Pomerol Wines

wines

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

Good dark red-ruby. Port-like aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, damp earth and shoe polish. Ripe, lush and large-scaled on the palate; sweet black fruit flavors really fill the mouth. The tannin level is rather high, but there also strong, bright finishing fruit and notes of smoke and earth.Vinous Media | 88-91 VM

In 1999 JP Moueix purchased this parcel of what had been Certan-Giraud and renamed it Hosanna. Though neighboring Pétrus, the pleasures of the wine are far more delicate. Floral scents of jasmine and fraises des bois combine with licorice spice as it takes on air, all standing against the blackness of the tannin, earthbound and powerful in its own light-handed way. Both shy and tough, this wine needs ten years from the vintage to begin to show its complexities.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 94 W&SChristian Moueix gave the celebratory name Hosanna to Château Certan Guiraud after he purchased it in 1999. He has now made his mark on the property, combining elegance and power. The style of the property seems to hone in on structure and tannins, but the fruit, dense and black, is also there.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEBright blackberry, forest fruits and freshly cut flowers. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Lots of black licorice and fruit character. Needs some time to develop in the bottle. Best after 2010. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMore structured and tannic than usual, the 2004 Hosanna reveals a noble bouquet of spring flowers, cedar, menthol, and caramelized sweet black cherries and currants. The flavors are rich, savory, and medium to full-bodied, but strong tannins appear in the finish, suggesting 3-4 years of bottle age will be beneficial. It should drink nicely for 12-15+ years thereafter.Robert Parker | 90+ RPGood bright, deep red. Fresh, nuanced nose combines red cherry, tobacco, truffle, smoke and earth. Plump but fresh and intense, with an attractive restrained sweetness and firm underlying structure. This rather sexy and accessible Pomerol spreads out nicely to coat the palate, and finishes suave and lively, with firm tannic spine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The Château l’Eglise-Clinet 2004 was served from magnum ex-cellar. It has a very fragrant bouquet with wonderful purity and delineation: dark cherries, blueberry, a touch of orange sorbet and violets. There is real sophistication here, especially in context of the vintage, one of the few 2004s that possesses a bouquet that locks you in. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, superb acidity, perhaps "classic" in style for want of a better expression, but very long with that spicy kick of black pepper and tobacco on the finish. This is just beginning to drink now, though personally I would afford it another two or three years, just to make sure. Tasted March 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMThe 2004 l’Eglise-Clinet is an outstanding wine for the vintage, where notes both from bottles and magnum have been uniformly impressive. It has a fragrant bouquet with copious red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange sorbet and violet aromas that you would think come from a warmer growing season. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannin, a fine bead of acidity, resolutely classic in style with a persistent tobacco-laced finish. It is a quintessential l’Eglise-Clinet that can be broached now, but will also age. Tasted at a private dinner in London.Vinous Media | 94 VMViolet, blackberry, vanilla and fresh leather follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long finish. Balanced and very pretty. A lovely wine. Best after 2010. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This great terroir sandwiched between Vieux Château Certan, Petrus and La Fleur Petrus, on the high plateau of Pomerol, has been owned for many years by the Barrau-Badar family. Beautiful coffee, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit jump from the glass of this full-bodied, rich, multi-layered, and very impressive Certan de May. I don’t remember it showing this well in barrel and post-bottling, but it is strutting its stuff at age 10, and has a good 20 years of upside left to it. This is a beauty. I especially admire the layered, textural style of the wine. Drink it over the next 20 years.Robert Parker | 95+ RPBlackberry and green tobacco aromas, with hints of coffee bean, follow through to a full body, with big, velvety tannins and a complex finish of dark chocolate and berry. Chewy and muscular, yet caressing and pretty. Best after 2015. 2,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 94 WSA hugely perfumed wine with smooth tannins. It’s impressively ripe, with vibrant black fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

A complete and sexy wine with very polished and refined tannins yet there’s an energy and posture that gives the wine such intrigue. Buy it. James Suckling | 96 JSVery grapey on the nose, with mineral, tarragon and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a light vanilla, berry and milk chocolate aftertaste. Subtle and balanced. The best Nenin in years. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA very smooth, rich wine, with a slight touch of pepper from the alcohol. The tannins are huge but submerged by ripe fruit. There's almost Napa-like ripeness, but also delicious acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEAn attractive minty, almost eucalyptus nose, with red cherry brightness; however, it’s not as dense or long as the 2015. Indeed, while the 2015 is a little closed, the tannins here come across almost hard by comparison, making the wine less charming than you’d expect from a Pomerol. The blend contains 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 90 DEC

Superrich in its dark fruit, black herbs and boldly oaked flavors, this is also firm and, in the end, extremely tannic. It finishes dry, the power of the tannin increasing with air, with a grip that will need long bottle aging to relent. Check on it ten years from the vintage.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SMilk chocolate and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body, with very soft tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is so delicious now, but has a balance of fruit and tannins. One of the best from this estate in some time. Best after 2014. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSI recall enjoying this wine from barrel, with its fresh fruit aromatics, solid tannins and fine length. Tasted two years ago in Bordeaux, it again showed freshness but lacked density. Tasty, but not at the level of the 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2018 - 2022Decanter | 90 DECFruity and smoky, this wine succeeds on its charm, with soft tannins, acidity and superripe fruit. With its (for Pomerol) high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine certainly has structure, but maybe misses on richness.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

One of the greatest wines of the vintage is, not surprisingly, from proprietor Denis Durantou. A remarkable effort in every sense, the 2006 l’Eglise Clinet is not far off the quality of the prodigious 2005. Its inky/ruby/purple color is accompanied by a powerful nose of mocha, caramelized red and black fruits, smoke, graphite, and truffle. Massive and rich with full-bodied power, excellent focus and definition, and moderately high tannin, this is an “outlier” for the vintage (as Malcolm Gladwell would say) with unbelievable length and richness. Unfortunately, patience will be essential as it needs a minimum of 5-6 years of cellaring. It will age effortlessly for three decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2006 L’Eglise-Clinet was picked 15 to 21 September and matured in 80% new oak. It has quite a deep color and a little more turbidity than other vintages. It offers brambly red fruit on the nose, secondary aromas of black tea and truffle, not as powerful as the 2009 but with fine precision. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly candied opening, more a playful l’Eglise-Clinet with finely chiseled tannins, moving towards more secondary notes of liquorice and a light marine note (seaweed?) towards the finish. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.Vinous Media | 95 VMNot quite up to the soaring standards of 2005, but still there is confidence, poise and stunning depth. Sit back and feel your palate slicing through the fruit, layer by layer, getting down to clean minerality and charcoal smokiness. Don’t waste this – give it further ageing in bottle and share it with friends who will be patient through what is not the easiest of approaches. Drinking Window 2016 - 2035Decanter | 95 DECViolet, black licorice and berry aromas follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a powerful finish. Layered and rich or the vintage. Needs time to develop. Best after 2014. 1,350 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Unquestionably the Pomerol of the vintage, the dense purple-colored 2007 l’Eglise-Clinet offers an astonishing display of rich, licorice and caramel-infused kirsch, black raspberry, and cassis fruit. Rich, full-bodied, and pure, with low acidity and ripe tannin, it is already offering delicious drinking, and should continue to do so for 15-20 years. Having just had the 1997, which is not as strong a wine as this 2007, that wine, from a very mediocre vintage, is still young. Kudos to proprietor Denis Durantou.Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2007 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked 20 to 24 September. It has a deep color for a 2007 with little signs of maturity on the rim. It is typical of this Pomerol cru to ignore the reputation of this growing season and manifest a convincing bouquet packed with redcurrant and cranberry fruit laced with tobacco and singed leather. The palate feels smooth and slightly candied on the entry with bright red and black fruit laced with tobacco and spice, a gradual crescendo towards a very precise finish that feels more open than coeval vintages at the moment. It is a l’Eglise-Clinet that is ready to drink but do not under-estimate how well this will age. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.Vinous Media | 92 VMShows gorgeous aromas of ripe blackberry, tobacco box and flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a milk chocolate, toasty oak and berry aftertaste. So attractive now. Wonderfully crafted for the vintage. Best after 2012. 1,575 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A 2,700-case blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc cropped at a low 27 hectoliters per hectare (compare that with 39 hectoliters per hectare in 2009 and 31 in 2010), this superb claret was aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Mulberry, spring flower, black cherry and raspberry characteristics as well as hints of spice and coffee emerge from this full-bodied, opulent, structured beauty. It should age effortlessly for 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPFleshy, but pure and elegant, with a gorgeous beam of raspberry ganache, plum sauce and cherry preserve laced with subtle graphite, spice and violet hints. The long finish is persistent, but with some admirable power in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2020. 2,700 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSChocolate and berry and rich with gorgeous nose. Plums and berries. Full and super soft with a lovely velvety texture. Loads going on. Builds on the palate with a lovely depth of fruit and balance. A beauty.James Suckling | 93 JSFull, deep red-ruby. Exotic aromas of dark berries, cocoa, underbrush and ink. Thick, broad and full, but with lively acidity giving a light touch to the rich, dense dark fruit, balsamic vinegar and chocolate flavors. Finishes long and oaky, with an opulent, high-alcohol mouthfeel, big tannins and a note of fresh herbs.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

A delicious Pomerol that manages to combine the richness the appellation is famous for with a lovely freshness and vitality. I love the elegant tannins that makes this turn ever drier as it flows over the palate. Plenty of life at the bright finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 94 JSThis is a noticeably grippier style, showing a chunky edge to the bittersweet cocoa and charcoal notes which support the core of dark fig and blackberry fruit. This has good, racy structure though, so it should settle down with cellaring. Best from 2014 through 2027. 4,580 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 93 WSStructured, but so rich, with the tannins enveloped by sweet plum fruits and excellent acidity. The wine is juicy, sweet and darkly rich. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis has some evident caramel on the palate, going long on silky, gourmet edging. Those brushed, rich Pomerol tannins are clearly in evidence too, along with dark cassis fruits that add a more sombre edge, emphasising a concentrated expression. Good quality, although lacking some finesse.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2009 Nenin is medium garnet colored and features notes of menthol, pencil lead and damp soil over a core of warm red and black currants, stewed plums and sautéed herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, restrained and refreshing in the mouth with a pleasantly chewy texture framing the red and black fruits, finishing with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2009 Nénin has a high-toned bouquet with cassis, liquorice and cough candy aromas, attractive in a way although, not enough Pomerol for my liking. The palate is medium-bodied with a very sweet core of fruit, cassis and blueberry, low in acidity with a sumptuous and rounded finish. I appreciate the smooth texture but, I have encountered plenty of other vintages of Nénin with more complexity. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMBased on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2009 Château Nenin is showing beautifully, with a touch of maturity in its ripe blackcurrant and smoky blackberry fruits as well as notes of dried tobacco, chocolate, crushed rock, and cedary aromas and flavors. With plenty of tannins, good concentration, and medium to full-bodied richness, it’s in the early stages of its drink window and will be even better with another 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

(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

Wow! This wine exceeded my enthusiastic barrel tasting notes. A big, back-strapping blockbuster from Gazin, in which the oak seems to be pushed into the background (thankfully), the wine offers up notes of caramelized black cherry and black currant fruit interwoven with mocha, white chocolate, subtle toast and hints of coffee beans and tobacco leaf. The exceptional aromatics are easily followed up by a full-bodied, powerful, broodingly backward, rich, intense wine with multiple dimensions, layers of fruit, and a sensational finish of close to a minute. This is one of the all-time great efforts from Gazin. It should be forgotten for 6-10 years and drunk over the following 30 to 40.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2010 Gazin has an astonishingly precise bouquet with real intensity and bravura, mainly black fruit laced with truffles and morels, becoming more ferrous with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, crisp acidity, a beguiling sense of symmetry and just a little gaminess towards the finish. What a wonderful Pomerol. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe kind of vintage that was always going to suit Gazin, and for certain there is plenty of the estate signature here - dark fruits, bitter chocolate, firm tannins and architectural angles. Excellent persistency, this stretches out through the palate. Impressive rather than loveable perhaps, but there is depth and concentration and it is just about starting to open up, underscoring as ever that Gazin is among the last of the Pomerols to reach its drinking window. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECA subtle red with ultra-fine tannins that accentuate a palate of chocolate, berries and nuts. Full and very round. It’s refined and beautiful. Hard not to drink now but wait at least five years. Top wine from Gazin.James Suckling | 95 JSDense, with a dark, smoldering feel as charcoal and coffee weave around a core of mulled fig, blackberry and boysenberry fruit. The long, muscular finish features singed iron and black tea notes for added range. Needs a little time, but should unfurl nicely. Best from 2015 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WSRich fruit currants and berries, intensely juicy, packed with dark very ripe fruit. A powerhouse of berries.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Spicy nose with nutmeg, cedar and sweet tobacco. Blueberries and some milk chocolate. Pure dark fruit on the palate with a wonderful texture and quite deep structure. Ripe polished tannins and a wonderfully focused long finish. Best ever from here. Drink from 2018.James Suckling | 95 JSWith its dark concentration of flavors, this is hugely dense, very ripe and juicy. There is a fruit salad of rich berries here, powerful, finished with some tough, dry tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe finest wine from this estate since their glorious 1982, the 2010 Petit Village possesses aromas of licorice, black cherries, cassis, truffles and oak. Powerful and deep with a corpulent texture, a silky mouthfeel and a wonderful lushness, it will be drinkable in 2-3 years and last for 15 or more.Robert Parker | 90-92 RPFleshy and enticing, offering creamy layers of crushed fig and plum laced with singed mesquite and incense notes. Delivers a flattering feel through the finish, with a linzer torte edge holding sway and embedded acidity providing propulsion. Drink now through 2025. — JMWine Spectator | 92 WSGood dark red. Warm, inviting aromas of raspberry, plum, smoked meat, mocha and tobacco, plus a suggestion of woodsmoke. Lush, seamless and rather full-blown, with just enough vinosity to give shape to the flavors of strawberry liqueur, tobacco and truffle. An herbal edge on the finish adds an element of complexity. This rather showy, silky wine can be enjoyed early but should evolve positively in bottle for a decade or more.Vinous Media | 90 VM

With a dense ruby/purple color is followed by a pure nose of mulberries, cherry liqueur and spring flowers, but no hint of oak, this full-bodied, opulent, rich beauty exhibits impressive purity, texture, richness and length. Not as structured or tannic as Trotanoy, it moves more in the direction of the opulence and flashy, showy fruit of Hosanna and Petrus. It should drink well for 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 95 RPA wine that has a lovely depth of fruit and balance for the vintage, with blackberry, licorice and dark-chocolate character. Full and very silky. Very impressive. What a wonderful wine for the vintage. Full of finesse. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2011 L’Eglise-Clinet was picked 12 to 15 September for the Merlot and 24 September for the Cabernet Franc. It has a harmonious bouquet that does not quite possess the vivacity and fruit intensity of the 2012. This is much more conservative in style but still very attractive with scents of mulberry, black truffle and light mushroom scents, perhaps ushering in secondary aromas quicker than the 2012. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, crisp acidity, a little spicier than the succeeding vintage but with fine salinity towards the finish. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.Vinous Media | 93 VMOffers a core of crushed plum, raspberry and boysenberry fruit, held together by anise, fruitcake and bergamot notes. A hint of rooibos tea courses through the finish. Delivers a gorgeous mouthfeel, without any of the vintage’s taut structure. Best from 2015 through 2028. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

(Château L'Évangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) A deep-coloured wine with real Pomerol ‘flesh’ and structure. This is a wine that grows in the glass, showing its class as it opens up; will probably benefit from two or three more years or early decanting. The property was replanting Cabernet Franc, so this is almost entirely Merlot. (Drink between 2025-2035)Decanter | 96 DECAn extremely polished L'Evangile with light chocolate, stone and cedar that turns to green olive with hints of sweet tobacco. Full body, tight center palate with polished and very tight grained tannins. So much energy here. Beautiful to taste but can't wait to see it in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JS(Château l’Évangile) Monsieur Vazart, Technical Director at Château l’Évangile, reported that the harvest was perfect at the estate this year, with the picking teams starting to harvest grapes on September 22nd and finishing up on October 9th, with the grapes brought in with lovely ripeness. The wine is a gorgeous example of 2012 l’Évangile, tipping the scales at a ripe, but absolutely effortless 14.4 percent alcohol (the same level as at Pétrus this year) that exudes purity and precision. It is a far more classic example than either 2009 or 2010 at this address and, without question, is one of the best wines of the vintage. The bouquet is a superb blend of black cherries, black raspberries, cigar smoke, dark chocolate, violets, soil and a deft framing of cedary new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and vibrant, with a fine core of fruit, velvety tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and classy finish. The 2012 Château l’Évangile is an absolute classic in the making. (Drink between 2023-2050).John Gilman | 94 JGThis dark ruby/plum Pomerol offers up sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, velvety tannin, medium to full body, and a nice lushness and silkiness. A beauty with great fragrance and suppleness, it’s not enormously endowed, as a great vintage would be, but it is certainly an outstanding wine and a brilliant effort from ’Evangile in 2012. Drink it over the next 15 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPA dense, dark, woodsy style, with loads of tobacco, charcoal and tar holding sway over steeped plum, black currant and Black Mission fig flavors. Shows a serious graphite bolt on the finish, along with a tug of dark earth. A rather powerful rendition of Pomerol that will need some time to stretch out fully. Best from 2018 through 2032. 3,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2012 Château l'Evangile has a little more exoticism on the nose compared to the 2012 La Fleur de Gay that preceded it: dark chocolate and camphor scents, coalescing nicely with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and acidity, sour cherries mixed with white pepper and a gentle grip with hints of leather towards the finish. I feel this has personality and Pomerol DNA, though it flirts with being overly exotic. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2012 Le Gay is beautifully seductive, powerful and layered from start to finish. A wine of crystalline precision and nuance, the 2012 literally sparkles with striking aromatic presence and fabulous overall balance. Lavender, slate, mint and crème de cassis are some of the many notes that blossom in a silky Pomerol that has it all. I imagine the 2012 will reward readers with many years of fine drinking.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGA polished, suave style, with alluring plum sauce, melted black licorice and fruitcake notes backed by a solidly built finish of plum skin and black tea. Shows ample stuffing.Wine Spectator | 92-95 WSThe 2012 from Le Gay sports an inky purple color as well as masculine, lifted notes of plums, violets, licorice and scorched earth. A big, rich, concentrated effort, it has impeccable purity, a firm, focused, structured core, notable acidity, and superb concentration, all suggesting it needs to be forgotten for 7-8 year. It should keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is a beautiful, dense, meaty, purple-colored wine, with loads of earth, iron, blackberry and cassis fruit. It is full-bodied, rich and opulent with great length, terrific purity and surprisingly sweeter tannin than I would expect from this terroir that tends to produce a masculine style of wine. Impressive and backward, this Le Gay should drink well for at least 20 years.Robert Parker | 94+ RPAn exemplary wine, this is powerful, rich and full of ripe red fruits. The palate is dark, but brightened by acidity, red fruits and a beautiful line of freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is dense and polished with refined tannins and beautiful fruit. Full-bodied yet reserved and elegant. Very long and attractive. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 92 JS

This has a darker sheen of fruits in the blackberry and blood-plum spectrum with sweetly spicy and earthy aromas and some violets to boot. The palate has quite a forthright tannin firmness. A very long, linear wine with a full body and a smooth, fresh, blueberry/plum finish. An impressive wine that rolls endlessly through the finish. This has plenty of ageing potential. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Certan de May is composed of 80% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc, displaying a medium garnet-purple color and nose of warm red cherries, mulberries, crushed red and black plums and raspberry leaves with nuances of wild thyme, dried roses, cloves and eucalypt. Medium to full-bodied and boasting great harmony in the mouth, the palate delivers loads of red and black fruit layers interspersed with floral and herb accents and framed by a firm, ripe, fine-grained backbone, finishing with wonderful length and freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2015 Certan de May is deep, powerful and imposing. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mint are some of the many notes that fill out the wine’s frame. Vertical in feel, with potent tannins, the 2015 needs time to fully come together. Even so, it does not appear to be an especially refined wine. The blend is 80% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGDepth, interest and a sense of reaching through the charm of the vintage to bring something with lasting power. Cassis, chocolate, spice and a flash of gunsmoke on the finish. This is getting ready to drink. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECWith its proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has an elegant profile, while the Merlot reflects the natural opulence of the vintage. Acidity, concentration and black fruits are all there, along with the tannin that will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPretty raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit aromas and flavors are infused liberally with accents of mulling spices, while velvety structure runs underneath. Black tea and cinnamon details infuse the finish, which has a slightly firm plum skin edge. Best from 2022 through 2032. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSFalling under the Moueix umbrella and based on 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Certan de May comes from a top terroir situation between La Fleur Petrus, Petrus, and Vieux Château Certan, certainly good neighbors to have. It’s a beauty offering medium to full-bodied terrific notes of black cherries, underbrush, spice and dried earth. With fine tannin, nicely integrated acidity, loads of character, and moderate tannin, it’s unquestionably an outstanding wine to drink over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2015 La Fleur de Gay is dark and sumptuous in the glass. Plum, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, new leather, incense and tobacco all meld together in this unctuous, flamboyant Pomerol. The tannins need time to soften, but there is plenty to look forward to. This is an especially ripe style, but it all works nicely.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGLots of delicious, smoky and ripe fruit character. Chocolate, too. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a decadent, rich finish. Gorgeous, young wine. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 La Fleur De Gay is another awesome Pomerol in the vintage and this appellation is near the top of the hierarchy in 2015. Made from 100% Merlot from the plateau of the appellation, this ripe, sexy effort offers lots of blackcurrant jam, smoked herb, plums and espresso aromatics, full-bodied richness, a beautiful opulence, and decadence, as well as notable purity and elegance. It will be better with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades. (Drink between 2018-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JSThis has a toasty, fleshy profile, with an alluring mocha note melded with a core of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry preserve flavors. A velvety swath of fruit runs through the finish. Best from 2019 through 2029. 667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A deeply intense and plush Pomerol with immaculately ripe fruit and tannins. So well executed with aromas of truffle, dark stones, coal smoke and intense dark plums and cocoa powder. The palate has an immaculate texture with very bright, velvety tannins, carrying rich dark plums. Plum pudding and Christmas cake to close. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Certan de May is a powerful, dense wine, just as it was en primeur. A blast of grilled herbs, leather, smoke, tobacco, licorice and dark-fleshed fruits makes a strong opening statement. Potent and strap in feel, Certan de May shows the more virile side of Pomerol. The profile is decidedly sepia-toned. Readers should plan on being patient with the 2016. It is a jewel of a wine that just needs bottle age to be at its best.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGGrilled rosemary, blackberry, and cassis flesh, this is full of character and just clings on. A ton of complexity at work here, subtle and juicy and really one to own. A little more open at this stage than some of the other 2016s in this extremely impressive line up but full of slate and chocolate pleasure. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECA blend of 65% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium garnet-purple colored 2016 Certan de May offers up notes of wild blueberries, black cherries and raspberry leaves with hints of black tea, roses and tar. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a wonderful quiet intensity of blue, red and black fruits plus a fine-grained backbone and superb freshness, delivery and very long, mineral-tinged finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPPoised and elegant, this wine comes from a 13.5-acre estate within stone-throwing distance of Pétrus. Its richness is sublimated by pure red-berry fruits and acidity to give a balanced wine with stylish tannins. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery inviting, with a creamy feel to the mix of damson plum, raspberry and black cherry preserve flavors backed by light anise and floral notes. Delivers a dusting of wood spice and floral hints through the finish. Drink now through 2031. 1,650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2016 Château Certain de May is a structured, firm, backward effort, yielding some herbal, cassis, and smoky, earthy aromas, medium body, good, not great concentration, and present tannins that emerge on the mid-palate and finish. Tight and backward, it’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and should keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JD

Tasted on four separate occasions, the 2016 Château Clinet is another brilliant wine from this estate. Showing slightly more freshness and purity than the 2015, its saturated purple color is followed by a thrilling array of crème de cassis, graphite, ground herbs, and a terrific sense of minerality. Deep, full-bodied, with building tannins, and a magical sense of purity and elegance paired with real density and depth, it needs short term cellaring and will keep for three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2016 Clinet is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged using the Oxoline system, in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels for 16 months. It has a deep garnet-purple color with cedar and smoked meats on the nose giving way to black and red plums and earthy notions with wafts of cassis and pencil shavings. The palate is medium to full-bodied, elegant, polished and vivacious with loads of red and black fruit layers and an earthy finish. Around 4,416 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is a wine that makes you want to slow down, take your time and let those flavours envelop you. It’s a little subdued right now, but the texture pulls you in and holds on tight. There is Cabernet in the DNA here and you feel it: a touch of austerity in the first breath, then an intense punch of dark, tight cassis fruits with a liquorice and dark chocolate finish. It’s taken on more flesh on the bones during ageing, with the aromatics blossoming through the glass and revealing floral, violet-stained edging and a silky smooth tannic frame. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DECBeautiful blue fruit and earth with hints of black truffle, this has a violet and fragrant edge, too. Really complex, youthful impression here. The palate has mouthwatering fruit flavor and terrific sense of fresh energy and cut on the finish. A blend of 90 per cent merlot and ten per cent cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Clinet has a gorgeous bouquet of copious red berry fruit mixed with truffle and undergrowth scents, all fresh and vibrant. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and, like the L’Evangile that preceded it at this blind tasting, displays noticeable acidity. However, it is more knitted together than that wine, and it fans out wonderfully on a long, spicy, quite firm finish that prompted me to score lower than I might have done, because it remains a very fine Pomerol in the making. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94+ VMWarm and fleshy in feel, showing dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry sauce flavors infused with mulling spice and black tea notes. Singed alder and tobacco hints flicker on the finish, adding texture. This delivers an encore of fruit detail on the finish too, with some sneaky length. Seductive. Best from 2021 through 2034. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Gazin features a beautifully perfumed nose of violets, Ceylon tea, cigar box, sandalwood and fallen leaves over a core of plum preserves, kirsch and blackberry preserves plus a waft of aniseed. Medium-bodied and elegant, with compelling restraint, it has a seductively plush texture, finishing with bags of poise, perfume and persistence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis sophisticated Pomerol slowly creeps up on you, then suddenly you’re in the deep end. The complex and delicate, floral and mangosteen aromas are married to a great tannin structure and nothing about this wine is a jot exaggerated. Long, mineral and spice finish with a weightless quality. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSA rich and elegant Gazin, cohesive yet still extremely young. You can taste the Cabernets coming through strongly, an elegant, stately expression of cassis with a silky texture and nice balance. The palate is intense and concentrated but with a real sense of lift. It’s always a wine that takes its time to show its colours as it’s a touch austere in its first five to eight years, but this is going to age beautifully. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2016 Gazin has developed into a super-refined wine. Silky tannins and floral aromatics add to an impression of total finesse. Blood orange, sweet red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal and mint are all finely knit in this gracious, subtle Pomerol. More importantly, the 2016 has grown into an absolutely striking wine that is even more expressive and complete than it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis is fresh in feel despite some frankly ripe cherry compote and plum pâte de fruit notes, with light floral and tea nuances imparting lift. Silky overall, with some sneaky grip at the very end adding length. Offers lovely, seductive fruit. Drink now through 2029. 7,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAlmost pure Merlot, this dense wine is rich and packed with black fruits. Its concentration and density are massive, with tannins that are almost velvet in character. Drink this wine from 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2016 Château Gazin is outstanding, but it’s firm, straight, and closed, and would certainly be better with more flesh and opulence. Vivid ruby/purple-colored, with notes of cassis and black raspberries as well as spring flowers, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, firm tannins, terrific purity, and a clean finish. The blend is 87% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Cabernet Franc. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

The 2016 Hosanna has a classy bouquet of delineated black fruit laced with cedar, tobacco and ferrous notes. The medium-bodied palate features supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and lovely spiciness toward the finish. There is impressive cohesion here and wonderful length, completing a seriously impressive Hosanna that appears to be improving in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMFrom a tiny 11-acre parcel of clay soils and a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Château Hosanna is a rocking success in the vintage. Boasting a deep ruby/purple color, notes of blackcurrants, iron, smoked earth, chocolate and subtle floral notes, a layered, full-bodied mouthfeel, and sweet, building tannins, it’s a seamless, elegant, yet still powerful Hosanna that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSuch a polished wine from the outset. This has a very deep thread of dark plums, black stones and dark cocoa powder, running from nose to palate. The finish is swathed in rich and plush tannins and delivers profound depth with unblemished fruit purity. Stunning Pomerol. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Hosanna is composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Medium garnet-purple colored, it comes spilling out of the glass with the most beautiful floral perfume of lilacs and lavender over a core of black and red cherries, black raspberries and cedar chest plus hints of tobacco and chocolate mint. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly styled with beautiful floral and cherry layers framed by velvety tannins, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPA richly dense wine with big tannins, this is exuberant and packed with impressive fruit from an 11-acre estate. It offers structure and density along with good acidity, giving a rich wine that has great potential. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WENicely rendered, with flashes of cocoa and juniper leading the way, followed by a dense core of black current, fig and blackberry preserve flavors. Dense finish, but delivers lovely polish and finesse at the same time. Best from 2022 through 2036. 850 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WSAnother estate within the Moueix portfolio, Hosanna is a tiny Pomerol estate which can often be overlooked. This is a very classy 2016, smooth, refined, long and elegant. A complete package with density on the palate, rich oaky notes, ripe blackcurrant and damson fruit and fresh acidity on the long, slightly earthy finish. A distinctive Pomerol which marries glossiness with a little rustic edge.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2016 La Fleur de Gay is a wine of real personality and class. Dark cherry jam, mocha, espresso, blood orange and rose petal give the 2016 an exotic quality that is hugely appealing, while beams of supporting tannin provide the framework. In the glass, the 2016 is rich, dense and remarkably vivid, all of which make it absolutely compelling. This is a fabulous showing.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe colour is still almost a primeur purple, rich, vibrant and violet-edged. The nose is youthful but majestic and full of promise, with smoky caramel, liquorice and dark chocolate. Gorgeous floral notes spiral out of the glass after five minutes. That the wine is full of inky depths, generous but withholding at the same time, showcases the ability of Pomerol to taste good young without sacrificing an ability to age. This is one of the great wines of Pomerol. 100% new oak. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 94 DECRipe and showy, showing a core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit flavors infused with black tea and anise notes, all backed by a well-integrated roasted apple wood spine. Offers solid drive through the finish, with a flash of smoldering charcoal detail adding intrigue. Wine Spectator | 93 WSWhere is that Peking duck? Ripe and rich with a solid structure, this is a serious and substantial Pomerol with a very satisfying balance of ripe and savory character, the tannins building nicely at the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Château La Fleur de Gay reveals a saturated purple color as well as a complex style in its notes of new saddle leather, lead pencil, graphite, tobacco leaf, and sweet red and black fruits. It’s a medium to full-bodied, sexy Pomerol that has moderate tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a plush, polished, elegant texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s a beautiful wine. Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years. (Drink between 2019-2039)Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Fleur de Gay has cedar, toast, cloves and cinnamon scents with a core of redcurrants, black cherries and stewed plums plus a waft of cigars. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy, finishing very oaky.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP