Shop Wine

wines

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

The 2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière showed brilliantly, with an elegant, pure, flawlessly balanced style. Giving up ripe black cherry, currants, tobacco leaf, and spicy oak, with textbook Graves scorched earth, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a beautiful layered, seamless mouthfeel, great tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It’s not a blockbuster, but it excels on its elegance, balance, and complexity. Readers will love to have this in the cellar, and it will keep for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDVery complex aromas of dark berries, mushrooms, earth, flowers and incense. Crushed stone, too. Full-bodied with very fine, refined tannins that are caressing and beautiful. It’s very, very long and persistent in the finish with subtle and complex flavors. This will deliver beauty with age. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Bonnie family has worked wonders at this estate, producing today one of the top wines of the appellation. This latest release, equally rich in tannins and fruit, is dense, powerful and also elegant. It will age well Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2019 Malartic Lagravière is a showy, voluptuous wine. Racy and explosive, the 2019 certainly makes a strong first impression. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, spice and licorice abound. As always, Malartic is a pretty forward, succulent Pessac-Léognan, but the 2019 is a bit strict today. Whether that is the vintage speaking or a slight change in style, we will see.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGLovely vivid bright red pink in the glass. Pronounced nose, rich and vibrant. On the palate, this is crunchy with density and chew, a nice combination of texture and bright fruit. Lively with blackcurrant, strawberry and red cherry flavours alongside soft hints of dark chocolate and perfume. Delicate but also layered with flavour. I like this a lot. Bright energy with a density that is bold yet refined and sculpted. The texture and overall balance is excellent and this will provide great drinking for the long term. Such a long length. Purity and power. Elegant with finesse, purity and power. Classic and well made. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 94 DECAromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, charcoal and forest floor preface the 2019 Malartic Lagravière, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming wine that’s lively and elegant, built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. This has turned out nicely in bottle and shows good potential for improvement in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPVery sleek, featuring cassis, mulled plum and raspberry coulis flavors, laced with licorice, alder and sweet tobacco notes. Offers a subtle sous bois hint that peeks in on the finish, so this isn’t for the longer haul but is tasty now. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2029. 10,000 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 92 WS

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

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

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

A red with lots of currant, blackberry, fresh-herb and tobacco character. Hint of mushroom, too. It’s full and layered with polished, chewy tannins and a bright and fresh finish. Very long and focused. Give it time to come together. Very classic character here. Best after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSCabernet Sauvignon, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Red) Green pepper and herbaceous notes on the nose with minty eucalyptus alongside ripe cherry and blackcurrant aromas - so classic. A lovely mouthfeel here, smooth, well defined and preise. Quite direct, serious and darkly fruited - such a concentrated core - but with smooth tannins, a soft sweetness and freshness that lifts the overall frame. Balanced with succulence. Makes a lasting impact and impression. A great value pick. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThis grand classed growth has produced a richly structured wine that is balanced by ripe black fruits. It shows spice from the touch of Petit Verdot in the blend, as well as fine acidity and freshness that give it poise and a vibrant finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEOpening in the glass with notions of rich berry fruit, licorice, cedar, violets and loamy soil, the 2019 Cantemerle is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that gently assert themselves on the finish. This shut down a little after bottling (some 11 months ago at the time of writing), but it is beginning to bounce back to reveal a wine of real charm and character.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Cantemerle is a very pretty and understated wine. Sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange, spice, tobacco, leather and dried herbs all grace this expressive Haut-Médoc. The 2019 is super classy from start to finish, but there is a bit less depth and overall substance than there was at the outset.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGAn incredibly consistent estate that always delivers a quality wine, the 2019 Château Cantemerle checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Classic Médoc notes of red and black currants, cedar pencil, sappy herbs, and tobacco give way to a medium-bodied 2019 with terrific balance, ripe, polished tannins, good acidity, and outstanding length. This terrific wine will benefit from just short-term cellaring and keep for 15+ in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDVery direct in feel, offering plum and cherry puree notes gilded with violet and anise hints. Shows a graphite accent on the finish, which adds depth as the fruit blossoms around it. Solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 33,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

I am so pleased that the 2019 Carbonnieux has retained the engaging aromatics that I found from the barrel sample: copious blackberry, raspberry, incense and light violet aromas soar from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine-grained tannins, and much more precise than recent vintages, leading to a harmonious, silky-smooth, almost tender finish. More polished than recent vintages, this Carbonnieux comes highly recommended.Vinous Media | 94 AGThe 2019 Château Carbonnieux sports a deep purple/ruby hue to go with a brilliant nose of red and black currants, spring flowers, spicy oak, and hints of tobacco. It’s beautiful on the palate as well and is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s the finest wine I’ve tasted from this estate. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all brought up in 40% new barrels. It’s well worth tracking down some bottles and will keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlack fruit, dried sage, charred bark, lavender, graphite and oyster shell on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly wound tannins. Focused. Excellent tannin framing. Best yet. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Try in 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSDominated by structured Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is powerful, with layers of wood-aging flavors to go with the strong tannins. Developing slowly, it is likely to be ready from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery floral on the nose, pretty, smells like roses, perfumed and nuanced. A touch astringent, in that dry tannins come through fairly quickly but there is good density of ripe fruit underneath and this does have acidity that keeps things lively and fresh. Sweet oak spice, liquorice and cloves dominate the finish, closing things down and making the overall feel quite intense. One to hold on to. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECExhibiting aromas of earthy black fruits, bay leaf, burning embers and forest floor, the 2019 Carbonnieux is medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with a broad attack that segues into a fleshy core of fruit framed by ripe acids and fine, powdery tannins that assert themselves gently on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPSolid, with red currant and cherry paste notes allied to a tarry spine, with tobacco and iron accents on the finish. Shows good drive through the finish, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2032. 15,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 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

Famed for its white wine, this estate has produced another impressive vintage. It has great poise between lusciousness and a tight mineral texture, giving balance and longevity. Nutmeg flavors come from the wood aging. It should cellar well.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WESmells like cassis liqueur on the nose. This is full and bold but with excellent, mouthwatering acidity - lots of energy here. A lifted style but still with that core of deep, dense chewy fruit. Really a winning combination of all the elements with the oak giving structure, weight and texture. Sculpted fruit and well handled acidity. Still has some spiky edges to the fruit, hints of cedar and clove giving a piquance but this is lovely stuff. (Drink between 2024-2044)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 de Fieuzal, tasted from two sample bottles, has a clean and pure bouquet with perfumed, quite floral scents that infuse the blackberry and bilberry. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, saline in the mouth and spicier than some of its fellow Pessac-Léognans. Moderate depth, a distinct marine influence emerges towards the finish that lingers nicely. Could it have been better with more flair? Maybe, but it’s a fine de Fieuzal.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPerfumed and elegant, the 2019 de Fieuzal wafts from the glass with aromas of blackberries, licorice, coniferous forest floor and incense. Medium to full-bodied, lively and charming, with a pretty core of fruit, powdery tannin and a saline finish, it’s a seamless, vibrant Pessac that—like its white counterpart—reflects the progress this 80-hectare Pessac-Léognan estate is making. It’s a sleeper of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBlackcurrants, smoked earth, cedarwood, and foresty, herbal notes all emerge from the 2019 Château De Fieuzal, a medium-bodied, elegant, balanced 2019. It opens up nicely with time in the glass, has a classic, focused, structured style, good (though maybe not great) concentration, and outstanding length. It’s a beautiful, elegant, classic wine from this estate that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+. It’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAromas of blackberries, blueberries, plums, cloves and iodine. Medium-bodied with sinewy tannins. Layered and velvety with supple and fruity character. Juicy finish. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

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

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

A solid Haut-Medoc with currant and walnut character and some dried mushroom. It’s full-bodied with medium, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Well done. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 La Tour Carnet has turned out beautifully. Dark, pliant and super-expressive, the 2019 possesses tremendous richness as well as character. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, leather, spice, licorice, iron and dried herbs infuse the 2019 with gorgeous layers of dimension. La Tour Carnet is a consistently outstanding bottle, as it is again in 2019.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGOffering up aromas of rich cassis and blackberry fruit mingled with burning embers, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, the 2019 La Tour Carnet is medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a broad attack that segues into an ample core of fruit that’s framed by ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. This is a seamless, rather giving Médoc that has turned out very well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Château La Tour Carnet is terrific, with a pure, medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated style as well as impressive cassis, tobacco, spicy wood, and graphite aromas and flavors. The purity here is spot on, and it has ripe, polished tannins, outstanding balance, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDRipe and expressive on the nose, such a lovely purity here. Good drive and initial impact of the fruit on the palate then the spice kicks in and the fruit flavour drops a little. I love the perfumed cherry at the beginning before it settles and goes a bit sombre at this point. The minerality comes through giving quite a taught and clean feeling on the palate with freshness lifting the finish. Definitely a less extracted more refined style. Attractive. Drinking Window 2023 - 2034.Decanter | 92 DECThis has a good burst of dark plum and blackberry preserve flavors, along with a solid dose of roasted vanilla and tobacco. Ends with a graphite hint for support. Well done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 68,500 cases made, 3,500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Lovely deep red pink rim to the glass. Such freshness and floral lift on the nose, smells lively and welcoming with a cool blue fruit touch to the aromas alongside faint hints of liquorice. Amazing texture and mouthfeel - filling with a good density of chalky and textured tannins underpinning creamy red fruits with a juicy acidity that is so succulent and mouthwatering. Just giving everything - abundant, generous lively fruit, creamy velvet-textured tannins, bright acidity and gorgeous Cabernet aspects. Round and complete, excellent winemaking on show. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2037.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Lagrange has turned out beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of loamy soil, pencil shavings and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of lively fruit, powdery tannins and succulent acids, it’s suave and seamless, concluding with a long, expansive finish. The result of an extremely rigorous selection, and incorporating fully 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the finest wine this château has produced in the modern era. Remarkably, it was released at the same price en primeur as the 2005!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPWhile I don’t think the 2019 Château Lagrange matches the 2018, it’s not far off, with a more elegant yet still concentrated style. Beautiful crème de cassis, spicy oak, tobacco, chocolate, and new saddle leather notes all emerge on the nose, and it stays tight, compact, and focused on the palate, with plenty of firm tannins. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass but merits 4-6 years of bottle age, and it should evolve for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA deep, fleshy Saint-Julien, the 2019 Lagrange builds beautifully with time in the glass. Sweet red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, sage, mint, lavender and cinnamon are finely delineated, and yet this mid-weight Saint-Julien impresses with its super finessed personality. The 2019 is so inviting. It is an especially fine Lagrange. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGAromas of blackcurrants, sandalwood and rose petals. Medium-to full-bodied with linear tannins that are racy and refined, yet forceful. Fine tannins at the end. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis full-bodied wine is open in style, with lashings of rich black fruits alongside dense tannins. This is a wine for some long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEJuicy and flush, with steeped red and black currant and plum fruit flavors, this has a generous edge from start to finish. Features notes of tobacco, singed cedar, warm earth and iron throughout, with a seductive hint of incense curling around the tail end of the finish. This has a generosity that makes it approachable, but there’s no rush at all to drink this one. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. 16,000 cases made, 700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This is extremely linear and refined with a super-fine line of tannins running through the center of the wine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and sophisticated, with a long, long finish. Plenty of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, walnut and cedar in the aftertaste. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis classed growth estate is entering an era of consistency. This vintage has the balance between fruit and wood that was missing in the past. It has vivid black fruits that are cut with acidity and tannins, all set to propel the wine to a long-term future.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Lascombes is a huge wine packed with black cherry, chocolate, new leather, spice and licorice. Creamy, rich and expansive, Lascombes is endowed with notable power and sheer breadth. As always, Lascombes is a heady Margaux that pushes the edges, but I find all the elements very well-balanced.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGRipe, heady bramble fruit, plum and fig aromas. Excellent intensity of succulent juice and ripe fruit, there’s definitely a coffee/roasted element on the palate alongside liquorice and slate, all combining to give a real spicy but cleaning palate. The core of concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit definitely takes the background while the other elements show their stuff. Tannins are pronounced but round and softly chewy, they frame the fruit well and give a menthol slightly spicy ending. Really good quality and enjoyment here. A powerful wine showing restraint and refinement. One for long ageing. Tasted twice. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2033.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 Château Lascombes showed well, with outstanding notes of cassis fruits as well as cedarwood and tobacco, and it displays more dark, earthy nuances with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific balance, building tannins, and the vintage’s pure, fresh, and focused style front and center. Hide bottles for 4-6 years and enjoy them over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDOffering up a rich bouquet of blackberries, cassis, burning embers and sweet spices, the 2019 Lascombes is full-bodied, lavish and textural, with a voluminous core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of ripe, powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully firm finish. This is a powerful, muscular style of Margaux that remains nicely balanced in its register.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPRichly fruity and very forward, with plum sauce, Black Forest cake and black currant pâte de fruit notes flanked by violet and alder accents through the finish. This will have fans for sure; drink in the near term. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Really clear aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with dried flowers and sandalwood. It’s full-to medium-bodied, yet with very tight, refined tannins that run the length of the finish. Second wine of Lagrange. Very well done. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2019 Les Fiefs de Lagrange is a soft, supple easygoing wine to drink now and over the next few years. Sweet red cherry, red fruit flowers, mint, blood orange, spice and rose petal perk up the finish. Readers will find a charming Saint-Julien that captures the personality of the year in spades.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGThe second wine of Château Lagrange, the 2019 Les Fiefs De Lagrange is a charming, delicious wine in the making and has plenty of classic Saint-Julien purity and elegance as well as notes of cassis, violets, damp earth, and cedarwood. It’s medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and already hard to resist. It’s going to drink nicely for a solid decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 89-91 JDBlackcurrant florality on the nose. Great sweetness and juice with creamy edges, too, and again the aromatics come out. Soft, playful, nice depth, unshowy but nicely balanced and well presented. It’s for easy drinking. Gentle and comforting. Drink now. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 Château Nenin is truly fantastic, and my money is on it being the finest vintage to date for this estate. Based on 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc brought up in just 45% new French oak, it offers a pure, medium-bodied, ethereal style carrying gorgeous red and black fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, and chocolate aromas and flavors. It’s not a blockbuster and is all about purity, finesse, and elegance, yet it still brings beautiful richness and length. This gorgeous, seamless 2019 will drink well for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDPerfumed nose of crushed stones, blackberries and violets. Medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins and fresh, minerally undertones. So long, showing bitter chocolate that turns to hazelnut and cocoa bean. Tight and precise at the end. 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe layers of fruit come through strongly on the nose. Plum and raspberry richness wrapped up with raspberry leaf and sage, this just gently tiptoes through the palate. Extraction is careful and delicate and yet there is a lot of power. This is always a Left Bank style of Pomerol giving a restrained savoury feel with freshness and classicism. Opens slowly in the glass and needs time over ageing. In the cellar, they cut the extraction time down by half compared to 2018, because the skins were so thick. 40% new oak. (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 Nénin has turned out very well. A burst of red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, sweet spice and floral accents gives Nénin its effusive, charming personality. Best of all, the 2019 will be easy to drink pretty much upon release. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA Merlot-dominant blend complemented by 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Nenin offers up notes of sweet berries and plums framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it’s rich and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit and supple structuring tannins. Four hectares on gravel soils adjacent to Trotanoy lend structure, but the 2019 is so polished out of the gates that it might be easy to miss it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP91–93. Barrel Sample. This Pomerol estate, owned by Domaines Delon, has produced a structured, dense wine, dominated by 70% Merlot. Rich tannins and black currant fruits are knit together by the wood aging that shows in the spiciness. The wine’s core of tannins is sure to give it aging potential. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDelivers warm plum sauce and blackberry reduction flavors that cruise through, with a velvety structure and a finish marked by licorice root and anise accents. A solid, forthright Pomerol. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. — JMWine Spectator | 91 WS

As to the Grand Vin 2019 Château Pape Clement, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with stunning aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencils shavings, scorched earth, and tobacco. Beautifully balanced, with flawless tannins, this full-bodied Pessac has that rare mix of elegance and power, a great mid-palate, and again, perfect balance. It’s one of the gems of the vintage and has some accessibility today given its purity and balance, yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 20-25 years or more in cold cellars. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, brought up in two-thirds new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Pape Clément is just as impressive as it was en primeur. It shows all of the textural richness that is so typical of Bernard Magrez’s wines, but with an extra kick of freshness that provides energy as well as a sense of proportion. A wine of stature, the 2019 is so classy. Succulent black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and licorice are all beautifully delineated. But more than anything else, I find the wine’s energy really impressive. This is a fabulous vintage for Pape Clément. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGCrushed-stone and berry aromas with some blackberry and black-tea character. Just a touch of smokiness. Sweet fruit, too. This is so refined, subtle, and beautiful for Pape with full body, ultra-fine tannins and a succulent finish. The center-palate is dense and complete. Goes on for minutes. So subtle and refined, focused and classy. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSDensity in all aspects here, quite a rich, broad and bold style but with precision, clarity and definition. It’s big shouldered with plenty of heft and ripe fruit but well presented with great acidity that keeps the freshness from start to finish and this has a nice cooling minty aspect towards the finish. Tannins are firm, and still very present, needing to soften a little over time but this definitely has the weight, structure and fruit purity to have a long life ahead. (Drink between 2027-2042)Decanter | 95 DECCreated by the 14th-century Pope, Clement V, this estate is now owned by Bernard Magrez. This latest release shows the quality of the property, a wine that is set for long aging. Ripe black fruits are matched by the wine’s structure and density. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Pape Clément has turned out well in bottle, delivering a rich bouquet of cherries, blackcurrants, plum liqueur and blackberries mingled with notions of burning embers, licorice and a nicely integrated framing of new oak. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it’s a layered, fleshy wine, with a deep core of ripe but lively fruit, plenty of powdery tannin and a long, expansive, discreetly heady finish. This is a powerful, dramatic Pessac with a transatlantic accent and will drink well with only a few years’ bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPQuite rich, with an exotic hint to the boysenberry, plum and mulberry fruit flavors, which are carried by a velvety structure. Features a very stylish backdrop of apple wood, anise and fruitcake notes that adds more bling. This doesn’t have the drive for serious cellaring, but it’s still pretty gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 16,650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Very attractive chocolate, red-chili and cedar aromas and flavors. Lavender, too. Medium body with firm, polished tannins and a caressing finish. Pretty texture to this. It will be ready sooner than some. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSA fleshy, dramatic rendition of this Moulis benchmark, the 2019 Poujeaux unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of blackberries and plums mingled with subtle hints of cigar wrapper, loamy soil and violets. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it’s deep and seamless, with succulent acids, powdery tannins and a long, expansive finish. This has turned out brilliantly and numbers among the real sleepers of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Poujeaux exudes terrific energy and tension from start to finish. Dried cherry, tobacco, mint, chocolate, dried flowers, mint, cedar and tobacco are all beautifully delineated. The aromatics are quite expressive today. There’s a ton to enjoy here. Give the 2019 a few years in bottle first, though. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGBright nose, strawberries, red cherries and touches of dark chocolate with soft perfume aromas. Nice plump fruit here with a milky chalky edge to the tannins that are quite mouth coating right now. It has good drive and underlying acidity giving lift and you can feel the powerful and well-handled fruit underneath. Black cherries, fig and some pune and dark chocolate notes. A deeper, headier style that will be great in a few years. Drinking Window 2025 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Château Poujeaux showed beautifully, with classic Médoc notes of red and black currants, sweet tobacco, spice, and some floral and cedar nuances. With medium-bodied richness, supple tannins, and a great mid-palate, this thoroughly satisfying, impeccably made 2019 will keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDDelivers black currant and cherry flavors laced with warm stone, tobacco and savory notes. Offers good range and character, ending with a tug of earth. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028. 23,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

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

Blackberries, blackcurrants, violets, bitter chocolate, clay and gravel on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, very fine and integrated tannins. Beautiful texture. Structured, yet with a soft, supple feel. Subtle. 20% in concrete eggs. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 5% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Ferrière is a dense, packed wine, just as it was from barrel. Black fruit, graphite plum, licorice and spice infuse the 2019 with tremendous character. This powerful, brooding Margaux is going to need at least a few years to come together. It sure is alluring in this tasting. Readers will have to be patient, though. The tannins are pretty formidable. Ferrière was impressive en primeur. It is equally compelling today.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe rich Cabernet Sauvignon of this wine is beautifully in evidence. With its dense tannins as a foil to the fruit, the wine has both power and finesse. Biodynamic farming has added to the purity of the fruit. It is a fine wine, rich in texture and shows potential future aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEStriking aromas of sweet wild berries, violets, dark chocolate and loamy soil introduce the 2019 Ferrière, a full-bodied, velvety and concentrated wine that’s seamless and complete, with a rich, dramatic core of fruit, lively acids and a long, resonant finish. From biodynamic-farmed clay-rich gravels, this 18-hectare estate (formerly leased to Château Lascombes) possesses an usually high proportion of old vines, with fully one-third of their vineyards over 70 years of age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPDark and not so expressive on the nose, a bit hidden with black chocolate and blackcurrant aromas. Great textural quality here, this feels precise and defined. Grippy tannins for sure, but they have a lovely mouthfeel, cooling with a clear, mineral, wet stone quality. I love the abundance and generosity and then such a minty fresh finish, really so cooling. Great stuff and one I really wanted another glass of. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2031Decanter | 93 DECStylish, with a suave mouthfeel to its mix of lilac, cassis, black cherry and warm earth notes. Features a nice tug of dark tobacco at the very end, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 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