Stuart Pollack

9.0

Overly intense, bold, overpowering Cabernet Sauvignon with sweet Cabernet fruit to start followed by stewed prunes, intense acid, and high alcohol to finish. Too strong even for steak in sherry sauce. Well-made in a sense: this wine will age for years. But i do not know what one would pair with this wine. Powerful but lacking finesse. — 3 months ago

Lyndsey Wegner

9.0

Easy drinking Bordeaux that went great with our French food, from Escargot and Duck Confit Tacos, to Chicken Dijonnaise and Scallops. It felt lighter and brighter with notes of plum and dark berries, tannins softened by acidity, slight earth with a chocolate finish. — 2 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

8.9

The poor man’s Chateau Le Pin, new property by J Thienpont and 2016 is first vintage. Really good and elegant merlot with a dollop of cab franc. Fresh and balanced, hints fo dark fruits and flowers, dar and red fruits, very polished tannins. Great deal at this price point. Drink or hold. — 3 years ago

with Adriana

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2020 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse is aged in around 60% new oak and made by Nicolas Thienpont and Stéphane Derenoncourt; Joséphine Duffau tweaked the blend when she took over in April of the following year. This was bottled at the end of May 2022. It has a perfumed nose, predominantly red fruit, sous-bois and a subtle Japanese nori scent. Quite "contained" at the moment, I can see this shutting down. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, dark cherries, bilberry and hints of black pepper and black olive (the latter is accentuated in the chateau bottle). Nicely balanced and persistent, this Saint-Émilion should age with class. Tasted twice with consistent notes. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2023) — a year ago

Will Stanley

9.1

Dark and alluring, the 2018 Chateau Alcée from Castillon is a modern, plush Bordeaux from winemaker Nicolas Thienpont. Sporting a sensual nose of boysenberry, plum, anise and black truffle, the palate is supple and generous with rich flavours of dark chocolate and coffee liqueur. The finish is quite dry with a tug of graphite and a touch of heat. I paid £22 for this wine though it’s significantly less expensive en primeur, and I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed with a case in the cellar. — 3 years ago

Ken Z

8.9

Drank 10/13/20.
Nose on the light to medium side with plum, gravel, and fig. Black fruit and soil dominate the palate. Tannins mostly resolved at this stage. Finish is dry and falls off a bit quickly. Drink up, as this will not improve further.
3/21/8/4/3 +50 = 89 pts. — 4 years ago

Stein Ove Sandvik

9.7

This wine is just fantastic. Wish I bought two cases — a year ago

Peter Zandbergen

9.4

19.20.21
Felt privileged to get an early taste of this hidden gem at a Thienpont tasting. Served from magnums. Too young, obviously, to show it's full potential. — a year ago

David Valenti

9.1

Earth, coffee, ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, salted caramel. Full to medium-bodied with softened tannins, hyper agile on the palate. Amazing. Artwork by Stéphane Derenoncourt. — 3 years ago

Noel Lourdes

9.2

This was one Bordeaux’s classic vintage year and the 2005 collection will be memorable. This blend by wine maker Nicolas Thienpont is full bodied and excellent. — 4 years ago