2021 Saint Emilion, as you might know already by now, 2021 was a difficult vintage in the Left Bank as well as in the Right Bank. But as we have completed our extensive coverage of the Medoc and all of its appellations, it is time to focus on 2021 St. Emilion.
Saint Emilion is a massive appellation with a myriad of diverse terroirs with varying amounts of limestone, clay, gravel, and sand. In 2021, the terroirs with the ability to remove the excess water in the properties that were able to fight the frost as well as fend off attacks of downy mildew that produced the best wines. Of course, it is more complicated than that, as you will see. But that is what growers needed to contend with during the 2021 Saint Emilion growing season.
To set the stage, April 7 and April 8 were incredibly frigid, below zero nights requiring required everything the vignerons were able to do to save their crops. More losses took place in the Cotes de Bordeaux, but there were losses in St. Emilion. The attacks of downy mildew, hail storms, and coulure on the Merlot generated further losses to the region.
Vintners were worried the 2021 St. Emilion vintage was not going to turn around. But the return of Indian Sumer conditions in late August, bringing warmth and sunshine saved the day. For a more detailed report on the weather that shaped the vintage: 2021 Bordeaux Growing Season and Harvest Report
Despite the numerous challenges of the growing season, 2021 Saint Emilion offers a lot of beautiful wine. Consumers should look at a few key points about the wines. First, alcohol levels are often 1% – 2% less than we have seen in recent vintages.
The wines are fresh, silky, bright, elegant, and more on the red berry side of the style range than black or blue. There is a lack of concentration and richness in the mid-palate, but there is still ample flesh and purity to make these very interesting to taste. 2021 St. Emilion wines show good color and strong aromatic profiles with intense floral, red berry, and often savory characteristics.
Vineyards on the limestone plateau clearly display their oceanic and crushed rock characteristics. The best 2021 Saint Emilion wines often came from vineyards where the owners had the foresight, along with the ability to wait to achieve better levels of ripeness. And equally important to note is that most of the better wines often showcase large percentages of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend.
Selection in the vineyard and in the cellars became another key component and lastly, vinification needed to be easy. A light touch was necessary. Over extraction and over-oaking during the again process is perhaps more detrimental than usual this year. For an overview of the entire Bordeaux region in 2021, please read 2021 Bordeaux Complete Guide to the Vintage
The following 2021 Saint Emilion wines were all tased in non-blind conditions in mid-April in Bordeaux. Please note that because I tested over 150 wines from Saint Emilion 2021 wines, this report is split into 2 parts. This is part 1, covering the wines A-J. 2021 St Emilion wines L-Z are covered in Part 2.
2021 Adaugusta – Peppery red fruits, espresso, cocoa, licorice, and underbrush show up in the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, forward, and juicy, the energetic finish delivers sweet, red plums and a touch of spice. Drink from 2023-2034. 88-90 Pts
2021 Angelus – The nose takes a few swirls to find all the tobacco leaf, flowers, espresso, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and red pit fruits. The wine is soft, silky, and elegant. There is a freshness and refinement as well as a purity to the fruits on the medium-bodied palate that you also find in the finish, leaving you with black raspberries, strawberries, a hint of orange rind, and red plums on the backend. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Merlot, representing the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend in the history of the estate. In the years to come, I hope they continue increasing the Cabernet Franc in the blend. 13.5% ABV, 3.65 pH. The yields were low at 26 hectoliters per hectare. Harvesting took place, September 14-October 2. Drink from 2025-2055. 94-96 Pts
2021 Angelus Carillon d’ Angélus – Red pit fruits, espresso, earth, black raspberries, and flowers are what you notice at first. On the palate, the wine is soft, fresh, sweet, fruity and pure, with a lean to the raspberry and red plum side of the style range that you will be able to enjoy on release. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2022-2033. 90-92 Pts
2021 Angelus No 3 – Flowers and red pit fruits with touches of licorice and coffee bean are found on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky, fresh, light, and leaves you with a red plum and strawberry-filled finish that is perfect for early-drinking pleasure. Drink from 2023-2029. 89-91 Pts
2021 Ausone – Underbrush, smoke, cigar wrapper, espresso, spice, dark cocoa, flowers, and the strong sensation of crushed rocks and stones tossed into the Atlantic ocean create the enticing bouquet. On the palate, the wine is medium/full-bodied, elegant, polished, and chalky with layers of sweet, ripe, earthy, red pit fruits, salty tannins, herbs dark chocolate. There is length, minerality, and complexity on the mid-palate and vibrancy to the red fruits with a strong crushed rock influence in the finish. This is a serious candidate for the wine of the vintage. Made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot,12.8% ABV, pH 3.6. The harvest took place from September 30 – October 6. The yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. Only 1,200 cases were produced this year. Drink from 2028-2065. 96-98 Pts
2021 Ausone Chapelle d’Ausone – Ruby in color, you find an intriguing cedar, leafy herb, tobacco leaf, coffee bean, red plum, and black raspberry nose with a touch of cinnamon in the background. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, lively, fresh, and vibrant, with a crisp edge to the red fruits on the palate. The wine blends 75% Cabernet Franc with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.6% ABV. This is the first vintage of Chapelle d’Ausone without any Merlot in the blend. Drink from 2026-2037. 91-93 Pts
2021 Badette – Chocolate-covered black cherries, licorice, flowers, espresso, and spice are found in the nose and on the soft, round, plush, and polished, fruity palate. Drink from 2023-2039. 91-93 Pts
2021 Balestard La Tonnelle – Espresso, plums, cherries, and flowers are already on the nose of this soft, forward, silky, fresh, medium-bodied, vibrant wine. This is just about ready to go with its fruity, plummy, cocoa-infused finish. Drink from 2023-2037. 90-92 Pts
2021 Barde Haut – Licorice, black cherry, espresso, and herbs are on the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, polished, and fresh, this should drink well young, yet have the ability to age and evolve for 15-20 years. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2024-2040. 92-94 Pts
2021 Beau-Sejour Becot – Flowers, cherries, licorice, leafy herbs, spice, tobacco leaf, and dark chocolate create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is lush, soft, fresh, clean and most importantly, the wine expresses a gorgeous sense of purity in the red fruits that you sense in the mid-palate, which carries all the way through to the elegant, fresh, vibrant, long, energetic, sensual finish. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 21 – October 12. Drink from 2025-2050. 94-96 Pts
2021 Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse – Right off the bat you notice all the crushed rocks and stones from the deep limestone terroir before moving on to the oyster shell, espresso, blackberries, black cherries, and plums. There is an intense mineral essence that comes through on the palate accentuating the red fruits in the mid-palate. There is tension, with supple textures, creamy tannins, and a sweetness to the fruits in the finish. This is quite successful for the vintage. The wine blends 73% Merlot with 27% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 30 – October 14. Yields were low at only 28 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2025 – 2055. 93-95 Pts
2021 Belair-Monange – Deep ruby in color, the wine is filled with black raspberries, flowers, mint, and spices. On the palate, the wine is plush, soft, polished, fresh, vibrant, and long, finishing with crushed rocks, stones, chalk, and bright, fresh, red fruits, with just a touch of spearmint on the backend. The wine blends 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, Drink from 2023-2049. 93-95 Pts
2021 Bellefont-Belcier – Flowers, mint, spice, and red pit fruits are already on display on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, juicy, vibrant, and crisp, with freshness and energy to the red berries on the mid-palate and in the mineral-touched, refreshing finish. The wine was made by blending 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.75% ABV. Drink from 2024-2038. 92-94 Pts
2021 Bellevue-Mondotte – Deeply colored, the wine already expresses flowers, minerals, dark red pit fruits, licorice, and cocoa. On the palate, there is freshness, energy, ripe, dark berries, sweetness to fruits, and salinity. There is a good concentration and depth of flavor. The fruits are juicy, ripe, and sweet, with blackberries, citrus, and cocoa with a touch of spice in the endnote. This is the second vintage produced from 100% old vine Merlot. 14.81% ABV. Drink from 2026-2050. 93-95 Pts
2021 Berliquet – Earthy plums, cherries, flowers, and a touch of menthol create the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, bright, silky, and fresh, with sweet, ripe, red fruits in the refined finish. The wine blends 61 % Merlot with 39 % Cabernet Franc 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 23 – October 5. Drink from 2023-2038. 91-93 Pts
2021 Bernateau – The medium-bodied wine is already focused on its core of espresso bean, ripe, black cherry, licorice, and mint nuances. Bright, fresh, soft, and polished, this will be a treat to enjoy on release for all of its sweet, crisp, red fruits and the spicy, peppery-edged, endnote. Drink from 2023-2033. 88-90 Pts
2021 Boutisse – Medium-bodied, fresh, bright, fruity, and polished, with a nice touch of minerality in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2036. 89-91 Pts
2021 Calicem – Deeply colored, the wine shows off its espresso, smoke, chocolate, coffee bean, and black cherry character easily. Sweet, lush, fruity, and floral, you can drink this opulently-textured wine on release. Produced from 100% old vine Merlot planted in 1961. Drink from 2024-2038. 92-94 Pts
2021 Candale – Bright, fresh, and fruity with a raspberry, smoke, and espresso edge to the crisp, juicy red fruit on the palate. Drink from 2023-2032. 87-89 Pts
2021 Canon – The nose stands out with its nuances of flowers, crushed stones, spearmint, cigar wrapper, red plums, fresh cherries, herbs, and a touch of fennel. The wine is all about its freshness, purity, energy, and elegant nature, finishing with silky tannins with their trademark touch of salt, mint leaf, and sweet, vibrant red berries. The wine blends 71% Merlot with 29% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 16 – October 6. Drink from 2026-2055. 94-96 Pts
2021 Canon Croix Canon – Medium-bodied, floral, bright, savory, fresh, and crisp, with underbrush, tobacco leaf, strawberry, and red plums in the finish. This is perfect for early drinking pleasure while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2022-2030. 89-91 Pts
2021 Canon la Gaffeliere – On the nose, you find cigar wrappers, spearmint, flowers, leafy herbs, red fruits, and spices. Fresh, crisp, elegant, bright, chewy, and chalky on the palate, this is what modern classic Bordeaux is all about. The wine finishes with sweet, red fruits before moving to the intense minerality and spicy notes in the backend. Blending 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% ABV. The blend represents the highest portion of Cabernet in the blend. Yields were only 30 hectoliters per hectare due to frost and mildew. The harvest took place, September 28 – October 14. Drink from 2025-2048. 93-95 Pts
2021 Cantin – Forward, fresh, round, and fruity with a brightness to the plums, cherries, licorice, and cocoa in the finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 89-91 Pts
2021 Cap de Mourlin – Espresso, dark cocoa, and red plums on the nose, which you also find in the soft, easy to like and drink, fruity, albeit somewhat oaky, and chalky medium-bodied palate. Drink from 2023-2037. 90-92 Pts
2021 Capet-Guillier – Soft, ripe, fresh, and juicy with a core of sweet plums, cocoa, licorice, and silky tannins, with a cocoa-infused cherry finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 89-91 Pts
2021 Chauvin – Underbrush, red berries, and floral notes form the core of this medium-bodied, bright, crisp, crunchy red pit fruit-dominated wine that will be delicious to enjoy on release. Drink from 2023-2034. 89-81 Pts
2021 Cheval Blanc – A gorgeous wine, especially when you consider the vintage, you start off with a nose offering complexities of tobacco leaf, violets, roses, spice-box, mint leaf, and ripe, red and black pit fruits. On the palate, you find layers of sensual, pure, silky fruits, cashmere, polished tannins, and richness created by velvet-textured plums and black cherries. There is a slight drop off in the weight of the fruit after the mid-palate that makes this a very, very good vintage for Cheval Blanc, but stops it from being one of the great vintages from the estate. Still, there is a lot to love about the 2021 Cheval, making this one of the contenders for wine of the vintage. The wine blends 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.25% ABV, 3.61 pH. The harvest took place September 24 – October 14, making this a very late vintage here. In fact, it is the lateness of the harvest that is the secret to the success of the vintage. Yields were low at only 28 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2029-2055. 96-98 Pts
2021 Cheval Le Petit Cheval – This is a true baby Cheval Blanc, The reason is simple. Some of the Cabernet Sauvignon lots placed in Cheval Blanc in 2018, 2019, and 2020 were included in this wine. The wine kicks off with flowers, espresso, chocolate, red plums, and spice. But it is on the palate, which is slightly similar to Cheval Blanc where the wine shows its character. Supple, and fresh, the wine finishes with loads of silky-textured, sweet fruits. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, making this the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in the history of the estate. 13.1% ABV. Drink from 2022-2035. 91-93 Pts
2021 Cheval Noir Cuvée Le Fer – A nice kiss of oak, flowers, chocolate and red plums create the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, and polished, with a sweet, red berry, slightly chalky, easy-to-like finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 88-90 Pts
2021 Clarendelle Saint Emilion – Light, fresh and forward, soft and easy to drink, you can enjoy this, plummy-charmer on release. Drink from 2023-2027. 86-88 Pts
2021 Clavis Orea – Black cherries, cocoa, plum, espresso beans, and black cherries are on the nose. On the palate, the wine is forward, soft, round, fruity, and plummy, with freshness and touches of licorice and black cherries in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2036. 89-91 Pts
2021 Clos Badon Thunevin – Sweet, juicy, fresh, savory, salty-edged plums with a touch of spice, spearmint, flowers, and cherries are easily found on the nose and in the vibrant, soft, polished, medium-bodied, red pit fruit-filled palate. You can enjoy this on release. The wine blends 75% Merlot with 25% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2023-2037. 89-91 Pts
2021 Clos Dubreuil – Spicy and floral, with overtones of espresso, black cherry, cocoa, flowers, and sweet plums on the nose. Round, sweet, lush, juicy, and fresh, drink from 2023-2039. 91-93 Pts
2021 Dubreuil Chardonnay – The nose pops with its lemon peel, pear, green apples, and a hint of tropical fruit accents. Fresh, sweet, bright, and creamy, this is also a treat to taste and will make a fun wine to bring to a blend tasting! Drink from 2023-2028. 90-90 Pts
2021 Clos Fourtet – Dark plums, chocolate, blackberries, espresso, smoke, and wet earth on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, and silky and with a sweetness and energy to the red fruits with a touch of spice and salt that come in the endnotes. Refined and fresh, this is a refined vintage of Clos Fourtet. The wine was made by blending 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place, September 28 – October 15. Drink from 2024-2049. 94-96 Pts
2021 Clos Junet – Red fruits with a touch of minerality on the nose are what you initially notice. The wine is meaty, spicy, fresh, and finishes with fruits and a nice touch of salt in the endnote. Drink from 2024-2034. 89-91 Pts
2021 Clos Saint Julien – Medium-bodied, spicy, fresh, vibrant, and chewy, the pepper-edged fruits along with its strong dose of minerality shine through on the palate and in the finish where you find a nice refreshing touch of mint and minerality in the endnote. Drink from 2025-2040. 92-94 Pts
2021 Clos St. Martin – Licorice, plums, chocolate, strawberry, espresso, smoke, and black cherry form the core of the perfume. Soft, silky, fresh, and vibrant, the wine is medium-bodied with a nice freshness to the elegant and supple-textured fruits in the finish. Drink from 2023-2038. 92-94 Pts
2021 Clos de Sarpe – Flowers, dark cherries, black plums, espresso, chocolate, and flowers come through with a strong touch of minerality in the nose and on the salty, rock, and stone infused fresh, bright, juicy, crisp palate. The cut stone elements here make this one of the more individualistic wines of the vintage. The harvest took place October 7 – October 17. Drink from 2026-2050. 92-94 Pts
2021 Clos des Baies – Lilacs and violets, along with spice, espresso, and black cherries are in the core of this soft, silky, fresh, medium-bodied, supple wine that will be delicious on release. Clos des Baies is produced by Philippe Baillarguet, the long-time cellar master of Chateau Ausone. The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV. Drink from 2023-2035. 89-91 Pts
2021 Clos des Jacobins – Fennel, smoke, and espresso with black raspberries and red plums on the nose and palate. The medium-bodied wine is soft, silky, fresh, forward, and already charming to taste. No need to wait. Just pop, pour and enjoy this on release. Drink from 2023-2035. 89-91 Pts
2021 Corbin – Roses, black raspberries, and cherries fill the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, silky, and fresh, with a nice sweetness to the fruits and just a touch of cocoa and spice on the backend to add complexity to the refined, elegantly-styled wine. This is going to be delicious to taste on release. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, 13% ABV. The wine was harvested September 23 – October 4. Drink from 2023-2037. 89-91 Pts
2021 Corbin-Michotte – The nose opens with mushrooms, balsamic, espresso, red fruits, and orange peel. Medium-bodied, round and forward, the finish leaves you with a sweet and sour fruit character. This will be in its youth. Drink from 2023-2029. 86-88 Pts
2021 Cote de Baleau – Red fruit and flowers show up easily in the nose and on the medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, red berry-filled palate. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, 13.8% ABV. Yields are quite low as more than 50% of the harvest was destroyed by frost. Drink from 2023-2033. 89-91 Pts
2021 Couvent des Jacobins – Medium/full-bodied, rich, fleshy, round textured sweet, dark cherries, licorice, espresso, flowers, and black plums hit all the right notes. The wine is soft, energetic, aromatic, and supple-textured in the finish, which leaves you with sweetness and freshness providing length and energy. Drink from 2023-2035. 91-93 Pts
2021 Croix de Labrie – Deeply colored, you find, espresso, licorice, dark chocolate, smoke, roses, black plums, black raspberries, and wet earth on the nose. On the palate, the wine is round, lush, rich, flamboyant, and loaded with chocolate-coated black cherries and licorice. Long, fruity, and fresh, give it a year or so in the bottle and enjoy it for 15 or more years with ease. The wine is a blend of 90% Merlot with 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% ABV, 3.6 pH. The harvest took place September 30-October 16. Drink from 2024-2039. 93-95 Pts
2021 Dassault – Espresso, coffee bean, smoke, forest leaf, tobacco, and dark red fruits crowd into the nose and also in the round, supple, lushly-textured palate. You can enjoy this for all its up-front, ripe fruits on release. Drink from 2023-2038. 89-91 Pts
2021 Daugay – Medium-bodied, fresh, bright, savory, leafy, red berry filled, forward, early-drinking wine with a touch of spice in its leafy-tinted, red fruit oriented finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 86-88 Pts
2021 Destieux – Chocolate, espresso beans, cocoa, sweet, black cherries, and licorice create the character of this round, polished, easy-going, lusciously-textured wine. This is a textbook example of a modern-styled Bordeaux. Drink from 2023-2035. 87-89 Pts
2021 L’Etampe – Earth, spice, red plums, espresso, and mint leaf notes create the perfume. Medium-bodied, bright, fresh and crisp, the finish focuses on its soft, cherry, strawberry, and plum character. Drink from 2023-2033. 88-90 Pts
2021 Faugeres – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and silky, with layers of sweet, juicy, dark plums, black cherries, mocha, and espresso. Lush and refined, the wine finishes with espresso, dark cocoa, and deep, ripe, sweet pit fruits with a sprig of mint in the endnote. The harvest took place September 29 – October 15. Drink from 2023-2037. 91-93 Pts
2021 Faurie de Souchard – Bright red berries with a vibrant, savory, herbal, and peppery edge to the fruits are found in the nose and on the palate of this medium-bodied, crunchy wine. Drink from 2023-2035. 91-90 Pts
2021 de Ferrand – Espresso, licorice, cocoa and red plums create the aromas. Bright, crisp, fresh, red berries with a touch of spice and underbrush are found in the energetic, bright, fresh, medium-bodied palate. Drink from 2023-2035. 89-91 Pts
2021 Figeac – Violets, roses, cigar wrapper, espresso, cherries, plums, blackberries, and currants create the attention-seeking perfume. Lively and fresh, the wine is perfectly balanced between its elegant nature, vibrant red fruits, silky textures, length, and purity. The fruit has a sweetness along with salinity that is impossible to miss. The wine is a slow build on your palate. So you do not notice it at first. But with an intake of air, the wine begins slowly expanding in the finish. This is a perfect example of a modern classic wine blending 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc and 29% Merlot. 13% ABV, 3.65% pH. The harvest took place September 21 – October 19, making 2021 not only one of the longest harvests in the history of the estate but also one of the latest vintages they have ever recorded. Both choices were the key to the success of the vintage here. Of equal importance, 2021 marks the debut vintage for the estate’s new, state-of-the-art cellars. Drink from 2026-2055. 95-97 Pts
2021 Fleur Cardinale – Deeply colored, lush, round, opulent, and concentrated for the vintage, you find spicy, floral, black cherries, touches of chocolate, licorice, espresso, and a hint of spice. Silky in the mouth, fresh and fruity, the finish is soft, supple, and polished. The blend is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. I hope they continue using more Cabernet here in future vintages. The harvest took place October 1 – 12. This is the first vintage from 100% organic farming. Drink from 2023-2039. 92-94 Pts
2021 Fleur Cardinale Croix Cardinale – Flowers, chocolate, black cherries, and licorice notes are found in the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, supple, sweet, fresh, and juicy with lift to the fruits and round, supple plums in the finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 89-91 Pts
2021 Fleur Cardinale Intuition Blanc – White peach, lemon chiffon, honeysuckle, and a touch of mango on the nose. Fresh, vibrant, sweet, tangy, and peachy, enjoy this over the next few years to capture all the sweet fruits. The wine is produced from a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon, and 25% Sauvignon Gris. Drink from 2022-2026. 90-92 Pts
2021 Fleur de Lisse – Light, bright, red berry filled wine with a crisp, red currant and cranberry finish. Drink from 2023-2027. 83-85 Pts
2021 Fleur de Lisse Bien-Aimee – Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, crisp, fresh, light, strawberry, and red cherry-oriented wine that will be best enjoyed over the next few years. Drink from 2023-2027. 84-86 Pts
2021 Fonplegade – Initially you notice flowers and crushed rocks before moving on to the black raspberries, licorice, cherries, and background note of orange blossom and a healthy dose of oak. On the medium-bodied palate, the wine is soft, pure, and fresh, with a sweetness to the fruits, silkiness to the tannins, and a touch of chocolate-mint, sea salt, and espresso in the endnote. Made from a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV, pH 3.6. The harvest took place September 30-October 14. Drink from 2023-2039. 92-94 Pts
2021 Fonroque – Finesse styled, medium-bodied, bright, crisp red berry-oriented wine with sweetness and purity to the red fruits, as well as softness in its texture. The only drawback here is its lack of length. Perhaps with a bit of aging, the wine will gain more on the backend. Drink from 2024-2036. 88-90 Pts
2021 Fontleurie – Bright, fresh, crisp, juicy, and with a slight touch of crushed stones, which adds a nice complexity to the red fruits, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, crispy, and fruity. Drink from 2023-2033. 87-89 Pts
2021 Franc La Rose – Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, crisp, juicy red fruits with a nice floral accent are found in this ready-to-go, early-drinking charmer. Drink from 2023-2028. 8587 Pts
2021 Franc-Mayne – Flowers and black cherries come through on the nose. Soft, round and polished, with a nice sweetness to the fruits on the medium-bodied palate, and in the soft, creamy finish leaving you with a solid wave of cherries and dark chocolate. Things are definitely on the upswing here. Drink from 2024-2040. 90-92 Pts
2021 Gracia – Incense, espresso, flowers, chocolate, and red plums are easy to enjoy in this forward-styled, soft, silky, sweet and fresh, medium-bodied, supple, textured wine. Fans of Gracia should note that very little wine was made as the yields were under 10 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2023-2038. 90-92 Pts
2021 Grand Mayne – Earthy, plums licorice, flowers, and a touch of cocoa on the nose create the enticing bouquet. The freshness in the bright red fruits shines in the soft, silky, vibrant, medium-bodied, savory-edged, coffee bean tinted palate. Drink from 2023-2045. 91-93 Pts
2021 Grand-Corbin – Medium-bodied, light, floral, and with a leafy green edge to the bright red fruits on the nose and on the medium-bodied, crisp palate. Drink from 2023-2034. 88-90 Pts
2021 Grand-Corbin-Despagne – Licorice, chocolate, black raspberries, and flowers and plums show up on the nose. The wine is soft, forward, medium-bodied, fresh, and sweet on the palate, finishing with soft, silky, mineral-edged fruits and leafy herbs in the finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 91-93 Pts
2021 Grandes Murailles – Flowers, black cherries, wet earth, thyme, and espresso on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky, refined, sweet, and fresh, with loads of silky red fruits on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2037. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot, 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2023-2037. 91-93 Pts
2021 Guadet – Flowers and cherries, with a medium body and crisp, bright, chewy, stern fruit on the palate. Drink from 2023-2031. 86-88 Pts
2021 Haut Brisson – Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, and crisp, with a core of red plums, raspberries, and red cherries. There is a lot of lift and freshness to the fruits on the palate and in the finish. Blending 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2023-2030. 89-91 Pts
2021 Haut-Sarpe – Black raspberries and flowers on the nose bring you to a medium-bodied, mineral-driven, strict wine made in an old-school, classic style that is going to appeal to some tasters more than others. Drink from 2024-2035. 87-89 Pts
2021 Jean Faure – Soft, polished, sweet, floral, and fresh, the fruits are juicy with a touch of spice and mint in the endnote. The wine has a nice depth of flavor, with a creamy, as well as fresh edgy to the spicy, red berries and leafy herbs in the endnote. The wine is made from a blend of 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Merlot, which is the highest proportion of Cabernet Franc ever used in the blend. Hopefully, they will continue using more Cab Franc in future vintages as it really works here. Drink from 2023-2039. 91-93 Pts
2021 Jean Voisin – Medium-bodied, plummy wine with loads of sweet, vibrant cherries, thyme, and cocoa to round things out. This should be delicious on release. Drink from 2023-2036. 89-91 Pts
Up next, 2021 Saint Emilion Part 2, Wines L-Z
