This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous
Château Figeac
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample, is all there in bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac built on vertical energy and a feeling of vibrancy that never lets up. Deep layers of red/purplish fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers are framed by a super-classic expression of structure that keeps things in balance. There is a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year's blend, and that definitely comes through. Readers who can find the 2019 should not hesitate, as it is truly majestic. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Canon
Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Canon is creamy and layered. A wine of immense charm and sensuality, the 2019 is immediately appealing today, but also clearly has the potential to age for many decades. The 2019 is not as exuberant as most recent vintages, and yet its balance is simply magnificent. Readers can expect an aristocratic Saint-Émilion that is holding so much in reserve. Patience is key. Tasted three times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2017
The 2019 Lynch Bages is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel, if not moreso. What a wine! Towering and vertical in its bearing, the 2019 is a total stunner. There is plenty of Lynch Bages charm, but what distinguishes the 2019 most is its spine of tannin and energy. Time in the glass brings out sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate and mint. The 2019 is a great, great, great Lynch Bages. It reminds me of the epic 1989, but with the youthful grip of this vintage. A towering Pauillac, the 2019 Lynch Bages will make a great addition to any cellar. (Antonio Galloi, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château La Fleur-Pétrus
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 La Fleur-Pétrus is pure and total seduction. Trotanoy and perhaps also Hosanna have traditionally been viewed as more exclusive Pomerols in the Moueix portfolio. The more time passes, the less I share that view. Sure, La Fleur-Pétrus does not have the mystique associated from a small single vineyard - as many Pomerols do - and yet there is no denying the elegance and class here. Bright red fleshed fruit, blood orange and exotic spice race across the palate, framed by silky, plush tannins that wrap it all together. La Fleur-Pétrus is fabulous. That's all there is to it. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Calon Ségur is a wine of soaring vertical intensity and pure power. That's the good news. The not so good news is that it won't be ready to drink any time soon. Exotic spice, pencil shavings, crème de cassis, mocha and licorice are some of the nuances that develop in the glass, but those descriptions can't even begin to capture the sheer beauty of what is in the glass. I loved the 2019 from barrel and I love it just as much from bottle. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1990
The 2019 Lafite-Rothschild is a mesmerizing wine that shows how compelling the vintage is on the Left Bank. Elegant, creamy and exquisitely layered, the 2019 Lafite conquers all the senses. There is tremendous density and power that belies the 12.8% alcohol, but then again, that can be the magic of Bordeaux. Classic Lafite red plum fruit, spice, cedar, licorice and rose petal linger on the striking, persistent finish. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Haut-Brion is seriously impressive. A dark, virile wine, the 2019 impresses with its vertical energy and statuesque elegance. It's a Haut-Brion that will only reveal itself over many years. Today, the density and resonance are super-impressive and also hugely promising. Classic savory and mineral notes start to emerge over time. I can't wait to see how this ages. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château La Conseillante
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 La Conseillante is elegant and nuanced, just as it was from barrel. All of the freshness and energy that was present en primeur comes through in the bottle. There is an element of sophistication, of reserve, that needs time to be fully expressive. The 2019 is a wine of linear precision more than volume or density. It should age exquisitely for many years to come. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Château Ausone
Saint Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2019
The 2019 Ausone is a deep, statuesque Saint-Émilion that is at the beginning of what will surely be a very long, long life. Its vertical energy, stunning aromatics and persistence are all things of beauty, but it is the balance here that is so captivating. The acids and tannins are at once searing in their intensity and yet also totally woven into the wine's fabric. Ausone can be quite flattering in its youth. The 2019 is a wine that readers will have to wait for. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle for a decade or more. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
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The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago