Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (88+)

Medium color, hint of development. Smoke, toffee, coffee and a charred-barrel nuance on the nose. Supple but restrained on the palate, with good but not outstanding concentration and intensity of flavor. There's an edge of austerity and a firmness on the finish that promise a graceful evolution. Still, we expected more richness.

Wine Advocate (91)

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London and then later at the château.The 2006 Château Clinet has a nose that appears to have reached maturity. Red berry fruit, red cherries, a touch of fig jam coming through with aeration. It is not as complex as the top tier vintages from Ronan Laborde and his team, yet there is charm in spades. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin, grippy in the mouth and with an almost crunchy, cracked black pepper finish that is a little more reserved than I was expecting. I would personally open bottles of the 2006 over the next 10-15 years. Tasted March 2016.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Another resounding success for the vintage, the opaque purple-colored 2008 Clinet (14.4% alcohol) is composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare, while higher than in 2010, were still modest. Another powerful, big, large-scaled effort, the 2008 exhibits an inky/purple color as well as sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, plum, Asian spice, licorice and incense notes. Layered and full-bodied with stunning purity and a 40+ second finish, this beauty needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for 25-30 years.

For those appreciative of renowned vintage wines, the Clos Rene 1979 is an unmissable delight. From the acclaimed Bordeaux region in France, this exquisite Pomerol grew in historic terroir characterised by rich, gravelly soil conducive to creating wines of profound depth and complexity. Clos Rene, the esteemed producer, has been associated with artisan viticulture since the 18th century, preserving time-honoured cultivation techniques to ensure optimal condition and sublime taste.

Prepared using a fifty-fifty blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Clos Rene 1979 offers irresistible sophistication. The wine imparts a collection of refined aromas, including ripe plum, truffle, and forest floor, culminating in a sensuous palate experience. Its harmonious integration of tannin and acid has matured impeccably over the years, resulting in the wine's enchanting, velvet texture. A testament to the exceptional wine-making of Clos Rene, the 1979 vintage truly substantiates the reputation of this illustrious house. Indulge in the undeniable allure of Clos Rene 1979.

Espérance de Trotanoy is the second wine of Château Trotanoy. This Merlot-dominated wine is made from vines averaging 35 years. Espérance de Trotanoy is made from the same vines, same wine-making team and same facilities as the first wine. It is produced in very limited quantities and only in exceptional years. It is vinified in small concrete vats and aged in French oak barrels.

This 2016 has a darkly berried, gently leafy nose, with pure violet aromatics. The palate is textured, with dried-earth minerality, lifted by arching acidity, which makes this hugely approachable and perhaps offers a glimpse into the character of Trotanoy 2016 itself in years to come. There is more than enough ageing potential and tannic rigour here to see this through a decade and more.

Vinous - Neal Martin (97)

The 2016 Hosanna has a classy bouquet of delineated black fruit laced with cedar, tobacco and ferrous notes. The medium-bodied palate features supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and lovely spiciness toward the finish. There is impressive cohesion here and wonderful length, completing a seriously impressive Hosanna that appears to be improving in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2024 - 2025

Wine Advocate (93)

The 1989 Château L'Eglise-Clinet continues to shine at 27 years of age and this was certainly a better example than several that I have tasted in the last two or three years. It has a very complex nose, this bottle one of the most backward that I have encountered: red berry fruit, black truffle, crushed violets and sage aromas, a hint of warm tar emerging with time. The palate is extremely well balanced, still quite youthful and structured—a Pomerol that you have to learn to love (although trust me, it is worth the effort). This example suggests that it still has many years ahead, such is its substance and length. This was always a brilliant wine from Denis Durantou, a Pomerol that wears its heart on its sleeve. Long may it shine. Tasted January 2016.

Wine Advocate (84)

Showing slightly better than when I last tasted it, the 1978 l'Evangile displays a medium ruby/garnet color with some brown at the edge. Although more herbaceous than most vintages, there is plenty of smoky tea and curranty-flavored fruit, decent body, above average concentration, and a spicy, peppery (atypical) finish. Drink it before the end of this century. Last tasted, 7/93.

Wine Advocate (89)

This brilliant estate, adjacent to La Conseillante, Petrus, and Vieux-Chateau-Certan, has turned in exemplary efforts in 1993-95. Dark ruby/purple-colored, with a sweet raspberry/black truffle/earthy nose, this low acid, fleshy L'Evangile does not reveal any of the vintage's green pepper, vegetal characteristics. Soft, surprisingly powerful, and well-focused for a 1993, it possesses a sense of elegance as well as sweet black fruits nicely presented in a medium-bodied, smooth, cedary-flavored format. This impressive 1993 can be drunk now as well as over the next 10-15 years.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (93+)

Deep red-ruby. Deep, superripe, fully expressed aromas of black raspberry, chocolate, smoke and leather, plus a ripe vegetal nuance that contributes complexity. Velvety, lush and full in the mouth, but rather closed following the bottling; the wine sweetness is currently restrained. Conveys a sense of brooding power. The silky, fine tannins hit the palate very late. A superb vintage for this wine.

Wine Spectator (100)

Big and chewy, yet refined and classy--perhaps the classiest young Evangile I have touched to my lips. Full-bodied, with full, velvety tannins but a racy and powerful finish that goes on and on. Score range: 95-100

Wine Advocate (94)

Having tasted the 1982 Château La Conseillante on numerous occasions, it is fair to say that it has become overshadowed by the 1989 and 1990. Yet it remains not only a prosaically delicious Pomerol, but it represents the beginning of a new era for the estate after treading water since the 1960s. This was tasted blind. It has a beautiful, sensual if slightly faded bouquet with mulberry fruit tinged with sage and even a suggestion of black olive that tugs it towards Pessac-Léognan. It lacks the horsepower of the 1989 and 1990, but it is delineated and winsome. The palate is medium-bodied and is brimming over with both finesse and intensity. The quality of the vintage still comes through here, surprisingly deep and voluminous, not as structured as subsequent vintages, but gently fanning out with a subtle wild mushroom note betraying its age on the aftertaste. The bottom line is that this is a lovely, natural La Conseillante perfect for drinking now. Tasted March 2014.

Exhibiting all the mastery of fine wine craftsmanship, the La Croix Toulifaut 2001 is a significant offering from the tranquil Bordeaux region of France. Historically hailed for its deep vineyard roots and passionately cultured, this wine encapsulates the finest sense of terroir and viticulture. Produced by the reputable Château de Toulifaut, a wine estate notorious for its exquisite blends and uniquely nuanced flavours, this vintage is a testament to old-world winemaking traditions.

Depicting a brilliant maroon hue, the La Croix Toulifaut 2001 is concocted with careful selection of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, contributing to its balanced and eloquent character. The wine's bouquet is imbued with luscious dark fruit, overlayed with hints of subtle spice and a velvety finish. Maturation in oak barrels imparts undertones of smoky vanilla, pairing beautifully with the intricate grape blend. Relish in the La Croix Toulifaut 2001, a fine wine that truly exemplifies Bordeaux's illustrious winemaking heritage.

Wine Spectator (100)

Fantastic. Dark ruby color with hints of purple. Glorious aromas of blackberry, tobacco, cedar and slightly wet earth. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a fabulous finish. This is subtle and refined. Wonderful length. Tasted side by side with the 2000 Pétrus, it is clearly better. Today, I give it two points higher than previous tastings. Perfection.--Pétrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2012.

Wine Spectator (100)

Fantastic. Dark ruby color with hints of purple. Glorious aromas of blackberry, tobacco, cedar and slightly wet earth. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a fabulous finish. This is subtle and refined. Wonderful length. Tasted side by side with the 2000 Pétrus, it is clearly better. Today, I give it two points higher than previous tastings. Perfection.--Pétrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2012.

Wine Spectator (95-100)

Cerebral, baby Bordeaux. Glorious aromas of blackberries, milk chocolate and flowers. Full-bodied and super-refined, with a long, long finish. A fabulous, seductive young wine. Score range: 95-100

Wine Spectator (100)

A sleeping giant. Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of blackberry, cèpe and green olive, with a hint of mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a supercaressing mouthfeel. Turns to coffee, dark chocolate and berry. Chewy yet balanced. Very, very long in the mouth. The finish is absolutely breathtaking. Best after 2013. -JS

Wine Advocate (92)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 La Fleur Petrus has been an impressive Pomerol in recent showings. This one does nothing to alter that view. It has plenty of energy on the nose with great delineation: cranberry, pomegranate, singed leather and a touch of melted tar, firmly moving into secondary territory. The palate is medium-bodied with good structure, still quite tight but with a keen line of acidity and plenty of truffle-infused, black, dusky fruit on the finish. Great wine in an off-vintage. Tasted February 2017.

Wine Advocate (92)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 La Fleur Petrus has been an impressive Pomerol in recent showings. This one does nothing to alter that view. It has plenty of energy on the nose with great delineation: cranberry, pomegranate, singed leather and a touch of melted tar, firmly moving into secondary territory. The palate is medium-bodied with good structure, still quite tight but with a keen line of acidity and plenty of truffle-infused, black, dusky fruit on the finish. Great wine in an off-vintage. Tasted February 2017.

Wine Advocate (94-96+)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Violette is a little reticent to begin, unfurling to give crushed blackberries and blackcurrants notes with touches of forest floor, truffles, cast iron pan and star anise. The palate is exquisitely balanced and intense, with firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness framing the rock-solid, muscular fruit, finishing very long.

Wine Advocate (94)

This is one of the greatest wines of the vintage, possibly the slowest-to-mature wine of the vintage, and potentially its longest lived. Tasted next to Petrus twice in 2002, the 1985 Lafleur seemed like it came from a different vintage. It was not herbal like the Petrus, far denser, the color more saturated than the Petrus, and more body, volume, and intensity than the Petrus. In fact, the Petrus looked like an emaciated, herbaceous, thin cousin to Lafleur. This wine is very special, with notes of figs, plums, minerals, violets, black raspberries, and licorice. Still a dense saturated ruby/purple with full body, great purity, and fabulous fruit, this is an immense vintage for Lafleur, and certainly ranks one of the great wines this small micro-estate has ever produced. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Last tasted, 8/02.