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The 2005 Sociando-Mallet is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc picked between September 19 and October 6. It has a very well defined bouquet of red currant, cranberry and wild strawberry fruit; pressed white flowers emerge later, along with a hint of truffle. The medium-bodied palate shows wonderful definition, good cohesion and a touch of spice and black pepper. The tannins are very fine and focused, and the finish fans out wonderfully. I remember being impressed with this out of barrel, and 13 years later it is seriously fulfilling its potential. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis continues to be a firm and structured red with lots of slate, wet-earth and blackcurrant character. Full body, polished, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Give it time. Better after 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSIt’s hard not to admire the brilliant Jean Gautreau, who has run this great terroir and estate (just to the north of St-Estèphe’s Château Montrose) with meticulous perfection for decades. The 2005 is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Offering beautifully sweet crème de cassis and blueberries, this is concentrated essence of blue and black fruits, with some underlying minerality, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and stunning texture, length and purity. This is superb Sociando Mallet, with surprisingly sweet tannin, which is even more remarkable in this vintage of high and occasionally hard tannins. Give it another 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 30 years.Robert Parker | 93+ RP

Rich yet firmly structured this is a very classic St.-Julien that’s generous and polished with so much energy driving the long plush finish. Delicious now, but should hold for many years. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 95 JSA beautiful, young, and still burly 2009, the Clos du Marquis comes from a single vineyard in the Léoville Las Cases stable (it’s not a second wine) and is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a beautiful wine offering classic Saint-Julien crème de cassis fruits as well as lots of rocky minerality, cedarwood, graphite, and spring flowers. With full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, stunning purity of fruit, and a great finish, it needs a solid decant if drinking today and has another two decades or more of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA dense wine, the wood just showing at this stage through its dark tannins and superb rich fruit. The wine is ripe, with a density of tannins that go right down deep. Big and powerful.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENow positioned as a totally separate vineyard and a real clos (enclosed walled vineyard), this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Jean-Hubert Delon is a beauty. Creme de cassis notes intermixed with some vanillin, crushed rock and spring flowers jump from the glass. Full-bodied and powerful (nearly 14% natural alcohol), this is a generously endowed, rich wine that was first made in 1902. The 2009 should drink well for 20-25 years. Readers need to think of it as a true classified growth, although technically it is not.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2009 Clos du Marquis is tightly wound on the nose, gradually unfurling to reveal blackberry pastilles, boysenberry, pencil shaving and subtle mint aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, good weight in the mouth, and crisp acidity. Fresh and vibrant with a gentle grip on the finish that perhaps would benefit from more persistence. Otherwise this is very fine. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis has a perfumy espresso edge to its racy red currant, briar and blackberry bush notes. Long and refined through the finish, with a pronounced minerality that should soften in a decade. Tight, but a rather elegant expression of Cabernet overall. Best from 2016 through 2024. 15,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Léoville-Las Cases, Clos du Marquis, St-Julien, Red) 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. This is utterly delicious. Around 45% new oak is used; well balanced with tight, dark berry fruits, liquorice and soft tannins. You could certainly start drinking this now, but no question that it will age. (Drink between 2017-2030)Decanter | 91 DEC

Wonderful aromas of currants and blackberries with hints of spices. Full body, with fabulous tannins and a long and creamy texture to the finish. I love the depth of fruit to this. Best ever from here. Great value for the vintage. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 95 JSAlthough this wine has tannins, it's the fruit that shines, with its delicious black-currant flavor and acidity. It is more fine and elegant than it is powerful, a pleasant surprise from Saint-Estèphe in this vintage For medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDeep garnet colored, the 2010 Ormes de Pez slips sensuously from the glass with seductive blackberry pie, Black Forest cake and kirsch scents plus nuances of candied violets, hoisin, dark chocolate and licorice. Full-bodied, rich and plush in the mouth, it has a fantastic line of freshness lifting all the decadent fruit to a long, energy-sparked finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA more open, ready to drink and less muscled wine than many others in this lineup, but it valiantly holds its own, and offers a great deal of pleasure at this 10 year window. Ready to drink and welcoming with a fruit character that is a juicy frank blackberry rather than the tight, concentrated cassis that you find in many. A good choice for medium term drinking, with the confidence of the vintage. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038Decanter | 91 DECThe 2010 Les Ormes de Pez has a ripe and fruit-driven bouquet with tons of wild strawberry, cranberry and undergrowth notes, well defined if not quite as complex as its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. Good acidity, nicely proportioned with a touch of spice on the finish, this constitutes one of the more approachable Saint-Estèphe wines, with the substance to suggest that it will drink over the next 10-15 years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMDark and winey, with good damson plum, black currant and mulled spice notes pushed by a tangy iron note and flecks of savory and chalk on the finish. The judicious toast lets the pure fruit drive along. Best from 2015 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Even at 10 years old this is fairly closed and austere, but there is so much to look forward to. It’s a serious wine that deserves your full attention, and would definitely be ready to go with a good hour or two in a carafe. But don’t just open and drink, because it needs time to let the fruits soften, and to release the myriad layers of liquorice, cigar box, chocolate and black berry flavours. Very impressive, easily rivalling classified wines in this vintage. 3.67pH. Harvest from September 5 to 28. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2010 Phelan Ségur has a really lovely bouquet with brambly red fruit, brown spices, touches of damp undergrowth and tobacco. This feels complex and very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, good acidity, very harmonious with an elegant off-dry, slightly savoury finish. It is not the most ambitious Saint-Estèphe but there is plenty of charm here. I marked this wine down in the past, but it certainly beginning to blossom. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of blueberries and spices with hints of licorice too. Full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Extremely well-integrated. Beautiful. One of the best ever from here. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSAllies solid density to subtle refinement, with steeped plum, currant, singed iron and charcoal notes. Lightly firm through the finish, showing a lovely tobacco edge, this should age gracefully. Best from 2014 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe best wine from Phélan Ségur for several years, this shows less of the often-intrusive new wood and more of the fruit that had been missing in past vintages. It shows a subtle level of toast and a black currant flavor, plus great acidity and freshness on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Phélan Ségur boldly springs from the glass with open-for-business notes of baked blackcurrants, blueberry tart and chocolate covered cherries followed by hints of cardamom, camphor and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm line of grippy tannins and just enough freshness to support the maturing black fruits, finishing with a fair bit of chew.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

(Château Carignan Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, France) Very floral and pretty with currant and violet character. Full body, round and velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. I like the hazelnut and chocolate undertones to this. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 91 JS

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

From the same winemaking team as Château d’Issan in Margaux, this wine has a sophisticated character. Ripe tannins and structure from Cabernet Sauvignon are perfumed with wood aging. The wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA plummy and juicy red with a medium body, medium-round tannins and pleasing redcurrant and cedar undertones. Just opening now. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

Attractive, modern style with assorted, ripe summer berries, layered with upbeat, toasty oak. The palate is fresh and gently muscular tannins serve this wine well. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThere are two second wines from this estate. The 2016 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon-based and sees 60% new French oak. It’s also deeply colored, offers classic Pauillac aromatics, and possesses a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, backward vibe that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is fleshy and caressing in feel, letting warm plum sauce and cassis notes roll along, lined with pretty violet and anise accents. There’s a light tug of earth through the gently toasty finish, but this is pretty much all fruit and is ready to go. Drink now through 2030. 7,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2016 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is quite powerful and dense. Aging, and specifically, the barrel regime of 18 months in oak (60% new) has left the 2016 with a heavy toast/torrefaction quality that at present overpowers the dark fruit and Cabernet aromatics the wine showed from barrel. Frankly, I liked the 2016 more en primeur.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis is closer to the signature of the grand vin than that of the Tourelles de Longueville as it comes from soil with a higher gravel content. It represents 30% of production. Beautiful, rich dark purple in colour from a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot, a more classic interpretation of a Médoc second wine than Les Tourelles. This is gorgeous, with a sense of restraint behind the deep, plump fruit. 18 months in 60% new oak reinforces the silky tannins. I like this very much.Decanter | 91 DEC

Good complexity on the nose, chocolate, cherries, plums and blackcurrants. Succulent straight away, it makes you suck your cheeks in, the tannins are abundant and fill the mouth but with a soft, juicy chewiness that’s really pleasant. I really like this density, it feels full without being too much - all in balance. A really enjoyable wine, good to have with food and will age well continuing to integrate and soften, but I like its fruit-forward confidence right now. A bit of milk chocolate sweetness, some chalkiness and then a herbal element too - everything you need in a good claret! with typicity and approachability. Top value too. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Laffitte-Carcasset is gorgeous, just as it was from barrel. This mid-weight Saint-Estèphe impresses with its nuance and delineation. Bright red fruit, iron, menthol, anise, cedar and rose petal lend uncommon complexity, while fine grained tannins give the wine proportion and drive. This polished, under the radar gem is a real delight. Laffitte-Carcasset is an especially delicate wine for the appellation.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe estate on the plateau of Saint-Estèphe is well situated to produce this rich, full-bodied wine. Broad tannins give the dry core essential for aging. They are balanced by black-currant fruits from the 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. It will age well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEBlackcurrants, brambleberries, walnut husks, dried leaves and dark spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh and structured. Crushed stone comes through in the aftertaste. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 91 JS

Aromas of guava, dried lemon zest and pear skin with hints of cedar and crushed flint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tangy acidity. Flavorful and concentrated with a smooth, waxy texture. Mineral finish. Second wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

Ripe and heady nose filled with deep black cherry aromas and touches of rose petals, with some dark chocolate and liquorice nuances. So smooth and finely textured on the palate, tannins gently grip the mouth giving a fresh cola, mint and cool blue fruit flavour that expands and becomes more expressive as it goes from the beginning to the end. Lifted and well structured, such a great framework of ripe fruits, cooling freshness and integrated tannins. On the heady style, deeper rather than full of acidity, with a real lingering flavour of mint-edged fruit at the end suggests this has a long life ahead but with great drinkability soon. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThis is a very solid Moulis with spice, walnut, nutmeg and currant character on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied and chewy. Shows depth of fruit and structure. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Branas Grand Poujeaux is a charming, expressive wine, exhibiting aromas of rich berry fruit, spices, dark chocolate and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and sensual palate. Layered and seamless, it’s framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids. This is one of the flashier, more concentrated wines produced in Moulis, but it carries its ambitious vinification well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 Cambon La Pelouse has a vivacious bouquet with bright brambly red fruit laced with cedar and graphite, the latter lending it a Pauillac-like personality. The palate is medium-bodied with a pastille-like entry, fleshier than some other Haut-Médoc wines though I need a little more persistency on the finish to warrant a higher score.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM(Château Cambon la Pelouse, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Red) Gorgeous nose full of softly sweet blackcurrants. Energy and life here, straight away you get the rush of bright red and black fruits, strawberries and black cherries filling the mouth with fruit juice and mouth watering acidity. Then the tannins take hold giving support and depth. This feels well made with intensity and precision. The focus is on the bright fruit with good acidity. An easy drinker and one to approach to enjoy it’s youthful energy but you could also hold on to it for a few more years. (Drink between 2023-2035)Decanter | 92 DECThis is really nicely crafted with creamy and lightly chewy tannins that add layers and density to the wine. It’s medium-to full-bodied with lovely fruit and a chocolate and walnut undertone. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot. This needs time to come together. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSDelivers warmed plum and blackberry notes that are laced with a smoldering cast iron hint, while a backdrop of anise and apple wood adds nice energy to the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2030. 12,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A rich expressive nose so much going on here, ripe fruits, dried fruit, pepper, cinnamon, herbs and spices. A lovely combination of red and black fruits with tons of liquorice, cinnamon, mint and eucalyptus. So chewy, fruity, dense and plush, but great acidity. Complex and multifaceted with a really long length and good lift at the end. Give this time but will be great. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2038Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Charmail rolls out of the glass with notions of plum preserves, baked cherries and fruitcake plus hints of spice box, gingerbread and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has bags of spicy black fruit preserves on offer with a fine-grained frame and just enough freshness, finishing long and harmonious. Nicely done!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThe 2019 Charmail has an understated bouquet that unfolds with aeration, revealing pretty red berry fruit, rose petal and crushed stone. I admire the focus here. The palate is rounded, sweet and nicely poised, with nice grip. A little oak toward the finish suggests this will age with style. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92 VMOne of the top Haut-Médocs out there, the 2019 Château Charmail comes from a great terroir north of Saint- Estèphe and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby/purple, with a great nose of red and black currants, toasted spice, tobacco, and dried flowers, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rocking core of sweet fruit, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure but will shine for 10-12 years, if not longer. It’s well worth a case purchase.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis has a perfumed nose of wild strawberries, currants, lavender, chocolate orange and praline. Medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Pretty and polished with a fresh finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

Cassis, mulberries, tobacco, cedary oak, and violet notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Desmirail, another beautiful, medium to full-bodied, balanced, just seamless beauty. Based on 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, it can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlack fruit, chocolate, cedar, walnut, graphite and sweet spices on the nose. Medium body with fine, sleek tannins. Elegant and structured with a dark core of fruit on the center-palate and a flavorful finish. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSBramble hedgerow on the nose, smooth texture but with tannins that grip and take hold but are filled with chewy, lively juice. They really do cover the entire mouth but they’re vibrant and succulent and just very playful expanding outwards, filling the mouth with no harshness. It’s on the extravagant opulent end of the spectrum but with energy at the same time. I really enjoy it. One to drink now and just enjoy for it’s boldness and brightness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Desmirail has improved on the nose of well-defined blackberry, raspberry and crushed rose petal scents, elegant and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crisp line of acidity. Taut and quite linear toward the persistent finish, which will need 3–5 years to fully assimilate the oak. This Desmirail should give up to 20 years of drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2019 Desmirail opens in the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, sweet soil tones and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it’s a charming, polished wine, with a fleshy core of fruit, refined tannins and lively balancing acids. This elegant, beautifully made wine has turned out very well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The fortified chateau dating to the 12th century is now the home of the Bethmann family. This latest release indicates the high quality the estate now produces. Rich in tannins and with a dense structure, the wine is full of juicy acidity. The texture and dry core promise aging. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WETobacco, blackcurrant and crushed stone. Ash, too. Full-bodied with very polished and juicy tannins that are firm, yet polished and long. Wonderful finish. Give it three or four years to come together. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSExpressive nose of bright red cherries and strawberries. Good juiciness here, this has life for sure but the fruit is still a little in high definition right now and edged with spicy oak elements that are quite dominant. Definitely lots going on and this has power, precision, good fruit and acidity but needs more time to soften and integrate. A peppery, quite savoury finish. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2039Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Olivier is a powerful, brooding wine. Dark cherry, tobacco, iron, game, menthol and dried herbs lend quite a bit of complexity and nuance to this hearty, earthy Pessac-Léognan. From bottle, the 2019 comes across as a bit burly, while the fruit is not quite as forward as it was en primeur.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGBlackcurrants, darker cherries, earth, and spicy oak notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Olivier, a young, unevolved, promising 2019 with medium to full body, ripe, nicely polished tannins, the vintage’s elegant style, and a great finish. Give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDAromas of red berries and plums, framed by hints of burning embers and a deft framing of new oak, introduce the 2019 Olivier, a medium to full-bodied, supple and charming wine that’s elegantly fleshy, with an ample core of fruit, powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a discreetly heady finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Lots of cassis, graphite, chalky minerality, and sappy herb notes emerge from the 2019 Château Pibran, a rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Pauillac. I love its purity of fruit, the balance is spot on, and the tannins, while present, are perfectly ripe and polished. It’s not a blockbuster and shows the more elegant style of the vintage, but it’s a gorgeous, classy Pauillac that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have 25+ of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Pibran is such an attractive wine. Just as it did en primeur, Pibran offers up a beguiling mix of bright red fruit intermingled with expressive floral accents. I especially admire the energy here. The 2019 will provide plenty of pleasure over the coming decades, give or take. It’s an absolute delight.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGJuicy and ripe, with plum, blackberry and black currant paste flavors that have good energy as they move along, picking up singed alder, cast iron and tobacco accents along the way. Approachable but will develop a bit more, too. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2032. 2,077 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAromas of black cherries, blackberries, cloves, black tea, wet earth and graphite. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, smooth tannins. Nicely balanced, with a compact core of dark fruit. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 91 JSThe 2019 Pibran offers up aromas of plums, sweet berries, loamy soil and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, with polished tannins and a succulent core of fruit, it’s a charming, giving wine from a cooler site than Pichon Baron, with limestone soils and a higher proportion of Merlot in the blend.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

This is delicious, a serious step up from the Reynon within the same stable, and speaks to the influence that terroir has on a wine - this is slate and crushed granite showing grip through the palate, and the citrus has plenty of zest to give it focus and lift. Juicy finish also, excellent wine from Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu. 25% new oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECThe late founder Denis Dubourdieu was the master of white wine in Bordeaux. So it is pleasing that this wine should be so fine. Subtly rich, with generous white fruits, ripeness and concentration, the wine is developing well. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2019 Clos Floridene Blanc has an almost identical bouquet to the one I encountered from barrel sample, featuring attractive pear and apple blossom scents and hints of yellow plum with lovely definition. The palate is well balanced and supported by a fine spine of acidity, if maybe less tangy than I recall. Nectarine and white peach emerge toward a finish that delivers all the length you need. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91 AGSliced apples, pears, white peaches and lemons on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with tangy, lemony acidity and a supple, fruity palate. 55% semillon and 45% sauvignon blanc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JSThe 2019 Blanc reveals an enticing nose of fresh lime juice, yuzu zest and pink grapefruit with wafts of coriander seed and shaved almonds. The medium-bodied palate has a seriously racy line of freshness cutting through the intense citrus layers, finishing on a chalky note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

Aromas of redcurrants, flowers and spices, such as nutmeg. Some cherries, too. It’s full-bodied, yet racy and energetic. Chewy tannins. Structured. One of the best Cos Labory in a long time. This needs three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Cos Labory remains rather brawny, but it certainly has a ton of character. Black cherry, plum, gravel, licorice and scorched earth add to an impression of rusticity. Even so, there is plenty of depth and more than enough energy to support many years of fine drinking.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGA Cru Classé that in recent years has clearly been striving to catch up with its 1855 neighbours. It remains far less polished than the other classified growths in the appellation, but that gives it a charm all of its own. There are plenty of firm tannins here, with cassis and bilberry fruits, along with clear austerity that is going to need a few more years to soften. A serious wine with a sense of identity, takes its time to reveal its hand and may move up when retasted in bottle. Tasted twice one week apart. (Drink between 2026-2043)Decanter | 92 DECA classic Saint-Estèphe nose of darker currants, damp earth, leafy herbs, and cedar emerges from the 2019 Château Cos Labory, a medium-bodied, balanced 2019 with good mid-palate concentration, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It deserves 3-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90+ JDThe 2019 Cos Labory reveals inviting aromas of plums, blackcurrants and loamy soil, followed by a medium-bodied, supple and elegantly fleshy palate that’s framed by fine, powdery tannins and succulent acids. Open and charming for a young Saint-Estèphe, it will drink well with minimal bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Rich nose full of savoury elements, black truffle and black pepper. The palate texture is lovely, seriously smooth but with such depth and layers of cassis, blackberries, raisins, cinnamon and mint. Feels classy and elegant with lashings of ripe fruit, great acidity and restrained power. Such a great wine, powerful but controlled with a long finish. Serious concentration from start to finish and such complexity. Generous and juicy. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 94 DECSweet berries and cherries in the nose with some tobacco and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a juicy finish. Second wine of Sociando-Mallet. Give it a year or two to soften.James Suckling | 92 JS

Pure white peach, tart pineapple, white flowers, and chalky mineral notes all emerge from the 2019 Clos Des Lunes Lune D’Argent Blanc, a Semillon-dominated, medium-bodied, concentrated, wonderfully textured white. This is well worth your time and money, and I suspect it will have a decade of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDSuch an aromatic nose, wow, the aromas just jump out the glass - lime, mandarin peel, candied lemon - smells more on the Sauvignon side. This is lovely on the palate, it has a great weight with definition and structure from the Semillon. There is acidity but it’s really well integrated giving a rounder, more wide and weighty wine than light and super fresh. I like the style, it’s gourmet and rich but still with a lovely lift and overall appeal. This also has a really delicate but wonderful florality to the fruit - perfumed lychee, pear and peach. Delicious. Just short of unctuous but on the good side. Crack open now and enjoy with food. (Drink between 2023-2035)Decanter | 93 DECBright and zesty nose of green pineapple, gooseberry, lime curd, passion fruit and crushed stone. Wax and nougat, too. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a fresh, creamy palate. Excellent length. 70% semillon and 30% sauvignon blanc. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Lune d’Argent, whose Sémillon is picked just short of botrytis, has a wonderful, sunny bouquet, traces of Sauternes DNA filtering through with aeration. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry, taut, crisp and quite mineral-driven. The saline finish calls out for seafood. Maybe just a tad shorter than I recall, but I this Lune d’Argent still has a lot to offer.Vinous Media | 92+ VMThe 2019 Lune d’Argent comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of lemon drops, key lime pie and fresh pink grapefruit with suggestions of mandarin peel, honeysuckle and wet pebbles. Medium-bodied, the palate bursts with vibrant citrus flavors and a racy backbone of freshness, finishing with a pretty perfume.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RPA plump, friendly offering led by white peach and white nectarine notes, with acacia, honeysuckle and makrut lime hints along the way. Open-knit, easy finish. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2023. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Domaine de la Solitude Blanc offers a striking interplay of tension and power. Bright citrus, white flower and mineral nuances appear first, followed by hints of almond, crushed flowers and mint that add shades of complexity. It is one of the more vibrant 2019s I tasted. As such, I expect it will need at least a few years in bottle to be at its best.Antonio Galloni | 93-95 AGSo aromatic with banana-cream pie, smoke and lemon curd. Always subtle and complex. Full-bodied and very tight, offering a crushed-stone and cooked-apple finish with an intense dried-lemon undertone. 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink after 2024, but already gorgeous.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Domaine De La Solitude (Pessac-Léognan) Blanc has a clean, classy nose of tart pineapple, honeyed guava, and sappy flowers to go with a medium to full-bodied, rich, fleshy, impressively textured style on the palate. Coming from the team at Domaine de Chevalier, it has nicely integrated acidity, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It’s already drinking nicely yet should evolve for a solid decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 Blanc features bright, fresh citrus notes of grapefruit and yuzu over a core of warm peaches and poached pears with pepper and spice sparks. Medium-bodied, the palate bursts with juicy stone fruit and zesty flavors, framed by crisp acidity and a silken texture, finishing with a white pepper kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPFresh nose filled with lemongrass, elderflower, peach and lychee giving that exotic yet floral tone to the nose. Generous on the palate with lots going on - definite spice from the wood with toast, vanilla and cinnamon alongside peach, apricot and pear. Such clarity to the palate, fruit feels precise and well worked - excellent quality here. Needs more time to fully settle and expand so buy and hold on to. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2033Decanter | 92 DECFrom the estate owned by the religious community of the Holy Family, this white wine is produced by the team of Domaine de Chevalier. The wine is rich with a dense texture and already balanced. A tangy edge from Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine a mineral edge and tight aftertaste. It should be drunk from 2023. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDelivers a lemony zip that pierces a core of white peach, jicama and fleur de sel flavors, ending with lively energy and a lingering savory echo. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2024. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG(Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Green bell pepper, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and perfumed cherries and blackcurrants on the nose - so much aromatic intensity. Immediate impact on the palate with weighty tannins that are ample and mouthcoating giving the softly sweet raspberry and red cherry flavours structure and grip. A juicy core is offset by hints of wood spice which linger on the finish so this needs more time but there is excellent vibrancy and life here and strong markers of the vintage and terroir. (Drink between 2026-2046)Decanter | 94 DECSpices, such as cloves and white pepper, with violets and dark fruit follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins and a polished yet intense finish. Open tannins. An ash-like undertone to it. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated second wine, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is dense purple. with a promising bouquet of cassis, cedary spice, tobacco leaf, and background oak. It picks up some classic Graves scorched earth notes as it sits in the glass and is medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. A serious, impressive wine, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBarrel Sample. As one of the two second wines from this organic estate, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates this wine. It has structured black currant fruits as well as a beautiful pure line of acidity. The structure, while there, is open and integrated, meaning the wine will age well over the medium-term. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WERipe and silky, with alluring warmed cassis and mulled plum flavors and a red licorice accent. The finish, which is carried by lightly singed cedar and grilled savory notes, lets the fruit have the upper hand. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2031. 6,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMore serious than the forward Les Hauts de Smith, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte contains only 40% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. Exhibiting aromas of crème de cassis, sweet berries, cocoa nib, pencil shavings and loamy soil, it’s medium to full-bodied, lively and concentrated, with a more structured, reserved profile but more incipient complexity too.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

Aromas of sliced apples and lime zest with citrus blossom and crushed stones. Polished and round-textured on the palate with a full body and tangy acidity. Creamy finish. 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Cuvee Caroline leaps from the glass with notes of lemon drops, fresh grapefruit and lime cordial, plus wafts of yuzu and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, the palate has a seriously racy backbone cutting through the intense citrus and savory layers, finishing with great length and a skip in its step.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWood aged, this balanced wine is poised between ripe citrus and spice. It offers a hint of pineapple along with lively acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEZesty and creamy and softly mouthwatering, a combination of lemon juice and orange rind giving a touch of bitterness with clear fragrance and oaky tones adding to the density on the palate but just detracting from some of the bright energy. Feels a touch heavy, though will be nice with food. I do like the weighty creaminess and this delivers a lot of flavour.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Chantegrive Cuvée Caroline has a perfumed nose with pressed white flowers, jasmine, chai and light pear scents, quite complex and full of vigor. The palate has a citric edge on the entry, taut and fresh, not a powerful dry white Graves yet with energy and tension. The sliced pear notes come through nicely on the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Pure crème de cassis, tobacco, black cherries, lead pencil, and a wonderful sense of minerality emerge from the 2020 Clos Du Marquis, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, elegant texture, plenty of ripe tannins, and the vibrant, focused, lengthy style of the vintage front and center. It’s going to need 4-6 years of bottle age, possibly more, but the balance, purity, and precision are all brilliant. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in 40% new French oak. The technical information checks in with the alcohol at 13.57%, pH of 3.76, and an IPT of 84. This will be a long-lived Saint-Julien!Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.57%, a pH of 3.76 and an IPT (tannins index) of 84. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 26th to 29th of September, the Merlot from the 11th to the 16th of September and the Cabernet Franc from the 18th to the 29th of September. Deep purple-black in color, it bursts from the glass with flamboyant notes of crushed blackberries, ripe, juicy plums and blackcurrant pastilles, with suggestions of licorice, red roses and espresso. The medium-bodied palate is completely coated with perfumed black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Simply gorgeous.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPA tighter, more linear red with blackcurrant, olive and floral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a firm, racy finish. Tight. Sweet tobacco. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 33% merlot.James Suckling | 94-95 JSFragrant black currants give a classic wine that shines with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Its density comes from concentration, offering the potential of density without weight. The wine will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is plush, sensual and inviting, with soft contours that make it a real pleasure to taste today. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal, mint and cedar all take shape as this sexy Saint-Julien shows off its allure. All the elements are so nicely balanced. In 2020, only 25 of the 46 hectares of the property were used for the Grand Vin.Vinous Media | 91-93+ VMThis has the most gorgeous savoury fruit edge, a brilliant Marquis with a sappy chalky quality, concentrated and intense but still keeps the St-Julien balance. 40% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2020 Lafon-Rochet is fabulous. The aromatics along are dazzling. Gracious and yet effusive, with tons of nuance, the 2020 dazzles from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, new leather, spice, lavender and menthol fill the room with soaring intensity. Silky, elegant and so pure, Lafon-Rochet is shaping up to be one of the real under the radar gems of 2020. It’s a terrific effort from Basile Tesseron. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMI loved the 2020 Château Lafon-Rochet, a rich, powerful, concentrated Saint-Estèphe that stays beautifully balanced and elegant. Lots of pure cassis and darker currant fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp herb notes define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with plenty of mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to take 7-8 years to hit the early stages of maturity, but it’s a brilliant wine. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.5 and a pH of 3.68. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | (93-95)+ JDBlackberry and spice with firm, chewy tannins that show polish and focus. It’s medium-to full-bodied with excellent energy. Blackberry and blackcurrant character on the finish with a touch of cedar and spice.James Suckling | 93-94 JSRichly structured, powered by dark tannins and rich blackberry fruits, this estate has produced a very fine wine this vintage. The structure is considerable while keeping fruitiness and fine acidity in focus. The wine will certainly age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Château Lafon-Rochet, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Attractive, well-paced fruits, plenty of clarity to the flavours, together with a feeling of linearity to the tannins. Austerity through the mid-palate constrains the brambled cassis fruit, but things build back up again and this is a measured, successful wine that will age well. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. First year with Eric Boissenot accompanying Jean-Claude Berrouet as consultants. (Drink between 2027-2042)Decanter | 93 DEC