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97–99. Barrel Sample. A very fine, rich and structured wine, this has all the hallmarks of one of the stars of this vintage. Packed with rounded tannins and rich black fruits, the wine is impressively concentrated in layers of blackberry flavors and lifted acidity. Expect this wine to age for many years. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WELike its stablemate Langoa Barton, the 2019 Léoville Barton is a timeless classic, made for patient connoisseurs. Offering up aromas of blackcurrants, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its deep core of fruit framed by a chassis of rich, powdery tannin that makes itself felt on the youthfully firm finish. While it’s clearly built for the long haul, its structural seamlessness and mid-palate plenitude mark it out as one of the finest wines from this château in recent times. Could it be a more concentrated modern-day version of Anthony Barton’s brilliant 1985?Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship 2019 Château Léoville Barton is brilliant, showing both the style of the estate as well as the vintage beautifully. It’s never the biggest or richest wine, yet it has a classic, vibrant, structured style that ages beautifully. Pure cassis, black currants, scorched earth, new leather, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a lively spine of acidity, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This textbook Léoville Barton demands a decade of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2019 Léoville Barton is so impressive. Rich and heady in the glass, the 2019 offers up a beguiling mix of dark fruit intermingled with scents to tobacco, gravel, pencil shavings, leather, licorice, scorched earth and cloves. Today, Léoville Barton is decidedly virile, imposing and in need of cellaring. It is also hugely impressive. Léoville Barton is one of the first Bordeaux I tasted, many years ago. It remains a favorite for its combination of quality, personality and fair price, all values the late Anthony Barton championed during his long and distinguished career. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA strapping young wine, offering notes of blackberry paste, plum preserves and black currant coulis that show energy throughout, with plentiful bramble, tar and licorice root accents. There’s a mouthwatering echo of apple wood at the very end, with a flash of violet adding a hint of purity. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2042. 11,850 cases made. Wine Spectator | 96 WSA dark nose here, savoury with animal tones, bramble fruits and leather nuances. The palate is excellent, grippy with tannins that just take hold and coat the mouth but underneath you feel there is such well defined fruit - a core of ripe blackcurrants and liquorice tinges. There is an elegance to this despite the mouthful of creamy tannins that are doing all the talking at the moment. This will be excellent in time. Sumptuous and utterly enchanting. (Drink between 2024-2045)Decanter | 96 DECCurrants, sweet fruit and fresh flowers on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that are chewy and powerful. Long and muscular, yet in a toned and polished way. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2019 Léoville Las Cases is a brilliant young wine that will delight Bordeaux purists. Unwinding in the glass with scents of cassis, dark berries, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, layered and tightly wound, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and an abundance of rich, powdery tannins. Concentrated and serious, much like its immediate neighbor Château Latour, it is likely to emerge as one of the vintage’s longest lived—and greatest—wines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPRemarkably sleek and pure, considering the generally burly and obvious tannic profile of the vintage. Delivers a pure and unadulterated beam of cassis and plum reduction flavors inlaid seamlessly with a glistening iron girder that seems to have no end point through the finish, where violet, anise and black tea notes shimmer. Reserved overall, with a beautiful austerity, this is an example of how great terroir always shines through—even in extreme years. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2030 through 2050.Wine Spectator | 98 WSWet stone, smoke and floral aspects to the aromatic profile - seriously inviting. Density and power here, but cooling and all in balance, full of blackcurrant and black cherries with obvious minerality. It gives such plushness in terms of roundness and grip of tannins, but also layers of perfumed fruit, ripe fruit and cooling slate and liquorice elements. A distinguished wine with a seamless tannic structure and excellent length. Lots of life here and also a real, almost sweet acidity that gives life and lift. Lots going on now but designed for long and steady ageing. Drinking Window: 2029 - 2050Decanter | 98 DECCurrants and blackberries with crushed stones, bark and some conifer and pine cone. Perfumed. Discreet. Medium-to full-bodied with an integrated tannin structure that’s full of fine tannins that are weightless and seamless, building on the palate and coming out at the end. Needs five or six years to open. Texture of heavy silk. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 11% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThis is an immense wine. Made from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, it shows great structure, richness and aging potential. The tannins are ripe, showing the gentlest of extraction and are what is going to drive this wine for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEMore backward, deep, and layered, the Grand Vin 2019 Château Léoville Las Cases is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that saw 90% new French oak. Just awesome aromatics of pure crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, burning embers, and gravelly earth all soar from the glass. This is followed by a quintessential Léoville Las Cases that’s medium to full-bodied, pure, concentrated, and regal on the palate, with beautiful tannins. The purity of fruit is spot on, it’s flawlessly balanced, and it’s going to age for decades. While it offers pleasure today, I’d wager it will take 10-15 years to hit maturity and will be a 50+ year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDJust as it was from barrel, the 2019 Léoville Las-Cases is a wine of pure and total sophistication. There is not the size of some recent vintages, but instead that heft is replaced by cool refinement. The expression of fruit leans into the redder end of the spectrum as opposed to the typically darker Las-Cases profile. Hints of cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange linger. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AG

The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Poyferré is based on 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot. It’s one of the bigger, richer wines in the vintage and has a gorgeous, thrilling, full-bodied style as well as notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, violets, and chocolate. While many estates seem to be playing it safe and focusing on so-called elegance and balance, I love that Poyferré continues to make a ripe, sexy, beautifully textured wine that always offers more opulence and sexiness than most in the vintage. Ranking with the crème de la crème of the vintage, this gorgeous Poyferré can be enjoyed any time over the coming 40-50 years. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Léoville-Poyferré is creamy, racy and voluptuous to the core. Bright red cherry/plum fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and menthol fill out the layers with effortless grace. In some tastings, the 2019 has come across as quite powerful, while in other moments it shows greater finesse. Either way, the 2019 is positively stunning. I very much admire its energy and persistence. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGSo aromatic with real complexity of notes on the nose, perfume and black fruits. Quite tannic on the palate, broad-shouldered with a core of liquorice-edged black fruit, dark chocolate and slate giving it quite a serious, gourmet and savoury feel right now. Lovely poise though, with mouthwatering freshness. Feels well made with energy and elegance. A standout wine with plenty on offer. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2045Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Léoville Poyferré is showing very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis and wild berries mingled with notions of licorice, loamy soil, cigar wrapper and smoke. Full-bodied, velvety and polished, it’s broad and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit, ripe tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a long, precise finish. Invariably the most sumptuous of the three Léovilles, featuring some 35% Merlot, the 2019 is a terrific effort that will offer a wide drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThrows off gorgeous warmed plum, blueberry reduction and açaí berry compote aromas and flavors, laced with ganache and sweet tobacco from start to finish. Delivers ample structure in the guise of a cold cast iron note buried underneath the showy fruit, with a flash of violet for treble in the background. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSBlackcurrant, wet-earth with fresh black-mushroom aromas. Some chocolate, too. Full-bodied with layers of beautiful, ripe fruit and creamy tannins. It’s chewy and focused. Impressive balance. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS

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 AGBlackcurrant 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 DECThe 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 JD

Exquisite aromas of lavender, cigar ash and Spanish cedar with dried citrus follow through to a medium body and a solid palate with powerful, ultrafine and linear tannins. The muscle and long finish are so beautiful. Give it two or three years but already a solid wine. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSComposed of 65.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.9% Merlot, and 2.3% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with classic scents of cedar, cassis, and plum preserves, followed by suggestions of bay leaves, lavender, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is tight-knit, bright, and refreshing, with fine-grained tannins and a mineral-laced finish.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIThe 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it’s approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour’s famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2019 Les Forts de Latour has an open nose, strangely perhaps a little more expressive than the 2020 Pauillac de Latour at the moment. Scents of blackberry, cassis and iris flower unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crushed stone infusing the black fruit. This has attained more linearity since I encountered it in January 2023. The 2019 will give two or three decades of pleasurable drinking.Vinous Media | 94 VMA captivating nose of milk chocolate, cola, cherries, and violets, offering a soft and inviting bouquet. The palate is fully textured, opening gradually to coat the cheeks and tongue in a fine layer of chalky tannins. Juicy and succulent through the mid-palate, it bursts with citrus zest, orange and lemon pith, cranberries, and red cherries. There’s a beautiful interplay of bite and tension, with a sapdi freshness and a mineral core of crushed stones and iron. The finish ends bright, minty, and herbal, delivering great drive and persistence. 3.60pH.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn’t have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JD

The 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is terrific. A blend of 76% Grenache, 15% Graciano, and the rest Syrah, sourced from multiple sites throughout the Central Coast (mostly Ballard Canyon), it has a cool, lively, incredibly elegant style to go with textbook Grenache notes of red and blue fruits, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence. It has fabulous purity of fruit, and I’m a fan. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is a blend of Grenache, Graciano and Syrah. Boisterous and racy in the glass, the 2019 has a lot going on. Bright red berry/plum fruit, licorice and spice all open in the glass. This is an exuberant style, but the tannins are pretty fierce. Give it a year to soften.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

The 2019 Petite Sirah 2 2 Tango is dense purple-hued and has an assortment of black and blue fruits as well as bouquet garni and sappy herb notes. With full-bodied richness, a monster of a mid-palate, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish, it’s a brilliant Petite Sirah that should evolve for a solid decade in cold cellars. The blend is 77% Petite Sirah, 14% Graciano, and 9% Syrah, aged in 69% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Petite Syrah 2 2 Tango is mostly Stolpman and a touch of Rancho Boa Vista, both in Ballard Canyon. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol saturate the palate. The 2019 has plenty of Petite intensity, but with tannins that have been expertly managed. There is a lot to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 92-94 AG

In the same ballpark quality-wise, the 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango (89% Syrah and 11% Graciano) is riper and more exotic, with lots of violets, bay leaf, game, and peppery notes as well as a core of dark fruits. Full-bodied, balanced, and just impeccably put together, it’s a seriously good Syrah to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango is a gorgeous, sumptuous wine that marries fruit from top sources in Ballard Canyon and Willow Creek. Juicy plum, black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice and spice are all kicked up. Readers will find an exuberant, open-knit wine that is ready to deliver the goods.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, freshly minted this year (from the 2018 vintage). I would put this right up there with the best vintages from Lilian Ladouys. It feels extremely silky, with such plump blackberry fruits that you could almost drink it straight away but there are tannins here, and the body of the wine closes down as it travels through the palate, suggesting it intends to get serious about ageing potential. Excellent quality overall, easy to recommend, although acidities are a touch higher than this in 2018 which may not please everyone. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, 30% new oak. 3.84pH. The harvest took place between 25 September and 9 October. Recently enlarged to 80ha with the addition of vineyards from both Tour de Pez and Clauzet (both good quality estates). (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 93 DECFrom a large, 113-acre estate, this wine is dense, structured and full of dark coffee and spice flavors allied to rich tannins. Blackberry fruits shine through this texture promising aging. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2019 Lilian Ladouys has gained a little more refinement since I tasted it in barrel, the black fruit now dominant and interlaced with tobacco and pencil box scents, less Margaux-like than previously. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, slightly powdery tannins. Classic in style, with that touch of brine on the finish. I admire the way it lingers in the mouth. Afford this 3–5 years in bottle. Vinous Media | 92+ VMSweet currant and berry aromas with some very flowers follow through to a medium body, with firm and creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. I like the walnut and chocolate undertones. 59% merlot, 37% cabernet sauvignon, 3% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc. Better after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThis château continues to bring the goods, and their 2019 Château Lilian Ladouys offers a medium-bodied, supple, elegant, and certainly delicious style as well as complex notes of redcurrants, darker mulberries, cedary spice, and dried herbs. It shows the elegant, more mid-weight side to the vintage, yet the balance is spot on, it has ripe tannins, and it’s going to keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDOffering up aromas of sweet berries, cherries, licorice and spices, the 2019 Lilian Ladouys is medium to full-bodied, ample and charming, with a giving, easygoing profile and a clean, precise finish. It’s a competent effort that shows none of the appellation’s stereotypically hard edges.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

he Lisini 2019 Brunello is compelling, starting with its captivating aromas of fragrant blue flower, hay, perfumed berry, dark exotic spice, new leather and aromatic herb. It’s also delicious, delivering a great depth of flavors including juicy Morello cherry, raspberry croissant, licorice and crushed mint before a blood orange close. A backbone of velvety tannins provides seamless support while fresh acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. What a gorgeous wine and the best Brunello I’ve had so far from this historic estate. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOMedicinal blackberries, sweet sage, stone dust and candied oranges define the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino. This is juicy and vibrant with violet and lavender-tinged wild berry fruits and chalky mineral tones that form a saturation of minerality toward the close. A web of fine-grained tannins resonates as the 2019 finishes long and staining yet feels only lightly structured. Salted licorice suggestions linger on. This is a classy southern Montalcino Brunello from Lisini.Vinous Media | 94 VMA sleek and structured red with black cherry, cedar and spice aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a chewy finish. Integrated and flexing. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe Lisini 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has a dark and spicy bouquet with prune, cardamom, asphalt and wet stone. The wine is quite developed, and for that reason, I wouldn’t suggest a very long drinking window. There is cola and dried rosemary sprig at the back. This is a dark Brunello with concentrated fruit to drink in the medium term. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a spice box of a wine, opening with a burst of camphor and dried flowers, giving way to crushed blackberries, sage and cloves. This is surprisingly energetic and racy in style. Vibrant acidity propels depths of dark red fruits and inner floral as salty minerals saturate. The 2019 finishes structured and long yet still lively, leaving violet inner florals and hints of currant to taper off slowly. The combination of power, depth and energy makes this impossible to ignore.Vinous Media | 95 VMTo the northwest of the town of Montalcino, Pertimali’s 12 hectares extend over a single block, surrounding the Montosoli hill. Despite a relatively cool microclimate, the limestone-rich clay and estate’s old clones yield a vigorous, muscular Brunello. Picked at the beginning of October, the intensely savoury 2019 wafts with iron, sage and bay leaf. The ripe brawny palate is packed with dry, assertive tannins backed up by sweet black cherry and spiced currants. Acidity is brisk. A rustic rather than elegant offering. Ageing is in Slavonian oak casks of 30 hectolitres.Decanter | 90 DEC

Sophisticated aromas of lead pencil, graphite and blackcurrant. Hints of black olives and herbs, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and deep, with super precision and intensity to the tannins. Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this. Give it time in the cellar. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSA dark tone to the nose, black pepper, liquorice and black cherries with hints of rose. So fruit forward and expressive on the palate, a riot of wild strawberries, herbal-touched raspberries and spiced liquorice sticks exude from the glass giving nuance and complexity on the palate. This is clean and crisp with fine but softly creamy tannins, weighty structure and such sweet, succulent fruit. Intense yet delivered with a slight of hand that gives definition and layers, it’s fun and serious - just wonderful. So much going on here. Ageing for 24 months in barriques (80% new, 20% one year old).Decanter | 97 DECRich and deeply colored, evoking black cherry, blackberry, plum, tar, wild herb and spice flavors. Dense yet retains a sense of freshness, with refined tannins lining the finish. Nicely integrated and long. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 7,916 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSViolets, fresh mint and raspberry come together with reductive notes of tar as well as tobacco, leather and spices—cardamom jumps out in particular—on the complex nose of this wine. Dark berries emerge on the palate, with more herbs, spices, bitter chocolate and coffee grinds. The dusty tannins and searing acid confirm time will elevate this even further.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPackaged in a heavy but beautifully designed bottle, the Tenuta Luce 2019 Luce della Vite is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. This is an icon Italian wine in its own right, and it proves exceptionally versatile and likable year in and year out. My biggest concern with this vintage is the powerful 15% alcohol that adds even more power to an already brawny Tuscan blend. The bouquet is saddled with dark fruit, cooked cherry and lots of savory oak spice and tobacco from barrique aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Camphor, forest floor, cedar and rose aromas come to the forefront on Sandrone’s stunning 2019 Barolo Aleste. It’s racy and youthfully austere, delivering red cherry, pomegranate, star anise, cedar and white pepper framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and beautifully balanced. This needs several years to fully unwind and shows serious aging potential. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOAleste is a contraction of the names Alessia and Stefano, grandchildren of the late Luciano Sandrone. With fruit from Cannubi Boschis, the 2019 Barolo Aleste shows important richness and structure. This is the proverbial Barolo with a capital B. It reveals thick layers of dark fruit, cherry and spice. It shows sweet tannins and impactful texture. When tasting at the winery, Le Vigne is usually served first, and Aleste comes after that. Both wines promise a very long aging window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Barolo Aleste is another stellar wine from Sandrone. Like Le Vigne, the Aleste is a tightly wound ball of energy. Dark cherry, mocha, plum, licorice and lavender all race across the palate. This racy, but youthfully austere Barolo has a ton to offer. There’s more density and a darker profile than in the Le Vigne, sort of like a soloist to Le Vigne’s orchestra.Vinous Media | 97 VMAn integrated and well-crafted Barolo with flowers and lemon peel to the cherry and strawberry aromas. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and a linear drive throughout. Tight and muscular. Well formed. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JS

Rose, menthol, star anise and baking spice are just some of the aromas that appear on the gorgeous Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 2019. Focused, elegant and savory, the vibrant palate offers juicy red cherry, spiced cranberry, crushed mint and ground clove before a licorice close. A backbone of fine-grained tannins provide support while bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced and loaded with energy and tension. What a stunner. Drink 2027–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is a historic blend of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d’Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello. This year, a fifth site was added to the final blend. It is the Le Coste MGA in Barolo with south-facing exposures and 45-year-old vines in a two-hectare parcel. The backbone of this wine is Baudana, and Merli adds freshness. The wine needs more time in bottle, but already it proves generous and bold with dark fruit, spice and crushed mineral.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is pure and total seduction. Kirsch, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, cedar, dried herbs and orange peel all grace a Le Vigne built on mid-weight structure and energy. There is a feeling of youthful classicism and austerity that is so beguiling. Readers should plan on being patient, though. The 2019 won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, but there is enough fruit to make me think it will be superb, in time.Vinous Media | 97 VMVery aromatic with hibiscus, crab apple, orange blossom, and ripe strawberry on the nose. Full-bodied, very layered and powerful, yet it remains very fine textured with an intense finish. Slightly more structured than before. Perhaps due to the addition of wines from a new vineyard? Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JS

The 2019 Luigi Einaudi Barbaresco is a little closed at first, but some notes of cherry, chalk and smoke emerge. It is firmly structured with lots of tannins - prominent but not harsh - and a fine, silty texture. The dark cherry fruit is hidden in the dense structure but persists on the finish along with lots of fresh juiciness. It has a quite long and angular "Giacometti" shape to the wine, and a smoky, chalky austerity. It needs another 2-3 years to begin to unravel but it should keep for 20 years plus.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIA very subtle and pretty 2019 Barbaresco with plum and orange peel, as well as floral undertones. Medium body, fine tannins and an attractive finish. Subtle and rather elegant. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2019 Barolo Bussia opens to a fragrant bouquet with wild rose and lilac. Those pretty high-toned aromas are followed by redcurrant and earthy licorice. Bussia is a very large MGA site, and there are dozens of little microclimates and nuances within this one vineyard. This wine embraces a very graceful and ethereal side of Bussia that tightens on the palate to show age-worthy structure. Production is 10,600 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPAromas of mature black-skinned fruit, new leather, tobacco and cedar waft out of the glass. On the full-bodied palate, firm, refined tannins amply support dried cherry, pomegranate, licorice and hazelnut while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Give it a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOPoderi Luigi Einaudi is finding a new postmodern identity, using concrete and big oak casks with a more classic 30 months of ageing allied to precise winemaking. This Bussia is restrained with cinnamon, violet and red currant aromas. The palate is very savoury and elegant, with a polite extraction and amazing tension on the finish. A delicious Barolo, quite surprisingly ready to drink given the vintage and site.Decanter | 94 DECShows serious grip, courtesy of dense, assertive tannins, with cherry, grass, iron and tobacco notes holding court, while vivid acidity keeps everything focused. The fruit returns on the austere finish. Best from 2027 through 2045. 1,325 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2019 Barolo Bussia is incredibly tight and austere. Dark red cherry fruit, sage, blood orange, mint and cinnamon open gradually as the 2019 starts to show its stuff with some aeration. Complex and mysterious, the Bussia is full of intrigue.Vinous Media | 92 VMDespite the slightly light color, it’s a perfumed, fresh and pretty red with fine tannins. Medium body. Firm, fresh and fine. Slightly austere at the end. Needs three or four years to soften. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 92 JS

Red berry, rose petal and whiffs of exotic spice come to the forefront on this stunning red together with whiffs of camphor. It’s still youthfully austere, precise and firm, delivering wild strawberry, cranberry, ground clove and hints of coffee bean alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps balanced. Give this a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThis is one of Poderi Luigi Einaudi’s historic productions. This estate enjoys some of the best growing sites in the appellation despite the fact winemaking is performed outside the denomination on Dogliani. This estate is grandfathered into the system. The 2019 Barolo Cannubi is streamlined and silky in texture, but it shows enough inner tension and energy to support a busy bouquet with elements of wild berry, blue flower and dusty mineral. This wine shows that classic Cannubi weightlessness. Some 9,600 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBroad and rich, exhibiting plum, cherry, earth and underbrush aromas and flavors. Reveals a dense matrix of tannins that lend support, with lively acidity. This finds nice equilibrium in the end, where a vestige of ripe Nebbiolo fruit lingers. Best from 2027 through 2046. 988 cases made, 322 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLovely perfumes here with rose petal, cloves, and strawberry with some citrus. Medium body, with firm and linear tannins that are fine and racy. Shows lovely length. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSConcrete fermented then barrique as well as cask aged, this 2019 shows a telltale rose and mint Cannubi character. The graceful aroma is supported by an equally delicate palate with sucrosity, ripe tannins with some sternness on the mid-palate, then a good finish. It doesn’t lack acidity for the long haul despite the softer style.Decanter | 93 DECNo written review provided. | 92 W&SThe 2019 Barolo Cannubi is another very tightly wound wine in this range. Sweet macerated cherry, spice, cedar, tobacco and licorice give the 2019 lovely inner sweetness. The 2019 is marked by considerable youthful austerity and plenty of tannin at this stage. Hopefully more Cannubi sensuality will emerge over time.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Here’s an exciting new project from Poderi Luigi Einaudi that I have been looking forward to tasting ever since I learned this historic winery was lucky enough to secure fruit in what is surely the most sought-after MGA in the appellation, Monvigliero in Verduno. The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero Stefano Arienti 125 Anniversary Collection (with a minimalist artistic front label) needs time to open because the wine is rather closed on first nose. With coaxing and patience, it eventually opens to pressed rose, iris root, white licorice and wild berry. The tannins are grippy and tight. I went back to taste this wine several times from an open bottle over the course of 24 hours. Production is 10,300 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPRipe dark-skinned fruit, cardamom, violet and new leather aromas lift out of the glass on this full-bodied, fragrant red. Structured and elegant, the enveloping palate offers ripe black cherry, crushed raspberry, nutmeg and star anise wrapped in firm, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOSleek and firmly built, this red offers cherry, plum, earth and eucalyptus flavors. Ripe and balanced, ending with hints of licorice and tobacco. Compact finish for now, with vivid acidity. Best from 2026 through 2043. 1,290 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPerfumed and attractive with orange peel and dried strawberries. Fresh roses as well. Lovely delicacy to the vintage with finesse and beauty. Creamy and fine-tannined. Bright finish. Drinkable but much better in 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSTasting note not provided. | 93 W&SThe 2019 Barolo Monvigliero exudes depth and character. Like all of these Barolos, the 2019 is quite austere in the early going. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s natural volume and a good bit of whole cluster savoriness as well. The 2019 is very clearly an infant, but it is quite promising. Dried herbs, rose petal, mint, sage and dried herbs lend aromatic presence to this super-expressive Barolo.Vinous Media | 92 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

Inky ruby. Smoke- and mineral-tinged aromas of ripe red and dark berries, pipe tobacco, olive paste, incense and vanilla, with a suave floral note building in the glass. Youthfully chewy and expansive on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, bitter cherry, licorice, cola, candied violet and allspice flavors that tighten up and become sweeter on the back half. Finishes sappy and extremely long, with resonating florality and mounting tannins that add shape and a firm closing grip.Vinous Media | 98 VMOffers up gorgeous fruit, with creamed açaí and blueberry mixed with warmed cassis and a flash of dark plum, which holds center stage while licorice snap, violet, apple wood and sweet bay leaf accents fill in the background. Shows terrific grip through the finish, setting this up for a long life. Best from 2025 through 2040. 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA rich, more broad, opulent wine, the 2019 Ermitage Les Greffieux has lots of darker berry and cassis-like fruit as well as textbook Northern Rhône Syrah notes of pepper, bouquet garni, leather, and woodsmoke. I love its depth and richness on the palate, and it’s full-bodied and has beautiful balance, supple tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure and will continue doing so for another 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe creamy, almost lush 2019 Ermitage les Greffieux boasts knockout aromas of violets, crème de cassis and red raspberries. Full-bodied, yet fine and silky in feel, it’s a terrific example of this terroir, showing its hallmark accessibility and tremendous balance and elegance on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA distinct smoky vein running through this year. Powerful, very ripe, muscular but juicy with great freshness and power. The alcohol is slightly raised, but it’s such a big, impressive wine with very ripe, massy tannins. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2036Decanter | 96 DECIncredibly dense nose of elderberries with some raw meat and smoke. At least as massively structured as it is concentrated, this is almost too much to take at this early stage in its development, but the tannins are already beautifully integrated and all it needs is a couple of years in bottle to calm down a little. Very firm, stony finish that has so much energy. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with vivacious scents of blueberry compote, blackcurrant preserves, chocolate box and star anise, plus wafts of Indian spices, fragrant soil, potpourri and cast-iron pan, with a touch of pencil lead. Full-bodied, concentrated and with a solid backbone of super ripe, approachable tannins, it has bags of preserved black fruits and an epically long finish. Although delicious now, allow it 3-4 years in the cellar to truly blossom, and drink it over the next 25 years+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPJust bottled in June of this year, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is more up-front and sexy compared to the more focused, elegant 2018, yet it has a similar level of purity and class. Lots of cassis fruits, spicy oak, lead pencil, and subtle floral and spicy notes define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This is another remarkable St. Helena Cabernet that’s already hard to resist yet has the balance, purity, and structure to evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Marciano Estate is one of the finest wines I have tasted from Marciano so far. A rich, potent Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 possesses quite a bit of opulence. Black cherry, leather, spice, menthol and chocolate all build effortlessly. This, dark, brooding Cabernet has plenty of tannin and overall punch, with all the elements very nicely balanced.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Is the 2019 Château Margaux the wine of the vintage? A strong case in its favor could certainly be made. Soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries, raspberries, rose petals, violets, pencil shavings and vine smoke, it’s full-bodied, layered and sensual, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit that’s framed by ripe, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a penetrating, mouthwateringly saline finish of almost interminable duration. Complex, elegant and utterly compelling, this is a brilliant Bordeaux that anyone with the requisite disposable income is going to want to own.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAnother utterly heavenly wine from this estate is the 2019 Château Margaux, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot coming from a selection of just 37% of the total production. Deep purple, with an incredible array of ripe currants, blueberries, sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and toasted spices, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, powerful, yet incredibly sexy mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. As I wrote in the barrel review, it reminds me slightly of the 2016, but has a touch more sun-kissed profile. It already offers incredible pleasure yet deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will blow you away any time over the coming 40+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDAmazing aromas of crushed stones and wet soil with fresh mushrooms, then going on to violets and other flowers. Dark fruit, too. Full-bodied, yet agile and fine, with a linear flow of tannins that run through the center of palate. The finesse of the tannins is exceptional, like raw silk and changing all the time. Cool and energetic, yet reserved. Zen-like. 37% of the production and 90% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. So well balanced that you can drink it now, but this is one to leave for a decade and more. Ethereal.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2019 Château Margaux possesses off the charts richness to go along with plush contours and mind-blowing balance. All the elements are so wonderfully woven together. It’s as if all the Château Margaux signatures are dialed up to eleven, but without losing any of the classic Margaux character. The purity of the red-toned fruit is just breathtaking. The Merlot was picked early, but then rain during harvest delayed the ripening of the Cabernets, which turned out to be a huge advantage.Estate Manager Philippe Bascaules and his team turned out two spectacular wines in 2019. Bascaules describes 2019 as an easy vintage. Flowering was normal and set was good. Yields came in at a healthy 47 hectoliters per hectare, more than 2017 or 2018, the summer heat spikes notwithstanding. Bascaules opted to pick the Merlot early and gave those lots very gentle extractions at low temperatures, whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon vinifications were a much more typical 20-22 days at 28-30 degrees Celsius. In tasting, the 2019s have more tannins than any other vintage, with the exception of 2018, and yet the wines don’t show that at all. The bottled wines are every bit as impressive as the barrel samples.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThis wine, packed with Cabernet Sauvignon, is dense but shows a majestic structure. By contrast and equally stunning, it has such perfumed fruits that are poised between power and elegance. The balance of this magnificent wine is there, bringing together black currant fruit and rich, sumptuous tannins. There is amazing aging potential here.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEWonderful aromas on the nose, quite dark and concentrated contrasting the palate which is abundant, juicy and immediately mouthwatering, giving a rush of bright red cherry and strawberry flavour. But it’s the texture here that is so captivating - soft, light, bright, then deep and layered, the velvet tannins coming into support but harmoniously and effortlessly, nothing feels too much. A direct wine from start to finish with great drive and persistency offering a wonderful balance of having an immediate drinking appeal but also the structure, power and density to age. Sculpted, elegant and nicely framed. 37% of total production. Drinking Window 2030 - 2051.Decanter | 98 DECPretty gorgeous, with a cashmere feel right from the get-go as pure, unadulterated cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserve notes sail through. The finish is laced with alluring red and black tea, violet, incense and savory notes, with a subtle mineral hint lingering to the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Plenty of berries, walnuts and light dried tobacco and herbs. Medium body, lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish.James Suckling | 91-92 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Marjosse has a come-hither nose of kirsch, stewed black cherries and warm plums with hints of spice cake, wilted roses, oolong tea and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is plushy textured with bags of scrumptious black and red fruits and a lively backbone, finishing fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPA meaty tone here too with lots of fresh, ripe cherry aromas. . 88% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Dangerously soft and smooth on the palate, silky tannins with a lovely immediate deep flavour on the palate. This is more subtle, less immediately juicy but has real charm and good depth. You feel the flavours linger on the tongue with a perfumed, floral aspect to them. This is delicate but driving with good presence and still superb freshness. An elegance to it as well. Lovely. Good mouthwatering acidity, still on the light side, well balanced and enjoyable.Decanter | 90 DECI expressed reservations towards Pierre Lurton’s 2019 Marjosse in my en primeur report earlier this year and as a result, a second sample was shipped to me. This was so much better. The aromatics are far more controlled and focused with the same black cherries and boysenberry without the shroud of alcohol. The palate is opulent and generous, but much more detailed compared to the first sample and demonstrating much more purity on the finish. This is much more in line with my expectations and I am happy to upgrade my score.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2019 Marquis d’Alesme Becker was very impressive from barrel. Now in bottle, it has retained those engaging aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and a pinch of spice, well defined and quintessentially Margaux. The palate is understated on the entry, smooth and sensual in texture, with gorgeous, very pure red fruit. I adore the harmony of this wine, and the way it sashays toward the finish. Deceptively approachable, this will mature beautifully in bottle. Vinous Media | 95 VM(Chateau Marquis D’Alesme) The 2019 Château Marquis D’Alesme is terrific and a good follow-up to the brilliant 2018. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it gives up a great nose of ripe darker cherries, blackberries, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar pencil, and violets. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied Margaux with a rich, fleshy, expansive mouthfeel, polished tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. I’m not sure it will make terribly old bones, but it shines for its purity of fruit as well as its terrific overall balance and purity. As I wrote from barrel, it’s one of those pretty, elegant wines that still packs rocking levels of fruit! Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years. (Drink between 2022-2042)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDNice welcoming and inviting nose, expressive and generous. Fresh, juicy, supple and bright, this shines quite brightly with good acidity gives things immediate lift then the tannins come in, filling the palate with dense fruit and wet stone flavours. Seriously mouth filling, but in a pleasant way, structured and well rounded. Defined fruit. Tannins just need to settle a little and let the wine expand. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 Marquis d’Alesme has tuned out well, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, woodsmoke, licorice and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, it’s supple and charming, with a succulent core of fruit, powdery tannins and fine length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP