James Suckling (94-95)

Plenty of blackberry and black-olive character to this, with cedar and sandalwood undertones. Medium to full body, firm and creamy tannins and a fresh, linear finish. More fruit and tannin at the end, but in a reserved way. 80% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon.

James Suckling (95-96)

Absolutely beautiful with blackberry, walnut, crushed-stone and lavender character. It’s full-bodied and very layered with ultra fine tannins and an extremely long finish. Really well done for the vintage. Best in a long time.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Château Larcis Ducasse checks in as 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that comes from a gorgeous hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, located between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier. Aged 18 months in 60% new barrels, it offers a truly sensational bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, espresso roast, scorched earth, bloody meat, chocolate, iron, and bouquet garni. A massive, super-rich Saint-Emilion with a dense, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, it has building yet sweet tannins and incredible purity of fruit. Reminding me of the 2005 shortly after release, this heavenly juice offers astonishing richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and elegant. Sadly, there are less than 3,000 cases produced, but this monumental, legendary wine won't hit maturity for a good 8-10 years and will have 40-50 years of longevity if well stored. Hats off to Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for producing one of the wines of the vintage as well as one of the greatest young Bordeaux I've ever tasted.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

You just know that this estate is well placed to succeed in the vintage, and this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity, such gorgeous definition and vivid energetic fruit. Stretches out through the palate also, has a relaxed confidece to it that is quite unusual in such a full--on vintage. Really impressive, Beaumartin family, David Suire director.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-96)

The 2023 Laroque might be the best wine David Suire has made since taking over here a few years ago. What I admire most about Laroque is its classicism—there is plenty of that on display here. Bright acids and persistent beams of supporting tannin frame dark-toned fruit, lavender, rose petal, graphite and sweet spice in a Saint-Émilion that impresses with its vibrancy and delineation. Superb. Tasted two times.

James Suckling (95)

Very attractive, ripe dark berries with a meaty edge that delivers a very compelling wine from the outset. Quite plush and elegant tannins with a smooth, juicy and attractive finish that holds long and is saturated in flavor. Seamless build. Really stunning. Try from 2022.

The Latour a Pomerol 1990 is an exquisite vintage wine emblematic of the deft craftsmanship of its producer. Hailing from the renowned Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux, France, it's made predominantly from Merlot grapes, with a modest percentage of Cabernet Franc. This wine is appreciated for its consummate balance, rich structure, and elegant profile.

Estates of Ets Moueix, the unparallelled producer of Latour a Pomerol, has a laudable tradition of wine-making stretching back to 1917. Their commitment to quality is reflected in the Latour a Pomerol 1990 — a epitome of balanced ageing and finesse. Expect a bouquet of rich plum, currants, and spices, with a hint of truffle and undergrowth.

Its full-bodied palate boasts a silky texture, generous dark fruit expression, and a lingering, spicy finish. Each bottle of Latour a Pomerol 1990 embodies the utmost respect for the terroir and tradition of winemaking. A testament to timeless elegance and eloquent complexity.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2016 Le Crock is a very pretty, fruity wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Bright red cherry and plum fruits are nicely pushed forward in this mid-weight, gracious Saint-Estèphe. All the elements are very nicely balanced. Floral overtones add to the wine's considerable appeal. In 2016, Le Crock is pliant and supple, both of which make it an absolute joy to drink now and over the next handful of years.

Wine Advocate (94)

I’m not sure you can still call this the flagship wine of proprietor Jonathan Maltus given the other top wines he’s producing. Le Dome, which is dominated by an incredibly high percentage of Cabernet Franc (80%) and the balance Merlot (20%), is a special effort that must be tasted to be believed. The 2011 boasts gorgeously juicy blue, red and black fruits intermixed with floral and spice aromas. This supple, velvety-textured, opulent, medium to full-bodied, ethereal St.-Emilion is another stunning effort. It is amazing how well Maltus does whether the vintage provides great raw materials, or if he is confronted with more difficult challenges as he was in 2011. Drink this brilliant effort over the next 10-15 years.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-88)

Full deep red. Alluring aromas of raspberry, coffee, brown spices and nutty oak. Lush, fruity and sweet; holds its shape nicely through to the firm, ripe finish. A very good sample. My sample of the '98 was impressively dense and lush, but showed a distinctly oxidized raisiny quality; I assume this example was not representative. Judgement deferred.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Made from 100% Merlot cropped at minuscule yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare, the 2010 La Plus de La Fleur de Bouard was bottled unfined and unfiltered and came in at 14.5% natural alcohol. This wine ratchets up the level of extract, power, density and richness as well as tannin, so it needs 3-4 years of cellaring and can keep, I would assume, for up to two decades, given the performance of the 2000 in recent tastings I have done. This is a beauty, a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal Lalande de Pomerol that is impossible to believe comes from a less heralded appellation.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 Le Prieuré is so elegant and nuanced. As always, readers will find a Saint-Émilion built on linear intensity and vibrancy more than size. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mocha and crushed rocks are all beautifully delineated. The clean, intensely mineral finish is absolutely striking. This is such a gorgeous wine.

Discover the exemplary Le Puy Emilien 2019, a rich product straight from the revered Château le Puy in Bordeaux's Saint-Cibard region. This magnificent wine is a hallmark representation of the region's centuries-old winemaking tradition. Crafted from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, and a hint of Malbec, it exhibits a melange of ripe fruit, accented by delicate hints of spice.

In your glass, its ruby glow is a true testament to the natural vinification process - no added yeasts, no filtration, purely driven by gravity. Produced by the Amoreau family, vignerons since 1610, the voyage of the Le Puy Emilien 2019 from vineyard to bottle is guided by lunar and cosmic rhythms, aligning with biodynamic viticulture.

Treat your palate to the splendid Le Puy Emilien 2019, a symphony of refined balance, supple tannins, expressing the true essence of Bordeaux terroir.

The Drinks Business (93-96)

Léoville-Barton (St Julien; 84% Cabernet Sauvignon; 11% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 13.1% alcohol; tasted at the UGCB press tasting and at Lagrange with very similar notes). A special vintage here in all kinds of way and a fitting tribute to the legendary creator of the modern history of this property. Graphite rods and pencil-shavings; dark black cherry and raspberry fruit; walnut oil; wild herbs, almost a wild garrigue herbal element. Wonderful sapidity on the long and rolling juicy fresh, cool and chewy finish. Great density and compactness and more delineation and pixilation than Langoa. This seems appropriately endless on the finish

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Another massive, incredible release from this estate is the 2010 Léoville Poyferré. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Petit Verdot, its inky purple color is followed by a massive, full-bodied, incredibly concentrated 2010 that has awesome notes of pure crème de cassis, licorice, graphite, and spring flowers. As with the 2009, it has incredible depth of fruit, yet a slightly more focused, classic style, which is very much in the style of the 2010 vintage. With its new oak completely absorbed by its wealth of fruit, perfect balance, and sweet tannin, it’s a sensational, monumental effort to drink over the coming 3-4 decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Poyferré is based on 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot. It's one of the bigger, richer wines in the vintage and has a gorgeous, thrilling, full-bodied style as well as notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, violets, and chocolate. While many estates seem to be playing it safe and focusing on so-called elegance and balance, I love that Poyferré continues to make a ripe, sexy, beautifully textured wine that always offers more opulence and sexiness than most in the vintage. Ranking with the crème de la crème of the vintage, this gorgeous Poyferré can be enjoyed any time over the coming 40-50 years. Bravo!

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a total stunner. For the first time I can remember, Les Carmes Haut-Brion marries all of its elements so well that nothing stands out. In the past, the high percentage of Franc and/or the whole clusters were evident. The 2020 is the first modern vintage in which all the elements are so well balanced. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, lavender, dried herbs and incense all build in a ravishing Pessac-Léognan that will take your breath away.

Wine & Spirit Magazine (95)

From a clay and gravel plateau three miles east of Lynch-Bages, this is a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle planted in 1988. A hot July and a cool, dry August produced this substantial wine with freshness that keeps it sleek and creamy rather than heavy. With long exposure to air it reveals layers of flavor, from mineral to beeswax, preserved lemon peel and lemon meringue. It feels grand, the vinous equivalent of a classic Bentley.

James Suckling (96)

I love the deep and complex nose, in which the cassis and mint of cabernet sauvignon are beautifully married to the more generous blackberry of ripe merlot and the vanilla and toasty notes from the oak are marvelously integrated. On the palate it creeps up on you slowly; the first impression is ripe yet delicate, then the fine-grained tannins charge through and light up the sky. Very long finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2017 Malartic-Lagravière Blanc has a very impressive bouquet with flinty, citrus fruit that evolves more discrete tropical scents with aeration, hints of dried honey, lime and mango emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite saline in the mouth and fine weight. A precise and quite sustained finish. This has great potential and it may improve with continued bottle age. That said, it will be irresistible in its youth.

Wine Spectator (92-94)

Lots of blackberry and spice character, with chocolate undertones. Full-bodied, with lovely fine tannins and a long finish. A textbook claret, with refinement yet power. Love the touch of sweet fruit on the end. Almost Burgundian. Lovely and pretty. Score range: 92-94

Wine Spectator (90)

This exhibits plum, milk chocolate and light toasty oak aromas. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins, delicious fruit and a medium finish. Very balanced and nicely textured. Enjoy the softness. Best after 2013. 8,335 cases made. -JS

James Suckling (96-97)

Wow. This is so perfumed and mesmerizing with currant, floral and blackberry character. It’s full-bodied, yet so refined and polished with wonderfully fine-grained and crafted tannins. The finish goes on and on.

Wine Spectator (100)

Dark color. Black licorice, coffee, currants and black olives. Complex nose. A full-bodied, chewy blockbuster of a wine that is not giving anything at all away. It is like buried treasure still; you have to search for the gold. And it's there. Fabulous. Please give this time.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2014. 18,000 cases made. -JS

The Wine Cellar Insider (94)

Coming along nicely, the wine is already softening, filling out, and adding layers of complexity. Rich, full-bodied, lush, silky, and fresh, the layers of deep black and red fruits feel great on your palate and in the long, showy finish. This is developing in all the right ways.

Wine Advocate (96)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Marquis d'Alesme Becker leaps from the glass with gregarious notions of plum preserves, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with hints of potpourri, star anise, menthol and tapenade. Full, rich, firm and grainy, with fantastic freshness lifting the densely packed palate, it has a long, beautifully fragrant finish.