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Saint Julien Wines

Saint Julien Wines

Saint Julien Wines

Saint Julien Wines

If you enjoy watching the sunset with a glass of crisp, mouth-watering red wine in your hand, or you wish to dazzle and impress your loved ones at the next shared meal or gathering, you cannot go wrong with a bottle of Saint-Julien wine. The commune of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle takes the art of winemaking very seriously, and their skilled and intense labor produces some of the most memorable and compelling bottles in the entire region.

If you go to this small town, you will be greeted by a veritable ocean of pebbles and stones, but don’t be fooled – underneath this rocky crust lies a soil with more depth, complexity and character than the finest literary works. The nuances and life force that fill the earth here are mirrored in the wine it births, making every bottle a story of its own, a miracle that cannot simply be recreated. These wines can catch you by surprise with their elegance and purity, as they playfully tease your palate before doing down like a waterfall – or they can grip you with raw power, and a traditionally rich flavor that outright refuses to be forgotten.

If you’re indecisive about where to start purchasing, don’t worry - Saint-Julien offers so much that it’s normal to get lost in contemplation. We’ve made it our mission to point you towards staple choices that this commune has on offer, so that you may make the most out of every moment in life, and add some variety and character to your collection. Let’s examine the bottles, shall we?
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2008 ducru beaucaillou Bordeaux Red

(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the top wines of the vintage and a stellar bottle in the making. The wine delivers a truly stunning bouquet, as it soars from the glass in a mélange of cassis, dark berries, French roast, tobacco leaf, a complex base of gravelly soil tones and a deft framing of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full and wonderfully suave on the attack, with a sappy core of fruit, ripe, perfectly-integrated tannins and great length and grip on the nascently complex finish. While Ducru has produced exemplary efforts in both 2009 and 2010, make no mistake, the 2008 is the finest of the troika. A great 2008! (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 95 JGA gem from the Left Bank is the 2008 Château Ducru Beaucaillou, which comes from just one-third of the total production and is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. This brilliant Saint-Julien boasts a still vivid ruby/purple color as well as a head-turning bouquet of crème de cassis, high-class smoke tobacco, truffle, and some gravelly, rocky minerality. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and thrilling purity of fruit, it’s just at the early stages of its drink window and has an easy two decades or more of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDOne of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends the vintage character in its power, richness, and aging potential. It also exhibits tremendous precision, purity, and depth of character. It is more forward than the 2010 is likely to be, but probably not as sumptuous as the 2009 will turn out to be. This is a wine to buy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.Robert Parker | 95+ RP(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) The 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou smells quite Cabernet-Sauvignon with an appealing bouquet of spices, blackcurrant, black berries, and green bell pepper touches. It has a tense and straight palate with building tannins but perfectly balanced. There is a hint of bell pepper and tobacco on the finish that amplify an impression of freshness on the long, airy finish. Its needs some time (10 years) to chill out. (Drink between 2022-2030)Decanter | 95 DECWow. This is really impressive for the vintage, with a solid core of raspberry, currants and spices. Full and round, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Superb winemaking for the vintage. Try after 2013.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a fresh and vibrant nose. Occasionally this can come across a little stemmy and maybe it does here, but it is a facet that I think lends complexity and intrigue, touches of brine combining wonderfully with the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. There is a solid backbone to this Ducru-Beaucaillou; maybe this bottle is just closing in a little and one that would have benefitted from more decanting (indeed, it develops more precision in the glass.) Very fine, but give it more time. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 94 VMChocolate, coffee and sweet plum notes give this wine great richness. It has wood that needs time to integrate, although the main character is beautiful, velvet-textured, ripe fruit and plenty of sweet tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is dark and brooding, with a tarry wall holding the black currant, melted licorice and espresso notes at bay for now. Extra roasted sage, cedar and briar push in on the finish, which shows an old-school hint. Rock-solid. Best from 2013 through 2021.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

95+
RP
As low as $225.00
2008 langoa barton Bordeaux Red

This is really pretty and jumps out of the glass with lots of raspberry and blueberry aromas and floral undertones. Medium to full body, silky tannins and a bright acidity. Drink or hold. Very impressive for the vintage.James Suckling | 92 JSAn open, generous wine that sings easily. It has great ripe berry fruit, with fresh acidity as well as weight and richness, making it more powerful than some vintages of this wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEAnother winning 2008 St.-Julien, with the appellation’s telltale beam of black currant, fig and anise wrapped with charcoal and espresso notes. There’s serious grip. Needs some time. Best from 2013 through 2021. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2008 Château Langoa Barton, from the Leoville Barton team, is mature yet still fresh and lively, with impressive amounts of blackcurrant and black raspberry fruits supported by complex spice and bouquet garni notes. It’s balanced, has a beautiful sweetness of fruit, and a good finish. Drink it over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThis potential sleeper of the vintage has come around nicely now that it is in bottle. Elegant yet substantial, it exhibits a dense purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of black currants, cassis, cedarwood, herbs, toast and loamy soil undertones. Medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin (a component that was not evident from barrel), it should drink nicely for 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 90 RPThis has clear balance, with rich and flexible tannins and a lovely undercurrent of graphite and tobacco. The fruits are well defined and brambly, but they are not hugely intense. One to drink now and over next five to eight years. Drinking Window 2018 - 2033Decanter | 90 DEC

As low as $74.95
2008 leoville barton Bordeaux Red

A dense, beautifully structured wine. It shows intense, ripe fruit with balanced acidity. It’s the fine tannins that give it such class, surrounding the fruit, promising long aging. This is a classic for Léoville-Barton.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis was always one of the wines of the vintage with currant, cassis and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full body, chewy and polished tannins and a fresh and fine finish. Tight now but so beautiful. Decant a couple of hours before serving.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2008 Léoville Barton has a lovely, heart-warming bouquet of ripe blackberry and cedar, touches of graphite, precise and supremely well focused. Classic Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and lively with impressive density; structured with a firm backbone on the graphite-tinged and tensile finish that suggests that it deserves another 3-4 years in bottle. Excellent. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 93+ VMTypically extracted and powerful (which is atypical in a vintage such as 2008), this offering may lack charm, but it is “locked and loaded” with plenty of background oak, huge black cherry and black currant fruit, medium to full body and a boatload of tannin. Forget it for 8-10 years and drink it over the following three decades.Robert Parker | 92 RPA fresh, elegant, incredibly classic wine from this estate, the 2008 Léoville Barton shows the concentrated yet focused, masculine style of the vintage. Ample graphite, cassis, violets, and cedarwood notes all flow to a medium-bodied Saint-Julien that has good acidity, present tannins, and terrific purity of fruit. It offers pleasure today, in a firm, classical sense, yet needs another 4-5 years of bottle age to hit maturity and will cruise for another 25+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is an excellent St-Julien with a brisk attack and a rather lovely restrained, savoury edge to the tightly structured black fruits. It has great texture, and a silkier flesh to the fruit which has depth and persistence. Fully ripe but not tiptoeing a single centimetre over the line - nor under it, unlike a few in this vintage. A good job. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035Decanter | 92 DECAlluring, with warm fig sauce, plum and currant paste notes liberally laced with espresso bean and dark roasted vanilla bean notes. Fleshy but focused, with the roasted edge adding definition and length. Drink now through 2019. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

96
WE
As low as $119.00
2008 leoville las cases Bordeaux Red

The 2008 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, broody, earthy bouquet with intense tobacco and graphite aromas, more like a Pauillac than a Saint Julien, no surprise given that it lies on the border. The palate is very impressive: layers of tobacco-tinged black fruit, sea salt and graphite. This is very precise and harmonious with a persistent and multi-layered finish that leaves you mightily impressed. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 96 VM(Château Leoville Las Cases) The 2008 Leoville Las Cases is the finest wine that I have yet tasted from this great vintage and is destined to one day be ranked up at the very pinnacle of Michel Delon’s accomplishments during his tenure at the superb estate. I have recently tasted the 1982, 1986 and 1989 Leoville Las Cases, and there is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 will eventually eclipse those top flight vintages here, so this is a wine that fans of this estate should make every effort to secure before it disappears from the market. Wines like the 1982 and 1986 here share a sense of density that seems to come across as a slight flaw in hindsight, once one compares them to the seamless structure and effortless power of this young 2008 Las Cases. The bouquet is absolutely profound, as it soars from the glass in a classic blend of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, a magically complex base of soil, French roast, a touch of violet and an utterly suave base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and stunningly transparent down to the soil, with a sappy core of fruit, flawless focus and balance, ripe, firm tannins, really lovely acidity and stunning grip on the very long, reserved and monumental finish. This is 13.4 percent alcohol- all natural- and it shows off the finest sense of focus, balance and signature of soil in a young vintage of Leoville Las Cases that I can ever recall. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Las Cases- young or old- that so beautifully embraced its terroir and translated it into the finished wine as the 2008. Stunning juice. (Drink between 2022-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JGAnother underrated vintage for this estate, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is a vibrant, youthfully primary wine that’s aging at a slower pace than the 2009. Unfurling to reveal aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, taut and layered, with tangy acids, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Displaying compelling purity and energy, it’s a serious Las Cases that will richly reward the patient but which is still some way away from its drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPOne of the most classic, regal wines in the vintage, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is made from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot. Possessing an incredible Cabernet character in its graphite, crushed rocks, green tobacco, and crème de cassis-like fruit, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has integrated acidity, a deep, layered texture, and a distinct minerality and salinity on the finish. It’s just now at the early stages of its drink window, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. It should hit prime time in another 4-5 years and keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDSuper racy and balanced. Masses of licorice and currants, intense aromas. Full and very silky with an intensity of fruit. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSWith its superb tannins, the wine has a great solid core of structure. Over it is an edifice of direct black berry fruits, elegant texture and intense acidity. Impressive, a wine for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is loaded for the vintage, with layer upon layer of crushed blackberry, fig paste and mulled black currant offset by smoldering tobacco, charcoal and anise notes. The finish is all iron and roasted earth for now, with the density to be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2023. 14,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFirm, rich tannins quietly declare their confidence - this is not yet at its real drinking window as the structure will require another five years to soften. The emphasis is clearly on the primary Cabernet, with an attack that focusses on cassis and the finish on menthol. This is Médoc personified, showing graphite notes, forest floor and tobacco, barely revving out of the gate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038Decanter | 94 DEC

96
VM
As low as $269.00
2008 talbot Bordeaux Red

92-94 Barrel sample. A big, concentrated, powerful wine, yet also one restrained by elegant fresh fruits. There is plenty of style here, a complex mix of fruits, acidity and balanced tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe evolved, soft, silky 2008 Talbot is unquestionably a sleeper of the vintage, offering a dark plum/garnet color, loads of roasted herb, berry, black cherry, plum and Asian spice aromas intermixed with an attractive forest floor-like note. Already drinking well, this medium-bodied St.-Julien should continue to evolve for 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 2008 Talbot is just beginning to show the first signs of ageing on the rim. The bouquet is charming with perfumed blackcurrant, cedar and sage aromas, a splash of Indian ink developing with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin that lend this Talbot a smooth texture. There is lactic, an almost chocolaty element to this Talbot that possibly originates from the oak treatment that slightly compromises the terroir expression. It is built in a traditional style, not a deep or powerful Saint Julien but it delivers satisfying freshness with a dash of spice on the finish. You could drink this now although personally I would afford this another couple of years in bottle. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 90 VM(Château Talbot, St-Julien, Red) Deep in colour, just hitting that 10-year mark. It could begin to be drunk now, but equally it could also stay teetering on the brink for a few more years before opening. It has layers of black fruit and good complexity, with a clear deepening of texture and structure compared to some of the earlier vintages. The 2008 vintage needed to be carefully handled from a technical point of view, something that they have achieved here. I would put Château Talbot alongside Château Branaire-Ducru as two examples of classical St-Julien wine, still old school enough to value well-integrated tannins and a sense of freshness. Not always the best choice to impress, but they are to be enjoyed with company over food. (Drink between 2018-2028)Decanter | 90 DEC

As low as $135.00
2009 beychevelle Bordeaux Red

An attractive, medium-bodied St.-Julien with plenty of blueberry character, plus touches of cassis and mint and a long, moderately dry finish that gives it a lot of appeal. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 94 JSThe finest Beychevelle since the 2003 and probably since the 1982, Beychevelle’s 2009 is opaque purple in color, with a beautiful, floral nose intermixed with black currant fruit, licorice, cedar wood and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied yet still elegant and pure, this wine has velvety tannins, a broad, savory mouthfeel, and a very long finish. There is plenty of tannin behind the extravagant fruit, glycerin and texture of this wine, but it is largely concealed. This wine could actually turn out to be even better than my relatively conservative tasting note. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2042.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2009 Beychevelle has an intriguing bouquet with kirsch, orange blossom, mocha and earthy aromas, taking time to settle down in the glass but eventually achieving fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well judged acidity, clean and correct, but maybe missing the flair that I have found on later vintages such as 2015 and 2016. It is a very fine Beychevelle but not profound. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMAn enjoyable wine, still young but definitely starting to open up, revealing lots of rich black fruits. The generosity of the vintage has been well handled, and although it lacks some of the impact and precision of Beychevelle in recent years, it’s a very good St-Julien that’s a pleasure to taste. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 93 DECAn opulent, ripe wine from the ever-improving Beychevelle. It is rounded with new wood flavors along with just the right amount of tannin. Deceptively soft, with a solid, dry character behind the fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis has the dark, winey cassis bush and roasted plum fruit of the appellation, but steps up the integration and length, with racy linzer torte and graphite notes and a lovely tobacco-filled finish supported by mouthwatering acidity. Best from 2014 through 2026. 22,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Beychevelle) I was very pleased this past April to revisit the 2009 Beychevelle, which is evolving quite positively in barrel and shows superb promise. The wine is a fairly heady wine at 13.9 percent, but certainly not over the top, as it offers up a deep, ripe and classy nose of black cherries, a touch of dark berry, just a bit of fresh herbs, coffee lovely soil tones and a discreet framing of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite suave on the attack, with excellent balance and mid-palate depth, ripe tannins and very fine length and grip on the finish. This will need some extended cellaring (like nearly every vintage of Beychevelle) to blossom fully, but it should prove to be an outstanding example of the vintage. (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 92 JG

95
TWI
As low as $175.00
2009 ducru beaucaillou Bordeaux Red

Probably one of my most consistent 100 pointers, I’ve been lucky enough to taste through close to a case of this beauty and it’s never failed to just utterly blow me away. Still purple-hued with maybe just a hint of lightening around the edges, the 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers an incredible bouquet of black currants, white truffle, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and a hint of flowers. A good portion of its baby fat has melted away, and it’s full-bodied and elegant on the palate, with silky tannins, incredible depth of fruit, and a gorgeous finish. This is pure elegance and finesse paired with richness and texture. A quintessential Bordeaux, drink bottles any time over the coming 40-50 years. It actually reminds me of the 1982, only better!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003 and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied and intense with Ducru’s inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent!Bruno Borie has done a remarkable job at Ducru Beaucaillou.Robert Parker | 100 RPRich, powerful and intense, this is still inky in colour at 10 years, barely out of the starting gate. It’s a wonderful wine, full of pleasure, still fresh and young, with cinnamon and saffron spice, eucalyptus, menthol-edging, and drenched in dark, juicy fruits. Great stuff, with the clear ability to power on for decades. Drinking Window 2020 - 2044Decanter | 98 DECThe 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a killer bouquet with wonderful definition: blackberry, wild hedgerow, minerals and touches of pressed flower. This has just lost some of its puppy fat in recent years. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, taut and quite linear, lightly spiced with a firm grip but plenty of elegance towards the finish. This is an outstanding Ducru-Beaucaillou that is only just beginning to show what it can do. That said, having tasted the 2016, I think that is even better. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMFeatures plenty of flash and sizzle, with gorgeous, inviting mocha, espresso and chocolate notes up front, backed by a dense core of plum sauce, cassis, blackberry puree and blueberry reduction accents. Long, showing terrific polish, with a lovely lingering loam note and a buried singed apple wood edge that keeps everything driving through the finish. Best from 2016 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 96 WSBig and powerful, structured, with bitter chocolate and blackberry flavors. The wine is dense, the fruit enormous. But it does manage to keep freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is a rich, powerful, concentrated and well-structured wine, but in comparison to recent vintages (from 2014) this comes off slightly heavy on the mid-palate. However, I love the balance at the ripe and generous finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 95 JS(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The good news is that the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou was raised in ninety percent new wood this year and shows no signs whatsoever of over-oaking. I would still love to see this very special terroir featured a bit more in the finished wine by returning to the old days, when a third new oak was deemed plenty sufficient for the grand vin, but the new wood is seamlessly woven into the tapestry of the wine this year. The bouquet is deep, pure and ripe, as it offers up an outstanding blend of dark berries, black currants, cigar smoke, gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf and a discreet base of nutty oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully reserved, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm, ripe tannins and outstanding length and grip on the chewy and beautifully focused finish. This is a very traditionally made bottle of Ducru, with the vintage’s power beautifully harnessed. Superb wine. (Drink between 2030-2075)John Gilman | 92-94+ JG

100
RP
As low as $379.00
2009 gruaud larose Bordeaux Red

I like the aromas of sliced mushroom, berries and wet earth, that follow through to a full body, with super silky tannins and a chewy finish. A fit, yet polished wine here. Try after 2020.James Suckling | 95 JSAs I wrote in my barrel tasting note, the 2009 appears to be the finest Gruaud Larose since their 1990. Some of my concerns about too much brett in previous vintages are long gone as the purity of the 2009 jumps out. Copious notes of sagebrush, cedar, cigar box, licorice, incense, blackberries and lead pencil shavings suggest a big Pauillac rather than a St.-Julien. Broad, rich and full-bodied with good balance and abundant, but sweet, well-integrated tannin, this big, masculine Gruaud Larose reveals remarkable finesse, richness, extract, density and a cascade of fruit that nearly hides the lofty tannins. This beauty should be at its best between 2020-2045.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 2009 Gruaud Larose has a fresh, backward, tightly coiled bouquet with ample blackberry and bilberry fruit, fine tension and focus, a nose that is intending to last the distance (and why not?) The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and vibrant, laced-like tannin with a wonderfully detailed and persistent finish. This is some quality winemaking here and it is a wonderful 2009 Saint-Julien. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMSmoky grilled oak on the nose is joined by some tarry hints. The palate is structured and ambitious, and will take a good few more years to come around. I would go for Branaire or Lagrange as my picks of classified St-Juliens to open soon, but this is an extremely good quality wine that is going to age very well. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036.Decanter | 94 DECVanilla new wood aromas, followed by sweet wood and sweet fruit. There is certainly enough weight here, with ripe, smooth texture and fresh blackcurrants.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has good density, with fleshy blackberry and blueberry cobbler flavors laced with anise, sweet spice and smoldering maduro tobacco notes. Long and well-structured, with fresh, embedded acidity. Best from 2013 through 2023. 14,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2009 Gruaud Larose is a fine example of the vintage in the making. The bouquet is deep, ripe and promises quite a bit of structure in its mélange of cassis, black cherries, tobacco leaf, espresso, gravelly soil tones and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and quite buttoned down behind its structural elements, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm tannins and impressive acidity on the long, focused and tangy finish. This will take at least a decade to blossom, but should prove to be a fine vintage of Gruaud. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 89-91 JG

95
RP
As low as $139.00
2009 lagrange Bordeaux Red

The 2009 Lagrange was picked from 28 September to 6 October. This has a sensual and very floral bouquet with lavender and violet aromas infusing the plush and generous red berry fruit. It retains fine delineation despite its concentration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, velvety smooth with layers of red berry fruit laced with clove and thyme, gently fanning out towards the caressing finish. Superb. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is a good Lagrange, showing well now with no need to wait too long. It perhaps doesn’t have the concentration and precision of today’s Lagrange, but it’s a good 2009 with lots to enjoy. It has a firm cassis and blackberry purée character, with spiced herbs through the mid-palate, and firm but pliable tannins, all leading to a finish with good lift. Effortless and with St Julien elegance. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036.Decanter | 94 DECRipe wine, with soft tannins allied to great density. Weight and lovely, juicy, final fruit flavors meld together easily. This is solid, dense, impressive and for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Lagrange rolls out of the glass with beautiful redcurrant jelly, warm blackcurrants and blueberry preserves notions plus hints of fallen leaves, camphor and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with red and black fruit preserves and lively herbal sparks, with a firm grainy backbone and great freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLovely ripe cassis character, fullish body and elegant tannins make this an easy 2009 to enjoy in spite of the wine’s ample structure. Drink now. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 93 JS(Château Lagrange) Lagrange harvested from September 28th until October 20th and the team here has produced one of the reference point wines on the Left Bank. The bouquet is deep and simply superb, as it jumps from the glass in a classic mélange of black cherries, dark berries, coffee, woodsmoke, espresso, tobacco leaf, a lovely base of soil and a discreet touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with excellent focus and balance, fine-grained tannins and beautifully length and grip on the palate-staining and impressively tangy finish. There are not a lot of wines on the Left Bank with this type of zesty acidity and pinpoint focus. A terrific 2009. (Drink between 2020-2070).John Gilman | 92-93+ JGOne of the more backward, tight wines in this retrospective, the 2009 Château Lagrange needs lots of air to show at its best, yet still holds things close to its vest. A youthful ruby color is followed by beautiful and classic Bordeaux notes of crème de cassis, cedar pencil, unsmoked tobacco, and a touch of earth. It’s not massive by any means, yet it’s beautifully balanced, with ripe, polished tannins and a great finish. With a Château Lafite-like elegance and seamlessness, it will be loved by the Claret lovers out there and is certainly a beautiful wine. It should evolve for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis has a solid core of juicy plum, red currant and blackberry fruit that sits in reserve, while mouthwatering briar and toasty spice notes move along the edges. Grippy and focused through the finish, with well-embedded acidity. Best from 2013 through 2024.Wine Spectator | 91 WSSaturated with the warm ripeness of the 2009 vintage, this is well upholstered rather than hyperripe. Its plump blueberry and currant flavors feel concentrated, completely integrating the oak so that the tannins are cushioned rather than extracted. Its vintage character shows in caramelized notes at the end of the wine, in spice that builds out of the warmth. Enjoyable now with roast duck, this will gain complexity as it ages.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

93-95
RPNM
As low as $55.00
2009 langoa barton Bordeaux Red

The 2009 Langoa-Barton has a gorgeous bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light tobacco aromas that blossom from the glass. This feels so composed and pure. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine-grain tannin, beautifully judged acidity and a svelte, languorous finish that fans out with style. What a gorgeous and utterly seductive Saint-Julien. It turns out to be Langoa Barton, a wine that I have rated very highly in the past. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery dense and still rather reserved, with dark blueberry, blackberry and fig notes rolled together, framed by freshly brewed espresso and Black Forest cake notes. Long and tarry through the finish, with a melted licorice snap note hanging on at the very end. Best from 2014 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA deceptively approachable wine. Its gorgeous fruits are right up front, their ripeness powered by a generous, complex texture. There is concentration, but it is surrounded by so much richness. It can almost be drunk now, but should age well.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA rich and fleshy wine, yet it remains decisively dry. Attractive blueberry aroma and impressive supple tannins make this very harmonious. If it was slightly brighter in the nose this would rate even higher.James Suckling | 93 JSBackward, tannic and beefy, this youthful but formidable 2009 Langoa Barton exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of damp earth, underbrush and black currant aromas and flavors, medium to full body, lively acids and, not surprisingly, massive tannins (a characteristic of all the Barton wines). The overall impression is somewhat incongruous, having a certain precociousness in the aromatics, but then clamping down on the taster in the mouth. I recommend waiting 5-7 years before opening a bottle. It should drink well over the following 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 90+ RP

93
WS
As low as $100.00
2009 leoville barton Bordeaux Red

A major success of the vintage. The wine exhibits extreme richness of the fruit, with all its sweet blackberry flavors. It also has underlying firm structure, density and solid tannins. Bring in the acidity at the end, and this is both impressive and ready for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEMeasured and confident tannic hold with subtle grilled oak notes, a ton of ripe cassis and blueberry fruits, liquorice and eucalyptus on the finish, and a mouthwatering, moreish construction overall. This is a powerful St Julien, but with clear and present finesse. 60% new oak. A standout wine from this property, and a wonderful showcase of the slow burning brilliance of St Julien. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECA super-classic St.-Julien that only has a hint of the opulence of the vintage. The beautiful cassis fruit and elegantly dry tannins push briskly through the long and graceful finish. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2009 Léoville-Barton has a much better bouquet than the Langoa with better definition and focus: blackberry, raspberry coulis, cedar and touches of graphite that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced with a graphite infused finish that feels very persistent. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is powerful Cabernet, with gutsy weight, but also polished feel to the fresh plum, warm blackberry sauce, bittersweet ganache and roasted apple wood notes. Long and tarry through the finish, but still invigorating despite its heft. Needs some time to round fully into form. Best from 2017 through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 21,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Leoville Barton gives up expressive cherry cordial, warm cassis and blackberry tart scents with nuances of menthol, cigar box and fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and elegantly played with loads of freshness and soft tannins, it has a long, perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

98
WE
As low as $220.00
2009 leoville las cases Bordeaux Red

Let yourself go and sink into this deep dark chasm that will swallow you whole if you let it. Enormous concentration, but every bit as much finesse, the finish extremely long and fine. And this is just beginning to give its best! Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2009 Leoville Las Cases may be the most open-knit and forward Las Cases I have tasted to date. Analytically, it is high in tannin and the alcohol is 13.8%, nearly a record at this estate. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc was showing brilliantly at the 2009 tasting I did in Hong Kong and at a later tasting. It boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration and lots of sweet, jammy black currant, black cherry and kirsch fruit intermixed with crushed rock and mineral notes. As always, proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon has built a massive wine with exceptional precision, unbelievable purity and aging potential of 40-50 years. I was surprised by the lusciousness of this cuvee on several occasions, and how much more forward it is given the fact that Las Cases can often be forebodingly backward and in need of 10-15 years of cellaring (at age 30, the 1982 is still a baby in terms of development!). The super-concentrated 2009 needs another 5-7 years before additional nuances emerge. This is a brilliant, full-throttle St.-Julien.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThis is gorgeously layered with cassis bush, anise, roasted fig and plum reduction notes all framed by racy espresso and graphite. Very deep and very long, with terrific intensity on the finish thanks to razor cut from the seemingly endless iron spine. With its purity and precision, this mineral-driven Cabernet should cruise for two decades. Best from 2020 through 2035. 14,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSStill a baby, the 2009 Château Leoville Las Cases is largely in the mold of the 1990 and 1982, offering a sexy opulence while staying in the classic, structured style of the estate. Based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, its still ruby/purple hue is followed by a sensational array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, green tobacco, exotic spices, and incense. With incredible purity, ultra-fine tannins, full-bodied richness, and that rare mix of power and elegance, this magical Saint-Julien is just now starting to reveal some secondary nuances and won’t hit full maturity for another decade. It should see its 75th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA beautifully structured wine, with its tannins layered between the ripest black plums, damsons and black currants. It is opulent while remaining dense, concentrated and very serious. Certainly a wine for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Léoville Las-Cases simply delivers on the nose with intense blackberry, wild hedgerow, graphite and crushed stone aromas on the nose. You would put this down as a Pauillac if served blind, unsurprising given that it borders that appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, silky smooth in texture with immense depth. It is blessed with quite brilliant delineation and the precision on the finish is magnificent. Chapeau Mon. Delon. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMBeing Léoville-Las Cases, it is, as you would expect, still pretty determined to play its cards close to its chest. And yet the exuberance and generosity of 2009 is beginning to peep though. For those of us who lack patience, these kind of years are just brilliant for checking out what Las Cases is all about: brooding tannins are just starting to stir, controlling a tight-knit cassis, cigar box, pencil lead and liquorice body. You feel the skill in the unpeeling of the tannins, opening to reveal the perky fresh core, and you can see just why this is such a great estate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DEC(Château Leoville las Cases) The last vintage of Leoville las Cases to really move me was the 1978, so I am probably underrating this very powerful and seamlessly constructed wine a bit. The nose today on the ’09 is very deep, sappy and quite primary at this point in its evolution, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cassis, a touch of blueberry, dark chocolate, tobacco smoke and raw (but integrated) new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and sappy at the core, with plenty of firm tannins, excellent focus and balance and a very long, still somewhat woody finish. There is little doubt that there is sufficient stuffing here to fully absorb its sixty-five percent new oak with further evolution, and I am sure that there are other tasters that will really love this wine for its deep and powerful personality. But for me it is a bit of a brute and I have a hard time imagining the wine ever developing any breed or nuance to go with its raw power. Very well made in its style. (Drink between 2020-2050).John Gilman | 90-92+ JG

99
RP
As low as $325.00
2009 leoville poyferre Bordeaux Red

The greatest wine I’ve ever tasted from this address is the 2009 Léoville Poyferré, which is a step up over both the 2000 and the 2010. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and the balance Cabernet Franc that hit 13.9% alcohol, it offers everything you could ask of a wine and reveals a saturated purple color as well as incredible notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, lead pencil, exotic Spices, and dried flowers. Incredibly full-bodied, super concentrated, deep, and opulent, yet still pure, fresh, and lively, it has sweet tannin and a hedonistic vibe that hides its underlying structure. Drink it anytime over the coming three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOne of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.Robert Parker | 100 RPBeautiful blueberries and blackberries with some blackcurrants and flowers on the nose. Some black olives and crushed stones, too. Full-bodied with creamy tannins and lovely depth. The tannins are so integrated and plush, but fine-grained. Persistent finish. A red that gives wonderful pleasure now, but will continue to do so for decades ahead.James Suckling | 97 JSRich, exotic and generous, this is still young and firm but light on its feet, dancing through the palate. There’s lovely depth to the fruit, with a great silky texture. Those tannins bite in all the right places. Very good indeed. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThe 2009 Léoville Poyferré has an outstanding bouquet with blackberry, mint and cedar aromas, almost Pauillac in style, very dense and with plenty of horsepower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins that frame layers of blackberry infused with graphite and white pepper. I love the symmetry and control of this Poyferré, in particular its persistent finish. This is a magnificent wine from Didier Cuvelier. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMAn immensely structured wine, packed with dark tannins promising aging potential. It is complex, powerful, layered with new wood and concentration, finishing with dark plum fruits and acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WESolid notes of steeped black currant, ganache-coated fig and plum eau de vie pump along in this very dark red, but with well-integrated structure. Long and winey through the finish, with the grip extending everything nicely. Best from 2016 through 2026. 17,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

100
RP
As low as $259.00
2009 les fiefs de lagrange Bordeaux Red

A charming, undeniably delicious Saint-Julien, the 2009 Les Fiefs De Lagrange offers forward notes of blackcurrants, green tobacco, cedarwood, and a touch of forest floor. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and elegant on the palate, with still nicely balanced acidity and ripe tannins, this is one solid second wine that’s drinking beautifully today. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD(Les Fiefs de Lagrange) For several vintages, the Les Fiefs de Lagrange has been one of my favorite second wines on the Left Bank and the 2009 will be another stellar effort. The nose is deep and beautiful, as it offers up a classy blend of black cherries, dark berries, bitter chocolate, cigar smoke, soil and a deft touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and classy, with lovely, ripe tannins, sound focus and fine length and grip on the poised and beautifully balanced finish. A lovely bottle in the making. (Drink between 2016-2040)John Gilman | 89-90 JG

As low as $60.00
2009 sarget de gruaud larose Bordeaux Red

The 2009 Gruaud Larose is blended of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot. Medium to deep garnet colored, it charges forth with warm black raspberries, crème de cassis and redcurrant jelly notes with touches of potpourri, cigar box, new leather, hoisin and molten chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruits and savory layers with a firm, grainy texture and seamless freshness lifting the long earth-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA spicy and fat rich wine, atypical of Bordeaux. There is grip and depth of flavour here with blackcurrant coulis and some lovely menthol edging. A balanced wine. (Drink between 2016-2024)Decanter | 90 DEC

As low as $70.00
2009 talbot Bordeaux Red

Aromas of cocoa powder and currants, follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a juicy, berry and chocolate aftertaste. Lovely polish to this. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSA firm, complex wine, solidly based on ripe tannins, dark flavors. There is some spice and juiciness to fit with the dense tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA well structured wine with smoke and cedar edging to the aromatics, a generous, ripe fruit structure and soft, well-integrated tannins. It has clear appeal. At this stage, the 2005 seems to better encapsulate the heart of St-Julien but the 2009 offers an extremely enjoyable wine, even if less typical of the appellation. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 93 DEC(Château Talbot) Our sample at the UGC tasting at Branaire-Ducru was a bit reduced, but not enough so as to impact one’s ability to get a read on the wine. The nose underneath is a classic Talbot, with its black fruity mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, soil, woodsmoke and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite soil-driven, with fine focus, a very good core of fruit, and a properly reserved, long and ripely tannic finish. A fine success for the vintage. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 90-92 JGExtremely sexy, soft, supple and opulent, with notes of cedar, herbs, incense and black currant fruit, this is a full-bodied, generously endowed but silky Talbot to drink now and over the next 20+ years. By any standard of measurement, this is irresistible.Robert Parker | 91 RPDark plum and blueberry compote notes lead the way, followed by dark cocoa and tobacco. A fleshy feel runs throughout, with a stony edge adding length and balance on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2009 Talbot has a much more modest bouquet than the Gruaud Larose, missing the same horsepower and fruit concentration, airy in style, attractive but not as memorable as others. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, and a fine bead of acidity. Quite linear and conservative but with satisfying precision on the finish. It is a classic Talbot that should give 25 to 30 years of pleasure, though not the best amongst its peers. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

93
DEC
As low as $95.00
2010 beychevelle Bordeaux Red

Firm tannins still at 10 years very much showing their quality and flexibility. This is brilliant, cassis, bilberry, touches of hawthorn and liquorice. An estate that struggled for consistency at times during the 10 years before this, but it had started to settle into far more regular success at this point, and here it is at the top of its game. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful aromas of blackberries, currants and flowers. Very aromatic. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and gorgeous fruit. It’s polished and very refined. One of the best Beychevelles in years. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 95 JSShowing better from bottle than it did from barrel, where it was also impressive, but not quite at this level, the 2010 Beychevelle displays sweet black currant, black cherry, foresty notes, medium to full-bodied texture with impressive purity and moderately high tannins (although they’ve softened considerably during the wine’s upbringing in barrel). Layered and rich for a Beychevelle, this wine should easily withstand three decades of cellaring. I would give it another 3-4 years of bottle age, but this is a fabulous effort from the first chateau one sees upon entering the appellation of St.-Julien.Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2010 Beychevelle has a dense bouquet with blackberry and wild hedgerow aromas. The oak is neatly integrated and with subtle iodine scents developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, a superb line of acidity, fresh and vibrant with a distinctive graphite note towards the Pauillac-like finish. I love the linearity and precision of this Saint-Julien, real class here. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMBeychevelle’s style privileges elegance over weight, and such is the case with the 2010. It’s a pure-fruited, ripe and lightly tannic wine, emphasizing a blackberry note. This will evolve relatively quickly, reaching a peak in approximately eight years.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFeatures a gutsy feel, displaying dark, roasted cedar and tobacco notes framing a core of steeped fig, blackberry paste and plum skin that rumbles through the tarry finish. Shows strong grip on the back end, with the briary edge extending nicely. Best from 2016 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Château Beychevelle) The 2010 Beychevelle has turned out quite well, but this is one of the headier examples of the vintage on the Left Bank, as it tips the scales at 14.25 percent alcohol. Nevertheless, the wine shows quite well, as it offers up a ripe, but not overripe, aromatic mélange of sappy black cherries, cassis, cigar smoke, lovely soil tones, fresh herbs and a stylish base of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, powerful and sappy at the core, with ripe, well-integrated tannins, tangy acids and very good length and grip on the impressively focused finish. It is no small feat to maintain such fine balance at this octane level, but the team at Beychevelle has done an admirable job in 2010. I should note that I tasted this sample at the estate, as the samples at the UGC event were not on form. (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 92 JGNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

95
DEC
As low as $179.00
2010 branaire ducru Bordeaux Red

A vintage that just no question suits the soils of St-Julien. This is yet again showcasing the best of this property, with well placed juicy tannins and overall clear balance. Elegant and concentrated without straying into overpowering. Black fruits, stones, earth and spice. Will age for decades but it so drinkable already. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2010 Branaire-Ducru has a lovely mélange of red and black fruit, hints of dried blood and autumn leaves suggesting that this is moving into its secondary phase. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, good body and a fresh marine-tinged finish that is an absolute joy. There is an abiding symmetry about this wine and it is in for the long-haul. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis rich, full wine shows the chateau to be at the top of its form. It’s finely balanced, pushing both its fruit and acidity, with the tannins taking the supporting role. With its power leashed, this shows the stylish side of Saint-Julien, although it will certainly age for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA layered young red with lots of black olives and berries on the nose. Full body, with velvety and chewy tannins. It all comes together at the end with a lovely sweet fruit. Try after 2017.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine is more backward than I would have normally expected, but nevertheless, it is very impressive. The 2010 Branaire-Ducru displays an inky bluish purple color and loads of mulberry, raspberry, black currant, graphite and floral notes in its intense aromatics. Medium to full-bodied , with sensational ripeness, purity, texture and length, the tannins are slightly more prominent than I remember from barrel, but they are sweet and ripe (as opposed to astringent and bitter). This beautiful wine needs 4-6 years of cellaring and should keep 25-30 years.Producer Patrick Maroteaux continues to fine-tune and turn out a succession of brilliant wines from this chateau, which sits across the famous Medoc Route du Vin from Beychevelle.Robert Parker | 94 RPVery polished and stylish, with a velvety feel to the layers of crushed plum, currant and blackberry, while bittersweet cocoa and black licorice glide in on the gorgeous, black tea-infused finish. Features a lovely allure rather than raw power, making this possibly the prettiest St.-Julien of the vintage. There’s plenty in the tank for cellaring as well. Best from 2014 through 2030. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Branaire-Ducru) The 2010 Branaire-Ducru has turned out very well indeed in this vintage, but this is an estate that has often done quite well in riper years like 1982 and 1989. The nose is deep, impressively pure and sappy, as it offers up scents of blackberries, black cherries, cigar smoke, soil, espresso and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tight and ripely tannic, with a fine core of fruit, very good balance and a long, poised and reserved finish. This will need the better part of a decade to soften and start to drink well (in notable contrast to ripe vintages such as 1989, where Branaire-Ducru was irresistible out of the blocks), but this should be a very good example of 2010, once it has had sufficient time in the cellar. (Drink between 2020-2060).John Gilman | 91+ JG

95
WE
As low as $235.00
2010 connetable de talbot Bordeaux Red
As low as $65.00
2010 ducru beaucaillou Bordeaux Red

The nose is phenomenal with perfect aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon with currant bush, blackberries and minerals. A pure expression of Cab. The palate is perfect with a full body, but has perfectly integrated tannins with a texture like the finest cashmere. It’s strong but noble with perfect form and beauty. All in harmony. A fabulous wine that everyone who loves Bordeaux should have a bottle or case of. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 100 JSWhile I loved the 2010 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou on release I’ve always preferred the 2009. However, the 2010 showed sensationally on this occasion, and while in a different style than the 2009, it’s unquestionably as good. Still ruby/purple-hued, it offers up extraordinary notes of pure crème de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, spice, and damp earth, and it’s the purity of fruit as well as the incredible depth and intensity that makes this wine so special. Full-bodied, deep, profound, and seamless on the palate, it offers incredible pleasure today but it’s going to be a 50-year, if not a 100-year wine. Hats off to Bruno Borie.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDVery deep garnet in color, the 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou is just slightly closed to begin, featuring subtle wafts of baked plums, espresso and bay leaves before kicking it up a notch with expressive notes of blackcurrant cordial, chargrilled meats, woodsmoke and crushed rocks plus a tantalizing touch of truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and oh-so-decadently fruited in the mouth, the palate is built like a brick house with firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the tightly wound flavor layers, finishing with epic length and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThere is tannin build up at this point in the vertical, but in the most enjoyable way - a clear indication of how much complexity there is in these wines and how densely knitted together they are, bedding down for the long term. This wine in particular has barely an end in sight, it just stretches out before you, confident in its fleshy texture and layers of expression. This is really at the top of what you hope from St Julien, confident and intense yet still with the balance and freshness of the appellation. It has great persistency and keeps hanging on, delivering flavour an inch at a time. Wonderful. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECNot shy at all, with a flamboyant, aromatic profile of roasted apple wood and warm ganache, featuring more than enough stuffing in the form of thickly layered blackberry paste, steeped fig and pastis-soaked plum flavors. The structure is massive but incredibly polished, and the fruit displays terrific purity through the graphite-supported finish. Large-scale and extremely well-rendered. Best from 2020 through 2040. 8,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou, picked 29 September to 14 October, was matured in 100% new oak for 18 months. This is more backward, sultry compared to the 2009, but there is a payload of black fruit laced with violet and cedar, a very faint ash scent emerging with time. The palate is full-bodied with powerful black fruit, a lovely granular texture and a killer line of acidity. There is a certainly headiness on the finish, atypically more so than the 2009, although it delivers extraordinary persistence. It needs another 10 years before it even thinks about entering its drinking window. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 96+ VMA grand wine, it has great ripeness and richness, majestic in its structure and upright character. It is concentrated, perfumed and opulent. The style of Ducru Beaucaillou is both generous and powerful, and obviously ageworthy.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a riveting success for the vintage and one of the best three or four wines to be found on the Left Bank this year. The bouquet is deep, pure and stunning, as it soars from the glass in a mélange of sweet cassis, dark berries, tobacco, a superb, gravelly soil signature, coffee and a fair dollop of spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and fabulously structured, with great intensity at the core, impeccable focus and balance, plenty of ripe, beautifully integrated tannins and outstanding length and grip on the palate-staining and dancing finish. Here is one of the extremely rare 2010s that actually is worthy of all the hyperbole bantered around about this vintage! (Drink between 2022-2100)John Gilman | 95+ JG

100
JS
As low as $335.00
2010 gloria Bordeaux Red

Cocoa bean, bilberry, cassis, espresso, smoked earth, campfire, chunky tannins that put the emphasis on dark Petit Verdot spice. It’s a St Julien wine that has hints of Pauillac, where you feel the shoulders, the structure and the chewy tannins but there is a generosity and again this sparkle of cheer underpinning it all that Gloria does so well. Plenty of time ahead. 40% new oak, harvest September 29 to October 16. 46hl/h yield, from a year that saw both quality and quantity. Remi di Constanzo technical director.Jane Anson | 96 JASt-Julien lovers are going to be happy to see how Gloria has developed over the past decade. Cinnamon and black pepper, slivers of olive paste and crushed smoked rosemary. I love this wine; this was the time when it was starting to receive well deserved recognition after years of being in the background; and well done those who bought in En Primeur. Just coming in to its drinking window, but no rush. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 94 DECThe 2010 Gloria has a very attractive and quite intense bouquet with a surfeit of blackberry and wild strawberry scents, cedar and light seaweed coming through with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with supple but firm tannins framing the pure blackberry and bilberry fruit, laced with black pepper and clove. Very complex, very focused and very precise on the finish, this is an outstanding 2010 Saint-Julien. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2010 Gloria is an ass-kicking, fabulous value once again from this estate, which would probably be classified if the 1855 hierarchy of the wines of the Medoc were ever done again. Abundant notes of cedar wood, fruitcake, flowers, creme de cassis and kirsch are all present in this full-bodied, opulent, dense, dark ruby/purple wine. It is slightly more restrained than the flamboyant 2009, but equal in quality. This is a juicy, well-proportioned, sensationally concentrated, super-ripe Gloria to drink over the next decades. Of course, it is a sleeper of the vintage, given the reasonable price it normally sells for.Robert Parker | 93 RPA little coarse, with chewy tannins, but velvety in texture. Full body, with plenty of fruit and bright acidity. Intense and interesting.James Suckling | 90-91 JSJuicy and direct, with a relatively friendly feel to the plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit, all coated with a ganache note that hangs through the finish. Surprisingly accessible, and not quite as grippy as when tasted from barrel. Drink now through 2023.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThe wine shows considerable new-wood influence at this stage. However, this wood emphasis brings out polished fruit that is deliciously smooth and blackberry-like in profile. This is likely to develop relatively quickly.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

96
JA
As low as $79.99
2010 gruaud larose Bordeaux Red

Ripe raspberries and blueberries with hints of fresh flowers. Deep nose of dark fruits. Full body, with silky tannins and a beautifully integrated tannin structure. It’s long and very refined. Better than 2009. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSRich and ripe black fruits, both concentrated and expressive, florality and fragrance are there waiting to come out. Firmness, breadth and precision, an excellent wine. Drinking Window 2016 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECFor anybody looking for classic Bordeaux, this is the bottle to seek. “Classic” here means a wine with a tannic structure that also relies on a black currant flavor, with acidity providing freshness but not losing any concentration or aging potential. Keep for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2010 Gruaud Larose has an attractive bouquet with brambly black fruit, freshly tilled loam and melted tar scents that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a superb line of acidity that keeps this Saint-Julien tensile from start to finish. Plenty of energy here and beautifully proportioned, this is excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMDark garnet/plum/purple, with loads of spice, earth, underbrush, red and black currants, licorice, and even a hint of Provencal garrigue, this full-bodied, tannic, masculine style of St.-Julien needs 5-6 years of cellaring, but is full, beefy, rich and impressively endowed. There are plenty of firm tannins in the background of this blockbuster wine, which has been built for the long haul. This is one 2010 where patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Robert Parker | 93+ RPThis is distinctive, with an aromatic roasted alder wood streak leading the way, quickly followed by dense but sleek blackberry cobbler, currant paste and warm plum sauce notes. Well-polished through the finish, offering deeply embedded acidity. Best from 2015 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Château Gruaud Larose) The 2010 Gruaud Larose has turned out very well indeed and is another of the stars in St. Julien this year. The bouquet is deep, complex and handsomely reserved in tone, as it offers up scents of cassis, dark berries, espresso, cigar wrapper, gravelly soil tones and a deft framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and powerfully constructed, with a rock solid core of fruit, plenty of ripe, well-integrated tannins and a very long, well-balanced and classy finish. (Drink between 2022-2075).John Gilman | 92 JG

93+
RP
As low as $129.00
2010 lagrange Bordeaux Red

Loads of tension and form. It can be cellared for decades, but it’s balanced and beautiful already. Lots of blueberry, licorice and blackberry character. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2010 Lagrange was picked from 29 September to 20 October. This is even better than the 2009 on the nose with beautifully defined brambly red fruit, crushed stone, violet and iris aromas, almost pixelated in detail. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, precise and focused with a silky mouthfeel. This fans out beautifully, certainly one of the more approachable 2010s but a wine full of class and immense breeding. Outstanding - a benchmark for the estate. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis again is a brilliant St-Julien - full of joy and finesse and elegance. Black fruits and smoke combine with a slate minerality - I love it.This is also one that offers good value for money and will be a perfect match for food. Can drink now, or wait, and will age. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 94 DECWith vineyards in the west of Saint-Julien, Lagrange produces wines that are polished and elegant. In 2010, that style has been suffused with tannins while also delivering a black currant flavor. The wine is rich and ripe, with just the right amount of tannic structure for the fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis property, on the western plateau of St-Julien, includes 292 acres of vines on soils that vary from coarse to fine gravels, combined with sand or clay. Suntory purchased the property in 1983 and hired Marcel Ducasse, who restored it to prominence during his 24 years at the helm. Now run by Matthieu Bordes and Keiichi Shiina, Lagrange produces sleek wines. This is not a fat St-Julien, though their 2010 is succulent, opening over the course of several days to racy, dark plum fruit and a narrow course of tannins. Still youthful, this is approachable and lovely after long hours in a decanter, and it will reward patient cellaring.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SNotes of singed alder, graphite and charcoal wrap around the core of intense blackberry paste, warm plum sauce and currant preserves. Turns sleek and racy on the well-knit finish despite the notable grip. Best from 2015 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Lagrange) I did not have time to drop by Château Lagrange to taste the 2010 sur place, so I do not have a note this year on their fine second wine, Les Fiefs de Lagrange, but the grand vin was showing very well at the UGC event. The bouquet is deep, pure, refined and seems decidedly less ripe than several others, as it offers up a black fruity mélange of cassis, dark berries, gentle herb tones, tobacco leaf, espresso, gravel and a deft base of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively seamless, with a ripe personality, lovely mid-palate depth, well-balanced tannins and very fine length and grip on the reserved and classy finish. A really lovely example of the vintage. (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 92+ JGDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Lagrange gives up notes of baked blackcurrants, stewed plums and fried herbs with nuances of crushed rocks and balsamic plus a touch of fungi. Full-bodied, the palate has a firm line of grainy tannins and fantastic freshness helping to define the black fruit and earthy flavors, finishing a little lifted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

95
VM
As low as $105.00
2010 langoa barton Bordeaux Red

The 2010 Langoa-Barton has a very serious complex and involving bouquet with blackberry, cedar, sage and light sous-bois aromas that are exquisitely defined. The oak here is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple rounded tannins that frame its payload of black fruit laced with white pepper and cedar. It fans out brilliantly towards the finish. It is so velvety in texture that you could almost broach this now, but its substance and weight suggests that it deserves another few years in the cellar. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 95 VMTightly focused, with a beam of cassis and blackberry fruit framed by integrated espresso and charcoal notes. The ample structure drives the polished finish, allowing extra notes of plum sauce, pastis and blueberry coulis to stride through. Shows serious grip at the very end. Best from 2016 through 2035. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WSLighter framed than Leoville, and while this is delicious, it is not quite at the level of its sibling. Not that anyone is going to complain, and this will be ready to crack out sooner. Opens up to show bramble berry fruits with confident tannins that provide a frame that is going to hold on tight for a good decade at least. Plenty of St-Julien character. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DECFruity and juicy, this showcases the accessibility of this estate, while also highlighting some of the tannic structure of its big brother, Léoville-Barton. There is a classic black-currant note that’s balanced by the firm tannins of the vintage. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAnother wine showing better from bottle than it did from barrel, the 2010 Langoa Barton has the typical structured, dense style, but just as I thought earlier on, it is a much softer and more developed wine than one ordinarily expects from proprietor Anthony Barton. It is full-bodied and impressively endowed with subtle oak, rich cassis fruit and notes of new saddle leather, forest floor, cedar wood and spice box. Full, authoritative and dense, this wine should be at its best between 2018 and 2035.Robert Parker | 93+ RPBlueberry and blackberry aromas with hints of mint. Full body, with fine tannins and a chocolate, vanilla and berry aftertaste. This builds on the palate with fruit and tannins. Extremely polished. Better in 2017.James Suckling | 93 JS

92-94
WS
As low as $100.00
2010 leoville barton Bordeaux Red

This is a magnificently solid wine, initially even a bit severe. At this young stage, the tannins dominate, but it’s also full of black fruit notes. Very dense and concentrated, this is a wine that’s even better than the legendary 2005. The structure tells of its extraordinary aging potential: don’t even attempt to drink this for 10 years.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WELove the depth and the power of this, it grips the walls of the glass. These tannins are muscular and yet ready to roll and still so powerful that you can’t help but smile. The cassis fruits are concentrated and layered with tobacco, slate, pencil lead and smoked earth. Hard not to recommend this wine. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 97 DECAromas of pure blackberries and violets follow through to a full body, with super velvety tannins and a delicious balance of sweet fruit, light vanilla and nuts. Really savory and beautiful. Superb wine. I like this better than 2009. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 97 JSTakes a modern approach, with dark mocha- and espresso-infused toast leading the way, featuring an extra ganache kicker before dark currant preserves and roasted plum fruit strides in. Dense and extracted through the polished finish, this features a charcoal spine that gives rise to extra blueberry and pastis notes. Should cruise in the cellar. Best from 2018 through 2038. 13,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2010 Léoville Barton is cut from a very different cloth to the Langoa this year with more amplitude on the nose and more red fruit. It is very well delineated, very intense with almost honey-like aromas emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent, ripe tannins. This is a multi-dimensional Léoville-Barton with tobacco-infused black fruit gripping the finish and not letting go. Afford this wine another few years in bottle. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2010 Leoville Barton is deep garnet in color, and the nose is a little tired, with notes of stewed plums and dried cherries over hints of balsamic, tobacco, spice box and fried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of firm, chewy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the mature fruit, finishing spicy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

100
WE
As low as $195.00

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