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This is very polished and refined with blackcurrant, raspberry and citrus-peel undertones. Full body, extremely fine texture and a long, long finish.James Suckling | 92 JSPart of the empire of the Chateau Mouton Rothschild, this estate was once known as Mouton Baronne Philippe. This impressive, deep, opaque ruby/purple wine, with loads of charcoal, crème de cassis and a flowery-ness, this is rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, quite pure, and avoids any of the astringency or hollowness that some Médocs possess in this vintage. The wine is complete and finishes authoritatively. The tannins are there, but ripe, integrated and velvety. This is a very impressive d’Armailhac to drink over the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 91 RPFragrant, scented and full of charm, but lighter than its richer stablemate Château Clerc Milon, tasted at the same time. This was a good vintage from the Mouton Rothschild stable, and the team there read it well. Remains good value.Decanter | 91 DECFruity and rich, this wine is developing fast. It is full of black currant fruits, with an impressive background of solid, structured tannins. The wine is linear, fresh, showing how well this property is developing its quality. It’s a wine for medium-term aging, so drink from 2018.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Inky plum in colour, you can see this is rich and textured even before going anywhere near the nose, which then displays ripe fruit. Gorgeous quality, a wine that is packed full of graphite, pencil lead, waves of violet, cassis, liqourice, and chewy but well defined tannins. Leaps out of the glass and is clear proof that, when it gets it right, the 2014 vintage equals the 2015 in this northern sector of the Médoc. Good value also compared to the 2015 and 2016 - a must buy for me. 70% new oak,..Jane Anson | 97 JAAromas of currants, blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of chocolate and spices. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Juicy and muscular wine. Needs three or four years to open. Beautiful.James Suckling | 96 JSFragrant and perfumed, this wine is the epitome of great Cabernet Sauvignon. It is fruity, juicy yet with serious concentrated tannins. There is spice from the wood aging along with a dash of pepper, all the while just bringing out the beautiful black-currant flavors. Drink this wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2014 Lynch-Bages is just as powerful and dense from bottle as it was from barrel. Deep, powerful and bold, it possesses remarkable richness in all of its dimensions. Ripe red cherry, spice, leather, tobacco and rose petal all develop in the glass, but it is the wine’s sheer amplitude today that is quite remarkable. It will need quite a bit of cellaring to be at its best, and is clearly built to age. This is a terrific showing from the Cazes family. The blend is 69 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Petit Verdot.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGThis has beguiling hints of plum cake and melted licorice peeking out, while a core of cassis and blackberry confiture waits in reserve. There’s ample grip, but this remains very polished and integrated, with lovely echoes of anise and fruitcake showing through the very lengthy finish. Will be hard to keep your hands off this while it ages. Best from 2019 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2014 Lynch Bages was actually similar to the 2014 Pichon Baron on the nose: tight and surly at first, demanding a lot of coaxing from the glass. It eventually opens up with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and tobacco, gaining more harmony and intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite linear and focused at the moment, precise if just needing a little more body and depth to evolve on the straight-laced finish. Give this Pauillac 4-5 years in bottle and it is likely to repay you.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMVery well-expressed natural concentration of fruit, very ripe tannins and lots of complexity to come. A richly textured, firmly structured wine with the Lynch-Bages hallmarks for the future. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DEC

One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis vintage was ideal for the rich style that this estate has made its own. This wine is full bodied and ripe with black-currant and dark berry fruits. The tannins fall into the cushioned wine with ease and richness. Of course, the wine should be aged, so wait until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBrambly and attractive ripe blackberries and red-plum aromas with some floral accents, too. The palate has a very plush, polished and regal shape as tannins frame up a core of ripe black fruit. Succulent, impressive finish. Best from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThis has an ample core of plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, underlined liberally with graphite and smoldering tobacco notes. Fleshy and focused, with ample grip through the juniper- and tar-accented finish. Well-built. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe inky colored 2015 Château Lynch-Bages is a seriously impressive Pauillac that’s up with the crème de la crème of the appellation in 2015. Notes of ripe blackcurrants, caramelized cherries, tobacco leaf and a kiss of lead pencil all emerge from this textbook Pauillac that has medium to full-bodied richness, notable concentration, and building structure. Made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 75% new barrels, it needs 5-7 years of cellaring and will be one of the longer-lived wines from the Médoc.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThis is powerful and deep with high but careful extraction and firm tannins. At this stage it feels so much younger and more closed than almost anything else I’ve tasted from this vintage in Pauillac. This is going for a firm, impressive impact and it manages it, but it lacks some generosity in the fruit character that it has in spades in 2016. 2% Petit Verdot. 75% new oak. One-third malolactic fermentation in vats, two-thirds in barrel. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lynch Bages offers up crushed black berries, black cherries and dried herbs with an earthy undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is firm and taut with lively fruit and a chewy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Exuberant and rich with so much fruit and richness. Layered and almost exotic. Full-bodied, chewy and very dense. Structured and, at the same time, muscular. Needs four to five years to open.James Suckling | 94 JSA good quality wine that is well extracted and not overly pushed. It falls below the excellent 2016, but this is a lovely rich and alive Pauillac that has fresh, flexible tannins and lots to enjoy. It’s not overly exuberant at this stage but it’s clearly full of potential. 50% new oak. (Drink between 2025-2038)Decanter | 93 DEC92–94. Barrel Sample. This is a juicy, fruity wine that’s supported by dark fruit tannins. The black currant fruits are bright and crisp, while the structure is firm and the finish lignering.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2015 Pédesclaux offers attractive red fruit laced with cedar, tobacco and autumn leaves on the nose, gently unfolding with aeration to reveal violet scents. The nicely balanced palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a fresh bead of acidity and a lilting tobacco and cedar infused finish. Very fine and one of the most approachable Pauillacs. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Vinous Media | 92 VMThe first vintage made with Petit Verdot, the 2015 Château Pédesclaux (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot) is deeply colored and has a rounded, sexy style to go with lots of cassis and black cherry fruit, notes of dried herbs, flowers, and tobacco, medium to full body, and sweet, silky tannin that emerges with more time in the glass. Drink this ripe, flamboyant Pauillac any time over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2015 Pedesclaux is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in barrel, 60% new and 40% one year old. Medium garnet-purple in color, it has an earthy nose with dried herbs and garrigue notes over a core of red currants and black berries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate is fine and fresh with juicy red and black fruits and a chewy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

This wine is definitely softening and taking on shape in the bottle. The juiciness is starting to appear and you can see why this is the most easily approachable of the Mouton stable when young. Really enjoyable, delicately shaped but with the Pauillac signature of menthol and slate. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2025 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECBerries and smoke with some wet-earth and leather undertones. Medium to full body, round and velvety tannins and a juicy and delicious finish. Like the walnut and coffee undertone. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 93 JSComposed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2015 D’Armailhac displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and exuberant notions of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of black and red cherry preserves plus wild blueberries and a waft of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals mouth-filling, juicy black berry flavors with approachable, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA singed vanilla and alder frame keeps a medium-weight core of plum and black currant fruit coiled up while tobacco and violet details fill in. A pretty, fine-edged chalky spine holds the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031.Wine Spectator | 92 WSMade by the team at Mouton Rothschild, the 2015 Château D’Armailhac is a ripe, sexy 2015 that has plenty of power and depth in its cassis, lead pencil shaving, spice, and roasted herbs aromas and flavors. The 2015 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with roughly 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, nicely concentrated and should keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis wine is firm, almost classically Pauillac in its black currants and acidity. The tannins are present behind the bright fruit and crisp texture. This wine has a dry core that will need to soften. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2015 d’Armailhac has a precise, graphite-scented bouquet featuring black fruit laced with light rose petal aromas - discreet but engaging. The medium-bodied palate offers quite firm tannin framing dusky, dark black fruit laced with brown spices and sage. I am just seeking a little more brightness and verve on the finish, but otherwise, this is fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

This needs time, even in the glass, but it is rich, confident and really rather wonderful. Good quality, with depth and complexity to the fruit - it’s not going anywhere soon. It has chewy tannins that are clearly just gearing up. Easily one of the best Pauillacs I’ve tasted from this vintage. Still pretty austere up front but with huge potential. Coffee, cinnamon and chocolate touches. 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère to finish the blend. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECExtremely floral with blackberry and blueberry character plus hints of violets. Full-bodied yet always in check and reserve with fine tannins and bright acidity that goes on for minutes. Limestone undertones. The finish is particularly long this vintage. Super Clerc. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 95 JSDensely structured and firm, this wine has weight, rich black fruits and great concentration. The tannins are still considerable, with obvious potential. This estate is now on top form. Drink this impressive wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA total gem, the 2015 Chateau Clerc Milon checks in as 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Carmenere. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, polished 2015 shines for its purity and elegance just as much as its depth and richness and boasts a beautiful nose of blackberries, black raspberries, and cassis intermixed with lots of spice and cedar pencil nuances. With perfect ripeness, medium to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and terrific mid-palate depth, it’s going to improve with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Clerc Milon opens with expressive crushed blackberries, red and black plums and cigar boxes notions with suggestions of dried herbs, earth and violets plus a waft of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it has a lovely core of very pure red and black fruits, supported by finely textured tannins and finishing on a lingering perfumed note. This is a very pretty, superbly poised Pauillac!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPInky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and licorice, along with the natural generosity of the vintage, give the 2015 Clerc-Milon is plush, sumptuous personality. Although not especially complex or nuanced, the 2015 offers plenty of raciness in an accessible, fleshy style that can be enjoyed with minimal fuss. From barrel, the 2015 gave the impression of being quite structured, but the bottled wine is far more forthcoming at this early stage. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenère.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis offers up a perfumed profile of gently warmed cherry and plum fruit along with notes of black tea, vanilla and licorice. Shows a light sanguine twinge through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2029.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

So aromatic with crushed currants, raspberries and blackberries with hints of graphite and lead pencil. Full-bodied and very tight with beautiful tannins and a long, flavorful finish. The tannins really build at the end of the palate. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Pédesclaux is the first vintage to include all four grape varieties planted in the vineyard, according to Emmanuel Cruse. It has a very focused, concentrated bouquet of blackberry, graphite, hints of tobacco and a slight granitic scent - très Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannin, impressive depth, gentle grip and a killer line of acidity. I adore the harmony and precision of this Pédesclaux, which is probably the best to date. Highly recommended. 13.3% alcohol. Vinous Media | 94 VMAn estate that’s unquestionably on the upswing, the 2016 Château Pédesclaux is made from 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 60% new oak. In the past, the wines from this estate have been slightly chunky, but that started to change around 2014, and I think this 2016 is the best yet. Beautiful blue fruits, violets, spicy oak, and a touch of minerality all emerge from this medium-bodied Pauillac, which has fine, polished tannins, a seamless texture, and a great finish. With purity and finesse as well as richness and depth, it’s already reasonably approachable today, but it’s going to evolve for three decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis really shows the heart of 2016 in the northern Médoc - it has the triumvirate of good acidity, good tannins and good fruit. It’s a little austere and is going to take its time to truly get going. A second bottle proved much better for depth, as we queried rusticity on the nose of the first bottle. The second instead showed a hawthorn, hedgerow character and gorgeously rich black fruits, concentrated and focussed, and given complexity by tobacco and spice. It’s the first time that four grape varieties have been used in the grand vin - Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot, plus 3% Cabernet Franc. Eric Boissenot consults. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2016 Pedesclaux is composed of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It aged for 18 months in 60% new and 40% one-year-old French oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed red and black currants and blackberries with cigar box, new leather, pencil lead and crushed rocks. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and lively with loads of mineral nuances and a lovely earthy finish. Around 15,000 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAn extroverted style, with bold plum and blackberry compote aromas and flavors, infused with anise accents and backed by an alluring finish of toasted vanilla, violet and mocha. On the showy side, but has enough latent drive to keep it honest. Drink now through 2030. 15,167 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Lynch Bages comes charging out of the gate with pronounced cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and menthol notions, backed up by scents of garrigue, tilled soil and a waft of tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fantastically concentrated, the generous fruit is superbly framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins with tons of pepper, cinnamon and cloves layers coming through on the finish. Truly, a legendary Lynch Bages!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2016 Lynch Bages has a wonderfully perfumed bouquet of intense black fruit laced with pencil lead, cigar box and incense aromas that soar from the glass, all displaying impressive delineation. The taut, focused palate is very well defined, with a fine line of acidity and great depth and concentration on the sophisticated, mineral-driven finish. Bon vin! Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is built for the cellar, with a generous core of kirsch, raspberry paste and plum preserve flavors waiting to unfurl. Will take time, due to the licorice snap, roasted apple wood and sweet tobacco elements draped over the fruit. Should meld with age, as the structure is invigorating in feel, showing both acidity and tannins in lockstep with the fruit. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSVery rich and exotic with blackberry, black-tea, graphite and lead-pencil aromas. Full-bodied, dense and structured with lots of ripe tannins and a long, flavorful finish of currants and forest floor, combined with fresh mushrooms and bark. Needs four to five years to show its true potential. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSHarvest started a week later than in 2015, allowing a longer, slowing ripening as Pauillac fully benefitted from the conditions of the vintage. Touches of reduction for the first minute emphasise the redcurrant notes in with the cassis and bilberry. The acidity is clear, and the layers of fine tannins build to show an extremely impressive construction: thickly sliced black fruits, fresh menthol, toast, tobacco and grilled, almost tarry almonds. 2% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Eric Boissenot consults. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DECThe flagship 2016 Château Lynch Bages is a powerhouse, checking in as 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot raised in 75% new French oak. This deep, concentrated, powerful 2016 is going to be one for the ages, but if you’re looking for instant gratification, this isn’t for you. Saturated purple-colored, with thick black fruits, graphite, and scorched earth aromas and flavors, it fills the mouth with fruit, has masses of tannins, and beautiful overall balance. Don’t even think about opening bottles before 7-8 years from now, and it’s going to have 3-4 decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDRich, jammy and powerful, this wine is all about concentration and firm tannins. Ripe black-currant flavors add great juiciness at the end. The wine has magnificent potential. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Hot crushed stones and dark berries jump out of the glass. Full body, very dense fruit and powerful tannins, yet it remains agile and bright with beauty and energy. So muscular and toned. Truly outstanding Clerc for the future. Unwavering nature to this. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSI was able to taste the 2016 Château Clerc Milon on multiple occasions and it was always brilliant, showing a deep ruby/purple color as well as sexy aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, spicy oak, and graphite. Deep, powerful and beautifully concentrated, it’s a rock star of a Pauillac that’s going to keep for 30 years or more. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Carménère, all aged 16 months in 50% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis fifth growth, bought by Mouton-Rothschild in 1970 has been revitalised by the Mouton team in the past decade, especially in the vineyard, and now performs well beyond its classification. Clerc-Milon owns some 41 hectares and in 2011 opened a new, elegantly designed modern winery. A huge majority of the vines are more than 50 years old. In 2016 picking took place from 26 September to 15 October, and the blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Carmenere. The wine is dark, mineral and polished, very sophisticated, precise and pure, with intense ripe fruit and liquorice aromas, and a particularly silky texture. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2045Decanter | 95 DECThe Cabernet Franc was fantastic this year, so it was all used in the grand vin. The final blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Clerc Milon leaps from the glass with beautiful scents of chocolate-covered cherries, plum preserves and crushed blackcurrants with suggestions of lilacs, cardamom, underbrush and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm frame of finely grained tannins and seamless freshness lifting the perfumed fruit to a nice long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA fresh and stylish version, with chalky minerality running from start to finish. Succulent plum and cassis fruit flavors coil around this and absorbs this easily at first. Then pretty violet and lilac notes guild the finish, with the minerality taking a slightly firmer stand. Best from 2023 through 2035. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WSDark and concentrated, this wine offers depth and intensity. It has great ripeness as well as fine tannins that are integrated into the fruit. It is so juicy and exuberant that it’s hard to remember the tannins that will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2016 Clerc Milon is striking. Here, the interplay of dense fruit and supporting structure make for a wonderfully complete and expressive wine. Dark blue stone fruit, licorice, lavender, spice and menthol are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The aromatic and structure of both Cabernets come through with notable energy and precision. The 2016 has enough density and pedigree to drink well for many years to come.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

This is a really driven d’Armailhac showing blackcurrants and fruit tea with hints of bark on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, very firm and structured with a long and powerful finish. Direct and linear. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSA thrilling bottle of wine that readers should snatch up is the 2016 Château d’Armailhac. This deeply colored, medium to full-bodied, powerful Armailhac gives up a lovely perfume of blackberry and plums fruits, violets, graphite, cedar pencil, and earthy, herbal nuances. Classic, ripe, layered, and just a beautiful Pauillac any way you look at it, it has plenty of upfront sex appeal but is going to keep for 20-25 years as well. Bravo! The 2016 is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 D’Armailhac opens with gregarious crème de cassis, blackberry pie and mulberries scents with hints of chocolate box, roses and charcoal with a waft of dried sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 d’Armailhac, which was bottled in May 2018, has an elegant bouquet that unfolds in the glass, offering blackberries, briar and a touch of cedar and mint. The palate is medium-bodied with dense tannin, grippy in the mouth, and quite voluminous, with perhaps more density on the solid, almost broad-shouldered finish compared to the Clerc-Milon. This fulfills all my expectations from my barrel tasting and is quite simply one of the best d’Armailhac wines ever made.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis juicy red sports dark plum, fig and boysenberry fruit backed by an equally strong wave of bramble and sweet tobacco notes. The cast-iron spine pins down the finish, so give this a little time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere’s fairly high acidity on the attack here, and yet it’s well balanced by a body that’s richer and deeper than in many years of Armailhac. You can definitely feel the texture and the powerful depth of brambly fruit, and there are also some of the signature lilting floral notes, given extra charge through graphite, liquorice, cassis, and that pulsating acidity. Great quality. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a ripe wine, full of black fruits with attractive tannins. It has depth but the wine is more about fruitiness and relatively quick development. Drink this already delicious, lightly spicy wine from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Aromas of blackcurrants, lavender, gravel, dried leaves, spice box and bitter chocolate. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Creamy and succulent with a solid core of ripe fruit and a long, caressing finish. Grows on the palate. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSPédesclaux was purchased in late 2009 by real estate mogul, Jacky Lorenzetti. In addition to the purchase of Pédesclaux and its 26 hectares of vineyards, Lorenzetti was also able to acquire an additional 12 hectares of vineyards planted at 10,000 vines per hectare that sit atop the Milon plateau (their rows are interspersed with those of Mouton and Lafite). The total vineyard acreage in 2018 was 49.7 hectares with an average vine age of 35 years. The soils are typically gravelly atop a clay subsoil. It will spend an estimated 16 months on the lees in barrels, 60% new and 40% second year. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, and it has 13.96% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Pedesclaux comes charging out of the gate with rambunctious baked plums, warm cassis and Morello cherries scents plus hints of spice cake, menthol and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits and spicy accents, with a soft, fine-grained frame, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPAn estate that continues to shine, the 2018 Château Pedesclaux is a rich, ripe, sexy Pauillac offering loads of ripe cassis fruits as well as lead pencil, chocolate, and violets. Seemingly even richer now from bottle than barrel, it’s full-bodied and has a round, concentrated mouthfeel, lots of ripe tannins, good freshness, and a great finish. A rich, powerful Pauillac, it’s going to need 4-6 years to shed some baby fat but should be very long lived.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDAttractive woodsmoke and sweet fruits on the nose, vibrant and creamy on the palate. There are big tannins here that build up through the palate and need time in bottle to soften. (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 93 DECRipe and juicy in feel, with expressive cassis and plum paste notes lined liberally with red and black licorice and backed by a floral note through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

One of the finest vintages I’ve ever tasted from this address, the 2018 Château Lynch-Bages has everything you look for in a great wine: incredible aromatics, richness without weight, perfect balance, and a purity of fruit that’s just about off the charts. Dense purple, it reveals a glorious perfume of blackcurrants and blackberry fruits, a deep, unctuous mouthfeel, building tannins, and a complex array of cedar pencil, tobacco, wood smoke, and chocolate. A true blockbuster in every sense, with masses of fruit and tannins as well as moderate acidity, it will probably merit a triple-digit score in a decade and is a 50+-year wine from this team.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDAromas of blackberries, cloves, licorice, dried leaves, graphite and black olives. It’s full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Structured and tannic with beautiful austerity and a long, mineral and layered finish. The tannins grow on the palate. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSVibrant, with a violet and cassis lead-in that then expands to include steeped black cherry and plum fruit as well as extra savory, iron and licorice root notes. Nice latent grip too, with a mouthwatering tug of earth at the very end. The fruit is so vibrant, it’s a tease now, but there’s structure here for the long haul, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSDeep, rich black fruits on the nose followed by a powerful punch of spice alongside a ferocious tannic structure that will benefit from the extra polishing of bottle ageing. Combines tannic heft with cassis, bitter chocolate shavings, sage, cardamom and smoke. This is impressive, with a solidly confident, classic Pauillac character and a great example of the confidence of Lynch-Bages right now. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2028 - 2048.Decanter | 96 DECComposed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Lynch-Bages was aged in 75% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with a magnificently expressive nose of blueberry compote, black cherry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of dark chocolate, licorice, tar and violets with a waft of hoisin. The medium to full-bodied palate is just as impactful as the nose, coating the mouth with juicy black berry and spicy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a refreshing earthiness coming through at the end.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAn utterly fabulous wine, the 2018 Lynch-Bages captures all of the richness and generosity that make the year so appealing, and yet doesn’t stray too far from its classic feel. Rose petal, lavender, spice, sweet red berry fruit and mint are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Racy and silky to the core, the 2018 is a real head-turner from the very first taste. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. Readers will have a very hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe Lynch-Bages style is unmistakeable in this wine’s richness and the density of its structure and tannins. In addition it conveys a great sense of style, restrained power and opulence. Drink this wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The progression of this property continues to be evident in the glass with a beautiful classicism, full of life and layers comprising dark spice and touches of black pepper against blueberry and cool fruits, pumped up by black chocolate and liquorice.It’s confident and clearly has a fierce quality to the tannins giving a long life ahead of it. The harvest started on September 17, one week later than Mouton because of its cooler terroir, with the blend completed by 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmanère.This is the last vintage with Jean-Emmanuel Donjoy at the helm as he’s making his way over to Mouton-Rothschild to work alongside Philippe Dhalluin. A tough gig to turn down of course, but I will miss the work he has done here and look forward to seeing what his successor will add. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThis opulent wine is as bold with its fruit as with its tannins. The initial velvet texture masks the dense structure that will allow it to age impressively. Blackberry flavors, acidity and intense richness are coming together in a welter of ripe fruits. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBlackcurrants, tobacco, graphite, cloves and dried leaves on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Structured and compact with a long, mineral finish. Tight and austere. Very pretty structure here. Wait until 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Clerc Milon is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a very pure, beautifully delineated nose of crushed blackcurrants, fresh black plums and boysenberries with hints of wild thyme, damp soil, tar and black olives. The medium to full-bodied palate offers taut, muscular black fruit with loads of savory layers and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and mineral tinged.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2018 Clerc Milon is showing beautifully today. Gorgeous savory notes from the Cabernet Sauvignon open first, showing the modern direction of Clerc Milon towards a more Cabernet focused wine. Dried flowers, menthol, licorice, graphite and black cherry are all laced together effortlessly. The tannins have settled down a bit since en primeur, which is a very good sign for the future.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis throws off a lovely stream of violet and cassis aromas and flavors that are sleek and pure in feel, picking up dark cherry, iron and sanguine details along the way. Refined and cellarworthy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2023 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom an estate located on the east side of highway D2 and between Château Lafite and Château Mouton Rothschild, the 2018 Château Clerc Milon is a ripe, sexy, full-bodied Pauillac that brings plenty of richness while still staying reasonably elegant. Blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked earth, new leather, and cedary herbs all flow to an impressively endowed, layered Pauillac with chewy tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak, this outstanding 2018 needs 4-6 years of bottle age to round into form and will evolve nicely for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Complex aromas of blackcurrant, black olive, clove, oyster shell, pencil lead and tobacco. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Concentrated and focused with a very long, spice and mineral finish. Fantastic bottle. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 D’Armailhac (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) hits the ground running with wonderfully open-knit, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant jelly and rose oil, leading to an undercurrent of cinnamon toast, aniseed and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy and expressiveness, delivering red and black berry layers with loads of spicy sparks, framed by plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe core of ripe cassis, plum sauce and raspberry purée flavors have a succulent feel, while licorice snap, graphite and singed alder notes play along the edges. Nice glycerine feel through the focused and fine-grained finish. Tempting now, but time will bring more nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAwesome notes of camphor, new leather, cedar pencil, chocolate, and cassis emerge from the 2018 Château D’Armailhac, a full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that stays nicely focused on the palate, with firm yet ripe tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. In short, it’s a classic Pauillac that needs 4-6 years of bottle age and should have two decades of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDA ripe, juicy wine with great freshness and swathes of black-currant fruits, this is already delicious. Plenty of tannins back up the fruits and push the wine towards a rich future, but the balance is already there. Drink this wine from the Mouton-Rothschild stable from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 d’Armailhac is bright, fresh and so inviting, just as it was en primeur. Sweet red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, tobacco and anise add lovely aromatic complexity. All of the intensity of the year comes through nicely and yet the personality of Armailhac is evident also. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. There is a bit more breadth and richness that is the result of yields that were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to the more typical 42 or so. It was a vintage marked by heat stress, small berries and lower juice to skin ratio, as well as some parcels affected by mildew. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAustere, textbook limestone flavours given a plump mid palate by damson and black cherry fruits. Owned by Stephan von Neipperg. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 92 DEC

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Pedesclaux has a beguiling perfume of violets, warm cassis, preserved plums and licorice with suggestions of rose hip tea, dark chocolate, kirsch and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with vibrant black and red fruits, supported by ripe, finely grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Gorgeous wine—bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPA gorgeous wine, the 2019 Château Pédesclaux shines for its pure, elegant, yet concentrated style, and it’s certainly one of the finest vintages from this address. Cassis, black cherries, lead pencil, and violet notes all emerge on the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. The purity and finesse are truly something here, and while it already offers pleasure, it deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDPerfumed aromatics on the nose, violets, red cherries - really perfumed though - I love it! Gorgeous texture, it’s soft and supple and not over the top. The tannins are super integrated providing just the right amount of support to the fruit. Delicate but with a good core of dark fruits and some cherry flesh texture. Soft and smooth but fleshy too - a great balance between freshness and structure. Bright lift at the end and overall good acidity with enjoyable hints of bitter dark chocolate and savoury black liquorice which add complexity and interest away from the fruit. Overall quite dark in style but one for earlier and enjoyable drinking. Nice refined winemaking on show and clear markers of the terroir and vintage. Carafe if drinking soon or buy and age. First vintage in conversion to organic which has been being tested since 2012. Half the vineyard is currently farmed biodynamically. Drinking Window 2024 - 2032.Decanter | 94 DECThis is really floral and beautiful with lavender, lilac and blackcurrant aromas that follow through to a medium to full body with firm, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. It’s very racy and refined with structure. Linear. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Pédesclaux is quirky and full of character. It offers a beguiling mix of super-ripe dark fruit and savory Cabernet coupled with accents that offer a striking counterpoint. Black cherry, chocolate, new leather, spice, tobacco, incense and scorched earth lead into the substantial finish. There’s more raciness than finesse in this Pauillac, but it all works well.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now.James Suckling | 99 JSSuch gorgeous aromatics of freshly picked violets, cherries and bramble fruits - pretty and quite delicate. The texture is smooth and succulent, mouth coating but full of soft tannins which have the most delicious black cherry, blackcurrant flesh and liquorice tinge to them - so satisfying. Extremely well balanced and well integrated, this has restrained power, it’s not rich or particularly round but straight, direct and layered rather than wide. Really long finish with great freshness and touches of cool blueberries. This is just such a great wine, everything you want and you know there’s power there promising a long life. Great winemaking on show. 35% aged in concrete, 50% new oak, 15% in barrels of one year, for 16-18 months. This year there’s a new label, the drawing of the house has remained but the font is more elegant and modern. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2027-2047)Decanter | 98 DEC97–99. Barrel Sample. This is a luscious, sumptuous wine, with layers of black fruits and wonderfully cushioned tannins. The structure of the wine is initially masked by the great fruits, but then finds balance from a dry edge of spice, smokiness and lifted acidity. It’s another great vintage from this biodynamic estate. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2019 Pontet-Canet was so effusive and generous en primeur. Today, though, it is quite reticent. That won’t be an issue for those who can be patient, but patience indeed will be the key here. Dark red fleshed fruit, tobacco, cedar, spice, kirsch, mint and blood orange gradually open with a bit of coaxing. Imposing tannins wrap it all together. The 2019 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty, but it needs time.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGVery lush out of the gate, with waves of gently mulled plum, blackberry and black currant fruit that roll through slowly, lined with alder, sweet tobacco, worn cedar and singed savory notes. Delivers a late tug of iron that’s well-buried on a finish marked by lingering perfume, resulting in an end impression of a rich wine that’s very light on its feet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2019 Pontet-Canet offers up an expressive bouquet of plummy fruit, kirsch, dried herbs and peonies. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and seamless, with melting tannins, succulent acids, and a long, liqueured finish. Tasted twice, it’s a wine I find somewhat perplexing: in a blind tasting, I might be more inclined to place it in Gigondas than Pauillac. I’m far from dogmatic when it comes to what the French call "typicité," and stylistic diversity surely enriches every appellation; but by the same token, I’m not convinced that this is the most compelling aesthetic that a Cabernet-based blend from this part of Bordeaux can realize. Checking in at 13.7% alcohol, some 35% of the production was matured in amphorae, which no doubt contributes to the wine’s idiosyncratic identity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Château Pontet Canet checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that was brought up in a mix of barrels and concrete tanks. It shows the new style of the estate with a more savory, exotic, medium to full-bodied style that’s a dramatically different beast than the benchmark 2009 and 2010 vintages, which to my mind, are the greatest vintages from this estate to date. The 2019 has a ruby/plum color as well as a perfumed nose of redcurrant and mulberry fruits as well as notes of brambly herbs, woodsmoke, peony, leather, and cedar pencil. It’s aromatic and complex, although certainly not classic Pauillac, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with firm, savory, yet quality tannins, good balance, and outstanding length. It warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years. While the style of the estate has been gradually shifting with the winemaking moving to hand destemming and aging in concrete and amphora, this is the first time where the winemaking seems to dominate the wine, and the quality is unquestionably not at the same level.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property’s recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it’s full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d’Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild’s two Pauillac stablemates. | 95 RPGreat Cabernet nose, generous and quite expressive filled with blackcurrants and black plums. Rich and densely concentrated but with a cooling freshness from the limestone. Profound on the palate, this makes a real impact and impression with layers of flavour that are nicely framed and direct. Soft yet muscular with a fresh, menthol, liquorice and softly sweet ending that really leaves a delightful lasting note. Just a brilliantly concentrated glass of wine with power and sophistication. Persistent ending, will age very well. I love the texture and overall feel of this. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 95 DEC94–96. Barrel Sample. Dense and rich, with a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this is another great vintage from the estate. Its black fruits ooze concentration alongside firm tannins that promise a potential for long aging. The aftertaste has opulent black currant richness. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Clerc Milon is seriously impressive. Dense, plush and explosive, Clerc Milon delivers a captivating mix of inky, dense fruit intermingled with savory accents from the 72% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (the highest since 1986). Dried herbs, tobacco, menthol and licorice weave into the deep, resonant finish. Superb. Antonio Galloni | 94 AGPresents a very fresh core of cassis, red cherry and damson plum fruit flavors that meld nicely with a racy iron streak, while light savory and floral details run along the edges. A very pure and bright version that should age well. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2023 through 2038. Wine Spectator | 93 WSAnother beautiful effort from this team, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, from vines just across the street from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it has a healthy ruby/plum color to go with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits supported by some classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and spice box notes. I love its overall balance, it’s medium-bodied, has silky tannins, and the fresher, elegant style of the vintage. I wouldn’t call it mid-weight, but I compared this to the 2014 on release, and I still think that comparison holds, although there’s a touch more length and intensity in the 2019. This will drink well today with a decant (I followed this bottle for two days) and will shine for a good two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Features a racy, chalky minerality that runs amid a core of steeped plum and black currant fruit, with lively cedar, black tea and savory nuance all around. Sneaky long too, thanks to its mineral thread. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBased on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2019 Château D’Armailhac showed beautifully from barrel two years ago, and it doesn’t disappoint now from bottle. Despite the high Merlot content, it has a firmer, focused, youthful style that’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring. Giving up plenty of ripe black cherry, mulberries, and cassis-like fruit as well as textbook Pauillac lead pencil, forest floor, and tobacco, it’s medium to full-bodied, has good mid-palate density, subtle background oak, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. It shows the vintage’s more elegant, classic style yet doesn’t lack for concentration or length. It’s going to benefit from just 3-4 years of bottle age and drink fabulously well for two decades. It’s the finest d’Armailhac I’ve tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDWonderful florality on the nose, perfumed and full of black cherries. Great freshness here, such good juice content, immediately so alive and fresh, there is a real buzz to this wine with some creamy/chalky edges that are so refreshing. Great personality with vibrant fruit. Rich and layered, super concentrated but with this fun lively aspect. Tannins are chewy and ripe because of the weather but there’s a great lift and sense of life to this. I really like it. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2025-2044)Decanter | 94 DECA solid, linear red with a beautiful core of fruit and firm tannins, showing blackcurrants and finesse. Full and compact. It’s very fresh and aromatic with violets and hints of spices. Clean and vivid at the end, 62% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JS93–95. Barrel Sample. This rich and juicy wine is full of black fruits. The tannins are ripe and integrated into the black currant fruitiness. While the tannins currently pack a punch, they will integrate and allow the wine to age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEMore classically proportioned than the exuberant 2018, the 2019 D’Armailhac wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries and cassis complemented by subtle hints of licorice, sweet soil tones and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and perfumed, it’s fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of succulent fruit and beautifully polished, powdery tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 d’Armailhac requires a few minutes to open up. It has an intense bouquet of blackberry and small black cherries, iodine and crushed violet, plus a faint hint of tobacco (less than last year). The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, this 2019 having gained some backbone during its barrel maturation. Solid grip and flavors of black pepper and mint toward the chalky finish. This is excellent, but it will need longer in bottle than I originally envisaged. Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2019 Château Lynch-Bages is stunningly good, and it’s going to be interesting to compare this to the 2018 over the coming decades. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencil, spring flowers, smoke, and graphite, with an almost liqueur of rocks-like minerality. A massive, incredibly concentrated Lynch-Bages, Jean-Charles has hit a home run in the vintage, and this sensational wine has building, perfect tannins, insane purity, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the purity, finesse, balance, and depth to offer pleasure not only today but to evolve for 40 to 50 years. Smart money will hide these for a good 7-8 years, but wow, what a wine. Bravo…Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2019 Lynch Bages is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel, if not moreso. What a wine! Towering and vertical in its bearing, the 2019 is a total stunner. There is plenty of Lynch Bages charm, but what distinguishes the 2019 most is its spine of tannin and energy. Time in the glass brings out sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate and mint. The 2019 is a great, great, great Lynch Bages. It reminds me of the epic 1989, but with the youthful grip of this vintage. A towering Pauillac, the 2019 Lynch Bages will make a great addition to any cellar.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThis takes hold from the first moment and powers along, delivering a ton of black brambly fruit, liquorice, grilled cedar and Pauillac confidence. The tannins are pretty chewy, really closing in on the end of play, giving no doubt that this is going to age slowly and for many decades, but there is a creaminess to the overall structure that is already evident. (Drink between 2029-2046)Decanter | 97 DECFantastic blackberries, blackcurrants, lead pencil and violets. So Pauillac on the nose! Full-bodied with a dense, layered palate and tight yet plush tannins that give the wine layers and gravitas. Compact. Long finish. Silky. Reminds me of a modern, classic version of something like the wonderful 1985 Lynch. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe wine’s power is important and impressive. Behind this lies a solid structure along with powerful black fruits, allowing the succulent nature of the Cabernet Sauvignon to shine. The wine will develop slowly over many years. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA true classic from this estate, the 2019 Lynch-Bages has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and sweet blackberry fruit mingled with licorice, mint, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s a deep, multidimensional wine built around a chassis of rich, powdery tannins and succulent balancing acids. The last vintage produced in Lynch-Bages old winery, it will be interesting to compare this benchmark wine with subsequent vintages over the coming years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPGorgeous from the start, with lush and caressing cassis, dark plum and blackberry compote flavors that are substantial in feel although they seem to glide through, carried by a very refined structure that lets in alluring black tea, worn alder, floral and savory details along the way. Features a vibrant, authoritative bolt of iron through the finish to keep it all grounded.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A crunchy and fresh 2020 with sliced oranges and redcurrants as well as cedar and nutmeg. Full-bodied with very firm and tight tannins. Bright finish. Crushed stone at the end as well. Needs three to five years to soften. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. First year with organic farming. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2020 Château Pédesclaux reminds me of the 2016 with its concentrated, pure, classic Pauillac style. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it has a great nose of pure blue fruits (currants, cassis) as well as ample lead pencil, chalky minerality, and violet aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has the purity and polish to shine even today, yet my money is on it benefiting from 4-6 years of bottle age, and it should evolve gradually over the following 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDTense and coiled, lovely styling here with bright and vibrant black fruits, a soft hit of creaminess alongside liquorice-laced tannins. Power and brawn, clearly structured and intense, this will age very well just a bit shy and tight right now. Dark chocolate, menthol freshness, plum and rosemary. Excellent tannic grip and I love the sweetness on the palate as well as overall freshness. Something very captivating about this and upscored from a tasting in September.Decanter | 94 DECMatured in 55% new oak, the 2020 Pédesclaux, has a very Cabernet-driven nose as indeed, this Pauillac estate has been gradually moving towards the variety in recent years. Blackberry, freshly-rolled tobacco and light pencil box notes. This is clean and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh and fleshy, yet there is backbone here with a gentle but insistent grip towards the smooth finish. Maybe it just needs a little more complexity overall, but this should still drink well for the next two decades.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Very pure character to this wine with crushed fruit and round tannins. It’s really transparent and delicate, yet bold at the same time. Super tannins. Vivid. Very primary and berry-like. May well turn out to be even better than this in bottle.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe top wine 2020 Château Clerc Milon checks in as 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot and Carmenère, and it’s another beauty, offering both richness and elegance. Ripe currants, cassis, damp earth, graphite, and crushed stone-like minerality define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a more focused, pure texture, plenty of expansive richness on the mid-palate, and ripe, building tannins. This beautifully layered, pure wine shows the style of the vintage nicely.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDRich black fruits shine through this densely structured wine. Held in suspension, the tannins will develop beautifully over the years. With its acidity and firm core, the wine has great aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2020 Clerc Milon - a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot with just a splash of Carmenere - has a deep garnet-purple color, opening with notes of tar, unsmoked cigars, bouquet garni and graphite, giving way to a core of ripe black and red currants, boysenberries and tree bark, plus a touch of black olives. The medium-bodied palate delivers fantastic tension and impressively ripe, fine-grained tannins to support the crunchy, energetic black fruit flavors, finishing with a lively herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPPowerful, a little austere with tight black fruits that will benefit from adding flesh over ageing, as the tannins are a little angular right now. The freshly crushed mint leaf finish is beautiful, and this is is ripped with powerful nuanced fruit, tobacco and earthy flavours, followed by waves of violet flowers. Good quality, not as exuberant as some years of Clerc Milon. First year of Caroline Artaud to oversee the entire vintage, as Jean-Philippe Danjoy has headed over to Mouton. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 50% new oak. There is also 0.6% of Carmanère in the blend. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Clerc Milon is soft, fruity and supple. Inky red fruit, plum, lavender, rose petal and spice all meld together in the glass. The 2020 is not terribly complex, but it is open-knit, radiant, and incredibly appealing, even in the early going. I suspect it will offer quite a bit of pleasure right out of the gate. The proportion of Merlot is a bit higher in this year’s blend, which no doubt contributes to the wine’s appeal. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

This full-bodied red builds on the palate in a fantastic way with tight, compact tannins that grow and grow on the finish. Plenty of blackcurrant and graphite character and a flavorful finish. Same level as the excellent 2016.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is an explosive, vibrant Pauillac. The bouquet alone is captivating. Lavender, grilled herbs, menthol, chocolate and crème de cassis all race out of the glass. A wine of vertical structure and precision, the 2020 is a total stunner. It simply dazzles from start to finish.Vinous Media | 93-96 VMThe 2020 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a more fleshy, textured Pauillac that still plays in the concentrated, focused, structured style of the vintage. Ripe black cherries, currants, toasty oak, chocolate, and tobacco leaf notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, richly textured 2020 that has velvety tannins, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 20-25 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-95 JD(Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Enjoyable, powerful, concentrated, not the most generous of GPLs but they have captured the essence of Pauillac, and it’s hard to resist. Sappy juicy finish, full of cassis, mint leaf and pencil lead along the way with a clear tightness to the tannic frame. A yield of 31hl/ha. 75% new oak for barrel ageing. (Drink between 2027-2046)Decanter | 95 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste offers notes of freshly crushed black and red currants, fresh blackberries and mulberries, plus hints of pencil lead, damp soil and black olives. The medium-bodied palate is delicately styled and refreshing, delivering soft, skillfully managed tannins and just enough freshness to frame the juicy black fruits, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

Blackcurrants, orange peel, flowers and tar with hints of graphite. Full-bodied with a creamy texture of exquisitely polished tannins. It goes on and on. Intense flavors at the end, too, with lead pencil and lots of blackberry. Very classic and precise.James Suckling | 98-99 JSUltra-classic notes of blackcurrants, freshly sharpened lead pencil, damp earth, and crushed stone emerge from the 2020 Château Lynch-Bages, which checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all hitting 13.4% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.73 and a massive IPT of 93, which might be the highest in the vintage. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it has brilliant purity of fruit, a layered, building sense of structure, and a great finish. While not austere or closed, this serious Lynch-Bages will need 10-15 years of bottle age to hit maturity and have 40-50 years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97+ JDBold black fruits and dense, textured tannins are very much in the style of the estate. What is new in this vintage is the extra precision that lifts the wine, bringing together the beautiful black currant flavors of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with a refined texture of sophisticated tannins. This is an impressive wine, sure to age over many years. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Lynch-Bages is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, aging for around 18 months in French oak barriques, 75% new. It has an alcohol of 13.41%, a pH of 3.73 and an IPT (tannin index) of 93. Opaque purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with notes of crushed blackberries, cassis and boysenberries, plus touches of garrigue, red roses and cedar chest with hints of graphite and black olives. The medium-bodied palate has a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the tight-knit black fruit and earthy flavors, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe lowest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend on recent record but the signature of Lynch Bages is very much in play here - tons of liquorice, grippy and charismatic cassis and blueberry fruit with a velvety texture layered with blackcurrant pastilles and rich dark chocolate. This is easily one of the best Pauillacs that I have tasted in the vintage, totally gorgeous. The 33hl/ha yield meant I was worried that it would be too concentrated, but it pulls it off, although you’ve got to assume that they will need to be careful over ageing. Lower alcohol than both 2018 and 2019, a more classical balance in fact. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.73pH, 75% new oak, 18 months in barrel.

This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September.Opaque purple-black in color, it needs significant aeration and swirling to coax out evocative notes of black cherry preserves, raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles and damp soil, before launching into gorgeous floral and spice notions of red roses, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom, with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a lot of depth and polish, delivering mouth-coating red and black fruits with loads of fragrant earth and floral sparks, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral tinged. This is a singular, fascinating expression of the vintage and highly recommended!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98+ RPThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is captivating effort from the Tesseron family. The intensely perfumed, savory bouquet is immediately alluring. Deep and substantial, the 2020 is luxuriously rich from start to finish. Swaths of incisive tannin wrap around a core of dark red cherry fruit, gravel, dried herbs and rose petal, and a whole range of floral and savory accents lend aromatic presence. The Pontet-Canet is often a charmer en primeur, but the 2020 comes across as quite serious. I can’t wait to see how it develops. As always, one of the signatures of Pontet-Canet is a high proportion of Merlot vis-à-vis its peers among top Left Bank châteaux that lends tremendous midpalate weight. In 2020 production is within historical norms. Mildew pressure was high, but not as severe as in 2018, when two-thirds of the crop was lost in a single day. Harvest took place September 14–30, a bit more of a compact time frame than normal, and a good 7–10 days earlier than is typically the case. Aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels.Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AG96–98. Barrel Sample. Aromatic black currant and spice aromas give way to a wine that has richness while having impressive balance. The freshness shines with tannins that give a velvet character to the wine’s texture. The fruitiness should not deceive from its longevity, so age this wine for many years. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEPure black and red berry fruit, very primary as a barrel sample, as expected. At 13% alcohol, it comes across as rather opulent, with tannins somewhat foreboding at this very early stage, which is normal. What impresses is the pristine and pure fruit; a very juicy expression that exudes both density and finesse on the long finish. Bravo! (Drink between 2026-2070)Decanter | 96 DEC

Shows a core of lovely mulberry, cassis and plum reduction flavors that stretch out over a racy graphite note, in turn revealing flashes of anise, apple wood and sweet tobacco. Offers a late tug of warm earth, too. Rock-solid, with an old-school hint. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA fresh, layered red with blackberry and chocolate. It’s full and beautiful. Cool finish. Soft tannins spread across the finish. Savory.James Suckling | 93-94 JSDried flowers, lots of pot pourri scents on the nose, very aromatic in a floral sense with some rich Cabernet blackcurrant flavours at the back. Smooth and lively, excellent acidity from the get go, this has a nice bounce and push but also a creaminess and a touch of spice so you’re getting a lot of complexity in the mouth. A touch little rustic with clove, green pepper and cinnamon spice but I love the slightly textured grainy tannins and the freshness is there. Definitely learner than I was expecting, with a saline finish and wonderful crystalline aspect to the fruit. Clear, detailed, precise with a sense of classicism.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 d’Armailhac is excellent, bursting with aromas of blackberries, violets, burning embers and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that’s broad but precise, with powdery tannins and a lively core of fruit. It’s a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2020 d’Armailhac has a very pure bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, crushed iris flowers and hints of potpourri, tightly-wound at first but opening nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly angular tannins at first, fine acidity, pure blackberry and graphite notes becoming more accentuated towards the finish. That could only come from Pauillac. A classy d’Armailhac that bestows great terroir expression and sense of classicism.Vinous Media | 93 VMRipe and juicy fruits go along with intense background tannins, giving this wine richness as well as structure. Open and full of fruit, the wine still needs time. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2020 Château D’Armailhac is a blockbuster that’s going to reward patience. Based on 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, its inky purple hue is followed by a deep, concentrated, mouth-filling Pauillac offering classic darker currant fruits, notes of graphite and lead pencil, building tannins, and outstanding length. This chewy, tannic, backward wine will need 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD