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The 2019 Château Pétrus is a behemoth, and I can’t imagine a better marriage of sexy, opulent fruit with purity, precision, and length. Always all Merlot from a single parcel of clay soils, it takes time to unwind in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and offers a powerful, primordial style in its black cherries, mulberries, smoked tobacco, damp earth, and chocolate, as well as a beautiful floral component that emerges with air. Dense, concentrated, and incredibly rich on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional mouthfeel and sweet yet substantial tannins. Despite plenty of glycerin and opulence on the palate, which certainly makes it fun to taste today, it has a very straight, classic feel that will demand bottle age. It probably needs to be forgotten for 8-10 years and will deliver the goods over the following 50 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOlivier Berrouet turned out a fabulous Petrus in 2019. A gorgeous, expansive wine, the 2019 opens beautifully over time. There is a feeling of radiance in the 2019 that is impossible to miss. Hints of rose petal, lavender, mint and cinnamon meld effortlessly into a core of red/purplish fruit. At 14.8%, the alcohol is high, but not intrusive. "We worked very hard to extract as gently as possible," Berrouet explained. Readers lucky enough to own the 2019 should plan on cellaring it for a decade or more.Vinous Media | 98 VMA seductive and sensual nose full of ripe and sweetly-perfumed cherry and blackcurrant notes - which are even more expressive and abundant after an hour in the glass. This is such a beguiling wine, changing in texture and fruit profile several times from a first sip of smooth and streamlined, chalky tannins to one filled with bright acidity and succulent juiciness then shifting another gear delivering a palate full of concentrated dark fruits edged with liquorice and black pepper. The tannins are abundant and clearly present, Olivier Berrout director of Petrus says he’s never produced a vintage with such high tannins, but they are wonderfully consistent and well integrated with a lovely powdery element to them. You really feel the structure develop in the mouth, building in complexity and layers with a beautiful perfume and wet stone minerality lingering on the long finish. You have to wait for the reticence and reservation of Petrus in its youth to subside before you see the power and energy here but it’s giving a tantalising glimpse of what its long life holds in store.Decanter | 98 DECGorgeous, offering a pure, concentrated beam of raspberry and boysenberry puree that drives through, with mouthwatering anise, black tea and apple wood accents and a perfectly embedded graphite spine. Features fruit that just won’t quit, picking up extra energy from a savory thread as it moves through. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2019 Pétrus is a powerful, heady wine, bursting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cassis, violets, spices, licorice and kirsch. Full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the liqueured finish, it’s a ripe, high-octane Petrus that reflects the influence of a dry, warm growing season on what is essentially a single cépage (Merlot) and a single soil type (clay).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

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

The 2019 Château Clinet is brilliant stuff and another classic Pomerol from the talented Ronan Laborde. Deep purple-hued, with awesome notes of crème de cassis, mulberries, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and damp earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, seamless mouthfeel, and gorgeous tannins. It delivers that rare mix of elegance and sexiness that only Pomerol can. It needed plenty of air to show at its best and needs a good 4-6 years of bottle age, but it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. I love everything about this wine, and it’s certainly in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018. And it remains incredibly well-priced given the quality. Don’t miss it.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA full-bodied Pomerol with dark-fruit, coconut, chocolate and hazelnut character on both the nose and palate. Fine-tannined with an intensely tight and chewy texture. Spice at the end. Very flavorful and muscular, yet it’s balanced and precise with well-toned form. Needs five or six years to resolve. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Clinet is showing beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, cherries and berries mingled with hints of violets, licorice, subtle spices and smoke. Full-bodied, sensual and velvety, it’s seamless and vibrant, with lively acids, ripe tannins and a long, resonant finish. This precise, concentrated wine is the finest young Clinet I’ve ever tasted, and it exemplifies the tremendous progress that Ronan Laborde has made at this estate over the last decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSo seductive and heady on the nose, depth and layers of aroma, really quite captivating, luring you in. Excellent tension and clarity on the palate while also having a plump and fruity core and a softly voluptuous mouthfeel. There is an undercurrent of fresh minerality giving a sense of linearity and precision with juicy, ripe, fragranced fruit filling the palate giving body and weight so you get this push pull interplay of cool, wet stone grip and playful yet dark and seductive fruit. Tannins are ripe and supportive again giving structure but not too much weight. Such Pomerol glamour on show in the best way. It’s a dark style, one where you feel the ripeness and the alcohol a touch on the finish but well packaged and presented. I really love it. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2046Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Clinet is fabulous, just as it was in barrel. A wine of substance and depth, the 2019 has a sense of poise that is so appealing. Crushed flowers, spice, menthol and dried herbs add pretty savory top notes. The 2019 is impeccable from start to finish.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGOffers the lush, dark, warm fruit profile of the vintage, with crushed plum, blackberry puree and black cherry reduction flavors, all without the toothy, baked hints that mark many of its AOC peers. Glides through with refinement and grace on the finish, which is laced with black tea and incense. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2036. 4,125 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

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 JDSo 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 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 AGThe 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

One of the unequivocally great wines of the vintage is the 2019 Cheval Blanc, a stunning young Saint-Émilion that wafts from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of lilac, pipe tobacco, violets, raw cocoa, licorice, crushed mint and burning embers. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it’s deep and intense, with beautifully rich, powdery tannins and vibrant flavors. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this rivals the 2016 as the finest Cheval Blanc of the decade, and in many respects it might be thought of as the latter vintage’s sun-kissed cousin. Bravo to Pierre-Olivier Clouet and his team!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2019 Cheval Blanc is a stunning, riveting wine. There is simply nothing like a great Cheval in all of Bordeaux. Soaring aromatics are immediately alluring. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, espresso and dried herbs build in a Cheval that possesses tremendous layers and exceptional balance. Clean, mineral notes lend tension and drive. The 2019 is a bit strict today and not ready to show all its cards, but it is very clearly a special, special wine in the making. In 2019, the Grand Vin represents 82.5% of the estate’s production, a very high amount by any measure. I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. The 2019 is an eternal Cheval Blanc.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGBlackcurrants, cassis, graphite and earth on the nose, then changing to roses, violets and berries. Full-bodied with incredible energy of fine tannins and lively acidity. It grows on the palate and escalates to the summit of perfect wine. Very powerful at the end. Holding back and a great finish. Quantity and quality. Menthol. Cool. One of the greatest young Cheval Blancs I have ever tasted. 58% merlot, 34% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon. Great finish. Give it time. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSReminding me slightly of the 1990, the 2019 Château Cheval Blanc is a brilliant, brilliant wine from this estate that’s up there with the true greats. It shows the purity, finesse, and elegance of the vintage beautifully yet backs it up with density, concentration, and depth, revealing a stunning nose of red and black currants, tobacco leaf, new saddle leather, and spring flowers, with absolutely perfect ripeness. As complex and nuanced as only Cheval Blanc can be, even at this young age, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, abundant opulence, fat, and sweetness, polished tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s almost in a class all its own. It deserves at least 5-7 years of bottle age and will shine for 30+ years. Hats off to Pierre-Olivier Clouet, who continues to keep this estate at the top of the pyramid in Saint-Emilion!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA sexy, direct and precise Cheval with a seriously expressive nose of dark chocolate, blackcurrants and perfumed red cherries. The palate starts off slow and delicate and builds in the mouth, gaining in character and intensity. The acidity is more marked after a few sips, mouthwatering and juicy, giving the palate real life and verve as the generous fruit flavours come into play, a lovely strawberry and raspberry vein with some mint notes all the way through giving such freshness and cooling sensations in the mouth, while soft tannins balanced by acidity give length and direction. Real weight and depth but also delicacy – concentration and restraint – lift, but such coolness. A sensational wine with pure energy. Cheval, 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2050Decanter | 99 DECThis has loads of dark currant, fig and blackberry preserve notes that are supported by dense waves of loam and warm gravel, all hallmarks of the 2019 growing season. But there’s an extra dimension here, thanks to its remarkably lush and fine-grained texture, with endless ripples of tobacco, bay and singled sandalwood and balsam wood through the finish. In the end, it’s the combination of power, refinement and expressing an essentially unharnessable vintage that sets this red apart from the pack. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe wine has power. It is dense but with such concentration along with a fine perfumed character from the Cabernet Franc in the blend. The wine’s richness is impressive while leaving plenty of room for fruit. This fine wine will age well. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

The 2019 Clos L’Eglise is straight-up terrific, offering a deeper, richer, powerful style as well as the freshness and purity of the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe dark cherry, mulberries, graphite, spicy oak, and a kiss of minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe yet building, polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. It shows the more tight, compact style of the vintage, yet the purity is spot on, it has good concentration, and it’s just a brilliant wine. It needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for 30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Clos l’Eglise slowly unfurls to reveal wonderfully fragrant scents of red roses, candied violets, Sichuan pepper, hoisin and garrigue over a core of blackberry preserves, stewed plum and spice cake with a waft of cast-iron pan. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly played with a well-knit backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the fragrant layers, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPA delicious, fine-grained red with berry, chocolate, wet-earth and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body with juicy, burnt-orange undertones. Very tight at the end with energy and structure. Very polished. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Clos l’Eglise is beautifully layered and complete. Scents of dark cherry, plum, chocolate and licorice all build effortlessly. This mid-weight yet potent, Pomerol is nuanced and super-expressive, with gorgeous silkiness on the long finish to keep things in balance. It is a terrific effort from Hélène Garcin-Lévêque and Patrice Lévêque.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGAlluring, with a mix of red and black tea flavors leading the way for very seductive cassis, blackberry puree and boysenberry reduction notes. The incense-lined finish has a nice fine-grained feel throughout. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSMedium intensity ruby colour, rich in texture with both tight black fruits and clear notes of toffee and black truffle. It shuts down pretty quickly and there is clear tannic grip and traces of heat on the finish. Ambitious and confident, sure to age well. |A consistent Pomerol estate from Hélène Garcin-Leveque of Barde-Haut in St Emilion that is farmed organically. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2040Decanter | 91 DEC

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

Almost all Merlot, the 2019 Château Franc Mayne is a ripe, beautifully textured 2019 that does incredibly well in the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and floral notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, the vintage’s pure, elegant texture, building tannins, and plenty of classic chalky minerality on the finish. It’s beautifully done. This estate has played on a different level starting in 2018, and these wines deserve your attention!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Franc Mayne is a real head-turner. Ample and full bodied, Franc Mayne brings tons of black cherry/plum fruit, espresso, chocolate and licorice to the fore. The 2019 is sumptuous and exotic, with tons of intensity, with all the elements impeccably put together. It’s a terrific Franc Mayne.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGGorgeously rich, medium to full intensity in colour with plum fruit on the attack. This has extremely well judged balance between the exuberant fruit that Franc Mayne has as its signature and a more restrained supple frame in its tannins and lift. A really enjoyable wine, one of my favourites at this property. Winemaker Sophie Mage joined in 2018 from Frederic Engerer’s Rhône estate Fortboneau. Thomas Duclos new consultant also since last year. A yield of 43hl/ha.Decanter | 93 DECA fragrant nose of plums, dark cherries, blackcurrants, violets, bark and spice box. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced and velvety with a caressing texture. Plush and layered. 100% merlot. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Franc-Mayne is supple and charming, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cherry and berry fruit mingled with hints of cocoa nib, warm spices and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, broad and velvety, with ripe tannins and succulent acids, it’s a generous, polished wine that will drink well with minimal bottle age. From a site next to Beau-Séjour Bécot that spans the limestone plateau, the slope and sandy clay below, it’s 100% Merlot, but Cabernet Franc has been replanted and will soon contribute to the assemblage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPMade entirely from Merlot, this is rich in vibrant black fruits. Spice and plenty of dark tannins are there to backup to what is going to be a full-bodied wine for medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

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

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

Beautifully expressive nose that jumps out the glass - red cherries, strawberries, jam, and more. Great acidity and nice drive. It’s more sombre on the palate than you’d expect from the nose. It settles very quickly with the tannins taking hold and masking the fruit a little right now. This has great acidity and good mouthwatering freshness but needs more time for the tannins to integrate. (Drink between 2024-2034)Decanter | 91 DEC90–92. Barrel Sample. This is a ripe, jammy wine reveling in a bold structure as well as darkly tannic fruit. The 60% Cabernet Sauvignon gives the wine structure and tannins that will allow it to age well. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThe 2019 Maucaillou is a very pretty, elegant and nuanced wine with lovely aromatic presence and fine balance. A wine of delicacy and understatement, the 2019 is super classy and impeccable. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry, mint. This is beautifully done. Antonio Galloni | 90 AGTerrific stuff, the 2019 Château Maucaillou has ample redcurrant and mulberry fruit as well as attractive floral, spicy, and leafy herb nuances. Nicely textured, medium-bodied, and balanced, it’s a classic, up-front, undeniably delicious Moulis to drink over the coming 7-8 years, possibly a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDAromas of ripe plums, cherries, lemon zest, bark and licorice. It’s medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. Structured and fresh. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 90 JS

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

An array of fresh dark and blue-fruit aromas, together with hints of baking spices, chocolate and crushed rocks. Full-bodied and compact with firm, polished tannins and delicious, succulent fruit. Refined and firm on the finish. 86% merlot and 14% cabernet franc. Drinkable now, but better in 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Château Puygueraud is also terrific, with ripe darker cherry, plum, leafy tobacco and hints of chocolate on the nose. This medium-bodied, rounded, supple, elegant beauty has soft tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDFragranced milk chocolate and black cherries on the nose - a gorgeous smell. Rush of fresh fruity flavours on the palate - blueberries, raspberries and blackcurrants alongside hints of minty, stony bitterness that edge the fruit giving texture and tang. Round with silky tannins. Easy to drink and easy to recommend. (Drink between 2023-2029)Decanter | 92 DECComposed of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Puygueraud was harvested from the 27th of September to the 11th of October. Yields were 47 hectoliters per hectare this year. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant black cherries, crushed plums and black raspberry scents with hints of black truffles, fertile loam and wild thyme plus a hint of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers loads of earth-laced black fruit layers with a seriously refreshing line and firm, chewy tannins, finishing on a compelling wild mushroom note. About 15,500 cases are anticipated to be made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91+ RPThis full Merlot from the far east of the Bordeaux vineyard, is suffused with ripe, smoothly textured dark fruits. It has a touch of spice at the end from the Cabernet Franc. Structured tannins come at the end.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Extremely aromatic, with incredible wet-earth, bark, stone and graphite notes on the nose, then changing to violets, blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, yet so linear and fine, with titanium tannins that go on so long. Builds and builds then just rolls around the palate through the endless finish. Real Bordeaux here. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot. Exceptional. Better after 2029.James Suckling | 99 JSA floral bouquet on the nose, soft but deep with such clarity and such a beautiful vivid pink red colour in the glass too. The texture here is striking, smooth and mouth filling with intensity but so well presented, precise, fine and amazingly detailed. The word for 2019 is energy and this has it in abundance, it’s vibrant and alive in the mouth with such brightness. Mouthwatering acidity is set against a chalky texture so you get a full mouthfeel without any heaviness. Great structure and balance. You could almost drink this now to enjoy the immediate enjoyment but a recent tasting of the 2009 suggests this has a very long life ahead. A wine you can fall in love with! (Drink between 2024-2047)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Haut-Bailly had just been bottled prior to my visit. This is better than the 2018 with brilliant delineation on the nose and newfound purity. The palate is silky smooth with enormous depth, wonderful concentration and outstanding precision towards the finish with layers of lightly spiced black fruit. This is Fabulous with a capital "F". Tasted at the Haut-Bailly vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2019 Haut-Bailly unwinds in the glass with complex aromas of dark berries, bay leaf, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, velvety and elegantly muscular, it's powerful and concentrated, with lively acids and an abundance of ripe but youthfully assertive structuring tannin that will demand some patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA beautiful, elegant, and quintessential expression of this terroir, the deep ruby/purple-hued 2019 Château Haut-Bailly offers up a tight yet promising bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, darker cherries, iron, tobacco leaf, scorched earth, and cedar pencil. Possessing incredible minerality, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a classy, aristocratic, regal style, it opens up nicely with air and will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and have a lengthy prime drinking plateau of 20-30 years. It's another pure class release from this great estate, which is run by the talented Véronique Sanders.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD95–97. Barrel Sample. This is a very fine wine, showing layers of the densest structure as well as stylish black fruits. It is possible to taste the balance that will emerge as the wine ages, bringing out the sumptuous fruits and soft tannins. The wine is sure to age for a considerable time. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The 2019 Mouton Rothschild has come together beautifully since I tasted it from barrel. Today, it is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Powerful and statuesque in its beauty, Mouton is remarkable in every way. Layers of dark-toned fruit confer seriousness and intensity that builds with time. All of the finesse I saw in barrel is still present. Since then, the 2019 has gained flesh and vibrancy. Magnificent!Antonio Galloni. | 99 AGThis is incredibly complex, with all the cabernet descriptors, from mint and lead pencil to blackberry, blackcurrant and menthol. It changes all the time in the glass, just as in the nose. Yet, it remains cool and classy. Full-bodied with very fine, tight tannins that run the length of the wine, carrying on and on and on. Well-framed and compact wine. Never-ending procession of currant, berry and black cherry fruit, together with licorice, earth and just a hint of black truffle. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Give this until 2028 to show its true greatness.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2019 Mouton Rothschild is the most dramatic of the Médoc first growths, soaring from the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries and violets mingled with rich aromas of cedar, cigar wrapper, licorice, loamy soil and spices. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it’s deep and powerful, with huge levels of concentration and an ineffably complete, seamless profile, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Plenty of ripe tannin is hidden by its ample core of fruit, and despite its youthful polish, this will require plenty of bottle age to realize all its potential. This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot tastes in many respects like the 2016 Mouton’s more sun-kissed cousin.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPPlows straight ahead, with a rather towering display of cassis as well as cherry and plum reduction notes that are pure, defined and deftly supported by a seamlessly embedded iron spine. Features light savory, floral and red tea notes that flash in the background, while the fruit glistens through the extremely lengthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2019 Château Mouton Rothschild is based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, and it hit a relatively normal alcohol level of 13.5%, which is higher than the 2009 and shows the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon in the vintage. It shows the new, modern style of Bordeaux in its purity, elegance, and finesse while still being an incredibly concentrated Pauillac, and where some vintages of Mouton can just about jump out of the glass, this is a more seamless, streamlined, elegant beauty that builds with time in the glass and is just about impossible to fault. Gorgeous crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, forest floor, licorice, damp earth, and graphite, as well as some espresso nuances, emerge on the nose, and it’s rich, medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. This is pure haute couture in Bordeaux that unquestionably offers pleasure today (again, just about all modern Bordeaux from a great vintage offer pleasure in their youth) but will require a solid decade to hit maturity, and it should evolve for 20, 30, 40 years or more. This is not an unformed beast of wine that demands bottle age, and I suspect it will have a broad, forgiving drink window that consumers will love.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDGorgeous nose with a soft sweetness to the fruit aromas - a quality of the cooler year with freshness and vibrancy to the fruit profile. A great core of black fruits - blackcurrant, plums and cherries, balancing power but also succulence in the best way. Muscular but refined and finessed, feels so well constructed with harmonious tannins. The texture is smooth, deep and coursing but with such elegance to the overall frame. Deep and concentrated, but I love the touches of sour cherry and then smoky, liquorice aspects with a mineral freshness. It feels as if when it’s ready it will expand and just give and give. I love it. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECMade from 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a sumptuous and powerful wine that is built by considerable tannins and immensely rich fruit. At the same time, there is a perfumed charm that balances all that power. The wine’s structure and richness are harbingers of enormous aging potential. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE

This is full and plush for an Haut-Medoc with medium to full body. Lots of blackberries and fresh herbs with redcurrants, too. Chewy, but polished. Give it two or three years to soften. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSDark brambles on the nose. Great intensity and sculpted fruit here, this has some dark fruits and definite liquorice aspects to the palate but feels really precise and controlled. It’s smooth with soft tannins and good presence until the end. Also has great freshness and cooling mint cordial tang on the finish. I love it. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Beaumont, cropped at 50hL/ha, has a lovely, delineated bouquet of blackberry, briary and light tobacco notes. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, and not quite as supple as before, though I appreciate the tangy seaweed note toward the finish. Just what you want from a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis estate has produced a fine, elegant wine. Black fruits and a hint of chocolate do not detract from the firm structure that is a fine passport for the future. Dense, dry but never excessive, this is a wine for medium-term.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEBlack cherries, plums, Asian spices, and sandalwood notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Beaumont, a nicely concentrated, medium to full-bodied Haut-Médoc with good depth of fruit and juicy acidity. This château always makes a solid wine, and the 2019 is no exception.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2019 Beaumont has turned out very well, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, pencil shavings and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and melting tannins, it’s charming and nicely balanced. It’s the finest wine from this large château that I can remember tasting.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2019 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a terrific second wine. Ample, bold and dramatic, the 2019 packs a huge punch. Black cherry, plum, new leather, graphite and incense build as this flamboyant, opulent Saint-Estèphe shows off its considerable allure. The 2019 is a big wine, but the 15.1% alcohol is not especially evident.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA chewy, structured red with blackberry, chocolate and some walnut and bark. It’s full-bodied and solid with lots of fruit and tannins. Second wine of Calon Segur. Needs five or six years to soften. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSGorgeously plump blackberry and damson fruit here, high impact with chewy tannins that build through the palate and give an impression of confidence and pleasure. A clear crowd pleaser, with cocoa bean and chocolate shavings, no need to wait too long to approach. 30% new oak. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 93 DECDeep purple-black colored, the 2019 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur wafts out of the glass with fragrant potpourri, garrigue and Darjeeling tea scents over a core of redcurrant jelly, plum preserves and blackcurrant pastilles plus a touch of cracked black pepper. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins with loads of freshness supporting the crunchy black fruits, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPA bottle of wine I’d happily drink, the 2019 Le Marquis De Calon Ségur sports a ruby/purple hue as well as classic Saint-Estèphe notes of red and black fruits, damp earth, leafy herbs, and even some spicy, floral nuances that I don’t normally find in young Saint-Estèphe. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s nicely balanced, has well-integrated acidity and tannins, and outstanding length. It’s a rock solid second wine with loads to love.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis second wine of Calon-Ségur is a rich, black fruits surrounding tannins and giving a fine style to the bold structure and the wine’s juicy aftertaste. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The second wine of Domaine de Chevalier, the 2019 L’Esprit De Chevalier shows the fresher, more lively, complex style of this cool terroir and reveals a deep ruby/purple color, notes of tobacco, damp earth, violets, black cherries, and dark currants, medium-bodied richness and depth, and outstanding length on the finish. It has a lively spice of acidity as well as ample ripe fruit and is ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JDPlums and fresh flowers, such as roses on the nose with some stems and parsley. Full-bodied with round, polished tannins that are medium in stature but long and caressing, giving nice tension to the wine on the palate. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSFrom the younger vines of the estate, this second wine at Domaine de Chevalier is wood aged for 14 months. It has spice and also bursts with black fruits and acidity. Set to develop well, the wine should be ready from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDark chocolate and mint on the nose, some sweet blackcurrant. I love the upfront juiciness here, it’s well textured with fine tannins that gently support the fruit letting it shine brightly on the palate. There’s a creaminess to this too which is so satisfying. Really a beautiful, gentle, delicate but nuanced wine. Good freshness and drinking appeal with fruit and energy. Easy enjoyment, well made. well structured. Good winemaking on show. Drinking Window 2022 - 2033.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Esprit de Chevalier is a gorgeous second wine. Bright, plump and juicy, the Esprit will keep the domaine’s fans happy right out of the gate. A rush of sweet red cherry, red plum, mint, spice and licorice builds as this exuberant, radiant red shows off its fun-loving personality.Antonio Galloni | 89-91 AGPresents a mix of bramble, mulling spice and savory notes, with steeped plum and red currant fruit flavors and a tarry tug on the finish. Shows good energy throughout. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2031. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAromas of smoky blackberries, cherries, loamy soil and smoke preface the 2019 L’Esprit de Chevalier, a medium to full-bodied, ample and charming wine that’s rich but elegant, with its fleshy core of fruit framed by velvety tannins and succulent acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Fruity nose of ripe blackberries, currants, chocolate orange and oyster shell. It’s medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced and fresh with some spicy and salty notes to close. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2019 Lanessan is a powerful, deep wine. Grilled herbs, pepper, sage, mint and tobacco lend notable aromatic intensity. The Cabernet is especially marked here. Lanessan is pretty assertive in 2019. There is quite a bit of Cabernet savoriness and tannin.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGThe 2019 Lanessan continues to perform very well, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, licorice and fresh tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with rich, powdery tannins and a vibrant core of fruit, it’s a fine effort from a property with immense potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPLovely texture here, deep and intense but also smooth, with high-toned blackcurrant and black cherry. There’s a pleasing chalky dryness to the tannins and an appealing minerality that comes through. Solid core, well presented but not hugely long. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2030Decanter | 90 DEC

This is so aromatic with blackcurrants, black berries and raspberries. Pure fruit, together with coffee and nutmeg. Really fresh and clean with bright spices. Full-bodied, yet reserved and tight with fantastic structure. So long. This is a great Cos for the cellar. A real benchmark for the true character. Needs at least five or six years to open and come around. Try after 2029.James Suckling | 99 JSVivid red-purple rim to the glass; blue fruits, plums and black cherries presented with pleasant floral aspects alongside a wonderful freshly brewed coffee aroma, soft and delicate but just noticeable. This is absolutely delicious, round and plump on the palate but not heavy, well defined with a fruit precision marrying blackcurrants and cherries with some cocoa and liquorice nuance. The velvety texture and overall clarity stands out, driven and precise with layers of pretty chewy, perfumed fruit underpinned by generous acidity. Sophisticated and enjoyable. Wonderful styling at Cos in 2019. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThe 2019 Cos d’Estournel is a deep, powerful wine. That has been true on both times I have tasted it recently. Readers will have to be patient. Those who can afford it will be rewarded with a towering, statuesque Saint-Estèphe. With a bit of air the fruit starts to emerge, but this is a very reticent Cos that does not show the opulence that it often does in its youth. Gravel, smoke, incense, tobacco and dried flowers gradually unfurl over time, hinting at a very bright future. The 2019 is impressive. That’s all there is to it. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2019 Cos d’Estournel has turned out brilliantly, exhibiting aromas of minty cassis, sweet wild berries and wild plums mingled with hints of spices, loamy soil and potpourri. Full-bodied, broad and enveloping, it’s polished and seamless, its ample chassis of fine, velvety tannin entirely concealed in its deep core of succulent, crunchy fruit. Beautifully integrated at this early stage, the last decade has witnessed a number of changes at this address, including a trend toward less aggressively late picking, cooler fermentations and élevage with fewer rackings and more moderate percentages of less heavily toasted new oak: in 2019, the results speak for themselves.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe beautiful perfume of this stylish wine are the first impression. They set the scene for the wonderful black currant fruits and dark tannins that meld together on the palate. Made with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, this structured wine shows long-term aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe Grand Vin 2019 Château Cos D’Estournel checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot coming from 43 hectoliters per hectare and hitting a healthy 14% alcohol. Brought up in just 55% new French oak, it’s a pretty, elegant, seamless Saint-Estèphe that has plenty of redcurrant and cassis-like fruit as well as lead pencil, graphite, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, it has supple, fine tannins, wonderful purity, and a classy, regal profile that will be loved by staunch traditionalists out there. Exceedingly elegant and finesse-driven, with a touch of Château Lafite-like character, I compared this wine to a more elegant version of the 2016 from barrel, but now from bottle, I think 2014 is a better comparison in its weight, balance, and just overall style. It has a silky, charming style that already offers pleasure but won’t hit maturity for a good 7-8 years and will have 25+ years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDDark and winey, featuring black currant, fig and blackberry preserve flavors laced with a smoldering hint of cast iron, plus notes of anise, apple wood, sweet bay leaf and warm earth. The finish offers a long sanguine thread that stitches it all up. Gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 15,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The black cassis comes out of the glass, together with iodine, sandalwood and subtle moss and wet-bark undertones, then turning to violets. The palate is mind-blowing, with a cashmere texture that unravels on the palate and continues on for minutes. It’s full of superbly complex, ethereal character and mouth-feel, One of the wines of the vintage. As glorious as it may be to taste now, this is one for your deep cellar. Try in 2029.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2019 Haut-Brion is seriously impressive. A dark, virile wine, the 2019 impresses with its vertical energy and statuesque elegance. It's a Haut-Brion that will only reveal itself over many years. Today, the density and resonance are super-impressive and also hugely promising. Classic savory and mineral notes start to emerge over time. I can't wait to see how this ages.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGCompared to the La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2019 Château Haut-Brion is more backward and mineral-laced, with a dense purple color as well as notes of blueberry liqueur, black cherries, new leather, scorched earth, graphite, camphor, liquid rock-like minerality, and an almost Hermitage-like burning embers character. It doesn't have the overt power of Mouton, nor the sexiness of Château Margaux, yet it builds slowly and incrementally, with flawless balance, full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a magical finish. My money is on this being one of the all-time greats from this address, in the same league as the 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2018. It will need a solid decade of cellaring and have 40-50+ years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDPowerful and confident, there is no mistaking this concentration of ripe damson and black cherry fruits, set against coffee, earth, sage and black chocolate. Tons of tannins on display but extremely fine, to the point that you almost don't notice them, then once the wine has left your mouth you suddenly realise how many there are, and how they are still exerting a pressure. Great persistency, slowing everything down and asking you to stop and think. Clear ageing ability here. Harvest September 10 to October 3. (Drink between 2029-2050)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Haut-Brion is a blend of 48.7% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.1% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 10th of September to the 3rd of October. The estimated label alcohol degree is 14.5%. Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, it comes off incredibly shy and reticent to begin, needing considerable coaxing to reveal notes of dark chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry preserves, woodsmoke and sandalwood, before launching into a full-scale fireworks display of iron ore, cumin seed, redcurrant jelly, red roses, oolong tea and Sichuan pepper scents plus a waft of cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers the most exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins with a lively backbone of freshness supporting the tightly wound, earth-laced black fruit layers, finishing very long and minerally. This is one of the most finely structured, tightly knit wines of the vintage. Given time, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it goes atomic and eventually takes top place for the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99+ RPA beauty, with a remarkably refined feel from start to finish, as the caressing but substantial structure lets waves of steeped plum, mulled raspberry and blackberry preserve roll through repeatedly, picking up singed alder and apple wood, dried anise and sweet tobacco accents through the finish, where a curl of woodsmoke lingers. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. Wine Spectator | 96 WSLuscious ripe fruits are underlined by tannins to give a wine that is both structured and concentrated. Rich tannins, spice aromas and power are all enclosed in this wine that is ready to age. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Another stunning vintage from this brilliant estate that is just delivering hit after hit. Concentration and intensity right from the initial aromatics, damson, cassis and blackberry fruits that you could almost drink now until the tannins build up across the palate and remind you that this is built to last. Velvety texture, black chocolate and crushed stone minerality on the finish. One of the wines of the vintage. Tasted twice, one week apart. 60% 1st wine. A yield of 45hl/ha. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 98 DECFrom one of my favorite châteaux on the Right Bank, the 2019 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) is 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a tighter, more closed 2019, yet it offers beautiful purity and focus in its cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as notes of tobacco leaf, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and again, with this remarkable purity and precision, it has enough tannins to warrant 4-6 years in the cellar and will be incredibly long-lived. It's a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It’s worth pointing out that the 2019 is the vintage bottled by Nicolas Thienpont and starting in 2021, the estate is in the hands of Josephine Duffau-Lagarrosse.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2019 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) has turned out beautifully in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries, raspberries, violets, rose petals and forest floor, framed by a deft application of creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with a lively core of fruit, bright acids and fine, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, precise, saline finish. It displays all the structural refinement and vibrancy of flavor that this sector of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau is capable of.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBlackberries and black chocolate with licorice and berry highlights. Flowers and crushed stones, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Plenty going on here. Very subtle and refined for this estate. Needs two or three years to come together. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse, matured in 60% new oak, has maintained wonderful purity on the nose of ebullient red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, very elegant and poised and perhaps delivering less of the blue fruit element than I noticed from barrel. The cohesive palate conveys exquisite balance, fine, slightly granular tannins and a very subtle ferrous note toward the finish. This is an understated wine that is endowed with ample freshness, and I can see it aging beautifully for 30 or more years.Vinous Media | 95 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

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

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