Emanating from the fabled Château Lafon vineyards in Listrac-Médoc, France, Lafon 2020 wine is a sterling declaration of elegance. As an experienced fine wine connoisseur, I am impressed with this exceptional Bordeaux, crafted by the eminent and time-honoured Château Lafon family of winemakers.

Exhibiting the true finesse of Médoc terroir, Lafon 2020 weaves together a tantalising medley of blackcurrant, plum, and velvety tannins imparting a balanced, pleasurable finish. This exuberantly rich wine is made from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, harvested manually at their prime.

What sets Lafon 2020 apart is its 12 to 18 months ageing period in seasoned French oak barrels, endowing it with nuanced smoky and spicy undertones. This captivating libation truly demonstrates Lafon's commitment to quality, reflecting their devotion and passion for viniculture. Indulge in Lafon 2020's enchanting indulgence, and savour the unique essence of one of Bordeaux's most respected producers.

Emanating from the fabled Château Lafon vineyards in Listrac-Médoc, France, Lafon 2020 wine is a sterling declaration of elegance. As an experienced fine wine connoisseur, I am impressed with this exceptional Bordeaux, crafted by the eminent and time-honoured Château Lafon family of winemakers.

Exhibiting the true finesse of Médoc terroir, Lafon 2020 weaves together a tantalising medley of blackcurrant, plum, and velvety tannins imparting a balanced, pleasurable finish. This exuberantly rich wine is made from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, harvested manually at their prime.

What sets Lafon 2020 apart is its 12 to 18 months ageing period in seasoned French oak barrels, endowing it with nuanced smoky and spicy undertones. This captivating libation truly demonstrates Lafon's commitment to quality, reflecting their devotion and passion for viniculture. Indulge in Lafon 2020's enchanting indulgence, and savour the unique essence of one of Bordeaux's most respected producers.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

(No tasting note given)

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89-92)

Pineapple dominates the nose. Clean, juicy and penetrating, with very intense, pure flavors of pineapple and honey. In its power, this reminded me of a 2001. Finishes with terrific lingering fruit.

Immerse yourself in the luxuriant experience of Myrat 2000, a delectable Sauternes produced in the prestigious Château de Myrat. One of the most distinguished vineyards in Bordeaux, Château de Myrat has been crafting exceptional wines since 1855, with a continued commitment to sustainable viticulture. The excellence of Myrat 2000 lies in its rich blend of Semillon, Sauvignon, and Muscadelle grapes, cultivated in select clay and limestone soils and subjected to a meticulous vinification process, ensuring a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity.

Myrat 2000 mesmerises with its opulent gold colour, expressing exuberant flavours of ripe apricot, honey, and spices, culminating in an elegantly lengthy finish. Its radiant fruitiness is perfectly matched with an alluring botrytis complexity, indicative of its remarkable ageing potential. Myrat 2000 is a testament to Château de Myrat's devotion to superior craftsmanship, warranting its eminent position within the pantheon of fine wines.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-94)

Full, deep yellow. Sexy aromas of exotic orange oil, candied lemon peel and mirabelle Then fat and unctuous but juicy in the mouth, with strong acidity giving penetration and clarity to the intense fruit flavors. Not an especially powerful style but creamy, dense, bright and very long.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92)

Pale orange-gold. Tangy aromas of peach, tangerine and honey are pure but a bit youthfully subdued; this reminded me a bit of an Alsace SGN. Juicy, penetrating and pure, with exhilarating high-toned verve and clarity to its fruit-driven flavors of pineapple, tangerine and peach. Racy acidity and strong saline minerality give lift and urgency to the long, tactile. I love this style.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (90-93)

Medium-deep yellow-gold. Captivating nose offers pear and apple aromas, plus more exotic hints of pineapple and spicy botrytis. Bright and fresh on the palate, with excellent vibrancy to the flavors of pineapple, candied apricot, honey and tea leaf. Finishes with lovely floral lift and sound acidity.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (93-96)

(3.52 pH; 7.5 g/l total acidity; 180 g/l residual sugar): Bright yellow-gold. Enticing sauvignon blanc-dominated aromas of kiwi, passion fruit and green fig complicated by dried apricot and orange jam. Fresh, dense and very sweet, with extremely persistent flavors of tangerine, ripe apricot, saffron and peach nectar. Finishes very bright and long. This wine sports one of the highest residual sugar levels of the vintage yet it comes across as less sweet than the numbers would suggest thanks to its very high total acidity. Another outstanding wine for Nairac, which insiders know to be the single best buy in Sauternes today. The last few years have seen one great Nairac after another.

Vinous - Neal Martin (90)

The 2012 Nairac has a peachy nose with Golden Delicious, honeysuckle and pear scents, fine definition though it needs a little more focus. The palate is well balanced with quite a tangy entry, good weight, waxy in texture with stem ginger and light lemongrass notes on the finish. Fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (91-94)

Medium yellow-gold. Complex, deep nose reveals pineapple, caramelized ginger and honeyed minerals. Then easygoing, bright and fresh, with flavors of citrus fruits, green papaya and orange zest nicely framed by lively acidity. Features sneaky concentration and a very long aftertaste.

James Suckling (95)

Very aromatic with cooked pears, lemon rind, peaches and stone. This is very powerful and rich with depth and intensity that show superb power. Dense and foursquare with wild fruit. It’s phenolic and exciting. Needs a little time to soften the edges. Try after 2020.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (91-94)

Bright, pale yellow. Lively lemon, tangerine, mango and papaya aromas are complicated by menthol and smoky botrytis. Sweet, silky and suave, delivering enticing, very pure flavors of peach nectar, guava and honey. This offers plenty of volume and richness without excess weight and finishes with sneaky length.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2016 Rayne-Vigneau has a generous bouquet featuring flecks of white chocolate, quince and orange pith, and just a light smokiness in the background. The palate is very well balanced with a tangy marmalade and ginger opening. Delivering fine cohesion, plenty of vigor and great intensity on the finish, this is certainly one of the superior Sauternes of the vintage. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90)

Straw-gold. Marzipan, honey and toasted hazelnut on the nose. Moderately viscous and currently rather oaky. Has an impressively chewy texture but is not yet displaying its personality. Finishes with some youthful harshness. The '97 is at once stronger and finer.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92+)

Captivating, tangy aromas of vineyard peach, pear, white flowers and curry powder. Supple and very concentrated; thick but lively thanks to perfectly integrated acidity. Fruit notes nicely complemented by spice tones. Conveys a tactile impression of extract. Long and strong on the back end. Still quite youthfully unevolved and built for long life.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 1998 Rieussec is medium gold colored and scented of paraffin, dried lemon peel, key lime pie and musk perfume with an earthy undercurrent. Very rich, concentrated and sexy in the mouth, it sports layer upon layer of citrus, earth and fungi notes with seamless freshness and fantastic length. Wow.

Wine Spectator (95-100)

Loads of spicy honey and apple character. Full-bodied, medium-sweet, with a solid core of fruit and lots of botrytis character. Very racy. Not the 2001 but superb. Score range: 95-100

Wine Spectator (93-96)

Balanced and very spicy, with almond paste and apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with a long, fruity, tangy finish. Layered and stylish. Score range: 93-96 -JS

Wine Spectator (93-96)

Balanced and very spicy, with almond paste and apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with a long, fruity, tangy finish. Layered and stylish. Score range: 93-96 -JS

Wine Advocate (98)

Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Rieussec sings of crème caramel, chopped nuts, baked apples and spiced pears with hints of jasmine, peach blossoms and beeswax. Full-bodied, rich and decadently creamy in the mouth, the multilayered palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness. It has a very long finish offering a lasting impression of great elegance and finesse. Simply stunning.

Vinous - Neal Martin (96)

The 2010 Rieussec is slightly more backwards on the nose. It is very focused with almond, saffron, orange pith and dried honey aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a harmonious entry. Impressive depth with lovely vanillary new oak, it is long and pure towards the finish. A Sauternes with pedigree. Superb. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

James Suckling (97-98)

The is a phenomenal wine with dried pineapple and pear aromas and flavors. Full, very sweet. Incredible depth and power. Super complex.

James Suckling (97)

So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.

Decanter (97)

An exceptional wine, this is just stuffed full of exotic fruits, layers of apricot, saffron, truffle and citrus, all powering through the palate with a mouthwatering finish. An early harvest - they finished picking in 2017 the same day that they started in 2018, and the crop showed unusually pure botrytis, needing less sorting than usual. Absolutely one to look out for.

Decanter (97)

An exceptional wine, this is just stuffed full of exotic fruits, layers of apricot, saffron, truffle and citrus, all powering through the palate with a mouthwatering finish. An early harvest - they finished picking in 2017 the same day that they started in 2018, and the crop showed unusually pure botrytis, needing less sorting than usual. Absolutely one to look out for.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

Rieussec was hit by hail on the 15th of July, says Eric Kohler. For Sauternes, the botrytis began very late. It was very difficult for the botrytis to begin. There was not so much sugar this year and not so much botrytis. This is not as great a year as 2015 or 2017. Harvest at Rieussec began on October 10 and ended on October 31. Blended of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, the pale lemon-gold colored 2018 Rieussec reveals delicate scents of lemon drops, pear tart, marzipan and crushed stones over a core of orange blossoms, white peaches and lime leaves. The palate has a quiet intensity of an array of citrus and savory layers with amazing freshness, finishing with great length and depth.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest took place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bit more excitement around these wines.