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    TASTING OF 16 BEAUJOLAIS CRUS, SATURDAY, THE 12TH OF AUGUST 2023, IN COPENHAGEN

    All wines were double decanted, poured into a carafe and back into the bottle, and stayed there for 1-1.5 hours. All wines were tasted with labels visible. There were 11 participants.

    Last year,  I tasted the 2018 and 2019 vintages from t
    he producers listed below, except Yvon Metras, Yann Bertrand, Domaine Anita, and Yohan Lardy. This time, it was mostly 2020 vintage to taste. For comparison, I added wines from these four highly acclaimed producers mentioned above in vintages 2019, 2020, and 2021. 

    FLIGHT 1:


    YVON METRAS FLEURIE ”LES PRINTEMPS” 2019

    He is one of the most recognized producers of Beaujolais, especially for his Fleurie cuvées, which he produces biodynamically. Handpicked grapes, vinified in whole bunches. He uses semi-carbonated maceration at a very low temperature without sulfur, using only native yeasts. Small quantities and huge demand mean that the price of his wines is exceptionally high. Since 2014, his son Jules has taken over the winemaker's duties.

    ALAIN COUDERT FLEURIE CLOS DE LA ROILETTE 2019

    Alain Coudert is considered one of the finest producers in Beaujolais. His property, Clos de la Roilette, a hamlet in the village of Fleurie, covers nine hectares of one of the best slopes in this Beaujolais Cru. The vineyard is located very close to the border of the Moulin-a-Vent appellation. The soil here is atypically rich in clay (25% in contrast to the rest of the appellation, which is all granite) and manganese. This clay is only found in a radius of 50 hectares, and the result is a more structured wine, somewhere between a "typical" Fleurie (floral and elegant) and a Moulin-à-Vent (structured and muscular).

    Alain Coudert vinifies in a more Fleurie style because he wants freshness and fruit. Vinification is the traditional, semi-carbonated Beaujolais style with maturation in large wooden barrels. He makes three cuvees, standard Fleurie, “Vendange Tardive”, and “Griffe de Marquis”. The latter is made from grapes coming from eighty-year-old vines and aged one year in Burgundy oak barrels.

    FLIGHT 2:

    YANN BERTRAND (LES BERTRANDS) FLEURIE OLIVIA CUVEE CHAOS 2020

    Born in Fleurie, Yann Bertrand never thought he would become a winemaker. He briefly studied commerce at a local university and then traveled around the French Alps for a few years. On his return to Beaujolais, Yann began to learn from the circle of famous producers, including renowned winemakers such as Jean Foillard, Yvon Metras, and Marcel Lapierre.
    Domaine Les Bertrands is a 7.5-ha vineyard, mostly in Fleurie and a little in Morgon. The vineyard is packed with old vines – the youngest is 30 years old, and the oldest is 110 years old, planted on excellent sandy granite soil. He practices whole bunch fermentation developed in Beaujolais, with no added SO2 and natural yeast. The grapes spend a night in a cold cellar and are fermented using 100% carbonic maceration in large concrete tanks.
    in large concrete tanks using 100% carbonic maceration. They stay there for 25 days and mature in small wooden barrels for 7-10 months.

    ALAIN COUDERT FLEURIE CLOS DE LA ROILETTE 2020

    FLIGHT 3:

    JEAN FOILLARD MORGON COTE DE PUY 2020

    Founded in 1981 by Jean and Agnès Foillard. Most of Domaine Jean Foillard's organically grown vineyards are planted on the old volcano, Côte du Py, outside Villié-Morgon village. The vines cover around 14 hectares and range from 10 to 90 years old.

    Vinification is traditional, with whole bunch fermentation during 3-4 weeks. No chaptalization is done. The wine is then aged 6-9 months in used oak barrels and bottled without fining or filtration.

    MEE GODARD MORGON COTE DE PUY 2020

    The domain is located in Villié-Morgon. Originally from South Korea, Mee Godard was adopted by a French couple in 1977. After studying biology and biochemistry, she traveled to Oregon for three years. Back in France, she worked in Champagne and Burgundy. In 2013, she bought 5 ha of vines in Morgon from a retired farmer. Today, she has 5.4 hectares in Morgon divided between Corcelette, Grand Cras, and Côte de Puy and 1.1 ha at Moulin-à-Vent. She works according to the principles of organic farming without certification.

    The harvest is done by hand, in boxes, to prevent damaging the bunches. Most of the crop (70 to 100%) is vinified with whole bunches. Fermentation is carried out at a low temperature, adding yeast if necessary. Aging of 11 to 12 months is carried out in a combination of neutral casks, tuns, and 600 l oak casks. The style here is dark, deep, concentrated, and intense wines with great keeping potential.

    FLIGHT 4:

    Corcelette is a single vineyard located on a granite hill in the southeastern part of Morgon with sandy soil and old vines.

    JEAN FOILLARD MORGON CORCELETTE 2020


    MEE GODARD MORGON CORCELETTE 2020


    FLIGHT 5:

    MEE GODARD MORGON GRAND CRAS 2020

    Grand Cras is a parcel located at the foot of the old volcano, Cote de Puy, and the soil here is blue granite.

    YANN BETRAND (LES BERTRANDS) MORGON BIO DYNAMITE 2020

    The grapes come from a tiny plot of 60-year-old vines situated right on the border of Fleurie and Morgon with soil composed of granite and clay.

    FLIGHT 6:

    JEAN-MARC BURGAUD

    He has a diploma in enology and viticulture and started making wines in 1989. Today, he has 19 ha of vines, and Morgon counts for 13 ha of them. He practices full carbonation and whole bunch vinification, including stems. Sulfur is not added during vinification, but a little is added to the wine before bottling. His luxury cuvees, Javernieres and James, are a bargain for the price.

    MORGON JAVERNIERES 2020

    This wine is made from grapes from a small parcel, "Javernieres", on the eastern side of the old inactive volcano Côte de Py, with approximately 55-year-old vines. Usually, only 2-3 casks of this top Beaujolais are produced and aged 12 months in newer French oak casks before bottling.

    MORGON JAMES 2020

    This wine is made from grapes coming from a minuscule ½-ha parcel on top of the ancient volcano, Côte du Py, where the 55-year-old vines give minerality, intensity, and concentration to the wine. It’s aged for 12 months in newer French oak barrels before bottling. This cuvee is named after Jean-Marc's favorite film with Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.

    FLIGHT 7:

    THIVIN

    A cult producer in Odenas, Cote de Brouilly. The soil here is a mixture of stone and clay. Godefroy is a small 0.70-ha plot in the lower part of the Cote de Brouilly. 80-100 year old vines. The Zaccharie bottling is the estate's flagship and comes from the best plots in the vineyards of La Chapelle and Godefroy, located on the mountain of Cote de Brouilly. Fifty-year-old vines. Godefroy and Zaccharie are manually harvested and vinified partly with whole bunches, nine months in French oak. These are highly aromatic, complex, and refined wines that, tasted blind, could be mistaken for a Premier Cru from Cote de Nuits.

    COTE DE BROUILLY GODEFROY 2020

    COTE DE BROUILLY CUVEE ZACCHARIE 2020

    FLIGHT 8:

    DOMAINE ANITA MOULIN-A-VENT “COEUR DE VIGNERONNE” 2021

    Since 2015, Anita Kuhnel, a former cyclist, has produced wines from 6 Beaujolais appellations: Moulin à Vent, Morgon, Chénas, Fleurie, Beaujolais, and Beaujolais-Villages. Her bestseller wine, Coeur de Vigneronne, comes from the village Chenas les Caves, which has granite soil and granitic subsoil with a high amount of manganese. The vineyard has an east-south/east exposure, is cultivated at a high altitude (220 meters), and the vines are, on average, 45 years old.

    Vinification is 20% whole clusters and 80% destemmed grapes. Total maceration takes ten days. The wine is aged for 11 months in oak barrels, mainly from Burgundy, and spends five months in the bottle before being released.

    YOHAN LARDY MOULIN-A-VENT (1903) 2021

    A young Beaujolais winemaker who owns a few hectares of old Gamay vines on plots planted in 1911 and 1950 on the heights of Cru Moulin-à-Vent in the "Les Michelons" climate. The harvest is manual, and the vinification occurs in whole bunches with native yeasts. Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes 1903 comes from Gamay vines planted in 1903 on a micro terroir of 75 acres of sand, pink granite, and white quartz. No herbicides or synthetic products are used in cultivating the vineyard. The wine matures for 12 months in large wooden barrels.

    I still wonder what did happen to the bottles from the eighth flight. Either both wines were transported incorrectly, left in no optimal conditions at the wine store, or not ready to drink. At my place, they were stored in the cellar room in the basement of the house together with other wines who participated in the tasting above. Served at 15-16 degrees C. There was no taste of faulty cork or oxidation. I have one bottle of each left, but I will wait 3-4 years to open these. The same applies to this expensive Fleurie from Yvon Metras from the first flight.

    FINALE:

    Trust your taste, and don’t rely 100% on what wine critics tell you. This is the lesson I got from the tasting above, which was a terrific insight into what Beaujolais Crus can achieve in terms of quality!

    This tasting confirmed my personal choice of favorite producers (Jean Foillard, Mee Godard, Alain Coudert, Jean-Marc Burgaud, and Thivin). A new and exciting addition has been the young winemaker Yann Bertrand (Les Bertrands), whose two wines participating in the tasting had a very personal style but were still very Beaujolais.

     

    Cos d’Estournel vertical 1953-2019

    Out of 24 vintages of Cos d’Estournel I tasted that evening, I haven’t had the opportunity to taste 11 of these - 2012, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1988, 1982, 1981, 1977, 1973, 1926, and 1916. The “missing” vintages significantly extended my knowledge of Cos and understanding of this property’s style. The mix of power and elegance is thrilling! This 2nd CC from St. Estephe is one of Bordeaux's classiest terroir-driven wines. 

    The white Cos, 2013 and 2018, were purchased at the chateau, and the 2009 white Cos, plus all the reds, were purchased at different auctions/wine shops.

    We tasted wines blind and knew which vintages we should taste but, not in which order they appeared in wine glasses.

     

    Cos d’Estournel white 2018 91p

    It's less impressive than when it tasted from the barrel in April 2019. Lighter and more elegant than in 2009 and 2013, with less marked acidity and shorter aftertaste.

    Cos d’Estournel white 2013 93p

    Freshness, aromatic white flowers, crispiness, sappy, finesse and elegance, splendid acidity, well-structured and lingering aftertaste. Terrific effort.

    Cos d’Estournel white 2009 93p

    Freshness, acacia flower, white peach, pear, crisp on the palate, splendid acidity, structure, and length. Lemony aftertaste that lingers. Terrific effort.

    Cos d’Estournel 2009 98+p

    This is an excellent vintage for Cos. Intense and aromatic nose of black fruit with the scent of yogurt, distinguished and classy. Luscious blackcurrants, grained tannin, great acidity, highly complex, and very long on the palate. Silky with great elegance. There is absolutely nothing to complain about here. Perfect modern Bordeaux with great style. One to enjoy over many years to come. 

    Cos d’Estournel 2015 98p 

    Very aromatic on the nose with fully ripe blackcurrants, creamy and luscious on the palate with fat and ripe tannin. Juicy and lively. A considerable amount of oak was kept quiet by plenty of flashy fruit. It has great complexity, splendid structure, and a long, meaty finish. This wine will surely gain even more complexity in the coming years - mesmerizing wine.

    Cos d’Estournel 1982 98p

    It counted among the best vintages in Bordeaux’s history and one that, after 40 years, still keeps its fine ingredients intact. Cos was a peach of the wine with gorgeously intense Cabernet Sauvignon displaying leather, cedar, and tobacco leaf. Plenty of creamy blackcurrants and grained tannin plus sweetness. Vibrant, refined and sophisticated. In full blossom. Can live forever!

    Cos d’Estournel 2017 96p

    It displayed a specific flavor while tasted, a milky or yogurt one on the nose, which I often find tasting Cos. It comes from the soil. Tight, strong and well-balanced, aromatic, great acidity, vibrant. Tobacco leaf and cigar box. Magnificent structure and depth. Long and persistent aftertaste. You get grace and power at the same time. 

    Cos d’Estournel 2014 96p

    A Bordeaux vintage marked by excellent acidity and almost perfectly ripe fruit and tannin. Cos fitted perfectly in that description. Firm, tight, and plenty of fruit and tannin. Strong backbone, vibrant, great acidity, impressive structure and depth, and long, persistent finish. Classic as it can be. Long-time keeper. It was the year of the arrival of new technical director Aymeric de Gironde, who replaced Guillaume Prats.

    Cos d’Estournel 1998 96p

    This vintage in Bordeaux was blessed by sunny weather and incredibly successful at Right Bank, with many magical wines produced. Left Bank wines hadn’t been largely successful. But Cos contradicted this postulate and was a badass wine. Intense on the nose and palate with creamy blackcurrants, mineral, delicate acidity, sweet tannins, and great complexity. Vibrant and lovely structure. Long lingering finish.

    Cos d’Estournel 1985 96p

    My first Bordeaux vintage to be experienced live on-site in September 1985. Perfect sunny weather through the harvest. Despite huge yields, the wines from this vintage have kept exceptionally well. It was called a feminine vintage by several wine critics, but it’s not entirely correct, , as well as its powerin my humble opinion.as well as its power in Cos expressed this vintage's grace, elegance, and sweetness beautifully but the power as well.  Roasted bacon, milky, black winter truffles, sensual, great acidity, bright complexity, sophisticated touch, and long lingering aftertaste. I had a slightly better example of this wine in 2015, but no complaints here!

    Cos d’Estournel 1996 95p

    It was served from a magnum bottle. You can compare it to other vintages ending with the “6” digit, but the fruit ripeness here was better than in 2006, and perhaps the complexity in 1996 was slightly more remarkable than in 1986. To be drunk by your children when they reach the legal drinking age.

    Cos d’Estournel 1986 95p

    After a solar 1985, everything returned to a more classic Bordeaux style in 1986. Cos was a traditional St.Estephe wine with a lot to offerconsiderable. Full-bodied, big fruit intensity, mineral, wet earth.  Cabernet Sauvignon in full blossom, great structure, and midpalate. Vibrant. It had a long, meaty finish. Many years to go.

    Cos d’Estournel 2006 94p

    Damp and humid weather conditions in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon came through these in a much better way than Merlot. Cos is the typical Cabernet Sauvignon wine with power, strong backbone, minerality, acidity, vibrancy, big tannin, and a meaty finish. It’s still very youthful and needs a couple of decades to mature. 

    Cos d’Estournel 1988 94p

    This vintage is considered better on the Right Bank than the Left because Merlot ripens perfectly. Wines on the Left Bank suffered a little from Cabernets not reaching perfect maturity. Cos made much more than solid wine. Very Cabernet Sauvignon wine with tobacco/cigar box, wet earth, cassis, and black truffle. Robust, strong backbone, vibrant, splendid complexity, and long aftertaste. It’s classic St. Estephe wine for long-term cellaring. 

    Cos d’Estournel 1976 94p

    A hot and humid vintage in Bordeaux. Cos seemed not to be affected by that and displayed some fine things. Cabernet Sauvignon had flavors of crushed rocks, tobacco leaves, and grilled bacon, with lively, lovely complexity and structure on the palate. Persistent aftertaste. A lot of great pleasure here.

    Cos d’Estournel 2012 93p

    This Bordeaux vintage offered many beautiful, tasty, and immensely attractive wines. They may not have the structure, complexity, and length of the famous vintages like 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, but they are an extremely affordable and excellent choice at restaurants. Furthermore, 2012 can now be enjoyed while you wait for the big vintages. Cos was precisely just like that: juicy, luscious, and had a caressing finish. 

    Cos d’Estournel 2002 93p

    You can easily say it was a Cabernet Sauvignon vintage, as Merlot had great difficulty reaching good ripeness because of challenging weather. Anyway, Cos managed to make a wine of satisfactory quality, displaying well the typicity of Cabernet Sauvignon. Leather, cedar wood, forest floor, mineral, strong backbone and structure, sappy, long and persistent finish. Has a long life ahead.

    Cos d’Estournel 1981 93p

    This vintage looked sensational before harvest, and wine people in Bordeaux expected a repeat of 1961. Unfortunately, it rained a lot during the entire crop. However, several properties managed in some way to produce splendid wines, and Cos was one of them. Powerful with a strong backbone, mineral, great structure, delicate balance, complexity and length, and long finish. It can easily be kept for 10-15 more years. 

    Cos d’Estournel 2011 92p

    Unstable weather conditions in 2011 didn’t allow winemakers in Bordeaux to accomplish great things. No full ripeness of the grapes and tannins. Cos made a pretty nice wine anyway. The exciting thing was that Jean-Guillaume Prats, manager of Cos, didn't overdo and over-extract this wine as he did to some extent in 2010. This wine was powerful and had rough edges and rusticity. Very Cabernet Sauvignon. It needs time to soften and reveal its qualities because of its potential. 

    Pagodes de Cos 2009 92p  

    Second wine of Cos d’Estournel. Magnum bottle. It mirrored the Grand Vin quite well. Of course, it did not have the same intensity, depth, and length As Grand Vin, but it offered large quantities of delicacy, silky texture, and seductive fruit.

    Cos d’Estournel 1926 91p

    Bordeaux bottling. Sappy with nice acidity, lively, tasty, nicely balanced, and delicate finish. It was still alive and a pleasant one to taste. 

    Cos d’Estournel 1995 90p

     I’m not convinced this vintage was that splendid on both the Left and Right Bank. Merlot ripened, in my opinion, better than Cabernet Sauvignon. Cos in this vintage displayed some peppery notes and a slight lack of ripeness. Edgy, firm, and stern. Maybe it will soften at some point in its life.

    Cos d’Estournel 1973 89p

    Surprise. Cold and rainy summer and rain during the harvest didn’t promise good things for the vintage, but I’ve got to say Cos made quite a fine wine. Aromatic and delicate, with gentle tannin, milky (yogurt) on the palate, vibrant with lovely complexity.

    Cos d’Estournel 1916 89p

    Danish bottling. Made during the First World War by women because male workers were sent to the front. Keeping well for a 106-year-old wine, a bit mushroomy but otherwise pleasant, round, and soft.

    Cos d’Estournel 1977 88p

    I didn’t expect this wine to be that lovely, considering all the weather problems this vintage experienced. A sensual nose of ripe(!) blackcurrants, fine acidity, tasty, complex, lovely finish. It’s nice to drink now and for 3-5 more years.

    Cos d’Estournel 1953 86p

    Danish bottling. I’d tasted this vintage before, in September 2015, and it also was a Danish bottling. The difference between these two bottles was that the bottle I tasted in 2015 had always stayed in the cold cellar of the Danish wine merchant since its release. The one we tasted during vertical in June 2022 had probably traveled worldwide because it tasted pretty old. Sappy and still alive, the fruit was somewhat champignon-like, and tannin was drying out. 

    Cos d’Estournel 1952 86p

    Bordeaux bottling. I strongly suspected that the 1950s in our vertical came from the same cellar. Why? Because this particular vintage tasted similarly past its peak compared with 1955 and 1952.

    Cos d’Estournel 1955 85p

    Bordeaux bottling. It was similar to 1953, with little fruit left, dried-out tannin, and champignon taste. 

     

    2021 Bordeaux from barrel

    It is a good, classic vintage with several highlights.

    After two weeks in Bordeaux from mid-April and doing extensive tastings of 300+ wines in vintage 2021, I realized the hard way that this vintage was challenging to assess, given the circumstances of its creation. Bad weather, rain, frost, mildew, you name it.

    Despite the significant challenges to winegrowers' decision-making, patience, and mood, 2021 produced many lovely, fresh, and aromatic wines. They're seductively flowery wines with flavors of red fruit and roses, with soft and ripe tannin. The best have splendid aromatic profiles, complexity, and structure. However, I found no outstanding, legendary candidates with three-digit scores among the tasted barrel samples.

    The best wines are great, some magically put together, but in my honest opinion, they are a little bit hollow on mid-palate and lack more depth and length than vintages 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Therefore, I think 2021 is no match for the previous vintages. Generally, the wines are lighter in expression but fresh and elegant. Tannins are ripe, yes, but soft. There are lovely wines in all appellations, but you'll also find overdone wines showing over-extracted and not ripe tannin because of grapes harvested too early. 2021 is a heterogeneous vintage, and you must seek after wines you like. However, it's not a vintage to everybody's taste.

    There are voices from wine people in Bordeaux and several wine critics that 2021 is a return to wine style like it was in the 1980s and 1990s. It's probably a correct assessment, but at that time, wine technology wasn't as advanced as today. The 2021 vintage would only end as a good one with it.

    It was a challenging vintage for the winegrowers, with heavy rain, frost, and mildew during the growing season. To all luck, splendid weather in October saved the vintage, allowing grapes to ripen perfectly, especially Cabernets and Petit Verdot. Merlot wasn't so lucky and lacked voluptuousness.

    Many properties decreased the amount in the blend and used significantly more Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to give a more robust backbone and better structure. 

    A weather forecast by France Meteo at the beginning of October predicted a deluge (app. 60 mm rain) over the whole of Bordeaux, and it turned out to be the wrong one. Luckily, this deluge moved approximately 150 km north and hit the Cognac area instead. Those who didn't panic and harvested after the danger was over did end with perfectly ripe Cabernets and Petit Verdot.

    Yields were up to 20% down in some places compared to recent vintages because of coulure, frost, and mildew.

    Alcohol levels in 2021 were down to around 13%, meaning 1-1.5% lower than the previous three vintages. It'll undoubtedly make wine freaks happy, especially those who aren't in love with the high alcohol in Bordeaux wines.

    Many properties did so-called "bleeding" (saignée) to have an appropriate ratio between must and juice in the vats. Several properties, even the classified ones, did chaptalise their wines from 0.5 to 1%.

    2021 is truly a winemaker's vintage. The wise and talented ones assured great attention to how to take care of the problems in the vineyard when to harvest, gentle extraction, and less oak. It gave them a big reward in the end with splendidly crafted wines. Others felt the heat, and their grapes weren't ripe in phenolic ripeness and underwent too much extraction, resulting in green flavors and dry tannins. 

    2021 in red borders, quality-wise 2017 vintage, is reminiscent of 2014 in some way and has the fruitiness and softness of the 2012 vintage. It'll be a very beneficial vintage for restaurants due to the early drinkability of these wines, but they will easily keep for several decades.

    White wines, dry and sweet, are, in 2021, as fine as 2019 and even 2017. You can easily compare 2021 to 2001 and 2002, which have splendid acidity, fine structure, and sufficient length for dry whites. Sweet whites have an extensive palette of aromas, superb acidity, acceptable intensity of flavors, and delicate sweetness. The yields were, however, meager.

    One very significant factor has been the price. The opening prices for 2021 were more or less the same as for 2020, one year ago. With the trio of excellent vintages like 2020, 2019, and 2018, there is no reason to invest heavily in 2021, for prices will stay relatively high over the next few years. However, not everybody in Bordeaux made average yields, so if you like the style of 2021, you buy the highly acclaimed wines.

    I tasted all the important wines except Ausone, Ducru Beaucaillou, Figeac, Latour, Leoville Lascases, Pontet Canet, and Troplong Mondot. The reason was a tight schedule and insufficient time to stay in Bordeaux.

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    2020 Bordeaux from the barrel

    Bordeaux is well on the way to doing a hat trick! After epic 2018 & 2019 vintages, 2020 is an excellent one judged from barrel tastings but can improve when in the bottle.

    I didn't travel to Bordeaux in the late autumn of 2020 and oversee the harvest as I usually do yearly. It was for well-known reasons - coronavirus and travel restrictions. Neither did I attend primeur tastings in April 2021 and got barrel samples of 2020 vintage sent to my home in Copenhagen. Around 500 wines were tasted in approximately two months, primo April to primo June.

    Winter 2020-2021 started quite wet but wasn't especially cold. Vines began quite early with bud breaks (mid-March), and there were frost spots around Bordeaux but with very little damage. The first half of April was warm, and afterward, some rain fell, causing a significant outbreak of mildew in several places in Bordeaux.

    Flowering took place in mid-May, meaning two weeks in advance. June treated winegrowers with relatively calm weather, and no rain fell for almost two months between mid-June and mid-August. Limestone and clayey soils had big water reserves built up during the winter. Merlot took significant advantage of this on the Right Bank. Gravelly soils did not have that privilege. Therefore, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon experienced hydric stress, especially in the north for St. Julien, but not significantly in Graves/Pessac-Leognan.

    Much-needed rain arrived in mid-September and helped Cabernet Sauvignon obtain optimum maturity outside and inside the skins.

    Harvest of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon started at the end of August and finished at the beginning of September. Merlot began to be harvested in early September, and then it was Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot's turn. The harvest was over at the end of September for most producers. Grapes were small everywhere, concentrated and full of tannin due to the almost two-month-long drought.

    2020 saw a gentler vinification with lower maceration temperatures and less oak than usual. Again, it was to preserve the fruity character and add freshness to the wines. More and more properties started using amphoras in varying amounts to age the wines to preserve freshness and fruit. 

    So, how is it 2020? Generally, it's less homogenous than 2018 and 2019 and, most importantly, better on the Right Bank than the Left Bank. The soils with clay and limestones, which had extensive water reserves, planted with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, did best. This is particularly evident in Saint-Emilion, which produced excellent wines and was the best commune in 2020. However, I'm not that convinced that 2020 should be called an exceptional vintage among red wines. 

    On the Left Bank, Graves/Pessac-Leognan and southern Medoc properties with soil water reserves and a significant portion of Merlot in their blends did great. At the same time, the northern part of Medoc isn't that consistent because of not 100% perfect Cabernet Sauvignon. It was perfectly ripe but not as grained, polished, and elastic as it has been in several places, as seen in 2018 and 2019. Tannins are firmer there in 2020 than 2018 and 2019, and their structure reminds me of 2005 and 2010. Classified wines in Haut Medoc generally made wines close to the quality of 2019 and 2018; some excelled in comparison.

    There's a lack of opulency and a touch of dryness on the palate in wines from the lesser soils on the Left Bank.

    Alcohol levels were generally 0.5-1% lower in 2020 than in 2018-2019 despite small and concentrated grapes. 

    White dry and sweet white wines remind of the 2018 vintage and are marginally more consistent in 2020. They also have more acidity.

    I have yet to receive barrel samples from Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Petrus, Trotanoy, Lafleur, Lafite, Montrose, and Le Pin for various reasons. Still, I hope to catch up with tastings when I come next time to Bordeaux, and I hope it'll be possible in late autumn this year.

    All the wines mentioned below were tasted not blind in Copenhagen, under identical conditions, meaning tasting in the same room at 16-18 degrees C and using only Spiegelgau Authentis red wine glasses (48 cl). They were tasted again during the following days. Unfortunately, because of large deliveries of samples on one day and the next day and so on, it wasn't possible to taste them all at once. They came directly from the properties (sent separately and grouped by organizations). 

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    2019 Bordeaux - The immediate verdict is on - it's truly an exceptional vintage everywhere in Bordeaux

    Having been to harvest in Bordeaux in October 2019, I realised how 2019 would shape up. After tasting samples drawn directly from vats at several properties before and after fermentation, I made up my mind - a mix of 2018 and 2016.

    Because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was impossible to travel to Bordeaux this spring and taste 350+ barrel samples. All tastings in Bordeaux were cancelled. 

    However, thanks to kind proprietors, I've been receiving samples from several chateaux and chateau groups (f.i. 1855 GCC, St.Emilion GCC and Grand Cercle) directly to my address in Copenhagen, Denmark. I and my 48 hours tasted all samples8 hours after receiving them. I was saying to myself - "If I can't come to Bordeaux, then Bordeaux must come to me!" Not all producers were keen on sending samples, but I'd, of course, respect their decision not to send samples abroad. 

    It was a kind of new experience, tasting samples at one single place, not running from one place to another, jumping in and out of the car, trying to fight the queue in front of the serving table, etc. The main advantage was the possibility to taste samples in silence and peace, and of course, retasting these. It was also great to taste some "small wines" I usually don't have time to even look at and receive samples unexpectedly from properties I had never heard of before. I've made some pleasant discoveries!

    After tasting more than 300-barrel samples from mid-May to the beginning of July, I can say that the 2019 vintage looks stunning. For reds, the ripeness of grapes and tannins, especially the sweetness of tannins and the grained texture of these, is fantastic. Each grape variety shows in full its typicity and character alone and also greatly compliments the other varieties in the blend! All the samples listed below had been sent over directly from Bordeaux to my home in Copenhagen. They were rested at least 48 hours in an upright position and tasted with label on in the same room (my living room), from the same glasses, often grouped if possible, by commune/district. They were, in most cases, retasted later the same day. 

    2019 vintage can be compared to the 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018 vintage, depending on the wine critic you trust, but there's no doubt that the quality of most red wines is just excellent. I find Left Bank with especially Saint-Estephe and Pauillac, then Right Bank with Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, particularly strong, but you will easily find many beautiful wines outside classified growth for small money everywhere in Bordeaux. I personally consider that 2019 is a well-prepared blend of 2009 (the sweetness of fruit), 2016 (nobility and elegance) and 2018 (quality of tannins).

    Whites keep the trend of performing substantially excellent in vintages ending with asymmetric end digits! Dry white wines in the 2019 vintage are better than 2018 and remind me of the 2017 vintage, while 2019 Sauternes & Barsac is of excellent quality and have, in my honest opinion, the edge over the 2017 vintage. 2017 vintage was, as we know, great for both kinds of white wines.

    My immediate verdict of mine is that 2019 is an exceptional vintage, and I'm pretty confident that it will maintain all the qualities when in the bottle in 2021 and even improve.

    The primer campaign is now over (ultimo June 2020), and prices were happily, in most cases, 15-30% lower than in 2018, and many wise purchases could be made.

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    Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux:

    Bourdieu - 87% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon + 3% Cabernet Franc, vinification and ageing in stainless steel vats. Black cherries/blueberries, fresh and aromatic, well-equipped with creamy fruit and sweet tannin. Lovely fruity finish. 90p.

    Bourdieu N ̊1 - 89% Merlot + 8% Cabernet Sauvignon + 3% Malbec, partial ageing in barrels. Aromatic black-/blueberries, fatter and more powerful than standard cuvée, vanilla, complex with a long caressing finish. 91p.

    Bourdieu Absolu - 79% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Sauvignon + 4% Malbec, ageing in barrels for 18 months. Thick and dense, concentrated with plenty of blueberries, strong backbone, delicious complexity and length. 91-92p. A pleasant surprise and proof that they actually can produce some interesting wines in Blaye! All three cuvées from Bourdieu's owner are like that.

    Haut Bertinerie - the aroma of roses and yellow cherries, sleek and attractive with tasty berries and sweet tannin, delicate finish. 90-91p.

    Bordeaux:

    D'Aiguilhe white – very fragrant on the nose with associations to green apple, white peach and acacia flower, elegant acidity, very crispy on the palate with great length. Well-balanced. Subtle finish. 91p.

    Clos des Lunes Lunes d'Argent - 70% Semillon + 30% Sauvignon, alcohol is 13%. 6 to 7 months ageing in 25% oak barrels. The owner, Olivier Bernard's son, Hugo, has been responsible here for exploitation since 2014. This sample is quite fresh and aromatic on the nose and palate with acacia flower/acacia honey, pineapple, pear and dried apricot. There's fine acidity, length and balance on the palate. The finish is fruity, lively and persistent. The best d'Argent yet produced? Possibly yes. 91-92p.

    Cos d’Estournel white - 65% Sauvignon Blanc + 35% Semillon, 14.4% alcohol, 8% new oak. A fatter version of Pagodes with more intensity and concentration, more acidity and longer on the palate. Very pineapple and peach, lively and with much freshness. Splendid effort. 93+p.

    Domaine de Cambes - 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc. Vineyard on the banks of Gironde river. Very intense nose of black-/blueberries, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, smooth and creamy on the palate, good backbone, lovely balance and fine fruity finish. Attractive and tasty. Delightful. 90-91p.

    Magrez Fombrauge white - plenty of pineapple and green apples on the nose and palate, new oak very eager to support crispy fruit, fine acidity, potent on the palate, firm finish. 92p.

    Le Nardian white - it's owned by Jonathan Malthus (Teyssier, Le Carre, Le Dôme and others), and the vineyard is situated several kilometres south of St.Emilion village. It's planted with old vines, which are app. half a century old or even older than that. The blend in 2019 is 70% of Sauvignon Blanc, 15% of Semillon and then 15% Muscadelle. Great freshness and intensity of aromas and fragrances on the nose with acacia flower, pear and peaches. Creamy pineapples, peaches and apricots on the palate. High acidity too to compliment the beautifully scented fruit. Excellent complexity and length. I'm impressed! 93+p.

    Pagodes de Cos white - 88% Sauvignon Blanc + 12% Semillon, 14.4% Alcohol, 8% new barrels. Pleasant aromas of litchi, white flowers, aromatic, much pineapple on the palate, vibrant with fine acidity and complexity. Tasty and smooth finish. It will go very well with lighter food. 91-92p.

    Valandraud white – 1.5 ha, clayey-limestone, 50% Semillon + 40% Sauvignon Blanc + 10% Sauvignon Gris. Myriad of aromas like f.i. Acacia flower, peaches, pineapple and mango, vibrant, multi-faceted, splendid complexity and acidity, aftertaste on fresh tones. 93-94p.

    Virginie de Valandraud white – a second label of white Valandraud. 2.5 ha, clayey-limestone, 50% Semillon + 40% Sauvignon Blanc + 10% Sauvignon Gris. Full of freshness and vivacity, aromas of pineapple and grapefruit, fine acidity, well-bolstered on the palate, delicious fruity finish. 92p.

    Single variety wines made by Hubert de Bouard:

    Cabernet Franc – freshness, characteristic “green” flavours of leek, ripe fruit, fine acidity and backbone, firm aftertaste. 87-88p.

    Cabernet Sauvignon – refined concentration, graphite, pencil, minerality and acidity, grained tannin, persistent finish. 87-88p.

    Chardonnay – acacia flower, melted butter, fresh, nice acidity, crisp fruit, nicely structured. 86-87p.

    Merlot – cherries/blueberries, violets, soft and sweetness, silky tannins, tasty, lingering finish. 88-89p.

    Sauvignon – fine example of this grape’s characteristics. Minerality, green apple, pear, lemongrass, fine acidity and crispiness, lingering finish. 88-89p.

    Semillon – aromatic, tropical fruit like mango, honey melon, sweetness, acidity present, crisp fruit, fruity aftertaste. 88p.

    Bordeaux Superieur:

    20 Mille - 1.4 ha, neighbour to Croix Mouton, 100% Merlot, 14.2% alcohol, alcoholic fermentation at max. 26/27 degrees C, ageing in the specially cigar-shaped barrels from Demptos and Remond. Dense and intense nose of black cherries and blueberries, plush and spicy black fruit on the palate with lovely backbone, complexity, structure and length. Fine depth. Excellent cooperation between aromatic fruit and sweet tannin. Splendid effort. 92+p.

    Balthus - de Reignac's 100% Merlot cuvée showed the fine intensity of dark cherries and blueberries, lovely complexity, silky texture and delicate lingering finish. 91-92p.

    Croix Mouton - one of several estates on Right Bank belonging to Jean-Philippe Janoueix. He also owns 20 Mille, La Confession and Cap St. Georges. He stands for running/making wine at Sacre Coeur and La Croix St.Georges. He doesn't use external oenologist at his properties.

    70 ha, just outside Fronsac appellation and close to Dordogne river, the blend here is 96% Merlot + 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.2% alcohol, alcoholic fermentation at max. 26/27 degrees C, ageing in 20% oak and rest in vats. Not as powerful as 2018 but more precise and with more significant depth. It's an enormously seductive and attractive effort filled with perfectly ripe blackberries and sweet tannin, fine structure and subtly fruity, smooth and lingering finish. Probably the best CM ever produced.  For the price, it'll make a great qpr in this vintage! 92+p.

    De Reignac and Sainte Barbre - well-constructed, nice concentration and structure, lovely fruity and grained tannins, sleek and silky. Lovely effort for both. 91p. 

    Tayet Cuvêe Prestige - 55% Merlot + 35% Cabernet Sauvignon + 10% Petit Verdot. Owners - Famille de Schepper - de Mour. The nose displays a lovely intensity of cherries, and on the palate, it seems light in texture and concentration. However, it's a nicely constructed and balanced baby wine with a smooth and fruity finish. 89p.

    Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux:

    Carat de Reaut - 80% Cabernet Sauvignon + 20% Merlot. A special selection of manually harvested grapes from the vineyard ageing in barrels. Only produced in exceptional vintages. More flair and elegance than in Reaut, opulent and splendid length, quite complex and with persistent finish. 92p.

    Reaut - 26 ha, Merlot 58%, Cabernet Sauvignon 37%, Cabernet Franc 5%. It was purchased in 2012 by Yannick Evenou, at that time manager of La Dominique, responsible for creating the Terrasse Rouge project at this property. He purchased Reaut with some investors, and then private wine-lovers and others could buy a share(s) in it. Jean-Claude Ramonet from famous Burgundy producer, Domaine Ramonet, is among investors!

    Strong and potent, lots of creamy dark cherries/blueberries/blackcurrants, well-composed, complex, fat sweet tannin, long and firm finish. An impressive effort, I have to say. Great value for money. 92p.

    Canon-Fronsac:

    Gaby Princess - dark berries, nice acidity, polished, nicely structured and good length. 87p.

    Gaby - dark cherries on the nose, creamy berries and sweet tannin, but is a bit overshadowed by new oak on the palate, and there's also a hint of over-extraction. Fine structure and length. Long and persistent finish. 90p.

    Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux:

    D'Aiguilhe – spicy raspberries, earthy, nicely concentrated, some power here, just enough sweet tannin to balance the fruit. Firm finale. 90-91p.

    Ampelia – displayed fragrant nose of the rose bush, some violets and raspberries, distinct on the palate with creamy berries and sweet tannins, lingering finish. Seductive effort. 91-92p.

    L’Aurage - 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc. It's made by the son of Francois Mitjavile, Louis. Minty on the nose, spicy berries with some eucalyptus, well-assorted and harmonious. You can taste the presence of Cabernet Franc in the blend (backbone). Fine effort! 91-92p.

    La Brande - aromatically scented nose of roses/rosebush, silky all over, crunchy fruit and tannin, vibrant, lovely taste, harmonious and lingering. Pretty good effort. 91+p.

    Clos Lunelles - 8.5 ha, 80% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.48% alcohol. The fragrance of rose bush, spicy fruit, tannins are a bit dominating, but all in all, it's a decent effort with roundness and attraction. 90p.

    Cote Montpezat - delicate aromatic nose of dark cherries/blackberries, fine acidity, fragrant roses and violets, well-assorted and well-balanced, fine structure. Seductive effort. 91-92p.

    Clos Puy Arnaud and Laussac - very raspberry, nicely structured, fragrant and tasty. 90-91p. Laussac Cuvée Sacha - more intensity, more concentration and longer on the palate compared to Laussac. 91-92p.

    Le Rey Les Argileuses – parcels 1-3, 12 ha, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc, 14.6% alcohol. Vinification is carried out in stainless steel tanks with no oak. A lovely and aromatic fragrance of roses/rose bush, round and tasty, catchy, smooth and silky on the palate with raspberries. Perfect for drinking at garden parties and to light dishes. 90-91p.

    Le Rey Les Rocheuses – parcels 5-6, 12 ha, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol. 40% new oak, 40% one year, 20% second-year barrels. Vanilla, creamy berries on the palate, impressive depth and complex, sweet tannins, again and again, superb balance, long fruity finish. It's delicious stuff. 92-93p.

    Cotes de Bourg:

    Roc de Cambes - 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Big, fully packed nose of black fruit, very intense, complex with creamy berries on the palate, splendid acidity and length, fine complexity, velvety texture and persistent finish. Fabulous effort! 93-94p.

    Entre-Deux-Mers:

    Auguste - same owner as Gaby in Canon-Fronsac. The nose of red berries and roses, aromatic and seductive, same fragrances on the palate, tasty berries, delicate, soft aftertaste. Attractive. 88p.

    Fronsac:

    Dalem - dark aromatic cherries on the nose, quite potent on the palate with strong structure, splendid acidity and balance, fine-grained tannin to support creamy fruit, long firm finish. 93p.

    Fontenil - 10 ha, 100% Merlot. Potent wine with concentrated black cherries on the nose, strong backbone, minerality, lot of creamy fruit and fat tannin, splendid complexity and meaty aftertaste. Very successful effort for the vintage. 93p.

    De la Riviere - everything is in the right place here. Intense nose of blueberries, strong structure and backbone, splendid complexity and length. Some minerality and splendid acidity. 93-94p.

    Villars - earthy flavours, spicy black cherries, spicy, potent and well-structured with persistent finish. Fine for the vintage. 92p.

    Graves:

    Crabitey white - 70% Sauvignon Blanc + 30% Semillon. Aromatic and attractive on the nose and palate, green apple and pear, well-assorted, corresponding fine acidity, crispy with nice length and smooth aftertaste. 92-93p.

    Rahoul – 35 ha, 62% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot. Robust and intense, well-proportioned, fine structure and length. A light scent of graphite and grilled bacon. Complex and with persistent finish. 91-92p.

    Rahoul white – 4 ha, 61% Semillon + 39% Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, quite aromatic, delicate, a bit light and linear, reasonable length. 87p.

    Roquetaillade La Grange - similar to Saint Robert Poncet Deville with more concentration and length. As seductive and tasty. 92p.

    Saint Robert Poncet Deville - dark aromatic berries on the nose and crushed blackcurrant on the nose, all that in a silky package, excellent structure and complexity, lingering finish. Well-made. 91+p.

    Brondelle, de Cerons and Crabitey - fruity, round, soft fruit and tannin, tasty. 88p to all three wines.

    Haut Medoc:

    Belgrave – 59 ha, 62% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot. Cherry/raspberry drops on the nose, polished on the palate, lovely scented, soft texture, appetizing with a mellow finish. 91p.

    Cantemerle – fresh cherries, fragrant, polished on the palate, crunchy berries and sweet tannin, gentle kick of oak, subtle complexity. Pretty wine. 90-91p.

    La Demoiselle de Sociando Mallet - 83% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% new oak for 12 months. Very scented, intense and seductive nose of blackcurrants and some roasted bacon flavour. On the palate, there's a nice amount of creamy black fruit and crunchy sweet tannin. Excellent structure and lingering finish. Impressive effort for a second wine. 91p.

    La Lagune - 70% Cabernet Sauvignon + 26% Merlot + 4% Petit Verdot, 14% alcohol, 50% new oak. Dense and deep nose of fragrant blackcurrants, scents of roasted bacon and graphite on the palate, splendid acidity, creamy berries and grained tannin. Full-bodied yet elegant with finesse. Complex with splendid structure and length. Long aftertaste. Another great effort from this property. Great value for money here! 95-96p.

    Lanessan – spicy blackcurrants, aromatic, polished palate with some bite, nicely structured, and soft. 90p.

    Malescasse – very fragrant cherries on the nose and creamy black fruit on the palate. Well-constructed with bold tannins working well with creamy fruit. Persistent finish. Well-made. 91-92p.

    Madame de Beaucaillou – comes from vineyards in the district brought by Madame Eugene-Borie through her marriage. 68% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Sauvignon + 13% Petit Verdot, 13,92% alcohol, 20% new oak. Lovely, tasty black cherries, lush fruit and pleasant tannins. Round and very delicious. 89p

    Sociando Mallet - 77 ha, 55% Merlot + 43% Cabernet Sauvignon + 2% Cabernet Franc, 35 years old vines, 90% new oak, malolactic fermentation in vats. Deep nose and palate with the scent of tobacco leaves and cigar box intermixed with creamy blackcurrants and blackberries. Very potent on the palate with depth, strong backbone and great complexity and balance. Fat tannins and fat creamy finish. It matches in every corner 2018 version and may show even better after bottling. It fully deserved 95p.

    La Tour Carnet - spicy berries, earthy flavours, nicely composed on the palate with good structure and length. Harmonious, tasty and crunchy fruit. Soft finish. 90-91p.

    Du Cartillon and  Lestage Simon - correctly made, round and pleasant. 87-88p.

    Lalande-de-Pomerol:

    L'Ambroisie - here is something to hang on to. Huge berry nose with some alcohol attack, spicy, concentrated creamy berries on the palate. A very modern approach with power and flamboyant fruit and tannin. No over-extraction here. 91p.

    Bertineau Saint-Vincent - 5.6 ha, 75% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc. Elegant, round and pleasant, tasty berries, silky texture and fruity finish. Immediate pleasure. 88p. 

    Domaine des Sabines – 6 ha, gravel and clay, 80% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Franc. Fresh with raspberry drops, soft, silky fruit and tannin with pleasant sweetness, very accessible and tasty. Attractive effort. 90p.

    Enclos de Viaud - 3.18 ha, 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc, 13.8% alcohol. Aromatic blueberries, nice spicy power on the palate, nice structure and depth. Considerable length and fruity finish. A bit one-dimensional but attractive and tasty. 88p.

    La Fleur de Bouard - modern style, plenty of black cherries, concentrated on the palate, creamy fruit, nice complexity and length, grained tannins. Lingering finish. A good one. 92p.

    Haut Chaigneau - it's the domicile of Pascal Chatonnet. He's consulting oenologist with many clients around the world. For instance, in Bordeaux he consults Cos d'Estournel and d'Issan, in Rhone it's Chateau de Beaucastel and in Spain Vega Sicilia. And of course, his own properties (Haut Chaigneau and D'Archange). 

    It's a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Aromatic cherry/raspberry drops on the nose, lovely intensity, structure and concentration, subtle complexity as well, bright fruit well matching sweet grained tannin. Very attractive and tasty. Smooth aftertaste. 91p.

    Jean de Gue - nicely made, polished with spicy raspberries, complementing grained tannin, nice structure and lovely fruity finish. 90p.

    Le Lion de La Fleur de Bouard - second wine of La Fleur de Bouard. Sweet and tasty cherries, polished on the palate, alcohol well-present, round, well-balanced, sweet tannin, soft and silky. 88-89p.

    Moncets - well-trimmed, aromatic, classic for the district with spicy fruit flavours, perfect balance and sleek, fruity finish. 90p.

    Le Plus de La Fleur de Bouard - 100% Merlot. Dense and concentrated cherries/blueberries on the nose, creamy berries on the palate, sweet tannin and adequate acidity, splendid complexity and structure, long lingering finish. Alcohol is there but well masked by wool curtains of fruit! Impressive. 94p.

    Sergant - aromatic roses and violets on the nose, spicy blackcurrants on the palate, well-constructed, nice concentration and length, well-balanced and with silky tannins. Excellent effort. 91p.

    La Sergue - this wine combines 3 parcels in the district, with each one having different soil and different grape variety and microclimate. There is 77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. The average age of vines is 45 years for Merlot, 35% for Cabernet Franc and 50% for Malbec. Pascal Chatonnet did vinification at his properties by maceration at a maximum temperature of 27 degrees C.

    It displays very intense and aromatic dark berries on the nose and palate, creamy and elastic taste with splendid complexity, strong backbone and lingering finish. Excellent winemaking. 92+p.

    Margaux:

    Baron de Brane - 54% Cabernet Sauvignon + 45% Merlot + 1% Carmenere, 14.2% alcohol. Lovely nose of black cherries/blueberries, aromatic and dense. Fine elegance on the palate, creamy berries and sweet tannins to balance them, silky texture and delicious fruity finish. Fine second label of Brane Cantenac. 92p.

    Brane Cantenac – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon + 26% Merlot + 2% Cabernet Franc + 1% Carmenere + 1% Petit Verdot, 14.1% alcohol. It had a distinctive nose of fragrant blackcurrants, the scent of grilled bacon and tobacco leaves. Quite concentrated on the palate yet elegant. Creamy with grained tannin and excellent support by acidity. Long lingering finish. Excellent effort for the vintage and may even surpass 2018. 95+p.

    Cantenac Brown – 68% Cabernet Sauvignon + 32% Merlot, 60% new oak. Some power, fragrant, blackcurrants and blueberries on the nose in numbers, gentle palate with sweet berries and tannin. On the elegant side with fine structure and lingering finish. Pretty wine. 93p.

    Le Coteau and La Tour de Bessan - round and pleasant, nicely structured with delicate fruit and sweet tannin. 89p.

    Le Createur - this is a special cuvée of Haut Breton Larigaudiere. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (old vines) aged in 100% new oak. Dark berries like wild black cherries and blackcurrants. There is a splendid intensity here on the nose and palate, fine-grained tannins supporting the fruit, elegant composition and balance, silky texture, and lingering finish. Very seductive indeed. 92+p.

    Desmirail – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon + 45% Merlot + 5% Petit Verdot, 13% alcohol. Black cherry nose, catchy and seductive, elegant, crunchy fruit and silky tannins, fine complexity and structure. Well-balanced. Attractive and pretty wine. 92-93p.

    Giscours – very fine and deep nose of sweet blackcurrants, creamy and potent on the palate, adequate support of oak, splendid complexity and structure. A pretty significant effort. 94p.

    Haut Breton Larigaudiere - 85% Cabernet Sauvignon + 10% Merlot + 5% Petit Verdot. Owners - Famille de Schepper. It displays a fragrant and attractive nose of black cherries, a palate with lovely silkiness, bright acidity and harmony. A captivating and tasty wine, well-made and which should improve after staying in new oak. 91+p.

    D’Issan – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon + 30% Merlot, 50% new oak, 13.37% alcohol. Fine cherry/blueberry drops on the nose, elegant with finesse, subtle, velvety texture, silky berries and tannin. Tasty and attractive. Fine fruity finish. 93p.

    Kirwan – 59% Cabernet Sauvignon + 28% Merlot + 6% Cabernet Franc + 6% Petit Verdot + 1% Carmenere. Lots of fragrances here with cherries and blackcurrants. Vibrant, lovely composed with a fine backbone, balance and structure. Creamy berries and sweet tannins on the palate. Fine lingering finish. Excellent effort. 94p.

    Lascombes – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon + 45% Merlot + 5% Petit Verdot, 60% new oak, 14.5% alcohol for Merlot, 13% for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. A very intense and noble nose of crushed blackcurrants, refined with great elegance and great finesse. Remarkable precision. Great length and long finish. Sublime stuff! 96p.

    Malescot St. Exupery – fresh, vivid, more elegant than usual, splendid acidity, structure and complexity. Excellent balance between crunchy berries and sweet grained tannins. Velvety clad finish. 94p.

    Ch. Margaux 1. Growth - only 37% of the whole production into Grand Vin. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon + 7% Merlot + 2% Cabernet Franc + 1% Petit Verdot, 14.9% alcohol. Ch. Margaux's technical director, Philippe Bascaules, told me that Merlot must be vinified gently due to its voluptuousness and high alcohol. He made a comparison between 2018 and 2019 Grand Vin - "when I taste 2018 Ch. Margaux, I taste 2018 vintage first, then Ch. Margaux. When I taste 2019 Ch. Margaux, it's Ch.  Margaux first, then 2019 vintage!"

    It's a showcase of Cabernet Sauvignon with wonderful aromas of cigar box and tobacco leaves. Extremely elegant and multi-faceted, sophisticated and very stylish for the property. Exceptional complexity and purity. Liquid silk. True perfection here! 99-100p. 

    Marojallia - 2.5 ha, 70% Cabernet Sauvignon + 30% Merlot, 13.5% alcohol. Powerful on the nose and palate with creamy berries and sweet tannin, polished and modern style but not pushed and overdone. Fragrant and delicious with fine backbone and length. Fine caressing finish. 91-92p.

    Marquis d’Alesme – 57% Cabernet Sauvignon + 37% Merlot + 6% Petit Verdot, 50% new oak, 14% alcohol. Densely aromatic blackcurrants, very spicy, powerful on the palate with creamy berries, strong tannin support, superb depth, and superb finish. Excellent effort, for sure. 94p+.

    Marquis de Terme – it's pretty wine but rather light-footed. Sweet aromatic berries, delicate structure and balance, lacks a bit of vibrancy and excitement. We'll see after ageing if it puts more on weight and intensity. Not up to the 2018 effort. 91p.

    Pavillon Rouge de Ch. Margaux - represents 27% of the whole production. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon + 19% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot + 2% Cabernet Franc, 14.2% alcohol. It displays a very intense aroma of black cherries on the nose, very distinctive, deep and noble: silky berries and grained tannin. The acidity keeps the whole thing fresh. Sophisticated and with a long and lingering aftertaste. As excellent as 2018, more typical for the property. 94p.

    Prieure Lichine – 62% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot, 40% new oak. Fresh and vivid, very fragrant with intense blackcurrants, sweet tannins, velvety texture, gentle kick of new oak, subtle and with an attractive finish. Catchy effort. 93-94p.

    Rauzan Gassies – 72% Cabernet Sauvignon + 28% Merlot, 50% new oak, 14% alcohol. Aromatic blackcurrants on the nose and palate, fresh, very elegant with finesse. Tasty with fine complexity, grained tannins, fine structure and length. This property continues its improvement, seen in the 2018 vintage. 2019 is as appealing and seductive. 94p.

    Du Tertre – gentle and elegant, finesse, splendid composition, silky fruit with helpful tannin support, smooth fruity finish. 92-93p.

    Medoc:

    Blaignan – aromatic blackcurrants on the nose, ripe fruit and tannin, pleasant on the palate with a nice bite, uncomplicated, soft finish. 88p.

    Goulee by Cos d'Estournel - this vineyard is situated further north from Cos d'Estournel and close to the banks of Gironde. 86% Merlot + 13% Cabernet Sauvignon +1% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% alcohol, 20% new oak. Same owner as Cos d'Estournel (Reybier). Pascal Chatonnet in consulting oenologist here.  There is an aromatic nose here, freshness, crushed blueberries, fine complexity, silky texture, and spicy-sweet berries on the palate, sweet tannins. Gentle. It's fine elegance to it. 92p.

    La Cardonne and Loudenne - attractive, fruity and tasty wines. 89-90p.

    Les Grands Chenes and Griviere correctly made, round and pleasant. 87-88p.

    Pauillac:

    D'Armailhac – voluptuous, creamy blackcurrants, potent and concentrated, luscious fruit on the palate, rich, excellent complexity and length, Persistent and fruity finish. Splendid effort. 94p.

    Batailley – 74% Cabernet Sauvignon + 25% Merlot + 1% Petit Verdot. Very fragrant nose with sweet blackcurrants, well-defined and well-balanced on the palate with crunchy berries and sweet tannins, sleek finish. Very elegant in 2019. Terrific effort. 92-93p.

    Clerc Milon possessed a very inviting nose full of aromatic blackcurrants, well-assorted on the palate, fine structure and splendid concentration, fleshy and with persistent finish. Imho, it equals the 2018 effort here. 93p.

    Croizet Bages – 66% Cabernet Sauvignon + 34% Merlot, 14.5% alcohol, 50% new oak. Same owners as at sister property in Margaux, Rauzan Gassies. Also, here you can spot the improvement in quality in recent vintages. Quite fragrant on the nose and creamy on the palate, elegant with lovely structure and complexity. Sweet and velvety finish. Beautiful wine. 92p.

    Fonbadet - fresh, aromatic black cherries/blackcurrants on the nose, nicely structured on the palate with acidity and tasty fruit and soft tannin. Nice balance. Good effort. 90-91p.

    Grand Puy Ducasse – 53% Cabernet Sauvignon + 47% Merlot, 35% new oak.  Powerful with luscious blackcurrants, tight structure, well-equipped with creamy black fruit and sweet tannin on the palate, subtle complexity and just enough oak to have a perfect balance. Firm finish. It keeps well its style. 93p.

    Haut Batailley – 76% Cabernet Sauvignon + 24% Merlot, 14.1% alcohol, 60% new oak. This property was purchased in 2017 by the Cazes family from neighbouring Lynch Bages. Not surprisingly, 2019 here has many associations to Lynch Bages’ effort in 2019. However, it's more elegant and is lighter in intensity. 93p.

    Lynch Bages – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon + 24% Merlot + 3% Cabernet Franc + 3% Petit Verdot, 75% new oak. Gentle effort in 2019 and sheer delight for one's taste buds with creamy berries and sweet tannin in every "corner". Silky texture yet quite fleshy and with a splendid structure. It finishes well with a long lingering finish. 94p.

    Lynch Moussas – 73% Cabernet Sauvignon + 27% Merlot. It belongs to the Casteja family, who also owns Trottevieille in Saint-Emilion. There's been a vast improvement of the quality here in recent vintages, and 2019 confirms it with aplomb. Potent yet elegant and with great flair. Aromatic blackcurrants on the nose, creamy on the palate with fine-grained tannin, gentle kick of oak to balance the fruit and great length. 93p.

    Pedesclaux – 72% Cabernet Sauvignon + 20% Merlot + 6% Cabernet Franc + 2% Petit Verdot, 13,64% alcohol, 68% new oak. Flowery and fragrant nose of violets plus some spicy blackcurrants. Rather elegant than powerful on the palate with delicate fruit and subtle tannins. Finesse.  Soft finish. 91+p.

    Pichon Baron – 87% Cabernet Sauvignon + 13% Merlot, 80% new oak. Sheer power and concentration, blocks and blocks of creamy blackberries and sweet tannin, remarkable complexity and depth, luscious and with many layers. Spectacular effort and as thrilling as 2018 or maybe even better! 98+p.

    Pichon Comtesse – 71% Cabernet Sauvignon + 23% Merlot + 6% Cabernet Franc, 14.12% alcohol, 60% new oak. Sensual with breathtaking elegance and finesse, refined and sophisticated, long, long rows of creamy blackcurrants and cherries, spectacular complexity and length, multi-layered, noble and graceful. Another magic effort from the property! 99p.

    Moulis:

    Dutruch Grand Poujeaux - nicely composed with flair, nice concentration, acidity, dark cherries with some spice, silky texture and delicate finish. Attractive. 90p.

    Pessac-Leognan:

    Bouscaut – intense and fragrant blackcurrants/blueberries on the nose, crunchy fruit and sweet tannins on the palate, silky texture and persistent finish. 92p.

    Bouscaut white – displays freshness, good cooperation between crispy fruit and well-present acidity, some minerality and complexity. Lingering finish. 91-92p.

    Cantelys – very appealing nose of ripe blackcurrants and repeat of these on the palate. Very nicely put together, meaning structure, balance, and length are just lovely. It finishes off with a fruity, mellow finish. Attractive effort. 91p.

    Cantelys white – a lot of aromas here. Peaches, acacia flower and lemongrass, underlying acidity, works well with creamy fruit. Fresh and vivid. Catchy effort. 90-91p.

    Carbonnieux – quite intense on the nose and concentrated on the palate with creamy fruit and crunchy tannins, well-structured with splendid complexity. Elegant and lingering finish. 93p.

    Carbonnieux white - classy nose of acacia flower, green apple and lemongrass, fine acidity, finesse and refined touch. Delightful on the palate with freshness and crispy fruit. Delicate aftertaste. 93-94p.

    Les Chenes de Bouscaut – second wine. Fresh, cherries, aromatic, round and pleasant. 87p.

    Les Chenes de Bouscaut white – second wine. Fresh, green apple, round and pleasant, crispy and tasty. To enjoy in its youth. 87p.

    Clementin de Pape Clement – second wine. Freshness, nicely composed, aromatic blackcurrants, nice acidity as well, some power and firm finish. 88p.

    Clementin de Pape Clement white - second wine. Fresh, lovely intensity and acidity. Scents of acacia flower and peaches. Delicate fruity finish. 91-92p.

    Clos Marsalette – very aromatic cherries/raspberries, fleshy, delicious fruit and tannin, lovely structure and delicate finish. Cute wine. 90p.

    Clos Marsalette white – intense aroma of green apple, pear, acacia flower and lemongrass, the acidity very present to balance the fruit, quite elegant with finesse. Soft finish. Attractive effort. 91p.

    Couhins – very cherry on the nose and palate, sleek and with a velvety texture, well-structured, creamy, crunchy tannins. Fine fruity finish. 92p.

    Couhins white – of course, more of everything than in second wine, some minerality here, more concentration and length. Fine complexity. 91-92p.

    Couhins Lurton – 16 ha, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon + 15% Merlot. Aromatic blackcurrants on the nose and crunchy fruit on the palate mixing well with soft tannins, nice structure and complexity, caressing fruity finish. 91-92p.

    Couhins Lurton white - 6 ha, 100% Sauvignon. A very potent nose of lemongrass, green apple and pear, very expressive, splendidly constructed on the palate with great acidity, intensity and complexity, long and persistent finish. It's classified property, and it never disappoints. Very impressive indeed! 93-94p.

    La Croix de Carbonnieux – second wine. Aromatic and attractive, nicely structured, round and with tasty fruit. One to be consumed in its early days. 87p.

    La Croix de Carbonnieux white – second wine. Crispy, the scent of acacia flower and green apple. Smooth and supple on the palate. Tasty, round and pleasant. 87p.

    La Dame des Couhins – second wine. Round, supple, harmonious, tasty black cherries, velvety texture, sleek. 88p.

    La Dame des Couhins white – second wine. Pear and apricots on the nose and palate, round and crispy with nice acidity and length, soft aftertaste. 87p.

    Domaine de Chevalier red - 65% Cabernet Sauvignon + 30% Merlot + 5% Petit Verdot. Alcohol is only 13%. 35% new oak, malolactic fermentation in barrel. A sophisticated, intense nose of blackberries and blueberries, a classy one. Full-bodied with style on the palate with excellent structure, complexity and length. Petit Verdot supports some graphite and scent of red meat on the palate coming from Cabernet Sauvignon, lush black fruit coming from Merlot and a strong backbone. The fruit cooperates perfectly with sweet and grained tannin. Great sophisticated touch and excellent length with a strong finish. Possibly the best vintage for red wine at Domaine de Chevalier yet? For me, it quickly reaches heights of 2018 vintage or surpasses a bit compared when tasting from the barrel! 96-98p.

    Domaine de Chevalier white - 70% Sauvignon + 30% Semillon. Alcohol is 14%. 35% new oak and ageing on the lees in barrels for 18 months. A dazzlingly fresh, sublime and dignified nose of flowers mixed with peaches and citron grass. Fabulous presence of acidity. Lively, sophisticated and refined on the palate with extraordinary complexity, depth and length. I'd say a classic and highly stylish wine for the property. Amazing stuff! 97+p.

    De France – 36% ha, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon + 50% Merlot. Spicy blackcurrants and raspberries on the nose, some creamy berries on the palate well supported by grained tannins, nice length and soft aftertaste. Already very approachable. 91p.

    De France white – 3.5 ha, 80% Sauvignon + 20% Semillon. Attractive nose of acacia flower and lemongrass plus some pineapple. Acidity is discreetly present. Elegant and beautiful with a pleasant fruity finish. 91-92p.

    La Garde – 50 ha, 52% Merlot + 46% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatic cherries/blackcurrants, fresh, nice structure, spicy berries, and nicely balanced, smooth fruity finish. 90-91p.

    La Garde white – 3.7 ha, 89% Sauvignon Blanc + 11% Semillon. Very pineapple, pleasant and inviting, elegant and crispy, nice acidity and delicate finish. For drinking in its youth. 88p.

    Haut Bacalan - attractive and silky, blackberries and sweet tannin, polished on the palate, delicate with creamy fruit, very good complexity and nice smooth finish. 91-92p. 

    Haut Bailly II - 60% Merlot + 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.2% alcohol, 30% new oak. A fine mix of cherries and blackcurrants on the nose, well-constructed with fine complexity on the palate with a velvety texture, sweet tannins, persistent aftertaste. Fine second wine. 92p.

    Haut Bailly - 56% Cabernet Sauvignon + 36% Merlot + 4% Cabernet Franc + 4% Petit Verdot, 13.7% alcohol, 50% new oak. Very mineral, very Cabernet Sauvignon scented with associations to red meat and grilled bacon. Gentler and more elegant than usual, but keeping the richness and sophisticated touch intact. Excellent complexity, balance and persistent finish. Refined and finesse. Fabulous effort. 97p.

    Haut Lagrange - attractive, well-balanced with creamy berries and nice acidity. Fruity aftertaste. 90p.

    Hauts de Les Smith – 40% Cabernet Sauvignon + 60% Merlot, 20% new oak. Similar to Le Petit Haut Lafitte, gentler, however and softer. 91-92p.

    Hauts de Les Smith white – 100% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% new oak. Similar to Le Petit Haut Lafitte white but more expressive and a bit more intense. 92+p.

    Latour Martillac – powerful, creamy berries and fat tannin, splendid complexity and length. Strong backbone and lovely balance. Long and delightful aftertaste. 93p.

    La Louviere – 48 ha, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon + 40% Merlot. Well-equipped on the nose and palate with aromatic and tasty blackcurrants/blueberries. Creamy berries and corresponding grained tannin. Excellent complexity and length. Intelligent and thoughtful winemaking here. 92-93p.

    La Louviere white – 15 ha, 100% Sauvignon Blanc. This property makes wines of great value for money. I don't remember ever getting a bad white wine from it. In the 2019 vintage, it's huge on the nose with intense aromas of pineapple and pear, sublime complexity, striking acidity and great length. Long lingering finish. Spectacular effort. 94p.

    Malartic Lagraviere – 56% Merlot + 39% Cabernet Sauvignon + 3% Cabernet Franc + 2% Petit Verdot. Intense on the nose with concentrated blackcurrants, cherries and a scent of violets. On the palate, there is excellent complexity, acidity and structure, creamy berries and grained tannin. A complete effort, refined and with a sophisticated touch. Excellent. 95+p.

    Malartic Lagraviere white – 76% Sauvignon Blanc + 24% Semillon. Full-bodied with a deep nose of green apple and pear. Vigorous, rich and complex, refined and with a sophisticated touch. Remarkable acidity and minerality. Long and caressing aftertaste. Textbook dry white Bordeaux! 95p.

    Olivier – elegant with finesse, subtle, creamy berries and grained tannin, velvety texture, sleek, lovely structure and delicate finish. 93p.

    Olivier white – very potent on the nose and palate, lemongrass and white peaches, crispy fruit, splendid acidity, refined. Long finish. 93-94p.

    Pape Clement – modern-styled wine with a strong backbone, big concentration, lot of fruit and new oak. Strong structure and acidity are well present. Made for long keeping. 94p.

    Pape Clement white – big scaled and intense, remarkable acidity and depth, and possessing a hefty new oak dose. Strong structure and lengthy finish. A great future awaits. 95p.

    Le Petit Haut Lafitte – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon + 40% Merlot, 20% new oak. Fresh, powerful and intense on the nose, livid, crunchy fruit and tannin, plenty of blackcurrants, lovely complexity, well-balanced and persistent aftertaste. 92p.

    Le Petit Haut Lafitte white – 80% Sauvignon Blanc + 20% Semillon, 50% new oak. Freshness, dense aroma of green apple and lemongrass, crispy, elegant and tasty. Very joyful and attractive. 92+p.

    La Reserve de Malartic – second wine. 83% Merlot + 12% Cabernet Sauvignon + 5% Petit Verdot. The nose of crushed berries and polished on the palate with crunchy blackcurrants and sweet tannin. Well-balanced and appetising. 90p.

    La Reserve de Malartic white – second wine. 81% Sauvignon Blanc + 19% Semillon. Freshness, aromas of lemongrass and pear, crispy on the palate with an acidity well present, pleasant and tasty. Nice fruity aftertaste. 88p.

    De Rouillac - on the light side, some delicate berries and tannin, round and tasty. 87p.

    De Rouillac white - freshness, crispy fruit and pleasant acidity, some minerality and a nice fruity finish. 89p.

    Smith Haut Lafitte – 59% Cabernet Sauvignon + 36% Merlot + 4% Cabernet Franc + 1% Petit Verdot, 60% new oak. Great, great effort with everything, just awesome. Intense, sophisticated, refined, strong backbone, great complexity and depth and great balance. Velvety texture and long, lingering finish. 97+p.

    Smith Haut Lafitte white – 90% Sauvignon Blanc + 5% Sauvignon Gris + 5% Semillon, 50% new oak. Fat and creamy with excellent acidity. Lots of green apples, acacia flower and pear. Great complexity and multi-faceted. Fabulous effort. 96-97p.

    Seguin - 55% Merlot + 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. It starts friendly and attractive with delicate aromatics on the nose with violet, mint and cherries. A little touch of heat/alcohol on the nose disappears rapidly. Silky on the palate with superb balance and a gentle kiss of oak, long and firm finish. It's a simply great effort, and for me, 2019 here looks like a mix of 2018 and 2016 with the latter's elegance and nobility. 94+p.

    Le Thil – intense blackcurrants on the nose, creamy blackcurrants on the palate. A well-constructed wine with a solid backbone, delicate balance and persistent finish. 91+p.

    Pomerol:

    Beauregard - 17.5 ha, 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol. The owners of it purchased recently a neighbour on the other side of the road (after you leave Catusseau towards Saint-Emilion), Petit Village.

    Intense dark cherries on the nose, aromatic, potent and concentrated, splendid structure and complexity, lingering finish. Very promising and probably the best vintage yet from this property! For me, it's better than 2016 and 2018. 93p.

    Le Bon Pasteur - 6.6 ha, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc. Potent, well-packed with creamy dark berries, strong backbone, splendid structure and length. Grained yet strong tannin. Persistent finish. Excellent effort. 94+p.

    Bourgneuf - 9 ha in one single block, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol, the temperature during alcoholic fermentation goes slowly up, continues at max. 28 degrees at the end, 35% new oak. Bourgneuf's consulting oenologist is Stéphane Toutoundji, one of the members of Thomas Duclos' oenoteam. Lots of violets here on the nose intermixed with blueberries and black cherries, very distinctive and noble. On the palate, it's refined with striking complexity and harmony between creamy berries and sweet grained tannin. Lingering and long finish. It is aA beautiful effort from the hands of the very talented winemaker, Frederique Vayron, and it deserves all 95p in rating!

    Cantelauze – owned by the Boidron family (Corbin Michotte). 0.9 ha, the vineyard has several parcels in Pomerol, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet franc. Aromatic blueberries on the classy and noble nose, very complex and velvety on the palate, sweet tannins, splendid balance. However, it's not as intense and creamy as its 2018 counterpart. It's a lot of elegance and finesse for those who prefer that, instead of much power and strength. 94p.

    La Clemence - powerful on the nose and palate with dark sweet berries, fat tannin and plenty of oak as well, well-structured, complex and with a persistent finish. One to keep for a couple of decades to get it softened. 93p.

    Le Clos de Beau-Pere – displays an aromatic nose of black fruit, elegant and elaborate on the palate with silky fruit and velvety tannins, fine structure and length, lingering finish. Tasty effort. 92p.

    La Commanderie - 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc. A bit reserved nose of dark chocolate and aromatic cherries. Very potent and creamy on the palate with splendid structure, length and persistent finish. Very complex too. At the moment, it's a notch below in quality of both 2016 and 2018 vintages here, but let's see if it further improve during the stay in oak. 93p.

    La Conseillante – 84% Merlot + 16% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol, 70% new oak. Marielle Cazaux, the winemaker, used a technique called "debourbage" during maceration, which separates clear juice and solids, so the only clear juice comes back to the vat/barrel. Freshness, complexity, sophisticated and rich. Very blueberry and black cherry. Velvety fruit and tannin. Awesome structure, elegance and impressive length. It seems to me there is more precision in 2019 than in 2018 and more typicity of Pomerol. Stunning effort. 98+p.

    La Croix St.Georges - 4.5 ha, surrounded by famous vineyards of Le Pin, VCC and Petit Village.  95% Merlot + 5% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol, alcoholic fermentation at 27-29 degrees C, ageing in 20% cigar-shaped barrels + 80% standard barrels (different coopers).It is powerful, tight,t and tastes a bit lighter than the  2018 version tried last year, yet it seems more precise in the 2019 version, compote of perfectly ripe dark berries, voluptuous fruit,t and sweet grained tannin, perfectly balanced. It is an imposing effort indeed. 95+p.

    Enclos Tourmaline - 1 ha, 100% Merlot, 14.5% alcohol. The first sample received wasn't in optimal condition (one week's travel), so I requested a new sample. It arrived in prima condition. Very blueberry and cherry on the nose with cocoa, intense and aromatic. Polished, creamy and velvety on the palate with lovely complexity and length. A seductive effort. 93-94p.

    Esprit de la Commanderie - the second label of La Commanderie. 80% Merlot Very fruity, attractive and enjoyable stuff with aromatic blueberries, silky texture, lovely balance, tastes exceptionally well. 88-89p.

    Feytit Clinet - 92% Merlot + 8% Cabernet Franc, 14.8% alcohol. Intense nose of blueberries, blackberries and violets. Powerful on the palate with creamy berries well supported by acidity and silky tannin. The alcohol level is high here, but it's extremely well masked by fruit like packed in the "wool". You can't even taste it.  Persistent finish. Very impressive indeed. 94p.

    Mazeyres - elegant with a very fragrant nose of violets and blueberries, creamy berries and grained tannin on the palate, well-balanced, complex and with a lingering aftertaste. 92-93p.

    La Patache - 3.18 ha, 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc, 13.9% alcohol. Nicely made with pleasant aromas of blackberries and blueberries, nice structure and depth. Pleasant sweetness in fruit and tannin. Easygoing, tasty and smooth. 90-91p.

    Petit Village - 10.5 ha, 80% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% alcohol. Very fragrant on the nose with seductive violets and blueberries. Distinguished and refined. Striking complexity and creaminess on the palate, silky fruit and tannin. The acidity keeps everything in place here. It's a more sophisticated and less concentrated version of 2018. Still a beautifully made one! 95-96p.

    Sacre Coeur -  this is an exclusive selection made by Jean-Philippe Janoueix from one single parcel at La Croix. 1.5 ha, 100% Merlot, old vines, 14.2% alcohol, alcoholic fermentation at 27-29 degrees C, 50% new oak from Darnajou. Dense and tight on the nose and palate with towering rows of black cherries and blueberries, potent on the palate with creamy berries and creamy sweet tannin as well. Opulent with high complexity and structure. Brilliant, brilliant effort. 94+p.

    Taillefer - powerful on the nose and palate with dark sweet berries, fat tannin and plenty of oak as well, well-structured, complex and with a persistent finish. 92-93p.

    Clos de la Vieille Eglise, Clos Vieux Taillefer and Lecuyer - modern style with flashy approach, some extraction but not overdone, firm tannins, excellent structure and creamy berries and a finish with a little bit of dryness. 91-92p.

    Saint-Emilion:

    3 de Valandraud – clayey-limestone, 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc. Fruity and round, easygoing, tasty, will do well as a picnic wine. 87p. Same owner (Murielle & Jean-Luc Thunevin) as Clos Badon, Domaine de Sabines, Valandraud and others.

    Alverne - 3.6 ha, clay-limestone plateau and sandy clay, 85% Merlot + 12% Cabernet Franc + 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. I haven't tasted a wine from this property before, so this sample was an exciting encounter. It was a surprise positively because it bubbled with freshness, spicy blueberries and raspberries on the nose. Catchy and polished on the palate with crunchy tannins. Lovely finish. Excellent effort. 92p.

    L'Archange - 100% Merlot and 40 years old vines. Cute cherry nose, pleasant on the palate with spicy raspberries, soft and silky texture, sweet tannins, delicate balance and smooth fruity finish. Tasty one with an enjoyable future. 89-90p.

    Aromas de Pavie – 29 ha, 65% Merlot + 18% Cabernet Franc + 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.67% alcohol. Round and pleasant with a considerable amount of dark cherries and lush tannin. Firm finish. Fine second label of Pavie. 91p.

    Les Asteries - 83% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Franc. It's situated near Clos Fourtet. It's just stunning wine! It reminds me of a great deal of Le Carre, but there is more turbo concerning intensity and concentration. Velvety on the palate. More complex, deeper and longer with a great addition of pure elegance and sophisticated touch. It breaks your heart, so impressive it is! 95-96p.

    Beausejour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) PGCC – 6.8 ha, clay-limestone plateau on limestones with asteries, 86% Merlot + 14% Cabernet Franc. It's is a beautiful effort! Great, great nose with a remarkable intensity of black cherries, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, fleshy on the palate with high complexity and sophisticated touch, luxurious and lingering finish. This wine just oozes sheer class! 97-98p.

    Bel-Air-Ouÿ – 4 ha, clayey-limestone, 65% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon + 5% Malbec. It meets you with intense cherries and blackberries on the nose and palate. Quite powerful with ripe berry fruit and tannin on the palate, nice length, persistent finish. 89-90p.

    Bellefont Belcier GCC - owned by Vignobles K together with Tour Saint Christophe, Haut Brisson, Clos Tourmaline, La Patache, Enclos de Viaud and Chateau le Rey in Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 13.5 ha, 70% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.95% alcohol. Elegant on the nose, noble, finely constructed, polished, catchy sweetness to black fruit and tannin, silky texture and smooth lingering finish. Gorgeous and attractive vine, but for me, it doesn't have the opulence and intensity of the 2018 vintage. 92-93p.

    Bellevue Mondotte - 2 ha, 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.81% alcohol. Dark, dark fruit in big numbers, perfectly ripe, luscious, potent, great depth and complexity, and with a fleshy and intense finish. A modern style here, but this wine is neither over-extracted nor overdone. Certainly not a wine for faint-hearted wine-freaks, but I guess it will go perfectly with strong meat dishes. It shows great quality. 95p.

    Cadet Bon GCC – 17 ha, 75% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Franc + 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet aromatic cherries on the nose, attractive and catchy, delicate fruit and silky tannins, complex and well-structured. Lingering finish. A heartbreaker effort. 91-92p.

    Canon La Gaffeliere PGCC – there are spicy black cherries/raspberries on the nose and palate, well-constructed and with subtle complexity, well-balanced and with a lingering finish. It proved itself quite well in 2019. 92-93p.

    Le Carre - neighbour to Chateau Canon. 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Powerful and intense on the nose with black-/blueberries/blackcurrants, creamy on the palate with splendid acidity. Balance here is just perfect between ripe berries and fat, sweet tannins. A great mix of elegance and power here! 94p.

    Le Chatelet GCC – 3.19 ha, limestone and clay-limestone plateau, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc. Cherry and raspberry drops on the nose, quite concentrated on the palate, very nice complexity and balance, sleek, smooth aftertaste. Pretty nice effort. 91-92p.

    Chauvin GCC– 15 ha, sandy clay with iron dirt on clay, 70% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Nicely made with delicious fruit complemented by sweet tannins and a smooth finish. Uncomplicated tasty wine. 89p.

    Clavis Orea - 70% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A joint venture of Lahcene Boutoba and Franck Jugelmann. The first vintage was 2015. Grapes come from selected parcels by winemaker Franck Jugelmann (at Vignobles Rollet - plateau) in Saint Emilion. This wine may be the best effort yet, challenging 2018 and 2016. Intense black cherries, splendid complexity and structure, grained sweet tannins, a bit more refined than 2018, velvety texture and long lingering finish. 94+p.

    Clos Badon - 5 ha, gravels and sand, 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc. Intense aroma of raspberry drops, strong backbone, potent and well-constructed. A fine future awaits. 92+p.

    Clos d'Oratoire GCC – potent, well-structured, savoury and meaty, delicious complexity and length.  Fruity aftertaste. Fine winemaking. 92p.

    Clos des Jacobins GCC– 8.5 ha, clay-limestone, 80% Merlot + 18% Cabernet Franc + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet aromatic cherries, attractive, robust and elegant, complex, very reliable backbone, silky, well-balanced. Finesse. Pretty confident effort. 93p.

    Clos de Sarpe – 3.7 ha, clay-limestone on the plateau, 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Fruity and round, pleasant and tasty, a bit linear and light. Maybe it will put on weight during ageing in barrels. 86-87p.

    La Commanderie – 3.7 ha, gravel on sandy clay, 75% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc. Elegant on the nose with a light intensity of blueberries and blackberries. Crisp fruit and tannin, sophisticated and with a smooth finish. 91p.

    La Confession - 7.3 ha, 73% Merlot + 27% Cabernet Franc, 14.2% alcohol, ageing in normal barrels and 500 l barrels (Stockinger ones). It's just great stuff! A very dense and opulent, big and deeply scented nose of black cherries and blackcurrants. Vibrant with strong backbone provided by Cabernet Franc, great structure, tight, great complexity, and long persistence. I ask myself right now if it's the best La Confession ever made – I'm probably right in my prognosis! 95-96+p.

    Corbin GCC – 13 ha, clay-sandy clay on ferrous clay, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc. A distinctive and classy nose of sweet black cherries and blueberries with great elegance and finesse, vibrant on layers, sophisticated with high complexity. Silky and velvety. It's such a riveting and stylish effort! Will it pass by 2018 on the finish line? I believe so! 96p.

    Corbin Michotte – made by the Boidron family. 7 ha, sand + clay + gravel on a subsoil of sand and clay. 65% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. I found this sample lighter than in 2018 and 2016, not offering the same intensity and concentration of flavours. Beware, it's a lovely wine with sweet cherries, very accessible, elegant and with finesse. Attractive. I'm sure it puts on weight after ageing and bottling. 92+p.

    Cote de Baleau GCC – 11.24 ha, clay-limestone, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc. Deliciously fragrant and aromatic cherries on the nose. Vibrant and potent on the palate with delicious complexity, style and finesse. Creamy berries and sweet tannins. Excellent effort. 93p.

    La Couspaude GCC – 7 ha, clay-limestones, 75% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense dark berries like blackberries and black cherries on the nose. Creamy black fruit and corresponding sweet tannins, vibrant with great complexity, long crispy finish. Very impressive. 94p.

    Couvent des Jacobins GCC – 10.7 ha, clay-limestones and sandy clay, 85% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc + 5% Petit Verdot. Cherry drops on the nose, spicy black cherries on the palate, sleek with fine cooperation between berries and tannin, nice fruity finish. Attractive and tasty. 90p.

    Croix de Labrie - 97% Merlot + 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine, or should I call it baby wine started a bit mute but after 15 minutes in a carafe, it turned afterburners on! Intense nose of black fruit (blueberries/blackberries) with great flair, concentrated and seamless on the palate. Voluminous with great complexity and a long fruity finish. Seamless, so you can't feel the tannin. Alcohol? Where is it? Completely "eaten" or packed in or integrated/masked by fruit. It's a very, very impressive effort indeed! 96+p.

    Croix Cardinale – 4 ha on clay, 75% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc. It's a neighbour to Fleur Cardinale, and the Decoster family owns both. Well-defined on the nose and palate, spicy and fragrant raspberries, nice structure silky texture and nice fruity finish. 90-91p.

    La Croizille - 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Owners - Famille de Schepper - de Mour. Lots of blackberries here, intense nose and creamy palate. Tannins are finely grained, and there is fine complexity, elegance and smoothness - a fine effort rated 91-92p.

    Dassault GCC – 20 ha, sand-clay on clay-molasse, 74% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Elegant and polished, aromatic raspberries and blueberries, silky, fine structure and length. Persistent finish. Nice effort. 91p.

    Destieux GCC – 8 ha, clay-limestones, 66% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Franc + 17% Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite powerful, more attacking wine, big backbone and structure. Maybe a little bit too forceful. Anyway, it's a substantial effort, and I am sure it will soften to softer edges when in the bottle for several years. 92+p. 

    Le Dôme - this vineyard is split into different parcels situated on the right side of the slopes near Beausejour Becot and Canon, in the direction towards the village of Saint-Emilion. The first you notice when you "sniff" this barrel sample is a burst of Cabernet Franc, and there is 80% of it in the blend and 20% Merlot to support it. There is a sophisticated and intense nose of creamy black-/blueberries with great depth, strong backbone provided by Cabernet Franc, silky texture on the palate yet high concentration and sweet, crunchy tannins. Remarkable complexity, depth and length. It's a beautiful piece of intelligent winemaking! Wow! 96-98p.

    Faugeres – 37 ha, clay-limestones, 70% Merlot + 21% Cabernet Franc + 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cherries and blueberries, vibrant, modern style, nicely constructed with good length. Pretty and attractive wine. 91-92p.

    Faurie de Souchard GCC – 12 ha, clay slopes + foot of the hill with sandy clay. Relatively compact wine with a tannic approach on the palate with nicely expressed fruit, sophisticated and persistent finish. 89-90p.

    Figeac PGCC - 30% Merlot + 34% Cabernet Sauvignon + 36% Cabernet Franc, 14.1% alcohol. Very complete with significant build-up and precision. Both Cabernets were making their contributions perfectly, providing great minerality, depth and backbone. Cabernet Franc here is the best one they've harvested in the last 20 years! Merlot contributes with voluptuousness and creamy fruit. Best Figeac yet made by present staff – I think so! 98p.

    De Ferrand GCC – 32 ha, clay-limestones, 79% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 1% Petit Verdot. Aromatic and attractive on the nose, black cherries, intense and sappy on the palate, crunchy tannins, the gentle contribution of new oak, fruity and persistent finish. Beautiful and tasty effort. 92-93p.

    Fleur Cardinale GCC – 23.5 ha, clay-limestone slopes, 72% Merlot + 24% Cabernet Franc + 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very fragrant on the nose with violets, blueberries and cherries. Well-defined, vibrant, very complex, elegant with finesse, delicate fruit, lovely finish with persistency. Excellent winemaking here! 94+p.

    La Fleur Morange GCC – 2.06 ha, clay-limestones-alluvial, 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc. Cherries with cocoa powder on them, nicely composed and vibrant, modern style, nicely structured with tasty berries. Very catchy and attractive wine which will drink well. 91-92p.

    Fombrauge GCC – 58 ha, clay-limestones on molasse Frosandais, 89% Merlot + 8% Cabernet Franc + 2% Malbec + 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Attractive and aromatic on the nose, vibrant on the palate, creamy berries and sweet tannins, well-balanced. Pretty wine. 91+p.

    Fonplegade GCC – 18.5 ha, limestone plateau and clay-limestone terraces, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc. Powerful on the nose and palate with concentrated cherries and blueberries. Fat tannins, complex and with a lovely savoury finish. 92-93p.

    Fonroque GCC – 17.6 ha, limestone plateau and clay-limestone slopes, 86% Merlot + 14% Cabernet Franc. Pretty but light wine with aromatically scented berries, lovely tannins, delicate palate and smooth finish. 90-91p.

    Franc Mayne GCC – 5.68 ha, limestone plateau + clay-sandy clay, 100% Merlot. A very approachable wine with silky fruit and tannin, on the light side. Delicate structure and length. Correctly made wine but a bit plain. 88p.

    La Grace Dieu des Prieurs – 8 ha on sandy clay and limestones, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc, ageing in 100% grained new oak from Radoux. New owner since 2013, a Russian art collector. Louis Mitjavile, son of famous Francois Mitjavile from Tertre Roteboeuf, is the winemaker here.

    Very intense sweet black cherries wrapped in chocolate on the nose, very fragrant It's seamless on the palate with perfectly integrated luscious fruit and sweet tannin, pure elegance and finesse, and a long velvety finish. It catches your attention immediately with so surprisingly complete performance. Hold my beer! 93p.

    Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac – 15 ha, 73% Merlot + 23% Cabernet Franc. Attractive with on the nose with fragrant blueberries, polished and velvety on the palate, easygoing with a soft texture, fruity finish. 88p.

    Grand Corbin GCC – 28.5 ha, silica on the bed of blue clay, 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Very cherry on the nose, aromatic and attractive, polished and crunchy fruit on the palate, sweet tannins, silky texture, lingering finish. 91+p.

    Grand Corbin Despagne GCC – 28.8 ha, clay-silica on iron dirt/sandy clay, 75% Merlot + 24% Cabernet Franc + 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Splendid on the nose and palate. Intense with blackberries. Great complexity. The perfect harmony between fruit and sweet tannins. Velvety and persistent finish. Highly impressive. 94p.

    Les Grandes Murailles GCC – 2 ha, clay-limestones, 100% Merlot. A great nose with a beautiful aromatic string of berries, creamy stuff on the palate, dense and concentrated, velvety tannins, very complex and lengthy finish. An excellent effort. 94p.

    Grand Pontet GCC – 14 ha, soil on limestones + clay-limestones and sandy clay, 65% Merlot+ 24% Cabernet Franc + 11% Malbec. Spicy fruit, polished, on the light side with some kind of elegance and roundness. Nice balance and length. Attractive and tasty. 90p.

    Haut Brisson - 8 ha, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc, 13.95 alcohol. correct wine, but I find it a bit anonymous and light-footed. Beware, there is nice spicy fruit and tannin, nice structure and length, but overall, this effort doesn't get me moved. 87p.

    Haut Sarpe GCC – 19.5 ha, clay-limestones, 75% Merlot + 25% Cabernet Franc. Everything is correct in this wine, nicely made with nice polished aromas and taste. But also, a bit simple. 87p.

    Jean Faure GCC – 18 ha, clay-silica plateau, 65% Cabernet Franc + 30% Merlot + 5% Malbec. A rather unusual blend, and this sample is different in aromas compared with other tasted wines. A bit peppery and some leek, but ripeness is fine here. On the light side, silky texture and smooth finish. 90p.

    Laforge - 92% Merlot + 8% Cabernet Franc. A splendid nose of spicy raspberries/blackcurrants and as glorious on the palate with creamy fruit well-supported by grained and sweet tannins. Violets and some eucalyptus on the palate, strong backbone, splendid complexity and long creamy finish are fragrant. Excellent effort. 93p. 

    Laniote GCC – 5 ha, clay-limestones on a subsoil of limestones and asteries, 73% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 7% Cabernet SauvignonVery reasonable effort. An attractive wine with a charming appeal, tasty fruit, sweet tannins and lingering finish. 89-90p.

    Laroque GCC – 30.1 ha, clay-limestone plateau, 97% Merlot + 3% Cabernet Franc. All in all, it's a nicely made wine, a bit simple and light. It's, however, a certain charm and roundness. 87-88p.

    Larcis Ducasse PGCC – 11.15 ha, clay-limestone plateau and clay-limestone on slopes, 88% Merlot + 12% Cabernet Franc. Dark cherries on the nose, lovely intensity, elegant and polished, delicate sweet tannins, smooth finish. It tastes a bit light, and I hope it will gain some weight after ageing in the barrel. 92+p.

    Laroze GCC – 27.35 ha, silica + clay, 65% Merlot + 35% Cabernet Franc. Elegant and delicate, raspberry drops, finesse, quite complex with finesse, silky fruit and tannins, persistent aftertaste. Splendid effort. 93p.

    Mangot – 37 ha, 75% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spicy and aromatic cherries/raspberries on the nose, fresh and vibrant, fine structure, complexity and length. Lingering finish. Lovely stuff. 92-93p.

    Mangot Distique 12 – 2 ha parcel selection from 5 plots including three grape varieties, 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The first sample received wasn't in optimal condition (one week's travel), so I requested a new sample. It arrived in prima condition. Dark and heavy berries on the nose, a touch of green pepper and spicy raspberries on the palate, strong backbone, meaty, persistent finish. Different but exciting wine to follow up. 93p.

    La Marzelle GCC – 17 ha, terraces with gravel, sand and red stones, 75% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Franc + 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet cherries on the nose, aromatic and delicate fruit, well-composed with a velvety texture, silky tannins and lovely fruity finish. Appetizing. 91+p.

    La Mondotte PGCC – plenty of sweet black cherries on the nose and palate, potent, refined, complex,y and depth. Silky fruit and tannin yet robust and with a fat lingering finish. Imposing effort. 96+p.

    Monbousquet – 32 ha, 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.55% alcohol. Gerard Perse owns it in addition to Clos Lunelles, Bellevue Mondotte, Pavie Decesse. Seductive cherries on the nose, aromatic and attractive, crunchy fruit and tannin, fine composition on the palate, silky texture and fine length. 91-92p.

    Moulin de Cadet GCC – 2.85 ha, clay-limestones, 100% Merlot. Lovely and aromatic black cherries wrapped up in chocolate and cacao powder, well-defined, delicate, delicious complexity, sweet tannin, velvety structure, attractive finish, lingering. Excellent effort. 93p.

    Muse du Val – 1 ha, clayey limestone slopes, 50% Merlot + 50% Cabernet Franc, 100% new barrels. Same owner as Petit Val. Typical blend for Saint-Emilion, and there are raspberry drops on the nose and creamy raspberries on the palate. All in all, a quite lovely wine, not an intellectual one, drinks well and have some attraction to it. 90p.

    Pavie PGCC "A" – 37ha, 50% Merlot + 32% Cabernet Franc + 18% Cabernet Sauvignon not that different from Pavie Decesse. Dark berries in big numbers with power, great depth, structure and length. Richer and longer on the palate than Pavie Decesse. Persistent finish. Stupendous effort. 97-98p.

    Pavie Decesse GCC – 3.65 ha, 90% Merlot + 10% Cabernet Franc, 14.51% alcohol. Excellently scented dark cherries and blueberries, vibrant, potent fruit with an adequate kick of tannin. Strong backbone and great complexity. Like other top wines from the owner, you have abundant fruit, fat tannin, and dark berry flavours. Nothing negative to say; it's just the style they fashioned in 2019. High quality here too. 95+p.

    Pavie Macquin PGCC – 15 ha, clay-limestone plateau on limestones with asteries, 78% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. More elegant and with more finesse if compared to 2018. Quite intense on the nose and palate with splendid complexity, depth and length, luscious berries and lingering finish. 94+p.

    Petit Val – 12 ha, sandy clay + clayey limestone slopes, 70% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 10% Petit Verdot, 100% new barrels. Unusual blend for Saint-Emilion with the addition of Petit Verdot, who you rather see on the left bank. I could taste its contribution to the wine with spicy dark fruit aromas and solid backbone on the palate with creaminess. Persistent finish. Not bad at all. 91p.

    de Pressac GCC - 36.5 ha, limestone plateau and clay-limestone plateau, 77% Merlot + 9% Cabernet Franc + 11% Cabernet Sauvignon + 2% Carmenere + 1% Malbec. Tight and intense dark berries, creamy on the palate with vigour and energy, splendid complexity and structure, lingering finish. Splendid effort. 94p.

    Le Prieure GCC - 6.24 ha, limestone plateau, 83% Merlot + 17% Cabernet Franc. Cherry and raspberry drops on the nose, quite concentrated on the palate, harmonious and with subtle complexity. Pretty nice effort. 91-92p.

    Ripeau GCC – 16.1 ha, sand + light gravel on vein of clay + iron subsoil, 65% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc + 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intensely aromatic blueberries mixed with cherries on the nose and palate, quite well-equipped wine, creamy on the palate, Splendid structure and length. Lovely and persistent aftertaste. 93-94p.

    Rochebelle GCC – 3 ha, clay-limestone on the top of the limestone plateau, 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Cherry drops on the nose, quite powerful, yet with elegance and finesse, voluptuous. Complex and sleek. Smooth and lingering finish. Pretty enjoyable stuff. 92-93p.

    Sansonnet GCC– 7 ha, clay-limestone, 90% Merlot + 7% Cabernet Sauvignon + 3% Cabernet Franc. Delicate and attractive nose of dark berries, fine structure, silky fruit, crunchy tannins, sleek and elegant. Finesse. Well-made. 91-92p.

    La Serre GCC – 7 ha, limestone plateau, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc. Intense black fruit flavours on the nose and palate, creamy berries and fat tannin, vibrant, well-constructed, splendid complexity and length. Intelligent winemaking. 93-94p.

    Tertre Roteboeuf - 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc. A thick nose full of flower fragrances and blackberry aroma. Violets, wild cherries, cocoa powder and chocolate. Creamy all the way. It's a magical wine with great flair, sophisticated touch, fatness, seamless structure and silkiness. Again an exceptional wine from Francois Mitjavile, which hits the roof! Wow! 97-100p.

    Teyssier - it's a residence of Jonathan Maltus, an Englishman who's arrived at Saint Emilion in 1994. He also owns Laforge, Le Carre, Les Asteries, Vieux Chateau Mazerat and Le Dôme, all red wines plus a "white" vineyard, Le Nardian. All are situated in Saint-Emilion. It's one of the "hottest" consulting oenologists in Bordeaux at the moment, Thomas Duclos, who advises at all Jonathan Maltus properties.

    The blend here is 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc. Quite intense on the nose with spicy dark blackberries and raspberries, powerful and concentrated on the palate, subtle complexity, depth and length. Cabernet Franc adds backbone and strength to balance the voluptuous Merlot. I firmly believe this is the best vintage from this property I've ever tasted! 92+p.

    Tour Baladoz - 70% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Owners - Famille de Schepper - de Mour. It displays spicy dark fruit in vast quantities, powerful appearance, and tannins that are not grained in La Croizille. Displays a nice complexity, balance and length present. 91p.

    La Tour Figeac GCC - 14.5 ha, gravel and sand on clay, 70% Merlot + 30% Cabernet Franc. A bit stern and aggressive, filled with black fruit and tannin, some power here. It needs time to soften. 91+p.

    Tour St. Christophe - 20 ha, 80% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc, 14.3% alcohol, 40% new oak.2019 vintages great qualities are very apparent here and on constant repeat. Big, intense and dry aromas of sweet blueberries, voluptuous and creamy on the palate with grained tannin, high complexity, and length. The acidity keeps everything in prima order. Sublime effort! 94p.

    Trianon is a lovely black cherry fragrance on the nose, alcohol very present, sweet tannin and creamy berries. Velvety texture. Well-balanced with a smooth fruity finish. 89p.

    Trianon Cuvée Kosher - slightly different than regular cuvée with darker aromas of cherries and blueberries, more depth here and alcohol is better masked by fruit. Longer aftertaste. 89-90p.

    Yon Figeac GCC – 24 ha, clay-sand on iron dirt, 80% Merlot + 13% Cabernet Franc + 7% Petit Verdot. Aromatic nose of violets, attractive and elegant on the palate. On the light side concerning concentration. Charming. A little bit four-square but drinks well. 89-90p.

    Valandraud PGCC - 7 ha, clayey-limestone, 90% Merlot + 7% Cabernet Franc + 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, It was not a powerhouse in 2019. It's a wine with pure elegance and finesse. It's also refined and sophisticated with a velvety texture. Remarkable complexity and long lingering finish. Sheer class and refined style we have here! 96-97p.

    Vieux Chateau Mazerat - 65% Merlot + 35% Cabernet Franc. It's situated near Angelus. Opulent bursts on the nose with chocolate wrapped wild cherries and blackcurrants. Classy on the palate, abundant and creamy and with crunchy sweet tannins. Great complexity and length.s a fabulous effort. 95+p.

    Virginie Thunevinis a– pretty and quite attractive nose of cherries, well-placed creamy fruit on the palate, silky texture,e and well-integrated sweet tannin. Catchy wine and not too complicated. 91p.

    Virginie de Valandraud – 12 ha, clayey-limestone and gravels, 70% Merlot + 20% Cabernet Franc + 9% Cabernet Sauvignon + 1% Carmenere. Fresh and lively with aromatic and tasty cherries/raspberries, lovely fruit and tannin on the palate, fine length and fruity finish. 92p.

    La Voute - 1.42 ha, 100% Merlot, 14.3% alcohol, 100% new oak. Aromatic blueberries, polished, well-balanced, lovely structure, delicate and crunchy tannin, smooth finish. A crowd-pleaser. 90-92p.

    Carteau, Faugeres, Godeau, Lynsolence, Pas de Ane, Rol Valentin, Soutard-Cadet and Tauzinat. Attractive with tasty dark berries, nice acidity and lingering aftertaste. Well-deserved 90-91p to all.  

    Messile-Aubert - round, pleasant with tasty black fruit and delicate aftertaste. 89p.

    Fourney, Osage and Vieux Guinot - correct wines, aromatic, round and pleasant. 87-88p.

    Saint-Estephe:

    Le Boscq - 46% Cabernet Sauvignon + 46% Merlot + 6% Petit Verdot + 2% Cabernet Franc. Quite compact, nicely constructed, fleshy with very tasty blackcurrants, firm finish. 90-91p.

    Calon Segur - 73% Cabernet Sauvignon + 14% Merlot + 12% Cabernet Franc + 1% Petit Verdot, 100% new oak. This property made a blockbuster wine in the 2018 vintage, and 2019 is close to that effort. As expressive but not as concentrated. There's, in my opinion, more elegance, more silkiness here and more finesse here. Stunning structure and length, sophisticated. Among the best wines in this vintage, that's for sure! 98+p.

    Cos d’Estournel - 65% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot, 14% alcohol, 55% new oak. Wow, this is real, real enjoyment for one's senses! I think 2019 here definitively breaks up with old-style Cos and continues with the gentler and more soil character-oriented style, which started since the 2014 vintage. Max. 27 degrees C during alcoholic fermentation. Excellent cigar box, tobacco leaf and scent of grilled bacon, so typical aromas for Cabernet Sauvignon here. Extremely refined and sophisticated on the nose and palate, multi-layered with stunning complexity, depth and length. Touch down!! 98-100p.

    Cos Labory – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon + 34% Merlot + 6% Petit Verdot. 13.5% alcohol, 50% new oak. Spicy blackcurrants on the nose, aromatic potent and creamy on the palate, well-structured and with a velvety texture. Well-made. 92+p.

    Lafon Rochet – 65% Cabernet Sauvignon + 30% Merlot + 5% Cabernet Franc. 14.3% alcohol. Aromatic, vivid, sleek, creamy blackcurrants on the nose and palate, fine complexity and structure, fine balance, and sweet grained tannins. Lingering aftertaste. Splendid effort. 93-94p.

    Meyney – whole 16% Petit Verdot in the blend (18% in 2018) and remaining parts split equally between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Voluptuous, strong backbone, lush and concentrated on the palate, full-bodied, creamy and with complexity. It continues in tracks of excellent 2018, but I taste more elegance here. 95p.

    Pagodes de Cos - 55% Cabernet Sauvignon + 36% Merlot + 5% Cabernet Franc + 4% Petit Verdot, 14% alcohol, 20% new barrels. Second wine of Cos d'Estournel. An attractive and aromatic burst of sweet blackcurrants on the nose, quite opulent on the palate, creamy berries, silky texture, splendid support of sweet tannins. Nice touch of minerality. I can easily feel the presence of Petit Verdot, which contributes well to the backbone here! Sublime effort! 93-94p.

    Phelan Segur - 70 ha, 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 14.5 alcohol. More Cabernet Sauvignon in 2019 compared to 2018 (40%) and less Merlot (52%). You can taste the change in the blend proportions immediately! Aromatic cherries and blackcurrants in big numbers! Deep and big scaled nose, strong backbone, high complexity and significant concentration. Large, very complex, big ripe tannins. A beast in ship clothes! Different than 2018, which was much more sheep clothes than the creature. Will it outguns 2018 vintage – I think it will! 95p.

    Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion:

    Cap St.Georges - 19 ha, 83% Merlot + 9% Cabernet Franc + 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14,2% alcohol, alcoholic fermentation at max. 28 degrees C, ageing in normal barrels and 500 l barrels (Stockinger ones). AFine aromatic nose of spicy blackberries and creamy black fruit on the palate is well supported by sweet grained tannin. Focused. Silky texture and smooth lingering finish. Gentle and impressive effort! 93+p.

    Saint Julien:

    Beychevelle – 49% Cabernet Sauvignon + 46% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot + 2% Cabernet Franc, 13.7% alcohol, 60% new oak. On the nose, it's full of aromas of blackcurrants and black cherries, refined and classy with great elegance, full-bodied, cashmere everywhere, lingering long finish. 94+p.

    Branaire Ducru – 56% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot + 5% Petit Verdot + 4% Cabernet Franc. The young generation at this property seems to have brought the quality at least one step up compared to vintages before that. After the excellent 2018 effort, 2019 is no less exciting. Lots of aromatic blackcurrants on the nose and palate, creamy with silky tannins, complex, elegant and stylish. Precise and focused. 94p.

    La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou - 50% Cabernet Sauvignon + 46% Merlot + 4% Petit Verdot, 14.3% alcohol, 60% new oak. Dense blackcurrants/cherries on the nose, full-bodied on the palate, fine acidity and structure, creamy fruit well-supported by velvety tannin. Delightful second wine. 92-93p.

    Ducru Beaucaillou – 80% Cabernet Sauvignon + 20% Merlot, 14.2% alcohol, 100% new oak. A textbook effort from this property, perfectly combining power and elegance. Great complex nose of dense blackcurrants and palate coated with creamy berries and sweet tannins. Riveting structure, sophisticated and multi-layered. Awesome finish. Exceptional stuff. 98+p.

    Du Glana - elegant with finesse, nicely composed with flair, dark cherries with some spice, silky texture and delicate finish. Attractive. 91p.

    Lagrange – 80% Cabernet Sauvignon + 18% Merlot + 2% Petit Verdot, 50% new oak. Very fragrant on the nose with sweet blackcurrants, stylish, quite beefy and well-assorted on the palate, well-balanced with elegance and finesse. Very seductive effort. 93p.

    Langoa Barton – 67% Cabernet Sauvignon + 26% Merlot + 7% Cabernet Franc, 13.92% alcohol, 60% new oak. Dense blackberries on the nose, sappy and well-assorted on the palate, many layers to take from. Impressive structure and length. Sweet tannins and silky fruit. Delightful stuff! 94+p.

    Leoville Barton – 84% Cabernet Sauvignon + 16% Merlot, 13.88% alcohol, 60% new oak. The very detailed and refined nose of high-quality blackcurrants, striking complexity, multi-layered. Great complexity, structure and length. No modern vinification frills here! This property always delivers classy wine to keep for several years. Awesome effort. 96p. 

    Leoville Poyferre - 67% Cabernet Sauvignon + 27% Merlot + 3% Petit Verdot + 2% Cabernet Franc, 14.18% alcohol, 80% new oak. Modern style meaning more "attacking" fruit and tannin. Aromatic nose of crushed blackcurrants, splendidly constructed with creamy fruit and sweet tannin, energetic, great complexity and excellent persistent finish. This property you can always rely on - stable and making excellent wines. 95-96p.

    Sauternes & Barsac:

    21 properties tasted - 19 classified chateaux and 2 unclassified ones (Haut Bergeron and Raymond Lafon). 

    D’Arche – 50 ha, 90% Semillon + 9% Sauvignon Blanc + 1% Muscadelle. Inviting aromas of white peaches, mango and litchi, splendid acidity keeping it all in fine shape. Fine depth and length. Delicate aftertaste. Attractive effort. 92p.

    Broustet – aromas of acacia honey, grapefruit and mango, fine acidity and sweetness. Delicate too on the palate with tasty honey melon and guava, harmonious. Delicate. Fine honeyed finish. Fine effort. 92p.

    Clos Haut Peyraguey – 8.5 ha, 95% Semillon + 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Intensely aromatic nose of white flowers/fruit, acacia honey, elegant with finesse, splendid complexity and acidity, splendid structure and complexity, lingering and honeyed finish.  94-95p. Excellent stuff.

    Coutet – 38 ha, 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle.You will find intensely fragrant sweet pineapple on the nose, remarkable acidity and sweetness on the palate, acacia and heather honey, refined and sophisticated, lovely balance and finish. There's great finesse and elegance. Great effort. 95p.

    Doisy Daëne – 17.8 ha, 82% Sémillon, 17.6% Sauvignon Blanc, 0.4% Muscadelle. Very intense on the nose with botrytized flavours of pineapple, acacia flower, peaches, potent with acidity and complexity, refined with great length on the palate. Very significant effort. 95p.

    Doisy Vedrines – 30 ha, 96% Semillon + 4% Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle. Fragrant acacia flower and peaches on the nose, quite elegant with finesse, fine acidity and depth on the palate, lingering finish. Tasty and attractive. 92-93p.

    Filhot – 62 ha, 50% Sémillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Muscadelle Intense aroma of pineapple, sweet grapefruit, and some mango on the nose cooperation between sweetness and acidity on the palate, Great length too combined with a very appetising honeyed finish. Excellent effort for the vintage. 94-95p.

    Guiraud - 25 ha, 65% Semillon + 35% Sauvignon Blanc. Botrytized aromas of grapefruit and orange peel on the nose, harmonious on the palate, finesse and elegance, acidity here supports greatly sweetness and vice-versa. It finishes with a creamy honeyed aftertaste. Excellent effort. 94-95p.

    Haut Bergeron - it was another surprise and the best effort from this property yet. Fresh, intense nose of pineapple and orange peel, elegant with finesse on the palate, sweetness and acidity, make a great pair here. Expressive with flair. Honeyed aftertaste. 94p.

    Lafaurie Peyraguey - 30 ha, 93% Semillon + 7% Sauvignon Blanc. Intense nose of sweet pineapple, grapefruit and orange peel. Very concentrated and powerful on the palate yet with flair and grace. Striking acidity and sweetness. Sophisticated and with a mega-long heather honey finish. Exceptional stuff. 96-97p.

    Lamothe - 12.8 ha, 85% Semillon + 10% Sauvignon Blanc/Gris + 5% Muscadelle. Light aromas of grapefruit and pineapple, fruity and tasty on the palate with some sweetness and acidity. Nice honeyed finish. 90-91p.

    Lamothe Guignard - 18 ha, 90% Semillon + 5% Sauvignon + 5% Muscadelle. Very similar and with the same characteristics as Lamothe. 90-91p.

    de Malle - 22 ha, 90% Semillon + 4% Sauvignon + 6% Muscadelle. Acacia flower, sweet pineapple and dried apricots on the nose, fresh attitude with finesse, splendid acidity and complexity on the palate. Refined with a beautiful finish of creamy acacia honey. Excellent effort. 95p.

    De Myrat - aromas of sweet grapefruit, guava and mango, well-balanced on the palate with elegance and finesse. Sleek and well-structured. Fine acidity and delicate aftertaste. Impressive effort. 94-95p.

    Raymond Lafon - fine aromas of pineapple and peaches on the nose, a bit lighter than usual on the palate but still has great finesse and elegance, fine acidity and honeyed aftertaste. Hopefully, it will take on weight during ageing. 93-94p.

    Romer - 6.5 ha, 100% Semillon. Fresh and intense nose of honey melon, guava and mango, fine depth and acidity, a myriad of botrytized flavours on the palate, long lingering finish. Big scaled. Expressive and very captivating. I don't recall such a splendid effort like 2019 ever tasted from this property! 93-94p.

    Romer du Hayot - pleasant and round with some pineapple and grapefruit flavours, very enjoyable and tasty. Nice acidity and sweetness. Lightly honeyed aftertaste. 90p.

    Sigalas Rabaud - showed a splendid nose of honey melon, guava and mango, much well-defined on the palate with remarkable acidity, several layers, striking complexity, refined and with a long lingering finish. Impressive effort. 94p.

    Suau - 6.5 ha, 100% Semillon. Nice botrytised flavours of mango, pineapple and mandarin peel on the nose. Nice acidity and sweetness on the palate, polished, tasty and with a fine appeal. 92p.

    Suduiraut - 94% Semillon + 6% Sauvignon Blanc. Very dense and intense on the nose with many botrytized flavours, great complexity, structure and length on the palate, striking acidity, and sweetness make a great pair. Refined and sophisticated. Stupendous effort. 96p.

    La Tour Blanche - 6.87 ha, 90% Semillon + 9.5% Sauvignon + 0.5% Muscadelle. Acacia flower, grapefruit, orange peel on the nose, freshness, finesse, refined, splendid acidity and sweetness on the palate, excellent complexity and balance. Excellent effort. 95p.

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    MY TOP TEN WINES IN 2019

    Please notice that 2018 wines are not included since they are not bottled yet.

    1. Lafite Rothschild 2016                                  100p

    2. Cheval Blanc 2000                                         100p

    3. Cheval Blanc 2009                                         99p

    4. Lafleur 2016                                                    99p

    5. Lafleur 2015                                                    98p

    6. Pichon Baron 2010                                        98p

    7. Pichon Comtesse 2017                                 97p

    8. Beychevelle 1949                                          97p

    9. Leoville Barton 2016                                     96p

    10. Les Carmes Haut Brion 1953                     96p 

     

    MY TOP TEN WINES IN 2018

    Please notice that ratings on 2016 wines are from recent tastings after bottling.

    1. Lafite Rothschild 1908             99p

    2. Tertre Roteboeuf 2016             99p

    3. Leoville Las Cases 2015           98-99p

    4. Pichon Comtesse 2016            98-99p

    5. Trotanoy 2016                            98-99p

    6. Haut Bailly 2016                       98p

    7. Belair Monange 2016               98p

    8. Les Carmes Haut Brion 2016  97p

    9. Pontet Canet 2016                       97p

    10. Calon Segur 1918                    96p

    10. Beasejour Duffau 1918           96p

    10. Grand Puy Lacoste 1918        96p

     

    MY TOP 10 WINES 2017

    1. CH. MARGAUX 2015 100p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2017. Consistent notes. Grand Vin is 38% of total crop and composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. All in silk, epic wine. Exceptional concentration, richness and complexity, super-strong backbone, elegant and sophisticated, perfectly balanced, incredibly aromatic, extraordinary finish. For sure, this is the wine of the 2015 vintage in red. A great, great testimony/hommage to Paul Pontallier!

    2. LATOUR 2005 100p

    Tasted five times - last time in April 2017. Consistent notes. When tasted in 2008, it had an almost coal-black colour, dense and powerful nose of black cherries, blueberries and blackcurrants. Incredibly sophisticated and multidimensional on the palate with an enormous load of super-ripe berries and silky tannins, stunning balance and aromatic fruit of highest quality. It finished with an aftertaste, which lasted for about two minutes. It's already legendary, and it's a sure bet for 30-40 years of cellaring. It was a little bit less impressive when tasted 7 years later (2015). In April 2017 - closed at first sniff but immense potential waiting to come forward, extremely rich, complex and long. Everything is here to make this wine a legend. 99-100p.

    3. MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 2016 100p

    Tasted in April 2017. (83% C.Sauvignon + 15% Merlot + 1% C.Franc + 1% P:Verdot). The aristocratic nose of blackberries, cigar box and tobacco leaves, classy stuff with great acidity, velvety all over, stunning richness and structure, excellent complexity, powerful finish. Complete wine. My pick for the best wine of the vintage on the Left Bank!

    4. YQUEM 2015 100p

    Tasted four times - last time in December 2017. Consistent notes. Unctuous, fabulous acidity and richness, intensity and concentration, fantastic complexity, depth and length. Heavenly stuff!

    5. TERTRE ROTEBOEUF 2010 100p

    Tasted five times. This wine is no less than phenomenal now after bottling. It's the fifth time I tasted it, and ageing in oak seems to have kicked this wine even higher up in quality. What an intensity, opulence, richness, length, depth, velvety fruit and tannin, silkiness all over. Wow!!

    6. LAFLEUR 2016 99p

    Tasted in March 2017. This wine was big, broad-shouldered with a classy and sophisticated nose of black fruit, velvety texture, rich, incredibly complex and long. Distinguished beauty to remain beautiful for many, many years.

    7. LE PIN 2016 99p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2017. Awesome wine here, 100% Merlot, low yield per ha (only 28 hl!). I would have liked to compare it to 2015, but it wasn't possible as 2015 was resting in vats for upcoming bottling. A very distinguished, refined, rich, velvety wine with stunning complexity and depth. Btw, 2016 is the first vintage at the property to be harvested in October (4th-8th)!

    8. AUSONE 2016 98p 

    2016s here are very similar to 2015s.

    9. LEOVILLE LAS CASES 2016 98p

    Tasted in April 2017. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Twin brother of 2015 vintage, but more distinguished and with more elegance. Bull's eye once again!

    10. MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 1937 97p

    Tasted in April 2017 during dinner at Domaine de Chevalier. Fabulously scented nose and palate with truffles, tobacco and graphite, incredibly elegant and sophisticated, long, long finish.

    Here is my top ten wines of 2016:

    1. Montrose 1990             100p

    2. Latour 2000                  100p

    3. Lafleur 2000                 100p

    4. Le Pin 1990                   99p

    5. Cheval Blanc 1990       99p

    6. Lafite 2000                    99p

    7. Montrose 2010             99p

    8. Yquem 1986                  98p

    9. T. Roteboeuf 2000        98p

    10. Certan de May 1982   98p

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too, you all!

     

    THAT'S THE WAY TO CELEBRATE YOUR 70TH BIRTHDAY!

    On Friday, the 9th December 2016, at restaurant Le Sommelier in the centre of Copenhagen, I held my pre-birthday party (I’ll pass the 70th milestone of my life at the end of December 2016). I treated my friends and myself with 1 champagne, 3 white dry wines, 20 red wines, 2 sweet white wines and one Armagnac, accompanied by appetizers to champagne, 6 courses, 1 dessert and one birthday cake.

    We were only 6 participants due to late cancellations. Anyway, I immensely enjoyed a great, great company of Danish wine friends, my daughter and Olivier Bernard from Domaine de Chevalier. We’ve had a stellar evening. Not a single wine served that evening was corked or oxidised. Many wines were stunning and lived fully up to their reputation and fame. All wines were tasted blind, and even the sommelier, who knew which wines were served in each flight, didn't know the order. Wines were chosen according to the last digit in my birthday year (6) for whites (dry and sweet) and 0 for reds (as I celebrated 70 years). You will think it was outrageous to serve so many wines? - not imho. You only live once!! Chef Christian Marquard cooked excellent dishes, and wines were very professionally cared for by young Daniela Mylin, chef of the restaurant/chef sommelier of Le Sommelier. Historic tasting and one I never forget, thanks to my precious friends!!

    Tasting notes – relatively short ones as I had taken care of my guest, and there wasn’t time to write big stories about each wine.

    1. Champagne Dom Perignon Rose 1996 – awe-inspiring stuff, virile, sophisticated, rich, great acidity and sweet tones. Awesome to enjoy. 97p.

    2. Dry whites – three wines. 1976 D.D.Chevalier had a little touch of oxidation, which disappeared quickly, and showed nice acidity and concentration. Getting old. 89p. 1986 D.d.Chevalier was simply impressive stuff with great acidity, vitality, depth and long aftertaste. It tasted young and fresh despite being 30 years old. 94p. 1996 Chablis Les Clos from Vincent Dauvissat had fine smoked tones of stones, penetrating nose of melted butter and long aftertaste. It was a bit caught by age, and imho it’ll not improve. 93p.

    3. Red flight 1 with the title “Up and running” – Les Carmes Haut Brion, Seguin and Belle Brise, all in 2010 vintage. I’ve never tasted the two last-mentioned wines together, so it was a kind of test. L.C.H. Brion was muted, light in concentration and structure. It was surprising when you take the quality of the 2010 vintage in general. Since the new manager/winemaker Guillaume Pouthier in 2012, the quality took a big step up. 89p. Seguin from the village of Canejan in Pessac-Leognan AOC (my discovery while touring Graves/Pessac Leognan in September 2010) had an intense nose of cherries, excellent structure and depth, exquisite balance and long persistent finish. Utterly impressive stuff. 95p. The last wine on the flight was Belle Brise from Pomerol, my discovery also but since 1996. This tiny vineyard/garden is situated very close to Libourne. Intense with modern taste, cherry, catching sweetness of fruit and tannin, silky fruit and tannin. Long and persistent finish. Fabulous wine. 95+p. No oenologist, no consultant and no modern remedies here – “vin au naturel”!

    4. Red flight 2 with title “Magic” – Tertre Roteboeuf 2010-2000-1990 and Domaine de Chevalier 1990. 2010 TR tasted more like kirsch than wine, but I’m pretty sure the alcohol will soon integrate. Otherwise, it was big, packed with silky fruit and tannin, immensely flavoured and long. 96p. 2000 TR was epic wine with an intense nose of truffles, formidable structure and depth, stunning precision, focus and complexity, and mega long aftertaste. Boom! 98p. 1990 TR tasted lighter and not so highly impressive as last time (in 2011) and was clearly surpassed by the 2000 version. 92p. 1990 D.d.Chevalier (“black horse” quickly detected by tasters) showed a truffy nose, excellent complexity and lovely length. The fruit tasted a bit warm. 89p.

    5. Red flight 3 with the title “Sky is the limit" and six wines in the 1990 vintage. Beausejour Duffau was kind of disappointing if you take its fame in the context. One of my guests tasted this wine many times and told me it was much better 10 years ago. Fine complexity but not striking concentration and richness. 93p. Angelus didn’t hit the bull’s eye either. Was better too 10 years ago. Truffy, not as powerful as expected, not rich and long as expected. 93p. Montrose once again delivered. It’s easy to fall on your knees and worship this wine because it’s simply a phenomenal one and masterpiece of winemaking. 100p. Troplong Mondot was a stunning mouthful with everything in perfect harmony. One of my guests said to me that this wine was disguised as a port. Frankly, I didn’t care. I loved it! 97p. Cheval Blanc matched Montrose to a great extent with Cabernet Franc at full blossom. Fascinating and riveting display of richness, sophisticated touch and variety of flavours. 99-100p. Le Pin was more kinky and funky than Cheval Blanc but equal in every aspect to it. Merlot was the showcase. 99-100p.

    6. Red flight 4 with the title "Another day in paradise" and four wines in 2000 vintage. La Mission Haut Brion tasted close, but all cylinders were fully loaded, just waiting for the perfect time to show all the fabulous things. Patience required. 96-98p. Lafleur was just a timeless treat, so dense, so sophisticated. Paradise! 100p. Montrose stood up against big hitters here but wasn’t trashed at all. Strong potent and very long finish. 96p. Lafite is just perfect if you want to enjoy finesse, grace and richness of nuances. That was exactly what we had in 2000, plus striking structure, depth and balance. 99p.

    7. Red flight 5 with the title “As time goes by” and three wines in 1950 vintage, all chateau bottled. Pavie (B-niveau) was just fabulous, like well-trained 66 years old guy running a marathon. Very cherry, strong, long and in perfect balance. Still many years to go! Some of my guests took it for the 1982 vintage! 94p. Leoville Las Cases, the one with the lowest stand, tasted old like extracted coffee beans. Gone. 75p. Troplong Mondot, despite low stand close to C, made by a cousin of the owner of Pavie at that time, Valette, was as similar and as impressive as Pavie. 94p.

    .

    8. Sweet whites – two wines in 1986 vintage. Gilette had a significant flavour of almonds, excellent sweetness and acidity, great depth and backbone, long and velvety on the palate with a fat and robust finish. It was aged for 20 years in small concrete vats and no wooden vats/barriques here. 96-97 p. Yquem edged Gilette in terms of depth, sophisticated touch and nuance richness but only and just that. 98p.

    9. Dinner finished with awesome 1945 vintage Armagnac “Fontaine de Coincy”, same owner as previously mentioned Belle Brise in Pomerol. De Coincy family has owned their property in Bas Armagnac for 400 years.

     

    2016 WILL FOR SURE BE AN AWESOME VINTAGE THAT FOLLOWS IN THE TRACKS OF 2010 AND 2015!!

    Perfectly ripe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Chateau Seguin in Pessac-Leognan

    Birth of 2016 vintage - it will be a beautiful child...

    I spent 8 days in Bordeaux between 20 and 27th October, checking the reports beforehand, which have said that 2016 is going to be a stunner vintage. I have tasted as many samples as possible of juice after alcoholic fermentation - unbelievable black colour, silky tannins and fresh, vibrant fruit, stunningly concentrated. My general opinion is that 2016 will surpass 2015 in many places and rival 2010 to a great extent! I support this 100%!

    Main points of how the growing season of 2016 vintage went on:

    1. Bad beginning of the spring but perfect flowering promising expected yield.

    2. Fine summer and no rain in almost three months, so the welcome rain came at the end of September, 40-60 mm, just what vines needed. Sunshine, sunshine and sunshine.

    3. Harvest took over one month in many places with a big difference between day and night temperatures, allowing perfect grapes inside and outside plus freshness and many aromas.

    4. All grape varieties did excellently. They had "High ITP" (Index Total Polyphenols) like in 2010.

    Highlights:

    1. Les Carmes Haut Brion - Manager Guillaume Pouthier says 2016 will probably be his best vintage ever here. 2016 samples were extremely promising.

    2. Haut Bailly - many samples of 2016 juice after alcoholic fermentation, among others C.Sauvignon and Merlot from over 100 years old vines. Cellar master Gabriel Vialard has been extremely satisfied with what he has in vats/barrels! Maybe the best vintage for the property in the last 50 years!

    3. Bourgneuf - also great expectations for 2016 here from the Vayron family.

    4. Lafleur - stunning 2015 and 2014, all smiles for prospects of 2016.

    5. Belle Brise in Pomerol - extremely promising 2016 juice.

    6. Olivier Bernard from D.d.Chevalier compares 2016 white to 2009 vintage and 2016 red to 2010 vintage. He says there was no rush to harvest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes as there was plenty of time to wait for optimum ripeness.

    7. Cantenac Brown - great visit, several vintages to taste of red (2015-2014-2013-2012-2011-2010), also tasted white Brane Cantenac (Alto) which was surprisingly well-made. Great 2015 red edges 2010, fine 2014 and 2011 while 2012 gives very much pleasure. Great hopes for 2016 here also.

    8. Moutte Blanc - a property in Macau, produces 100% Petit Verdot cuvée called Moisin, also other cuvées. Tasted 2015 and 2014. I liked 2015 better. Fine quality for money. Moutte Blanc is produced from vines growing in Haut Medoc and near Monbrison in Arsac from 0.75 ha 100% Merlot. The latter vineyard got permission from INAO to use Margaux appellation on the label beginning with the 2014 vintage. Splendid 2015 for both Moutte Blancs.

    9. Seguin (Pessac-Leognan) - fine 2014 and 2015, 2016 promises quite a "paradise".

    10. Great, great visit at Figeac, 1.5 hours entertaining visit with the winemaker Frederic Faye, significant improvements are visible. Fabulous 2015 vintage with excellent focus and precision, 2016 maybe even better, says F. Faye. I tasted vintages 2012-2013-2014-2015. 2012 is F. Fayes' first vintage at Figeac, but he's been at the property for 14 years now.

    11. Tertre Roteboeuf - 2016 promises heaven, but 2015 TR was simply otherworldy!

    Interesting visits:

    1. I was persuaded by my friend to go to Chateau Julia, a property well-hidden of the beaten tracks in the neighbour commune to Pauillac, Saint-Laurent. It's run by a woman, Sophie Martin, who, before creating, Julia sold her grapes to a cooperative. Quite well-made wines would be even significantly better if she had the necessary funds to buy better equipment. Julia is both Haut Medoc and Pauillac wine, meaning vines are growing in both appellations. The latter has vines growing on excellent soil between Lynch Bages and Latour. Despite many attempts from chateau owners in the area to sell her vineyard in Pauillac, she firmly refuses to do so.

    2. Visiting Chateau Tour Saint Christophe was very interesting to visit because of Chinese investments in Bordeaux. Peter Kwok created Vignobles K group in 2014, and it owns 5 properties on Right Bank, Haut Brisson and Tour Saint Christophe in Saint Emilion, Enclos Tourmaline and La Patache in Pomerol, and Enclos de Viaud in Lalande de Pomerol. The experienced Jean-Christophe Meyrou is the manager of the group. One Saturday in October, I went to Tour Saint Christophe, a property situated magnificently on the border of Saint-Emilion and Saint-Christophe des Bardes. The view from there towards Troplong Mondotte is breathtaking. I tasted the 2015 vintage of all properties except Enclos de Viaud. Haut Brisson (90% M+10% CF) had earthy flavours, ripe black fruit and tannin, a strong backbone, fine acidity, delicate balance and persistent finish. 89p.Tour Saint Christophe (80% M+ 20% CF) was a much better wine than HB, with more power, concentration and depth. The ripeness of both fruit and tannin was better here. Delightful wine for keeping. 92-93p. La Patache (85%M + 15% CF) from the sandy part of Pomerol showed violets and black fruit, some extraction and earthy flavour, and was a little bit tired (racking?). A pretty good one. 88-89p. Enclos Tourmaline, which consists of four plots in the best part of Pomerol (Le Plateau Argileux), is made in very modern style with the vinification of whole clusters, 100% new oak, etc. Despite this wine's splendid intensity and acidity, it looked a bit overdone and too extracted for my taste. Very modern style. 92+p. They are very enthusiastic about the 2016 vintage at Vignobles K, and I hope they will back down a bit with extraction and stems at Enclos Tourmaline, so 2016 will be fruitier and fresher. Nevertheless, it's a property to follow closely.

    Great view from Tour Saint Christophe towards Troplong Mondot

    Sandy gravel, limestones and clay - components of great soil here at Tour Saint Christophe

    3. Grand Cercle tasting of 85 reds in vintage 2014 and 20 whites in vintage 2015. Reds were up and down, and Saint Emilion was the best. Whites were of excellent quality. Tasting took place at Chateau Croizilles, situated close to La Mondotte and Tertre Roteboeuf. View from here to the vineyards of Saint Emilion is priceless.

    85 2014s in red at La Croizille

    Simply magnificent view over vineyards in Saint-Emilion from La Croizille

     

    CHÂTEAU PALMER - PRINCE OF MARGAUX

    Château Palmer is one of the few remaining aristocrats among Bordeaux wines. Palmer has neither let it influence by present acrobatics in vinification, technical sidesteps and modern trends. This property has strongly maintained the classic style – some would mean true Bordeaux style – where ripe fruit and ripe tannin complement each other in the best possible way. Here, aromatic finesse and elegance are mixed most pleasingly with power and sappiness on the palate, sophisticated structure and exquisite balance. This is exactly what Bordeaux is famous for, and something wine producers worldwide try to incorporate in their wines. Even if Château Palmer is only classified as 3.Growth according to 1855-classification, it's far better than its present classification. Sublime and aristocratic wine!

    PERFECTLY SITUATED

    Palmer is situated in Haut-Médoc on the right side of the so-called "Route de Vin", halfway between Cantenac and Margaux communes, with only a few kilometres away from Gironde river. It covers 55 ha of vines growing on mainly gravelly soil with quartz stones in different sizes. The grapes varieties used are classic: 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. The average age of vines is 38 years.

    WINES

    Today, two wines are made at Palmer. Grand Vin bears the name of the property and Alter Ego (since 1998). Alter Ego isn't a typical second wine of Palmer, more like a blend of cuvees from different parcels of the vineyard, which don't have the quality required for Grand Vin.

    Harvest is done manually, and both wines undergo temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Only through the end of malolactic fermentation wine is it transferred to oak barrels. It's not filtrated, only clarified with egg whites. Palmer spends 20-21 months in 50-70% new barrels, while Alter Ego gets 17-18 months in 25-40% new barrels.

    In April 1990, I participated in a tasting of 18 vintages in Copenhagen, which took place at one of the best restaurants in Denmark, "Kong Hans". Charles Sichel represented Palmer at this tasting. We tasted following vintages: 1986-85-83-82-81-79-78-76-75-70-67-66-62-61-59(DK)-59-55-52. Unforgettable experience!! 1961 Palmer was otherworldy!

    In 2007, during two Palmer tastings, one for Commanderie de Bordeaux and one for wine-sommeliers, I tasted vintages 2003, 2002, 1998, 1991, 1990, 1986, 1981 and 1970, among other wines.

    In May 2014, another tasting of Margaux took place for members of Commanderie de Bordeaux. It was conducted by Chris Myers, Palmer's sales director and the following vintages were tasted: Alter Ego 2009-2005-2004, Palmer 2008-2006-2004-2001-1999-1996-1989-1985.

    At the private tasting on 15th October 2015 in Copenhagen, I tasted Alter Ego 2003 and 2005, plus Palmer 2005-2001-2000-1990-1988-1985-1979-1967.

    33

    Awesome picture taken by my friend Miguel Lecuona at Chateau Palmer on the 31st of March - we were all thrilled with the 2014 vintage there! Chris Myers did the talking, we tasted!

    ---

    2015 Palmer (barrel sample) 96+p

    Tasted in April 2016. Grand Vin was aristocratic with its refined and sophisticated touch, richness, intensity, structure and long finish. Fabulous future waits.

     

     

    2014 Palmer (barrel sample) 96p

    Tasted in March 2015. Big wine but still showing aristocratic touch, high acidity, strong structure, excellent depth, richness and long meaty finish.

     

    2013 Palmer (barrel sample) 92-93p

    Tasted in April 2014. Oaky, great acidity, on the light side, elegant and with excellent complexity and structure. Will it put on weight when in the bottle?

     

    2012 Palmer 95+p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. It showed great class and style with an excellent aromatic nose of black cherries, richness, velvety palate, lovely structure, balance and a very long finish. A fabulous wine for the vintage.

     

    2011 Palmer 95+p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. This wine was aristocratic, powerful yet refined, with great balance and a fabulous finish. Stunning effort.

     

    2010 Palmer 99p

    Tasted three times - last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. This wine had an incredibly scented nose and palate, black cherries and Valrhona chocolate everywhere, excellent complexity structure and length, fat fruit and tannin on the palate. A very sophisticated wine with both power and extreme elegance. Heavenly stuff.

     

    2009 Palmer 97p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. It had a seductive aroma of dark cherries, great intensity and concentration, silky tannins and a graceful finish. A very stylish and sophisticated wine with an extremely well-established combination of elegance and power. A wine of great charisma and excellent quality.

     

    2008 Palmer 96p

    Tasted three times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. More of everything here compared with 2006. Sappy, riper fruit with a lot of sweetness. Complex, refined and long finish. Great intensity of dark cherries on the nose and palate. Stylish wine with great depth and structure. Petit Verdot was included this time in the blend, and it shows – strong backbone. Great effort for the vintage, and this wine will keep for a long time.

     

    2007 Palmer 92p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2010. Consistent notes. It expressed the seductive aroma of dark cherries, soft texture, silky tannins and soft finish. Very stylish and gracious wine, and therefore so typical for the commune. Now in the bottle, and it's fulfilled the promises when tasted from barrel. Splendid effort for the vintage.

     

    2006 Palmer 94p

    Tasted four times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. Tight and tannic wine, Cabernet Sauvignon shining. Rather powerful than elegant, splendid backbone, depth and complexity. Firm and long finish. Still not quite developed yet, and I think this wine needs more than 10 years from now to be approachable. No Petit Verdot in this vintage for Palmer.

     

    2005 Palmer 98p

    Tasted four times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. Palmer was, as always, a perfect example of beautiful elegance and finesse, the goodies Margaux commune is so famous of. This was a complete wine and a heartbreaker of rarely seen calibre. Decadently rich and multifaceted. An aristocratic and sophisticated wine with a long life ahead. 20-30 years and maybe even longer.

     

    2004 Palmer 95p

    Tasted three times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. Always been one of my favourite Palmers. An exquisite and very aromatic wine with much finesse, silky texture and tannin. Great complexity and depth, stunning balance. Long and sweet aftertaste. Aristocratic. It'll have a long and great, great life.

     

    2003 Palmer 92p

    Tasted in April 2007. Deep red. It had a splendid nose of aromatic Mirabelle plums in the beginning and was fresh all over. Later, both nose and palate took on blackcurrants/blackcurrants drops. It was concentrated and powerful wine on the palate, showing the splendid intensity of fruit, refinement and fine length, although not quite typical for the property. It finished with a long and firm aftertaste. 12-18 years horizontally in the cellar.

     

    2002 Palmer 94p

    Tasted in April 2007. Darker colour than in 2003 Palmer! It had an incredible depth on the nose with glorious intensity and refinement and a strong aroma of blackcurrants and raspberries. This wine was vibrant, strong and sophisticated on the palate, with formidable balance, finesse, length, structure and aristocratic touch all over the place. It's luxurious enjoyment now, and it will be like that in the next 18-25 years. For sure, this is one of the top wines in this vintage.

     

    2001 Palmer 93p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. Delicate and aromatic on the nose with red berries. Vivid and flavorful on the palate. Ripe fruit and tannin. Quite complex and with a fine depth. Soft finish. 

     

    2000 Palmer 96p

    Tasted in October 2015. Fabulous wine with a lovely nose, richness on the palate, excellent complexity, remarkable acidity and classy finish. Top effort for the vintage.

     

    1999 Palmer 96p

    Tasted three times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. 48% CS, 46% M and 6% PV. Probably in the top three in this vintage. This wine has always impressed me. Very aromatic dark berries with great intensity. More concentrated, riper and sweeter fruit than in 1996, tight, great finesse and elegance, aristocratic, exquisite balance, great complexity and depth. Incredibly stylish and classy. To enjoy in the next 20 years.

     

    1998 Palmer 93+p

    Tasted in April 2007. Black red. Classic Bordeaux style with strong tannins and concentrated fruit keeps each other in "hand", so neither tannin nor fruit breaks out in solo performance. This wine had little development and needs, therefore time to show the true face of Palmer. Palmer. Worth waiting for.

     

    1996 Palmer 95p

    Tasted three times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. 55% CS, 40% M, 4% CF and 1% PV. Already on the nose, it is obvious that Cabernet Sauvignon was the winner in this vintage. The ripeness of CS in this vintage was better than Merlots. Mint, leather and cigar box on a large scale. This wine was beautifully constructed, refined and with concentrated shape, powerful and sappy. This is textbook Palmer – beautiful wine which easily can keep its excellent ingredients in an additional 20 years.

     

    1995 Palmer 92p

    Tasted twice - last time in June 2012. Consistent notes. Deep red. Powerful nose of ripe blackcurrants and raspberries. On the palate, it was chewy, well-constructed, with delicate balance and a pleasing aftertaste. A bit lighter wine than usual for the property, but you really would enjoy wine without any complaints. This one should keep for additional 10-15 years.

     

    1991 Palmer 90p

    Tasted in September 2007. Deep red. Very aromatic on the nose with chocolate powder and prunes. Soft and round on the palate with ripe fruit. Thanks to the neighbouring Gironde river, A superb effort for this challenging vintage kept devastating black frost in April away from Palmer. It drinks very well now.

     

    1990 Palmer 94p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2015. Not consistent notes. In 2007 it had a very developed colour for the vintage - medium red. Aromatic with cherries seemed very mature, well-balanced and very pleasant to drink. A delightful Palmer, which should keep like that for 4-6 years more. I doubt this bottle came from the cellar of Palmer. In October 2015, I had a great bottle with deliciously ripe fruit, aromatic and complex, the great sweetness of the fruit and sophisticated touch on the palate. 

     

    1989 Palmer 93p

    Tasted in May 2014. Sweet fruit, a bit alcoholic and warm, quite aromatic, delicate balance and complexity, long soft finish. This bottle didn't seem to be a perfect example of this vintage for Palmer.

     

    1988 Palmer 91p

    Tasted in October 2015. Pure style. Quite complex and refined, fine ripeness of fruit and tannin, but not 100% perfect. Anyway, terrific effort.

     

    1986 Palmer 93p

    Tasted in April 2007. Dark red. It showed a superb nose of dark berries, tobacco and liquorice. It was splendidly balanced with a delicate and long palate, plus a lasting aftertaste. It did remind in some way of 1996, but 1986 showed less intensity and fewer nuances. Nevertheless, this wine was a spectacular effort for the property and satisfied many wine souls in the next 10-12 years.

     

    1985 Palmer 90p

    Tasted in October 2015. An elegant and refined wine, fruity with excellent complexity. Tasty and seductive with a fruity and smooth finish. 

     

    1981 Palmer 88p

    Tasted in September 2007. On the light side with spicy fruit. This wine started with somewhat strange flavours, which were not clean. I suspected this wine did suffer from a bit of oxidation/cork taste, but these odd flavours luckily disappeared one hour later. All in all, a lovely and round wine to be consumed in the next few years.

     

    1979 Palmer 87p

    Tasted in October 2015. Relatively light, old-style vinification, lacking ripeness of fruit and tannin.

     

    1970 Palmer 97p

    Tasted in April 2007. Still young colour. It was vibrant, sophisticated and intense on the nose. There were many fruit aromas here, and wine appeared extremely well-balanced and with sheer elegance. It was multidimensional and with such sophisticated touch in the palate that you simply lost your breath. It was an aristocratic wine with extremely delightful style and high class, which easily holds ten more years in the cellar if appropriately stored as our bottle was.

     

    1967 Palmer 84p.

    Tasted in October 2015. Dusty, wet flavours on the nose and the palate, well past its prime.

     

    1966 Palmer (low stand) 95p

    Blind tasted in July 2008. The first thing that strikes me is the beautiful aroma of truffles, chocolate and cherries. Very Merlot, for sure! It's evident that this wine is Bordeaux, but which Bank? My first impression is Right Bank, somewhere in the '60s. But it wasn't Right Bank, and my friend who offered this wine led me to a Left Bank wine with some fair percentage of Merlot. Château Margaux maybe, eh..... Nope, it's the neighbour, Château Palmer 1966! Very stylish, classy wine with striking elegance and finesse, exquisite balance and soft aftertaste. A thrill to drink.

     1961 Palmer 99p34

    Tasted three times - last time in March 2006. Consistent notes. Deep ruby red colour with a brown edge. Lots of beautifully scented luscious fruit, silky tannin, incredible balance, sophisticated and refined. This legendary wine hasn't changed significantly since I tasted it for the first time in 1987. A genuinely dignified aristocrat wine, who firmly has kept its mind-boggling quality during so many years. Simply amazing stuff! Outshined Latour in this vintage.

     

     

     

     

    1865 Palmer 100p

    This is the oldest red Bordeaux wine I've ever tasted! And only pre-phylloxera wine I've ever tasted! It happened in June 1993 during a tasting in Arcachon. This wine was recorked at the property in 1990. Very light red colour but with a simply magnificent and otherworldly aroma of cherries, aristocratic elegance and finesse. A real angelic treat from the past - I'll never forget this wine!!

    ---

    2015 Alter Ego (barrel sample) 93p

    Tasted in April 2016. had an aromatic nose of black fruit, silky fruit and tannin, velvety texture, excellent acidity, great depth and length.

     

    2014 Alter Ego (barrel sample) 92p

    Tasted in March 2015. Spicy fruit, splendid acidity, meaty, splendid depth and a good length.

     

    2013 Alter Ego (barrel sample) 88p

    Tasted in April 2014. Fresh, lovely acidity and minerality, on the light side, soft fruit and tannin.

     

    2012 Alter Ego (barrel sample) 91p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. This wine, representing 45% of the whole production, displayed fine ripeness of fruit and tannin, good concentration, silky fruit and tannin. It was a well-constructed wine and fine effort for the vintage.

    2011 Alter Ego 90-91p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. It showed some power, reasonable quantities of cherry fruit and fat ripe tannin and a long aftertaste.

     

    2010 Alter Ego 93p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. This wine displayed big concentration, fat and perfectly ripe black fruit and tannin, refined, well-structured, and long. Impressive stuff. 93p.

     

    2009 Alter Ego 91p

    Tasted three times - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes. Compared with 2005, 2009 was a step up in terms of concentration and intensity. Compact and tannic, sappy, great structure and complexity, perfect ripe dark berries with catchy sweetness. Impressive stuff.

     

    2008 Alter Ego 89p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2010. Consistent notes. An aromatic, subtle and elegant wine. Smooth aftertaste. Joyful and seductive. Now in the bottle.

     

    2007 Alter Ego 87p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2010. Consistent notes. This wine provided a very delicate, round and highly charming attitude and was drinking nicely already. Will entertain while we wait for big vintages to mature.

     

    2006 Alter Ego 89p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2010. Consistent notes. Powerful wine is quite similar in style to 2004, but imho wasn't so aromatically scented as 2004.

     

    2005 Alter Ego 90p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. An aromatic wine with fine structure. Fatter and meatier than 2004, more tannic, more profound and longer on the palate. A splendid sweetness of fruit and persistent fruity aftertaste. Very, very lovely wine.

     

    2004 Alter Ego 90p

    Tasted twice - last time in May 2014. Consistent notes.Intense nose of black cherries and blackcurrants. It was a well-crafted wine with superb balance, quite rich and with a persistent finish. A real heartbreaker wine to enjoy in the next ten years.

     

    2003 Alter Ego 89p

    Tasted twice - last time in October 2015. Consistent notes. This wine contains 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot. Aromatic red berries like raspberries, redcurrants and gooseberries, and delicate balance on the palate. Graphite and tobacco leaf on the nose. This was a quite well-made wine, which in my opinion, will mature rather quickly. It's drinkable already now.

     

    2000 Alter Ego 92p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2007. Consistent notes. Coal-black colour, dense and deep. Speaking, it rolled over 2003 Alter Ego with an intense nose of blackcurrants, vigour on the palate, great concentration of fruit and hugely long finish for this beauty. All the things vintage 2000 is famous for, you will find in this eminent wine. This wine will be pure enjoyment in the next 10-15 years.

    Close

    My Today

    EXTRAORDINARY, SYMBOLIC, AND HISTORICAL TASTING OF 21 BORDEAUX WINES (20 REDS and 1 SWEET WHITE), 100 YEARS OLD!

    Women mainly made 1918 vintage in Bordeaux, as men were heavily involved in the First World War, which officially ended with the Armistice on November 11, 1918.

    1918 was a vintage blessed by perfect weather conditions, a healthy growing season, and ripe grapes. Wines had, for the most part, a great deal of elegance, finesse, and refinement but were also dark-colored, meaty, attractive, and full-bodied.

    Twelve participants, including me, took a close look at this vintage in Copenhagen on November 2nd of November 2018. It was simply astonishing to experience how well several wines have aged! Top scorers aren’t even close to retirement! Young and virile, that’s the statement. Bordeaux wines can age forever, can’t they?

    Big thanks to my friend Ivar Bjurner, who collected all these wines in Denmark and abroad.

    My first ever 1918 was Chateau Citran from Haut Medoc in Bordeaux, chateau bottled, which I tasted in April 2018 at Domaine de Chevalier. It was a charming, fruity wine. I rated it 90p.

    .

     

    Beausejour (Duffau Lagarosse), chateau bottled 96p.

    Calon Segur. Stand A/B. Chateau is bottled. 96p

    Grand Puy Lacoste (stand C), Bordeaux negociant bottling 96p.

    Pontet canet, Eschenauer bottling 95p.

    Certan de May, Pomerol, chateau bottled 94p.

    Latour. Stand C. Chateau bottled. 94 p.

    Gruaud Larose Faure, chateau bottled, 93 p.

    Montrose. Stand A. Chateau bottled. 93 p.

    Pichon Baron, DK-bottling, 93 p.

    D’Armailhac. Chateau bottled. 92 p.

    Cos d’Estournel. Chateau bottled. 92 p.

    Mouton Rothschild. Chateau bottled. 92 p.

    Pape Clement. Chateau bottled. 92 p.

    Climens. Vandermeulen bottling, 91 p.

    Haut Brion. Chateau bottled. 91 p.

    Leoville Las Cases Chateau bottled. 90p.

    Lafite Rothschild. Chateau bottled, 89 p.

    Du Lyonnat, Lussac St.Emilion, chateau bottled, 88 p.

    Chateau Margaux, chateau bottled, 87 p.

    Pavie. Chateau bottled. Not rated.

                                       

    CHÂTEU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD: STRENGTH, RICHNESS, INTENSITY OF FLAVOURS, AND SOPHISTICATED TOUCH AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

    Lafite Rothschild is one of Bordeaux's five. Crus is situated most north of all three. 1. Crus in Haut Medoc, just before the border of Pauillac and Saint-Estephe. It's on the left side of the road a few hundred meters after you pass the lieu-dit Le Puyalet (Pauillac), and you notice a little lake in front of cellars and a chateau seen from the road.

    The vineyard consists of the hillsides around the property, the Carruades plateau to the west, and 4.5 hectares in neighboring Saint Estèphe. There are 112 hectares of soil composed of fine, deep gravel mixed with sand on a subsoil of limestone. The grape varieties planted are Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%). The average age of vines used for Grand Vin is around 45; the oldest plot originates from 1886.

    Every plot is vinified in separate vats; alcoholic fermentation is done in wooden and stainless steel vats; and malolactic fermentation is done in vats. Afterward, Grand Vin is kept in 100% new oak for 18 to 20 months.

    Lafite Rothschild is a magnifique wine with a fantastic-flavored nose when it gains some age. Cabernet Sauvignon rules here so that this wine can taste very backward and tannic when young, but with some age, you find incredible richness, depth, and excellent length in this wine.

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2000  100 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2005  100 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1996  99 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2010  98 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1982  97 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2009  97 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2002  97 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2004  96 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1985  96 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1955  96 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2011  95 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2008  95 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2012  95 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2014  95 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1924  95 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2013  94 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2006  94 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 2007  93 p

     

    Lafite-Rothschild 1999  92 p

     

     

    Close

    My Yesterday

    BORDEAUX 1985 REVISITED  / In November 2015, 11 experienced wine tasters gathered together at classic French-Danish restaurant in Copenhagen, Restaurationen, to taste 16 wines from 1985 vintage, including 5 1.Growths from Left Bank, 1 PGCC A from St.Emilion named Cheval Blanc and whole 6 2.Cru Classe from Haut Medoc.

    I was overseeing harvest (first ever) in September 1985, it was my second visit to Bordeaux (first one took place in March 1984 in terrible rainy weather). I was treated with beautiful weather, sunshine from morning to evening, 27 degrees Celsius in whole September. Very, very few properties had thermoregulated vats, many others used ice blocks to cool the must from outside.

    One of the main reasons for me to remember 1985 was meeting Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin, just by accident while going to Cheval Blanc, turning by mistake left after Catusseau instead of going straight some further 500 meters and then turning right. I also remember eating more than half a kilo of big, fat, juicy, sweet Merlot grapes at La Dominique.

    Many wine critics call this vintage a woman vintage, because of wines seductive approach, great sweetness and balance, elegance and charm. I completely agree. One’s to remember that 1985 produced enormous amount of wine as yields were between 60 and 70 hl/ha at many famous places. No green harvest, no leaf removing. Remarkable vintage in many ways as my TNs imply! It's kept beautifully for 30 years and has been an open arms vintage from the very beginning. Classic Bordeaux at large!

    The tasting:

    Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 – fresh with fine acidity, citrus, rich and refined with finesse and sophisticated touch. Long finish. 95p.

    Rausan Segla 2. Cru Classe Margaux – light red, really fabulous on the nose with typical aromatic scent of Margaux commune, black cherries, a lot of sweetness, truffy with sheer elegance and finesse. Classy wine and still going strong. I didn’t expect this wine to be that excellent – there’s for sure at least 10 years more life in it! 94p.

    Leoville Barton 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – much darker in colour, powerful, blackberry/blueberry compote, strong tannin to support the fruit, barely so elegant and finesse marked as RS, but this wine is something of a beast and will probably keep without any problems for another 20 years. 95p.

    Gruaud Larose 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – fabulous thick layered nose of blueberries, fine acidity, truffles, fine grained tannin, great balance, depth and finish. As excellent as Leoville Barton but different style and I think it won’t keep as long as Leoville Barton. 95p.

    Leoville Lascases 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – strong and powerful, reminded a lot of Gruaud Larose, but for me it lacked sweetness and length of it. 93p.

    Cos d’Estournel 2 Cru Classe St. Estephe – yougurt, strong and powerful, spicy with truffles, sappy, big structure and backbone, great balance, depth and length. Mother….. of a wine, give it 20+ years more! 96p.

    Blind wine – everybody guessed Bordeaux. It turned out to be 1985 Dunn Vineyards from Napa. I guessed Calon Segur. Pepper, strong tannin, strong structure and depth, meaty finish. This excellent wine has still 10-15 years to go. 95p.

    Pichon Comtesse 2. Cru Classe Pauillac – extremely seductive on the nose, extremely charming, truffy, intense. A lot of sweetness, great, great balance, silky fruit and tannin, long aftertaste. In full blossom and what a treat!! I simply adored it. Sure bet for 15 years more in the cellar. 96p.

    Lynch Bages 5. Cru Classe Pauillac – more raw and more powerful, great complexity to start with but after 20 minutes in the glass this wine falls apart for some reason. 92p?

     

    Then 5 1.Growths served in one flight:

    Haut Brion – aromatic and complex nose of blackcurrants, very stylish, excellent sweetness, truffles, great balance, silky fruit and tannin. 20 more years? Impressive stuff. 96p.

    Margaux – already tasted twice in 2015 with same impression. I don’t think this wine offers tasters really much in terms of aroma, depth, structure and sweetness. It’s light but also round and charming. 90p.

    Mouton Rothschild – distinguished and classy stuff, extremely rich and refined, sophisticated, truffles, fabulous structure and depth. Bull’s eye! Easily additional 20 years in the cellar. 97p.

    Lafite – powerful, deep and strong, lots of fruit and tannin, perfect balance and big meaty aftertaste. Not as distinguished as Mouton Rothschild, but who cares. Many years to go. 96p.

    Latour – a bit light and not really up to level of quality and excitement of Mouton Rothschild and Lafite. Still it isn’t a bad wine, just gracious, seductive and tasty. 92p.

     

    Then two wines from Right Bank:

    La Conseillante Pomerol – anonymous, light, round and pleasant. Just Ok wine. 88p.

    Cheval Blanc PGCC “A” St.Emilion – showing some age, truffles, refined and elegant with finesse. Stylish wine which tastes extremely well. Excellent. 95p.

     

    And we finished with:

    1985 La Tour Blanche – this vintage wasn’t something memorable in Sauternes and Barsac because of lack of botrytis caused by lack of rain. Sweetness in wines was more the result of grapes drying out because of the heat. This wine was served from double magnum and was just OK. 87p.

     

    MONTROSE VERTICAL / One of my favorite Bordeaux wines visited Copenhagen on 16th June 2016. Wines for tasting and dinner were as follow: 2010-2009-2005 La Dame de Montrose, 2012-2011-2010-2009-2005-2003-2000-1995 (magnum), 1970 and 1964 (latter - negociant Barriere bottling). Chateau donated 2010 and 2005 La Dame + 2012 Grand Vin. 2009 La Dame, 2011-2005-2000 Grand Vin also came from Montrose's cellar and were provided to us at very reasonable prices. 2010, 2009, 2003, 1995, 1970 and 1964 were purchased from wine-merchant/private collector in Copenhagen.

    Montrose changed hands in 2004 and the last vintage for "old" winemaker/cellar master was 2005. New people arrived in 2006. Jean-Bernard Delmas, father of Jean-Philippe Delmas (Haut Brion/La Mission) arrived in 2006 too and kept his position as technical director until 2011. Herve Berland, who spent 5 years at Mouton Rothschild as manager (2006-2011), has become technical director of Montrose in April 2012.

    Montrose is a force to be reckoned with, no doubt about it. 1. Growth quality in many vintages.

    2010 La Dame de Montrose - great second wine and a clear indication how stunning Grand Vin really is because of selection! Perfect ripeness, fatness, dense and long. Silky texture and silky fruit/tannin. 92p.

    2009 La Dame de Montrose - not as fat and sweet as 2010, spicy flavors, still splendid second wine. 89p.

    2005 La Dame de Montrose - not far from 2010 version, sweet fruit, silky fruit and tannin, immensely seductive. Another winemaker. Simply splendid! 91p.

    2012 Montrose - this wine is improving every time I taste it. Very seductive, classy and distinguished juice, graphite and toasted bacon again, fine sweetness and acidity, impressive structure and length. More woman kiss on the cheek than friendly punch on the face. Excellent for the vintage. 94p.

    2011 Montrose - denser and tighter than 2012, but lacking the level of sweetness 2012 has, however still very Montrose with splendid complexity, structure and length. 93p.

    2010 Montrose - tasted in pair with 2009. It was like meeting twins - this wine was exact copy of 2009! The only difference - more sweetness and fatter texture. Velvety hammer worth 100p! One thing to remember - in 2010 ripeness inside and outside grapes happened at the same time, in 2009 there was 10 days difference because of rain in September.

    2009 Montrose - thick, fat and dense, incredibly intense nose of blueberries, black cherries and blackcurrants, stunning intensity on the palate, extremely powerful, stunning balance and length. Force of the winemaking. This wine is fully on the level with 1. Growths. 100p.

    2005 Montrose - tasted in pair with 2003 and despite how I love 2005 vintage, I felt it couldn't compete with 2003. More elegance and finesse here, very seductive with lot of sweetness, great balance and persistent finish. Still exceptional vintage for the property. 97p.

    2003 Montrose - distinguished nose of leather, graphite and roasted bacon. Very intense nose of blackcurrants, rich and sophisticated on palate, very strong backbone, exquisite balance, complexity and staggering richness. No sign at all of cooked and heated flavors, fresh and with incredibly long finish. This is fantastic tribute to the vintage! Kudos to the winemaker! 99-100p.

    2000 Montrose - great piece of winemaking, this wine was like well-made cake, aromatic, beautifully constructed, polished, multi-layered and incredibly complex. Maybe not as concentrated on the day compared to how I tasted it last time (app. 5 years ago). 96+p.

    1995 Montrose (magnum) - graphite and pencil, strong backbone, polished, fine structure and complexity, well-balanced and with persistent finish. Splendid for the vintage. 93p.

    1970 Montrose - significant flavor of graphite, earthy and polished, well-structured with splendid complexity, velvety texture and long finish. Much better than reviews on this vintage from other wine-critics. 94p.

    1964 Montrose - fishy, extracted coffee beans, light, nice fruit. Rather boring. 84p.

    Close

    My Tomorrow

    CHÂTEAU d`YQUEM -  TRUE KING OF BORDEAUX' SWEET WINES

    Château d'Yquem had been in the hands of Lur Saluces family from 1785 to 1997. After several years of legal controversies, caused by disagreements within Lur Saluces family, mode giant LVMH (Louis Vutton, Moët Hennesy and Château Cheval Blanc) gained majority of shares in d'Yquem in 1997, when Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces sold his shares to LVMH. He did however continue as manager of d'Yquem, according to agreement with the new owner. This changed radically in May 2004, when he retired and was replaced him with Pierre Lurton, already manager at Cheval Blanc. The latest vintages of d'Yquem conform very convincing, that Pierre Lurton has greatly succeeded to maintain d'Yquem's fantastic quality.

     

    This property is beautifully placed at hilltop in Sauternes commune, with its 103 ha big vineyard (clay and gravel on the surface and lime stones in the subsoil), planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The average age of vines is 27 years and the yield does not exceed 10 hl/ha. The wine matures for 3.5 years in new barrels. Neither chaptalisation nor other techniques, which increase sugar content in grape must, are allowed. D'Yquem is one of the very few properties in the district, to use both semi-botrytised and fully botrytised grapes for the wine, in order to have enough acidity to balance sweetness.

     

    D'Yquem is made without any compromises and consideration whatsoever about production costs - pickers are on constant alert for 1.5-2 months, and do many picking rounds in the vineyard. Often, the amount of these rounds is double or triple, compared to how many rounds other classified properties perform in the district. Here, we have the king of Sauternes & Barsac, world's most expensive and most demanded dessert wine, which has an enormous keeping potential (50 years+). At its best, this wine possesses a purely exceptional botrytis, enormous concentration and such a nuance-richness, which makes you speechless.

     

    92

    Sandrine Garbay is in excellent mood presenting 2014 vintage and other wines on the 24th March 2015

     

    In April 2005, a historic and extravagant tasting of 65 vintages of Château d'Yquem covering three centuries took place at restaurant "Ensemble" (2 Michelin stars) in Copenhagen with 15 experienced tasters participating. I've to say, that this tasting was among two best tastings I've ever paticipated in. Pure joy and sheer entertainment!

    On Saturday, the 16th April 2005, 34 vintages were tasted, divided between lunch and dinner and on Sunday the 17th April 2005, 31 vintages were tasted, divided between lunch and dinner as well.

    The tasting was semi-blind – we knew in advance which wines were served in each flight, but didn't know the order of vintages in glasses. Except oldest vintages, wines were poured into decanters and served immediately after. With the exception of two Belgian bottlings (1918 and 1921), and one Bordeaux bottling (1847), all remaining wines were château bottled.

    Order of flights:

    Lunch on Saturday: 2000-1999-1995, 1968-1978-1938, 1954-1973-1965, 1966-1906-1936, 1980-1970-1960, 1990 (magnum)-1986

     

    Dinner on Saturday: 1991-1993-1994, 1971-1961-1981, 1962-1926, 1953-1950-1918, 1944-1943-1941, 1988-1989-1990, 1891

     

    Lunch on Sunday: 1998 (two half bottles)-1996-1997, 1985-1987-1984, 1982-1979 (magnum), 1969-1939-1919, 1977-1963-1957, 1914-1924-1934, 1921

     

    Dinner on Sunday: 1983-1976-1975, 1967-1959-1955, 1929-1928-1937, 1945-1947-1949, 1847

     

    All wines from this historic and extravagant tasting are described and rated - read below:

    ---

    Chateau d'Yquem 2015 (barrel sample) 99p

    Tasted three times - all in April 2016. Consistent notes. Unctuous, fabulous acidity and richness, intensity and concentration, fantastic complexity, depth and length. Heavenly stuff!

    Chateau d'Yquem 2014 (barrel sample) 97p

    Tasted in March 2015. Harvested between 5th September and 30th October, 80% of it went into Grand Vin. Freshness, strikingly high acidity (4.9), very sophisticated and refined, incredibly intense, fantastic sweetness, very rich and long on the aftertaste. Beautiful wine. The king's still rules!

    Chateau d'Yquem 2013 (barrel sample) 95+p

    Tasted three times - last time in March 2015. Consistent notes. Very sophisticated and intense nose of honey melon, orange peel, finesse and elegance, great match between acidity and sweetness, remarkable complexity and stupendous finish. It's classy d'Yquem which needs time to develop, but at the moment I don't think this wine matches the quality of 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

    No Grand Vin in 2012 vintage due to insufficient sugar levels in harvested grapes.

    Chateau d'Yquem 2011 (barrel sample) 98-99p

    Tasted three times - last time in April 2014. Consistent notes. This wine showed multiple botrytised aromas, a lot of sweetness and corresponding acidity, sophisticated touch, fabulous intensity, stunning balance, length and finish. Exceptional stuff.

    Château d'Yquem 2010 100p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2013. It had freshness, multiple aromas, depth, sophisticated touch, astonishing intensity, depth and balance. Yquem's winemaker, Sandrine Garbay, likes this vintage for delicacy, freshness and astonishing balance. Fantastic stuff.

    Château d'Yquem 2009 100p

    Tasted three times - last time in March 2015. Consistent notes. This wine was unctuous on nose and palate with incredible sweetness and acidity, eminent structure and breathtaking length. Layers and layers of deeply concentrated pear and apricot flavors. Incredible stuff!

    Château d'Yquem 2008 97p

    Frost in April 2008 didn't do any damage at d'Yquem - the explanation is that d'Yquem is situated at the hill-top and has a lake close to vineyard, which apparantly prevented frost to enter. Tasted twice - last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. It was deep and intense on the nose with pear and apricots, velvety, very sophisticated, with excellent structure and greath length. Finished with acacia honey. Awesome stuff.

    Château d'Yquem 2007 99p

    Tasted three times - last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. It was a very refined, sophisticated and beautifully structured wine with great intensity of aromas, great acidity and minerality, stunnigly rich, great structure and striking length. Heaven's doors are open.

    Château d'Yquem 2006 97p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. Offered incredibly refined botrytis and was superbly refined and sophisticated on the palate. Extremely intense acacia honey and pure flavours. Best wine of the vintage in the district.

    Château d'Yquem 2005 98-99p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2009. Consistent notes. 80% of the harvest into Grand Vin. Residual sugar 8%, alcohol 13.3%, acidity 3.6 g/l H2SO4.
    Extraordinary intensity of botrytised flavours – acacia flower, acacia honey, honey melon, pear, peach and apricot. Very sublime, subtle, sophisticated, extremely long, sticks to the tongue. Acidity supports fruit in beautiful way. The depth, structure and purity in this wine is simply awesome. One to keep for 50-60 years.

    Château d'Yquem 2004 96-97p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2009. Consistent notes. 50% of the harvest into Grand Vin. Residual sugar 7.3%, alcohol 13.53%, acidity 4.8 g/l H2SO4.
    Extraordinary nose with reduced flavours (nuts) and pear. Fresh, very elegant and refined. Incredible finesse and silky texture. Long, caressing and honeyed finish. Awesome stuff for several decades to enjoy.

    Château d'Yquem 2003 100p

    Tasted three times - last time in April 2014. Consistent notes. 80% of the harvest into Grand Vin. Residual sugar 8.3%, alcohol 13.5%, acidity 4.2 g/l H2SO4.. Harvest ended on record breaking erliest date of 26th September and lasted only 9 days!
    I'm totally in heaven. Extraordinary concentrated aromas of dried fruits, candied orange peel, mango, guava, candied apricot. Phenomenal purity and intensity. Wow! Incredibly long ongoing aftertaste which lasts for more than one minute. Paradise in heaven.

    Château d'Yquem 2002 95p

    Tasted three times - last time in June 2012. Consistent notes. Residual sugar 7.3%, alcohol 14.0%, acidity 4.5 g/l H2SO4.
    A lighter version of 2004. Fresh, sweet apples and pears. Immensely seductive. Acidity is supporting fruit in tremendous way. Again you find here outstanding balance, purity and finesse. Extraordinary wine. Slightly less intense when tasted in June 2012 - the bottle was bought on open market.

    Château d'Yquem 2001 100p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2009. Consistent notes. Residual sugar 9.3%, alcohol 13.6%, acidity 4.6 g/l H2SO4.
    The nose here is simply out of this world with extreme depth and explosion of flavours like nuts, acacia flower, honey melon, peach and apricot. Stunning vivacity and richness on the palate and what an interplay between fantastic fruit and fantastic acidity. This wine grabs your attention immediately, seduces you and won't let you go. What an angelic treat it is! I guess it will live 50-70 years.100p. This vintage is Sandrine Garbay's favourite among the 14 vintages she's made at d'Yquem.

    Château d'Yquem 2000 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Only 20% of the harvest (September pickings) became Grand Vin, because of downpour from mid-October, which literally washed the remaining grapes away. It was also the last vintage with full involvement of Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces. Golden. Well-defined botrytis, mango, apple and acacia honey. This was a delicate version of d'Yquem with great finesse and elegance, concentrated with many nuances, sweetness and long aftertaste. Quite approachable right now, but can easily be enjoyed in the next 12-20 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1999 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light golden. Tasted quite light and reserved, and showed some bitter orange peel and evident acidity. This wine hasn't found itself yet, so give it time.

    Château d'Yquem 1998 96p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2005. Not consistent notes. Pale yellow. Nose was very elegant with well-shaped noble rot, and had a lot of sweetness on the palate with mango, apricot and acacia honey. This was a wine with pure style, much finesse and long aftertaste, but at same time also "light-footed". Give it 15-25 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1997 98-99p

    Tasted five times - last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. This vintage is one of the most classic ones in the district since 1988. Straw yellow. This wine reminded a lot of 1996 (served in same flight), but showed though extra turbo on the concentration and botrytis. Truly speaking – it is nectar of the Gods. Keep it for 20-40 years. In April 2012, this beauty was in full blossom with creme brulée and pineapple confit, stunning cooperation of botrytized flavours and corresponding acidity, extremely rich and lot of sweetness.

    Château d'Yquem 1996 97p

    Tasted four times - last time in June 2014. Consistent notes. Pale yellow. Possessed extremely sophisticated and intense nose with aroma of dried apricot and honey melon, and was incredibly well composed on the palate with oceans of nuances and lots of sweet peaches and apricots. Due to high sugar content, it simply stuck to the tongue. It's a really classic effort from château – 20-30 years horizontally. This wine tasted in June 2014 wasn't as impressive as bottles tasted on three previous occasions - older, less concentrated and shorter on the finish (94p).

    Château d'Yquem 1995 96p

    Tasted three times - last time in April 2005. Consistent notes. Some of the participants in the tasting found this wine oxidized or corked, which I strongly disagreed with. Well, in the beginning it had a chemical/medicinal aroma (sulphur), but this unpleasant odour disappeared very quickly. Light golden. Classic botrytis, pure and intense, acacia honey with pear and pineapple, "oily" texture, great depth and nuance richness. It showed gorgeous length and long aftertaste. This is a truly splendid wine, which can spend 15-25 years more in the cellar.

    Château d'Yquem 1994 90p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2005. Consistent notes. Golden. Deep nose of somewhat sweet fruit and honey, well packed with apricots and peaches on the palate, with nice support of fresh acidity and delicate aftertaste. It seemed really presentable right now and hopefully will continue like so in additional 12-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1993 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden. This wine reminded a lot of 1994 and was as elegant and tasty. It took against you with open arms. A really well made wine, which should keep all the good things together for the next 10 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1991 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light golden. Deep and intense nose of acacia flowers with scent of lemon. Quite light on the palate with an adequate portion of sweetness, acacia honey, pear, nice structure and good aftertaste. Is ready to drink now, but can easily be enjoyed for another ten years.

    Château d'Yquem 1990 97p

    Tasted in April 2005. Both from normal and magnum bottle. There was no significant difference between those two bottles regarding aroma, richness and taste.

    Light golden. Refined and deep in the nose with magnificently defined botrytis, sophisticated and refined on the palate with delicious sweetness, heather/rasp honey and lasting aftertaste. This wine is incredibly well put together and has incredibly promising future. Tasted again in September 2010 (normal bottle) with same impression.

    Château d'Yquem 1989 95p

    Tasted twice - last time in March 2010. Consistent notes. Straw yellow. It had very alcoholic nose with well-developed noble rot, fat texture, rasp honey, tropical fruits (mango, pineapple and guava), but seemed a bit clumsy on the palate with marked presence of alcohol. This wine looked like a giant on slippery feet, so it hopefully can develop stronger fundament in the near future. Hasn't changed much since April 2005.

    Château d'Yquem 1988 99p

    Tasted three times - last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. Yellow. A wine with extremely well trimmed, deep and intense botrytis in the nose, and strong aroma of melon, acacia honey and lemon peel. Really incredible intensity on the palate with cascades of tropical fruit like mango and honey melon, and in addition to all the goods, it showed exemplary structure and fantastic balance. This wine did really stuck to the tongue and had a meter long aftertaste. A masterpiece! It has a potential to live 30, 40 or even more years. In April 2012, 7 years later after tasting it previous time, this wine seemed a bit muted, maybe closed. Underperformed a bit compared to 1997 vintage.

    Château d'Yquem 1987 92p

    Tasted in April 2005. We didn't expect big things from this wine, knowing well, that this vintage was marked by very poor weather. But we became wiser, because this 1987 turned out quite successful. Pale yellow. Honey melon,pear, acacia honey and scent of apricot on the nose and palate. This was a light version of d'Yquem, refined and elegant, really harmonic and luscious. It will easily keep for additional 10 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1986 98p

    Tasted in April 2005. Pale golden. We had here an extremely refined and distinguished wine with stunningly intense noble rot, enormous depth, intensity and length, exemplary balance and oceans of nuances. It was wonderfully crafted wine to be kept for at least 20 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1985 88p

    Tasted in April 2005. Straw yellow. This wine tasted light, but had quite well developed botrytis, was quite luscious, harmonious and with nice aftertaste. On the palate, there was honey with touch of citron. Already nice to drink, but it can be enjoyed for additional 7-10 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1984 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. It was tasted in same flight with 1987 and 1985. Straw yellow. This wine was more concentrated version of 1987 with more fruit sweetness, more intense noble rot and better structure. It appeared both delicate and mighty, showing splendid quality and long life ahead.

    Château d'Yquem 1983 97p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden. There was exotic fruit everywhere like papaya, apricot and peach. Very pure wine with lot of nuances, beautifully balanced and exquisite structured. It had delicious fruit sweetness on the palate, concentration and long aftertaste. This was fascinating wine and one to keep for at least 20 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1982 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light golden. On the nose, it showed intense aroma of acacia flower with well-defined noble rot, apple and apricot. This splendid wine was well packed with apricots and peaches on the palate, harmonious and with delightful aftertaste. To be put down in the cellar for additional 15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1981 90p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light golden. It had acacia/heather honey in the nose and candied orange peel/citrus peel on the palate, and was well structured with delicious sweetness, fine length and balance. This wine is one to enjoy now and able to keep all the good things for additional 10 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1980 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Almost yellow brown. Fine and pure noble rot, very aromatic, strong and concentrated with sweet almonds and grated citrus peel, refined. Fruit acidity in this wine knitted all things beautifully and gave it fresh breath. This was formidable wine with energy and vitality for another 10-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1979 91p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2012. Consistent notes. Straw yellow. On the nose, it had much sweetness, and botrytis had strong associations to spongy soil in the forest. On the palate it was fat and concentrated, with hazelnuts and rasp honey. Well proportioned, tasty and with beautiful balance. It was stunningly splendid and captivating wine, to enjoy during the next 10 years. In September 2012 it began to show age with fine candied fruit of orange peel and dried apricots, on the light side, elegant and with medium finish.

    Château d'Yquem 1978 90p

    Tasted in April 2005. Only 15% of the harvest went into Grand Vin. Light golden. It was largely concentrated and well-made wine with fine and fresh fruit acidity, showing acacia honey and fine sweetness, quite harmonious, tasty and with exquisite structure. This wine can be enjoyed now and during next 15-20 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1977 85p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden. Nice aroma of apple, pear and caramel pudding on the nose. Light wine with certain elegance and friendly. It had some fruit sweetness coming from ripe but not botrytised grapes. Fruit acidity tasted a bit mouldy and indicated that this wine was behind its prime.

    93

    One of the best flights of the tasting - heavenly wines all three

     

    Château d'Yquem 1976 100p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden. In all aspects it was a fantastic wine with incredibly well-composed and intense noble rot, refined and deep aroma of melon and heather honey, lot of nuances, enormous concentration and depth on the palate, perfect balance and aftertaste, which would not disappear. A monument of a wine! Will it last for 30 years more? Yes!

    Château d'Yquem 1975 97p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden. Barely as concentrated and deep as 1976, and it appeared more on the light and refined side. There was strong aroma of citron, honey melon and pear, lot of sweetness and fresh acidity. It turned to be a tremendously fine and classic d'Yquem, which easily can last for at least 20 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1973 92p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light brown. There was noticeable hazelnut cream aroma in the nose and complex botrytis. Acidity was very present on the palate with bite, but this wine possessed fine balance anyway. Splendidly built with fine length on the palate, and also showing long aftertaste. Light wine, but really well made. It should be consumed within the next 6-8 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1971 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden brown. This wine was very intense and deep in the nose. On the palate, it had aroma of walnut cream and crème brulée containing a pinch of rum. Sophisticated with big depth and length, delicious fruit sweetness, tasty and captivating wine, which still can entertain. Additional 10-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1970 90p

    Tasted in April 2005. Amber. This wine showed well in elegant and light form, with aroma of acacia honey, sugary and with quite fresh acidity. It was nicely structured and with fine balance on the palate. Fine and well made wine for drinking now.

    Château d'Yquem 1969 91p

    Tasted in April 2005. Dark amber. In the nose, there was fine and noble botrytis and toffee and sherry on the palate. Fruit acidity had signs of advanced age, but balance didn't suffer from this. This was a splendid wine without much fuss. It will keep for 4-6 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1968 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Only 10% of the harvest became Grand Vin. Pale brown. It was intense and strong wine with excellent structure with toffee aroma on the nose and palate. Began a bit tart on the palate, but gradually became more harmonious in the glass. In spite of barely good weather conditions, this vintage produced mighty and excellent wine, which should last 10 more years.

    94

    Another fantastic flight!

     

    Château d'Yquem 1967 100p

    Tasted twice - last time in March 2006. Consistent notes. This vintage ranks as one of the very best vintages in the history of the district. Golden brown with reddish nuances. Already in the nose, you could sense incredible intensity and depth with exceedingly sublime botrytis. It was incredibly sophisticated wine with extremely brilliant structure and wonderful balance, packed with sweet apricots, peaches and honey melon on the palate, and with honey-like texture. Aftertaste lasted for several minutes. It was simply pure perfectionism. This wine has potential to last for minimum 25 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1966 96p

    Tasted in April 2005. Pale mahogany. It showed very intense nose of brown sugar and candied apricots, and aristocratic noble rot. There was intense taste of toffee, big concentration, formidable structure and length, and quite "fat" texture. We enjoyed a simply stunning wine, which will provide pleasure in many, many years to come.

    Château d'Yquem 1965 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Only microscopic 5% of the harvest was declared worthy d'Yquem, but those grapes, which came through this severe selection, were obviously of impressive quality. Dark amber. In the nose, it had pure botrytis and appeared very intense and deep. Sophisticated and nuanced in every corner. This wine was stunningly fine and a big positive surprise. It should be good enough to keep for another 20 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1963 87p

    Tasted in April 2005. Brown like cola. Aromas of mocca, burnt coffee beans and caramel. It had some sweetness on the palate but very little of noble rot. This was light and well-balanced wine with fine aftertaste, still alive and one to keep for 2-3 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1962 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Pale brown. It was very sophisticated and elegant wine with evident aroma of walnuts on the nose and fruit sweetness, which also was refined, complex and with fine balance. Dazzling performance. It can last for additional 10-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1961 86p

    Tasted in April 2005. Dark amber. It had aromas of crème brulée and grapefruit in the nose, and was marked by acidity on the palate with nice concentration, length and aftertaste. This wine lacked a good portion of sweetness and tasted a bit four-squared. It had its peak several years ago.

    Château d'Yquem 1960 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light amber. It impressed from first drop with intense and deep nose of rasp honey and brown sugar. On the palate, it appeared very concentrated with candied fruit, delicious structure and sweet aftertaste. This was distinguished and enchanting wine with style, class and vitality. Should maintain all its goodies for additional 15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1959 96p

    Tasted in April 2005. Mahogany. It was similar to 1955, concerning intensity and concentration. However, there were more nuances in this wine, which had noticeable aromas of caramel budding, toffee and candied orange peel. This was breathtaking and sublime wine, with at least 20 eventful years in its "luggage".

    Château d'Yquem 1957 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Orange brown. It was full-bodied, harmonious and well-proportioned wine with marzipan, sweet almonds on the nose and palate and long aftertaste. Kept its shape very nicely and will continue like that in the next 10 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1955 95p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden brown. It had nose of brown sugar with scent of walnuts, and was strong and full-bodied on the palate with splendid balance. It was extremely tasty and attractive wine, admirable and gracious, to be kept horizontally for 10 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1954 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden brown. Very elegant and finesse marked wine with aromas of sherry, brown sugar and caramel, and taste of hazelnuts. Quite voluminous and deep wine, well made, which should be consumed now, for it will not improve.

    Château d'Yquem 1953 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light mahogany. It had intense nose of vanilla budding with added rum and walnuts, and was delicious on the palate with tropic fruits marinated in honey. All ingredients appeared to be in perfect match. This was eminent wine with beautiful charisma, to be further enjoyed in the next 10-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1950 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. It was almost a true copy of 1953, but a bit lighter. Tasted however equally delicious. It will probably peak before the expected apogee for 1953. This much graceful wine did impress a lot.

    Château d'Yquem 1949 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Pale mahogany. Seemed more forward in development than 1945 and didn't have the latter's elegant and refined touch. There was however delightful sweetness and delicate taste with honeyed character. Will doubtfully live so long compared to 1953.

    Château d'Yquem 1947 100p

    Tasted in April 2005. Dark amber. It had multidimensional fragrances, was extremely complex and refined, and had noble rot of aristocratic kind. This wine was incredibly sophisticated on the palate with rock-solid fundament, fantastic structure and aftertaste, which lasted for several minutes. Angels sing! It seemed almost immortal.

    Château d'Yquem 1945 96p

    Tasted in April 2005. Orange brown. Even if this wine couldn't match 1947 fantastic effort, it had sufficient amount of ingredients to make you extremely satisfied. There was crème brulée, candied apricots, catching elegance and refinement. It will surprise me, if this wine can't last for additional 10-15 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1944 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Dark brown. It showed delightful fragrance of toffee and marzipan with scent of cocoa. Well-marked acidity on the palate, but it was neutralised by lusciously sweet peaches and apricots. This wine currently at its peak, showed great depth and length, and acted delicate and gracious. Fabulous stuff. It will easily manage to keep on going like that for 10 more years.

    Off-vintage of d'Yquem? Come on! It was certainly not the case here. Beautiful 1944!

    Château d'Yquem 1943 91p

    Tasted in April 2005. Golden brown. This was a lighter version of 1944, much more forward and barely that aromatic. Anyway, you met delightful and tasty wine, which will keep on like that for further 4-6 years.

    Château d'Yquem 1941 88p

    Tasted in April 2005. Colour of pale tea. It had nose of sherry and rum, with substantial acidity on the palate. This was quite full-bodied and concentrated wine, good old one, which apparently has 2-4 more years to keep on going.

    Château d'Yquem 1939 88p

    Tasted in April 2005. Yellow brown. Had nose and taste of walnuts and caramel, scent of bitter chocolate, and was quite harmonious with nice length on the palate. This was old and experienced wine, which still could "move" without stick.

    Château d'Yquem 1938 97p

    Tasted in April 2005. Quite few properties in Sauternes & Barsac made wine in 1938 and d'Yquem was one of these. Light mahogany. Deep and intense nose with aroma of sherry and rum, fat on the palate, stuck to the tongue, very vivid. It had remarkable length and aftertaste on the palate with stunning balance. This wine was in fine shape and one for additional keeping for at least 10 years. Heavenly performance!

    Château d'Yquem 1936 89p

    Tasted in April 2005. Amber. Quite elegant wine with some lusciousness, packed with candied fruits, fine balance and fresh acidity. There was sufficient with vitality and savour in this delightful wine. This one should be able to entertain for some few more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1934 88p

    Tasted in April 2005. Orange brown. Had nose of caraway, burnt rubber and old honey, some orange peel on the palate with nice structure and length. Harmonious wine, which still holds all ingredients together, but the time is running out.

    Château d'Yquem 1929 97p

    Tasted in April 2005. Recorked in 1990. Light mahogany. Had very intense nose of candied apricots and citrus peel, with fine, well-integrated and captivating noble rot. It was creamy on the palate with delicious sweetness, lots of tropical fruits, exemplary structure, impressive length and persistent and honeyed aftertaste. Magnificent example of d'Yquem, full of energy and vitality, and which should be able to last for at least 20-30 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1928 82p

    Tasted in April 2005. Dark amber. Very special smell and taste salt sticks with a little of tobacco and sea salt. This was quite atypical wine for the property, which clearly indicated, that it peaked many, many years ago.

    Château d'Yquem 1926 82p

    Tasted in April 2005. It had old nose and palate marked by champignons. Acidity was very apparent and aftertaste was quite dry and bitter. This wine had clear signs of advanced age and that could be explained with improper storage during its long life.

    Château d'Yquem 1924 87p

    Tasted in April 2005. Cola colour. Had nose of sherry with scent of iodine and taste of salty almonds. This wine seemed to be "walking" on crutches.

    Château d'Yquem 1921 94p

    Tasted in April 2005. Vintage 1921 is considered as one of milestones in the history of the district. The wine here didn't quite match reputation of this vintage, but it can be explained by the fact, that "our" bottle was not château bottled. It was Belgian bottling, signed VanderMeulen. Orange brown. It displayed aroma of candied orange peel and real botrytis, big concentration, lot of nuances and had superb balance. Not quite a bull's eye, but anyway an impressive wine, which should last for 10 more years.

    Château d'Yquem 1919 81p

    Tasted in April 2005. Yellow brown. Smelled incredibly fishy (oysters) in the nose and tasted of old and acidified fruit. This wine seemed both quite old and quite finished.

    Château d'Yquem 1918 93p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2012. The wine was a Belgian bottling by VanderMeulen. Unfortunately, it had passed away, maybe due to bad storage. Almost 7,5 years later I tasted this wine in September 2012, a negociant bottling, which was stupendous and still alive. Very dark brown, full of toffee aroma, crème brulée, fine acidity, excellent structure, long and honeyed finish. Excellent and well-preserved wine, impressive experience rated 93p.

    Château d'Yquem 1914 83p

    Tasted in April 2005. Light mahogany. Smelled of worn tyres and burned caramel. Seemed quite filled with old fruit acidity and was quite dry on the palate. This was quite old and quite uninteresting wine.

    95

    D'Yquem 1906 was one of my three 100p scorers at the tasting

     

    Château d'Yquem 1906 100p

    Tasted in April 2005. Recorked in 2002. Dark mahogany. It had incredibly intense nose of molasses and chocolate with bitter orange fill, sophisticated and deep. There was incredible fatness, concentration and nuance richness on the palate, with fabulous sweetness and chocolate, cocoa and perfect balance. It was really monumental wine and probably the most positive surprise of the tasting. This wine is almost 100 years old and still going strong – hopefully it can add another 10 more years in its history.

    Château d'Yquem 1891 93p

    Tasted in April 2005. Recorked in 1990. Dark brown. It had delightful nose of toffee, chocolate and brown sugar, and was quite sourish on the palate with a dash of sherry and tea. This was vivid wine in good balance, which made quite an impression and should easily manage to last for 3-4 more years.

    96

    114 years old d'Yquem - still going strong!

     

    Château d'Yquem 1847 92p

    Tasted in April 2005. According to Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces, whole production of d'Yquem in this vintage was sold in bulk to negociants in Bordeaux, which meant no chateau bottling. "Our" bottle had a label with the name of the negociant responsible for bottling (F.W.Hyllested Bordeaux) and sufficient with red sealing wax on top of the cork. The colour was simply spectacular – like 1947! This wine had nose of camphor/camphor and cloves and tasted of the same on the palate with some sweetness. It had neither passed away nor collapsed, but was quite entertaining and special wine, and a 158 years old curiosity.

     

    CHÂTEAU HAUT BRION - JEWEL ON BORDEAUX' WINE HEAVEN

    Haut Brion is the only one of First Growths, which doesn't come from Haut-Médoc. It's situated just opposite La Mission Haut Brion in Pessac, neighboring suburb to Talence. It was during Georges Delmas' reign, who arrived at Haut Brion in 1921, that Haut Brion underwent extensive improvements in the vineyard and cellar.

    He had functioned as both the manager and regisseur, and Haut Brion came up with many outstanding vintages during his stay. His son, Jean-Bernard Delmas, followed him in 1961 and took care of Haut Brion until 2003. During his reign, Haut Brion has really been flying high. Jean-Philippe Delmas has taken over responsibility for Haut Brion from his father in 2003 and the high quality has been maintained.

    There are 43 ha of vines planted with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Vines are 36 years old on average and Haut Brion spends 22 months in new oak.

    Haut Brion is rather heavier wine to "dance" with than La Mission Haut Brion. It's strong and powerful with enormous depth, richness and length. It's masculine and not "filled" with silk, like sister property La Mission Haut Brion. Haut Brion represents all the things you love in Bordeaux wines – unique soil, style, class and refinement. It's keeping abilities can easily last 3-4-5 decades.

    Haut Brion 2015 (barrel sample)

    Tasted in April 2016. 50% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc, alcohol level landed at 14.9%. This wine was similar to 2015 LMHB but with fatter tannin and with slightly longer finish. Incredibly aromatic nose, voluptuous on the palate, well-defined and precise. Great, great vintage we have here. Reminds a lot of 2005 vintage. 97p.

    Haut Brion 2014 (barrel sample) 95+p

    Tasted in March 2015. Cherry flavor all over, excellent acidity, great complexity, fat fruit and tannin, excellent structure and long fat finish. Very impressive wine indeed.

    Haut Brion 2013 (barrel sample) 93p

    Tasted twice - last time in April 2014. Consistent notes. Complex with silky fruit and silky tannin. Splendid concentration, depth and structure. Spicy fruit. A bit lighter version of this wine than usual.

    Haut Brion 2012 94p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2014. Consistent notes. Intense on the nose and palate. Violets and crushed dark berries, splendid complexity, depth and quite strong structure. Fine effort for the vintage.

    Haut Brion 2011 95p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2014. Not consistent notes. It was more tannic and stronger than La Mission Haut Brion. A bit backward.

    Haut Brion 2010 99p

    Tasted twice - last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. This wine delivered lots of dark cherries covered by milk chocolate on nose and palate, freshness, big aromas, depth, very long, minerality, strong backbone, sweet fat tannin and astonishing balance. Mind-boggling effort.

    Haut Brion 2009 99p

    Tasted three times - last time in September 2012. Consistent notes. Whopping 98% of harvest went in Grand Vin – grapes were of fantastic quality. Incredibly aromatic black fruit, strong, lots of dark cherries on nose and palate, very deep and dense, very long, mineral, velvety and with astonishing balance. Granit block - long, long lasting potential. Mind-boggling effort.

    Haut Brion 2008 97p

    Tasted five times - last time in September 2012. Consistent notes. 35% of the harvest into Grand Vin, 41% Merlot + 50% Cabernet Sauvignon + 9% Cabernet Franc. This wine offered more complex result than La Mission with more nuances, excellent balance, finesse, richness and very long, smooth and caressing finish. Stunning wine!

    Haut Brion 2007 94p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2009. Consistent notes. 43% Merlot + 44% C.Sauvignon + 13% C.Franc, which corresponds precisely to percentage of planted grape varieties in the vineyard! Only 43% of the harvest survived the severe selection for Grand Vin. Deep dark red. More dense and more concentrated than La Mission, otherwise same style. Strikingly well-balanced and classy wine.

    Haut Brion 2006 96p

    Tasted four times - last time in October 2009. Consistent notes. Haut Brion (57% Merlot + 41% Cabernet Sauvignon + 2% Cabernet Franc) delivered great performance in 2006 vintage, but wasn't as hedonistic as its 2005 version. Very aromatic on the nose with dark cherries and blackcurrants added big portions of ripe and round tannins, densely knitted, rich and with exquisite structure. Will easily keep for 25-30 years.

    Haut Brion 2005 99p

    Tasted three times - last time in September 2015. Consistent notes. This wine was strong and powerful in October 2007, crammed with fruit and tannin and had fabulous structure, immense length and depth. In September 2015, it welcomed me with open arms, showing powerhouse approach, fatness and thick flavours, stunning depth, was crammed with perfectly ripe fruit and tannin and showing fantastic structure and finish. Already legendary wine which will last for 3-4-5 decades.

    Haut Brion 2004 94p

    Tasted three times - last time in October 2007. Consistent notes. Contains 61% Merlot, 20% C.Sauvignon and 19% C.Franc. Pretty aromatic on the nose with excellent black cherries and plenty of fruit to balance big quantities of tannin, big depth and very long aftertaste. Needs time to develop further, but has an excellent potential.

    Haut Brion 2003 95p

    Tasted twice - last time in August 2007. Consistent notes. Haut Brion came up with a stunning wine, packed with blackcurrants, tobacco and chocolate, intense and concentrated. There was not even a trace of overheated fruit or jammy character in this wine. 2015-2030.

    Haut Brion 2002 96p

    Tasted in September 2003. Incredibly intense with fabulous structure. Very strong and robust, gobs of ultra-concentrated ripe and luscious fruit in astonishing cooperation with big amounts of fat and ripe tannin. This wine is a big thrill and surely among the top six wines of the vintage. Yummy! 2010-2030.

    Haut Brion 2001 95p

    Tasted four times - last time in February 2010. Consistent notes. Immensely concentrated and aromatic (red fruit). Deep and well-structured. You don't find much finesse or elegance here, but sheer power and strength. A real macho wine. 2010-2035.

    Haut Brion 2000 98p

    Tasted in September 2003. Extremely intense nose of dark berries, extremely dense and extremely refined. Exceptional depth, richness and longevity. 30 seconds long aftertaste. This is a heavy weight boxer with sophisticated punch, who's moving around in a very gracious way. 2015-2050.

    Haut Brion 1995 96p

    Tasted in February 2010. This wine acted like an opera singer with strong voice (Pavarotti) and what a wine! Silky all over, wonderfully balanced, structured and long on the palate. Seamless. True, true Bordeaux wine to make you extremely happy for at least a quarter of the century.

    Haut Brion 1988 93p

    Tasted in July 2014. Not quite developed yet. Lighter version of this wine with sheer elegance and finesse, very stylish and well-balanced. Tannin seems to be kept under strict control of fruit.

    Haut Brion 1985 93p

    Tasted twice - last time in June 2012. Consistent notes. It seemed to taste more dry and older that 1985 La Mission, but the quality was still awesome with truffles, fruit sweetness and long aftertaste.

    Haut Brion 1982 92p

    Tasted in March 2005. Surprisingly quite ripe and light in color. Although it's structure, complexity and class was very compelling, I expected much more from this wine. Has this wine already peaked?

    Haut Brion 1964 91p

    Tasted in April 2014. Elegant and mature wine, polished, fine balance and complexity. Light but with great finesse.

    Haut Brion 1963 0p

    Tasted in September 2006. Oxidized/passed away.

    Haut Brion 1961 87p

    Tasted in September 2006. Deep dark red. Smell of extracted coffee beans, port wine like and a bit peppery on the palate. It seemed that this bottle experienced a kind of heat shock during its storage before it's arrival at our tasting, because this vintage normally is superb for Haut Brion.

    Haut Brion 1959 100p

    Tasted 10 times - last time in September 2006. Consistent notes. I've been so lucky to taste this wine 10 times during the last 19 years and it's never, never and never disappointed! It's extremely rare for a wine lover to experience such a magnifique and perfect wine, which decade after decade remains young and vigorous. This wine is simply nectar of the Gods and one of true wine legends in Bordeaux. I'm pretty sure that it easily can impress for another decade or two or three....

    The best set of the tasting

    Haut Brion 1958 82p

    Tasted in September 2006. Medium red with watery edge. Absolutely not at the level with La Mission Haut Brion's effort in this vintage. This is an old wine, still alive but there's a little time left.

    Haut Brion 1957 83p

    Tasted in September 2006. Not at all in the same league as La Mission. Aroma of mushrooms aroma and wet cardboard. Light and fragile on the palate. It seemed that this wine had reached the end of the road. Bad stored bottle again.

    Haut Brion 1956 90p

    Tasted in September 2006. Significantly better wine that Haut Brion 1957. Deep red with watery edges. Forest floor, spicy strawberries/mashed strawberries on the nose, good structure. Pleasant and round wine with fine aftertaste.

    Haut Brion 1955 99p

    Tasted in September 2006. Dark red. Incredibly refined nose full of truffles and cherries. Simply delicious! Stunningly sophisticated on the palate with fabulous concentration and length. Compared to its "sister" (La Mission Haut Brion), Haut Brion had some few strings more to play on, but was a tad older in its soul. Divine wine at its apogee.

    Haut Brion 1953 95p

    Tasted in September 2006. Medium red. Beautiful nose of truffles, cocoa powder and chocolate - as true and mature Bordeaux should be. Cherries and mashed strawberries on the palate, refined and with plenty of finesse. Round and silky in the aftertaste. A well-preserved, delicious and attractive wine, which is mega big enjoyment now.

    Haut Brion 1952 96p

    Tasted in September 2006. Surprisingly quite dark in color. Cacao powder on the nose with intense aroma od blackcurrants and cherries. Incredibly elegant, sophisticated and refined on the palate. Perfect harmony and round long lasting aftertaste. A true delicacy.

    Haut Brion 1947 83p

    Tasted in September 2006. Dark red. Earthy aromas mixed with tobacco, extracted coffee beans, dry on the palate with old tannin. Unfortunately, it seemed that our bottle either visited many corners of the world or was simply stored in far too hot place during its long life.

    Haut Brion 1945 97p

    Tasted in September 2006. Medium red. Butter milk, mocha and caramel on the nose and mashed strawberries on the palate. Quite light but with long aftertaste. Refined and full of finesse. Barely so much fireworks here compared with the "sister" in same vintage, but there was nothing to be ashamed of. Formidable wine and great pleasure while enjoying it. At its very peak.

    Haut Brion 1944 84p

    Tasted in September 2006. Color of coke. Really old on the nose, slightly better on the palate with a bit of liquorice. Soon, it will be farewell to this wine!

    Haut Brion 1943 96p

    Tasted in September 2006. Dark red. Incredibly intense nose of blackcurrants and raspberries with stunning depth. Plenty of blackcurrants and raspberries on the palate, incredible length and complexity. What a vitality and young touch this wine came up with - brilliant all over the place. I think this wine can keep for additional 6-8 years.

    Haut Brion 1923 82p

    Tasted in September 2006. Light and fragile wine with little fruit. Very soon it will be dead and buried.

     

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    Me

    I'm a freelance wine writer and I've been tasting and writing about wines since 1984. I concentrate 100% on Bordeaux wines as I've fallen in love with these wines because of its many styles, kind and friendly wine people and beauty of Bordeaux area and the town itself.

     

    My tasting experience of Bordeaux wines is based on 34 years long (1984-2018) visits to Bordeaux and many, many vertical/horisontal tastings with often 20+ vintages of a given château - f.i. 22 vintages of CANON back to 1948 (1988), 18 vintages of CHEVAL BLANC back to 1928 (1988), 25 wines from the highly-heralded 1959 vintage (1989), BEYCHEVELLE, CERTAN DE MAY, LATOUR, MONTROSE, PALMER (18 vintages back to 1952),  LE PIN (12 vintages), PONTET CANET and VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN verticals in 10+ vintages,  (tastings taking place between 1990 and 1999), 65 vintages of  D`YQUEM back to 1847 (2005), 30 vintages of LATOUR back to 1904 (2006), 19 vintages of HAUT BRION/39 vintages of LA MISSION HAUT BRION back to 1920 (2006), 10+ vintages of PALMER (2007), 10+ vintages of BEYCHEVELLE (2008), 14 vintages of LAFLEUR (2012), 10 vintages of PALMER (2014), and 8 vintages of PALMER (2015), all tastings taking place in Copenhagen. Since 1987, I've been participating in many vertical tastings while coming to Bordeaux twice a year.

    I've tasted many old wines from Bordeaux - among the highlights - the oldest red Bordeaux I've ever tasted is PALMER 1865, the oldest sweet white Bordeaux I've tasted is YQUEM 1847 and the oldest dry white Bordeaux I've tasted is DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER 1941.

    I'm member of several wine commanderies - Jurade de Saint-Émilion, Hospitaliers de Pomerol and Commanderie de Bontemps á Medoc, Graves et Sauternes.

    In May 1998, my book about Pomerol was published in Denmark and written only in Danish language.

    Since 2006 I've been publishing my impressions and tasting notes from my visits in Bordeaux on my website: www.greatbordeauxwines.com

    I also like to drink beer (especially Scottish, Belgian and Polish ones), Scottish malt whisky (single casks ones from especially Springbank and Highland Park) and vintage Armagnac (especially from Fontaine de Coincy).

     

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    Pro Me

    About www.greatbordeauxwines.com

    In 2015, due to a change in maintaining my website by a hosting provider and my desire to change the old look of my website to a current and professional one, I decided to hire a professional web designer to give my website a major overhaul with new layout, simple structure, user-friendly interface, easy navigation and search function + RSS. This "new" website kickstarted on May the 4th, 2015. It underwent a significant layout change in 2022 due to new requirements for the language of my website, Joomla.

    There are drop-down menus related to menu bar contents. This website is responsive, which means it adjusts itself whenever you see it on tablets (f.i. Ipad) and cell phones. It supports Android and Apple.

    The choice of contents in the menu bar, like f.i. Chateau Profiles is 100% personal. 

    Various Tasting Notes chapter contains all other tasting notes which don't relate to Chateau Profiles.

    In Chateau Profiles, you will find a page describing the most important districts/communes in Bordeaux with facts, style of wines, pairing with food, and places to eat. It can be accessed by clicking on every district/commune listed in the drop-down menu of Chateau Profiles. Link - http://www.greatbordeauxwines.com/chateau-profiles/margaux

    In August 2021, I added a small Burgundy & Beaujolais chapter to the menu. It includes impressions from Burgundy tastings/dinners attended since November 2018 and impressions of tasted wines from Beaujolais' best winegrowers since summer 2021.

     I've created Latest news (right column) to pass the latest news immediately to the reader.

    In About me you can write to me by email with praise or criticism and come up with suggestion(s). I'll try to answer all inquiries.

    I sincerely hope my website will catch your attention, dear reader/visitor

    Close

    Digital Me

    Since 2006 I've been publishing my impressions and tasting notes from my visits to Bordeaux on my website: www.greatbordeauxwines.com

    Many TNs from my visits to Bordeaux are also published at www.tastingbook.com

    Close

Wine Moments

Here you can see wine moments from tastingbook users. or to see wine moments from your world.

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  19 Wines  from  19 Producers 

Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2022 – is characterized by crunchy cherries and blackcurrants on the nose, with hints of leather and cigar box. It has a juicy and vibrant taste, firm structure, and strong backbone, leading to a great mid-palate. The wine offers subtle complexity and a meaty finish. It is excellent stuff and deserves a rating of 96 points.

2m 12d ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  14 Wines  from  2 Producers 

Pingus 2022 (barrel sample) – intense dark berries and floral scents, perfect fruit ripeness, vibrant with silky tannin, seamless structure, sophisticated touch, multi-layered, awesome complexity, spectacular midpalate, long meaty finish. This is a beautifully crafted wine! 99p.

3m 2d ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  35 Wines  from  34 Producers 

BORDEAUX 2022 TOP WINES / Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2022. Aromatic cherries, blackcurrants, tobacco leaves, great acidity, powerful on the palate with a strong backbone, big concentration, multilayered, and great length. Long, long finish. Impressive effort. 98p.

 

4m 11d ago

Cheval Blanc 2022, Château Cheval Blanc
Le Pin 2022, Le Pin
Pétrus 2022, Château Pétrus
Lafite-Rothschild 2022, Château Lafite-Rothschild
Château Margaux 2022, Château Margaux
Château Haut-Brion 2022, Château Haut-Brion
Château Haut-Brion Blanc 2022, Château Haut-Brion
Château Ausone 2022, Château Ausone
Château Mouton-Rothschild 2022, Château Mouton-Rothschild
Château Palmer 2022, Château Palmer
Vieux Chateau Certan 2022, Vieux Château Certan
Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2022, Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Lafleur 2022, Château Lafleur
La Mission Haut Brion 2022, Château La Mission Haut-Brion
L'Eglise-Clinet 2022, Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2022, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Cos d'Estournel 2022, Château Cos d'Estournel
Montrose 2022, Château Montrose
Château de Valandraud 2022, Château Valandraud
Château Angelus 2022, Château Angelus
Château Canon 2022, Château Canon
Château Calon Ségur 2022, Château Calon-Ségur
Château La Fleur-Pétrus 2022, Château Lafleur-Pétrus
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 2022, Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Trotanoy 2022, Château Trotanoy
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2022, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Château Pontet Canet 2022, Château Pontet Canet
Château Les Carmes-Haut-Brion 2022, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Domaine de Chevalier 2022, Domaine de Chevalier
Château Haut-Bailly 2022, Château Haut-Bailly
Château de Figeac 2022, Château de Figeac
Château La Conseillante 2022, Château La Conseillante
Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse 2022, Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse
Château Léoville Poyferré 2022, Château Léoville Poyferré
Bélair Monange 2022, Château Bélair Monange

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  29 Wines  from  1 Producers 

The tasting notes listed below, except 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2011, and 1946, are from the vertical of 26 vintages from this property, which took place in Copenhagen in November 2022. Wines for the vertical were purchased in Danish wine shops and European auctions. 

Ducru Beaucaillou is a famous second growth on the Left Bank located in the commune of Saint-Julien and close to the banks of the Gironde river. This ideal location means a perfect micro-climate, which prevents incoming frost, hail, and other weather caprices from attacking the vineyard.

9m 17d ago

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1962, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1955, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1961, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1971, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1966, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1995, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1996, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2003, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2012, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2018, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2021, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1982, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1986, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1989, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1990, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2004, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2000, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2016, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2017, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1975, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1976, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1978, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1981, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1985, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2009, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2011, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2008, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a wine moment

“For me, Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse 2022 marks a style change towards a more elegant, refined, and sophisticated one than vintages 2019, 2018, and 2016.
A wine with well-integrated mix of finesse and underlying power, minerality, and Burgundian delicacy and opulence of high-esteemed Grand Cru wines from Chambolle Musigny/Gevrey Chambertin. The blend has 10% more C. Franc than in previous vintages - 69% Merlot + 31% C. Franc, pH. 3.5, harvest of Merlot took place from 6th to 9th of September, and C. Franc was collected on the 23rd of September. ABV is 14.9%, but you absolutely can’t feel it while tasting.
This is a mind-boggling effort and clear proof of extraordinary winemaking skills from Josephine Duffau Lagarrosse. Bravo!! 98-100p.”

10m 1d ago

1 Wines 1 Producers

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  24 Wines  from  22 Producers 

Bordeaux 2021 / Suduiraut - potent, acacia honey, melon, mango, great complexity, structure and length on the palate, striking acidity, and sweetness make a great pair. Vibrant, refined and sophisticated. Fabulous stuff. 96p.

1y 20d ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  27 Wines  from  1 Producers 

Out of 24 vintages of Cos d’Estournel, I tasted that evening, I haven’t had the opportunity to taste 11 of these - 2012, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1988, 1982, 1981, 1977, 1973, 1926 and 1916. The “missing” vintages significantly extended my knowledge of Cos and my understanding of this property’s style. The mix of power and elegance is thrilling! This 2nd CC from St. Estephe is one of Bordeaux classiest and terroir-driven wines. 
The white Cos, 2013 and 2018, were purchased at the chateau, and the 2009 white Cos plus all the reds were purchased at different auctions/wine shops.
We tasted wines blind and knew which vintages we should taste but not in which order they appeared in wine glasses.

1y 5m ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  20 Wines  from  20 Producers 

Château Leoville Barton 2021 - 84% C. Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 3% C. Franc. 13.12% alcohol. Full, intense redcurrants. Tobacco leaves and leather. Sappy, strong structure and backbone, vibrant, great complexity and length. Refined and sophisticated touch. Lingering finish. Excellent one. 93-94p.

1y 7m ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  20 Wines  from  19 Producers 

Château Haut-Brion Blanc 2021 / 55% Semillon + 45% Semillon. Great intensity of green apple, pear and pineapple, acidity, crispiness, structure and length. Vibrant. Long lemony aftertaste. Sheer class. 98+p.

1y 8m ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  20 Wines  from  20 Producers 

Domaine de Chevalier 2021- 80% C. Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% C. Franc and 5% P. Verdot. It's the first vintage with that much C. Sauvignon in the blend. 13% alcohol. Intense black- and redcurrants, crushed rocks, coffee beans, cigar box, graphite, fresh, fine structure and complexity. Persistent aftertaste. Splendid effort for the vintage. 94-95p.

1y 8m ago

Izak Litwar / BWW2024 Finalist, Wine Writer (Denmark)  had a tasting of  12 Wines  from  12 Producers 

2019 Cheval Blanc 98-99p/ 58% Merlot, 34% C. Franc and 8% C. Sauvignon. Distinguished and intensely aromatic nose of violets and raspberries. Very refined and sophisticated on the palate with great structure, richness and mega long aftertaste. Simply an extraordinary effort. 

1y 11m ago

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