Wine Producing Countries

wines

Good deep ruby. Complex, sauvage aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat and leather. Soft, sweet and expressive; shows a considerably stronger animal aspect than either Canon La Gaffeliere or Mondotte, Stephan von Neipperg other St. Emilion wines. Quite suave and fresh for the year. Finishes long and ripely tannic. Half of this wine was fermented in wood cuves, which von Neipperg feels has resulted in a more successful integration of the tannins.Vinous Media | 89-90 VM

Pungent aromas of ripe fruit and white truffles, turning to blueberry. Full and very ripe, with velvety tannins and a long, lightly raisiny finish. Open it and see.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 9,580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA wine of beautiful purity, symmetry, and grace, this complex, dark purple-colored 1998 reveals abundant quantities of black fruits infused with notions of new oak and graphite, medium to full body, sweet tannin, admirable elegance, and beautiful richness. Anticipated maturity: now-2015Robert Parker | 90 RP

Beautiful aromas of chocolate, berries and vanilla, with hints of raspberry. Full-bodied, with lovely, sweet fruit and layers of velvety tannins. Goes on and on. Give this time, but beautifully balanced.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2012. 830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSAnother quasi-garage wine made from 10.6 acres of vines planted with 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine enjoys malolactic fermentation in barrel, aging on its lees, and while unfined, does receive a light filtration.A superb effort, the dark ruby/purple-colored 1998 offers gorgeous aromas of flowers, blackberries, cherries, smoke, licorice, and spice box. It is deep, succulent, medium to full-bodied, with decent acidity, superb purity, and a creamy texture. Tannin is present, but it is well-integrated and balanced by the wine’s depth. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.Robert Parker | 90 RPMedium ruby. Plum, raspberry and graphite on the nose. Very silky and plummy, with excellent depth of flavor but very good rather than outstanding complexity. Suggestions of surmaturite give this a slight heaviness. "Very ripe but a bit simple and lacking something," notes Prissette, adding that the ’99 conveys a stronger impression of the site.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A sleeper of the vintage, this debut effort under the omnipresent management of Jean-Luc Thunevin boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a sweet, chocolatey, blackberry and currant-scented nose, low acidity, a fat, luscious texture, and a heady finish. It is a hedonistic St.-Emilion fruit bomb to drink over the next 6-8 years.Robert Parker | 88-90 RP

A full-bodied red with soft and silky tannins that gives the wine definition and brightness. Savory and fresh. Beautiful now.James Suckling | 93 JSA revelation, this stunning wine (also reasonably priced) has turned out to be even better than I thought. Opaque purple-colored, with gorgeous ripeness and richness, a big, sweet mid-palate, and a seamless finish revealing loads of fruit, chocolate, glycerin, and ripe tannin, this opulently-styled 2000 will have few detractors. It is hard not to be totally seduced by this effort. Kudos to proprietor Bernard Magrez and his omnipresent oenologist, Michel Rolland. Bravo! Anticipated maturity: Now-2015.Robert Parker | 91 RP

Even better, the 2001 Château Barde-Haut offers a full-bodied, beautifully textured style on the palate as well as incredibly complex notes of blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco, and Asian spices. With resolved tannins, a great mid-palate, and a concentrated, rich, powerful style, it’s another 2001 that’s drinking brilliantly today. As with the 2000, it’s drinking at point yet is going to evolve nicely over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2001 Barde Haut has an open-knit nose of black plum and crushed strawberry; subtle, almost gamy aromas develop in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a pliant texture and fine acidity, fleshier than some Right Bank wines but nicely balanced. While not a complex Saint-Émilion, it has bags of charm and feels carefree and malleable. A 20-year-old that is now à point.Vinous Media | 90 VMBeautiful red with soft, silky tannins and delicious berry, cherry, vanilla and light tobacco character. Full-bodied, with a caressing texture and a long finish. I like this better than the 2000. Best after 2006. 3,080 cases made. —Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A terrific sleeper value, Stephan von Neipperg’s 2001 Clos de l’Oratoire boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as a rich nose of melted licorice, espresso roast, black currants, minerals, smoke, and earth. This opulent, medium-bodied St.-Emilion exhibits abundant quantities of fruit and glycerin along with a fleshy, ripe, expansive finish with no hard edges. Some tannin lurks beneath the surface, but this is a beautiful wine to drink now and over the next 10-12 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

This 15+ acre estate, situated on a south/southwest-facing slope, has been making sensational wines since 2000, when the management of the vineyard and winemaking were taken over by Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. The 40-year-old, bio-dynamically farmed vineyard is planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The 2003 possesses superb ripeness as well as a stony, mineral liqueur-like intensity, a reticent but promising perfume of black raspberries, sweet kirsch, and blacker fruits, a full-bodied, powerful, concentrated attack and mid-palate, and a blockbuster, long, powerful, moderately tannic finish. It is an infant in terms of development. No doubt this site’s clay and limestone soils were the perfect antidote for the summer’s torrid heat and drought. This superb effort should only be purchased by patient connoisseurs. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2025+Robert Parker | 93 RPPlenty of berry and cherry character with chocolate and vanilla. Medium-bodied, with soft and balanced tannins. Lovely balance. This is right next to Angélus and Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarosse. A small property with about 15 acres. Best after 2008. 1,625 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Aromas of jam, berry and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine yet round tannins and a long chocolate and berry aftertaste. Loads of sweet fruit here. Exciting stuff. This small producer makes fine wines. Best after 2008. 1,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSMade in a soft, but not over-ripe style, the deep ruby/plum-tinged 2003 reveals broad, sexy notes of vanilla, black cherry jam, dried herbs, and sweet currants. This fleshy, round, low acid, seductive, luscious effort will provide pleasure over the next decade. Only 1,250 cases were produced, and the 2003 tipped the scales at 13.5% alcohol.Robert Parker | 90 RPGood deep red-ruby. Captivating aromas of black raspberry, violet, minerals, smoke and nutty oak. Fat, broad and opulent but not overly sweet; manages to retain its typical aromatic quality even in this hot year, no doubt partly due to the fact that this wine gets minimal racking. Wonderfully easy to drink already and probably best suited for consuming over the next seven or eight years.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A big wine, with bitter chocolate flavors, and packed ripe fruit. It is intense and very dark, a great success.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery grapey and fresh on the nose, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a complex, subtle aftertaste of vanilla, blueberry and cream. Long and refined. Best after 2012. 5,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA strong effort from the Becot family, this blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a saturated dense ruby/purple color, sweet notes of creme de cassis, cherries, earth, and subtle herbs, a spicy, medium to full-bodied, soft, opulent style, and a fleshy, long finish. Enjoy this hedonistic yet complex wine over the next 12-15 years. Just under 6,000 cases were produced.Robert Parker | 91 RPThe 2004 Beau-Séjour Bécot was picked between 2 September and 15 October. It has an attractive bouquet with redcurrant and cranberry fruit, flanked by a subtle floral and confit-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, quite cohesive with a strict and linear second half. This is one of the more saline vintages from the estate in the 1990s, nevertheless it represents a commendable 2014 with just a touch of bitterness surfacing right at the finish. Otherwise this is a fine contribution to the vintage. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 90 VMNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

At the Union des Grands Crus tasting in 2005, this was elegant red ambrosia; it showed beautifully sweet and ripe at our recent tasting in New York. A gracious pillow of merlot with mineral tannins to make it mouthwatering and lengthen the finish, this only gets better with air. Oak adds to the elegance of the wine and it seems destined to drink well over the course of the next ten years or more. The château was upgraded to Premier Grand Cru Classé status in 2006.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SAromas of blackberry, with hints of tobacco. Full-bodied, with fine tannins, good length and a delicate, fruity aftertaste. Much more refined than I remember from barrel. Caressing. Best after 2007. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Along with the 2015, the 2005 Château Clos de Sarpe is, I suspect, one of the finest wines ever made at this address. Still vivid purple-hued, with awesome notes of crème de cassis, jammy blackberries, toasted spices, unsmoked tobacco, and crushed rock-like minerality, this beauty is full-bodied, uber-concentrated, and powerful, yet stays seamless and elegant on the palate. This incredible wine is in the top tier of wines in the vintage. I love it today, yet it will evolve for another 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDDeep garnet-brick in color, the 2005 Clos de Sarpe has an absolute blockbuster nose of liquid licorice, violets, Chinese five spice and chocolate box with nuances of smoked meats, cigar box, cast iron pan and Marmite toast—really incredible intensity! The palate is full-bodied and rich yet with the most incredible freshness, giving very fine, velvety tannins and an incredibly long, very layered finish. Wow!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPFull, bright ruby. Brooding aromas of kirsch, black licorice and minerals. Sharply delineated and very tightly wound, but with superb intensity of black fruit, chocolate, earth and mineral flavors and excellent inner-palate energy. This mounts very slowly on the back, finishing with a youthfully sappy quality, firm tannins and impressive length. This wine from a chalky hillside on the Cotes east of the town of St. Emilion is typically high in acidity (the pH of the 2005 is 3.55), austere and downright unsexy in its youth, but this especially juicy 2005 boasts richer fruit than any recent vintage. Still, it will require at least 10 to 15 years of bottle aging.Vinous Media | 89-92 VM

This beautiful wine from Fleur Cardinale performed great in its youth, both from barrel as well as post-bottling. A gorgeous blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon made by the Decoster family, the 2005 provides more evidence that this property is fully exploiting its tremendous potential. A few years away from reaching its plateau of maturity, its stunning nose of black cherry liqueur, cassis, licorice, earth and spice is followed by a full-bodied, concentrated and pure wine. Drink it over the next 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2005 Fleur Cardinale is packed with succulent red cherry, red plum, mint, blood orange, mocha and espresso. Sumptuous and bold, to the core, Fleur Cardinale is wonderfully immediate. Time in the glass really lets the wine shine. This is a rich, concentrated wine with a lot of oak, but one of the very best wines made in this style. It’s a terrific showing from the Decoster family.Vinous Media | 94 VMBeautiful aromas of black licorice, berry and vanilla follow through to a full body, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Polished and very pretty. Incredibly well done for this estate. Best after 2016. 5,700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A blend of 75% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this up-and-coming estate has fashioned an outstanding 2006. While not as prodigious as the 2005, it is an exceptional effort boasting a dense purple hue as well as sweet aromas of blueberries, dark raspberries, licorice, camphor, and pain grille. Full-bodied, powerful, and layered with impressive purity, texture, and length, this unfined and unfiltered wine should be at its finest between 2013-2022.Robert Parker | 91 RPFull ruby-red. High-pitched aromas of cassis, blackberry, violet, licorice and menthol. Intense, pure and sharply delineated, with a juicy, lively quality to the black fruit, violet and menthol flavors. Surprisingly dense and ripe for such a penetrating wine. Finishes with chewy, ripe tannins and lovely aromatic persistence. I’d give this three or four years in the cellar.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A strong sleeper of the vintage, this sexy, hedonistic, modern-styled St.-Emilion has the tell-tale toasty new oak component, which is prominent, but the combination of sweetness, ripeness, and concentration of beautiful black currant and black cherry fruit is a winning one. Deep, medium to full-bodied flavors, with ripe tannin and a long, layered finish make for a complete St.-Emilion to drink over the next 12-15 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Right in the heart of the city of Libourne, the small L’Enclos vineyard has had considerable investment and produces an impressive, smooth, modern style of wine, very ripe, full of lively acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2006 Quinault l’Enclos exhibits the elegant style that Raynaud has achieved in every vintage over the last decade. Sweet black raspberry and currant fruit along with hints of spring flowers and smoky oak are followed by a round, gentle, restrained wine revealing outstanding purity, medium body, and a fine finish. While it is not as prodigious as the 2005, it is a strong effort for the vintage. There are also 5,000 bottles of a kosher wine which Libourne’s local rabbi produces and serves as administrator.Robert Parker | 90 RPGood bright ruby-red. Complex aromas of dark raspberry, musky espresso, smoke, mocha and tobacco. Broad, supple and sweet, with a pliant texture and lovely aromatic lift to the flavors of redcurrant, iron, tobacco and flowers. An elegantly styled wine with good stuffing, ripe acidity and no rough edges. This is balanced to give early pleasure but has the spine to age for the next 10 or 12 years.Vinous Media | 90 VM

One of the deeper colored efforts in the vintage, the 2008 Château Faugères (85% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers a big, sweet nose of blackcurrants and blackberry fruit intermixed with notions of chocolate, leafy herbs, and spice. It’s full-bodied, voluptuous, and sexy, with more texture and charm than most in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDVery perfumed aromas of Cabernet Franc, with dark fruits and dark chocolate. Minerals too. Full body, with chewy tannins and a fresh, mineraly aftertaste. Plenty going on here. Give it three to four years to soften.James Suckling | 91 JSA blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14.5% natural alcohol, the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2008 Faugeres reveals abundant amounts of blueberry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with charcoal and underbrush characteristics as well as a hint of oak. Fleshy, hedonistic and up-front, this modern-styled St.-Emilion should be consumed over the next 10-12+ years.Robert Parker | 90 RPThis delivers a winey core of crushed currant, melted black licorice, plum sauce and roasted vanilla flavors, all woven together with solid grip on the full-bodied finish. Drink now through 2015. 4,580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

I loved the 2009 Château Barde-Haut. (This vintage always seems to rank in the top tier in any retrospective I do.) Still ruby/purple-hued with a huge nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, unsmoked tobacco, toasted spices, and loamy earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, no hard edges, sweet tannins, and remarkable purity of fruit. It’s a stunning Saint-Emilion to drink over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDMade from tiny yields of 18 hectoliters per hectare (May hail damage resulted in this small crop), the opaque purple-colored 2009 reveals an extraordinary nose of mulberries, black cherries, charcoal, barbecue smoke and forest floor. Rich, full-bodied and opulent with silky tannins as well as a broad, unctuous texture, this beauty can be enjoyed now and over the next 15+ years. It is fashioned from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.One of the super values in Bordeaux is proprietress Helene Garcin’s Barde-Haut estate. (She has also done a magnificent job with several other Bordeaux properties, particularly Clos l’Eglise in Pomerol and Branon and Haut-Bergey in Pessac-Leognan, as well as in Argentina.)Robert Parker | 94 RPThis shows a lightly roasted edge, leading to coffee and warm blackberry confiture flavors followed by slightly jammy plum and black cherry cobbler notes. The lush finish picks up definition, though, with a nice singed apple wood note and solid drive. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2013 through 2025. 3,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2009 Barde-Haut has a well defined, more mineral-driven bouquet with vibrant black fruit, black plum and raspberry coulis, orange blossom and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with very fleshy tannins, smooth and slightly savory with hints of dried blood and quite irony towards the finish. One of the most Pomerol-inspired Barde Haut’s that is à point. Tasted at the Barde-Haut vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 92 VM

This wine has closed down somewhat since I had it from barrel and exhibits a firm, earthy, mineral-laced style. Made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the ripe black raspberry and blueberry fruit are present, along with some sandy, loamy soil notes. The tannins are sweet, but very elevated, and the wine rich and long but currently somewhat austere and needing bottle age. Give it 2 or 3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 15+ years.Robert Parker | 90+ RP

From proprietor Jonathan Maltus, this blend of three terroirs, two on sand and one on gravel, is a blend of 92% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. About 2,000 cases are produced, and the prodigious 2009 is the finest vintage to date. Inky blue/purple, with notes of licorice, camphor, black truffle, blackberry and blueberry, this full-bodied wine has massive concentration yet at the same time displays elegance and harmony. The equilibrium and 60+-second length make for a huge, massive, but incredibly well-balanced wine, like a shadow of the proprietor himself. Drink it over the next 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPBlueberries and sandalwood on the nose. Full body, with super fine and silky tannins. They are fine and compressed. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 92 JS(old-vines merlot with a bit of cabernet franc): Bright, deep ruby-red. Blackcurrant, blackberry, licorice, mocha and dark chocolate. Densely packed, sweet and deep, with noteworthy energy to the black fruit, mineral and bitter chocolate flavors. Still tightly coiled for a Right Bank 2009 for all its plushness of texture. The slowly building finish is concentrated and long.Vinous Media | 92 VMA solid, modern style, with a core of fresh raspberry and blackberry fruit liberally inlaid with toasty spice and anise notes. Stays juicy and inviting through the finish. Drink now through 2018. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Deep rich fruit aromatics on the nose, and a lovely plum colour that is holding firm, barely bricking around the edges. This proves once again that this is just a stellar vintage in Bordeaux, delivering on both banks. It’s high in alcohol and maybe a bit of a gamble to decide when to drink to make the most of the fruit before the alcohol flattens things out on the finish. But, there is definitely depth and width here with dark bitter chocolate notes and frm tannins - plenty to recommend. 50% new oak, harvest September 29 to October 19.Decanter | 93 DECWow. This is unknown with walnut, dark chocolate and dark fruit. Full body, Juicy and sexy. Velvety. Drink now. James Suckling | 93 JSChauvin produces a stylish wine, always exhibiting plenty of black cherry fruit intermixed with garrigue notes as well as hints of spice box and Christmas fruitcake in a medium to full-bodied, elegant yet savory and expansively textured style. The 2010 has a precociousness that gives it an up-front, sexy appeal, but then clamps down on the palate as the tannins begin to accumulate in the wine’s finish. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 25.Robert Parker | 90 RP

The 2010 La Tour du Pin is showing incredibly well. A blend of 75% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc from just over 17 acres, this wine is a sleeper of the vintage. It offers up loads of blueberry, black raspberry and boysenberry fruit, stunning opulence, freshness and precision, despite its flesh and fat. Pure, fragrant and -open for business,- so to speak, this is a gorgeous wine to drink over the next 10-15 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThis shows a wonderful nutty character with chocolate. It’s round and soft with a beautiful texture. Wonderful character of jasmine and cocoa powder. Delicious now but wait for four or five years. This is the best wine from here ever. From same owners and team as Cheval Blanc. Mostly Merlot. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JS(3.7 pH; 85 IPT; 14% alcohol) Deep ruby. Fresh aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry and violet. Enters the mouth tart and fresh, with lively flavors of red berries and minerals, then finishes long and bright, with smooth tannins and a hint of raspberry syrup. This compact, flavorful wine seems to be the most successful La Tour du Pin of the last three vintages. Owned by Cheval Blanc, and made by the same team, this wine was formerly called La Tour du Pin-Figeac.Vinous Media | 87-90 VM

The 2014 Fleur Cardinale is a dark, sumptuous wine. Dark cherry, plum, rose petal, licorice and sweet spices are all pushed forward. Extravagantly ripe and flamboyant, the 2014 hits all the right notes. As always, Fleur Cardinale shows the more overt, opulent side of Saint-Émilion, and yet all the elements are beautifully balanced. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGFantastic aromas of crushed berries, lavender and blueberries. Full-bodied, dense and layered yet always polished and beautiful. Really impressive. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSUp to a full quarter of Cabernet Franc in this vintage, which may have helped bring the alcohol degree down a little. Gorgeous balance, juicy and rich, with blackberry and black cherry. It has plenty of St-Émilion signature, with a powerful gourmet edge as is so often the case with Fleur Cardinale but is elegant and in no way overdone. Flexible tannins, lovely texture; really a wine that is getting into its stride, and here the minerality is clearer, something that can get lost when alcohol levels creep up too high. What you get here instead, is a slightly raspy slate edge to the finish which is extremely moreish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECLush, with lots of warm fig and boysenberry confiture flavors. Shows ample muscle thanks to lots of brambly grip. Mouthfilling licorice root and fruitcake notes grace the finish. Fleshes out well in the glass. A bit of a hefty style, but well done. Best from 2020 through 2030. 8,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2014 Fleur Cardinale is located in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, the vines populating the lieu-dit of Thibaud. it has a powerful, rich and decadent bouquet bestowed with licorice and boysenberry jam. The palate is medium-bodied with muscular tannin, good depth, fine acidity with a structured and quite spicy finish that replicates the showing from barrel. Enjoy this over the next 8-10 years.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90 RP-NMBold and fruity, this wine is rich with smooth tannins and a fine ripe texture. Powered by its structure and its dark fruits, it is a wine for serious aging. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Checking in as 62% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc that was brought up in roughly 70% new oak, the 2015 Château Laroze is straight up gorgeous. Cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings and hints of tobacco all give way to a ripe, sexy, concentrated Saint-Emilion that has sweet, polished tannin, plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish. This beauty builds with time in the glass, is seamless, and just a sensational drink.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Laroze hits the ground running with vibrant, expressive red currants, black raspberries and warm plums scents with touches of violets, chocolate-covered cherries and lavender plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and elegantly styled with plush, come-hither tannins and plenty of youthful, exuberant red and black fruit layers, it finishes with bags of perfume and polish. Very classy!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPBalance and focus to this medium to full-bodied red with chocolate, plums and cedar undertones. Firm and polished tannins. Savory finish. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 92 JSAn attack of ripe berries, cherries and plums with underlying coffee notes; dense and structured with firm tannins. Drinking Window 2024 - 2037.Decanter | 90 DEC

The level of richness and fruit power captured in this elegant, silky St.-Emilion is impressive. Dark plums, roasted coffee and baking spices are wrapped up in solid, silky tannins. Great depth. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSFrom an estate recently purchased by Sylvie Cazes, who is renovating the estate, the 2015 Château Chauvin checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, from sandy/clay soils, that was brought up in 60% new barrels. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a pure, elegant bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, candle wax, and spring flowers. Rich, concentrated, and seamless on the palate, with terrific elegance, it has ripe, present tannin, good acidity, and is going to age beautifully. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDA great vintage, still young, so as you would expect this is remains tight and very much on primary fruit. Bright and bristling with touches of cedary oak overtones that need to settle but are met step for step by plump dark fruits. The fruits are more clearly majoring on cassis, raspberry and black cherry than in the older vintages, as the work in the vineyard improves quality, and the grip is really extremely impressive, holding through the palate. Clear support from the tannins, this is a well put together wine. 60% new oak, harvest September 28 to October 8. (Drink between 2027-2040)Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Chauvin is medium to deep garnet-purple in color and earthy on the nose with bay leaves, warm plums, underbrush, baked cherries and menthol aromas. The medium to full-bodied mouth is firm and chewy, a little taut but packed with flavor layers and finishing with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2015 Chauvin is showing very well today. Floral notes add brightness to the red berry fruit. The 2015 offers terrific depth to go along with its powerful personality. Searing tannins are present, but also nearly buried by the fruit. Some slightly angular contours remain, but the Chauvin is nicely done. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG