98 JS / 98 WI / 97 VM / 95 DE#24 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of France 2020 Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium to full body...
96 JS / 96 VM / 95 WI / 94 JD / 93 WS#72 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of France 2020 This is a wine that is showing lots of structure with tightly wound tannins that spin through the center palate...
98 JS / 98 WE / 97 WI / 97 DE / 96+ VM / 96 WS #39 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of France 2020 This is extremely aromatic and perfumed with crushed-berry, flower, currant and orange-peel character. Full-bodied,...
94 DE / 93 JS / 93 VM / 92 WS These guys often over-deliver in challenging years, and have done so yet again. As you would expect in a vintage that has produced such an excellent Lacoste Borie, this GPL is exceptional, a...
96 WE / 94 JS / 94 DE / 93 VM This wine is rich with tannins and ripe black fruits. A core of lusciousness gives the wine weight and density. It will be a fine wine to drink from 2024. Cellar Selection - RV, Wine...
94 DE / 93 JS / 91 JD / 90 VM / 16.5 JR Lifted notes of freshly picked strawberries, raspberries and summer fruits with blackcurrant tones and hints of crushed rocks. Precise, showing clarity on the palate, upfront and...
94 WA / 93 WS / 92 JS / 90 VM / 90 JD / 90 DE / 15.5 JR Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Berliquet gives up expressive notes of baked plums, blackberry preserves and mulberries with hints of licorice, crushed...
97 WI / 96+ JD / 96 JS / 96 VM / 95 DE / 95 WS #90 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of France 2020 The 2017 Beausejour Duffau is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with notes of blackberry pie and...
98 WA / 98 WCI / 97 DE / 97 VM / 97 JS / 96 JD / 96 WE The deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Ausone is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. It sashays out of the glass with gregarious scents of baked red and...
99 JS / 97 JD / 96 VM / 96 WA / 95 WS #41 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2018 The clarity to this wine is impressive. Wealth of dark-plum and black-fruit essence not to mention orange citrus. Everything is dialed up to...
96 RP / 18.5 JR This is a tour de force, and one of the all-time great Grand-Puy-Lacostes ever produced, as I hope the 2000 and 2005 will become. This is an inky/purple, beefy, broad, super-rich Pauillac revealing classic...
97 WA / 97 WI / 97 JS / 96 VM / 95+ JD / 95 WS / 95 DE The 2015 Rauzan-Segla (Rausan-Segla) was a magnificent wine out of barrel, but what matters, of course, is how you and I find this Margaux in bottle...
97 JS / 95+ JD / 95 WA / 95 DE Lots of cedar, tea-leaf and hazelnut character and ripe fruit aromas. Citrus peel, too. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Smoky undertone. This is structured and...
100 RP Actual bottles shown. Please indicate in the order comments which number bottle you would like. What can I say about this mammoth wine that is more like port than dry red table wine? The 1947 Cheval Blanc exhibits...
98 DE / 95 VM / 18.5 JR Cheval Blanc saw 25% less rainfall than average in this vintage. Summer was hot but not a heatwave – the grapes were brought in from 7 September to 5 October, the earliest harvest date in...
92-94 WA / 91 FS / 17 JR This terroir is superbly situated between Beausejour Duffau and Beau-Sejour-Becot, with Angelus within shouting distance. Bellevue has been managed by Stephane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont...
Actual bottles available...
98 JS / 97+ VM / 97 WI / 97 WE / 95+ JD / 95 DE / 95 JA So much floral and dark-fruit character with almonds and walnut shell. Full body and ultra-fine tannins. Powerful. Classic style with a harmony and energy...
100 RP / 99 JD / 98 DE / 98 WCI / 97 WA / 18 JR The 1982 Leoville-Las Cases remains one of the awesome examples of this great vintage. Rich, full-bodied, and backward, this thick-looking, opaque ruby/purple-colored wine is...
98 WA / 97 VM / 97 WE / 96 DE / 17.5++ One of the handful of candidates for wine of the vintage is the 2006 Ausone. In fact, while tasting it, I was thinking, is there any estate in Bordeaux that, since 1998, has made as...
100 RP / 97 FS / 96+ VM / 96 WA / 96 WCI / 18 JR "The monumental 1982 Gruaud Larose, which I think I've said before is clearly the greatest Gruaud Larose I have ever tasted, and I have had most of them - back through the...
99 WA / 98 JA / 96 WS The 1982 Cheval Blanc is a sumptuous, sensual wine, bursting with aromas of sweet raspberries, orange rind, dried flowers, cedar box, black truffles, vine smoke and menthol. Medium to full-bodied,...
90 JS / 89 RP Featured in James Suckling's Bordeaux Confidential Events in 2015 Tangy and juicy, with pleasant berry and plum fruit character. Drink now. - James Suckling An excellent wine that sells for a song, the basic...
100 RP / 100 JS / 100 DE / 100 JD Our special guest for the night was administrator Pierre Lurton, and one of his favorite vintages under his impeccable guidance at Cheval Blanc is the 1998, a wine that has gone from...
100 RP / 100 DE / 20 JR / 98 WA / 98 VM / 98 JD This wine has overtaken its closest rival, the 1982. Dense ruby purple with only a bit of lightening at the edge, the explosive nose of black fruits and cassis intermixed with...
91 WS / 91-93 VM Subtle aromas of fruit, grilled meat and cedar, yet it's a blockbuster on the palate. Full-bodied and tannic. Chewy. - JS, Wine Spectator Good medium color, less saturated than the '95. Pungent, vibrant...
97 WE / 96 JS / 95 WA / 95 DE / 94+ VM This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage. Those tannins are dusty, enriched with black-currant fruits and a dense backdrop. The wine is concentrated and elegant, very...
100 RP / 98 WA Amazing! The limestone soils of Ausone appear to have been the perfect foil for resisting the extreme heat and drought of June, July and August, 2003. This black/purple-colored effort boasts a glorious nose...
99 WA / 97 JS / 96 RP The 1948 Cheval Blanc may well constitute the most unheralded legendary wine of the 20th century, in no small part because it precedes the 1947. However, after years of several mavens lionizing this...
98 VM The 1955 Cheval Blanc is utterly divine – even better than the bottle tasted in 2014. Quite clear and deep in color, it is blessed with a heavenly bouquet: ripe and vivacious red fruit, iodine,...
100 JS / 98+ WI / 98 VM / 98 JA / 97 DE / 96 WA Breathtaking aromas of perfectly ripe fruit with blackberries, black olives, licorice, cedar and sweet tobacco. Full body, incredible depth and power, yet this is always in...
90 CT Produced on the exceptional terroir of Chateau Montrose and made in the chateau’s winery, Saint-Estephe de Montrose is the estate’s third wine, blended from wines from younger vines and lees wines...
96 VM / 96 DE / 96 WE / 94 JD / 94 JS / 94 WA / 18 JR The 2015 Brane-Cantenac is powerful, structured and explosive in feel. A deep, resonant wine, the 2015 boasts off the charts ripeness allied to formidable structure and...
100 JS / 100 AG / 99 WA / 98 DE / 97 WS #11 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2018 The blackberries, blueberries, oyster shell and violets are so mesmerizing. Full-bodied, focused and deep. It takes you to...
93 WA / 93 VM / 92 WS / 92 WCI / 17 JR In the new classification of St.-Emilion, justice was certainly served with the elevation of Angelus to premier grand cru classe status. No Bordeaux estate has been making as...
100 WA / 100 RP / 100 JS / 100 JD Over the last couple of years, I had inclined to the view that the 1986 vintage was eclipsing the 1982 Mouton Rothschild, but two perfectly conserved bottles this year put paid to that...
60% Merlot / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Cabernet FrancClay and limestone soils covered with stony gravel. The second wine of Château Carignan is ripe and fruity. It has red fruits and layers of tannin and...
93 RP / 93 WS / 93 VM / 18.5 JR The home property of Jean-Luc Thunevin, the inspirational spirit for Bordeaux's garagiste movement, is Valandraud. The 2003 is a full-bodied, powerful St.-Emilion offering up notes of...
99 JA / 97+ WA / 97 VM / 97 JS / 97 WS / 96 DE / 95 + JD Muscular but finely-tuned, with a floral, rose-stem edge to Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant flavours that elevates this beyond its surrounding vintages, as...
98 JS / 97 JD / 96 WA / 96 VM / 96 WS / 95 DE #85 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2019 Stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants here with a delicate whiff of vanilla oak and extremely fine tannins...
100 FS / 99 WCI / 98 RP / 97 DE / 96 VM / 18.5 JR Strong ruby ​​garnet, good color depth, violet reflections, delicate water edge. Subtle spicy, black and red berries, candied mandarin zest, spicy and tobacco hints. Juicy,...
100 DE / 100 JS / 100 JD / 99 WA / 99 VM / 98 WS #98 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2019 What I love about the 2016 Lafite is that the sweetness of the fruit comes through even at this early stage. Sweet, ripe...
100 DE / 100 JS / 100 JD / 99 WA / 99 VM / 98 WS #98 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2019 What I love about the 2016 Lafite is that the sweetness of the fruit comes through even at this early stage...
100 JD / 98 WA / 98 JS / 97+ AG / 97 DE / 97 WE / 96+ VM / 18 JR I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it...
100 WA / 100 VM / 100 JD / 98 DE / 98 JS / 97 WS #97 Wine Spectator Top 100 2019 One of the greatest wines that this estate has produced in the modern era, the 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a...
99 JD / 97 WA / 97 DE / 96+ VM / 95 JS / 94-96+ GV Tasted on four separate occasions, the 2016 Château Clinet is another brilliant wine from this estate. Showing slightly more freshness and purity than the 2015, its...
92 JS / 91 WE Very attractive and suave nose with toasty oak and fresh berries, leading to a plush and neatly arrayed palate with ample, deep-set tannins and good ripeness. Second label of Château Carignan. Try from...
100 JD / 99 VM / 98 JS / 98 WI / 97 WA / 97 DE Cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, and liquid violet notes all emerge from the 2016 Château Beauséjour, one of the magical wines in this great, great...
91 JS This offers bright and ripe dark berries and plums with a smooth, dark-stone edge, continuing into the palate that offers a succulent and supple array of rich, plush tannins and ample flavor. A blend of 75 per cent...
97-98 JS / 93-96 WS / 90-92 WA / 89-92 AG This has an incredible finish to it and shows such energy and intensity. Full-bodied yet vivid and energetic. Chewy tannins. Goes on for minutes. Merlot magic. - James...
98+ JD / 98 JA / 98 VM / 97 JS / 96 WA / 95 WS #96 Jeb Dunnuck’s Top 100 Wines of 2019 Possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a cooler, later...
100 VM / 100 AG / 100 WA / 100 JS / 100 JD / 99 DE / 98 WS The 2016 Mouton Rothschild bowled me over when I tasted it from barrel. Philippe Dhalluin compares it to the 1986 in terms of intensity of...
100 VM / 100 AG / 100 WA / 100 JS / 100 JD / 99 DE / 98 WS #92 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2019 The 2016 Mouton Rothschild bowled me over when I tasted it from barrel. Philippe Dhalluin compares...
97 JS / 97 VM / 97 JA / 95 WI / 94 WS / 17.5 JR A neoclassical edition of Grand-Puy-Lacoste, this has cedar, graphite, deeply integrated cedar and spicy-oak influence and a very fresh array of ripe blackberries, dark...
99 WI / 98+ WA / 98 WE / 97 DE / 97 VM / 97 JS / 96 JD / 95 WS The 2016 Canon is deep garnet-black in color. Wow - it rockets out of the glass with a powerful nose of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and...
100 WA / 100 DE / 100 VM / 100 JS / 100 WE / 98+ JD #55 Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019 The 2016 Haut-Brion is blended of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc. Medium...
99 VM / 98+ WA / 98 DE / 98 JD / 97 JS / 97 WS / 18.5+ JR The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion was stunning from barrel, and now in bottle. It has a sublime bouquet of blackberries, briar and hints of dark chocolate and...
98 JS / 96 DE / 96 VM A deeply intense and plush Pomerol with immaculately ripe fruit and tannins. So well executed with aromas of truffle, dark stones, coal smoke and intense dark plums and cocoa powder. The palate has an...
99 VM / 99 WI / 98+ WA / 98 DE / 98 JD / 97 JS / 97 WS / 18.5+ JR The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion was stunning from barrel, and now in bottle. It has a sublime bouquet of blackberries, briar and hints of dark...
94 WA / 94 JS / 93 DE / 93 WS / 93 JD / 92 VM The 2016 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion is blended of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36.5% Merlot and 21.5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it absolutely...
97 JS / 17.5 JR / 95 WI / 95 JD / 95 SEO / 94 VM / 94 DE #4 out of 48 in the Saint Emilion Oswald's Blind Tasting, London 2022 featuring 2011-2018 Angelus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Figeac, Pavie, Quintus Ripe...
94 DE / 94 WE / 93 WI / 93 JS / 92 VM / 92 WS / 16.5 JR Clearly standing out in this line-up, an impressive, well-crafted wine with great tannic hold; a wine you would be thrilled to own. Cassis, bilberry, blackberry,...
94 JS / 93 WE / 93 WCI / 93 FS / 92 VM / 92 DE / 16 JR Plenty of menthol, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas in this elegant, medium-weight Haut-Médoc that’s got as much freshness as ripeness and a long,...
95 DE / 95 JS / 94 WCI / 93+ VM / 93 FS / 16.5 JR During our En Primeur tasting trip to Bordeaux in 2023 we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Saint-Emilion property Chateau de Pressac. We tasted the 2022...
100 WA / 100 VM / 100 JS / 99 JD #1 James Suckling's Top 100 French Wines of 2019#51 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2019 The 2016 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1%...
100 VM / 100 JS / 100 WI / 99 WS / 99 JD / 98+ WA / 98 RP/ 98 JA / 19 JR The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating...
100 RP / 97 FS / 96+ VM / 96 WA / 96 WCI / 18 JR Actual bottles shown here: 100 RP / 97 FS / 96+ VM / 96 WA / 96 WCI / 18 JR "The monumental 1982 Gruaud Larose, which I think I've said before is clearly the...
90 JS 90 Points James Suckling: A more concentrated version of a Cadillac with dark chocolate cake, spices and blackberries. The palate is medium to full and flavorful, showing dark fruits and a good tannin backbone. Drink...
92 JS / 88-90 WA 92 Points James Suckling: Lots of espresso with plums, dark chocolate and blackberries peeking through in the background. This is full but with lots of juicy fruit going on and a marked tannin...
97 VM / 95 DE / 94 JD / 94 WS / 94 JS / 93 JA / 17 JR An utterly spellbinding wine, the 2014 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse is also one of the unqualified successes of the vintage. Beams of tannin give...
96 DE / 95 VM / 95 RP / 95 JS / 93 WS Another wine that showed just a nudge better at the Decanter Premium tasting in New York - I'm thinking the double-decanting made the difference; a useful tip if you're looking...
100 WA / 100 JD / 100 RP / 98+ JS Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pontet-Canet is a little shut down to begin, but with coaxing this baby is soon firing on all cylinders with a full-throttle nose of...
100 JS / 100 JD / 100 DE / 99 WS / 99 WA / 98 VM / 20 JR The 2000 Margaux kicked off a string of great wines. The aromas are spellbinding, with notes of raspberry and strawberry. The palate is incredibly silky yet...
100 WA / 99 RP Deep garnet-black in color, the 1996 is classic Latour at its utmost. The nose offers a tantalizing array of complex notes including dried Chinese plums, toasted nuts, Indian spices and black olive tapenade...
98 WI / 97 JD / 97 DE / 96 VM / 96 JA / 95 WA / 18 JR #5 Jane Anson Top 10 Right Bank Wines of 2023 The 2012 Vieux Chateau Certan is medium to deep garnet-purple colored. It charges out with...
91 RP This 1996 Valandraud has firmed up significantly since bottling. Unfined and unfiltered, this viscous wine displays the tell-tale thickness of color (saturated dark ruby/plum/purple). The wine\'s exotic bouquet is...
90 RP Dark-colored, with vanilla, spice and smoky fruit flavor. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins and a silky texture. A stylish wine, showing spicy character. Sociando did the business this year. Best after...
99 JS / 98 DE / 97 WA / 96+ JD / 96 WS / 95+ AG / 95-97 GV #50 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2018 The currants and blackberries on the nose are very impressive with wet-earth and lavender undertones. Full body and...