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Inventory updated: Tue, Jan 26, 2021 04:02 PM cst
Pauillac
Today we are highlighting our fine selection of wines from the Bordeaux left-bank appellation of Pauillac. For many connoisseurs the cassis, graphite and tobacco notes found in the wines from here offer the quintessential Bordeaux experience, and it is from here that three of the five First Growths are found, along with several of the Super Seconds. Our selection on offer features many of the top names from across the appellation, including Mouton, Lafite, Pichon Lalande and Lynch Bages - and a rare 6L bottle of Chateau Latour - and I would urge you to take advantage of this offer while the wines remain available.
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Friday, January 8, 2021. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Carruades de Lafite |
1998 |
Pauillac  Writing on Label |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2001): This has become one of the finest second wines produced. The 1998 (a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, and 1.5% Petit Verdot) is an Outstanding effort. While very Lafite-like (although more supple and forward), it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to an excellent bouquet of black fruits, smoke, earth, and minerals, supple tannin, an excellent texture, and a long, fine finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2015._x000D__x000D__x000D_
VM 88+ (6/2001): Ruby-red. Red berries and mint on the reticent nose. Juicy, leanish and a bit closed in on itself, with slightly green flavors of dark berries and minerals. Quite dry but offers sneaky intensity and a lingering finish. This should benefit from a few years of patience. Very much like Lafite in miniature. _x000D__x000D__x000D_
WS 88 (1/2001): Attractive aromas of licorice, currant and berry. Medium- to full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a black olive and berry aftertaste. A serious second wine. Best after 2005. 29,165 cases made. |
|
|
1998 |
Pauillac Nicked Label |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2001): This has become one of the finest second wines produced. The 1998 (a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, and 1.5% Petit Verdot) is an Outstanding effort. While very Lafite-like (although more supple and forward), it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to an excellent bouquet of black fruits, smoke, earth, and minerals, supple tannin, an excellent texture, and a long, fine finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2015._x000D__x000D__x000D_
VM 88+ (6/2001): Ruby-red. Red berries and mint on the reticent nose. Juicy, leanish and a bit closed in on itself, with slightly green flavors of dark berries and minerals. Quite dry but offers sneaky intensity and a lingering finish. This should benefit from a few years of patience. Very much like Lafite in miniature. _x000D__x000D__x000D_
WS 88 (1/2001): Attractive aromas of licorice, currant and berry. Medium- to full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a black olive and berry aftertaste. A serious second wine. Best after 2005. 29,165 cases made. |
|
|
2002 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,533.99 |
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. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$5,163.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2006): A spectacular value as well as a sleeper of the vintage is the 135,000-bottle cuvee of 2003 Carruades de Lafite (50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc). This amazing effort rivals such superb second wines as the 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion and 1982 Forts de Latour. A serious red, it is sexy, opulent, rich, and luscious with silky tannin, enormous body, and wave after wave of mocha-infused black cherry and cassis fruit. It is almost too good to be believed. While drinkable now, it should evolve for 12-15 years or longer.
WS 89 (3/2006): Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Second wine of Lafite. Best after 2007. 20,000 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, leather, game and tobacco, with a whiff of band-aid. Sweet and smooth on entry, then a bit green and dry-edged in the middle palate, with notes of tobacco, leather and meat. Seems dryer in bottle, and far less primary, than the sample I tasted in the spring of 2004.
NM 87 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. This has a very expressive, quite floral, Margaux-like nose with fine delineation: blackberry, pencil shavings and smoke. The palate displays a little hardness on the entry, firm backbone here; the fruit not quite in synch with the rest of the wine and jutting out on the finish. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$4,364.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2006): A spectacular value as well as a sleeper of the vintage is the 135,000-bottle cuvee of 2003 Carruades de Lafite (50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc). This amazing effort rivals such superb second wines as the 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion and 1982 Forts de Latour. A serious red, it is sexy, opulent, rich, and luscious with silky tannin, enormous body, and wave after wave of mocha-infused black cherry and cassis fruit. It is almost too good to be believed. While drinkable now, it should evolve for 12-15 years or longer.
WS 89 (3/2006): Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Second wine of Lafite. Best after 2007. 20,000 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, leather, game and tobacco, with a whiff of band-aid. Sweet and smooth on entry, then a bit green and dry-edged in the middle palate, with notes of tobacco, leather and meat. Seems dryer in bottle, and far less primary, than the sample I tasted in the spring of 2004.
NM 87 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. This has a very expressive, quite floral, Margaux-like nose with fine delineation: blackberry, pencil shavings and smoke. The palate displays a little hardness on the entry, firm backbone here; the fruit not quite in synch with the rest of the wine and jutting out on the finish. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,628.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2006): A spectacular value as well as a sleeper of the vintage is the 135,000-bottle cuvee of 2003 Carruades de Lafite (50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc). This amazing effort rivals such superb second wines as the 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion and 1982 Forts de Latour. A serious red, it is sexy, opulent, rich, and luscious with silky tannin, enormous body, and wave after wave of mocha-infused black cherry and cassis fruit. It is almost too good to be believed. While drinkable now, it should evolve for 12-15 years or longer.
WS 89 (3/2006): Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Second wine of Lafite. Best after 2007. 20,000 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, leather, game and tobacco, with a whiff of band-aid. Sweet and smooth on entry, then a bit green and dry-edged in the middle palate, with notes of tobacco, leather and meat. Seems dryer in bottle, and far less primary, than the sample I tasted in the spring of 2004.
NM 87 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. This has a very expressive, quite floral, Margaux-like nose with fine delineation: blackberry, pencil shavings and smoke. The palate displays a little hardness on the entry, firm backbone here; the fruit not quite in synch with the rest of the wine and jutting out on the finish. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac Very Lightly Scuffed Label |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2006): A spectacular value as well as a sleeper of the vintage is the 135,000-bottle cuvee of 2003 Carruades de Lafite (50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc). This amazing effort rivals such superb second wines as the 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion and 1982 Forts de Latour. A serious red, it is sexy, opulent, rich, and luscious with silky tannin, enormous body, and wave after wave of mocha-infused black cherry and cassis fruit. It is almost too good to be believed. While drinkable now, it should evolve for 12-15 years or longer.
WS 89 (3/2006): Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Second wine of Lafite. Best after 2007. 20,000 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, leather, game and tobacco, with a whiff of band-aid. Sweet and smooth on entry, then a bit green and dry-edged in the middle palate, with notes of tobacco, leather and meat. Seems dryer in bottle, and far less primary, than the sample I tasted in the spring of 2004.
NM 87 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. This has a very expressive, quite floral, Margaux-like nose with fine delineation: blackberry, pencil shavings and smoke. The palate displays a little hardness on the entry, firm backbone here; the fruit not quite in synch with the rest of the wine and jutting out on the finish. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac |
$299 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2006): A spectacular value as well as a sleeper of the vintage is the 135,000-bottle cuvee of 2003 Carruades de Lafite (50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc). This amazing effort rivals such superb second wines as the 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion and 1982 Forts de Latour. A serious red, it is sexy, opulent, rich, and luscious with silky tannin, enormous body, and wave after wave of mocha-infused black cherry and cassis fruit. It is almost too good to be believed. While drinkable now, it should evolve for 12-15 years or longer.
WS 89 (3/2006): Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Second wine of Lafite. Best after 2007. 20,000 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, leather, game and tobacco, with a whiff of band-aid. Sweet and smooth on entry, then a bit green and dry-edged in the middle palate, with notes of tobacco, leather and meat. Seems dryer in bottle, and far less primary, than the sample I tasted in the spring of 2004.
NM 87 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Farr Vintner’s Left Bank tasting. This has a very expressive, quite floral, Margaux-like nose with fine delineation: blackberry, pencil shavings and smoke. The palate displays a little hardness on the entry, firm backbone here; the fruit not quite in synch with the rest of the wine and jutting out on the finish. |
|
|
2010 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,438.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$4,654.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$4,614.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,275.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 92-93 (4/2018): A bright Carruades with cedar and tobacco character. Medium to full body and medium chewy tannins. Very pretty center palate.
JD 91-93 (4/2018): The second wine of the estate is certainly no slouch in the vintage either. The 2017 Carruades de Lafite offers a similar perfume of cassis, scorched earth and lead pencil shavings, and is medium-bodied, seamless, and silky on the palate. As with the Grand Vin, the tannin quality is terrific, it’s perfectly balanced, and shines for its purity of fruit.
VM 90-93 (5/2018): The 2017 Carruades de Lafite is quite deep and fleshy at the outset. Black cherry, plum, lavender and rose petal are pushed forward in this dark, racy second wine from Lafite-Rothschild. Deep, textured and beautifully resonant, the 2017 has a lot to recommend it. This is a strong showing. In 2017, Carruades is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Like many of his colleagues, Technical Director Eric Kolher opted for gentle extractions and incorporated a relatively high amount of press wine (14%) into the blend. In 2017, the Carruades is a gorgeous second wine. Antonio Galloni.
WA 90-92 (4/2018): The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and opens with expressive notes of espresso and dark chocolate over a core of cassis, wood smoke and tilled soil plus touches of truffles and black olives. Medium-bodied, very fine-grained and refreshing, it has great poise and a long, savory finish. |
|
| Ch. Croizet Bages |
2004 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$654.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
1982 |
Pauillac Glue-Stained Bottles |
$159 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (6/2009): This blockbuster was a sleeper of the vintage long before the Rothschilds invested so heavily in modernizing this estate as well as began making a stricter selection. Close to full maturity, the 1982 Duhart Milon exhibits classic notes of creme de cassis, cedar, and flowers, medium to full body, a high level of glycerin, and a lusciousness and fleshiness that are very much in keeping with the vintage. There is a slight amount of pink at the rim, but this beauty should keep for another ten years. |
|
|
1996 |
Pauillac |
$135 |
8 |
|
| |
NM 93 (9/2006): A much more intense cedar, blackberry nose. Still quite backward and classic in style. Well-structured palate, good definition, fresh, cedary, pencil-shavings. Robust on the finish. Masculine, but very class indeed. Needs 10+ years.
WA 90 (4/1999): A strong case can be made that this is the finest Duhart produced since the 1982. The color is a saturated dark ruby/purple. The bouquet offers aromas of blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice, minerals, and dried herbs. Rich and intense, with considerable finesse, medium to full body, and Outstanding concentration and purity, this should be a reasonably priced wine. It reflects the increased attention Lafite's administrator, Charles Chevalier, has been giving this nearby estate. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020.
WS 89 (12/2007): Some plum and fresh herb character, with hints of cedar and lemon. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium finish.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. |
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|
2006 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$620.99 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/2009): It is no longer an insider’s secret that the investments made by the Rothschild family (of Lafite) in Duhart Milon are paying big dividends. A shrewd Pauillac lover’s delight, it possesses exceptional quality, yet the price remains fair. This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, only 50% made it into the final blend, displays some of Lafite’s classic notes of lead pencil shavings, cedar, and black currants along with more earthy, roasted herb, and spice box characteristics. Rich, full-bodied, dense, and already approachable, it should evolve easily for two decades. Good value.
WS 89 (3/2009): Offers dried currant on the nose, with herbal undertones. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Best after 2013. 23,665 cases made.
VM 88 (6/2009): Good full medium red. Aromas of plum, smoked meat, iron and rose. Supple and broad, with a restrained sweetness to the flavors of plum, smoke and meat. Seems to gain in sweetness toward the back, finishing with good breadth and length. |
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2007 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,228.99 |
2 |
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| |
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2007 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$646.99 |
4 |
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| |
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2012 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$594.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2015): Lots of currants, dried strawberries, sweet tobacco and cedar on the nose. Full to medium body and a solid structure. Reminds me of some Outstanding Lafites of the 1980s such as 1985. A little tight and closed. Try in 2020.
VM 90 (1/2016): A deep, generous wine, the 2012 Duhart-Milon offers lovely depth and resonance throughout. Black fruit, graphite, smoke and licorice are some of the signatures. The 2012 is a bit rustic and rough around the edges, but it has enough depth to drink well for another decade plus. Antonio Galloni.
WS 90 (3/2015): Red currant, cherry and pomegranate notes form the core and flesh out steadily through the finish, picking up apple wood and anise accents along the way. Features polished grip through the finish, with a light echo of loam lending some contrast. Best from 2017 through 2025. 25,000 cases made.
WA 89 (4/2015): This property has enjoyed the considerable investments from the Rothschild family and the quality of the wines over the last generation has been increasingly impressive. I’ve always written that if you can’t afford Lafite Rothschild, why not try Duhart Milon, which is not far off the quality of its much more famous neighbor. Spicy, deep ruby/purple with notes of cassis, cedar wood and spice box, the wine is soft, round, juicy, medium-bodied and ideal for drinking now and over the next 15 or so years. It is not one of their finest efforts, but it is certainly well-made, supple-textured and seductive. |
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|
2013 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$1,036.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Ducasse |
2009 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$774.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 93 (2/2012): A solid red, with raspberry and currant aromas and flavors. Full body, with solid tannins. Polished texture. Well crafted. Try after 2018.
WA 92 (4/2010): Aromas of blackberries, unsmoked cigar tobacco and cedar/sagebrush jump from the glass of this dense purple-hued Pauillac. Full-bodied with more depth and richness than usual as well as moderate tannins, this potential sleeper of the vintage offers 15-20 years of aging potential. Moreover, it is modestly priced. Purchasers should give it 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following two decades.
WS 91 (3/2012): A very pure, polished style, with an almost-rounded feel to the beam of cassis, dark plum and black cherry fruit, which gets support from graphite, dark olive and alder wood notes that extend through the finish. Best from 2013 through 2022. 7,500 cases made.
VM 90 (7/2012): (60% cabernet and 40% merlot): Full, deep red-ruby. Highly perfumed nose combines blackberry, licorice, menthol and medicinal herbs. Sweet, supple and fine-grained for a wine from this property, with strong primary dark berry and chocolate flavors complicated by nuances of herbs, tobacco leaf and leather. Plenty of supporting acidity to give clarity to the mid-palate. Nicely aromatic on the lingering, lightly tarry finish.
NM 88 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Grand Puy Ducasse '09 has a more generous, riper, slightly more exotic bouquet. The palate seems to show some excessive skin maceration at the expense of definition and clarity, especially towards the finish. This is a respectable '09, if missing a little "excitement". |
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|
2016 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$654.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 92-93 (4/2017): A linear and tight red with blueberries, currants and walnuts. Medium to full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. All there. Best wine from here in quite some time.
WS 89-92 (4/2017): The warm plum, blackberry and black currant preserve flavors have solid depth, picking up dark earth and warm tobacco notes along the way. Offers a broad, fleshy finish. |
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| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2013 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$747.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 91 (2/2016): Dense and silky with lots of flowers and black currant character. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a long finish for the vintage. Drink now.
WA 90 (10/2016): The 2013 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and cedar fruit, nicely composed and delineated, not complex but harmonious. As usual, there is a conservative element to the aromatics in keeping with this estate's style. The palate is medium-bodied with appreciable mineralité on the entry. I like the edginess here, the framework and in particular the finesse that is not always apparent at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, at least at this early juncture. It might not be a long-term proposition, but it is certainly one of the finest Pauillac wines of the vintage courtesy of Xavier and Emeline Borie.
WS 90 (3/2016): This has good vibrancy, with red and black currant fruit carried by brambly tannins. Light charcoal and tobacco leaf notes on the finish give this an old-school edge. Should meld pleasantly with modest cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2023. 9,167 cases made.
NM 90-92 (4/2014): The Grand Puy Lacoste is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot picked at 31hl/ha from 30 September until 11 October, matured in 75% new oak. It has a fragrant red berry fruit on the nose: raspberry leaf and cranberry, undergrowth and a touch of tobacco. It is very classic G.P.L. style but dialled down from previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well judged acidity, harmonious with cedar and tobacco on the finish. There is not the usual structure compared to recent vintages, although it is cohesive and for want of a better word...honest. And what more can you ask from a wine?
VM 88-91 (5/2014): Dark ruby. Perfumed aromas of blackcurrant and violet. Rich and sweet on the palate, offering juicy flavors of dark plum and blueberry. Finishes smooth and persistent, with a lingering note of cedar. Ian D'Agata. |
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2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$529.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 97-98 (4/2018): Holy.... This is so powerful and dense with amazing depth of fruit and beautifully ripe tannins tannins. Full body, layers of fruit and tannins. It’s has a long finish but then kicks off at the end. Remains classic in style.
WA 95-97+ (4/2018): There was no frost at Ducru-Beaucaillou in 2017 due to its proximity to the estuary. This barrel sample comes from the final blend, which was made in early 2018. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot and sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is intensely scented of blackcurrant cordial, blackberries and lavender with hints of crushed rocks, iron ore, rose hips and Provence herbs plus touches of wood smoke and sandalwood. Medium-bodied, very firm and grainy in the mouth, it possesses lovely freshness, lifting the intense flavors, finishing long and minerally. Sporting an incredible core of muscular mid-palate fruit, this wine should age incredibly.
JD 94-96 (4/2018): Unquestionably one of the successes in the vintage is the 2017 Château Ducru Beaucaillou, which reminds me of the 2014, with perhaps a touch more oomph. As always, it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend (90/10 Cabernet and Merlot) brought up in new barrels. Its vibrant purple color is followed by a terrific bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, and exotic flowers. It has medium to full-bodied richness, plenty of mid-palate, and fine tannin as well as a great finish. It’s going to need 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades. Count me in as a huge fan.
WS 93-96 (4/2018): This has a warm and inviting feel, with mocha, Christmas pudding and blackberry and plum compote aromas and flavors flowing through atop fleshy, velvety structure. There’s a graphite edge along with some alluring spice accents, and this stays polished and lengthy in the end.
VM 93-96 (5/2018): The 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is distinctly sleek and polished, with a real air of sensuality. Finessed and racy to the core, the 2017 is all about elegance rather than the power that informed both the 2015 and 2016. Red-toned fruit, plush texture and silky tannins all contribute to the wine's restrained feel. A host of floral notes add brightness as the wine opens up in the glass. There is so much to like in the 2017. The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Ch. Haut Bages Liberal |
2005 |
Pauillac |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2008): Very aromatic, showing blackberry and currant aromas, with some licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a rich, decadent, fruity finish. Caresses the palate. Stylish and opulent. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made.
WA 90 (4/2008): This deep ruby/purple-colored 2005 is a classic Pauillac. A big, sweet kiss of road tar aromas interwoven with cedarwood, smoke, spice box, herbs, and black currants emerges from the glass of this unexpectedly precocious, up-front Pauillac. Fleshy, with medium to full body as well as good acidity and structure, it lacks complexity, but offers a generous mouthful of wine at a realistic price. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.
VM 89 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Cool aromas of blueberry, licorice and shoe polish. Sweet and lush, but with very good energy to the rather high-pitched flavors of dark berries, spices and licorice. Dry and classic wine, finishing with substantial, slightly tough tannins that call for patience. |
|
| Ch. Haut Batailley |
2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$913.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91 (4/2014): The dense ruby/purple-colored 2011 Grand Puy Lacoste exhibits a charming, open-knit bouquet of red and black fruits. It is a savory, medium-bodied, flavorful, well-endowed Pauillac from Xavier Borie that can be enjoyed over the next 10-15+ years.
NM 90 (3/2013): Tasted at Bordeaux Index's "10-Year On" tasting in London. The 2003 Haut-Batailley has a decent cedar infused bouquet with dried herbs and a scent of warm bricks. Touches of mint develop with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. This is very classic in style and nicely focused; adorned with a fresh, understated graphite infused finish. Both under blind and non-blind conditions, the 2003 is the one year where I would head for Haut-Batailley over Grand Puy Lacoste. |
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2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$477.99 |
5 |
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JS 94-95 (4/2018): This is very structured and serious. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful. Boom. This is one of the best Haut-Batailleys in years. From the new owners, who also own Lynch-Bages.
JD 92-94 (4/2018): A true gem in the vintage, and from an estate on the uptick, the 2017 Château Haut Batailley checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak. It’s a big, medium to full-bodied, yet perfectly balanced 2017 that has loads of dark berry fruits, violets, leafy herbs and damp rock-like aromas and flavors. It has a touch of oak to integrate, building tannin, and a great finish, all pointing to a rockstar 2017 that will need short-term cellaring and keep for two decades. Bravo!
WS 89-92 (4/2018): This has good currant and damson fruit lined with tobacco and iron notes. Offers slightly dusty tannins but remains fresh and focused overall. |
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| Ch. La Fleur Peyrabon |
2008 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$810.99 |
1 |
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|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1977 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L) |
$6,600 |
2 |
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WS 87 (11/1991): Full of lively cranberry, raspberry and herb flavors, with smoky accents and very firm acidity. Very good wine from an unheralded vintage. Drink now through 2000.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
MB [*] (9/1989): Could be a dashed sight worse. An effort at fragrance and flavour but dry, lean and tart. Not worth pursuing even out of curiosity. |
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1988 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,499 |
3 |
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WA 94 (10/1994): Broodingly backward and in need of considerable bottle age, the 1988 is a classic expression of Lafite. This deeply-colored wine exhibits the tell-tale Lafite bouquet of cedar, subtle herbs, dried pit fruits, minerals, and cassis. Extremely concentrated, with brilliantly focused flavors and huge tannins, this backward, yet impressively endowed Lafite-Rothschild may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage! Anticipated maturity: 2000-2035.
WS 94 (12/2008): Beautiful and subtle on the nose, with mineral, berry, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a pretty balance of fruit and mint. Long and caressing. Real claret here. Everyone talks about 1989, but this is very close in quality. '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.
MB [**[**]] (6/2000): It is not only unpleasant but self-defeating to taste young wine from the cask in cold glasses in a cold cellar; and with relatively tough wines like the '88s, even more difficult. My more useful notes therefore stem from the mid-1990s, the first detailed note being made at a tasting I organised and conducted in March 1995 at the millionaires' retreat in the Bahamas, Lyford Cay. The Lafite, in magnums, crsip, blackcurrant aroma. On the palate surprisingly agreeable (for a tough vintage), and less severly tannic than expected. Fleshy but unready of course. Next an austere bottle in 1997, then, at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting of first gorwths, fairly deep; a fragrant, mild tea, well-developed nose; sweet, 'rather strange flavour.' and soft tannins. Most recently, at a Bordeaux Club dinner (decanted at 5.45pm, severed around 8.30pm): very deep, opaque core; attractive, very vanillin nose; surprisingly sweet, lean, with good flavour and masked tannin. At it's best, say, 2010-2025.
NM 88 (2/2012): Tasted at the IMW Lafite seminar in London. It is several years since I last tasted the 1988 and at 23-years of age it has a very classic, autumnal, leafy, dusty bouquet with dried herbs dominating the aromatics. It is well defined with fine lift and offering a subtle note of orange blossom and mint with continued aeration. The palate is well balanced with dusty black fruit; a tertiary Lafite-Rothschild that is fully mature with a dry, rather masculine finish that is persistent but missing some joie-de-vivre. The 1988 appears to be in decline, perhaps with the exception of larger formats. |
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1988 |
Pauillac Base Neck Fill |
$799 |
2 |
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WA 94 (10/1994): Broodingly backward and in need of considerable bottle age, the 1988 is a classic expression of Lafite. This deeply-colored wine exhibits the tell-tale Lafite bouquet of cedar, subtle herbs, dried pit fruits, minerals, and cassis. Extremely concentrated, with brilliantly focused flavors and huge tannins, this backward, yet impressively endowed Lafite-Rothschild may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage! Anticipated maturity: 2000-2035.
WS 94 (12/2008): Beautiful and subtle on the nose, with mineral, berry, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a pretty balance of fruit and mint. Long and caressing. Real claret here. Everyone talks about 1989, but this is very close in quality. '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.
MB [**[**]] (6/2000): It is not only unpleasant but self-defeating to taste young wine from the cask in cold glasses in a cold cellar; and with relatively tough wines like the '88s, even more difficult. My more useful notes therefore stem from the mid-1990s, the first detailed note being made at a tasting I organised and conducted in March 1995 at the millionaires' retreat in the Bahamas, Lyford Cay. The Lafite, in magnums, crsip, blackcurrant aroma. On the palate surprisingly agreeable (for a tough vintage), and less severly tannic than expected. Fleshy but unready of course. Next an austere bottle in 1997, then, at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting of first gorwths, fairly deep; a fragrant, mild tea, well-developed nose; sweet, 'rather strange flavour.' and soft tannins. Most recently, at a Bordeaux Club dinner (decanted at 5.45pm, severed around 8.30pm): very deep, opaque core; attractive, very vanillin nose; surprisingly sweet, lean, with good flavour and masked tannin. At it's best, say, 2010-2025.
NM 88 (2/2012): Tasted at the IMW Lafite seminar in London. It is several years since I last tasted the 1988 and at 23-years of age it has a very classic, autumnal, leafy, dusty bouquet with dried herbs dominating the aromatics. It is well defined with fine lift and offering a subtle note of orange blossom and mint with continued aeration. The palate is well balanced with dusty black fruit; a tertiary Lafite-Rothschild that is fully mature with a dry, rather masculine finish that is persistent but missing some joie-de-vivre. The 1988 appears to be in decline, perhaps with the exception of larger formats. |
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|
1989 |
Pauillac |
$760 |
1 |
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| |
WS 93 (12/2009): Subtle, yet rich and decadent, offering meat, sweet berry and fresh leather on the nose. Full and very soft, with velvety tannins and a long, fruity finish. This has so much ripe fruit. Reserved and firm, this is turning to a very fine and shy Lafite. This is fresh and structured, but still holding back. I wouldn't wait, though.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.
WA 90 (2/1997): As I suspected, the 1989 and 1990 vintages of Lafite-Rothschild have gone dormant. Both wines were among the more closed, backward examples in my blind tasting. The 1989 Lafite is also Outstanding, but closed, with the tannin more elevated, and the wine so stubbornly reticent as to make evaluation almost impossible. Lafite's 1989 was far more easy to taste and understand several years ago. It appears to have gone completely to sleep. This medium ruby-colored, medium-bodied wine reveals new oak in the nose, and a spicy finish. It is a quintessentially elegant, restrained, understated style of Lafite. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025. |
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1994 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x750ML) |
$2,733.99 |
1 |
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WS 93 (1/1997): (WS #37 wine of 1997) A luscious Lafite that is silky and elegant with layers of wonderful violet, berry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It's full-bodied, with racy, refined tannins and good length. Drinkable now, but best from 1999 and through another decade. 18,750 cases made.
WA 90 (2/1997): Because Lafite-Rothschild (1) tends to lack the weight of many wines of the northern Medoc, and (2) is never a flashy, ostentatious style of wine, it is often more difficult to evaluate when young than some of its neighbors. Made from nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine is stubbornly backward, unappealing, and severe and astringent on the palate. There is plenty of weight, and the wine possesses admirable purity, with no suggestion of herbaceousness or underripe fruit, but the wine's personality refuses to be coaxed from the glass. The 1994 Lafite may turn out to be austere and disappointing flavor-wise, but possesses a fabulous set of aromatics (does that sound reminiscent of the 1961, another Lafite that was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon?). I am not giving up on this wine, but purchasers should be willing to wait 15-20 years before pulling a cork. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030. |
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1995 |
Pauillac Very Lightly Scuffed Label |
$749 |
1 |
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JS 98 (6/2016): I pulled this lone bottle out of my cellar at the last minute to remind some Italian vintners of the great quality of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. They seem to be finally opening up! What a red with incredible depth and finesse. Cedar, cigar box and toabaaco character with currants and fresh tobacco undertones. It's full-bodied yet tight and dense. Precision. So refined and intense. Such freshness and beauty. Drink or hold.
WS 96 (7/2007): Intense aromas of blackberries, black licorice and currants, with mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with a solid core of tannins and a long, silky finish. Still holding back, but is concentrated and powerful. The 1996 is always talked about, but I think this is superior and will be in the future.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 20,000 cases made.
WA 95 (2/1998): The 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It exhibits a dark ruby purple color, and a sweet, powdered mineral, smoky, weedy cassis-scented nose. Beautiful sweetness of fruit is present in this medium-bodied, tightly-knit, but gloriously pure, well-delineated Lafite. The 1995 is not as powerful or as massive as the 1996, but it is beautifully made with Outstanding credentials, in addition to remarkable promise. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2028.
VM 93+ (6/1998): Dark ruby-red. Sappy, expressive aromas of cherry, plum, minerals, woodsmoke and game, plus an exotic suggestion of baked apple. Rather subtle on the attack, then quickly expands to fill the mouth. A big, deep, very rich vintage for Lafite, unusually generous at this early stage and extremely long on the aftertaste. But went into a shell with aeration, and showed a hint of tobacco leaf vegetility. Finishing notes of coconut, woodsmoke and tobacco add flavor interest. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 93-95 (1/2000): Tasted several times: still closed when tasted blind in 2001, feminine in 2003 when it was just lacking that degree of complexity for a truly great Lafite. Then at the CECWINE vertical in September 2004. A moderate ruby hue. Very fresh, floral nose. Quite minerally, becoming dominated by cassis with aeration with a touch of mocha. The palate is feminine, elegant with a citrus freshness and good acidity. Medium-bodied. Light-weight for a First Growth and lacking persistency and length on the finish. A featherweight Lafite. Finally at the Lafite vertical in December 2005. A very deep garnet core. The nose is still very masculine: pencil lead, blackberry, black cherry and a touch of smoke. Much more typicity than the 2000. The palate has good structure, excellent acidity. Very minerally, liquorice and burnt toast. Very fine definition and good weight. Superb balance and poise. This is an archetypal Lafite this is just getting into its stride. Fresh, crisp finish with a touch of green pepper from the Cabernet Franc. |
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1995 |
Pauillac Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$749 |
1 |
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| |
JS 98 (6/2016): I pulled this lone bottle out of my cellar at the last minute to remind some Italian vintners of the great quality of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. They seem to be finally opening up! What a red with incredible depth and finesse. Cedar, cigar box and toabaaco character with currants and fresh tobacco undertones. It's full-bodied yet tight and dense. Precision. So refined and intense. Such freshness and beauty. Drink or hold.
WS 96 (7/2007): Intense aromas of blackberries, black licorice and currants, with mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with a solid core of tannins and a long, silky finish. Still holding back, but is concentrated and powerful. The 1996 is always talked about, but I think this is superior and will be in the future.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 20,000 cases made.
WA 95 (2/1998): The 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It exhibits a dark ruby purple color, and a sweet, powdered mineral, smoky, weedy cassis-scented nose. Beautiful sweetness of fruit is present in this medium-bodied, tightly-knit, but gloriously pure, well-delineated Lafite. The 1995 is not as powerful or as massive as the 1996, but it is beautifully made with Outstanding credentials, in addition to remarkable promise. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2028.
VM 93+ (6/1998): Dark ruby-red. Sappy, expressive aromas of cherry, plum, minerals, woodsmoke and game, plus an exotic suggestion of baked apple. Rather subtle on the attack, then quickly expands to fill the mouth. A big, deep, very rich vintage for Lafite, unusually generous at this early stage and extremely long on the aftertaste. But went into a shell with aeration, and showed a hint of tobacco leaf vegetility. Finishing notes of coconut, woodsmoke and tobacco add flavor interest. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 93-95 (1/2000): Tasted several times: still closed when tasted blind in 2001, feminine in 2003 when it was just lacking that degree of complexity for a truly great Lafite. Then at the CECWINE vertical in September 2004. A moderate ruby hue. Very fresh, floral nose. Quite minerally, becoming dominated by cassis with aeration with a touch of mocha. The palate is feminine, elegant with a citrus freshness and good acidity. Medium-bodied. Light-weight for a First Growth and lacking persistency and length on the finish. A featherweight Lafite. Finally at the Lafite vertical in December 2005. A very deep garnet core. The nose is still very masculine: pencil lead, blackberry, black cherry and a touch of smoke. Much more typicity than the 2000. The palate has good structure, excellent acidity. Very minerally, liquorice and burnt toast. Very fine definition and good weight. Superb balance and poise. This is an archetypal Lafite this is just getting into its stride. Fresh, crisp finish with a touch of green pepper from the Cabernet Franc. |
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1998 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$6,065.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (5/2018): A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, the 1998 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet with a hint of brick and gorgeous notions of sandalwood, crème de cassis, smoked meats, black pepper and garrigue with touches of chargrill, dried herbs and mincemeat pie. Medium-bodied, soft and plush on the palate, it has tons of mouth-filling savory and plum preserves flavors and a very long, savory finish. Delicious now, it should keep for 15-20 more years.
VM 96 (7/2018): The 1998 Lafite-Rothschild is served from double magnum directly from the château reserves, in fact with the man who made it sitting opposite me – Charles Chevalier. I must admit to being quite amazed how well this shows at 20-years of age, trouncing all the other First Growths except Haut-Brion. Lucid in colour, it has a vivid bouquet of pure blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and graphite, perhaps just a little uncharacteristically showy in style, but beautifully defined and intense. The palate is perfectly balanced with layers of ripe black fruit, perfectly pitched acidity and a silky smooth texture that renders this utterly seductive. It is almost too good for me to recommend cellaring longer. Whatever...it is a sublime Lafite-Rothschild that on this showing, may well challenge the supremacy of the 1996. Tasted at the Académie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux. Neal Martin.
WS 95 (12/2008): Amazing aromas of crushed blackberries, toasted oak and currant, spices. Really a great nose. Full-bodied, with round and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. It lasts for minutes on the palate. Superb. Best wine of the Médoc, without a doubt.--'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 21,665 cases made. |
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2001 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$10,389.99 |
2 |
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| |
WS 96 (3/2004): Stick your nose in this and it says something?"I am special." Deep and generous aromas of blackberries, fresh tobacco and minerals. It?s full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and a superlong finish. Like a fine cashmere sweater. Best after 2010. 22,000 cases made.
WA 94 (6/2004): The 2001 Lafite Rothschild’s deep, saturated plum/purple color is accompanied by lead pencil liqueur-like notes intermixed with sweet red and black currants, plums, and cedar. This blend of 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13.5% Merlot is a classic example of Lafite. Extremely elegant, medium-bodied, with intense concentration, richness, and sweet tannin, it appears to be on a rapid evolutionary track, at least in comparison to recent Lafite vintages that have been far more backward and powerful. The classy 2001 should be at its finest between 2007-2020. |
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2001 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$5,399.99 |
1 |
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| |
WS 96 (3/2004): Stick your nose in this and it says something?"I am special." Deep and generous aromas of blackberries, fresh tobacco and minerals. It?s full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and a superlong finish. Like a fine cashmere sweater. Best after 2010. 22,000 cases made.
WA 94 (6/2004): The 2001 Lafite Rothschild’s deep, saturated plum/purple color is accompanied by lead pencil liqueur-like notes intermixed with sweet red and black currants, plums, and cedar. This blend of 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13.5% Merlot is a classic example of Lafite. Extremely elegant, medium-bodied, with intense concentration, richness, and sweet tannin, it appears to be on a rapid evolutionary track, at least in comparison to recent Lafite vintages that have been far more backward and powerful. The classy 2001 should be at its finest between 2007-2020. |
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2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$14,342.99 |
2 |
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WA 100 (8/2014): The 2003 Lafite Rothschild comes as close to perfection as any of the great Lafites made over the past three decades (1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010). This sensational effort came in at 12.7% natural alcohol, it is made in the style of one of this estate’s great classics, the 1959. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color to the rim along with a luxurious bouquet of cedarwood, lead pencil shaving, white chocolate, cocoa and cassis. Fat, rich, opulent and full-bodied with low acidity and stunning seductiveness and complexity, this noble wine possesses a bountiful, generous, heady style. It is just coming into its plateau of maturity where it should hold for 20-25 years. This is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage – make no mistake about that.
JS 96 (2/2011): This is rock and roll. So wild, with bright blackberries to blueberries, meat and spices. Full bodied, with soft and silky tannins and a long finish. Notes of grilled meat and exotic fruit on the palate, gamey like lamb. Long and velvety.
WS 96 (3/2006): Subtle, complex aromas of berries, licorice and currants. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well-integrated wine. Lovely stuff. Wonderful length and finesse. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made.
NM 94 (3/2013): Tasted at Bordeaux Index's "10-Year On" tasting in London. Comparing the wines side by side, the Lafite Rothschild '03 has a similar bouquet to the Latour but perhaps it retains just a little more delineation. It is more understated than Latour but offers lifted pencil shaving scents and hints of sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy, sensual entry - layers of red berry fruit, mint, vanilla and white pepper. It is very composed towards the finish, nicely focused and stretches long in the mouth. I appreciate the refinement here, the composure and finesse.
VM 93+ (5/2006): Full red-ruby color. Captivating aromas of cassis, cherry, tobacco, mocha, coffee and leather, with a complicating element of dried oregano and thyme. At once silky and penetrating in the mouth, with very firm acids for the vintage giving shape and thrust to the dense flavors of currant, tobacco and iodine. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and superb persistence. Although this appears to be built for two or three decades of life in bottle, I miss the primary fruit character and the mineral and floral high notes of the more classic vintages of this wine. |
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2006 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$5,058.99 |
5 |
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WA 97 (2/2009): One of the fabulous surprises, although I had suggested last year that it could jump in quality, of my tastings, the 2006 Lafite Rothschild is a great, great wine made from a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. When I tasted it from barrel, it reminded me of their successful 1988, but it is dramatically superior to that vintage. Frankly, it may turn out to be as good as the 2005, which in all of Bordeaux is a far greater vintage than 2006. Lafite’s severe selection process (42% made it into the grand vin) resulted in a full-bodied wine boasting an extraordinary perfume of charcoal, truffles, lead pencil shavings, and sensationally sweet, ripe black currant and cedar notes. A wine of extraordinary intensity, texture, and depth with silky tannins as well as awesome concentration, this has turned out to be a remarkable Lafite Rothschild that should be drinkable much earlier than the 2005, but age for three decades. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2035+.
NM 96 (11/2011): Tasted at Hermitage Wines’ seminar in Hong Kong. The 2006 Lafite seems to have changed little from last year. That Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate the nose, less Margaux-like than before with lifted graphite and sous-bois aromas. The palate is in recluse at the moment, the fruit very tightly wound, but certainly beautifully balanced with a precise, slightly austere, masculine finish. This represents a very “sober” Lafite-Rothschild for drinking in another 10 to 15-years.
VM 95+ (6/2009): Good full ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of cassis, graphite and cedar chips, lifted by peppery and floral high notes. Densely packed and superconcentrated but light on its feet, with compelling flavors of spicy berries and minerals. The very long, slow-building finish stains the palate with flavor. Very backward but not austere; and unlike some recent vintages of Lafite, which could appear deceptively light in the early going, this showcases its density and ripeness from the outset. I have the impression that most of the less-ripe fruit was declassified into the far lighter Carruades de Lafite (87), which shows a distinctly cool style for the year.
WS 95 (3/2009): Plum, sweet tobacco and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body, offering a tight, chewy palate, yet with polished, refined tannins. Very long and caressing. This turns to a muscular and toned young wine. Gets better and better with age. Best after 2014. 23,330 cases made. |
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2007 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$5,066.99 |
5 |
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| |
WA 94 (4/2010): A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2007 Lafite Rothschild (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot) reveals classic Lafite aromas of graphite, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants, cherries, and a hint of truffles. The complex aromatics are followed by a round, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins, an overall subtle smoky component, and a rich, round, generous, plump finish. Already evolved and delicious, it should continue to drink well for two decades.
WS 91 (3/2010): A big, juicy wine for the vintage, with spice, sweet tobacco and plum aromas and flavors. Full, long and rich, with a soft texture. A little tight, but should develop nicely in the bottle. Best after 2014. 20,085 cases made.
VM 90-93 (6/2008): (84% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 1% petit verdot) Good bright ruby. Cassis, minerals, licorice and mint lifted by spices on the nose. Moderately dense and fruit-driven, with lovely mouthcoating breadth to the dark berry, spice and fresh herb flavors; remains just this side of peppery. Best today on the subtle but very persistent finish, which features very fine-grained tannins, a restrained sweetness and a captivating vibrancy. Among the most suave and refined examples of the vintage. |
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2007 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$9,985.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 94 (4/2010): A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2007 Lafite Rothschild (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot) reveals classic Lafite aromas of graphite, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants, cherries, and a hint of truffles. The complex aromatics are followed by a round, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins, an overall subtle smoky component, and a rich, round, generous, plump finish. Already evolved and delicious, it should continue to drink well for two decades.
WS 91 (3/2010): A big, juicy wine for the vintage, with spice, sweet tobacco and plum aromas and flavors. Full, long and rich, with a soft texture. A little tight, but should develop nicely in the bottle. Best after 2014. 20,085 cases made.
VM 90-93 (6/2008): (84% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 1% petit verdot) Good bright ruby. Cassis, minerals, licorice and mint lifted by spices on the nose. Moderately dense and fruit-driven, with lovely mouthcoating breadth to the dark berry, spice and fresh herb flavors; remains just this side of peppery. Best today on the subtle but very persistent finish, which features very fine-grained tannins, a restrained sweetness and a captivating vibrancy. Among the most suave and refined examples of the vintage. |
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2007 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$5,045.99 |
2 |
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| |
WA 94 (4/2010): A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2007 Lafite Rothschild (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot) reveals classic Lafite aromas of graphite, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants, cherries, and a hint of truffles. The complex aromatics are followed by a round, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins, an overall subtle smoky component, and a rich, round, generous, plump finish. Already evolved and delicious, it should continue to drink well for two decades.
WS 91 (3/2010): A big, juicy wine for the vintage, with spice, sweet tobacco and plum aromas and flavors. Full, long and rich, with a soft texture. A little tight, but should develop nicely in the bottle. Best after 2014. 20,085 cases made.
VM 90-93 (6/2008): (84% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 1% petit verdot) Good bright ruby. Cassis, minerals, licorice and mint lifted by spices on the nose. Moderately dense and fruit-driven, with lovely mouthcoating breadth to the dark berry, spice and fresh herb flavors; remains just this side of peppery. Best today on the subtle but very persistent finish, which features very fine-grained tannins, a restrained sweetness and a captivating vibrancy. Among the most suave and refined examples of the vintage. |
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2008 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$11,613 |
2 |
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| |
WA 98 (5/2011): A candidate for the -wine of the vintage,- the 2008 should have been purchased before it began to soar in value because of the significance of the number 8 in the Chinese culture (denoting good luck). Representing 40% of the production, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc offers aromas of high quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, earth, cedar and asphalt. Full, rich and stunningly concentrated, I doubt it is inferior to the 2010, just more classic as well as slightly more forward and a degree weaker in alcoholic potency (12.5% versus 13.5%). The 2008 should be relatively drinkable in 6-10 years as it is already showing remarkable complexity and breed, and will last for 30-35 years...at the minimum.
WS 92 (4/2011): Supple and harmonious already, with inviting, almost plush blackberry, plum and fig fruit notes carried by fine-grained, lightly cedary structure. Black tea and sandalwood flash on the finish. Poised now, but has the stuffing for more time in bottle. Drink now through 2020.
VM 92-94 (6/2009): (a blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot and 4% cabernet franc) Deep purple-ruby. Dense, rich, absolutely classic Lafite nose redolent of blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. Enters fat, with blackberry, licorice and underbrush flavors framed by strong but harmonious acids and youthful tannins that will need time to resolve. This is presently the most backward and closed of the Medoc first growths in '08, but should prove spectacular in time: insiders know that cooler vintages such as '08 are perfectly suited to Lafite's terroir, a case in point being the '88, an initially austere wine that has come around magnificently. |
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2009 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$12,188.99 |
1 |
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JS 100 (2/2012): The second you put your nose in the glass, you know that it is 100 points. The combination of sweet tobacco, fresh flowers, currants and sultanas on the nose leaves me breathless. Turns to cocoa powder and freshness. The palate re-enforces the show, with phenomenally polished tannins. Fabulous class. Could be a remake of the phenomenal 1959. Try in 2022.
WA 99+ (3/2012): The main reason the 2009 Lafite Rothschild did not receive a perfect score is because the wine has closed down slightly, but it is unquestionably another profound Lafite, their greatest wine since the amazing 2003. Among the most powerful Lafites ever made (it came in at 13.59% alcohol), the final blend was 82.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot. The selection was incredibly severe with only 45% of the crop being utilized. A tight, but potentially gorgeous nose of graphite, black currants, licorice and camphor is followed by a full-bodied wine revealing the classic elegance, purity and delineated style of Lafite. It is phenomenally concentrated with softer tannins than the 2005, the 2003's voluptuous, broad, juicy personality, and low acidity. There are several vintages that I thought were a replay of their colossal 1959, most notably 1982 and 2003, but 2009 is also one to keep an eye on. It is still extremely youthful and seems slightly more backward than I would have guessed based on the barrel tastings, but it needs 10-15 years of bottle age, and should last for 50+.
WS 98 (3/2012): This is stunning for its ability to take massively endowed fig, currant paste and crushed plum fruit flavors and harness them with ultrasuave freshly roasted espresso, black tea and ganache notes. A seductive style, long and velvety, with the dense core of black fruit and smoldering iron just waiting and waiting. Best from 2020 through 2040.
VM 96+ (7/2012): (a blend of 82.5% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot, and 0.5% petit verdot; 13.8% alcohol; 75 IPT; a 43% selection of the total crop). Deep ruby-red. Classic Lafite aromas of cassis, cedar and graphite are lifted by a fragrant violet note. Then pure and vibrant on the palate, with seamless flavors of blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, iron and flint. The very smooth tannins provide plenty of support to the fruit flavors, while the wine's harmonious acidity really draws out the finish. This Outstanding Lafite is all about grace--in contrast to Latour's power. |
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2009 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$6,158.99 |
3 |
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| |
JS 100 (2/2012): The second you put your nose in the glass, you know that it is 100 points. The combination of sweet tobacco, fresh flowers, currants and sultanas on the nose leaves me breathless. Turns to cocoa powder and freshness. The palate re-enforces the show, with phenomenally polished tannins. Fabulous class. Could be a remake of the phenomenal 1959. Try in 2022.
WA 99+ (3/2012): The main reason the 2009 Lafite Rothschild did not receive a perfect score is because the wine has closed down slightly, but it is unquestionably another profound Lafite, their greatest wine since the amazing 2003. Among the most powerful Lafites ever made (it came in at 13.59% alcohol), the final blend was 82.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot. The selection was incredibly severe with only 45% of the crop being utilized. A tight, but potentially gorgeous nose of graphite, black currants, licorice and camphor is followed by a full-bodied wine revealing the classic elegance, purity and delineated style of Lafite. It is phenomenally concentrated with softer tannins than the 2005, the 2003's voluptuous, broad, juicy personality, and low acidity. There are several vintages that I thought were a replay of their colossal 1959, most notably 1982 and 2003, but 2009 is also one to keep an eye on. It is still extremely youthful and seems slightly more backward than I would have guessed based on the barrel tastings, but it needs 10-15 years of bottle age, and should last for 50+.
WS 98 (3/2012): This is stunning for its ability to take massively endowed fig, currant paste and crushed plum fruit flavors and harness them with ultrasuave freshly roasted espresso, black tea and ganache notes. A seductive style, long and velvety, with the dense core of black fruit and smoldering iron just waiting and waiting. Best from 2020 through 2040.
VM 96+ (7/2012): (a blend of 82.5% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot, and 0.5% petit verdot; 13.8% alcohol; 75 IPT; a 43% selection of the total crop). Deep ruby-red. Classic Lafite aromas of cassis, cedar and graphite are lifted by a fragrant violet note. Then pure and vibrant on the palate, with seamless flavors of blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, iron and flint. The very smooth tannins provide plenty of support to the fruit flavors, while the wine's harmonious acidity really draws out the finish. This Outstanding Lafite is all about grace--in contrast to Latour's power. |
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2010 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$6,150.99 |
3 |
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WA 100 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafite Rothschild is a little mute on the nose at this stage, opening to reveal warm blackcurrants, baked plums and boysenberry scents with hints of chocolate mint, violets, cedar chest and pencil lead. Full-bodied, rich and densely packed with perfumed black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of fantastically ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing very long and minerally. Still very youthful!
JS 99 (2/2013): This is shy and not giving its all at the moment. Yet it is full and intense with a tightly intertwined tannic and fruit structure. Ethereal blackberry, currant, cedar, and nutty flavors. Dried flowers too. Cedar jewel box smell comes out with time. Great finish. So, so long and harmonious. Try in 2018.
WS 97 (3/2013): Rather tight, with an alluring whiff of cocoa that lures you in before disappearing into the core of steeped plum, roasted fig and blackberry coulis notes. Sandalwood, black tea and loam elements fill in on the long and expansive finish. This seems to be lying in wait for what could be a very long time in the cellar before unfurling fully. Best from 2018 through 2045. 15,833 cases made.
VM 95+ (7/2018): The 2010 Lafite-Rothschild is a beautiful Pauillac in the making. It has a very well-defined bouquet that exhibits more red than black fruit, laced with cedar, damp undergrowth and pressed flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, conveying a sense of symmetry and focus that is second to none. Yet I feel that there ought to be greater substance and grip towards the second half. I miss the fullness shown by the 2009 Lafite-Rothschild that is shown alongside it. There is a pleasant sharpness and clarity to this decidedly masculine Lafite. I suspect it will continue to improve in bottle, if never taking the accolade of "best in show" for this auspicious growing season. Tasted at the Lafite-Rothschild 150th anniversary dinner at the estate. Neal Martin. |
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2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$4,359.99 |
1 |
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2013 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$8,259.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2014 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$4,178.99 |
2 |
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JS 98 (2/2017): The aromas of stones, oyster shell, blackcurrants and mushrooms are very intense. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of blackberries. Great finish. Super energy and depth. Try in 2022. Fascinating.
WS 95 (3/2017): Reserved for now, but the core of cassis, bitter plum and raspberry coulis flavors is pure and energetic, while extra black tea, iron and singed alder notes fill in steadily through the finish. This has a very focused, streamlined feel overall, yet there's serious depth for the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035. 16,000 cases made.
VM 94+ (2/2017): The 2014 Lafite-Rothschild is a beautiful, vivid wine. It is also going to need a number of years to come together. All the classic Lafite signatures are present in the glass. Dark red and bluish-hued fruits, grilled herbs, crème de cassis and leather are some of the many notes that gradually open up. The wine is finessed and nuanced to the core. I imagine it will drink well with minimal cellaring, although it clearly also has the potential to grow in bottle. The blend is 87 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Merlot and 3 % Cabernet Franc. In 2014, the Grand Vin accounts for 38 % of production. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (3/2017): The 2014 Lafite-Rothschild, tasted with head winemaker Eric Kohler, has retained that very opulent and outgoing bouquet that dare I say actually reminded me of Mouton-Rothschild. There are layers of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, still that hint of juniper berry, certainly a more extrovert Lafite-Rothschild compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, very focused and quite linear, again with plenty of black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. It begins to clam up towards the saline finish, suggesting that it will need several years in bottle, but I still have high expectations for this First Growth once afforded several years in bottle. |
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2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$4,401.99 |
5 |
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2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$8,653.99 |
2 |
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| Ch. Latour |
1992 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$7,085.99 |
2 |
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WS 90 (8/2000): Outstanding quality from a weak year. Good darkruby color. Intense aromas of chocolate, berry andcedar. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a longfinish. Starting to show some bottle bouquet, butgood backbone and firmness. Textbook Latour from adifficult vintage.--Latour vertical. Best after 2004.
WA 88 (12/1994): Only 50% of the 1992 harvest went into the "grand vin." The result is a sweet, expansive, rich, medium-bodied, surprisingly supple Latour with the tell-tale English walnut, blackcurrant, and mineral-scented nose, very good to excellent flavor concentration, low acidity and moderate tannin in the finish. This is an extremely well-made, approachable style of Latour that should age well for 10-15 years. It may develop even further, thus justifying an even higher score. |
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1999 |
Pauillac |
$475 |
6 |
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WA 94 (4/2002): Readers looking for a modern day version of Latour's magnificent 1962 or 1971 should check out the sensational 1999 Latour. It is a big, concentrated offering, exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color, and a classic nose of minerals, black currants, leather, and vanilla. The wine is long, ripe, and medium-bodied, with high levels of sweet tannin. This surprisingly full, concentrated 1999 should be drinkable in 5-6 years; it will last for three decades.
WS 93 (12/2009): Focused and fresh, with milk chocolate and berry aromas. Subtle and refined on the nose. Full-bodied and very elegant, featuring a solid core of ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. So much finesse here. Still tight, needing time in the bottle to open. No longer big, this is in just the right proportions for the vintage.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2012. 13,330 cases made.
VM 93 (5/2002): Full red-ruby. High-pitched aromas of red- and blackcurrant, minerals and leather. Wonderfully harmonious in the mouth, with compelling sweetness of fruit but also superb grip. A lush, rich wine that already displays impressive inner-mouth perfume. Finishes with broad, essentially gentle tannins. Doesn't quite possess the grip or thrust of the '01, but this is wine-of-the-vintage material. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2000 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$7,128.99 |
2 |
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JS 100 (4/2014): Latour has made truly great wines in the past two decades—and this is one of the best. It has fabulous aromas of black truffles, currants, raspberry and dried flowers. Mind-blowing on the palate, it’s an emotional and soulful red.
WS 99 (12/2015): The fruit here is still very much in the primary phase, with a decidedly racy feel to the raspberry coulis, cassis and blackberry reduction notes that are streaked with violet, iron and graphite flavors. The superlong finish alternates between a tug of sweet earth and a velvety feel, as the fruit and grip are still melding together, but there's so much vivacity here, there's no concern with waiting it out. The wait may be a while though. Rather stunning that this can separate itself so clearly from the rest of 2000's high-class field.
NM 99 (7/2028): The 2000 Latour is a wine that I feel is overlooked by many cognoscenti, goggle-eyed by the 2005 or 2009. However, this is perhaps the pinnacle of the millennial vintage. It has a stunning bouquet with extraordinarily pure blackberry, raspberry, cedar and violets. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate has a satin-like texture thanks to the filigree tannin, almost Burgundy-like in texture though Pinot Noir rarely achieves this density or arching structure. It is extremely complex, the black fruit giving way to more red fruit with aeration, gradually mellowing, even if it would benefit from another four or five years in bottle. This is a majestic Latour. Tasted at the International Business & Wine Latour dinner at Ten Trinity.
WA 98 (6/2010): The 2000 Latour (a relatively abundant 14,000 cases compared to what they produced in 2009, 2008, or 2005) is “packed and stacked.” The extremely rich, black/purple color to the rim is followed by a wine with some subtle smoke, loads of minerals, a hint of vanilla, and plenty of creme de cassis as well as roasted meat and a slight scorched earth character. Broad, savory, and rich, the wine seems to be about 5 years away from full maturity and should drink well for at least 40-50 more years. A great effort, probably eclipsed only by 2003 and 2009.
VM 97 (6/2003): Full medium ruby. Wonderfully sweet, rich aromas of cassis, minerals and bitter chocolate. A huge wine with almost painful intensity; solid as a rock and at the same time utterly sensual and creamy, with great inner-mouth complexity and depth of flavor and a complete absence of rough edges. "Almost too easy today," says Engerer. Sweet notes of roasted nuts and chocolate add to the wine's early appeal. A powerful, hugely rich Latour with a great building finish and perfectly suave tannins. This was really the last vintage of Latour with a meaningful percentage (3%) of cabernet franc, as the old franc vines were removed after 2000. But Engerer noted that Latour planted 1.5 hectares of petit verdot, which can be expected to represent up to 4% of the blend by 2004. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2003 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$11,958.99 |
2 |
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WA 100 (4/2006): There are only 10,800 cases (rather than the normal 15,000-20,000) of the 2003 Latour, a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot (13.3% finished alcohol). A prodigious effort, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of smoke, cedar, creme de cassis, flowers, crushed rocks, and blackberries. Massive and multi-layered, with huge richness and low acidity, it is about as unctuous as a young Latour can be. It could be compared to the 1982, but it may be even more pure, at least at this early stage, than that monumental wine. The level of intensity builds prodigiously in the mouth, and the finish lasts nearly a minute. Disarmingly accessible (although analytically the tannin level is high), I suspect it will ultimately shut down, but it was performing impeccably when I tasted it. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+.
WS 98 (3/2006): Intense aromas of blackberry, licorice, currant and mineral. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a long, long finish. Very refined and beautiful. Goes on for minutes. This reminds me of the fabulous 1996. But even better. Best after 2012. 10,000 cases made.
VM 97 (6/2006): Red-ruby. Explosive aromas of plum liqueur, currant, minerals and lead pencil. Huge, lush, sweet and utterly seamless; this has the palate-caressing texture of liquid velvet. About as deep as this extreme vintage gets. Finishes with noble, compellingly sweet tannins and great length. This is amazing wine, and only its exotic character prevented me from giving it an even higher score. Interestingly, the IPT here is 65, compared to 67 for the 2005. But this voluminous and powerful wine will be more fun to drink than the 2005 for many years simply due to its sensual appeal, even if the 2005 should ultimately surpass it in verve, minerality and overall aromatic complexity. (Incidentally, Latour's third wine, simply called Pauillac, is extremely good in both 2005 and 2003-the former vintage showing terrific energy and loads of early personality, and the latter fat, round and exotic, with what Engerer described as a "Napa nose.") |
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2008 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$7,848.99 |
1 |
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JD 96 (2/2019): The brilliant 2008 Château Latour has the classic stature and regal style of the estate front and center. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, it’s still purple-colored and brilliantly concentrated, offering medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, tobacco, lead pencil, and graphite. Dense, perfectly balanced, with ripe tannins, it’s a few years away from prime time (although it certainly offers pleasure) but will drink well for another 2-3 decades.
VM 96 (2/2018): The 2008 Latour has a more bold and concentrated bouquet compared to the Lafite-Rothschild, scents of blackberry, bilberry, iris, cigar humidor and cold wet stone that all surge from the glass. This is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with firm in tannin, a light marine influence infusing the black fruit, a little spice towards the finish with superb persistency. It is an authorative Latour as usual, one now beginning to enter its stride although naturally it will last for two or three decades with ease. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.) Neal Martin
WA 95+ (5/2011): An extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into the grand vin). Its dense purple color is followed by hints of espresso roast, cassis, burning embers, truffles and graphite. Rich with full-bodied power, beautiful purity and graciousness allied to a voluminous, savory, broad mouthfeel, this beauty will be drinkable in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.
JS 95 (12/2010): Gorgeous aromas. Sandalwood and flowers, so perfumed and beautiful. Spices and currants with cassis too. Amazing nose. Such beauty and density with an iron and pure fruit character. Solid and racy. Best after 2015.
WS 94 (4/2011): This is dense and muscular, but balanced, with the flesh to offset the sinew, as pure mulled black currant, melted fig and crushed plum fruit is caressed by substantial but fine-grained structure. The long, iron- and tobacco-filled finish has excellent focus and drive. This could rival LLC for longest-lived wine of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2022. 9,500 cases made. |
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2010 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$9,101.99 |
2 |
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WA 100 (3/2020): The 2010 Latour is deep garnet in color, and—WOW—it erupts from the glass with powerful crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and blackberry pie scents plus intense sparks of dried roses, cigar boxes, fragrant earth and smoked meats with aniseed and crushed rocks wafts. Full-bodied, concentrated and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, it has a firm, grainy texture and lovely freshness carrying the rich, opulent fruit to an epically long finish. It is incredibly tempting to drink now, but I suspect this hedonic experience isn't a scratch on the mind-blowing, otherworldly secrets this time capsule will have to reveal given another 7-10 years in bottle and continuing over the following fifty years++.
JS 100 (2/2013): The aromas of flowers such as roses, violets and lilacs jump from the glass then turn to dark berries such as blueberries and blackberries. It's full-bodied, with velvety tannins and dense and intense with a chocolate, berry and currant character. This is juicy and rich with wood still showing a bit, but it's all coming together wonderfully. Muscular yet toned. Another perfect wine like the 2010. Try in 2022.
WS 99 (3/2013): Unbelievably pure, with distilled cassis and plum fruit that cuts a very precise path, while embers of anise, violet and black cherry confiture form a gorgeous backdrop. A bedrock of graphite structure should help this outlive other 2010s. Powerful, sleek and incredibly long. Not perfect, but very close. Best from 2020 through 2050.
VM 98+ (7/2018): The 2010 Latour is a force of nature, a First Growth that should not be broached for fifteen years. It remains stubborn and backward on the nose, almost broody at first but eventually opens with intense, mineral-rich black fruit laced with wet limestone, almost flint-like aromas, later pencil lead that become more pronounced with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, with immense structure that grips the mouth like a vice. It is not a subtle Latour, rather audacious and titanic, perhaps missing the finesse of a great vintage but that is simply a matter of time. Tasted from my own personal cellar. Neal Martin. |
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2011 |
Pauillac (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$5,499 |
2 |
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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.
NM 94-96 (5/2012): The Grand Vin is a blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, representing 34% of the crop. The nose demands coaxing from the glass with introspective dark berry fruit, mineral, graphite and just a hint of cedar. The palate is classic Latour with tensile tannins in the driving seat and the fruit residing in the passenger. It has finely tuned acidity that lends it freshness and tension. There is superb minerality towards the finish but it retains that strictness and focus without blinking. If you love Latour, you will love the 2011.
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.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Inky purple. Closed nose hints at blackcurrant, flint, violet and cedar. On the palate, dark berry and flint flavors are complicated by graphite and cedar. A lovely, very pure, lighter-styled Latour, but the mounting tannins are big and brawny, and the long finish is mouthcoatingly dry. Another 2011 red that currently lacks the flesh to stand up to its tannic spine. Forget about it in the cellar for at least another five years. Ian d'Agata. |
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2012 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$3,461.99 |
5 |
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WA 96+ (3/2020): The 2012 Latour is a blend of 90.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.6% Merlot and 0.2% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet colored, the nose slowly, measuredly emerges with notions of preserved Morello cherries, baked blackcurrants and blackberry compote, giving way to nuances of pencil shavings, unsmoked cigars, Chinese five spice and sandalwood plus ever so subtle hints of cardamom and eucalyptus. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit preserves with a firm, grainy-textured frame and fantastic freshness, finishing with a veritable firework display of lingering spices and minerals. This is a more restrained, relatively elegant vintage of Latour that may not have that “iron fist in a velvet glove” power of the greatest vintages but nonetheless struts its superior terroir and behind-the-scenes savoir faire with impressive panache. It is drinking nicely now with suitably rounded-off, approachable tannins, and the tertiary characters are just beginning to bring some more cerebral elements into the compote of temptingly primary black fruits. But, if you’re looking to drink it in full, flamboyant swing, give it another 5-10 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20-25 years+.
VM 96 (4/2020): The 2012 Latour has a potent bouquet of blackberry, graphite and distinctive tertiary notes [instead of more marine scents observed four years earlier]. Initially, the palate is slightly disjointed on the entry and displays a subtle herbal quality, plus hints of pencil shavings. The 2012 demands a few minutes to really coalesce and achieve the precision and pixelation that have been the hallmark of this Grand Vin in its youth. Layers of black fruit coat the mouth, and a bitter edge lends tension, particularly toward the very persistent finish. Though its release implies, and the rhetoric from the château indicates, that it is ready to drink, if you want my advice, cellar the 2012 for another five or six years to witness it in full flight. It has always been a candidate for wine of the vintage... just have a bit of patience. Neal Martin.
WS 95 (3/2015): This features a terrific, gorgeously delineated graphite note that runs from start to finish, letting the dark plum, black cherry and cassis fruit play out beautifully. Shows a lovely backdrop of charcoal and iron on the finish. Ever so slightly rigid, with a strong graphite expression, this is straight rather than expansive in feel, but seriously long nonetheless. Best from 2018 through 2030. 9,819 cases made.
JS 94 (2/2015): Very perfumed with hints of minerals, currants, wet earth and stones. Full-bodied, muscular and chewy. Polished tannins, tight acidity and a savory finish. Very reserved. Muscular. Better in 2019. |
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| Ch. Lynch Bages |
1983 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill |
$145 |
1 |
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WS 90 (10/1994): Impressive finesse for the vintage, with beautiful, fresh tobacco, cedar and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very silky with a fine, long finish. Drinkable now.
WA 88 (3/1989): A success for this very good, yet surprisingly inconsistent vintage, the Lynch-Bages 1983 is a full-blown, big, ripe, gutsy Pauillac, with an intense bouquet of ground beef and black currant fruit, and deep, rich, briery flavors. Quite full bodied, alcoholic, and long, this substantial wine has a heady, alcoholic finish with the tannins quickly melting away. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. |
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2001 |
Pauillac |
$159 |
9 |
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NM 92 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. The first bottle of this was denuded of vitality and out of sorts (indeed this is a major problem with this vintage.) Not corked, but previous experience old me that it was not “happy” bottle. Fortunately I stayed for another to be opened and this far more representative. Ripe, dark berried fruits on the nose with touches of mulberry, briary, graphite and sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp entry, tarry black fruits on the entry, sharp acidity, very tight but that is probably because this bottle had just been opened. Very fine.
VM 90+ (6/2004): Bright red-ruby. Currant, herbs and smoke on the nose. Rich and suave on entry, then rather closed and austere in the middle palate, with moderately ripe, nicely delineated flavors of currant, cherry, smoke and mint. Best today on the back end, which features broad tannins and subtle lingering flavor.
WS 90 (3/2004): Clean and sleek, with tobacco, berry and plum character, medium body and a silky, fresh finish. Firm and balanced Lynch. Best after 2007. 40,830 cases made.
WA 88 (8/2011): The fully mature 2001 exhibits aromas of tapenade, bay leaf, licorice, red and black currants, damp earth and new saddle leather. Medium-bodied and atypically elegant and charming for a Lynch Bages with soft, fully resolved tannin and a moderately long finish, it is much lighter than a great vintage such as 2000. |
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2002 |
Pauillac Bin-Soiled Label |
$130 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 91 (3/2005): Aromas of currant bush, berries and sweet tobacco follow through to a full-bodied palate, with medium tannins and a long finish. Lovely texture to this wine. Best after 2008. 35,000 cases made.
WA 88 (4/2005): The 2002 has turned out lighter and more herbaceous than I would have guessed. This medium-bodied wine reveals a dark ruby/purple-tinged color, and hints of cedar wood and tobacco in an evolved aromatic display which also includes herbs and black currants. Attractive in a superficial way, there is some tannin, but also a softness and charm. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. |
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2003 |
Pauillac |
$150 |
2 |
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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. |
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|
2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,540.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 93 (2/2014): A dense, chewy wine for the vintage, with plum, currant and blackberry character. Full body, polished tannic texture and a bright finish. Very pretty indeed. This needs time to soften. Try in 2019.
WS 92 (3/2014): This has solid guts, with plum, currant and blackberry fruit melded together at the core, while notes of charcoal, warm tobacco and singed iron form the backdrop. Should be very solid when it comes together after some cellaring. Best from 2016 through 2028.
VM 89 (7/2014): Good bright ruby. Dark aromas of cassis, licorice, violet and vanilla. Penetrating and well-delineated, showing a light touch to its intense if slightly lean dark fruit and spice flavors. Finishes with very good grip and length, but a bit tart for me. A wine of very good but not Outstanding concentration. Ian d'Agata.
WA 90 (4/2014): The medium-bodied 2011 Lynch Bages possesses a saturated ruby/purple color as well as beautiful creme de cassis notes, a generous, concentrated, well-made, medium to full-bodied style and supple tannins. A successful effort in 2011, it should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 15+. It is a sleeper of the vintage. |
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|
2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$809.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 93 (2/2014): A dense, chewy wine for the vintage, with plum, currant and blackberry character. Full body, polished tannic texture and a bright finish. Very pretty indeed. This needs time to soften. Try in 2019.
WS 92 (3/2014): This has solid guts, with plum, currant and blackberry fruit melded together at the core, while notes of charcoal, warm tobacco and singed iron form the backdrop. Should be very solid when it comes together after some cellaring. Best from 2016 through 2028.
VM 89 (7/2014): Good bright ruby. Dark aromas of cassis, licorice, violet and vanilla. Penetrating and well-delineated, showing a light touch to its intense if slightly lean dark fruit and spice flavors. Finishes with very good grip and length, but a bit tart for me. A wine of very good but not Outstanding concentration. Ian d'Agata.
WA 90 (4/2014): The medium-bodied 2011 Lynch Bages possesses a saturated ruby/purple color as well as beautiful creme de cassis notes, a generous, concentrated, well-made, medium to full-bodied style and supple tannins. A successful effort in 2011, it should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 15+. It is a sleeper of the vintage. |
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|
2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,394.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 95 (2/2020): A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Lynch-Bages sports an inky color as well as a powerful, full-bodied style. Rocking blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and obvious minerality all emerge from this beautiful, concentrated wine that has building tannins, the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to hit the ground running in about 5-7 years and cruise 20 years or more in cool cellars.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Lynch-Bages is such a pretty and engaging wine; as always, it is a wine of pure and total seduction. Lush, open-knit and very pretty with ripe red and purplish fruit. There is a slight bit of edginess in the tannin that needs to be resolved, but cellaring should take care of that. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2020): This leans toward the austere side of Pauillac, with a slightly bracing iron and chalk frame around a core of red and black currant fruit, liberally laced with savory and cedar notes. Exhibits ample length and cut, showing really pure and beautifully defined currant flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.
JS 95 (12/2019): This is a focused and tight Lynch with beautiful blackcurrants, slate, graphite and lead pencil. Medium to full body. Very fine tannins and brightness. Linear line of tannins that runs nicely through the wine. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. |
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2017 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) 2017 en Primeur Release |
$234 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 95 (2/2020): A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Lynch-Bages sports an inky color as well as a powerful, full-bodied style. Rocking blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and obvious minerality all emerge from this beautiful, concentrated wine that has building tannins, the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to hit the ground running in about 5-7 years and cruise 20 years or more in cool cellars.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Lynch-Bages is such a pretty and engaging wine; as always, it is a wine of pure and total seduction. Lush, open-knit and very pretty with ripe red and purplish fruit. There is a slight bit of edginess in the tannin that needs to be resolved, but cellaring should take care of that. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2020): This leans toward the austere side of Pauillac, with a slightly bracing iron and chalk frame around a core of red and black currant fruit, liberally laced with savory and cedar notes. Exhibits ample length and cut, showing really pure and beautifully defined currant flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.
JS 95 (12/2019): This is a focused and tight Lynch with beautiful blackcurrants, slate, graphite and lead pencil. Medium to full body. Very fine tannins and brightness. Linear line of tannins that runs nicely through the wine. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. |
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2017 |
Pauillac 2017 en Primeur Release |
$113.99 |
17 |
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| |
JD 95 (2/2020): A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Lynch-Bages sports an inky color as well as a powerful, full-bodied style. Rocking blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and obvious minerality all emerge from this beautiful, concentrated wine that has building tannins, the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to hit the ground running in about 5-7 years and cruise 20 years or more in cool cellars.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Lynch-Bages is such a pretty and engaging wine; as always, it is a wine of pure and total seduction. Lush, open-knit and very pretty with ripe red and purplish fruit. There is a slight bit of edginess in the tannin that needs to be resolved, but cellaring should take care of that. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2020): This leans toward the austere side of Pauillac, with a slightly bracing iron and chalk frame around a core of red and black currant fruit, liberally laced with savory and cedar notes. Exhibits ample length and cut, showing really pure and beautifully defined currant flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.
JS 95 (12/2019): This is a focused and tight Lynch with beautiful blackcurrants, slate, graphite and lead pencil. Medium to full body. Very fine tannins and brightness. Linear line of tannins that runs nicely through the wine. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. |
|
| Ch. Lynch-Moussas |
2016 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$353.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 93-94 (4/2017): This is very dense and intense with lovely intensity and energy. Dense, round and savory tannins. Another winner from here.
WS 88-91 (4/2017): This is alluring, with a coating of warm vanilla bean over a core of gently steeped plum and blackberry fruit. Shows a light woodsy streak through the finish. Not as vivacious as the top wines, but solid. |
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| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2005 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,262.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 91 (7/2013): Juicy and delicious wine with plum and chocolate character. It’s full-bodied yet has a round, soft texture. So delicious now. Ready.
NM 90 (11/2010): Tasted at the Claret Club Mouton-Rothschild dinner. The Le Petit Mouton 2005 is open and generous on the nose that is very “Pauillac” with pencil lead dominating the rather “strict” aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy entry, perhaps a little shallow, with touches of black olive and lemon rind interlacing the tannic, rather dry finish. Fine, but drink now.
WS 89 (3/2008): Licorice, mineral and currant aromas follow through to a medium-to-full body, with fine tannins and a mineral and currant aftertaste. Quite chewy. The second wine of Mouton-Rothschild. Best after 2011.
WA 88 (4/2008): An excellent second wine, the 2005 Le Petit Mouton exhibits soft, lush, subtle herb-infused black currant fruit along with notions of licorice, smoke, and burning embers. Enjoy this well-made effort over the next 7-8 years. |
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|
2010 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$2,192.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 96 (11/2013): This is clearly the best second wine that Mouton has ever made. Truly superb with blackberries and currants on the nose. Full body, with super velvety tannins. The length is so wonderful and delicious. Dense yet super balanced. Hard not to drink now. Better in 2018.
NM 93 (3/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Is this best Le Petit Mouton ever? The 2010 has a very ripe powerful bouquet with blackberry, apricot, cedar and peppermint that shows a lot of vigour and what you might call passion. This well balanced with fine tannins, a superb line of acidity and cohesion. This is not the most concentrated 2010 Pauillac but it is very focused and full of energy. To answer the question posed at the beginning of the tasting notes...yes.
WA 91 (2/2013): It is a fabulous wine, but if you want to drink something reminiscent of Mouton Rothschild before 2025, it is probably worth taking a look at the 2010 Le Petit Mouton, which seems to be going from strength to strength at this estate. This wine has 14% natural alcohol because there is more Merlot in it. (Merlot is riper and ferments into slightly higher alcohol than Cabernet Sauvignon.) This wine represents 26% of the crop. The creme de cassis character is also present, along with tobacco leaf, cedar, and a more evolved, chocolaty, spicy note. Opulent, fleshy and round, it should drink well for two decades.
WS 91 (3/2013): Solid, with forward black currant, plum skin and crushed blackberry fruit lined with charcoal, showing a dusting of loam on the finish. Features some cedar-tinged grip, but remains more accessible than most of the 2010 Pauillacs. Drink now through 2022.
VM 89 (7/2013): Good deep ruby-red. Showy aromas of currant, cedar, herbs and spices. Sweet on entry, then tangy and a bit lean in the middle, with cassis and blackberry flavors complicated by minerals and herbs. Finishes with surprisingly sweet tannins and noteworthy persistence for a second wine. |
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|
2012 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ex-Negociant |
$295 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2015): A rich and round red with currant, strawberry and citrus character. Full body, creamy tannins and a fruity finish. This shows much more richness and depth in bottle than from barrel. Excellent. Drink or hold.
WA 90 (4/2015): The 2012 Le Petit Mouton de Rothschild (79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc) shows loads of charcoal, burning embers, a nice hint of dark chocolate and blackcurrants. It is fleshy and medium-bodied, with up-front fruit and density. This second wine of Mouton has certainly gone from strength to strength under the administration of Philippe Dhalluin. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.
WS 90 (3/2015): This has a lovely core of red and black currant fruit, raspberry coulis and licorice snap notes, lined with brambly but integrated grip and carrying through the sleek, iron-edged finish. A refined version of Pauillac, and sneakily long. Best from 2017 through 2022.
VM 89 (1/2016): The 2012 Petit-Mouton is a pleasant, open-knit wine to drink now and over the next few years. Bold and juicy, but also a bit rough around the edges, the Petit offers quite a bit of up-front appeal. Game, smoke, tobacco, licorice and dried herbs are some of the notes that linger on the close. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2014 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac |
$209 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (3/2017): The 2014 Le Petit Mouton has quite a sophisticated bouquet with black fruit, black truffle, pencil box and a light marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-driven entry, the acidity very well judged, gently building towards an elegant, supple finish that seems to caress the mouth. These days, Le Petit Mouton is equal to many Grand Vin in Pauillac—a remarkable melioration over the last decade. |
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|
2014 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,982.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (3/2017): The 2014 Le Petit Mouton has quite a sophisticated bouquet with black fruit, black truffle, pencil box and a light marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-driven entry, the acidity very well judged, gently building towards an elegant, supple finish that seems to caress the mouth. These days, Le Petit Mouton is equal to many Grand Vin in Pauillac—a remarkable melioration over the last decade. |
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|
2015 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,893.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,893.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 93-94 (4/2018): Blackberry and blueberry character with black licorice and aniseed. Full body, tight and chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight at the end but shows plenty of potential. Second wine of Mouton.
JD 91-94 (4/2018): The saturated purple-colored 2017 Le Petit Mouton Rothschild is a terrific wine and better than the vast majority of top wines out there. The blend in 2017 is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in 50% new oak and it should see roughly 18 months in barrel. Cassis, graphite, crushed violets, and Asian spice notes all emerge from this deep, rich, beautifully concentrated wine that has a beautiful voluptuousness and expansive character on the palate.
WS 90-93 (4/2018): This has a pleasantly juicy and fleshy edge to the mix of cassis and cherry preserve flavors, while suave apple wood and warm stone notes glide in on the finish.
VM 90-92 (5/2018): The 2017 Le Petit-Mouton is dense, powerful and luscious. Even with all of its richness, the Petit Mouton possesses terrific structural underpinnings that give the wine its shape and overall persistence. Red cherry jam, wild flowers and sweet spice build into the finish in this decidedly succulent Pauillac. The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The late season rains were especially challenging for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc. As a result the total production of Le Petit-Mouton is down around 28%. "After the frost, which did not really affect us, the major challenge in 2017 was heat stress," Mouton Technical Director Philippe Dhalluin told me. "We had no rain until the end of June. Then, in September, when we needed a bit of rain again, we got more than double what would have been optimal. The September rain affected the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was able to take advantage of the last 15 days of the growing season, which were much more favorable. In the cellar, we opted for longer macerations at lower temperatures, as we wanted to avoid extracting the type of hard tannins that mark other vintages with very dry summers, such as 2011." ANtonio Galloni.
WA 89-91+ (4/2018): The 2017 Le Petit Mouton, blended of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, is very deep purple-black in color and a touch reduced on the nose (both times it was tasted), giving way to notions of preserved plums and blackberry preserves with touches of licorice, tar, black soil and truffles. Medium-bodied, elegant and with a firm line of grainy tannins melded with seamless freshness, it has a fairly muscular character at this stage and a long, earthy finish. |
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|
1995 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$4,110.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/1998): Bottled in June, 1997, this profound Mouton is more accessible than the more muscular 1996. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 19% Merlot, it reveals an opaque purple color, and reluctant aromas of cassis, truffles, coffee, licorice, and spice. In the mouth, the wine is "great stuff," with superb density, a full-bodied personality, rich mid-palate, and a layered, profound finish that lasts for 40+ seconds. There is Outstanding purity and high tannin, but my instincts suggest this wine is lower in acidity and slightly fleshier than the brawnier, bigger 1996. Both are great efforts from Mouton-Rothschild. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030.
VM 95 (8/2011): (72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot and 9% cabernet franc; pH 3.68; IPT 64; 12.4% alcohol; 88% new oak; 95% selection for the grand vin): Very dark, fully saturated ruby to the rim. Deep, brooding, rich aromas of blackberry, violet, milk chocolate, black pepper, cedar and incense; sexy and captivating. Bright and focused on entry, then rich, very smooth and suave, with highly concentrated flavors of red berries, dark plum, cedar and graphite. The extremely long, juicy finish features lively acids, great balance and persistent notes of underbrush and minerals. The mounting tannins coat the palate dry and are still years away from resolving fully. Harvested from September 12 through 27, which suggests that the merlot was probably very ripe. According to Tourbier, "We included a bit more merlot than usual because we felt the cabernet sauvignon had particularly tough tannins in 1995 and we didn't want to risk making too tough or structured a wine. So we used the merlot to soften it up a bit." The estate was so happy with the quality of the wine (and the rather high 95% selection for the grand vin speaks volumes), said Tourbier, that they only made 15 barriques of the second wine Petit Mouton, which was launched with the 1993 vintage. A huge volume year, 1995 was characterized by very fine weather through most of the growth cycle but was marred by September rains. Ian d'Agata.
JS 95 (11/2015): This explodes on the nose with prunes, blackberries, mushrooms and fresh tobacco. Full body, ripe tannins and a juicy finish. Big and powerful. Still could do with a decade or more of aging.
WS 94 (12/2007): Aromas of ripe fruit and grilled meat follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long caressing finish. Very beautiful wine. Mouton shows finesse yet richness in this vintage.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007. |
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|
2010 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$9,640.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2013): This is pure Cabernet Sauvignon magic with incredible aromas of currants, blackberries and light spices. Tiny hints of hazelnut. Wet earth. Full body, with super velvety tannins. The purity of fruit is breathtaking. It goes on for minutes. This is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot. Try after 2020.
NM 99 (1/2014): Initially, there is a tangible strictness and linearity on the nose of this spellbinding Mouton-Rothschild, though it unfolds to reveal blackberry, mulberry, truffle and violets scents. The palate is medium-bodied but the tannins and silky and fine. This has a bewitching texture, seamless and utterly harmonious, the finish feminine and poised with Outstanding mineralite. This might be the best wine ever produced under Philippe Dhalluin.
WS 98 (3/2013): This strides in with distinction, starting off with a showy but integrated layer of espresso-infused toast, followed by plush tiers of crushed currant, plum and blackberry fruit interspersed with cocoa and well-roasted cedar notes. The long, tobacco- and loam-filled finish shows lots of heft, but stays polished. An impressive display of unadulterated, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2020 through 2045.
WA 97+ (12/2014): The enormously endowed, backward, ferociously tannic, massively extracted 2010 Mouton-Rothschild exhibits an opaque blue/purple color as well as a tight but promising nose of incense, licorice, lead pencil shavings, vanilla, blackberries and cassis. Full-bodied in the mouth, extremely young, and tasting like a barrel sample, this remarkable effort requires 10-15 years of cellaring. It should age well for half a century or more.
VM 97+ (8/2013): Deep ruby-red. Great soil-driven aromas of cassis, licorice, graphite and loam. Hugely dense, seamless and concentrated, but with ripe, harmonious acidity giving definition to the plush flavors of creme de cassis, bitter chocolate, minerals and loam. Most impressive today on the mounting, palate-staining finish, which is almost painful yet manages to convey a light touch. Endlessly complex and vibrant wine with decades of positive evolution ahead of it. One of my favorites of this Outstanding vintage. |
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|
2010 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$5,066.99 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2013): This is pure Cabernet Sauvignon magic with incredible aromas of currants, blackberries and light spices. Tiny hints of hazelnut. Wet earth. Full body, with super velvety tannins. The purity of fruit is breathtaking. It goes on for minutes. This is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot. Try after 2020.
NM 99 (1/2014): Initially, there is a tangible strictness and linearity on the nose of this spellbinding Mouton-Rothschild, though it unfolds to reveal blackberry, mulberry, truffle and violets scents. The palate is medium-bodied but the tannins and silky and fine. This has a bewitching texture, seamless and utterly harmonious, the finish feminine and poised with Outstanding mineralite. This might be the best wine ever produced under Philippe Dhalluin.
WS 98 (3/2013): This strides in with distinction, starting off with a showy but integrated layer of espresso-infused toast, followed by plush tiers of crushed currant, plum and blackberry fruit interspersed with cocoa and well-roasted cedar notes. The long, tobacco- and loam-filled finish shows lots of heft, but stays polished. An impressive display of unadulterated, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2020 through 2045.
WA 97+ (12/2014): The enormously endowed, backward, ferociously tannic, massively extracted 2010 Mouton-Rothschild exhibits an opaque blue/purple color as well as a tight but promising nose of incense, licorice, lead pencil shavings, vanilla, blackberries and cassis. Full-bodied in the mouth, extremely young, and tasting like a barrel sample, this remarkable effort requires 10-15 years of cellaring. It should age well for half a century or more.
VM 97+ (8/2013): Deep ruby-red. Great soil-driven aromas of cassis, licorice, graphite and loam. Hugely dense, seamless and concentrated, but with ripe, harmonious acidity giving definition to the plush flavors of creme de cassis, bitter chocolate, minerals and loam. Most impressive today on the mounting, palate-staining finish, which is almost painful yet manages to convey a light touch. Endlessly complex and vibrant wine with decades of positive evolution ahead of it. One of my favorites of this Outstanding vintage. |
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|
2012 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6X750ML) |
$3,361.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 97 (3/2016): This is the Mouton-Rothschild of Australia - with a screw cap! Incredibly complex aromas of blackcurrants, spices, cigar box, and berries. Full body, a fantastic palate and polished tannins. Goes for minutes. Better in 2017.
WA 96 (4/2016): Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2012 Mouton-Rothschild clearly has the upper hand over the 2011, if not quite at the level of the 2009, 2010 and what I envisage will be the 2015. There is obviously greater fruit intensity here, as if the contrast has been dialed up a couple of notches. It is quite showy on the nose, preening in its infancy with pure black cherries, graphite and hints of cold slate-like scents, later that hint of seaweed I observed when tasted blind a few months earlier. The palate is beautifully balanced with great vim and vigor. This is a Mouton that will not be put down - vivacious, vivid and delineated with wonderful focus and crucially, impressive persistence on the finish. Do not underestimate this Mouton-Rothschild, because I can see an upswing as it matures in bottle.
VM 94 (5/2016): The 2012 Mouton Rothschild continues to open up nicely. Forward, open and quite expressive, the 2012 looks like a wine that will drink well sooner rather than later. Dark cherry, plum, graphite, smoke and mocha meld into the inviting finish. The 2012 is not a huge wine, but it will open up sooner than some of the surrounding vintages. Time has only been a help for this open-knit, distinctly fruit-driven Mouton. The 2012 is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc harvested during the first fifteen days of October. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2017): This is starting to mellow already, featuring dark fig and blackberry notes infused liberally with black tea and smoldering tobacco accents. Shows a light loamy echo through the finish, with a flash of menthol. Offers ample flesh throughout, with a slightly grainy edge to the tannins. Best from 2020 through 2040. |
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|
2014 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$3,286.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95-98 (4/2015): This captures the pure, distilled essence of Cabernet Sauvignon, with a racy core of red and black currant fruit that almost struts alone, but there's ample roasted apple wood and iron deeply buried in the background, which should emerge with time. The finish has terrific delineation, with a mouthwatering edge despite clearly abundant tannins. The focus on purity in this wine is what's most impressive over the last several vintages.
VM 93-96 (4/2015): Dark and enveloping to the core, the 2014 Mouton Rothschild opens with beguiling scents of violet, new leather, dark spice and plum. There is plenty of tannin lurking beneath, but the overall impression is of fleshiness and seamlessness, with the 100% new oak also beautifully balanced for such a young wine. Layers of flavor build to the effortless, concentrated finish in a sexy Mouton that is likely to reward consumers with many years of fine drinking. I very much like the sense of balance here |
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|
2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (3x1.5L) |
$3,126.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (12/2019): Extremely perfumed Mouton with currants and crushed berries. Hints of roses and other flowers. Tight and extremely refined with ultra-fine tannins and cool yet rich currant character. The center palate offers sweet cherries and hints of oak. Lightly sweet and sour. Fresh, balsamic note. It firms up at the end. Solid. A blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.
WS 97 (3/2020): A brick house Cabernet, featuring a thick sheath of warm ganache and smoldering tobacco over a core of well-steeped black currant, black fig and blackberry compote flavors. Cuts a wide and deep trench as it moves along, with loamy, tannic grip for ballast. Retains a well-buried inner purity that should blossom as this mellows in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.
WA 96+ (10/2019): The 2017 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal notes of warm black plums, baked black cherries, kirsch and freshly crushed blackcurrants with hints of candied violets, cinnamon toast, Ceylon tea and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring dynamic black and red fruits and loads of baking spice and mineral sparks, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and finishing long and fragrant. Given the intensity of fruit and structure, while this is a relatively elegant Mouton that will be approachable early on, I don’t see it as being short lived. It should give pleasure for a good 40+ years.
JD 96 (2/2020): The top 2017 Chateau Mouton Rothschild checks in as 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in new barrels. This rock star of a wine offers stunning notes of chocolately blackcurrants, toasted spice, and espresso roast, as well as loads of classic Pauillac lead pencil shavings and graphite nuances. It's another wine that starts out slowly yet builds incrementally on the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and a stunning sense of purity and elegance. Give bottles upwards of a decade and it will evolve for 30 years or more.
VM 96 (2/2020): The 2017 Mouton-Rothschild is lucid in colour, quite deep like the Le Petit Mouton. It has a pixelated bouquet with precise blackberry, raspberry and crushed stone aromas, the oak seamlessly integrated so that the aromatics have unerring focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-tinged entry that is actually reminiscent of Latour in many ways. This Mouton-Rothschild is all about finesse and poise, the acidity beautifully judged and with superb tension on the finish. One of the finest Left Bank wines of the vintage, there are few 2017s superior to this. Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Pedesclaux |
2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$358.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2018): Currants and blueberries with hints of flowers and perfume. Stones, too. Full body, a dense center palate, layers of ripe tannins and citrus rind. Layered and structured. Plush. A very serious wine from this estate. Best ever? We will see. Try in 2022.
JD 90 (11/2017): From an estate on the upswing, the 2015 Château Pédesclaux is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated effort that includes a big chunk of Merlot (42%) and a small amount of Petit Verdot. It offers a medium-bodied, beautifully balanced and silky personality as well as top-notch notes of blackberries, dried flowers, and cedary spice. With fine, polished tannin, no hard edges, and impressive purity of fruit, drink it anytime over the coming two decades.
NM 92 (2/2018): The 2015 Pedesclaux is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. It has a pure and fragrant bouquet with incense, violet and iris all permeating the dark cherry and boysenberry fruit. As I noted from my review in barrel, it is not a huge nor powerful Pauillac, but it offers a disarming silky smooth texture, crisp acidity and a rounded, caressing finish that implies it will be more approachable than other Pauillac wines. This is a finely made Pédesclaux to enjoy over the next 15 to 20 years. |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Baron |
2002 |
Pauillac |
$135 |
3 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2005): Dense aromas of licorice, tobacco, cedar and currants. Subtle yet complex. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a rich, long finish. Very pretty. One of the best from Pauillac this year, and clearly better than 2001. One of the surprises of the vintage. Best after 2008. 20,000 cases made.
VM 91+ (6/2005): Good ruby-red. Complex nose melds blackcurrant, minerals, graphite, tobacco and licorice. Densely packed and youthfully closed, but also lush and generous, with sweet flavors of currant, tobacco, earth and spices shaped by firm acids. As sweet as this is, it's also very firmly structured and serious. Offers Outstanding palate coverage on the back.
WA 89 (4/2005): This is an elegant, deep ruby-colored wine with notes of sweet cassis, cedar wood, and tobacco with a hint of chocolate in the background. It is a layered, moderately weighty wine with pretty, even understated fruit flavors, excellent concentration, and a long finish with relatively ripe tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016. |
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|
2009 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$2,612.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (2/2012): Revealing incredible quality and performing better than it did from barrel, the 2009 appears to be the greatest Pichon Longueville Baron since the 1990 and 1989. An amazing opaque blue/purple color is followed by scents of spring flowers, graphite, smoky charcoal, incense, blackberries, blueberries and hints of coffee and chocolate. Incredibly intense, pure and flawlessly constructed with extravagant layers of fruit and richness, this offering has developed beautifully under the management of Christian Seeley. It is a voluptuous, opulent Pichon Longueville Baron that may eclipse anything they have made in the past. This brilliant wine should be at its peak between 2018 and 2045.
JS 97 (2/2012): Amazing aromas of ripe currants and plums with flowers. Full body, with super fine tannins and wonderful fruit. It is energized. Better than I remember it from barrel. Reminds me of the 1990 PB. Try after 2020.
VM 96 (7/2012): Saturated deep ruby-red. Pungent, brooding, very ripe aromas and flavors of cassis, blueberry, licorice, bitter chocolate, espresso and minerals, along with hints of spices and underbrush. Large-scaled, rich and deep, with superb chewy ripeness and terrific mineral lift. At once plush and powerful, boasting the texture of a first growth, with a near-perfect sugar/acid balance. The palate-staining finish features substantial ripe, chewy tannins and rising length. This should evolve gracefully in bottle for two or three decades. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 96 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Pichon Baron 2009 is a great wine destined to last for many years. It has a very well defined bouquet with blackberry, creme de cassis and still some vanillary new oak that needs bottle age to be subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. This is beautifully composed and pure with an unerring symmetry. It is tightly coiled and very precise, yet the finish has enormous length. Outstanding.
WS 95 (3/2012): This delivers a massive core of black Mission fig, black currant paste and roasted fig fruit, backed by alder wood, bay leaf, singed cedar and maduro tobacco. The finish lets a racy iron note take over. Long and authoritative, with gorgeous acidity giving the balance for long-term cellaring. Best from 2013 through 2030. 13,000 cases made. |
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|
2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,914.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 98 (11/2017): Reminding me of the 1990, the 2015 Château Pichon Baron is a sensational bottle of wine made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple color as well as awesome notes of black raspberries, toasted spices, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf and building minerality, this full-bodied, concentrated 2015 has sweet tannin, a great texture, and a big, big finish. Pauillac all the way, with both opulence and finesse, forget bottles of 4-5 years and enjoy anytime over the following two to three decades. This is a match for the 2009, 2000, and 1990.
WA 97 (2/2018): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pichon-Longueville Baron is enticingly scented of chocolate-covered cherries, crushed red currants and mulberries with touches of baking spices, potpourri and bay leaves plus a hint of fallen leaves. Sumptuously elegant, refreshing and medium-bodied with gorgeous, expressive, perfumed red fruits and very fine, very firm tannins, it has a persistent, perfumed finish. Its remarkable intensity, freshness and very firm frame suggest a long-lived Pichon Baron, which should cellar gracefully for 30+ years.
VM 97 (1/2019): The 2015 Pichon-Baron is a step up from the 2014, boasting an intense, multifaceted bouquet of blackberry, graphite and crushed stone that gains momentum in the glass; the purity here is deeply impressive. The medium-bodied palate delivers firm tannin cloaked in layers of graphite-infused black fruit. There is a sense of abiding symmetry to this Pauillac, and there is also tremendous length, the flavors almost refusing to let go of your senses. This is an awesome Pichon-Baron in the making, up there with the 1990, 2005 and 2009. Tasted at the Pichon-Baron vertical at the château. Neal Martin.
JS 95 (2/2018): This is a muscular edition with attractive, deeply ripe blackberries and plums set amid firm and assertively linear tannins that hold the finish long and on point. Cool-fruited finish. There’s great potential here. Try this from 2023.
WS 94 (3/2018): A juicy, well-knit style, with energetic plum and black currant compote notes that are studded with anise and black tea accents. Has a muscular edge through the finish, with brambly grip holding sway for now. There's more than enough fruit to put this away for a bit. Best from 2022 through 2035. 14,833 cases made. |
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|
2016 |
Pauillac (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$749 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (2/2019): The 2016 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is beauty and is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Tasting like a hypothetical mix of the 2009 and 2010, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful yet sensationally pure bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberries, lead pencil shavings, and graphite, and is just about as quintessentially Pauillac as it gets. Full-bodied, fleshy and even a touch flamboyant, it has sweet tannins and a monster texture that coats the palate. Count me in as a huge fan. This fabulous wine will be relatively approachable in just 3-5 years but will age for 30 years or more.
WA 97 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Pichon-Longueville Baron offers a suave and seductive nose of warm red and black currants, black plum preserves, truffles, tapenade and rose hip tea with touches of sandalwood and Chinese five spice plus a waft of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, firmly structured and packed with mineral and exotic spice-laced black fruits, it finishes very long with compelling herbal sparks.
VM 96 (1/2019): The 2016 Pichon Baron is seamless and racy from start to finish. Sensual and super-expressive, with soft contours, silky tannins and exceptional finesse, Pichon Baron is one of the more accessible wines in its peer group today. Plum, mocha, leather, spice and chocolate all build effortlessly. As outstanding as Pichon Baron is, the 2016 gives the impression it is playing things safe. It would be nice to see a little more daring and risk. Antonio Galloni.
WS 96 (3/2019): (WS #8 wine of 2019) This gushes with dark fig and black currant compote flavors backed by lively sweet tobacco and singed alder edges. Very fleshy in feel, though there's ample grip to keep this red grounded, echoing with tar and humus accents through the finish. A thumper. Best from 2025 through 2040. 13,500 cases made.
JS 99 (1/2019): The concentration and largesse of the 2016 Pichon Baron is apparent from the get-go with incredibly alluring, ripe and expansive fruit aromas in the blackberry, dark-cherry, mulberry and plum zone. Espresso and cedar, as well as a slate-like, stony mineral edge add complexity. The palate has incredible depth, drive and detail. Fine and plush tannins stretch the palate in every direction. So fresh and vivacious, this is the greatest Pichon Baron since 1989 and has a long future. Try from 2024. |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
1999 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$2,326.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 87 (4/2002): The 1999 Pichon Lalande performed inconsistently. This wine is a blend of 47% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. It offers a complex, evolved bouquet of cedar, underbrush, red currants, and spice box. The dark ruby color is not as saturated as many 1999s, and the wine possesses the weight and style of the 1979 and 1981 (both of which are superior to 1999). There is medium body, excellent ripeness, and an angular finish, without the persistence typically found at this chateau. Anticipated maturity: now-2012. |
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|
2007 |
Pauillac ex-Negociant |
$162 |
7 |
|
| |
NM 90 (11/2011): Tasted blind at the 2007 Bordeaux horizontal in Southwold. I must admit that I am not a great fan of this vintage for Pichon-Lalande, which should be better. The 2007 has a rather leafy bouquet with raspberry, blackberry and a touch of tobacco, although it would benefit from more vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy entry, not a wine of great breeding but there is good depth of flavour, although the finish is a little linear and one-dimensional. Fine, if you can abide by a little greenness.
WA 89 (4/2010): Pichon Lalande’s 2007 is a seductive, dark ruby/plum-tinged wine displaying sweet cocoa, white chocolate, black currant, and foresty notes, medium body, a velvety texture, and a delicious style. The final blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink it over the next decade. |
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|
2009 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$2,580.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2012): What a great nose of blackberries, currants and spices. Hints of fresh herbs. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and lovely fruit. Such finesse and beauty. Wonderful to taste. Reminds me of the legendary 1982. Try in 2018.
WA 95 (2/2012): A beautiful effort, the 2009 Pichon Lalande, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, possesses copious mocha, lead pencil, unsmoked, high class tobacco, black currant, forest floor and herbaceous characteristics. It is a deep purple-hued, charming, surprisingly open-knit Pauillac with wonderful freshness, a plump, fleshy mouthfeel, opulence and unctuosity, medium to full body and a well-delineated, luscious style. More elegant than its nearby neighbor, Pichon Longueville Baron, and not as massive in concentration and extract, it is one of the great Pichon Lalandes of the last twenty years.
VM 94 (7/2012): Dark red. Sexy aromas of redcurrant, smoke, mocha, espresso and tobacco, with darker berry notes emerging as the wine opens in the glass. Rich, lush and seamless but not yet filled in, with its berry flavors complicated by earth and herb elements. Not the last word in concentration, but this sexy Pauillac is sweet, shapely and remarkably accessible today. Finishes long, suave and palate-coating, with perfumed red berry flavor and an obvious chocolatey quality from the merlot component.
WS 94 (3/2012): Offers a dark roasted core of plum sauce, warm fig paste, melted licorice and singed cedar, while a mouthwatering iron edge and a lovely smoldering tobacco note add lift and length through the finish. A touch restrained now, but should blossom with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2033. 15,000 cases made. |
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|
2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,109.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 98+ (2/2018): The 2015 Pichon Comtesse is a towering wine, as it has always been. Rich, sumptuous and totally hedonistic, the 2015 melds together intense fruit with structure. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years and will then drink well for several decades. Grilled herbs, smoke, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that are layered into the dark-fleshed fruit for complexity. As good as the 2015 is today, it also has room to grow. Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau has done a tremendous job with the 2015s at Pichon Comtesse. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak, 55% new. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97 (1/2018): This shows spices, pepper, blueberries and blackcurrants on the nose. Full body, very polished tannins and a long and beautiful finish. Shows such gorgeous texture. Precise and transparent. Try in 2022.
JD 97 (11/2017): I tasted the 2015 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande on three separate occasions rating it 97 twice and 98 once. Checking in as a final blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this is a nuanced style of wine that grows on you with time in the glass, and the larger Merlot component always gives it a more supple, seductive texture. Crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, leafy herbs and lead pencil notes all flow to a full-bodied, ultra-pure, seamless beauty that builds on the palate, has fine tannin and a great, great finish. As classy as they come, it will continue to impress for two to three decades.
WA 96 (2/2018): A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 18 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is elegantly fruited with crushed red currants, black raspberries and cassis with touches of lavender, rose hips, tilled soil, fungi and charcuterie. Medium-bodied, finely crafted, remarkably pure and beautifully poised, it has a firm frame of very fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note.
WS 95 (3/2018): A fresh and focused style, with a terrific beam of black cherry and black currant compote flavors. Strong graphite and black tea notes harness the finish, ending with alder and tobacco echoes. This has serious length without losing any drive along the way. Best from 2022 through 2038. |
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|
2016 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,505.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (2/2019): Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it's not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that's hard to describe, it's a 50-year-wine. While this cuvée has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it's important for readers to know it's much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted.
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is every bit as regal as it has always been. Towering and spectacularly rich in the glass, the 2016 captures every ounce of potential is showed from barrel. The 2016 is a vivid, dramatically sweeping wine that will leave readers week at the knees. Beams of tannin give the 2016 soaring intensity that is matched by a host of aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. Blackberry jam, graphite, spice, menthol, licorice, pencil shavings and spice are all finely sketched in a bold, savory Pauillac that hits all the right notes. The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has been riveting on each of the four occasions I have tasted it from barrel thus far, making it easily one of the wines of the vintage. Nicolas Glumineu and his team turned out an epic Pichon Comtesse in 2016. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2018): The 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is blended of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 60% new oak. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little mute, slowly unfurling to reveal a core of crushed blackcurrants, blueberry compote and black raspberries with nuances of cinnamon stick, violets, star anise, menthol and pencil shavings plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and super intense in the mouth, the palate bursts with black fruits and savory layers, complemented by red fruit sparks and framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a lingering suggestion of minerality.
JS 98 (1/2019): Glorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025.
WS 97 (3/2019): (WS #97 wine of 2019) Saturated with dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this has a fleshy, nearly glycerin feel at first before stretching out to reveal singed cedar, tobacco leaf, dark earth and cassis bush flavors. A terrific tug of cast iron emerges at the very end. Deliciously juicy dark fruit keeps rolling throughout. Best from 2025 through 2040. 12,000 cases made. |
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|
2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$943.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (3/2020): Composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, soon revealing floral notes of lilacs and lavender over a core of black raspberries, warm blackberries and forest floor plus touches of star anise and stewed black tea. Medium-bodied, the palate is a bundle of energy and tension with softly played tannins and beautiful floral and black fruit layers, finishing with a long-lingering whisper.
WS 96 (3/2020): A sleek, precisely dialed-in Pauillac, with a pure and racy beam of cassis, blackberry and dark plum fruit inlaid with a mouthwatering iron note. A backdrop of singed alder and sweet tobacco waits in reserve, while the finish sails through with great cut. Possesses a regal feel. Best from 2025 through 2040.
JD 95 (2/2020): Pure elegance and class, the 2017 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (representing just 50% of the production) that spent 18 months in 60% new barrels. Nicolas Glumineau has done an incredible job at this estate and this wine is consistently one of the classiest, most elegant wines in just about every vintage. Pure Pauillac notes of creme de cassis, lead pencil, green tobacco, and gravelly earth give way to a medium to full-bodied, soft, supple, flawlessly balanced 2017 that shows the more straight, classic style of the vintage. It needs 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for 25+ years or more. Tasted twice.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a dark, powerful, somber Pauillac. Dark fruit, grilled herbs, smoke and licorice add to its distinctly brooding personality. In multiple tastings the 2017 has been incredibly tight and shut down. Readers will have to be especially patient. Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a number of showy, majestic wines since he arrived at Pichon Comtesse in 2013. The 2017 appears to be cut from a different cloth, as it is incredibly reticent in the early going. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2019): A tight, compact young Bordeaux with medium body, polished and round tannins and a medium finish. Not a big wine, but some very classy currant and raspberry character and just a hint of lead pencil and polished structure. Drink after 2022. |
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|
2017 |
Pauillac 2017 en Primeur Release |
$129.95 |
22 |
|
| |
WA 96 (3/2020): Composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, soon revealing floral notes of lilacs and lavender over a core of black raspberries, warm blackberries and forest floor plus touches of star anise and stewed black tea. Medium-bodied, the palate is a bundle of energy and tension with softly played tannins and beautiful floral and black fruit layers, finishing with a long-lingering whisper.
WS 96 (3/2020): A sleek, precisely dialed-in Pauillac, with a pure and racy beam of cassis, blackberry and dark plum fruit inlaid with a mouthwatering iron note. A backdrop of singed alder and sweet tobacco waits in reserve, while the finish sails through with great cut. Possesses a regal feel. Best from 2025 through 2040.
JD 95 (2/2020): Pure elegance and class, the 2017 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (representing just 50% of the production) that spent 18 months in 60% new barrels. Nicolas Glumineau has done an incredible job at this estate and this wine is consistently one of the classiest, most elegant wines in just about every vintage. Pure Pauillac notes of creme de cassis, lead pencil, green tobacco, and gravelly earth give way to a medium to full-bodied, soft, supple, flawlessly balanced 2017 that shows the more straight, classic style of the vintage. It needs 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for 25+ years or more. Tasted twice.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a dark, powerful, somber Pauillac. Dark fruit, grilled herbs, smoke and licorice add to its distinctly brooding personality. In multiple tastings the 2017 has been incredibly tight and shut down. Readers will have to be especially patient. Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a number of showy, majestic wines since he arrived at Pichon Comtesse in 2013. The 2017 appears to be cut from a different cloth, as it is incredibly reticent in the early going. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2019): A tight, compact young Bordeaux with medium body, polished and round tannins and a medium finish. Not a big wine, but some very classy currant and raspberry character and just a hint of lead pencil and polished structure. Drink after 2022. |
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| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2008 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$690.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (5/2011): A candidate for the “wine of the vintage," Pontet Canet’s 2008 boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of sweet blueberries, blackberries and black currant fruit intertwined with lead pencil shavings, subtle barbecue smoke and a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, with fabulous richness, texture and tremendous freshness, this first-growth-like effort is more developed than the uber-powerful 2010. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades. Bravo!
VM 94 (8/2011): Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black cherry, lavender, potpourri spices and graphite minerality; high-toned and slightly liqueur-like. Then dense, seamless and vibrant in the mouth, with firm acidity giving Outstanding energy to the dark fruit, floral and mineral flavors. Really spreads out on the back end and stays a while. Brilliantly delineated, complex wine with superb cut and penetration.
NM 93 (1/2012): Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. The Pontet-Canet 2008 has a lovely, extravagant bouquet with scents of blackberry, macerated dark cherries, graphite and sous-bois. It is very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple, almost fleshy entry with seamless tannins. The oak is well integrated with a pleasing citric edge. Not a “classic” Pauillac, a little more voluptuous than others...more like a 2009 in many ways. But it is complex and demonstrates very good persistency in the mouth.
WS 92 (4/2011): Quite dense, but pure and fresh, with the core of fig, damson plum and mulled cherry fruit already well-defined, and the back end of rounded loam and roasted cedar grip fully integrated. The finish is long and powerful. Best from 2013 through 2020. |
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|
2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$775.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97+ (2/2018): Proprietor Alfred Tesseron and winemaker Jean-Michel Comme produced an absolutely stellar Pontet-Canet in 2015. Sumptuous, racy and totally inviting, the 2015 is all class. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice and exotic floral notes build as the 2015 shows off its alluring personality. Even with all of its raciness, the 2015 speaks with authority and power. Fine tannins extend the persistent, highly nuanced finish. The 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged 50% new oak, 4% in terra cotta and 15% in neutral oak. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (2/2018): So much floral and dark-fruit character with almonds and walnut shell. Full body and ultra-fine tannins. Powerful. Classic style with a harmony and energy. Goes on for minutes. A superb wine with great fruit. Real Bordeaux. Try in 2025.
WA 96+ (2/2018): A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 50% of the 2015 Pontet-Canet was aged in new French oak, while 15% was matured in second fill barrels and 35% in cement amphorae. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose opens with exuberant black currants, red currants and black raspberries scents plus an evocative undercurrent of cedar chest, dusty earth, cloves, chocolate box and Provence herbs with a fragrant waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied and built like a brick house with very firm, wonderfully grainy tannins and black and red fruits charged with the most singular energy, it finishes with incredible persistence and depth.
NM 94 (2/2018): The 2015 Pontet-Canet has an intense, crushed violet-scented bouquet that as I remarked upon out of barrel, imparts a Margaux-like personality. It is quite high-toned and exuberant at this early juncture and will clearly require several years to calm down. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent black fruit on the entry, quite spicy with notes of black pepper and sage, perhaps just a little fiery in personality. However, counterbalancing this is a sense of harmony and focus. It is just a bit boisterous at this early stage, then the finish is tightly wound albeit well defined, leaving that spiciness as its calling card on the aftertaste.
WS 94 (3/2018): This sports a lovely core of gently steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit, carried by velvety structure, while smoldering tobacco and charcoal notes fill in through the finish. Fleshes out steadily in the glass, revealing more juniper, bay leaf and loam accents. Best from 2022 through 2035. |
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|
2016 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,877.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 99 (1/2019): The 2016 Pontet-Canet is absolutely breathtaking. Powerful, ample and racy in the glass, the 2016 is one of the most exquisitely well-balanced young Pontet-Canets I can remember tasting. Savory, high-toned aromatics and brisk mineral notes lend energy and delineation as this vivid wonderfully alive wine opens up in the glass. The flavors are dark and incisive, but it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is most compelling. All of the elements are simply in the right place. The 2016 is tremendous. It's as simple as that. As is often the case, Pontet-Canet is one of the most singular wines in Bordeaux. Alfred Tesseron could have chosen to play things safe when he took over the management of the estate in the mid-1990s. Instead, he chose a very different path. No proprietor in Bordeaux has taken more risks over the last two decades than Alfred Tesseron. A commitment to biodynamic farming, sustainability across the entire estate more broadly, and the adoption of new concepts for Bordeaux, such as aging a portion of the wine in terra cotta, set Pontet-Canet apart from other properties in Pauillac and the Left Bank. Not surprisingly, the wine is also starkly different from the wines of neighboring estates.
JD 98+ (2/2019): Reminding me of the 2010 and, I suspect, a wine that will merit a triple-digit rating in a decade or so (I tasted this on multiple occasions and thought it was perfect on one of them), the 2016 Château Pontet-Canet comes from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that spent 16 months in 50% new French oak, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second fill oak. Thrilling notes of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, crushed mint, graphite, and crushed rock notes all emerge from this deep, powerful, yet elegant Pauillac. The style of this wine has become more and more finesse-driven and pure, yet it hasn’t lost a beat on concentration or length. This singular, beautiful Pontet-Canet needs 7-8 years of cellaring (it has some accessibility today given its purity and balance) and will keep for 4-5 decades.
WA 98 (11/2018): The blend of the 2016 Pontet-Canet is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Around 55% of the wine was aged in new French oak barrels, 15% in two-year-old barrels and 35% in cement amphorae for 16 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with opulent scents of plum preserves, spice cake, hoisin and crème de cassis with fragrant wafts of potpourri, wood smoke and rose hip tea. Medium to full-bodied, rich and decadent, with loads of spicy layers, it has a firm, velvety texture with great freshness and incredible depth, finishing very long and on a compelling mineral note.
JS 97 (1/2019): The aromas of ripe blackcurrants, iodine, sweet tobacco and fresh flowers are spellbinding. Full-bodied with mouth-expanding, massive and natural tannins. Impressive fruit with hints of prunes. The finish is long and powerful. Needs six to seven years to soften and come together. Try from 2025.
WS 95 (3/2019): This is sappy and rich in feel, with waves of red and black currant preserves, raspberry and bitter plum coulis. The long finish drips with sweet tobacco and anise notes, while a brambly layer courses underneath. The vivacious finish kicks into second gear as the fruit and grip come together. Best from 2023 through 2038. |
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2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$798.99 |
5 |
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| |
WA 96 (3/2020): Composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Pontet-Canet gives up beautifully fragrant notes of rosehip tea, lilacs, cinnamon stick, cloves, dried leaves and underbrush with a core of kirsch, raspberry coulis, warm plums and red and black currants plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing, minerally and wonderfully elegant with a well-played texture of approachable, plush tannins and a long, fragrant finish. Beautiful. Aging took place in 50% new and 15% in second fill barrels and the remaining 35% in amphorae for 16 months, much of the material for which came from the soil at Pontet-Canet!
JS 96 (12/2019): This has ethereal transparency to it with a fresh, red-berry and cherry nose. Terra-cotta and dried-flower notes. Plums, too. Quite complex. The palate has a very detailed tannin texture with attractive cassis and blueberries that hold very long, fresh and pure. Fruity and fresh. Try from 2023.
VM 95 (3/2020): A gorgeous, alluring Pauillac, the 2017 Pontet-Canet is racy and exceptionally polished, with floral top notes that bring out the natural brightness of the red-toned fruit. Super-silky tannins add to the wine's immediacy and sheer allure. The 2017 was the first wine made with the new sorting table. About half the fruit was destemmed by hand. As always, visiting Pontet-Canet is like stepping back into another time, a time in which wines were made much more manually than they are today. Here that means manual punch downs and pump overs, with no electricity. Harvest ran from September 18 through October 4. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Aging was done 50% in new oak, 35% in amphora and 15% in one year-old oak. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2020): Very tight, with notes of wet stone, plum pit and chalky minerality leading the way, backed by an ample core of steeped currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit waiting to unfurl. The finish smolders with cast iron details. Should round into form with cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.
JD 93 (2/2020): Deep ruby/purple-hued and based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Pontet-Canet spent 16 months in a 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the balance in once-used barrels. It's an exceedingly elegant Pontet-Canet that has textbook Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, lead pencil shavings, new leather, and flowery incense. It's not a blockbuster and reminds me slightly of the 2004, yet it has wonderful depth of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, and beautiful purity and elegance. It's already approachable, but it’s going to be even better with 5-6 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of prime drinking. |
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| Fleur de Pedesclaux |
2016 |
Pauillac ex-Negociant |
$36.99 |
20 |
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WS 92 (3/2019): An extroverted style, with bold plum and blackberry compote aromas and flavors, infused with anise accents and backed by an alluring finish of toasted vanilla, violet and mocha. On the showy side, but has enough latent drive to keep it honest. Drink now through 2030. 15,167 cases made.
JS 92 (1/2019): Sweet tobacco, currant and dark-berry aromas follow through to a full body, soft and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Second wine of Pédesclaux. Drink in 2023.
VM 90 (1/2019): The 2016 Fleur de Pédesclaux has a generous, rounded bouquet of wild strawberry and blackberry fruit mixed with briar and tobacco aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a pastille-like purity on the entry, displaying fine tannin and light grip but offering ebullient red berry fruit on the detailed finish. This is impressive for a second wine and will probably drink well after a couple of years. Neal Martin. |
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| Les Forts de Latour |
1997 |
Pauillac Bin-Soiled Label |
$170 |
6 |
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| |
| VM 87-88 (5/1999): Good ruby-red. Spicy, slightly roasted red berry, tobacco and black olive aromas. Supple, vinous and nicely delineated; shapely and approachable for this wine. Good ripe finish. Stephen Tanzer. |
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1997 |
Pauillac Bin-Soiled Label |
$170 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 87-88 (5/1999): Good ruby-red. Spicy, slightly roasted red berry, tobacco and black olive aromas. Supple, vinous and nicely delineated; shapely and approachable for this wine. Good ripe finish. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2001 |
Pauillac |
$199 |
1 |
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| |
| WA 90 (6/2004): Increasingly one of Bordeaux’s finest second wines, the lush 2001 Forts de Latour exhibits a personality similar to its bigger sibling. Its deep ruby/plum color is accompanied by aromas of smoke, earth, black currants, and notions of walnuts as well as spice box. Round and generous, it should drink well for 10-12 years. |
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|
2003 |
Pauillac |
$199 |
2 |
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WS 93 (3/2006): Beautiful aromas of berry, currant and toasted oak. Intense currant character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, intense finish. This is very structured and superclean. Excellent stuff. The second wine of Latour. Best after 2011. 7,000 cases made.
WA 92 (4/2006): The 2003 Les Forts de la Tour possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to notions of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, opulent, heady, rich, and lush, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.
VM 91 (6/2006): Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully vinous and sappy for the vintage, with aromas of redcurrant, mineral and spice. Sweet, rich, lush and exotic but with good spice character giving lift to the flavors. A very fine-grained wine that will give relatively early pleasure, but it can't match the 2004 or 2005 for backbone. Finishes dry and classic, with plenty of richness. |
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|
2004 |
Pauillac |
$171 |
2 |
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VM 91 (6/2007): Deep red. Aromas of blueberry, plum, leather, tobacco and mocha. Sweet, plummy and pliant, with a creamy, fine-grained texture for the vintage. Very plush wine, richer than the 2006 and at least as long. Finishes with big but ripe tannins.
WA 90 (6/2007): The estate’s second wine continues to go from strength to strength. The 2004 Forts de Latour (includes 75% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals a deep ruby/purple hue, classic evolved cedary, lead pencil, and cassis characteristics, medium body, beautiful sweetness of fruit, and a more forward, evolved character than its big sibling. Enjoy it over the next 15+ years.
WS 90 (3/2007): Lots of mineral, currant and berries on the nose. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. A bit austere, but there's enough stuffing to back it up. Best after 2010. |
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|
2009 |
Pauillac 2018 ex-Chateau Release |
$259.99 |
1 |
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WA 95 (2/2012): Possibly the best second wine ever made at Latour (and I love how the 1982 is drinking at age 30), the 2009 Les Forts de Latour is composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot blended with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, and finished at 13.5% alcohol. Juicy notes of creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, smoke and crushed rocks are followed by a rich, unctuously textured, thick, juicy, exceptionally pure, long wine. This beauty will be at its finest in several years and should keep for three decades.
JS 95 (2/2012): The aromas are so floral, with currants and blueberries as well. Succulent. Full and very balanced, with super velvety tannins and a long and lovely finish. Frederic Engerer, president of Latour, uses the word “succulent” to describe it. He’s right. I like the word gorgeous as well. Try in 2018, but hard not to drink.
NM 93 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Les Forts de Latour has a very fragrant, floral bouquet with lifted blackberry, raspberry cheesecake, vanilla and graphite on the nose. The palate is full-bodied with succulent ripe black fruit on the entry. It is fleshier than its peers, with very good weight and a smooth, rounded, velvety finish that is seeking a little more precision and tension.
WS 93 (3/2012): This has purity and precision, with mouthwatering blackberry, black currant and steeped plum fruit racing along, nicely laced with graphite and studded with enticing ganache and iron notes through the finish. Sleek, but the grip is there. Best from 2014 through 2028. 10,830 cases made.
VM 90+ (7/2012): Ruby-red. Pungently fragrant aromas of blackcurrant and cedar complicated by quinine and bay leaf. Rich, dense and suave, with rather brooding flavors of blackberry, plum liqueur, aromatic herbs and forest floor. This has shut down since the Primeurs and will need patience. Lacks only the generosity of the grand vin but should be Outstanding. And it's a remarkable second wine. |
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|
2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,418.99 |
1 |
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| |
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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2014 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x750ML) |
$1,373.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 93 (11/2017): The second wine of the estate is the 2014 Les Forts De Latour and this beauty is better than most estate grand vin. Made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, this straight up classic Pauillac is loaded with notions of red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, roasted coffee, graphite, and Asian spices. Deep, medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, and layered, it’s a seriously good wine that’s going to continue drinking beautifully for two to three decades.
WA 93 (3/2020): The 2014 Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 71.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28.6% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to reveal expanding scents of blackcurrant pastilles, baked plums and boysenberries with suggestions of wood smoke, fragrant earth, cast-iron pan and charcuterie plus a faint waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, the earthy/savory palate has loads of lively black fruit with a refreshing line and firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.
VM 93 (4/2020): The 2014 Les Forts de Latour is one of those wines that deserves an hour to open and then observe it coalescing in the glass. The bouquet is initially high-toned and then mellow to reveal attractive scents of red fruit, cedar and incense. The palate is maybe a more malleable than I anticipated, clearly a Les Forts that is primed for drinking, although there is sufficient depth to suggest that it will give 15 years of pleasure, maybe more. Suave and surprisingly rounded for a 2014, this is a fine late released Deuxième Vin from the First Growth although I uphold my remark in my previous notes that I would have liked more Pauillac DNA. Tasted from ex-château bottle. Neal Martin.
WS 92 (3/2017): Offers a core of pure cassis and blackberry fruit, with mouthwatering streaks of graphite and anise. Racy-edged, featuring ample grip buried through the finish. Reveals a violet echo for good measure. Textbook. Best from 2018 through 2030. 9,022 cases made.
JS 94 (2/2017): Glorious aromatics with currants, flowers, stones and light mushrooms. Medium to full body and fine tannins that are long and polished. Super linear, structured and long. Drink in 2019. |
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| Pauillac de Latour |
2015 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (6x1.5L) |
$1,064.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2018): A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of Paulliac. Serious. Needs two or three years to come together.
WA 91 (3/2020): The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing! |
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|
2015 |
Pauillac |
$98.99 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2018): A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of Paulliac. Serious. Needs two or three years to come together.
WA 91 (3/2020): The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing! |
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| Reserve de la Comtesse |
2000 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$1,263.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (12/2003): Rather decadent, with berry, plum and tobacco character and a hint of meat. Medium-bodied, with chewy tannins and a medium finish. Solid second wine. Second wine of Château Pichon-Longueville-Lalande. Best after 2007.
WA 89 (4/2003): An excellent second wine (a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc), with medium to full body, opulent, delicious fruit, and copious quantities of black fruits intermixed with spice box, the 2000 Comtesse de Lalande should drink well for 10-15 years. It is one of the finest second wines this estate has produced. |
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|
2011 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$721.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Pauillac ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. Subject to tariffs upon arrival in USA (12x750ML) |
$651.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 92-93 (4/2018): A beautiful second wine with blackberry and blackcurrant character and hints of green tea. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh finish.
VM 90-92 (5/2018): The 2017 Reserve de la Comtesse, which is matured in 30% new oak and 70% one-year old, has a really quite beautiful bouquet with perfumed blackberry, blueberry and subtle vanilla scents. The palate is medium-bodied with just a little sinew on the entry. There is certainly good weight and backbone here, quite saline compared to its peers with a slightly chalky finish with a touch of charcoal. Very fine. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Neal Martin.
JD 89-91 (4/2018): The second wine of Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, the 2017 Réserve de la Comtesse is a final blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Still aging in roughly 40% new French oak, it has a medium-bodied, rounded, moderately concentrated profile to go with classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco leaf, and assorted earth dark fruits. It’s balanced, charming and already approachable. Tasted twice.
WA 88-90 (4/2018): Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Reserve de la Comtesse is very deep garnet-purple colored and opens with expressive cassis, dark chocolate, violets and Sichuan pepper notions with hints of black olives and hoisin. Medium-bodied, it's elegant, fresh and chewy in the mouth with a long, earthy finish. |
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| Carruades de Lafite |
2006 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$2,609.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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2010 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$4,953.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$2,430.99 |
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Sold Out
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| |
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2015 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$2,247.99 |
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Sold Out
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| |
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| Ch. Batailley |
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$347.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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| Ch. Croizet Bages |
2016 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$605.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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2017 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$313.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2006 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$1,235.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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2016 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$577.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| Ch. Grand Puy Ducasse |
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$278.99 |
|
Sold Out
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| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2001 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$1,363.99 |
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Sold Out
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| |
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2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$399.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Haut Batailley |
2010 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$861.99 |
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Sold Out
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2013 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$546.99 |
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Sold Out
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2015 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$703.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Lacoste Borie |
2016 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$476.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1996 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$14,919.99 |
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Sold Out
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2008 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L) |
$11,636.99 |
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Sold Out
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2009 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$6,286.99 |
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Sold Out
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2010 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$12,279.99 |
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Sold Out
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2011 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$8,319.99 |
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Sold Out
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2016 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$5,337.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Latour |
2006 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L) |
$8,171.99 |
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Sold Out
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2006 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$4,001.99 |
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Sold Out
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2007 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$4,003.99 |
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Sold Out
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2009 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$7,895.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$779.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2018 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$1,827.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
1994 |
Pauillac (3x750ML) |
$1,647.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$7,577.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
1993 |
Pauillac (USA Label) |
$425 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pibran |
2017 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$617.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Baron |
2001 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$1,285.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2003 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$2,485.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2004 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$2,082.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$1,351.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2007 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$1,184.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$1,405.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$1,397.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Echo de Lynch Bages |
2014 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$668.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Les Forts de Latour |
1995 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$3,573.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2002 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$3,259.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2004 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$3,259.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) |
$2,867.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$1,436.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
| Reserve de la Comtesse |
2018 |
Pauillac (6x750ML) |
$384.99 |
|
Sold Out
|
| |
|
|