After tasting more than 800 Bordeaux 2019 wines in bottle, Georgie Hindle has given her verdict on how the wines are tasting now.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for all 136 St-Emilion wines tasted.
| Producer | Appellation | Vintage | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Château Bélair-Monange | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 99 | 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 - delicate and liffed. Gorgeous expression on the palate, so finely framed with tannins that are smooth and supple, effortlessly coating the mouth and giving life to the bright cherry and raspberry fruit. This has grace - slender and smooth - the flavours just glide across the palate, filling out the mouth with lashings of limestone terroir markers - crystalline fruit purity, crushed stones, mint and minerality. Clearly concentrated, there's layers of flavour but there's also such persistence, the flavours go on and on. Wonderful lift and so charming. I absolutely love it. Drinking window: 2030-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Cheval Blanc | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A) | 2019 | 99 | A sexy, direct and precise Cheval with a seriously expressive nose of dark chocolate, blackcurrants and perfumed red cherries. The palate starts off slow and delicate and builds in the mouth, gaining in character and intensity. The acidity is more marked after a few sips, mouthwatering and juicy, giving the palate real life and verve as the generous fruit flavours come into play, a lovely strawberry and raspberry vein with some mint notes all the way through giving such freshness and cooling sensations in the mouth, while soft tannins balanced by acidity give length and direction. Real weight and depth but also delicacy – concentration and restraint – lift, but such coolness. A sensational wine with pure energy. Cheval, 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking window: 2030-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Troplong Mondot | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 99 | 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 with such crystalline purity and balance. Tannins are smooth but softly textured giving nuance to the flavours where refreshing high toned ripe red and black cherry fruit play alongside mint, dark chocolate and graphite. Clearly powerfully but carefully controlled from start to finish giving such a satisfying overall mouthful and lasting impression. Incredible. Drinking window: 2028-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Angélus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 98 | Beautifully expressive nose, really so welcoming with hints of sweet red cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate and touches of perfume too - soft but really defined. On the palate there is such charming grip from the tannins and flavour that just takes hold straight away but not in an overly dominating way. It's smooth but precise, driven from start to finish. Softly chewy tannins coat the tongue with black fruit and some creaminess alongside excellent acidity that gives a mouthwateringly fresh and cooling aspect underneath the ripe red and black fruit flavours. This has real life and energy, bright with clear complexity and layers of fruit, oak and terroir that comes across as a spicy but also wet stone, mineral undertone. Seriously good. You almost want to drink this now and just capture all the elements going on but they'll continue to soften and integrate over time and also let the beautiful Cabernet Franc elements integrate and come more into play over time. A success in 2019. Drinking window: 2028-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Canon | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 98 | Fragranced and nuanced on the nose, full of ripe blackcurrants with a milk chocolate dusting and heady floral aspects that immediately draw you in. Serious in the glass, this is broad-shouldered but carried so well with the fine tannins and round fruit. It's dark in profile, full of blackcurrants, black cherries and plums with touches of dark chocolate, tobacco, coffee grounds, liquorice and clove all wrapped up and neatly presented with clarity and linearity. You can feel the tension on this, so flavourful but so knitted right now, coursing from the start to finish in a straight line but with waves of flavour of softly sweet fruit, medicinal herbs, savoury tones and minty cool elements on the finish. The flavours just go on and on expanding and filling the mouth with an undercurrent of mineral salinity that gives freshness and lifts the palate but also keeps everything straight and in line. Beautifully handled with such poise. Really captivating. Drinking window: 2028-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Figeac | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 98 | A gorgeous deep purple colour to the rim. Expressive nose filled with blackcurrant pastilles, really quite concentrated and ripe with soft floral hints and some savoury aspects - the Cabernet Franc making itself known. Such texture on the palate, smooth tannins that coat the mouth have a ripe and juicy blackcurrant flavour, backed by a mineral, wet stone, graphite edge. Liner and direct on the palate, this is focussed and controlled, so precise with a real sense of forward motion. Elegant and seductive in a quietly confident way with a long finish. Totally captivating. Drinking window: 2028-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Château Valandraud | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 97 | 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 has excellent depth with such concentrated fruit flavours that are balanced so well with acidity and the soft wood spicing around the edges. A bold wine for sure, with tons of flavour and personality, and excellent freshness throughout with minerality and wet stone nuances. One to age, but delivering excellent clarity and confidence. A top buy. Drinking window: 2025-2047 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Dominique | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 96 | Aromatic and abundant on the nose, smells appealing and heady with floral touches alongside ripe red cherry and blackcurrant reflections. Amazing clarity to the fruit profile on the palate with such minerality driving the wine from start to finish. It has spicy tones, liquorice and toast that give texture and depth with acidity keeping things refreshing. Lovely grace. Tannins are fine and provide plenty of grip in the mouth supporting the fruit with excellent freshness and a wet stone character that puts you in St-Emilion. So charming, confident and characterful - lots to enjoy here. First full vintage with new technical director Yann and consultant Julien Viaud. Tasted twice. The 50th vintage at La Dominique since it was purchased in 1969. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pavie | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé A) | 2019 | 96 | Such an expressive nose, especially after five minutes, dark black bramble fruits with raisins and plums on the nose alongside touches of tobacco and coffee too. Quite refined on the palate, less upfront plump fruit and chewiness, more knitted and focussed with a juicy core yet still powerful, underlying and driving. It's serious, muscular and strong, really a vein of direct fruit coated in wet stone minerality. I love the tension and acidity with the heady density of fruit and soft perfume around the edges. So much going on here. It's a bold, confident style, but overall feels well made and purposeful. Drinking window: 2026-2046 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pavie Macquin | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 96 | Gorgeous ripe aromatic blackcurrants on the nose. Seriously expressive with sweet touches of milk chocolate - an element of Black Forest gateau to this. Direct and linear on the palate, focussed and precise but with excellent clarity and minerality. You get the blood iron, wet stone slate in both flavour and texture on the tongue against the high toned cherry and redcurrant fruit. Lots of energy here, it's almost holding back from being fully expressive. Great potential and lovely finish with chocolate, minty freshness and liquorice spice. Drinking window: 2025-2043 Click to see full details | |
| Château Trotte Vieille | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 96 | Intense and concentrated on the nose, so full of aromas, rich and complex. Succulent and sophisticated, this is just so delicious. Crunchy strawberry and red cherry fruit with bright and round edges change into deep and heady blackcurrant and plum with a cool and liquorice spiced aspect as the wine makes an impact and travels from start to finish. The texture is smooth and fine, with a sense of life and joy, while the flavours are layered and complex. This has a really captivating spice to it, not at all harsh but present and indicative of the alcohol, that gives the wine frame and body. Serious with a very long life ahead but I love the way it changes in the glass giving you small hints of glamour, power and personality. Drinking window: 2027-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé B) | 2019 | 95 | 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 lashings of graphite, slate and liquorice giving a real spicy menthol mineral tone to the palate. Such complexity with poise and polish. Youthful for sure, but this will be excellent. The texture is so attractive and likeable. This has energy and vibrancy despite still being knitted down, it's just giving a hint of what's to come. Buy and hold on to. Drinking window: 2027-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Château Bellevue | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Lovely intensity on the nose, rich and dark with blackcurrants and some wonderfully attractive floral aromas. Excellent follow through on the palate, this is direct and precise with a good drive of black fruit flavours into a long finish. Fresh acidity underpins the fruit and there is an appealing undercurrent of minerality that is so refreshing. Liquorice spice marks the finish with a touch of dryness from the acidity. A lovely impactful wine with a flavour that goes on and on. Sophisticated, sculpted and well defined. Drinking window: 2027-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Château Fleur Cardinale | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Really smoky, coffee bean aromas on the nose with ripe blackcurrants. Great texture and flavour here, it's full of herbs and liquorice-tinged black fruits (cherries mainly) but really well integrated so that no one aspect sticks out. Tannins are super fine and smooth and the acidity is well balanced carrying the density of the fruit as well as the freshness. It's a big shouldered wine there's no question, power but also poise. Harmonious, charming and elegant. A very complete wine that is balanced with generous fruit, tannins, acidity and mineral freshness. Feels well handled and just excellently executed. Has a real purity to it with sculpting and refinement. Great stuff and still so juicy and appealing at the end. A top buy. Drinking window: 2027-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Jean Faure | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Wonderfully floral cherry notes on the nose here - ripe, vibrant and appealing. Such great juicy impact, strawberries, cherries and redcurrants, really just hits the palate with brightness, energy and verve. An approachable style but with lots of layers, great acidity and a cooling menthol undertone. Really enjoyable with underlying power and precision. Excellent. Drinking window: 2027-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Gaffelière | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | A rich and round nose, bursting with ripe fruit aromas. Plump and voluptuous on the palate all while having excellent acidity that really lifts it up, so you have depth but also this real aerial aspect. Tannins are smooth and really well framed and this is super fresh. Delicate yet deep, round yet layered with chalky minerality. Elegant and engaging. Drinking window: 2027-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Le Prieuré | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Nice herbal aspects to the nose, touching on savoury - some truffle aromas alongside blackcurrants and bramble fruits. Great density straight away, plush, rich and ripe but in a great way - this has purity and precision and I love the texture. It softens and expands after a few seconds when the spice comes in, perhaps from the oak, or a touch of alcohol still making its presence known but it's not totally disruptive. A really very promising initial taste from this which has a long life ahead. Easy to recommend. Drinking window: 2025-2043 Click to see full details | |
| Château Les Grandes Murailles | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Ripe blackcurrants on the nose. Sweetly juicy on the palate, this is succulent but also generous with quite intense flavours of blackcurrant and black cherry. It's smooth with lovely layers and waves of dark chocolate, blood iron, sweet liquorice and cedar. Elegant, expressive. Lovely. Give it time. A top buy! Drinking window: 2025-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Château Quintus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 95 | Quite a rich nose. Heady and full with some soft floral aromatics. This is gorgeous, full of life, great freshness and energy but with a deep core of flavour - layered and complex, this gives the mouthwatering juicy acidity you want but also the lovely plush tannins and sensitivity of fruit - power and charm. Tannins are so well integrated supporting the fruit and giving structure with a cooling, liquorice mintiness on the finish. Great impact and presence. Could drink this now and savour the lifted fruit and cooling ending. 55.4% Merlot and 44.6% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2027-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Château Villemaurine | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Ripe and sweet fruit aromas - smells rich and full of fruit. Great texture here and general drive of sweet dense fruit from start to finish. I love the precision and the boldness of this, it's powerful no doubt, rich and ripe but presented in quite a linear, well defined way right now. Confident and quite showy, great fruit profile - cherries and blackcurrants with velvety tannins that provide soft grip and good support. Bold but charming in a look at me kind of way. A very enjoyable glass of wine - hold on to. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Clos Fourtet | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 95 | Deliciously seductive nose, heady! Crystalline texture and purity here with a pulsing drive from start to finish. The fruit is super glossy and shiny, it feels precise and purposeful with blackcurrant and black cherries at the fore. Tannins are well integrated, just perceptible giving a nice weight and frame to the palate. Succulent and sophisticated. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Angélus, Carillon d'Angélus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Lovely aromatic profile, delicate and softly perfumed with violets. A gorgeous rush of creamy red fruits on the palate - cranberry, redcurrant, red cherry and touches of blackcurrant leaf. The texture is smooth but dense yet flowing giving flavour and restraint. You can taste the creamy, chalkiness here with wet stone nuances really reflecting the terroir with a spicy kick and cooling mint finish. The taste goes on and on. It's more delicate, less in your face than No.3 and Tempo, softer but still driven and purposeful nonetheless. The first vintage of Carillon from both dedicated vines and its own cellar facilities. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Bellevue-Mondotte | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Dark perfumed berries on the nose with black cherries and sweet black liquorice. Textured, this is fleshy and chewy, full bodied, juicy and round with some sweet acidity. Plum and blackcurrant dominant with tannins that are smooth and silky but coat the mouth entirely. Really feels quite bold and plush to begin with then changes and the cool fruit and mint comes in giving it direction and forcing it to be more linear and driven towards the finish. Such focus and precision. A blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Canon, Croix Canon | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Lovely fragranced strawberries and red cherries on the nose, soft and beguiling. Intense and concentrated on the palate but with excellent clarity and energy. It's dark in profile, black fruits are covered in an almost sweet, sticky liquorice tang that gives texture and body and just a hint of spice. Round and smooth overall this has real class. Precise and sauve with lots to like and a long fresh and cooling aftertaste. A great buy. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Cheval Blanc, Le Petit Cheval | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Gorgeous perfume on the nose, delicate but expressive blackcurrants and black cherries, has a real dark side to it but lifted by the perfume. Great acidity from the start, bright and vibrant with a cool and fresh mid palate. This feels quite charming and confident without being too confident. Round and smooth with mouthwatering acidity and lovely bright fruits but at the same time the texture is so soft and comforting. It feels like a cooler baby brother to the grand vin, one who has an effortless style. Brilliant. There are no specific plots of Petit Cheval so all the plots in this 2019 were in the grand vin in 2018, so there is 'zero consistency in terms of quantity, commercialisation and proportion' for Petit Cheval says technical director Pierre Olivier Clouet. At only 5.5% production, this is the rarest of the Cheval wines. A blend of 56% Merlot and 44% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château Dassault | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Pretty on the nose, soft and subtle, not giving away too much. Lovely concentration here, feels excellently controlled with a core of deep dark fruits, and lovely soft enrobing tannins. I like the energy, freshness and lightness. It's not a powerhorse but feels carefully made. Drinking window: 2025-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Pressac | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Sweet cherry and violets on the nose. Lovely smooth texture with fruit that has great precision and mouth watering acidity - strawberry, red cherries and redcurrants. It's fresh and fruity with a texture that just gently grips and holds interest. I like this and the long finish too. Just the barest hint of freshly picked mint leaves on the finish adding a cooling element to the final impression. Drinking window: 2024-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Château Figeac, Petit Figeac | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Blackberry notes on the nose, with some herbal perfume touches too that are so appealing. Smooth and softly textured, with chalky nuances and grippy black cherry, strawberry and blackcurrant leaf aspects giving structure and body. Succulent and juicy with mouthwatering freshness. Great vibrancy and drive with life. Super approachable with the same vein of refinement and charm that Figeac does so well. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Fonplégade | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Nicely fragranced on the nose. Good definition all the way through, I love the generosity of the bright strawberry and red cherry fruits at the beginning morphing into a sweet sticky black liquorice root and eucalyptus flavour. It has a chunky frame with a smooth texture, clearly powerful with punch. Sculpted and well presented with some St-Emilion gloss and glamour against a steely, stoney understone. Tasted twice. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Grand Corbin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Sweet blackcurrants, tobacco, dark chocolate and black truffle. Great nose, just so much going on. Gorgeous intensity of flavour on the palate, round and juicy black fruits mostly with very softly spiced tannins that support the fruit and give structure and weight. Lively acidity gives bounce and freshness and there is a cooling liquorice touch to the finish. Well made and well finished. Everything feels in balance and harmonious. Clear power but well presented. Could almost drink this now but I would hold for a few years as this will age well. Drinking window: 2024-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Fleur Morange | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Dark nose full of ripe and heady blackcurrant aromas. Nice fruit density on the palate with red fruit flavours - cherries and raspberries. This has chewy tannins and plush fruit both of which really fill the whole mouth alongside refreshing acidity and a cooling mintiness to the overall profile. I like the sense of minerality you get by the cleanliness of the palate but the tannins are at the fore right now. Lots going on but needs a little more time to integrate and soften. Drinking window: 2025-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Serre | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Ripe red cherries and blackcurrants on the nose with a delicate floral fragrance. Chalky and mineral straight away with a wet stone clarity to the texture and flavours of pencil led, graphite and menthol. Super fresh with cool fruit flavours. Well packaged and balanced, nicely charming with tons of polish. Really delicious and understated, quietly confident. I love it. Drinking window: 2024-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château Larcis Ducasse | St-Émilion (1er Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Coffee and liquorice on the nose with some dark chocolate and black cherries. Wow, a deep, dark style here, majoring on liquorice but just gently spicy and quite savoury with some truffle and cedar notes. Really well defined, this has a lovely precision to it - you can feel the polish. Tannins are quite mouth filling and this feels like a fairly serious wine with so much potential. Potent is the word, with such a long lasting flavour. Needs time to come around but will be excellent. Drinking window: 2025-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pavie Decesse | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Dark bramble fruits on the nose, blackcurrant, coffee grains, black cherries and some dark chocolate shavings. Mouth Filling and generous on the palate, a nice burst of fruit and acidity in the mouth then cooling blue fruits come through - dark liquorice, blueberry and black cherry. Nice freshness throughout, real airing in the mouth, this has depth of flavour and a strong structure. Quite a muscular style, flexing and powerful but smooth and well defined. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2025-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château St-Georges Côte Pavie | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Blue fruits with some cola and vanilla tones on the nose. Lovely cooling aspect on the palate, dark blue fruits, menthol aspects and softly chalky tannins. This is super svelte and charming with these lovely liquorice coffee tones at the end too. A top buy and great value for this quality. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Troplong Mondot, Mondot | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 94 | Such a sense of the limestone terroir on the nose and palate here with wet stone and graphite nuances edged with perfumed red cherries. Super smooth with a grippy but gentle texture. Well integrated tannins are lifted by the serious succulence on the mid palate, this is juicy and bright but also layered with strawberry, red cherry and blueberry fruit. Playful but also well controlled and well presented. The finish is lasting and impactful. A perky wine that is stylish and so moreish. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Clos des Jacobins | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 94 | Gosh I love the florality to this, really a heady mix of wild flowers, sweet ripe cherries, chocolate and bramble blackcurrants. Tannins are immediately present, they fill the mouth and take over the fruit completely at this point replaced by a smattering of dark liquorice and bitter dark chocolate that dominate the palate which is actually quite appealing. A less immediately enjoyable wine, this needs more time to expand, integrate a little more and for the fruit to express itself, give it a few years, but this will be so delicious in time. Drinking window: 2026-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Annonce | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Rich nose, dark chocolate and some floral edged blackcurrant notes. Fresh and quite full in the mouth with cooling blue fruits - blueberries and plums with some black cherry and hints of perfume that are lovely. Feels a little reserved at the moment, clearly lots of depth and layers of flavour but it's quite restrained and poised. Has an elegance to it and the chalky, mineral texture is precise and well defined. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Bel-Air | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 93 | A nuanced nose, lots going on, sweet spice, perfume and bramble fruits. Chewy, this is round and plump - opulent but then so precise on the palate with real tension. Cooling blue fruits and liquorice, it's the cool freshness that really gives this life. Yes, the tannins are abundant and mouth coating but they're soft and fine and this has great execution. You can feel the intensity but it's carried very well. A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Bellefont-Belcier | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Wonderful aromatic expression on the nose, perfumed floral aromas jump out the glass. This has excellent precision and elegance, I like the creamy-edged cherry fruit and lively summer berry flavours. A charming, soft, easy drinking style with gentle tannins and good overall acidity. Drinking window: 2024-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Château Cadet-Bon | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Nice aromatic expression on the nose, some red fruit and soft floral notes. Good juiciness here, this is bright and energetic with appealing acidity. Perhaps it doesn't have the power of some, a quieter confidence, with a little bit of rusticity to the tannins at this point, but there is good life to this and the fruit is well framed. Fresh red cherries and some strawberry hints too. Drinking window: 2023-2041 Click to see full details | |
| Château Chauvin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | High toned cherry fruit on the nose, smells lively. Lovely purity on the palate and also some perfumed aspects which I really like. Nice solid core of flavour - elegant and refined. Textured almost like chewing grape skins with the dryness but also the flavour at the same time. Good overall impression and one for earlier approachability. Drinking window: 2023-2041 Click to see full details | |
| Château Corbin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Smooth texture, good grip of tannins with cooler blue fruit flavours - blueberries and black cherries. This is fairly classic with svelte tannins and generous fruit. The finish has cooling minty notes giving overall freshness. Some hints of cloves, dark chocolate and cinnamon too on the slightly austere finish. One to hold on to. Drinking window: 2024-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Château Croix de Labrie | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Heady and evocative on the nose. Juicy, lively and playful - the red berry fruit is bright and energetic with edges of thyme and fresh mint. Really enjoyable, an approachable and easy to drink grand cru. Fun and bursting with fruit with a chalky minerality to the tannins and final flavour. Glamourous! Drinking window: 2024-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Candale | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Sweetly ripe on the nose, rich and intense. Supple palate with firm tannins and cooler blue fruit tones alongside liquorice spice. Nice roundness with lots of energy and appealing fragrance on the mid palate too. An accessible and harmonious St-Emilion grand cru with structure and gentle seductive appeal. Seek this out! Drinking window: 2023-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Château Destieux | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | The nose is dense, ripe and fully pronounced. Dark bramble fruits and sweet cassis fill the aromas. A fuller style on the palate, this has cheek-sucking acidity, really mouthwateringly fresh with chewy, very present tannins that fill the mouth. Good overall impact with freshness and generosity. The fruit profile feels well defined and there's lots going on here. Open a few hours in advance and have with some hearty food or give it a few more years to soften a little. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Faugères | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Lovely perfumed cherries on the nose, so aromatic and pleasing. This is upfront and juicy straight from the get go, with real purity of juice, crystal clean and bright. Tannins are fine and firm, supportive, but it's the red cherries and strawberries taking centre stage while the oak edges and cinnamon spice come in after a minute or so alongside some dark chocolate notes adding structure and complexity. Perhaps needs a little longer to meld together a bit more but this is lively and fun. Drinking window: 2025-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Such a beautifully expressive nose, perfumed cherries, strawberries and flowers with sweet blackcurrants too - so delicate but still expressive. Lovely chalky, mineral aspect comes in straight away, almost before the fruit arrives, a lovely interplay between the red fruits and stoniness. It's got complexity with layers of flavour and texture - fine tannins support the fruit giving a nice weight and overall frame with a chalky fresh finish. Pure elegance and harmony. One to hold on to. Drinking window: 2025-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Château Grand Corbin Despagne | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Strong aromas on the nose, concentrated and generous. This is taught but well defined. It's a little restrained at the moment but there is a lovely core of juicy cool blue and dark fruits with velvety tannins. I like the initial brightness and then it settles to be a deeper, more seductive wine with cinnamon edges and some soft liquorice spice. Drinking window: 2024-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Marzelle | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Herbal bramble aspects on the nose - some black truffle and dark chocolate. I like the drive of this, it's lively with plenty of acidity and good bounce to the red and black fruits. Dense and just-chewy tannins on the palate, this is more approachable than some, offering plenty of fruit, juice and pleasure right now. Well balanced. Mineral tones with slate and graphite providing the fresh-menthol aspect to the wine. Nice frame and persistence - confident with swagger. Drinking window: 2022-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Laniote | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Deep, dark and heady nose with ripe blackcurrant and dark cherry aromas. This is still a little austere with the excellent acidity giving a touch of dryness to the palate at this point. Layers of ripe, full fruit are there and this has a gorgeous vein of smoky but cooling liquorice. Complex and feels well made with purpose. The minerality is really the focus with a chalky, dry palate and smattering of slate, graphite and wet stone nuances. Needs more time but great freshness. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Larmande | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Wonderful Black Forest gateau aromas on on the nose, blackcurrant and milk chocolate, so welcoming. Fresh and juicy on the palate, this is bright and energetic with refined and perfumed cherry and berry fruits leading the way. Tannins are well integrated and this really stands out as being a fresh, fruity and approachable wine. Elegant and enjoyable. A touch of spice hits the finish giving a soft piquance. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Laroque | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Ripe cherries and strawberries on the nose. This is juicy and bright with summer berry flavours, soft but present tannins and juicy acidity. Lightly structured, a softly sweet style, for earlier drinking with a lovely vein of stoney minerality that cleans the tongue and leaves a cool feel to the mouth. Elegant, well framed. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Monbousquet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Dark perfumed berries on the nose. Nice and soft in the mouth with a good depth of flavour. Generous fruit, ample and plump with edges of liquorice and sweet spices. Good tension and drive with an airy and lifted mid palate despite being quite plush and softly chewy. Mouth filling with some iron filings and cool mint touches. Easy drinking and easy to recommend. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pavie, Aromes de Pavie | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Perfumed dark berries on the nose, smells ripe and round - super expressive. Mouthcoating tannins but not massively heavy with such a lovely juicy and succulent quality - nicely rounded but with elegance too. Freshness and tension throughout. Good core of dark fruit - blackcurrants and black cherries with licks of wet stone, salinity and minerality alongside some sweet black liquorice touches at the end. Such confidence - plush, ripe, round, this is a big showy wine but with lots of well expressed sides where little touches of freshness, mint, wet stone and spice all come through harmoniously. A blend of 65% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon. 18 months ageing, 50% new oak, 50% one year old barrels. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Quinault L'Enclos | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Gorgeous rich nose, really vividly fruity full of wild blackcurrants, strawberries and cherries. So rich and intense on the nose, expressive and detailed. Lovely density on the palate too, great concentration but not overt richness or heaviness, in fact it has a lightness of touch following some other wines in the range. Such enjoyable succulence and vein of freshnes. Immediately juicy in the mouth, almost mouthwatering, with good bright red and black fruits and a soft mid palate that has some chalky tannins. Smooth and satisfying - just a great mix of concentrated fruits and minty freshness. Lots going on and a long finish. A blend of 74% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Quintus, Le Dragon de Quintus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Bramble berries on the nose, quite rich. Lovely texture, bright, bold and charismatic - great charm, this shines bright in the glass and on the palate, lovely and round full of rich flavours with enough body and structure to give good mouthfeel without being too heavy right now. On the right side of elegant with a lovely purity of cherry and strawberry flavours. This has some bite and chew too. Good plushness but still with purity of flavour. Not massively complex but delivers a good punchy wine. Confident. 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Sansonnet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Beautifully aromatic nose, rich and ripe filled with bramble fruits and dark cherries. Wow, this packs a punch on the palate. Laser precision when it comes to the fruit, summer strawberries and red cherries - with a touch of really satisfying sweetness - mixed with blackberries but well defined with such clarity. Tannins are fine and support the fruit while providing a softy chalky texture. Nice density and drive with freshness throughout. Feels well made and will have a long ageing potential. Drinking window: 2025-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château Yon-Figeac | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Lots going on on the nose here, ripe fruit, sweet cinnamon spice and brambles. Great impression, a punch of dark ripe tannins take hold, covering the mouth. This has a definite liquorice dominance giving the overall feel quite a dark and spicy edge with blackcurrants, figs and some black cherries. There is a lovely juicy undercurrent but it's definitely being dominated right now. Lots of potential though. One to hold on to. Drinking window: 2026-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Clos 1873 | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Caramel, coffee beans, mocha and burnt toast on the nose, so many different aromas. Really continues on the palate too, super savoury, less about the fruit really, though there are nice hints of blueberry and blackcurrant. Excellent drive and mouthfeel. Gorgeous tannins. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Clos Dubreuil | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Dried herbs on the nose, wonderfully aromatic and nuanced with blackcurrant and black cherry. Lovely texture here, mouth coating tannins that have a velvetine texture support the ripe, lush and plump fruit. Youthfully exuberant with plenty of character and personality on show. Good energy and freshness with a lifted finish. Some hints of cinnamon and cedar suggest the wood needs more time to integrate but this is lovely. Drinking window: 2023-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Clos Saint Martin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 93 | Expressive aromatics on the nose. Ripe almost stewed blackcurrants, dark chocolate and cola. Firm and muscular, this is well built and well presented. It has concentrated flavours, layers of blackcurrants, cherries, mint and graphite but so well expressed with a lightness of touch that keeps it balanced and refreshing. Chewy, succulent and grippy, really takes hold in the mouth but the flavours are lovely and the overall depth is a sign of promising things to come over ageing. I love the crushed stone, liquorice and slightly salty finish. There's plenty of layers and complexity here and the wine makes a lasting impression in the mouth Will be excellent in time. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Saintayme | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 93 | Sweet and floral red fruits on the palate, very gently fragranced and so welcoming. A rush of bright, juicy and alive red fruits is somewhat overshadowed by the taught and grippy but also fine tannins on the palate with liquorice edges giving texture and body. The tannins coat the mouth and tongue giving a really chalky sensation, with a feeling as if you're eating cherry skins, and rich plum fruit flavour with a cooling aftertaste of mint and wet stones. So much to like here, upfront and well handled, the tannins though dominant feel classy and I love the overall impression this leaves. One to buy and hold on to. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Angélus, No.3 d'Angélus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Nice deep, dark and fruity nose, smells lively and fresh with a touch of herbal aspects, some clear Cabernet markers and soft floral red fruits - perfumed strawberries and raspberries. Nice density, this has a lovely texture, it's not super smooth but you get such excellently presented tannins that are like crushed velvet, you feel the presence but they gently coat the mouth supporting plush strawberry and red cherry fruit with some crushed mint leaves and a liquorice spice kick at the end. I like the power here, it's quiet but definitely there. Pulsing with a lively intensity. Drinking window: 2023-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château Cap St George | St-Émilion (St-Georges St-Émilion) | 2019 | 92 | Bramble fruits on the nose, this smells very autumnal. Great richness and concentration, real density and chew to the bright red fruits, you get the strawberry juice coming through and then black cherry. This is full, tannins are grippy and coat the mouth with a texture as if you're eating grape skins so a touch drying but also satisfying. Minerality too here, a chalky wet stone aspect to the palate. There's a lot going on right now - tannins and this textural element are quite dominant but this will be good in time and has a cool minty fresh finish that lasts. Buy but give this time. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Capet-Guillier | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Savoury liquorice and black truffle on the nose. Grippy and chewy on the palate but nicely round too, gently mouth filling with a core of blackcurrant and black cherry flavours. Tannins are well integrated and this has a nice weight and frame. Confident and quite charming. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Clos des Prince | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Cola cubes, vanilla and sweet blackcurrants on the nose - smells so welcoming. Excellent drive and persistence but all very much in balance with acidity, fruit and freshness. Good quality tannins give nice support to the fruit and this has verve. I like the herbal touches too on the palate, rosemary and thyme, which add a savoury nuance. Good stuff. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Ferrand | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Coffee bean aromas on the nose with some liquorice spice. Fully tannic on the palate but filled with plush, juicy, chewy fruits so not austere just mouth filling. Mouthwatering acidity underpins the fruit and this has a great cooling effect in the mouth almost from start to finish. A serious style, well defined and sculpted. Drinking window: 2025-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Faurie de Souchard | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Sweet fruit aromas on the nose, so welcoming. This has excellent impact, chewy tannins and sweet acidity that give this life and bounce. Good definition and overall depth with a nice cooling minty edge approaching the slightly austere but fresh finish. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Fombrauge | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Full, rich and ripe nose. This is heady with great drive and definition, a full, bold style with tannins and mouth watering acidity taking the fore right now leaving some astringency on the palate still. There is generous and ripe fruit - cherries, figs, blackcurrants underneath the tannins and a lovely fresh mint tone as well as liquorice to it but it needs at least a few years to soften and integrate. The length is impressive and overall it's well structured suggesting a long life ahead. Drinking window: 2025-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château Fonroque | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Lovely dense and concentrated nose of ripe cherries and blackcurrants. Similar on the palate, really lovely concentration driven by good freshness and soft juicy tannins. I love the fullness here, it's quite rich but well presented with a hint of spice on the finish. Tannins make an impression and give a good length. It's a powerful style with alcohol just poking through at the end. Drinking window: 2023-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château Grand Mayne | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Intense and full of character on the nose. Excellent energy here - the fruit is bright and upfront though gets a little overwhelmed by the supple tannins that come in almost straight away. You can feel the liquorice and dark chocolate edges to the black fruit which give the overall frame texture and depth and it has freshness throughout. Just needs time to soften. Drinking window: 2024-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Dominique, Relais de la Dominique | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Some dried herbs alongside rich and concentrated blackcurrant on the nose. The texture stands out straight away, smooth with a delicate creamy, velvet edge that surrounds the liquorice-laced blackberry and plum fruit. Definitely powerful but poised with charm and refinement. A lovely wine for earlier enjoyment. Just super supple, generous and all in balance. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Fleur d'Arthus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Blueberries and plums with a hint of florality on the nose. Minerality is at the fore that comes across as slightly austere and drying on the tongue but the freshness is there as is the core of blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. A hint of tar, liquorice and cloves edges the overall frame which has fairly firm tannins that coat the mouth. Lots of personality and character but very much on the youthful side still. Give this longer. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Tour Figeac | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | A softly sweet and savoury nose. The texture here is great, smooth and satisfying. This is a dark, almost sticky style with sweet liquorice and chewy blackcurrants giving lift by a vein of minty freshness. Firm and muscular - there is clear power here, but it is also quite suave with high acidity and generous fruit. Spiced finish with some liquorice freshness. Appealing. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Chateau La Voute | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Richly scented, perfumed and intense. Chewy and cheerful, this has a lovely energetic side to the raspberry and blackcurrant fruit profile underpinned by firm tannins and a core of sweet liquorice spice. A bold style with character. Drinking window: 2024-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Château Le Chatelet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Sweet blackcurrants on the nose and a smooth texture on the palate. Juicy straight away, good punch of strawberries and red cherries that almost immediately changes into dark fruits and liquorice spice. I like the overall feel of this, tannins are softly gripping with a chalky texture which is nice. Good balance and drive from start to finish. It's rich and clearly powerful with a mint kick on the finish. One for the long haul. From a small 4ha estate between Clos Fourtet and Beau-Séjour Bécot. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Louis | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Beautiful nose. This has a real bloody aspect that is so appealing, a metallic taste of iron and blood orange. It's atypical but so captivating and memorable and really works so well. A gorgeous expression with intensity and tannic hold but also clarity and precision. Well defined. Buy and hold on to. One to seek out. Drinking window: 2023-2031 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pierre 1er | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Wonderfully expressive on the nose, bursting with bramble fruits and sweet cedar touches. Lovely purity of flavour, the texture is so smooth and silky, excellent quality to the lively juice. Bright and appealing with balanced acidity and great freshness. Easy to enjoy. Minty fresh finish too that lingers on the long finish. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château Ripeau | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Nice mix of bramble fruit and soft florality on the nose. Strawberries and red cherries on the palate with a real creaminess that dominates. Tannins are soft and smooth and this has a good undercurrent of mouth watering acidity and freshness. A touch austere on the finish but lots to like. Drinking window: 2023-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château Tour de Capet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Richly scented and expressive with strawberry and raspberry touches. Super bright and lifted, lots of energy here with good concentration of juice and chalky texture. Generous and persistent. An easy drinking St-Emilion that can be drunk now. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Valandraud, Virginie de Valandraud | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Ripe and fragrant, smells so appealing. Rich and concentrated on the palate with a stony minerality that comes through straight away. Fine tannins are abundant but gently frame the wine that is clearly powerful but well presented. Plenty to come in time. Lovely wet stone minerality at the end with appealing graphite edges. Freshness with more savoury, spicy, minerals aspects than overt fruit at this point. Lots to like. Drinking window: 2024-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Haut Roc Blanquant | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Lovely soft floral red fruited aromatics - a hint of raspberry and violet. Sappy and succulent with a soft chewiness on the palate that's so appealing. This has bright energy with strawberry and raspberry fruit flavours with good acidity retaining the freshness. Quite high toned, with a vein of cooling menthol freshness and a lifted, almost sweet strawberry sensation on the mid palate. Lots to enjoy here with plenty of crushed stone and liquorice notes on the finish too. Long length. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Monolithe | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 92 | Fragrant and fruity. Lovely purity of fruit on the palate, not heavy or particularly layered but well defined - light, aerial with energy. An easy-drinking style with cherry and strawberry flavours. A little austere still but this comes from the graphite, pencil lead and slate minerality that is really nice. Feels like liking a stone and leaves a really clean feeling in the mouth. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château du Courlat, Cuvée Jean-Baptiste | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Dark chocolate, blackcurrant and perfumed florality on the nose. Chewy and ripe, the tannins are quite generous but are soft and round, giving grip and texture to the dark fruits and liquorice. Nicely balanced with confidence. A darker, slightly savoury style, with emphasis on liquorice, vanilla and clove. A lovely approachable 100% Merlot from old vines in Lussac. You can drink this now with roasted meats. Drinking window: 2023-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château Chauvin, Folie de Chauvin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | High-toned cherry fruit on the nose, smells lively, showing lovely purity of fruit and very attractive perfumed aspects. Solid core of flavour - elegant and refined. Textured, almost like chewing grape skins with a dryness but also flavour at the same time. Good overall impression and one to approach earlier than some. Drinking window: 2023-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Clarisse, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes | St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Lovely nose, aromatic and expressive. Really enjoyable texture here, everything feels nicely balanced and packaged with bright black fruit flavours combined with acidity and freshness. Tannins are fine but relatively present in the mouth, giving a softly round structure to the palate. Lovely. It's not overly complex or layered, but delivers an easy-drinking glass of wine with an elegant quality and refreshing finish. Likely to be great value. Seek out. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Clos de Sarpe, | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 92 | Perfumed, high toned nose. Dark plum colour in the glass. Good juicy quality, immediately quite lively in the mouth with blackcurrant and black cherry flavours. Minerality is there in the wet stone flavour and texture on the tongue alongside fresh minty aspects that lift the wine across the palate. This has a nice easy drinking appeal to it - feels well handled with a smooth and supple overall feel. A little dry still at the end, not austere in a bad way, just very chalky. Drinking window: 2025-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Malengin, Eve | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Blackcurrant and touches of rose petal on the nose. This has good energy, a darker profile with the focus on sweet tobacco, liquorice and ripe blackberry jam. Chewy, concentrated and upfront with good balance and freshness. A heartier style that packs a punch. Tannins are integrated and have a fine quality to them. I like this style with the sweet liquorice and dark fruit. Asks for roast beef. Drinking window: 2023-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château des Laurets, Sélection Parcellaire | St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Ripe and heady on the nose, which is expressive and filled with bramble fruit aromas. Well-worked, plump and ample tannins provide support for the dark, baked black fruits that have a lovely soft sweetness to them. This is rich, concentrated and intense with a serious core of fruit and liquorice spice. Precise winemaking with lots of elements on show. One to hold on to for further ageing. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château des Laurets | St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Fragrant black fruits and soft herbal aromas. Silky smooth texture on the palate, tannins are fine and frame the ripe dark fruits - blackcurrants, black cherries and blackberries, with a touch of sweet and spicy liquorice giving texture and nuance. Clearly powerful and concentrated but also shows finesse and charm. Lots to like here. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Guadet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Nively fragranced, expressive and generous on the nose. Great texture and drive, tannins are persistent and they are laced with blackcurrant and liquorice flavours. Serious and dark in profile with bite and chew. Drinking window: 2024-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Couspaude | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Beautiful aromas on the nose, really defined and well pronounced. Heady, seductive, beautifully soft sweetness, the fruit is juicy and ripe, and the texture is silky smooth. The initial impression makes you think this is approachable already - it is bright and lively with good depth and balanced acidity, but there's hints of liquorice and clove spice around the edges towards the finish, suggesting this needs a little more time. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Grangére | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Expressive and scented with its floral perfume. Light on its feet with a creamy core of baked cherries, vanilla and blackcurrants. Nice texture to the palate, silky smooth but energetic. An easy-drinking style showing the potential charm of Grand Cru. Drinking window: 2023-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Rose Perrière | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 91 | Rich and floral aromatics, intense and heady. Juicy and upfront, tannins are integrated, leaving the bright red fruits - strawberry, red cherry, raspberry and blueberry - to shine through. A lightly-framed wine, delicate and pure. Tannins are round and gently chewy, guiding the flavours from start to finish. An enjoyable glass of wine with a hint of liquorice and clove on the finish. Drinking window: 2022-2027 Click to see full details | |
| Château Laroze | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Seductive nose of ripe cherries and strawberries. Great juicy freshness straight off the bat, the tannins are soft and smooth, letting the red fruits shine through. This has brightness and persistence with some depth to the mid-palate, and cooling mintiness on the finish. Drinking window: 2023-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château Montlisse | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | High-toned, blackcurrant and black cherry with meaty notes, leather and tobacco. Liquorice dominates the palate, lacing the blackcurrant fruit and giving it a savoury, spicy tone. Enjoyable, fresh and with a fine quality to the tannins. A darker style but will be good in time. Drinking window: 2023-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château Moulin du Cadet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Lovely intensity and density, plush tannins, rich and ripe, rounded fruit, chewy on the palate. Quite a mouthful of fruit and soft tannins that gently take hold and cover the mouth. This is succulent and generous, with savoury truffle. Perhaps not a massively long finish, with some oak spice, clove and minty elements coming in towards the finish, but notable quality and attractive impact of lively fruit. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Petit Faurie de Soutard | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Perfumed, floral fruit on the nose, with blackcurrant and creamy milk chocolate. Lively and full of energy, this starts off juicy and fresh with red fruit flavours, then settles, going cooler and darker with mint and black cherries. Tannins are fine but abundant and they coat the mouth as the cooling mint takes hold. It's captivating. A serious style, precise and driven. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Pindefleurs | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Black cherries and a touch of perfume on the nose which smells rich and heady. Soft, juicy and bright with good concentration of strawberry and red fruit, but it's the texture that really stands out. Soft, chalky and cooling, the tannins coat the mouth giving a lovely frame to the wine and driving it through to a long finish. You really feel the minerality here - the menthol, wet stone aspects fill the mouth and give so much freshness. Lovely Drinking window: 2024-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château Quintus, QV - Saint Emilion de Quintus | St-Émilion | 2019 | 91 | Deep, dark and fully flavoured, showing plum, prune and raisin. Tannins are gorgeous, but they are quite dominant, feeling ever so slightly coarse. Very good freshness with a chalky quality to it. A hint of cumin and cayenne spice towards the finish - lots going on. An autumnal wine. 63.5% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22.5% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2023-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château Rol Valentin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Bold, powerful nose. Succulent and gripping but soft at the same time on the palate. This is intense but has a nice floral delicacy to it as well. Fragranced and fruity. Not massively complex but this is appealing with iron and wet-stone minerality at the end. Close to Valandraud, bottom of the hill near Fleur Cardinale. Drinking window: 2023-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château Saint Georges | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 91 | Bramble fruit and floral aspects to the nose, then a punch of dark, liquorice-spiced fruit on the palate. This is a cooler style - blue fruits and black cherries with serious liquorice and cinnamon tones. Generous tannins and well-balanced acidity. Long finish. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Trimoulet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Cassis and sweet exotic spice notes on the nose. Plump and plush, this is packed full of flavour but carefully presented with a creamy aspect to the pure black fruit. Feels well handled with a sexiness to it. Quite seductive, needs longer but I like the upfront fruit, acidity and boldness. Drinking window: 2023-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Clarendelle | St-Émilion | 2019 | 91 | A meaty tone here too with lots of fresh, ripe cherry aromas. Dangerously soft and smooth on the palate, silky tannins with a lovely immediate deep flavour on the palate. This is more subtle, less immediately juicy but has real charm and good depth. You feel the flavour linger on the tongue with a perfumed, floral aspect to them. This is delicate but driving with good presence and still superb freshness. An elegance to it as well. Lovely. Good mouthwatering acidity, still on the light side, well balanced and enjoyable. A blend of 88% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window: 2023-2027 Click to see full details | |
| Clos Dubreuil, Anna | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Fragrant and richly aromatic on the nose - violet reflections, smells pretty. Good core of ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, almost jammy with their chewy tannins and softly sweet expression, but given nuance by liquorice spice. Lovely overall feel, plump and abundant. I like the dark profile; needs more time. Drinking window: 2022-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Clos les Grandes Versannes | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Aromatic with dried herbs and bramble fruits. Great, lively and immediately accessible with bright strawberry and raspberry fruit. Has a gourmet edge to it with soft tannins and a juicy core alongside dark chocolate. Fun and confident. Not massively complex but an easy-drinking style. Drinking window: 2023-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Peymouton | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 91 | Such an expressive nose, combining exotic fruits - pineapple and mango - with ripe oranges. Gorgeous. Rich on the palate but not heavy, with a lovely concentration of fruit flavours and enough acidity to keep things lifted. There's definite orange on the palate - both juice and zest - which is really appealing, fresh and vibrant. Easy, crowd-pleasing drinking. Drinking window: 2023-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Château Badette | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Perfumed nose with sweet blackcurrant. Lovely texture on the palate, it's dense and verging on chewy which is appealing, and although the tannins coat the mouth they have a lovely fine quality to them, and hold up the strawberry and red cherry fruit. Lovely frame and definition with a juiciness and freshness that keeps it interesting. Menthol finish with some wood spice still lingering, suggesting this needs more time. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château Boutisse | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Perfumed nose. Chewy straight away, juicy too but also chalky. I like the individual elements, the floral, red and black fruit, the minerality of the chalky tannins and the spiced edges, but needs more time. Carmenère in the blend. Drinking window: 2023-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Cap d'Or | St-Émilion (St-Georges St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Ripe nose of strawberry and red cherry. This is succulent and expressive with red fruits to the fore. Tannins are a bit too present right now, but this is fun and lively. Mouth-watering acidity keeps the freshness and the tannins have a nice minty edge to them as they coat the mouth, with the strawberry and cherry juice underneath. Good combination and a fun profile here with lots of energy and verve. Tannins need to settle but I'd drink a glass of this. Drinking window: 2022-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château Clarisse | St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Expressive and inviting nose, full of blackcurrants and blueberries. Gorgeous texture, velvety and generous tannins support the palate which brims with bright red cherries, blackberries and strawberries. The fruit is ripe, with a softly sweet jamminess underpinned by balanced acidity keeping the palate fresh and lively. Lovely quality on show here. One to drink now or age. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Dassault, Le D de Dassault | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate-laced black fruits on the nose. Concentrated but not heavy or too rich, the fruit is focused on strawberries and sweet red cherries. Tannins are quite prominent at the moment and show a stony, mineral aspect. Good overall feel with a sense of drive and direction. Needs more time for the spice to subside and the palate to expand. Drinking window: 2023-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Barbe Blanche | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Fragranced with blackcurrants and bramble fruit on the nose. This is characterful with personality brimming with chalky strawberries, raspberries, plums and black cherries and a soft grip from fine tannins. It has a touch of liquorice spice and slight heat still on the finish but these give a nice piquance to the wine and will settle over time. Smooth with a round and bright mouthfeel. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Bastienne | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Smells so welcoming, floral and fruity. This has a chalky minerality to it that is noticeable straight away - the texture has a wet stone aspect which almost cleans the tongue alongside liquorice, giving a freshness and spicy depth to the fruit. Quality is definitely there - this has power and poise but needs more time to meld together. Drinking window: 2024-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Commanderie | St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) | 2019 | 90 | Quite closed on the nose. This is a cooler style with blue and dark fruit notes apparent on the nose and palate, with some liquorice and wood spice. Quite a restrained style, feels a little closed right now, not offering much exuberance or expression. Texture is lovely and smooth, and you can feel the depth on the mid-palate but it's not shining. Good length and a menthol, cooling lift at the end. Drinking window: 2022-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Couronne, La Réserve | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Sweetly fruited and perfumed on the nose. Wow, this is dense on the palate, concentrated and round, filling the whole mouth with blackcurrant and black cherry juice, not to mention chewy tannins. Shows pleasant freshness, with liquorice, cola and mint coming in on the mid-palate and lasting well into the finish. A full-bodied wine which packs a punch. 100% Merlot. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Couronne, Reclos de la Couronne | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | High-toned and expressive on the nose; quite perfumed with blackcurrant at the fore. Tannins are ample and generous, filling the mouth with black cherry and liquorice aspects. This has personality with nice definition and a juiciness that keeps it refreshing all the way from start to finish. Needs more time to soften and expand, then it will be delicious. Drinking window: 2024-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Chateau La Grande Clotte, L'Envolée | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Red and black fruits on the nose, softly perfumed. Fresh and lively, this has some bright strawberry, raspberry and black cherry flavours with fine tannins that give structure and support. Lovely clarity to the juice, the overall palate feels nicely crafted with quality tannins, but they are still at the fore right now suggesting longer ageing needed. Will be really lovely in time. Drinking window: 2023-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Vaisinerie | St-Émilion (Puisseguin-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Blue fruits and cola cubes on the nose. Linear and direct, this is powerful but restrained, with a core of dark, juicy fruits and a mineral undertow giving freshness and a velvety-smooth texture to the tannins. Needs more time to expand and be fully expressive, but this is nice and one I want another glass of. Can be enjoyed today with some time in carafe or hold on for a few more years. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Lucia | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Smoky nose that is so appealing. Something a little bit savoury and also spicy which continues on the palate, with mushroom, truffle and liquorice all underpinning bright strawberry and ripe blackcurrant. Lots going on here and this has a lovely veil of wet stone minerality that gives a cleansing and juicy finish. This is on the serious side but I like the individual elements. Needs more time to integrate. Drinking window: 2024-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Château Roudier | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Pretty perfumed element to the nose. Good balance and impact here with emphasis on liquorice, dark chocolate and sweet tobacco alongside the blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. I actually really like the expression, the fruit feels well handled with fine tannins. Good freshness from start to finish with a minty undertone. Well presented. Enjoy this today with food, something to match with the sweet spice aspect. Drinking window: 2022-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château Tour Perey | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Aromatic, scented, supple and succulent. Softly mouthwatering with ripe and chewy tannins that coat the mouth. This is exuberant with plenty of flavour and depth. Certainly youthful right now but lots of sappy fruit to enjoy. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Clos Badon Thunevin | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 90 | Rich and evocative on the nose with aromas that foretell a powerful and concentrated wine. Bright and bold with pulses of energy underneath the fairly ripe and muscular tannins that coat the mouth. Lashings of liquorice edge the black fruit with a hint of sweet jam to the spice. Lots going on with a chalky, mineral touch on the finish. Drinking window: 2024-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Clos de Boüard | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 90 | Ripe and expressive nose. Fully flavoured, this is rich, bold and full of black cherry, blackcurrant and plum. Tannins are just way overpowering right now, they fully coat the mouth - they are fine, though, and have a seriously appealing quality to them with a core of dark fruit underneath. A touch of wood spice presents a soft, warming sensation, as does the alcohol. I like the overall structure and sculpted presentation. It almost feels restrained at the moment despite the tannins. Long life ahead, so give this a few years. Attractive freshness, brightness and life. Drinking window: 2023-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Coudert | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 89 | High-toned and fragranced nose. Rich and super-concentrated - a little too extracted or needs time for the wood to integrate more. Plump, vivacious and upfront, this is bold with lots of perfume and subtle spicing throughout. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Château La Fleur Perey | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 89 | Fragranced and floral on the nose. Mouth-coating tannins take hold straight away but they are fine and soft, supporting the bright cherry and strawberry fruit. A little astringency here with some dryness towards the finish. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Chateau La Grande Clotte | St-Émilion (Lussac St-Émilion) | 2019 | 89 | Bright, bold, perfumed and softly sweet blackcurrant notes on the nose. The palate has a pleasing initial juiciness to it but chalky tannins are still at the fore with the fruit aspects having spiced edges presently. Liquorice, cloves, mint and a nice wet stone, mineral aspect all combine to add interest, spice and freshness. Overall this has the individual elements but needs more time to integrate. Drinking window: 2023-2027 Click to see full details | |
| Château Montaiguillon | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 89 | Lively and expressive on both nose and palate. This has a nice blue fruit touch, with flavours of ripe, jammy blueberries, cherries and blackcurrants. The texture is appealing with firm, velvety tannins that have grip and persistence. Good overall acidity keeping things fresh. Drinking window: 2023-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château Sanctus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 89 | Softly fragrant on the nose. Juicy and concentrated with lots of high-toned fruit flavours including raspberry and blackcurrant. Doesn't feel totally together yet, needs more time to integrate but there is nice fruit and some sweet exotic spices. Long length, too. This is from vineyards on the plateau. Drinking window: 2023-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Soutard Cadet | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 89 | Smells powerful and ripe, you get a sense of the alcohol on the nose. Rich and concentrated on the palate (as expected from the nose), this is a bold style, not for the faint-hearted, with plenty of ripe and juicy black fruits alongside cinnamon and sweet liquorice. Minty fresh finish. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Dame de Boüard | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 89 | Fragrant nose. Super-smooth texture, this has real energy and life, bright blue fruits, but then closes quite quickly and a chaky, wet-stone mineral element comes in and cleans the palate. Fruit and minerality need time to integrate. Pleasing texture, it's just the overall balance that's not there yet; the fruit needs to expand. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Vieux Château des Rochers, Cuvée Prestige | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 89 | Rustic nose with bramble fruits and soft florality. Bright autumnal fruits on the palate that have a nice clarity and juiciness to them, refreshing acidity and fine, soft tannins. Clearly powerful and concentrated with a jamminess and soft spicing towards the finish, but nicely handled integration of the alcohol. Enjoyable. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Sanctus, La Bienfaisance du Château Sanctus | St-Émilion (Grand Cru) | 2019 | 88 | Super-ripe and jammy on the nose. Chewy and mouth-filling but there is some pleasant, chalky minerality here as well. Fruit fades quite quickly, overtaken by the dry tannins. Some fragrance, but doesn't feel totally harmonious. Needs more time. Some herbal, bramble and stalky aspects. Technically not a second wine, this is from the sloped vineyards. Drinking window: 2023-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Château Tour Bayard, L'Angelot | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 88 | Savoury and sweet, with ripe black fruits, sweet spice and farmyard, rosemary aromas. Tannins coat the mouth and tongue completely; they're fine with a nice quality but they cover the black fruit at this point. I do like the general feel and frame, though. Nicely weighted with a confidence about it. Drinking window: 2022-2028 Click to see full details | |
| Château Tour Bayard | St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) | 2019 | 88 | Ripe and concentrated on the nose. Powerful on the palate with chewy tannins supporting the black fruit. Plump, juicy and energetic. Touches of wet stone and a chalky texture come in on the mid-palate with a liquorice ending. An easy, accessible style, one to drink now. Drinking window: 2022-2029 Click to see full details |