Shay A

9.4

94-95

My first Gonon StJo…unfortunately, I loved it. Wish these were easier to find at good prices!

At 8yrs, this was so perfumed out of the glass. At 90% whole cluster, it shows typical green/stemmy aromatics but it’s not the dominant note, trending toward green peppercorns, violets/potpurri, olive, and black cherries. Mineral notes, pepper, mix of red and black fruits, mocha, and so much verve on the palate, absolutely buzzing both days. This wine is floral and herbal but with so much power and balanced fruit…kind of a wild-ness to it that I loved. What a beautiful expression of Syrah. Killer.

Day two showed the whole cluster aromatics fade a bit, but it also showed the palate bulk up. So good. — 7 hours ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Pretty deep ruby , with a narrow ruby , garnet rim . Quite aromatic with nice blackberry , cassis , cedar , spicy grafite , smoky mineral nuances . On the palate quite sweet , juicy black fruits and creme cassis , round and generous , with mineral grafite , earthy notes on the reasonable length finish. Balanced acidity and rounded fine but noticeable tannins . Drinking well now but will continue to show well over the next 10 years . — a month ago

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9.3

The 2016 Canon has a clean and fresh nose. The fruit profile is a mixture of red and black with just a hint of black truffle and licorice (the latter a trait that I had not picked up before). The palate is medium-bodied with finer tannins than the bottle four years ago, has a little more assertiveness and grip in situ, and is perhaps firmer and prepared for long-term maturation. It's precise on the finish. I would give this another few years in bottle. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 months ago

Shay A

9.2

85 merlot/ 10 CabSauv/ 5 CabFranc

Pop and poured. Very pretty and elegant. Not a blockbuster vintage, but not a slacker in StEm. This Clos Fourtet isn’t flamboyant nor lean, but quite balanced. Deep ruby + purple in the glass, it looks as though it will be heavy and powerful, but it sports lots of potpurri, espresso, and inky black fruits aromatically all wrapped a delicate profile. Good weight on the palate. Very clean (zero Brett). This may lean slightly modern, but the tannin and herbal bite at the finish snap you back to France. Not surprisingly, the last glass was best. No rush here, but a quick dash of air opens the gates. — 7 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This had ripe red & black fruit, sweet spice & tobacco — a month ago

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9.2

The 2004 Léoville Barton is less opulent on the nose than the Langoa but offers a little more refinement and terroir expression. A touch of seaweed develops with time. The palate is fresh on the entry. It is one of the most saline Léoville Barton that gets the saliva flowing. It is classic old-school Anthony Barton with a judicious dab of black pepper and menthol furnishing the finish. Excellent. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 2 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.6

2019 vintage. This estate is on a roll, and this 2019 is absolutely stunning. Deep dark red. Impressive nose with ripe black cherries, blackberries, cassis, flowers, cedar wood, and lead pencil. Very elegant but powerful at the same time, with layers of black fruit, a velvety tannic structure, fresh acidity, and some salinity in the very long finish. Abv. 14%. Excellent. — 4 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Still youthful with good balance, black fruit, cassis, pencil, spice box & tobacco — 7 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Drinking beautifully showing black currant, plum, cassis fruit with notes of cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco, — a month ago

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2010 Montrose is one of the highlights of the Icons of Bordeaux dinner. It has a show-stopper nose with powerful, intense, mineral-rich black fruit, becoming quite floral with aeration. Potpourri hints complement tobacco notes. The palate is fresh, vibrant and weighty, yet paradoxically, it has wonderful finesse. There is a symmetry about this Montrose, coupled with a tremendous length that leaves you wanting more. Brilliant. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 months ago