Wine Spectator (93)

A luscious Lafite that is silky and elegant with layers of wonderful violet, berry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It's full-bodied, with racy, refined tannins and good length. Drinkable now, but best from 1999 and through another decade. 18,750 cases made. -

Wine Spectator (95-100)

Crushed berries and intensity to this, with grapey, toasted oak and cedar notes. Big and concentrated, with chewy and firm tannins. Very long. Very tight, though, and just beginning to show its true nature. Score range: 95-100

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2003 Lafite Rothschild comes as close to perfection as any of the great Lafites made over the past three decades (1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010). This sensational effort came in at 12.7% natural alcohol, it is made in the style of one of this estate’s great classics, the 1959. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color to the rim along with a luxurious bouquet of cedarwood, lead pencil shaving, white chocolate, cocoa and cassis. Fat, rich, opulent and full-bodied with low acidity and stunning seductiveness and complexity, this noble wine possesses a bountiful, generous, heady style. It is just coming into its plateau of maturity where it should hold for 20-25 years. This is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage – make no mistake about that.

James Suckling (95)

Superb structure for the vintage with blackcurrants, cedar, mushroom and sweet tobacco character. Full-bodied yet reserved and tight with an impressive density. Long finish. Better in 2020.

Wine Enthusiast (100)

This is a great vintage from Lafite. The profile is rich in feel, with a seriously firm tannic structure. Solid, complex and with great authority, this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine is impressively dense in dark-fruit tones. It will age for many years. Drink from 2027, although that would almost be too soon.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 Lafon-Rochet represents the essence of classicism in Bordeaux. Medium in body and finely-cut, Lafon-Rochet is one of the classiest, more refined Saint-Estèphes readers will come across. Dark fruit, earthiness, lavender, licorice, menthol and cloves add nuance, but it is the wine's balance and vibrancy that impress most. Give the tannins a few years to melt away. Superb.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (95)

This is very much in the character of Lagrange over the past few years, showing precision and confidence in its construction, finessed and elegant, with St Julien balance and reserved power. Will absolutely deliver for fans of classical Left Bank Bordeaux with its slate tannins, savoury Cabernet black and blue fruits, fresh leaf tea, tobacco, raspberry leaf, spiced sage and lusicous mouthwatering signoff. 51hl/ha yield.

Burghound (94)

A notably spicy, fresh, cool and floral nose displays mostly red berry fruit scents that are trimmed in discreet earth notes. There is excellent cut and definition to the nicely rich and attractively textured flavors that culminate in a presently austere finale though I doubt that austerity will persist. This is a relatively fine and forward vintage for Clos des Lambrays and one that should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years of bottle age. In a word, marvelous.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Château Larcis Ducasse checks in as 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that comes from a gorgeous hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, located between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier. Aged 18 months in 60% new barrels, it offers a truly sensational bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, espresso roast, scorched earth, bloody meat, chocolate, iron, and bouquet garni. A massive, super-rich Saint-Emilion with a dense, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, it has building yet sweet tannins and incredible purity of fruit. Reminding me of the 2005 shortly after release, this heavenly juice offers astonishing richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and elegant. Sadly, there are less than 3,000 cases produced, but this monumental, legendary wine won't hit maturity for a good 8-10 years and will have 40-50 years of longevity if well stored. Hats off to Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for producing one of the wines of the vintage as well as one of the greatest young Bordeaux I've ever tasted.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

You just know that this estate is well placed to succeed in the vintage, and this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity, such gorgeous definition and vivid energetic fruit. Stretches out through the palate also, has a relaxed confidece to it that is quite unusual in such a full--on vintage. Really impressive, Beaumartin family, David Suire director.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94-96)

Deeply colored, the wine opens with a strong, marine influence before you get to the flowers, licorice, red berries, and spice. The palate displays a medium-bodied, energetic core of spicy, fresh, sweet, ripe, salty, red fruits. Elegant in nature, there is a vibrant, almost, racy character to the fruits. This is a refined, charmer that leaves you with sweetness, spice, and ample purity in the salt-edged, red fruits that remain with you, from start to finish. The wine was made with 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, 14.15% ABV.

James Suckling (95)

Very attractive, ripe dark berries with a meaty edge that delivers a very compelling wine from the outset. Quite plush and elegant tannins with a smooth, juicy and attractive finish that holds long and is saturated in flavor. Seamless build. Really stunning. Try from 2022.

Vinous - Neal Martin (96)

The 2008 Latour has a more bold and concentrated bouquet compared to the Lafite-Rothschild, scents of blackberry, bilberry, iris, cigar humidor and cold wet stone that all surge from the glass. This is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with firm in tannin, a light marine influence infusing the black fruit, a little spice towards the finish with superb persistency. It is an authorative Latour as usual, one now beginning to enter its stride although naturally it will last for two or three decades with ease. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)

The Latour a Pomerol 1990 is an exquisite vintage wine emblematic of the deft craftsmanship of its producer. Hailing from the renowned Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux, France, it's made predominantly from Merlot grapes, with a modest percentage of Cabernet Franc. This wine is appreciated for its consummate balance, rich structure, and elegant profile.

Estates of Ets Moueix, the unparallelled producer of Latour a Pomerol, has a laudable tradition of wine-making stretching back to 1917. Their commitment to quality is reflected in the Latour a Pomerol 1990 — a epitome of balanced ageing and finesse. Expect a bouquet of rich plum, currants, and spices, with a hint of truffle and undergrowth.

Its full-bodied palate boasts a silky texture, generous dark fruit expression, and a lingering, spicy finish. Each bottle of Latour a Pomerol 1990 embodies the utmost respect for the terroir and tradition of winemaking. A testament to timeless elegance and eloquent complexity.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2016 Le Crock is a very pretty, fruity wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Bright red cherry and plum fruits are nicely pushed forward in this mid-weight, gracious Saint-Estèphe. All the elements are very nicely balanced. Floral overtones add to the wine's considerable appeal. In 2016, Le Crock is pliant and supple, both of which make it an absolute joy to drink now and over the next handful of years.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2018 Le Crock offers plenty of Saint-Estèphe character in its brambly red berry fruit and burly, but well-balanced tannins. Cedar, tobacco, smoke and earthy notes add quite a bit of aromatic presence. This is an especially rich, potent edition because of dry, warm east winds that caused dehydration, thereby lowering yields. There is plenty of personality here.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-88)

Full deep red. Alluring aromas of raspberry, coffee, brown spices and nutty oak. Lush, fruity and sweet; holds its shape nicely through to the firm, ripe finish. A very good sample. My sample of the '98 was impressively dense and lush, but showed a distinctly oxidized raisiny quality; I assume this example was not representative. Judgement deferred.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it.

James Suckling (94-95)

This has a big structure of polished tannins that are energetic and punchy. Medium to full body with beautiful blackcurrants, as well as dark tobacco and wet earth. Chewy at the end, but a pointed and focused finish. More structured than 2022. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Made from 100% Merlot cropped at minuscule yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare, the 2010 La Plus de La Fleur de Bouard was bottled unfined and unfiltered and came in at 14.5% natural alcohol. This wine ratchets up the level of extract, power, density and richness as well as tannin, so it needs 3-4 years of cellaring and can keep, I would assume, for up to two decades, given the performance of the 2000 in recent tastings I have done. This is a beauty, a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal Lalande de Pomerol that is impossible to believe comes from a less heralded appellation.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 Le Prieuré is so elegant and nuanced. As always, readers will find a Saint-Émilion built on linear intensity and vibrancy more than size. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mocha and crushed rocks are all beautifully delineated. The clean, intensely mineral finish is absolutely striking. This is such a gorgeous wine.

Discover the exemplary Le Puy Emilien 2019, a rich product straight from the revered Château le Puy in Bordeaux's Saint-Cibard region. This magnificent wine is a hallmark representation of the region's centuries-old winemaking tradition. Crafted from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, and a hint of Malbec, it exhibits a melange of ripe fruit, accented by delicate hints of spice.

In your glass, its ruby glow is a true testament to the natural vinification process - no added yeasts, no filtration, purely driven by gravity. Produced by the Amoreau family, vignerons since 1610, the voyage of the Le Puy Emilien 2019 from vineyard to bottle is guided by lunar and cosmic rhythms, aligning with biodynamic viticulture.

Treat your palate to the splendid Le Puy Emilien 2019, a symphony of refined balance, supple tannins, expressing the true essence of Bordeaux terroir.

The Drinks Business (93-96)

Léoville-Barton (St Julien; 84% Cabernet Sauvignon; 11% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 13.1% alcohol; tasted at the UGCB press tasting and at Lagrange with very similar notes). A special vintage here in all kinds of way and a fitting tribute to the legendary creator of the modern history of this property. Graphite rods and pencil-shavings; dark black cherry and raspberry fruit; walnut oil; wild herbs, almost a wild garrigue herbal element. Wonderful sapidity on the long and rolling juicy fresh, cool and chewy finish. Great density and compactness and more delineation and pixilation than Langoa. This seems appropriately endless on the finish

Wine Spectator (90)

This beautiful wine has perfumed raspberry and other fruit aromas and medium, silky tannins. A seductive wine. Try after 1996.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Dark crimson. Strong lead-pencils nose. Then racy and polished and very flattering with well-managed tannins. Stands out among the 1995 St-Juliens for its sophistication – with concentration.

Decanter (95)

The colour is starting to take on the brick-edged ruby that fully mature Bordeaux reaches and retains for decades in the best cases. Freshness is still very much in play, along with tobacco, cigar box and eucalyptus. 1996 was a brilliant vintage in the Médoc and it shows. This is a near perfect 20-year-old Bordeaux; there is the generous signature of Léoville Poyferré wine but at this point St-Julien balance and finesse has taken over, just relax and enjoy the results.