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Inventory updated: Fri, Jul 11, 2025 04:08 PM cst
Red Bordeaux 2001-2019
Today at Flickinger Wines we would like to showcase our current in-stock collection of bottles of red Bordeaux from vintages spanning 2001 to 2019. Do not miss out on the 2005 Chateau Cos d’Estournel St. Estephe, the 2009 Chateau Pavie Macquin St. Emilion, the half bottles of 2010 Les Fiefs de Lagrange St. Julien or the 2019 Le C de Carmes Haut Brion Pessac Leognan. Happy Hunting!!
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Alter Ego de Palmer |
2019 |
Margaux  |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2019 Alter Ego de Palmer is delineated and focused on the nose with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents. More austere yet still complex and one with the most cerebral Margaux aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, quite saline and peppery, firm and insistent grip with quiet assertive tannins on the finish. A Margaux that should be given a long-term lease in your cellar. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Drink between 2028-2055). Neal Martin.
JD 94 (4/2022): The second wine of Château Palmer, the 2019 Alter Ego De Palmer is rock-solid and reveals a dense purple hue as well as deep, rich, concentrated aromas and flavors of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. It might be the richest, most concentrated second wine out here, and truthfully, it tastes like a Grand Vin. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and textured, it has ripe tannins, a fleshy, mouth-filling texture, and a great finish. It's beautifully done.
WA 91 (4/2022): Aromas of sweet cherries, raspberries, berry fruit liqueur, licorice and spices introduce the 2019 Alter Ego de Palmer, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping wine with lively acids, melting tannins and a lavish core of ripe, creamy fruit. It's more immediate than the more muscular, powerful grand vin. |
|
| Carruades de Lafite |
2002 |
Pauillac |
$209 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 87 (4/2005): Similar to its bigger sibling, but leaner and not nearly as concentrated, as one might expect being a second wine, the 2002 Carruades reveals the Lafite fragrance of lead pencil shavings intermixed with red and black currants, plums, and a hint of cherries. Medium-bodied, with tart acidity, this is a wine to drink over the next decade.
WS 87 (3/2005): A wine with good plum and raspberry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a short finish. Good but not special. Best after 2008. 18,000 cases made.
VM 87 (6/2005): Dark ruby-red. Withdrawn aromas of currant and herbs. Dry and quite closed, with limited sweetness. Flavors of plum, leather and currant leaf show only modest ripeness. Firm acids give this wine a slight sour edge. |
|
| Ch. Anseillan |
2019 |
Pauillac |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Ausone |
2005 |
St. Emilion (6X1.5L) 6-magnum Banded OWC |
$14,970 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (4/2021): The 2005 Ausone is magnificent. A wine of soaring intensity and class, the 2005 dazzles from the very first taste. The aromatics alone are captivating, with notes of cinnamon, mint, crushed rocks, blood orange, mocha and incense. Graceful and stately in bearing, the 2005 boasts tremendous purity and breathtaking balance. Readers will find a stunning Saint-Émilion that is just at the beginning of what promises to be a very long drinking window that will be measured in decades. It is a towering achievement from the Vauthier family. (Drink between 2022-2055). Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (6/2015): The 2005 Ausone is a perfect wine of the vintage. It displays crushed rock, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity and richness, and perfect harmony among all of its component parts (acidity, tannin, wood, alcohol and extract). Still youthful, but oh, so promising, this wine should be set aside for another decade and drunk over the following 50-75 years. |
|
|
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$775 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's quite closed at first glance, slowly unfurling to reveal the most incredible perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums, Black Forest cake and roasted nuts with suggestions of charcuterie, wood smoke and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a quiet intensity of flavors that grow in the mouth to unveil layer after layer of black and red berries intertwined with beautiful savory notions framed by firm yet velvety tannins, finishing with epic length and amazing energy. It practically tingles on the palate!
JD 98 (2/2019): The 2016 Château Ausone is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and isn’t far off the thrilling 2015, although it shows a more seamless, elegant character. Loads of spice, crushed violets, floral notes and subtle oak give way to a full-bodied beauty that has thrilling cassis and black raspberry fruits, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. This thrilling Ausone needs 4-6 years of bottle age but will keep for 30 years or more.
VM 97+ (8/2020): The 2016 Ausone initially left me nonplussed, and so I left my glass for 10 or 15 minutes before returning to a different wine. The nose had opened up to reveal red cherries, wild strawberry, rose petals and touches of crushed stone and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and perfectly matched acidity. This is very refined and fleshy, almost Burgundian toward the finish, with just the right amount of bitterness. A brilliant wine, but it needs time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JS 98 (1/2019): Very exotic and fascinating with dark-berry, floral and violet aromas that follow though to a full body that is tight and polished with ultra-fine and driven tannins. They really are amazing. A wine with such strength and finesse at the same time. Confident and real Ausone. A blend of 50 per cent merlot and 50 per cent cabernet franc. Better after 2025. |
|
| Ch. Bahans Haut Brion |
2003 |
Pessac Leognan Bin-Soiled Label |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (3/2006): Loads of blackberry, raspberry and jam on the nose with just hints of green tobacco. Full-bodied, round and long, with fresh fruit and a clean finish. Second wine from Haut-Brion. Best after 2012. 5,000 cases made.
WA 89 (4/2006): Markedly open and ripe, the 2003 Bahans Haut-Brion offers up notes of plums, figs, and black currants in a chewy, fleshy style that begs for consumption over the next 7-8 years. |
|
| Ch. Bellevue Mondotte |
2010 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$289 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 96 (6/2013): This is incredibly intense and powerful with aromas of iron, spice and berry. Full body with a dense center palate of dark fruits and chocolate. Very long and refined. Balanced. Very closed. Try in 2018.
WA 95+ (2/2013): The wine is not as powerful as one might expect, given the owners and winemaking team, coming in at 14.3%. A sensational, rather massive example for a 2010, this opaque purple wine offers up notes of subtle barbecue smoke, blackberry and cassis as well as a hints of lead pencil shavings and a confiture of red and black fruits in the mouth. Full-bodied, unctuously textured and excruciatingly tannic, this is a big, blockbuster style of wine meant for 10-50+ years of cellaring.
VM 94+ (8/2013): Saturated dark ruby. High-toned aromas of black raspberry, blueberry and smoky oak. Superripe, lush, chewy and deep, with a distinctly high-toned quality to the fine-grained flavors of wild dark berries, espresso, graphite and dark chocolate. For all its sweetness, there's no shortage of acidity here. The broad, sweet, building tannins give shape to the fruit of this massive wine, which remained impressively fresh in the recorked bottle. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2019 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$127.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94-96+ (6/2020): The 2019 Bellevue Mondotte is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested on the 5th of October. The yields this year were 18 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol came in at 14.81%, while the pH was 3.50 (remarkably low!). Very deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherry preserves, blueberry compote and boysenberries scents plus hints of wilted roses, cumin seed, aniseed and cardamom. Full-bodied, the palate has fantastically ripe, silky tannins and gorgeous freshness supporting all that perfumed black and blue fruit, finishing long and harmonious.
JS 94-95 (6/2020): The purity of fruit is impressive here with crushed blackberries, blueberries and dark chocolate with some coffee. It’s full-bodied, yet integrated and chewy. Rich finish. |
|
| Ch. Cantemerle |
2005 |
Haut Medoc (375 ML) |
$35 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2008): Cantemerle’s new proprietors believe in producing delicate, beautifully wrought, finesse-styled wines that require some introspection. The deep ruby-hued 2005 displays aromas of licorice, roasted herbs, sweet cherries, and flowers. In the mouth, the wine seems almost light in comparison to its peers, but it possesses an ethereal seriousness, purity, and overall harmony that are striking for its delicacy and finesse. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with a tiny dollop of Cabernet Franc, it should be at its finest between 2012-2025+.
WS 90 (3/2008): Shows blackberry and plum skin aromas, with hints of vanilla. Medium- to full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a pretty, fruity aftertaste. An elegant, balanced style. Lingers on the palate. Best after 2012. 33,330 cases made.
VM 88+ (6/2008): Good medium ruby . Reticent aromas of black cherry and licorice. Bright, tight and high-pitched, with very fresh flavors of dark fruits and flowers currently dominated by firm tannic spine. A bit youthfully tough and in need of at least several years of cellaring. |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2005 |
St. Estephe Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$245 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (11/2018): The 2005 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet colored, it is still a little closed and youthfully shy. With coaxing, the nose is just beginning to offer glimpses at vivacious kirsch, red roses, violets, licorice and mocha scents over a crème de cassis, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherry core with wafts of chargrill, mossy bark and truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully complex in the mouth, the palate is just beginning to reveal the true potential of this wine, with tightly wound layers of perfumed black fruits and earthy notions bound by a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and finishing with epic persistence. This still needs 5-6 years, but I love how this beauty is shaping up!!
VM 97 (11/2015): I have been fortunate to taste the 2005 Cos d'Estournel three times in recent weeks and it has never been anything less than stunningly beautiful, as it is once again on this night. The interplay of dark, ripe fruit and the more mineral, savory-inflected nuances typical of Saint-Estèphe yield a compelling, wonderfully complete Bordeaux that simply has it all. An exotic melange of graphite, gravel, smoke, cured meats and dark-fleshed fruits flow through to the explosive finish. Riveting today, the 2005 Cos will continue to thrill those fortunate enough to own it for several decades. Given its price vis-à-vis many of the high-flying wines of the year, the 2005 Cos remains a terrific relative value in its class.
NM 96 (2/2015): The Château Cos d’Estournel 2005 has a more opulent and riper bouquet compared to the Montrose ’05 with blackberry, Morello cherries, dried orange peel and then with further aeration, sage and leather notes combining beautifully together. This is quintessential Cos d’Estournel, one that has meliorated in the last couple of years.. The palate is full-bodied with very fine tannin, a little easier-going than Montrose but that detracts nothing from the freshness and energy in this Saint Estèphe. You could argue it has a mote more precision than Montrose but there are just two sides of a very shiny coin.
VM 96 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Knockout nose combines currant, plum, minerals, licorice and graphite. Wonderfully sweet, rich and deep, but with near-perfect balancing acidity to frame the wine's lush fruit. This superb 2005 has it all. Finishes with noble, sweet tannins and palate-saturating persistence. On my most recent visit, Prats told me he considered 2005 to be superior to the 2003, and that the '05 may be "our best wine ever."
WS 96 (12/2017): Still tight despite a gorgeous wave of rich melted licorice, fig bread, warm plum compote and steeped blackberry flavors. Lovely alder, black tea and balsam wood details give this added range and a sense of detail through the finish before a wall of graphite-edged grip shows up. We're still in wait mode here. Best from 2020-2040. 25,000 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Dauzac |
2009 |
Margaux (375 ML) |
$45 |
33 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/2012): Has Dauzac ever made a wine this good? Deep ruby/purple, with notes of graphite and black currants followed by some spicy oak and licorice in a creamy, plump succulent texture that almost reminds me of a Right Bank wine, this 2009 is full-throttle, dense and super-concentrated. It is an amazing Dauzac. Drink it over the next 25 years.
WS 91 (3/2012): Perfumy and sleek, with nicely stitched anise, violet, juniper, blackberry and cassis notes all gliding through the polished finish. A lingering iron twang adds a little length. Drink now through 2019. 8,300 cases made.
VM 89 (7/2012): Deep ruby-red. Musky aromas of black raspberry and leather reminded me a bit of syrah. Deep, rich and energetic, in a rather extractive style, with sweet black fruit flavors joined by chewy, slightly drying (oak-driven) tannins on the back end. This fairly large-scaled Margaux should provide early pleasure. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 88 (7/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. This has a fragrant bouquet with dark plum and mulberry on the nose that demonstrates good vigour and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. It is soft in the mouth and need more backbone, whilst the earthy finish is a little smudged. I must confess ... I was expecting more from a wine that showed so much potential out of barrel, but perhaps is it enduring a difficult phase. |
|
| Ch. Des Laurets |
2015 |
Puisseguin-St. Emilion Baron Selection Parcellaire |
$89 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (2/2018): The 2015 Les Laurets Baron Edmond de Rothschild Selection Parcellaire is the best Merlot off the estate. Sweet red cherry, raspberry, anise and cedar show a good bit of nuance. Drink this pliant, supple wine over the next few years. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Duluc de Branaire-Ducru |
2009 |
St. Julien (375 ML) |
$35 |
14 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Gaby |
2014 |
Canon Fronsac Bin-Soiled Label |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Giscours |
2005 |
Margaux (375 ML) |
$69 |
12 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2008): Displays blackberry, cherry and hints of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and solid. This is structured and chewy. Needs time. Best after 2013. 20,830 cases made.
WA 91 (4/2008): This forward-styled 2005 possesses a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a big, sweet bouquet of roasted herbs, fudge, espresso, figs, and cherry jam. Opulent, even decadent, with low acidity, but high glycerin and fruit extract as well as a flamboyant fleshiness, this is a stunningly impressive, hedonistic, savory Margaux to enjoy between 2010-2025.
VM 91 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Lovely lift to the aromas of black fruits, licorice and minerals. Pure, intense and sweet, offering an enticing combination of black fruit, mineral and dark chocolate flavors. Finishes long and sweet, with plenty of tannic structure and a lingering note of bitter chocolate. A juicy, serious wine with some power. This has turned out very well. |
|
| Ch. Grand Pontet |
2015 |
St. Emilion Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$45 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 89+ (11/2017): I found the 2015 Grand Pontet to be hard to read, with lots of oak and chocolate, yet also lots of fruit. I just never really came together in the glass and is a head-scratcher. I think it will settle down with 2-3 years of bottle age and certainly has potential. (Drink between 2021-2031).
VM 88 (2/2018): The 2015 Grand-Pontet is powerful and dense, but also quite extracted to the point I am not sure the tannins will soften before the fruit starts to fade. Black cherry, mocha, licorice, grilled herbs, blackberry, new leather and smoke all run through a burly Saint Émilion with searing, dry tannins. Tasted two times. (Drink between 2020-2027). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Haut Bailly |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$139 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (7/2017): The 2005 Haut Bailly is rapidly turning into a glorious wine. You instantly fall in love with the purity on the nose, luscious red cherries, wild strawberry and blueberry. This is still youthful and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a structured opening like many in this vintage. It exerts a gentle grip in the mouth, quite tensile and linear and perhaps just tightening up a tad toward the finish. It is biding its time, but it will repay those who cellar this outstanding 2005 for another four or five years.
NM 95 (2/2015): The Château Haut-Bailly 2005 has a really quite fabulous bouquet with exuberant red and black fruit: sage, red currants, juniper and warm roof tiles on a summer's day. The palate is medium-bodied with layers and layers of grippy black fruit laced with black truffle and wild mushroom. It is incredibly well balanced with perfect acidity, the structure and backbone on the finish suggesting this will be a very "long-runner". Outstanding.
JS 95 (4/2012): This shows a great purity of fruit; firm and direct notes of raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries that open to intense notes of fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins. This wine is tight and long -- you know this is good immediately. Pull the cork after 2016.
WS 95 (3/2008): Dark purple in color. Offers pure fruit, with crushed raspberry, blackberry and dried flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins that touch every inch of the palate. Long and racy, with elegance and beauty harking back to bygone days. Best after 2015. 6,665 cases made.
VM 92+ (6/2008): Good bright medium ruby. Deep aromas of plum, currant, tobacco, mocha and menthol. Superripe and rich but with superb ripe acidity and firm tannins currently keeping the fruit and mineral elements under wraps. Just this side of severe today: here's a 2005 that appears already to have shut down in the bottle. Best today on the back end, where the wine really spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate. I'd give it a good 12 years of aging; it should be very long-lived. Classy, sharply chiseled Haut-Bailly with noteworthy elegance. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2010 |
Pessac Leognan |
$825 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and baked plums followed by nuances of dark chocolate, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied, the palate has lots of subtle earth and mineral accents with a firm, finely grained texture and great freshness lifting the long finish.
WS 99 (3/2013): Sappy, tongue-coating pastis, blackberry coulis and loganberry fruit starts this huge wine off, followed by a parade of licorice snap, violet, tar, black tea, roasted alder, wood spice and steeped black cherry fruit notes. A beam of pure cassis drives through this, and the finish pulls everything together with a mouthwatering brambly edge that should soften slowly over time. A riveting display of brawny power, unbridled energy and high-level terroir. Best from 2020 through 2040.
VM 98+ (8/2013): Good full ruby-red. Complex, expressive, very showy aromas and flavors of cassis, menthol, smoke and tobacco complemented by violet, milk chocolate and sweet spices. Fat, sweet and concentrated in the mouth, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. Finishes ripe and savory, with huge but plush tannins and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 97 (2/2013): This is very spicy with dried mushroom aromas with dark fruits and plum undertones. Sweet tobacco as well. This is full-bodied, with lots of tannins that are chewy and firm. This is muscular for HB and flexing it. Try in 2020. |
|
|
2010 |
Pessac Leognan (1.5 L) |
$1,650 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and baked plums followed by nuances of dark chocolate, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied, the palate has lots of subtle earth and mineral accents with a firm, finely grained texture and great freshness lifting the long finish.
WS 99 (3/2013): Sappy, tongue-coating pastis, blackberry coulis and loganberry fruit starts this huge wine off, followed by a parade of licorice snap, violet, tar, black tea, roasted alder, wood spice and steeped black cherry fruit notes. A beam of pure cassis drives through this, and the finish pulls everything together with a mouthwatering brambly edge that should soften slowly over time. A riveting display of brawny power, unbridled energy and high-level terroir. Best from 2020 through 2040.
VM 98+ (8/2013): Good full ruby-red. Complex, expressive, very showy aromas and flavors of cassis, menthol, smoke and tobacco complemented by violet, milk chocolate and sweet spices. Fat, sweet and concentrated in the mouth, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. Finishes ripe and savory, with huge but plush tannins and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 97 (2/2013): This is very spicy with dried mushroom aromas with dark fruits and plum undertones. Sweet tobacco as well. This is full-bodied, with lots of tannins that are chewy and firm. This is muscular for HB and flexing it. Try in 2020. |
|
| Ch. La Caze Bellevue |
2019 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$18.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. La Couspaude |
2015 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$69.99 |
13 |
|
| |
| JD 91 (11/2017): The 2015 Château La Couspaude is a beauty! Offering a deep ruby/plum color as well as terrific notes of black cherry liqueur, strawberries, spice and toasty oak, it’s medium-bodied, textured and nicely balanced on the palate, with fine tannin. It’s not the most complex wine out there, but man is it a delicious drink. I suspect it will keep for at least a decade. |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Morange |
2010 |
St. Emilion Mathilde |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91 (7/2013): Good bright medium ruby. Aromas of blackberry, dark raspberry, licorice, minerals and dark chocolate show liqueur-like ripeness. Sweet, lush, velvety and deep, but with good ripe acidity and violet lift to the flavors of black raspberry, menthol and chocolatey oak. A bit less high-toned and sweet than the "regular" La Fleur Morange, but finishes with noble fine-grained tannins and serious length. Very impressive merlot. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 93 (2/2013): The 2010 Mathilde is 100% Merlot in 2010, and the alcohol is at 15%. The wine is a blockbuster, a delicious, hedonistic St.-Emilion fruit bomb with loads of blackberry, raspberry, black currant and cherry notes intermixed with some cedar wood, forest floor and a touch of toast. The interesting thing about Mathilde is that it is bottled and put on the market much earlier than most of the serious wines of Bordeaux. The Mathilde is probably best consumed in its first decade of life. |
|
| Ch. la Garde |
2014 |
Pessac Leognan Bin-Soiled Label |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 87 (3/2017): The 2014 La Garde is located in Martillac next to the new vineyard that is now part of Les Carmes Haut-Brion (Guilhaume Poutier used to be winemaker at current proprietor Dourthe). It has a very pleasant bouquet with brambly black fruit intermingling with wilted rose petals and a touch of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, plenty of cedar-infused black fruit, exerting quite a tight grip in the mouth and that touch of mint returning just on the finish. Enjoy this over the next four or five years, possibly longer. |
|
| Ch. La Lagune |
2009 |
Haut Medoc |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (3/2015): Fabulous aromas of licorice, flowers and blackcurrants follow through to a full body with wonderful silky and caressing tannins and a long, flavorful finish. It’s complex and exceptional. Better in 2018 but so enjoyable to taste and drink now.
WA 95 (2/2012): It is not unusual that the 2009 La Lagune is a spectacular effort given the fact that this estate has been making terrific wines over the last decade or more. It boasts a dense purple color as well as a beautiful perfume of blueberries, mulberries, cassis, white chocolate and subtle toasty oak. Notes of Chinese black tea, cedarwood and forest floor also make an appearance in the singular aromatic and flavor profiles. This sumptuous, full-bodied La Lagune possesses low acidity, abundant but ripe, sweet tannin and a long, 45-second finish. Give this beauty 5-7 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades. |
|
| Ch. La Vieille Cure |
2010 |
Fronsac |
$45 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2015 |
Pauillac |
$765 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 99 (7/2020): Firm and powerful with blackberries, blueberries, currants and wet earth. Full-bodied, yet tight and angular with very pretty fruit and brightness. Really racy and super and set for a long, long life. Better after 2025.
VM 96+ (2/2018): Rich, powerful and enveloping, the 2015 Lafite-Rothschild is endowed with serious volume and textural resonance. Super-ripe plum, smoke and spice notes emerge in the glass, but only with great reluctance. Although the aromatics aren't giving much at this point, the palate is much more expressive. The wine's sheer power and authoritative tone result in an unusually dramatic Lafite. The 2015 is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot that spent 20 months in oak, which is a bit more than the norm. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96+ (2/2018): The deep garnet-purple shaded 2015 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot and was matured for 20 months in new oak barrels from Tonnellerie des Domaines (their own cooperage). It is still sporting a lot of cedar at this nascent stage with a vibrant core of black raspberries, red currants and crushed plums plus touches of cigar boxes, violets and underbrush with a waft of tilled loam. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled with wonderful freshness and depth, it is compellingly earthy/minerally in the mouth with a frame of seductively silky yet very firm tannins and culminating in a very long, racy and pure finish. Boasting spectacular finesse and packed with nuances, clearly, given some of the challenges here in 2015, this is a masterpiece of diligence in the vineyards, careful selection and very clever crafting—bravo!
JD 96 (11/2017): The grand vin 2015 Lafite-Rothschild checks in as 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot that was brought all in 100% new oak. Director Eric Kohler (who replaced Charles Chevallier in 2015) told me the vintage suffered a touch of dilution but wasn’t a complicated year. The 2015 is an aristocratic, classy example from this estate that offers textbook lead pencil shavings, tobacco, smoked herbs, and graphite as well as a beautiful core of currant and cassis fruit. It’s the most refined and subtle of the first growths, has medium to full-bodied richness, building tannin, and undeniable class and charm. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.
WS 95 (3/2018): Velvet- and silk-textured red currant, raspberry and black cherry compote notes glide through, supported by a perfectly embedded graphite spine, while enticing violet, black tea and alder accents add range through the finish. Very refined and sneakily long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,000 cases made. |
|
|
2016 |
Pauillac |
$725 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 100 (2/2019): On another level and one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted, the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot raised in new oak. It takes the classic elegance and class of Lafite and turns the dial up to 11, offering a massive, heavenly array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, graphite, tobacco, and incense aromas and flavors that soar from the glass. Deep, full-bodied, and flawlessly constructed, with perfectly integrated fruit, acidity, and tannins, this is legendary stuff all the way. It will be drinkable in 7-8 years and keep for 50-75 years or more. Along with Mouton, it’s the wine of the vintage from the Medoc. Hats off to director Eric Kohler.
JS 100 (1/2019): Incredible aromas of crushed berries, sweet tobacco and wet earth. So perfumed and gorgeous. Hot stones and cement, too. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of intense tannins and a never ending finish. Juicy and flavorful. A muscular Lafite, not seen for a long time. Classssssss! Try after 2025.
WA 99 (11/2018): The 2016 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries and warm blackcurrants with underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice and pencil lead plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied and built like a brick house with a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone and seamless freshness supporting the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers, it finishes very long and provocatively perfumed.
VM 98 (1/2019): The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild underwent three days of pre-harvest selection to pick out the clusters that you could see through, where the grapes had little pulp because of retarded maturation during the growing season. This tank represented 3% of the volume that did not even make it into the Carruades because it would have detracted from the precision. It has a beautiful bouquet, one of the most seductive in recent years, offering pure blackberry and boysenberry fruit, hints of pressed violet and India ink that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite saturated tannin that belies the backbone, and a rondeur that I was not anticipating. Referring back to my notes, it’s clear that this first growth has developed greater amplitude and perhaps sensuality in barrel. It has a sense of approachability, although it clearly has the substance to last for many years. Neal Martin.
WS 98 (3/2019): This offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the rigid structure. The two sides meld, pulling in extra sweet tobacco, smoldering cast iron, juniper and savory notes on the finish, leaving a mouthwatering feel. A real stunner. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,000 cases made. |
|
|
2018 |
Pauillac |
$695 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 100 (3/2021): The 2018 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot and has 13.3% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock intoxicating scents of blackcurrant cordial, baked plums and black cherry compote with an undercurrent of dark chocolate, licorice, cast-iron pan, cedar chest and fertile loam, plus a waft of pencil lead. The delicately crafted, medium-bodied palate is dripping with class, featuring layers of mineral-laced black fruits and exquisitely ripe, singularly Lafite tannins, finishing with epic length and depth. This simply stunning, delicately crafted expression of 2018 with its singularly evocative imprint of Lafite will require a good 7-8 years in bottle, then should continue to inspire awe over the following 40+ years.
JS 99 (1/2021): Wow. The aromas are so intense and refined at the same time, offering gorgeous blackcurrant, lead-pencil and orchid character. Such purity of fruit. Sleek and finely polished with a fine cut to the tannins that provide such grace and glamor. Yet, it’s got the power and structure to age for decades. On and on. Try after 2029.
JD 98 (3/2021): Checking in as a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, the 2018 Château Lafite-Rothschild is one of those magical Lafites that offers an already up-front, complex, nuanced style yet has the class and balance to evolve for 40-50 years. As always, this wine is never about sheer power, and the 2018 offers a full-bodied, incredibly elegant and weightless style that carries textbook blackcurrant fruits, lead pencil shavings, green tobacco, cedarwood, and camphor aromas and flavors. I compared this wine to a more elegant version of the 2016 from barrel and I think that comparison still holds. Incredibly up-front and charming, and already drinkable with sweet tannins, it will unquestionably pick up more complexity and nuance over the coming 4-6 years. It should hit maturity around age 10 and evolve for 75 years or more given its perfect balance. This is a beautiful, quintessential Lafite that exudes elegance and charm.
VM 98 (3/2021): The 2018 Lafite-Rothschild is a stunning wine. Silky and floral, the 2018 offers all the signatures of the Grand Vin, but amplified by the radiance of the year. In the glass, Lafite is rich and exotic, yet it also retains tremendous vibrancy. The interplay of Merlot picked early and Cabernet Sauvignon harvested late makes for wine of extraordinary dimension, complexity and class. Graphite, dark red fruit, spice and leather linger on the huge finish. Magnificent! Antonio Galloni.
WS 97 (3/2021): Very pure, with a sleek and extremely focused beam of cassis, black cherry puree and blackberry preserves streaming through, lined along the edges with savory, sweet bay leaf and black tea details. Those extra notes assert themselves through the finish, but without intruding too much on the fruit, letting it play out over a long iron spine. Hums with precision. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2045. |
|
| Ch. Larcis-Ducasse |
2010 |
St. Emilion Lightly Nicked Label; Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$139 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95-97 (5/2011): An excellent effort, stylistically, the 2010 comes as close to the 2005 as one will find. The wine was made from remarkably low yields of 19 hectoliters per hectare and the final blend was approximately 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. The late harvest (it finished during the third week of October) was managed impeccably by the dynamic duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. This phenomenal terroir, situated with a south/southeast exposition on the limestone soils of the Cote Pavie, has produced a wine with great individuality. Its dense purple color is followed by notes of black currants, sweet cherries, garrigue, licorice and incense. Already complex, it reveals formidably endowed, full-bodied flavors, a skyscraper-like texture, marvelous depth, moderately high tannins and excellent precision as well as freshness (which gives the wine that 2005-like personality). This 2010 will require 4-5 years of cellaring and should age effortlessly for 20-25 years thereafter.
JS 95-96 (4/2011): The intensity to this wine is incredible with an electric dark fruit character and dark chocolate note. It’s so lively and vibrant. Full and beautiful.
WS 92-95 (7/2011): A nice winey core of crushed red and black currant fruit is laced with ample anise and graphite notes. Stretching out nicely already on the finish, with fresh acidity.
VM 90-93 (6/2011): (85 % merlot and 15% cabernet franc; 3.4 pH) Bright ruby-red. Strawberry, red cherry, white pepper and flowers on the perfumed nose. A refined midweight on the palate, with fresh red cherry and plum flavors complicated by herbs and spices. The peppery, smooth, long finish features hints at flowers and white pepper. This pristine, lovely wine packs in a ton of flavor without coming across as particularly powerful or large-scaled. |
|
| Ch. Latour |
2011 |
Pauillac |
$509 |
4 |
|
| |
WS 96 (3/2014): This has a gorgeous core of steeped plum, boysenberry and black currant coulis flavors, backed by a prominent graphite note that drives through the lengthy finish, where extra hints of anise and sweet tobacco flitter in the background. Regal. Best from 2018 through 2035. 5,835 cases made.
JS 95 (1/2014): The nose is complex, featuring smoke, meat and hints of wood, with currants, olives and berries underneath. Full body with super-velvety tannins. The strong acidity gives the wine an edginess. Love the spicy, subtly fruity finish. Steely. Try in 2020.
VM 95 (4/2022): The 2011 Latour is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, bilberry, cedar, hoisin and a touch of mint. There is impressive intensity here, regal and convincing. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. There is a solid backbone to this wine, plenty of freshness, quite powerful towards the finish with superb persistence. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. Neal Martin.
WA 93-95 (4/2012): A blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34% of the crop. It hit 13.1% natural alcohol. One of the vintage's most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open-knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4-5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more. |
|
|
2011 |
Pauillac (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$5,900 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 96 (3/2014): This has a gorgeous core of steeped plum, boysenberry and black currant coulis flavors, backed by a prominent graphite note that drives through the lengthy finish, where extra hints of anise and sweet tobacco flitter in the background. Regal. Best from 2018 through 2035. 5,835 cases made.
JS 95 (1/2014): The nose is complex, featuring smoke, meat and hints of wood, with currants, olives and berries underneath. Full body with super-velvety tannins. The strong acidity gives the wine an edginess. Love the spicy, subtly fruity finish. Steely. Try in 2020.
VM 95 (4/2022): The 2011 Latour is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, bilberry, cedar, hoisin and a touch of mint. There is impressive intensity here, regal and convincing. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. There is a solid backbone to this wine, plenty of freshness, quite powerful towards the finish with superb persistence. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. Neal Martin.
WA 93-95 (4/2012): A blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34% of the crop. It hit 13.1% natural alcohol. One of the vintage's most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open-knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4-5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more. |
|
|
2013 |
Pauillac 2021 ex-Chateau release |
$545 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 91 (3/2021): The flagship 2013 Chateau Latour comes from a much more challenging vintage and is 95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.4% Merlot, and a 0.4% Petit Verdot. It shows its more Cabernet dominated blend with a more compact, tight, reserved style that opens up nicely with time in the glass. Revealing a healthy ruby/plum color, it has classic Latour notes of blackcurrants, freshly sharpened pencils, smoked tobacco, crushed stone, and licorice. It doesn't have the depth, richness, or expansiveness to be considered a great Latour but is medium-bodied, has a focused, elegant texture, ripe, silky tannins, and a narrow yet lengthy finish. Given the difficulties in the year, this is certainly a success as the purity of fruit is spot on, the tannins are sweet and polished, and it has plenty of classic Latour character. It should drink nicely over the coming 10-15 years and have a gradual decline.
VM 91 (8/2023): The 2013 Latour has quite an austere nose, backward and slightly surly. Light and tertiary black fruit mix with cigar humidor and autumn leaf scents. The palate is better with a gentle grip, fine acidity and decent balance. You do wish for more fruit on the finish, though there is a greater density on the finish compared with the Lafite-Rothschild. Fine. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Latour Martillac |
2010 |
Pessac-Leognan |
$69 |
2 |
|
| |
NM 95 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a great La Tour Martillac that must be one the finest releases from the estate in recent years. It has quite an elegant understated bouquet with autumn leaves infusing the black fruit profile, later tobacco and cigar box. Good vigour and class. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity on the entry. It is underpinned by good structure, with plenty of red and black fruit and an engaging delineated finish brimming with energy. There is some high quality terroir and fruit here. Tasted January 2014.
WS 92 (3/2013): Dense, but supple along the edges, offering a packed core of cassis, blackberry and black cherry fruit. The lovely licorice, dark tobacco and violet notes glide to the finish, which shows solid, latent grip. Best from 2015 through 2025.
JS 92-93 (4/2011): I love the mid-palate to this young and attractive red, with silky tannins and alluring mineral, berry and stone character. Enchanting.
WA 90+ (2/2013): Abundant notes of spicy oak, elegant black currants and rich fruitiness along with hints of forest floor and damp earth are followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with sweet tannin and the classic Pessac-Leognan/Graves characteristics of tobacco leaf and smoke. Deep fruit, moderate tannin and a long finish give this wine enough potential to last for up to two decades or more.
VM 88 (8/2013): Bright medium red. Slightly medicinal aromas of black cherry, licorice, tobacco leaf and earth. Spicy and firmly built, with fresh acidity giving the flavors of tobacco leaf, herbs and spices a rather stern mien today. Finishes a tad green, with drying tannins. I'm not sure where this can go in bottle. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Latour-a-Pomerol |
2010 |
Pomerol Bin-Soiled Label |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (2/2013): Elegant loamy soil notes intermixed with sweet cherries as well as hints of underbrush, mocha and mulberry jump from the glass of this pure, medium to full-bodied, dense wine, which possesses good glycerin, flesh and richness. It should drink nicely for up to 15 years. |
|
| Ch. Le Prieure |
2015 |
St. Emilion |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 90-92 (4/2016): The 2015 Château Le Prieuré is more understated on the nose than its peers - gentle raspberry coulis and wild strawberry scents furnished a touch of fig. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin. There is a lucidity to this Saint Émilion, a brightness and vivacity, and it comes armed with plenty of energy and a finish that suggests a prosperous future. This is an excellent Château Le Prieuré from the Guichard family and I might head for this rather than their Pomerol, Vray Croix de Gay this year. |
|
|
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 92-93 (4/2017): Dense and minerally red with blueberry and blackberry character. Hints of licorice, too. Medium body and a juicy finish.
WS 89-92 (4/2017): This sports a brambly, energetic edge, with a core of cherry paste and raspberry coulis flavors stretching out nicely while anise and singed juniper fill in through the finish. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2014 |
St. Julien Nicked Label; Bin-Soiled Label |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (3/2017): The 2014 Leoville Barton is one of the must-buys of the vintage. Now in bottle, it has a very pure bouquet that gains intensity in the glass, laden with blackberry and raspberry coulis scents, cold wet stone, a wonderful mineralite that becomes more conspicuous with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with tensile tannin, a fine line of acidity that lends this precision and nervosite. There is class and sophistication in situ, not a powerful Leoville Barton, but beautifully poised. This is just a brilliant forerunner to the 2015 and it should represent great value.
VM 94 (3/2018): The 2014 Leoville Barton has a crisp, poised bouquet with graphite tinged black fruit, hints of crushed flower and clove, nicely define and gaining definition with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, beautifully judged acidity, sophisticated and poised, fanning out with confidence towards the fresh, energetic finish. This is a succinct and beautifully crafted Saint Julien with many years of drinking enjoyment to give. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 94 (3/2017): This has a solid core of cassis, blueberry confiture and plum sauce flavors, wrapped with warm ganache and licorice snap notes, kept honest by graphite rivets along the finish. This has lots of muscle, but stays lean and long. Best from 2020 through 2035. 11,667 cases made.
JS 94 (2/2017): Very aromatic with cherries and blackberries. Hints of flowers. Full body, lightly chewy yet ultra-fine tannins and a fresh finish. Tangy and delicious. Racy. Better in 2021.
JD 93 (11/2017): While a solid step back from the sensational 2015, the 2014 Leoville Barton is still a beauty. Possessing medium-bodied notes of cassis, sweet oak, spice and flowers, this impeccably balanced Saint-Julien is incredibly classy, layered and pure on the palate. While this cuvee can be backward and difficult to taste young, the 2014 has a supple, beautifully textured, fresh style that’s already approachable. Nevertheless, a few years in the cellar will do it well, and it should keep for two to three decades. |
|
| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2003 |
Pessac Leognan Nicked Label |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 88 (8/2014): The final blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon tipped the scales at 13.5% natural alcohol. The wine exhibits notes of unsmoked cigar tobacco, scorched earth, red and black currants, and is elegant, tasty and fully mature. It is just beginning to dry out, so consume it over the next 3-4 years.
VM 87 (8/2023): The 2003 Les Carmes Haut-Brion, now at 20 years old, is in stark contrast to the 2022 tasted alongside, far more rustic with ferrous dark berry fruit, curry leaf and rusty iron piping. It is oddly Burgundian in style, like a mature Morey-Saint-Denis. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins but very monotone and lacks amplitude on the finish. There is still an element of freshness and no dryness per se, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Tasted at the château. (Drink between 2023-2030). Neal Martin. |
|
|
2005 |
Pessac Leognan |
$149 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2008): A gorgeous effort from this tiny gem, the 2005 Les Carmes is their best wine since 1998 and 2000. Situated in a beautiful park behind Haut-Brion, this estate fashioned a deep ruby-colored 2005 boasting a brilliantly projected set of aromatics (kirsch, smoke, scorched earth, chocolate, leafy tobacco, and creosote). Its full body is somewhat unexpected given the aromatics’ delicacy and nuance. Zesty acidity, sweet tannin, and a light but substantial, classic, traditional style are found in this offering, which represents a synthesis in style between a grand cru Cote de Beaune Burgundy (such as a Corton) and a great Graves. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028.
NM 92 (1/2009): Tasted single blind at Southwold. This has a lighter, more feminine nose; good definition with rounded red-berried fruit with touches of cigar box and earth. The palate has a sweet, lithe entry, supple tannins, lacks a little weight for a 2005 but it is well crafted. Sappy blackberry, black plum finish with a touch of mocha. Nice grip. Very fine. Drink 2012-2025.
VM 91 (6/2008): Medium red. Ripe aromas of smoky plum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco and nutty oak. Rich, pliant and fruity, with ripe acids framing the raspberry and subtle game flavors and contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Offers good volume and a restrained sweetness. Finishes with dusty, serious tannins and very good length.
WS 90 (3/2008): Aromas of plum, chocolate and leather follow through to a full body, with a very good richness of fruit and a caressing, medium finish. Not overdone. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2011. 2,500 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2003 |
Pauillac Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$179 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 92 (12/2007): Loads of rich, plummy fruit with vanilla undertones follows through to a full-bodied palate, with soft tannins and a long, long finish. Gorgeous.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Best after 2010. 35,000 cases made.
VM 90 (6/2006): Good red-ruby. Full-blown aromas of currant, black cherry, roasted meat, lead pencil and leather. Fat, rich and compellingly sweet, with suggestions of tobacco and meat. Finishes with very fine tannins that coat the teeth. Seems quite accessible already, but certainly has enough freshness to evolve in bottle over the next decade or more.
WA 89 (4/2006): One of the most popular wines of Bordeaux seems to be going through a period where the style seems lighter, and there is less muscle and mass, but perhaps it’s just a temporary transition. Certainly there has been no truly profound Lynch Bages since the 2000, preceded by the 1996, 1990, and 1989. Showing better than it did from cask with some toasty oak, moderate quantities of creme de cassis fruit, lower acidity, and a hint of cedar in an evolved style, the medium to full-bodied 2003 Lynch Bages does not lack for tannin and structure but finishes surprisingly short for a top vintage in the northern Medoc. It is very good, but falls short of Outstanding. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020. |
|
| Ch. Malartic Lagraviere |
2009 |
Pessac Leognan |
$79 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 92+ (2/2012): Probably the best wine that has come from this estate, along with their 2005, the final blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot boasts Michel Rolland as the consulting oenologist. This organically farmed vineyard has turned out a deeply layered wine with a striking perfume of graphite, wet stones, red and black currants, tobacco leaf and underbrush. The compelling aromatics are followed by a medium-bodied but intensely concentrated wine with loads of ripe fruit, plenty of glycerin (14% natural alcohol) and a long, nuanced, impressively endowed finish. Accessible already, this wine should continue to drink well for 15 or more years.
WS 92 (3/2012): Packed and very backward, with taut tobacco, iron and bittersweet cocoa notes up front, while the core of crushed plum, roasted fig and cassis flavors is held in reserve. Lots of chalky grip marks the finish, where the fruit drips in the background. Best from 2015 through 2022. 7,500 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
2011 |
Margaux (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$5,100 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
|
|
2015 |
Margaux |
$1,499 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (11/2017): The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.
JS 100-100 (4/2016): The greatest Margaux ever made. More than perfection. Full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins. Black currant, mineral and floral character. It starts slowly and seems almost endless on the palate. Seamless. I want to sing! This is the wine that Margaux never made in some of the classic vintages like 1961, 1959 and 1945. Maybe it's the 1900 all over again? Breathtaking.
WA 98-100 (4/2016): The 2015 Château Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all together representing 35% of the total production at the estate. Raised entirely in new oak, it has a lucid garnet color. The bouquet is aimed directly at the senses - there is no dilly-dallying about, as it almost knocks you off your stool with its intense mineralite embroidered into this iridescent, graphite-tinged nose. The focus and penetration here ranks among the finest that I have tasted at this estate since first coming here in 1997. The palate is astonishingly well balanced, perfectly poised with super-fine tannins wrapped around pure blackberry, bilberry, graphite and cedar fruit. Like the Pavillon Rouge this year, there is a Pauillac-like sense of authority and aristocracy, leavened by Margaux-inspired femininity that completes that standout 2015 on the Left Bank. Beg for a bottle and worry about the cost later. Post script: I composed this tasting note five days before the passing of Paul Pontallier. It is a final gift from a gifted winemaker.
VM 95-98 (4/2016): The 2015 Margaux is a super-classic wine. In 2015, most Margauxs are notably intense, but Château Margaux expresses the richness of the year in its surprising tannic backbone and overall structure. Far from an up-front or sensual wine, the 2015 Margaux is likely to require considerable cellaring. It is a tightly-wound wine that manages to be both powerful and crystalline in its translucent purity. The 2015 is a wine of real density and yet so very much Margaux. About 35% of the crop went into the Grand Vin. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2016 |
Pauillac Bin-Soiled Label; Scuffed Label |
$649 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (5/2023): I believe the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild will be one of the legendary wines of the 21st century, and it might be the finest wine I've ever tasted. Still deep purple-hued and incredibly young, it offers an incredible sense of purity and precision in its darker currant, blueberry, and cassis-like fruits as well as classic graphite, lead pencil, violet, and tobacco aromatics. With flawless balance and perfect integration of its fruit, acidity, oak, and tannins, this concentrated, full-bodied, utterly magical Pauillac is going to need 15 years to hit its prime drink window, and I suspect will see its 75th birthday in fine form. The blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
WA 100 (10/2019): Composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild has an opaque garnet-purple color. WOW—the nose explodes from the glass with powerful blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries, blueberry pie and melted chocolate notions, plus suggestions of aniseed, camphor, lifted kirsch and the faintest waft of a subtle floral perfume in the background. Full-bodied, concentrated, bold and totally seductive in the mouth, it has very fine-grained, silt-like tannins, while jam-packed with tightly wound fruit layers, finishing in this wonderful array of mineral sparks. Magic.
VM 99 (8/2020): The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild has an understated bouquet at first, featuring scents of blackberry, bilberry and traces of kelp and brine. Wonderful delineation here, and it builds in intensity with a few swirls of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a velvety-smooth texture and an elegant, utterly beguiling finish that flirts with perfection. Astonishing. Kudos to Philippe Dhalluin, who will be retiring from his position at the end of the year. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2030-2080). Neal Martin.
JS 100 (1/2019): Dark ruby, purple color. Aromas of blackcurrants, black truffle, crushed stone, licorice and hints of tar. Full-bodied, deep and vertical on the palate, drawing you in and down. The structure is very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are folded into the wine. One of the most powerful Moutons ever for me. Try after 2027.
WS 98 (3/2019): A generous, pure and lush ball of Cabernet, with wave after wave of unadulterated cassis and blackberry puree flavors rolling through. Features notes of roasted apple wood and sweet tobacco, offset by a long tug of sweet earth, but that's all background music to the impressive core of fruit, which steams along like a cruise ship with enough stores in reserve to go around the world twice without stopping. Best from 2025 through 2045. |
|
|
2016 |
Pauillac Corroded Capsule; Heavily Bin-Soiled Label; Scuffed Label |
$649 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (5/2023): I believe the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild will be one of the legendary wines of the 21st century, and it might be the finest wine I've ever tasted. Still deep purple-hued and incredibly young, it offers an incredible sense of purity and precision in its darker currant, blueberry, and cassis-like fruits as well as classic graphite, lead pencil, violet, and tobacco aromatics. With flawless balance and perfect integration of its fruit, acidity, oak, and tannins, this concentrated, full-bodied, utterly magical Pauillac is going to need 15 years to hit its prime drink window, and I suspect will see its 75th birthday in fine form. The blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
WA 100 (10/2019): Composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild has an opaque garnet-purple color. WOW—the nose explodes from the glass with powerful blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries, blueberry pie and melted chocolate notions, plus suggestions of aniseed, camphor, lifted kirsch and the faintest waft of a subtle floral perfume in the background. Full-bodied, concentrated, bold and totally seductive in the mouth, it has very fine-grained, silt-like tannins, while jam-packed with tightly wound fruit layers, finishing in this wonderful array of mineral sparks. Magic.
VM 99 (8/2020): The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild has an understated bouquet at first, featuring scents of blackberry, bilberry and traces of kelp and brine. Wonderful delineation here, and it builds in intensity with a few swirls of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a velvety-smooth texture and an elegant, utterly beguiling finish that flirts with perfection. Astonishing. Kudos to Philippe Dhalluin, who will be retiring from his position at the end of the year. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2030-2080). Neal Martin.
JS 100 (1/2019): Dark ruby, purple color. Aromas of blackcurrants, black truffle, crushed stone, licorice and hints of tar. Full-bodied, deep and vertical on the palate, drawing you in and down. The structure is very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are folded into the wine. One of the most powerful Moutons ever for me. Try after 2027.
WS 98 (3/2019): A generous, pure and lush ball of Cabernet, with wave after wave of unadulterated cassis and blackberry puree flavors rolling through. Features notes of roasted apple wood and sweet tobacco, offset by a long tug of sweet earth, but that's all background music to the impressive core of fruit, which steams along like a cruise ship with enough stores in reserve to go around the world twice without stopping. Best from 2025 through 2045. |
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| Ch. Pavie Decesse |
2012 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$146.99 |
9 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (4/2015): From Chantal and Gerard Perse, this St.-Emilion is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It is interesting that the small vineyard of 8.5 acres (which I have walked) sits above Pavie on a steep, pure limestone outcrop. This is the quintessential limestone-based wine, with a liquor of powdered chalk mixed with cassis and blackberry. Very concentrated (almost painfully so), this highly extracted, full-bodied, massive, rich and powerful wine needs cellaring. Everything is present for a great future. This is one of the superstars of the vintage. Unfortunately, production of Pavis Decesse is minuscule, as a large section of the vineyard was incorporated into Pavie. This wine, with its opaque purple color and great density and richness is a connoisseur’s dream. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following three decades.
VM 94 (1/2016): Radiant and sexy in the glass, the 2012 Pavie-Decesse is the most gracious of the three top wines in Gerard Perse's lineup. Dark red cherry, plum, smoke, menthol and licorice are some of the notes that fused together in this beautifully focused, layered wine. Hints of violet and lavender add the closing shades of nuance. Silky tannins give the Pavie-Decesse plenty of early appeal, but there is also more than enough depth for the 2012 to drink well for a number of years. The 2012 is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, from vines that are 50 years old on average. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$118.99 |
8 |
|
| |
WA 95-97+ (6/2020): The 2019 Pavie Decesse is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, harvested on the 5th of October. The yields this year were 17 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol came in at 14.51%, while the pH was 3.51 (remarkably low!). Very deep purple-black in color, it has an intoxicating nose of plum preserves, blueberry tart, kirsch and molten chocolate with nuances of licorice, lilacs, clove oil and cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a skyscraper, with a soaring structure of firm, finely grained tannins and brazen freshness supporting the decadent black fruit and spicy layers, finishing very long and fruity.
VM 96-98 (6/2020): The 2019 Pavie-Decesse is off the charts brilliant. Blueberry jam, graphite, menthol, licorice, espresso, lavender and cloves are some of the many nuances that unfold in a statuesque Saint-emilion of dizzying scale. Big, brawny and powerful, the 2019 is going to require years in bottle to blossom, but it is immensely promising and very clearly a great wine in the making. Yields were just 17 hectoliters per hectare. Sadly, production is down about 40% because two parcels are being redeveloped. The use of only the healthiest parcels most likely explains why Pavie-Decesse is so exceptional in 2019. Henrique Da Costa, Gerard Perse's son-in-law, explained that while 2019 was hot and dry, conditions were not extremely hot. Cool temperatures in the evenings provided respite from the daytime heat, while water reserves in the soils from the wet spring allowed the vines to avoid stress. As for the wines, they are superb across the board. Most of the attention will naturally center on Pavie, but the entire range is terrific. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95-97+ (6/2020): From a site sitting just above Château Pavie, the 2019 Château Pavie Decesse is based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, from 50+-year-old vines, brought up mostly in new French oak. It's always an elegant wine and the 2019 is no exception, with an incredible minerality in its black raspberry, cassis, spring flowers, crushed rock, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. Rich, full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it's another brilliant wine from this team. While it shows the pretty, finesse-driven style of this vintage, it has enough structure to warrant 4-6 years of bottle age.
JS 96-97 (6/2020): Wow. A big, rich wine with lots of tannins here. It’s full-bodied with a core of tannins that frame the wine nicely. Intense and powerful at the finish. |
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| Ch. Peby Faugeres |
2018 |
St. Emilion |
$155 |
12 |
|
| |
JD 98 (3/2021): The 2018 Château Péby Faugères is another brilliant wine from this talented team. Based on 100% Merlot from vines in the eastern side of the appellation, it was brought up in 65% new French oak, which has been the norm for the past couple of years. (The 2015 saw 90% new oak.) Deep purple-hued, with a glorious bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spices, violets, vanilla, and a touch of chalky minerality, this full-bodied, super-rich, incredibly sexy Saint-Emilion builds with time in the glass and has a great mid-palate and flawless balance. It has a modern style, yet I still find plenty of classic Saint-Emilion minerality. It's already beautiful, but smart money will give bottles 3-5 years and it should keep for two decades.
WA 95+ (3/2021): Made of 100% Merlot, the 2018 Péby Faugères has a deep garnet-purple color and bombastic scents of plum preserves, baked black cherries, cedar chest and blueberry pie with an undercurrent of menthol, black olives, charcuterie and Indian spice, plus a waft of oolong tea. The seductively rich, full-bodied palate (15.5% alcohol) delivers mouth-coating black fruit preserves with a velvety texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy yet with a touch of oak poking through. It will need a good 5 years in cellar for the oak to settle in, then drink it over the next 20 years or more. |
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| Ch. Potensac |
2005 |
Medoc (375 ML) ex-Negociant |
$25 |
31 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/2008): A superb value for Jean-Hubert Delon, the 2005 Potensac has a deep ruby/purple color, a classic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, as well as gorgeous texture and purity. Medium-bodied and concentrated, this wine behaves like a Medoc cru classe. Moreover, it will age very well for 10-15 years. Very impressive!
VM 90 (6/2008): Medium red. Very ripe, sweet aromas of plum, mocha and bitter chocolate. Unusually sweet and supple for this wine, with lovely depth and volume to its cassis and chocolate flavors. Very St. Estephe in style. Finishes powerful, sweet and long, with the unusually fine tannins arriving late. An Outstanding performance for this chateau.
WS 88 (3/2008): Balanced and very pretty, with blackberry, licorice and currant aromas and flavors. Full body, firm tannins and a medium finish. Best after 2008. |
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| Ch. Prieure Lichine |
2001 |
Margaux Scuffed Label; Bin-Soiled Label |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 89 (6/2004): A renaissance has been taking place at Prieure-Lichine since esteemed winemaking guru Stephane Derenoncourt was brought in to oversee the wines’ vinification and upbringing. This is a complicated, morsellated vineyard that is neither easy to harvest nor manage, but the 2001 is an elegant blend of 49% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. It was aged primarily on its lees, given micro-bullage while in tank, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Like many wines of this appellation, it is a pretty, delicate effort revealing a dark ruby color along with floral, red currant, cranberry, and black fruit characteristics, a medium-bodied texture, good density, and an early-drinking style. Enjoy it over the next decade.
NM 89 (10/2007): The nose is lacking fruit concentration and vigour at first with dried black fruits, forest floor and cedar. Lacks a little vigour and vivacity. The palate is a little better, lacking a little harmony but with some nice blackberry and raspberry fruit, leading to a dry, leafy finish with good length. A good wine although in retrospect, nothing near the promise it showed just after bottling.
VM 88 (5/2004): Medium red. Roasted plum, leather and sexy oak scents on the nose. Sweet and harmonious, with fresh acids giving shape to the plum and mocha flavors. Finishes with nicely broad, ripe tannins. |
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|
2017 |
Margaux |
$39 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 93 (12/2019): A floral and lightly spicy red with redcurrant undertones. Medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins that are polished and poised. Give it time to open. Shows depth and intensity at the end. Try after 2022.
WS 91 (3/2020): Caressing in feel, with a silky structure underneath layers of warm plum, blackberry and black cherry puree flavors. Subtle black tea and alder notes curl around the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 13,750 cases made. — |
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| Ch. Serilhan |
2016 |
St. Estephe |
$25 |
10 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Siran |
2015 |
Margaux |
$42 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Trotanoy |
2009 |
Pomerol Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$350 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (2/2012): An absolutely prodigious wine, the dense purple 2009 Trotanoy exudes extraordinary notes of minerals, forest floor, sweet black currants and black cherry jam along with floral notes and graphite. Very full-bodied, with silky tannins, fabulous opulence and palate presence, this terrific wine should be at its best in 7-10 years and last for 20 or more. Think of it as a more concentrated, “bigger" version of the extraordinary 1998.
WS 98 (3/2012): This sports a dark, chewy side for now, with overt charcoal and roasted apple wood notes, along with plenty of smoldering tobacco flavors. The core is still a bit chunky as well, with roasted fig, blackberry paste and steeped black currant fruit. But the underlying structure is refined, despite its density, and the finish is very long and purely rendered. Best from 2018 through 2035. 2,250 cases made.
JS 95 (11/2011): Aromas of green and black olives with hints of dried dark fruits. Then cocoa undertones. Full bodied with lots of super fine and silky tannins and a long caressing finish. It is very subdued now. Very pretty. Try after 2020.
VM 93 (7/2012): Bright ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of black raspberry, mocha and iron, plus a whiff of beefsteak tomato. Then superripe, plush and seriously rich on the palate; began with a faint bitterness but grew fresher and more shapely with aeration. Really fills the mouth with dark cherry, underbrush and mineral flavors. Finishes with substantial talc-like tannins and terrific rising length. Ultimately very classy, but I'd cellar this for eight or ten years. |
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| Chapelle d' Ausone |
2015 |
St. Emilion |
$225 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 95 (11/2017): Starting with the second wine of Ausone, the 2015 Chapelle d'Ausone checks in as roughly 45% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a screaming good wine offering notes of black raspberries, licorice, smoked earth, and exotic flowers. With fabulous opulence, full-bodied richness, ripe tannin, and a stacked mid-palate, it’s a serious wine that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.
WA 94 (2/2018): A second label produced mainly from the younger vines at Château Ausone, the 2015 Chapelle d'Ausone is a blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak barrels, 85% new, for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it appears broody to begin, offering glimpses at black berry preserves and crème de cassis notions with nuances of cigar box, Chinese five spice, menthol and chocolate box. Full-bodied, firm and grainy with a taut structure and packed with youthful, muscular fruit, it finishes on a compelling mineral note. |
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|
2017 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$199 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (2/2020): The second wine here is always terrific as well. The 2017 Chapelle D'Ausone is a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly from the younger vines of the estate. It has a terrific core of darker fruits as well as complex forest floor, cedar, and violet-tinged aromatics. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, rounded, elegant, even pretty 2017 that has light tannins and the balance to evolve for 15-20 years. |
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|
2019 |
St. Emilion 2019 en Primeur release |
$159.95 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Clos du Marquis |
2005 |
St. Julien (375 ML) |
$49 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2008): Fabulous aromas of crushed raspberry, blackberry, mineral and licorice follow through to a full-bodied palate. This is chewy yet silky, with a long, long finish. Balanced and powerful. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made.
WA 91 (4/2008): The superb second wine, the 2005 Clos du Marquis, reflects the utter brilliance of the 2005 grand vin. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color along with a sweet perfume of lead pencil, ripe cherries and black currants, and hints of earth and vanillin. Dense, chewy, fleshy, and full-bodied, this beauty will be drinkable in 3-4 years, and should keep for 15-20.
VM 90 (6/2008): Good full red-ruby. Superripe aromas of plum, mocha, coffee and spicy oak. Big, dry, broad and rich, with a chewy quality and noteworthy sweetness to the plummy flavor. This has more baby fat than the young 2006 but not quite as much detail or verve. Finishes quite broad, with major ripe tannins and lingering sweet fruit. |
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| Clos Fourtet |
2015 |
St. Emilion |
$119 |
6 |
|
| |
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| Clos l' Eglise |
2003 |
Cotes de Castillon |
$59 |
15 |
|
| |
| VM 88-90 (5/2005): Good red-ruby. Superripe aromas of black plum, currant and licorice; high-toned and distinctly surmuri Then sweet, full, broad and deep, with port-like flavors of cherry liqueur and menthol. A very rich wine with no shortage of definition or shape. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and very good length. Showing well today. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Clos Payrol |
2009 |
Pomerol |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
| NM 80-82 (4/2010): Tasted at the Pomerol Syndicate tasting. This has quite an intense blackberry nose, a touch of greenness that seems to dissipate with time. The palate has a chocolaty entry, firm toasty tannins, a little manufactured let’s say and lacking a sense of natural being. |
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| Clos Sainte Anne |
2018 |
Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux ex-Negociant |
$15.99 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| Connetable Talbot |
2019 |
St. Julien ex-Negociant |
$34.99 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| Croix Mouton |
2010 |
Bordeaux Superieur |
$15 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. de Cambes |
2015 |
Bordeaux Superieur |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 91+ (2/2019): From the team at Tertre Rôteboeuf and based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, the 2015 Domaine de Cambes is a serious, age-worthy wine from the Côtes de Bourg appellation, which is located on the right bank, north of Fronsac and along the river. Possessing more depth of fruit compared to the 2015, with loads of darker fruits, toasted bread, and graphite, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, good concentration, and a firm, structured, focused style. It just needs 2-4 years of bottle age.
VM 91 (2/2018): Super-ripe black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and spice notes abound in the 2015 Domaine des Cambes. Plush on the palate, with silky tannins and no hard edges, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring. This is another heady, exotically rich 2015 from François Mitjavile. Domaine des Cambes is predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Franc from clay/limestone soils on the lower slopes of the property. Antonio Galloni.
WA 90 (4/2018): The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Domaine de Cambes opens with lovely red and black currants, spicy plums and blueberries with touches of pencil lead, tobacco and Indian spices. The palate is medium-bodied, firm and chewy with plenty of spicy fruit and a long, earthy finish. |
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| Le Carillon de l' Angelus |
2019 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$117.99 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (6/2020): Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Le Carillon d'Angelus is aging in French oak barrels, 60% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with floral notes of lavender and red roses with a baking spice undercurrent and a core of redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, black raspberries and cracked black pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing with loads of mineral-laced black fruit layers and a firm, fine-grained frame, finishing with great energy and bags of perfume.
VM 92-94 (6/2020): The 2019 Le Carillon d'Angelus, matured in 60% new oak and the rest in one-year old, is perfumed on the nose with detailed black cherry, raspberry and pressed iris petal scents that are neatly integrated with the oak. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with finely detailed black fruit laced with cracked black pepper. This feels very cohesive and focused with a sensual finish, completing a classy second wine that will give up to 15 years of drinking pleasure. Neal Martin.
JD 93-95 (6/2020): The second wine of Château Angelus, the 2019 Le Carillon D'Angelus is Merlot-dominated yet includes 10% Cabernet Franc. It's a more backward, serious wine compared to the fleshy, upfront N3 and offers a deep purple hue as well as impressive crème de cassis, crushed stone, chocolate, graphite, and violet aromas and flavors. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully textured, with the vintage's supple, sweet tannins, this brilliant second wine will compete with most châteaux grand vin.
JS 94-95 (6/2020): A really succulent, refined second wine with berries, chocolate and light toasted oak. It’s full and completely integrated with seamless tannins and a fresh finish. Lovely, sweet ripe fruit in the center palate. Extremely refined. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. |
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| Les Aromes de Pavie |
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (2/2019): Since 2015, this estate has made a concerted effort to up the quality of their second wine, adding 4 hectares that previously went into the grand vin as well as purchasing vines on the upper plateau. I’d say it’s working, as the 2016 Aromes de Pavie certainly has a “baby Pavie” feel in its full-bodied, rich, yet elegant profile. Sporting a deep purple color as well as powerful notes of blackberries, truffle, forest floor, and tobacco, it has remarkable purity of fruit, silky tannins, and a great finish. It ranks with the top second wines in Bordeaux and is going to keep for 20-25 years. The blend is 66% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 50% new French oak. (Drink between 2019-2039).
WA 93+ (3/2019): The 2016 Arômes de Pavie has a deep garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, slowly revealing notes of crushed red and black cherries, raspberry preserves, plum pudding, blueberry pie and prunes with touches of espresso, star anise, cumin seed and wood smoke plus a waft of dusty soil. Full, firm and grainy structured, the rock-solid frame supports all the generous black and red fruit preserves with plenty of exotic spice nuances, finishing long and earthy.
VM 92 (1/2019): The 2016 Arômes de Pavie is succulent, racy and full of personality. Sweet dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and rose petal all grace this silky, super-expressive second wine from Pavie. In an effort to raise the quality of the Arômes, since 2015 the wine includes fruit from four hectares of vineyards on the plateau that were previously used for Pavie. (Drink between 2018-2026). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Les Fiefs de Lagrange |
2001 |
St. Julien Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
St. Julien (375 ML) |
$32 |
36 |
|
| |
WS 90 (3/2013): Features roasted alder and juniper out front, with a core of pastis-soaked plum, blackberry and black currant fruit underneath. The vivid finish features a mouthwatering edge. Best from 2014 through 2024.
WA 89-91 (5/2011): A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot, this has a very fine nose of blackberry, briary and a touch of black tea. Good definition and purity. The Petit Verdot add a little edginess to this wine that has fine tension if lacking a little length on the saturated, slightly chewy finish. Very good purity and precision though. |
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| Les Forts de Latour |
2011 |
Pauillac |
$215 |
11 |
|
| |
WS 91 (3/2014): A tightly coiled version, with a strong iron base that keeps the core of plum, black currant and bitter cherry pinned down for now. A bolt of graphite courses through the finish. This is very solid, showing some serious cut. Best from 2016 through 2026.
JS 90 (3/2012): Aromas of dried berries and fresh herbs such as lemongrass. Full body with firm, chewy tannins and a chocolate, pie-crust, berry and mineral character. A little salty and mineral. Needs at least five to six years.
WA 90-92 (4/2012): One of the finest second wines now being made, Les Forts de Latour comes from the same parcel every year. The 2011 is composed of 61.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38.5% Merlot. Forty-three percent of the Latour production was relegated to this cuvee. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, underbrush, licorice and incense. Medium to full-bodied, deep, fleshy and already appealing, this 2011 should gain complexity over the next 5-7 years, and last for 15-20.
NM 90-92 (4/2012): The Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 61.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a strict, clinical bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry, crushed stone and a strong graphite seam. The palate is very precise on the entry, a little grainy in texture with fine minerality. It is unashamedly classic, nothing out of place, a second wine with its shirt tucked in and its tie done right up to the collar...and I like it for that. Tasted April 2012. |
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| Pensees de Lafleur |
2013 |
Pomerol |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (11/2018): The 2013 Pensées de Lafleur has a muted bouquet that pales against the 2010 that is tasted alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannin, a little pinched on the mid-palate with a grippy, tobacco-infused finish that just shows a little abruptness. Tasted at the Christies’ Lafleur masterclass in London. Neal Martin. |
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| Philippe Melka |
2018 |
St. Emilion Majestique |
$225 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Sirene Giscours |
2010 |
Margaux (375 ML) |
$19 |
3 |
|
| |
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| Alter Ego de Palmer |
2010 |
Margaux |
$139 |
|
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2016 |
Margaux |
$109 |
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| Ch. Ausone |
2009 |
St. Emilion |
$975 |
|
Sold Out
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| Ch. Canon |
2018 |
St. Emilion |
$127 |
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| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2005 |
St. Estephe |
$245 |
|
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| Ch. de Bel-Air |
2014 |
Lalande de Pomerol |
$20 |
|
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| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2005 |
St. Julien |
$249 |
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| Ch. Giscours |
2018 |
Margaux |
$75 |
|
Sold Out
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| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2010 |
Pauillac |
$109 |
|
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2018 |
Pauillac |
$85.99 |
|
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| Ch. Joanin Becot |
2019 |
Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux |
$21.95 |
|
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| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2018 |
St. Julien (375 ML) |
$27.99 |
|
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| Ch. Larcis-Ducasse |
2019 |
St. Emilion |
$79 |
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| Ch. Lascombes |
2005 |
Margaux (375 ML) |
$59.99 |
|
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| Ch. Le Gay |
2010 |
Pomerol |
$197 |
|
Sold Out
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| Ch. Pavie Macquin |
2009 |
St. Emilion |
$125 |
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2009 |
St. Emilion |
$125 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Peby Faugeres |
2009 |
St. Emilion |
$169 |
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| Ch. Troplong Mondot |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$260 |
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| Ch. Valandraud |
2003 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) |
$275 |
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| Clos Fourtet |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$189 |
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| Le C de Carmes Haut Brion |
2019 |
Pessac Leognan |
$29.95 |
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Sold Out
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| Les Aromes de Pavie |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$115 |
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