Wine Producing Countries

wines

Lots of pure cassis, spring flowers, spice, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the 2019 Château Grand-Pontet, a medium to full-bodied, elegant 2019 delivering silky tannins and a great finish. Shining more for its elegance and purity than power, with a terrific sense of minerality, it’s going to drink beautifully for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDThe 2019 Grand-Pontet is a very pretty Saint-Émilion. Floral notes, cedar, mint and sweet tobacco give the 2019 lovely aromatic complexity. Medium in body, with gorgeous red berry fruit, the 2019 has a lot to offer. All the elements meld together nicely in this mid-weight, juicy Saint-Émilion that speaks to balance above all else.Antonio Galloni | 91-93 AGDark fruit and rich concentration clear from the first nose, this is certainly trying hard to make an impact. It takes its foot off the pedal just before going over the top, and has a lovely crushed mint leaf finish that is extremely seductive. Impressive, as long as you sit with it for long enough for the minerality and austerity to come through. A yield of 51hl/ha. Owned by the Pourquet-Bécot family, Jean-Philippe Fort consultant. 55% new oak. 5% Malbec completes the blend. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2040Decanter | 92 DECBlackberry, sliced-mushroom and wet-earth character. It’s medium-to full-bodied. Flavorful finish.James Suckling | 91-92 JSThe 2019 Grand-Pontet has a deep garnet-purple color and notes of crushed red and black plums, mulberries and blackberry pie with wafts of nutmeg and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is packed with juicy, straightforward black berry flavors, framed by chewy tannins and finishing with appealing freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

Orange-peel, dark-berry and violet character. Medium to full body with layers of fine, velvety tannins and a long, intense finish. Needs time to come together, but beautiful even now. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSSpiced red and black fruits, new leather, graphite, and floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château La Croix Du Casse. This medium to full-bodied Pomerol has terrific purity of fruit, light tannins, good overall balance, and outstanding length. It’s going to drink well for 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 89-91 JDA lovely rich and supple Pomerol that manages to capture plenty of the essence of the appellation but still be an early to medium term drinker with welcoming tannins and plenty of supple but gourmet textured berry fruits - blackberry and black cherry are dominant, with chocolate shavings at every step. Impressive from the Philippe Castéja stable of wines. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 La Fleur de Boüard is gorgeous. Sweet floral and spice top notes meld into a core of red/purplish fruit, blood orange, menthol, spice and cedar. Creamy and open-knit, with lovely perfume and fine balance, the 2019 Le Plus is impressive, not to mention a real charmer. In a second tasting it was even more exotic and sexy.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGSweet-berry aromas with hints of chocolate and hazelnut follow through to a medium body with firm, fine tannins and a juicy, polished and fruity finish. Nicely integrated all the way through. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSLots of bright berry fruits, flowers, cedary herbs, and spicy notes emerge from the 2019 Château La Fleur De Boüard, a medium to full-bodied, pure, elegant, balanced 2019 with supple tannins and a great finish. It’s impeccably made and shows the fresher, pure, elegant style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDStrawberry, sweet cherry, almost smells like cherry sweets on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate though, quite plummy which I like. Good density and smooth, gently caressing tannins. There’s clearly power and structure but it’s well presented with drive. Touch of perfume to the fruit on the palate too. Chewy tannins give a good mouthful with plenty of interest and cooling mint on the finish. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2034Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 La Fleur de Boüard sports a deep garnet-purple color and offers bold scents of baked blackberries, crushed black cherries and warm black plums with hints of lavender, dark chocolate, aniseed and incense. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock-full of crunchy black fruit with a plush texture and loads of freshness, finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

Forest-fruit aromas of blackberries and strawberries with some bark and pine cone. Black licorice, too. Full-bodied and chewy with lots of fine tannins and a juicy finish. Traditional and fascinating. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 La Pointe offers impressive clarity on the nose of perfumed red fruit, raspberry and cranberry intermingling with truffle and light crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, and quite saline, with fine-grained tannins and a cohesive and more sophisticated finish than any recent vintage. Maybe it just needs a little more persistence; otherwise, this is a top-notch La Pointe. Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe black cherries, hints of plums, damp earth, tobacco, and some floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château La Pointe, a pure, elegant, seamless, medium to full-bodied Pomerol. I love its overall balance, the tannins are fine and polished, it has a great finish, and it’s going to cruise for 15-20 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDHigh toned and vibrant cherry and raspberry fruits on the nose. Polished on the palate, this is sleek and well worked with a core of rich, liquorice-edged strawberries and black cherries with a gorgeous minerality that comes across as wet stone and graphite. A strong, well built wine but presented delicately with refinement. Definite power here but also glamour and a vein of gently warming spice from start to finish that lingers on the tongue providing a dominant base for the fruit. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECPresents a tasty mix of juicy and gently mulled black cherry, blackberry and boysenberry flavors, laced with red tea and a twinge of iron through the focused finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 5,330 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2019 La Pointe wafts from the glass with aromas of plums, raspberries, sweet spices, tobacco and licorice. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with velvety tannins, lively acids and a nicely defined if somewhat fleeting finish, it’s a succulent, giving Pomerol that will drink well with minimal bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

A wine of stature and finesse, the 2019 La Tour Figeac is regal in its bearing. An exotic mélange of dark red fruit, kirsch, mocha, dried herbs, licorice, spice and rose petal soars out of the glass. The Cabernet Franc is especially evident, just as it was en primeur. La Tour Figeac is deep and beautifully layered, yet remains medium in body and refined, with notable raciness that is so appealing. A major sleeper for the year, La Tour Figeac is a knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGLots of ripe black cherries, mulberries, Christmas spice, incense, and dried flower notes emerge from the 2019 Château La Tour Figeac, a classy, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with supple, finely polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. This wonderful 2019 already offers loads of pleasure and will keep for 15-20 years, easily.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis organic estate has made a lush, darkly tannic wine. Its broad fruit is textured with generous tannins that are bolstered by acidity. It has great potential for the cellar. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAromas of currants, blackberries, bark, toasted oak, walnut husk and chocolate orange. Medium-to full-bodied with a rich, flavorful and layered palate. Ripe, well-integrated tannins. Delicious finish. Merlot and cabernet franc. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 La Tour Figeac is generous and charming, bursting with aromas of blueberry preserve, sweet spices, dark chocolate and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with powdery tannins, succulent acids and a sweet core of fruit, it will offer a broad drinking window. It’s produced from gravely soils and contains an appreciable percentage of very old vine Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP(Château La Tour Figeac, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) A little subdued, this has a high tannin count, at least in terms of how it feels on the attack. As it opens, there is some lovely bright spice notes, both pepper and wild herbs, along with blueberry fruits and silky liquorice. Enjoyable. A yield of 37hl/ha, aged in a mix of 225l oak barrels (50% new oak), 400l oak barrels and amphoras - with the aim of decreasing oak influence while keeping the added structure that it brings. (Drink between 2024-2036)Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2019 La Vieille Cure is just as fabulous from bottle as it was in barrel. Super-ripe red cherry, mocha, spice, new leather, licorice, tobacco and cedar are all dialed up in this decidedly flamboyant Fronsac. All the elements are so well balanced.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA year-in, year-out best value, the 2019 Château La Vieille Cure is another winner from this château that does everything right. Revealing a deep ruby/purple hue as well as great aromatics of black cherries, tobacco leaf, spicy oak, and loamy earth, it’s medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has silky tannins, and a great finish. It’s just an impeccably made, satisfying, classic Right Bank beauty to drink over the coming 10-12 years. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDVibrant nose of wild raspberries, brambleberries, lemon zest, thyme and sandalwood. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins and bright acidity. Vibrant and fragrant. Firm yet elegant finish. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSStylish, with crushed plum and lightly warmed cassis flavors infused gently with dark earth and tobacco accents, followed in the end by a hint of cast iron. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2032. 5,180 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2019 Laforge has really filled out nicely. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and lavender build beautifully with some aeration. The 2019 is sumptuous, bold and racy, Laforge is an absolute joy to taste today. This flamboyant, racy Saint-Émilion will be a jewel to drink now and over the next few years.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Château Laforge is more up-front and charming, with medium-bodied aromas and flavors of savory red and black fruits, leafy herbs, iron, and tobacco. It has good acidity, ripe tannins, and, as with all of the releases from Malthus, is beautifully balanced. Drink this already complex, layered, seamless 2019 over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Laforge opens with notions of pencil shavings, rose hip tea, crushed rocks and cedar chest over a core of warm black and red plums, boysenberries and spice cake. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with freshness and energy, offering finely grained tannins to support the red and black fruit layers, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPLots of lovely fruit and freshness in this red with blackberry and cherry character, medium body and a round, juicy finish. Very attractive already. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThis is a fine wine with great black fruits and an impressive density. Spice and ripe tannins make for a wine for aging. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

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

Drips with warmed raspberry confiture, plum sauce and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors, delivering light anise, apple wood, sweet bay leaf and black tea notes along the way. The seamless, lengthy finish has very fine detail despite its heft. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2034. 2,941 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe top wine of the château, the 2019 Château Monbousquet comes from lower down on the plain of Saint-Emilion and is made by the talented team of Gérard Perse. Gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, mulberries, spicy oak, graphite, and tobacco all give way to a full-bodied 2019 with gorgeous depth of fruit, ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It’s a hedonist, beautifully balanced, seamless 2019 that’s loaded with character. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDLots of crushed-stone and graphite aromas with dark fruit and walnuts. Full-bodied, yet tight and polished, with a very juicy structure and a long, linear finish. Shows finesse and focus. 60% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThis estate is producing some exceptional wines. The latest vintage is solidly structured and dense in black fruits. Bright acidity gives it that fine spark of freshness and balances the power of the wine. It shows good aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEDark perfumed berries on the nose. Nice and soft in the mouth with a good depth of flavour. Generous fruit, ample and plump with edges of liquorice and sweet spices. Good tension and drive with an airy and lifted mid palate despite being quite plush and softly chewy. Mouth filling with some iron filings and cool mint touches. Easy drinking and easy to recommend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Monbousquet is packed with blackberry jam, espresso, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and graphite. Dark and quite deep, yet with brooding intensity, the 2019 has a ton to offer. Give it a few years to soften. Today, the tannins and overall structure are pretty imposing for a Saint-Émilion that has been much more forthcoming in the past.Antonio Galloni | 92+ AG

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

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

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

Ripe and dried red berry fruit on the nose, raisins, freshly picked raspberries and blueberries. Some wonderful potpourri perfume too. Great grip and hold from the start - this is tannic and they coat the mouth but with such a bright and juicy aspect too. Real energy here, a lighter if you can say that (as still 14.5%) style, with focus on delicate red fruits, perfume and dark chocolate. RIch to start with, muscular with a bold immediate taste then the delicacy comes in. A wonderful aerial style that is all in balance but still needs some time. It will reward cellaring. Great potential here and quality winemaking on show. Tasted twice. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 95 DECThis is soft and chewy with very round tannins and lots of blackberry, toasted-oak, walnut and earth character. Traditional with a new vibe. Full-bodied, layered and juicy. Some tobacco, stem and chocolate, too. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Rouget is bold, plush and racy to the core. Raspberry jam, spice, kirsch, leather, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco all meld together effortlessly. This sumptuous, flamboyant Pomerol captures all of the natural intensity of the year. Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2019 Rouget reveals aromas of cherries, jammy berries, dark chocolate and vine smoke, followed by a full-bodied, broad and fleshy palate framed by ripe but succulent acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. This is a broad, demonstrative Pomerol that will drink well with only a little bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPDeeply hued, the 2019 Château Rouget offers a rich, rock-solid bouquet of spiced currants, leafy herbs, forest floor, and chocolate. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, fleshy, even opulent Pomerol that has velvety tannins, a round, seamless feel, and a great finish. Drink this pleasure-bent beauty over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Beautiful, intense fruit, dark-earth and chocolate character on the nose. Full-bodied with great density and plush, fine tannins that give a fine-velvet texture. It’s extremely long, polished and sophisticated. Needs time to come together, but expressive and glorious. Fantastic relative value. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Tour Saint Christophe builds on the promise it showed from barrel. This sample was actually tasted at my home, where I afforded it a two-hour decant. It revealed precocious yet controlled blackberry and blueberry fruit scents, with that violet component still intact. The tannins have not lost any of their grippiness or assertiveness. This is a Saint-Émilion that is in for the long haul. Great potential.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château Tour St Christophe, Merlot, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) Still available in the UK for an absurdly low price for the quality, this gorgeous wine combines the cooler blue fruit appeal of the 2016 (not quite as sensual today as the 2015), with better density. The palate is more subtle in its opulence than the 2015 and with a fresher finish. A grand example of this underrated terroir, which I had visited back in 2021. Give it a few more years to soften the tannins. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 95 DECThis estate has been delivering the goods for numerous vintages now, and the 2019 Château Tour Saint Christophe is another terrific wine. Ripe black cherries, black raspberries, graphite, new leather, and chalky minerality all define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a tight, straight, focused texture, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length. It doesn’t have the mid-palate density or opulence of the 2018, but it’s more pretty, focused, and straight on the palate. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDFrom clay-rich soils opposite Troplong Mondot in the commune Saint Christophe des Bardes, the 2019 Tour Saint Christophe offers up demonstrative aromas of cherries, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, it’s a strong effort in a crowd-pleasing style.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2020 Beauregard is gorgeous. Dark, ample and expressive, the 2020 offers tremendous depth and textural intensity from start to finish. Black cherry, gravel, incense, tobacco, espresso and chocolate all race out of the glass. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2020 remains wonderfully fresh and vibrant. It’s a superb wine by any measure.Vinous Media | 94 VMA rich and chewy red ith lots of blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and hazelnut character. Medium-bodied with lots of tannins, too. Needs time to soften. Extracted, but will come true with bottle age. From organically grown grapes. 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSShowing beautifully, the 2020 Château Beauregard displays a pure, precise, elegant, medium to full-bodied style that stays compact and focused. Giving up lots of ripe black cherries, blackberries, leafy herbs, graphite, and chalky minerality, it has ripe, finely polished tannins, remarkable purity, and outstanding length. It needs to be forgotten for 4-6 years and, I suspect, will have 20-25 years of overall longevity. It’s a pretty, pure, elegant, incredibly impressive Pomerol.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDA medicinal and herbal nose full of savoury notes; sage, blackcurrants, tomato leaf, cherries and raspberries. Fine tannins meld with bright and vibrant red fruit on the palate with a gentle acidity alongside spice and fragrance from the Cabernet Franc. Open and generous.Decanter | 93 DEC

A full-bodied, firm and intense red with blackcurrants, toasted walnuts, violets, smoked paprika and dried herbs on the nose. Sturdy frame from firm yet polished tannins. Powerful and wonderfully integrated. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSI loved the 2020 Château Bellevue, and this might be the finest vintage I’ve tasted from this address. Lots of cassis and blue fruits as well as toasted spice, chocolate, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a great texture, ripe tannins, and a nice mix of freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94+ JD

A brilliant success for this property in the ascendant, the 2020 Berliquet opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of warm spices and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s vibrant and dynamic, with polished tannins, a bright spine and a long, elegantly chalky finish. It represents another step up for Berliquet, which will soon benefit from a new winery.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBlackberry with charcoal and dark earth aromas that follow through to a medium to full body with fruit, iron and moss flavors. It’s structured and well-formed with excellent balance of acidity. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSAnother brilliant Saint-Emilion in the vintage, the 2020 Château Berliquet is mostly Merlot yet includes close to a third Cabernet Franc, which no doubt contributes to its elegant, finesse-driven, floral character. It’s incredibly pure and classy, with notes of red and blue fruits, sappy spring flowers, graphite, and baking spices all emerging on the nose. These carry to a medium-bodied, ultra-fine, pure, seamless 2020 that offers pleasure today and will offer pleasure in 15+ years as well. This wine is never the biggest or richest in a vintage, but it shines for its purity, balance, and elegance. It’s beautifully done.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDGorgeous fragrance on the nose, really so inviting and scented. Smooth and supple, crisp and fresh, lovely purity of expression here, still quite subtle and delicate, salty, tangy, wild herbs, liquorice, clove and dark chocolate. Not bright in so much as the fruits are quite dark - blackcurrant and cherry, but such concentration with a lightness of touch. Very well worked, focused, pure, detailed, decisive and forward with chalky tannins, expressive of terroir. Lovely style on show here. Another amazingly good wine from this stable in 2020.Decanter | 93 DECA big wine with rich tannins and a dense structure, the wine is solid, the clay soil showing both in the wine’s ripeness and its power. It is a fine wine, concentrated and with layers of black plum flavors. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WENicely rendered, with a fresh, focused core of damson plum and red currant coulis laced with a floral edge and backed by a refined chalky note. The finish features warm tobacco accents to the blossom notes. A restrained style. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2035. 3,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2020 Berliquet is another step in a direction favoring finesse over the burly power that often marked the wines of the past. Delicate and nuanced, with pretty floral top notes, this mid-weight Saint-Émilion is a charmer. Drink it over the next decade or so.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2020 Le Prieuré is fabulous. Inky and deep, with tremendous vibrancy, it dazzles from start to finish. Blueberry jam, graphite, menthol and lavender build as the 2020 gradually shows off its pedigree. Bright saline and mineral notes punctuate the mouthwatering finish. Technical Director Pénélope Godefroy has taken the farming and winemaking principles she learned at Latour and the other Artemis Group properties and applied them at Siaurac, Vray Croix de Gay, and the crown jewel Le Prieuré, all of which are now owned by French insurance company Suravenir. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. Le Prieuré is quite simply one of the most beautiful, striking wines being made in Saint-Émilion today.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2020 Le Prieure is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with 14.3% alcohol. It is aging for an anticipated 16 months in French oak barriques, 35% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little swirling and coaxing to reveal fragrant notes of lilacs, underbrush and sandalwood over a core of Morello cherries and plum preserves, plus a waft of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate has beautiful energy and tension, featuring layers of juicy red and black fruits with a plush texture, finishing long and perfumed. What a stunner!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPTextured with depth to the hawthorn, raspberry and blackberry fruit that travels down several layers. The frame is drenched with juicy and taut limestone minerality, with almost a juniper and saline sting. Hard to argue with the quality here. First year with new owners, Suravenir of Calon-Ségur, Penelope Godefroy is still the winemaker. A yield of 30hl/ha, organic winemaking. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECA rich, ripe, opulent wine that shows more and more freshness and elegance with time in the glass, the 2020 Château Le Prieuré offers an outstanding array of black raspberry and mulled cherry fruits as well as background leafy herbs and chocolate. With high-quality tannins, good overall balance, and a great finish, it should easily be an outstanding wine and keep for 15+ years. It’s every bit as good as the 2016, 2017, and 2018.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JDA medium-bodied red with blackberry, raspberry with and orange peel. It’s polished with fine tannins. Rather creamy texture.James Suckling | 92-93 JS

Another brilliant Pomerol in the vintage, the 2020 Château Montviel has a pure, medium to full-bodied, vibrant profile carrying darker, almost blue, iron-tinged fruits, lots of violet, floral, and chocolate nuances, fine tannins, and outstanding length. This classic 2020 brings lots of ripe, sexy fruit and texture yet stays balanced and seamless, with a real sense of elegance. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years. It’s every bit as good as the 2019.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2020 Montviel is exuberant and flashy to the core. A rush of back fruit, spice, leather, chocolate, tobacco, incense and sweet French oak races across the palate. This full-bodied Pomerol is not exactly subtle, but it sure is delicious.Vinous Media | 93 VMJuicy red with dark berry, chocolate, hazelnut, walnut and berry. Full and rather chunky. It’s a little old-school, but impressive. Needs time to soften and relax. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSRipe and fleshy, lots of tannins, salty with blackcurrant and black cherry and lots of mint and liquorice. A bold, savoury style, darkly fruited, clearly concentrated and intense but reigned in enough so that it’s not too much in any one direction. Has a certain streamlined finesse to it. Young still, this needs time as most Pomerols on clay will, but good energy and styling. Lashings of liquorice, slate and toast with a lifted finish.Decanter | 92 DECDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Montviel needs a little swirling to unlock scents of stewed plums and baked blackberries, plus hints of garrigue, tilled soil and tobacco leaf with a hint of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers pure, juicy black and blue fruits, supported by soft, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with a red berry lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91+ RP

The 2020 Château Chauvin offers up a vivid purple hue as well as a meaty, powerful nose of ripe black cherries, roasted herbs, jus de viande, graphite, and a terrific sense of minerality. Showing more floral nuances with time in the glass, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, the building tannins of the vintage, and outstanding length. Give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDComposed of 70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in French oak barrels, 60% new, for 15-18 months, the 2020 Chauvin has a deep purple-black color and vibrant scents of crushed black cherries, black raspberries and juicy blackberries, plus hints of violets, clove oil and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black and red berry layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPChocolate, bay leaves, oregano and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, with firm yet nicely ripe and polished tannins. Broad and seamless. Caressing and velvety at the end. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Chauvin has a clean and precise bouquet with dark berry fruit, cedar and crushed stone, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, again, as it showed from barrel, overtly peppery in style but not excessively so. Fine delineation on the saline Valrona chocolate-tinged finish, this is a very capable Saint Émilion Grand Cru.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautiful aromatics on the nose which is fragrant and full. Bright acidity and a lively red fruit profile on the palate, more strawberry and redcurrant than black fruits, with searing acidity that does come across as a touch drying right now, along with some salty, wet stone notes and lashings of dark chocolate, cedar, cocoa and liquorice. The grainy tannins and woody elements linger on the cheeks and stop the fruit progression a little early, but this has good potential.Decanter | 92 DECThe wine has richness that imbues the tannins with generosity. The juicy berry flavors and acidity are already succulent. It is the core of dryness that promises the agingWine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A rather mineral and spicy red with medium to full body, showing blackberries and black walnuts. There’s a deep, polished tannin backbone to this. Racy and fine.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2020 Clos de l’Oratoire is a powerhouse. Blackberry, gravel, smoke, incense, crushed rocks and dried herbs hit the palate as this potent, structured Saint-Émilion opens up. This is an especially virile, tannic wine that is going to need time to settle down. The balance of fruit intensity and structure is compelling, to say the least. But this needs time.Vinous Media | 94+ VMAnother head-turningly good Right Bank is the 2020 Clos De L’Oratoire, which comes from the team of Stephan von Neipperg. This medium to full-bodied, focused, elegant 2020 has good concentration, the vintage’s pure, layered profile, classic aromas of black raspberry, cassis, graphite, and flowers, and plenty of chalky minerality on the finish. A quintessential 2020, give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following decade or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2020 Clos de l’Oratoire is seamless and charming, offering up aromas of sweet cherries, blackberries, violets and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and harmonious palate. This gourmand, Merlot-dominant bottling will offer a wide drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPConfident and grippy with liquorice, cherry, rosemary, dried herbs and chocolate. It lifts and tightens through the plate, good tension, broad-shouldered, powerful and intense. 40% new oak. A yield of 32.5hl/ha.Decanter | 92 DECReveals ripe plum and blackberry fruit that meld nicely with hints of anise, black tea and singed alder. The focused and fine-grained finish has a late savory sparkle for range. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 3,500 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Notes of ripe dark fruit, chocolate, graphite, dried flowers and wet earth. Medium- to full-bodied with plush, dusty tannins and firm texture. Structured and powerful. Juicy and blue-fruited palate with a polished finish. Extremely well done. Chalky at the end. Drink from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSDark and brooding on the nose, liquorice and blackcurrants., ripe and expressive. Direct and precise, this has a nice tension to it, all driving in one line from start to finish. The flavours are well controlled, clearly powerful with oak touches in the cinnamon, toast and clove edges but this feels well worked. It’s not yet expansive, but has some style to it. I like the dark juiciness of this with milk chocolate touches - the acidity well judged and giving a seductive energy. It’s clean and precise with a gorgeous salty, minerality on the finish. Still a bit closed, but one to watch. Impressive.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Clos des Jacobins is a very pretty wine. If offers fine textural depth married to the aromatic complexity of Cabernet Franc, which adds attractive mocha, dried herbs, spice and floral character. This deceptively mid-weight Saint-Émilion offers quite a bit of nuance, but it is the freshness, vibrancy and overall persistence that I find most notable. This is a strong showing.Vinous Media | 93 VMSpiced dark cherries, iron, tobacco, and floral notes all define the 2020 Clos Des Jacobins, a medium to full-bodied, pure, polished, and beautifully balanced 2020 with lots of character. The tannins are nicely polished and integrated, and it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as outstanding length. While it’s unquestionably drinking nicely today, it’s going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2020 Clos L’Eglise is outrageously vivid and hauntingly beautiful. Inky red fruit, wild flowers, mint and rose petal come alive in the glass, all framed by powerful yet well-balanced tannins. Although the 2020 is a young, structured wine, its balance is absolutely impeccable. I can’t wait to taste it from bottle. It is a super showing from Hélène Garcin and Patrice Lévêque.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMBased on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 70% new French oak, the 2020 Château Clos L’Eglise is a beauty that’s going to match the magical 2009 and 2016. Dense purple-hued, with stunning notes of black cherries, cassis, graphite, licorice, and crushed stone, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, classic Pomerol elegance and purity, and a great finish. This is a magical, concentrated, blockbuster of a wine that somehow stays and delicate and ethereal as they come. Don’t miss it!Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97+ JDA Pomerol with gorgeous crushed-berry, walnut, hazelnut and chocolate character, as well as a full body with ultra fine tannins that frame the wine beautifully. Extremely long finish. Three super wines in a row since 2018.James Suckling | 96-97 JSVery deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Clos l’Eglise leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of crushed black cherries, redcurrant jelly and ripe, juicy blackberries, leading to an undercurrent of camphor, graphite and cedar chest, plus a touch of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is bursting with ripe black fruits, supported by rounded, approachable tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a persistent mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPInky ruby colour, a muscular big-styled Pomerol which will win plenty of friends. Velvety tannins, great persistency, confident, contemporary and deftly walks the line between concentrated and nuanced. Drinking Window 2028 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DEC

Another killer wine in the vintage is the 2020 Château Côte De Baleau, which comes from a cooler, north-facing vineyard on the eastern side of the appellation. Almost all Merlot, it offers a medium to full-bodied, mouth-filling, layered style that carries plenty of ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and textbook Right Bank Merlot notes of red and black cherries, leather, dried flowers, and chalky minerality. It picks up more and more minerality with time in the glass and is a bonafide mineral bomb. Give it just a few years in the cellar and enjoy it over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAromas of currants and blackberries with spiced chocolate, dried herbs and wet stones. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and vivid acidity. Structured and meaty. Shows freshness and juiciness to its deep, dark-fruited character. Toned, firm finish. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Côte de Baleau has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, dried blood and cedar. Lovely focus here, real class and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry, tobacco and graphite, again, very well-focused with an engaging, mineral-driven finish that lingers in the mouth. This a very well-crafted Saint-Émilion that will age with style.Vinous Media | 92 VMLashings of liquorice and dark chocolate combine with ripe blackcurrant and plums, giving a serious tone to this wine. It’s well built, with good support from gently chewy and present tannins, with a long, minty, salty finish. There are touches of dried fruits to this, raisins and prunes, but the acidity is well balanced and this has a nice weight in the mouth. A little drying by the finish. Heft and power, but not brutish.Decanter | 90 DECA ripe, full-bodied wine, this has rich tannins and plenty of spicy character from the wood aging. It is dense, structured with powerful black fruits and a generous, velvet texture. The wine has enough structure to age well. Drink from 2026 Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

From the up-and-coming Castillon region, just east of Saint-Emilion, the 2020 Château D’Aiguilhe has a floral, cassis, and black raspberry-driven style that shows more tobacco and classic limestone minerality with time in the glass. It’s medium to full-bodied, has fine tannins, and the balance and class to evolve for 10-15 years. It’s a seriously good Castillon, even better than the brilliant 2019.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDViolet reflections, great clarity of colour and immediate whoosh of salinity through the redcurrant fruits. Powerful and focused with bright berry flavours, it practically defines the term crunchy fruit, then softens to show creamier black cherry purée as it relaxes in the glass. Really a very tasty d’Aiguilhe from Vignobles Comtes von Neipperg. Extremely moreish. Harvest September 17 – 28, 30% new oak.Decanter | 93 DECAromas of cassis, dark berries and cherries mingle with subtle hints of incense and spices in an inviting bouquet to introduce the 2020 d’Aiguilhe, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered wine with powdery tannins and the lively acids that are typical of this later-ripening, limestone-rich sector. Always a notable value, this age-worthy cuvée has turned out very well this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPNicely rendered, with a very pure beam of cassis and cherry puree leading the way, gently infused with violet and savory accents. The fresh, focused finish is sneaky long. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 20,000 cases made, 2,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2020 d’Aiguilhe captures all of the exuberance of the vintage. Jammy and explosive, the 2020 offers up a heady mélange of raspberry preserves, mocha, spice and rose petal. This lush, extravagantly rich wine is a real beauty, but the style is definitely pushed in the direction of ripeness and textural intensity. Give the tannins a few years to soften.Vinous Media | 92 VMBlack cherry, black berry and orange peel with some cedar aromas, follow through to a medium body with fine and chalky tannins. Dried herb and bark undertones. Some salt, too. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS