Red Wines

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A serious, brooding nose, darkly seductive with touches of sweet oak and black berries. Alive and fruit forward on the palate but also quite linear and direct. The instant generosity of fruit flavours is really appealing, the mouth is filled with bright summer berry touches and the tannins are ample and supple coating the tongue yet this still has an aerial quality. Feels suave and charming - well worked with lots of precise details with such a minty fresh finish. Excellent ageing potential. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECA combination of floral and earthy character here, with aromas of ripe dark and blue fruit and hints of licorice, nut shell and wet earth. Cigar box, too. Medium-bodied, chewy and lingering with bright, vibrant fruit. It has a firm, savory finish with hints of crushed stones. Very typical and true to its terroir. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThis powerful wine with layers of new wood and dense black fruits is setting out for serious aging. It comes from one of the largest estates in Pomerol, less well known than it should be. Drink this wine that has great potential from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2019 De Sales has a deep garnet-purple color, rolling effortlessly out of the glass with impressively intense baked cherries, plum preserves and fruitcake scents with nuances of potpourri, licorice, chocolate box and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of ripe, seductive black fruit preserves, framed by rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPA stylish, understated wine, featuring gentle cherry, raspberry, incense and savory notes that glide through easily, with the savory note lingering on the silky finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 10,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 90 WSA classic, fresher, elegant Pomerol from the vintage, the 2019 Château De Sales has a ruby hue as well as a pretty nose of red, black, and blue fruits intermixed with sappy herbs, flowers, and cedar pencil. Medium-bodied, elegant, very pretty, and lightly textured, I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance, although I’d like to have seen a touch more richness and depth. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2019 Château de Sales offers raspberry ripple and crushed strawberry on the pretty, if slightly straightforward nose. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins and moderate depth. I would like to see more grip and complexity on the finish. A second bottle direct from the château showed a little more depth.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

The 2019 Domaine de Chevalier is a magical wine in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild plums, crushed blackcurrants and violets mingled with hints of pencil shavings, subtle spices and coniferous forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a vibrant core of fruit, beautifully refined tannins and lively acids, it’s exquisitely elegant and harmonious, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. Stylistically, this wine exhibits a much closer affinity with the great Domaine de Chevalier of yesteryear than much of what was produced here in the early 2000s. It’s a masterclass in what contemporary Bordeaux can deliver, and worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Domaine de Chevalier is pure, silky and exceptionally beautiful. The 2019 is all in reserve today. Sweet red berry fruit, mint, spice and blood orange lend brilliance to this understated, super-classy Pessac-Léognan red. Lifted floral aromatics and silky tannins grace this exquisite, wonderfully polished wine. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGI loved the 2019 Domaine De Chevalier, which is unquestionably up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that saw just 35% new oak, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a killer, quintessential Graves bouquet of darker black fruits, scorched earth, truffle, cold fireplace, tobacco, and graphite. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has brilliant purity, ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. It’s not a blockbuster but has this incredible sense of class, balance, and finesse while being rich and concentrated. It’s a gorgeous wine, and wine lovers will adore being able to compare this side by side with the 2015, 2016, and 2018 over the coming 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBeautiful, ripe redcurrants, bay leaf, violets and raspberries on the nose. Full-bodied with firm and very tight tannins that are polished and layered. Crushed stones highlight the beautiful blue fruit. Poised and refined. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JS The latest release of this legendary white wine comes from a mere 17 acres of the 165-acre vineyard. Wood aged and rich in ripe Sauvignon Blanc, the wine bursts with energy and white fruits, touched by spice and with a long aging ahead of it. Drink this wine from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEHerbal notes on the notes, some herbaceous and inviting fruitiness. I just love the pure expression here, the focus is definitely on delicious crunchy fruit, it’s forward and expressive, shining quite brightly with the undercurrent of acidity, minty freshness and some chalky minerality. This feels like precise winemaking, good sculpting and confidence here, it’s not trying to show off and instead exudes charm and elegance. Structured and layered with great freshness and charm. It has a gorgeous juicy quality which keeps things lively and refreshing while you know there’s depth and power underneath. Will be excellent to age. An absolute crowd pleaser. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 96 DECVery lush and forward, with a lovely wave of warmed plum reduction, cassis and blackberry preserve flavors. Features a subtle rumble of dark earth and warm stone through the finish, where licorice and apple wood accents also peek in. Delivers spine for form, but this is going to provide its best showing in the medium-term, as the fruit is so precocious. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 10,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A serious, rich and dark nose filled with tobacco and black chocolate. Great clarity and punch on the palate though, a real lively kick from start to finish with a deep core on the mid palate. This has structure and good density, feels more heady and seductive, the fruit with a soft sweetness and floral touch and then a menthol-liquorice finish but super clean with such minerality. A great feeling at the end. Elegant and expressive. You could drink now but this has some chewy aspects still so needs a little more time to soften. Lovely. 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. (Drink between 2023-2035)Decanter | 94 DECBeautiful purity of fruit here with currant and berry aromas, as well as fresh roses and other flowers. Citrus peel as well. Full-bodied with creamy and lightly velvety tannins that are long and beautiful. Hints of citrus to the lovely fruit. Textured and polished. A blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 6% petit verdot. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 du Tertre opens in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis and plums mingled with undergrowth, cedarwood, violets and subtle hints of cigar wrapper. Medium-bodied, bright and integrated, with a nicely concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and fine, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish, it delivers a certain generosity of fruit in a fine-boned package. Even if this numbers among the more powerful du Tertre vintages of recent years, it remains a wine defined by elegance more than impact.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 du Tertre is powerful and virile, just as it was en primeur. Black cherry, graphite, smoke, tobacco, licorice, incense and crushed rocks lend notable complexity to this decidedly brooding, potent Margaux. I have always wondered if du Tertre, which is always a bit monolithic, can be more. The château is under new ownership, so perhaps we will find out.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe Grand Vin 2019 Château Du Tertre checks in as 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This beautiful Margaux offers awesome notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, sandalwood, spice, and a touch of bouquet garni. With medium to full-bodied richness, polished tannins, and a great finish, it’s certainly the finest wine I’ve tasted from this domaine. It’s going to evolve nicely over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94+ JDOffers incense and black tea notes that give this aromatic intrigue, while roasted plum and cherry compote flavors provide the bulk of the experience. Delivers a swath of warm humus on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. 8,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Echo De Lynch-Bages is the second wine of Château Lynch-Bages and it’s beautifully done, with a more floral, perfumed, pretty style compared to the Grand Vin, yet it still brings plenty of structure. Red and black currants, sappy flowers, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth all define the bouquet, and it’s medium-bodied, has integrated acidity, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. It’s beautifully balanced and already accessible, yet will nevertheless benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe second wine of Lynch-Bages shows all the power of this estate. The difference lies in the tannins and the ripe flavors of the wine. It has power without the tannins that demand long-term aging. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WELifted floral aromas, smells pretty and inviting, with a sweet note to the black fruit. Tannins are a little present, they’re not dry or austere, more on the smooth and chalky side but are just covering the fruit right now, although the blackcurrant and plum notes come back through. Chewy, ripe, fresh. This is lovely if just a bit shy at the moment. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Echo de Lynch-Bages, matured in one-year-old barrels for 12 months, has a crisp blackberry, briar and cedar bouquet with touches of mint, quite vibrant and lively. The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins and mulberry and black plum flavors intermingling with black truffle and white pepper. Maybe just a little abrupt on the finish at the moment, but that will fill out in time.Vinous Media | 90 VMJuicy, featuring racy-edged plum and black currant fruit flavors that show nice purity, with lively anise and apple wood accents filtering in through the finish, where a subtle note of charcoal chimes. Modest in scale but nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Faugères is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from Silvio Denz’s Saint-Émilion estate. Silky, aromatic and super-expressive, Faugères is absolutely exquisite. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, dried flowers and cinnamon are some of the many nuances that open in the glass. There is plenty of the textural richness readers have come to expect over the years, but the 2019 is less over the top than some previous vintages. And that’s a good thing.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGA full-bodied red with fine tannins and plenty of plum, milk-chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s creamy and attractively textured. Rather flamboyant for the vintage. Generous and formed. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSBroad and extracted in feel, this pushes dark fig, black currant and bitter plum paste flavors to the fore, along with notes of espresso crema, alder and vanilla. Stays rich yet focused through the finish, leaving a lightly toothy echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2037. 10,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSI always love this wine, and the 2019 Château Faugères is no exception. A big, pleasure-bent beauty, it’s loaded with darker, chocolaty fruit as well as leafy herbs and some classic Saint-Emilion chalkiness and rocky mineral notes. More spice, tobacco, and leather notes emerge with time in the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a plush, sexy, rounded texture, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful Saint-Emilion to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDLovely perfumed cherries on the nose, so aromatic and pleasing. This is upfront and juicy straight from the get go, with real purity of juice, crystal clean and bright. Tannins are fine and firm, supportive, but it’s the red cherries and strawberries taking centre stage while the oak edges and cinnamon spice come in after a minute or so alongside some dark chocolate notes adding structure and complexity. Perhaps needs a little longer to meld together a bit more but this is lively and fun. (Drink between 2025-2036)Decanter | 93 DEC

Jeremy Chasseuil continues to make a brilliant, ripe, incredibly sexy Pomerol that always seems to put a smile on my face. His 2019 Château Feytit-Clinet is inky-hued and has a blockbuster nose of ripe black fruits, damp earth, chocolate, and tobacco. This all carries to a full-bodied Pomerol with background oak, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. I wish there were more wines like this in the vintage. It offers pleasure today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for over two decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRich and layered red with black olive and walnut on the nose, as well as blackberry. Full-bodied and powerful with superb depth and richness. Walnut and chocolate, too. Opulent, yet fresh. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Feytit-Clinet is superb. In most vintages, Feytit-Clinet is one of the more intense and tannic Pomerols. In 2019, though, some of that intensity is dialed down. On the plus side, though, that means the 2019 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Inky dark fruit, licorice, graphite, lavender, dried herbs and rose petal build into the sumptuous, creamy finish. Usually I advise cellaring Feytit-Clinet, but that will be less necessary in 2019. As always, Feytit-Clinet is one of the most distinctive wines in the Right Bank.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGEvocative and expressive nose full of dark chocolate and clear truffle aromas with red cherry nuances. This has a nice svelteness, supple tannins but there is also a serious aspect to this - a straightness and linearity right now . Definitely on the dark spectrum with clear liquorice, coffee, black cherries, figs, prunes and raisins as well as black pepper and some bitter dark chocolate too. Heady and powerful, oaky and tannic but lifted by excellent acidity. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2045Decanter | 95 DECThe 2019 Feytit Clinet delivers aromas of rich, chocolaty berry fruit, plums, fig jam, espresso roast and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s muscular and extracted, with broad shoulders, soft acids and plenty of powdery, youthfully chewy tannin, concluding with a heady finish. To my taste, this flirts with over-ripeness; but it held up well over several days in bottle, inclining me to give it the benefit of the doubt.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSpicy and full of dark fruits, this is setting out to be a richly balanced wine. Blackberry and plum skin flavors have a hint of chocolate, supported by ripe, textured tannins. There is good aging potential here. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample, is all there in bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac built on vertical energy and a feeling of vibrancy that never lets up. Deep layers of red/purplish fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers are framed by a super-classic expression of structure that keeps things in balance. There is a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year’s blend, and that definitely comes through. Readers who can find the 2019 should not hesitate, as it is truly majestic.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe wine is seriously rich with solid tannins. The tannins are softening into a more velvet texture that suits this style of wine well. It is giving a smoky character to the wine as well as richness. This is a great wine, very aromatic and concentrated. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2019 Château Figeac checks in as 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, and it’s another brilliant wine from Frédéric Faye. This deep purple-hued effort offers a beautiful Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, damp earth, leafy herbs, chocolate, and smoked tobacco. It has classic Figeac herbal, earthy goodness (no doubt due to its high percentage of Cabernet) and is medium to full-bodied on the palate, has perfect tannins and flawless balance, all making for a brilliant Saint-Emilion that brings richness and power paired with finesse and elegance. Give bottles 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30+.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA gorgeous deep purple colour to the rim. Expressive nose filled with blackcurrant pastilles, really quite concentrated and ripe with soft floral hints and some savoury aspects - the Cabernet Franc making itself known. Such texture on the palate, smooth tannins that coat the mouth have a ripe and juicy blackcurrant flavour, backed by a mineral, wet stone, graphite edge. Liner and direct on the palate, this is focussed and controlled, so precise with a real sense of forward motion. Elegant and seductive in a quietly confident way with a long finish. Totally captivating. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2050Decanter | 98 DECThis is a really beautiful red with crushed-berry, plum, bark, mushroom and earth character. It’s full and creamy-textured with lots of tannins, but they are integrated and polished and flow across the palate. So much depth and intensity, yet there’s underlying grace and class. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Figeac has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, warm spices, violets and pencil shavings, framed by a deft touch of nicely integrated new oak, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, powdery structuring tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, precise finish. Rich but vibrant, this 2019 reflects the new precision that Frédéric Faye has brought to Figeac; but while it’s richer and more polished than the wines of yesteryear, the estate’s identity hasn’t been lost.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLarge-scaled, capturing all the rich and flamboyant cassis, steeped plum and blackberry reduction notes that are hallmarks of the vintage, along with a broad swath of loam and warm gravel underneath as tobacco and alder accents fill in wherever possible. Muscular and toothy along the edges but rock-solid in build, with enough fruit to round into form eventually. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 9,062 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Really smoky, coffee bean aromas on the nose with ripe blackcurrants. Great texture and flavour here, it’s full of herbs and liquorice-tinged black fruits (cherries mainly) but really well integrated so that no one aspect sticks out. Tannins are super fine and smooth and the acidity is well balanced carrying the density of the fruit as well as the freshness. It’s a big shouldered wine there’s no question, power but also poise. Harmonious, charming and elegant. A very complete wine that is balanced with generous fruit, tannins, acidity and mineral freshness. Feels well handled and just excellently executed. Has a real purity to it with sculpting and refinement. Great stuff and still so juicy and appealing at the end. A top buy. (Drink between 2027-2045)Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful clarity of crushed red berries with dried flowers and sliced oyster mushrooms on the nose. Full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins and juicy fruit. Chocolate and walnut character comes through, together with hints of vanilla bean. Beautifully curated. 76% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 4% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Fleur Cardinale is a real head-turner. Lush and voluptuous in the glass, the 2019 offers up copious dark fruit, along with hints of chocolate, spice, new leather, menthol and licorice. There is no shortage or richness or lushness. While the 2019 is certainly a very, very good wine it is not quite as expressive as it was in barrel. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA consistently impressive Saint-Emilion, the 2019 Château Fleur Cardinale shows the vintage beautifully, with a medium to full-bodied, elegant style as well as classic darker cherry and mulberry fruits, notes of dried herbs, loamy earth, and incense, supple yet present tannins, and a great finish. It’s one classy, balanced 2019 to drink over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Fleur Cardinale derives from a late-ripening site on the north-facing side of Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau. Revealing aromas of jammy cherries, spices, dark chocolate and mocha, it’s full-bodied, broad and velvety, with powdery tannins and a generous core of lively fruit, concluding with a chalky finish. This is a fleshy, front-loaded wine in a contemporary style that will please consumers who favor power and richness, but which will leave purists wondering if less might be more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRichly textured, with currant and fig paste notes rolling through slowly, laced liberally with humus, alder and tobacco. A touch burly, but the fruit has an unctuous hint as a counterbalance. This is for fans of the bigger style. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2037. 8,750 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA rich and smoothly textured wine, this is juicy with black currant fruits and ripe tannins. It has weight and plenty of dense fruit flavors along with tannins that have a fine potential for softening. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The 2019 Fombrauge is one of the best wines I have tasted from this property in some time. It shows all the richness that is typical of Bernard Magrez’s style but with less heaviness and a good deal of aromatic presence that helps balance things out. Sweet dark cherry, chocolate, leather, licorice and mocha build into the resonant, super-expressive finish. The 2019 is a classy Fombrauge.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2019 Château Fombrauge is terrific and has a good mix of richness, concentration, and elegance. Giving up notes of mulled ripe cherries, Asian spices, blackberries, tobacco, and cedar pencil on the nose, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered, pure mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and just beautiful overall balance. It’s already drinking beautifully today yet will evolve positively for 5-7 years and hold for another 15-20 years. It’s another brilliant Saint-Emilion in the vintage. This seemed more modern and polished from barrel but shows a very classic style now from bottle.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDWhile this wine is tightly structured, it also has plenty of generous black fruits that give succulent ripeness. The wine should certainly age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis rolls through with a cashmere grace, offering cassis, steeped plum and blackberry purée flavors infused with black tea and incense notes. A late alder thread keeps this nicely grounded. Suave. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 23,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPerfumed nose of dried flowers, sandalwood, pine cones, currants, cassis, cloves, walnuts and spiced plums. It’s medium-to full-bodied with polished, ripe and creamy tannins. Plush and velvety with a supple, fresh finish. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSFull, rich and ripe nose. This is heady with great drive and definition, a full, bold style with tannins and mouth watering acidity taking the fore right now leaving some astringency on the palate still. There is generous and ripe fruit - cherries, figs, blackcurrants underneath the tannins and a lovely fresh mint tone as well as liquorice to it but it needs at least a few years to soften and integrate. The length is impressive and overall it’s well structured suggesting a long life ahead. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Fombrauge exhibits rich aromas of cherries, dark chocolate, plum preserve, licorice and new oak, followed by a full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that’s soft and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit, ripe acids and rich, powdery tannins. This is a generous, front-loaded Saint-Émilion from Bernard Magrez.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Almost all Merlot, the 2019 Château Franc Mayne is a ripe, beautifully textured 2019 that does incredibly well in the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and floral notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, the vintage’s pure, elegant texture, building tannins, and plenty of classic chalky minerality on the finish. It’s beautifully done. This estate has played on a different level starting in 2018, and these wines deserve your attention!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Franc Mayne is a real head-turner. Ample and full bodied, Franc Mayne brings tons of black cherry/plum fruit, espresso, chocolate and licorice to the fore. The 2019 is sumptuous and exotic, with tons of intensity, with all the elements impeccably put together. It’s a terrific Franc Mayne.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGGorgeously rich, medium to full intensity in colour with plum fruit on the attack. This has extremely well judged balance between the exuberant fruit that Franc Mayne has as its signature and a more restrained supple frame in its tannins and lift. A really enjoyable wine, one of my favourites at this property. Winemaker Sophie Mage joined in 2018 from Frederic Engerer’s Rhône estate Fortboneau. Thomas Duclos new consultant also since last year. A yield of 43hl/ha.Decanter | 93 DECA fragrant nose of plums, dark cherries, blackcurrants, violets, bark and spice box. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced and velvety with a caressing texture. Plush and layered. 100% merlot. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Franc-Mayne is supple and charming, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cherry and berry fruit mingled with hints of cocoa nib, warm spices and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, broad and velvety, with ripe tannins and succulent acids, it’s a generous, polished wine that will drink well with minimal bottle age. From a site next to Beau-Séjour Bécot that spans the limestone plateau, the slope and sandy clay below, it’s 100% Merlot, but Cabernet Franc has been replanted and will soon contribute to the assemblage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPMade entirely from Merlot, this is rich in vibrant black fruits. Spice and plenty of dark tannins are there to backup to what is going to be a full-bodied wine for medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A rich, full and heady nose. On the palate there’s ripe blackcurrant, red cherries, raspberries and strawberries but also some mint, black pepper and truffle. Excellent precision and density with a seductive dark chocolate edge. Feels well handled with a sense of classicism. A powerful, muscular and confident wine, but with suppleness - this has density but also grace with a cooling finish comprising liquorice, mint and soft salinity. A great wine. (Drink between 2025-2047)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Gazin has a convincing, perfumed nose of beautifully defined red fruit, light estuarine aromas, touches of crushed stone and even a hint of fig. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit. There is very good depth and substance here, and veins of dark chocolate and allspice toward the finish. The only minor quibble is that it needs a little more finesse. But it is a superb Gazin and a great Pomerol.Vinous Media | 95 VMA perfumed nose of mulberries, plums, chocolate orange and cloves. Hints of toffee, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Caressing, velvety and rich core of dark fruit. So supple and polished. 88.5% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon and 4.5% cabernet franc. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Gazin is a fleshy, dramatic wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of ripe berry fruit mingled with subtle hints of truffle and violets, its new oak already entirely integrated. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it’s broad and textural, with lively acids, powdery tannins and fine length on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPWhile the 2019 Château Gazin isn’t going to match the 2018, it’s an elegant, solid Pomerol delivering spicy red and black cherry fruits, notes of cedary herbs and flowers, medium-bodied richness, silky yet building tannins, and a great finish. This elegant, nicely structured, balanced beauty will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

A ripe and layered red with lots of currant and chocolate character, as well as some walnut and cocoa powder. Crushed stones, too. It’s full and layered with round tannins and a juicy and plush texture. Crushed velvet that turns to silk. Very cool and long. Plenty going on here. Give it three to four years to come together. But will age beautifully for years to come. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Giscours is every bit as compelling today as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous in feel, Giscours shows off its notable dimension and breadth. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, menthol and licorice intensify as this gorgeous, beautifully layered Margaux builds with time in the glass. The 2019 is a big wine, but not quite as exuberant as the 2018. Tasted two timesAntonio Galloni | 96 AGGorgeous floral aromatics, so perfumed and pretty, really leaping out the glass with an amazingly vibrant pink/purple colour too. Such an excellent delivery of flavour on the palate, you have shiny, bright fruit and well-expressed terroir with smooth and supportive tannins. It shows the heat of the vintage in the density and deep core of spice-edged red and black fruit but also has a juicy, bright acidity that underpins the fruit and keeps things refreshing. Full of elegance, precision and confidence - all the elements in harmony with consistency and persistence. A wonderful wine. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot. Drinking Window 2025 - 2039.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Giscours has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cherries, burning embers, lilac and violets framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s polished and perfumed, with a velvety, seamless profile and bright animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Alexandre Van Beek and his team are taking this estate to heights it hasn’t hit since the 1970s, and this is another of the great bargains of the 2019 en primeur campaign.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPChecking in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, the 2019 Château Giscours is one heck of an impressive Margaux. Deep purple-hued, with a great nose of both black and blue fruits as well as sappy herbs, tobacco, and flowers, it has nicely integrated oak, medium to full body, ripe yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish. It’s beautifully done. Hide bottles for 4-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDReally solid for the vintage, with a fresh edge to the mix of black currant, blackberry and fig paste flavors. This wine’s energy extends through the finish, where humus, singed cedar, savory and iron-tinged minerality add range and cut. Still shows the vintage’s excessive heat, but this manages it better than most of its peers. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 23,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it’s just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Gloria personifies classic Saint-Julien, offering blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and tobacco scents, maybe a little conservative in style, but unashamed about that. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. Fresh and saline, this gets the saliva going with a precise, persistent finish and leaves hints of graphite on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 94 VMRock-solid, with a mouthwatering roasted apple wood and mesquite frame around a well-layered core of black currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The finish features dots of tobacco and tar that add range, but the real driver is a long bolt of iron, which gives this a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSuch a deep, concentrated nose, full of ripe blackcurrants and black cherries. Great intensity and concentration on the palate, some dark spicy notes, liquorice, black pepper and cinnamon around the edges alongside layers of juicy and succulent ripe fruit. A full, bold wine no doubt, real power here but stylish and energetic. If you like the gourmet style, this one is great. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 94 DECSweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2019 Grand Mayne has a beautifully defined, pure bouquet of black cherry, blueberry, crushed violet and mineral aromas. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, crisp acidity and touches of dark chocolate toward the finish, which displays both power and elegance. This is a superb Grand Mayne courtesy of Jean-Antoine Nony.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2019 Château Grand Mayne showed brilliantly. Very much in the more elegant, classic style of the vintage, it’s medium to full-bodied and straight and focused on the palate, yet brings plenty of mid-palate depth as well as ripe, polished tannins. Black cherries, new leather, dried herbs, and Asian spice notes all define the bouquet, and this is going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDIntense and full of character on the nose. Excellent energy here - the fruit is bright and upfront though gets a little overwhelmed by the supple tannins that come in almost straight away. You can feel the liquorice and dark chocolate edges to the black fruit which give the overall frame texture and depth and it has freshness throughout. Just needs time to soften. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2038Decanter | 92 DECThis estate’s proprietor, Jean-Antoine Nony, is a passionate wine lover with a fine palate, so when he asked me to revisit the 2019 Grand Mayne, I was happy to oblige his request. Offering up notions of sweet black fruits and blueberry preserve framed by a generous application of creamy, spicy new oak, the wine is full-bodied, rich and textural, with a lavish core of ripe fruit, impressively lively acids and a long, vanillin-laden finish where powdery tannins assert themselves much more gently than was the case six months ago. While it is indeed somewhat less extracted than I had perceived, it remains somewhat jammy and creamy, and even if it’s a well-made effort in this style, I can’t help but think that the site could deliver more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Lots of pure cassis, spring flowers, spice, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the 2019 Château Grand-Pontet, a medium to full-bodied, elegant 2019 delivering silky tannins and a great finish. Shining more for its elegance and purity than power, with a terrific sense of minerality, it’s going to drink beautifully for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDDark fruit and rich concentration clear from the first nose, this is certainly trying hard to make an impact. It takes its foot off the pedal just before going over the top, and has a lovely crushed mint leaf finish that is extremely seductive. Impressive, as long as you sit with it for long enough for the minerality and austerity to come through. A yield of 51hl/ha. Owned by the Pourquet-Bécot family, Jean-Philippe Fort consultant. 55% new oak. 5% Malbec completes the blend. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2040Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Grand-Pontet is a very pretty Saint-Émilion. Floral notes, cedar, mint and sweet tobacco give the 2019 lovely aromatic complexity. Medium in body, with gorgeous red berry fruit, the 2019 has a lot to offer. All the elements meld together nicely in this mid-weight, juicy Saint-Émilion that speaks to balance above all else.Antonio Galloni | 91-93 AGBlackberry, sliced-mushroom and wet-earth character. It’s medium-to full-bodied. Flavorful finish.James Suckling | 91-92 JSThe 2019 Grand-Pontet has a deep garnet-purple color and notes of crushed red and black plums, mulberries and blackberry pie with wafts of nutmeg and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is packed with juicy, straightforward black berry flavors, framed by chewy tannins and finishing with appealing freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

A gorgeous dark purple colour in the glass with a bright pink rim. It is a little reticent on the nose, just giving a hint of fragranced fruit with dark chocolate, caramel and sweet coffee touches - so inviting. Ultra sleek and suave on the palate but at the same time racy and vibrant. A combination of rich black fruits and quite savoury aspects on the palate, tar, tobacco and wood smoke with black currants and cherries but here the emphasis really is on those herbal, medicinal aspects that give this such a serious tone but also such interest and intrigue. Lifted and bright on the palate but soft tannins letting the aromatics do all the talking. Seductive. Will be incredibly moreish in a few years. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Gruaud Larose is performing extremely well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of licorice, potpourri, pencil shavings and subtle soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with powdery tannins and succulent acids, it’s remarkably suave and refined for a wine of obvious breadth, concentration and power.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2019 Gruaud Larose is a deep, imposing wine endowed with a huge center of fruit and plenty of tannic clout to back it all up. Red fruit, cedar, leather, tobacco, smoke and dried herbs reveal themselves with some coaxing. Imposing tannins and some slightly rough contours suggest cellaring is a must. There’s good potential here.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGI wasn’t able to taste the 2019 Château Gruaud Larose from barrel, but it’s certainly an impressive Saint-Julien in bottle. Deep purple, with beautiful cassis and darker raspberry fruits as well as spice, dried flowers, and cedary incense notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness carrying plenty of sweet tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and beautiful length. It’s not the dense blockbuster style of the 2018 and is much more elegant and pretty, with plenty of up-front charm. It’s beautifully done. It’s going to benefit from just short-term bottle age and have 25+ years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAttractive aromas of ripe dark and blue fruit, vanilla, dark chocolate, hazelnuts and wet soil. Dense and compact with layers of polished tannins that hold long and even on the palate. Firm finish with notes of chocolate and crushed stones. Pretty finish. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JS

95–97. Barrel Sample. With its new cellars, the estate is performing at top speed and this vintage keeps up the fine track record. Firm tannins and beautifully perfumed fruit are blending together to give a wine that has style as well as structured fruitiness, with all the elegance of great Margaux. Think long-term aging for this wine. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBlackcurrants with bark, cedar and dried flowers coming through in the nose. Full-bodied with integrated tannins and a long, linear finish. Racy and refined. Sophisticated. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSRich nose, nicely expressive. The palate is filled with cool but also softly sweet blue fruits, black cherries, blueberries and blackcurrants. Liquorice and wet stone comes through straight away, a real mineral aspect, while there’s some stalky aspects too - smoked cedar around the edges that needs a bit of time to soften. I like the structure and clarity here, such precision and balance. Lots to enjoy - one to hold on to. (Drink between 2023-2035)Decanter | 93 DECLets very dark plum sauce, cassis and boysenberry preserve flavors unfurl over silky tannins, with black tea and a light sanguine hint infusing the finish. What you see is what you get—and it’s delicious. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Drink now through 2032. 10,416 cases made. —Wine Spectator | 92 WSRedcurrants, Bing cherry, graphite, licorice, violet, and flowery incense notes all define the bouquet of the 2019 Chateau Kirwan, a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated Margaux that has a pretty, elegant, juicy style. It doesn’t have the density of the top wines in the appellation, yet it’s certainly nicely balanced, has supple tannins, and nicely integrated acidity, all making for a beautifully polished, elegant 2019 to drink over the coming 20 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Plums and fresh flowers, such as roses on the nose with some stems and parsley. Full-bodied with round, polished tannins that are medium in stature but long and caressing, giving nice tension to the wine on the palate. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSFrom the younger vines of the estate, this second wine at Domaine de Chevalier is wood aged for 14 months. It has spice and also bursts with black fruits and acidity. Set to develop well, the wine should be ready from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDark chocolate and mint on the nose, some sweet blackcurrant. I love the upfront juiciness here, it’s well textured with fine tannins that gently support the fruit letting it shine brightly on the palate. There’s a creaminess to this too which is so satisfying. Really a beautiful, gentle, delicate but nuanced wine. Good freshness and drinking appeal with fruit and energy. Easy enjoyment, well made. well structured. Good winemaking on show. Drinking Window 2022 - 2033.Decanter | 92 DECPresents a mix of bramble, mulling spice and savory notes, with steeped plum and red currant fruit flavors and a tarry tug on the finish. Shows good energy throughout. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2031. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe second wine of Domaine de Chevalier, the 2019 L’Esprit De Chevalier shows the fresher, more lively, complex style of this cool terroir and reveals a deep ruby/purple color, notes of tobacco, damp earth, violets, black cherries, and dark currants, medium-bodied richness and depth, and outstanding length on the finish. It has a lively spice of acidity as well as ample ripe fruit and is ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JDAromas of smoky blackberries, cherries, loamy soil and smoke preface the 2019 L’Esprit de Chevalier, a medium to full-bodied, ample and charming wine that’s rich but elegant, with its fleshy core of fruit framed by velvety tannins and succulent acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2019 Esprit de Chevalier is a gorgeous second wine. Bright, plump and juicy, the Esprit will keep the domaine’s fans happy right out of the gate. A rush of sweet red cherry, red plum, mint, spice and licorice builds as this exuberant, radiant red shows off its fun-loving personality.Antonio Galloni | 89-91 AG

A well-articulated wine with elegance and serious expression of place. The 16% Cabernet Franc (alongside 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the first year in the blend) gives such an enticing nose, so perfumed - you really get a nose full of flowers here which I love. There’s depth on the palate straight away - it’s concentrated but comes across in layers as opposed to overt volume or voluptuousness. Tannins are sleek and well integrated and there’s spice-edged blackcurrant, red and black cherries, plums, liquorice, cedar and cinnamon nuances. There’s succulence to the acidity, which is fresh and cooling, and clear opulence throughout, but it’s still quite shy, just showing signs of life. A sophisticated wine with a long future. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2050Decanter | 97 DECRich, with an exotic tilt to the loganberry, mulberry and fig preserve flavors. Really packed, delivering anise, black tea, singed mesquite, sweet tobacco and ganache accents that all play a part, while a racy cast iron spine holds it all together. Shows more power than seduction in terms of style, but this is clearly in the elite class of Pomerols this vintage. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. Wine Spectator | 96 WSA rocking bouquet of blue fruits, dark chocolate, damp earth, and violet emerges from the 2019 Château L’Evangile, a slightly fresher yet still deep, concentrated expression of this château. Full-bodied, with beautiful tannins, a great mid-palate, and certainly no shortage of length on the finish, it has the silky, seamless style of the vintage, yet I’d still give bottles a solid 7-8 years in a cold cellar. It’s a slightly changed style but still gorgeous.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDFruit-tea, blackberry, tile and ripe-fruit aromas follow through to a full body with density and richness. Chocolate and walnut. Dense and seamless with super fruit and length. Lots of fruit. Very polished. Stylized. All the cabernet franc on the estate is in the wine. From organic grapes. Give it at least five to seven years to open. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 L’Evangile is very good, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, warm spices, violets and loamy soil, framed by a nicely integrated patina of new oak that reflects a concerted effort to refine cooperage choices at this address in recent years. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it’s a broad, textural wine with a richly layered core of fruit, succulent acids and ripe, supple tannins that reflects the warm, dry vintage. As usual, it’s a Merlot-dominant blend, complemented by some 16% Cabernet Franc and now 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPI was quite critical of the 2019 L’Évangile when I tasted it as a barrel sample, and of course the winemaking team has changed since this was made. The 2019 has a very floral bouquet of ripe dark berry fruit infused with violet and peony notes. The 15.3° alcohol has slightly blurred the edges since bottling. The palate is medium-bodied and rounded, with fleshy, ripe tannins and no hard edges. And that’s the problem. This just lacks tension and feels static; there’s no "movement" in this Pomerol compared to, say, its neighbor Vieux-Château-Certan, which I tasted immediately before. The succeeding vintage is definitely superior.Vinous Media | 91 VM

An utterly brilliant Pomerol and the finest wine from this estate to date, surpassing even the 2016, the 2019 Château La Conseillante checks in as 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc and was raised in 70% new French oak. A wine of incredible finesse, purity, and precision, its deep purple hue is following by an incredible array of blueberries, crème de cassis, spring flowers, damp earth, and violets. Flawlessly balanced, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ultra-fine, utterly seamless tannins, and a heavenly finish. It doesn’t have the sheer density or outright power of some of the other top Pomerols, but as I wrote in the barrel sample review, no one marries elegance with opulence as well as Conseillante. This magical Pomerol will take a decade to hit full maturity and will evolve for 30 years or more. This is haute couture at its absolute pinnacle, and as I wrote in the barrel review, hats off to Marielle Cazaux for producing one of the top wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2019 La Conseillante is performing brilliantly and rivals the 2016 as Marielle Cazaux’s finest vintage at this leading Pomerol estate to date. Wafting from the glass with striking aromas of raspberries, plums, violets, raw cocoa, sweet soil tones and licorice, framed by a deftly integrated touch of classy new oak, it’s full-bodied, ample and enveloping, its broad attack segueing into a seamless, layered mid-palate that’s vibrant and concentrated, framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, before concluding with a long, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe transparency and vibrancy here is impressive. From the very start it’s so aromatic, showing crushed-berry, dark-chocolate, coffee and cedar character. Full-bodied, yet tight and wonderfully tailored, with tannins that are fine-textured, but intense and so long, giving this wine great length. A joy to taste, but needs many years to soften and come together. Wonderful development here. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2019 La Conseillante is elegant and nuanced, just as it was from barrel. All of the freshness and energy that was present en primeur comes through in the bottle. There is an element of sophistication, of reserve, that needs time to be fully expressive. The 2019 is a wine of linear precision more than volume or density. It should age exquisitely for many years to come.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGVivid red pink in the glass with an expressive nose filled with softly fragrant red cherries, raspberries and purple flowers. This has a lovely texture and appeal straight away - it’s juicy and lively all the way through from start to finish but with a rich, mineral, wet stone core balanced by silky tannins. Detailed and graceful with presence and a satisfying weight on the tongue edged with lashings of black liquorice and slate. Star quality and such Pomerol glamour here with such a long finish. Lots of life ahead. A gorgeous wine. (Drink between 2030-2050)Decanter | 97 DEC95–97. Barrel Sample. While the wine is dense, there is a gentle richness here. It shows ripe tannins and soft black plum flavors. At the same time, the wine’s potential is obvious and powerful. It has balance, ripeness, structure and a fine future.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The Merlots were so good this year that most have gone into the first wine, giving this a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual and making it a serious Dame de Montrose, with clear ageing potential. Elegant and balanced, with purity and juicy black fruits. It has that savoury Cabernet quality which is very Médocain, this is absolutely one to look out for, packed with estate signature. 30% new oak. 43% of total production. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Lovely new label here also, with rose gold roses across it. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThe second wine of Montrose is seriously structured with dark tannins. It has impressive weight and concentration, a big wine while polished appropriate for this estate. Drink from 2025. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEJuicy and pleasantly chewy with milk chocolate, walnut and currant aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and flavorful. Second wine of Montrose. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSVery solid, with a core of lightly steeped plum and blackberry fruit, supported by a streak of iron and framed by smoldering tobacco and dark earth notes. Good energy throughout as well, with a mouthwatering echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2019 La Dame de Montrose, which I tasted in June and September 2021, has a fresh mulberry, black plum and granite-scented bouquet that is quite precocious; touches of morel appear in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite structured and almost Pauillac-like, thanks to veins of graphite toward the finish provided by the 48% Cabernet Sauvignon. Saline on the aftertaste, though not tremendously long, this is a very promising Deuxième Vin. Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2019 La Dame De Montrose is another impressive second wine and certainly worth seeking out. Ripe darker cherries, currants, leafy herbs, tobacco, and a hint of classic Saint-Estèphe damp earth all emerge on the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, with a silky, graceful texture, light tannins, and a great finish. It’s everything a second wine should be and will evolve nicely for 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2019 La Gaffelière is just as impressive as it was en primeur. Bright and tightly wound, La Gaffelière sizzles with energy. Dark red fruit, mocha, blood orange, mint and dried flowers lend striking aromatic presence. There is some youthful austerity here, but nothing time in bottle won’t take care of. The 2019 doesn’t quite match the stratospheric grandeur of the magical 2018, but it comes close. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA vibrant, fragrant red with aromas of blackberries, currants, walnuts and mint chocolate. Medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Pretty walnut notes on the polished finish. Fantastic length. Driven acidity and focus. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS95–97. Barrel Sample. This estate has made a dark, dense wine in this vintage. That density is penetrated by the freshness of the black currant fruits. The result is a wine that is powered both by structure and crisp fruit. There is definitely plenty of aging potential here.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2019 La Gaffelière wafts from the glass with a rich bouquet of blackberries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of burning embers and loamy soil that’s framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, it’s a concentrated, vibrant wine built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. Its vivid fruit tones and classical balance make this Cabernet Franc-rich blend a promising candidate for sustained bottle age. Anyone who has tasted the great wines this estate produced in the 1950s and 1960s knows how great this site can be; and with stricter selection as well as the elimination of fruit from vines growing on the plain from the blend, that potential appears to be being unleashed at last.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA rich and round nose, bursting with ripe fruit aromas. Plump and voluptuous on the palate all while having excellent acidity that really lifts it up, so you have depth but also this real aerial aspect. Tannins are smooth and really well framed and this is super fresh. Delicate yet deep, round yet layered with chalky minerality. Elegant and engaging. Drinking Window 2027 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECThis rolls out dense fig, boysenberry and red currant paste flavors laced with pronounced chalky minerality and notes of tobacco, dried anise and juniper. The serious tannic drive on the finish puts this in the ’classically austere’ camp. Worth cellaring for sure, but patience is required. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2040. 7,500 cases made, 500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe flagship 2019 Château La Gaffeliere is mostly Merlot, yet the cuvée always includes around 15% Cabernet Franc. It offers a complex array of spiced red and black fruits, cedary herbs, lead pencil, and a kiss of tobacco to go with a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, impressively balanced style on the palate. It shows the more classic style of the vintage, has no hard edges, and a killer finish. It’s going to be relatively accessible in its youth yet also age gracefully for 15+ years or more. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JD

Lovely soft spicing on the nose, liquorice touches and bramble fruits - gorgeous aromatics on show. Excellent clarity on the palate, this has a silky smooth texture with bright fruit flavours. Extremely youthful and brimming with energy. Fruit forward with cherry and cherry stone nuances. Really quite playful in the best way with charming fragrant touches from start to finish, - 2019 was the ’year of perfume’ according to Alexandre Thienpont. So much to like here.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 La Gravette De Certan is a solid second wine offering plenty of up-front richness and suppleness as well as classic Pomerol darker cherry and currant fruits, notes of damp earth, tobacco, and hints of flowers, beautiful balance, and enough ripe tannins to keep it drinking well for over a decade. I’d be thrilled with a bottle on the table.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 La Gravette de Certan, 100% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It races out with bright, expressive notions of black cherries, raspberry preserves, and fresh plums with hints of crushed rocks and black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers a lively backbone and nice ripe, approachable tannins with a lifted finish.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2019 La Gravette de Certan is a fleshy, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and giving, it’s sensual and succulent, with an enveloping core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. It’s entirely composed of Merlot this year and largely derived from vines planted in 2010, supplemented by a plot planted in 1998.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Forest-fruit aromas of blackberries and strawberries with some bark and pine cone. Black licorice, too. Full-bodied and chewy with lots of fine tannins and a juicy finish. Traditional and fascinating. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 La Pointe offers impressive clarity on the nose of perfumed red fruit, raspberry and cranberry intermingling with truffle and light crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, and quite saline, with fine-grained tannins and a cohesive and more sophisticated finish than any recent vintage. Maybe it just needs a little more persistence; otherwise, this is a top-notch La Pointe. Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe black cherries, hints of plums, damp earth, tobacco, and some floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château La Pointe, a pure, elegant, seamless, medium to full-bodied Pomerol. I love its overall balance, the tannins are fine and polished, it has a great finish, and it’s going to cruise for 15-20 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDHigh toned and vibrant cherry and raspberry fruits on the nose. Polished on the palate, this is sleek and well worked with a core of rich, liquorice-edged strawberries and black cherries with a gorgeous minerality that comes across as wet stone and graphite. A strong, well built wine but presented delicately with refinement. Definite power here but also glamour and a vein of gently warming spice from start to finish that lingers on the tongue providing a dominant base for the fruit. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECPresents a tasty mix of juicy and gently mulled black cherry, blackberry and boysenberry flavors, laced with red tea and a twinge of iron through the focused finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 5,330 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2019 La Pointe wafts from the glass with aromas of plums, raspberries, sweet spices, tobacco and licorice. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with velvety tannins, lively acids and a nicely defined if somewhat fleeting finish, it’s a succulent, giving Pomerol that will drink well with minimal bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Gorgeous pink rim to the wine. Softly floral on the nose, violets and roses. The palate has such a smooth and velvety texture that really stands out - it frames the overall feel giving structure and support to the spicy, muscular mid-palate. This has power but wrapped up delicately, delivering smoothness and elegance but also precision and definition. Lovely layers, the tannins take hold and you’re reminded this is still a young wine, but then you get this lick of spice, the florality of the fruit and the density and length. One to buy and hold on to for a few more years. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2024-2032)Decanter | 94 DECThis has so much pure fruit with clarity and brightness. Crushed stone, too. It’s medium-bodied with a racy tannin structure and excellent length. Second wine of Giscours. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 9% cabernet franc. Already impressively delicious, but best after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 La Sirène de Giscours has turned out beautifully. Soft, succulent and inviting, the 2019 is charming right out of the gate. Sweet red cherry, lavender, rose petal, spice and blood orange flesh out in a racy, sumptuous second wine that is incredibly alluring. In 2019 La Sirène is an absolute delight. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAromas of creamy berry fruit, cherries, plums and spices introduce the 2019 La Sirène de Giscours, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine with fine depth at the core, lively acids and a long, penetrating finish. It’s 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, and that shows in the best way.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe second wine of Giscours in Margaux, the 2019 La Sirene De Giscours reveals a deep purple color as well as lots of juicy black cherry and mulberry fruits that give way to more tobacco, cedar, and earth with time in the glass. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and elegant on the palate, it’s a terrific, fruit-forward, delicious second wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JD