Shop Wine

wines

This is so fine and refined with currant, crushed stone, lime stone and fresh mushroom. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Minerally finish. Tight and racy. Drink after 2025, but already beautiful.James Suckling | 96 JSComing from the home estate of Pierre Seillan, who’s behind the incredible wines of Vérité in Sonoma, the 2019 Lassègue sports a deep purple color as well as a great nose of blueberries, mulberries, tobacco, dusty earth, and flowery incense. It’s an exotic, full-bodied Saint-Emilion with beautiful balance, plenty of ripe tannins, the vibrancy and freshness of the vintage, and a great finish. It’s a beautifully complex 2019 that’s going to evolve nicely for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDRich plum in colour, this grips right from the off, and moves slowly and carefully through the palate, revealing brambly blue and red fruits, and a lovely sense of energy and uplift. Extremely good quality, with sage and saffron edges alongside layers of fine tannins that close in towards the finish, slowing things down even more. This will age well, and is an elegant yet concentrated wine.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 Lassegue is deep purple-black colored. A little closed to begin, it is soon tumbling out of the glass with notes of fresh, juicy blackberries, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of menthol, nutmeg, cracked black pepper, and aniseed, with floral touches of lavender and roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers fantastic freshness and bags of crunchy black fruits, framed by finely grained tannins, finishing long and with compelling energy. 6,935 cases were made this year.The Wine Independent | 93+ TWIThe 2019 Lassegue unwinds in the glass with aromas plums, wild berries, pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, deep and lively, with powdery tannins, bright acids and a rather understated, elegant profile for an estate that can often deliver rather dramatic wines, this will reward a little patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2019 Lassègue is packed with super-ripe dark cherry, plum, sweet spice, new leather, licorice, kirsch and a kick of sweet French oak. This is an especially ripe, succulent style, but it works well.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is a bigger, richer Côte Rôtie. Co-fermented with a solid chuck of Viognier and around 85% destemmed (the same as the La Turque), this full-bodied effort has a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of bloody black and blue fruits, tapenade, salted meat, woodsmoke, and a touch of violets. This cuvée is always an exotic wine, and the 2019 is no exception, offering full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, plenty of structure, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDBright, highly perfumed blueberry, black raspberry, violet and exotic spice aromas, along with a wild touch of blood orange. Juicy and lithe on the palate, offering intense red and blue fruit flavors that stain the palate while showing little in the way of excess weight. Finishes extremely long and sweet, with a building floral note, even tannins and a late jolt of five-spice powder.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMWhile just as aromatic and charming on the nose—where ephemeral floral notes join ripe cherries—as previous years, the 2019 Cote Rotie La Mouline isn’t quite as impressive on the palate. It’s medium to full-bodied, silky and caressing, without the same power, yet it’s supremely elegant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA little closed, not as open as you would expect at this stage. Medium-bodied, fresher on the palate than the nose, with a good sense of purity and salinity. Massy, ripe tannins and a long finish. Not quite as sprightly and perfumed at this stage as previous recent vintages of La Mouline, but clearly a very good wine. At the beginning of its 42 months in new French oak barriques.Decanter | 94 DEC

The Grand Vin 2019 Château Rauzan-Ségla is beautiful, and it seems this estate can do no wrong since 2015. A more elegant, ethereal, complex Margaux, it has a perfumed and complex style in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of white flowers, chalky minerality, and exotic spices. Haute couture at its finest and seamless, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and just stunning any way you look at it, it already offers pleasure today yet will easily have 30 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2019 Rauzan-Ségla has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with fragrant aromas of cassis, blackberries, violets, rose petals and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and concentrated, it’s deep and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish. This is a sensual, elegant Rauzan-Ségla from Nicolas Audebert and his team.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPMineral edged nose full of violet floral notes and blackcurrants, such delicacy. Gorgeous mouthfeel, the texture standing out straight away - filling, rich and round, dense and juicy - really delivering a punch of ripe, cherry fruit, covering the cheeks in chewy but crushed velvet like tannins. Creamy notes come through and then the spice, liquorice menthol flavours arrive and dominate giving a cool, fresh, rippling minerality towards the finish. Power and precision. Really a wine of two halves, the first juicy and alive the second half deep, dark and seductive. Excellent character, still restrained not showing everything but offering a glimmer of glamour that will shine through more over time. 100% biodynamic from 2020, should be certified by 2024.Decanter | 96 DECSubtle and complex aromas of sweet berries, rose stems and lavender with some sandalwood. Medium-to full-bodied with beautiful depth of fruit, creamy tannins and lots of chocolate and berry character. Yet, it’s tight at the end, showing beautiful depth and length. So structured. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Rauzan-Ségla is surly and backward on the nose despite aeration. Gravelly black fruit, sous-bois and touches of seaweed emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fleshy and smooth, a dash of white pepper and cedar towards the shelled finish. This is one bottle that desperately needs more aeration to show its capabilities - one for long-term cellaring. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.Vinous Media | 93+ VMOffers a very elegant core of red and black currant and damson plum fruit that glides through with silky structure for support, while light mulling spice and incense notes infuse the finish. A rather understated style, but sneaky long and very refined. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape from Laurent is the usual blend of 82% Grenache and the rest nearly equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre, Vaccarèse, and Counoise that was brought up all in concrete tank. It shows the sunny, spicy, Provençal style of the vintage beautifully while still having incredible freshness in its red and black fruits as well as garrigue, ground pepper, spring flowers, and incense aromas and flavors. Gorgeous on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied Châteauneuf du Pape is balanced and has terrific tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. Rhône lovers need to have this beauty in their cellar, and it’s going to offer pleasure for a solid two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a success. A Grenache-led blend with some Mourvèdre, Syrah, Vaccarèse and Counoise, this 2019 aged for 21 months in concrete tanks. It bursts from the glass with a fragrant perfume of rose petal, blood orange, ripe forest strawberry, raspberry compote, dried herbs and hints of mint. Firm tannins structure the full-bodied palate, kept in check by fresh acidity. Laurent Charvin crafted a splendid wine, which demands a few more years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften.Vinous Media | 94 VMA ripe and almost opulent Chateauneuf-du-Pape with very ripe plum and blackberry aromas, plus notes of old balsamic vinegar and savory. The serious tannin structure holds it on track and keeps the palate decisively dry. Builds to an impressive crescendo at the ample dry finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSFresh aromas of berries, herbs, anise with aromatic violets and lilies. Elegant on the palate, with firm tannins and a medium body, fresh yet concentrated.Decanter | 93 DECCharvin’s gorgeously aromatic 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape—sourced from the sectors of Cabrières (Nord) and Maucoil—features scents of lavender, garrigue and purple raspberries. In the mouth, it’s full-bodied and concentrated, with ample, ripe tannins, then seems a bit warm and rough, with a wooly-tannic finish. Give this tank-aged blend of 82% Grenache, 5% each Mourvèdre and Syrah and 4% each Counoise and Vaccarèse a few more years to come together and settle down.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

A rich and generous Meursault with plenty of ripe-apricot and melon character, which is very neatly underlined by the vanilla oak. Full body with quite some creaminess, then comes the long finish with excellent mineral freshness. Everything fits extremely neatly! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSOffering up notes of pear, white flowers, toasted almonds and beeswax, Bouchard’s 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières is medium to full-bodied, satiny and chiseled, with a more tightly wound, introverted profile than the Charmes that preceded it. Built to age, this is a serious Genevrières that I look forward to tasting from bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA blend of two parcels, the 2019 Meursault Les Genevrières 1er Cru was the first to be picked by Bouchard in this appellation. The well-defined bouquet features touches of lemon thyme, walnut and smoke. The palate is balanced with fine acidity, fresh and focused. The pretty, apricot-tinged finish fans out wonderfully and leaves residues of grilled almond and sesame on the aftertaste. Excellent. Vinous Media | 92-94 VMTwo plots in the upper part, picked separately. Pale yellow. The bouquet is very striking with its verbena and juniper nose, plenty of energy here. Big shoulders, some warmth, but it holds it in, with excellent length. Ripe pear notes on the palate. This will all come together.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMModerately firm reduction overshadows the underlying fruit at present. Otherwise there is very good volume to the nicely concentrated and more finely textured middle weight flavors that brim with minerality on the youthfully austere and lemon zest-inflected finale that isn’t quite as structured.Burghound | 91-93 BHFrom two domaine-owned parcels totaling 2.65ha, one near the bottom, one near the top. The grapes are gently pressed, settled and fermented in cask (15% new). The result has a high-toned citrusy fruit, with a pleasantly floral edge to it. On the palate, there is weight and breadth, but no heaviness. Really quite lovely.Decanter | 92 DEC

I loved the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc, which is one of the finest versions of this cuvée I can recall. Rich stone fruits, apple blossom, melon, crushed stone, and white flower notes all define this incredibly complex, nuanced white, and it’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and lengthy on the palate. It’s never the biggest or richest white out there, but its purity, finesse, elegance, and length are world class.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDVieux Télégraphe’s 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau is a delicious blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Fragrant aromas of spring flowers, grapefruit, quince, lemon zest, white peach, melon and a flinty twist introduce this 2019 La Crau. It is a full-bodied, refined white with moderate levels of round acidity and great persistence on the finish.Vinous Media | 94 VMHitting on all cylinders, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc boasts enchanting aromas of toasted grain, honeyed pears and ripe pineapple, with what seems like a bit of mocha or struck match as well. It’s full-bodied, on the rich, corpulent side, but not overdone, remaining clean and citrusy-fresh on the lengthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2019 S De Suduiraut is straight-up brilliant and unquestionably ranks with the top whites in the vintage. Bright pineapple, honeysuckle, toasted spice, and chalky mineral notes all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, vibrant, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Clean, pure, flawlessly balanced, and just a classy effort, it can be enjoyed any time over the coming 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDComposed of 67% Semillon and 33% Sauvignon Blanc harvested from the 5th to the 10th of September, the 2019 S de Suduiraut Blanc is aging for nine months in French oak barrels, 12% new. The alcohol came in at 13.1%. The nose starts off a little shy before taking off with notes of freshly squeezed lemons, key lime pie and yuzu zest plus touches of marzipan and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely suggestion of creaminess to the texture, helping to support the racy citrus flavors, finishing with an invigorating lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2019 S de Suduiraut Vielles Vignes is rich and ample in feel, with all of the natural richness of the old vines on display. White flowers, coconut, passion fruit, mint and dried flowers offer a striking interplay of tropical and savory notes. The 2019 is beautifully done.Antonio Galloni | 91-93 AGAlluring, with a lemon, peach and gooseberry core, infused with tarragon and verbena notes, framed with a stylish shortbread accent. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2023. 333 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSPineapple, lemon, chopped apple, smoked almond and some caramel on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fresh acidity and a rich, nutty and flavorful palate. Excellent length. Sauvignon blanc and semillon. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSGorgeous, nuanced and expressive nose, showing honey and sweet lemon curd. Mouth-watering juiciness, red apple, pear and some gooseberry, a little less zesty and exotic. I like the immediate flavours of tangerine juice and orange. Quite bright, then settles before the wood comes in, overpowering the ending for now. Spicy and structured. Drinking Window 2023 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DEC

I’m inclined to nominate the 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes as Leflaive’s finest premier cru this year. Wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, citrus oil, fresh peach, toasted nuts and smoke, it’s full-bodied, rich and satiny, with an immensely concentrated and incisive profile. Taut and chiseled despite its mid-palate plenitude, it’s built to cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru is a step up in terms of mineralité and terroir expression from the preceeding Folatières. There is more precision, greater expression of place. The palate sports a very small reduction on the entry, then it segues into a very concentrated mid-palate that seems to fill the mouth. Great depth and spiciness towards the finish, this is an outstanding Combettes from Leflaive. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 96 VMModerate reduction is sufficient to mask the underlying fruit today. More interesting are the wonderfully fine and delicate yet punchy flavors that possess a highly sophisticated mouthfeel before culminating in a sappy saline and strikingly persistent finish. I very much like the balance and this beauty may well prove to be a great Combettes in time.Burghound | 93-95 BHThis white offers lemon cake, lime blossom and citronella flavors allied to a lean frame, giving it intensity. Starts out velvety, but it remains precise and mouthwatering on the long citrusy, minerally aftertaste. Fine symmetry overall. Best from 2023 through 2029. 58 cases made, 11 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis wine split the room, most rating it very high though I joined the minority in worrying about the balance between seemingly high alcohol and high acidity. But we may be wrong because this wine did show grand cru weight. I have stuck with the score and tasting note which I originally made, however. Mid primrose in colour, with a beefy, high alcohol bouquet than also contains a wealth of fruit. Super powerful, high acidity, a little bit too much going on? Not sure about the balance here. The wine will find favour with those comfortable with higher alcohol levels, though how well the rather powerful acidity balances that is uncertain. Slightly overtoasted wood. Feels like grand cru weight. DIAM D closure. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted: May 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

The 2019 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a terrific success from the Mitjaville family. This amphitheatrical vineyard on the clay-limestone slopes of Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, planted with low, cordon-trained vines, has delivered a striking wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of violets, cigar box, sweet spices and loamy soil. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, velvety tannins and lively acids, it will richly reward a decade and more of bottle age. Interestingly, proprietor François Mitjaville contended that 2019's distribution of rainfall had tended to invert the usual stylistic distinction between Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes, his wine from the Côtes de Bourg; yet, on the day of our tasting, geology trumped weather, because as usual the former was more sensual, the latter blockier and more structured.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is fabulous. In most vintages, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is exuberant, but in 2019 it is a bit more strict, a bit more linear in construction. That's not a bad thing at all, it just means the 2019 might need a few years in bottle to be at its very best. Black cherry, espresso, licorice, new leather and menthol gradually open in the glass. I especially like the energy here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe 2019 Château Tertre Roteboeuf shows the more elegant, polished style of the vintage nicely yet still has that sexy, perfumed, complex style that's the hallmark of this cuvée. Loads of crème de cassis, kirsch liqueur, tobacco, white chocolate, espresso, and violet notes emerge on the nose, and this full-bodied beauty has a wonderful sense of balance and elegance, present tannins, and a great finish. It's going to be a relatively accessible vintage from this great estate, yet I would bet on it evolving for 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JD

Leflaive owns four contiguous parcels in the center of BBM that total 1.15 hectares, nearly half of the appellation. The vines lie just down the slope from one of their four Bâtard parcels. In 2019, Leflaive began their harvest on September 11th. The Bienvenues has retained a rewarding freshness, with a forward fruit that has both tropical and citrus elements and plenty of floral notes. The texture is lively but supple; there is plenty of fresh acidity that brings a pleasant energy to the wine. This should age for decades to come. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECUnwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, pear, hazelnuts and dried white flowers, framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction, the 2019 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, its concentrated core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky extract. Like the Pucelles, this is precise and fine boned, but it's also more muscular and intense.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is cut from a similar cloth to the Les Pucelles on the nose: reserved, mineral-driven with hints of orange blossom emerging with time, later more Granny Smith apples. The palate is strict and precise, demonstrating impressive weight, especially towards the back end. Maybe not quite as complex as the best of Leflaive’s Premier Cru, though it is extremely pesistent with a long ginger-tinged aftertaste. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 94 VMThis lemon- and apple-flavored white is underlined by an oyster shell, iodine element. Complex and balanced, offering baking spice accents and a fine lingering finish of lemon and minerality on an open-knit frame. Best from 2024Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru White) Here the equally beautiful nose is quite similar to that of the Pucelles save for being much more restrained. Cool, pure and almost painfully intense flavors possess the same sleek, sophisticated and graceful texture as well as even better persistence on the youthfully austere, compact and wonderfully complex finale. This is a stunner of a Bienvenues. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 94-96 BH

I loved the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Clairette de Gabriel and this beauty is up there with the finest whites in the vintage. All Clairette planted in limestone soils, this vivid gold-hued beauty offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, balanced style as well as classic notes of white flowers, dried pineapple, honeycomb, and subtle waxy nuances. It’s rich yet stays weightless and elegant, with a terrific sense of freshness (although I suspect the acidity is quite low) and purity. It’s going to evolve for 10-15 years or more, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAlluring, with lemon curd, heather and macadamia notes out front, followed by yellow apple, white peach and mirabelle plum notes. The long finish is both showy and defined, with a hint of white truffle lurking, ready to blossom with cellaring if that’s your bag, though hard to lay off it now. Drink now through 2027. 111 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis has a smoky, spicy nose with all the softness of Clairette behind. The oak regime is robust, but unusually this Clairette has the concentration and presence to handle it. It adds a toastiness and accentuates the citrus dimension. Intense and driving, almost outrageously flavoursome for Clairette. 1,600 bottles made. Pure Clairette Blanche grown on limestone in lieu-dit Vaudieu, fermented and aged half in new barriques, half in older ones. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 95 DEC

This is packed, featuring juicy and energetic raspberry, blackberry and dark plum pate de fruit flavors wrapped in licorice root, black tea, singed juniper and incense notes. Everything knits tightly through the finish, with the underlying freshness extending to a lengthy finish as the juniper note leaves a mouthwatering echo. Serious, old school style. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,500 cases made, 275 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlmost all Grenache, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape A La Gloire De Mon Grand-Père comes from the La Gardiole lieu-dit and was aged 80% in demi-muids and 20% in foudre. Its deep purple/plum color is followed by a stunning array of black cherry, blackberry, and ripe strawberry fruits as well as candied flowers, orange blossom, and toasted spice. As with the old vine cuvée, the tannins have a firm edge and it’s built with short-term cellaring in mind, yet the purity is brilliant, I love its balance, and this is just a stunning Grenache that’s going to have two decades of pure pleasure giving.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDAll Grenache, aged in a combination of demi-muids and foudre, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grand-Père delivers black cherries and blackberries, plus hints of clove, allspice and garrigue. Full-bodied, dense and rich, with plenty of alcohol ("but less than 16%," said Nicolas Boiron), it finishes long and velvety but also a bit warm. The always-smiling, ebullient couple of Nicolas and Jeanne-Claire Boiron have an infectious enthusiasm for wine (and, seemingly, life) that makes a visit to their cellar in Cha?teauneuf du Pape a pleasure. This year, there were a couple of new wines to look at, including a limited-production Chante le Merle Blanc and a "one-time-only" Grenache cuvée drawn from sandier sites. The wines remain fairly priced for the quality, comfortably straddling the line between modern and traditional.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

As the 2019 vintage was the last that Marc Ollivier crafted wines at Domaine de la Pépière, prior to his retirement the following year, it is fitting that all of his Crus from 2019 are among the finest young Muscadets that I have ever had the pleasure to taste. His Monnières- Saint Fiacre from the vintage is a stunning young wine, soaring from the glass in a blaze of tart orange, bread fruit, ocean breeze, wet stone minerality, a beautiful foundation of sweet leesy tones and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, precise and full-bodied, with outstanding depth at the core, lovely acids and grip, superb soil signature and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is a great young Muscadet and a fitting last vintage of Monnières- Saint Fiacre from Marc Ollivier! (Drink between 2023 - 2065)John Gilman | 95+ JGMatured 36 months, the 2019 Monnières Saint-Fiacre exhibits aromas of menthol, spices, tangerine and lemon oil. Layered, creamy and moderately weighted, it’s precise and clean with a delicate yet bitter finish with licorice hints and hazelnut scents.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru is more timid on the nose following on from the Les Combettes and this needed more encouragement from the glass. Cold stone, granite and flint aromas are the order of the day, very well defined and precise. The palate is very concentrated with a lot of grip, the volume of this Les Pucelles towards the finish, energetic and very persistent in the mouth. This is another electrifying Puligny ‘19 from Leflaive. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 95+ VMThrilling wine. Leflaive owns three parcels in Les Pucelles at the northern tip of Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet at the center of the vineyard. The mature vines deliver a perfumed, almost exotic fruit character with notes of spice and hazelnut. Still, there is also a bright lemony freshness to the wine and a lovely salty mineral finish that lift it to another plane and will allow it to continue improving for decades. The most compelling of the premiers crus from Leflaive. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 95 DECFiner boned and less concentrated than the extraordinary Combettes, the 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles offers up aromas of peach, orange zest, white flowers, freshly baked bread and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, saline and chiseled, this might just be a little shy after bottling, but on first encounter, it doesn't dominate Leflaive's range of premiers crus to the extent that it usually does.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPProminent notes of honeysuckle and passion fruit are laced with a variety of spice and citrus elements. There is good richness and an abundance of dry extract to the strikingly refined flavors that possess a gorgeous mouthfeel while delivering flat out superb length on the balanced finale. This is very classy juice that should basically age for as long as anyone would reasonably like. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 93-96 BH

Lovely intensity on the nose, rich and dark with blackcurrants and some wonderfully attractive floral aromas. Excellent follow through on the palate, this is direct and precise with a good drive of black fruit flavours into a long finish. Fresh acidity underpins the fruit and there is an appealing undercurrent of minerality that is so refreshing. Liquorice spice marks the finish with a touch of dryness from the acidity. A lovely impactful wine with a flavour that goes on and on. Sophisticated, sculpted and well defined. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 95 DECA riper, richer wine in the vintage, the 2019 Château Bellevue offers up lots of blackberry and currant-like fruits as well as spicy oak, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, polished tannins, shows the purity of the vintage, and just has loads of character. I like this today, but it should evolve positively over the coming 4-5 years and hold at a plateau for 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDSweet berries and flowers, such as violets and lavender. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins and a long, caressing finish. Really polished. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Bellevue is super-distinctive. It offers a striking combination of rich, deep fruit mixed with the intense mineral notes that are such a signature of this cool micro-climate. That makes for a fascinating Saint-Émilion full of intrigue. Red cherry, sage, chalk, dried flowers and white pepper punctuate this decidedly bright, chiseled Saint-Émilion.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGUnfurling in the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, sweet spices, loamy soil and creamy new oak, the 2019 Bellevue is medium to full-bodied, lively and tensile, with a bright spine of acidity and long, mineral finish. It will likely flesh out with a bit of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

Gorgeous aromas of currants, crushed stones, blackberries and flowers. Full-bodied with refined tannins that are long and very polished. Creamy texture. It goes on for minutes. Lovely energy and sophistication to this. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSDark nose, quite serious and seductive. This draws you in from the first smell with lovely florality and delicacy. On the palate it’s deep and the power is on show no doubt, there’s concentration but also such aromatics and purity of fruit with tannins that are gentle and svelte. Lifted the whole way through, good acidity and a subtle creaminess at the end. A well framed, pretty and powerful style. Great winemaking with precision. (Drink between 2027-2045)Decanter | 95 DECComing in close to equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with just a splash of Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Château Beychevelle shows a classic Saint-Julien purity and finesse-driven style as well as notes of red and blue fruits, sappy flowers, tobacco, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its overall balance and purity of fruit, it has silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This wine always has upfront appeal, but the 2019 will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have 30 years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JD94–96. Barrel Sample. Dense and concentrated, this wine is layered in dark tannins, rich chocolate and black fruits. The estate is producing richer wines than in the past without sacrificing the Saint-Julien style. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Beychevelle presents a perfumed nose of blackberry, wilted rose petals, incense and a touch of violet that ebbs with aeration. Elegant, poised and focused, this is a succinct and quite complex Saint-Julien. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and wonderful depth, still retaining the discreet marine influence but showing a little more depth and rondeur on the persistent finish. This is a delicious Beychevelle. 13.7° alcoholVinous Media | 94 VMAromas of raspberries, currants, pencil shavings and sweet spices introduce the 2019 Beychevelle, a medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping wine that’s fleshy and seamless, with a generous core of fruit, ripe tannins and succulent acids, concluding with an expansive finish. This is an open-knit, demonstrative Saint-Julien that will offer a broad drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDark, with plum, açaí and blackberry compote notes, this is juicy and expressive. Features racy wood spice, graphite and apple wood notes, which give this a structured feel through the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it’s just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Gloria personifies classic Saint-Julien, offering blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and tobacco scents, maybe a little conservative in style, but unashamed about that. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. Fresh and saline, this gets the saliva going with a precise, persistent finish and leaves hints of graphite on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 94 VMRock-solid, with a mouthwatering roasted apple wood and mesquite frame around a well-layered core of black currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The finish features dots of tobacco and tar that add range, but the real driver is a long bolt of iron, which gives this a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSuch a deep, concentrated nose, full of ripe blackcurrants and black cherries. Great intensity and concentration on the palate, some dark spicy notes, liquorice, black pepper and cinnamon around the edges alongside layers of juicy and succulent ripe fruit. A full, bold wine no doubt, real power here but stylish and energetic. If you like the gourmet style, this one is great. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 94 DECSweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2019 Château Nenin is truly fantastic, and my money is on it being the finest vintage to date for this estate. Based on 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc brought up in just 45% new French oak, it offers a pure, medium-bodied, ethereal style carrying gorgeous red and black fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, and chocolate aromas and flavors. It’s not a blockbuster and is all about purity, finesse, and elegance, yet it still brings beautiful richness and length. This gorgeous, seamless 2019 will drink well for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDPerfumed nose of crushed stones, blackberries and violets. Medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins and fresh, minerally undertones. So long, showing bitter chocolate that turns to hazelnut and cocoa bean. Tight and precise at the end. 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe layers of fruit come through strongly on the nose. Plum and raspberry richness wrapped up with raspberry leaf and sage, this just gently tiptoes through the palate. Extraction is careful and delicate and yet there is a lot of power. This is always a Left Bank style of Pomerol giving a restrained savoury feel with freshness and classicism. Opens slowly in the glass and needs time over ageing. In the cellar, they cut the extraction time down by half compared to 2018, because the skins were so thick. 40% new oak. (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2019 Nénin has turned out very well. A burst of red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, sweet spice and floral accents gives Nénin its effusive, charming personality. Best of all, the 2019 will be easy to drink pretty much upon release. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA Merlot-dominant blend complemented by 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Nenin offers up notes of sweet berries and plums framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it’s rich and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit and supple structuring tannins. Four hectares on gravel soils adjacent to Trotanoy lend structure, but the 2019 is so polished out of the gates that it might be easy to miss it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP91–93. Barrel Sample. This Pomerol estate, owned by Domaines Delon, has produced a structured, dense wine, dominated by 70% Merlot. Rich tannins and black currant fruits are knit together by the wood aging that shows in the spiciness. The wine’s core of tannins is sure to give it aging potential. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDelivers warm plum sauce and blackberry reduction flavors that cruise through, with a velvety structure and a finish marked by licorice root and anise accents. A solid, forthright Pomerol. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. — JMWine Spectator | 91 WS

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 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 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

This is a full-bodied and very rich Pomerol with loads of ripe-berry and chocolate character. Rich, velvety tannins and a long, muscular finish. Old style that makes me think of Pomerols from the 1950s. Look out for it. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Montviel is a charming, easygoing Pomerol to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. Supple, silky tannins wrap around a core of plush dark red fruit, with hints of cedar, tobacco, mint and leather that add nuance. This is nicely done.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGShows the ripe and warm feel of the vintage, with cassis, plum puree and blackberry compote notes, carried by a refined and silky structure and laced with subtle anise and black tea on the finish. Nicely done. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 2,083 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2019 Château Montviel is beautiful, with a pure, precise, incredibly elegant style as well as medium-bodied aromas and flavors of black and blue fruits, damp earth, and spring flowers. It shows the seamless, balanced style of the vintage in Pomerol nicely and will keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDSporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 Montviel gives up notions of stewed plums, baked cherries and mulberries with hints of unsmoked cigars, scorched earth and tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a firm, chewy texture with just enough acidity to support the ripe, muscular fruit, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90+ RP

The 2019 Poesia is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from Hélène and Patrice Lévêque. Rich and sumptuous, Poesia marries intensity with vibrancy in grand style. Poesia is a big, explosive Saint-Émilion, but it also possesses tremendous energy. Dark fruit, gravel, incense, spice and saddle leather open with a bit of coaxing. There is an exotic quality to Poesia in 2019 that is especially alluring. Brilliant.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDried flowers, mimosa, blackcurrants, peppercorns and burnt orange on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly wound tannins and crisp acidity. Zesty, mineral character on the tight finish. Lightly smoky at the end. Try in 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Poesia is a little closed to begin, soon opening out to reveal wonderfully pure notes of crushed red and black plums, fresh blackberries and warm cherries with nuances of allspice, aniseed, potpourri and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound, featuring loads of mineral sparks and a wicked backbone of freshness, with very fine-grained tannins to support, finishing long and vibrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94+ RPThe 2019 Château Poesia is a charming, up-front, straight-up sexy Saint-Emilion that brings lots of fruit yet always stays balanced and seamless. Bright red and blue berry fruits, spring flowers, tobacco, and some chalky minerality all define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a supple, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This purity of fruit is spot on, and this is another terrific vintage for this château. It already offers pleasure yet will benefit from short-term cellaring and unquestionably evolve for 20-25 years if stored properly.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDEstate owned by Barde-Haut family in a cooler later ripening spot of St Emilion, this has plentiful peppered spice notes and clear austerity. Dark fruits that feel well controlled by the tannins, with lashings of liquorice, smoked earth and black chocolate. Serious, enjoyable.Drinking Window 2025 - 2040Decanter | 92 DEC