Médoc area
sweet spice. The palate is fruity, discreetly tight and offers juiciness, acidity, good definition, a certain gourmandise and a little tension. On the palate this wine expresses tart/juicy blackberry, red berry and slightly fresh lily notes combined with hints of saline/gravelly minerality and hints of toast, cardamom and a fine mocha note. The tannins are supple.
Score : 15.25+/20 (90-91/100)
Le Pauillac de Château Latour 2018
Pauillac
(Organic) The nose is elegant, racy and offers a nice fine intensity, purity of fruit as well as crunchiness. There are notes of crunchy blackcurrant, raspberry and ripe wild red berries with hints of iodine, a discreet hint of zan, and a subtle hint of almost blueberry and pepper. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, acidity, minerality, good definition, tension, energy and a nice grain. On the palate this wine expresses juicy blackcurrant, morello cherry and slightly ripe wild berry notes with a touch of violet, camphor and a subtle hint of good bitterness and a discreet touch of roast. The tannins are supple and well-managed. Good length.
Score : 15.75+/20 (91-92/100)
Les Forts de Latour 2017
Pauillac
The nose is elegant, fruity, nicely defined and offers depth, energy and a lovely racy, finely powdered texture. There are notes of crunchy blackcurrant, black cherry and slightly liquorice with hints of crushed wild strawberry, crushed red currant and subtle hints of blueberry, lily, iodine and spice. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, gourmandise, a nice freshness/energy as well as a tangy frame. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/pulpy cherry, crunchy Morello cherry and, more slightly, lily, blueberry notes combined with hints of wild berries, crunchy berries as well as subtle hints of rose, iodine gravel and a hint of varietal/good bitterness. The tannins are supple, racy and saline/sappy. Good length. A very discreet, almost chocolatey quality on the finish. Score : 16.25+/20 (93/100)
Domaine Les Sadons 2019
Pauillac
The nose is elegant, gourmet and offers delicacy, a little concentration as well as a certain power in control. There are notes of crushed redcurrant, crushed cherry and, more slightly, pulpy blackcurrant combined with fine touches of fresh lilac as well as fine caramelisation and a discreet hint of chocolate. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, concentration, a certain gourmandise as well as a juicy/acidic structure. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, pulpy/juicy cherry and, more slightly, fleshy blackcurrant, combined with hints of liquorice, toasted almond, as well as fine points of toastiness, caramelisation and a touch of fresh hazelnut. The tannins are racy. Good length.
Score : 15.75/20 (91-92/100)
AOC SAINT-ESTEPHE 2019
Château Haut-marbuzet 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose is aromatic and offers complexity, good definition, depth and a fine, relatively powerful grain. Fleshy wild blackcurrant, crunchy blackberry and slightly strawberry notes are combined with hints of liquorice, Sichuan pepper, nutmeg and fine graphite and liquorice. The palate is fresh, mineral, balanced, stretched, taut and offers a juicy/pulpy frame, good definition, a certain gourmandise as well as a good work on positive bitterness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/ripe blackcurrant, spice, pulpy/ripe black berry and, more slightly, violet combined with hints of toasted almond and a subtle hint of fresh cocoa and flower pistils. Good length.
Score : 16.5/20 (93/100)
Château Haut Baron 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose is fruity and offers a certain gourmandise. It reveals notes of pulpy blackberry, bright red berries and small notes of gravels/racy minerality associated with fine touches of crushed blueberry as well as a hint of salinity and a very discreet hint of camphor. The palate is nicely fresh and offers minerality, an acidulous frame as well as juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy cassis, bright raspberry and small notes of acidulous/crunchy redcurrants associated with touches of fresh flowers, varietal hints as well as slight hints of salinity and liquorice. Tannins are well-built.
Score : 14.75+/20 (89/100)
Château La Croix de Pez 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose offers notes of vanillin/cinnamon, spices, crushed strawberry and slightly blackcurrant with hints of star anise. The palate is fresh, balanced and offers juiciness, freshness, good definition and some tension. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of blackcurrant, blueberry and, to a lesser extent, pistil and lily, combined with touches of tart red berries and fine hints of star anise and cinnamon. Good length.
Score : 14.75/20 (88-89/100)
Château Tour Saint-fort 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose is fruity and offers concentration as well as a fine power. There are notes of concentrated wild blackcurrant, pulpy blackberry and, more slightly, crushed red berries combined with touches of fresh lilac, violet and a fine touch of acidulous candy and a discreet hint of liquorice. The palate is mineral, balanced and offers freshness, juiciness, a fine creaminess, gourmandise and an acidic backbone. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, violet and slightly tart candy, combined with touches of tart red berries, as well as fine varietal notes, salinity and a subtle hint of spice.
Score : 15.25+/20 (90-91/100)
Château Graves de Pez 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose offers notes of crushed strawberry, wild raspberry and, more slightly, vanilla essence combined with fine hints of liquorice and a very discreet hint of sweet blond tobacco. The palate offers freshness, juiciness, minerality and good definition. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, pulpy/juicy red berries and, more slightly, of lily, combined with touches of racy minerality, nutmeg and a fine hint of vanilla essence.
Score : 14.75/20 (88-89/100)
Château La Croix St Estèphe 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose is fruity, precise and offers some stretch. There are notes of raspberry, fleshy cherry and, more slightly, racy minerality combined with fine, almost saline, hints of blackcurrant and a discreet hint of liquorice/colas. The palate is fresh, mineral, balanced and offers a mineral/rooty backbone, a nice salinity as well as a stretched side. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fresh raspberry, fresh cherry and, more slightly, fleshy blackcurrant combined with hints of violet, liquorice, fine cardamom and a fine touch of positive bitterness and cocoa (in the background). Good length.
Score : 15.25/20 (90/100)
Château Beau-site Haut-vignoble 2019
Saint-estèphe
The nose is racy, with minerality, fine grain, some delicate power and a fine straightness of approach. There are notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, violet and, more slightly, racy minerality combined with hints of graphite, crunchy currants and hints of camphor, lily and vanilla. The palate is fresh, nicely conducted and offers gourmandise, roundness, fine unctuousness and good guidance. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crunchy blackberry, pulpy redcurrant and, more slightly, morello cherry, combined with touches of racy minerality, graphite, hints of cocoa, roasting, a touch of vanilla and a very discreet touch of pepper and camphor. Some chewiness on the finish. The tannins are finely mellow. Fine sapidity and good work on the positive bitterness.
Score : 15.5/20 (90-91/100)