Deeply colored, this 707 Cabernet offers notes of ripe blackcurrant, warm black cherries and mulberries with a fragrant undercurrent of sandalwood. The palate is voluptuously fruited with firm, grainy tannins, crisp acid and a long spicy finish. It makes for a great drop of Cabernet now but still has plenty to give. In Asia, Jan 2012, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A brilliant effort that will delight Médoc purists, the 2021 Calon-Ségur wafts from the glass with aromas of rose petals, wild berries, plums, Indian spices, woodsmoke and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's deep and lively, with beautifully ripe tannins and an exquisitely balanced profile. In spirit, this blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot is reminiscent of the 1996 vintage, though the 2021 won't go through such an extended period of hibernation and will attain a much higher peak of quality. It attained 12.9% alcohol without any chaptalization, saignée or osmosis. Tasted twice. Calon-Ségur is in the midst of a renaissance. A true "clos," this walled 55-hectare vineyard, the first to be cultivated in Saint-Estèphe, was long planted at a low density of 6,000 vines per hectare. When the cahier des charges (appellation rules) for Saint-Estèphe changed in the recent past, mandating a higher minimum density, the Gasqueton family had already begun replanting at 8,000 vines per hectare. Now estate director Vincent Millet is replanting at 10,000 vines per hectare, and each individual vine has been geo-referenced so that treatments and amendments can be adapted on a vine-by-vine basis within each parcel: the latest in high-tech precision viticulture! The varietal breakdown is changing too, with Cabernet Sauvignon on the increase, currently amounting to around 60% of the estate's holdings and with a target of around 75%. In addition to clones, a massal selection, from parcels near the small chapel just to the east of the château, is underway. Winemaking, too, has been revolutionized: in an entirely new cellar and winery, the grapes are rapidly chilled by passage through a cold tunnel and undergo a three-day cold soak, before a co-inoculated 18- to 21-day maceration with micro-oxygenation. Maturation follows, in new barrels, for 20 months with a traditional racking every three. If all this sounds very detail-oriented, it's because Millet, who boasts a PhD in wine microbiology and spent several years at Château Margaux, is an extremely serious, forward-thinking estate director, and I have no doubt that he is going to unleash all of Calon-Ségur's latent potential. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
The 2021 Clerc Milon is a success, bursting with aromas of blackberries, cassis and plums mingled with violets, tobacco leaf and nicely integrated new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's deep, fleshy and complete, with a rich core of succulent fruit, beautifully polished tannins and a long, sapid finish, it's a compelling, characterful wine that transcends the vintage. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
At 75% Merlot and fully 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Clinet contains the highest proportion of Cabernet in the blend (excepting the 2003) since at least the 1980s. Ronan Laborde harvested late, picking into mid-October, to craft a medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively seamless wine evocative of dark berries, baking chocolate, violets and spices. Concentrated and nicely integrated, it is one of the vintage's notable successes. Ronan Laborde is producing the best wines of his career at this Pomerol reference point. Some eight hectares produce Clinet, much of the vineyards being located around the château in the lieu-dit that lends it its name, complemented by a parcel by the church and another not far from the headquarters of the syndicat viticole. Today, these holdings are planted with some 80% Merlot, but before phylloxera, Cabernet Sauvignon was widely planted in this sector, and today, Laborde is replacing Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon (he retains a parcel of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon dating back to 1950). Vines are hedged at 1.5 meters, and cover crops help to manage water in the iron-rich clays near the château, allowing access by tractor even after recent rainfall. In the winery, Laborde now employs small stainless steel tanks that permit parcel-by-parcel vinification, and a vertical press has been the order of the day since as long ago as 2001. What's really evolved in recent years is the barrel program: oak is long-seasoned (four to five years), and some large formats have joined the classic 225-liter barriques; but above all, lighter, less impactful toasts are now chosen, meaning Clinet's 80% new oak is much more discreet in its aromatic and textural contribution than was the case a decade ago. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
Reminiscent of a modern-day version of this estate's delicious 1999, the 2021 d'Armailhac is a terrific wine bursting with aromas of wild berries, cherries, exotic spices and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it's fleshy and enveloping, with melting tannins and an ample core of sweet, succulent fruit. This is a pleasure-bent wine that will offer a broad drinking window. The Wine Advocate William Kelley, Apr 29, 2022
Incorporating fully 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, lively and persuasively concentrated, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, it's a classy, serious wine that reflects all the progress this estate has been making over the last decade. Duhart-Milon's vineyards are later-maturing than Lafite's, and the soils are less inherently balanced: the clay-rich parts of the vineyard are richer in clay than at Lafite, and the gravel-rich parts of the vineyard are richer in gravel—whereas Lafite's predominantly gravel soils sometimes contain more than 10% clay. That explains why Duhart-Milon historically often produced leaner wines than Lafite, with less mid-palate amplitude; but a warming climate and more attention to viticultural detail (sowing cover crops, for example, in clay-rich parts of the vineyard) are mitigating these disadvantages, and recent vintages have seen this estate attain new qualitative heights. As at all the Domaines Barons de Rothschild properties, winemaking and élevage are very classical, with regular rackings and the majority of the barriques derived from the in-house cooperage (emphasizing lightly toasted Allier and Nevers oak seasoned for 24 months), and as at Lafite, Cabernet is very much in the ascendant here, something that the 2021 vintage has only amplified. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
The 2021 Giscours is immensely promising and shows just how far this important estate has come in the last few years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries, cigar wrapper, violets, sweet forest floor and burning embers, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with terrific depth at the core, ripe tannins, lively acids and a long, penetrating finish. With wines like this, we're back to a level of quality that Giscours hasn't routinely attained since the 1970s! The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot; and even if by the standards of the last decade, that isn't a particularly elevated percentage of Cabernet, this is nonetheless a very Cabernet-driven wine in style. Tasted six times. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
The 2021 Léoville Poyferré shows considerable promise, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with spices, licorice and petals, framed by a deft touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's a polished, charming wine with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, concluding with a penetrating finish. It's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. With some 80 hectares under vine, Léoville Poyferré's parcels are inter-fingered with those belonging to the Delon and Barton families by the river and on the plateau of Saint-Julien. The soils are cultivated less frequently and less deeply these days, and conversion to organic methods is gradually being rolled out, parcel by parcel, some being easier to farm this way than others. Winemaking features a five- to eight-day cold soak, followed by comparatively long macerations, and maturation is in 80% new oak, with lots destined for new barrels completing their malolactic fermentation in barrel. Combined with an elevated percentage of Merlot in the vineyards (though the tendency here, as elsewhere, is to replant with more Cabernet Sauvignon), this delivers the richest, fleshiest, most flamboyant of the three Léoville estates, but while it's generally the most open out of the gates of the three, that hasn't come at the expense of longevity. The Cuvliers and their team have turned in a fine performance in 2021, harvesting young vines interplanted in older parcels first, then their Merlots, and finally, daring to wait, their Cabernets. Some saignées were performed on Merlot lots where berries were large and rich in juice. Apr 29, 2022 The Wine Advocate William Kelley
The 2020 Calon-Ségur is a brilliant wine from an estate in the ascendant. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, red berries, fresh mint, pencil shavings, violets and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a vibrant core of fruit, powdery structuring tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Integrated and harmonious, this pure, concentrated and dynamic wine is one of the finest vintages that Vincent Millet and his team have produced to date. April 2023 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 6th Apr 2023, William Kelley
Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Carruades de Lafite, like its big sibling, is a little youthfully shy to begin, soon unfurling to offer notes of Morello cherries, raspberry leaves, baked blackberries and spice box, plus suggestions of pencil lead, lavender and Provence herbs. The medium-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and lifted. This 2020 is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. May 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate, 20th May 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2020 Cheval Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, licorice, sweet spices and lilac. Full-bodied, broad and voluptuous, it's layered and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. While purists will gravitate toward the purer and more precise and perfumed 2019, the 2020 will appeal to readers who love the richest, most powerful expressions of Cheval Blanc. The Wine Advocate William Kelley, Published: Apr 06, 2023
The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is a bold, demonstrative wine, bursting with aromas of cassis, dark berries and plum liqueur mingled with exotic spices, burning embers and petals, framed by a generous application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, broad and low acid/high pH in style, it's rich and extracted, with a layered, mid-palate and a long, clove-inflected finish. While it isn't anywhere near as extreme as the 2009, the 2020 does appear to mark a move back toward a more turbo-charged style after Cos d'Estournel's shift toward elegance, exemplified by the brilliant 2016—but perhaps that's merely an illusion created by the vintage? The Wine Advocate, Apr 06, 2023, William Kelley
The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is a striking wine and one that I regretted not purchasing en primeur as soon as it landed in my glass. Offering up complex aromas of minty cassis, pencil shavings, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, espresso roast and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with terrific concentrated, beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Checking in at 12.8% alcohol, its incipient complexity, ineffable sense of completeness and exquisite balance mark it out as the purists' choice among the trio of 2018, 2019 and 2020. In this vintage, the lots that made it into the blend were largely confined to the core gravel terroirs that represent Mouton's heart, meaning that there's a little less to go around. This was the first vintage overseen by Mouton's new technical director, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, and he has begun with a flying start. April 2023 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 6th Apr 2023, William Kelley
Exhibiting aromas of earthy black fruits, bay leaf, burning embers and forest floor, the 2019 Carbonnieux is medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with a broad attack that segues into a fleshy core of fruit framed by ripe acids and fine, powdery tannins that assert themselves gently on the finish. April 2022 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 7th Apr 2022, William Kelley
The 2019 Giscours has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cherries, burning embers, lilac and violets framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's polished and perfumed, with a velvety, seamless profile and bright animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Alexandre Van Beek and his team are taking this estate to heights it hasn't hit since the 1970s, and this is another of the great bargains of the 2019 en primeur campaign. April 2022 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 7th Apr 2022, William Kelley
The 2018 Les Pagodes de Cos (14.51% alcohol) is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aging in 20% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of Morello cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, plum preserves and spice cake with suggestions of pencil shavings and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering savory note. End of March 2021, The Wine Advocate, 31 Mar 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Angélus wafts slowly, sensuously out of the glass with notes of warm red currants, Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and pencil shavings with nuances of rose oil, black tea, cloves and cumin seed. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing, sporting very finely grained tannins and layers of red and black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral fireworks. What a beauty! The Wine Advocate, October 2020 Week 2
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clinet opens slowly to reveal vibrant red and black fruits: red currants, black cherries, plums and cassis with touches of roses, yeast extract, wood smoke and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and a taut, muscular palate of tightly wound fruits and compelling mineral accents, it finishes long with wonderful purity and fragrant earth accents. The Wine Advocate (236), 27th Apr 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2016 Angélus is composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, aged 18 to 22 months in new barrels and foudres. Deep garnet-purple colored, it drifts effortlessly out of the glass with sensuous notes of lavender, candied violets, garrigue, Ceylon tea and iron ore with a core of warm black cherries, mulberries, ripe plums and aniseed plus wafts of cedar chest and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the perfumed fruit whispers of great intensity and depth, with the vivacious fruit well knit into the plush, seductive frame of velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. Still very tightly wound with amazing tension at this stage, it truly needs a good 6-8 more years in bottle to deliver the fully expressed layers that this soft-spoken, profound beauty promises. End of March 2019, The Wine Advocate, 29 Mar 2019, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Léoville Poyferré hits the ground running with intense cassis, violets, dark chocolate, menthol and fragrant earth notions complemented by nuances of cigar box and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with energetic, super intense black fruit and floral layers, beautifully supported with super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness. This liquid is simply alive in the mouth, culminating in an epically long finish that will leave your mouth practically tingling. WOW! Interim End of November 2018, The Wine Advocate, 1st Dec 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2014 Leoville-Poyferre was surprisingly backward and tight on the nose (usually it is the most expressive and generous Léoville in its youth). The precision and focus is intact, but it is broody and sultry at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structure, which suggests that it has turned volte face since its opulent showing in barrel. Overall, this comes across as perhaps a slightly more austere and masculine wine from Didier Cuvelier, though that is not a criticism, just an observation. I would like to see a little more persistence on the finish, but the tidings bode well for this mercurial and fascinating Léoville-Poyferre. I can see it improving with bottle age, hence the plus sign against my score. Interim End of March, The Wine Advocate, 1st Apr 2017, Neal Martin
This may be the first time in the history of this estate that Gazin has been made from 100% Merlot. That was the favored cepage (grape varietal) in 2012, and Gazin has produced a powerful, concentrated, dark plum/purple-hued wine displaying notes of balsam wood, forest floor, camphor, blackberries and cassis. As the wine sits in the glass, hints of white chocolate and espresso roast (no doubt from the barrels used) emerge. Full, rich and intense, this impressive 2012 reminds me of the 2001, only slightly more masculine. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. Wine Advocate (206), Apr 2013, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
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+. March 2020 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 6 Mar 2020, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
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. Wine Advocate (200), Apr 2012, Robert Parker
This property, which has been on a qualitative tear over the last generation, has produced one of the most successful wines of 2011. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it is broad, rich, medium to full-bodied and dense. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as lots of concentration, silky tannins, and a bigger, richer mouthfeel than any of its St.-Julien peers. The result is one of the stars of the vintage. Wine Advocate (212), Apr 2014, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The blend is largely dominated by 85% Merlot, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Cabernet Franc also included. Inky/purple-colored, the wine has an exceptionally full-bodied, layered, moderately tannic mouthfeel and impressive power. Loads of melted chocolate/fudge and black fruits galore along with some coffee bean, mocha, as well as some background oak are all present in this big, formidably endowed, masculine style of Pomerol that will take longer to shed its tannin than the 2009. I would give this wine 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30+ years. Wine Advocate (205), Feb 2013, Robert Parker
The 2010 Vieux Chateau Certan, a blend of 86% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol. Production was lower than in 2009 and the alcohol slightly higher, but the pH is 3.7, which is surprisingly reasonable given the lofty power and alcoholic clout this full-bodied wine possesses. Dense purple-colored , the 2010 displays a vivid yet astonishing array of spice box, red, blue and black fruits, crushed rock and spring flowers. The oak is well-concealed behind the lavish concentration and richness. Exceptionally pure, this unbelievable wine flirts with perfection. Unfortunately, there is 20% less of it than in 2009, and the tannins warrant a good 8-10 years of cellaring, as I suspect it could actually close down. This is another 40- to 50-year effort in 2010 that should elicit considerable interest from wine consumers. 205, The Wine Advocate, 28 Feb 2013, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A spectacular effort from this estate rivaling their 2005, but more flashy/flamboyant, this dark ruby/purple wine has a strikingly intense nose of licorice, flowers, plums and dark berries. Medium to full-bodied, very approachable and silky, this suave, very sexy wine can be drunk early on as well as aged for 20+ years. Wine Advocate (199), Feb 2012, Robert Parker
After tasting it three times from bottle, I am convinced this prodigious wine is one of the greatest young Bordeaux I have ever tasted. Inky blue/purple with notes of camphor, forest floor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherries, licorice, the wine has stunning aromatics, unctuous texture and an almost inky concentration, but without any hard edges. With considerable tannin and just enough acidity to provide definition, this wine transcends even its premier grand cru classe terroir. It is certainly the finest Clos Fourtet ever produced. Give it 5-7 years of cellaring to allow some of its baby fat to fall away. There is certainly enough structure underneath to keep for 30-50 years. Bravo! 199, The Wine Advocate, 23 Dec 2011, Robert M. Parker, Jr
One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century. Wine Advocate (199), Feb 2012, Robert Parker
An inky/purple color is followed by notes of Asian plum sauce, forest floor, creme de cassis, black raspberries and a floral component that is unusual for a Margaux. A wine of exceptional intensity and purity with a full-bodied, sumptuous texture, lots of fresh vibrancy and excellent definition, this beautiful 2009 exhibits high but sweet tannin. It is more sexy than the 2005 was at a similar age, although their level of extract and concentration is relatively equal. Something about the 2009 reminds me of a Margaux version of St.-Julien's Leoville Poyferre ... if that makes any sense. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040. Wine Advocate (199), Feb 2012, Robert Parker
The 2008 Cheval Blanc (55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc) is a winner from this underrated, classic vintage. Notes of forest floor, Asian plum sauce, black currants, sweet cherries and spice are followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with deep fruit, admirable purity, and a long, textured finish. There is not a hard edge to this wine, and in all likelihood, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades. Wine Advocate (194), May 2011, Robert Parker
A pretty wine and a classic Bordeaux, this 2008 has attractive notes of minerals intermixed with fruitcake and sweet currant fruit. Medium-bodied and pure, with a dense ruby/purple color, it should drink nicely for 10 years at the very minimum. Wine Advocate (194), 2nd May 2011, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A beautiful wine with 13.4% natural alcohol, this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of cassis, incense, charcoal, and subtle oak, round, generously endowed flavors, medium to full body, silky tannin, and surprising depth and length. It can be drunk now and over the next 12-15 years. Wine Advocate (188), Apr 2010, Robert Parker
A sensational effort, the 2006 Mouton Rothschild exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a classic Mouton perfume of creme de cassis, flowers, blueberries, and only a hint of oak. Dalhuin told me that in whisky barrel-tasting vintages such as 1989 and 1990, Mouton was aged in heavily-toasted barrels, and they have backed off to a much lighter toast for the barrels’ interior. I think this has worked fabulously well with the cassis quality fruit they get from their Cabernet Sauvignon. The full-bodied, powerful 2006 possesses extraordinary purity and clarity. A large-scaled, massive Mouton Rothschild that ranks as one of the top four or five wines of the vintage, it may turn out to be the longest-lived wine of the vintage by a landslide. The label will undoubtedly be controversial as a relative of Sigmund Freud, Lucian Freud, has painted a rather comical Zebra staring aimlessly at what appears to be a palm tree in the middle of a stark courtyard. I suppose a psychiatrist could figure out the relationship between that artwork and wine, but I couldn’t see one. This utterly profound Mouton will need to sleep for 15+ years before it will reveal any secondary nuances, but it is a packed and stacked first-growth Pauillac of enormous potential. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+. Ever since owner Philippine de Rothschild put Philippe Dalhuin in charge at Mouton in 2004 there has been a dramatic reduction in the amount of wine produced under the Mouton Rothschild label. The selection process has been ratcheted up to the level of other first-growths, and that is reflected in what is clearly the greatest Mouton produced since 1982 and 1986. As I indicated in my barrel tasting notes, only 44% of the crop made it into the 2006 grand vin, which is the lowest percentage in more than fifty years. The final blend includes a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (87%) and the rest Merlot (13%). No Cabernet Franc was utilized in 2006, and purchasers will have a long wait until this wine reaches full maturity. Keep in mind that, where well-stored, the 1986 currently tastes like a 4-5 year old wine, and the 1982 is just beginning to enter early adolescence. If you extrapolate from that, the 2006 will need at least twenty years to reach a teen-age status, and probably will not hit its plateau of maturity for three decades. Wine Advocate (181), Feb 2009, Robert Parker
Léoville Poyferré’s dense ruby/purple 2005 is soft, round and juicy, with lots of blackcurrant fruit, plum and Asian spice. It is medium to full-bodied and, along with Léoville Las Cases and Saint-Pierre, probably one of the best St.-Juliens I tasted in this retrospective. It is surprisingly supple and accessible. Drink it over the next 15 or so years. eRobertParker.com (219), Jun 2015, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This estate's staff believes that the 1996 Mouton-Rothschild is very complex. I agree that among the first-growths, this wine is showing surprising forwardness and complexity in its aromatics. It possesses an exuberant, flamboyant bouquet of roasted coffee, cassis, smoky oak, and soy sauce. The impressive 1996 Mouton-Rothschild offers impressive aromas of black currants, framboise, coffee, and new saddle leather. This full-bodied, ripe, rich, concentrated, superbly balanced wine is paradoxical in the sense that the aromatics suggest a far more evolved wine than the flavors reveal. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030. By the way, the 1996 blend consists of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. Wine Advocate (122), Apr 1999, Robert Parker
A wine of extraordinary charm and elegance, the dark garnet-colored 1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a floral, cedary nose intermixed with red and black currants as well as flowers. The wine is fully mature and soft, with beautiful concentration and purity. It is not a blockbuster, and certainly not nearly as powerful and massive as the 1986, but it is certainly much more seductive. This wine should continue to drink well for at least another 10-15 years. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Bordeaux Book (4), Jan 2003, Robert Parker
Already bottled, the 2021 Blanc de Lynch-Bages exhibits aromas of ripe grapefruit, musky peach and pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with lively acids and a saline finish, it's a blend of 79% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Sémillon and 6% Muscadelle. The Wine Advocate William Kelley, Apr 29, 2022
The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to offer notes of fresh yellow apple, ripe Bosc pears and key lime pie, plus subtle hints of paraffin wax and lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with apple and citrus layers, supported by compelling tension, finishing steely. May 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate, 20th May 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A slightly riper and markedly spicier nose is comprised by notes of plum, dark currant, herbal tea and floral wisps, especially violet. The delicious and velvet-textured medium weight flavors coat the palate with sappy dry extract that also buffers the moderately firm tannins shaping the nicely persistent, balanced and complex finale. This is a lovely Vosne villages and worth considering. Jan 10, 2024, Allen Meadows' (Burghound.com)