Bordeaux Wines

wines

Lime and spicy pear with crushed stone. Kumquats. Smoke and iron. Kiwi. Full and rounded with bitter pear and steel. Dried limes. Unique minerality. Bright acidity. Touch of sweetness at the end that makes it fascinating. 65% sauvignon blanc and 35% semillon. September release. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Y d’Yquem is a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sémillon, possessing 7.2 grams per liter of residual sugar. Strait-laced notes of struck flint and wet slate on the nose give way to a delicate core of lime blossoms and lemonade with hints of aniseed and grapefruit. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a racy backbone and intense citrusy flavors with a compelling oiliness to the texture, finishing with a minerally lift. This should evolve beautifully over the next 15+ years.The Wine Independent | 95 TWISuave, with alluring acacia, elderflower and lemon pith notes backed by a long finish revealing racy and creamy aspects. Offers nice chalk and orange blossom details in the background, too. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2028.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFrom the same vines as its parent d’Yquem, the wine is fresh and full of ripe yellow fruits. Ripe apricots and honey come together with the beautiful texture in this rich, but dry, wine. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEIn fact, the first pour was the dry wine, the 2021 Y de Yquem. This latest release has a more powerful bouquet, with a distinctive marine influence, a nuanced oxidative trait that lends freshness. The palate is, likewise, quite intense with razor-sharp acidity to the extent that I find this refreshingly penetrating in style, hints of tinned apricot and white peach filtering through on the finish. A lovely dry Sauternes.Vinous Media | 90 VM

TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Quite a different, cool, fresh character on the nose. Louis Moreau always aim to pick early to preserve freshness. Lemon-lime citrus characters dominate the palate giving lots of vibrant acidity, balancing the concentrated fruit notes and providing a great backdrop for future ageing. Needs a two or three years to settle in bottle, and it’s a keeper.Decanter | 95 DECThis white’s creamy texture is offset by lively acidity that frames its lemon, yuzu, floral and vanilla flavors. Tense and racy, picking up mineral and herbal accents on the long finish. Drink now through 2032. 712 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This stands out for its structure, subtle power, balance and finesse. Perfumed and softly sweet on the nose, ripe and concentrated, glorious and inviting. Creamy and chalky at the same time, lovely texture and density with bright and concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit. Crisp, sweet, salty and sour, a lovely combination of flavours and textures with great drive and an undercurrent of minerality and salty wet stone finish – real St-Estèphe signature.Decanter | 96 DECDense and seriously structured, this wine with its polished leather and cedar aromas is concentrated in tannins. The wine’s structure dominates, partnering acidity and ripe texture. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEFloral aromas with violets, lavender and currants. Lead pencil, too. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins that caress and please. Elegant and sophisticated. Linear line of tannins running through this. Needs two or three years to soften. Hold for now.James Suckling | 95 JSA blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Cos d’Estounel has a deep purple-black color. It hits the ground running with expressive notes of black cherries, fresh blackcurrants, and mulberries, leading to hints of violets, crushed rocks, black olives, and forest floor. Light-bodied and tightly wound in the mouth, the palate features vibrant black berry and floral layers, with a fine-grained texture and bright acidity, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 95+ TWIThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Cos D’Estournel checks in as 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 55% new French oak. It’s a more restrained, elegant Cos that brings beautiful red and black currant fruit as well as classic damp earth, graphite, scorched earth, and hints of tobacco leaf. This medium-bodied, elegant, seamless 2021 has ripe, polished tannins, remarkable purity, and outstanding length. At just 12.74% alcohol, pH of 3.79, and an IPT of 77, it’s up with the top handful of wines in the vintage. I’d happily drink a bottle today, but it will ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar and should evolve for 20 or so years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Cos d’Estournel is one of the denser, more muscular wines of the vintage, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, charcoal, sweet cigar wrapper and subtle hints of smoked meats, framed by a touch of toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it’s rich and quite concentrated for the vintage, with a chassis of sweet, generously extracted tannin and a long, lusty finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2021 Cos d’Estournel marries power with finesse. It has all the intensity that is typical of the wines here, but also a real sense of precision. Dark-toned fruit, licorice, leather, spice, tobacco and incense all unfold in a rich, heady wine with bitter, astringent tannins. The 2021 is hard to taste today, as it is decidedly quiet and understated.Vinous Media | 93 VMAlluring from the get-go, with boysenberry and creamed plum flavors that offer an almost exotic edge, backed by liberal accents of rooibos tea, mulling spices and sweet tobacco. Caressing in the end, this also shows a chalky spine that’s better integrated than most in this vintage, plus a pretty, lingering curl of alder. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2037. 14,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2021 Beau-Séjour Bécot is powerful, dense and quite savory, with the Franc very much in evidence. Dark red cherry, blood orange, spice, mint, rose petal, incense and scorched earth give this deep, layered Saint-Émilion tons of flavor complexity. This is such a distinctive and compelling wine.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Beau-Séjour Bécot has realized all the potential it showed from barrel, unfurling in the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of violets, lilac, forest floor and spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and pure, with a fleshy core of fruit that’s framed by supple, polished tannins and bright acids, it’s seamless and sensual, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. As readers may remember, it was cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, delivering a blend based on Merlot with some 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon in a supporting role.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPRose-edged raspberries on the nose with blackcurrant leaf, soft herbal and earthy tones too. Gently floral and perfumed – so welcoming. Direct and streamlined on the palate with gently chalky/creamy tannins that are so integrated they just glide across the tongue settling around the mouth giving a salty tang to the juicy red and black fruit. Such a lovely freshness; this is delicate in terms of texture and overall frame but well positioned and expressive, benefitting from racy acidity and fruit density. It’s harmonious and balanced with such detail on the palate giving transparency of the vintage, the terroir and the grapes. Confident and finessed: a distinguished 2021 that will give a lot of drinking pleasure. 3.5pH. 32hl/haDecanter | 95 DECAn absolutely brilliant wine in the vintage, the 2021 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot has a concentrated, medium-bodied style that never puts a foot wrong. Black raspberries, flowers, chalky minerality, and subtle truffly notes all define this vibrant 2021, and it has beautifully integrated tannins. As always with this terroir, it’s not a blockbuster yet shines for its finesse, elegance, and complexity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLots of blue fruit with violets and a hint of boysenberry. Medium body, integrated and fine tannins and a cool, linear finish. Solid length and brightness.James Suckling | 93-94 JSThe 2021 Beausejour Becot is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on clay and limestone located on the limestone plateau, and aging in 55% new oak and 25% amphora. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out with playful scents of Morello cherries, strawberry preserves, and raspberry leaves, followed by hints of dried roses, incense, cinnamon toast, and tobacco leaves with a touch of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate is bright and refreshing, with a racy backbone and plenty of red berry layers, textured by soft, satiny tannins, delivering a pure, fruity finish. pH 3.5.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

The wine’s powerful density comes from the black-currant flavors and tannic core. Wood, leather and concentration all show in the aromas. It is a serious, powerful wine with 80% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEUtterly captivating on the nose, fragrant and floral with soft orange flecks, sweet cedar and cinnamon. Textured like heavy silk, weighty with a hold to the tannins that says ‘I’m a serious wine’, offering energy and focus. Precision and density, finessed layering that lets the wine deepen and expand over time. Not immediately as attention-seeking as some, but this is classy no doubt and ultimately calls for another sip, and then another. A gorgeous wine that is all the better for what it’s not saying at this point.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2021 Léoville Las Cases has turned out beautifully in bottle and clearly numbers among the very finest wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, violets and pencil shavings, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins and girdled by lively acids, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Serious and structured without being austere, it’s a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and a mere 5% Merlot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2021 Léoville Las-Cases is a wine of elegance and restraint. Yes, I am writing that about a young Las-Cases. Perhaps it is the higher level of Cabernet Franc in this year’s blend that adds aromatic presence and gives the wine its refined character. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, spice and rose petal linger on the delicate, understated finish.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is very tannic and powerful with currant and salty undertones. Inky. Blackberry and blackcurrant, too. Full-bodied with lots of power at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc and 5% merlot.James Suckling | 96-97 JSUnquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, the 2021 Château Léoville Las Cases is flat-out brilliant and brings that classic Las Cases regalness and structure. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, crushed stone, and an almost bloody, salty character all define this riveting 2021, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has more mid-palate density and depth than just about every other wine in the vintage, and despite its structure, it’s going to be relatively accessible in just 5-7 years. It will most likely be one of the longest-lived in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of swirling and coaxing to reveal a pronounced core of cassis, Morello cherries, and mulberries, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of tilled soil, charcoal, violets, and cedar, plus a touch of Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate delivers impressive, tightly wound layers of black fruits and minerals, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long and perfumed. All minerals and florals - very pretty!The Wine Independent | 95 TWIShows a rare level of finesse, depth and balance in this vintage, with a stream of black currant coulis carried by a pinpoint of acidity, while charcoal and sweet tobacco accents run along the edges. The long, iron-tinged finish offers a late hint of violet and almost no grain. A terrific effort for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A serious nose with great depth and complexity here. Fine oak spices, chalk, meringue, lanolin and a twist of praline/pistachio to the intense lemons, honeyed gooseberries and mineral. Extremely harmonious with a deliciously saline touch to the center palate. Medium- to full-bodied, with a persistent but elegant and subtle finish that lasts almost a minute. 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% semillon. Already a joy to taste and drink, but will hold well over the next 15 years at least. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is a dense, powerful dry white. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2021 is going to need quite a bit of time to be at its best. Today, the wine’s textural intensity and some oak are front and center. The 2021 is a Blanc of substance and real character. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis grand Bernard family estate in Léognan is legendary for its white wine. This is a ripe, spicily wood-aged wine. Its background of young acidity brings out a tangy edge that will soften and fill out into a long-lived wine. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, the 2021 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc sails from the glass, after a swirl of two, with a gorgeous perfume of spiced apples, grapefruit oil, and orange blossoms, leading to wafts of sea spray and paraffin wax. The medium-bodied palate has a gorgeous satiny texture juxtaposing the racy backbone and supporting the apple and citrus layers, finishing long and perfumed.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIA rich honeyed apple and apricot nose with soft white blossom notes. So lifted and expressive on the palate, creamy lemon, pear, red apple and apricot. Gently round, this has a nice delicacy but also good weight - a refined palate with a soft creaminess. Easy to drink and enjoy with excellent structure and density for the vintage, you get enough acidity and texture to give a full mouthfeel without anything being too much or over the top but still with enough flavour that it’s interesting and compelling. A top buy.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is a blend of 70% Sauvignon and 30% Sémillon that matured for 18 months in barrels, of which 35% were new. Delivering a deep, complex bouquet that features aromas of spices, white pepper, elderflower, citrus oil and wet stones, it’s full-bodied, round and generous, with a satiny attack that segues into a fleshy, vibrant palate, concluding with a pure and precise finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPMostly Sauvignon Blanc (there’s 30% Semillon), the 2021 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc offers beautiful tart citrus, honeyed minerality, and sappy, floral notes in a fresh, focused, racy style that still brings beautiful depth and richness. It’s more tight and reserved than the L’Esprit and needs 2-4 years in the cellar. It’s another classy, vibrant, age-worthy beauty from this brilliant estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis has a bit of flamboyance, with orange curd and elderflower notes rippling along the edges of a bright yellow apple and honeysuckle core. Shows a salted butter accent on the finish. A delightfully expressive white. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2031. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Rich and explosive in feel, the 2021 Cheval Blanc is outrageously beautiful. For the first time since 2011, the Grand Vin is more than 50% Cabernet Franc. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and mocha are all amplified in this potent, luxurious Cheval Blanc. Polished, seamless tannins wrap it all together. This is one of my favorites of the vintage.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe aromas of currants and flowers with hints of stones and sandalwood are enticing. Medium- to full-bodied, with an impressive structure of polished yet intense and focused tannins that run the length of the wine. Both the acidity and tannins play off each other, giving a punchy character. A classic Cheval. Only 13.3% alcohol. 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon. For a decade or so, this wine never had so much cabernet franc. Needs four or five years to soften. Drink after 2029.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Château Cheval Blanc has turned out beautifully in bottle, and director Pierre-Olivier Clouet even considers it to be superior to the 2020, a preference that I share. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and cherries mingled with incense, iris and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a rich, concentrated mid-palate framed by sweet, powdery tannins and concluding with a long, penetrating, rose-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Cheval Blanc is unquestionably a candidate for the wine of the vintage. Based on 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon (the 2011 comes close to this blend), it has a vivid purple hue as well as gorgeous aromatics of black raspberries, spring flowers, cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, and damp earth. Medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and incredibly elegant, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. While it already offers pleasure, it deserves 4-5 years in the cellar and will shine over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDSmells wonderful, the nose full of milk chocolate and fragranced cherries, so pure and precise. Wonderfully clean and delineated - also has a sense of weight and expanse to the aromas - blueberries and blue flowers. Taut and controlled, this strikes an immediate buzz in the mouth, straight and focussed, not much deviation from the core, but this has a nice texture that gives a bounce to the expression. Still young and a bit coiled, but this carries wonderful freshness and a real sense of drinkability. It’s on the light side, some new oak coming out in the spiced edges and liquorice undertone but I like the no frills nature. Not showing off at all, but giving refined elegance. When it’s ready, it will be a real pleasure to drink.Decanter | 96 DECBarrel Sample. Nearly 60% of the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this is an impressively structured wine. Power and density are right up front, there are fruit and spice tones along with a fine lift at the end.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, there were 72,000 bottles produced of Cheval Blanc 2021. It has a deep garnet-purple color and springs from the glass with energetic notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and wild strawberries, followed by suggestions of menthol, lavender, and cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with red berry and mineral layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing long with loads of floral sparkles. So, so pretty!The Wine Independent | 96 TWIPolished and inviting in feel, offering notes of dark cherry and plum puree infused with black tea, followed by persistent echoes of warm stone, violet and bay through the lengthy finish. Lacks the density of a classic, but displays a seamless feel that avoids the austerity of the vintage. Great effort. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2040. 6,058 cases made, 462 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon, Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2021 skips out of the glass with bright, carefree scents of lemon tart, fresh grapefruit, and lime leaves, leading to hints of coriander seed, white pepper, and sea spray. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with electric citrus fruit flavors, supported by a racy backbone and silken texture, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2021 Château Cheval Blanc Petit Cheval Blanc is gorgeous and comes from a parcel just to the west of the château. A blend of 83% Sauvignon and 17% Sémillon brought up in 50% new wood, it has a killer nose of crushed citrus, orange blossom, and chalky minerality to go with a medium-bodied, vibrant, racy, yet beautifully concentrated and textured style on the palate. I love its overall balance, it has remarkable purity, and I suspect it will provide over a decade of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2021 Le Petit Cheval (Blanc) is fabulous. Silky and intensely aromatic, with tons of Sauvignon Blanc character, the 2021 is all raciness. Pear, slate, mint, crushed rocks, lime and white pepper abound, all framed by brisk acids and gorgeous saline undertones. The 2021 is 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. It aged for 22 months, mostly in foudres and wood uprights. What a wine!Vinous Media | 94 VMVery Sauvignon nose, green peas, straw, lemon zest and elderflower - smells very expressive with cool citrus elements. Crisp and alive, so delicious, crunchy with mouthwatering acidity but then a weight - almost oiliness / fat from the wood and lees adds to to the texture that immediately counters the acidity and gives the mouth filling expression. Bitter grapefruit and lemon zest on the finish. Great energy and complexity. A touch green in some places, you know this isn’t from a warm vintage, a touch of metallic element on the finish, but extremely enjoyable.Decanter | 93 DECFresh, with a dusting of chalk over lemon pith and chamomile notes, backed by grapefruit peel and quinine accents on the lengthy finish. Nicely focused throughout. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2027. 2,466 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSA rich and exotic blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, the 2021 Le Petit Cheval Blanc bursts with aromas of green mango, passion fruit, lime and white flowers, followed by a medium-bodied, ample and fleshy palate that’s satiny, textural and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Outstanding layers of passion fruit, pomelo and white peach underpinned by a lavish outlay or marzipan, coconut water, and smoky mineral spice with a mouth-coating creamy scone texture and spine-tingling acidity. All-encompassing, immersive and everlasting. | 97 DECThe 2021 Chablis Clos des Hospices Dans Les Clos Grand Cru is the standout cuvée from Louis Moreau in this vintage. It has a slightly peachier bouquet than the regular Les Clos, well-defined with yellow flowers and light tertiary scents. The palate is well-balanced with a fine spine of acidity, taut and fresh with a saline finish urging you back for another sip. This is a delicious and well-made Les Clos that should age with style.Vinous Media | 92 VM

This estate makes a bevy of terrific dry whites in addition to an incredible Sauternes. Starting with the 2021 Lions De Suduiraut Blanc Sec, which is a blend of 52% Semillon and 48% Sauvignon Blanc, it offers subtle grapefruit and citrus notes, a kiss of minerality, and a refreshing, vibrant, wonderfully balanced style on the palate. It’s a seriously good bottle of wine to drink in its youth.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Lions de Suduiraut Blanc Sec is gorgeous. Rich, creamy and expressive, the 2021 is exquisite in its balance of textural richness and freshness. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, lemon oil and chamomile envelop the palate, while bright floral accents perk up the finish. Lions is the new name for the Blanc Sec, which is the same wine as before.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGA tangy white with sliced grapefruit, apple and celery character. Medium body. Fresh finish. White pepper. Dry and chalky.James Suckling | 91 JS

This is displaying aromas of anise, dried lemons, white grapefruit, gun flint and even smoked meat, with dried mangoes and some green tea, too. Sophisticated rather than generous, with tight and firm layers. Full body. Mineral and tight finish.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is one of the more powerful wines in the range, mingling aromas of sweet orchard fruit and confit citrus with hints of toasted nuts, white flowers and new oak. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it’s rich and expansive, but it also maintains good tension.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

Aromas of gunpowder, dried peach and sliced cooked apple. Sea shell. Pineapple. Medium to full body with a creamy texture and lots of fruit but still reserved at the end. Hints of brioche and caramel and then cream. Plenty of fruit and length. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSTypically sourced from vineyards rich in Sonoma’s famous Goldridge soil series such as Ritchie, El Diablo, Bootlegger’s Hill, Heintz, Flora Marie, Winner’s Circle, and Keefer Ranch, Kosta Browne’s 2021 One-Sixteen Chardonnay from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley takes full advantage of the region’s foggy mornings and cooler nights. This is a very plush vintage of One-Sixteen, kicking off with an enticing nose of confected lemon bars, flinty minerals, and candied apricots. The mouthfeel is lush, broadening immediately on the palate with the warming richness of biting into a freshly baked almond pastry. Balancing acidity adds a racy, crisp undertow, giving a burst of energetic freshness that resonates with an almost palpable energy through a lengthy, mineral, and floral finish—aged in a mix of new French oak, Austrian oak, wood cask, and stainless steel—83% barrel fermented with some in foudre. (Drink between 2024-2034)Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Chardonnay One Sixteen, matured for 14 months in 34% new French oak, takes some time to shake off its youthful crème brûlée and allspice tones to reveal apricot, beeswax and honeysuckle aromas. The medium-bodied palate offers powerful fruit and oak spice and satisfying freshness to lift the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Weighty, profound and rich, this is a stunning Les Clos which has an extra level of depth and richness that would please many a Côte-d’Or fan. White flowers on the nose, spice and stone fruit on the palate with 40% oak and a lingering, freshening mineral undertow. A grand cru with gravitas that will drink for 15-20 years. Droin has 1.4ha with vine age averaging 40 years. Its plots are located in various sectors of the cru with some lower down in the western sector, and part on the blue clay soils on the mid-slope.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2021 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a clean and precise bouquet, flint and chalk filtering through the citrus fruit, gaining intensity as it opens in the glass, though I feel the Grenouilles has more sophistication. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very harmonious, nicely poised with a dab of stem ginger and white pepper towards the finish that is resolutely classic in style. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMLike the Grenouilles, there is enough wood to merit mentioning but not enough to overshadow the cool, airy and very fresh aromas of oyster shell, white flower and ocean breeze. The succulent yet powerful and delineated flavors brim with both minerality and dry extract, all wrapped in a driving bitter lemon-inflected and youthfully austere finale. This is a lovely combination of power and refinement that should amply repay a decade plus of cellaring.Burghound | 92-95 BH

An exuberantly fresh nose of spicy purple fruit, exotic tea, violet and hints of cinnamon and sandalwood are trimmed in discreet but not invisible wood. There is both good richness and punch to the supple medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a lightly austere but impressively long and harmonious finale. This could use better depth but like the VRBM, the Rouget Ech has an excellent track record for aging well.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2021 Vosne-Romanée Village is perfumed, floral and pure on the nose with wilted violet petals infusing the red fruit - très Vosne. The palate is silky smooth with a fine body. This sample is taken from a new barrel so it has some François Frères imprint on the finish, but there is appreciable focus and length.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMThis particular sample was pulled from a new barrel and not surprisingly, the wood influence was generous on the aromas of black raspberry, plum, exotic tea and star anise. The sleek and vibrant flavors are also not especially dense, but they do possess a more sophisticated texture while exhibiting very good length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This too should be relatively approachable young if you don’t wish to wait.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2021 Palmer is a heady, showy wine. Clay-rich soils yield a Margaux of breadth, power and textural richness. Black cherry, lavender, mocha and dried herbs infuse the 2021 with tons of character. A wine of density and intensity, this is seriously impressive. It is also going to need time to fully blossom. There’s real juiciness from the Merlot, and an exotic quality that suggests it was picked on the later side. The 2021 spent one year in barrel and one year in cask, as is the norm these days here.Vinous Media | 96 VMPerfumed chocolate cherries with bramble tones on the nose. This has a rich and round mouthfeel, clear structure on show but also with life and lift - a sweet, bright cherry element given definition by strict but fine tannins. You have a really beautiful, delicate opening, quite wide and airy then the depth arrives on the mid palate, with chalky tannins and red fruits coming into play before the spiced liquorice enters on the finish. The texture is striking, velvet-like with layers and a sublime verticality of freshness and minty aeration. It may be less glamourous and overtly plush and seductive than bigger previous vintages but I love the classicism on show - a focus, precision and sophistication. Superb winemaking from Thomas Duroux who successfully navigated the difficult vintage conditions in 2021.Decanter | 96 DECThere’s brightness and clarity to this young wine, with blackcurrants, violets, lavender and blackberries. Medium body with a sold core of fruit and a long, fresh finish. Fine tannins. Bright acidity. 56% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 41% cabernet sauvignon. From biodynamically grown grapes.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe wine is dense with warm tannins supporting black fruit tones and acidity. Juicy and spicy, the wine’s Cabernet Sauvignon shows so well with black currant flavors. It is fresh and it obviously it will age well. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2021 Palmer has turned out beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with expressive aromas of blackberries, cherries and mulberries mingled with notions of iris, dark chocolate and spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with an enveloping core of succulent fruit framed by rich, sweet tannins, it concludes with a long, expansive finish. It’s a blend of 56% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Palmer checks in as 56% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot. The élevage here is unique in that the wine spends the first year in barrel (60% new) before having one-third moved into foudre for the following 6 months. The 2021 is an unquestionable success, revealing a dense purple hue as well as a powerful bouquet of ripe black and blue fruits supported by notes of tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. This medium to full-bodied Margaux has ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. It’s going to have plenty of up-front appeal yet still evolve for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDOffers an almost juicy edge, making this difficult vintage stand out from the pack while giving its core of black cherry and black currant some energy. Subtle alder, tobacco and warm earth accents underscore the finish. Shows a late mineral twang, with just a wisp of the vintage’s austerity. Serious kudos here. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2021 Palmer needs a little swirling and coaxing to unlock evocative plum preserves, black cherry compote, and star anise notes, followed by earthy nuances of tilled soil, black truffles, and cracked black pepper with a touch of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers beautifully soft, rounded tannins and lots of juicy fruit in the mid-palate, supported by harmonious acidity, finishing with beautiful purity and perfume. The blend is 56% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot. 65% of the crop will be aged new barriques for the first year, then transferred to foudres for the second year.The Wine Independent | 92-94+ TWI

The dense color and the perfumed aromas set the scene for a rich wine full of fruit. The balance is already there, complex with structure and dense juicy fruits. The wine is impressive.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEGorgeous fragrance on the nose, so perfumed and floral - really vibrant - you can smell the Cabernet and the Petit Verdot on the nose. Juiciness straight away from a burst of high acidity focussed on blackcurrant and black cherry with both a fragrance, spice and minerality following. This really hits you square on - it’s not opulent but it’s so fully flavoured, forward and upfront. Tannins are fine-grained but plentiful, they hold the structure and give the frame while the creaminess and freshness gives an expansive aspect to the palate. There’s refinement and an aerial quality here despite the clear Pauillac power. The Cabernet fruit is in full shine mode, giving a eucalyptus, perfumed berry and black pepper touch. Structured and supple with grape and terroir characteristics. If you love Pontet, and classic Pauillac claret, this is an impressive reference point. Skilled winemaking from technical director Mathieu Bessonet. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.Decanter | 95 DECPlenty of blackberry and blueberry with wet earth and crushed stone. Some spice,tobacco and lead pencil, too. It’s full-bodied with layered tannins and brightness. Fine and chewy at the end.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 Château Pontet-Canet is rock solid in the vintage and certainly shows the vibrant, vivid style of the estate today with its bright, exotic blue fruits, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its mid-palate density, it has notable freshness and purity, some chalky tannins, and outstanding length. The 2021 checks in as 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, and the aging consists of 50% in new barrels, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second-fill barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-black in color, it pops from the glass with vibrant blueberries, Morello cherries, and cassis scents, plus suggestions of violets, cinnamon stick, wet rocks, and forest floor with an exotic touch of cardamom. Medium-bodied, the palate has very finely grained tannins and well-poised freshness supporting the perfumed black fruits, leading to loads of minerally sparks on the finish of this very bright and shimmery wine. Harvest started on 24 September with Merlot, followed by the Cabernets and Petit Verdot on 4 October, and finished on 12 October. The wine is to be aged in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae, and 15% 1-year barrels.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWIThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a soft, open-knit, attractive wine, but its light structure is impossible to look past. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol and licorice fill out the layers. The 2021 is a fairly accessible Pontet Canet that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Harvest took place from September 24 through October 12. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare.Vinous Media | 92 VMA nice, dark, winey offering, with steeped black cherry and black currant fruit melding nicely with warm earth, alder and cast iron accents through the focused finish. Shows grip and range, with barely any indication of the vintage’s skinny side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 92 WSOffering up wild, exotic aromas of blackberries, cloves and Indian spices mingled with notions of rose petal, bruised orchard fruit and cherry pit that evolve rapidly in the glass, the 2021 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a layered mid-palate and refined tannins that assert themselves on the firm, saline finish. Always one of the Médoc’s most singular, idiosyncratic wines, it will be interesting to see how it performs in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

Blackcurrant purée on the nose, so seductive and heady, concentrated and intense but lively too with some wild flower scents. Succulent on the first sip, you get the mouthwatering red cherry and raspberry fruit but this then turns serious and direct. Linear, focused, driving with layers of flavour giving this both a density but also an aerial element to it. In some ways, there’s a shyness here, a discretion, such sleek silky tannins that softly frame the flavours which are to the fore right now. Red cherry, plum and damson sit alongside clove, cedar, black chocolate and liquorice coming from the Cabernet Franc giving a spicy tang sustaining the wine - the highest amount of Cabernet Franc ever used in the grand vin at 60%. Each element is so well positioned and in high definition, you feel the muscles and backbone but this has exceptional finesse with all the tiny details on show. An excellent effort in 2021. 100% new oak. The first full vintage with technical director Benjamin Laforet.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful depth here, with currants and blackberries, as well as hints of fresh herbs and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied, layered and long, with depth and beauty. Savory. Impressive for the vintage. Persistent.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 Angélus unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries, plums and cherries mingled with rose petals, forest floor, spices and pencil shavings, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and vibrant, it’s taut and structured, with a deep core of fruit, chalky tannins and a long, perfumed, vanillin-inflected finish. As readers will remember, it’s a blend of fully 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Merlot, incorporating foudres in addition to 225-liter barriques, and the rich, toasty oak signature of yesteryear is now firmly in the background, even if the wine still carries a youthful patina. The 2021’s classically balanced profile will reward a bit of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPFor the first time ever, Angélus is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot in 2021. There’s terrific density and power, especially within the context of the year. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, menthol and lavender all build nicely in the glass. The 2021 has quite a bit of richness, and its 14% alcohol, a bit lower than the recent norm, works quite well in this vintage. All it needs is a bit of time to help soften some of the raw contours that are present today.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Angélus is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot that was brought up in new barrels, with a portion of the Cabernet Franc raised in 30 hectoliter foudres. It offers a ruby/purple hue to go with a gorgeous perfume of pureed cassis and black raspberry fruit, as well as spice, spring flowers, and chalky, almost salty minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has wonderful purity of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, and a gorgeous finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDComposed of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, the 2021 Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. Slightly closed to begin, considerable coaxing reveals scents of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, and fresh blackberries with suggestions of crushed rocks, tar, truffles, and violets. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic intensity and energy, with very finely pixelated tannins and wonderful tension, finishing on a persistent ferrous note.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

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+ VMHeady 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 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 WSA medium-bodied red with redcurrant, crushed-stone and earth character, following through to fine tannins and a polished finish. Balanced.James Suckling | 93-94 JSI 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 JDThe 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 2021 Canon-La-Gaffelière is gorgeous, but it is also very closed today. I view that as a positive for its long-term prospects, but readers need to be patient here. The 2021 is a super-classic Canon-La-Gaffelière redolent of strong floral and mineral accents. Its energy and sheer breeding are truly remarkable. I can’t wait to taste it with bottle age. Bright saline notes extend the long, beautifully persistent finish. The 2021 was aged 40% in new oak, 20% in tank and the remainder in used oak and 400-liter barrels. This really pulses with energy.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis has a gorgeous herbal-fruity nose, scented, fresh and lively with raspberry leaf. Impactful on the palate straight away - the fine-grained tannins hit the mouth and expand slowly alongside the liquorice spice and dark berry fruit with violet aromas. It’s direct and linear at the moment, taut, and driven in one line. You feel it’s coiled up ready to spring with strawberry fruit and the Cabernet aspects coming through. It’s delicately textured, the mouthfeel is light and bouncy while the flavours slowly expand vertically. Touches of sweetness, bitterness and minerality appear adding interest from start to finish. I love the clarity you get. Impactful and full of complexity. Will be lovely to taste this in bottle. 5% more Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon than usual as some Merlot was lost to frost and mildew. A production of 98% grand vin.Decanter | 95 DECLovely, perfumed character with cherries, spices and flowers. Medium-bodied, firm and polished with solid tannins and a fresh finish. Pure. Light coffee and walnut. Well crafted.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2021 Canon la Gaffelière is beautiful, bursting from the glass with aromas of rose petals, lilac, sweet berry fruit, burning embers and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and beautifully refined tannins, it’s the highlight of the von Neipperg portfolio this year. Cabernet Franc, as usual, takes the lead.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPOne of the gems out there, the 2021 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière is well worth seeking out. Giving up ample blue fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and complex, pure aromatics of violets, iron, and tobacco, it shines for its balance and elegance while bring terrific depth of fruit. Count me impressed.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDShows gently mulled plum and blackberry fruit flavors that have good flesh and energy, while savory and sous-bois accents peek in throughout. Maintains enough juiciness through the finish too, letting the fruit play out in an unencumbered manner. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2035. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2021 Canon la Gaffeliere is a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in 40% new oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it sashays out of the glass with a lovely perfume of violets, Sichuan pepper and dried herbs, leading to a core of redcurrant jelly, cassis, and stewed red plums. The light to medium-bodied palate is delicately played, with a light chew of tannins and soft-spoken fruit, finishing savory.The Wine Independent | 91-93 TWI

The 2021 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. It offers up a rush of dark red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, leather, menthol, cedar and blood orange. As always, Troplong Mondot is marked by a strong presence of Cabernet Sauvignon that seems to add brooding intensity, muscle and power. I tasted it three times. A bottle given a brief decant of about 20 minutes showed best. The 2021 spent 13 months in oak (two months less than normal), in a mix of 60% new, 21% 20-hectoliter cask and 19% once-used. The 2021 is a Troplong Mondot of extreme purity and class.Vinous Media | 96 VMBright purple rim to the wine. So many aromas on the nose, really captivating and full - dark chocolate, pink flowers giving a soft perfume, cinnamon, raspberries, black cherries and liquorice too - all intensifying over twenty minutes in the glass. Super bright and charged on the palate, this is off like a firecracker from the initial impact, giving tangy strawberry, red cherry and raspberry fruit flavours. It’s got power no doubt, but a delicate, light style, not so concentrated and intense more lifted and aerial with tension. So much energy here, the flavours come in waves on the palate, red fruits, cooling blue fruits, exotic spices, flowers and fresh minty, stone notes with a real mineral salinity on the finish. It’s perhaps not so weighty or full in the mouth like previous more opulent vintages, but there is clarity and definition of elements on show. I love the mineral finish, so Troplong. Extremely refined. First vintage in the new cellar facilities which helped with precision.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2021 Troplong Mondot unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and plums mingled with violets, exotic spices and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, the wine is layered and complex, with all the depth and authority that one expects from this clay-driven terroir, its concentrated core of fruit underpinned by sweet tannins and lively animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc with a remarkably low pH of 3.35, it’s the first vintage produced in the estate’s state-of-the-art new winery.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPElegant and refined nose with a classy touch of spices and mineral to the red currants and berries. Very sleek and linear on the palate with super polished, immaculate tannins and a very long finish. Not a powerful vintage for sure, but this is all about finesse and subtlety. Already drinkable, but can hold for a decade.James Suckling | 95 JSFresh, if a touch on the skinny side, with bitter cherry and pomegranate notes carried by a chalky structure, while savory accents dart around throughout. Pretty, silky finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2033. 10,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSA blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Troplong Mondot is deep garnet-purple colored. Energetic notes of baked plums, wild strawberries, and black raspberries jump from the glass, followed by hints of tar, licorice, black olives, and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is plush and energetic, with a lively line and long minerally finish.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

The 2021 Canon shows just how magical this site is. Vertical and explosive in feel, with tons of pure power, it impresses with its intensity, drive and super-classic profile. Bright saline notes and vibrant tannins give the 2021 a feeling of energy that only gains momentum with time in the glass. It’s not an easy Canon, like the 2015 or 2018, but it is incredibly expressive. It is the sort of wine that only truly emerges with time in bottle. I would be thrilled to own it. Canon must surely be one of the great relative values in first-class wine. Wow. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 97 VMLots of crunchy red cherries and blue plums followed by violets, fresh sage and Christmas spices with baking spice and coconuts. Medium- to full-bodied with superb fine-grained racy tannins and beautifully refreshing acidity that gives an edge to it. Gorgeous finesse and elegance with harmony and precision. Delightful, too. Already drinkable but give this a few more years to come around. Try after 2026 and it should be beautiful for a long time.James Suckling | 97 JSDark chocolate, perfume, violets, wild flowers and bramble berries on the nose, so much going on aromatically. Lovely succulence straight away, the bright acidity giving a mouthwatering effect and really delivering in terms of vibrant and lively fruit forwardness but with these lovely edges of graphite, slate, bitter chocolate, cream and salinity. So elegant and so refined as well as super stylish. I also love the cooling menthol Cabernet aspects you get all the way through and on the long finish. This has real class, but also an effortless quality to it that is so remarkable. One of the most memorable wines of the vintage! 3.37pH. Both Canon, Rauzan-Segla and Berliquet are excellent achievements this year.Decanter | 96 DECRed and black fruits mingle with the firm structure of this dense wine. The tannins are solid while the ripe berry flavors show well against the wine’s richness.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2021 Canon opens in the glass with a pure bouquet of raspberries, cherries and plums mingled with pretty top notes of iris, licorice, mint and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s fleshy and sensual, with a deep and seamless core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, a bright spine of acidity and a long, mineral finish. With an impressively low finished pH of 3.37, it was taken out of barrel a month earlier than usual and saw no fining—as has been the case since 2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPFrom a château you can’t go wrong with, the 2021 Château Canon is another head-turning, elegant, seamless wine that comes from unquestionably one of the greatest terroirs on the upper plateau of Saint-Emilion. Based on 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc that hit 13.55% alcohol, it will spend 18 months in 50% new barrels. It shows the vintage’s fresher, elegant style beautifully, with lots of perfumed red fruits, spice, flowers, and chalky notes. These carry to a medium-bodied, seamless, elegant Saint-Emilion that has supple tannins, a notable sense of freshness (although I suspect the pH is solid), and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDFresh and open in feel, with loganberry and blackberry notes laced with mulling spice, black tea and savory hints. Concludes with a potpourri echo. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2021 Canon is a blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc with yields of 40 hl/ha and aging for 16-18 months in French oak, 50% of it new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is slightly closed to begin, revealing subdued notes of juicy black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of Morello cherries, cinnamon stick, clove oil, and Sichuan pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of fine-grained tannins and bold freshness (pH 3.37) supporting the vibrant black and red fruits, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

The 2021 La Gaffelière is a wine of sublime elegance and understated finesse. Aromatic and pliant, the 2021 shows the more delicate side of the year, yet all the Gaffelière signatures are present. Lavender, mocha, spice, dried herbs and leather are some of the many notes that grace this exquisite Saint-Émilion. The balance here is mind-blowing. Give this time, as it won’t be ready to drink anytime soon.Vinous Media | 96 VMLovely reduction at first that gives an ashy feel to the red berries, crushed stones, subtle cream, hibiscus and some dark-colored fruit. The medium- to full-bodied palate unleashes plenty of fine-grained tannins. Fresh, bright and more vertically structured than many of its peers from this vintage, but it remains polished and textured. Lingering finish. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 La Gaffeliere is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little swirling and coaxing to unleash vivacious scents of wild blueberries, black raspberries, and black cherries, followed by hints of licorice, crushed rocks, wood smoke, and tapenade, with a waft of red roses. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully knit with lots of black fruit, floral and savory layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and mineral-laced.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWIThe 2021 La Gaffelière is quite rich and generous by the standards of the vintage, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with licorice, pencil shavings and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it has good depth at the core, lively acids and a sapid finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSucculent and supple, sugary, ripe, jammy tannins hit the palate with such a buzz and energy. It’s not so complex at this point but I like the upfront nature: it’s bright and bold, with bitter, salty minerality also coming through at the end - liquorice sticks, cedar, graphite. Clean, crisp and very enjoyable. Tannins are so smooth just perfectly integrated. Will be great in time and I love the cool mint aspect on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECPresents a pretty solid core of black cherry and cassis notes (for the vintage), while apple wood, sweet tobacco and black tea flavors fill in. The finish reveals a sanguine, chalky underpinning, which stays fresh and helps minimize the vintage’s austere side. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2035. 7,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The remarkable 2021 Montrose gets my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis and dark berries mingled with subtle hints of mint, orange, pencil shavings and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered and multidimensional core of fruit underpinned by beautifully ripe, refined tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, it entirely transcends the limitations of the year. This young classic, reminiscent of the estate’s 1996 but far better, is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2021 Montrose is an inward, brooding wine—classic Montrose, in other words, just attenuated in its intensity by the cool growing season. Spice, tobacco, cedar, menthol, scorched earth, gravel and a touch of new oak open over time, but the 2021 is really a wine that requires considerable cellaring to reach its potential. Then again, it is Montrose. Elegance meets power here.Vinous Media | 96+ VMBeautiful perfume on the nose, really fragrant and seductive, deep and heady but beguiling too. You get chunky, chewy fruit here - this is round, plump and filling a consequence of the slightly more Merlot in the blend than usual - opposed to more Cabernet seen elsewhere. It has a luscious appealing fruitiness then the austerity kicks in, with a vein of salinity and minerality, such a linear, quite strict middle where you get severity in the texture giving it some rigidity but you also have such great depth on the mid palate, the layers of fruit and spice that linger giving such a core of flavour. A sense of power, intensity and concentration but also with acidity keeping everything lifted. A stately wine with lots of potential. Pierre Graffeuille replaces Hervé Berland here, having arrived in March and taking over fully in October. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 39% grand vin.Decanter | 95 DECA very classy and refined Montrose with excellent length and a compact, medium-bodied palate, showing fine, silky tannins and a fresh, bright finish. Lots of currant, blackberry and tar at the end, as well as some graphite. 62% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Montrose comes from a miniscule selection of just 39% of the production and is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Medium to full-bodied, it has a seamless, elegant, incredibly pure mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and some richer plum, spice, and tobacco aromas and flavors. It’s certainly in the style of the vintage with its pure, graceful, supple style, but the tannins are impeccably done, it’s balanced, and has character. It should benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDSleek, with sufficient fruit to accommodate the tangy acidity of the vintage, this allows black cherry, damson plum and violet notes to stretch out nicely, with a late echo of singed alder. Poised and nicely done for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2037. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis was a tank sample taken just before bottling on the day of the tasting. Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 2021 Montrose comes bounding out with youthful notes of wild blueberries, juicy plums, and redcurrant preserves, followed by hints of dark chocolate, vanilla pod, cinnamon toast, and graphite. The light to medium-bodied palate is light on its feet and refreshing, with grainy tannins and a racy backbone, finishing on a red berry note.The Wine Independent | 92-94 TWI