Red

One of the most powerful La Missions ever produced, the 2010, a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, achieved 15% natural alcohol (even higher than the 2009's 14.7%). Nevertheless, the pH is normal which gives the wine an extraordinary precision, freshness and vibrancy despite its massive size. A blue/purple color is followed by a classic nose of blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, spring flowers and crushed rocks. This monumental, full-bodied, incredibly rich La Mission-Haut-Brion will need a decade of cellaring and should last for 40-50 years. It is slightly fatter and creamier than its sibling rival, the 2010 Chateau Haut-Brion. -WS 98-100

This exceptionally rich, thick Lafite came in with the highest level of natural alcohol (13.5%) ever achieved at Lafite Rothschild. To put that in its proper context, the 2009 and 2005 were 13.3% and in the hottest Bordeaux summer ever recorded in over 200 years, the 2003 achieved 12.8%. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, all harvested between October 9 and 14, the 2010 exhibits an extraordinarily dense color, an unctuous texture and sweet black currant fruit intermixed with graphite, charcoal and truffle notes. A director Charles Chevalier told me, between July and the October harvest, Bordeaux had its driest weather since 1949, but it never got excessively hot. Hence the tiny berries, freshness and extraordinary precision of Lafite Rothschild. This superb effort will undoubtedly shut down slightly once it is bottled despite a pH of 3.8. It needs no building up because much of Lafite Rothschild has now become an obsession with the wealthy Chinese and most of it will undoubtedly be consumed before it ever hits its prime. Ideally, it should be cellared for 10-15 years and drunk over the following 50+ years. -WS 98-100

96-98 points Wine Advocate
The 2020 Larcis Ducasse has a deep purple-black color, leaping from the glass with bold notions of redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, kirsch and red roses, followed by hints of licorice, fragrant earth and spice cake, with a touch of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with fragrant red berries and profound black fruit preserves, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and lovely tension, finishing very long and fantastically layered. Absolutely, stunningly singular. (05/21) Lisa Perrotti-Brown

98 points Vinous
The 2020 Larcis Ducasse is a real showstopper. Bright and vertical in feel, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy to match its super-classic build. Beams of tannin and acid give the wine its shape. Dark cherry and pomegranate fruit are pushed forward, with a kick of blood orange acidity that lends freshness. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol, spice and cedar emerge with some coaxing, but the 2020 is very young and very primary. That of course bodes so well for its future. The 2020 is quite simply a thrilling Larcis and one of the very finest values in all of Bordeaux. (12/22) Antonio Galloni

92 points Wine Advocate
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lascombes gives up notes of dried herbs, tilled soil and black olives over a blackcurrant cordial and plums preserves core plus a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers chewy tannins and bold freshness to support the savory flavors, finishing with an herbal lift. Drink Window 2020-2038 (3/20)

Robert Parker in February 2013, "Probably the greatest Lascombes made to date, the 2010 is a blend of 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot."

100 points James Suckling
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.(4/2014)

99 points Decanter
Dense and complex, this shows layers of dark fruit with aromas of plum, fig and blackcurrant overlaid with spice, leather and earth. It is not as expressive as the 2001 vintage now, but it is more substantial, almost massive. (CC) (2/2022)

99 points Vinous
The 2000 Latour is very deep in color. The nose is backward and demands coaxing from the glass, eventually revealing intense black fruit, cedar, graphite and very subtle Japanese nori aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with an arching structure that grips the mouth. The tannins are a little bolder than the 2001. This unfolds swirl by swirl, with hints of licorice emerging with time, and fanning out audaciously on the finish. (NM) (9/2021)

99 points Wine Spectator
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. (JM) (6/2016)

98 points Wine Enthusiast
This is such an expressive wine, with elegance a major factor in its character. It is certainly huge, rich and dense. But there is much more to it. You can peel layers of fruit and tannins away, and still never get to the end of the wine????s complexity. At every stage of its life, it will reveal a new character, but for now it is dominated by powerful tannins and huge, black, fruit. (RV) (6/2003)

97 points Wine Advocate
2000 saw a warm, dry July and August with a small amount of rain from mid-September onward. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2000 Latour has a deep garnet color and is showing a good amount of evolution, sporting mature notes of fried exotic spices, hoisin, unsmoked cigars and fruitcake with hints of incense, potpourri, cast iron pan and charcuterie. Medium-bodied, soft, plush and savory in the mouth, it has a long, mineral-tinged finish. 14,000 cases were made this year, representing 48% of production. (LPB) (2/2019)

The 2009 is one of the greatest Leoville Las Cases I have ever tasted, which is saying something given the many compelling wines that have been made at this estate. A final blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a wine that appears to be a hypothetical blend of the 1982, 1986, and 1996. Its 13.8% alcohol is perhaps the only thing that sets it apart from those vintages, which had nearly a full percentage point less. The high alcohol is barely noticeable in this 2009, which boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration, and great clarity and purity of creme de cassis, black cherry, spice box, graphite, and wet rock characteristics. Extremely full-bodied with a boatload of sweet tannin nearly concealed by the wine-s power, glycerin, and awesome fruit concentration, this intense effort never tastes heavy or tiring. This remarkable St.-Julien should be accessible in 3-4 years, and will evolve for 40-50. (Tasted once.) - WA96-100

As one would expect, this is a powerful, concentrated wine with 13.7% natural alcohol (compared to 2005's 13.2%). The pH is quite normal at 3.56, and its relatively high total acidity gives it a classic, fresh, yet backward style. Given how long vintages such as 1982, 1986, and I suspect, 2000 are taking to reach maturity, prospective purchasers of this wine should easily invest in a decade of cellaring, although I suspect it will be closer to 15 or more years before it reveals secondary nuances. A good 40- to 50-year wine, it is a dense purple, full-bodied style of Las Cases, with classic sweet kirsch, graphite and black currant fruit as well as hints of new saddle leather and subtle oak. Backward, layered and multi-dimensional, the wine is stunningly rich, but brooding. Forget it at least until 2020 or later. -WS 95-98

98+ points Vinous
The 2020 L??oville Las Cases has developed into a powerhouse. Then again, that is Las Cases. En primeur, I thought the 2020 was a bit shy, but its true personality has to emerge. Blackberry jam, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, espresso and plum all saturate the palate. Vivid and explosive, the 2020 is dizzyingly rich, with plenty of Las Cases tannins that will require patience. I am not sure when the 2020 will be ready to drink, but it won't be anytime soon. Las Cases is one of the wines of the vintage in 2020, that much is pretty clear.(AG)

97+ points Wine Advocate
The 2020 L??oville Las Cases is a classic in the making, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis, loamy soil, violets and dark chocolate framed by a discreet touch of new oak. Full-bodied, broad and layered, it's rich and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, it's built for the cellar. (WK)

98 points Jeb Dunnuck
The Grand Vin 2020 Chateau Leoville Poyferre, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style. Pure creme de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite, and some spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is another utterly brilliant wine from this team, which has been producing First Growth quality wines for many years now. The blend of the 2020 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new barrels, hitting 13.58% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.81. Best After 2028.

96-98 Wine Enthusiast
Rich, luscious and replete with dark plum and dark chocolate flavors, this wine shows great power as well as aging potential. Its richness is balanced by the fresher edge of acidity that stands the wine in good stead as it ages.

97 Points Vinous
The 2020 Leoville-Poyferre is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. If anything, it has gained in freshness and vibrancy with elevage. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, graphite and a kiss of French oak are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tons of character. I especially admire its vertical energy and buttoned up personality. In some recent vintages Leoville-Poyferre has been quite showy, but the 2020 also has a more nuanced side that is hugely appealing. Antonio Galloni (12/22)

96 Points Vinous
The 2020 Leoville Poyferre was bottled in June. It has a very intense nose, displaying more black fruit than its showing from barrel, also the opulence tempered since its bottling. Fine minerality, hints of clove and bay leaf develop with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth opening, still slightly lactic in style as I remarked from barrel, yet with immense depth and plenty of finesse. The structure really comes through on the finish, a pinch of cracked black pepper and tobacco lending complexity. This is a great Leoville Poyferre that will give more than four decades of enjoyment, though I advise waiting several years before broaching. Neil Martin (12/22)

James Suckling, 97pts. - "This is more exotic and monstrous than the 2000. It is like a muscle builder, with lots of round and rich tannins and a core of dark fruits like black cherries and blueberries. Still very young, but structured and in need of five more years." (5/2012)

Jeb Dunnuck, 96pts. - "The 2003 Chateau Leoville Las Cases comes from what is still the hottest vintage on record for Bordeaux. (Others that are close are 2006, 2011, 2018, and 2019.) A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc that hit 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.62 (IPT was 75), its deep ruby/plum color is followed by a terrific, almost Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, freshly sharpened pencils, chocolate, violets, and a touch of chalky minerality. It builds beautifully with time in the glass and is full-bodied on the palate, offering ripe tannins, a round, expansive mouthfeel, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. Hats off to the team at Las Cases for such a gorgeous wine from a challenging vintage!" (3/2021)

#3 on The Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!

96 points Wine Spectator
Gorgeous from the start, with cassis and violet notes leading off, followed by additional waves of black cherry and blackberry fruit as well as sweet tobacco and iron. Shows subtle savory and cedar hints that stay in the background, as the iron note pierces through the fruit on the finish. Almost approachable for the fruit, but wait if you can. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040

96 points Vinous
The 2020 Lynch-Bages, the first vintage vinified at the new winery, has a beautifully-defined bouquet with a strong estuarine influence, brine and seaweed infusing the black fruit. It's almost understated at first, but it opens wonderfully in the glass - quintessentially Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite concentrated that is counterbalanced by a fine bead of acidity. The saline note on the finish is superb, lingering in the mouth. What an absolutely delicious Lynch-Bages for the long-term. Neal Martin

96 points Vinous
The 2020 Lynch-Bages is a real powerhouse. Elevage appears to have amplified the virile, brooding qualities that were present in barrel. In so many vintages, Lynch-Bages is a wine of elegance and finesse. Those qualities may emerge here too, in time. Black cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and lavender add to an impression of brooding intensity. Formidable tannins will take years to soften. The 2020 is a gorgeous wine, but it is also a very atypical Lynch. Antonio Galloni

Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multi-dimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either. 100 points - Robert Parker

Paul Pontallier was rattling off some interesting statistics about Chateau Margaux. The 2000 (a great, great wine) was 13.1% natural alcohol, the 2005 13.1%, the 2009 13.2%, and the 2010, the highest ever measured, 13.5%. That is still nearly one degree less than the Pauillac first-growth of Chateau Latour at 14.4%. This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc (representing only 38% of the total production) has the classic, quintessential Margaux character of spring flowers, almost cool-climate precision, medium body, and a seamless integration of tannin, wood and alcohol. The blue and black fruit characteristics are present, and the wine restrained. The most measured and polished of all the first growths I tasted, it is also less concentrated than any of the other first growths, but the elegance is classic. The harvest finished on October 15, which was not their latest by any means. This is one of the few first growths of 2010 where the tannins are remarkably delicate and sweet, and the softness of this wine will provide magical drinking at a relatively early age, yet its balance and concentration will carry it for 20 or more years. -WS 96-98

Organic / Biodynamic

90 points Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache, the 2020 Syrah La Touge has a pretty, juicy, up-front, and medium-bodied style as well as classic Minervois elegance. With complex notes of mulberries, new leather, peppery garrigue, and dried flowers, it's drinking nicely today yet should easily evolve for 4-6 years. It's a hidden little gem of a Syrah from the Languedoc

94 points Wine Independent
Medium garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Marjosse Rouge needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of cast-iron pan, crushed rocks, and dusty soil over a core of red plums, blackberry preserves, and mulberries, plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with fine-grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the nuanced black and red fruits, finishing long and minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The Wine Independent Top 50 QPR Wines of 2023

The final list of this year's top QPR wines was eye-opening even for me. Bordeaux is the unqualified winner at the Under $25 end. In fact, the best value for quality wine across all price categories is available at an average global cost of $14 on Wine-Searcher. It’s the 2020 Chateau Marjosse Rouge. I was blown away by the quality of Marjosse when tasting the 2020s earlier this year, and even more so when I saw the price.

91 points Decanter
A touch of reduction on the nose which clears as it relaxes in the glass. This is well put together, has definition and finesse, and is punching above its weight in the appellation. Ambitious, well managed tannins and juicy red fruits; 2% Malbec completes the plantings. I don't have the 2020 blend.

90 points James Suckling
This shows notes of ripe berries, vanilla, licorice, crushed walnut and cocoa. Medium-bodied with ripe, supple tannins and a creamy texture. Fruit-forward and flavorful.

Organic

This is the most important wine of the estate, a serious red vinified to reflect its capacity to age. The grapes are harvested at a point of slight surmaturité which captures the profound scents and flavors of the surrounding hillside garrigue. The cuvaison continues for at least a month; then, the wine is racked into tank for aging. The wine is bottled twenty to twenty-four months after harvest. As the wine ages in bottle, it develops enticing notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the "animal" all in all, one of the more compelling values in all of France.

100 points Vinous
The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Antonio Galloni (1/2022)

100 points Wine Enthusiast
The wine has a massive structure, great concentration. It now really shows the results of the massive investment of the owners, the telecom magnate Bouygues family. The powerful tannins mask the impressive black fruits and the wine?????s rich berry flavors. This magnificent wine will develop slowly over many years. Drink from 2027. *Cellar Selection* (8/2022)

99 points Decanter
A generous and abundant nose full of fruit and aromatic intensity followed by a gorgeous mouthfeel showcasing fruit density and concentration wrapped up in soft, velvety-smooth tannins. Just so much depth but also refinement here, it feels well made with just the right amount of fruit, toasty spice, tannins, freshness and acidity. The overall structure is gently framing all the elements - big and bold but quietly confident. The tannin impact is also enjoyable giving a feeling of approachability despite the long life ahead. Just superb - one of the best in 2019. (1/2022)

100 points Wine Advocate
Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009. This will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Medoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth.

99 points Vinous
The 2020 Montrose was bottled in July 2022. The alcohol is 13.4%, a whole degree less than the previous year but with the same concentration (IPT is 80). It has a fabulous bouquet that delivers on all that promise from when I finally tasted the wine around a year earlier from barrel, a cornucopia of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, Indian ink and loamy/undergrowth scents. Very mercurial in the glass, it seems to shapeshift with every minute. The palate is medium-bodied with such a precise entry. This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralite, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage. Neal Martin (2/2023)

95pts-Wine Advocate:
Originally rated 96, this wine confirmed its early rating, although again, the backwardness and still very obvious tannins suggest another 7- to 8-year wait. Dense ruby/purple, with a bouquet of blueberry, crushed rock, and some floral notes, the wine is medium to full-bodied , rich, powerful, but again very tannic and still strikingly youthful. For a wine that is already 10 years of age, it remains infantile. This blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is indeed a special wine and should hit its prime in about 2020 and last at least 30 years afterward.

Organic / Biodynamic

90 points John Gilman
The Terres d’Argence bottling from Château Mourgues de Grès is their old vine cuvée, with all of the vineyards that go into this blend at least forty-five years of age. The blend in 2018 is seventy percent syrah and fifteen percent each of grenache and mourvèdre. The vineyards are planted on marl and limestone soils, with a surface strata of galets roules just like in Châteauneuf du Pape. The wine is fermented with native yeasts and raised in a combination of cement, foudres and five percent small barrels. The 2018 version is again ripe in this warm summer, tipping the scales at 14.5 percent alcohol and offering up a fine bouquet of cassis, woodsmoke, hung game, stony soil tones, lovely spice tones and just a whisper of oak from the small barrels. On the palate the wine is deep, focused and full-bodied, with a superb core of fruit, excellent mineral undertow, ripe tannins and fine balance on the long and complex finish. The old vines here really give the wine fine mid-palate stuffing. This is most impressive and also a touch cooler in the mouth than the 2020 Galets Rouges bottling. 2028-2045. View From The Cellar

This wine is predominantly (70%) Syrah based from vines that are over 45 years old, complemented by old-vine Grenache (15%) and 15% Mourvedre. The vineyard has a perfectly full southern exposure, with a subsoil of marl and calcareous limestone and a substantial surface layer of galet stones provides exceptional ripening conditions for these vines year in and year out.

After a gentle maceration for 3-5 weeks, the wine is aged in concrete vats (65%), wooden vats (35%), and, for the fruit from the most-structured plots, barrel (5%). No yeasts or sulfur are used during vinification or aging. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.wine.

This is the most backward and unevolved of all the Left Bank (Medoc) first-growths. In 10-20 years, the 2009 Mouton Rothschild should rank alongside the greatest vintages of the last three decades (1986 and 1982). Yields were a small 30 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot, and the finished alcohol is 13.2% (not particularly high in this vintage). The pH is 3.81, and the index of tannins, the highest ever measured, a whopping 20% higher than the next highest vintage. The tannins, while present, are silky and well-integrated, one of the hallmarks of the 2009 vintage. An inky/purple color is accompanied by classic aromas of creme de cassis, violets, and hints of graphite and background oak. The overwhelming impression is one of layer upon layer of fruit, full-bodied opulence, and good structure. It tastes as if it were 2-3 months old rather than a post-malolactic, fully assembled barrel sample ... it?????s that young, but so incredibly promising. A 50- to 100-year wine? Probably. (Tasted once.) - WA96-98+

The 2010 Mouton possesses the highest level of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%) of any wine this estate has produced. Combined with 6% Merlot, the wine achieved 13.9% natural alcohol. Under director Philippe Dalhuin, the harvest was accomplished between September 28 and October 13, and only 49% of the crop made it into this powerful effort. Reminiscent of the 1986, it is a 50-60 year wine that is not meant for consumers looking for near-term gratification. This backward, tannic, full-bodied, exceptionally promising 2010 reveals enormous weight along with extravagant levels of precise, fresh boysenberry and creme de cassis fruit. The abundant minerality is due no doubt to the fresh acidity. In need of at least 15 years of cellaring, it will undoubtedly remain an infant at age 25 (as does the 1986). -WS 97-100

Another brilliant effort from Gerard Perse, this great vineyard (now just over 90 acres in size with the average age of the vines 45 years) was cropped at 28 hectoliters per hectare. It obviously missed all the damaging hail in mid-May of 2009, and was harvested between October 5 and 15. Everything here is done with extraordinary gentleness and precision. The result is a powerful, full-bodied, remarkably intense wine that is black/purple in color. It will require considerable patience, much like 2000 and 2005. It displays enormous creme de cassis and boysenberry fruit with some cherries, spice box, and crushed rock in the background. It is intense, with loads of minerality, huge extraction, massive power, yet again, the vintage character seems to have given it a freshness and vibrancy despite the wine’s obvious viscosity. The minimum patience required is at least a decade, as this is another 40-year wine from Gerard Perse. (Tasted five times.) - WA96-100

#8 on The Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!

97 points Wine Spectator
This has a very large-scaled yet properly proportioned core of cassis, plum and blackberry fruit flavors that are remarkably pure and focused. Buried deep within is a sleek, vibrant iron spine that drives the finish as the fruit keeps pace. Extra savory, tobacco and cedar nuances fill out all the remaining available space. A towering wine, with a buttoned-up feel. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2030 through 2045

98+ points Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship 2020 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron is pure gold, a full-bodied, rich, powerful 2020 displaying the vintage's purity, focus, and structure front and center. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, its dense purple hue is followed by a mammoth-sized bouquet of cassis, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and cedar pencil. With ripe tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and one heck of a finish, it comes closest in my mind to the estate 2010, and I think is clearly in the same realm as the 1989, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2019. It offers pleasure today, but it certainly warrants 7-8 years, a decade if possible, of bottle age and will have 40-50 years of overall longevity.

98 points Vinous
As I found before, the 2020 Pichon Baron takes a while to open in the glass. Finally, it offers enticing blackberry and boysenberry fruit, peony and iris flower, hints of graphite and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, again, displaying outstanding symmetry and focus, fresh as a daisy with a strong and mineral-driven finish. Christian Seely and his team have overseen a splendid Pichon Baron for the ages. Blue-blooded Pauillac. (Antonio Galloni)

#8 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2023!
97 points Wine Spectator
This has a very large-scaled yet properly proportioned core of cassis, plum and blackberry fruit flavors that are remarkably pure and focused. Buried deep within is a sleek, vibrant iron spine that drives the finish as the fruit keeps pace. Extra savory, tobacco and cedar nuances fill out all the remaining available space. A towering wine, with a buttoned-up feel. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2030 through 2045.

Organic / Biodynamic

99 points Jeb Dunnuck
#26 in Top 100, 2022. Pure class, the 2019 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine from director Nicolas Glumineau that checks in at the top of the vintage. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was harvested from mid-September through October 8th. Brought up in roughly 60% new French oak, it hit 14.1% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7. More elegant and poised from bottle than barrel, it offers a brilliant perfume of creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, damp earth, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, and pure perfection on the palate, it has this incredible marriage of Latour-like stature and regalness buffered by wonderful, sexy, seamless fruit, which no doubt comes from the higher Merlot content and makes Comtesse de Lalande so singular and unique. It builds slowly with time in the glass and has remarkable purity of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that just begs you to pour another glass. It has a seductive, seamless profile that offers pleasure even today (although it needs lots of air to show at its best) yet needs 7-8 years of bottle age to hit the early stages of its prime drink window and will evolve for another 40-50 years if stored properly.

98 points Wine Advocate
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande soars from the glass with complex aromas of wild berries, tobacco leaf, loamy soil, burning embers and hints of violets and rose petals. Full-bodied, deep and complete, it?????s velvety and seamless, with a broad attack and a multidimensional core of lively, succulent fruit. Concluding with a long, expansive finish, it?????s a remarkable young Pauillac that will offer many years of thrilling drinking. Congratulations to Nicolas Glumineau and his team, who are ushering in a new golden age at an address where standards were always very high.

98 points Vinous
One of the most elegant Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande I can remember tasting. The 2019 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is very clearly one of the wines of the year. Statuesque in its bearing, the 2019 possesses tremendous depth and intensity right out of the gate. Dark fruit, gravel, smoke, licorice and incense draw the taster in. The 2019 is like a great book. You don't want to put it down. Each taste reveals a new layer, a new shade of nuance. The 2019 is quite simply one of the most elegant renditions I have tasted recently. That said, it is also incredibly austere and in need of cellaring. Don't miss it. Tasted three times.

Organic / Biodynamic

96-98 points
The 2020 Pichon-Lalande has a backward nose similar to that of its neighbor Pichon-Baron, and so I decanted the bottle for 45 minutes. It then revealed gorgeous scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, seaweed (Japanese nori) and wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle but insistent grip. Very intense but not ripe; there is a coolness about this Pauillac that I like, while the finish is very classically styled and leaves behind a persistent, slightly briny aftertaste. This is a magnificent, cerebral Pichon-Lalande that will deserve serious aging and the patience of anyone still waiting for The Cure's new album. Tasted three times, including directly from the chateau. Neal Martin

97 points Wine Spectator
A wow wine. This is packed with cassis, loganberry and mulberry flavors that hint at the vintage's warmth, but this stays poised and fresh, with a sleek structure built on graphite and iron. Offers violet and lilac lift in the background and a groundswell of sweet tobacco, savory and singed cedar details that emerge through the finish, all with a fine-grained and rather luxurious feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2030.

95-97 points Wine Advocate
Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast
The home chateau of the group of properties owned by the Guyon family, this estate has produced a solid very ageworthy wine. It has dark tannins and rich juicy black fruits. With its structure and bright berry and plum flavors, it will not be ready to drink before 2020.

91 Points James Suckling
The savory and earthy notes give this a lot of personality.

89 points Vinous
The 2014 Chateau Rollan de By is a gorgeous Cru Bourgeois. Dark blue and purplish fruit, tobacco, lavender and menthol meld into a core of dark fruit. Exuberant, racy and super-expressive, the 2014 is one of the under-the-radar gems of the vintage. Drink it over the next decade. Alain Raynaud is the consulting winemaker. Drinking window: 2017-2026

 Now here is a gem of a wine for you Bordeaux enthusiasts, Chateau Rollan de By Cru Bourgeois Medoc 2014. This Cru Bourgeois will appeal to Bordeaux lovers with a die-hard traditionalist palate. This has all the leather, tobacco leaf, cedar and forest floor you crave and has ten years of bottle age! It is drinking in a sweet spot right now displaying evolved fruit notes, not the youthful vibrancy you would experience with a new vintage like 2021. Oh, not to mention the going price for the 2021 vintage is $45-$50!

Chateau Rollan de By has 45 hectares planted to 70% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. They have a terroir of clay and gravel soils. The vines at Chateau Rollan de By are old, with an average age of 35 years. The wine is aged in a combination of 90% new, French oak barrels and 10% new, American oak barrels for an average of 12 months.

Smoky and earthy, with copious jammy cassis fruit and sweet tannin, this is an excellent, full-bodied Saint-Pierre. The saturated deep purple color is followed by a persistent, concentrated wine with copious sweet tannin. - Robert Parker (4/03)

"Those of you who know Simone realize that the red, a tenacious but ultimately elegant wine, is an equal, rather than dominant, partner to the striking rosé and the sublime white. Like the rosé, it is a blend primarily of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault but there are pockets of old-growth vines of Syrah, Manosquin, Castet, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon and Muscat Noir that season the vineyards and add to the stunning complexity of these wines. The influence of Mont Sainte Victoire, its surface covered in rich pine forest, is apparent in the flavors and aromas of the red wine of Simone." Neil Rosenthal

The red from Simone is an elegant yet well-constituted wine of great depth. It is primarily composed of Grenache and Mourvèdre but its special character reflects the presence of a mélange other grape varieties, albeit in small proportion, including Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castet, Manosquin, Théoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir and Muscat de Hambourg. Bottled after 18-24 months of aging in foudres and one year or more in aged barrique, it is assembled without filtration. The wine is a classic that deserves to be aged in order to best appreciate its many nuances: plum, pine resin, cinnamon, truffle and spice among other sensations. We invite you to share our pleasure.
Château Simone encompasses twenty hectares of vineyards that sit on limestone soils at elevations between 500 and 750 feet above sea level on the slopes of Montaiguet. The special microclimate of this appellation is influenced by the encircling pine forests, the mass of Mont Sainte-Victoire, and the Arc River.

Located in the commune of Meyreuil and just four kilometres from Aix en Provence, the old bastide of the Grands Carmes d'Aix monks, now the Chateau Simone, has been in the hands of the Rougier family since 1830. Old documents bear witness to the fact that vines have been cultivated here from time immemorial. The historic reputation of its wines has made Chateau Simone a prime example of the Provencal terroir. Their renown spread and the bottles, with the elegant classical presentation on the original label, found their way to the most prestigious tables and those of the finest gourmets.

99 points James Suckling
Intense blackberry and graphite character coming out of the glass, together with dried violets, ink and some asphalt. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that spread across the palate and then draw you deep into the wine. Lead-pencil and blackcurrant aftertaste. Tightly wound with a cashmere-like texture. A whole and thought-provoking wine. Try after 2028 and beyond.

98 points Jeb Dunnuck
Reminding me a little of the 2009, the 2019 Château Smith Haut Lafitte has a rich, powerful style in its cassis, blueberry, and black raspberry fruit as well as its chalky minerality, smoked earth, tobacco, and lead pencil shaving-like aromas and flavors. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, this rich, unctuously textured beauty has terrific concentration, sweet tannins, and the vintage's hallmark elegance and finesse. One of the most concentrated, powerful wines in the vintage, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age (or a healthy decant) and will evolve for 30+ years if stored properly. Not enough can be said about what proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, as well as winemaker Fabien Teitgen, continue to achieve at this estate. )

98 points Wine Enthusiast
Rich in black fruits with a structure that acts as a support. Acidity and blackberry flavors with hints of black coffee and a core of denseness that is very fine. The wine will age well, drink from 2026. Organic and biodynamic.

97 points Decanter
A soft, fragrant nose of rose petals and violets alongside raspberries, cherries, blackcurrants, cola cubes and blackcurrant leaf nuance. Tannins fill the mouth, abundant but oh so soft and finely woven into the overall body of the wine which has delicious cooling mint elements nestled between pristinely ripe blue and black fruit and liquorice spice. The flavours expand slowly along the palate gaining in depth, width and energy. This isn't an immediate showstopper but rather it takes its time, revealing itself layer by layer, so charming and seductive, asking you to linger and take a closer inspection. I absolutely love it.

97 points Vinous
The 2019 Smith Haut-Lafitte blossoms immediately on the nose of seductive blackberry, black olive and Bing cherries, perhaps a little more floral than when I tasted it from barrel, and there is a nearly Burgundy-like purity. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, almost creamy entry. This is very harmonious, elegant and poised, leading to a mineral-driven finish. A gorgeous, seductive Smith Haut Lafitte that will give three or four decades of drinking pleasure.

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with a complex bouquet of dark berries, cassis, forest floor, pencil shavings, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, broad and velvety, it's layered and elegantly muscular, underpinned by rich structuring tannins and lively acids, and it concludes with a long, expansive finish. This is another estate where the viticultural and stylistic evolutions of the last decade have delivered a beautifully balanced, harmonious 2019.

"A powerful, rich wine as good as many cru classes. Inky color and intense vanilla, violet and cassis aromas; full-bodied, with great balance, full but integrated tannins and a long finish." 94pts WS

#4 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2022

95 points Wine Spectator
Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.

90-93 points Wine Advocate
This property has been resurrected beautifully by perfectionist wine guru, Stephan von Neipperg, and his increasingly popular and respected winemaking consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. A big-time sleeper of the vintage, the 2006 Clos de l’Oratoire reveals notes of smoked meats, blueberries, raspberries, cedar, and spicy oak. Opulent, fleshy, rich, and atypically fruity and forward for the vintage, this medium to full-bodied, gorgeously proportioned St.-Emilion is ideal for drinking during its first 12-15 years of life.

Bursting with aromas of crunchy red berries, peonies, spices and plums, it's medium-bodied, ample and enveloping, with succulent acids, melting tannins and a pretty, perfumed finish. Despite the challenges of the year, the Coudert family have produced a lovely classic, and it's a wine that's much more drinkable and vibrant than some of the recent banner vintages at this address.

Aromas of black cherry, pomegranate and blackberry - very complex - with hints of blood orange, licorice and spice. The palate is dense and deep showing the Moulin-a-Vent side of Fleurie, with juicy black fruits backed with firm acidity and mineral flavors. The finish is long with sappy fruit liqueur and earthy acidity.

Organic

From vines near the eastern coast of Corsica, below the massif of Castagniccia. The proximity of the sea protects the vineyard from excessive drought, while the neighboring mountains (which reach a height of more than 2500 metres) generate cool air at night that refreshes the grapes and allows them to recover from the stress of the daytime heat.
Their winemaking philosophy is straightforward and lends itself to a style that speaks of the place with a clear voice of each grape’s primary characteristics, with little intervention. The fermentations are all natural and the wines are bottled after a short time in vat with sulfites kept to a minimum; it’s easy to feel this deft touch through these wines bursting with pleasure; even her Sciacarello, a thin framed, fresh and aromatic red (often over-sculpted in other cellars) is a darling here with no uncertainty in its naturally sensual aromas.

Traditional vinification Grapes are sorted and de-stemmed after the harvest with each vineyard parcel being vinified separately. Wine is fermented in stainless steel with daily punch-downs; fermentation lasts anywhere from 15 to 18 days. Wine is blended in January and aged in foudre and 1-2 years in old barrels from Bordeaux grand crus.

This wine displays a deep ruby-color, with a jammy cherry and new saddle leather-scented nose, this medium-bodied, ripe, attractive, concentrated wine exhibits fine balance, soft tannins, and a velvety finish.

Fun Fact: In 1325 Cahors was the table wine of Pope John XXII.

96 points John Gilman View From The Cellar
The 2022 vintage of Daniel Bouland’s Morgon (Delys 1926) is a brilliant young Cru Beaujolais. The wine comes in at an even fourteen percent in this vintage and offers up truly stunning depth of fruit on both the nose and palate, as these ancient vines have dug deep into the subterranean water sources to keep maturity progressing flawlessly in this dry growing season. The wine wafts from the glass in a complex and sappy blend of sweet dark berries, black cherries, pomegranate, grilled pigeon, dark soil tones, espresso woodsmoke and a topnote of violets. On the palate the wine is pure, sappy and full-bodied, with a bottomless core of old vine fruit, fine-grained, buried tannins, great focus and grip and a long, seamlessly balanced and very complex finish. This is one of the greatest young bottles of Morgon I have ever had the pleasure to taste and it would be insane not to allow it at least some time in the cellar to unlock its secondary and tertiary layers of complexity.

94+ points John Gilman View From The Cellar
Daniel Bouland’s 2022 Pré Jourdan is a beautiful bottle of young Morgon. The deeper soils here show in the great depth of sappy fruit the wine exudes on both the nose and palate, with the wine coming at 13.5 percent octane in this vintage and offering up a simply beautiful aromatic constellation of black cherries, red plums, sweet cranberries, a touch of chocolate, pigeon, dark soil tones, woodsmoke, gently savory elements and a topnote of rose petals. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off stunning depth at the core, with a beautiful base of complex soil tones, ripe, buried tannins, fine focus and length and a perfectly balanced, nascently complex finish. This wine is so well balanced out of the blocks that it is already approachable, despite a fine chassis of tannin, but it is still a fairly primary wine and it would be borderline criminal to not give it at least five or six years in the cellar and allow its additional layers of complexity to completely emerge.

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Malbec, Muscat de Hambourg, Merlot, Colombard, Grenache Noire, Muscat d’Alexandrie
Whole bunch maceration, fermentation in concrete vats and aged. No fining no filtering.

Friends and winemakers, Benjamin Taillandier and Fabien Jouves collaborated on this fresh bistro red. 12.5% abv

The first thing you will notice about this wine is the playful and yet confusing label, which does not get easier to decipher after a few glasses. Well, the winery is stronger in winemaking than marketing for this is a delicious daily drinker. A subtle floral bouquet (violets) graces the senses while the body of the wine is brimming with ripe blackberries and a pepper note. Although this wine is generous on the palate it is also soft texturally and very easy to drink. The tannins are subtle, no oak barrels used here, and the alcohol is mild at 12.5% abv. This extremely pleasurable red is less power and more finesse which is not easy to achieve in the Languedoc-Roussillon.

80% Grenache and 20% Syrah fermented in temperature controlled tanks with a cuvaison up to one month. Aged for 4 months in tank.

"Le Loup dans la Bergerie" loosely translates as "The wolf in the hen house".

Organic / Biodynamic / No Added Sulfites

Dark ruby color with violet reflections. Bouquet of small red fruits and spring flowers (violet), with peppery notes. The mouth combines freshness with energy in a balanced presentation in which the greedy aromatics, the suppleness and the crispness of the structure participate. This is a very impressive expression of Mondeuse. 12% abv

Organic / Biodynamic

1/3 aged in neutral french oak.
This Chardonnay is perfectly balanced between bright fruit and a kiss of oak. Very lovely.