An improved version of the 2016 (as well as the 2010), the 2020 Château Bélair-Monange is deep purple-hued with an utterly sensational perfume of crème de cassis, smoky tobacco, crushed stone, and sappy flowers, with an...

(97-99 points) A Merlot-heavy blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a dense purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of ripe currant and black cherry fruit intermixed with...

This pure Merlot, unusual for Saint-Émilion, is powerful and one with great elegance and style. It has structure and a spicy aroma that shows the wine's richness. On the slopes of Saint-Emilion, this 26-acre estate makes...

(97-99 points) Sporting a stunning deep purple hue, the 2025 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot reveals cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and black raspberry on the nose, with a liquid rock-like minerality that speaks to this...

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...

(94-96 points) Tasted twice with consistent results, the 2025 Château Laroque is a gorgeous wine in the making based on 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc that will spend 16 to 18 months in a mix of new barriques...

(97-99 points) Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Figeac is based on 38% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Cabernet Franc, harvested September 1-10 from yields of 24 hectoliters per hectare and raised in 100% new...

A bird of a different feather, this marries a polished feel with the nervy, underlying zip of sel gris and quinine notes, while its core of green almond, star fruit and white peach opens slowly. Shows subtle accents of...

(96-98 points) The first time this château has included this much Cabernet Franc in the blend, the 2025 Château Pavie sports a saturated purple hue as well as a pure, focused bouquet of crème de cassis and assorted blue...

Black cherries, licorice, flowers, chocolate, smoke, and mint leaves create the perfume. The multiple layers of fruit grab your attention with their elegance, purity, and energy, finishing with a refreshing touch of...

(95-97 points) A saturated purple hue, the 2025 Château Cheval Blanc is a unique, dense, powerful, and streamlined Cheval Blanc with remarkable purity. The nose offers lots of red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with...

The 2023 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out beautifully in bottle, revealing a perfumed, fresh and finely detailed bouquet of rose petals, dark cherries, wisteria, lilac and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, it is...

Wonderful nose with loads of dark chocolate, plums and some coffee. Opens up with orange peel, leather and vanilla. Full and round on palate with beautiful fruit and sweet polished tannins. Long and gorgeous with a really...

This vintage has a lean structure with firm tanins, ripe plums and truffle; the oak dominates from start to grippy finish. - SUZANNE MUSTACICH

The 2016 Troplong Mondot has a deep garnet color. It bursts from the glass with bold notions of plum preserves, blueberry pie, and Black Forest cake, leading to wafts of camphor, violets, and crushed rocks, with a touch...

Cassis, spice, chocolate, truffle, and floral notes all emerge from the 2000 Château Péby Faugères, a gorgeous, absolute tour de force in world-class Merlot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured, with...

The 2014 Faugeres still has bundles of red plum and juniper berry on the nose, if anything even more generous than when I tasted it a few months ago. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, superb structure and well...

(93-95+ points) A brilliant and already expressive wine, the 2025 L'If comes from limestone and clay soils near Troplong Mondot, with fruit harvested between September 11th and 19th before anticipated rains arrived...

As with the Arômes de Pavie in the 2017 vintage, you can feel the impact of a cooler year just putting the brakes on the intensity of the estate's classic muscular signature, and it's enjoyable. Ready to drink a little...

The 2019 Carillon d'Angelus is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features notes of cedar chest, wild sage, and fertile soil over a core of plum preserves and blackberry compote...

A very convincing nose of sweet blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate, with an appealing edge of toasty oak. The palate follows with a wealth of dark fruits, dark chocolate, toast and coffee bean, set in a broad...

(95+ points) The 2023 Laroque is classy, elegant and polished. A wine of total understatement and class, Laroque sizzles with all of the tension that is such a signature of the limestone parcels. In some recent...

A very floral and gently leafy edge with lighter red fruit, leading to a very smoothly fleshy, red-fruited palate that’s sleek, even and elegant. Drink or hold.

Quite dark liquorice, black chocolate and toasted notes on the nose, round and softly plump with fleshy tannins and a really bright, almost brisk core of crunchy. cranberry-edged acidity. Straightforward with a structured...

A deliciously inviting nose, with dark and perfumed fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry and damson, with smoky crushed chalk, rose petal and toast, as well as a touch of honeyed oak. The palate builds on this start with a...

(94-96+ points) Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Tour Saint Christophe reveals darker red and blue berries, chocolaty herbs, graphite, and crushed stone, as well as a beautiful floral character. Coming from a...

This may not be the most concentrated wine from the appellation, but it’s a very appealing introduction to modern-style St.-Emilion. Plenty of mixed berries and a hint of vanilla on the medium-full body. Then the chalky...

(96-98 points) Deep ruby-hued and showing a dense, inward, powerful profile that may be due to a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc than normal, the 2025 Clos Fourtet offers ripe currants, black cherries, graphite...

La Mondotte 2015 is deep garnet in color. It opens with fragrant notes of potpourri, incense, and prunes, followed by wafts of fruit cake, dusty soil, and chargrill. Full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, it has...