Search results for: 'pre arrival'
- Lynch Bages Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC97JD96-98JS98-99WA93-96VM95-97TWI95-97$139.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-99 Points! Wow. Blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Full-bodied with beautifully integrated tannins that melt into the wine. Persistent and precise. A fantastic wine for the cellar. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. - James Suckling
96-98+ Points! The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lynch Bages checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2019, and while it's a classic Lynch Bages powerhouse, it has beautiful balance and purity. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with terrific tannins and a layered, incredibly impressive profile that continues to open and evolve with time in the glass. Tasted twice with consistent notes. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! Opaque in color, the wine is packed with with smoky cassis, blackberries, tobacco leaf, black cherries, licorice, flowers, chocolate, and blackberry liqueur. Powerful, full-bodied, rich, dense and intense, the wine is long, vibrant and intense. 2022 is a palate staining wine with never before seen levels of concentration. But, even with all that concentration, the wine remains balanced, fresh, and Pauillac in style. The finish holds your attention for 50 seconds or more while it builds and refreshes. The wine blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, 14.2% ABV. 3.71 pH. The harvest took place September 12 - September 24. The yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced from 70% of the harvest. Drink from 2027-2060. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
95-97 Points! The 2022 Lynch-Bages was picked 12 September, around 15 days earlier than usual until 24 September at around 35hL/ha. Aged for 18 months in 75% new oak, it has a backward nose that demands a lot of encouragement. This is not as immediate as the 2016 or 2019 at the same stage. Powerful blackberry and boysenberry fruit, cedar and light tobacco notes, this feels like an edifice of aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, beautifully balanced, very harmonious yet there is an enormous backbone here that (again) is reminiscent of Mouton. Extremely long on the finish, this will need its barrel maturation to fully knit together and it is going to be a Pauillac for the long haul. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
97 Points! Blackcurrant and bramble fruit with savoury herbal nuances on the nose, this smells rich and potent. Tense and focussed, compact from the get go, present tannins give grip and hold. This is definitely not out to charm, more serious, stern and focussed but there's such overall precision. This is in high definition, supremely controlled and well worked with mouthfilling ripe tannins. I like the chewy aspect and there’s balancing acidity, hidden now by the density, that will sustain the wine for decades to come. Floral notes and some minerality come through giving the nuance so it’s not all heft, but there’s clear muscle on show. A long finish gives the sense of structure and style. An impressive wine. 95 IPT. 3.71pH. Ageing 18 months, 75% new oak. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 4.1 g/L total acidity. Harvest 12 September - 24 September. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
95-97 Points! The 2022 Lynch-Bages is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to start, soon revealing evocative creme de cassis, blueberry pie, and chocolate-covered cherries notes with suggestions of cast-iron pan, black truffles, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is taut with muscular black fruit and loads of mineral sparks, framed by very firm, grainy tannins and a refreshing line, finishing long and earthy. pH 3.71, TPI 95. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
95-97 Points! The 2022 Lynch-Bages shows all the classic Lynch layers, but dialed up to the maximum. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 packs tremendous punch. Sweet dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol, licorice, plum and mocha all open with time in the glass. The tannins are imposing, and yet there is more than enough fruit to balance things out, at least to some degree. I expect the 2022 will need a decade to shed some of its tannin, but it is formidable, even in the early going. Impressive. Tasted two times. "This is the third time in history we are above 14% in alcohol, the others were 2018 and 2019," Jean-Charles Cazes explained. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
93-96 Points! One of the vintage's most powerful, muscular wines is the 2022 Lynch-Bages, a full-bodied, broad-shouldered Pauillac that unfurls in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries, mint, pencil shavings and petroleum jelly, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Liberally extracted, its deep core of fruit is underpinned by an imposing chassis of rich, powdery tannin and lively acids. Always rather forbidding from barrel, Lynch Bages always seems to come together in bottle, and the 2022 has the makings of another success for this address. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
- Aile D'Argent 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS94-95WA90-92VM92-94, 91-93JA96TWI92-94$148.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96 Points! Great depth and freshness, fleshy nectarine and spiced pear, fennel and oyster shell, grilled oak and genersoity. Balances salinity and flesh, expertly judged. Harvest August 29 to September 6, 45% new oak for ageing. Co-fermented Muscadelle with Sauvignon Gris. - Jane Anson
94-95 Points! The density and beauty to this is so attractive, with a lush and flavorful character, yet it’s neatly framed by acidity and minerally undertones. Lively and salty. Part of the vineyard is on limestone, which gives that sea-salt undertone. Savory. Fresh at the end. 50% sauvignon blanc, 44.5% semillon, 5% sauvignon gris and 0.5% muscadelle. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! The 2023 Aile d'Argent soars from the glass with energetic notes of lemon drops, fresh grapefruit, and lime blossom followed by hints of wet pebbles and fennel seed. The light to medium-bodied palate is refreshing and pure, with a chalkiness to the texture and a zesty finish. The blend is 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 44.5% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and 0.5% Muscadelle, with pH 3.20. It is being aged for 9 months in oak barrels, 45% new. The alcohol is 13.5%. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
91-93 Points! The 2023 Aile d'Argent contains a little more Sémillon than usual (44.5%) to add texture to the blend. It has a lovely bouquet with grapefruit, hints of lime cordial, chamomile and lanolin. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and focused, with just a slight bitter lemon note imparting tension. A hint of ginger rises on the aftertaste. Superb. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
- Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalDEC98-100JS98-99VM96-99, 96-98JA98-100TWI95-97$439.98Availability:Out of Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-100 Points! Gorgeous red and black fruit on the nose, ripe strawberries, cherries and blackcurrants, really fruit forward and expressive, not so much on the mineral or floral side. Smooth and supple, this is agile and has great movement. A sense of life, depth and richness, but this is so suave. The fruit and tannins fill the mouth but with wonderful coolness - blueberry and crisp cherry. Lots of liquorice and wet stones also come through; graphite, chalk, mint, a touch of toastiness on the finish. It has flashes of exoticism, as well as finesse. Structure and seriousness but with bounce, full of texture and nuance. Tannins have built a broad wine and this is a real success with lots of energy and vibrancy throughout but with no harsh acidity or too lean tannins. Stylish, characterful and executed very well. 11% press wine, last year was 17%. 93% Cabernet in the blend, second highest in history after 2010 which was 94%. 75 IPT. 40% grand vin production. A potential 100-point wine. - Georgie Hindle, Decanter
98-100 Points! High Cabernet, and the grape is dominant not just in blend but character, totally delicious, with tension, flesh, and confidence, building layers of black fruits, graphite, cocoa bean, espresso, pomegranate and smoked earth throughout the palate. When Cabernet works at Mouton, it is hard to beat, and it's on full display in 2023. One of my clear wines of the vintage. Of any vintage. - Jane Anson
98-99 Points! This is the most structured Mouton since the great 2016, with tannins that start slowly and then take off. It’s muscular and toned. It’s full-bodied but doesn’t come across too heavy. It builds up in intensity and goes on and on and on. It just keeps expanding. I took a double take here. 93% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. - James Suckling
96-99 Points! The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintages on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, pencil shavings and dried herbs gain intensity in the glass. I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. It's a superb effort from the team led by Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
95-97 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Mouton Rothschild needs considerable swirling to coax out notes of freshly crushed blackcurrants and wild blueberries leading to touches of clove oil, lavender, star anise, and black truffle with a hint of wild sage. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, with pH 3.79, and an alcohol of 13.3%. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
Learn More - Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS97-98WA97-99VM95-97JA98-100TWI97-99$539.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-100 Points! This hits you right off the first nose, driven by slate and crushed rocks, setting the tone and the architecture, guiding the fruit through the palate. Cassis, bilberry, tobacco leaf, graphite, crushed mint, finessed and sculpted, this is a gorgeous Lafite, with fine tannins and the squid ink character that seems to be present in all of this stable of wines except Moulin de Duhart. Hidden power, where nothing is too much and yet everything is concentrated, once again proving that the terroir at this particular spot has its own personality that stands out every year. High Cabernet as ever, combined with around 15% press wine. Not the concentration of 2022, but in many ways showcasing the essence of Lafite more squarely, and this will delight anyone lucky enough to own it in future years. 45hl/h yield, highest since 2015, harvest September 7 to 29. 100% new oak. New cellar underway, due for completion in 2027. I am giving it 10 years to begin entering its opening window, a little less than usual but it will make no difference to how long you can cellar it. - Jane Anson
97-99 Points! The finest of the first growths this year appears to be the 2023 Lafite Rothschild, a terrific effort that unwinds in the glass with deep and incipiently complex aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, lilac and violets mingled with hints of cigar wrapper and mint. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's vibrant and refined, with a deep core of fruit, plenty of sweet structuring tannin and a compelling marriage between energy and plenitude. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot that reminds me of 2019's tannins combined with 2016's unimpeachable classicism. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
97-99 Points! The 2023 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little swirling, wonderfully pure notes of boysenberries, wild blueberries, and blackcurrants emerge from the glass, followed by hints of violets, dark chocolate, licorice, and fertile loam with a hint of black truffle. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers electric sparks of vibrant black berry and mineral flavors framed by super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and shimmery. A wine that is so, so cerebral, this is a vintage well played by Lafite. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.76, and an alcohol of just 12.9%. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
97-98 Points! The purity of cabernet sauvignon is so evident here. It mesmerizes you with aromas of black and red currants, cedar, tobacco and bark. It's full-bodied yet there's very impressive weightlessness and agility, as well as subtlety and focus. Some iron and terra-cotta. Cedar and sandalwood undertones. Juicy and plummy at the end. 12.9% alcohol. 3.75 pH. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. - James Suckling
Learn More - Pontet Canet Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS97-98WA96-98VM93-95, 94-97JA98-100TWI97-99$89.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-100 Points! A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, with sunken qveri-style cement vats (and egg-shaped wooden vats coming for the 2024 vintage). 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. - Jane Anson
97-99 Points! The 2023 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of juicy blueberries, black cherries, and blackcurrant jelly spill from the glass, giving way to nuances of violets, black truffle, fertile loam, and mossy tree bark with a hint of cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is so, so silky, elegant, and fine, with perfumed black and blue fruit layers and beautiful tension, finishing long with lots of shimmery mineral and floral sparkles. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphorae, and 15% used barrels. With an alcohol this year of just 13.8%, this is a beautifully poised, tightly packed powerhouse that promises to keep the firework displays bedazzling collectors for many years to come. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
97-98 Points! A very structured Pontet-Canet that expands in the mouth with a gorgeous combination of beautifully ripe fruit and intense tannins. Very structured for the vintage. Full-bodied with excellent presence and length. So much raw pencil shavings to the blackcurrants. Graphite and tar. Fresh and vivid. They picked cabernet at the right time at the end of September. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. - James Suckling
94-97 Points! The 2023 Pontet-Canet is a powerful, impressively constituted wine. Dark, vibrant and sensual in the glass, the 2023 is somber and mysterious in bearing. Black plum, gravel, lavender, graphite and licorice all meld together in the glass. More than anything else, the 2023 is incredibly well put together. In this vintage, the wine was blended at the beginning of elevage rather than at the end, as was the custom in the past. This is a gorgeous and hugely promising Pontet-Canet. I especially admire its finely cut precision and soaring aromatics. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
- Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC98JD98-100JS98-99WA96-99VM96-98TWI98-100$694.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-100 Points! The 2022 Mouton Rothschild, 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, is aging in 100% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is incredibly closed to start off, needing a lot of shaking to wake up subtle notes of blackcurrant jelly, ripe blackberries, and fresh mulberries, leading to hints of espresso, crushed rocks, iris bulb, and star anise. Compared with the nose, the mouth wows with explosive, intense flavors of cassis, black cherries, and licorice that fill the palate, framed by very firm, beautifully ripe tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long with mineral and floral sparks. It is amazing how classical this Mouton this is, considering the extreme vintage. A legend in the making. pH 3.89, TPI 76. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
98-100 Points! Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76. - Jeb Dunnuck
98-100 Points! Dark in color, and equally dark in fruit, this is a flamboyant, ostentatious, opulent, velvet-textured Mouton that is on the exotic side. Perhaps, this is a modern version of the 1982? The wine exudes its blackberry, boysenberry, chocolate, Asian spice, tobacco leaf, licorice, smoke, and cigar wrapper notes in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is incredibly dense. There is so much fruit, you wonder if it would be better eating this with a spoon, before taking another sip? The finish is rich, intense, velvety, long, and close to seamless, holding court for over 50 seconds. I love the touch of spice that shines before the wine fades from your palate. The wine blends 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. 14% ABV, 3.89 pH. The harvest took place September 1 - September 26. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare. Only 49% of the harvest was used to produce the Grand Vin. Drink from 2030-2065. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
96-99 Points! A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
98-99 Points! The Mouton-specific creme de cassis is all there. Al dente, too. The grapes must have been picked at near perfection. Depth and complexity. Black berries, earth, violets and other flowers. Full-bodied yet very hemmed-in with tight tannins, which are precise and polished. You can taste the grape skins and dust of the soil. The length is rather endless. 92% cabernet sauvignon. - James Suckling
98 Points! One of my favourite 2022s, technically very brilliant but it’s the texture that wows, generous, fruity, sleek, supple, it gives stone and graphite touches putting the terroir in the glass and overall this just screams elegance and finesse and above all drinkability! Smooth and shiny, silky, sleek, delicious from the first sip. Mouthwatering acidity combined with tannins that have the perfect balance of flinty grip, fleshy fruit and cool minerality. Certainly not shouting, they haven't pushed too far at all, more restrained and refined while still delivering a gorgeous mouthful of wine. Classy and refreshing. Concentrated but clean, pure and vibrant. Wonderful, magical - giving the concentration of the hot vintage which is want you want, but this is moreish and so succulent. One you'll want to finish the glass and then have more immediately. 16.4% press - 4% above normal, usually at 12-13%. 49% grand vin. 3.89pH. 76 IPT. Aged 100% in new barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
96-98 Points! The 2022 Mouton Rothschild was picked 1 to 26 September with one of the highest Cabernet Sauvignon contents in years, matured in 100% new oak as usual. Very deep, almost opaque in color. It is stubborn on the nose, at first, backward, then opens after 10 minutes with black plum, cassis and violet aromas. It is more voluptuous than the 2022 Lafite-Rothschild which is what you expect. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy and quite strict tannins (the IPT is 76), that frame layers of black fruit laced with tobacco and graphite. Powerful, almost burly, it is perhaps how the 1986 tasted in its youth. A Mouton-Rothschild determined to make a statement and it certainly does that. Feels a bit like tasting Thor's hammer at the moment, but it will just require considerable cellaring. 14.05% alcohol. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
96-98 Points! The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot Drinking window : 2032-2062 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Learn More - Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC98JD97-99JS99-100WA95-97VM96-98TWI98-100$759.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
99-100 Points! A classical Lafite that reminds me of something like the 1986, with its blackcurrant and tobacco character with cedar and hazelnut, but it's so today with its purity and precision. It's really about being Lafite here. Terroir gives great elegance with strength. - James Suckling
98-100 Points! Composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. The nose is almost impenetrable to start, needing a lot of shaking to wake up delicate scents of crushed red and black currants, raspberry leaves, warm plums, and boysenberries, followed by hints of crushed rocks, damp earth, lilacs, and Jasmine tea, with just a hint of orange peel. The palate is classic great Lafite, featuring incredibly tightly knit layers of black fruits, minerals, and floral notes bound with a rock-solid structure of exquisitely fine, very firm tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. This is an intellectual triumph, but don't think about touching it for 10-15 years. pH 3.85. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
98-100 Points! Garnet in color, a single swirl brings out its cornucopia of scents: flowers, currants, cherries, smoke, leather, lead pencil, Cuban cigar wrapper, orange rind and smoke. The wine is pure silky, elegance in texture. This is perhaps the most sensuous vintage of Lafite ever produced with its dream texture on the palate. In the mid-palate, the wine shifts from black to red to black fruits before moving to its wave of orange citrus, ending with refreshing mint notes. The purity in the fruits is striking. The over 60-second finish is seamless, which is a good thing, because this wine is so good, you never want it to end. The wine is complete from start to finish. The wine blends 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. It is interesting to note that the wine includes 17.5 % press wine in the blend, which sets a record for Lafite. 13.6% ABV, 3.85 pH. Harvesting starting August 31 for the young Merlot vines, for the grapes used in the Grand Vin, September 5, - September 23. Yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. 40% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. This is an earth-shattering vintage of Lafite that buyers with the disposabile income should add to their cellar. Drink from 2030-2065. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
97-99 Points! The 2022 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested between the 31st of August and the 24th of September. It's a richer, more opulent wine compared to the more classic 2020 (although the pH is higher in the 2020) and has a deep, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as classic Lafite aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and tobacco. Deep, rich, and concentrated, it nevertheless stays pure and flawlessly balanced, with ample, ripe tannins and a great finish. It's going to have some up-front appeal by Lafite standards but should still require a decade of bottle age. Director Eric Koher compares this to the 2005, but this modern-day clone of the 1959 is one of the most powerful, concentrated Lafites I've tasted. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! The 2022 Lafite-Rothschild was picked from 31 August to 24 September and apart from the 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, there is 17.5% pressed wine in the blend. The IPT is slightly lower than 2020. There is 13.6% alcohol this year, higher than 2018 and 2019. It has an intense bouquet with blackberry, crushed stone, touches of pencil box and undergrowth, very Lafite-Rothschild in style. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, perfectly judged acidity, linear and focused. Compared to vintages a couple of decades ago, there is mid-palate weight, yet it retains classicism and transparency, while delivering quite a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. Perpetually the most deceptive of First Growth, one should not doubt its long-term potential. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
96-98 Points! The 2022 Lafite Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. All of the Lafite signatures are present, but what impresses most about the 2022 it its poise, its stature. Readers will find a regal, statuesque Lafite built for serious aging. There’s tons of fruit and tannin, all masterfully put together. A modern-day classic. Drinking window : 2032-2062 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
98 Points! A wonderful example of restraint and delicacy in a year where it was easy to overdo. Sharp and straight, you feel the acidity as soon as this enters the mouth, alive, pulsing, bright and shining. Aromatically so expressive after a few minutes. Delicate almost, such a fine tapestry of tannins, present and at the fore but like taffeta or finely woven silk. It has power but you don't feel it, not instantly anyway, the focus is on the beautiful texture with edges of cool red and blue fruits, flint, graphite, liquorice and tobacco nuances with high acidity that all help build a layered and well constructed mid palate. The structure then focuses and narrows to a mineral, fresh finish. Has bite and succulence, gently muscular with tons of vibrancy. This is definitely one of the less showy wines that really grows on you. A delicious, defined, poised, refined and finessed Lafite. Calm, collected and incredibly charming already. Earliest harvest in over a century, 31 August to 24 September. 17.5% press wine. 3.8pH. 64IPT. 41% grand vin production. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
95-97 Points! A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet soils tones, cigar box and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most tensile of the first growths this year, with a layered, concentrated but youthfully introverted mid-palate, lively acids and a long, saline finish. It checks in at a rather high pH of 3.85, which belies its incisive profile, from a harvest that extended from August 31 to September 24. 95 - 97+ - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Learn More - Pontet Canet Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC95JD97-99JS99-100VM95-97, 94-96TWI97-99$125.98 As low as $119.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
99-100 Points! What a finish on this Pontet-Canet. So much energy and brightness. It's full-bodied yet so tight and focused with superb fruit and transparency. It is racy and fine with super fine texture. It's like crushed cabernet sauvignon with cassis, tobacco and cigar box. Licorice and spices. Freshness of the seed. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot. - James Suckling
97-99 Points! The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, aging 50% in new oak barrels, 35% in amphoras, and 15% in used barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling and coaxing to reveal aromas of damp earth, fragrant soil, crushed rocks, and underbrush, giving way to a profound core of blackcurrant cordial, juicy black plums, and fresh blackberries. The full-bodied palate is laden with nuanced black fruits, slowly releasing earthy and mineral-laced flavors, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Talk about tasting the place! This is Pauillac in all its powerful, energetic glory. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
97-99+ Points! The 2022 Château Pontet-Canet is brilliant and should easily be up with the crème de la crème from the Médoc. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was vinified mostly in concrete (there's a small part in wood), and the aging is in 50% new French oak, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. It has an incredibly pure bouquet of cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth. This carries to a full-bodied Pauillac with a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has the purity, richness, and structure that makes this vintage so compelling and is going to be drinkable with just 4-6 years of bottle age but have an incredibly long life. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! Deep purple with a blue hue in color, the wine is almost opaque in color. Cassis, flowers, plums, licorice, and tobacco leaf aromas adorn the perfume. It is already clear that with this wine, it is the purity in the fruit that stands out. The palate is equally pure, with its layers of glycerin-filled blackberries, and plums. The wine is lush, as well as refined. The finish meshes concentration with elegance, power with purity, lift and length. The peppery, spicy note, along with the resounding minty-freshness, and a touch of anise in the long, finish is what stands out here. There is no sensation of heat or over ripeness in this wine in the mid-palate or in the finish. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.14.7% ABV, pH 3.8. Harvesting took place September 8 - September 28. This is longest harvest and the earliest harvest in the history of the estate. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak, and 35% Amphora. Pontet Canet is often a slow starter in barrel. My score could go higher when the wine is in bottle. Drink from 2028-2060. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
95-97 Points! The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a surprising wine. Usually much more opulent, especially in warm, dry years, the 2022 comes across as restrained and understated. It is a wine of linear intensity rather than size, marked by notable freshness and a feeling of tension and precision I don’t recall seeing in the past. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. I very much admire the precision and vibrancy here. Unforgettable. Drinking window : 2028-2042 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
94-96 Points! The 2022 Pontet Canet has a pure nose with perfumed blackberry and cassis fruit. It takes time to cohere, evolving light pencil lead notes after 8-10 minutes. The palate has a lovely chalky texture on the entry, and a silver bead of acidity. Perhaps, more complexity than the aromatics suggest at the moment. Fine balance, moderate grip, the mineralité coming toward the final third, it fans out with gusto. There is quite a long residual peppery note on the aftertaste that you can feel after 30 seconds. I have not pulled any punches in recent vintages, when stylistically, I felt that it has veered too far away from Pauillac, for my personal taste. But closely examining this 2022, today, it seems safely within the appellation. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
95 Points! Vibrant, vivid purple colour in the glass, rich and deep. Smells bright, super fresh and expressive on the nose with freshly-picked blackcurrants and perfumed purple flowers - the Petit Verdot, really standing out. Clean and clear, creamy, powdery and softly chewy on the palate. The texture is lovely, you can tell they haven't over extracted but there’s still clear concentration with a gentle succulence provided by the acidity, cool freshness and appealing mineral touches alongside liquorice, clove, dried herbs and bitter chocolate. Enjoyable and well defined if still a little compact. 3.85pH. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 15% press wine used. Harvest 8 - 28 September, the earliest and longest ever. 20% lower yields than in 2021. The technical team used a clay sunscreen on the grapes to avoid burning. Tasted twice. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
Learn More - Pichon Baron Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC97JD96-98JS96-97WA95-97VM96-98TWI95-97$179.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96-98 Points! The 2022 Pichon Baron was picked 8 September to 3 October and matured in 70% new oak. It has wonderful precision on the nose, with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone and graphite. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is tensile right from the start. Taut and linear, fresh, quite saline with a nuanced touch of black pepper toward the finish. Real pedigree and sophistication here, this is a magnificent Pichon-Baron that achieves a new level of precision thanks to the more piecemeal Sauternes-inspired harvest in tandem with their new winery. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
97-99 Points! With a solid depth of color, the wine jumps from the glass with its show display of licorice, black fruits, lead pencil, currants, lavender, cocoa, and spice in the aromatics. The show-stopping palate is rich, intense, long, concentrated, spicy, and most importantly, concentrated and pure. While your palate bathes in the wine, the sensation is all about its freshness, purity and length. The first vintage produced with the efforts of the estates new Technical Director, Pierre Montegut is a resounding success. This is clearly one of the best vintages in the history of Pichon Baron! The wine blends 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot. 14.3% ABV, 3.63 pH. The harvest took place September 8 - October 3. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. 48% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2028-2065. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
96-98 Points! I loved the Grand Vin 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, which is based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that will spend 18 months in 70% new oak. It's not the most showy or exuberant 2022, yet it shines for its incredible class and purity, as well as balance. It has a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated profile (no surprise) with its focused, precise, inward style that still brings gorgeous depth and richness. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, crushed stone and spring flowers are just some of its nuances, and where many 2022s are broad and mouth-filling, this stays tight, compact, and focused, with a wonderful mix of elegance, concentration, and richness. The 2022 is pulled from 48% of the total production, and it's going to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age and have 50+ years of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! The 2022 Pichon Baron is marvelous. It continues a series of vintages that have been absolutely compelling. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, rose petal and blood orange lend considerable brightness throughout. More than anything else, the 2022 impresses with its precision and magnificent balance. Drinking window : 2032-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96-97 Points! A very structured and racy PB with blackcurrant, stone and black cherry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body with racy and fine tannins that are precise and focused. Elegance with structure. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. - James Suckling
95-97 Points! The 2022 Pichon Baron, 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It swans out with gregarious notions of blackcurrant jelly, baked black plums, and Morello cherries, giving way to hints of lavender, cedar chest, and cumin seed plus a touch of cinnamon. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with bright, bold, black and red berry layers, complemented by firm, grainy tannins and impressive tension, finishing long and savory/spicy. It will need time, but promises to be amazing. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
95-97 Points! An unusually gourmand, sensual wine from this estate, the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron bursts with aromas of crème de cassis, sweet dark berries, licorice, lilac and pencil shavings. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with excellent concentration and a rather rich, supple profile. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it's the result of sub-block by sub-block picking and cooler than usual fermentation temperatures. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
97 Points! Beautiful fragrance, lots of fresh and ripe black and red bramble fruit - so alive and expressive on the nose with liquorice, wet stones and cedar spicing. Smooth, ample and full in the mouth, but not overly textured or plush, there’s a real refinement to the tannic structure, clearly giving the frame to the wine but detailed and precise with edges of liquorice, slate, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco. It balances richness, intensity and concentration with sleekness, bright acidity and a real charm to the juicy fruit. Rich and tense, just giving a hint of it’s potential, clearly powerful but totally seductive too. Ageing 18 months in French oak, 70% new, 600% one wine. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
Learn More - Pichon Lalande Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC98JD97-100JS98-99WA97-99VM96-99TWI98-100$239.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
97-100 Points! One of the gems from Pauillac is unquestionably the 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. A hypothetical blend of the 2019 and 2020, it's a full-bodied, concentrated, opulent Comtesse offering beautiful blue fruits, some chocolate, leafy herbs, and undeniable minerality, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. Despite the higher Cabernet Sauvignon component, this stays silky, expansive, and incredibly sexy. It's going to be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age but should have a lengthy drink window. Hats off to director Nicolas Glumineau for another legendary wine from this château. - Jeb Dunnuck
98-100 Points! A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, aromas of blackcurrant jelly, juicy plums, and wild blueberries waltz out of the glass, followed by nuances of red roses, damp soil, tar, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with impressive tension created by mineral-laced, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. pH 3.8. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
98-99 Points! I love the aromatics here with botanicals as well as currants, blackberries and oranges. Full-bodied with incredible tannins that build on the palate with finesse and focus. Featherlight but always there. Stealth in structure. Very vertical. Savory. Superb. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. - James Suckling
97-99 Points! The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
96-99 Points! The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is magnificent. In recent years, Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has pushed Pichon Comtesse to the limit. Maybe even a bit too far. But the 2022 is in the end a super-classic wine that emphasizes mid-weight structure, aromatic presence and persistence more than size. Sweet floral, savory and mineral accents run through a core of ripe, racy red-toned fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. Tasted four times. Drinking window : 2032-2062 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
98-100 Points! With an inky, dark, garnet hue, the wine asks for a bit of coaxing before its leather, cedar, spice, flowers, truffle, mint, currants and dark cherries show in the perfume. The wine is pure silk on the palate. There are no edges or corners. Everything feels in place. It is completely seamless. The wine is pure, fresh, and expansive. The mid-palate picks up its currants and plums, while the finish holds them in place, and expands in all 4 directions, with perfect balance in its 60-second plus finish. This is the best vintage of Pichon Comtesse ever produced! If you have the extra money, this is the wine to buy as it will provide dividends for decades as it ages and evolves. The wine blends 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 13.65% ABV, 3.80 pH. The harvest took place September 6 - September 27. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. Only 50% of the harvest goes into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2027-2065. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
98 Points! One of my favourite wines from 2022, utterly seductive from the first sip, this is a stunning effort that shows the power of Pauillac in 2022 delivered with elegance and class. Heavily scented on the nose, full of dark fruits, savoury notes of salty chocolate and floral scents. Smooth and so appealing in the mouth, the texture stands out, deep and rich but soft and chalky, tannins have a subtle powderiness that spreads the mouth, cooling and refreshing giving the minerality while the cool black and blue fruits linger in layers expanding vertically. This is so refined and polished - it's serious no doubt, not super fun, but it doesn’t need to be, it’s rich and sumptuous with sweet blue fruits balanced by high acidity that keeps the focus and energy. Bright, bold, well worked, clean, crystalline and pure. Somehow delicate and punchy at the same time. A mind-blowing wine that you just have to marvel at with intensity, brightness and vibrancy, building as it goes. A long, clean finish leaves you wanting more, salivating for that next sip. 3.8pH. A potential 100-point wine. 3.8pH. 50% grand vin. Tasted twice. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
96-98 Points! The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked 6 to 27 September at 30hL/ha, the drought chipping away so that one-third was eventually lost. This has 13.65% alcohol and pH of 3.80. There is 17.5% pressed wine, the highest ever. This has a subtle bouquet, not understated but it unfurls in the glass (unlike others that explode.) Blackberry and cedar, light touches of mint, a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety texture with lovely balanced, gentle but insistent grip, slightly granular as it fans out with black fruit, cedar and light graphite notes. This is a very suave Pichon-Lalande that will age with style. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Learn More - Pédesclaux Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalJS94-95VM92-94, 91-93$48.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
94-95 Points! The pure cabernet character comes through clearly here with blackcurrants and blueberries, and flowers such as lavender and sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied. Racy and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. - James Suckling
93-95 Points! On the floral edge, with black currants, black cherries, licorice, cigar box and forest floor in the nose, the palate is round in texture. The fruits are fresh, creamy, sweet, ripe and lively, with a finish that is long, and layered with red, black and blue fruits. Give it a few years in the cellar, and enjoy over the following 2 or more decades. The wine is blended using 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. 14.44 % ABV, 3.86 pH. Harvesting took place September 12 - September 22. Yields were 37 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2025-2050. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
92-94 Points! The Pédesclaux is terrific. It shows a level of finesse that has not always been present here. There's plenty of richness and power, but also better balance than in some years. Spice, leather, menthol, rose petal, licorice and a discreet touch of oak are beautifully woven together. This is a fine vintage for Pédesclaux. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
91-93 Points! The Pédesclaux was picked 12 to 27 September and ages in 65% new oak. This has far more fruité than the Deuxieme Vin, plush black cherries and boysenberry fruit, more floral in style with neatly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins, good tension, gentle grip with a graphite infused, powdery-textrued finish. A hint of brine on the aftertaste. Very fine, though I would like to see it develop a little more sustain. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
HURRY, ONLY 3 LEFT! - Clerc Milon Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalJS95-96WA93-95VM91-93$89.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-96 Points! Focused and bright with plenty of fruit but oranges and minerals in the mid-palate. Really fresh with a fresh bitterness. - James Suckling
94-96 Points! Spicy red fruits, flowers, cedar, tobacco leaf, and currants make an appearance in the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, fresh and elegant. The profile here is elegance, refinement, lift, and purity, along with a note of sweet chocolate on the very backend of the finish. This is going to be quite easy to enjoy in its youth. But, patience is a virtue. So give it some time in the bottle. as it will improve with age. The wine blends 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenere. 14.5% ABV, 3.83 pH. Drink from 2026-2050. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
93-95 Points! The 2022 Clerc Milon is beautiful, offering up aromas of cherries, raspberries and plums mingled with hints of pencil shavings and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's taut and lively, with a vibrant core of fruit framed by fine, chalky tannins. Its clay-limestone terroir lends it a distinctive signature that sets it apart from the rest of the portfolio. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
91-93 Points! The 2022 Clerc Milon is plump, juicy and vibrant, with terrific energy and tons of class. Sumptuous black cherry, gravel, licorice, menthol and spice are beautifully dialed up in this decidedly flamboyant edition of Clerc Milon. A sample tasted in a group setting outside the chateau was far fresher than the wine I tasted at the estate, evidence that much of en primeur tasting is ridiculous. A sample presented at Mouton-Rothschild was five days old and oxidized. I rated it (86-88). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
91-93 Points! The 2022 Clerc Milon, matured in 55% new oak with 14.6% alcohol, has a very tightly-wound nose at the moment. There's good fruit concentraion, but it is missing a bit of personality, unlike its stablemate d'Armailhac. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and good grip. It's pretty dense and grainy in texture. With graphite on the aftertaste, this Pauillac conveys fine tension but will require several years of aging in a bottle. I feel this is hiding its virtues at the moment. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
- Grand Puy Lacoste Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalJS95-96WA95-97VM96-98TWI93-95$83.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96-98 Points! The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say , the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodiedf with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
95-97 Points! A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that exhibits beautiful structural refinement and purity of fruit. Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95-97 Points! Flowers, blackberries, spice, cigar box, black currants, cherries, and cedar open the perfume. On the palate, the wine is sweet, fresh, spicy, chewy, and almost creamy in the dark, red, pit fruit finish. The wine is long, with intensity, complexity, and aging ability. The wine is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, 14.2% ABV, 3.57 pH. Picking took place September 7 - September 23. This is the earliest harvest in the history of the estate. Yields were 38 hectoliters per hectare. Only 60% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. This wine has the potential to score even higher when it is in bottle. Drink from 2027 - 2060. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
95-96 Points!A very structured and rich red with black berry and chocolate. Full-bodied with a solid core of fine tannins and a fresh and muscular finish. Dusty texture. Yet it remains bright and vivid. 3.55 pH. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot. - James Suckling
96 Points! Gorgeous vibrant purple colour in the glass, deep and darkly scented, black bramble fruits, flowers, cinnamon, dark chocolate and liquorice. Firm and forward, this is generous but sleek, so you get power and concentration but also juicy liveliness, great tension and energy. I really do like the ease of this, it's not trying too hard but delivered with poise, punch and purity. An excellent wine that really over delivers - so well presented, detailed, finessed and refined but still with the strength coming at the end in the wave of liquorice, dark chocolate and wet stone terroir markers. A brilliant wine with potential to deliver such excellent drinking pleasure. I love it. 3.57pH. A yield of 38hl/ha. 60% grand vin, 40% second wine. Eric Boissenot consultant. Harvest 7-23 September. Yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing in French oak, 75% new. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
93-95 Points! The 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. Warm cassis, black cherry preserves, and kirsch aromas leap from the glass, followed by touches of chocolate mint, cedar, and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate features fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the tight-knit red and black berry layers, finishing long and lifted. This is wonderfully energetic! pH 3.57. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
Learn More - Duhart-Milon Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD94-96+JS95-96WA91-93VM92-94$82.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-96 Points! Very Pauillac in its blackcurrant, dark chocolate and walnut husk character. Full-bodied yet compacted. Wet earth, mushroom, earth, black tobacco. Fine and intense tannins. Fresh and complex. 78% cabernet sauvignon and 22% merlot. - James Suckling
94-96 Points! Lead pencil, spice, red currants, flowers, and dark cherries crowd into the nose. On the palate, the wine is elegant, refined, soft, and pure. There is density along with vibrance, spice, lift, and width. The finish, with its blend of red fruits, cocoa, orange rind, spice, espresso, and plums lingers, which is a good things as you as much of this on your palate as possible. The wine is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. 13.5% ABV, 3.9 pH. Drink from 2026-2050. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
94-96+ Points! The Grand Vin 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. It brings more richness as well as classic Pauillac character in its lead pencil, graphite, tobacco, and red and black fruit-driven aromatics. With gorgeous richness, a medium to full bodied mouthfeel, and a great finish, this utterly classic, seamless, balanced Pauillac should be snatched up by readers. It's going to give the 2009 a run for its money. - Jeb Dunnuck
92-94 Points! The 2022 Duhart-Milon is racy and explosiveright out of the gate. Ripe dark cherry, plum, cloves, licorice, menthol and mocha fill out the layers in a deep, wonderfully expressive Duhart. Firm tannins extend the finish nicely. I imagine the 2022 will require at least a few years in bottle to be at its best, but it is pretty showy today. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
91-93 Points! The 2022 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cedar box, loamy soil, herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with a broad attack that segues into a lively, nicely concentrated core of fruit, concluding with a youthfully firm finish. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Learn More - Grand Puy Ducasse Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD93-95+JS96-97VM92-94$44.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96-97 Points! Beautiful texture here. Tannins are dense and compact but finely polished and silky. Seamless and even with length and succulence. Medium- to full-bodied. Power with elegance. Endless for this. Finally the best ever. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! Deep in color, the wine is equally dark in fruit. The palate is loaded with perfectly ripe, sweet, lush, blackberries, currants, herbs and spice. The finish, with its sweet and chewy crème de cassis character keeps on going. This should age for at least 2 decades with ease. Drink from 2025-2050. - Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider
93-95+ Points! I loved the 2022 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, another Pauillac that shines for its purity and length. Offering lots of red and black fruits, graphite, tobacco, and spicy oak, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated, ripe, fine-grained tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It shows the richer style of the vintage yet has a solid spine of freshness that keeps it light on its feet. - Jeb Dunnuck
92-94 Points! The 2022 Grand Puy Ducasse has an airy nose, well-defined with potpourri, even lavender infusing the black fruit. Pencil box hints emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. Tightly-coiled black fruit is laced with cracked black pepper and tobacco. The finish is tannic, but one can appreciate the focus and length on the aftertaste. Very fine. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 6 LEFT! - Lynch Bages Pauillac 2020 Pre-ArrivalWS96DEC98JD96JS99WA95+NM96JA98$139.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
99 Points, James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of the Year! A beautifully layered red with blackcurrant, hazelnut and lead-pencil character and fine, velvety tannins. Full-bodied and reserved. It’s like a tightly knit ball of polished tannins that are cashmere in texture. So very long and impressive. Give this time. A terrific Lynch. Better after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
96 Points, Wine Spectator's #3 Wine of the Year 2023! Gorgeous from the start, with cassis and violet notes leading off, followed by additional waves of black cherry and blackberry fruit as well as sweet tobacco and iron. Shows subtle savory and cedar hints that stay in the background, as the iron note pierces through the fruit on the finish. Almost approachable for the fruit, but wait if you can. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. - Wine Spectator
- Pichon Baron Pauillac 2016 Pre-ArrivalWS96DEC100JD97JS99WA97NM96$189.98Availability:In StockPLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE100 Points! Pichon Baron 2016 is a riveting, classy wine, richly aromatic and expressive from the start with a complex bouquet of black cherry, liquorice, graphite, menthol and subtle spices. The palate combines fleshy texture and linearity. The fine-grained tannins have the laser-like precision that Christian Seely likes so much, and contribute to the overall impression of crystalline purity so conducive to the terroir expression of this benchmark wine destined to reach new heights over the next 20 to 30 years. Magnificent wine. - Deacnter Magazine99 Points! The concentration and largesse of the 2016 Pichon Baron is apparent from the get-go with incredibly alluring, ripe and expansive fruit aromas in the blackberry, dark-cherry, mulberry and plum zone. Espresso and cedar, as well as a slate-like, stony mineral edge add complexity. The palate has incredible depth, drive and detail. Fine and plush tannins stretch the palate in every direction. So fresh and vivacious, this is the greatest Pichon Baron since 1989 and has a long future. - James SucklingLearn More
- Clerc Milon Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS95-96WA92-94VM92-94JA96TWI92-94$69.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96 Points! Pauillac was close to normal rainfall, with less mildew than other parts of the region, helping to usher in the excellent crop of wines that you will find in the appellation in 2023. This joins the best of them with its superb quality, and a real sense of excitement and drive. Expect vivacity and tension in the blue and black fruits, with liqourice root, squid ink, salted cracker, white pepper spice and freshly cut herbs. - Jane Anson
95-96 Points! This has a great finish, with blackcurrant, chocolate, hazelnut and salt undertones that run the length of the wine. Full-bodied and dense, and then it lifts off at the end. Chalky undertone, coming from the limestone terroir here. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! Revealing aromas of red berries, cherries and blackcurrants mingled with hints of pencil shavings and new oak, the 2023 Clerc Milon is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a layered core of fruit, sweet velvety tannins and a seamless, succulent profile. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
92-94 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Clerc Milon features flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, boysenberries, and fresh plums plus hints of licorice, lilacs, and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate is bright and breezy, with approachable fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with a skip in its step. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Carmenere, and 1% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.83. The alcohol is 13.5%. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
92-94 Points! The 2023 Clerc Milon was picked from September 7 to 29 and is matured in 55% new oak. It has much more fruit concentration on the nose than the Pastorelle—quite precocious, with blackberry and cassis fruit. It's floral and more flamboyant than the d'Armailhac. The palate is very well balanced with a slightly creamy texture and a lovely mouthfeel. Its concentration is neatly counterbalanced by the acidity, and it feels very harmonious and long on the finish. Superb. If Mouton-Rothschild is beyond your budget—yes, I am familiar with that feeling—then this is where you should look. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Learn More - d'Armailhac Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS93-94WA92-93VM91-93, 90-92$44.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
93-94 Points! There’s a powdery and open texture to this red. Full-bodied and layered with a pretty and weightless texture. Blackcurrants and blueberries and an orange-peel undertone. Velvety texture at the end. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. - James Suckling
92-93 Points! The 2023 d'Armailhac is an attractive effort, bursting with aromas of cherries, raspberries, licorice and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with a pretty core of fruit, sweet powdery tannins and lively acids, it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot—which is a rather high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon for this address. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
91-93 Points! The 2023 d'Armailhac was picked from September 7 to 30 and aged in 50% new oak. It contains the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon to date. Its tightly wound bouquet demands encouragement from the glass, perhaps just missing the panache that elevated the previous vintage. You could argue that this seems more “serious.” The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a firm backbone. It’s a little pepperier than previous vintages, closing with a streamlined finish. Give this two or three years in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Learn More - Le Petit Mouton de Rothschild Pauillac 2023 Pre-ArrivalJS95-96WA91-93VM93-95, 91-93$179.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-96 Points! This is a tighter and more compact Petit Mouton with a full-bodied, compact palate that is framed nicely by the tannins. Savory and juicy. Structured. Contained. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Better than 2022? - James Suckling
93-95 Points! The 2023 Le Petit-Mouton is fabulous. It could easy be a Grand Vin at another address. Rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass, the 2023 impresses with its notable palate presence. Dark red cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon, rose petal and new leather are some of the many notes that build. The 2023 is seriously impressive. Wow! - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
91-93 Points! The 2023 Le Petit-Mouton is aged in 50% new oak. It has an intense nose, mainly black fruit commingling with briar and light estuarine scnets. Perhaps the aromatics feel a bit "secretive" at present. The palate is medium-bodied with a concentrated entry. This is a voluminous and powerful Pauillac for the vintage, driven by that 79% Cabernet Sauvignon. There's a fine bitter edge on the finish; give this Le Petit Mouton three to five years in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
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