This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous
Château La Fleur-Pétrus
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 La Fleur-Pétrus has an entrancing bouquet that demands your attention, delivering a mixture of red and black fruit, licorice, fresh fig and potpourri. The oak here is beautifully integrated. The palate is very harmonious, with ripe, succulent tannins that frame the concentrated black cherry and red plum fruit, and a dash of white pepper and sage, fanning out wonderfully toward the finish. It’s almost like a slightly toned-down version of the Hosanna. This exceeds my expectations. A brilliant Pomerol. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Léoville Poyferré
Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Léoville-Poyferré has the quintessential "LP" bouquet of perfumed blackberry, black plum, perhaps less tobacco than last year but still those hints of desiccated orange peel. It opens beautifully in the glass. The palate has a satin-like texture, a fine bead of acidity and fine pixelation. It is perhaps less luxuriant than I found this last year from barrel and has become slightly more linear, displaying a touch more breeding and precision. It fans out wonderfully on the finish, completing a fabulous Saint-Julien with huge potential. 14.18% alcohol (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Mouton Rothschild has a magnificent bouquet that gradually unfolds in the glass to reveal blackberry, iodine, touches of crushed violet and then, with time, that gorgeous mintiness, just like you get in the 1945 (not that this is the 1945). The palate is beautifully balanced with a lattice of fine, succulent tannins, pure black fruit laced with graphite, blood orange, a touch of black pepper and a hint of pitted black olives on the finish. Very persistent in the mouth, this is a brilliant Mouton-Rothschild that will blossom with bottle age. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château La Conseillante
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 La Conseillante was stellar from the sample sent to "Martin Towers" in spring 2020, and the news is that there is no change in bottle. Allowed to open while gossiping away with winemaker Marielle Cazaux (you have to catch up when you are unable to see people regularly), the 2019 unveils an awesome, extraordinarily pure bouquet that seduces the senses, featuring dark cherries, blueberry, pressed violet and a touch of blood orange, all displaying wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with fine-grained tannins and a judicious touch of black pepper toward the finish, which fans out gloriously while maintaining a sense of class. The best La Conseillante since the 2010? No - better. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Ausone
Saint Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Ausone was picked September 20-27 for the Merlot and October 3, 5 and 7 for the Cabernet Franc, then matured for 20 months in new French oak with light toasting. This is very refined and focused on the nose, less opulent compared to recent vintages, and very sophisticated, with hints of Montecristo cigar interwoven through the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine but quite firm tannins that frame the lightly spiced black fruit. Touches of pencil lead and white pepper appear toward the prolonged finish. This very composed Ausone might actually drink earlier than other vintages but unequivocally has the substance to age with grace in bottle. There is an abiding sense of completeness here. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Lafite-Rothschild screams Cabernet Sauvignon on the nose of intense black fruit, graphite and subtle minty aromas, supremely well-defined and revealing a hint of star anise with aeration. The medium-bodied palate is beautifully balanced, offering sappy black fruit, black pepper, graphite and just a touch of spice. This has more body, maybe even a touch more sinew than recent vintages, perhaps because of the reconfiguration of the Merlot parcels (see my note en primeur). Very persistent and almost uncharacteristically grippy on the finish, this is a gifted Lafite-Rothschild that will last 50+ years. It will certainly surpass the 2018 with continued bottle age. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Hosanna
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Hosanna is a Pomerol that demands, and deserves, attention. It sprints out of the blocks with intense blackberry, raspberry, incense and blood orange scents, lavish and luxuriant while retaining superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, multilayered and mouth-filling, delivering saturated tannins and pure black fruit; just a very faint suggestion of fresh prune and fig appears toward the finish. This Hosanna takes it to the brink of overripeness. A Pomerol blessed with what you might call "optimal hedonism." (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Canon
Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Canon has a fine, detailed nose of blackberry, raspberry, scorched earth and just a touch of crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, poised and focused, yet serious. This is a Canon with breeding, but it is more of a long-term prospect compared to the 2018. A second sample at the château showed a bit more depth on the saline finish, and based on that example, I think this will become an outstanding Saint-Émilion. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Angélus
St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Angélus was bottled in September 2021, later than many other wines of this vintage. This is very precise on the nose, offering blackberry, dried iris petals, a little graphite and a touch of oyster shell, and the marine influence is more noticeable than before. The palate is beautifully balanced, the 40% Cabernet Franc very expressive and squarely in the driving seat. It lends this wine ample freshness and, as mentioned before, makes it stylistically quite akin to Château Figeac. Displaying fine structure toward the finish, this Angélus is full of tension thanks to a pH of 3.60 (previously, it was around pH 3.85, according to Hubert de Boüard) and comes with a very sustained finish. Seriously impressive, though it will require patience. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
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The sample of 2019 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande sent to me last year was an absolute show-stopper. The bouquet needs a few minutes to open up, delivering intense black fruit, crushed stone and incense with time in the glass. Yes, the nose does remind me of Latour! The medium-bodied palate is endowed with unerring symmetry and poise. This is a powerful, multi-dimensional Pichon-Lalande, extremely precise, very deep and long. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated and feels just right. It reminds me of the 1996 in some ways, but with more finesse on the finish. Stunning. 14.12% alcohol (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago