Search results for: 'paradis de point'

93-95 Points! The 2021 Sansonnet is once again a stand out. Blackberry jam, crème de cassis, chocolate, new leather, licorice and espresso give this large-scaled Saint-Émilion tons of depth. As always, Sansonnet is an extrovert, but in 2021 it benefits from a kick of acidity that balances things out nicely. It was impressive both times I tasted it. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! Excellent freshness and depth here with ripe but very vibrant berries. Spices, cigar box, black chocolate and incense, too. Quite juicy and bright on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Tannins are fresh and polished. Long and expressive finish. There is a “modern” touch here that gives a sense of restrained plushness to the vibrancy. Better from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

93-95+ Points! The 2020 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos de Champs Martin Cuvée Carline unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of wild berries, vine smoke, raw cocoa, cloves, anise and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's layered and complete, with a tightly wound core of vibrant fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins and concluding with a long, saline finish. Less demonstrative than its 2019 and 2018 predecessors, I suspect it will emerge as the finest of the trilogy in the fulness of time, but it will require patience. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

93 Points! The Garnacha 2022 Barrio Pastores is a village red from Aldeanueva de Ebro and produced with grapes from two plots planted in 1989. The full clusters fermented with indigenous yeasts after being foot trodden, and the wine matured in a 3,000-liter oak vat until it was needed the following harvest. It has a fruit-driven nose that's a little grapey, with a sense of ripe berries and wild herbs. It has 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.45. The palate is medium to full-bodied with fine tannins, ripe flavors and fine tannins. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

100 Points! One of the wines of the vintage is the 2018 Château Pavie, and Gérard Perse continues to produce one of the greatest wines in the world, in just about every vintage. Based on 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 shows the slightly more restrained style of the estate today yet still brings classic Pavie richness, depth, and grandeur. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, tobacco, chalk, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible purity, a dense, concentrated mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality on the blockbuster finish. There's a backward, inward style here that actually reminds me of the 2000. This is another magical, probably immortal wine from this terroir that marries power with elegance perfectly. Don't miss it! - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! The 2018 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with a fabulously expressive nose of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry preserves, leading to an impressive array of nuances, featuring notions of dark chocolate, camphor, licorice, rose petals and fertile loam, plus hints of crushed rocks and iron ore. The rich, full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruits with loads of exotic spice sparks and pretty floral and mineral accents, supported by firm, super plush tannins and remarkable tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This could only be Pavie. It makes for a seductively stylish glass now, but patience will be rewarded if it is afforded 5-7 years in bottle, at least, then drink it over the next 30+ years. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

95 Points! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

97 Points! The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it's going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

* ETA Second week of March...

96 Points! The 2012 Brut Millésime blends 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay mainly from Montagne de Reims and a small portion from Côte des Blancs, giving it a slightly unusual yet eternally sleek Chardonnay bent. It spent a decade on the lees. Its nose is a smoky wonder, combining ripe, almost tropical fruit with a gorgeous toasty sense of grilled almonds. An overtone of candied orange peel flashes up momentarily. The palate brings wonderfully golden plum fruit, ripe yet fresh, juicy and utterly aromatic, verging on apricot and always surrounded by a toasty, warming frisson of grilled nuts, pervaded by a streak of finest freshness. This is immensely youthful, captured with brilliantly pure fruit and lasting expression that rings long in a toasty umami echo. - Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous

96 Points! A graceful Champagne that waltzes across the palate, with a fine, plush mousse carrying a lovely range of ripe black cherry, pureed raspberry, candied ginger, Mandarin orange peel, grilled nut and pastry flavors enlivened by a vibrant spine of lemony acidity. To a certain extent, the precision and elegance belies the focus and breadth on display, so sip this slowly and enjoy as it opens in the glass and expands on the palate, echoing on the finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! A Champagne of great intensity and concentration, pure citrus oil, candied lemon and toasty exotic fruit. It's exceptionally soft and satin-like, creamy and comforting, then a stony, saline intensity draws out the finish. For the first time in the history of Rare Champagne, the house has released a vintage that is older than its previous release. This 2012 comes after the 2013 was released in 2023. Cellar master Émilien Boutillat says this is because when tasting the 2012, he and the team found a connection between this and the iconic 2002, so it deserved a little bit of extra time in the cellars before release. – Decanter

#PiperRare

95 Points! The 2023 El Terroir is a village red from San Martín de Unx that was selected from six different vineyards that were harvested quite early, at the beginning of September. It fermented with full clusters, indigenous yeasts and a long maceration. It is slightly darker than La Dama, with more clout and some more tannins but all relative to La Dama, which is superlative, because outside that context, this would be super fragrant, elegant and subtle. It has container power, lots of energy and depth and a beautiful combination of wild berries, herbs and flowers. It has a fine-boned, medium-bodied palate and good balance. It has contained ripeness and around 13.5% alcohol. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

97–99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A Cabernet-dominant blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Léoville Barton checks in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.6. Crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, liquid violets, iron, and an incredible sense of graphite all define the aromatics of this brilliant, deep, pure, and layered beauty. On the palate, it's full-bodied, inward, and powerfully structured, and reminds me slightly of the 2010 with its deep, concentrated style. It has enormous potential.”

97 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Beautiful vintage at Léoville Barton, delivering layer upon layer of crayon, graphite, textural interest and character. Black chocolate and espresso coupled with finesse and fragrance take you into the heart of Saint-Julien. A flood of flavour, what a brilliantly judged wine.”

97 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Beautiful aromas, expressive and open, really fragrant with bright purple flowers and dark cherries. Supple and so energetic, with tension coming from really quite high acidity matching the soft fleshiness of the dark blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. Crushed stone minerality on the finish.”

95–97 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 Léoville Barton has an exquisite bouquet already, with ebullient blackberry and bilberry scents, beautifully integrated oak, keeping the DNA of Léoville Barton despite the warm summer. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, gentle grip, very pure fruit and a cool, focused finish. Superb.”

95–96 Points – James Suckling
“Dark ripe fruit and a touch of licorice on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with a firm tannic structure on the palate, showing dark fruit, chocolate and walnut flavors.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Léoville Barton is deep, powerful and wonderfully refined. Dark red-toned fruit, graphite, lavender, cedar and spice all build beautifully in the glass. A Saint-Julien of real pedigree and class.”

95–97 Points – The Wine Independent (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Léoville Barton bursts with bold notes of cassis and kirsch, leading to hints of crushed rocks, violets, mossy tree bark, and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully bright and earthy with great tension and firm, fine-grained tannins supporting the intense black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.”

93–95 Points – Wine Advocate (William Kelley)
“Another wine that will appeal to purists, the 2025 Léoville Barton offers up notes of crème de cassis, violets, pencil shavings and new oak, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, taut and penetrating palate that's racy and youthfully structured.”

95–97 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, black currants, cedar, cigar wrapper, spice, and graphite create the perfume. Deep, layered, vibrant, and energetic, with polished tannins and a long cassis-filled finish.”

94 Points! This is really complex and perfumed, with an extremely attractive bouquet of flowers and dark fruit, such as currants. Full-bodied with crushed stones and chewy tannins, yet there’s polish and sophistication to it. Serious bottle here. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2019 Tronquoy-Lalande is made from 50% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to offers fragrant notes of rose oil, Indian spices, and licorice over a core of creme de cassis and stewed plums, plus a hint of lavender. The full-bodied palate is firm and sturdy, with grainy tannins and plenty of freshness to match the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

93+ Points!  The 2019 Tronquoy-Lalande has turned out beautifully, and it continues to show very well, offering up inviting aromas of wild berries, spices, rose petals and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, layered and sensual, with lively acids, ripe tannins and a long, vibrant finish, it's reminiscent of a somewhat more sun-kissed and extroverted sibling of the terrific 2016 at this address. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

97 Points! Dried tropical fruits like mangoes and green papaya, with lemons and green apples. Limes, too. Full-bodied yet tight and compacted with great length and persistence. Muscular yet fresh. 66% sauvignon blanc and 34% semillon. Drinkable but needs five or six years to soften. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

96 Points! Ripe and expressive on the nose, aromatically complex with notes of carmalised lemons, honey, peach and wet stones. Clarity and precision from the start, such a well defined palate with striking high acidity, crisp and sharp citrus fruits and a salty undertone. Soft spicing comes in towards the finish suggesting this needs more time and will have a long life ahead but the nuanced bitterness, freshness and lift are all so appealing. Excellent weight and balance too with a bright and long finished - a gourmet style with plenty to like. - Decanter Magazine

96 Points!  The 2020 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc, a blend of 66% Sauvignon Blanc and 34% Semillon, brings another level of density as well as complexity. Honeyed pineapple, melon, crushed stone, and spicy, savory herbs notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a beautifully layered, elegant mouthfeel and a great finish. It's a gem of a white and ranks with the crème de la crème of the vintage. It should keep for 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Beautiful nose, blackcurrant, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, tobacco, cherries, crushed stones, blue fruit and bramble fruits. Sleek and straight, nice acidity, but this is quite linear with the Cabernet really giving the backbone, length and overall structure. Feels a bit tense, but it does have texture too so it’s not austere or harsh, just strong. Really well built, delivering power no doubt, but keeping a soft juiciness underneath. Very medicinal - clove, liquorice, unmistakable Cabernet speaking here, but feels clean and well worked. Nothing sticking out too much with body, plushness and cool freshness. Good potential, really impressively constructed. 3.7p. Ageing 30% new oak. - Decanter Magazine

94 Points! More Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, the 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 14 months in 20% new French oak. It's even better than the Les Hauts de Smith and has gorgeous aromatics of black cherries, currants, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite. This textured, medium to full-bodied, seamless beauty has ripe tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. This matches, if not exceeds, the 2020. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Aromas of currants and blackberries with orange peel and rose petals follow through to a medium body with racy and polished tannins that go on for a long time. Vivid and energetic. Second wine of Smith Haut-Laffite. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. Give it two to three years. -  JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a rich, heady wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, licorice, menthol, chocolate, tobacco and incense makes a strong opening impression. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend is all opulence. I would give it a few years to settle down. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93 Points! This is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with an élevage lasting 14 months in 20% new oak. A completely different nose to Les Hauts de Smith, which has all that lightly roasted Merlot fruit;this has the same intensity but now in a pure, perfumed, floral Cabernet style, touched with mint and white peach. This continues through into the palate, now joined by darker tones of liquorice, toast, tar and charcoal, with a very pure and finely knit together backbone of tannins. A remarkable wine bearing in mind it is a second label, with dark fruit, high-quality structure and great length. This is a delicious Pessac-Léognan with fine potential. Give it ten years at least. A long grip to this rather solidly built wine. - The Wine Independent

98 Points! One of my favorite wines (although it's hard to find), La Violette makes a rich, sexy, yet always elegant and seamless style of Pomerol. Their 2019 Château La Violette is deep purple-hued and offers an incredible perfume of blue fruits, iron, tobacco, spice box, flowers, and loamy earth. Full-bodied on the palate, it shows the pure, elegant style of the vintage, has beautiful tannins, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. There's lots of creamy background oak that needs time to integrate, but this is another remarkable release from this team. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 20-25. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2019 La Violette offers typical ravishing scents of blueberry, crème de cassis and violet (of course), modern yet irresistible and well-defined, and better than in previous years. The palate is medium-bodied, fleshy yet balanced, with supple tannins, copious, lightly spiced red fruit and a pure, concentrated finish. A delicious Pomerol that offers hedonic pleasure. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

93+ Points! The 2020 Centales is a new single-vineyard bottle that has been given the Viñedo Singular category. It comes from a plot in Centales de Uruñuela bordering Huércanos and was planted in 1966 at 500 meters in altitude on limestone-rich soils where they have a field blend of varieties all fermented together that produces a characterful wine with a different, perfumed nose and a medium to full-bodied palate. The number of varieties gives the following breakdown: 52% Tempranillo, 25% Mazuelo, 14% Viura, 7% Garnacha and 2% Maturana Tinta that achieved 13.9% alcohol after fermenting in stainless steel and maturing in second-use French oak barrels for 11 months. It's a bit oaky and creamy but has the depth and balance to digest it and integrate it with some time in bottle. Only 780 bottles were filled in September 2021. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

98-99 Points James Suckling
"Subtle and pure, with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, pencil shavings and touches of raspberries, flowers, oyster shells and iodine. Medium-bodied with subtle and integrated tannins that run the length of the wine and make you want to drink it. The length and finesse are sublime."

98 Points Decanter
"An outstanding VCC and one of the wines of Pomerol. Smooth and supple, both creamy and chalky with black fruit, floral notes, cola, mint, and savory spice. Absolutely beautiful, hedonistic and so long."

98 Points Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
"Fragrant, full of energy, dense with silky tannins. Chamomile, cumin, cassis, blackberry, cocoa bean, espresso, fresh thyme and tobacco. One of the wines of Pomerol in the vintage."

95-97+ Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Ripe black and blue fruits, graphite, scorched earth and violets define the bouquet. Medium to full-bodied with a balanced, layered mouthfeel, rock-solid mid-palate depth and a great finish. A serious Vieux Château Certan that will need time."

95-97 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"Perfumed red cherries, raspberry, cassis and pressed violet scents gain intensity in the glass. Structured and intellectual, with peppery Cabernet Franc character, chalky tannins and impressive precision."

94-96 Points William Kelley, Wine Advocate
"Bursting with aromas of violets, crème de cassis, dark berries and creamy new oak. Rich and concentrated, with ripe acids, sweet tannins and a dense, unctuous palate that concludes with a heady finish."

93 Points! Slightly more prominent wood frames aromas of ripe apple, fennel, wet stone and a plethora of citrus elements. The rich, concentrated and impressively scaled big-bodied flavors coat the palate with sappy dry extract that also buffers the firm acid spine shaping the bitter lemon zest and beautifully long if youthfully austere finish. This is muscular but not rustic vintage for En Buland, which always ages well, and the 2021 version should be no exception. - Allen Meadows, Burghound #92

97-99 Points. Jeb Dunnuck
"A Merlot-heavy blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Feytit-Clinet is just brilliant, with a full-bodied, deep, and layered profile packed with blue and black fruits, chocolate, and tobacco. Concentrated and powerful yet weightless and flawlessly balanced, with velvety tannins and a great finish. This is up with the crème de la crème of the Right Bank, as well as Bordeaux in general."

95-97 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Violets, licorice, truffle, smoke, black cherries, and chocolate create the perfume. Polished, plush, fresh, and creamy, the wine is packed with ripe, sweet, energetic fruits, chocolate, and espresso. This is among the best vintages of Feytit-Clinet ever produced."

94-96 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"The 2025 Feytit-Clinet reveals enticing blackberry and bilberry fruit, hints of truffle oil and black pepper. Silky smooth tannins, perfectly judged acidity, and a long finish make this perhaps the insider's Pomerol of the vintage."

94-95 Points James Suckling
"Cohesive, with precise tannins and a beautiful expression of dark fruit. Velvety and elegant with a bright finish."

93-95 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown
"Ripe blueberries and black plums leap from the glass alongside hints of camphor, anise, and fertile loam. The palate delivers energetic black fruit and fine-grained tannins with seamless freshness and a minty kick to the finish."

94 Points! The 2020 Château Marquis D'Alesme Becker showed well, and this tiny Margaux estate continues to producer fabulous wines under the helm of Marjolaine de Coninck. Based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has a juicy, medium-bodied, round, even sexy style that carries lots of cassis and assorted darker, blue fruits, notes of spicy wood, flowers, and violet, soft tannins, terrific balance, and great finish. Coming from a mix of gravelly, sandy soils and aged in 50% new French oak, this beauty hit 14% natural alcohol (no doubt helped by the large Merlot component) and is going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age. It's going to see its 20th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Marquis d'Alesme opens with vibrant notes of crushed black currants, Morello cherries, and mulberries, plus wafts of violets, star anise, and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is both elegant and intense with velvety tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

93 Points! This supple but structured wine is sourced from various parts of the valley, yet still has the gentle power of the Stags Leap District. Suave oak spices, rich dark fruit and a full body give a generous, broad feel that is nicely freshened by fine-grained tannins. Drink now or hold. - James Suckling

93 Points! A consistently good value, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec and Merlot. Its deep purple hue is followed by a gorgeous perfume of crème de cassis, spicy oak, and flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, pure, balanced, silky 2021 that has the vintage's pure, focused, elegant style, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! The only one of these releases to contain purchased fruit, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis draws from such diverse sources as Atlas Peak, Calistoga, Coombsville, Saint Helena and Wooden Valley. It's rather fresh and primary, with almost grapey notes, black cherries and cassis. In the mouth, it's full-bodied and plush, with a soft, velvety finish. A nice step up in quality over the 2020 version, it should drink well for up to a decade. - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

94 Points! The 2019 Château d'Aussières is blended from 52% Syrah with 20% carbonically macerated Carignan, 19% Mourvèdre and 9% Grenache. It’s another dark red wine with harmonious, complex aromas which combine blackcurrant fruit (typical, says the Aussières consultant Matthieu Dubernet, of Fontfroide Syrah) with wildflower and hillside pine forest scents. The palate is surprisingly light and elegant with a sense of proportion and harmony; there’s no shortage of fruit density, though. It’s a more approachable wine at this stage than the 2018. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! Blackcurrants, slate, crushed stone and berries with hints of chocolate. Medium-bodied, bright and racy. Vivid at the end. A blend of syrah, carignan, mourvedre and grenache. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Plenty of graceful black and red fruits, this is an impressively balanced wine from a warm vintage. Turmeric and smoked cumin kick things off, emphasing tight tannins that will soften over the next few years, before everything opens through the mid palate to show a burst of baked raspberry, incense and rosemary spices, orange peel, plenty of juice. First time for the 167ha Domaine d'Aussières on the Place (or rather not in exclusivity with DBR Lafite). Director Jean de Roquefeuille (ex Rieussec), working alongside the group winemaker Olivier Tregoat. - Jane Anson, inside Bordeaux