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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

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

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

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

(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

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

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

Incredibly aromatic and expressive nose full of ripe red fruits and floral scents. Smooth and sappy with bounds of energy and vibrancy. The red berry fruit feels really well worked, smooth and detailed, ripe but not too much so you get nuance and refinement to the overall impression. Succulent and just so tasty. Tannins are massy and chewy though also have a slightly chalky edge giving more texture and flavour detail. This 100% Merlot, made by the same team as Château Clinet in Pomerol with a collection of growers across Bordeaux, is incredibly delicious and joyful, a perfect time to drink yet feels as if it has more life left in it yet. A top buy!Decanter | 93 DECThe Merlot-dominated 2016 By Clinet (there’s 5% Cabernet Franc) is a charming, already delicious effort that gives up elegant notes of chocolate-laced plums and dark fruits, notes of leafy herbs and truffle, medium to full body, and a layered, charming mouthfeel. It’s a terrific Bordeaux to drink over the coming 7-8 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

Incredible purity of fruit here with blackberry, black olive, concrete, stone and violet in the nose. It’s full-bodied with a powerful palate of fruit that shows a wet-earth and black-truffle undertone. The tannins are intense and chewy, yet wonderfully polished and poised. Superb length in the finish. One built for long cellaring. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSOne of the blockbusters in the vintage is Denis Durantou’s 2018 Château L’Eglise Clinet, which is a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts an awesome, full-bodied, opulent personality as well as classic Pomerol notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, damp earth, chocolate, tobacco, and flowers. Rich, concentrated, and sexy, yet not over the top in any way, it expands on the palate, has sweet tannins, background oak, and a great, great finish. It already offers pleasure yet won’t hit prime time for another 7-8 years and is going to evolve for 25-30 years or more, and probably have a gradual decline after that.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 L’Eglise Clinet has a 3.63 pH and 14.5% alcohol. It was aged in 70% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with a stunning fragrant-earth perfume, accented by notions of wild mushrooms, mossy tree bark and crushed rocks, giving way to a core of black raspberries, plum preserves and fresh blueberries, plus wafts of lavender and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shimmers with energy, delivering slow-releasing black fruit and earthy layers, framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic tension. It finishes with epic length and subtlety. It is already so evocative and beautifully expressed at this youthful stage that is tempting to broach straight away, but give it another 5-6 years to really fan its feathers, and drink it over the next 40 or more years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 L’Eglise-Clinet is insanely beautiful and vivid, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage on the Right Bank. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2018 is rapturous from the very first taste. Inky dark red and purplish fruit, mocha, lavender, crushed rocks and rose petal are some of the many aromas and flavors that build through to the exceptionally long, vibrant finish. But L’Eglise-Clinet is so much more than that. It’s a Pomerol of tremendous distinction and class. Give it a few years in bottle and then enjoy over the next several decades.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGLush in feel, with boysenberry reduction and crushed plum flavors, carried by a polished, solid structure. A mineral hint filters through on the finish, adding length and cut. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Score rangeWine Spectator | 95-98 WSThis is plush, with touches of chocolate shavings, olive paste, clove, rosemary and sage right from the opening beats. Blackberry and raspberry layer up flavours that lift out of the glass, then the aromatics take over with soft smoke and grilled almonds. Seductive, a reminder of Durantou’s ability to tease layers and nuances out of even warm vintages. Austere on the finish, with chalky tannins at this stage - this is knitted down and will reward patience. Low temperature fermentation at around 22C. A yield of 45hl/ha. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 97 DEC

The 2020 La Conseillante is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. Seventy percent of the wine is being aged in new French oak barriques, 27% in second-fill barrels and 3% in amphorae. The alcohol came in at 14% and the pH is 3.64. Deep purple-black colored, it sails gracefully out of the glass with vivacious notes of black raspberries, kirsch and redcurrant jelly, leading to suggestions of ripe, juicy blackberries, violets, star anise and iron ore with a faint waft of dried mint. The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance, delivering a quiet intensity of pure, energetic red and black berry layers with gorgeous floral and mineral sparks, framed by perfectly ripe, finely pixilated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and the most breathtaking perfume. Simply mind-blowing.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe balance and energy to this is very impressive with blackberry, black-olive, tar and walnut character. It’s full, but very compact with superb tannin quality that is intense, yet so fine-grained, building layers on the palate. A subtle and structured young wine. It really goes on and on.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2020 Château La Conseillante is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc that saw the Merlot brought in between September 4 and 17 and the Cabernet Franc from the 21st to the 30th of September. Still resting in 70% new barrels, it’s a juicy, vibrant Pomerol in every sense and has a vivid purple color to go with a great nose of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, and violets. Showing the vintage’s rich, concentrated, yet also pure and straight style, this beauty is full-bodied, has flawless balance, and terrific tannins. It’s another gorgeous wine from Marielle Cazaux that will require a solid decade of bottle age, but it will see its 30th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThe 2020 La Conseillante is a supremely elegant, restrained wine that shows the continued move toward finesse here. Silky and gracious, it’s wonderfully classy from start to finish. Lavender, mint, spice and mocha complement the purplish berry fruit nicely, all framed by bright saline and mineral notes that lend energy. Today, the 2020 is quite reserved, with less opulence than some previous vintages. It’s the sort of wine that is shy in its youth and then explodes with years in bottle. Yields were just under 40 hectoliters per hectare, very much in line with years like 2016, for example. Harvest took place September 4–19 for the Merlot and 21–30 for the Franc, more or less in line with what has become the norm of late. As usual, the malos were done in steel. Aging is 70% new oak, 27% once-used barrels and 3% amphora. It’s a brilliant effort from Technical Director Marielle Cazaux and her team.Vinous Media | 94-97 VM(Château La Conseillante, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) There are some beautifully fragrant floral aromatics here with concentration through the mid palate and effortless balance. A little more width and opulence in the 2019 perhaps, but here you get precision and purity, and a feeling of 2010 levels of concentration. An elegant 2020, bright, confident, bursting with life. 70% new oak. A yield of 39hl/ha. 3.67pH. Gravel and clay soils, and to keep freshness they left crop cover on the old vines but on the young ploughed it into the soil so as not to have too much competition for the water. Lowered canopy also but kept shade and leaves around the bunches to protect from the sun. Picked early morning from 7am to noon, harvest of Merlot September 4 to 17, and the Cabernet Franc on September 21 and 30. (Drink between 2027-2043)Decanter | 96 DECThe wine is dense but the tannins are velvety. The combination gives a wine with obvious power and concentration wrapped in fruit that is perfumed, ripe and shot through with terrific acidity. In the end, those tannins will give the essential structure for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94-96 WE