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

Drips with warmed raspberry confiture, plum sauce and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors, delivering light anise, apple wood, sweet bay leaf and black tea notes along the way. The seamless, lengthy finish has very fine detail despite its heft. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2034. 2,941 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe top wine of the château, the 2019 Château Monbousquet comes from lower down on the plain of Saint-Emilion and is made by the talented team of Gérard Perse. Gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, mulberries, spicy oak, graphite, and tobacco all give way to a full-bodied 2019 with gorgeous depth of fruit, ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It’s a hedonist, beautifully balanced, seamless 2019 that’s loaded with character. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDLots of crushed-stone and graphite aromas with dark fruit and walnuts. Full-bodied, yet tight and polished, with a very juicy structure and a long, linear finish. Shows finesse and focus. 60% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThis estate is producing some exceptional wines. The latest vintage is solidly structured and dense in black fruits. Bright acidity gives it that fine spark of freshness and balances the power of the wine. It shows good aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEDark perfumed berries on the nose. Nice and soft in the mouth with a good depth of flavour. Generous fruit, ample and plump with edges of liquorice and sweet spices. Good tension and drive with an airy and lifted mid palate despite being quite plush and softly chewy. Mouth filling with some iron filings and cool mint touches. Easy drinking and easy to recommend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Monbousquet is packed with blackberry jam, espresso, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and graphite. Dark and quite deep, yet with brooding intensity, the 2019 has a ton to offer. Give it a few years to soften. Today, the tannins and overall structure are pretty imposing for a Saint-Émilion that has been much more forthcoming in the past.Antonio Galloni | 92+ AG

The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that’s a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGA generous and abundant nose full of fruit and aromatic intensity followed by a gorgeous mouthfeel showcasing fruit density and concentration wrapped up in soft, velvety-smooth tannins. Just so much depth but also refinement here, it feels well made with just the right amount of fruit, toasty spice, tannins, freshness and acidity. The overall structure is gently framing all the elements - big and bold but quietly confident. The tannin impact is also enjoyable giving a feeling of approachability despite the long life ahead. Just superb - one of the best in 2019. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 12% press wine. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2029 - 2046.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2019 Montrose has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with a dramatic, perfumed bouquet of wild berries and cassis mingled with notions of lilac, violets, pencil shavings and warm spices, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it’s deep and multidimensional, with lively acids, beautifully refined tannins and a long, resonant finish. Checking in at 14.4% alcohol (rather higher than, for example, the brilliant 2009’s 13.7% or the 2016’s 13.3%), this is an undeniably powerful, ripe Montrose, but for now everything appears to be kept in check.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship 2019 Château Montrose is also brilliant, although it’s not going to match the all-time greats from this estate. Gorgeous cassis, graphite, damp earth, cedar pencil, and tobacco are just some of the nuances here, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, graceful, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have the overall density or mid-palate of the 2018 or 2016, but it’s flawlessly balanced and just incredibly impressive. Showing more and more tannins with time in the glass, it will need a decade of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBlueberries, cracked white and black pepper with dried flowers. Some crushed stone and slate, too. Full-bodied with tannins that grow on the palate and continue on. It’s polished and very fine with lovely length. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSLush and lovely, showing a mix of creamed loganberry, plum, boysenberry and mulberry flavors that borders on exotic, but everything stays harnessed by sleek floral and iron notes through the finish. This has ample structure for balance that’s well-embedded in the fruit, making this seemingly approachable now but there’s absolutely no rush. A beauty. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2040. Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Lots of roses and dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries on the nose. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised, with real focus and firmness and seamless tannins that run the length of the wine. Minerality and persistence in a cool way. This is very serious for the vintage and for the cellar. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Pavie Macquin has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, cherries, burning embers, black truffle and licorice, framed by a deft framing of new oak that’s more discreet than was the case even a few vintages back. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s deep and layered, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit, powdery, chalky tannins and a long, penetrating, youthfully firm finish. Tasted alongside older vintages, it’s clear that the Thienpont team have eased off extraction, which allows the quality of fruit that this fantastic vineyard produces to express itself all the more completely, delivering the finest Pavie Macquin since 1998.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2019 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a beautiful, cooler terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. A wine that always demands bottle age, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a tight, reserved wine with notes of ripe cassis, mulberry, and blackberry fruits as well as notes of spring flowers, sandalwood, and flowers. The purity is truly something, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a rich, layered mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This is a wonderfully complete, nuanced, flawlessly balanced Pavie Macquin that will round into form with just 5-6 years of bottle age yet keep for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDGorgeous ripe aromatic blackcurrants on the nose. Seriously expressive with sweet touches of milk chocolate - an element of Black Forest gateau to this. Direct and linear on the palate, focussed and precise but with excellent clarity and minerality. You get the blood iron, wet stone slate in both flavour and texture on the tongue against the high toned cherry and redcurrant fruit. Lots of energy here, it’s almost holding back from being fully expressive. Great potential and lovely finish with chocolate, minty freshness and liquorice spice. Drinking Window 2025 - 2043.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Pavie Macquin is exotic and beguiling right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, white truffle, leather, tobacco, blood orange, cedar and mint all meld together in the glass. As always, Pavie Macquin is defined by its sumptuous fruit, plush contours and total allure. Pavie Macquin is not exactly subtle, but it sure is delicious. Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis unfurls as seductively as a cashmere scarf, offering black tea and incense notes amidst a lush wave of dark plum, fig and blackberry reduction flavors. The subtle inlay of charcoal, tobacco and sweet bay adds length and detail through the finish. Gorgeous. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 5,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

This is a very classically structured Bordeaux with blackcurrant, walnut, cedar and hints of toasted oak. It’s reserved now, but shows very serious, polished tannins. Persistent and powerful with fantastic length. Very precise. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Phélan Ségur has a very impressive nose of ample blackberry and boysenberry fruit, plus touches of graphite, sous-bois and light minty aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, harmonious and poised, with substantial tannins and very good weight. There is a sense of completeness to this Saint-Estèphe that urges you back for another sip. The best Phélan-Ségur in a long time.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2019 Château Phelan Segur from Véronique Dausse is another brilliant Saint-Estèphe in the vintage, and this estate plays in the top handful of Saint-Estèphes out there. Offering lots of darker currants, spiced plums, Iron, tobacco, and damp earth on the nose, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated, tannic, yet balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for a good 5-7 years and will be a brilliant wine over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDIs this the most over-performing estate in the Médoc? Director Véronique Dausse would surely riposte that it’s simply performing at the level to which its well-situated vineyards and detail-oriented team entitle it; but in any case, the 2019 Phélan Ségur is a brilliant wine. Offering up aromas of cassis, sweet wild berries, rose petals, violets, licorice and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with tangy acids, powdery tannins and a long, penetrating finish. This is another 2019 that en primeur purchasers can feel very pleased with.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPSolid, featuring a good punch of dark blackberry and black currant preserve flavors, with bay leaf, charcoal and warm paving stone notes that keep it very grounded through the finish. Shows ample structure for the cellar, too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSerious and seductive on the nose, full of ripe black fruits and faint florality. A sophisticated style, clearly powerful and concentrated with a core of succulent blackcurrant and black cherry fruit but delivered with poise and refinement. Round, generous and juicy with lashings of slate, liquorice and menthol freshness with tannins that are both abundant and well integrated, cushioning the fruit and driving it through to a long finish. Excellent clarity and confidence here. A top buy. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2034Decanter | 94 DECNow cured of its tendency to use too much wood, this estate is producing some finely structured wines. This vintage continues in that tradition, a wine that is packed with serious, concentrated fruits that are highlighted by bright acidity. There is great potential for aging here.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

A touch of exotic spice, sweet cinnamon, white pepper, raisins, dried fruit and red cherries. This has a lovely, dense and chewy texture with bright red fruit flavours such as raspberries, strawberries and red cherries. Fruit-forward and confident. Acidity keeps things lifted and fresh, and this has an appealing brightness, even a touch too bright at this point - the acidity and fruit need more time to integrate. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Peyrabon is tightly wound and quite floral on the nose of wilted rose petals, red berry fruit and unfurling light woodland scents. The palate is medium-bodied with light but quite pliant tannins that frame the soy-tinged red fruit, leading to a peppery finish. Thoroughly enjoyable Vinous Media | 90 VMPleasing nose of blackberries, blueberries, stones, sage and rosemary. Medium-bodied with medium tannins and bright acidity. Fresh, juicy and fruity. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JSOwned by the Bernard family, which also owns wine merchant Millésima and Domaine de Chevalier, Peyrabon has produced a well-structured wine from ripe grapes. It is firm at the moment, although the rich berry fruits and acidity give good promise for aging. Drink from 2019.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

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

Ripe and dried red berry fruit on the nose, raisins, freshly picked raspberries and blueberries. Some wonderful potpourri perfume too. Great grip and hold from the start - this is tannic and they coat the mouth but with such a bright and juicy aspect too. Real energy here, a lighter if you can say that (as still 14.5%) style, with focus on delicate red fruits, perfume and dark chocolate. RIch to start with, muscular with a bold immediate taste then the delicacy comes in. A wonderful aerial style that is all in balance but still needs some time. It will reward cellaring. Great potential here and quality winemaking on show. Tasted twice. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 95 DECThis is soft and chewy with very round tannins and lots of blackberry, toasted-oak, walnut and earth character. Traditional with a new vibe. Full-bodied, layered and juicy. Some tobacco, stem and chocolate, too. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Rouget is bold, plush and racy to the core. Raspberry jam, spice, kirsch, leather, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco all meld together effortlessly. This sumptuous, flamboyant Pomerol captures all of the natural intensity of the year. Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2019 Rouget reveals aromas of cherries, jammy berries, dark chocolate and vine smoke, followed by a full-bodied, broad and fleshy palate framed by ripe but succulent acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. This is a broad, demonstrative Pomerol that will drink well with only a little bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPDeeply hued, the 2019 Château Rouget offers a rich, rock-solid bouquet of spiced currants, leafy herbs, forest floor, and chocolate. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, fleshy, even opulent Pomerol that has velvety tannins, a round, seamless feel, and a great finish. Drink this pleasure-bent beauty over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

A heady seductive nose, rich ripe full fruits on the nose with a gentle and inviting pot pourri nose. Lovely freshness here and seering, mouthwatering cherry juice flavours - acidity is marked but in a really well balanced harmonious way. Just great energy and brightness. No massie complexity but what is delivered is excellent quality fruit that has been well handled. One for earlier drinking to enjoy the pretty, balanced and bright wine. Bordeaux at its most approachable. (Drink between 2023-2033)Decanter | 92 DECCurrant, berry and tobacco aromas and flavors with some thyme and coffee bean. Full-bodied, chewy and polished. Needs time to soften. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2019 Sénéjac is a complex, beguiling Haut-Médoc. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, licorice, dried herbs, menthol, dried flowers and mint are some of the many aromas and flavors that lift from the glass. Sénéjac offers unreal complexity and tons of energy that continues to build through to a long, beautifully persistent finish laced with expressive savory top notes.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGVinified by Château Talbot’s Jean-Michel Laporte, the 2019 Sénéjac delivers aromas of smoky blackberries, pencil shavings and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and charming palate framed by fine tannins and concluding with a saline, mouthwatering finish. It’s a fine effort that comes recommended.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

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

Beautiful, intense fruit, dark-earth and chocolate character on the nose. Full-bodied with great density and plush, fine tannins that give a fine-velvet texture. It’s extremely long, polished and sophisticated. Needs time to come together, but expressive and glorious. Fantastic relative value. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Tour Saint Christophe builds on the promise it showed from barrel. This sample was actually tasted at my home, where I afforded it a two-hour decant. It revealed precocious yet controlled blackberry and blueberry fruit scents, with that violet component still intact. The tannins have not lost any of their grippiness or assertiveness. This is a Saint-Émilion that is in for the long haul. Great potential.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château Tour St Christophe, Merlot, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) Still available in the UK for an absurdly low price for the quality, this gorgeous wine combines the cooler blue fruit appeal of the 2016 (not quite as sensual today as the 2015), with better density. The palate is more subtle in its opulence than the 2015 and with a fresher finish. A grand example of this underrated terroir, which I had visited back in 2021. Give it a few more years to soften the tannins. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 95 DECThis estate has been delivering the goods for numerous vintages now, and the 2019 Château Tour Saint Christophe is another terrific wine. Ripe black cherries, black raspberries, graphite, new leather, and chalky minerality all define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a tight, straight, focused texture, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length. It doesn’t have the mid-palate density or opulence of the 2018, but it’s more pretty, focused, and straight on the palate. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDFrom clay-rich soils opposite Troplong Mondot in the commune Saint Christophe des Bardes, the 2019 Tour Saint Christophe offers up demonstrative aromas of cherries, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, it’s a strong effort in a crowd-pleasing style.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

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

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

Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSWafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries and cassis mingled with hints of dark chocolate, pencil shavings and violets, the 2019 La Lagune is medium to full-bodied, broad and sensual, its ample core of fruit framed by polished tannins and succulent acids. In its elegant, generous style, it’s reminiscent of a modern-day version of the brilliant 1990.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 La Lagune is fabulous. A wine of power, depth and tension, the 2019 is compelling right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, rose petal, sweet pipe tobacco and blood orange lend striking complexity. Persistent and engaging, the 2019 is a thrilling La Lagune loaded with classy, personality and pedigree. It’s one of the best recent vintages I can remember tasting. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2019 Château La Lagune is terrific and well worth seeking out. Ripe dark cherries, currants, smoky tobacco, and cedar pencil notes define this utterly classic, medium-bodied, balanced Haut-Médoc. With plenty of tannins as well as good concentration, it’s going to hit maturity in 7-8 years and have two decades or more of longevity if properly stored. It’s an impeccably put together wine. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLovely perfumed, floral and fruity nose - generous and inviting aromatics. Good texture here, smooth with fine-grained tannins, the fruit is not super bright and exuberant though, it’s dense, compact and more subdued at the moment. Linear and direct with tannins that are taught, austere and quite present at the moment. Good quality with a cooling finish that’s so appealing. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DEC

97–95. Barrel Sample. Now under new ownership, but with the same winemaking team, this estate has produced a wine with great concentration. The tannins are generous in feel, showing a dense, dry core that sits well with the powerful black currant fruits. It has great long-term potential. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis has subtle aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of just-picked violets, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stones. Forest-floor notes, too. Medium to full body, layers of firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Cantenac Brown is a brilliant wine from José Sanfins and his team. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, licorice, loamy soil, burning embers and violets, it’s medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and a seamless, elegant profile. Given its quality, this remains somewhat under the radar and is well worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2019 Cantenac Brown is flashy and opulent, while also conveying the slightly cooler nature of the year vis-à-vis the 2018. A big, heady Margaux, Cantenac Brown is endowed with tremendous pedigree and class. Expressive savory accents round out the potent brooding finish. The 2019 has a ton to offer. It’s a fine effort by the team lead by José Sanfins. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni | 94 AGGood expression on the nose full of bramble fruit aromas. Nicely framed, this has an initial ripe, jammy sweetness - raspberries and strawberries but also touches of dark black fruit and liquorice. Quite a suave style, concentrated but polished. I get the cooling effects, liquorice and mint at the end. Overall, lovely power and drive. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECShows the hallmarks of the vintage, with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit paste flavors that are broad and lush, while singed wood, violet and anise notes filter in. Features underlying freshness, with finely beaded acidity providing support. A step ahead. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2035. 9,583 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2019 Château Cantenac Brown is terrific, surpassing the 2018. Lots of ripe black and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, leather, and crushed stone notes define the bouquet, and it’s a rich, medium to full-bodied, juicy wine that has the fresher, lively style of the vintage yet still brings beautiful fruit. It doesn’t have the tannin quality of the top wines in the appellation, but as I wrote after tasting it from barrel, it’s one sexy Margaux. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following 20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 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

Gorgeous pink rim to the wine. Softly floral on the nose, violets and roses. The palate has such a smooth and velvety texture that really stands out - it frames the overall feel giving structure and support to the spicy, muscular mid-palate. This has power but wrapped up delicately, delivering smoothness and elegance but also precision and definition. Lovely layers, the tannins take hold and you’re reminded this is still a young wine, but then you get this lick of spice, the florality of the fruit and the density and length. One to buy and hold on to for a few more years. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2024-2032)Decanter | 94 DECThis has so much pure fruit with clarity and brightness. Crushed stone, too. It’s medium-bodied with a racy tannin structure and excellent length. Second wine of Giscours. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 9% cabernet franc. Already impressively delicious, but best after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 La Sirène de Giscours has turned out beautifully. Soft, succulent and inviting, the 2019 is charming right out of the gate. Sweet red cherry, lavender, rose petal, spice and blood orange flesh out in a racy, sumptuous second wine that is incredibly alluring. In 2019 La Sirène is an absolute delight. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe second wine of Giscours in Margaux, the 2019 La Sirene De Giscours reveals a deep purple color as well as lots of juicy black cherry and mulberry fruits that give way to more tobacco, cedar, and earth with time in the glass. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and elegant on the palate, it’s a terrific, fruit-forward, delicious second wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JDAromas of creamy berry fruit, cherries, plums and spices introduce the 2019 La Sirène de Giscours, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine with fine depth at the core, lively acids and a long, penetrating finish. It’s 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, and that shows in the best way.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP