Type of Wines

wines

This structured but also luscious wine is rich in fruit and tannins. A dense texture gives concentration, boosted by ripe blackberry fruits. The wine is still young and exuberantly full bodied, so wait to drink this second wine of Château Lagrange from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEBrimming with cranberry and morello-cherry aromas but with a healthy dose of dry tannin this is a very fresh wine. Would rate more highly if it had a bit more complexity. Drink or hold. The second wine of Château Lagrange.James Suckling | 91 JSThe 2015 Les Fiefs de Lagrange has a generous bouquet with red cherries, strawberry and light red currant jus aromas. The oak here is nicely integrated, and a little more gregarious in style than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with a powdery texture, a fine bead of acidity, quite sharp and citrus in style with a generous dash of white pepper on the finish. This is turning into a much better second wine than I expected. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate. Some hot stones. Full-bodied, dense and chewy yet polished and juicy. Shows pretty length and density. Very clean and focused. Precise. Better in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThe grapes here come from the same plots as the grand vin, selected on tasting. It has rich and powerful fruits with an inky feel and cedar and graphite touches. It’s an excellent second wine with real ageing potential. I love the confidence and sexiness of these wines. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 93 DECThe 2015 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is another terrific wine from Smith Haut Lafitte. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon speaks with authority. Black cherry, leather, earth, licorice and grilled herbs are all laced together, but it is the wine’s pure power and structure that stand out most. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2015 for at least a few years, as it is far from an easygoing second wine.Antonio Galloni | 92+ AGComposed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot coming from the younger vines of Smith Haut Lafitte, the 2015 Le Petit Haut Lafitte sports a medium garnet-purple color and an alluring crushed red currants, black cherries and spice box-laced nose with touches of cloves and lavender. Medium to full-bodied with wonderful generosity and plenty of spice, the open-for-business flavors are well-supported by plush tannins, and it finishes with a peppery lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPJuicy and open in feel, with bramble, cassis and blueberry coulis flavors that drape easily over light tobacco and singed vanilla notes. Pulls together on the finish and shows latent length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2027. 5,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A very refined red with berries, chocolate and walnuts. Full body and a round, juicy texture. Spicy and salty. Delicious already. Needs two or three years to come together. Second wine of Château Montrose.James Suckling | 94 JSDense floral and cassis nose with a minerally graphite base. Very good natural richness of fruit and great purity of expression. A very serious, very exciting second wine. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035Decanter | 92 DEC91–93. Barrel Sample. Very juicy, this is a wine that has spice and open black currant flavors. It is full of fruit, backed by a small edge of tannin that gives the wine a really fresh fruitiness. The wine will develop quickly.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a classic wine from this fabulous estate. Notes of graphite, damp earth, tobacco leaf, and that classic cassis fruit of Saint-Estèphe gives way to a medium to full-bodied, seamless, elegant 2015 that’s already drinking beautifully. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a super-appealing second wine. Fresh and light on its feet for a wine from this property, La Dame is all about silkiness, precision and aromatic presence. Red cherry fruit, white pepper, spice and mint add to the wine’s sensual, open-knit personality. The 2015 is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, and spent 12 months in French oak, 30% new.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

This showcases just how well the Margaux (or Margaux-adjacent) area did in 2015. The finessed quality of the tannins stands out as a signature of the estate throughout the entire vertical, and is on display again here. As the wine opens there is a slow and unhurried peeling back of layers, with an unrolling of menthol and cassis-laced Cabernet aromatics (there is a full 70% in the blend this year, and it works extremely well). Excellent balance and grip with touches of violet aromatics. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECJust a hint currant bushl on the nose. This is loaded with healthy tannins on the palate that drive the long finish. Quite an uncompromising young wine that will be better from 2020, but the fundamental harmony is very convincing. Full and flavorful.James Suckling | 93 JSManaged by Caroline Frey (of Paul Jaboulet Aîné in the Rhône Valley), the 2015 Château La Lagune is an impressive, elegant, concentrated Haut Médoc that’s going to be even better with short-term cellaring. Cassis, toasty oak, Asian spices, and black tea notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, layered and lengthy Haut-Médoc. Count me in as a fan and it’s up with the top wines produced from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 La Lagune is terrific. Powerful and dense on the palate, with big, potent tannins, it will need at least a few years to fully come together. Hints of tobacco, cedar, licorice and smoke add shades of aromatic nuance. This is a fabulous effort. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

A rich, exotic wine, the 2015 Cantenac Brown is simply stunning. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and leather all flesh out in this ample, voluptuous Margaux. A rush of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, violet, lavender and sweet French oak builds as this plush, explosive wine shows off its bold personality. The 2015 is quite concentrated and extracted in style, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. I would give the 2015 at least a few years to assimilate some of its new oak.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGPlump fruit, rich raspberry puree and cassis flavours, layered through with chocolate and grilled cedar. This was the same score as I gave it when tasting in barrel in October 2017. Things have closed down a little since then, as this is heading into its dumb phase, but it’s clearly extremely well structured and all the elements are in place for a long future. So wait to open, but this is a complex, nuanced Cantenac. 51% of production in the 1st wine, 60% new oak. Harvest September 17 to October 8. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful dusty tannins permeate this ripe wine. It has a smooth and rich texture, with bright blackberry flavors and a refreshing, vibrant close.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis brims with voluble plum cake, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors, embedded with brambly structure while keeping a polished feel overall. Alluring black tea, roasted alder and licorice details line the finish. You’ll want to jump on this one. Best from 2022 through 2035. 9,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSReaders who need more proof that Margaux was the place to be in 2015 just need to taste the 2015 Château Cantenac Brown. Based on roughly 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot it offers an extraordinary nose of crème de cassis, caramelized cherries, flowers, and spices. This medium to full-bodied effort has plenty of tannins, as well as toasty oak, yet is perfectly balanced and has a great mix of both freshness and richness. It’s a tour de force that will be drinkable in 4-5 years and last for 25-30 years!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe blueberries, blackberries and fresh violets come through nicely on the nose. Full body with round, juicy tannins. Hints of vanilla. Lots of ripe fruit. A little tight now. Try after 2022. Reviewed in Hong Kong Chinese Wine Tasting July 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Cantenac Brown is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of cherry cola, cassis and warm plums with touches of spice box and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate sports a lot of oak, with very firm and chewy tannins and a woody finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSComposed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it’s drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2015 Les Forts de Latour is silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced from the very first taste. Crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange lend striking aromatic nuance. Ample and resonant in feel, yet with mid-weight structure, the 2015 is a total pleasure to taste today. All of the natural radiance of the warm year comes through in the wine’s generous, inviting personality. Drink it over the next 15 years or so.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it’s slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOn the nose you get a full array of floral aromatics, and a gorgeous exuberance. The gourmet edge that is never far away from the surface in the 2015 vintage is very much in play, along with touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness even at six years old. A smoked caramel note comes in on the end, as does a hit of mouthwatering salinity. It’s not as intense as Forts in vintages like 2010 or 2016 but it has an ease to it that is hugely appealing, and can be drunk from now and for at least another 15 years. 0.5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend (the last vintage to contain even a slice of this grape, as it has now been pulled up). 40% of overall production. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThere is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity after taste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery pure and focused, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors showing lovely freshness, while light graphite, singed black tea leaf and violet hints check in through the silky finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Ripe and spicy, this is a smoothly textured wine. Its wood aging and creamy texture are rich, opulent and generous. With tangy acidity in the background, this dense wine is already impressive. Drink from 2022. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEWith a smudge of soft oak on the nose, this is big and ripe in its expression, a beautiful wine that has the balance and polish of a classic Pessac. It’s austere and needs time to open, but shows how Pessac has come of age in 2015 - an appellation where you are picking some of the best qualities of both left and right banks; luscious and generous but still with elegance. This for me has really dug in during ageing and has put on layers. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECBlackberry and plums sit amid violets, earthy notes and gentle, hazelnut oak. The palate delivers attractively smooth, supple tannins that carry long flavors of fresh dark cherries. Try from 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSA fresh bay leaf note streaks ahead of the core of raspberry and red currant coulis flavors, with sleek sanguine and iron details keeping pace. The long, cedar-tinged finish has good tension and energy. Best from 2020 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 De Fieuzal is scented of lovely ripe plums and crushed red currants with touches of forest floor and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, firm and grainy with great freshness cutting through the earthy layers, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Sometimes seen as the junior of the two properties owned by the Barton family in Saint-Julien, this is an impressive estate in its own right, especially in this superripe, smoothly rich wine. Tannins are well wrapped in the generous structure and fruits. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA wine that overdelivers in the appellation is the 2015 Château Langoa Barton which is largely Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes 38% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Brought up in 60% new oak, it boasts a deep purple color and smokin’ good notes of caramelized cherries, crème de cassis, toasty oak, and graphite. Big, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, with awesome purity of fruit as well as notable elegance, it needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two to three decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLayered and juicy 2015 with currants, light chocolate and cedar character. It’s full-bodied, round-textured and very pretty. Extremely long and flavorful. So friendly and bright. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSWhat a nice surprise the 2015 Langoa-Barton is. Racy, silky and forward, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Succulent red cherry and pomegranate fruit are nicely lifted by floral and spice notes that add aromatic intensity and layers of flavor. Silky tannins add to the wine’s considerable immediacy and sheer appeal.Antonio Galloni | 93 VMA fresh and vibrant style, with streaks of pastis-soaked plum and boysenberry fruit coursing through, carried by graphite and licorice snap notes and ending with a vigorous, juicy finish. Approachable a bit earlier than the main pack, but there’s no rush either. Best from 2019 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDeep rich ruby in colour, this has a soft expression on the nose, layering redcurrant jelly and smoked oak. It has an enjoyably frank expression, a little less austere than some from St-Julien in this vintage, without sacrificing ageing ability. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Langoa Barton is scented of cedar and Marmite toast with black fruit and fertile earth notes. The medium-bodied palate is oaky with a good fruit core, fine-grained tannins and nice freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Suave, brambly mixed summer berry fruits take center stage on the nose with a very nicely layered palate carrying fresh bright berry flavors into an upbeat finish. Smart wine. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JS(Château Poujeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Red) Sixth overall in the Bordeaux blends category. Now owned by the Cuvelier family and crafted under the guiding hand of consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, this Cru Bourgeois has consistently offered up excellent value for money in recent vintages. Initially restrained and shy on the nose, it needs coaxing to reveal intriguing coffee, fresh earth and briary fruit scents. Ample tannins are youthful and vigorous but equally sophisticated and suave. This promises a solid decade or more in the cellar. (Drink between 2021-2033)Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Poujeaux is gorgeous and open-knit, with lovely fruit presence, soft contours and tons of near to medium-term appeal. Silky tannins add to the wine’s inviting personality. The sweet red cherry and plum flavors have an extra dimension of richness and deepness in 2015 that is unusual, but that also adds to the wine’s undeniable allure. This is a gorgeous wine from the Cuvelier family. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

Cedary oak adds spices to pristine plums and dark berries. Terrific clarity and allure. The palate delivers a seamless and fluid build of smooth tannins, carrying bright cherries, plums and dark chocolate through to a deeply classy finish. Superb. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSNotes of cassis, crushed violets, spice, and distinct minerality emerge from the 2015 Château Petit-Village, and this Merlot dominated blend (there’s 10% Cabernet Franc) is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate. With fine, polished tannin, the freshness and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage, and integrated tannin, it’s a rock-star of a Pomerol to drink anytime over the coming 20+ years. (Drink between 2018-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD93–95. Barrel Sample. There is a fine touch of perfume here along with the generous flavors. Spice, smoky aromas and blackberry fruits are forward in this rounded, opulent wine that shows an extra push in quality from this estate.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA gutsy style, with lightly roasted fig, plum and blackberry fruit flavors matched to brambly, slightly chewy grip. An ample dose of ganache and roasted alder drives the finish. The pieces are there, but this needs time in the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSComposed of 71% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Petit Village reveals a deep garnet-purple color and gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, crème de cassis and preserved plums with touches of cedar chest, black olives, bay leaves and Marmite toast. The decadently rich, medium to full-bodied palate is superbly supported by a firm frame of grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2015 Petit Village has a clean and precise bouquet with blackberry, black truffle, smoke and graphite aromas developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity, tapering in slightly toward the graphite infused finish. Plenty of energy here, but give it three or four years in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VMA concentrated gourmet complexity of blackberry and cherry fruit on smoky toffee brittle and coffee bean spice. Grippy and firm. (Drink between 2023-2037)Decanter | 90 DEC

A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It’s one of the great wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDExpressive, ripe dark plums swathed in aromas of mocha, toasted baking spices, graphite, blackberries and mulberries. The flavor-soaked palate arrives on suave, velvety tannins, delivering flavors of vibrant, concentrated dark plums, mulberries, dark chocolate and cocoa in a youthful, fresh style. Terrific wine with ultra-long finish. An essay in power and elegance. Essence-like. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Troplong Mondot has come together beautifully over the last year and half. Rich and sumptuous to the core, it is a classic wine from this property, built on serious fruit density and textural richness. Dark red cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice are some of the many notes that build as the 2015 shows off its irrepressible personality. A viscerally exciting, resonant wine, it just needs a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGBlended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and full-throttle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIn keeping with the new style from this estate, this is a powerful, opulent wine. Its density, concentration and layers of dark fruits are all of a piece, held together by powerful tannins. Touches of black coffee and spice emphasize the richness of the fruit and the opulent aftertaste. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOffers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMellow aromas of cassis and blackberries infused with vanilla and coconut oak; generous and mouthfilling with a silky viscosity. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC

This dense, rich wine is firm with solid tannins. Its texture and structure give it an opulent character that brings out tannins as much as the ripe black fruits. Powerful and concentrated it needs time to get its potential elegance in order. Then it will be a major wine, so it’s worth waiting until 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEReally lovely bouquet: totally aromatic and full of finesse and restrained power. Great charm and purity of fruit on the palate, showing lovely precision and persistence. This château continues on its progression to the top. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of blackberries, currants, cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied, layered and dense. Great fruit yet tight and structured. A classically proportioned red with so much intensity. A wine for the future. Try it in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2015 Calon-Ségur has a fresh and very well defined bouquet of raspberry, wild strawberry and crushed stone aromas, very focused and beautifully integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, well judged acidity, lightly spiced and quite saline toward the marine-tinged finish that fans out beautifully. There is classiness in this Saint-Estèphe and it should age with grace. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMComposed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Calon-Segur was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 20 months. It has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of warm blackberries, cassis, black cherries and licorice with touches of roses and dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate is firm and chewy with good concentration and a spicy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis has a nearly plush edge, surprising for the vintage, with warmed plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors liberally inlaid with smoldering tobacco, humus and roasted juniper notes. Keeps a fleshy edge through the finish, with a streak of warm paving stone lending an austere hint. Best from 2020 through 2035. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Calon Ségur checks in slightly behind the 2014 and is a more sexy, rounded, forward effort that displays fabulous sweetness in its cassis and black currant fruits, spice, graphite, and floral aromas and flavors. With soft tannins, a lovely, elegant texture, and medium to full body, drink it any time over the coming 2+ decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The brightness and precision already comes through on the nose with floral, blackcurrant character. Full-bodied and very tight and creamy with polished tannins that last for minutes. Warm and intense. Needs four to five years to show all it has, yet already a beauty.James Suckling | 96 JS(Château d’Issan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) Tasted over two days, and although the attack is supple, with fruit and light notes of espresso, the palate is somewhat low key in its expression of red and black fruit with overtones of spice. One notices high toned acidity, and I suspect that the wine has entered a youthful, ’closed-in’ phase. What cannot be denied: fine grained tannin and impressive length on a finish marked by freshness and tonicity. Don’t touch before 2025 at least, however. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 95 DECThis wine has an austere structure, with firm tannins. The fruit comes through slowly, revealing an attractive black-currant flavor and ample acidity. This will be a very fine wine with time; try after 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2016 D’Issan is blended of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot, aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it has vibrant black cherries and blackcurrants notes with chocolate mint, beef drippings, black olives and cigar box. Medium-bodied with a well-sustained, intensely flavored mid-palate, it has a rock-solid, grainy frame and long savory finish. 10,500 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 d’Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMI loved the 2016 Château d’Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDLight pepper and savory hints lead off in this bouncy, juicy version, with bright cassis and bitter cherry fruit forming the core. Shows a light mineral edge on the finish.Wine Spectator | 88-91 WS

A fresh and linear red with crushed stones, menthol and dark berries and plums. Medium body, firm and silky tannins and a linear finish. Second wine of Giscours. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 La Sirène de Giscours is a very pretty second wine from Giscours. Pliant, supple and inviting, the 2016 has so much to offer, including a level of pure immediacy that will make it nearly impossible to resist. Floral overtones and silky tannins add to the wine’s considerable allure. There is so much to like here.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

Blackberry, blueberry and sweet-tobacco aromas. Full-bodied, dense and layered with ripe tannins and a chewy yet polished, tannic finish. A young Bordeaux with plenty of structure and focus. A blend of 71 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 29 per cent merlot. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Dauzac presents an impressive bouquet of intense black cherry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone and wilted violets; the oak here is very well integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and pliant in the mouth. The saline finish fans out with style. Very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Vinous Media | 93 VMOpens to a wall of tannins alongside black spicy fruits, black pepper and fresh acidity. Architectural overall. A trace of heat on the finish detracts from the successful balance but there is plenty to enjoy here. (Drink between 2025-2042)Decanter | 93 DECThis is a frankly ripe and somewhat showy style, with waves of fleshy plum, blackberry and fig preserve flavors rolling along, laced with licorice and singed tobacco notes. Stays refined throughout, despite the showy fruit, with a light mineral edge peeking in on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2032. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis rich wine comes from one of the most southerly estates in Margaux. Although structure is certainly there, it is cushioned by rich black fruits. Juicy acidity at the end offers a fresher view of this ageworthy wine. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA fleshy, front-end loaded, flamboyant Margaux, the 2016 Château Dauzac gives up ample blue and black fruits as well as tons floral nuances. It’s not the most structured wine out there, but it just glides over the palate with a seamless texture, a soft, fleshy mid-palate, and outstanding length. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2016 Dauzac is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot picked at 45 hectoliters per hectare, picked 13 September and over the next 21 days, which is the longest ever at the property according to estate manager Laurent Fortin. The bouquet is tightly wound at first, then gently unfolds to reveal blackberry, briary, pressed flowers and light minty aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin on the entry, quite firm in the mouth at first, but there is plenty of fresh, predominantly black fruit locked into this Margaux. It is taut and linear with a grippy finish. This is a strong follow-up to the 2015, perhaps without the same flair as the previous vintage, but I am certain that it will "loosen its tie" during élevage.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90-92 RP-NM

This is a rich wine, packed with tannins that contrast the fresh acidity and black currant fruit. It’s a solid wine that’s constructed to age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a deep rich ruby colour with powerful dark fruit aromatics. It’s smooth, rich and extremely good quality, with an oak smokiness evident but well integrated. It feels at the very beginning of its life, with everything in place but a little overly tight on the finish, although lovely menthol notes come through. The fruit is optically sorted, and following fermentation is aged in 30% new oak. Michel Rolland consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECFor a Haut-Médoc, this has an impressive depth of blackberry and blueberry character, together with a fine vanilla-oak note that beautifully complements the supple and finely nuanced, medium body. I love the crisp and delicately herbal, dry finish. A blend of 60% merlot, 37% cabernet sauvignon and 3% cabernet franc. Better from 2020.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 La Tour Carnet is fabulous. Rich, dense and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 exudes intensity in every dimension. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice, pomegranate and spice give the 2016 a decidedly exotic character that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 la Tour Carnet has an earthy nose with tobacco and underbrush over a core of warm plums, kirsch and tea. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing, elegant, juicy and soft with a savory finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPJuicy, offering a mix of dark currant and blackberry fruit flavors inlaid with hints of ganache, tobacco and licorice root. A nice grippy feel shows through the fruit while the fruit keeps pace. Drink now through 2029. 50,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WSFrom a terrific estate that always delivers the goods, and usually for a great price, the 2016 Château La Tour Carnet has good ripeness and exhibits ample black and blue fruits, hints of violets and flowers, medium-bodied richness, and outstanding balance. It shows the vintage beautifully and will keep for 10-15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

A warm wine rich in tannins and with succulent berry fruits, this is both powerful and elegant. Its density doesn’t detract from the fruitiness that shines out of the wine and balances with the structured aging potential. Drink the wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2016 La Gaffelière is superb. Vivid and precise, with layers of nuance, the 2016 is a wine of real clarity. Blood orange, lavender, rose petal and mint add brightness to this stunningly beautiful Saint-Émilion. La Gaffelière is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, and it is the Franc that gives the wine so much character and complexity. This is just an irresistibly captivating Saint-Émilion. Stéphane Derenoncourt and Simon Blanchard consult.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis was delicious En Primeur and is even better now with three years under its belt. It’s had time to bed down and is fully set for the long term. Wonderfully rich, intense dark fruits are joined by grip and supple tannins through the palate. It has hints of dark chocolate, and a floral edge from the Cabernet Franc. Be in no rush to open this, because it’s clearly going to deliver over the next few decades. As of this vintage, we are seeing the blend that the estate hopes to maintain (60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc). Drinking Window 2025 - 2044.Decanter | 96 DECThis is really decadent and rich with great aromas of earth, spice, frost flowers and fresh mushrooms that follow through to a full body, firm and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Very, very serious from here. A blend of 70 per cent merlot and 30 per cent cabernet franc. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 La Gaffeliere opens with compelling wild blueberries, freshly crushed plums and kirsch scents plus hints of garrigue, underbrush, rose hip tea and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant with a soft, velvety texture and seamless freshness carrying the multilayered fruit to a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis has a suave, cashmere feel, with waves of blackberry and plum reduction rolling through, infused liberally with dark tobacco and black licorice notes. A black tea accent smolders on the finish, complemented by a faint floral echo. This should age into a charmer. Best from 2022 through 2037. 7,917 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This big, rich wine offers dense tannins as well as sumptuous black fruits. Fruit and acidity come together to create a wine with both richness and juicy black-plum flavors. Drink this powerful wine from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEAlmost more like a Pauillac in its expression of graphite and cassis, along with blackberry. The powerful, yet refined and racy tannins are a good sign for longer term ageing and although one can enjoy this today, it would be better to keep in your cellar for another three to five years for it to become more supple. Long finish. (Drink between 2026-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThere’s fragrant charm here with purple flowers and a swathe of ripe, juicy dark berries. This has a firmish overall feel with sturdy tannins, driving ripe and fresh, red and dark berries long. The oak is very nicely played.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Kirwan has an attractive, well-defined bouquet of blackberry, crushed violet and light crushed stone aromas that gently unfurls in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a lightly spiced, peppery finish. I absolutely love this Margaux, and it should age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Kirwan is scented of red plums, cassis, redcurrants, earth and cigar box. The palate is medium-bodied, lean, chewy and lively with an earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPBright damson plum, bitter cherry and rose petal notes lead the way in this fresh and focused version, with light rooibos tea and mineral accents underlining the silky, elegant finish. Sneaky long too. Best from 2021 through 2031. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 9,167 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WSOne of the more finesse-driven examples of this cuvée that I can remember, the 2016 Château Kirwan offers up a medium ruby color to go with notes of smoke tobacco, gravelly minerality, graphite, and sweet cassis fruit. Medium-bodied, elegant and supple, if not a touch lean, it’s not a blockbuster but has outstanding purity and notable elegance. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Very attractive, plush and rich red and dark-fruit aromas with beautifully integrated oak and youthful, spicy complexity. The palate has lush, seamless and velvety tannins that are elegant yet powerful and deliver a silky build of ripe dark-berry flavors into a long, seamless finish. Greatest Siran ever! Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSNow with more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend than in the past, this wine has elegant black-currant fruits and tannins allied to a lift of acidity. Showing the continued improvements at this southern Margaux estate, the wine is joyful and ripe. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEMore aromatically expressive than some, with succulent red and black fruit. While a touch of heft from the 14% alcohol is discernible, it’s a very pleasing wine to enjoy now – and for another 15 years. Its creamy, almost soft texture, with plum-like roundness from the Merlot, also endears. The wine seems more balanced than its 2009 counterpart, a result of the hard work in recent years to make Château Siran better than ever.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2016 Siran has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and crushed violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, and quite saline in the mouth. The nicely proportioned finish displays very well-integrated oak. This is a gorgeous, sensual Margaux that should offer 20–30 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2016 Siran has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of cassis and chocolate-covered cherries with wafts of black soil, licorice and violets. The medium-bodied palate is lively with grainy tannins and a good fruit core.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe deeply colored 2016 Château Siran is a chewy, rich, powerful effort that needs short-term cellaring to come together. Loads of black fruits, smoked meat, leather, and graphite notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied Margaux that takes some time to unwind, yet it’s going to be better with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15+. It’s a solid, promising effort.Jeb Dunnuck | 90+ JD

Tasted on four separate occasions where this wine rated 97+, 98, 98, and 99, the 2016 Château Léoville-Poyferré is a brilliant bottle of wine and is certainly in the same league as the 2000, 2003, 2009, and 2010. Made from 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak, this brilliantly concentrated, full-bodied, opulent beast of a wine offers a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco leaf, and ample crushed rocks. It’s certainly one of the most flamboyant and opulent wines in the vintage, yet it remains perfectly balanced, with masses of polished tannins, no hard edges, and a fabulous finish. It will be drinkable in 3-4 years yet keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD(Château Léoville Poyferré, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) What a wine - such class from the excellent 2016 vintage. A touch of meatiness to the nose with bacon, green peppers and black pepper. So expansive in the mouth while at the same time seeming a little closed or perhaps on its way to closing down. Soft tannins, fine grained giving real presence but they’re well integrated. Sophisticated and broad shouldered, this has a soft attack but giving such depth on the mid palate. Bold, powerful and well presented. A classic expression of claret and the St-Julien signature characteristics of minerality, graphite, slate, wet stone and juicy blackcurrant and plum. Closer to the style of 2010, still very tannic with the chalky, mineral texture standing out. Lovely definition and concentration all while being so refined. This will age for decades. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Harvest 5-20 October. (Drink between 2027-2048)Decanter | 98 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Léoville Poyferré hits the ground running with intense cassis, violets, dark chocolate, menthol and fragrant earth notions complemented by nuances of cigar box and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with energetic, super intense black fruit and floral layers, beautifully supported with super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness. This liquid is simply alive in the mouth, culminating in an epically long finish that will leave your mouth practically tingling. WOW!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2016 Léoville-Poyferré is fabulous. Rich, ample and dramatic in bearing, the 2016 possesses striking intensity and vertical lift. The tannins certainly need at least a few years in bottle to soften, but there is so much to look forward to. Graphite, menthol, lavender and licorice complement the inky blue/purplish fruit beautifully. The bottled wine has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon and less Merlot than the en primeur sample. I tasted the 2016 three times. It’s least favorable showing was at the château. For readers and proprietors who think wines always taste better on site...they don’t.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGRichly layered, with a core of well-steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors cruising through, flanked by ganache, sweet tobacco and warm tar notes. There’s a plush, toasty coating but the wine’s energy and nearly unbridled fruit will easily soak that up. A last echo of violet is further evidence of a lovely evolution ahead.Wine Spectator | 97 WSWow. The power and depth to this wine is super with a full , fleshy palate. Yet, it’s so tight and integrated with panache and energy. Chewy tannins, yet seamless and melted into the wine. Extremely long and beautiful. Very polished now. This needs at least five to six years to resolve the steely tannins that run through this wine. Take a look from 2024. A blend of 61 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 27 per cent merlot, eight per cent merlot and four per cent cabernet franc.James Suckling | 97 JSRipe, bold fruits mark out this opulent wine. Its rich tannins are typical of the estate and of the vintage. Serious concentration is balanced with good acidity to give a generous wine that also has the structure for aging. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Big cassis fruit with nice, toasty and vanilla oak, draw you into the full and almost silky palate, where the tannins only slightly show their hand right at the end. Second wine of Château Talbot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Beautiful aromas of plums, flowers, truffles, earth, and hot stones. Full-bodied, yet the very fine and polished tannins have fabulous poise and elegance. Plush. Love the finish. One of the best ever from here. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has more concentration than the 2015, less immediately seductive but the layers are evident, and it’s hard to fault the construction. Plush and sexy and full of Pomerol pleasure, but also real depth, power and spice. Lovely wine, with the juicy saline kick on the finish that you want in Beauregard. Love this, but needs time - those tannins are chewy right now. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Beauregard is a little closed on the nose, opening to warm black plums, blackberries and mulberries with touches of chocolate box and dried herbs plus violets hints. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPI loved the 2016 Château Beauregard, which was firing on all cylinders during my visit. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, with good acidity and a meaty nose of black fruits, truffle, bouquet garni, and earth, it’s beautifully balanced and about as classic Pomerol as it gets. Give bottles another handful of years and it will deliver the goods over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDStructured from the start, with a light charcoal edge and a strong graphite spine supporting the core of dark plum, blueberry and açaí berry flavors. Tobacco and alder details are etched on the finish, with the fruit driving through. Slightly taciturn in style, but cellaring should lighten the mood. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,917 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cos Labory opens with cassis, plums and herbs with notions of black soil and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and fresh with fine-grained tannins and nice purity, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2016 Cos Labory is a supple, pretty wine with plenty of near and medium-term appeal. Sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, scorched earth and menthol are all nicely laced together. From bottle, the 2016 is a bit more subdued than it was from barrel, while some slightly rough contours are going to need time in bottle to sort themselves out fully.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGRich and powerful, with good freshness underneath the fruit. The components of the wine are off the charts, extremely knitted down and barely budging. It has amazing silky tannins and just a slight tartness to the fruit on the finish which pulls things up abruptly. Plenty to love here. 57hl/ha yield. Matured in 50% new oak. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 92 DECThis firm wine has the classic structure of Saint-Estèphe. Dry tannins march together with black fruit to create a wine that will take a while to soften and open up. There is potential here for a rich, fruity wine, but wait until 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEPlenty of plum and smoke on this rather broad St.-Estèphe and there’s just enough character and structure to hold it on track. Soft finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JS

Located just to the east of Angélus and bordering Canon, the 2016 Vieux Château Mazerat is 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc brought up in 80% new oak. Huge blackcurrant, smoke, and barbecue notes along with some hints of meat, licorice, and spice all emerge from this rich, full-bodied, fleshy, meaty effort. It displays plenty of underlying minerality, some charcoal, and gravelly minerality, building tannins, and a long finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc aged in 80% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Vieux Chateau Mazerat rocks up with nonchalant, bold, expressive scents of baked black cherries, plum pudding and baked blueberries with touches of molten chocolate, star anise, cardamom, cast iron pan and tapenade plus a waft of balsamic. Full-bodied, rich and seductive in the mouth, the voluptuous fruit is framed by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and laden with exotic spices.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2016 Vieux Château Mazerat has a ripe bouquet of black cherries, blueberry, crème de cassis and vanilla – powerful but in need of more delineation and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and much better grip than, say, Les Astéries. Touches of brine and sea salt lend complexity toward the finish. This is a bold Saint-Émilion at the moment but it should age well over the next 15 to 20 years.Vinous Media | 93 VMDespite only being 35% of the blend, the tight Cabernet Franc fruit dominates at this early stage with real sapidity and freshness. This is a rich wine that tends to plump up further over time, and I like the potential enormously. It has a tension to it and the tannins have a life, breathing through the structure of the black fruits. 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc from clay over limestone soils, fermented in 80% new oak. 3.82pH.Decanter | 93 DECFresh, juicy and focused, with a nice ball of cassis, plum and raspberry fruit that has yet to unwind fully, backed by mouthwatering bramble and tobacco accents. Light juniper and black tea hints flicker through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031. 833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA very intense wine with a rich, ripe dark-plum core, as well as chocolate and very rich, ripe dark peaches. There’s a riper edge to the full-bodied palate with plenty of extract, depth and drive. Some chew at the finish. A little extracted. Needs time. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSA perfumed wine, this combines elegant tannins, acidity and structure. Its spice and mineral texture reflect the Cabernet Franc in the blend as well as the prime terroir. Drink this wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

From the same winemaking team as Château d’Issan in Margaux, this wine has a sophisticated character. Ripe tannins and structure from Cabernet Sauvignon are perfumed with wood aging. The wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA plummy and juicy red with a medium body, medium-round tannins and pleasing redcurrant and cedar undertones. Just opening now. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS