Search results for: 'romagna la bouchard'

93 Points! Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 2002 Echézeaux came across as quite powerful, rich and deep, with sweet tannins and layers of round, generous fruit. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

95 Points! Aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, pencil shavings and tobacco. Medium- to full-bodied, this is creamy and crunchy with open, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. 71% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2022 La Dame de Montrose is deep, pliant and rich. All of the intensity of this warm, very dry vintage comes through in the wine's sheer size and ripe, dark profile. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, spice and espresso are all amplified in this decidedly intense, concentrated La Dame. Qualitatively, there is little question this could have easily been a Grand Vin in a preceding generation. The 2022 is a stunning La Dame. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! One of the smart purchases this year is the 2022 La Dame de Montrose, a second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths. Based on 71% Merlot, the Dame sees a more reductive élevage than the grand vin, which is perfectly adapted to this variety. Opening to reveal aromas of sweet cassis, cherries and berries mingled with hints of violets, spices and orange zest, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with a powerful but controlled profile. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2019 La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou is matured for 12 months in 60% new oak. Interestingly, that Earl Grey tincture continues to define this very classically styled wine, enhancing the black fruit. Hints of ash emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and plenty of graphite-infused black fruit that render this quite Pauillac in style. Impressively persistent on the tobacco-tinged finish. Leave this for 4–5 years in bottle just to smooth its edges. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

96 Points! Fantastic aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, licorice and walnuts. So St.-Julien. Full-bodied with a solid core of fruit and chewy tannins that are really long and serious. Like the 1995 Ducru! One for the cellar. Needs at least until after 2028. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

95 Points! Where you can drink Le Petit Ducru relatively soon, with La Croix you need to wait a few years for the structure to soften. The tannins are silky, the black fruits drenched in espresso, liquorice root spice and smoked oak. An extremely successful La Croix, sexy and powerful while still elegant and sculpted. Give it five or six years from now, and expect a drinking window of at least 15 years. Almost entirely from specific plots within the Ducru vineyard, plus a few young vines of the Grand Vin. 60% new oak.- Jane Anson

93 Points! The 2018 Château de la Dauphine was a knockout when I tasted it from barrel. Now in bottle, it has a very clean, precise bouquet of shimmering blackberry and wild strawberry aromas, underlying blood orange notes coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, plenty of graphite-tinged black fruit and a very elegant yet long finish. Superb! - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

93 Points! A delicious wine that has been well handled comprising vibrant fruits with brambles and hedgerows keeping things on the right side of slick. A good job done here with the estate retaining biodynamics even through a tough vintage. Drinking Window 2022-2032 - Decanter Learn More

93 Points! The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino La Torre is born of the earth, as a burst of crushed ashen stones and wild herbs give way to dried black cherries. This is surprisingly juicy and sleek, with vividly ripe red plums complicated by saline minerals and savory spice. Green olives resonate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 finishes long, structured and staining. A pleasantly rustic character here may not be for everyone, but I think it works pretty well. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2021 Malbec Reserve from Altos Las Hormigas, sourced from Paraje Altamira and Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, boasts a lean, precise character. Planted in chalky soils, it's a rich purple in the glass. The expressive nose presents enticing blueberry, violet, sage and other herb aromas. It has a compact, focused profile on the palate, with chalky tannins that contribute to the lean texture and a refreshing mouthfeel that highlights the wine's taut structure. The long, nuanced finish allows the wine's spare beauty to really come through. - Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2023 Nisia Las Suertes is 100% Verdejo from very old vines (possibly even the 1880s) and was aged on the lees with bâtonnage for a minimum of 7 months in French oak puncheons and demi-muids. It has more melon ball, hay, crushed stone, and subtly honey nuances that carry to a beautifully textured, layered white with a gorgeous mid-palate, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's a serious wine that's geared for the dinner table. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! A bigger, richer wine based mostly on Grenache from a single parcel around the estate on the lower plain of Gigondas, the 2023 Gigondas La Louisiane shows darker blackberries and kirsch intermixed with ground pepper, sappy garrigue, and some meaty, spicy nuances that give this an ultra-classic Gigondas style. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a pure, focused mouthfeel, ultra-fine yet building tannins, and integrated acidity. It's a brilliant effort that will stand toe to toe with anything in the vintage and should drink well over the coming 15+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

#SAINT-DAMIEN

99 Points! Let yourself go and sink into this deep dark chasm that will swallow you whole if you let it. Enormous concentration, but every bit as much finesse, the finish extremely long and fine. And this is just beginning to give its best! - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Léoville Las Cases rocks up with a drop-dead gorgeous nose of baked blackberries, warm plums and crème de cassis with suggestions of violets, rose hip tea, dark chocolate, menthol and sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and decadent in the mouth, it has super ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and exotic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com, 2019

93+ Points! The 2020 Cuvée Las Santas was produced from a number of small plots at higher altitudes and cooler expositions (north), only Garnacha, small plots. It has some Mediterranean, Châteauneuf-like character (cherries in liqueur, Mediterranean herbs) with 14% alcohol, very good acidity and very fine grained tannins. They fermented it with 50% full clusters and matured it in used French oak barrels for nine months. This is the wine they produce in the style they like, a more personal wine from special plots. 1,423 bottles were filled in March 2022.  - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

99 Points! Perfectly ripe black and blue berries on the nose with blackcurrants, too. Crushed fruit. Complex and perfect. Full and intense. You feel the intensity of the tannins, yet it is not overpowering. They are in a sophisticated and elegant state. Muscular and formed finish. Gorgeous in every sense of the word. Strength with finesse. Drink after 2030. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

99 Points!  Just about pure perfection, the 2020 La Mondotte comes from a tiny parcel of limestone soils on the upper plateau, not far from Troplong Mondot. Mostly Merlot with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, its deep purple hue is followed by a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed stone, graphite, mulled black cherries, and hints of truffle. Full-bodied, incredibly elegant yet also concentrated and flawlessly balanced, it's as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years in the cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

97–99 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 La Mission Haut-Brion is magnificent. Vibrant and intensely expressive, it offers a captivating mix of blackberry, cassis, lavender, graphite, incense, and crushed stone. Deep, layered, and exceptionally refined, the 2025 combines the estate's trademark power with remarkable energy and precision. One of the wines of the vintage.”

97–99 Points – Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing)
“A blend of 58.3% Merlot, 38.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.4% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 La Mission Haut-Brion reveals a refined bouquet of smoky cassis, dark berries, spices and lead pencil, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it’s built around a multidimensional core of fruit underpinned by fine, velvety tannins, concluding with a long, perfumed and precise finish. Combining depth with energy, it delivers a textural yet controlled expression of power, with a real sense of freshness.”

98-100 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, black currants, cigar wrappers, smoky espresso, graphite, crushed rocks, and licorice create the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is vibrant, energetic, fresh, and layered. There is remarkable purity to the fruit with waves of cassis, black cherries, cocoa, and tobacco that build from start to finish. The finish is long, complex, and packed with smoky minerality.”

96–98 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A Merlot-heavy blend of 58.3% Merlot, 38.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that's being raised in 60% new French oak, the 2025 Château La Mission Haut-Brion sports a dense ruby/purple hue as well as juicy black raspberries, currants, smoky tobacco, freshly sharpened pencils, and liquid violet nuances on the nose. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, focusing tannins, and beautiful overall balance and length. It's a slightly more inward, focused expression of this cuvée, but that's the vintage, and this has tons to love.”

96–97 Points – James Suckling
“A very refined and polished La Mission with blackcurrants, graphite, crushed stones, violets, and hints of tobacco. Medium- to full-bodied with beautifully integrated tannins and excellent freshness. Precise and focused with a long, persistent finish.”

94 Points! Tight and linear with blackcurrant and lemon rind character. Medium-bodied and racy with very fine tannins and a bright finish. Shows energy and focus. Drinkable, but better in three or four years. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

91 Points! Aromas of raspberries, crème de cassis, cigar wrapper and loamy soil introduce the 2020 La Tour Carnet, a medium to full-bodied, velvety and polished wine that's more harmonious and better balanced than Magrez's Grands Chênes. This large estate has eaten up many of the Haut-Médoc's non-classified growths over the past decade to arrive at a surface area of over 130 hectares today. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

93 Points! The 2023 Saint-Romain Sous la Velle offers aromas of grapefruit, pear and white peach framed by a deft touch of smoky reduction. Medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, with plenty of chalky extract, it’s laden with racy acids and concludes with a long, saline, lemon-tinged finish. As ever, it derives from the estate’s largest plot—two hectares of 60-year-old vines rooted in shallow soil. - Kristaps Karklins, robertparker.com

98 Points! The 1996 Leoville-Las Cases is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc picked between 25 September and 10 October (for fascinating insight, read Robert Parker's remarks about the blend with Michel Delon in the original tasting note). Now at 20 years, it has evolved into an absolutely stunning Saint Julien, clearly one of the best wines from the estate this decade. The bouquet is beautifully defined with intense black cherries, cedar, mint and a touch of oyster shell that seems to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is seamless from start to finish, extraordinarily pure, the 70% new oak totally assimilated of course, impressive weight and power allied with genuine finesse and tension towards the silky smooth finish. It stands as one of the best wines of the vintage without one iota of doubt and it will last 30-40 years without problem. You might call it "proper Claret." You might call it "delicious." Tasted July 2016. - Neal Martin, robertparker.com

98 Points! The more delicate, ethereal and fine 2023 La Dama has a paler color and is fragrant and subtle, with a sense of fragility and delicacy like no vintage before. The grapes from the lower part of the main vineyard, called Lupier, where you find less slate (but still slate), were picked in early September and were vinified with 100% full clusters and a long maceration. The higher part was vinified separately and might be released as a new single-vineyard wine; but there are only a couple of barrels of it, and they have not yet decided what to do. The alcohol level is contained, at around 13.5%. It's precise, clean and focused and has purity of aromas and flavors, a delicate texture, super fine tannins, balance and lots of energy. The two wines are now more different than ever. It's really stunning, bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

98 Points! The 2018 La Conseillante is composed of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.65 pH and 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of swirling and coaxing to lure out the youthfully shy, incredible perfume of black raspberries, boysenberries, ripe plums and cinnamon toast, leading to notions of lilacs, clove oil and forest floor, plus a waft of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is a jaw-dropping exercise in finesse, slowly unfurling in the mouth to reveal layer upon layer of bright, crunchy red and black fruits, supported by a rock-solid frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and with an impressive mineral and exotic spice firework display. It's an incredible expression of Pomerol that cannot fail to inspire a resounding 'WOW' from whoever is fortunate to drink it. Tempting to broach now (albeit with a lot of air), try to keep your hands off it for a good 5 years and then drink it over the next 30 years or more. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

95–97 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Black cherries, licorice, flowers, chocolate, smoke, and mint leaves create the perfume. The multiple layers of fruit grab your attention with their elegance, purity, and energy, finishing with a refreshing touch of chocolate-mint and a light touch of sea salt, adding sapidity.”

95 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Beautiful aromatics, floral notes and Chinese five spice with sweet red berry fruit. Juicy and lifted, with a calm, chiselled frame and velvety tannins. Balanced and poised with lovely layering of texture and aromatic complexity.”

94–96 Points – The Wine Independent (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2025 Canon-la-Gaffelière slowly emerges with notes of lavender and lilacs, red currant jelly, fresh blackberries, mossy tree bark, tar, and cardamom. Tightly wound with mineral-laced fruit layers and a savory lift.”

94 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“High pumice stone grip, certainly very much on the limestone character, attractive and with plenty of lift and grip, with attractive drama from grilled sandalwood and incense oak notes.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Canon La Gaffelière is bright and beautifully focused right out of the gate. Orange peel, sage, mint, pipe tobacco, dried flowers and mocha soar out of the glass. I especially admire the energy here.”

92–94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A lighter, more herbal-styled wine offering juicy red fruits, sappy flowers, graphite, tobacco, and a kiss of minerality. Medium-bodied, with fine, polished tannins and a good finish.”

98 Points! Medium gold-hued, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Fontaine Blanc offers rich, complex aromatics of ripe orchard fruits, white flowers, almond paste, and hints of fresh croissant. It's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, and it’s beautifully layered and textured, with integrated acidity and a blockbuster of a finish. Pure gold in white Rhône, I wouldn't push the aging curve here and would drink bottles over the coming 5-7 years, possibly a decade. Don't let that deter you, though. This is absolutely riveting stuff. - Jeb Dunnuck