Red Bordeaux Blend Wines

wines

Made in a more flamboyant, lifted style than the 2016, the 2015 Château Beychevelle offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, sexy yet elegant style as well as perfumed notes of black cherries, plums, incense, spices, and dried flowers. Given the sweetness in its tannins as well as its purity of fruit, it can be enjoyed today yet will keep for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis elegant estate, with its views down to the Gironde estuary, has produced an excellent 2015. It is properly firm with tannins although this structure is well balanced with the ripe, stylish black-currant fruits and acidity. A juicy finish bodes well for the future. Drink this generous wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2015 Beychevelle comes across as much more powerful and plush in bottle than it did as a barrel sample. The black cherry, smoke, leather, tobacco, spice and incense notes are all endowed with notable textural depth. Voluptuous but also quite tannic, the 2015 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Readers should expect a powerful, brooding Saint-Julien. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGPerfumed red with so much presence and brightness. Flowers, currants and blueberries. Some citrus. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Very fine and vivid. Better in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Beychevelle is a blend of 47% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot aged 18 months in barrel, 50% of which were new and 50% second fill. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it’s scented of smoked meats, scorched earth, garrigue and new leather with a core of cassis, cherry cordial and plum preserves. The medium-bodied palate is a little firm but delicate, with lovely vibrancy and a bit of grip on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLovely mulled plum and blackberry fruit glides along a cleanly embedded graphite edge, while violet and anise details skirt along the edges. The finish picks up a tasty ganache coating while keeping the energy up. Rock-solid. Best from 2022 through 2040. 20,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis really does expand outwards in the mouth, with an excellent quality of juicy black fruit on display. This has more potential than the 2014 vintage — contrary to many other wines in this part of the Médoc. 4% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2043.Decanter | 93 DEC

This wine is definitely softening and taking on shape in the bottle. The juiciness is starting to appear and you can see why this is the most easily approachable of the Mouton stable when young. Really enjoyable, delicately shaped but with the Pauillac signature of menthol and slate. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2025 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECBerries and smoke with some wet-earth and leather undertones. Medium to full body, round and velvety tannins and a juicy and delicious finish. Like the walnut and coffee undertone. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 93 JSComposed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2015 D’Armailhac displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and exuberant notions of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of black and red cherry preserves plus wild blueberries and a waft of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals mouth-filling, juicy black berry flavors with approachable, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA singed vanilla and alder frame keeps a medium-weight core of plum and black currant fruit coiled up while tobacco and violet details fill in. A pretty, fine-edged chalky spine holds the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031.Wine Spectator | 92 WSMade by the team at Mouton Rothschild, the 2015 Château D’Armailhac is a ripe, sexy 2015 that has plenty of power and depth in its cassis, lead pencil shaving, spice, and roasted herbs aromas and flavors. The 2015 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with roughly 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, nicely concentrated and should keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis wine is firm, almost classically Pauillac in its black currants and acidity. The tannins are present behind the bright fruit and crisp texture. This wine has a dry core that will need to soften. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2015 d’Armailhac has a precise, graphite-scented bouquet featuring black fruit laced with light rose petal aromas - discreet but engaging. The medium-bodied palate offers quite firm tannin framing dusky, dark black fruit laced with brown spices and sage. I am just seeking a little more brightness and verve on the finish, but otherwise, this is fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Plenty of menthol, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas in this elegant, medium-weight Haut-Médoc that’s got as much freshness as ripeness and a long, clean, mineral and herbal finish. An incredibly food-flexible wine! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSWell-integrated tannins give this wine a rich, velvet character that is underlined by the blackberry fruits. The aftertaste is dense, concentrated and rich. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Cantemerle has developed beautifully with élevage. Pliant, silky and exceptionally balanced, the 2016 has the pedigree and complexity to allow for a number of years of very fine drinking. Moreover, the 2016 delivers serious flavor intensity without being at all heavy. Smoke, iron and cedar add character to a Haut-Médoc that has a lot to offer.Vinous Media | 92 VMSweet fruit on the nose is joined by plum and touches of vanillin. It has a southern Médoc feel, with almost-jammy fruit and a gourmet, damson streak. Edgy tannins hold the appealing, generous fruit, and the acidity is pretty high, but that’s a signature of the vintage. A blend of the two Cabernets, Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in oak, 40% new. Eric Boissenot consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECStarts with a violet note but turns darker quickly, with dark currant and black cherry preserve flavors forming the core. Nice fresh tobacco and iron details carry the mouthwatering finish. Not big, but focused and tasty. Drink now through 2030. 33,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A well-constructed wine that is ripe with black fruits and integrated tannins, this is in a good place for aging. Black-currant fruitiness is balanced by a dry, smoky core that holds promise. Drink this wine from 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERich aromas of blackberries, dried currants, chocolate, walnuts and tile on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Polished and structured with a nice core of black fruit. Give it at least a couple of years of bottle age. Lovely balance to it. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSSome reduction on the first nose here. Really takes some time before the fruit starts to come out, showing nuanced layers of raspberry and chocolate, with a tiny touch of bitterness on the finish. There is clear power and depth here. Give it time in bottle. (Drink between 2026-2042)Decanter | 91 DEC

A youthful, unevolved 2018 with lots of up-front blue and black fruits as well as cedary herbs, violets, and scorched earth, the 2018 Château Gloria is medium to full-bodied and has a beautifully balanced, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and both richness and freshness. The purity of fruit is spot on. It’s another brilliant wine from this estate that readers will love. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and cruise for two decades in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA full-bodied red with a dense, juicy palate of blueberries and blackcurrants. Some black tea and tree bark, too. Tight yet long and linear finish. Very structured and polished. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine has all the structured intensity and ripe fruitiness of a Saint-Julien. At the same time, it displays a light touch with the black fruits and open texture, promising an attractive wine. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Gloria has turned out beautifully. Medium in body, with terrific balance and tons of class, Gloria will especially appeal to readers in search of a wine that is not super-exuberant, as so many 2018s are. Bright floral notes, blood orange and red berry fruit all run through this wonderfully expressive Saint-Julien. Give the tannins at least a few years to soften.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGFresh and energetic, with violet, licorice and cassis aromas and flavors spilling forth while bramble and graphite run underneath. Applewood streak gives the finish some spine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSGloria is fast becoming one of the most exciting insider wines of the entire Bordeaux region, and that rare species of a non-classified St-Julien. The fruit here is brambly, textured and autumnal, and again the alcohol seems generous but balanced, with plenty of St-Julien finesse. It has a feeling of not needing to go too far to convince anyone. This is some austerity here but there’s a bounce to the tannins through the mid-palate, while the alcohol is clearly there but not dominant, helped I would expect by relatively generous yields of 46hl/ha. Very good quality. 5% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Gloria is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged for approximately 14 months in oak barriques, 40% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant notes of kirsch, black raspberries and cassis, plus hints of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a good amount of juicy black and red fruit flavors, backed up by slightly chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing spicy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Coming from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Château Pape Clement from Bernard Magrez is a gorgeous wine that’s performing even better from bottle than barrel, which is always a good sign. Deep ruby/purple, with stunning crème de cassis and blackberry fruits as well as kaleidoscope-like notes of graphite, scorched earth, smoke, violets, and spring flowers, it offers full-bodied richness yet stays light on its feet, graceful, and almost ethereal on the palate, with integrated acidity and building yet seamless tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon really sings at this point, and there’s almost a Médoc-like regalness here. Reminding me of a slightly more elegant 2005 (it also has similarities to the 2016), it will benefit from 4-6 years in the cellar and keep for 30+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAromas of wild blackberries, blueberries, dried lavender, cloves and eucalyptus with gravel and cocoa butter. It’s full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Polished and creamy with a core of ripe fruit that evolves to herbs, spices and chocolate. Fantastic concentration and seamless integration. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Pape Clement is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 60% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out of the glass with vibrant notes of crushed black cherries, stewed black plums and black raspberries, followed by suggestions of violets, star anise, cardamom and camphor with a waft of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers exhilarating energy, offering crunchy black berry and exotic spice layers with a solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and mineral tinged. Still very primary, it will need a good 5 years in bottle to deliver that next-level experience and will drink over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2018 Pape Clément is such a beautiful and inviting wine. Silky, perfumed and layered, the 2018 shows the more restrained, vibrant style that has become the norm here in recent years. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice are front and center, while the oak - in the past so strong here - is really dialed back. The 2018 is going to be a fascinating wine to follow in the cellar over the next several decades. The purity of the flavors is just striking.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA warm mocha note drapes elegantly over a prodigious core of steeped red and black currant and blackberry fruit while waves of black tea, anise, fruitcake and applewood fill in on the finish. Structure is serious and well-imbedded. Really well put together. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlways high on the richness scale, this estate’s white wine is vibrant with white fruits and hints of apricots. It is structured with wood aging and a tight texture that shows that the wine needs to age. The wine will be ready to drink from 2023. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is excellent, as it was en primeur. Dense, dark fruits and deep cocoa pod. These are ripe fruits but they are balanced and it has an attractive mint leaf finish. A yield of 37hl/ha. Two-thirds new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2044.Decanter | 94 DEC

Rich aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate, tobacco and licorice. Oyster shell, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Polished, silky layers with a long finish. Gorgeous ripe and bright fruit in the center palate. Best in a long time. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is densely packed with ripe macerated fig, blackberry and plum fruit flavors supported by tar and bramble notes that meld steadily through the finish. Notes of applewood and anise flash throughout. For the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. 21,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSClear depth right off the first nose is evident, with swirling black cherry and blackberry fruits and grilled cedar. Caramel creaminess here also, with black chocolate edging. This is excellent-quality, with bristling tannins that are just at the beginning of their life. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThis balanced, stylish wine is full of a dark berry flavor and juicy acidity. The dry core of tannins is integrated and cushioned by the fruity nature. The wine is already showing its fine future.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Talbot is quite the powerhouse. Inky and deep, the 2018 possesses striking textural richness from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, licorice, cloves, new leather, menthol, violet and chocolate fill out the layers effortlessly in this decidedly flashy Saint-Julien. This is a terrific effort for Technical Director Jean-Michel Laporte in his first vintage at Talbot. It will be interesting to see where the château goes in future years. This is certainly an opulent, rich style.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGReleased in an all-black bottle celebrating 100 years in the Cordier family, the 2018 Château Talbot is a beautiful, classic Saint-Julien that leads with its pure cassis and currant fruit as well as notes of tobacco leaf, violets, chocolate, damp earth, and new leather. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, elegant 2018 with remarkable purity of fruit, a lively spine of acidity, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have quite the level of concentration I thought from barrel, but it’s nevertheless a beautiful wine that shines for its finesse and purity, and if it picks up weight in bottle, it will certainly merit an even higher rating. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 15-20+. The blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Talbot features notions of baked blackcurrants, stewed plums and bouquet garni with hints of tilled soil, tobacco leaf and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is softly textured with bags of juicy black fruits supported by chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP