Best St Emilion 2019 wines tasted en primeur
From more than 200 St Emilion 2019 wines tasted, Jane Anson finds plenty of wines to highly recommend and says it is a great place to go looking for value...
Search all St Emilion 2019 wine ratings
Limestone always does well in hot vintages with its ability to keep both moisture and freshness, but the Corbin sector on the clays near to Pomerol also did a great job of resisting the periods of drought in 2019.
Scroll down to see the top-rated St Emilion 2019 wines
Those down on the sandier soils struggled a little more without careful viticulutral decisions. Water stress was less marked than in 2015, for example, because they had a 15°C swing of day and nighttime temperatures on average.
Winemaking has also definitively turned a corner, which makes such a difference to the sapidity of the wines.
Figeac was one of a number of estates to carry out no punching down of the fruit, choosing instead more gentle infusion methods (you see this also over at Carmes Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan), along with low temperatures to ensure slow extraction.
Yields
The average yield for the appellation was 43hl/ha, and you can see some variability when you look at individual châteaux results – 45hl/ha at Beausejour Duffau Lagarosse, 29hl/ha at Pavie, 38hl/ha at Clos Fourtet, 46hl/ha at Beausejour Becot, 48hl/ha at Corbin, 47hl/ha at Ferrand, 17hl/ha at Pavie Decesse and 51hl/ha at La Mondotte.
Scores
In terms of the wines, there were no out and out potential 100s but a crop of 98s that could well be up-scored when re-tasted in bottle – Cheval Blanc, Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse and Canon (high for this estate from me), and a brilliant Pavie Macquin at 97 points.
There are at least 20 estates over 95 points (there were almost 200 wines tasted from St Emilion this year), including a brilliant Angélus and Valandraud, both of which I would particularly recommend. Rocheyron also continues to impress.
At the ‘buy signal’ 94 point mark you have plenty to choose from – the brilliant Saintayme, Larcis Ducasse, Dassault, Barde-Haut, Clos des Jacobins, Lassègue, La Mondotte, Villemaurine, Laroque, La Serre, Fonplégade, Fleur Cardinale and Bellefont-Belcier.
There were also plenty (32 wines) under 90 points as St Emilion is such a variable appellation, but overall this is a great place to go looking for value and quality delivery.
Changes
In terms of what’s new, there is a new owner at Château Trianon, and Peter Kwok is now firmly installed at Bellefont-Belcier and doing an excellent job.
Eric Boissenot makes an appearance as consultant at Château Cantenac, but more generally Thomas Duclos and Oenoteam continues to increase their presence across the appellation.
Also, there are more and more environmental certifications in St Emilion coming through as the countdown to the change of rules in 2021 nears, where all wineries must have some official recognition of green credentials to carry the AOC on their labels.
Within the mix are few unusual wines to draw your attention to, particularly Château Monolithe, 100% Cabernet Franc, which is worth looking out for.
Top Scoring
Angélus, Cheval Blanc, Troplong Mondot, Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse, Pavie, Rocheyron, Canon, Valandraud, Trotte Vielle, Pavie Macquin, Canon-la-Gaffelière
Best Value
Clos Dubreuil, Saintayme, Teyssier, La Commanderie, Haut-Brisson, de Candale, Tertre de la Mouleyre, Clos Romanille, la Fleur d’Arthus, Bel-Air-Ouÿ.
See the top-rated St Emilion 2019 wines
The following wines have all been scored 95 points and above
Not yet tasted: Château Ausone, L’If
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Château Cheval Blanc, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Released at a 32% discount to 2018, despite volumes being 30% down, this represented a 'bargain' for lovers of Cheval Blanc. Produced from 41 of...
2019
Château Cheval BlancSt-Émilion
Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Gorgeously aromatic and concentrated nose, rich with wild flowers and bramble fruits. Lovely cool blue fruits on the palate, blueberries, plums and black cherries with...
2019
Château Beauséjour Duffau-LagarrosseSt-Émilion
Château Canon, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Canon has been on an amazing run since 2015, and the 2019 continues this performance. Carries 14.5% alcohol with ease. Complex aromas and flavours of...
2019
Château CanonSt-Émilion
Château Angélus, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Beautifully expressive nose, really so welcoming with hints of sweet red cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate and touches of perfume too - soft but really defined....
2019
Château AngélusSt-Émilion
Château Bélair-Monange, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
One of the standouts in 2019. Red fruit aromatics are so clear on the nose, strawberries and sweet red cherries with some bramble floral notes...
2019
Château Bélair-MonangeSt-Émilion
Clos Fourtet, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Compared to the 2018, this vintage displays a cooler aspect to go with the ripe red and black fruit: more tobacco leaf than glycerine. Even...
2019
Clos FourtetSt-Émilion
Château Figeac, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A remarkable Figeac which, with a yield of just 34hl/ha and using 100% new oak, remains elegant and refined, with none of the alcoholic excess...
2019
Château FigeacSt-Émilion
Château Pavie Macquin, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Gorgeous ripe aromatic blackcurrants on the nose. Seriously expressive with sweet touches of milk chocolate - an element of Black Forest gateau to this. Direct...
2019
Château Pavie MacquinSt-Émilion
Château Valandraud, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Highly charged and high toned on the nose, smells abundant and seriously expressive. Lovely intensity here, tannins are mouth coating and super persistent but this...
2019
Château ValandraudSt-Émilion
Château Rocheyron, St-Émilion, Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Another extremely successful vintage for Château Rocheyron, combining powerful blackberry, raspberry and cassis fruits, with bitter-edged black chocolate and perfectly-judged tannins that scrape through the...
2019
Château RocheyronSt-Émilion
Château Pavie, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Excellent quality Pavie, rippling with black fruits. Notably more subdued than in some vintages as the team looks to reframe just slightly the bulging muscles...
2019
Château PavieSt-Émilion
Le Dôme, St-Émilion, Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A riot of black and red fruit aromas on the nose, this smells lively and expressive. Bright, fruity and vibrant, a real sense of joy...
2019
Le DômeSt-Émilion
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Rich plum colour. This takes its time to open, is pretty subtle at first, but then explodes in juicy fruit. Clear salinity where you can...
2019
Château Beau-Séjour BécotSt-Émilion
Château Troplong Mondot, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Such a seductive soft perfume to the nose, delicate yet generous aromatics of cherry and rose. The palate is juicy and fresh, charming yet energetic...
2019
Château Troplong MondotSt-Émilion
Château Quintus, St-Émilion, Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2019
One of highest levels of Cabernet Franc since Haut-Brion arrived at the estate, and it makes its mark in all the right places. A gorgeous...
2019
Château QuintusSt-Émilion
Château La Gaffelière, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
An estate with a gathering sense of excitement around it, and once again proves why with the 2019. Sleek and flavourful, with the insistent tug...
2019
Château La GaffelièreSt-Émilion
Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
I love the balance on display here, of powerful and softly whispering fruits, a tightrope of acidity and tannins giving structure. Great stuff, with the...
2019
Château Canon-la-GaffelièreSt-Émilion
Château Trotte Vieille, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé B, Bordeaux, France, 2019
The makings of an exceptional wine in 2019 which, for me, narrowly beats the 2018, balancing excellent definition, succulence, ripeness of fruit, velvety sleek tannins,...
2019
Château Trotte VieilleSt-Émilion
Vieux Château Mazerat, St-Émilion, Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Quite different in feel and weight than the others in the Maltus range, this is a little fresher, with higher Cabernet Franc that gives it...
2019
Vieux Château MazeratSt-Émilion
Château Bellevue, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
As ever a lesson in terroir, because 100% Merlot but with low pH from cool clay-limestone soils that means it can be austere in the...
2019
Château BellevueSt-Émilion
Château La Dominique, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
New winemaker headed over from Haut-Bailly for what is the 50th vintage at La Dominique under the Fayat family. The heat of the vintage you...
2019
Château La DominiqueSt-Émilion
Château La Fleur Morange, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Just on the right side of unfussy, giving poise and juice and a sense of the vineyard. Floral notes, raspberry and blackberry fruits fill the...
2019
Château La Fleur MorangeSt-Émilion
Château Le Prieuré, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Sweet blackberry fruit from the first nose, intense tannic structure with lovely depth and grip. Excellent precision that doesn't take away from the flesh of...
2019
Château Le PrieuréSt-Émilion
Château Pavie Decesse, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
As ever this is a true highlight of the Pavie stable, still with muscles and concentration but accompanied by the most gorgeous seam of freshness,...
2019
Château Pavie DecesseSt-Émilion
