The 2019 Mouton-Rothschild is more backward on the nose, graphite and pencil shavings infusing the black fruit, broody at first yet gaining intensity in the glass with each swirl. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy...

In 2019, 50% less Lafite was released en-primeur, at a discount of 20% compared to 2018. Surprisingly forward and beautifully balanced, this has a glorious combination of richness, purity of fruit, pronounced lead...

This second wine of Château Margaux, grand in its own right, is powerfully dense. It displays its own style and balance between rich black fruits and the acidity that shines through the structure. The wine will age well...

The 2018 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little swirling to unlock notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, with touches of menthol, Indian spices and smoked meats...

A stunning, monumental Margaux, this has all the power, concentration and class expected of a First Growth. Cool on the palate with an emerging floral bouquet after a few minutes swirling in the glass, Asian spices also...

The 2015 TrotteVieille has an open-knit bouquet with maraschino cherries, fresh figs and brown spices. This flirts with Rhône-like scents. The palate is open-knit and medium-bodied with a savory entry, gentle grip and...

Open and ready to drink, this 2012 has approachable fluidity and suppleness, its lifted mulberry and blackberry aromas entangled with cedar and spice. A silky mouthfeel is peppered with flavours of tomato leaf and driving...

The 2015 Clos la Madeline is a noteworthy little gem that’s from a beautiful hillside parcel in St. Emilion. It’s deep ruby/purple-colored, with sweet black cherry and black currants fruits, smoked herbs, graphite and a...

The 2014 Branaire-Ducru has a "quieter" bouquet than its peers, a little muted at first, though well-defined with mainly black tertiary fruit laced with tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. It's a...

The 2020 Mouton-Rothschild has a delineated and intense bouquet, slightly more tertiary than its peers, with graphite and cedar notes developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. Silky...

Blackberries with lavender, cedar, sandalwood and flowers. Very subtle aromas. It’s medium- to full-bodied with a very tight palate of fine, structured tannins that run the length of the wine. Closed at the end. Shows...

The 2020 Pavie, which oddly is the first time that I have tasted it in bottle (likely due to Covid) has a lovely touch of shucked oyster shell on the nose that is extremely delineated and focused. The oak is (again)...

Amazing aromas here with tobacco, crushed stone, cigar box, currants, tar, and lead pencil, as well as spices, iron, and dried ginger. Medium- to full-bodied, with a density and tightness. Very compact and complex. Racy...

The 2010 Meyney is a superb follow-up to the 2009, perhaps displaying more definition to the dusky black fruit, sous-bois, graphite and pressed rose petal scents that burst from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with...

With 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 3 % Petit Verdot, the 2016 Pavillon Rouge from Chateau Margaux is deep garnet in color, with a touch of purple. It needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notes of crushed black...

Intense and concentrated, with high levels of Cabernet Sauvignon after frost impacted the Merlot and you feel it, in this deeply textured dark berry fruits, with slate and mint leaf accents, stately Left Bank, a little...

The 2015 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion does not have the joie-de-vivre of the La Chapelle de la Mission. It's more austere and tertiary on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, good weight and poise, a...

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 La Gaffeliere has a nose of stewed red plums, black cherries, and kirsch, followed by hints of aniseed, mossy tree bark, and truffles. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and refined...

Deep garnet purple in color, the 2019 Pavie is a tad restrained to start, needing some patient swirling to coax out notes of fresh blueberries and boysenberries plus underlying scents of kirsch, violets, star anise, and...

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Le Gay has a beautifully perfumed nose of lavender essence, chocolate-covered cherries and preserved plums, leading to a fragrant undercurrent of kirsch, licorice and fertile loam...

The 2018 vintage was poured alongside the 2015, an interesting contrast of two solar vintages. There is a touch more Merlot in the blend here, at 75% of the total, the remaining 25% all Cabernet Franc. It ramps up the...

The second wine of Château Pavie is dense with dark tannins and superripe fruit. Bold and concentrated it still highlights the fruitiness of the vintage. Although it has big tannins and great potential, the wine also...

The 2020 Beauséjour Bécot has a winsome bouquet with precise, focused and mineral-driven red fruit that shimmers with tension. The palate is medium-bodied with seamlessly integrated oak and hints of black pepper and...

This was not tasted during the Connoisseur Week, but is a request from a subscriber, so I am adding in at the same time from opening a bottle that I have at home. It's an exceptional wine, still a little austere at this...

The 2018 Belair-Monange has a deep garnet purple color. It is very closed, slightly reduced, requiring a lot of swirling to reveal notes of black raspberries, warm plums, and kirsch, plus hints of pencil lead, wild sage...

The 2019 Belair-Monange is made from 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of coaxing to unleash aromas of baked black plums, blackberry compote, and dark chocolate, leading to...

The 2020 Bélair-Monange has a more backward nose with dense black fruit. There is a very noticeable cedar/Cabernet element here that indicates that it might be Lafleur. The palate is medium-bodied with fine...

Darker cherries, tobacco, and white truffle notes define the 2014 Château Bellevue. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced on the palate, it has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel and solid depth. This ripe, textured, and...

Even at this still primary age, it is impossible not to be seduced by this opulently-styled gem. There is a richness, flamboyance, and showy attitude here that stands out. Concentrated, long, lush, and powerful, this is...