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The 2016 Fombrauge has come together beautifully during its aging and is now a much more refined wine than it was from barrel. Sweet red berry fruit, mocha, espresso, mint and floral notes all grace this exquisite, mid-weight Saint-Émilion. The 2016 is simply impeccable, not to mention incredibly delicious. There is not much more to it than that. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThere’s a very rich and powerful core of red-plum and mulberry aromas and flavors here, delivering an assertive and very shimmery, polished palate. Great tannin texture. Long and regal. Every bit as good as the 2015, but more lively in 2016. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThis is a perfumed wine, likely thanks to a dollop (7%) of Cabernet Franc. It has ripe fruit characters, pleasant richness and a firm structure.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEMedium garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Fombrauge sings of lively kirsch, baked black cherries and warm plums notes plus touches of potpourri, cigar box and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with decadent red and black fruit preserves, structured by velvety tannins and finishing with fantastic length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBig and broad in feel, with a cocoa lacing from start to finish that weaves around dark fig and blackberry preserve flavors. Roasted apple wood and tobacco notes score the finish, leaving a touch of woodsy grip echoing. Best from 2022 through 2032. 24,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSLeafy herbs, black fruits, and damp earth notes all emerge from the 2016 Château Fombrauge, which is 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec aged 18 months in 45% new oak. Falling under the Bernard Magrez umbrella, it’s a totally charming, forward, medium to full-bodied 2016 that has notable complexity, good (not great) mid-palate depth, no hard edges, and loads of character. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThere is a lot of energy to engage with on this powerfully built Grand Cru Classé from Bernard Magrez. Ripe blackberry and black cherry kick things off with warm baking spice and tobacco debuting next on this medium-bodied, well-structured, full-finish wine. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 91 DEC

The blueberry and blackberry aromas are certainly attractive here. Full-bodied and dense with a very velvety texture and a long, generous finish of ripe fruit and spice. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Lilian Ladouys is opulent and vivacious on a nose of red currant and raspberry fruit, well integrated oak and lovely rose petal aromas. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins, well-judged acidity, good body and a grippy but detailed finish with veins of blue fruit. This is a joy to drink, but it needs a couple of years. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMA perennial overachiever, the 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys brings the goods in 2016 and has a complex, medium to full-bodied, character-filled style to go with loads of blue fruits, incense, dried herbs, and a hint of violets. A blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot all raised in 30% new barrels, this charming, front end-loaded effort is well worth seeking out. It should keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDMade by the same team as at Château Pedesclaux, this Cru Bourgeois was promoted to Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 2020, reflecting all the improvements at the property. The 2016 and the 2018 are on par for quality, but the blend for 2016 emphasises Merlot (62%), along with 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, while 2018 is Cabernet dominant. The 2016 was harvested from Oct 3 to 17, and the wine spent 15 months in barrels, 30% new. It’s generous and even opulent, with expansive aromas of cassis, sensuous red fruit tones to the flavour, silky textures, and really a lush, lifted finish. The character shifts slightly with the 2018, after the Lorenzetti family incorporated vineyards from two neighbouring estates with similar gravelly soils. Drinking Window 2022 - 2037.Decanter | 92 DECNow under the same ownership as vastly improved Château Pedesclaux in Pauillac, this estate is also on the upward quality curve. This wine has the structure and tannins of a classic Saint-Estèphe as well as juicy, rich black fruits. With aging potential, the wine should be ready to drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2016 Lilian Ladouys is a blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot aged in 30% new French oak for 15 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of baked plums, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with bay leaves, pencil lead and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant and packed with vibrant flavor layers, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPVery lively, featuring a fun mix of cassis, plum paste and cherry preserve flavors, framed with floral and mineral notes. The light-handed toast lets the fruit shine through the finish, with persistent chalky minerality. Best from 2021 through 2031. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

I love the deep and complex nose, in which the cassis and mint of cabernet sauvignon are beautifully married to the more generous blackberry of ripe merlot and the vanilla and toasty notes from the oak are marvelously integrated. On the palate it creeps up on you slowly; the first impression is ripe yet delicate, then the fine-grained tannins charge through and light up the sky. Very long finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Bonnie family’s estate has produced a richly structured wine, full of the ripe tannins indicative of the vintage. To balance the structure, powerful flavors of black currant and dark berries give ripeness. It is a wine to age; drink after 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Malartic-Lagravière has a wonderful bouquet of perfumed, mainly red fruit laced with potpourri, black olive tapenade and light brine-like aromas - a bouquet full of personality. The fresh, harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and just the right amount of salinity toward the loam-tinged finish. Bon vin from the Bonnies.Vinous Media | 95 VMAs to the red, the grand vin is the 2016 Château Malartic-Lagravière (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot). Aged in 80% new barrels and hitting 13.5% natural alcohol, it offers a deep purple color with beautiful cassis, tobacco, crushed rocks, and subtle incense aromas and flavors. Balanced, medium to full-bodied, and straight-up seamless on the palate, it’s another brilliant Graves that offers ample pleasure today yet will keep for 20+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2016 Malartic Lagraviere is blended of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with wild blueberries and black cherries with cassis, bay leaves and dark chocolate nuances plus a hint of charcoal. Medium-bodied with a lively backbone and solid frame of ripe, rounded tannins, it finishes with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRipe and fresh, with bright cherry, plum and currant pâte de fruit flavors that have a racy edge while roasted apple wood, sweet tobacco and red licorice notes fill in through the lengthy finish. Thoroughly delicious, and approachable now or capable of some cellaring. Drink now through 2030. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Malartic-Lagravière, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Aromatic nose of violets, as well as vanilla and blue fruits, and hints of cocoa nibs and roasted coffee. Finely-textured, harmonious with purity of fruit and a vibrant acidity. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 92 DEC

Very attractive, ripe dark berries with a meaty edge that delivers a very compelling wine from the outset. Quite plush and elegant tannins with a smooth, juicy and attractive finish that holds long and is saturated in flavor. Seamless build. Really stunning. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Lascombes features beautiful candied violets, Black Forest cake, cassis and menthol with hints of underbrush, cloves, pencil lead and tar. Medium-bodied with good intensity and firm, grainy tannins, it finishes long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 Château Lascombes is another brilliant Margaux, and I was blown away by this wine on two separate occasions. Sporting a deep purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of cassis, smoked earth, charcoal, and tobacco, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, has obvious minerality, a big palate presence, and a terrific sense of elegance and purity. It’s a beautiful wine, and while I’d happily enjoy bottles today, it’s going to keep for 25-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDIn many cases these Margaux are showing better than they did at en primeur, the ageing process helping to fatten them up. Here, full-on aromatics spiral out of the glass, an appealingly seductive nose. The palate is austere, yes, but the tannins are tight and present rather than raw, building up in the mouth. There’s a clear precision to the fruit, very carefully delineated and with good persistency, leading to a finish of cold ash, tobacco and pencil-lead. It’s a wine to think about, to hold on to, to enjoy, and this gives full rein to the classy image of Margaux as the centre of delicacy and precision in the Médoc. Michel Rolland consults. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 94 DEC The 2016 Lascombes is grown into a gorgeous wine. Blackberry jam, chocolate, new leather, espresso and copious new oak all flesh out in this ample, resonant wine. As always Lascombes is done in a style that brings out the more lush, flamboyant side of Margaux. In this vintage, all the elements meld together effortlessly, something that isn’t always the case.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGWhile there are serious layers of wood in this young wine, it scores with its rich black-currant fruits and fine ripe tannins. It has structure and concentration, a wine that has great potential. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis is dark and lush in feel, with alluring steeped plum and blackberry fruit carried by velvety tannins, picking up lilac, incense, black tea and alder notes along the way. Fresh acidity runs throughout, keeping everything detailed and focused. Best from 2022 through 2035. 31,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Dense and chewy with very firm and silky tannins. Full-bodied and powerful. Better than the 2015.James Suckling | 93-94 JSSituated in one of the northern sectors of Margaux, this estate was created in the 13th century. This sumptuous wine has enormous power that is mitigated by the taut, mineral texture and black-currant flavors. It is a finely wrought wine that will take time to age. Drink from 2024. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEHere we are stepping up a gear for this estate, with careful but not shy fruit extraction, some real intensity to the silky raspberry and bilberry flavours, and tannins that cradle without overpowering the fruit. Brilliant value for money in a wine where you get a hint of the floral silkiness of Margaux. Owned by CA Grands Crus, the same group that owns Grand Puy Ducasse, Tour de Mons is benefitting from recent investments together with the sure touch of technical director Anne le Naour. 56% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot, (Drink between 2023-2035)Decanter | 91 DEC

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

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

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

A dense and layered red with ripe plums and blueberries, as well as hints of wet earth and moss. Full-bodied, velvety and layered with fantastic fruit and creamy, velvety tannins. Plush and deep. Great wine. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSMade of 100% Merlot on clay and limestone soils, the 2016 Bellevue is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and charges out of the glass with enthusiastic notions of crushed red and black plums, kirsch, ripe blackberries and rose petals plus touches of yeast extract, black olives, aniseed and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness lifting the densely packed, multilayered fruit to a good, long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPMade from 100% Merlot and cooler limestone and clay soils, the 2016 Château Bellevue shows a beautiful minerality and freshness in its black raspberry, crushed rocks, graphite, and dried flower aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied, focused, and precise on the palate, with fine yet certainly present tannins. Give this beauty 3-5 years and it will cruise for two decades. (Drink between 2022-2042)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2016 Bellevue is dense and powerful, but also quite reticent following its bottling this past June. Dark and virile, the 2016 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. The intensity and volume the wine showed en primeur are very much in evidence, but also presently enshrouded by a wall of potent tannins. Gravel, smoke, game, leather and tobacco give the 2016 much of its savory character. I loved Bellevue from barrel, but it is far less showy from bottle.Antonio Galloni | 93+ AGLush and inviting, with warm cassis and plum sauce flavors that glide through, laced with anise and rooibos tea hints while sweet toast and wood spice notes stays nicely buried through the finish. A delicious, fruit-driven example. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere is a lovely creamy texture to this wine, joined by attractive spice notes. It’s ripe but not overly so, showing good persistency and juicy fruit that fills out the tannins. Organically farmed. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 93 DECThis wine offers intensity and concentration. If it is one-dimensional it also has layers of acidity, tannins and juicy freshness that are immediately delectable. Drink this wine from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

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

This is very reserved and tight with super fine tannins that are forceful and beautiful. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. The tannins are forceful yet polished and thoughtful. Second wine of Château Angélus. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Le Carillon d’Angélus is blended of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, aged 16 months in 50% new French oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it strides confidently out of the glass with pure, polished black cherries, fresh blackberries and black raspberry scents with nuances of unsmoked cigars, hoisin, black truffles and wet stones plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great elegance and sophistication, with the lively red and black fruit flavors adeptly structured with soft, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFrom the team at Angélus yet from a separate terroir, the 2016 Carillon d’Angélus comes from 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, all of which spent 14-16 months in 50% new oak. This medium to full-bodied effort has some true Angélus character in its rocking nose of cassis, dried herbs, graphite, spice box, and chocolate-laced aromas and flavors. This gives way to a seamless, balanced, impressively textured wine that’s already drinking nicely yet promises to evolve for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis comes from selected parcels that are not seen as part of the main Angélus vineyards. The wine is rich and stylish, with layers of black fruits and generous tannins. Freshness in the midst of all this richness gives a bright character. Drink the wine from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Carillon d’Angelus is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet in color, it bursts from the glass with notes of baked black plums, boysenberry preserves, and chocolate-covered cherries, leading to wafts of tar, tilled soil, black truffles, and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate is taut, muscular and chewy with loads of earthy layers on the long finish. It can be approached now but can cellar with confidence for 10-12 years+.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2016 Le Carillon d’Angélus is absolutely gorgeous. In 2016, Carillon is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc bringing considerable aromatic intensity and brightness to the wine. Deep, sensual and beautifully layered, the 2016 is a fabulous wine from Angélus. The new oak is a bit too much for a wine with this kind of mid-weight structure, but that is a relatively small critique for a wine that offers so much pleasure. Moreover, it will drink well upon release.Vinous Media | 92 VMSecond label. Inviting aromas of ripe black fruit, floral, raspberry leaf and wet stone. Red fruits dominate the palate with a soft, juicy and chewy sensation. Concentrated but lifted. Retains a sense of direction and finesse.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

The 2016 Sammarco is a dense, flamboyant wine. Inky red fruit, spice, cedar, tobacco, menthol and licorice are some of the notes that build in a statuesque Sammarco that dazzles from start to finish. A wine of stunning textural richness and intensity, Sammarco is translucent, sculpted and full of character. All the elements are so well balanced. Rose petal, cedar, tobacco and mint linger on the eternal finish. The 2016 is a magical wine that can be, surprisingly, enjoyed now or cellared for a number of years. Time in the glass just brings out its energy and vertical drive. Sammarco is quite possibly the single greatest value in high-end Italian wine. Don’t miss it. Antonio Galloni | 98 AGA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, this opens with earthy aromas of truffle, leather, game, cassis and blue flower. Delicious and bursting with personality, the full-bodied palate doles out ripe black plum, fleshy black cherry, crushed black olive and licorice. Velvety, fine-grained tannins provide support. Drink 2023–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, the Castello dei Rampolla 2016 Sammarco was held back for an extra year of aging before its commercial release. In fact, I already reviewed the 2017 vintage last year because that wine is many times more accessible and immediate than this one. The issue at hand are the tannins, which remain very tight and grippy in this bottle. That extra year in bottle has helped them to integrate, but this wine still has a very long way to go. Keep that in mind if you collect Sammarco. Despite that slight astringency, this is a wine of courage and vision. It shows expertly measured fruit weight and lots of lively intensity on the bouquet.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPPlenty of currant and blackberry with some coffee and toasted oak on the nose. It’s full-bodied with a dense palate and round, polished tannins that fold nicely into this young wine. It’s very drinkable, even though it’s structured and so serious. Cool in the end, Cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and merlot. Unfiltered. This will age beautifully. Drink after 2023, but a beauty already.James Suckling | 96 JS

This is well-packed, offering the vivid plum, boysenberry, cassis and açaí berry fruit profile of the vintage, along with a dark edge of tar, baker’s chocolate and salted licorice that courses underneath. The long finish lets the fruit play out, keeping singed alder and chai spice hints in the background. Smolderingly seductive. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2035 through 2060. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood vats. It comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. This was bottled in May 2019, about a month before tasting, but I made sure at least some of it had a lot of air. Aromatic, wonderfully fragrant and laced with eucalyptus, this then shows typical Noval focus and power. A couple of hours in a glass simply increased the power. More intense than the very fine 2016, it grips the palate and shows rather significant astringency. As wonderfully aromatic as this is, there the 2016 might have the edge.Too closed and muscular once past the aromatics, this rather dry Port needs some time. It is harder to read than the 2016 was, but this should overtake it in time. Have some patience with this one.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2017 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port was picked from August 21 to September 28 under perfect conditions. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires a lot of aeration. Eventually it reveals fabulous, detailed aromas of cassis, bilberry jam, crushed stone and pressed violets, later hints of orange blossom and quince. The palate is pure class. Saturated tannins, wonderful structure but the headline is the intensity of fruit. I cannot remember a Noval with this penetration, almost overwhelming the senses as layers of effervescent black plum and cassis fruit segue into a spicy finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. Is this the best Quinta do Noval ever?Vinous Media | 97 VMThe straight 2017 Vintage Port is stunning stuff. It packs serious power and richness while staying beautifully polished and, dare I say, elegant. Notes of crème de cassis and liquid blackberries define the attack, but it offers an incredibly layered, nuanced, complex style in its notes of herbes de Provence, violets, spicy wood, licorice, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. While it’s no doubt a full-bodied Port, it stands out just as much for its incredible polish, balance, and purity. This a brilliant effort is more approachable than the Nacional bottling yet is nevertheless going to evolve for 50-60 years or more on its flawless balance.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBig grip in this wine with dark blackberries, blueberries and floral notes. Fine tannins. Ripe but sweet and pretty. Shows a lovely finish. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSNoval spills over into two valleys from Pinhão to Roncão which contribute two very different terroirs to the blend, though both predominantly south-facing. It displays heady Douro aromas of open, ripe, plummy fruit with a touch of dust and eucalypt, wild and aromatic. The palate is dense, smooth and seductive on the palate with firm, schistous tannins rising on to a fresh, linear finish. Beautifully defined and integrated. Just 3,500 cases declared. Drinking Window 2035 - 2060.Decanter | 96 DECThis is a solid wine with dark tannins and a definitely dry character that will allow it to age well. Its power and its density are impressive, with rich black currant flavors backing up the tannins. Drink from 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEJet black, this shows the arid vintage in its desert-rose scents and in the umami savor of tiny dried black currants. There’s black-cherry density inside the concentrated tannins, which need a decade to begin to relax.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S

The 2017 Maya is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Cabernet Franc and was bottled one week before I tasted it. Very deep purple-black in color, it opens with profound earthy notions of truffles, damp soil, crushed rocks and tar over a core of Black Forest cake, black raspberries, blueberry compote and aged meat plus touches of wilted roses and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is solidly structured with firm, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness lifting the multilayered blue and black fruits with a long, perfumed finish. Stunning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe tiny production 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Maya is another thrilling wine. The normal blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in two-thirds new French oak, it offers a full-bodied, concentrated, yet sensationally elegant style as well as fab notes of crème de cassis, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth. It’s a primordial example of this cuvée that has ripe tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Do your best to give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2017 Maya is not only gorgeous, it also appears to have handled the rigors of the growing season more successfully than the others. Ripe red cherry and plum fruit, blood orange, pomegranate, mint and spice all build as this racy, sumptuous wine shows off its considerable allure. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are just magic here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGTiny production from the eastern hills of Oakville. If you love Bordeaux wines it’s such a treat to taste a blend of just Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, something that you rarely see in the Médoc. It works extremely well, with an aromatic kick of raspberry leaf and violet flowers but the key to the body is coffee, bilberry, rosemary, mulberry and cloves. Great acidity set against power and concentration. The savoury edge that makes Cabernet such a delicious food-friendly wine is here, and is extremely elegant and refined but with a punch and undertow. Good stuff, with long ageing potential. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECThe plum and chocolate, as well as hazelnut and dried-flower character is prevalent here. It’s full-bodied, yet very refined with lovely, polished tannins and a long, crisp finish. Balanced and focused. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSSolidly built, with ganache, plum, fig paste, smoldering tobacco and loam notes rolled together, ending with a muscular feel on the dark finish. Reveals a strong tug of terroir. Will need some time to stretch out fully. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035. 800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Wonderful aromas of blueberries, blackberries, mushrooms, pine and blackcurrants. Some violets, too. Full-bodied, yet so refined and polished with wonderful fruit and a linear tannin structure that integrates beautifully into the wine. It’s so balanced and beautiful. Hard not to drink now, but better after 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2017 Proprietary Red brings everything up a solid notch. Dense purple/plum-hued, with gorgeous, Graves-like nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and gravelly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a polished, elegant texture, building yet sweet tannins, and a great finish. Very much in the style of the 2017 vintage with its nicely concentrated, elegant, reserved yet endearing style, it’s going to drink nicely for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Proprietary Red sails out of the glass with open-knit, compelling scents of Black Forest cake, blackberry pie and black currant jelly with suggestions of Indian spices, garrigue, rose oil and sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited and jam-packed with opulent black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, framed by a wicked backbone of freshness and plush, well-managed tannins, finishing with impressive length and perfume.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2017 Sloan is very nicely done. As is typical of the year, Sloan is on the lighter side in 2017, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Black cherry, spice, licorice, lavender and chocolate open with a bit of time in the glass. Soft, succulent and quite gracious, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. I suspect it will always retain some of the nervous tension that is to be expected for a wine made from fruit picked a bit earlier than would have been optimal and with fewer barrel ferments, both choices imposed by the fires that year.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

This is a great Yquem, delivering thrilling purity and intensity. The nose offers intense aromas of fresh and dried apricot and peach pastry, as well as freshly baked creme brulee, candied and fresh orange and kumquat. Some marmalade, too. Smooth, glossy texture with flavors of grilled orange, dried apricot and an exceptionally long finish with a powerful, driving push to the end. A flicker of toasty-oak influence arrives late, but this wine has completely consumed the oak. The 2017 Yquem is a very powerful wine from a very rich and exceptional vintage. The acidity has a big hand in balancing the richness. Pithy finish. The phenolics deliver some great depth. Rain at the beginning of September prompted an extensive infection of noble rot. The harvest lasted from September 26 to October 13. Great quality and one of the best since the legendary 2001. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThere was no frost at d’Yquem in 2017, and botrytis was very regular and even this vintage. The nose opens with very pure notes of freshly sliced oranges, yuzu and lemon barley water with hints of white pepper, fresh ginger and lime cordial. The incredibly rich, unctuous sweetness (148 grams per liter of residual sugar) is beautifully marbled with bright, vivacious citrus fruit and spice flavors, while lifted by well-knit freshness, and it finishes with epic length and great depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe 2017 Yquem is destined to be one of my favourite recent vintages. It has brilliant delineation on the nose with acacia honey, saffron, white flowers and a subtle crushed stone element. So much energy is palpable. The palate is supremely well balanced, surfeit with energy, spicy and feisty and yet paradoxically beautifully controlled and pixelated towards the extended finish. It’s not unlike the brilliant 2014 in style. Tasted at the château. Vinous Media | 97 VMVery flattering and unctuous in feel, with coconut, creamed papaya, toasted hazelnut and warmed peach and tangerine cream flavors gliding along in unison, all framed by warm brioche and piecrust notes on the finish. Remarkably rich, yet poised and pure. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,166 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSStill very youthful with light golden colours, showing flashes of green in the glass. Intensely aromatic with tropical fruit notes, pineapple, roasted apricot, honey and lime zest. Full-bodied and rich on the palate with plenty of botrytis notes showing through. Although unctuous and weighty, this Yquem retains plenty of acidity which freshens the palate and balances the concentrated fruit. Sandrine Garbay noted that 2019 reminded her of 2017, with the 2019 showing a little more opulence. Served with a dish of roasted pollock and smoked mussels, this was a wonderful combination, showing the sweetness and purity of Yquem. Residual Sugar: 148g/L. (Drink between 2024-2050)Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2017 Dom Pérignon is just as stunning as it was last year, if not more so. What a wine! Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers and chalk soar out of the glass. The 2017 is like a slightly more refined version of the 2002, another year in which the Chardonnays were quite opulent. In 2017, Chardonnay accounts for 61% of the blend, very high for Dom Pérignon. Over the last year, the 2017 has gained mid-palate creaminess and has just come together beautifully. Sadly, production is tiny, so much so that the 2017 is expected to be in the market for just a few months before the maison transitions to the 2018.Vinous Media | 98 VMDense and layered with dried apples and pears as well as candied lemons, grilled lemons and lemon meringue. It’s full-bodied, rich, tangy and flavorful. March 2026 release. Tiny production. Smallest ever for Dom Pérignon. A blend of 61% chardonnay and 39% pinot noir. Dosage 4.5 g/L. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSOf the two releases—the 2017 and the 2018—the 2017 Dom Pérignon is the deeper and more structurally endowed wine, unfurling from the glass with a complex bouquet of orange peel, dried apricot and burnt buttered toast, mingling with nuances of dried flowers, toasted hazelnut and cacao bean, all strongly singed with the house’s signature smoky reduction. On the palate, it is full-bodied and concentrated, with a rich core of fruit. Its darker, open-knit profile is animated by a pillowy mousse, vibrant acidity and attractively bitter, structuring phenolics that assert themselves on a long, resonant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPA vivid Champagne, offering a finely detailed mousse, with a toasty overtone to the flavors of crushed white raspberry and white cherry fruit, grapefruit pith, toast point and oyster shell, all defined by chiseled, lemony acidity. A fine example from a challenging vintage. Drink now through 2037.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSmells lovely, really aromatic and shining out of the glass, forward and expressive with clarity and precision on the nose full of red fruit and floral scents. Sleek and crisp, this has energy and lifeforce, I love the shape and straightforwardness but it’s the texture that’s so captivating - slightly firm but dense and chalky tannins give the bounce and cushioning on the palate while the fruit is lean and well defined. So well worked, feels careful, controlled, refined and polished. Sophisticated and just so seamless. Extremely young right now, coiled and tense still, direct from start to finish, it needs to slow down and soften and relax. Lovely pure and perfumed red fruits raspberry and blueberries alongside a slightly sharp, bitter grapefruit edge to the tannins as well as graphite and slate which lingers on the tongue and gives the mighty grip that doesn’t let go. Stylish and enjoyable. 64 PIT, 6.7% press wine. 45.4% production. Harvest 11 September to 4 October. Technical director Hélène Genin. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThis is really minerally with crushed stones and dark berries. Some licorice. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a beautiful, tight and focused finish. Such energy, delivered down a straight line.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThis bold, structured wine is packed with blackberry fruits and ripe tannins. Freshness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon are very present, giving a crisp edge to the solid backbone. This is a wine for aging. Don’t drink before 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and fresh, featuring floral, cassis and plum aromas and flavors allied to a sleek, iron-tinged frame. Racy tension through the finish lets the fruit play out while the minerality blossoms. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up, the 2017 Les Forts De Latour includes more Cabernet Sauvignon and is 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, and a touch of cedar pencil all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and a great finish. While it’s a second wine, I suspect it will evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2017 Les Forts de Latour conveys airiness on the nose, reflecting the relatively lightest vintage in recent years. Graphite and sous-bois infuse black fruit, offering a slightly welcome herbaceous/undergrowth tincture. The palate is very well-balanced and will appeal to those seeking a sleeker, lighter style of Pauillac. Not lean by any account, but this Les Fort de Latour is understated, with appealing black pepper and tobacco notes emerging on the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is dreamy, wafting up with a remarkably fresh bouquet that features roses, violets, shavings of cedar, dusty cherry and sweet smoke. This is elegance personified, with ripe red and black fruits excited by vibrant acidity as confectionary spice emerges. Minerals add a more tactile feel toward the close. Balsam herbs and hints of mocha resonate as the 2017 finishes with a gentle tug of tannin and a slight bitter twang that punctuates the wine perfectly. This child of a warm vintage shows impressive balance and tremendous potential for the future. Bury your bottles deep.Vinous Media | 96 VMEnticing aromas of dried strawberries and raspberries, together with notes of heather-like herbs and dried citrus peel. Full-bodied with beautiful, silky tannins that embrace the fruit and add length. In fact this is very long, releasing more and more cedar and spicy dried peel for you to savor. An excellent 2017 from a top Amarone vineyard site. Enjoyable now and will age for many a year.James Suckling | 94 JSThis single-vineyard Amarone is high in the hills of the Valpantena Valley and opens with aromas of macerated black cherries steeped in anise and clove that then evolve into notes of forest floor and dried herbs. Finesse is driven with a balance between wild plums, savory and oolong tea notes that are guided by the elegant tannins and mouth-watering acidity on the end. A classic wine. Drink Now–2045. 94 points. Cellar Selection.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli is intense, like cracking open an ashen stone to find a bevy of dried black cherries, cinnamon sticks, incense and dried herbs. This is deeply textural with a balanced inner sweetness elevated by vibrant acidity as depths of tart red fruit balance and slowly saturates the palate in primary concentration. The 2017 finishes structured and dramatically long, begging for further cellaring, as a bitter tinge of currants and clove fade. Maybe splitting hairs, but I didn’t believe that Tenuta Sant’Antonio could outdo their 2016 Campo dei Gigli, but over time the 2017 may be up to the task.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThick and rather syrupy dried black fruit faces a wall of black-peppery, toasted oak on the nose, then turning more licoricy on the palate. Any subtler, more complex character is for now waiting in the wings for the youthful fruit and oak to vacate the center-stage. And that may take some time. Nevertheless, it’s attractive to drink even now and will continue to give pleasure for many a year. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThis rich Amarone is all that it is supposed to be and more. The nose is loaded with blackberry and cassis with licorice and savory herbs layered atop the intense fruit aromas. The palate shows off the beauty of the vineyard with deep dark plum notes wrapped around sweet chocolate and baking spices with fine tannins and a long finish.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEFrom the estate’s oldest vineyard, a limestone site with some silt and sand located at 300m above sea level planted 40 years ago. It’s a blend of Corvina and Corvinone (70%), Rondinella (20%), Croatina (5%) and Oseleta (5%), fermented in stainless steel then matured in new 500l casks for 36 months. It has distinct aromas of chocolate wheat and spiced plum crumble. In the mouth, lurking austere black fruits and balsamic freshness with streaks of tangy red fruits and dusty spice are supported by fine, grainy tannins. Bold, sweet and succulent, it demonstrates some limestoney mid-palate tightness that lends desirable finesse to this ample wine.Decanter | 92 DEC

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pym-Rae leaps from the glass with bold notions of black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate with an opulent undercurrent of Indian spices, potpourri, sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, seductive black fruit preserves and an explosion of exotic spice sparks, framed by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Possessing loads more weight and mid-palate density than a lot of 2017s, this second showing is an absolute knock-out. Due to strict selection, only around 1500 cases were made this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2017 Pym-Rae comes from a more challenging vintage that featured a dramatic heat spike on Labor Day weekend and fires during harvest. Nevertheless, the fruit was harvested all pre-fire, and it’s a beautiful wine revealing ample black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the vintage’s more focused, elegant style and has beautiful concentration as well as a great finish. While I suspect it has fewer tannins than the 2016, they’re more present and focused, which is very much in the style of the vintage. This elegant, concentrated, classic Bordeaux-like Mountain Cabernet will evolve nicely for another 25+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

The 2017 Meyney has turned out beautifully. Dark, pliant and generous in feel, the 2017 possesses striking depth and polish to match its mid-weight personality. Dried cherry, mint, dried flowers, licorice, cedar and tobacco infuse the 2017 with lovely layers of aromatic nuance and complexity. All the elements meld together nicely. Just as it was en primeur, the 2017 is relatively understated for Meyney, but that is not a bad thing at all. Meyney appears to be moving in a very positive direction over the last few years, and that is, of course, great to see.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA terrific effort, the 2017 Meyney is a concentrated, nicely structured wine in the vintage that’s going to have a broad drink window. Lots of black cherry, chocolate, cedarwood, and leafy tobacco notes define the bouquet, followed by a medium-bodied red with a solid spine of acidity, supple tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, beautifully done Saint-Estèphe to enjoy over the coming 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDSome quite assertive, ripe dark berries here. The bold, quite rich palate is firm yet fresh with cassis and black-fruit flavors. Lighter, elegant vintage. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSMeyney has had a strong couple of years, and even in this challenging vintage this is a wine that you want to look out for. Attractive baked plum aromatics on the nose, without the concentration of 2016 but with silky, well extracted cassis fruits and attractive spice on the finish. More closed down than it was En Primeur, this is going to need a few years from this point to open up. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036.Decanter | 91 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple, the 2017 Meyney opens a little broody, giving way to red cherries, black berries and stewed tea scents with a waft of dried herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock-full of vibrant black fruits with ripe, grainy tannins and a refreshing kick to the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPFresh and direct, featuring a pure core of damson plum and cherry fruit, laced with light floral and red tea notes. Subtle chalky minerality gives the finish cut and length, while a pretty perfume lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2028. 15,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This wine is stacked with tannins and concentrated fruits, with a dense texture. The wine’s future is assured and long term. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is brimming with raspberry and boysenberry compote flavors, while mouthwatering anise and pain d’épices notes fill in the background. Reveals a flash of ganache, a streak of tar and an echo of bramble through the finish, adding range while the gorgeous fruit holds center stage. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2038. 2,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 95 WSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clinet opens slowly to reveal vibrant red and black fruits: red currants, black cherries, plums and cassis with touches of roses, yeast extract, wood smoke and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and a taut, muscular palate of tightly wound fruits and compelling mineral accents, it finishes long with wonderful purity and fragrant earth accents.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2017 Chateau Clinet checks in behind the 2015 and 2016 (and I suspect the 2018), yet it does well in the vintage. Based on 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 72% new barrels (the estate has moved to using more 500-liter barrels), representing 80% of the production, its deep purple hue is followed by classic Clinet dark, chocolatey fruit and tobacco notes. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol that has firm tannins, solid mid-palate density, and outstanding length. The tannins here will need 4-5 years of bottle age, and I’d lean toward drinking bottles over the following decade. (Drink between 2024-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA fresh and fruity Clinet with tangy acidity highlighting the plum and cherry character. Reserved style. Medium body, creamy tannins and a delicious finish. Linear and focused in general. Needs a year or two to calm down. Better after 2022.James Suckling | 93 JS

Ripe and very powerful aromas of black licorice, currants and violets. Full-bodied, dense and flavorful with lots of very new, flashy wood. Sexy and gorgeous. Round and polished tannins. Superb wine for the vintage. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSA blend of 92.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8% Merlot, and 0.1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Latour has a deep garnet-purple color. It sashays out with showy notes of warm cassis, mulberries, and Morello cherries, followed by emerging tertiary hints of unsmoked cigars, rose oil, cardamom, and star anise, with a waft of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled and mineral-laced, featuring loads of exotic sparks and velvety tannins, finishing on a lingering anise note. Beautiful! While it’s in a nice place right now, another 2 to 4 years in bottle should allow for even more of this gorgeous, emerging perfume. It will easily cellar for another 30 years beyond that.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIThe 2017 Latour is just starting to open aromatically. Medium in body, with tannins that have begun to soften, the 2017 is super-expressive and inviting today. It’s a charming, relatively accessible young Latour that is all about finesse and understatement. Bright saline notes and lifted floral top notes convey class.Vinous Media | 96 VMA complex, layered, incredibly impressive Latour, the 2017 Château Latour is based on 92.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8 % Merlot, and a splash of Petite Verdot that spent 16 months in new barrels. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a ripe, round, beautifully balanced mouthfeel, classic notes of sweet red and black fruits, tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone, ultra-fine tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s actually much more accessible than I’d imagined a few years ago, and this beauty clearly offers incredible pleasure today, as well as some classic Latour character. It should continue showing well for another 30+ years if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe just-released 2017 Latour is surprisingly accessible by this estate’s standards, offering up expressive aromas of crème de cassis, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, burning embers and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate that’s fleshy and complete, with lively acids and a long, vanillin-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

An unabashedly flamboyant, exotic wine, the 2018 Beychevelle possesses tremendous richness and raciness right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol and espresso infuse this sumptuous Saint-Julien with striking aromatic and flavor complexity. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its irresistibly sensual personality. Time in the cellar should help the new oak assimilate, but readers should be prepared for a full-throttle, heady wine.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe flagship 2018 Château Beychevelle is a more serious, concentrated, focused wine that still has that classic Saint-Julien purity of fruit as well as a wealth of fruit. Gorgeous notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered blueberries, violets, spring flowers, tobacco leaf, and cedar notes all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannins, moderate acidity, and a great, great finish. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it’s one of the sexiest, most up-front and irresistible wines in the vintage. Don’t let that scare you, though; it’s going to drink beautifully for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAged for around 18 months in barrel, 60% new and 40% second fill, the 2018 Beychevelle needs a fair bit of swirling to release classic notes of cassis, plum preserves and ripe blackberries, with emerging suggestions of unsmoked cigars, tilled soil and cedar chest, plus a waft of pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate is still very tightly wound, offering finely packed black fruit and earthy layers within a frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. This will need a good 5-6 years to come around and then will drink beautifully over the next 20+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPViolet and warm cassis aromas and flavors lead the way, melding with applewood, ganache, açaí and blueberry reduction notes along the way. Almost lush in the end, but there’s a buried tarry streak giving it just a bit of grippy texture for contrast. Serious juice. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2038..Wine Spectator | 95 WSCurrants and blackberries with crushed stone and fresh herbs. Some flower stem, too. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and linear with firm, driven tannins. This needs four or five years of bottle age to open and come together. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSThere is attractive tension in this wine between the dry tannins and opulently ripe black fruits. That sets the wine on a course of long-term aging. Bold, dense fruits are matched by the dry core. The wine will take time. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEGorgeously brushed tannins with a smoked oak nose. This is excellent, firm and bright, layered and nuanced, gently inviting you in, with plenty of promise of life ahead. Has some austerity and although this is not in 2016 territory of 360-degree expansion, it is highly successful. A yield of 55hl/ha, with 50% of production going into the grand vin. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DEC