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The 2019 Echo De Lynch-Bages is the second wine of Château Lynch-Bages and it’s beautifully done, with a more floral, perfumed, pretty style compared to the Grand Vin, yet it still brings plenty of structure. Red and black currants, sappy flowers, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth all define the bouquet, and it’s medium-bodied, has integrated acidity, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. It’s beautifully balanced and already accessible, yet will nevertheless benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe second wine of Lynch-Bages shows all the power of this estate. The difference lies in the tannins and the ripe flavors of the wine. It has power without the tannins that demand long-term aging. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WELifted floral aromas, smells pretty and inviting, with a sweet note to the black fruit. Tannins are a little present, they’re not dry or austere, more on the smooth and chalky side but are just covering the fruit right now, although the blackcurrant and plum notes come back through. Chewy, ripe, fresh. This is lovely if just a bit shy at the moment. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Echo de Lynch-Bages, matured in one-year-old barrels for 12 months, has a crisp blackberry, briar and cedar bouquet with touches of mint, quite vibrant and lively. The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins and mulberry and black plum flavors intermingling with black truffle and white pepper. Maybe just a little abrupt on the finish at the moment, but that will fill out in time.Vinous Media | 90 VMJuicy, featuring racy-edged plum and black currant fruit flavors that show nice purity, with lively anise and apple wood accents filtering in through the finish, where a subtle note of charcoal chimes. Modest in scale but nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Marvelously complex, deeply fruited and massively concentrated yet wonderfully drinkable, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin challenges the number of superlatives that can be thrown at it. Scents of violets, tree bark, truffle, purple raspberries and blackberries all appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich, dense and velvety, and the finish shows enormous richness and length. Breathtaking stuff.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe tiny production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is the customary blend of roughly 60% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, and the rest Syrah and Cinsault that’s brought up in foudre. One sexy, powerful, full-bodied Southern Rhône, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a kaleidoscope-like array of blueberry, scorched earth, candied violets, pepper, and some almost northern Rhône-like meaty, smoky nuances. Full-bodied and incredibly pure, with a stacked mid-palate and ripe, supple tannins, it’s another vintage of this cuvée that will undoubtedly offer pleasure in it youth yet won’t hit prime time for a solid 7-8 years, and it should see its 30th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDGlass-staining ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet features black raspberry, cherry liqueur, boysenberry, exotic spice and floral scents that show outstanding definition and smoky mineral lift. Sweet and penetrating in the mouth, offering wonderfully concentrated black and blue fruit preserve, violet pastille, spicecake and savory herb flavors that possess unlikely vivacity for their depth. The strikingly long, floral- and spice-driven finish is shaped by steadily building tannins that play nicely with the wine’s intense fruit.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is really packed, with a stunning core of pure violet, raspberry and plum pâte de fruit flavors that glide through seductively, belying the power that’s in reserve, thanks to a well of singed alder and mesquite, worn leather and warm stone notes. The finish cuts a broad and deep swath, with the fruit showing serious staying power and superior definition. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Counoise and Syrah. Best from 2025 through 2045. 400 cases made, 210 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSSuch beautiful black cherries, fresh earth, sage, basil and flowers on the nose, following through to a medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and an attractive, lightly chewy finish. This is very long and fresh with balance and purity. Give it five or six years to come around and show itself.James Suckling | 96 JSGorgeous perfume just jumps out the glass here, strongly scented and inviting. This is succulent and sweet, with an almost cherry kirsch, alcohol kick to this but in an excellent way. Mouthwatering and brimming with energy, there’s depth, spicy edges and a silky smooth mid palate. It’s seductive and heady while also complex, nuanced and layered. A long life ahead. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2046Decanter | 96 DEC

This wine always stands out in my mind, and it’s worth dedicating a few words as to why. Poggio Valente offers us a rare opportunity to taste Sangiovese made according to the highest standards but from a territory—on the Tuscan Coast—that does not share a big legacy with monovarietal Sangiovese reds. The Fattoria le Pupille 2019 Poggio Valente was born in a happy vintage with a cool spring and a growing season that had plenty of underground water reserves to keep the vines hydrated well until the end of August. This is a full and generous wine with dark cherry and wild plum aromas that segue to tar, licorice and crushed slate. My sample (tasted a few weeks after bottling) was a little shy initially, but it quickly blossomed in the glass.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is very dense and structured with stone and blackberry character. Full-bodied and intense with chewy tannins that frame the wine. Flavorful finish. Smoky and lightly bitter, in a good way. Pure sangiovese. This needs time to soften. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Poggio Valente is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant in the glass with terrific energy, the Poggio Valente is a fine example of the style favored here these days. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, spice and orange zest complement a core of Sangiovese fruit. I especially like the vibrancy here. The 2019 is absolutely delicious. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA red with intensity on a weightless frame, leaving plenty of room for cherry, blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and white pepper flavors to shine. The tannins are present, yet uplifting rather than obtrusive. Sangiovese. Best from 2023 through 2032. 2,900 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Gorgeous blackberry and currant aromas with hints of herbs. Wonderfully varietal character. Full-bodied with tannins that frame the wine so nicely and create a long, lightly chewy finish. Fantastic wine. Available in October. Drinkable now, but give it three to four years.James Suckling | 98 JSDeep, dark and alluring nose of black fruit, rich cedar and cigar box. Well-built, beautiful and balanced, with deeply concentrated, yet fresh and ripe flavours of blackberry, cassis and fleshy plum, unspooling with lifted acidity, tobacco, wet slate, river stones, dark chocolate and an endless finish. A delicious wine that is framed by very fine and elegant tannins, almost powdery. Finishes with energy and freshness. A joy to drink. Biodynamic. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2040Decanter | 98 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate needs a lot of swirling and coaxing to unlock notions of blackcurrant pastilles, warm black plums and mulberries, plus hints of black olives, tilled soil, mossy tree bark and violets with emerging baker’s chocolate and star anise hints. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and with impeccable poise, it has beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing epically long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPIncluding 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a hidden gem. While the Maya gets all the attention, the classic Cabernet Sauvignon from this team is insanely good, year-in, year-out. The 2019 sports a dense purple color as well as quintessential Cabernet notes of cassis, black raspberries, flowers, toasted spices, and tobacco leaf. The purity of fruit is incredible, it’s full-bodied, has silky tannins, and flawless balance. It has 30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is dazzling. What a wine! Ample and creamy, the 2019 possesses striking resonance to match its elegant, refined personality. A healthy dollop of Franc adds freshness to a core of dark red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice and new leather flavors. There is a level purity here that is just remarkable. This is the first vintage that includes a small portion of wine aged in amphora. I especially admire the aromatic presence and vibrancy in the 2019.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis is very tightly packed, with cassis, bitter plum and loganberry notes compressed along with anise, apple wood, warm humus and sweet tobacco. The earth note echoes nicely through the finish, too. More like an ’18 in profile, with a youthfully backward persona. Cellaring this will yield rewards. Best from 2024 through 2040. 1,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and relatively stress-free conditions. This is an elegant and extremely polished wine made with mostly Sangiovese and smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Here too, the small blending element of Cabernet Franc has been slowly increasing in recent years. The 2019 vintage was born with a good amount of power and tannic structure, and maceration times were slightly reduced as a result. This less extractive approach shapes a polished and elegant wine with plenty of bright berry fruit, cherry, dried mint, blue flower, blood orange and rusty earth. The palate is more compact and streamlined. It shows beautiful grace. After this, the next vintage to watch is the highly anticipated 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA supple, elegant red highlighted by bright cherry, black currant, violet, tobacco, iron and oak spice aromas and flavors. Though fluid and seemingly approachable now, this is well-structured and shows the balance to age. Fine length. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2042. 25,800 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Tignanello is one of the most reserved, understated young wines I can remember tasting here. In so many vintages Tignanello is quite showy, but in 2019 the nervous energy and brightness of Sangiovese takes center stage. That’s intriguing, because the 2019 blend has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than normal, a decision made to compensate for some of the lighter qualities in the Sangiovese. With air the 2019 shows gorgeous depth and captivating inner perfume, even if it is clearly still coming together. The 2019 spent about 14 months in oak, with 50% new wood. Things are always in constant evolution at Antinori. This is the first vintage to incorporate some larger 500L barrels, an approach I think will work brilliantly.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGExtremely perfumed and vivid, with fresh mushrooms, cherry stones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are long and complete. Fresh acidity. Tangy and vibrant. Lovely is the word. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSNo written review provided | 94 W&S

Crushed stone, berry and lead pencil. Flintlock and iodine, too. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with incredible depth and intensity. Sculpted and intense. Incredible. Silky and tight tannins. Great finish. Reminds me of the 1978 La Chapelle. This needs three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 100 JSLastly, Colgin only makes a tiny amount of Syrah, but it’s consistently one of the greatest expressions of the variety in California, as well as the world. Their 2019 Syrah delivers the goods and brings a Côte Rôtie-like opulence and elegance as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blueberries, violets, smoke game, bouquet garni, and spring flowers. Pure, seamless, and perfectly balanced, you can safely put this up with anything out there. Enjoy bottles over the coming 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDSporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 IX Syrah Estate hops up and down with its showy, flamboyant scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and preserved plums, before bursting into a gorgeous perfume of bouquet garni, candied violets, tar and roses, followed by unsmoked cigars with a waft of Sichuan pepper. The generous, full-bodied palate offers beautifully rounded, pebble-like tannins with invigorating freshness and so many fragrant layers that linger with edifying persistence. An absolute diva of a wine!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2019 Syrah IX Estate is deep, plush and super-expressive. The Colgin Syrah is so unique, as it is much a wine of place as it is a varietal Syrah. Huge fruit and captivating aromatics make a strong opening statement. All the elements simply fall into place. In 2019, the Syrah is simply exceptional. All that said, readers need to cellar the 2019 for at least a few years, as today the fruit remains very front and center, and true Syrah notes have not yet started to emerge.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGPotent and polished, with deeply structured blueberry, smoked meat, licorice and fruitcake spice flavors that gather richness and tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. To be released November 2022. Drink now through 2032. 400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The Michele Chiarlo 2019 Barbaresco Asili has a fragrant bouquet with bright and punchy aromas of wild cherry, raspberry, blue flower and crushed stone. This vintage shows a level of energy and vitality that helps it stand out in a crowd, and the wine is elegant and silky in texture. This is an especially attractive expression from the celebrated Asili vineyard of Barbaresco.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPVery beautiful and balanced Asili with ultra-fine tannins that give a refined texture to the wine across the palate. Medium body with juicy berry, nutmeg, hazelnut and bark flavors that are subtle and appealing. So drinkable now, but can improve with age.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Barbaresco Asili is a pretty rich, heady wine. Black cherry, spice, leather and chocolate bring out the darker side of Asili. There’s certainly plenty of richness. The Chiarlo Asili ultimately favors power and density over finesse. It’s not my favorite style of Asili, but all the elements are nicely balanced just the same. Drinking Window2024 - 2034Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis red combines bright cherry and raspberry flavors with savory elements of eucalyptus, earth, tar and tobacco. Though dense, this has a fluid feel as it builds to a long fruity, earthy and licorice aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2042. 350 cases made, 70 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis wine combines depth and elegance, opening with delicate violet scents that lead into spice-suffused flavors of red cherry, licorice and candied orange peel. The fruit maintains a tangy edge that dovetails with the wine’s taut, polished tannins. Lively acidity propels the flavors as those floral notes re-emerge on the energetic finish.Kobrand, Purchase, NY Wine and Spirits Mag | 93 W&S

Very intense aromas of blackcurrants, violets, flower stems, bark and wet earth. Very perfumed. Mushrooms, black truffles and tobacco. Great cabernet sauvignon aromas. Medium-to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and lovely integration. Opens and grows. Goes on for minutes. So fine. This is a terrific, new pure cabernet sauvignon from Montes from the Maipo Valley and made at their wine in the Apalta Valley. September 2022 release. 6,000 bottles made. A new classic in the making and neoclassical in nature. Very drinkable now yet it will be so much better in 2025 and beyond.James Suckling | 98 JSThe first vintage of a brand new wine from Montes - that was 10 years in the planning - and new to the Place de Bordeaux in 2022. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine from vines on alluvial terraces 460m above sea level at the foothills of the Andes in Alto Maipo. A gorgeous florality and blackcurrant fruit notes on the noes, you get wonderful freshness from the aromatics alone but also the depth, such a pristine quality with unmistakable New World Cabernet markers. The colour is also so bright and vibrant, a combination of fuscia and scarlet in the glass. Crunchy and crisp on the palate, this has real bite but with a texture that is so velvety soft giving a perfect weight in the mouth. The blackcurrant and red cherry fruits with plum, molasses and a soft balsamic touch expand outwards and vertically giving layers of tension, texture and concentrated flavour. You get the sunkissed fruit and subtle clove spice but all supremely balanced and harmonious. This is effortlessly stylish with glamour but also sophistication. I wasn’t expecting to like this so much but the whole package is very impressive and pleasurable - imposing and structured but graceful and refined at the same time. Give this a quick air in a decanter if you’re going to drink it soon. A yield of 35hl/ha. 3.65pH. Ageing 18 months in 80% new French oak barrels plus two years in bottle. 5,000 bottles released on the Place with the rest reserved for Chile and Argentina. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 97 DEC

A bigger, richer, more structured wine, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard has brilliant black fruits, tobacco, iron, and subtle smoke-like nuances in a full-bodied, concentrated, layered package. This is pure Mountain Cabernet genius, and while it’s far from unapproachable today, it will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and should be snatched up by readers.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFrom vines planted only in 2015, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate is a stunning success. It’s wonderfully perfumed, with floral-herbal notes reminiscent of violets and sage accenting cassis and black raspberry-chocolate chip ice cream, yet without any trace of actual sweetness. Full-bodied and concentrated, it’s nevertheless fresh and vibrant, with a long finish framed by softly dusty tannins. Wow!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard shows tremendous dimension. Layers of fruit saturate the palate, rendering the potent Veeder tannins barely perceptible. Orange peel, spice, rose petal and dried flowers lend an exotic flair. A Cabernet of resonance and pedigree, the 2019 is substantial in every way.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2019 Barbaresco Ronchi is a deep, potent wine. In this tasting, the Ronchi impresses with its stature, aromatic presence and textural intensity. Dark red cherry, red plum, cinnamon, rose petal and dried flowers emerge with a bit of coaxing, but the Ronchi is one of the least giving wines in the range today. I would cellar it for at least a few years. It is another wine where elegance and power meld together.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGFloral aromas of rose and violet align with Morello cherry and aromatic herb on this fragrant red. Precise and savory, the palate is still youthfully tense, delivering red cherry, pomegranate and licorice alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2029–2039. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe Albino Rocca 2019 Barbaresco Ronchi is concise and tight with precise aromas of blackcurrant, aniseed, crushed stone and blue flower. Ronchi fruit often shows this more angular and linear quality, and these traits come through with special sharpness in this vintage. Additionally, there is an earthy, crushed limestone quality that also seems specific to this expression. The tannins are hard and firm, setting this wine up for a longer drinking window. Production is 8,200 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPRound and fruity, featuring cherry, raspberry, earth, tar and white pepper aromas and flavors. Reveals a floral hint, too, as this plays out with grace and finesse. Well-structured and silky. Best from 2025 through 2040. 650 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFresh strawberry with hints of cherry, as well as orange peel. Medium to full body with chewy tannins and a savory finish. Give this two or three years to soften and come together. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JS

I was blown away by the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon DVO, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc made as a collaboration between the team at Dalla Valle and Ornellaia. Remarkable notes of red and black currants, spring flowers, lead pencil, loamy earth, and classy oak all emerge from this young yet amazingly balanced, seamless Cabernet. Full-bodied on the palate and perfectly balanced, with silky tannins, it will probably be as good as it gets with 7-8 years of bottle age and is a magical Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will evolve for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis has a tightly layered core of cassis, mulberry and damson plum, while notes of warm earth and a bright iron spine drive underneath. Features a floral flash in the background, as the fruit and iron notes coalesce seamlessly on the finish. Steady as a rock. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 550 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Realm took over the management of Farella vineyard in 2018. Since then, winemaker Benoit Touquette explained their focus has been to open out the canopy, creating better exposure for the fruit, aiming to achieve riper tannins.A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color and a powerful, expressive nose of baked plums, juicy blackberries and blackcurrant pastilles, plus touches of black olives, lavender and cinnamon stick, with a waft of fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is seriously dense and muscular, featuring a rock-solid foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and energy. A spectacular showing for Farella!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard is tremendous. Winemaker Benoit Touquette has captured all of the savory and mineral nuances that are such a signature of this Coombsville site balanced with ripe, radiant expression of fruit. Red plum, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange are all laced together in a Cabernet of real distinction. This is the first vintage that incorporates a touch (8%) of Merlot, which helps soften some of the youthful angularity Farella Cabernets often showAntonio Galloni | 97 AGThe first time this cuvée includes Merlot, the 2019 Farella is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot and comes from a cooler site in the Coombsville appellation. Textbook Cabernet, with lots of dark fruits, lead pencil, violets, and cedary tobacco notes, it has firmer tannins, full-bodied richness, and a concentrated, age-worthy style. In short, it’s a classic, brilliant Coombsville Cabernet to hide for 4-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDLots of lead-pencil and blackcurrant aromas. Apricots, too. Medium-bodied with cashmere tannins that are so fine and fresh. Layered. 92% cabernet sauvignon and 8% merlot. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS

Throws off some pretty gorgeous aromas of violet, anise and sweet bay leaf, with a core of ripe, streamlined boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors following closely. The finish has a racy graphite edge, while the fruit and aromas just spill through. Approachable now, too. Drink now through 2034. 13,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAromas of lead pencil, redcurrant, gravel, blackberry and sage. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Lovely depth and complexity here, with a wash of black fruit. Powerful, without being overdone. Delicious. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JS

More expressive and open-knit, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard sports a similar ruby/purple to go with an incredible array of black raspberry, cassis, flowery incense, orange blossom, smoked tobacco, and exotic spice. As are all To Kolans, it’s incredibly perfumed and complex aromatically, and it’s one of those wines that changes every time you come back to the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers beautiful richness and depth, a light, graceful mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a heavenly finish. It’s another magical wine from this talented winemaker that readers will absolutely love.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBlackcurrants, black cherries, ripe raspberries and tar. Some graphite, too. It’s full-bodied and very plush with crushed tannins and an airy mouth-feel. Just floats across the palate. So fine. It has a second finish at the end, where the tannins emerge at the front of the palate. Quite unique. Drinkable now, but better after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSA glowing representation of Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet with a classic nose of blackcurrant, graphite and new cedar oak. Full-bodied and richly layered with immensely concentrated black fruit flavours that are pure silk on the palate. Satiny, ultra-fine tannins make this almost too easy to drink, while decadent melted chocolate notes merge with baking spices to complete this scrumptious wine. As it opens, the wine begins to reveal a mineral elegance that is iron-like, along with pretty red florals and finishing with crème de cassis and herbs. A real collector wine. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2050Decanter | 98 DECThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is fabulous. Deep and vertical, the 2019 possesses tremendous richness and pure power. A seamless, layered wine, the To Kalon is seriously impressive today, but it also needs time to be at its most expressive. Crème de cassis, lavender, licorice and cloves build as the 2019 gradually shows off its pedigree and potential.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGHobbs’s first vintage of this wine was in 1999, so it has a relatively long track record. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard features aromas of mint, cassis and plum on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and opulent yet densely packed. Where this wine really shines is the finish, which is long and softly dusty in feel, while adding complex notes of licorice, mocha and baking spices. 494 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPShows menthol, sweet bay leaf, violet and tobacco notes, which set the stage for a core of winey cassis and crushed plum fruit. Ample structure courses underneath, with a tilt to loamy in feel through the deep, broad finish. Reveals a late flash of iron, too. A serious version. Best from 2023 through 2040. 494 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Jeremy Chasseuil continues to make a brilliant, ripe, incredibly sexy Pomerol that always seems to put a smile on my face. His 2019 Château Feytit-Clinet is inky-hued and has a blockbuster nose of ripe black fruits, damp earth, chocolate, and tobacco. This all carries to a full-bodied Pomerol with background oak, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. I wish there were more wines like this in the vintage. It offers pleasure today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for over two decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRich and layered red with black olive and walnut on the nose, as well as blackberry. Full-bodied and powerful with superb depth and richness. Walnut and chocolate, too. Opulent, yet fresh. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Feytit-Clinet is superb. In most vintages, Feytit-Clinet is one of the more intense and tannic Pomerols. In 2019, though, some of that intensity is dialed down. On the plus side, though, that means the 2019 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Inky dark fruit, licorice, graphite, lavender, dried herbs and rose petal build into the sumptuous, creamy finish. Usually I advise cellaring Feytit-Clinet, but that will be less necessary in 2019. As always, Feytit-Clinet is one of the most distinctive wines in the Right Bank.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGEvocative and expressive nose full of dark chocolate and clear truffle aromas with red cherry nuances. This has a nice svelteness, supple tannins but there is also a serious aspect to this - a straightness and linearity right now . Definitely on the dark spectrum with clear liquorice, coffee, black cherries, figs, prunes and raisins as well as black pepper and some bitter dark chocolate too. Heady and powerful, oaky and tannic but lifted by excellent acidity. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2045Decanter | 95 DECThe 2019 Feytit Clinet delivers aromas of rich, chocolaty berry fruit, plums, fig jam, espresso roast and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s muscular and extracted, with broad shoulders, soft acids and plenty of powdery, youthfully chewy tannin, concluding with a heady finish. To my taste, this flirts with over-ripeness; but it held up well over several days in bottle, inclining me to give it the benefit of the doubt.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSpicy and full of dark fruits, this is setting out to be a richly balanced wine. Blackberry and plum skin flavors have a hint of chocolate, supported by ripe, textured tannins. There is good aging potential here. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2019 Syrah Armada Vineyard comes from a higher density planting just beside the estate, and it’s always a more dense, backward wine. Darker, black fruits, smoked meat, ground pepper, iron, and just subtle bloody, meaty nuances emerge from this beauty, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with building, firm tannins, wonderfully integrated acidity, and a great finish that makes you salivate due to its sense of salinity and minerality. It needs plenty of air if drinking any time soon but is another tour de force in Rocks Syrah! It has 20-25 years of prime drinking ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDRich, juicy and lush with a ripe dark red and black-fruited core of fruit, the 2019 Syrah Armada Vineyard offers dusty purple flowers and savory elements with notions of smoked meat. Medium to full-bodied, the Syrah is firm, focused and refined while offering wonderful savory and umami essences as the generous wine gains in complexity. Still firm and with a taut mineral tension, the wine subsides with a spicy and lingering finish that will benefit from a couple more years of bottle aging to release its tight grip. Be patient and give it time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA lovely nose of plum, gravel and sweet tobacco. Wonderfully balanced and supple on the palate. Medium-to full-bodied with gentle tannins. Cool profile. Rather graceful expressions of red fruit and cocoa. So charming. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe aromas are fruit forward for this area and producer, with notes of plum and red fruit, along with olive, peat, sea salt and spice. Medium-bodied, textured flavors follow, with spice notes lifting the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes (100% Grenache) brings more opulence and sexiness, with a more unevolved vibe in its ripe black fruits, violets, toasted spice, and Provençal garrigue-like aromas and flavors. Brought up in equal parts used barrels, new French oak, and demi-muids, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is a Grenache lover’s dream, and it should continue drinking brilliantly for another 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA strapping young wine, brimming with dark plum paste and boysenberry compote flavors that are carried by racy licorice snap and fruitcake notes. The lively back end shows a hint of bramble and a touch of tar, giving this energy and power as it courses through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2038. 300 cases made, 50 cases impoWine Spectator | 96 WSBetter balanced than the Renaissance, not so much oak with the natural power of the fruit to the fore. It’s very ripe, quite muscular and towards sweet in profile. A bright, zingy, technicolour style, polished and sleek, but will have plenty of fans. Warming alcohol. 100% old-vine Grenache from the lieu-dit Cristia sandy soils. Matured in barriques and demi-muids for 18 months, one-third new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2033.Decanter | 94 DECAll Grenache, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes matured in a mix of demi-muids and barriques, with about one-third new oak. Faint herbal notes and nuance to this wine’s cedar, vanilla and black cherry flavors. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and reasonably tannic, but it finishes silky and fine. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

The reference standard in Chambertin. This is every bit the equal of the Clos de Bèze, if slightly less approachable young. Blended from four parcels including a cooler section near the southern end and another near the top of the slope, this gives a wine of incredible concentration if a bit reserved initially. Here, ripe berry fruit, a strong mineral/saline edge and a gamey note all emerge with time, and the texture is firm and tightly wound. This should age gracefully for the better part of a century. Drinking Window 2029 - 2069.Decanter | 99 DECThis too evidences subtle wood influence on the ripe yet cool nose that combines notes of spice, earth and floral elements with those of dark berries and poached plum. There is excellent intensity to the full-bodied, concentrated and mineral-inflected flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract while delivering excellent depth and persistence on the beautifully balanced and imposingly powerful if decidedly compact finale. This strikingly pure effort is already Zen-like in its sense of harmony and should prove to be remarkably long-lived. Brilliant. (Drink starting 2041)Burghound | 98 BHThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is very promising, unwinding in the glass with aromas of exotic spices, grilled meats, cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice and loamy soil. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it was the most introverted, tightly wound wine in the cellar on the day of my visit. Broad-shouldered and elegantly muscular, it’s bright and precise, concluding with a penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is initially tightly wound on the nose, opening gradually to reveal blackberry, raspberry, orange pith and rose petal scents; more sous-bois character develops with time. The palate is very harmonious with a lightly spiced entry. A little oak remains to be subsumed, but there is fine depth on the finish, and veins of blood orange on the aftertaste. This feels like a Chambertin that is holding everything back and letting the Clos-de-Bèze steal the show. Once in bottle, we will find out if that was just part of its tactics.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2019 vintage of Chambertin from Domaine Rousseau is a perfect synthesis of power and elegance. The bouquet is still quite primary, but offers up a refined blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, espresso, a fabulously complex base of soil, grilled meats, cedary oak and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, deep and full, with a sappy core of fruit, stunning transparency and grip, fine-grained tannins and a very, very long, very complex finish. All this magical wine needs is time in the cellar to reach its cruising altitude! (Drink between 2035-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JG

Rousseau Clos de Bèze is a blend of three plots that total 1.42ha. Cyrielle believes the wine shows better in its youth than Chambertin. Both wines, however, are vinified in the same way: destemmed, long maceration, gentle extraction and ageing in new François Frères barrels. The result is sublime: charming in its youth, with accessible, ripe notes of red and black fruits, spice, mineral and game, plus a velvety, dense texture that is firm but not forbidding. This has the substance to last fifty years if cellared well. Drinking Window 2029 - 2069.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2019 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru clearly has more intensity than the Chambertin. True, it is showing a little more wood at the moment, but I also find more fruit – raspberry and wild strawberry – interlaced with shavings of black truffle and forest fern. The palate is medium-bodied with supple but firm tannins. This is endowed with impressive depth and body weight and yet it retains disarming elegance on a finish that fans out gloriously. "This is the business" is the phrase that passed through my mind as I tried to keep a stoic face after encountering this fabulous Clos-de-Bèze.Vinous Media | 97-99 VM(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Red) Equally subtle wood frames the even spicier if slightly riper nose that reflects a layered blend of red currant, violet, rose petal, earth and a whisper of exotic tea. The full-bodied if slightly less concentrated flavors also reflect an abundance of minerality on the firm, serious and equally well-balanced, youthfully austere and hugely long finale. I usually prefer one or the other [Chambertin] at this stage each year but in 2019, while the two wines are noticeably different, it’s not clear which will ultimately be the more interesting. In sum, this is a choice but one where there is no wrong answer as this too is brilliant! (Drink starting 2041)Burghound | 98 BHDeeper-pitched and more carnal than the Chambertin, Rousseau’s 2019 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru mingles aromas of cherries, cassis and raspberries with hints of Asian spices, incense, smoked tea, rich soil tones and grilled duck. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, it’s bright and lively, with a fleshy core of concentrated fruit, succulent acids and powdery structuring tannins. Long and perfumed, this is a sensual Clos de Bèze in the making.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Chambertin “Clos de Bèze”- Domaine Armand Rousseau) The Rousseau family’s Clos de Bèze is equally brilliant in 2019. The wine is always a touch more exotic out of the blocks than the Chambertin here and this is again the case in this vintage. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a blaze of sappy black cherries, black raspberries, black minerality, smoked meats, dark chocolate, cedary oak and a touch of black tea in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with great depth at the core, superb complexity and mineral drive, firm, buried tannins and a long, vibrant and focused finish. A great wine by any measure. (Drink between 2036-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JG

The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is turning out nicely, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit and plums complemented by hints of smoked meats, preserved citrus, warm spices and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, supple and charming, it’s pretty and fine-boned, with good depth at the core, velvety tannins and a seamless, enveloping profile. This is another cuvée that I suspect will turn out to be Rousseau’s finest rendition since at least 2012.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) Discreet but perceptible wood sets off pretty and nicely layered aromas of red currant, forest floor, spice and a suggestion of warm earth character. There is excellent intensity to the detailed, palate coating and sappy medium-bodied flavors that are firm, powerful and unusually robust on the refined, focused and sneaky long finish. There is very good size and weight, yet the overall impression is rather one of refinement. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 91-94 BHThe 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is very perfumed on the nose of rose-petal-infused red berry fruit, although I would like to see more complexity develop in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with candied red fruit on the entry, orange zest, and light, almost peachy notes that I would associate with a white wine. It does not possess the substance or grip of Rousseau’s other cuvées, although it does deliver a lovely silky texture and fine length.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it’s full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it’s brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAlways the densest and richest of the cuvées at this benchmark estate, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes features scents of cedar and mocha layered against a backdrop of black cherries. This actually is a bit like Black Forest cake—that ripe, rich and dense, with chocolate and vanilla shadings—but remains dry and savory in the end, with velvety tannins and tremendous length. It’s approximately 50% Grenache (aged in tank), plus 40% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah (both aged in new barrels)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPDeep violet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, vanilla and candied flowers, along with Moroccan spice and smoky mineral nuances. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, offering assertive Chambord, boysenberry, lavender and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the back half. Plush tannins come in slowly, adding shape to a very long, blue-fruit- and floral-dominated finish.Vinous Media | 95 VMDrenched with the heat and sun of the 2019 vintage, this massively ripe, strapping wine is packed with flavors of roasted plum and black-cherry compote. Accented by whispers of camphor, sweet tobacco and cinnamon, the concentrated, hulking sip is ringed by fiery tannins. The wine needs time. Approach from 2024 and it should improve well through 2035. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Savory aromas of dried currants, tangerine zest, green tapenade, porcini mushroom and cedar. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins. Ripe, flavorful and juicy, yet focused and tight, too. Sun-kissed style. Drinkable now, but better in 2023 and thereafter.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Pinot Noir G Lot was produced with grapes from vines planted in Gualtallary in 1994 at close to 1,500 meters in altitude. It has aromas of ripe berries, some orange peel and a faint touch of smoke. It has moderate alcohol (13.1%) and a medium-bodied palate with tasty flavors and integrated acidity. The tannins are almost unnoticeable. 35,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPFrom Gualtallary, Uco Valley, the 2019 Pinot Noir G-Lot was aged for 12 months in 1/5 new barrels. Light garnet in the glass. The nose delivers aromas of ripe fruit with hints of cherry, oak and mushroom along with a touch of jam. Sugary and expansive in the mouth, the barrels lend volume. The packaged freshness ensures a delicate, long-lasting flow.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2019 Clos de La Roche Grand Cru has a delineated, succinct bouquet, the 25% whole bunch seamlessly integrated with blackberry, briar and faint traces of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and nice focus, leading to quite a strict, linear finish. I can imagine this requiring cellaring for several years before it loosens up. Fine salty aftertaste.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM(Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) A cool and restrained nose speaks of various dark berry aromas nuanced by hints of earth, dried flowers and a whiff of oak. There is outstanding volume to the very rich and plush big-bodied flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the delineated, powerful and serious but, in contrast to a number of wines in the range, not really austere finale. This too is really very good and while it needs to add depth over time, the potential is clearly present. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 92-94 BH

The 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru opens in the glass with rich aromas of berry fruit, loamy soil, peonies, dark chocolate and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegantly muscular, it’s generous and enveloping, with velvety tannins and fine depth at the core. Bright and lively, it’s another wine that marries maturity with freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is highly perfumed on the nose, presenting an irresistible mixture of red and subtle blue fruit, very harmonious and exquisitely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. A feminine and very elegant Clos de la Roche that may well be earlier-drinking than others but feels very poised, with a touch of spice on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMProduced from three parcels: two in the original Clos de la Roche vineyard and almost 1ha in Les Fremières. Aged in used casks like the producer’s Charmes, this has a very different character, with dark, plummy fruit alongside an earthy note on the nose, and a texture that is less firm perhaps, but broader and more full-bodied. Very solid. Drinking Window 2024 - 2059.Decanter | 95 DEC(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) Here too there is just enough wood to remark upon surrounding the well-layered blend of red and blue pinot fruit, earth and a plenitude of spice and floral elements. The wonderfully energetic, sleek and equally muscular larger-scaled flavors also brim with minerality on the refined, focused, balanced and even more persistent finish. This is terrific and a wine that should easily repay two decades of cellaring if you have the patience. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 92-95 BH

This is gorgeous, with wonderful finesse and complexity. It has a texture of the finest silk. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and beautiful with currant, berry, chocolate and bark in the aftertaste. Under-the-radar wine. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep purple-black in color, the 2019 Milens sings of crushed blueberries, stewed blackberries and black cherry compote with nuances of fragrant soil, violets and aniseed plus a hint of clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is decadently juicy, framed by bold freshness and plush tannins, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP(Chateau Milens) Impressive red and blue fruits, flowers, sandalwood, and spicy wood emerge from the 2019 Château Milens, another medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured wine in the vintage. I like its tannins, the balance is spot on, and it already offers considerable charm. It’s beautifully done. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years or so. (Drink between 2022-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 Milens has a lovely, very pure bouquet of perfumed red cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents, marmalade notes emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, leading to a soothing, caressing, mocha-tinged finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VM