Shop Wine

wines

The 2013 Pavie-Decesse stands out for its sensual, layered personality and fabulous balance. Deep, savory notes meld into smoke, tobacco, incense, game, licorice and blue/blackish-toned fruit. Violets, lavender cloves, menthol and blueberries are some of the many notes that are woven into the opulent, expressive finish. Broad and ample on the palate, the Pavie-Decesse offers terrific potential for the future. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Total time on the skins was 34 days, quite long for the year. Tasted twice.Antonio Galloni | 91-93+ AGA pretty and aromatic Pavie-Decesse wtih roses, cedar, wood shavings and bright plums.Medium to full-bodied, firm and silky tannins and a bright finish. Finesse and balance. Better in 2018. But pretty now. Very similar to the excellent 2012.James Suckling | 93 JSThis is an aromatic wine, with great acidity and fine black-currant fruit. An undertow of tight tannin gives it structure, although the fruit is very forward.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2013 Pavie-Decesse was one of my favorite wines from Gérard Perse when I tasted his range from barrel and it seems to be fulfilling that initial promise. It has a charming bouquet with lively redcurrant jam, strawberry and wild hedgerow aromas that are well defined and perfumed, almost floral in style. The palate is well balanced with sweet tannin on the entry, quite harmonious in the mouth, fleshier than many of its peers with a fresh, candied orange peel and spice box finish that is a treat. Enjoy this lovely Saint Emilion over the next decade.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMAn extrovert, with a rambunctious blast of intense raspberry, pomegranate, blood orange and plum coulis flavors that race along, backed by brambly grip and a brightly lit backdrop of spice. Manages to pull as much stuffing and energy out of this vintage as possible. Not for everyone, but should improve with age. Best from 2018 through 2028. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(Château Lafleur, Pomerol, Red) In a difficult vintage like 2013, reassuring hands are what you look for, those with an instinctive ability to tease out the best possible from the character of the year. Weather wise things were pretty much the opposite of 2003, making for another interesting pairing in this line-up - where that was earliest harvest on record this was almost the latest, with everything brought in during October (unlike 2003 where every grape came in during September). The result here is not about weight but lift, nuance and sculpted berry fruits. It has a more softly spoken key than the 2010 or 2002, quite clearly, but there is complexity here, teased out in layers of medium-bodied but pure cassis and blueberry fruits. It’s a clear testament to the possibilities of this estate. (Drink between 2021-2045)Decanter | 95 DECVery pretty aromas of rose petal, lavender, black cherry and hot stone. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and enduring finish. A beautiful red for the vintage. Very LafleurJames Suckling | 95 JSThe 2013 Lafleur was one of my favorite wines from barrel because, as Baptiste Guinaudeau remarked when I visited the property, he did not try to make a Pomerol beyond what it could be. The nose might not possess the complexity of the best vintages of Lafleur, but it is clearly delineated and fresh, with blackberry and raspberry fruit, a subtle granitic scent tucked underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin, as is often the case for Lafleur, with crunchy red berry fruit and a stony, almost reserved but fresh finish that lingers nicely in the mouth. This is an excellent wine considering the growing season.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMThe 2013 Lafleur, from the infamously maligned growing season, was picked entirely in October. It has a light and slightly monotone bouquet with mulberry and blackberry scents, a touch of briary and floral scents. The aromatics are nothing to be ashamed of. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, more Merlot than Cabernet Franc-driven, balanced if missing the complexity of most vintages from this esteemed Pomerol growth. Not bad, however it is not a long-term prospect and lacks the cerebral element that Lafleur often brings to the table. Tasted at the Christies’ Lafleur masterclass in London.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This is real wine with a tasty and rich palate with chocolate, stone and berry. Medium to full body with refined tannins and a savory texture. A wine for pleasure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe tannin structure of this wine is firm and dense considering the vintage, giving impressive concentration that contrasts with the ripe black berry and plum fruits that are beginning to show through. The wine is already balanced, the hints of wood smoothing the fresh, bright black-currant flavors. Drink from 2024. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2013 Ducru-Beaucaillou, 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, is medium garnet in color. It skips out of the glass with bright, vivacious notes of raspberry preserves, dried mulberries and stewed cherries, followed by wafts of lavender, cinnamon stick, and dusty soil. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and vivacious, with impressive intensity of red berry and floral notes supported by soft tannins and lively acidity, finishing long and lifted.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIVery suave from the start, with ample singed spice and black tea aromas giving way to alluring plum coulis and blackberry confiture flavors. The finish is polished but hardly shy on depth, as a lingering alder edge adds spine. Sneakily long, this marks a deft handling of the vintage. Best from 2018 through 2028.Wine Spectator | 92 WSMedium to deep garnet in color, the 2013 Ducru-Beaucaillou has an open-knit nose of warm cassis, raspberry coulis and baked cherries with touches of cigar box, dried herbs, underbrush and pencil shavings plus a hint of smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate has a firm, chewy texture and lovely freshness defining the red and black fruited flavors, finishing pleasantly grippy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFrom a challenging, cooler, rainy vintage, the 2013 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou nevertheless is unquestionably an outstanding wine, revealing a translucent ruby hue with no bricking, classy currant, tobacco, cedar, and damp herb nuances, medium body, ripe, integrated tannins, and outstanding length. This classy, satisfying effort will evolve for another decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDFaced with a very complicated vintage, Bruno Borie managed to produce a rather delicate and fruity wine with cherry, rose petal, black berries, plums, and caramel aromas. There is no trace of pyrazine, which was not always the case in this challenging vintage. It has a juicy and quite fleshy texture and a taste that evokes tobacco and spices along with a touch of leather. This is now at its apogee but should hold well for another five years thanks to the quality of its tannins.Decanter | 91 DEC