Shop Wine

wines

I continue to love the wines from this château. The 2019 Château Chauvin shows an impeccably balanced, elegant, yet still concentrated style that’s well worth seeking out. Mostly Merlot (there’s some Cabernet Franc as well as a tiny amount of Cabernet Sauvignon), its deep purple hue is followed by a clean, pure, medium to full-bodied wine offering classic ripe darker cherry and currant fruits as well as spicy oak, chalky minerality, and hints of tobacco. It’s still closed and reserved today, yet the balance is spot on, it has beautifully ripe tannins, and a great mid-palate. It’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have at least two decades of prime drinking. It’s wonderful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDExtremely aromatic with chalk and dried flowers, as well as blackberries and blueberries. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a steady layer of medium, round and chewy tannins and a long, spicy finish of white pepper and dark fruit. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Chauvin has a lovely bouquet of pretty brambly red fruit, rose petal and light sous-bois aromas, fragrant and floral. The palate is medium-bodied, crisp and taut, quite classic in style, with fine tannins and a structured, off-dry finish. Give this 3–5 years in bottle because there is a lot of substance here.Vinous Media | 93 VMHigh toned cherry fruit on the nose, smells lively. Lovely purity on the palate and also some perfumed aspects which I really like. Nice solid core of flavour - elegant and refined. Textured almost like chewing grape skins with the dryness but also the flavour at the same time. Good overall impression and one for earlier approachability. Drinking Window 2023 - 2041.Decanter | 93 DECA ripe, fruity and smoky wine, this is a solid example of this vintage. The black fruits are open and luscious, giving juicy berry flavors. The tannins lurk underneath where lies the power and aging potential. This Sylvie Cazes wine is all set for medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA success from proprietor Sylvie Cazes, the 2019 Chauvin delivers aromas of rich berries and plums mingled with hints of sweet spices and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, lively and seamless, it’s layered and nicely concentrated, with bright acids and powdery tannins. This will merit a bit of patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

A wine of stature and finesse, the 2019 La Tour Figeac is regal in its bearing. An exotic mélange of dark red fruit, kirsch, mocha, dried herbs, licorice, spice and rose petal soars out of the glass. The Cabernet Franc is especially evident, just as it was en primeur. La Tour Figeac is deep and beautifully layered, yet remains medium in body and refined, with notable raciness that is so appealing. A major sleeper for the year, La Tour Figeac is a knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGLots of ripe black cherries, mulberries, Christmas spice, incense, and dried flower notes emerge from the 2019 Château La Tour Figeac, a classy, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with supple, finely polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. This wonderful 2019 already offers loads of pleasure and will keep for 15-20 years, easily.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis organic estate has made a lush, darkly tannic wine. Its broad fruit is textured with generous tannins that are bolstered by acidity. It has great potential for the cellar. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAromas of currants, blackberries, bark, toasted oak, walnut husk and chocolate orange. Medium-to full-bodied with a rich, flavorful and layered palate. Ripe, well-integrated tannins. Delicious finish. Merlot and cabernet franc. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 La Tour Figeac is generous and charming, bursting with aromas of blueberry preserve, sweet spices, dark chocolate and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with powdery tannins, succulent acids and a sweet core of fruit, it will offer a broad drinking window. It’s produced from gravely soils and contains an appreciable percentage of very old vine Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP(Château La Tour Figeac, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) A little subdued, this has a high tannin count, at least in terms of how it feels on the attack. As it opens, there is some lovely bright spice notes, both pepper and wild herbs, along with blueberry fruits and silky liquorice. Enjoyable. A yield of 37hl/ha, aged in a mix of 225l oak barrels (50% new oak), 400l oak barrels and amphoras - with the aim of decreasing oak influence while keeping the added structure that it brings. (Drink between 2024-2036)Decanter | 91 DEC

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

Tar and dried tobacco with black cherries and blackberries. Stones, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a flavorful finish. Really tightly wound. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Certan de May has turned out very well, offering up aromas of rich cherries, cassis, loamy soil and creamy but nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, layered and lively, with fine concentration, powdery tannins and a long, penetrating finish, this is beautifully balanced Pomerol that no doubt benefits from the perspective of consultant Jean-Claude Berrouet.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPRipe nose with some black truffle, dark chocolate and blackcurrant. On the palate this is juicy and succulent, a lighter fresher wine than the two before, cooling mint, minerality, bright strawberry and raspberry leaf. lifted still with concentration and pomerol power but also glossy with some confidence shining through. Nicely integrated tannins and long length. (Drink between 2025-2044)Decanter | 94 DECRipe and silky, with abundant blood orange, damson plum and cherry puree notes carried by a silky structure, with rooibos tea, mineral and savory details chiming in through the stylish finish. Very nicely done for the vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,700 cases made, 75 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 93 WSAnother success in the Moueix portfolio, the 2019 Château Certan De May has a rich, balanced, medium to full-bodied style carrying plenty of red and black cherry fruit as well as cedary herbs, earth, and hints of chocolate. The tannins are more foursquare here, and it doesn’t have the elegance of the top Pomerol in the vintage, yet it blossoms beautifully with time in the glass. (I followed this bottle for two days.) It’s well worth following over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

One of my favorite wines (although it’s hard to find), La Violette makes a rich, sexy, yet always elegant and seamless style of Pomerol. Their 2019 Château La Violette is deep purple-hued and offers an incredible perfume of blue fruits, iron, tobacco, spice box, flowers, and loamy earth. Full-bodied on the palate, it shows the pure, elegant style of the vintage, has beautiful tannins, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. There’s lots of creamy background oak that needs time to integrate, but this is another remarkable release from this team. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 20-25.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 La Violette is gorgeous. Rich and flamboyant to the core, the 2019 is one of the most extroverted wines of the year, but all the elements are nicely put together. Inky black fruit, chocolate, mocha, spice and espresso abound.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGScented and aromatic with ample appeal on the nose. Vibrant and plush on the palate, this is slick with charm and character. Deep and rich no doubt but with carefully placed tannins that carry the fruit and acidity through to the lifted, super fresh finish. A seductive style that gets the right balance between power and poise. One for the cellar. (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 95 DECAn opulent red with blackberry, licorice, cola and vanilla undertones. It’s full-bodied with polished tannins that are very fine-textured. It’s long and linear with energy. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSFrom a site with soils richer in clay that’s planted with more Merlot, the 2019 La Violette is even more powerful than its stablemate Le Gay. Offering up aromas of plum preserve, strawberry liqueur, loamy soil, burning embers, spices and dark chocolate, it’s full-bodied, thick and textural, with a rich, muscular profile and a broad, heady finish. This is a ripe, powerful wine that privileges impact over finesse, but it will give plenty of pleasure for admirers of the style.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSeductive, with warm plum sauce and blackberry compote notes rolling through, carried by a velvety structure and infused liberally with anise and dark tea through the toasted finish. Drink now through 2033. 416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2019 Clos Fourtet is positively stellar, just as it was from barrel. It presents a beguiling mix of dense, plush fruit packed into a classically structure frame. The first impression is one of opulence, until the minerality of Saint-Émilion’s famed plateau begins to emerge. Black cherry, plum, leather, exotic spice, licorice and blood orange build into the statuesque, explosive finish. The 2019 is a magnificent effort from the Cuvelier family and long time consulting winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2019 Château Clos Fourtet is another gem from the Right Bank that delivers the goods. From the upper, limestone plateau and always a bigger, richer wine than its neighbors (Canon, Beau-Séjour Bécot), it still shows incredible minerality and limestone character in its deep black cherry, currant, and mulberry fruits as well as scorched earth, chalky minerality, roasted herb, licorice, and white flower-like aromas and flavors. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured on the palate, it’s flawlessly balanced, has ripe, broad, building tannins, an expansive mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It needs a decade of bottle age, but it’s truly brilliant stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDDeliciously seductive nose, heady! Crystalline texture and purity here with a pulsing drive from start to finish. The fruit is super glossy and shiny, it feels precise and purposeful with blackcurrant and black cherries at the fore. Tannins are well integrated, just perceptible giving a nice weight and frame to the palate. Succulent and sophisticated. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 97 DECThis is a ripe and structured wine that has a dense structure and concentrated blackberry fruit, yet it still shows the freshness typical of the vintage. It has an excellent long-term aging potential. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAttractive aromas of wild berries, pencil shavings, vine smoke, black truffle and violets introduce the 2019 Clos Fourtet, a medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless wine with a concentrated core of fruit, beautifully refined tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, saline finish. Elegant and complete, this is a brilliant wine from this 19-hectare vineyard situated on the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, just outside the village, which has been on a qualitative roll since the 2001 vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPLots of purple fruit with white pepper and crushed stones in the nose. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and poised with a very chalky and salty undertone to the purple fruit. Flavorful finish. Linear and long. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSThere’s ample dark cherry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors in this red, along with a rare hint of brightness for the vintage. Licorice root and applewood accents fill in through the finish, while an underlying chalky minerality gives this additional form as well. Very solid. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 3,500 cases made, 500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WS

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

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

Orange-peel, dark-berry and violet character. Medium to full body with layers of fine, velvety tannins and a long, intense finish. Needs time to come together, but beautiful even now. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSSpiced red and black fruits, new leather, graphite, and floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château La Croix Du Casse. This medium to full-bodied Pomerol has terrific purity of fruit, light tannins, good overall balance, and outstanding length. It’s going to drink well for 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 89-91 JDA lovely rich and supple Pomerol that manages to capture plenty of the essence of the appellation but still be an early to medium term drinker with welcoming tannins and plenty of supple but gourmet textured berry fruits - blackberry and black cherry are dominant, with chocolate shavings at every step. Impressive from the Philippe Castéja stable of wines. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 90 DEC

The local bad boy of Bordeaux, Jean-Luc Thunevin, continues to fashion truly brilliant wines, and his 2019 is no exception. Based largely on Merlot with small amount of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Château Valandraud is a deep purple-hued beauty offering up a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of black and blue fruits, scorched earth, chocolate, gravelly earth, spicy oak, and sappy flowers. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and wonderfully concentrated, it has insane purity of fruit, brilliant tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and just has everything in the right places. It’s up with the top wines of the vintage and a tour de force that readers should snatch up. It shows a very different style than the sexier 2018, but it’s every bit as good. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is a dense and luscious wine, the best yet from this estate. Its great structure and tannins show a style that is powerful but all within. This is a magnificent vintage from this Premier Grand Cru Classé estate, and fully deserves to be aged for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEVivid and focused with brightness and clarity of fruit. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with layers of fine, soft tannins that spread across the palate and show class and refinement. It goes on for minutes. A beautiful bottle. Try after 2027, but so attractive already.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Valandraud is sensational. Stunning in its delineation and with sheer energy, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. Dark red/purplish berry fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and lavender all come alive in the glass. In 2019, Valandraud is a towering, statuesque wine that captures all the best the vintage had to offer. I tasted the 2019 three times and it was magnificent on all three occasions. It is a tremendous effort from Jean-Luc Thunevin and his Murielle Andraud. What a wine!Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGHighly charged and high toned on the nose, smells abundant and seriously expressive. Lovely intensity here, tannins are mouth coating and super persistent but this has excellent depth with such concentrated fruit flavours that are balanced so well with acidity and the soft wood spicing around the edges. A bold wine for sure, with tons of flavour and personality, and excellent freshness throughout with minerality and wet stone nuances. One to age, but delivering excellent clarity and confidence. A top buy. (Drink between 2025-2047)Decanter | 97 DECRich and dramatic, the 2019 Valandraud bursts with aromas of berry fruit, plums and licorice, framed by a lavish but far from exaggerated application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, fleshy and sensual, it’s broad and enveloping, its lavish core of fruit framed by ripe, polished tannins and succulent balancing acids. Seamless and integrated despite its ripe, hedonistic style, this has turned out beautifully and has the balance to perform well for at least two decades, even if there’s no youthful asperity to preclude near-term enjoyment.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPRichly textured, featuring cashmere-like waves of dark plum, cassis and blackberry compote flavors that glide through and are laced with light violet, anise and black tea notes. The rumble of tannins can be heard on the finish, but for the vintage, this is extremely suave in the end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A terrific effort from this large and immaculately maintained property on the clay-limestone slopes of the Côtes de Castillon, the 2019 d’Aiguilhe exhibits aromas of cherries and cassis mingled with notions of burning embers, licorice and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a mineral finish, it’s intelligently matured in tank and large-format oak as well as small barriques.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 d’Aiguilhe has a really lovely bouquet of ample black cherry, mulberry and light floral scents, very pure and delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with cedar-infused red fruit. While not as exuberant as the aromatics, this is nicely detailed and quite poised on the finish. No, I still cannot pronounce its name, but this Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is well worth seeking out.Vinous Media | 92 VMBlack cherries, spicy oak, chalky minerality, and hints of white truffle all emerge from the 2019 Château D’Aiguilhe, an elegant, beautifully balanced, seamless 2019 from the Castillon region. It has plenty of ripeness, medium body, present tannins, and the balance and class to keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDBrilliant wine maintaining clear grip from start to finish, powerful black fruits with a silky smooth texture. Clear austerity with fresh acidities, this is mouthwatering on the finish and totally moreish. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 92 DECAromas of ripe blackberries, grilled plums, tobacco and dark chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Compact and structured. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSRestrained but with good inner juiciness to its plum and cassis notes, while red licorice and red tea hints chime through. Shows a subtle chalky minerality that lengthens the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2026. 26,540 cases made, 2,200 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

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

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

This is gorgeous, with wonderful finesse and complexity. It has a texture of the finest silk. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and beautiful with currant, berry, chocolate and bark in the aftertaste. Under-the-radar wine. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep purple-black in color, the 2019 Milens sings of crushed blueberries, stewed blackberries and black cherry compote with nuances of fragrant soil, violets and aniseed plus a hint of clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is decadently juicy, framed by bold freshness and plush tannins, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP(Chateau Milens) Impressive red and blue fruits, flowers, sandalwood, and spicy wood emerge from the 2019 Château Milens, another medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured wine in the vintage. I like its tannins, the balance is spot on, and it already offers considerable charm. It’s beautifully done. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years or so. (Drink between 2022-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 Milens has a lovely, very pure bouquet of perfumed red cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents, marmalade notes emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, leading to a soothing, caressing, mocha-tinged finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VM

This is a full-bodied and very rich Pomerol with loads of ripe-berry and chocolate character. Rich, velvety tannins and a long, muscular finish. Old style that makes me think of Pomerols from the 1950s. Look out for it. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Montviel is a charming, easygoing Pomerol to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. Supple, silky tannins wrap around a core of plush dark red fruit, with hints of cedar, tobacco, mint and leather that add nuance. This is nicely done.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGShows the ripe and warm feel of the vintage, with cassis, plum puree and blackberry compote notes, carried by a refined and silky structure and laced with subtle anise and black tea on the finish. Nicely done. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 2,083 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2019 Château Montviel is beautiful, with a pure, precise, incredibly elegant style as well as medium-bodied aromas and flavors of black and blue fruits, damp earth, and spring flowers. It shows the seamless, balanced style of the vintage in Pomerol nicely and will keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDSporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 Montviel gives up notions of stewed plums, baked cherries and mulberries with hints of unsmoked cigars, scorched earth and tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a firm, chewy texture with just enough acidity to support the ripe, muscular fruit, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90+ RP

The 2019 Poesia is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from Hélène and Patrice Lévêque. Rich and sumptuous, Poesia marries intensity with vibrancy in grand style. Poesia is a big, explosive Saint-Émilion, but it also possesses tremendous energy. Dark fruit, gravel, incense, spice and saddle leather open with a bit of coaxing. There is an exotic quality to Poesia in 2019 that is especially alluring. Brilliant.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDried flowers, mimosa, blackcurrants, peppercorns and burnt orange on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly wound tannins and crisp acidity. Zesty, mineral character on the tight finish. Lightly smoky at the end. Try in 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Poesia is a little closed to begin, soon opening out to reveal wonderfully pure notes of crushed red and black plums, fresh blackberries and warm cherries with nuances of allspice, aniseed, potpourri and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound, featuring loads of mineral sparks and a wicked backbone of freshness, with very fine-grained tannins to support, finishing long and vibrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94+ RPThe 2019 Château Poesia is a charming, up-front, straight-up sexy Saint-Emilion that brings lots of fruit yet always stays balanced and seamless. Bright red and blue berry fruits, spring flowers, tobacco, and some chalky minerality all define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a supple, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This purity of fruit is spot on, and this is another terrific vintage for this château. It already offers pleasure yet will benefit from short-term cellaring and unquestionably evolve for 20-25 years if stored properly.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDEstate owned by Barde-Haut family in a cooler later ripening spot of St Emilion, this has plentiful peppered spice notes and clear austerity. Dark fruits that feel well controlled by the tannins, with lashings of liquorice, smoked earth and black chocolate. Serious, enjoyable.Drinking Window 2025 - 2040Decanter | 92 DEC

Sweet berries and plums with some rose-petal and stem undertones. Full-bodied with round tannins and delicious fruit, with a light vanilla undertone at the end. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 91 JSThe 2019 Noaillac retains the superb bouquet from barrel, featuring blackberry and bilberry fruit, ripe and generous, while maintaining fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Classic in style, and a little fleshier than before, with black pepper and cedar on the finish. An excellent Noaillac.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2019 Noaillac is showing better than I perceived shortly after bottling. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty red berries, cassis, pencil shavings and loamy soil, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and elegant, with an attractive core of fruit, refined tannins and a penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2019 Poitevin has a perfumed, floral bouquet with more red fruit than I observed from barrel, showing fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very cohesive and harmonious. There’s just a touch of graphite on the finish. Stylish, top-notch Poitevin.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2019 Poitevin is performing better than it did when I tasted it earlier this year, when I suspect it was still shut down after bottling. Opening in the glass with attractive aromas of orange zest, sweet red berries, petals and spices, it’s medium-bodied, lively and elegant, with lovely purity of fruit and nicely integrated structure.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Another stunning vintage from this brilliant estate that is just delivering hit after hit. Concentration and intensity right from the initial aromatics, damson, cassis and blackberry fruits that you could almost drink now until the tannins build up across the palate and remind you that this is built to last. Velvety texture, black chocolate and crushed stone minerality on the finish. One of the wines of the vintage. Tasted twice, one week apart. 60% 1st wine. A yield of 45hl/ha. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 98 DECFrom one of my favorite châteaux on the Right Bank, the 2019 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) is 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a tighter, more closed 2019, yet it offers beautiful purity and focus in its cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as notes of tobacco leaf, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and again, with this remarkable purity and precision, it has enough tannins to warrant 4-6 years in the cellar and will be incredibly long-lived. It's a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It’s worth pointing out that the 2019 is the vintage bottled by Nicolas Thienpont and starting in 2021, the estate is in the hands of Josephine Duffau-Lagarrosse.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2019 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) has turned out beautifully in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries, raspberries, violets, rose petals and forest floor, framed by a deft application of creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with a lively core of fruit, bright acids and fine, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, precise, saline finish. It displays all the structural refinement and vibrancy of flavor that this sector of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau is capable of.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBlackberries and black chocolate with licorice and berry highlights. Flowers and crushed stones, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Plenty going on here. Very subtle and refined for this estate. Needs two or three years to come together. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse, matured in 60% new oak, has maintained wonderful purity on the nose of ebullient red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, very elegant and poised and perhaps delivering less of the blue fruit element than I noticed from barrel. The cohesive palate conveys exquisite balance, fine, slightly granular tannins and a very subtle ferrous note toward the finish. This is an understated wine that is endowed with ample freshness, and I can see it aging beautifully for 30 or more years.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Based on a final blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Château Angélus is knockout stuff, and while I’m not sure it matches the perfect 2018, it’s not far off. Gorgeous notes of redcurrants, blueberries, sandalwood, dried flowers, vanilla, and forest floor are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with medium to full body, a perfectly balanced, seamless mouthfeel, beautifully ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It doesn’t have the sheer weight or richness of, say, the 1998, 2000, 2005, or even the 2009, but it doesn’t lack for intensity or power, and it’s just a beautiful example of modern-day Saint-Emilion. It’s already approachable (this was best on day two) yet will keep for another 30+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD(Château Angélus, Merlot, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) Beautifully expressive nose, really so welcoming with hints of sweet red cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate and touches of perfume too - soft but really defined. On the palate there is such charming grip from the tannins and flavour that just takes hold straight away but not in an overly dominating way. It’s smooth but precise, driven from start to finish. Softly chewy tannins coat the tongue with black fruit and some creaminess alongside excellent acidity that gives a mouthwateringly fresh and cooling aspect underneath the ripe red and black fruit flavours. This has real life and energy, bright with clear complexity and layers of fruit, oak and terroir that comes across as a spicy but also wet stone, mineral undertone. Seriously good. You almost want to drink this now and just capture all the elements going on but they’ll continue to soften and integrate over time and also let the beautiful Cabernet Franc elements integrate and come more into play over time. A success in 2019. (Drink between 2028-2050)Decanter | 98 DECRedcurrants, sweet tobacco and flowers with some sandalwood. Very perfumed and floral. So pure. Full-bodied, yet so refined and layered, with a soft, compact palate and a crushed-velvet mouth-feel. Poised fruit at the end, together with fresh, rare wood and a light chocolate undertone to the aftertaste. This is open, yet there’s so much in reserve. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. Leave it in the cellar for at least eight years. Try after 2029.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Angélus is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Silky, medium in body and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 is pure class. All the elements come together so beautifully as the 2019 builds with a bit of air. Forty percent of the Franc was aged in cask, an approach that works so well here in coaxing all of the energy of Franc to complement the Merlot.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2019 Angélus bursts from the glass with a rich, dramatic nose of cherries, licorice, sweet spices and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, layered and vibrant, its broad and velvety attack segues into a layered, concentrated mid-palate that’s underpinned by tangy acids and fine, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It’s a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Its seamless, pure profile reflects the subtle shift chez Angélus away from the rich, toasty style of the 1990s and 2000s toward greater elegance and precision.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

Has any Bordeaux château realized a more wholesale stylistic revolution in so short a time than Troplong Mondot? Since Aymeric de Gironde arrived at the estate in late 2017, the ultra powerful "shock and awe" style of the 2000s is out, and a new refinement is in. Of course, the deep clays that define the core vineyards around the château itself are never likely to produce light or ephemeral wines, but de Gironde has astutely understood that (to develop an analogy), when driving down hill, one can ease off on the accelerator. The 2019 Troplong Mondot is a ringing endorsement of the new direction, wafting from the glass with complex aromas of wild berries, violets, coniferous forest floor, licorice, raw cocoa and subtle spices, followed by a full-bodied, velvety and layered palate that’s seamless and perfumed, its enveloping core of succulent fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins and lively acids. Harmonious and penetrating, I never thought I’d taste a wine like this from Troplong Mondot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe purity of fruit is pretty phenomenal here with blackcurrants, cherries and crushed-stone undertones. Floral notes of roses and violets, too. Full-bodied, yet this is a linear style with super fine tannins and great length and beauty. You really want to drink it. It grows on the palate and shows real power, with breadth and depth. Remains fresh throughout. Really something. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Troplong Mondot is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2019 dazzles with its magnificent balance. Inky red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, dried flowers and lavender open with a bit of time, but Troplong is not a wine for the here and now, but rather a wine for readers who can be patient. The 2019 is all class and refinement. Those qualities become increasingly apparent over time, once some of the initial power and density subsides with air. This is the first time the Grand Vin was blended before the malolactic fermentation. Antonio Galloni | 97 AG96–98. Barrel Sample. With its rich tannins and serious, concentrated structure, the wine is obviously set for a great future. The Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend offers structure as well as the fine line of blackberry flavors. Filled out with ripe Merlot, the wine shows richness with everything in balance.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

Wonderfully floral cherry notes on the nose here - ripe, vibrant and appealing. Such great juicy impact, strawberries, cherries and redcurrants, really just hits the palate with brightness, energy and verve. An approachable style but with lots of layers, great acidity and a cooling menthol undertone. Really enjoyable with underlying power and precision. Excellent. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 95 DECThe exotic, incredibly perfumed 2019 Château Jean Faure comes from the upper plateau region, closer to Pomerol, and just behind Cheval Blanc. Based largely on Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it has loads of red and blue fruits, exotic flowers, sandalwood, and foresty, earthy nuances that develop nicely with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it’s pure, balanced, and elegant on the palate, with ripe yet polished tannins and a great finish. This singular beauty needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age but is going to impress over the following two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBeautiful complexity and finesse with tile, incense, light chocolate, hazelnut and plum aromas and flavors. Hints of dried meat, too. It’s medium-bodied with creamy tannins and a soft, refined finish. Drink after 2023, but it’s surprisingly attractive now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Jean Faure is a quirky Saint-Émilion because of the high percentage of Franc in the blend, which lends soaring aromatic intensity. Sage, mint, tobacco, cedar, licorice and red berry fruit all build in the glass, with bright, saline notes that give energy and shape. Jean Faure is one of the most distinctive Saint-Émilions readers will come across. The 2019 turned out beautifully.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis has the ripe and rich fruit of the vintage, but is a bit sleeker in feel than most of its brethren, offering a savory streak and a flash of iron. Nice, lingering juniper and black tea notes make this distinctive too. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec. Best from 2023 through 2035. 6,000 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSOffering up aromas of minty blackberries, licorice and sweet spices, the 2019 Jean Faure is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit, melting tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a long, similarly minty finish. From a certified-organic property located between Cheval Blanc and Grand-Corbin-Despagne, this is a charming, expressive wine. Cabernet Franc represents more than 60% of the blend.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 Château Quintus is brilliant and does everything right in the vintage. Loaded with ripe red and black cherry fruits as well as notes of white truffle, leafy herbs, baking spices, and tobacco, it hits the palate with a stunningly balanced, full-bodied profile delivering gorgeous tannins, the purity and freshness of the vintage, and a great finish. Coming from the Dillon team, this is Saint-Emilion brilliance that’s already approachable yet will cruise for another 20-25 years. Bravo.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis is very spicy, with tile and terra cotta to the dark-fruit aromas. Pine and cedar, too. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a creamy finish. Very fine and long. Need three or four years to come together. 55% merlot and 45% cabernet. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSOne of highest levels of Cabernet Franc since Haut-Brion arrived at the estate, and it makes its mark in all the right places. A gorgeous sculpted feel, with grip and personality, charcoal slate character, minerality and sappy fruit. White pepper spice, austerity and grip, very much a sign of how good this grape can be in St Emilion. Harvest 19 September through to 27 September for Marlot, then break until October 7 to 9 for Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044.Decanter | 95 DECThis is a luscious wine with great black fruits and silky tannins. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, it offers succulent acidity and bright perfumes. The wine is sure to age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Quintus exhibits aromas of rich, plummy fruit mingled with exotic spices and smoky, toasty new oak. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it’s rich and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins. Cabernet Franc represents nearly 45% of the blend this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Quintus has developed into an elegant, sensual Saint-Émilion. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, menthol and leather build nicely, lending brooding intensity to this deceptively medium-bodied 2019. The blend of 55.4% Merlot, 44.6% Cabernet Franc is very nicely judged. I can’t wait to see how this ages.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis has good flesh and focus, with a wave of warmed cherry compote and cassis backed by a red licorice note. Shows a subtle mineral edge that adds a hint of tension to the finish, with a gently mouthwatering echo, too. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This has linear, very fine tannins that make it minerally and long. Medium body. Dark fruit with lavender and violet undertones. Very fresh acidity. Flavorful and fine. 74% merlot, 14% cabernet sauvignon and 12% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Quinault L’Enclos is racy, supple and wonderfully inviting. A wine of depth and texture, the 2019 impresses with its exceptional balance and class. Sweet red berry fruit, cedar, spice, tobacco and licorice build beautifully with a bit of time in the glass. This is a terrific showing from Quinault, which as readers probably know, is owned by Cheval Blanc. Over the last dozen years more than half the property has been developed. The results are starting to show. One of the most unique aspects of Quinault is that 20% of the wine is aged in 550-liter barrels, which are used to confer greater freshness. The 2019 is flat out gorgeous. Antonio Galloni | 93 AG(Château Quinault L’Enclos, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) This has intense aromatics and supple tannins. A little subdued at first, then the floral side begins to burgeon out of the glass. Supple and fresh, nuanced blue and red berry fruits, with strength and precision. Harvest September 10 to October 2. A yield of 41hl/ha. Aged in 500l casks and larger 20hl foudres, 50% new oak. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 93 DECAromas of sweet cherries, rose petals, violets and dark chocolate introduce the 2019 Quinault l’Enclos, a medium to full-bodied, ample and lively wine that’s produced by Cheval Blanc’s winemaking team.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPRound and ripe in feel, with a savory streak amid cassis, cherry and plum compote notes, while tobacco and red licorice wrap up the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2029. 6,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Wonderful aromas of fresh flowers, blackberries and cherries. Licorice and lilacs, too. Full-bodied, yet so tight and refined, translucent and weightless. Incredible purity and excellence. This is the heart and soul of the property in a glass. Really pinpointed at the end. Enchanting and thought-provoking. Needs time to open and soften. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe flagship 2019 Château Belair-Monange checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc from 25-year-old vines and raised in 50% new French oak. It’s a magical wine in the vintage and offers more depth and richness than just about every other Saint-Emilion out there, all while holding onto a gorgeous sense of finesse and elegance, which would almost have me guessing Pomerol in a blind tasting. Deep red and black fruits, truffly earth, tobacco, and spring flower notes all emerge on the nose, and this puppy is full-bodied, has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It’s stunning, and while it offers incredible pleasure today given its purity and flawless balance, it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Bélair-Monange shows wonderful delineation and focus on the nose, which presents a cornucopia of red fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and light black truffle aromas. It seems to gain complexity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, fine delineation and a velvety texture. This builds toward a lavish finish, with dark chocolate and cocoa notes lingering on the aftertaste. It will need several years in bottle but should repay those with the wherewithal to cellar.Vinous Media | 97 VMAusterity is high as the limestone shines through, with controlled black and blue berry fruits rippling through the palate. There are extremely delicate redcurrant and violet floral edges that come through and cling on, just opening up after a good five minutes in the glass. A little less generous than the 2018, as is often the case in the 2019 vintage, but one with concentration and precision, and that will give pleasure for decades. Takes time to open and will take time to fully express its potential in the bottle. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 97 DECPerfectly situated on the Saint-Émilion slope, this estate’s wine is performing with great panache. This vintage shows richness while also having plenty of freshness and structured tannins. It has immense potential for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WELike Trotanoy, though of course not to the same extent, the 2019 Belair Monange is another of the richer, more powerful wines in the Mouiex portfolio this year. Offering up aromas of sweet cherries, wild berries, vanilla pod, plum preserve, warm spices and cedary new oak, it’s full-bodied, broad and muscular, with a deep and layered core of ripe, sun-kissed fruit that’s framed by lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis captures the richness of the vintage wonderfully, with long, caressing waves of cassis, plum reduction and boysenberry compote flavors gliding through. Laced with subtle red tea, floral and mineral hints through the lengthy finish, this is really well done and augmented by a level of purity most don’t have in this vintage. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040. 3,200 cases made, 550 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WS