Shop Wine

wines

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s tasting and at the château, the 2006 Calon Segur was current winemaker Vincent Millet’s first vintage. In many ways, you can see it as one of the last of the "old style" Calon Segur wines with a higher percentage of Merlot than nowadays (the 2006 consists of 33% Merlot), while I aver that the tannins are not as fine as they are nowadays. The Merlot component is vividly expressed on the nose with ravishing ripe red cherries, kirsch and strawberry, just slightly smudged by the alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin, quite sexy in style but it does not have the class of more recent vintages and it seems to have remained tough up on the finish. It will loosen up with time, so afford this another 6-8 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMNot a wine that will please everyone. This has the austerity and backward thinking of 2006 mixed with the sleek fruit of Calon; rich, dark and not at all showy. Instead, it is subtle, delicate and thoroughly lovely. Drinking Window 2017 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECFocused and fresh, with violet and blackberry aromas and vanilla undertones. Full-bodied, with very pretty berry fruit character, fine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Refined. Best after 2014. 14,445 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Calon-Ségur) The 2006 Calon-Ségur (as noted above) was the first vintage produced under the guiding hand of Vincent Millet and this wine was a return to the classic cépages at the estate of predominantly cabernet sauvignon, after the detrimental increase in the percentage of merlot in the blend between 1990 and 2005. The wine is very, very closed today, but it is going to be a lovely wine with sufficient bottle age, as the wine is very well-balanced and simply needs time alone in the cellar to resolve its considerable chassis of tannin. The deep and still quite youthful nose reluctantly offers up scents of black cherries, curry, blossoming notes of dried eucalyptus, dark soil tones, cigar ash and a stylish base of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full- bodied and completely in its dumb phase, with a very good core, ripe, chewy tannins, lovely focus and a very long, currently quite hermetically-sealed finish. This is a good eight to ten years away from blossoming, but it will be excellent if given sufficient patience. (Drink between 2022-2050).John Gilman | 92 JGAromas of perfumes and blueberries with minerals. Medium-to-full body, fine tannins and a tangy, fresh finish. Attractive tension and austerity to this. Savory and juicy. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSBright ruby-red. Perfumed, terroir-driven aromas and flavors of redcurrant, licorice, iron, cinders, woodsmoke, minerals and pepper, plus a whiff of meat. At once dense and suave, with herbal and peppery nuances contributing to the wine’s impression of insinuating vinosity and inner-mouth aromatic character. Almost rustic in its soil tones but not in its refined texture. Finishes with building tannins and a juicy freshness. A wine worth following.Vinous Media | 90+ VMThis wine’s rich red fruit rides above firm, stony St-Estèphe tannins, the contrast providing some delicate detail and more serious depth. As the tannins increase their grip with air, the fruit gets redder, like the skin of a ripening plum. Calon-Ségur, on a hill just outside the village of St-Estèphe, often grows vin de garde; this vintage should be a keeper.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

The 2009 Alter Ego de Palmer offers fleshy red cherry and wild strawberry scents on the nose, rose petal mixed with subtle mulch-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, fresh and poised with an open and expressive, slightly ferrous finish. This has a lot of personality and it should continue to age well. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMAn enticing Alter Ego, that still has plenty of smoked grilled oak and a ton of upfront sweet liquorice root, blackberry and cassis fruits, along with still present but pliable tannins. Beginning to really hit its stride, no need to wait to enjoy. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DECWhat a second wine. This is so delicious with a dense palate and beautiful yet friendly structure. Velvety tannins coat your mouth but it is the savory fruit that brings you back for more. Love the chocolate and coffee undertones. Better in 2016 but beautiful now.James Suckling | 93 JSVery ripe fruit aromas. The palate is almost velvet in texture, smooth and rich, fruits packed with black berries and sweet plums. A charming, delicious wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA second wine that has improved dramatically is the Alter Ego de Palmer. The 2009, a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, exhibits aromas of blackberries, cassis, chocolate, roasted espresso and a smoky/foresty note. This hedonistic, juicy, succulent Margaux is meant to be consumed in its first 10-15 years of life.Robert Parker | 91 RPWell-sculpted, with enough concentration to the dark plum, maduro tobacco, anise and warm tar notes to merit some cellaring, but enough bright acidity and juicy briar hints to make this accessible now. Drink now through 2020. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

What a nose. You see the chocolate, orange peel, sweet tobacco. Goes to milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and round tannin structure. Creamy texture. Like the great 1995. Sweet and beautiful. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 95 JSThe second wine, the 2009 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, is almost as large a cuvee as the grand vin. This 7,000-case cuvee is a blend of 46% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest small quantities of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Once again the burning ember/scorched earth characteristic that often comes from Haut-Brion is found in the second wine, along with more kirsch and cassis, fewer nuances and less complexity than its bigger sibling. The wine is full-bodied with the minerality offered by this terroir as well as plenty of sweet tannins. This is the finest second wine Haut-Brion has produced since the astonishing 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion. Enjoy it over the next two decades.Robert Parker | 92 RPThis delivers the textbook profile of the appellation and vintage, with dense but mouthwatering tar, cassis, blackberry, bay leaf and dark cocoa notes all melded together and driving through the grippy finish. Approachable, but better with some time. Best from 2013 through 2023. 6,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2009 Clarence de Haut-Brion has a refined and elegant bouquet with pure red fruit, undergrowth, clove and leather, perhaps just a little brettanomyces becoming more obvious with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, rounded in texture with truffle and leather infused red fruit. There is fine grip on the finish and it should continue to age extremely well in bottle. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe second wine of Haut-Brion, the 2009 Le Clarence Haut Brion checks in as 46% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Offering a classic bouquet of blackcurrants, scorched earth, roasted herbs and earthy, gravely nuances, this beauty is broad, expansive and full-bodied on the palate, with ample depth, density, and structure. There’s no harm drinking bottles today, yet it has two decades of longevity ahead of it as well.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA rich wine, with soft, juicy tannins, some spice, the tannins dry at the center. Good structure, touch of wood.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Round and friendly, with soft and velvety tannins and delicious plum, spice and meaty aromas and flavors. Juicy finish. Subtle and rich. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSSpicy wood here,with stewed pear and ginger, as well as fine berry fruits. The wine is solid, but elegant, with great ripe fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEBeautiful, Burgundian-like aromas of burning embers, roasted Provencal herbs, black currants and sweet cherries and raspberries emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant 2009 Pessac-Leognan. Medium to full-bodied and seductive with sweet tannins as well as a surprisingly evolved, precocious personality (even for a 2009), it will offer delicious drinking over the next 15+ years. This is another wine in which I noticed subtle bottle variation.Robert Parker | 92 RP Still youthfully tight, this shows a packed core of plum, cassis and blackberry fruit wrapped with bittersweet cocoa, tobacco and charcoal notes. Nice drive marks the finish, with gorgeous polish, as a mouthwatering linzer torte note expands as it opens in the glass. Drink now through 2020. 2,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

One of the best Talbots over recent years, and possibly the best since the 1986 and 1982, this sexy juggernaut of a wine struts forth with an opaque plum/ruby/purple color and terrific notes of creme de cassis, licorice, roasted herbs and smoky barbecue. It is a brilliant effort, with full body, wonderful fruit, a savory, expansive mouthfeel, sensational texture and a long finish, but no hardness or astringency. This is a fabulous Talbot to drink over the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPAlways a more understated style, and this is benchmark stuff from Talbot. If you had to close your eyes and say what St-Julien tastes like you could do a lot worse than bring this wine up in your mind. Balanced, understated, unfussy, not trying too hard, lovely lovely lovely! Doesn’t mean that it is at the very top of what the appellation can give in 2010 but it is just so enjoyable.Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 94 DECThere’s a real purity of fruit here with currant and blueberry aromas coming out in the glass. Full body, with fine tannins and a fresh and clean acidity. Very polished tannins. It’s all about balance and drinkability here. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine shows black currant fruit, with just the right balancing acidity. Talbot is progressing well in its quest to bring out its fine terroir.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2010 Talbot is consistent with the vertical in December 2018 with blackberry and briary on the nose, not quite clicking into fifth gear but nicely poised. The palate if very well balanced with cedar and graphite infused black fruit leading to a conservative, "correct" finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis features a fairly plump core of crushed plum, blackberry and mulled boysenberry notes, coated with tar and driven by a strong graphite accent. An echo of pastis lingers on the finish, displaying good latent grip. Best from 2015 through 2027. 32,791 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

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

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

Aromas of orange peel, walnuts and berries follow through to a full body, with a luscious tannins and fruit structure. Long and delicious. The second wine of Palmer. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 93 JSThe second wine of Château Palmer is a rich, floral, smooth and perfumed wine. It has layers of dark plums and almost sweet acidity, with tannins that are buried in the voluptuous palate. The finish shows intense black currant acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2010 Alter Ego De Palmer is a beauty. Made from close to an even split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (from 50% of the total crop), it offers a deep purple color as well as a smoky, chocolatey style in is cassis, espresso and tobacco aromas and flavors. Big, rich and loaded with fruit and texture, it’s still a baby, with ripe, sweet tannin, yet certainly offers ample pleasure. Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDOffers a tarry frame melded to a core of plum sauce, tobacco and dark currant preserves. Fleshy and broad, with a good charcoal spine for freshness. Approachable now, but should improve with cellaring. Best from 2014 through 2025. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe Alter Ego in 2010 is quite ripe, as the wine weighs in at 14.4 percent alcohol, but never strays over the line into notes of sur maturité or shows any heat on the palate. The bouquet is deep, complex and quite lovely, as it offers up a mélange of plums, black cherries, tobacco smoke, dark soil tones and just a touch of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and plush on the attack, with a fine core of fruit, plenty of ripe, well-integrated tannins, bright acids and very good length and grip on the finish. This is quite a big wine, but it has not lost the inherent elegance of Palmer. (Drink between 2018-2045)John Gilman | 91 JGAn equal-part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Alter Ego represents 50% of the crop at Palmer. It has been an interesting second wine to take note of ever since the first vintage in 1998. The 2010 displays loads of chocolaty espresso notes, with plenty of punch, glycerin and unctuosity as well as some tannin like its bigger sister, but it is clearly meant to be drinkable at a much earlier age. It will still require several years of cellaring and should last 12-15 years.Robert Parker | 91 RP

This the greatest Pavillon Rouge ever made. Aromas of flowers, smoke, currants and raspberries follow through to a full body, with super silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is balanced and refined with wonderful depth. Hard to believe it’s a second wine. Better after 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is lovely, with a powerful backdrop of graphite and tar, harnessed by flavors of velvety plum, steeped fig and black currant preserves. The long incense- and black tea-filled finish completes the seduction. Refined, defined and poised. Best from 2014 through 2025. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA serious tone to the nose with inviting meaty, smoked black pepper and perfumed aromas. Succulent and supple on the palate, generous and full in the mouth yet also quite streamlined and linear. Lots of flavour but directed in one straight line at the moment with concentration and tension. This is extremely well structured with a pristine focus yet also a liveliness that makes it so enjoyable to taste. One that is giving pleasure now but will continue to age gracefully.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2010 Pavillon Rouge has a delightful, elegant bouquet with wild strawberry, blackberry and cedar aromas, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, veins of blue fruit emerging with time in the glass and with just a touch of salted liquorice towards the finish. This could be à point. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux offers up scents of blackcurrant cordial, wild thyme and fertile loam with hints of cedar chest, pencil lead and tar. Medium-bodied, the palate is just a tad lean with chewy tannins and bold freshness, finishing on an herbal note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

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

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

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

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

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

This is really minerally with crushed stones and dark berries. Some licorice. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a beautiful, tight and focused finish. Such energy, delivered down a straight line.James Suckling | 94-95 JSA blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSmells lovely, really aromatic and shining out of the glass, forward and expressive with clarity and precision on the nose full of red fruit and floral scents. Sleek and crisp, this has energy and lifeforce, I love the shape and straightforwardness but it’s the texture that’s so captivating - slightly firm but dense and chalky tannins give the bounce and cushioning on the palate while the fruit is lean and well defined. So well worked, feels careful, controlled, refined and polished. Sophisticated and just so seamless. Extremely young right now, coiled and tense still, direct from start to finish, it needs to slow down and soften and relax. Lovely pure and perfumed red fruits raspberry and blueberries alongside a slightly sharp, bitter grapefruit edge to the tannins as well as graphite and slate which lingers on the tongue and gives the mighty grip that doesn’t let go. Stylish and enjoyable. 64 PIT, 6.7% press wine. 45.4% production. Harvest 11 September to 4 October. Technical director Hélène Genin. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThis bold, structured wine is packed with blackberry fruits and ripe tannins. Freshness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon are very present, giving a crisp edge to the solid backbone. This is a wine for aging. Don’t drink before 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and fresh, featuring floral, cassis and plum aromas and flavors allied to a sleek, iron-tinged frame. Racy tension through the finish lets the fruit play out while the minerality blossoms. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up, the 2017 Les Forts De Latour includes more Cabernet Sauvignon and is 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, and a touch of cedar pencil all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and a great finish. While it’s a second wine, I suspect it will evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2017 Les Forts de Latour conveys airiness on the nose, reflecting the relatively lightest vintage in recent years. Graphite and sous-bois infuse black fruit, offering a slightly welcome herbaceous/undergrowth tincture. The palate is very well-balanced and will appeal to those seeking a sleeker, lighter style of Pauillac. Not lean by any account, but this Les Fort de Latour is understated, with appealing black pepper and tobacco notes emerging on the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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

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

The 2018 Pibran is fabulous, just as it was en primeur. Juicy, rich and expansive in this vintage, Pibran offers terrific richness and verve. Dark cherry, spice, new leather and cedar build as this stylish Pauillac shows off its considerable charms. The 2018 is unquestionably extroverted. It is also shamelessly delicious.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2018 Château Pibran emerges from a cooler, gravelly terroir in Pauillac and is close to an even split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all raised in 50% new oak. Lots of red, black, and blue fruits as well as lead pencil, violets, camphor, and smoked tobacco emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of freshness, ripe yet firm, polished tannins, and a great finish. This is another classic Pauillac that’s going to benefit from 3-6 years of bottle age (it’s far from unapproachable today) and keep for 20-25 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2024-2049)Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDBlackcurrant, blueberry, pencil-lead, clove and walnut-husk aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Nice minerality. Try from 2024 and onwards.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Pibran is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Merlot, matured for 18 months in barriques, 50% new and 50% one year old. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheerful scents of Morello cherries, mulberries and wild blueberries, giving way to a core of cassis, dark chocolate and violets, with a waft of woodsmoke. Medium-bodied, the palate is delicately styled with fantastic freshness and fine-grained tannins supporting the crunchy black fruit layers, finishing long and lifted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRich in both structure and fruit, this wine has ripe tannins and a full, generous texture that is given shape by full-bodied, black-fruit flavors. From the northern part of Pauillac, the wine is good for medium-term aging. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very tasty, enjoyable Pibran that comes from a cooler site than the main Pichon Baron wine, from gravel soils over a bed of limestone, and always the last for the team to harvest as was the case again in 2018. You can certainly feel the freshness and juice through the dark fruits – a wine that will be limbered up after just four or five years in bottle. 50% new oak. A yield of 37hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 90 DEC

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

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

The 2019 Chasse-Spleen is very perfumed on the nose, offering vivid brambly red fruit, leather, undergrowth and cedar aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with a sappy opening and fine acidity. Lightly spiced, showing plenty of substance on the finish. While not the most consistent estate, Chasse-Spleen has it in its grasp to make great wines, and the 2019 is one of them.Vinous Media | 93 VMWell judged Chasse Spleen with a ton of personality and flavour. Always one of the more confident and muscled wines in the appellation, this stops a little short as the tannins close in but there is no shortage of personality to get stuck in to here, and a thoroughly attractive juice that runs right through the body of the wine. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 48hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 92 DECAromas of cassis, black cherries, licorice, dried tobacco and wet earth. Some leafy character, too. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and vibrant, juicy fruit character. Firm and compact with hints of crushed stones in the finish. A little timid at the end. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSOffering up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil lead and licorice, the 2019 Chasse-Spleen is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish with a very civilized expression of Moulis-typical grip. Forget it for a decade and follow it for the next two.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

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

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

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

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