Proprietary Blend Wines

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From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine’s vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual - well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn’t matter. Don’t miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGSeductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSOne of the wines of the vintage is the 2015 Château Canon which is 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. It offers a perfect example of the old saying “iron fist in a velvet glove” and boasts gorgeous notes of black cherries, framboise, spring flowers and exotic spices. All these lead to a full-bodied, ultra-pure, seamless 2015 that marries incredible richness and depth with a sense of purity, elegance, and weightlessness that needs to be tasted to believed. This multi-dimensional, seamless 2015 needs forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for three decades or more. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA plush, inviting style, with warmed fig and plum sauce notes taking the lead, picking up swaths of cocoa, tobacco and roasted alder along the way. Features plenty of pumping bass, but if you pay attention, there’s a laser of chalky minerality driving the finish. When the baby flesh drops away, this will sail in the cellar for some time. Best from 2022 through 2045. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis estate, now performing on top form, has produced a rich, dense wine. Swathes of black fruits underline the generous structure and intensity. At first taste, the tannins are soft but that turns out to be an illusion. The tannins are just richly cushioned within the beautiful fruit. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEComposed of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, the 2015 Canon is boldly fruited with blackberry preserves, black cherry compote, fruitcake, mocha and plum preserves with suggestions of Indian spices, licorice and black olives. Full-bodied and packed with ripe, rich dried berries and exotic spice layers, it has a firm, slightly chewy structure and just enough freshness (the pH is 3.78), finishing long and savory. Give it another 2-3 years of cellaring to soften its edges and allow its flavor spectrum to fully emerge, and drink it over the next 20 to 25+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous blackberry pastilles on a bed of warming mocha, a mouthfilling texture, bold tannins and a vibrant lift of acidity. (Drink between 2024-2041)Decanter | 94 DEC

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage. With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPMade with 45% Cabernet Franc, this great wine offers a beautiful, rich and perfumed character. It was an exceptional vintage for the estate, which incorporated fruit from parcels of the vineyard that would normally be used for the chateau’s second wine into this blend. It is packed with black-fruit flavors and broad tannins, with a background of juicy acidity and a firm structure. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEPhenomenal aromas of cherries, flowers, blackberries and sandalwood. Pure fruit. Full-bodied, dense and polished with incredible tannin quality like the finest, densest silk ball. In perfect proportions. Compact. Seamless and endless. Gorgeous to taste now but give it six or seven years to understand it better.James Suckling | 99 JSA lovely sanguine hint leads off, followed by racy, elegant juniper, tobacco, red currant and damson plum notes that move in unison. Broadens and deepens, adding notes of currant preserves, warm ganache and smoldering tobacco, with a swath of loamy structure. Yet even as the bass line increases in volume through the finish, this maintains purity and poise. Should deliver some stunning aromatics at peak, which will take awhile to achieve. Best from 2025 through 2045. 8,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSI continue to absolutely love the 2015 Chateau Cheval Blanc. It’s one of those powerful, sexy, yet also weightless and elegant wines that’s going to drink well all its life. Checking in as a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, it offers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors led by beautiful sweet fruits as well as incredible floral, spice, and graphite nuances. It’s full-bodied, with a rich, rounded, opulent texture, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. As with a lot of 2015s, it has the sweetness of fruit and ripe tannin that allows it to drink well today, but it’s going to be very long-lived and have 3-4 decades of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDLovely perfumed fruit on the palate, this has well integrated tannins that have a soft gentle mouth coating texture, with excellent juicy appeal straight away. Really quite herbal here, lots of mint and eucalyptus with tons of liquorice and some mint chocolate. Like the 2016, everything is so well balanced, just giving you hints of different elements. Here it is the cool blue fruit, liquorice and mint. So well executed, defined, precise and svelte. It is mouthfulling too though, you know this is a big wine with plenty of power and structure but so supple and agile. Excellent precision. Still super young and a bit shy, it’s not giving away all its secrets right now but you’d never guess this was from a warm, ripe vintage such is the freshness. Such class on show. (Drink between 2027-2050)Decanter | 97 DECTotally seamless in the glass, with no beginning and no end, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is simply extraordinary. It’s hard to describe the 2015, because all of its elements are so perfectly in place. Beautifully delineated aromatics make a strong opening statement. Vibrant and wonderfully nuanced on the palate, the wine exudes energy and vitality through to the persistent, silky finish. Many other 2015s speak with more assertiveness and volume, but Cheval Blanc is more understsated. In 2015, Cheval Blanc created quite a stir in announcing that a whopping 91% of their crop would be bottled as Grand Vin. There will be no Petit Cheval, while the rest of the wine was sold internally. Antonio Galloni | 96+ VM

One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis vintage was ideal for the rich style that this estate has made its own. This wine is full bodied and ripe with black-currant and dark berry fruits. The tannins fall into the cushioned wine with ease and richness. Of course, the wine should be aged, so wait until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBrambly and attractive ripe blackberries and red-plum aromas with some floral accents, too. The palate has a very plush, polished and regal shape as tannins frame up a core of ripe black fruit. Succulent, impressive finish. Best from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThis has an ample core of plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, underlined liberally with graphite and smoldering tobacco notes. Fleshy and focused, with ample grip through the juniper- and tar-accented finish. Well-built. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe inky colored 2015 Château Lynch-Bages is a seriously impressive Pauillac that’s up with the crème de la crème of the appellation in 2015. Notes of ripe blackcurrants, caramelized cherries, tobacco leaf and a kiss of lead pencil all emerge from this textbook Pauillac that has medium to full-bodied richness, notable concentration, and building structure. Made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 75% new barrels, it needs 5-7 years of cellaring and will be one of the longer-lived wines from the Médoc.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThis is powerful and deep with high but careful extraction and firm tannins. At this stage it feels so much younger and more closed than almost anything else I’ve tasted from this vintage in Pauillac. This is going for a firm, impressive impact and it manages it, but it lacks some generosity in the fruit character that it has in spades in 2016. 2% Petit Verdot. 75% new oak. One-third malolactic fermentation in vats, two-thirds in barrel. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lynch Bages offers up crushed black berries, black cherries and dried herbs with an earthy undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is firm and taut with lively fruit and a chewy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThis sumptuous, powerful wine has a great sense of structure and tannins. It is also overwhelmingly dense with black fruits and swathes of rich black currants. In this vintage, even more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual in the blend has given a ripe wine set for a far-distant future. Drink from 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Montrose opens with broody black fruits, menthol and anise notes with a core of cassis, blueberries and mulberries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with a good core of muscular fruit and a long, earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2015 Montrose has a very intense bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, iodine and violet scents that blossom in the glass, demonstrating more exuberance than (what transpired to be) the 2015 Meyney. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very well judged acidity, taut and linear with satisfying freshness and poise on the finish. Maybe this just has the edge over the Meyney. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMAnother wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Montrose is a certainly the wine of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. Notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and graphite/lead pencil notes all flow to a beautifully pure, elegant and multi-dimensional 2015 that has fine, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great finish. The 2015 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, all of which was brought up in 65% new oak. This isn’t a blockbuster yet is pure class all the way. It will be better in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, Red) An imposing wine which shows the excellence of the winemaking and terroir, but it’s not as deft or effortless as the 2016. Montrose is often austere in its youth, and the well-knitted black fruits wound with tight strands of liquorice are clearly capable of long ageing. There is something extremely special here, although the tannins are very much closed up right now. The smallest selection for the grand vin for 15 years. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 93 DECFleshy for the vintage, with good plum and dark currant fruit lined with ample tobacco, warm paving stone, bay leaf and alder notes on the slightly dusty finish. Not a charmer, but this is integrated and shows range and depth for the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035. Wine Spectator | 92 WS

An utterly perfect wine from Alain Vauthier, the 2015 Château Ausone offers off the hook notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice and dried flowers, with more floral and mineral characteristics developing with time in the glass. Amazingly deep, full-bodied, pure and ethereally textured, with building density and tannin, it’s one of those wines that need to be tasted to be believed. Unfortunately, the production is minuscule (and expensive). A wine that will make your heart rate jump, give it 4-5 years of cellaring and I suspect it will keep for as long as you’d like to hang on to bottles. It’s a tour de force in wine and the wine of the vintage in 2015.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis magnificent wine brings together the great fruit of the vintage in a complex structure. The acidity, ripe tannins and power of this dense wine are enormous, as is its aging potential. With that acidity and tannic structure, and with the perfumes from the Cabernet Franc, this wine will evolve slowly and with a measured pace. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEComposed of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot aged in French oak barrels, 85% new, for 20 months, the 2015 Ausone features a deep garnet-purple color and comes bounding out of the glass with expressive plum preserves, wild blueberries and cherry pie aromas plus fragrant nuances of roses, licorice, Indian spices, baker’s chocolate, new leather and cedar chest plus a touch of underbrush. Big, rich, opulent and full-bodied in the mouth, it is laden with bold blue and black fruits, superbly supported by very firm, very finely grained tannins and wonderfully seamless freshness, finishing with long-lingering exotic spice hints.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP(Château Ausone St.-Emilion, France) Very intense and aromatic Ausone with rose petals, fresh herbs, dark berries and raspberries. Full body and great intensity and brightness. Purity and focus reminiscent of crushed grapes. Such beauty, greatness and elegance to this wine. Goes on for minutes. Needs four or five years to come completely together but so long and beautiful. Try drinking in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Ausone has a detailed, precise bouquet whose intense, graphite-infused black fruit gains intensity with each swirl. This is very sophisticated and compelling. The poised, medium-bodied palate delivers filigreed tannin, perfect acidity and an extraordinarily persistent finish that outclasses almost everything around it. This is outstanding and surely represents one of the wines of the vintage. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VM(Château Ausone, St-Émilion, Red) 50% each Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Suave texture but so much power behind. Fine, fragrant nose of pure berry fruit then real density and depth on the palate. Layered fruit and tannins but finely etched. Clean, long and persistent.Decanter | 96 DEC

Super aromas of nutmeg, cloves and dried flowers with plums and blackberries. Subtle yet so complex. Full-bodied, tight and integrated with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Lasts for minutes. Very, very Cos. Harmony. Texturally marvellous. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSWhile this wine is rich, it has a classical demeanor, with fine tannins that support but never dominate the ripe black fruits. Full of juicy acidity, it offers black currants and some fine, firm tannins at the end. This will take some time to mature, and the wine will not be ready to drink before 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cos d’Estournel is muted at this very young stage. The nose offers fleeting glimpses at provocative cherry tart, chocolate mint, baked redcurrants, warm cassis and wild blueberry scents plus suggestions of lilacs, cinnamon stick and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate absolutely explodes with vibrant red and black fruit bursts and tons of exotic spice accents, framed by super ripe, super firm tannins and a lovely line of freshness, finishing very long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2015 Cos d’Estournel is a little recalcitrant and broody on the nose, like it always has been from bottle, unfolding gradually with enticing, quite intense blackberry, pencil box and subtle tobacco scents. The medium-bodied palate immediately impresses by its volume and depth, the new oak neatly embroidered with layers of tightly coiled tobacco and graphite infused fruit whose veins of earthiness betray its origins. Whilst it does not quite deliver the flair and untrammeled ambition of the 2016, this is a very impressive forerunner. Wise owls will afford it a decade bottle age before reaching for the corkscrew. Tasted at the Cos d’Estournel vertical in London.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGOpulent and generous, this is a sexy and confident Cos d’Estournel. After only one year in bottle this already has strong caramel notes. It’s more marked by the heat of summer than the 2014, displaying sweet, rich fruit. Although almost accessible today, I predict that it will close down over the next few years. It’s very good, so look to drink this in four to five years, and have no worries about it continuing for another decade after that. The wine suggests an evolution in how this château began approaching warm vintages after the 2009 vintage. (Drink between 2023-2042)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2015 Cos D’Estournel is a classic wine from this estate and a terrific effort from the northern Médoc. Compared to both 2007 and 2004 by the estate and representing only 39% of the total production, it offers a fresh, classy bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasty oak, graphite and damp earth. Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this medium to full-bodied 2015 has solid mid-palate depth, fine, polished tannin, and a great finish. It’s going to improve with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis has a gently steeped core of currant, plum and black cherry fruit, infused with black tea, singed juniper and smoldering tobacco notes. The vintage’s overt austerity is less evident here, with a gloss of alluring toast adding polish to the finish. A strong effort. Best from 2020 through 2032. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

What a gorgeous and supple young wine with ultra-fine tannins and vivid acidity. Medium to full body and direct and driven tannins. Shows such beauty. Better in 2020 but already beautiful.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Gloria is another Saint-Julien that has improved over the last 12 months. It has a bolder and more exuberant bouquet than some of its peers, featuring lush blackberry and blueberry fruit and revealing a touch of iodine and crushed violet with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and very pure fruit intensity (black cherries, bilberry and boysenberry), although it clams shut toward the finish. Slightly more modern in style than its peers, this should still age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMWell-steeped plum, fig and boysenberry fruit is richly layered, supported by embedded brambly grip and backed by waves of ganache and sweet tobacco on the finish. This has plenty of energy to carry it in the cellar while it rounds into form. Best from 2023 through 2038. 18,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 40% new oak, the 2015 Château Gloria is a beautiful Saint-Julien that’s well worth seeking out and drinking. Blackcurrants, damp earth, spicy oak and hints of leafy herbs all flow to an upfront, elegant, yet fruit forward 2015 that has sweet tannin and good freshness. It’s no doubt a charmer, yet will see its 20th birthday in fine form. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 Gloria, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, matured for 14 months in 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has an earthy/meaty nose with a core of black plums and blackberries plus touches of eucalypt and anise. The medium-bodied palate is just a little lean and chewy with an earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFine, fragrant nose and succulent fruit. It has a lovely texture, rounded tannins and fresh finish, with more finesse than in past years. Drinking Window: 2020 - 2028Decanter | 90 DEC

This rich wine is full of fruit and structured with layers of tannin. It’s also stylish and elegant, with a suave texture that is already attractive. Black fruits mix with the structure to give a wine that will age well. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Kirwan is positively stellar. Deep, fleshy and incredibly inviting, the 2015 will drink well right out of the gate. The balance of aromatics, fruit and structure is compelling. Plum, blackberry, chocolate, licorice and spice fill out the wine’s creamy, supple frame. Readers should expect bold, fleshy style.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2015 Château Kirwan showed beautifully and is just another data point pointing to Margaux being the star of the Médoc. It boasts a deep ruby/plum color as well as thrilling notes of black raspberries, toasted bread, Asian spices and lead pencil. With subtle background oak, a ripe, opulent texture, sweet tannin, and notable purity and elegance, give bottle 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy through 2035+.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA sleek wine with plenty of tannins, but they are already so well integrated that this has a very elegant personality. The long finish is rather mineral and very pure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSLeans toward the old-school side, with singed cedar and alder notes, perfumy black tea and mulled spice aromas and a core of gently steeped plum and black currant fruit, all carried by lightly dusty tannins through the finish. Balanced, charming and certain to age gracefully. Best from 2020 through 2032. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe nose has a frankness of expression, with cinnamon spice, cedar and an enjoyable, seductive swirl of ruby and blackberry fruits. Animated on the attack, it is full of pleasure and should be ready just a touch earlier than some others in the appellation - think eight rather than 10 to 12 years. There is complexity here, and a sense of freshness that runs through the structure. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Kirwan has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed red currants, black cherries and black plums with wafts of tilled soil, fallen leaves and bark. The medium-bodied mouth offers nice intensity with soft, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

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

This showcases just how well the Margaux (or Margaux-adjacent) area did in 2015. The finessed quality of the tannins stands out as a signature of the estate throughout the entire vertical, and is on display again here. As the wine opens there is a slow and unhurried peeling back of layers, with an unrolling of menthol and cassis-laced Cabernet aromatics (there is a full 70% in the blend this year, and it works extremely well). Excellent balance and grip with touches of violet aromatics. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECJust a hint currant bushl on the nose. This is loaded with healthy tannins on the palate that drive the long finish. Quite an uncompromising young wine that will be better from 2020, but the fundamental harmony is very convincing. Full and flavorful.James Suckling | 93 JSManaged by Caroline Frey (of Paul Jaboulet Aîné in the Rhône Valley), the 2015 Château La Lagune is an impressive, elegant, concentrated Haut Médoc that’s going to be even better with short-term cellaring. Cassis, toasty oak, Asian spices, and black tea notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, layered and lengthy Haut-Médoc. Count me in as a fan and it’s up with the top wines produced from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 La Lagune is terrific. Powerful and dense on the palate, with big, potent tannins, it will need at least a few years to fully come together. Hints of tobacco, cedar, licorice and smoke add shades of aromatic nuance. This is a fabulous effort. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSComposed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it’s drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2015 Les Forts de Latour is silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced from the very first taste. Crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange lend striking aromatic nuance. Ample and resonant in feel, yet with mid-weight structure, the 2015 is a total pleasure to taste today. All of the natural radiance of the warm year comes through in the wine’s generous, inviting personality. Drink it over the next 15 years or so.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it’s slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOn the nose you get a full array of floral aromatics, and a gorgeous exuberance. The gourmet edge that is never far away from the surface in the 2015 vintage is very much in play, along with touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness even at six years old. A smoked caramel note comes in on the end, as does a hit of mouthwatering salinity. It’s not as intense as Forts in vintages like 2010 or 2016 but it has an ease to it that is hugely appealing, and can be drunk from now and for at least another 15 years. 0.5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend (the last vintage to contain even a slice of this grape, as it has now been pulled up). 40% of overall production. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThere is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity after taste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery pure and focused, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors showing lovely freshness, while light graphite, singed black tea leaf and violet hints check in through the silky finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It’s one of the great wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDExpressive, ripe dark plums swathed in aromas of mocha, toasted baking spices, graphite, blackberries and mulberries. The flavor-soaked palate arrives on suave, velvety tannins, delivering flavors of vibrant, concentrated dark plums, mulberries, dark chocolate and cocoa in a youthful, fresh style. Terrific wine with ultra-long finish. An essay in power and elegance. Essence-like. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Troplong Mondot has come together beautifully over the last year and half. Rich and sumptuous to the core, it is a classic wine from this property, built on serious fruit density and textural richness. Dark red cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice are some of the many notes that build as the 2015 shows off its irrepressible personality. A viscerally exciting, resonant wine, it just needs a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGBlended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and full-throttle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIn keeping with the new style from this estate, this is a powerful, opulent wine. Its density, concentration and layers of dark fruits are all of a piece, held together by powerful tannins. Touches of black coffee and spice emphasize the richness of the fruit and the opulent aftertaste. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOffers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMellow aromas of cassis and blackberries infused with vanilla and coconut oak; generous and mouthfilling with a silky viscosity. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC

Vivid and bright fruits, such as plums and strawberries, on the nose. Full-bodied, very dense and complete on the palate. Has a beautiful ripe tannin structure and a flavorful finish. Impressive wine. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSMedium garnet-purple, the 2015 Ferran is scented of warm red plums, red currant jelly and mulberries with touches of garrigue, violets and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, very firm and very ripe with grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, it has loads of perfumed layers and a minerally finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPHighly extracted bilberry and cassis with silky if bristling tannins. Good potential, lovely sense of vibrancy and a coffee finish. 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. 33% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DEC

Checking in as 62% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc that was brought up in roughly 70% new oak, the 2015 Château Laroze is straight up gorgeous. Cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings and hints of tobacco all give way to a ripe, sexy, concentrated Saint-Emilion that has sweet, polished tannin, plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish. This beauty builds with time in the glass, is seamless, and just a sensational drink.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Laroze hits the ground running with vibrant, expressive red currants, black raspberries and warm plums scents with touches of violets, chocolate-covered cherries and lavender plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and elegantly styled with plush, come-hither tannins and plenty of youthful, exuberant red and black fruit layers, it finishes with bags of perfume and polish. Very classy!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPBalance and focus to this medium to full-bodied red with chocolate, plums and cedar undertones. Firm and polished tannins. Savory finish. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 92 JSAn attack of ripe berries, cherries and plums with underlying coffee notes; dense and structured with firm tannins. Drinking Window 2024 - 2037.Decanter | 90 DEC

Impressive ripe blackberry and darker plum fruits with notes of earth and warm stones. The palate has a supple, even-paced and fresh fruited heart of red cherry and plum fruits. Smooth tannins flow long. Try from 2021.James Suckling | 93 JS

A dusty and pretty wine with cigar-box, chocolate and plum character. Full body, round and polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs three or four years to come together. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Grand Pontet has a more opulent bouquet than some of its peers, although I found more control and definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with a sprinkle of dark chocolate on the entry, although here it does not occlude the terroir, and the fineness of the tannins can be seen underneath. It is a bold Saint Émilion, but it does not push everything too far.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP-NMLayers of bitter chocolate, coffee, pencil shavings and spicy dark fruit combine with fine grained tannins and a youthful freshness. (Drink between 2024-2036)Decanter | 90 DEC

Wow. This second wine shows such beautiful cedar, tobacco and berry character. Full-bodied, layered and juicy. Lots of gorgeous fruit and spice character. Long finish. Second wine of Calon-Segur. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThis finely perfumed wine has a percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend giving elegance as well as contrasting well with the ripe, jammy Merlot. This generously structured wine is smooth, juicy with red fruits and acidity. It will age well over the medium term. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2015 Calon Ségur Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is similar in style to the 2014 yet has slightly more oomph and hedonistic charm. Black cherries, damp earth, leafy herbs, and a hint of graphite all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, rounded, fleshy, pleasure-bent beauty that I’d be thrilled to drink any time over the coming decade or more. (Drink between 2018-2028)Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDBeautifully expressed fruit: ripe 57% Merlot with a lift from 10% Cabernet Franc. Wonderful purity and freshness and extremely elegant for St-Estèphe; a perfect second wine.Decanter | 91 DECThe 2015 Marquis de Calon has a gorgeous bouquet of ample blackberry and raspberry fruit, crushed limestone and hints of blue fruit that emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite edgy tannin. The acidity is very well judged and lends real tension. The finish, while it might not be the most complex, it is surfeited with energy. This is a delicious second wine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Very deep-set aromas of blackberries and red and dark plum fruits, set amid integrated oak spices, cedar and hints of earth. The palate has a super plush feel with intense flavors of blueberries and dark plums. Succulent tannins that are smooth, entrancing and very long. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JS93–95. Barrel Sample. Smooth and opulent, this is a densely tannic wine. Its dark fruits and dusty texture are backed by juicy acidity and a core of framing tannins. It will be powerful and rich with age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2015 Faugères is plush, deep and inviting. Succulent red cherry, plum, tobacco, cedar, licorice and new leather are some of the many nuances that take shape, and attractive floral notes add brightness and lift. This is a very pretty and alluring Saint-Émilion from Silvio Denz. The blend is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGBeautiful aromas and flavors of warm fig and boysenberry reduction lead off, with extra raspberry and cassis notes filling in behind them. Lush in feel, with the structure nicely embedded, letting extra licorice, fruitcake and singed mesquite details chime in. The finish ripples with fruit and fresh acidity. Best from 2023 through 2035. 7,917 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Faugeres is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in French oak, 50% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a nose of baked plums, warm cherries and black berries with touches of meat and fried spices. The full-bodied mouth is rich, opulent and spicy with firm, velvety tannins and lovely freshness lifting the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2015 Château Faugeres includes slightly less Merlot than the 2016 and is 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Like a lot of 2015s, it’s already open and approachable and offers lots of cassis and black cherry fruits, plenty of spice, herbs and earth nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and elegance, and present, yet sweet tannin, I suspect it will fill in with 2-3 years in the cellar and keep for 15+. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Blended of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Latour is exquisitely perfumed, displaying fragrant notes of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves, cassis and black plums with nuances of roses, dark chocolate, garrigue, menthol and a waft of sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate beautifully struts its taut, toned, muscular fruit with a frame of very firm, smooth, rounded tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with alluring earth and mineral layers. At once intellectual and sexy, this truly evocative vintage brings to mind the Melanie Griffith line from “Working Girl," possessing a sultry “head for business and a bod for sin."Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPReally gorgeous aromatics, so perfumed, acutely aromatic, pristine, clear and precise with tobacco, cocoa, ash and liquorice. Round, heady, a sexy wine, with a lot to say, generous and open, smooth and layered - this deepens straight away vertically. I love the juiciness, there’s clarity to the raspberry, blueberry and blackcurrant fruit, sleek and joyful but the texture is there with a wet stone and liquorice to the tannins that gives such grip and edge of power. Still youthful and quite serious but there’s something so appealing about it with a sexy character and complexity. Bright and sharp but also with sweetness from the ripe vintage and savoury notes of truffle, cocoa, dark chocolate giving contrast. Such enjoyable floral violet scents too that follow the wine from start to finish. Excellently controlled and delivered with supreme appeal. One you want to sit with and take your time over, and then gulp down! 69 IPT, 30% of production. Harvest 15 september to 10 October. Technical director Hélène Genin.Decanter | 98 DECAromas of iron, oyster shell, rust and stones with blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet ever so polished and refined. It rolls off the palate with fruit and salty flavors. Tight, focused and always refined. Pretty length. 97% cabernet sauvignon gives this brightness. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSSeriously structured and yet also so smooth, this wine has great concentration and powerful tannins. There is wonderful juiciness here as well as dense, dusty tannins that are never hard, always velvet. It is going to be a great wine when it is released in maybe 10 years time. The wine comes only from vineyards that are biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis packs some serious warm dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors together at the core, with charcoal, singed bay leaf, tobacco and roasted alder notes forming the foundation. Grippy for sure, but there’s already alluring perfume and violet elements weaving around here. This has put on some serious weight and dark fruit since the barrel tasting, but remains all tensile strength. It will be fun to watch this age. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2015 Latour has a sensual, richer and more exotic bouquet than its peers, featuring plush red fruit intermingling with raisin and fig, although there is no sur-maturité here; the wine is just crafted in a more opulent style for this First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. This feels very cohesive and focused, and more saline than its peers. Veins of brown spice and leather surface toward the complex, engaging finish. I would have liked a little more length, but otherwise this is very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants here with a delicate whiff of vanilla oak and extremely fine tannins that are almost perfectly integrated on the seductive and delicate palate, right through the almost literally breathtaking, super-long and very polished finish. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSTasted on two separate occasions, the 2016 Château Pape Clément never failed to impress, offering a huge, powerful, full-bodied personality as well as beautiful notes of cassis, graphite, high-class cigar tobacco, asphalt, and graphite. About as sexy as it gets in the vintage, with silky tannins and loads of fruit, it’s perfectly balanced and has a great finish. The 2016 is a blend of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all raised in 60% new barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBlended of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pape Clement has a deep garnet-purple color and quite a serious, earthy nose with truffles, tilled soil, underbrush and smoked meats over a cassis, baked plums and redcurrants core plus a touch of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy, the palate is built like a brick house, supporting muscular black fruit and earthy notions and finishing very long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2016 Pape Clément is fabulous. Racy and sumptuous in the glass, the 2016 captures the style that now characterizes Bernard Magrez’s wines from his estate in Pessac. Specifically, the 2016 is wonderfully deep in the glass, and yet retains terrific freshness as well. A rush of dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, grilled herb, leather and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its compelling, inviting personality. I would prefer to give the 2016 at least a few years in bottle to allow its full breadth of aromatics to develop. Even so, there is so much to like. Pliant, supple and super-expressive, Pape Clément is gorgeous in 2016. Tasted two time Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis takes a slightly different tack than many of its Pessac colleagues, relying less on bramble and tar and more on alluring toast, with mocha, anise, wood spice and black tea notes draped liberally over the core of sappy kirsch and cherry preserve flavors. Plush and suave through the finish, though this needs a bit of time for the wood elements to be fully integrated with the fruit. For fans of the flashier, cashmere-textured style. Best from 2023 through 2037. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 60ha of vineyards are situated on an ancient alluvial terrace topped by a thin layer of more recent Garonne gravel. The winery’s 28 wooden fermentation vats correspond to individual parcels, and the grand vin red (in 2016, equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) is aged for 18 months in 70% new oak barrels. Andy Howard MW: Intriguing wine with an extra layer of aromatics. Floral, leafy, a touch herbal. Great purity allied with fresh acidity and integrated oak. A very fine Pessac. Robert Mathias: A brooding nose, coffee, cedar and dried tobacco. Broad structure with black cherry fruit. Tannins very fine, some warmth on the finish. Tim Triptree MW: Hedonistic aromatics of ripe black cherry, plum and blackberry, complex notes of smoke and cedar, leather, dried meats, tobacco and cinnamon spice. Opulent, ripe, great balance and length. Harmonious, ageworthy Pessac. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 96 DECThis rich, warm wine offers tannins cushioned within layers of black fruits. It is dense with structure and fruit while also having the freshness and acidity typical of this vintage. The wine will age for several years, becoming richer and more opulent. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines of the vintage, the 2016 Château Montrose is a monument in the making. Checking in as a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new French oak (the balance was in once-used barrels) and representing a tiny 36% of the production, this deep purple-colored 2016 possesses powerful, incredibly classic Saint-Estephe notes of creme de cassis, graphite, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and burning embers. With a powerful, full-bodied style on the palate, a huge mid-palate, lots of underlying structure and tannic grip, and perfect balance, this magical wine will need upwards of a decade or cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Montrose is a little youthfully shy to begin, but with coaxing, it unfurls to reveal the most beguiling scents of wilted roses, oolong tea, crushed rocks, wild sage, star anise and candied violets over a wonderfully pristine, well-defined core of crushed blackcurrants, black raspberries and kirsch plus wafts of pencil lead and wood smoke. The taut, muscular, medium to full-bodied palate straddles jaw-dropping intensity and finesse superbly, featuring a solid backbone of ripe tannins and giving a firm frame right through the incredibly long, exquisitely nuanced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2016 Montrose is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel, maybe more. Tightly wound and vertical, with remarkable intensity, the 2016 is simply magnificent. The tannins are there, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. All the elements are impeccably balanced in a wine of pedigree, depth and character. The 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, but it is clearly a very special wine in the making. In a word: dazzling.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGNow owned by the Bouygues family and managed by Hervé Berland, formerly at Mouton Rothschild, Montrose is one of the finest classed growths. Structured, long-living, this needs time to settle and open up but will be stunning. Pure dark currant and berry fruit, mineral and menthol notes, glossy oak and tannins and a lingering finish suggest this may be the finest Montrose since 1990. (Drink between 2025-2050)Decanter | 98 DECThe floral and fresh aromas to this are mesmerizing. Roses and lilacs galore. The pure cab aromas coming from the glass – blackcurrants and blackberries – are so memorable. Full-bodied, deep and profound. The ultra-fine tannins on the palate are so polished and fine-grained. The finish goes on for minutes with subtle yet superb fruit. It’s all about precision and form here. A modern classic for Montrose. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSWhile this wine’s tannins are powerful. they are buried in a surprisingly soft texture of rich black fruits. With both structure and ripe blackberry flavors, the wine is already balanced. A juicy aftertaste lifts the tannins, pushing the wine into greatness. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEVery pure, with lilac, violet, cassis, bitter cherry and damson plum notes streaming through in lockstep right from the start. A fine chalky underpinning gives the finish a sleek and racy edge. A beautifully precise wine, with a lot in reserve, that could benefit from a little added weight in the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Rock ’em, sock ’em St.-Julien, with mouthcoating ganache and tar notes backed by commensurate cassis, blueberry paste and blackberry reduction flavors. The long finish rumbles through, with buried brambly grip providing the support for the dense fruit and toast to meld. Best from 2025 through 2040. 29,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2016 Talbot is aromatically quite expressive, but less available on the palate, where it is quite closed down. Time in the glass brings out a host of sweet tobacco, smoke, leather, cedar, mint, licorice and red-toned fruit. In two tastings, Talbot gave the impression it is going to need at least a few years to fully come into its own. Even so there is plenty to look forward to once the tannins start to melt away a bit. Consultants Stéphane Derenoncourt and Julien Lavenu have done quite a bit to raise the bar here, but I get a sense more is possible. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThis is already a beautiful St.-Julien that’s ripe and elegant with not a jot too much oak or tannin, but a very fresh and lively finish that keeps on going. However, there are some serious reserves in this wine that need time to be released. Already very harmonious, but better from 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSBrought up in 50% new oak, the 2016 Château Talbot is a winner and certainly over-delivers. Powerful notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil, and leafy herbs all give way to a silky, seamless Saint-Julien that has remarkable purity of fruit and building, fine tannins. It’s the texture as well as the purity that set this apart, and readers looking for a great value should purchase a case of this beauty.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThere’s a strong team in place at Talbot, with Jean-Michel Laporte (formerly of La Conseillante) as technical director and Stéphane Derenoncourt as consultant. This has a perfumed elegance on the nose, with spicy blackcurrant aromas. Suave and very concentrated, it shows ample ripe tannins and a discreet oaky structure. Its length should guarantee a good future too. Drinking Window 2022 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECThe smooth texture of this wine is deceptive. Behind its ripe black fruits and acidity, the wine has a strong sense of structure to give shape and potential to the freshness and fruit. The wine will age, not perhaps for the really long term but certainly it is worth waiting until 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Talbot is medium garnet-purple colored and opens with pretty floral notes of roses and lavender with a core of cassis, blackberry preserves and kirsch plus wafts of cigar box and spearmint. Medium-bodied with a lovely intensity of black and red fruit flavors, it has a ripe, grainy texture and compelling freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2016 Pavie a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal a fragrant perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blueberries and eucalyptus over a core of preserved plums, kirsch, black raspberries and crème de cassis plus hints of licorice and chargrilled meat. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid foundation of firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness interknit with the black fruit preserves and minerally layers, finishing very long and very decadent. Superb!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPSpectacular aromas of crushed berries, such as blueberries and raspberries. Fresh flowers with hints of sandalwood. Exotic. Saturated palate of so much fruit, yet remains agile and energetic. Great length and texture. Fills your mouth. This needs time, but a classic. Twin brother of the perfect 2015.James Suckling | 100 JSTurning the dial up considerably, the 2016 Château Pavie leaps out of the glass with a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasty oak, graphite, white truffle, crayons, and flowers. A blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 85% new French oak (the new oak has been dialed back in recent vintages), this full-bodied Pavie is made in a more elegant, seamless style compared to prior great vintages, yet it still has brilliant depth of fruit and concentration, ripe, present tannins, a seamless texture, and an awesome finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2016 Pavie is simply magnificent. Gracious, perfumed and exquisitely beautiful, the 2016 has it all. I can’t remember seeing a Pavie with this much translucent energy and nuance. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol all infuse this explosive, young wine with tremendous character. In the glass, the 2016 is vivid, aromatically deep and full of saline-infused energy. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. As it turns out Gerard Perse also opened the 2008. Although the two vintages (2016 and 2008) in question are quite different in style and quality, the trajectory Pavie has taken in recent years is evident. The 2016 is a thrilling wine. That’s all there is to it. The blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGThis is a rather showy—and captivating—display of fruit, with waves of lush cassis, raspberry and plum reduction flavors flowing through with authority and grace while a swath of chalky minerality stays deeply buried throughout. Toasty, glistening with vanilla and apple wood notes, but the fruit has the oak bridle easily in hand. One of the Right Bank showstoppers of the vintage. Best from 2024 through 2040. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis release underlines this estate’s change in style towards more elegant wines. While concentrated, the wine has stylish layers of black-plum fruit, beautiful acidity and freshness. Black-chocolate flavors are fully integrated into the rich tannins. This will develop into a great wine. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe nose is unsurprisingly reticent, with smoky black fruits lurking. Very rich and dense, but the 22% Cabernet Franc seems to have given greater lift and intensity than usual. Fresher than 2015, but shows similar concentration, with precision, drive and length. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 93 DEC

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis wine is impressive both from its structure and its fruit, one of the stars of the vintage in Saint-Émilion. It has great weight, concentration as well as style and aging potential. The ripe fruit shines through the structure, promising an elegant maturity. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2016 Canon has the unenviable task of following the astonishing 2015, and it does a damn good job, even if it doesn’t reach the same ethereal heights. There is a pleasing strictness and poise on the nose; this is less immediate than the 2015, yet intellectual, a Canon that expresses its terroir rather than tons of fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a smooth texture and a slightly savory but persistent finish, which feels a little plusher than the 2015, implying that this might drink a little earlier. But there is unquestionably immense breeding locked into this rejuvenated Saint-Émilion, which is now firmly ensconced among the top-flight Right Banks.Vinous Media | 97 VMLike Rauzan-Segla, Canon is owned by Chanel with 2016 being the second great vintage for winemaker Nicolas Audebert. After the top-scoring 2015, 2016 is a more restrained wine which demonstrates elegance rather than power. Dark berry and cherry fruit dominate the palate, with pronounced, leafy red-fruit/violets and roses on the nose. Fine-grained tannins, some smokiness from 70% new oak, this is another glorious St-Emilion with a long future ahead. (Drink between 2023-2045)Decanter | 97 DECComplex aromas of blackberries, iodine, oyster shell and wet earth. Ever so perfumed. Full-bodied, yet reserved and tight with very silky tannins that are energized and minerally. Takes off at the end. The freshness lifts it. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Château Canon is another beautiful wine from this estate, made in a more streamlined, elegant style compared to the richer, sexier 2015. Checking in as a blend of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc all from a magical terroir situated on the upper plateau just outside of the village of Saint-Emilion, it saw a small percentage of the blend go through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the wine spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, with the balance in once-used. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, white truffle, and crushed rock nuances all come soaring from the glass and it has notable intensity as well as complexity. Medium to full-bodied, with vibrant acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a straight, silky texture, I don’t think it matches the 2015 on concentration, but it’s perfectly balanced and has a texture to die for. It needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age (or more) and it’s going to be long-lived. Tasted three times.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis delivers a pretty serious ball of fruit, with a mix of raspberry, blueberry and black currant flavors providing range, while sweet tobacco notes and chalky minerality impart texture and detail. There’s a fresh savory echo on the finish. Much less reliant on toast than most of its peers. Best from 2022 through 2037. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

An enticing nose oscillating between pure black fruit and fine spices that becomes more floral in character after airing and refreshed by minty notes. This is a wine of remarkable finesse thanks to the harmonious proportions of its tannic and acidic architecture that shapes its juicy substance. This is a vintage marking a change of style towards more precision and purity, as well as finesse, without losing the essential aging capacity that should impart even more delicacy to this outstanding wine. (Drink between 2030-2060)Decanter | 100 DECSuperb aromas of crushed berries, violets and sandalwood with hints of cedar and roses. Full body, very fine tannins and savory, delicious fruit. Vibrant acidity combines beautifully with the fruit and structure. Harmonious and attractive. Fine-toned. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Calon Ségur is dense and radiant on the palate, just as it was from barrel. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 is distinguished by its sense of freshness, lift and nuance, much of which comes from the 18% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Sweet floral, spice and minty notes add aromatic intensity to a core of sweet red cherry and plum fruit. There is plenty of underlying structure, but the tannins are sweet, silky and perfectly ripe. In short, the 2016 Calon Ségur is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Technical Director Vincent Millet and his team did a tremendous job with the 2016. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA monumental wine in the making, the 2016 Château Calon-Ségur is blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that spent a full 20 months in all new French oak. It offers an incredibly powerful, concentrated, classic style in its crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. These give way to an inky, full-bodied 2016 that has perfectly integrated acidity and tannins, subtle background oak, thrilling depth and purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. My money is on it being the greatest wine ever made at this address. Although it shines even today on its purity and balance, it needs 5-7 years of bottle age to hit prime time and will keep for three to four decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2016 Calon-Ségur is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little closed to begin, slowly revealing warm red and black currants, kirsch and plum preserves with wafts of fragrant earth, violets, chocolate box and wood smoke. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly expressed and finely crafted, it has a wonderfully fine-grained texture and bold freshness supporting the densely packed black fruits, finishing long and mineral-laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis sports a big, juicy core of delicious dark plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors streaked with violet, bay and tobacco notes that add energy. Loam and charcoal accents add the bass line on the finish, where the fruit really kicks into second gear. A no-brainer for the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2040. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFine perfumes from the 18% Cabernet Franc in the blend are balanced by the firm, dark tannins of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has weight and richness as well as a bold, dark structure. It is going to take its time and this powerful wine will not be ready before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE