covered cherries, blueberry compote and plum preserves with suggestions of eucalyptus, espresso, licorice and cedar chest plus a waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and plushly textured, the decadent black fruit and spicy layers deliver a very long, impactful finish. This is so tempting to drink right now, but it will age beautifully.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2016 La Prade hits the palate with serious depth and intensity. A rush of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, menthol, crème de cassis, and bittersweet chocolate melds together in this unctuous, super-expressive wine. Creamy, silky tannins enrobe this decidedly rich, flamboyant Côtes de Bordeaux. The 2016 finishes with terrific weight and substance. All of the elements are nicely fused together. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGStately and restrained, this has a clear sense of minerality and salinity. An enjoyable wine matured in 33% new oak of both 225’ and 500l sizes. Great quality. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DECBold tannins and ripe fruit are the hallmarks of this rich wine from the Nicolas Thienpont range. A solid structure backs up the ripe black-currant flavors. The wine will certainly age well, so wait until 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThis is integrated and lightly chewy with dark berries and light chocolate and some hazelnuts. Medium body. Fresh finish. A blend of 88 per cent merlot and 12 per cent cabernet franc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

Attractive dark-stone aromas with graphite and ripe dark berries sit fresh on the nose. The palate has a riper feel with very rich, dense fruit presence and a heavier, tannin line weight. Full body. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Grand Corbin has grown into a powerful, dense Saint-Émilion. This is a fairly rich, bombastic style, and yet all the elements fall into place. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften, but there is good depth and plenty of potential. A rush of chocolate, leather, licorice, smoke and black cherry meld into the potent finish. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGClear black cherry and savoury cassis notes give a bright feel on the attack, although the tannins remain extremely constricting. Cinnamon, rosemary and charred liquorice chime in. It’s an austere style, but there’s no question that these are excellent building blocks. 40% new oak. Hubert de Bouard consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DECThe deep ruby/purple-hued 2016 Château Grand Corbin is another fine 2016 that has plenty of ripe, concentrated fruit yet stays pure, elegant and layered. Ripe black cherries, currants, green tobacco, and spring flower notes all emerge from this attractive, layered, complex Saint Emilion that has both freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2016 Grand Corbin has a rich and showy bouquet with plenty of ravishing black fruit laced with spice, although I would like to see more precision. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a touch of graphite with a neat and tidy, quite harmonious and well-judged finish. It gets better as it goes along!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 89-91 RP-NM

This has attractive, glossy, ripe red-plum and licorice aromas with cedar, flowers and red berries, as well as a stony edge. A very fragrant, cabernet-driven nose. The palate has elegance and grace with sleek and charming, balanced style and a discreet tannin structure that holds the finish long and fresh. A blend of 81 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 19 per cent merlot. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThis nearly 200-acre estate lies in the south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another great success in a series of superb years. It is rich but the structure and finely textured fruit give it style and longevity. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Giscours is complex, aromatically intense and beguiling, with myriad layers of flavors that unfold with time in the glass. Black cherry, sage, leather, smoke and menthol add plenty of intrigue, but above all else, it is the wine’s balance and sense of harmony that make the deepest impression. Under the leadership of Alexander Van Beek and his team, Giscours has been on a roll over the last few years. The 2016 is another fine vintage.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGConcentrated autumnal fruit offers a hawthorny bramble of blackberry and bilberry. Big-framed, muscular tannins are joined by plenty of acidity - it’s very clearly built to last and confident in its ability to reward those with patience. Matured in 50% new oak. Axel Marchal and Valerie Lavigne consult. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Giscours gives up aromas of cassis, chocolate, earth, tar, pepper and hoisin with touches of flowers and a meaty nuance. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with a great core and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Château Giscours is fabulous stuff, offering a beautiful, complex (and classic Margaux) perfume of smoke tobacco, black currants, truffly earth, and spring flowers. Finesse-driven, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it has ultra-fine tannins and no hard edges, and is already drinking beautifully. Nevertheless, it’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-25 years or more. The blend of the 2016 is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot and it’s well worth a case purchase.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is on the darker side of the ledger, with well-melded black currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit, infused with brambly energy and allied to a graphite spine on the anise-tinged finish. Features a light woodsy echo at the very end, but there’s plenty of flesh here. Best from 2022 through 2032. 34,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2017 Meyney has turned out beautifully. Dark, pliant and generous in feel, the 2017 possesses striking depth and polish to match its mid-weight personality. Dried cherry, mint, dried flowers, licorice, cedar and tobacco infuse the 2017 with lovely layers of aromatic nuance and complexity. All the elements meld together nicely. Just as it was en primeur, the 2017 is relatively understated for Meyney, but that is not a bad thing at all. Meyney appears to be moving in a very positive direction over the last few years, and that is, of course, great to see.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA terrific effort, the 2017 Meyney is a concentrated, nicely structured wine in the vintage that’s going to have a broad drink window. Lots of black cherry, chocolate, cedarwood, and leafy tobacco notes define the bouquet, followed by a medium-bodied red with a solid spine of acidity, supple tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, beautifully done Saint-Estèphe to enjoy over the coming 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDSome quite assertive, ripe dark berries here. The bold, quite rich palate is firm yet fresh with cassis and black-fruit flavors. Lighter, elegant vintage. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSMeyney has had a strong couple of years, and even in this challenging vintage this is a wine that you want to look out for. Attractive baked plum aromatics on the nose, without the concentration of 2016 but with silky, well extracted cassis fruits and attractive spice on the finish. More closed down than it was En Primeur, this is going to need a few years from this point to open up. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036.Decanter | 91 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple, the 2017 Meyney opens a little broody, giving way to red cherries, black berries and stewed tea scents with a waft of dried herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock-full of vibrant black fruits with ripe, grainy tannins and a refreshing kick to the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPFresh and direct, featuring a pure core of damson plum and cherry fruit, laced with light floral and red tea notes. Subtle chalky minerality gives the finish cut and length, while a pretty perfume lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2028. 15,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is tightly coiled now, but the range of juicy tangerine, white peach and white ginger notes should unfurl soon enough, carried by a mouthwatering quinine note and ending with a light orange blossom hint on the finish. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2026. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTangy aromas and flavors of lemon zest, fresh green pear, yoghurt and hints of beeswax. It’s medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity. Flavorful and concentrated with a sleek, phenolic texture. Crushed stones on the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSBeautiful white peach, honeysuckle, white flowers, and a touch of toasted almond emerge from the 2018 Lune d’Argent Blanc, and it’s medium-bodied, with a balanced, elegant texture, nicely integrated acidity, and plenty of fruit and depth. A blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon, it’s going to be even better with another year in bottle and keep for 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2018 Lune d’Argent has a perfumed nose of white flowers and honeysuckle, subtle frangipane scents patiently waiting in the background. The palate is well balanced with a slightly honeyed entry, plenty of tropical fruit (passion fruit and guava) and a concentrated, almost viscous finish that lingers in the mouth. Yes, it does come across as a bit heady, but it’s still thoroughly enjoyable.Vinous Media | 90 VM

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 JSThis 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 WSA 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 WEHere 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

Complex nose, blending notes of elderberries, black cherries, spices, cedar,and violets. It’s full-bodied and structured with elegant tannins and a fleshy texture. Flavorful, savory finish. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Château Lascombes performed brilliantly in my tastings. It’s a rich, medium to full-bodied, impressively textured Margaux with loads to love. Lots of jammy currants, blueberries, vanilla bean, flowers, and camphor emerge from the glass, and it has ripe yet present tannins, no hard edges, and just a balanced, classy style. It needs 3-4 years to integrate its oak and will keep for 25 years or more. The blend is 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 60% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThis is a smoky, powerful wine that shows plenty of signs of wood aging. However, it is restrained by the fine berry fruit flavors and the intensity of the tannins. It will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Lascombes is deep garnet-purple in color, slowly unfurling in the glass to reveal evocative cassis, black cherries and blackberry pie scents, followed by hints of pencil lead, menthol, lavender and cedar chest with a touch of damp soil. The medium to full-bodied palate gives a great core of muscular black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2018 Lascombes is plush and racy in the glass. Soft contours enmeshed with silky tannins give this juicy Margaux so much immediacy. Inky dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, chocolate and new oak abound. This is an especially flamboyant, forward style, but it all works quite well. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well with just a few years in bottle.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis shows lovely aromas of currant, fresh herbs and light mint, with just a hint of cedar. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a warm chocolate and meat character. Not a big wine but holding on nicely. This bottle is a little musty but blows off. Gets better in the glass.--Non-blind Château Montrose vertical. Drink now. — JSWine Spectator | 93 WSLovely grilled fruit here; super enjoyable, suave and good quality, with depth and interest through the palate. Fully ripe fruit notes of figs and damson are backed up by liquorice and chocolate, but this has a sense of being propelled forward through the palate, and has a crushed mint finish - giving a slight upscore since en primeur. A yield of 45hl/ha. 40% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DEC

Pale, shimmering yellow. Fresh pear, honeydew, tangerine and pungent flowers on the mineral-inflected nose. Offers lively, sharply focused orchard and citrus fruit flavors that are complemented by emerging ginger and white pepper notes adding back-end lift and cut. Silky and impressively lithe, delivering solid mineral thrust and repeating florality on the long, incisive finish.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

Good complexity on the nose, chocolate, cherries, plums and blackcurrants. Succulent straight away, it makes you suck your cheeks in, the tannins are abundant and fill the mouth but with a soft, juicy chewiness that’s really pleasant. I really like this density, it feels full without being too much - all in balance. A really enjoyable wine, good to have with food and will age well continuing to integrate and soften, but I like its fruit-forward confidence right now. A bit of milk chocolate sweetness, some chalkiness and then a herbal element too - everything you need in a good claret! with typicity and approachability. Top value too. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Laffitte-Carcasset is gorgeous, just as it was from barrel. This mid-weight Saint-Estèphe impresses with its nuance and delineation. Bright red fruit, iron, menthol, anise, cedar and rose petal lend uncommon complexity, while fine grained tannins give the wine proportion and drive. This polished, under the radar gem is a real delight. Laffitte-Carcasset is an especially delicate wine for the appellation.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe estate on the plateau of Saint-Estèphe is well situated to produce this rich, full-bodied wine. Broad tannins give the dry core essential for aging. They are balanced by black-currant fruits from the 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. It will age well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEBlackcurrants, brambleberries, walnut husks, dried leaves and dark spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh and structured. Crushed stone comes through in the aftertaste. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 91 JS

Aromas of guava, dried lemon zest and pear skin with hints of cedar and crushed flint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tangy acidity. Flavorful and concentrated with a smooth, waxy texture. Mineral finish. Second wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

Aromas of blackberries, dried lavender, black olives, tobacco, herbs and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and concentrated with a sleek, savory finish. 85% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% malbec. Better from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSComing from the talented Thienpont team, the 2018 Château Puygueraud is a juicy, up-front, undeniably delicious 2018 offering lots of perfumed, floral, and violet notes, sumptuous blue fruits, medium-bodied richness, and a juicy, balanced, lengthy style that keeps you coming back to the glass. The balance is spot on, as is the purity of fruit, and it’s ideal for enjoying any time over the coming decade. The blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is great stuff and highly drinkable with a wonderful richness on the nose and palate. It’s pretty fierce in fact and has real impact with the austerity of the mid palate quickly filled out by rich sweet black cherry fruit and a deeply spiced finish. The harvest took place between 24 September and 5 October. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 92 DEC

Blackcurrant, bitter-chocolate, dried-lavender and graphite aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Tight and mineral at the moment. Really well-crafted. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSConsiderable renovation work is beginning to pay off in the quality of this latest vintage from this estate. The wine has depth, concentration, dark-chocolate flavors, rich tannins and equally rich blackberry fruits. With its high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon,the wine is set for aging and will not be ready before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEOwned by Jacky Lorenzetti, a brilliant-quality estate on largely gravel soils that is always worth seeking out. There are chewy and powerful tannins that will hold the fruit well over the next decade at least. A yield of 48hl/ha, with ageing in 35% new oak with some 400-litre barrels. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Lilian Ladouys is showing nicely now that the wine is in bottle. It has a riper bouquet compared to, say, the Calon-Ségur, more lush – a 2018 with wider appeal, featuring blueberry and cassis scents that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that disguise the backbone of this Saint-Estèphe. It is not the most powerful Lilian Ladouys in recent years, safeguarding its linearity and strictness all the way through to the finish. But it conveys a sense of classicism and has abundant freshness that should see it age well over the next two decades. Vinous Media | 92 VMA year-in, year-out value, the 2018 Château Lilian Ladouys checks in as 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that was brought up in 35% new oak. Jammy blueberries, ripe cherries, damp earth, tobacco, and spicy wood notes define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a plump, rounded texture, opulent aromas and flavors, and a great finish. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDIn 2018, the Lorenzetti family purchased two neighbor estates, Château Clauzet and Château Tour de Pez, adding these to the Lilian Ladouys vineyard to almost double its planted area to 77 hectares. These additional vineyards are composed of gravelly soils of the same level as the best blocks of Lilian Ladouys. Soils are a typically Saint-Estèphe mix of sandy-gravel and clay with some limestone deposits. It is planted at 8,500-10,000 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 35 years in 2018. The wine will see 12 months aging in 35% new and 65% two-year-old barriques. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, and it has 14.41% alcohol. From the lieu-dit Blanquet and with a deep purple-black color, the 2018 Lilian Ladouys gives up wonderfully spicy black fruit preserves notions: plum preserves, crème de cassis and blueberry with hints of exotic spices, menthol and violets. Medium to full-bodied, firm and fine-grained in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of rich, spicy black fruits with a lift to the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThis has a nice winey core of steeped red and black currant fruit laced with bay, charcoal, savory and olive notes. The fruit keeps pace through the mineral-edged finish, with a late tug of dark earth. Solid, if just slightly on the rustic side of the stylistic ledger. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2031. 28,300 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Laforge has really filled out nicely. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and lavender build beautifully with some aeration. The 2019 is sumptuous, bold and racy, Laforge is an absolute joy to taste today. This flamboyant, racy Saint-Émilion will be a jewel to drink now and over the next few years.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Château Laforge is more up-front and charming, with medium-bodied aromas and flavors of savory red and black fruits, leafy herbs, iron, and tobacco. It has good acidity, ripe tannins, and, as with all of the releases from Malthus, is beautifully balanced. Drink this already complex, layered, seamless 2019 over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDLots of lovely fruit and freshness in this red with blackberry and cherry character, medium body and a round, juicy finish. Very attractive already. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThis is a fine wine with great black fruits and an impressive density. Spice and ripe tannins make for a wine for aging. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Laforge opens with notions of pencil shavings, rose hip tea, crushed rocks and cedar chest over a core of warm black and red plums, boysenberries and spice cake. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with freshness and energy, offering finely grained tannins to support the red and black fruit layers, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

This has chocolate, cedar and walnuts as well as some currant aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with some lovely fruit and juiciness. 55.8% cabernet sauvignon, 38.8% merlot and 5.4% petit verdot. Attractive now but another year or two will make it even better.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Pauillac is a serious wine. Dark cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice and pomegranate are all dialed up in this wonderfully deep, fleshy Pauillac. Deep and resonant, with fine balance, the 2019 captures all the natural radiance of the year. This is really quite stellar and delicious. A recent bottle of the 2009 reminded me how pleasurable the Latour Pauillac can be.Vinous Media | 93 VMA rocking little Pauillac, the 2019 Le Pauillac De Château Latour has ripe, upfront aromatics of red and black currants, smoke tobacco, and spicy wood that carry to a medium-bodied, supple, layered, nicely balanced wine that has enough tannins to evolve for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2019 Le Pauillac de Château Latour is another impressive rendition of this bottling from Latour. Offering up notes of sweet berry fruit, plums, spices and pencil shavings, it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins. This year, it includes some declassified lots from Les Forts de Latour. I’m sure it will show even better when it’s released in a few years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPEvident ripeness to the fruits here, giving pretty high open berry aromatics even at this early stage. This is a frank and gourmet style of Pauillac de Latour and will be an early-to-medium term drinker with excellent potential for getting a taste of one of the few unquestionably good quality 3rd wines of Bordeaux. The hot summer meant there were patches of water stress on the sandier soils outside of the main L’Enclos de Latour, leading to more 3rd wine than usual, and it accounts for 25% of production in 2019, from unusually high yields of 44.7hl/ha. 72IPT.Decanter | 90 DEC

Lovely soft spicing on the nose, liquorice touches and bramble fruits - gorgeous aromatics on show. Excellent clarity on the palate, this has a silky smooth texture with bright fruit flavours. Extremely youthful and brimming with energy. Fruit forward with cherry and cherry stone nuances. Really quite playful in the best way with charming fragrant touches from start to finish, - 2019 was the ’year of perfume’ according to Alexandre Thienpont. So much to like here.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 La Gravette De Certan is a solid second wine offering plenty of up-front richness and suppleness as well as classic Pomerol darker cherry and currant fruits, notes of damp earth, tobacco, and hints of flowers, beautiful balance, and enough ripe tannins to keep it drinking well for over a decade. I’d be thrilled with a bottle on the table.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 La Gravette de Certan, 100% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It races out with bright, expressive notions of black cherries, raspberry preserves, and fresh plums with hints of crushed rocks and black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers a lively backbone and nice ripe, approachable tannins with a lifted finish.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2019 La Gravette de Certan is a fleshy, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and giving, it’s sensual and succulent, with an enveloping core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. It’s entirely composed of Merlot this year and largely derived from vines planted in 2010, supplemented by a plot planted in 1998.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 La Fleur de Boüard is gorgeous. Sweet floral and spice top notes meld into a core of red/purplish fruit, blood orange, menthol, spice and cedar. Creamy and open-knit, with lovely perfume and fine balance, the 2019 Le Plus is impressive, not to mention a real charmer. In a second tasting it was even more exotic and sexy.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGSweet-berry aromas with hints of chocolate and hazelnut follow through to a medium body with firm, fine tannins and a juicy, polished and fruity finish. Nicely integrated all the way through. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSLots of bright berry fruits, flowers, cedary herbs, and spicy notes emerge from the 2019 Château La Fleur De Boüard, a medium to full-bodied, pure, elegant, balanced 2019 with supple tannins and a great finish. It’s impeccably made and shows the fresher, pure, elegant style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDStrawberry, sweet cherry, almost smells like cherry sweets on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate though, quite plummy which I like. Good density and smooth, gently caressing tannins. There’s clearly power and structure but it’s well presented with drive. Touch of perfume to the fruit on the palate too. Chewy tannins give a good mouthful with plenty of interest and cooling mint on the finish. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2034Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 La Fleur de Boüard sports a deep garnet-purple color and offers bold scents of baked blackberries, crushed black cherries and warm black plums with hints of lavender, dark chocolate, aniseed and incense. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock-full of crunchy black fruit with a plush texture and loads of freshness, finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

The 2019 Echo De Lynch-Bages is the second wine of Château Lynch-Bages and it’s beautifully done, with a more floral, perfumed, pretty style compared to the Grand Vin, yet it still brings plenty of structure. Red and black currants, sappy flowers, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth all define the bouquet, and it’s medium-bodied, has integrated acidity, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. It’s beautifully balanced and already accessible, yet will nevertheless benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe second wine of Lynch-Bages shows all the power of this estate. The difference lies in the tannins and the ripe flavors of the wine. It has power without the tannins that demand long-term aging. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WELifted floral aromas, smells pretty and inviting, with a sweet note to the black fruit. Tannins are a little present, they’re not dry or austere, more on the smooth and chalky side but are just covering the fruit right now, although the blackcurrant and plum notes come back through. Chewy, ripe, fresh. This is lovely if just a bit shy at the moment. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Echo de Lynch-Bages, matured in one-year-old barrels for 12 months, has a crisp blackberry, briar and cedar bouquet with touches of mint, quite vibrant and lively. The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins and mulberry and black plum flavors intermingling with black truffle and white pepper. Maybe just a little abrupt on the finish at the moment, but that will fill out in time.Vinous Media | 90 VMJuicy, featuring racy-edged plum and black currant fruit flavors that show nice purity, with lively anise and apple wood accents filtering in through the finish, where a subtle note of charcoal chimes. Modest in scale but nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Plenty of berries, walnuts and light dried tobacco and herbs. Medium body, lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish.James Suckling | 91-92 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Marjosse has a come-hither nose of kirsch, stewed black cherries and warm plums with hints of spice cake, wilted roses, oolong tea and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is plushy textured with bags of scrumptious black and red fruits and a lively backbone, finishing fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPA meaty tone here too with lots of fresh, ripe cherry aromas. . 88% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Dangerously soft and smooth on the palate, silky tannins with a lovely immediate deep flavour on the palate. This is more subtle, less immediately juicy but has real charm and good depth. You feel the flavours linger on the tongue with a perfumed, floral aspect to them. This is delicate but driving with good presence and still superb freshness. An elegance to it as well. Lovely. Good mouthwatering acidity, still on the light side, well balanced and enjoyable.Decanter | 90 DECI expressed reservations towards Pierre Lurton’s 2019 Marjosse in my en primeur report earlier this year and as a result, a second sample was shipped to me. This was so much better. The aromatics are far more controlled and focused with the same black cherries and boysenberry without the shroud of alcohol. The palate is opulent and generous, but much more detailed compared to the first sample and demonstrating much more purity on the finish. This is much more in line with my expectations and I am happy to upgrade my score.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Bursting with aromas of apples, pears, almonds, warm bread and dried fruits, the 2019 Méthode Ancestrale Une Bulle is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with lively acids and a pillowy mousse. It’s a touch drier than its 2018 counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A bigger, richer wine, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lieu-Dit Pignan is loaded with ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits as well as classic pepper, garrigue, and violet notes. It’s a beast of a wine on the palate and is full-bodied, deep, powerful, and concentrated, with no shortage of fruit or texture. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade. This cuvée is 75% Grenache and 25% Mourvèdre that was completely destemmed and aged in concrete, with 20% in older barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDFrom one of the appellation’s sandy lieux-dits—Pignan (Nord)—the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Lieu Dit Pignan is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, aged in demi-muids. Scents of tar, espresso and mocha lead into notes of black cherries and black raspberries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is velvety and moderately rich, tannic but ripe, with a long, nicely textured finish.Drink Date 2023 - 2035Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 92 RPFrankly rich and ripe, with a cascade of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors that cruise through, with notes of bittersweet cocoa, anise and fruitcake filling in along the way. Lush in feel, this flirts with exotic in the end and should age on a faster track. For fans of the showy style. Drink now through 2030. 350 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Lovely peach, pear and yellow plum notes form the core, with well-inlaid acidity for support and light verbena and shortbread accents gilding the lush finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made, 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBeautifully pure quince, ripe peach, and caramelized citrus notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, which shows a more medium-bodied, clean, vibrant style. It doesn’t have the richness of the Saint-Joseph releases, yet I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance. It’s going to gain depth with a year of bottle age and keep for 7-8 years, probably longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDVery good - this is a fairly rich style of white Crozes, the oak is quite lovingly applied, but it works well. Lacks a bit of focus, but it’s enjoyable with concentrated pear and melon flavours. Drinking Window 2021 - 2022.Decanter | 90 DEC

This is gorgeous, with wonderful finesse and complexity. It has a texture of the finest silk. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and beautiful with currant, berry, chocolate and bark in the aftertaste. Under-the-radar wine. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JS(Chateau Milens) Impressive red and blue fruits, flowers, sandalwood, and spicy wood emerge from the 2019 Château Milens, another medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured wine in the vintage. I like its tannins, the balance is spot on, and it already offers considerable charm. It’s beautifully done. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years or so. (Drink between 2022-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 Milens has a lovely, very pure bouquet of perfumed red cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents, marmalade notes emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, leading to a soothing, caressing, mocha-tinged finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VMDeep purple-black in color, the 2019 Milens sings of crushed blueberries, stewed blackberries and black cherry compote with nuances of fragrant soil, violets and aniseed plus a hint of clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is decadently juicy, framed by bold freshness and plush tannins, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2019 Chasse-Spleen is very perfumed on the nose, offering vivid brambly red fruit, leather, undergrowth and cedar aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with a sappy opening and fine acidity. Lightly spiced, showing plenty of substance on the finish. While not the most consistent estate, Chasse-Spleen has it in its grasp to make great wines, and the 2019 is one of them.Vinous Media | 93 VMOffering up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil lead and licorice, the 2019 Chasse-Spleen is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish with a very civilized expression of Moulis-typical grip. Forget it for a decade and follow it for the next two.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPWell judged Chasse Spleen with a ton of personality and flavour. Always one of the more confident and muscled wines in the appellation, this stops a little short as the tannins close in but there is no shortage of personality to get stuck in to here, and a thoroughly attractive juice that runs right through the body of the wine. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 48hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 92 DECAromas of cassis, black cherries, licorice, dried tobacco and wet earth. Some leafy character, too. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and vibrant, juicy fruit character. Firm and compact with hints of crushed stones in the finish. A little timid at the end. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JS