Wine from France

jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: Reminding me of the 2010 with its incredible stature and class (as opposed to the more opulently styled 2009), the 2016 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a legendary wine from the genius of Bruno Borie, who has managed this...

Decanter, 100 points: Silky, sweet black fruit, black olive and truffle notes from the start. This is majestically impressive - it sparks to life in your mouth and breaks out an involuntary smile. The texture is just liquid silk and it slowly...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: 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...

jamessuckling.com, 95 points: A very serious St.-Estèphe with excellent concentration, firm tannins and a dark soul. I love the earth, walnut, bark and smoke aromas that pour out of this. Very long, dramatic, dry finish. Better from 2021.

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 100 points: The nose, with its knockout sensations of smoke, mint, cigar wrapper, tobacco and crème de cassis is off the hook. For many wine-lovers that would be enough. But for me, it is the elegance, concentration, complexity...

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 99 points: This is a strong candidate for the best wine yet produced by the Cathiard family at Smith Haut Lafitte. The inky color lets you know this is going to be packed and stacked with layers of ripe fruit. But there is more...

jamessuckling.com, 99 points: The aromas here are so spellbinding with shitake mushrooms, wet earth and moss, as well as tree bark and, finally, dark fruit. The palate is incredible as it builds and grows with full body, but always tight and reserved...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: Made of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Belair Monange is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. With a little swirling, this baby comes bounding out of the glass with energetic notes of wild blueberries...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points: 97+ Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a little reticent to begin, slowly giving way to notions of warm black cherries, blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and sautéed herbs with...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: A finely balanced wine-its immense tannins are mitigated by the fruit and dark chocolate flavors. It finishes with a hint of smoky wood. - R.V.

Vinous, 97 points: The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a thrilling wine. Dense and beautifully layered, the 2016 is also quite a bit richer than it usually is. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure pulse through the wine. The red-toned...

jamessuckling.com, 100 points: Blue fruits, minerals, lavender and licorice aromas are wonderful. Full body and ultra-refined tannins with an integration and refinement that make the wines seamless and beautiful. The powerful tannins hide from you at...

jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: One of the gems of the vintage is the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina which is as always, a 60/40 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre. It offers sensational notes of blackberries, ground herbs, white chocolate and an...

jamessuckling.com, 94 points: Plenty of menthol, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas in this elegant, medium-weight Haut-Médoc that’s got as much freshness as ripeness and a long, clean, mineral and herbal finish. An incredibly food-flexible wine!...