Pomerol Wines

wines

This bottle of 1971 Petrus is perhaps the best that I have encountered, completely overawing the 1970 served alongside. It boasts a gorgeous bouquet with delineated red berry fruit, pressed rose petals, hints of kirsch and a touch of sandalwood, perhaps even a little exotic compared to previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied with seductive fleshiness on the entry, a surfeit of black truffle infused red fruit and life-affirming purity. Unlike other bottles, this example seems to meliorate with aeration, gaining intensity and depth towards the precise and tender finish. I doubt that I will find another 1971 Petrus as good as this. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis wine has been seemingly fully mature since the mid- to late seventies. It is a seductive, opulent vintage for Petrus. The color now is a dark garnet with considerable amber at the rim. The incredible nose of Christmas fruitcake intermixed with mocha, jammy kirsch, and black currants is followed by a silky textured, full-bodied, very opulent wine that is still totally intact. The tannins have totally dissipated, and the wine is an unctuous, seductive Petrus that is certainly one of the vintages that is most delicious and compelling. A sensational wine and probably the wine of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: Now-2011. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 95 RPThis wine is as comfortable as your favorite pair of slippers. Extremely caressing, with wonderfully enticing aromas and flavors of tobacco and violets and a rich, round palate.--Pétrus vertical. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A rather hard wine, with a firm backbone of silky tannins and sweet black olive, vanilla and berry aromas and flavors.--Pétrus vertical. Best from 1992 through 1995. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Another superb bottle from Pétrus. Solid as a rock with mint, raspberry, cherry and tar character, full body and firm tannins. Needs time. Try after 1998.--The Bordeaux 50.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Dark red, with an amber edge. Aromas of chocolate, stewed berries, Merlot and raisins. Full-bodied, velvety and rich. Lovely palate. Delicious now, but will hold on. An autumnal wine.--Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Subtle yet rich aromas of grilled meat, black olive and dark red fruits. Full-bodied, very soft and silky, with ultrarefined tannins. The finish lasts for minutes. The quality of the tannins is beautiful and the complexity of fruit, earth and spices is impressive. Drinking this is like listening to Mozart.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis wine has become increasingly herbaceous with the tannins pushing through the fruit and becoming more aggressive. The wine started off life impressively deep ruby/purple but is now showing some amber at the edge. It is a medium-bodied, rather elegant style of Petrus with a distinctive cedary, almost celery component intermixed with a hint of caramel and sweet mulberry and black cherry fruit. It has aged far less evenly than I would have thought and is probably best drunk over the next 8-10 years. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 91 RPThe 1988 Petrus is a vintage that I have encountered in two occasions. It is a forerunner for the 1989 and 1990 and frankly, it cannot hold a torch to those twin titans. In retrospect, one can see it more as a small progression from the capable 1987. It has a youthful hue with less bricking on the rim than you would expect. The bouquet is well defined with autumn leaves and thyme aromas filtering through the red berry fruit, perhaps a little austere but attractive in its own modest way. The plate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins, conservative and clearly not a flamboyant Petrus, though balanced with a discrete sense of breeding towards the finish. There is no need to cellar bottles for longer although it should remain at this level for another decade. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Utterly gorgeous, wonderful white truffle notes coming through the fruit, alongside leather, liquorice and tobacco and pure, juice-filled black cherries. The last year with just Madame Simone Ducasse at the helm, with perhaps 10% new oak used, and 91% first wine produced – it would have been more, but the DBR Lafite team arrived in 1990 for the final ageing and blending, and they introduced Blason de L’Evangile as a second wine. Mouthwatering and succulent: Pomerol at its very heights. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030Decanter | 98 DECI have been a massive fan of the 1989 Château L’Evangile for many years - the best wine of the decade when it was still under the ownership of the redoubtable Mme. Ducasse, before selling a majority share to Eric de Rothschild in 1990. It fulfils all expectations here with its intense nose of blackberries, raspberry coulis, clove and wild heather. The most surprising aspect is just how backward the aromatics seem to be. The palate is extremely well balanced with fine tannin. The acidity is perfectly pitched with layers of dark berry fruit, black truffle and dried herbs - très Pomerol. Adorned with a velvety texture, is cruises towards a Merlot-driven finish that is one of the most powerful you will find in Pomerol this vintage. On this showing, you could cellar it for another 5-6 years; if not, I strongly recommend a long decant. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NM(Château l’Evangile) While the 1990 vintage of Château l’Evangile is drinking beautifully today, the 1989 seems to still be in climbing mode, and though it too is really a lovely glass of wine at the present time, I have little doubt that it will be even better with at least a few more years’ worth of bottle age. The bouquet is pure, precise and beautifully inviting, wafting from the glass in a blend of black plums, black cherries, menthol, chocolate, tobacco leaf, a fine base of soil and a very well done framing of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and starting to get quite suave on the attack, with a lovely core of fruit, fine focus and grip and a long, modestly tannic and vibrant finish. While this has no real rough edges left, my gut instinct is that there is another layer of complexity still waiting to emerge and it would be rewarding to allow this layer out of its cage before really having at the bottle in earnest, despite the wine already being quite delicious today. So, give it at least a few more years of patience. (Drink between 2022-2060)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 1989 L’Evangile is a totally sensual, inviting Pomerol endowed with striking depth in its red cherry and plum fruit. Silky and caressing on the palate, the 1989 has so much to offer. It should drink well for a number of years.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGAn old Pomerol with a dusty, cut wood and fig character with some plum and smoke, too. Brown sugar. Light acid. Full body, savory and juicy with a meaty, dried orange and spice. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSFinely crafted traditional wine. Intense aromas of blackberry, cherry and tobacco. Full-bodied, with lots of tobacco and ripe fruit and velvety tannins.--1989 Bordeaux horizontal.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is an upper-ninety point La Conseillante that is very much in the style of the 1990. In comparing the two vintages, the 1989 has slightly more noticeable tannin and structure, but it is a perfumed, exotic, sweet, expansive, yummy wine that is hard to resist. These two wines represent La Conseillante’s quintessential smooth as silk style, which often leads consumers to believe the wines will not last. One of the unexplainable facts of Bordeaux wine drinking is that even the softer, delicious, up-front wines can age impeccably when well-stored. Owners of the 1989 La Conseillantes should not hesitate to enjoy them now, as well as over the next 20 years. Last tasted 11/96Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 1989 La Conseillante is one of the top performers in Pomerol and arguably now one of the best values. This bottle confirms that exuberance and joie-de-vivre on the nose, displaying the telltale crushed violets in bloom, with precious but controlled red and black fruit underneath. The palate is sumptuous from the start, presenting cashmere tannin and perhaps a little more glycerine in this bottle. The bravura finish leaves you grinning from ear to ear. Stunning, and it will remain on its plateau for many years. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.Vinous Media | 97 VMOffers sweet, dried fruits on the nose, with plum jam and Turkish delight candies. Full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and loads of fruit. Chewy and Porty. Has turned so decadent and yummy over the years.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château la Conseillante) Early on in this wine’s evolution, I was not such a big fan of the 1989 La Conseillante, as I felt it was a bit over-sized for this supremely elegant property. My points of reference when this wine was released were the utterly svelte 1985, the very good 1983, the beautiful 1982, the equally superb 1981 and the classic 1970 vintage of La Conseillante, and in comparison to those wines, the 1989 seemed a departure for a more muscular style. Nearly thirty years down the road, I have a bit more experience and can see that the 1989 La Conseillante is simply a reflection of the personality of this vintage, rather than an overt effort to change the style at the property, and the elegance that this estate is so well known for is starting to emerge very nicely in this wine. The bouquet is beautiful and still fairly youthful, with more layers to unfold with further bottle age, but offering up notes of plum, black cherries, menthol, chocolate, a fine base of gravel and a generous, but balanced serving of toasty oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and velvety, with a good core, lovey length and grip, really lovely acids for the vintage and fine focus and balance on the long, refined and complex finish. Fine, fine juice that is now into its apogee, but has decades of life still ahead of it. (Drink between 2019-2060)John Gilman | 94+ JG

I am almost always in awe of Lafleur and this is one of the best. This is so subtle at first, but then the enchanting aromas of olive leaves, ivy, licorice, tar and treacle wash over you. In your mouth it’s as if you’re putting exquisite, dusty velvet inside; the tannins make this wine round, fat and encompassing. Perhaps most startling of all is the freshness retained over the years despite the intense, dense fruit. It allows not only for a chewy finish, but one that makes you want to drink more. This has reached a plateau now and is perfect for drinking, though its tightly-knit structure implies yet more potential cellaring. I’ve always been a believer in the 1989 vintage, and Lafleur is one of the best. Decant two hours in advance.James Suckling | 99 JSReally decadent and powerful, delivering dried fruit and grilled meat. Very Porty, featuring red licorice and prune on the nose. Velvety and rich, with a full palate and amazing fruit of aniseed and black licorice. It goes on and on. What freshness and beauty. Delicate fruit, chocolate and berries. This is just opening up now.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. —Wine Spectator | 98 WSTasted at the Pomerol Comparative Exploration tasting in London, the 1989 Lafleur was perhaps the real surprise of a memorable evening of wine. What comes across on the nose is the detail, the precision with pure black fruit, crushed minerals, subtle floral scents and a palpable sense of energy. It evolves in the glass, later revealing smoke, Italian cured meats and a touch of bay leaf. The palate is simply crystalline with pitch perfect acidity, astonishing precision and laser-like focus that takes your breath away. I have never encountered a 1989 Lafleur with this detail and clarity, a wine that seems to improve every time I encounter it, which is regrettably once in a blue moon. Whilst I do not think the 1989 will surpass the 1982 Lafleur, my God, it is coming damn close.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 1989 Lafleur, tasted side by side with the 1990 on two occasions in 2002, plays it closer to the vest. The wine needs far more coaxing to produce the licorice, black cherry liqueur, earth, and truffle notes from the nose. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied, tannic, backward, and very tightly knit, with mouth-searing levels of tannin and extremely high extract. The tannins are firmer, the fruit seemingly less sweet, but still extremely ripe, and the evolutionary process is far slower in the 1989 than the 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2045. Last tasted, 8/02.Robert Parker | 95 RP

A sensational effort, and one of the two finest Clinets made before the 2008, this prodigious wine made by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute has always been a sprinter out of the gate. Even at age 19, it continues to strut its stuff. A dense blue/garnet/purple hue exhibits slight lightening at the edge, and the gorgeous nose offers up aromas of sweet blueberries, licorice, smoke, acacia flowers, and camphor. Full-bodied with silky tannins, low acidity, and terrific purity, this 1990 has hit its plateau of full maturity where it should remain for another decade.Robert Parker | 97 RPMy previous encounter with the 1990 Clinet was out of magnum, circa the release of my Pomerol tome around a decade ago. It was impressive. However, this bottle suggests that this lauded Pomerol is beginning to stumble after 30 years. Rather volatile on the nose, the 1990 offers smudged black cherries, kirsch, green olives and dates, heady and ostentatious, though missing a bit of refinement. The palate is quite hedonistic, loaded with glycerine, a core of sweet black fruit with touches of fresh date and camphor, some VA just evident on the finish. Highly enjoyable for sure, though I would not leave bottles too long to drink. It is a Pomerol rather emblematic of the time.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautifully crafted red. Brilliant ruby color. Aromas of fresh berries, blackberries and chocolate jump from the glass. Full-bodied and chewy, but velvety and caressing. Lots of ripe fruit.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2002.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A fabulous example of l’Evangile at its best. Dense ruby/purple with some amber at the edge, this wine has a gorgeous nose of black truffles intermixed with caramel, malt chocolate, sweet black raspberries, and blackberries. The wine is full-bodied, with loads of glycerin giving it a very opulent, almost viscous feel on the palate. It still tastes youthful, but has always been accessible throughout its entire life. The wine does have plenty of tannin, but most of it is concealed by the wealth of fruit extract and the wine’s viscosity. It is a sensational l’Evangile that is just beginning to develop the secondary nuances of adolescence. Anticipated maturity: Now-2024. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 96 RPBig and ripe. Dark ruby-garnet color. Very ripe berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of tannins and a very ripe fruit finish. Tight, muscular and concentrated. Needs time.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 4,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château l’Evangile) The 1990 Château l’Evangile is one of the top Pomerols of the vintage and the wine has aged beautifully and is now well into its plateau of peak drinkability. This is a remarkable wine for its purity and precision, which are not always the calling cards of the 1990 vintage on the Right Bank. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a focused blend of black cherries, black plums, roasted gamebird, chocolate, a lovely base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely plush on the attack, with a fine core, impeccable focus and balance, melting tannins and impressively bright and zesty acids on the very long and complex finish. This is a terrific vintage of l’Evangile! (Drink between 2016-2050).John Gilman | 94 JG1990 was a very good vintage, although a bit more difficult to manage than the 1989. Flowering was uneven and as crop thinning was not as widely used as today, there were some ripening difficulties. But the sharp edges of youth have softened now, leaving a rich, round sense of self, with cassis-rich fruit. Black truffle notes after five minutes in the glass. Many years of drinking pleasure still to be had. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028.Decanter | 94 DECGood thick red. Very ripe aromas of melting caramel, tobacco, game, cinnamon and violets. Great sweetness and spice in the mouth; dense but not quite as fat as some right-bank ’90s; very stylish, actually, with decent acids. Tannins are quite firm. As accessible as this appears to be, we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see it close up in the next 18-24 months.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This wine goes from strength to strength, and is developing even better than I initially expected. More backward than most of the big, Cabernet Sauvignon-based 1990 Medocs, it is full-bodied and viscous, but not as thick or oily as the 1982 can be. The 1990’s fresh, pure black raspberry, incense, and minerality characteristics result in a young, legendary wine. Still deep ruby/purple to the rim as well as extraordinarily intense, it is 4-10 years away from full maturity, and should evolve for another 30+ years. It is an amazing achievement!Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 1990 Lafleur was similar to the bottle shown at the Lafleur/Petrus/Le Pin dinner. It is a vintage that I used to adore and in many ways, still do. However as I remarked during this vertical, it is one of the few vintages where the character of the growing season is translated over the signature terroir of Lafleur. Nevertheless, the nose is fresher and more vital than the previous bottle with glossy black fruit laced with undergrowth scents, this particular example exhibiting a light star anise aroma that intensifies with aeration. The palate is full-bodied with supple ripe tannin, layers of rich black fruit, powerful and voluminous. I feel that the Merlot is more expressive than the Cabernet Franc: smooth and sexy in texture, moderate acidity and glycerin towards the lush finish. It is a gorgeous Pomerol to drink, offering more sensory joy than intellectual stimulation. Hey, but sometimes that is exactly what you want. Tasted at the “International Wine & Business” Lafleur dinner at Ten Trinity, London.Vinous Media | 94 VMStill very closed, but big and rustic. Medium-red color. Aromas of meat, tobacco and fruit. Full-bodied, very chewy; mouthpuckering. Needs time.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement! Release price: ($5000.00/case)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThis is a legendary Petrus that I have scored 100 points in the past. Today, it’s still showing its greatness with aromas of dark fruit, black olives, hot stones and wet concrete. It’s full-to medium-bodied and shows medium, velvety tannins that give the wine backbone and composure. It’s always changing in the glass, giving fruit and earth undertones all the while. A vibrant and vivid wine that talks to you.James Suckling | 99 JSThat hasn’t changed. A classy wine that’s almost as great as the awesome ’89. Expressive and sophisticated, with wonderful ripe fruit and vanilla aromas. The palate is extremely silky with superb flavor concentration. It’s very muscular but refined and toned. Still too young to open.--Pétrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2007. 3,700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 1990 Petrus is a fabulous wine even if I have found more bottle variation than the 1989. This is incontrovertibly a great bottle, better than the one poured at the "Pomerol Comparative Tasting". It has a sensual and heartwarming bouquet of mulberry, raspberry, autumn leaves, wild heather and a touch of roasted chestnut. There is something animally about this Petrus that you might ascribe to brettanomyces but in this case it is just the character of the secondary aromas. The palate is rounded and smooth. Supple and languorous, there are layers of red fruit infused with sage, thyme and black tea. The 1990 is extraordinarily persistent, a crescendo that dares to show up the imperious 1989 that is more linear and “correct” by comparison. The 1989 might be a better Petrus, however, you could argue that the 1990 is simply more enjoyable. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong.Vinous Media | 97 VM

Very good deep color. Superripe aromas of black raspberry and caramel. Lush and sweet in the mouth, with intriguing suggestions of iron and curry powder. A wine of huge extraction, but one that began with very strong raw material. Finishes with substantial chewy tannins and persistent flavor.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMExotic aromas of violets, berry and toasted oak waft from this full-bodied wine. Packed to the brim with fruit and tannins and impressively long on the finish. Superb red from a producer known for opulence. Better in 2000. 3,900 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSInky purple/garnet-colored, with an outrageously intense nose of black truffles, licorice, cedar, and black fruits, this phenomenally extracted wine borders on being too concentrated for its own good. This massive, huge wine possesses 20-25 years of potential longevity. The fruit’s remarkable intensity and purity, as well as the liqueur-like richness and unctuosity are something to experience. This is an exceptionally dense, massively-endowed, controversial style of Pomerol that will reward those with patience. The tannins are strong, but so is the extract level. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2025. Last tasted, 12/01.Robert Parker | 90 RP

For readers with 10-15 years of patience, this exceptionally concentrated, massive, tannic, backward, opaque purple-colored Lafleur offers considerable promise. The provocative nose of licorice, violets, black-raspberry, and truffle-like fruit is followed by a huge, tannic, forbiddingly backward, super-concentrated wine that should be purchased only by those willing to wait until the end of the first decade of the next century. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030.Robert Parker | 93 RP

Saturated ruby-red. Brilliant nose features kirsch, dark berries, and iron scents, with an overlay of perfumed, spicy oak. Lush, sweet and fragrant in the mouth, with a sappy freshness; clearly made from low yields. Finishes with toothcoating but suave tannins and remarkable persistence; stains the palate with spicy bitter cherry and citric skin flavor. As with the ’94, clearly the best wine in the Moueix portfolio on this day.Vinous Media | 93-96 VMAfter several uninspiring efforts between 1978 and 1988, it is irrefutable that Christian Moueix and his flagship estate, Petrus, have rebounded with a vengeance, producing a bevy of extraordinary wines, even in rain-plagued vintages such as 1992 and 1993. Opaque purple/black in color, with a sweet vanilla, pain grillee, jammy cherry and cassis-scented nose, this full-bodied, densely packed wine reveals layers of flavor, and an inner-core of sweetness with huge quantities of glycerin and depth. A tannic, classic style of Petrus, with immense body, great purity, and a backward finish, this wine requires a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035.Robert Parker | 93 RPWonderfully rich and concentrated, with milk chocolate, berry and floral aromas, loads of fruit flavors and soft, round tannins. Full-bodied and has good length. A great wine for the vintage, but then, what do you expect from Pétrus? Better from 1999 on, but inviting now. 3,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Another extraordinary wine made in a backward vin de garde style, the 1995 Clinet represents the essence of Pomerol. The blackberry, cassis liqueur-like fruit of this wine is awesome. The color is saturated black/purple, and the wine extremely full-bodied and powerful with layers of glycerin-imbued fruit, massive richness, plenty of licorice, blackberry, and cassis flavors, full body, and a thick, unctuous texture. This is a dense, impressive offering from administrator Jean-Michel Arcaute. This wine should continue to improve for another 10-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.Robert Parker | 96 RPVery good deep red-ruby. Rather dumb nose exudes a faint shoe polish aroma. Dense, velvety, soft and mouthcoating; fills those hard-to-reach spots on your palate. Really an outsized wine, with thick, chocolatey fruit and major dusty tannins. But currently monolithic. In France they’d call this "Monsieur Plus.”Vinous Media | 88-92 VMWild aromas of forest fruits, coffee and toasted oak follow through to a rich and decadent palate with full body and a long chewy finish. This still needs time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 1995 Petrus is one of the finest vintages of the decade, a silver medal behind the brilliant 1998. This bottle might well constitute the best that I have encountered. It has a beautiful, focused nose with hints of game and humidor infusing the black fruit. With aeration more red fruit becomes evident, allied with a touch of roasted chestnut. The palate is supremely well balanced, slightly gamey and with impressive grip. There is a bit of chutzpah about this Petrus, the way in which it fans out towards the finish. You could broach bottles now, although this example suggests that it is going to be very interesting to follow over the next 20 years. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at Hide restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is like a genie in the bottle. Fascinating yet subtle aromas of blackberry, minerals, fresh flowers and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, with wonderful layers of ultrafine tannins. It coats your mouth and tantalizes your palate. A gorgeous thing all around.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 3,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSIt is interesting how this wine continues to evolve. Unquestionably one of the vintage’s superstars, the 1995 Petrus is taking on a personality similar to the extraordinarily backward, muscular 1975. This is not a Petrus that can be approached in its youth (i.e., the perfect duo of 1989 and 1990). The wine exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color, followed by a knock-out nose of pain grille, jammy black fruits, and roasted coffee. On the palate, it possesses teeth-staining extract levels, massive body, and rich, sweet black fruits buttressed by powerful, noticeable tannin. A formidably endowed wine with layers of extract, this is a huge, tannic, monstrous-sized Petrus that will require a minimum of 10 years of cellaring. Forget all the nonsense about Merlot producing sweet, soft, ready to drink wines, because low yielding, old Merlot vines made in the way of Petrus and other top Pomerols frequently possess as much aging potential as any great Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine in the world. Look for the 1995 Petrus to last for 50+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2050.Petrus, the undisputed King of Pomerol, was an inconsistent performer between 1976 and 1988, but since 1989 there have been few Bordeaux wines that match this property for its extraordinary combination of power, richness, complexity, and elegance. The 1995 and 1996 are both noteworthy efforts.Robert Parker | 96 RP

(Vieux-Château-Certan (Pomerol)) In my historical feature on the estate back in 2009, I really liked the 1995 vintage of VCC and this most recent bottle, drunk in 2018, was still showing beautifully and perhaps, even a touch better with the passage of nine more years of cellaring. The bouquet is very deep and refined, delivering a fine combination of plums, sweet dark berries, cigar wrapper, dark soil tones, a deft framing of nutty new oak, cigar smoke and just a touch of youthful cabernet sauvignon herb tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and soil-driven in personality, with a lovely core of black fruit, moderate, suave tannins and outstanding focus and grip on the long, superbly balanced and vibrant finish. This is a beautiful, beautiful vintage of VCC that is getting awfully close to its plateau of maturity. Give it just a few more years. (Drink between 2023-2085).John Gilman | 95+ JGThe 1995 Vieux Château Certan is a very capable wine that is now reaching its peak. The Cabernet Franc has always been the key component, imparting a lovely ferrous, undergrowth note on the nose that neatly counterbalances the intense red and black fruit laced with mint. The palate is ripe and generous with kirsch and red plum, quite saturated and maybe even "glossy". Maybe my one criticism is the toastiness of the oak on the finish that lends it a Rioja-like personality, but otherwise this is very fine. Taken from the Pomerol book authored by Neal Martin..Vinous Media | 93 VMVery subtle aromas of dark chocolate, light plum and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh fruit finish. Refined and caressing. Holding back. I prefer the ’96. Hasn’t evolved as well as I hoped.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is a backward, muscular, highly-extracted wine with a boatload of tannin, thus the question mark. The saturated plum/purple color is followed by an aggressively oaky nose with scents of roasted coffee, blackberries, and prunes. It is somewhat of a freak for a 1996 Pomerol given its richness, intensity, and overripe style. Medium-bodied and powerful, but extremely closed, and in need of 5-7 years of cellaring, it will be interesting to follow this wine’s evolution to determine if the tannin fully integrates itself into the wine’s concentrated style. If not, it will have a slight rusticity to its tannin and structure. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. I sense this wine will be much more controversial than I had anticipated.Robert Parker | 91 RP

The 1996 l’Evangile will undoubtedly be a controversial wine. The wine gives the impression of being over-extracted in its dark ruby/purple color and notes of prunes, raisins, Chinese black tea, blackberries, and cherry liqueur. It is rich and powerful, as well as tannic and disjointed, but medium to full-bodied, with excellent richness, and a long, over-ripe finish. It may take a few years to round into shape, but this could turn out to be an outstanding wine. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2016.Robert Parker | 90 RPExcellent deep ruby. Expressive nose of black raspberry, blackberry, and violets. Larger-scaled and more powerful than the ’96 but less harmonious today, with the wine acids and tannins more noticeable. Ripe notes of chocolate and leather.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMAromas of chocolate, blackberry and spices follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long chewy finish. Extremely well done for the vintage.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is strong on the attack, but lacks some depth through the mid-palate as the soft, brambly fruit unfurls. A menthol freshness peps things up, and this is a wine I’d suggest drinking over the next five to eight years. The tannins here are more intense and grippy than the 1995, but in fact it’s not quite as long on the palate. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028Decanter | 92 DECTasted at the château, the 1996 La Conseillante has always been a good performer in what is a Left Bank vintage. Although there is noticeable bricking on the rim, there is plenty of freshness on the nose, quite floral with crushed strawberry, cranberry leaf and a touch of tomato vine, which after ten minutes turns into black truffle (typical trait in Pomerol). There is good vigor here for a 20-year-old Pomerol. The palate is medium-bodied and here you could argue that it is more advanced than the aromatics. Yes, there is good weight and balance, perhaps a little rustic compared to recent vintages, but there is plenty of enjoyable ferrous fruit, white pepper, sage, black truffle and spice notes liberally sprinkled over vestiges of red fruit. Clearly this is a La Conseillante that is à point and I would probably broach bottles over the next decade. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 91 RP-NMThe 1996 La Conseillante has been an inconsistent performer over the years. Here it has a mature nose, less complex than the 1995 and with dark fruit, notes of forest floor and stewed black tea, a little herbaceous but nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that exert a gentle grip. It feels fully mature with clove and cedar infusing the dark berry fruit, segueing into a finish with Vervain tea, truffle and spice. There is some dryness creeping in and so I would broach bottles over the next five or six years. Tasted at La Conseillante vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 91 VM