Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89)

(80% merlot and 10% each cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon): Fresh red-ruby color. Cassis, blackberry, plum and a whiff of herbs on the nose. Lush, moderately sweet and fine-grained; at once round and vinous thanks to harmonious acidity. Hints of spices and vanilla on the aftertaste, with broad tannins that spread out to coat the palate.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

The 2014 Clos Lunelles has come along nicely over the last two years. Aromatic, nuanced and medium in body, the 2014 nicely captures the fresh, focused style of the vintage. Dark red and purplish stone fruit, lavender and sweet spices add aromatic top notes in this expressive Merlot-based wine. The slightly burly tannins the 2014 showed in its youth remain.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2015 Clos Lunelles is gorgeous. Succulent, rich and inviting, the 2015 exudes class. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, blood orange, white chocolate and spice flesh out in this radiant, voluptuous Côtes de Castillon from Gérard Perse. Even with all of its intensity, the 2015 retains gorgeous aromatic freshness and lift from the limestone soils. The 2015 is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2019 Clos Lunelles is refined and classy from start to finish. Crushed purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice, mint and a kiss of French oak are all laced together in a mid-weight, silky Côtes de Castillon that impresses with its silkiness and balance.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91-93)

The 2020 Clos Lunelles is plush, sensual and wonderfully inviting. Inky dark fruit, licorice, lavender and spice envelop the palate. Forward and juicy right out of the bottle. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. The 2020 has an extra kick of vibrancy that works balances the natural intensity of the year.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91-93)

The 2020 Clos Lunelles is plush, sensual and wonderfully inviting. Inky dark fruit, licorice, lavender and spice envelop the palate. Forward and juicy right out of the bottle. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. The 2020 has an extra kick of vibrancy that works balances the natural intensity of the year.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91-93)

The 2020 Clos Lunelles is plush, sensual and wonderfully inviting. Inky dark fruit, licorice, lavender and spice envelop the palate. Forward and juicy right out of the bottle. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. The 2020 has an extra kick of vibrancy that works balances the natural intensity of the year.

Jeb Dunnuck (92)

A wine that just screams limestone, the 2021 Clos Lunelles has vivid ruby/purple hue as well as brilliant notes of black raspberries, cassis, white flowers, chalky minerality, and graphite. It's medium-bodied, has a layered, ripe mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and outstanding length. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following decade. The blend is 80% Merlot and 10% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, raised in 50% new barrels.

Wine Advocate (93+)

From ancient and predominantly ungrafted vines, Clos Manou's 2021 Cuvée 1850 Vignes Prephylloxeriques was matured in equal parts new oak and glass wine globes. Unwinding in the glass with notes of minty berries, violets, rose petals and lilac, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered and concentrated mid-palate, ripe tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, pure finish. In a blind tasting, this could cause serious problems for more than a few top-classified growths, but that's hardly surprising when one has seen Dief's impeccable vineyard work and spotlessly maintained winery.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90-92)

The 2021 Clos Manou is supple, racy and super-expressive. A burst of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and lavender lend quite a bit of up front intensity. Clos Manou is beautifully done in 2021. It is sure to find many fans.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2022 Clos Manou has a well-defined and succinct bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow, blue fruit and crushed stone aromas unfurling with aeration. This is heads above other Médoc wines that I tasted from this flight. The palate is medium-bodied, detailed and very harmonious, with seamlessly integrated oak, a fluidity that marks this out and exquisite mineralité on the finish. This is brilliant.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2022 Clos Manou has a well-defined and succinct bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow, blue fruit and crushed stone aromas unfurling with aeration. This is heads above other Médoc wines that I tasted from this flight. The palate is medium-bodied, detailed and very harmonious, with seamlessly integrated oak, a fluidity that marks this out and exquisite mineralité on the finish. This is brilliant.

Bask in the exquisite richness of Clos Marie Pic-Saint-Loup Glorieuses 2000, a gem crafted in the renowned Pic Saint Loup appellation of Languedoc, France. The result of organic viticulture and meticulous craftsmanship, this vintage red wine mirrors its creators, Christophe Peyrus and Françoise Julien, known for their commitment to authenticity and reverence for the terroir.

A harmonious blend of Grenache and Syrah, this 2000 vintage epitomises the producer's dedication to sustainable agriculture, hand-harvesting, and non-interventionist winemaking. With a seductive, powerful bouquet of black and red fruits, interlaced with spicy nuances, the Clos Marie Pic-Saint-Loup Glorieuses 2000 exhibits structured tannins leading to a delectably complex finish. Maturation for twelve months in oak casks confers refinement and texture to this garnet-hued potion.

Destined to impress, the Clos Marie Pic-Saint-Loup Glorieuses 2000 has been heralded as a pinnacle of the Peyrus-Julien legacy, capturing the essence of a remarkable vintage.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91)

The 2017 Clos Marsalette is ripe, bold and juicy, with quite a bit of raciness and more overt ripeness than I remember seeing en primeur. At the same time, there is plenty of floral and savory lift from the Cabernets. Sweet red plum, mint, sage, tobacco and cedar are all laced together in this super-expressive, inviting, mid-weight Pessac-Léognan Graves from Stephan von Neipperg. This is such a pretty wine. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)

The 2018 Clos Marsalette is quite bold and racy in this vintage and yet there is a good bit of underlying structure as well. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, licorice and spice are all given an extra kick of juiciness. I really like the wine's extroverted personality. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)

The 2018 Clos Marsalette is quite bold and racy in this vintage and yet there is a good bit of underlying structure as well. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, licorice and spice are all given an extra kick of juiciness. I really like the wine's extroverted personality. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90-92)

The 2020 Clos Marsalette opens with a blast of dark cherry fruit, smoke, gravel, licorice and incense. A big, broad wine Clos Marsalette offers tremendous intensity from start to finish. I imagine it will require at least a few years in bottle to fully come together as the tannins are pretty incisive at this stage. Even so, Clos Marsalette is a super-expressive Pessac Léognan with a good deal of potential.

For those appreciative of renowned vintage wines, the Clos Rene 1979 is an unmissable delight. From the acclaimed Bordeaux region in France, this exquisite Pomerol grew in historic terroir characterised by rich, gravelly soil conducive to creating wines of profound depth and complexity. Clos Rene, the esteemed producer, has been associated with artisan viticulture since the 18th century, preserving time-honoured cultivation techniques to ensure optimal condition and sublime taste.

Prepared using a fifty-fifty blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Clos Rene 1979 offers irresistible sophistication. The wine imparts a collection of refined aromas, including ripe plum, truffle, and forest floor, culminating in a sensuous palate experience. Its harmonious integration of tannin and acid has matured impeccably over the years, resulting in the wine's enchanting, velvet texture. A testament to the exceptional wine-making of Clos Rene, the 1979 vintage truly substantiates the reputation of this illustrious house. Indulge in the undeniable allure of Clos Rene 1979.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92+)

The 2018 Clos René, for me the top-performing Pomerol within the western sector of the appellation, has a very well-defined and focused bouquet of perfumed blackberry, briary and truffle aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, fresh and tensile, leading into a classic Pomerol finish of black truffle, white pepper and light tobacco notes. This is a classy Pomerol that should age with style.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2019 Clos René displays impressive clarity and terroir expression on a focused nose of vivid red berry fruit; black truffle and sage aromas come through with time. The palate is well balanced with a fleshy opening and then builds toward quite a substantial, complex, slightly savory and certainly peppery finish. Superb.