Wines

97 Points! A lovely enticing nose filled with rich plum, fig and blackcurrant fruits - heady and opulent. The palate is precise with a distinct texture, certainly dense and ripe but the flavours just settle on the tongue giving spiced touches of liquorice but allowing the freshness and acidity to underpin the overall taste. It feels very carefully constructed with everything in place allowing power and generality but neatly packaged and not overdone. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 76% new. - Decanter Magazine

97 Points! Subtle and complex red with blackberry, black truffle, sweet tobacco and mahogany. Highlights of lavender and violets. Full-bodied and very tight with finesse and tension. Very polished, fine tannins. Long finish. Delicious already, but best after 2022. JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is based on a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a more backward, closed wine, offering classy notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, freshly crushed stone, and cedar. More medium to full-bodied and elegant, I’d like to see a touch more density and richness on the mid-palate, but it's beautifully balanced, has gorgeous tannins, integrated acidity, and outstanding length on the finish. Give this classic, impressive, old school beauty 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15-20. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The sensuous curves of Art Nouveau design and joyful flourishes of rococo both give an idea of what Mosel riesling elegance means, but in a masterpiece like this it takes on a totally distinctive feeling unlike anything else on Planet Wine. The white peach fruit, white flower aromas and slatey minerality all tingle on your palate, then flicker on and on in a totally fascinating manner in the nearly endless finish. The touch of sweetness is already beautifully integrated, although the wine just began a decades-long life. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! A texturally beguiling red, with a chewy, creamy stream of dark chocolate, perfumed lavender, plum paste and warm spices framed by alder and camphor. Large in scale yet not heavy, with a supporting beam of iron, plus an energetic through line and prettiness from start to long, captivating finish. Stunning and hard to resist drinking immediately. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! A tasting through the different terroirs in this wine revealed a fresh, intense, highly structured year; not as generous as 2019 or 2020, certainly more austere, and will take longer to come round. Many of the samples had an appealing floral expression, occasionally with herbal nuances from the use of whole bunches, and often really quite dark, dense black fruit on the palate. Tannins, while not green, are decidedly tight and will take time to finesse. A vintage where patience is required and which I suspect will shut down shortly after bottling. - Decanter Magazine

95+ Points! Just bottled, the 2022 Côte Rôtie offers a beautifully classic Jamet perfume of red and black fruits, crushed stone, and sappy flowers. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a broad, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form. Drink 2031-2052. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Lots of caramel and honey on the nose and palate, together with biscuits, dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied with a freshness that frames the wine nicely, giving it form and energy. Fantastic chardonnay. Best one from here in a long time. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The tiny production 2019 Cornas Cuvée Jana is another gorgeous wine. More up-front and opulent than either the 2018 or 2016, it has a mass of blueberry and black cherry-like fruits as well as smoked game, bouquet garni, ground pepper, and iron. It hits the palate with a lush, opulent attack and has a terrific mid-palate, before the tannins build and clamp down on the finish, showing more loamy earth and mineral notes. It certainly displays the richer, ripe style of the vintage and has moderate acidity, yet the purity of fruit is spot on, it's beautifully balanced, and it’s going to keep for 25+ years in cold cellars. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Showing greater nuance and complexity on the nose, the 2019 Cornas Jana—named for Michel's daughter and sourced from Les Côtes and Chaillot—is a big step up from Michel's basic Cornas. Hints of violets, mint and crushed stone accent deep cassis and blueberry fruit, while the full-bodied palate is concentrated, rich and tannic, with a long, long, finish. Although not unenjoyable now, it's a Cornas for the cellar, with at least a decade of improvement possible. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

97 Points! This youthful dry Rheinhessen riesling combines stunning concentration with a chalky minerality that’s all-encompassing yet never dominates the cool and restrained stone fruit character. Major structure that remains below the waterline of perception on the front palate and emerges like the back of a whale breaking the surface of the ocean. Spectacularly brilliant finish in spite of the moderate acidity. Great potential. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The 2020 Côte a Côte is a beautiful blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre and one of the most successful wines I tasted from the challenging 2020 vintage. Deep ruby-purple, it offers pure aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry, tar and pipe tobacco, continually unfolding with each return to the glass. The full-bodied palate offers wave after wave of perfumed fruit and tremendous spicy accents. It's powerful yet harmoniously structured with powdery tannins and seamless acidity, and it offers a very long, detailed finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

99 Points! A blend of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Estate Cuvée is another outstanding wine from L'Aventure in the challenging 2020 vintage, offering singular concentration and elegance. Deep ruby-purple, it has a pure core of cassis and slowly unfolding accents of licorice, cured meats, tobacco leaves, cedar and truffle. Full-bodied, juicy and alluring, it floods the mouth with layers of blue fruit, floral perfume and spice. It is supported by powdery tannins and boasts a tremendously long, detailed finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

99 Points! A blend of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Estate Cuvée is another outstanding wine from L'Aventure in the challenging 2020 vintage, offering singular concentration and elegance. Deep ruby-purple, it has a pure core of cassis and slowly unfolding accents of licorice, cured meats, tobacco leaves, cedar and truffle. Full-bodied, juicy and alluring, it floods the mouth with layers of blue fruit, floral perfume and spice. It is supported by powdery tannins and boasts a tremendously long, detailed finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

98 Points!  A linear and transparent red with violets and dark fruits with sliced tangerines. Full- to medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins. Brightness and energy. Hints of chocolate and malted milk. Lovely purity to it. Drink after 2026 and onwards. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

99 Points!  The 2020 L'Eglise-Clinet, made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with wonderfully fragrant notes of violets, dark chocolate, aniseed, and forest floor, leading to a core of preserved plums and black cherry preserves, plus a touch of cast-iron pan. The medium to full-bodied palate explodes with tons of juicy black fruit layers, supported by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a whole array of baking spice, black berry, and minerally accents. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

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

97-98 Points! Really impressive concentration for the vintage with dusty tannins that give density and intensity. Medium-bodied, this shows dark fruit and chocolate plus walnut and hazelnut undertones. Juicy and flavorful but always in reserve. Winemaker Noemie Durantou Reilhac likens it to the 2015 but with finesse. 90% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. - James Suckling

95-97 Points! The 2024 L'Eglise-Clinet is brilliant and intensely aromatic in its first impression. Vibrant red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, cedar and rose petal soar from the glass. Readers will find a vertical, explosive L'Eglise-Clinet that impresses with its poise and balance. The 2024 deftly marries finesse and power to a degree I have seldom seen here in the past. Superb. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94-96 Points! The 2025 L'Eglise Clinet was picked on September 21, 23 and 24 apropos the Merlot and September 23, 24 and 28 for the Cabernet Franc, which constitutes 10% of the blend. It matured in 85% new oak (90% Darnajou and 10% Taransaud). This takes time to unfurl generous black cherry, mint and cassis aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chiseled tannins that frame the mineral-driven black fruit. It's not the most powerful L'Eglise-Clinet I have ever tasted at this stage, but you have to admire the manner which this just builds toward the finish whilst retaining poise and tension. The 2024 is a wonderful Pomerol that will age effortlessly in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

93-95 Points! Based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, and aging in 80% new barrels, the 2024 Château L'Eglise Clinet is one of the deeper-hued Pomerols in the vintage. It offers rocking aromatics of dark berries, black cherries, graphite, scorched earth, and violets. Medium-bodied on the palate, it brings serious richness, with ripe, round, layered tannins and a great, mineral-laced finish. This is one of the denser, more concentrated wines in the vintage, yet it stays balanced and precise. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! Very classy and refined with subtle complexity and linear structure. Floral and perfumed. Medium- to full-bodied. Fine velvety tannins and a bright finish. Racy and fine. Really intense. Juniper and fresh sage. Bitter lemon. Botanicals. Bright. 88% merlot and 12% cabernet franc. Drink or hold. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

98 Points!  Glamour and seduction in spades at L'Evangile giving classic Pomerol typicity with a kick. Floral and expressive on the nose with pink and purple flowers, pink peppercorns, white and dark chocolate, raspberries and black cherries. Gorgeous texture on the palate, rich, deep, potent in the weight and tannic frame - chalky, ripe, mouthfilling, gently chewy giving bounce to the blackcurrant, plum, strawberry and cherry fruit while the minerality and salinity give a cool, fresh undercurrent. Clearly youthful and strict but such long length, really direct and focussed. Sleek yet muscular, everything feels precise and sculpted with a lingering clove and cinnamon edge giving the angles and tension right now. Clean and straight with precision, shape and style, tons of energy and juiciness. A great wine. - Decanter Magazine

97 Points! Complex and subtle aromas of black cherries, chocolate and violets with hints of nutmeg and hazelnuts that open to a medium to full body, with fine and polished tannins that integrate nicely then grow beautifully at the end. 69% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. Better to be patient and taste after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark cherries and berries mingled with notions of licorice, black truffle, rose petal and iris, the 2021 L'Evangile is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a broad and textural attack that segues into a charming, succulent mid-palate framed by sweet, powdery tannins. This saw only two rackings, and some 15% matured in amphora, with the rest in barriques that are less toasty than in the past; the result of these and other initiatives is a much more timeless expression of this property. Bottled in May 2023. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

97–98 Points – James Suckling
“The aromas of blackberries, black olives and hints of tobacco and dried fruit are fascinating and enticing. It’s medium- to full-bodied with creamy and polished tannins and a savory finish. Turns refined and focused after the layered fruit. Classic in character, with a caressing texture and balance. Hints of ripe fruit and freshness at the same time.”

96–98 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 L’Évangile has been given new impetus by winemaker Juliette Couderc. It is initially backward, but it really comes forth with a few swirls of the glass: black cherries, mint and juniper berries, just a hint of truffle, quite vibrant and vivacious. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, a fine bead of acidity, superb minerality and a very saline aftertaste with impressive length. A marvellous L’Évangile.”

95–97+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A Merlot-heavy blend of 86% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon harvested between August 26th and September 15th, the 2025 Château L'Evangile will spend time in 40% new barrels, 40% foudre, 5% amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. It has lots of cassis and juicy cherry fruit intermixed with graphite, lead pencil, violets, and classy oak on the nose, and it's medium- to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, focused mouthfeel, fine tannins, and outstanding length. Checking in at 13.7% alcohol with a pH of 3.75, it's a serious, concentrated 2025 that brings considerable structure, remarkable purity, and a great finish.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 L’Évangile is a very beautiful wine. Silky and medium in body, the 2025 is a classic L’Évangile. Bright red-toned fruit, mocha and rose petal all grace the palate. Touches of blood orange and white pepper lift the brilliant finish. This is a very precise wine and one of the top Pomerols of the year.”

96 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Nice plump roundness on the palate with a touch of strawberry acidity to bring life and lift. Fine tannins, a cool crisp blue fruit edge with liquorice and wet stone aspects. Mineral, salty, spiced grip on the finish. A serious, refined style with charm and structure.”

96 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Damson colour, with a ton of juicy blue and black fruits, well judged density, energy and lift. Grilled cumin, peony, iris flowers, slate and crushed rocks. Clear ageing ability and impressive precision across the vineyard.”

98 Points! This is one of the most structured L’Ifs I have had with currants and cherries, and chalk and salt undertones. Full and muscular. Long, long finish. The tannins and fruit go on and on. Give it three or four years to soften. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Coming mostly from vines near Troplong Mondot and based on 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 L'If is a smoking good Saint-Emilion that sports a deep ruby/purple hue, notes of ripe black fruits, chocolate, graphite, earth, and tobacco, full-bodied richness, and sweet, integrated tannins. The balance here is spot on, and while this opens up with air, it shows the structured, classic, incredibly impressive style of the vintage perfectly. Give bottles just 4-6 years if you can (it offers pleasure even today) and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

97-99 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Flowers, black raspberries, mint, cherries, and crushed rocks form the perfume. The palate is creamy, rich, lush, and fruity. The fruits stand out for their textural profile, energy, freshness, and elegance. The wine finishes with chocolate-covered cherries, plums, mineral influences, and a touch of spice."

97-99 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2025 L'If is a total stunner. It's like no other vintage I have tasted thus far, perhaps because of the high percentage of Cabernet Franc. Chalk, mint, white pepper, blood orange, and jasmine gradually open in the glass. A saline edge shapes the brisk mid-palate and brilliant, chiseled finish. Magnificent. The best L'If to date."

97-98 Points James Suckling
"Medium- to full-bodied and chalky but charming, with definition and clarity. 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Best ever."

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

100 Points! An utterly brilliant Pomerol and the finest wine from this estate to date, surpassing even the 2016, the 2019 Château La Conseillante checks in as 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc and was raised in 70% new French oak. A wine of incredible finesse, purity, and precision, its deep purple hue is following by an incredible array of blueberries, crème de cassis, spring flowers, damp earth, and violets. Flawlessly balanced, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ultra-fine, utterly seamless tannins, and a heavenly finish. It doesn't have the sheer density or outright power of some of the other top Pomerols, but as I wrote in the barrel sample review, no one marries elegance with opulence as well as Conseillante. This magical Pomerol will take a decade to hit full maturity and will evolve for 30 years or more. This is haute couture at its absolute pinnacle, and as I wrote in the barrel review, hats off to Marielle Cazaux for producing one of the top wines of the vintage. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! The transparency and vibrancy here is impressive. From the very start it’s so aromatic, showing crushed-berry, dark-chocolate, coffee and cedar character. Full-bodied, yet tight and wonderfully tailored, with tannins that are fine-textured, but intense and so long, giving this wine great length. A joy to taste, but needs many years to soften and come together. Wonderful development here. Try after 2028. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

98 Points! The 2019 La Conseillante was stellar from the sample sent to "Martin Towers" in spring 2020, and the news is that there is no change in bottle. Allowed to open while gossiping away with winemaker Marielle Cazaux (you have to catch up when you are unable to see people regularly), the 2019 unveils an awesome, extraordinarily pure bouquet that seduces the senses, featuring dark cherries, blueberry, pressed violet and a touch of blood orange, all displaying wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with fine-grained tannins and a judicious touch of black pepper toward the finish, which fans out gloriously while maintaining a sense of class. The best La Conseillante since the 2010? No - better. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

100 Points! One of the most powerful and significant La Fleur-Petrus I have ever tasted with incredible depth and power. It’s full and so layered with fine and intense tannins. It shows very dark fruits, dark chocolate with hazelnuts, and milk chocolate with almonds. This will age for eternity. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

100 Points! The finest vintage from this address I've ever tasted, as well as a perfect wine, the 2020 Château La Fleur-Petrus reveals a dense purple hue to go with a deep, layered, full-bodied, yet flawlessly balanced style carrying a smorgasbord-like array of red and black fruits, chocolate, dried flowers, spicy oak, and damp earth. It's not a powerhouse in the style of Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certain, or say, Clinet, but is all about finesse, elegance, and complexity. This magical Pomerol will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

98 Points! The 2020 La Gaffelière is superb. Rich, dense and explosive. Black cherry, gravel, licorice, grilled herbs and menthol race out of the glass. Deep, pliant and explosive, the 2020 is magnificent. At this stage, the 2020 is an infant, but that won't be a problem in a few years. This vivid, statuesque Saint-Émilion is nothing short of thrilling. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2020 La Gaffeliere is composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with expressive notes of redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and kirsch, plus nuances of dark chocolate, violets, pencil lead, and fragrant soil with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is so tightly wound, featuring very fine layers of red and black fruit intertwined with floral and mineral nuances, supported by highly pixilated, super-ripe tannins and amazing tension, finishing very long and with the energy of an atomic bomb. This is stunning! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, TWI