Vinous – Antonio Galloni -93/100
The 2019 Larmande has really come together during élevage. From bottle it shows remarkable breadth, power and persistence. Raspberry jam, mocha, dried flowers and spice build in this voluptuous, wonderfully expressive Saint-Émilion. The 2019 is not super complex nor structured, but it sure is delicious. Pretty floral accents lift the finish.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 91-93/100
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Larmande rolls out of the glass with open-knit scents of baked black cherries, raspberry pie and preserved plums with hints of spice cake, dark chocolate, wild sage and clove oil. The palate is plush, rich and jam-packed with juicy black fruits, supported by rounded tannins and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering baking spices note.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 91/100
The 2019 Laroze offers up copious dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice and leather flavors. There is a bit of tannin that needs time to resolve, but overall this is a forward, juicy style that is likely best enjoyed over the medium term.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 90-92/100
Deep purple-black in color, the 2019 Laroze leaps from the glass with vibrant kirsch, black raspberries and fresh blackberries scents followed by hints of wilted roses, black olives, powdered cinnamon and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with fragrant red and black fruit flavors, framed by very finely grained, silt-like tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with a beautiful lingering perfume.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 91-93/100
The 2019 Franc Mayne is a voluptuous, racy Saint-Émilion. A rush of dark cherry, plum, leather, licorice, smoke, mint and sweet spice wraps around the palate as the 2019 shows off its alluring personality. The 2019 is big, bold and beautiful to the core.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 92-94/100
Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 Grand Mayne comes galloping out of the glass with powerful notes of crushed blackberries, warm black plums and baked black cherries plus suggestions of spice box, smoked meats, licorice and mocha. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with great persistence and an invigorating peppery kick.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 94/100
The 2019 La Pointe offers impressive clarity on the nose of perfumed red fruit, raspberry and cranberry intermingling with truffle and light crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, and quite saline, with fine-grained tannins and a cohesive and more sophisticated finish than any recent vintage. Maybe it just needs a little more persistence; otherwise, this is a top-notch La Pointe.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 92-94/100
The 2019 La Pointe sports a deep garnet-purple color, offering scents of baked black cherries, boysenberries and stewed plums plus suggestions of spice cake, sandalwood, dried mulberries and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with juicy black and blue fruit layers, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 94/100
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.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 90-92+/100
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Clos Rene charges out of the glass with gregarious scents of freshly crushed blackberries, plum preserves and wild blueberries with hints of hoisin, moss-covered tree bark and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has bags of vivacity, with an interesting interplay of fresh, crunchy black fruit and blue fruit preserves. Framed by ripe rounded tannins and bold freshness, it finishes on a lingering peppery note.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 91-93/100
The 2019 De Sales has a deep garnet-purple color, rolling effortlessly out of the glass with impressively intense baked cherries, plum preserves and fruitcake scents with nuances of potpourri, licorice, chocolate box and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of ripe, seductive black fruit preserves, framed by rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 92/100
The 2018 Carbonnieux turned out beautifully. Deep, ample and so expressive, the 2018 possesses quite a bit of density and pure power. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, gravel, licorice, menthol and scorched earth infuse this Pessac-Léognan with quite a bit of intensity. The 2018 is a powerhouse. Give it a few years to fully come together.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 91-93/100
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Carbonnieux leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of baked blackberries, warm cassis, preserved plum and lavender with touches of Indian spices, forest floor and dried sage. Full-bodied, firm and grainy, the generous fruit has loads of bright, vibrant sparks plus a great line of freshness, finishing mineral tinged.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 94/100
I am so pleased that the 2019 Carbonnieux has retained the engaging aromatics that I found from the barrel sample: copious blackberry, raspberry, incense and light violet aromas soar from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine-grained tannins, and much more precise than recent vintages, leading to a harmonious, silky-smooth, almost tender finish. More polished than recent vintages, this Carbonnieux comes highly recommended.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 91-93/100
Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Carbonnieux was harvested from the 18th of September to the 10th of October. Yields were 45 hectoliters per hectare this year. The alcohol came in at 14.5% with a pH of 3.69. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 40% new, for an anticipated 12-15 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it prances out of the glass with invigorating scents of fresh redcurrants, black cherries and cassis with touches of bay leaves, pencil shavings and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive vivacity with loads of crunchy black fruits and a refreshing line, framed by grainy tannins, finishing with a minty lift.

Château Labégorce is een topper in Margaux. Jaar na jaar kan dit domein rekenen op 90+ scores van de meest toonaangevende wijnrecensenten zoals Robert Parker en The Wine Spectator. Rode draad in deze wijn is zijn rechtlijnig, fris en mineraal karakter met een overvloed aan fruit. Soepele, rijpe tannines zorgen steeds voor een zachte streling op de tong.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 93/100
The 2018 Labégorce is a plump, juicy Margaux that will drink well right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, licorice, chocolate and new French oak are all kicked up in this decidedly opulent, heady Margaux. Soft curves and pliant fruit add to its raciness. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 94/100
The 2019 Labégorce was the first vintage vinified in the new cellar and also the first to use Cabernet Franc from the north part of the appellation, on more limestone soils, a massal selection from an organic producer in the south of France. Matured in 40% new oak, this has a voluminous, multifaceted bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and perhaps more rose petal than violet at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, very well balanced, and a little spicier than I found from barrel, leading to a detailed, tensile finish.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 95/100
The 2019 Giscours has certainly calmed down since its bravura performance from barrel, now more streamlined and focused, albeit retaining that black and blue fruit interlaced with pressed violet. The harmonious palate is very finely tuned and beautifully structured, with a touch of salinity. This is one of the more precise Giscours in recent years, perhaps partly due to consultant Thomas Duclos, who began working with the estate in 2018 (he was actually born nearby). This reminds me of some of the classic Giscours such as the 1966 or the 1970. It may even merit a higher score with bottle age.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 93-95+/100
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Giscours opens with notes of baked blackcurrants, plum preserves, tar and bouquet garni plus suggestions of moss-covered tree bark and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers tons of black fruit preserves flavors, supported with a slightly chewy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. This is an impressive Giscours that seems to be holding its cards close to its chest right now—let’s just see if it comes up trumps at bottling.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 89/100
The 2019 La Sirène de Giscours has a lot of graphite/pencil shaving aromas on the nose that threaten to overwhelm the fruit. The palate is well balanced with fine tannins, and a little austere on the entry before broadening out on the midpalate. The graphite then continues all the way through to the end. Classically styled, this should drink well for a decade.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 93/100
The 2019 Chasse-Spleen is very perfumed on the nose, offering vivid brambly red fruit, leather, undergrowth and cedar aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with a sappy opening and fine acidity. Lightly spiced, showing plenty of substance on the finish. While not the most consistent estate, Chasse-Spleen has it in its grasp to make great wines, and the 2019 is one of them.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni – 90/100
The 2018 Ormes de Pez is a powerhouse, just as it was en primeur. Inky dark fruit, cloves, menthol, gravel, licorice, game and scorched earth power through this virile, imposing Saint-Estèphe from the Cazes family. Savory accents from the Cabernets and the Petit Verdot add intensity through to the imposing finish.

Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – 90/100
A blend of 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, aged in 45% new barriques, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Ormes de Pez comes tearing out of the glass with rambunctious notes of stewed black cherries, crème de cassis and raspberry pie, plus hints of Indian spices, dried Provence herbs and potpourri with a waft of woodsmoke. The full-bodied palate is decadently spicy with bags of black fruit preserves and a velvety texture, finishing long with lovely freshness.

Vinous – Neil Martin – 91/100
The 2019 La Dame de Montrose, which I tasted in June and September 2021, has a fresh mulberry, black plum and granite-scented bouquet that is quite precocious; touches of morel appear in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite structured and almost Pauillac-like, thanks to veins of graphite toward the finish provided by the 48% Cabernet Sauvignon. Saline on the aftertaste, though not tremendously long, this is a very promising Deuxième Vin.