Pomerol

wines

The classicism in this L’Evangile has always seduced me with its subtle brown sugar, black olive, cedar, black truffle and dark fruit. Full body yet tight and extremely polished. Very layered and fine-grain textured. A perfect example of Pomerol. Always a perfect wine.James Suckling | 100 JSDark in color, almost purple black, with pure tapenade and hints of ripe plum and berry. Full-bodied, with layer upon layer of velvety tannins and chocolate, berry, vanilla and tea flavors. Lasts for minutes. I am blown away by this wine. This has been amazing since the moment I tasted it from barrel. Reminds me of the superb 1950. Best after 2015. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WS85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 70% new oak. A nearperfect growing season, and this approaches perfection as it glides across the palate, with sweet fig and torrefied notes, salted caramel and saline. Utterly gorgeous. Could be drunk with huge pleasure right now – with an amazing balance and feather-like expression that lifts the whole thing up – but there’s no rush. Drinking Window 2018 - 2038Decanter | 99 DECTasted single blind at Farr’s 2005 dinner in Hong Kong. I had forgotten what a wonderful Pomerol this is! Jean-Pascal Vazart has conjured a spellbinding wine that displays exceptional clarity on the nose with blackberry, kirsch, crushed violet and a touch of cassis. Underlying all this is a palpable sense of mineralite and focus. The palate is full-bodied with filigree tannins. Beautiful balance and so silky smooth towards the finish that it is easy to look over its structure and backbone. One of the finest wines from this estate in recent yearsRobert Parker Neal Martin | 97 RP-NMThe 2005 L’Évangile is showing beautifully today. Early signs of aromatic nuance and complexity have begun to appear, suggesting the 2005 is at an early plateau of maturity. Sweet dark cherry, chocolate, spice and licorice add darkness to this decidedly potent, virile wine. This is a fabulous bottle of the 2005, a wine that, in my experience, has been inconsistent. It’s a wine of its time, that much is very clear.Vinous Media Antonio Galloni | 96 VMUnder the ownership of Barons Rothschild (Lafite) since 1990, L’Evangile hit a new high in 2005. It has the spark of freshness at the heart of the best wines of the vintage, and it transforms that energy into layers of flavor, distinct yet seamlessly integrated. Focus on the parts and you’ll find floral scents of rose, or beeswax and honey, earthen layers of tannin that include a deep black mushroom richness, a powerful core of plum and plum skin flavor. The flavors last for a minute or longer; the structure makes this a vin de garde.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SThe Pomerol estate of the Rothschilds of Lafite shows the power of Merlot in 2005, the almost indecent richness of the fruit. It’s an opulent, layered wine, spicy, woody and powered though by delicious fruit, ending open and generous.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This blockbuster 2005 is dense ruby/purple, with sweet black cherries, cassis, earth and white chocolate in both aromas and flavors. A strong, mineral-dominated, powerful wine (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc), it is extremely backward, super-concentrated, and tasting more like blood of Merlot than any other Pomerol. Dense purple, super-rich, and stunning, this wine has at least a 20- to 30-year upside to it. An absolutely spectacular effort from this great terroir, it can be drunk now, but patience will be rewarded. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThis is from the first great vintage of the new era. By this point in time there were smaller tanks that allowed more accuracy between the vineyard and cellar, and more precision in harvesting with small baskets and fine-tuning of sorting (separating out parts of plots that they weren’t happy with, hence the arrival of L’Espérance a few years later). The 2005 is just right on the cusp between tight young fruit and a more complex array of ageing characteristics and it’s gorgeous. It has rich, sweet fruit, wonderful balance, clear liquorice alongside olive paste, chocolate and cassis puree, all still embraced by firm but flexible tannins. You’re going to want to get hold of this wine if you’re a fan of classic Pomerol seduction. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Trotanoy is still a very young wine. Even so, it has aged exquisitely, with all of the elements very nicely balanced. There is plenty of the tannic heft that is typical of this site, but the tannins are very well integrated into the wine’s fabric. Cedar, dried flowers, iron red berry fruit, mocha and dark reddish-leaning fruit all open with time in the glass. The stress of the warm, dry vintage is felt in the wine’s searing tannins. I would cellar the 2005 for at least a few years, and then give it a good decanting to help those tannins soften a bit. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGGorgeous, with fig bread, licorice root, ganache and loam notes, this sports a hefty profile, with dark, earthy components matched to a well of mulled black currant and blackberry fruit. Shows a strong spine through the finish, revealing a tug of graphite that won’t quit. Needs to wait.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 2,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis has a captivating nose of blueberries, spices, and fresh lilacs. On the palate this offers a full body, serious intensity, and great acidity and richness. This is a wonderful wine that shows great contrast and wildness.James Suckling | 96 JS(Château Trotanoy) Ironically, as Trotanoy is one of my personal favorites in all of Bordeaux, I had never had the opportunity to cross paths with the 2005 Château Trotanoy prior to the Wine Workshop tasting. This is destined to be a great vintage of Trot, which I have little doubt will end up superior to the more muscular 2010 that seems to have caught the imagination of so many commentators. The combination of ripeness and outstanding acidity that is found in the very best 2005s is very rare, and these qualities are certainly on display in this very young and potentially profound Trotanoy. The very young bouquet offers up a primary blend of black plums, black cherries, dark chocolate, woodsmoke, a touch of the gamebird to come, a lovely base of soil, incipient notes of nutskin and a lovely base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, young and rock solid at the core, with stunning focus and balance, ripe tannins, lovely, tangy acids and superb length and grip on the glorious finish. This will be a legendary Trotanoy, but it is going to take a long time to climb to cruising altitude. It should be almost timeless. (Drink between 2030-2100)John Gilman | 96 JGCertainly it is firm, with impressive power. But the smoothness of the ripe black fruits as they combine with the beautifully judged wood show a contrast of tension with the dense, chewy core. At its heart, this wine is dark and solid and concentrated, promising long aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

(Château Nénin, Merlot, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) The 2006 vintage is not always generous, but it is now beginning to be fully open with Merlot-dominated wines such as Nénin, and this is at a sweet spot for drinking. Expansive blackcurrant and bilberry fruits, held firmly in place by still well structured tannins, this is enjoyable and well-balanced, if less sleek that you find in more recent vintages of this estate. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 92 DECAromas of dried flowers and leaves with lots of dried fruits. Full and chewy. Extracted and rich. Truffles and morels. Dried fruits. Begin drinking.James Suckling | 92 JSThe finest vintage since 2000, the 2006 Nenin comes across as a classic Pomerol with lush kirsch liqueur, mocha, mineral, and floral characteristics. Made in a muscular, rich, full-bodied style with moderate tannins as well as impeccable purity, texture, and length, it should drink well between 2012-2025.Robert Parker | 91 RPBright crushed berry, chocolate and licorice aromas follow through to a full body, with ultrarefined tannins and a long, polished finish. There's a lovely texture to this wine. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThere is great depth of fruit here, combined with the velvet textures that come from ripe Merlot. At the same time, this wine has a structure at its heart surrounded by that generous, delicious, blackberry fruit flavor.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

At once deep and rich, yet cool and delicate with a minty freshness, this is a really concentrated and super-elegant Pomerol that’s now very seductive, but has the structure and vitality to live for a long time. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2009 La Conseillante has a very classy and sophisticated bouquet with beautifully defined black and red fruit mixed with black truffle and pressed rose petals. The oak is just completely subsumed here. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and saturated tannin, a fine line of acidity, fresh and tensile with a sense of mineralité on the finish. This bottle shows even better than the one poured at the property 12 months earlier. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis tasted brilliant in London a few weeks ago at the Bordeaux 10 Years On tasting, but even better in New York. There’s so much complexity on offer - the natural elegance pumped up with dark chocolate, graphite and liquorice layering up through the damson and blackberry fruits. A gorgeous, delicious wine with a blast of freshly crushed mint leaf on the finish. This was the third vintage since a second wine was launched in 2007, helping the winemaking team to concentrate and refine this main bottling. Jean-Michel Laporte was director at the time, with Gilles Paquet as consultant. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032Decanter | 97 DECSimilar in style to the 2015, the 2009 La Conseillante is another sexy, seductive, opulent even, Pomerol that offers a huge array of spiced dark fruits, cured meats, crushed flowers, and truffle. Deep, full-bodied, layered and beautifully pure, with an extroverted personality that just begs to be drunk, it will keep for another three decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe medium to deep garnet colored 2009 La Conseillante strides confidently out of the glass with very classy Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and kirsch scents plus suggestions of violets, liquid licorice, cardamom and bay leaves with a touch of eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly fruited with a firm, grainy frame and oodles of freshness, finishing long and minerally.Robert Parker | 96 RPThis delivers stunning toasted spice, mocha and black tea aromas, while the core of plum, blackberry and fig flavors is still rather reticent. The long finish is liberally laced with a racy graphite note, while the perfumy accent pervades. This will be a suave head-turner when it rounds into form. Best from 2018 through 2030. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(Château La Conseillante) The 2009 La Conseillante is evolving nicely and shows every likelihood of delivering on all the early promise it showed out of barrel during the En Primeur week of 2010. A year on, the wine offers up a ripe and classy nose of red and black raspberries, chocolate, fine, gravelly soil tones, tobacco smoke and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and ripely tannic, with a fine core of fruit, good focus and balance and very good length and grip on the youthful finish. The 2009 vintage has still produced a La Conseillante that is a bit broad-shouldered by the elegant standards of this estate, but this is a very good example of the vintage that should age gracefully. (Drink between 2022-2060)John Gilman | 93 JGDensely rich, very sweet wine. It has some smoky tannins that give structure, along with a dark core of dry raisin and wood flavors. It has concentration and an opaque texture.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The deep garnet colored 2009 Le Gay simply sings of minted cassis, baked plums and blueberry pie with touches of cardamom, cloves, tree bark and pencil shavings plus a waft of lavender. The palate is medium to full-bodied and exquisitely textured with satiny tannins and bold freshness framing the vibrant, multilayered fruit, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPIn the same league as the otherworldly 2010, the 2009 Le Gay (90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) is a totally thrilling Pomerol that’s up with the crème de la crème in this wonderful vintage. Simply loaded with notions of blackcurrants, blackberries, espresso, cedarwood, dried flowers, and incense aromas and flavors, this beauty hits the palate with an opulent, full-bodied, powerful profile yet stays seamless and silky. Possessing perfect balance, beautiful mid-palate depth, sweet, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, it’s just about as profound as Pomerol gets. Drink this thrill-a-minute any time over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2009 Le Gay has a quintessential bouquet for this Pomerol cru with intense black cherry, black truffle singed earth and Xmas cake aromas. Lovely. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well judged acidity, focused and structured with a sense of confidence and density towards the finish. This is a great Le Gay and it should age gloriously. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMA typical Pomerol with the combination of ripe black fruits and elegance that’s traditionally associated with the appellation. Plenty of mushroom and some truffle character too. I love the long almost crisp finish that pulls you back to the glass for more. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 95 JSVery fresh and pure, this displays a lovely tobacco streak cutting through the enticing core of crushed plum, mulled raspberry and dark fig fruit. Long and racy on the finish, with singed cedar nicely embedded. Has opulence but stays focused. Best from 2013 through 2029. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWith powerful new-wood aromas and flavors, this is a wine that is smooth and polished, yet fruity. This has concentration and a dark character that comes from the opulent, ripe fruit. Give it at least 10 years.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEOne of the more accessible, but absolutely signature, Pomerols, and it’s ready to enjoy now and over next 10 years. It has plump cassis and blueberry fruits with some tobacco. It’s a little shorter than some, but just so full of pleasure. Easy to get a crush on this wine! Drinking Window 2019 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DEC

Showing consistently with another recent bottle, the 2009 Château La Fleur-Petrus (90/10 Merlot and Cabernet Franc aged in 50% new oak) offers a deep, layered bouquet of blackberries, plums, chocolate, dried flowers, and earth. A big, voluptuous, opulent example of this cuvée, with a power-packed, deep, rich style, it has ripe tannin and a huge finish. This tour de force shows how impressive the 2009 vintage was for Bordeaux. Drink this sensational wine anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDEven with considerable youthful characteristics, this stunning, open-knit 2009 is quite approachable. This fabled terroir sandwiched between Petrus and Lafleur (hence the name) generally produces one of the more elegantly-styled Pomerols, but in 2009 it offers an extra dimension of flavor intensity as well as more texture and concentration. It reveals a super-seductive perfume of mocha, loamy soil, herbs, black cherries and black currants, truffles and licorice, full body and velvety tannins. The overall impression is one of intensity, power, glycerin and richness as well as undeniable elegance and laser-like focus. This 2009 can be drunk now or cellared for another 25-30+ years.Robert Parker | 97 RPHard to find the start and finish here, as the layers of boysenberry, raspberry and plum compote are seamless and incredibly long. Really spherical in feel, with flecks of bergamot, blood orange and iron on the surface and full fruit underneath. The grip that showed on release has been fully absorbed, and I doubt this will ever shut down. This has fruit to burn, but is conserving itself on cruise control rather than turning bombastic.—Non-blind La Fleur-Pétrus vertical (December 2015). Drink now through 2035. 4,300 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSJust across the road from Pétrus, la Fleur-Pétrus shares some of the same intensity. There is great fruit here, rounded and powerful with the ripest character. It is open, generous, ready to drink. The tannins lead into the purest acidity, letting the fruit sing.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBrimming with blackberry and sandalwood aromas this is a very seductive 2009. On the palate this is self-confidently dry, sleeker and more linear than the nose suggests. Very firm finish for a Pomerol of this age. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 95 JSLa Fleur-Pétrus had not begun its restoration phase in 2009 - that got underway in 2012, with the inclusion of new, high quality plots and the splitting off of any parts of the vineyard below the Pomerol plateau. But this is still exceptionally good quality, just a little less complex that you would expect from the estate today. There's a lovely smoky edge to the nose, while on the palate, brushed tannins join brambled, pureed fruits, tobacco and tar. Full of Pomerol pleasure and appeal. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2009 La Fleur-Pétrus is tightly wound on the nose at first with plenty of black truffle infused red fruit, crushed rose petals and veins of dark chocolate, but it does not quite possess the amplitude of say, the 2009 Le Gay. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip and good tension. Pure red and black fruit intermingle with balsamic and white pepper notes, displaying fine precision and length. This Pomerol gets better as it goes along, but I feel that the aromatics need to just up their game. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Deep garnet colored, the 2010 L’Eglise Clinet begins unassumingly with gentle notions of fragrant dried flowers and wild sage leading to savory nut and meat characters over an expanding core of preserved plums, blueberry compote and black cherry coulis plus a waft of menthol. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully decadent, the palate is absolutely packed with rich, ripe black fruit preserves and loads of spicy sparks, framed by super ripe, super plush tannins, finishing very long and decadent. I love the interplay of subtly and power here - this is truly a WOW wine!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPSo much elegance and complexity to this young wine with plenty of flowers and dark fruit notes. Full and super refined, with amazing complexity and firmness. It is very tight and silky. Long and intense. This is a super 2001 or a 1961.James Suckling | 97-98 JSRich but delightfully pure, with a stunningly gorgeous, pure beam of unadulterated raspberry preserves driving through the middle, showing hints of plum, anise and blueberry hanging in the background. The long finish drips with fruit, but maintains the racy acidity needed for balance and elegance, while a fine minerality slides in underneath. Drink now through 2030. 1,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2010 L’Eglise-Clinet comes across a little introverted and sullen on the nose compared to its peers in this very strong flight. It is attractive in its own way with pretty red berry fruit, briary and rose petals, but declines to reveal its complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, slightly lactic in style, modern in the context of this Pomerol cru, but well balanced on the finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

A little darker and deeper in colour than the 2009 at this stage, but both remain young, fresh and full of promise. The depth to the fruit is evident, black cherry, chocolate shavings and black truffles with great shots of acidity through the entire body of the wine. Just dripping with succulent fruit and seduction, this is the most Pomerol of the lineup, surprisingly, perhaps, taking that crown from the 2009. Still young even at 11 years old, will settle in and open further over the next few years. Violet aromatics curl out of the glass as it opens. 85% new oak. A yield of 39hl/ha. (Drink between 2021-2044)Decanter | 98 DECBeautiful nose with cocoa powder, exotic flowers, candied violets and loads of dark berries. Great aromatic complexity. Amazing texture on palate with a superb precision and silky tannins. So beautifully composed showing already great harmony. Difficult to wait! Better in 2018.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2010 La Conseillante has a magnificent bouquet with pixelated black fruit laced with cedar and pencil lead aromas. It is a penetrating and multi-faceted bouquet that just blossoms with aeration. The palate is supremely well balanced with filigree tannins and immense purity, very sustained and conveying immense energy on the finish. Surely the best La Conseillante under former winemaker Jean-Michel Laporte. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2010 La Conseillante is a tour de force that will rival the 2005, 2000 and 1990 at maturity. Just loaded with notions of blackcurrants, damp earth, tobacco leaf, violets and toasty oak, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building, ripe tannin, and a huge finish. Sexy and opulent, yet also classy and elegant, it’s a sensational Pomerol that has another three decades of life ahead of itJeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA brilliant effort from this property, known for the sheer elegance and finesse of its wines, the 2010 La Conseillante offers back-to-back monumental efforts, particularly given the remarkable 2009. This estate has been on a hot streak of late. The 2010 is a slightly bigger, richer wine, but without losing its floral, elegant mulberry, black raspberry and sweet kirsch notes. Combine those with some licorice, subtle new oak and a hint of forest floor, and the result is a medium to full-bodied, rich, complex wine that has striking aromatics and perfect balance in the mouth. Forget it for 3-5 years and drink it over the following 30.Robert Parker | 96 RPFeatures substantial but very velvety structure running from start to finish, delivering a muscular feel for now. The hard edges are fully absorbed by the core of plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warm boysenberry reduction notes. The finish offers gorgeous tobacco and ganache accents lurking in the wings, along with flickers of anise and incense that should guide this version to increased elegance with age. Best from 2016 through 2034. 4,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe tannins are huge, very dense, packing through the ripe fruit. At first it tastes like a mouthful of wood and fruit tannins, then the potential of the fruit becomes apparent. That gives a wine with a great, final acidity and finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Château La Conseillante) Despite the 2010 La Conseillante tipping the scales at 14.5 percent alcohol, this wine seems decidedly cooler and more poised than its 2009 counterpart did a year ago. The blend this year is made up of eighty percent merlot and twenty percent cabernet franc. The lovely bouquet is deep, pure and shows no signs of overripeness in its mélange of black raspberries, black cherries, chocolate, gravelly soil tones, smoke and a very judicious base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and tangy, with lovely focus and mid-palate depth, moderate, ripe tannins and excellent length and grip on the classy finish. One can certainly sense that the folks at La Conseillante were very careful not to over-extract the wine in 2010, and the result is one of the best, “hot vintage” La Conseillantes that I can ever recall. A superb wine. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 93+ JG

(Château Beauregard, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) Tighter and more chewy than the 2009, less ready to drink - the two are perfect reflections of their vintage. I love this, it’s the most Pomerol to date in terms of its plush tannins and texture, and its throbbingly dark chocolate-laced fruits. Feels silky and seductive, but still with the balance and mouthwatering final finish that Beauregard does so well. Needs a carafe if drinking soon because there is still austerity here. (Drink between 2021-2044)Decanter | 95 DECWonderful aromas of blueberries, blackberries and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with polished and juicy tannins and a long finish with a gorgeous depth of fruit and spices. Best Beauregard in years. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSOn of my favorite Beauregards in many a year, this vintage is very sexy and lush, with caramelized mocha, chocolate, black cherry fruit, some loamy soil notes, sweet tannins and a voluptuous, fleshy, succulent mouthfeel. It is nearly impossible to resist at present and should continue to drink well for at least another 12-15 years.Robert Parker | 91 RPLush fig and raspberry fruit gives this a palate-coating feel, with dark spice, melted red licorice and black tea filling in on the finish. Inviting, warm and succulent, featuring an elegant structure. Drink now through 2017. 4,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The definition of poised and confident, this has pretty much consistently delivered since the very first taste during En Primeur. Deeply layered, textured, confident and powerful, both very Pomerol and very 2010. Coffee beans and bitter chocolate are the dominant flavours alongside cassis and blackberry autumnal berry fruits. Both gourmet and restrained. Just about ready to go but will hugely benefit from three to four hours in carafe first, and will further improve over the next few years, and indeed over the decades to come. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045Decanter | 97 DECGorgeous nose with lots of dark fruit like plum and blueberries. Crushed pepper and chalk with wild strawberries and vanilla. Dense and velvety on the palate with superbly polished tannins and great depth. It’s absolutely gorgeous now but needs at least five to six years of bottle age to really shows its great quality.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2010 Clinet is a baby, but man, what a wine. Checking in as mostly Merlot, with small amounts of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this deep ruby/purple-tinged beauty gives up fresh, tight aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, damp earth and forest floor, with its background oak buffered by serious amounts of fruit. Full-bodied, concentrated and deep, yet also elegant and layered, with the freshness, purity, and structure of the vintage, it sings even today with a decant, but is best with a few more year of bottle age. It’s going to keep for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe blend is largely dominated by 85% Merlot, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Cabernet Franc also included. Inky/purple-colored, the wine has an exceptionally full-bodied, layered, moderately tannic mouthfeel and impressive power. Loads of melted chocolate/fudge and black fruits galore along with some coffee bean, mocha, as well as some background oak are all present in this big, formidably endowed, masculine style of Pomerol that will take longer to shed its tannin than the 2009. I would give this wine 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30+ years.The 2010 is another fabulous effort from this estate of just over 20 acres located in the sector named the same as the chateau, Clinet. Modest yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare produced a final blend that hit 14.4% natural alcohol.Robert Parker | 96+ RPThe 2010 Clinet has a crisp, precise bouquet that is tightly wound but extremely well focused. It would benefit from decanting of preferably more bottle age. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, impressive backbone with black fruit laced with white pepper, sage and cedar towards the persistent finish. This is a serious Pomerol with huge potential. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThis showy, packed and well-endowed Pomerol pumps out notes of warm linzer torte, plum preserves and blackberry reduction, all supported by a broad, charcoal- and ganache-coated structure and deeply embedded acidity. Very muscular on the back end, this boasts a still-chewy feel. Among the most backward of the 2010 Pomerols, this requires significant cellaring. For those who enjoy more power than subtlety. Best from 2017 through 2035. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNew wood mint aromas give this wine its great polished feel. The tannins offer a counterpoint of richness here, firm and dense. The fruit takes a while to show through, then brings the fine plum skin flavors suffusing through the wine.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is the Clos L’Eglise that takes it all to another level with incredible brightness and focus. Full-bodied yet racy and so long. It goes on for minutes with the violets, lavender and hot stones. Pomerol magic.James Suckling | 98 JSAnother brilliant wine from Helene Garcin-Leveque, the 2010 Clos L’Eglise comes from a 15-acre vineyard near the well-known church just to the west of the high plateau of Pomerol. It is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Loads of roasted espresso notes intermixed with white chocolate, plum, Asian soy, blackberry and black cherry fruit make for an intensely perfumed set of aromatics. Plump, fleshy and full-bodied, with beautiful fruit as well as undeniable purity and an enticing texture, this is a succulent, lush Pomerol to drink over the next 12-15+ years.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 2010 Clos l’Eglise has a slightly reductive nose that soon blows off to reveal ample red and black fruit melted tar and black truffle scents. The palate is velvety smooth on the entry, displaying a fine bead of acidity and supremely well-integrated oak. This is a classy, seductive Pomerol that lingers long in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 95 VMMore mocha, espresso, and chocolate-laced dark fruits emerge from the 2010 Clos L’Eglise. It’s more dense, powerful, and backward than the 2009, yet certainly in the qualitative ballpark. Full-bodied, locked and loaded, with ripe yet certainly present tannins, this is a great vintage that’s just now starting to come around. I’d still give bottles another couple of years, but it’s a stunning wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDOffers gorgeous mouthfeel, range of fruit and length. A velvety feel belies the dense structure buried here, while thoroughly enticing linzer torte, plum sauce and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors pump along, supported by singed spice, apple wood and ganache. Displays flesh, structure, definition and drive. One for the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2030. 1,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A gorgeous wine from proprietor Denis Durantou, this blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc is an inky purple color, with gorgeous purity of black raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberry with a hint of truffle and spring flowers. Its is full-bodied, opulent and a tour de force in this vintage. Great presence on the palate, fabulous purity and a long finish make for a magnificent bottle of wine to drink over the next 20-some years.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2012 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Explosive and rich in the glass, the 2012 boasts superb depth throughout. Sweet floral and spiced notes develop first, followed by intense red and blue-fleshed fruit. Violets, mint, sage and sweet spices add nuance as the 2012 opens up, but it is really the wine's vertical structure that stands out above all else. I very much like the pure energy that is so central to the wine's personality. This is a superb showing, and one of the clear highlights of the year. Readers should cellar the 2012 for at least a few years.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis delivers a gorgeously pure and racy core of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit, melded perfectly with singed black tea leaf, dried star anise and roasted apple wood notes. Velvety and alluring overall, but there's a bright minerality buried on the finish. Best from 2016 through 2027. 1,417 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRich, ripe and dense. Expressive red berry nose with toasted oak evident. Sweet, plush mid-palate (heightened by 14.5% alcohol although that doesn't show). Long, firm finish. A touch dry on the end. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 91 DEC

(Château La Conseillante, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) This has always been one of my favourite vintages of La Conseillante. Here a little Cabernet Franc (11%) goes a long way. Ethereal and utterly beautiful on the nose. Soft, delicate, elegant and subtle. Intensely floral, with violets and little hedgerow spring flowers, freshly cut. Has an exquisite balance and harmony, even if it might be said to lack some of the density of ostensibly greater vintages. I can live happily with that; though I’d drink this sooner. Very attractive and the very essence of plateau Pomerol for me. Soft and seductive, with those little truffle notes, blueberries and raspberries; tender and lithe, nicely compact and juicy on the finish. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 96 DECAn absolutely amazing wine from the Nicolas family, this is from another estate in Pomerol that is pushing the envelope to higher and higher quality. The final blend has moved to smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, now approximately 20%, with the balance 80% Merlot. Through crop-thinning, yields have been reduced to an average of 35 hectoliters per hectare. Inky bluish/purple color and stunning sweet tannins embrace a full-bodied opulent Pomerol with beautiful, floral-infused black raspberry, blueberry and cassis fruit. Full-bodied, yet elegant, this is a brilliant marriage between finesse and power. Stunningly pure, this wine can be drunk young or age magnificently for 20 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPAnother classic wine from this fabulous estate is the 2012 La Conseillante, which I believe was the first wine made in their newly constructed winery. A blend of roughly 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new barrels, it offers an awesome bouquet of blueberry and smoky black cherry fruit intermixed with loads of Asian spices, melted asphalt, truffle, and licorice. This full-bodied, opulent, incredibly sexy Pomerol stays light and elegant, with silky tannin and sensational purity of fruit. Anyone who owns bottles should count themselves lucky, and those who don’t should buy some as soon as possible. It can be drunk today or cellared for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Château La Conseillante) The new chais at Château La Conseillante has now been completed and it is a beautiful new addition to this property. Up above the chais are a pair of large, glass-enclosed tasting rooms that offer a beautiful view of surrounding Pomerol and the graves section of St. Émilion (with Cheval Blanc right across the stretch of vineyards that unfold below your feet). The new chais has clearly not gone to waste, as the team at La Conseillante has fashioned a brilliant utterly classic example of the 2012 vintage, offering up a pure and complex nose of black raspberries, black cherries, Cuban cigars, gravel, fresh herb tones, violets and a stylish base of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with excellent focus and balance, very fine-grained tannins and outstanding grip and nascent complexity on the very long, velvety finish. This wine reminds me quite a bit of the young 1985 La Conseillante- which is a vintage here that I adore and prefer to the more highly-praised 1982, 1989 and 1990 vintages at this great estate. A stunning wine in the making and clearly one of the greatest wines of the 2012 vintage. (Drink between 2023-2065).John Gilman | 94+ JGAmazing aromas of dried flowers, blueberries and minerals follow through to a full body, fine and polished tannins and a long finish. All in finesse and harmony. Little tight now. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2012 La Conseillante takes some time to settle in the glass, gaining harmony after 10 minutes with scents of red cherry, sandalwood, freshly rolled tobacco and clove. This comes across as showier, more extravagant than other 2012 Pomerols. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, harmonious and poised, spicy and perhaps with a little more edge towards the finish. There is a sense of confidence about this La Conseillante. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index’s Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93+ VMOn the robust side of Pomerol for now, with ganache and tar notes underscoring the core of dark plum, linzer torte, blackberry and black currant fruit. The elements meld nicely through fleshy, cocoa-accented finish, where a lingering iron accent emerges alongside ample yet silky tannins. Shows impressive depth, suggesting that elegance will come from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2027.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A tight and subtle wine with very pretty ripe-fruit character and chocolate. Medium to full body. Needs time to open. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSFor whatever reason, Chateau Clinet was not interested in having their 2015 tasted for this report and I was unable to taste it during my trip through the region. I’ll do my best to review it from bottle once it’s available in the United States. Nevertheless, I purchased a bottle of the 2014 Château Clinet locally and it showed beautifully, revealing a deep purple color, loads of plum, crème de cassis, spice-box, dried flowers, and graphite aromas and flavors, full-bodied richness, and a terrific minerality the developed with time in the glass. This is an elegant, balanced, beautifully pure 2014 that’s very much in the style of the vintage. It will keep for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDDark in profile, featuring a steeped core of fig and blackberry fruit that melds with roasted apple wood and ganache notes through the finish. Shows plenty of muscle, but the refined structure leads to a very long finish, boding well for the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035. 4,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2014 Clinet was a wine that perplexed when I tasted it from barrel and as a consequence, it was one that I went back and retasted three or four times during that primeur campaign. Now in bottle, the bouquet has improved and developed more fruit concentration, armed with red plum, wild strawberry and blueberry scents. The palate is medium-bodied and quite refined, certainly not as opulent as other vintages from the estate, perhaps just missing a persistence on the angular finish. It is not a bad Clinet by a long stretch, it just feels a little constricted, especially compared to say the 2010 or 2015. I tasted this on three occasions, drawing the same conclusion each time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2014 Clinet is a wine that left me "perplexed" when I tasted it multiple times both from barrel and in bottle. The litmus test is how it shows blind... Here it has a lifted bouquet with truffle and smoke-infused red fruit, a subtle hickory note coming through with aeration. One or two attendees at the tasting suggested brettanomyces. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin, spicy in the mouth with a dash of white pepper towards the firm, quite masculine and angular finish. Two bottles tasted with consistent notes. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Lots of cedar, tea-leaf and hazelnut character and ripe fruit aromas. Citrus peel, too. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Smoky undertone. This is structured and so complex. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSA straight up smokin’ red from this vintage is the 2015 Château Gazin and it’s a big, powerful, stacked 2015 that’s for those with patience. Made from almost all Merlot (I think it’s 100%), my notes on this beauty start - and end - with “love it.” Cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, forest floor, and tons of minerality all soar from the glass of this sensationally rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied 2015 that has building tannin, a seamless texture, and a blockbuster finish. Forget bottle for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Gazin is scented of baked plums, Christmas cake, mincemeat and plum preserves with hints of chocolate box, coffee, tapenade and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied with mouth-filling baked berries and savory layers, it has firm, chewy tannins and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Gazin has a fragrant bouquet of blackberry, briary and truffle; a whiff of bonfire smoke emerges with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite edgy and tensile with a fresh, graphite and tobacco-laced finish that is classic in style. Superb, if missing the same horsepower of 12 months ago. This might well be closing down. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMPlush and warm, with fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture notes inlaid with light charcoal, black tea and fruitcake hints. The fleshy finish lets the charcoal element lead the way. Best from 2022 through 2032. 6,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFirm with spicy, generous tannins, this is a wine that is showing both ripe black fruits and wood aging flavors. The wood will temper as the ripe, full black fruits develop. It has good aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Château Gazin, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) Youthful blackcurrants, damsons and berries with cedar, coffee and liquorice notes; compact and well-constructed with a silky texture. (Drink between 2023-2033)Decanter | 91 DEC

Aromas of tar, black olive skin and blackberries follow through to a full body. Ultra-fine tannins and a long, linear finish with super intensity. Well-crafted in every sense. A fabulous Pomerol for the future. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSNewly-arrived Technical Director Marielle Cazaux turned out a jewel of a wine at La Conseillante in 2015, her debut vintage. A polished and super-sophisticated Pomerol, La Conseillante is all class. Precise, lifted aromatics make a strong first impression, but it is the wine’s overall feel and sense of harmony that truly dazzle. Over the last two years, the 2015 seems to have gained in freshness, precision and nuance. What a wine! The blend is 81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc. Don’t’ miss it.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGComposed of 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 La Conseillante opens with reticent, earthy notes of dusty soil, garrigue, forest floor and iron ore with a core of warm plums, cassis, cigar boxes, star anise and dark chocolate plus a hint of violets. Medium to full-bodied with decadent fruit and a gorgeous plushness to the texture, the palate features impeccable poise and compelling depth, finishing on a lingering mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPReminding me of the 2009, the 2015 La Conseillante is more overt and sexy compared to the 2016, offering a huge nose of mulled black fruits, spring flowers, chocolate and gravely/clay-like earthiness. This is a full-bodied, complex, elegant and layered 2015 that has a singular character and the class to drink well for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis is reserved, with subtle Earl Grey tea, singed apple wood and warm fruitcake aromas opening slowly ahead of a core of dark boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors. A lovely swath of velvety tannins carries the finish, with the fruit and spice aromas pulling together nicely. Some patience is needed here, but this is one of the elite of the AOC in this vintage. Best from 2023 through 2040. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is a perfumed wine, rich in tannins and with a good balance between the Merlot and Cabernet Franc in the blend. Ripe black fruits and velvet tannins give the wine elegance and charm. It is juicy and ripe, with a background of firm structure set against a crisp final texture. The wine will develop well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA warm, sunny vintage, giving crème de cassis flavours and a crème caramel edging. Still young, but packed with gourmet, creamy character. Very much on primary flavours right now, so more focused on plum and black cherry than black truffle, but not question that this will appear over the next few years. Traces of heat on the finish. 70% new oak. A yield of 39.5hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DEC

An immaculate wine with pristine blackberries and dark plums as well as fresh, earthy nuances and dark crushed violets. An upright palate with lightly peppery dark berries and plums. The inflection of cabernet here makes for an impressively powerful wine that still exudes Pomerol’s suave, seductive charm. Chalky, seamless tannins. Super fresh. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Château Clinet from this terrific estate is up there with some of the finest vintages out there. A blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has a concentrated, powerful style not far from the 2005 and offers loads of spiced blackberries and cassis fruits intermixed with notions of lead pencil, tobacco, and a distinct gravelly minerality. Rich, powerful and admirably endowed on the palate, with serious tannins, it’s best forgotten for 4-6 years and should keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDAn elegant, powerful and accomplished wine in 2015, with finely-knitted tannins and dark fruit which is pushed impercetibly upwards from start to finish by the grippy acidity. All the strands are held together, seemingly almost too measured until it has spent a few moments in the glass. Then, the flavours come alive and you have something really special, and long-lasting. Drinking window 2023-2040.Decanter | 98 DECA blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc matured in 65% new and 35% one-year-old French oak for 16 months, the 2015 Clinet offers a medium to deep garnet-purple color and slowly, provocatively unfurls in the glass with notes of crushed black cherries, warm black raspberries and red cherry compote plus nuances of bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, fenugreek and forest floor and wafts of potpourri and mocha. The palate reveals a sensuous medium-bodied style offset beautifully by very firm, very silky tannins and packed with energetic, multifaceted fruit as well as great tension, finishing long with an arresting spice and floral perfume. A real stunner!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA dramatic, sweeping Pomerol, the 2015 Clinet is ample, racy and voluptuous from the very first taste. Those qualities are going to make the 2015 nearly impossible to resist young. Readers who can wait will be rewarded with a racy, deeply layered Pomerol of the highest level. For now, the raciness of the dark red cherry and plum fruit suggests a very bright future. Hints of rose petal, mint and licorice add the closing shades of nuance. What a gorgeous wine this is.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGJuicy and very fresh, with a lovely beam of raspberry and cherry compote notes infused with red licorice and floral hints. Certainly ripe, but on the refined side, with the purity of fruit singing over a light tug of apple wood through the lengthy finish. This has dropped a darker, more hedonistic edge since the barrel tasting. Best from 2020 through 2032. 4,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is one of the wines of the vintage. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 towers out of the glass with stunning power and richness. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco and menthol are some of the many notes pulse through this riveting Pomerol. There is plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Hints of lavender, smoke, spice, licorice reappear to round out the finish. L’Eglise-Clinet is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new oak. More importantly, the 2015 is a total pleasure bomb. This a fabulous wine from Denis Durantou. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe violets, roses and dark fruits are so evident but they entice you in a subtle and fresh way. Full-bodied, dense and tannic, yet everything is so in tune with everything else and there are no hard edges or loose ends. It’s like a whirlpool that draws you down and then shows you its beauty. The harmony and complexity is phenomenal. Try in 2024 but I don’t want to wait.James Suckling | 99 JSComposed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 L’Eglise Clinet comes bursting out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of blueberry compote, red currant jelly, spiced black plums and mulberries with touches of unsmoked cigars, powdered cinnamon and licorice. Big, rich and full-bodied, the palate offers exquisite harmony, packed with exotic spice and red and black fruit layers, finishing on an epically long-lasting mineral note. In an understated word: WOW.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis delivers a fresh, enticing beam of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry coulis flavors that stretch out admirably while light anise, singed apple wood and fruitcake notes check in. Picks up some sneaky grip and a pretty mineral twinge through the finish. Rather elegant overall considering how much is here. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,510 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe second wine of Eglise Clinet, the 2015 La Petite Eglise is a pretty, elegant, even Burgundian, 2015 that opens up beautifully with time in the glass, Ripe red currants, cherries, sandalwood, cedary spice, and dried floral notes all emerge from this medium-bodied 2015 that has fine tannin and a great finish. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but excels on its finesse and elegance. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the top cuvee from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Beautiful aromas of plums and filtered coffee follow through to a full body. Firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Bright acidity and spice character. Tight and focused. Needs two or three years to open.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Rouget is a fabulous wine done in a forward, voluptuous style that is sure to find many admirers. Super-ripe dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, spice and mocha fill out the wine’s ample, soft-textured frame effortlessly. Silky contours add to an impression of flamboyant elegance. I would give the 2015 at least a few more years in bottle to allow some of the elements to fuse together a bit more fully. Time in the glass brings out very pretty red-toned fruit and floral overtones. There is certainly plenty to admire on this inviting, impeccably balanced Pomerol. Michel Rolland consults.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Chateau Rouget leaps from the glass with preserved plums, spice cake and cassis notes plus touches of underbrush, game and smoked meats and a waft of Provence herbs. Full-bodied, powerful and densely packed with taut, muscular fruit, it’s something of a bruiser and yet with an alluring contrast of a plush, velvety backbone and seamless freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA generosity of poached damsons and vanilla spice over savoury cedar and woodsmoke; plush and concentrated with ample, focussed tannins. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECAnother gem from the Michel Rolland team is the 2015 Rouget. Offering a hedonistic, fruit-loaded, full-bodied style as well as lots of darker fruits, espresso roast, chocolate and damp earth, it’s a textbook Pomerol that’s going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age and keep for a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

Cedary oak adds spices to pristine plums and dark berries. Terrific clarity and allure. The palate delivers a seamless and fluid build of smooth tannins, carrying bright cherries, plums and dark chocolate through to a deeply classy finish. Superb. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSNotes of cassis, crushed violets, spice, and distinct minerality emerge from the 2015 Château Petit-Village, and this Merlot dominated blend (there’s 10% Cabernet Franc) is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate. With fine, polished tannin, the freshness and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage, and integrated tannin, it’s a rock-star of a Pomerol to drink anytime over the coming 20+ years. (Drink between 2018-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD93–95. Barrel Sample. There is a fine touch of perfume here along with the generous flavors. Spice, smoky aromas and blackberry fruits are forward in this rounded, opulent wine that shows an extra push in quality from this estate.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA gutsy style, with lightly roasted fig, plum and blackberry fruit flavors matched to brambly, slightly chewy grip. An ample dose of ganache and roasted alder drives the finish. The pieces are there, but this needs time in the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSComposed of 71% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Petit Village reveals a deep garnet-purple color and gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, crème de cassis and preserved plums with touches of cedar chest, black olives, bay leaves and Marmite toast. The decadently rich, medium to full-bodied palate is superbly supported by a firm frame of grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2015 Petit Village has a clean and precise bouquet with blackberry, black truffle, smoke and graphite aromas developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity, tapering in slightly toward the graphite infused finish. Plenty of energy here, but give it three or four years in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VMA concentrated gourmet complexity of blackberry and cherry fruit on smoky toffee brittle and coffee bean spice. Grippy and firm. (Drink between 2023-2037)Decanter | 90 DEC

One of my favorite estates in Pomerol is Jeremy Chasseuil’s Château Feytit-Clinet, which covers a little over 6 hectares located between Trotanoy and Latour a Pomerol, in the Clinet sector of Pomerol. The brilliant 2016 Château Feytit-Clinet is a blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc that saw malolactic in barrel and 16 months in 70% new French oak. There are just over 1,500 cases of this elixir that reminds me of the 2010 with its incredibly classic, flawless personality. Pure crème de cassis, damp earth, black truffle, and graphite as well as hints of violets all emerge from this full-bodied, powerful yet seamless and elegant Pomerol. It never puts a foot wrong and is pure class, yet still has some rock star Pomerol sexiness. Don’t miss it!Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA very assertive and handsomely ripe wine that has considerable richness and terrific balance and poise, as well as a phenomenal build of flavor and fine tannin at the finish. Great Pomerol. A blend of 93 per cent merlot and seven per cent cabernet franc.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Feytit Clinet is a blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc aged for 16 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak barrels. It has a deep garnet-purple color with lifted blueberries and black cherries with hints of lilacs, black tea, potpourri, wood smoke and black soil. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated, rich and bold with firm, rounded tannins, seamless freshness and a very long finish with chocolate hints. About 1,583 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2016 Feytit-Clinet is gorgeous. Graphite, sage, menthol, gravel, crushed rocks, new oak and iron give the 2016 its distinctive savory/feral profile. Powerful and yet also translucent, the 2016 conveys intensity, but with less overtness than has often been the case in recent vintages. Feytit-Clinet is usually a big, explosive wine. The 2016 lacks some of that intensity, but it is nevertheless very pretty and full of personality.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGRipe and spicy, this is a dense wine with solid tannins. Black plum and blackberry flavors give the wine its fruitiness, while the spicy tannins promise aging. This powerful wine has a good future.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis is big, tight and a little foreboding in its tannic structure. It has some lovely floral notes on the nose, and it opens very nicely in the glass.There’s no question there’s a huge amount of black fruit lurking - those tannins are holding back the tide - and overall this is a dense experience. It’s good quality and will take its time to come round. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036Decanter | 92 DEC

Beautiful aromas of plums, flowers, truffles, earth, and hot stones. Full-bodied, yet the very fine and polished tannins have fabulous poise and elegance. Plush. Love the finish. One of the best ever from here. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has more concentration than the 2015, less immediately seductive but the layers are evident, and it’s hard to fault the construction. Plush and sexy and full of Pomerol pleasure, but also real depth, power and spice. Lovely wine, with the juicy saline kick on the finish that you want in Beauregard. Love this, but needs time - those tannins are chewy right now. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Beauregard is a little closed on the nose, opening to warm black plums, blackberries and mulberries with touches of chocolate box and dried herbs plus violets hints. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPI loved the 2016 Château Beauregard, which was firing on all cylinders during my visit. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, with good acidity and a meaty nose of black fruits, truffle, bouquet garni, and earth, it’s beautifully balanced and about as classic Pomerol as it gets. Give bottles another handful of years and it will deliver the goods over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDStructured from the start, with a light charcoal edge and a strong graphite spine supporting the core of dark plum, blueberry and açaí berry flavors. Tobacco and alder details are etched on the finish, with the fruit driving through. Slightly taciturn in style, but cellaring should lighten the mood. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,917 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS