You find stylish, high-quality 2019 Pessac Leognan red and white wines this year. That is something that does not happen often, as more often than not, vintages usually favor red or white wines.
Across the board, 2019 Pessac Leognan wines are aromatic, character-driven, silky, lush, alluring wines produced from ripe grapes. Alcohol levels can be high, depending on the amount of Merlot in the blend, but the character of the vintage masks the heat in most cases and the wines taste and feel balanced. They are rich, sensuous, elegant, pure wines that fans of the appellation should take seriously.
2019 Pessac Leognan wines are the product of a moderate start to the year, with January, February and March all being relatively average months. April was cooler and wetter than usual, which is a good thing for Pessac Leognan, being that the appellation is warmer than the other regions. April’s cool climatic conditions slowed the vintage down a bit.
The summer however was warm, sunny and very dry. Though the nights were often cool, allowing acidites to build. July and August continued the summery conditions. Fortunately, two July rain storms helped added much needed moisture to the vines.
Most vignerons were busy harvesting Sauvignon Blanc grapes by late August and by mid September were picking Semillon and young Merlot vines. September was mostly warm, sunny and dry until the last part of the month, which delivered water to the soils helping with the red wine grapes maturity. By mid October, most growers had completed picking, under good, easy to harvest in conditions.
With Pessac Leognan white wines, often it is the years when the red wines are less successful that the white wines shine. Even though the white wine grapes are picked before the reds, climatic conditions can often lead to a lack of acidity in the white wine grapes, when the vintage is strong for the red wines. It can be too warm and dry for the white wines to gain the requisite amount of freshness.
That is not the case with 2019 Pessac Leognan white wines. Even though 2019 Bordeaux was marked by sunny, dry conditions during the summer, there was ample water in the soils to avoid overripe qualities in the white wine grapes.
A bit about the 2019 Pessac Leognan samples and the process of how they were received and tasted. The majority of 2019 Pessac Leognan wines were shipped overnight. Most of the 2019 Bordeaux arrived in 2-3 days’ time. Although a few producers managed to ship true overnight, arriving the next day! Almost every wine was cool to the touch on arrival.
When the wines arrived here, they were quickly placed in a wine cellar overnight to relax and cool to cellar temperatures. The following day, the bottles were opened and poured into glasses roughly 15 minutes prior to tasting. All the wines were tasted in the same size Riedel glasses. Wines were served in flights of 3-4 wines from the same appellation.
The following tasting notes cover 2019 Pessac Leognan red and white Bordeaux wines. We will cover Graves in a separate report. Pessac Leognan is the only appellation in 2019 that allowed us to produce a 100% complete report, as we received every top wine in the region for tasting. All of the following 2019 Pessac Leognan wines were tasted in my home office from mid-May until early June in non-blind conditions.
2019 Bouscaut – Elegant, medium-bodied wine with an earthy, tobacco leaf, dark red berry filled nose. Soft textured, silky and refined, with a touch of Asian spice, give this 4-5 years to develop additional complexities before popping a cork. 90-92 Pts
2019 Bouscaut Blanc – Lemon wax, honeysuckle and flowers, coupled with ripe, juicy citrus taste, smell and feel fresh and lifted. 91 Pts
2019 Bouscaut Les Chenes de Bouscaut – Nice second wine with a smoky, tobacco and red fruit palate. Medium-bodied with a soft, light, olive tinged finish, drink this now while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 86-88 Pts
2019 Bouscaut Les Chenes de Bouscaut Blanc – Juicy, fresh, bright, white Bordeaux wine with a forward yellow citrus charm. 86 Pts
2019 Brown – With accents of flowers and smoke, the wine is elegant, soft, refined and medium-bodied. There is a nice sense of purity and freshness to the silky, earthy red fruits on the palate that carries through to the finish. 91-93 Pts
2019 Brown Blanc – Pomelo, lemon peel, honeysuckle and assorted tropical orange citrus notes in the nose. Fresh, biting and inviting, with lush, round textures, juicy, creamy yellow citrus and a crisp, sweet, grapefruit and green apple filled finish. 91-93 Pts
2019 Cantelys – A touch of smoke, espresso, plums and earth get this going. Medium-bodied, soft and forward, the fruit is ripe, sweet, juicy and fresh, with a hint of chocolate and peppery plums and spice in the finish. Give this a year or two in the cellar and enjoy it over the following decade. 90-92 Pts
2019 Cantelys Blanc – Honeydew, orange, white peach and a hint of citrus smell and feel great here. Drink this young for its bright, fresh, clean, crisp citrus. 90-92 Pts
2019 Carbonnieux – Already soft and silky, and showing good freshness to the sweet red fruits. The wine is medium-bodied with nice length and a good persistency of flavor. You can drink this young or age it for more aromatic complexity. 90-92 Pts
2019 Carbonnieux Blanc – Crisp yellow citrus combined with hints of sweet orange and mango on the nose and palate are a perfect match for all that racy acidity found here. 92 Pts
2019 Clos Marsalette – Black, red and blue fruit, smoke and spice create the nose. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and vibrant, with supple tannins, silky textures, freshness and polished sweet fruits in the finish. The wine was made from a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. 91-93 Pts
2019 La Croix de Carbonnieux Blanc – Fresh, light, forward, easy-drinking citrus and white peach filled wine to enjoy while waiting for the Grand Vin to come around. 85 Pts
2019 Clos Marsalette Blanc – Honeysuckle, mango, white peach, orange rind with a background note of vanilla. Creamy, round and lush in texture, the wine balances between sweet, ripe and fresh, with yellow and orange citrus notes in the finish. The wine blends equal parts of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. 92 Pts
2019 Couhins – Bright, lifted citrus, green apple and a hint of yellow tropical fruit really pops here. On the palate, it gets even better with all that fresh-squeezed yellow citrus fruit. 91-93 Pts
2019 Couhins – Smoked red fruits, barbecue and spice box aromas create a complex perfume. Soft, medium-bodied, elegant, silky and fresh, sweet red fruits in the finish make this a pleasure to taste. 90-92 Pts
2019 Couhins Lurton – Medium-bodied, soft, refined, sweet red cherries, with a hint of smoke, already show well. Light, but pure, this will be fine with just a bit of aging to add complexity. 89-91 Pts
2019 Couhins-Lurton Blanc – Bright pomelo, flowers, vanilla and green apple aromas smell great! Fresh and lively on the palate with a crisp, sweet, juicy yellow citrus finish is what you will find here. 90-92 Pts
2019 Cruzeau – Forward, medium-bodied, easy to drink, fruity wine produced in a crowd-pleasing style that will be enjoyable to drink on release. 86-88 Pts
2019 Cruzeau Blanc – Sweet yellow citrus in an early drinking style, makes this a nice, lemony, summer, pool side quaffer. 87 Pts
2019 Domaine de Chevalier – Dark garnet in color, the wine opens with smoky notes, pure cocoa, hot stones and dark red fruits. On the palate, this is in contention for the most elegant vintage produced at the property. But do not confuse elegance with lack of depth. The wine is refined, focusing on its purity with silky tannins and a soft, sexy, harmonious finish. This should age and evolve for at least 3 decades or more, though, it will be beautiful with just 8-10 years in the cellar. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot reaching 13.15% alcohol. The Grand Vin was produced from 60% of the harvest. 95-97 Pts
2019 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – Fresh pomelo, fresh-squeezed lemons, honeysuckle and an intriguing orange tropical note with mangos and white peach. On the mouth, the wine pops with its freshness, zest and energetic fruit. Lemon, lime, vanilla, rocks and stones. This future rockstar will age for decades, getting better and better. But this is tasty now, I drank it at 9 in the morning! The wine was made from blending 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon. 97 Pts
Domaine de Chevalier was one of my first Zoom tastings. Catching up with Olivier Bernard was a pleasure. We were able to discuss the vintage, the wines and having to move with the times during the pandemic.
2019 L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc – Medium-bodied, fresh, soft, forward, lighter-styled Pessac Leognan that focuses on its silky, sweet soft red fruits and earthy, herbed, smoked berry finish. There is a definite resemblance between this second wine and the Grand Vin. So enjoy it on release while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 90 Pts
2019 de Fieuzal – Dark ruby in color, with smoky dark red fruits, cassis and licorice at its core, the wine is soft, elegant, fruity and fresh with ripe, polished tannins and a juicy, sweet, dark red fruit and cocoa finish. Give this at least 5 years before pulling a cork. 91-93 Pts
2019 de Fieuzal Blanc – An orchard of white peach, flowers and honeysuckle create the nose. On the palate the wine is the right blend of lush, fresh and sweet, with ample lift and length and waxy fruit in the endnote. 92 Pts
2019 de France Blanc – Fresh, bright, sweet, yellow citrus with notes of mango and tangerine blend together to create a juicy, sweet and fresh flavor. 90 Pts
2019 deFrance – Dark ruby with a nice sheen to its hue. The wine is soft, polished, refined, medium-bodied, fruity and forward. There is an easy drinkability here, allowing you to experience all the ripe fruits with their bitter chocolate accent in the endnote. 90-92 Pts
2019 Haut-Bacalan – Smoky, dark cherries with a bit of cocoa and tobacco on the nose. The wine is soft, medium-bodied and already easy to drink, with more of those smoky cherries in the fruit and earth filled, round finish. You can enjoy this young, probably on release. 89-91 Pts
2019 Haut Bailly – Dark ruby in color, with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, cigar box, tobacco, smoke, herbs and ripe, sweet, fresh red fruits. Silky, sexy and seductive, with a long, sensuous palate, feel and presence, this is a beautiful expression of the vineyard. It should drink a bit earlier than the 2015, 2016 and 2018. But it will still need time in the cellar. The harvest took place September 23 – October 10. The wine is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot reaching 13.7 alcohol with a pH of 3.7. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. 96-98 Pts
I was able to chat with Veronique sanders in detail about Haut Bailly s well as the vintage at large. Veronique is the perfect example of everything that makes Bordeaux great. The vintage suits her and the character of Haut Bailly quite well.
2019 Haut Bailly II – Earthy with a smoke, cigar, cocoa and red berry nose, the wine is elegant, soft, medium-bodied and forward. The tannins are silky, the fruit is fresh and this will drink well right out of the gate. What more could you ask for from this blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon? 90-92 Pts
2019 Haut Brion – Blood red ruby in hue, the aromatic profile resonates a bonfire of cherry wood, tar, cigar box, spearmint, hot rocks, stones and blackberries. Elegance, refinement and purity, with all that smoky essence is not found on any other wine. The supple, polished tannins, the layers of fruit that builds as you play with the wine on your palate is sublime. Here, the energy and vivaciousness in the fruit stands out, expands and never wants to quit, as the finish is close to 60 seconds! The endnote, with its sensual, velvet palate presence, coupled with luscious red fruits needs t be experienced at least once by every wine lover! The wine blends 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc with the harvest taking place September 10-October 3. The wine reached 14.6% alcohol with a pH of 3.85 with 49% of the harvest being placed into the Grand Vin. 98-100 Pts
Originally, I was not going to rate Chateau Haut Brion 100 Pts. Initially I preferred LMHB. It was close at 99 Pts, but close is not the same. However, I had the luxury of spending time with the wines. I tasted it over dinner that same night and became more enamored with the wine. The second night, I had the wine with dinner and both, the red and the white continued improving. It took 2 days, but at that point I upped the score to triple digits.
2019 Haut Brion Blanc – Squeeze white peaches over crushed rocks, add flowers and yellow citrus and you have the recipe for the perfume here. The unique combination of luscious fruits and bracing acidities hits the spot. The endnote with all of its sweet, perfectly ripe lemons with an intriguing hint of mango goes on and on. The wine blends 64% Sauvignon Blanc with 36% Semillon, reaching 13.9% alcohol. 100 Pts
The lineup of wines from Haut Brion is always extensive with first wines, second wines, red wines, white wines and Quintus. But Jean-Philippe Delmas could not have been more generous with this time and open views about the vintage during our Zoom session.
2019 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion – Refined, silky, elegant and with a distinctive, smoked, floral character, with hot bricks and sweet cherries to round out the nose, the wine is medium-bodied, elegant, soft and fresh. This is a nice snapshot providing you a look at the character of Haut Brion in this vintage. The wine is a blend of 73% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 11% Cabernet Franc, reaching 15% alcohol. 92-94 Pts
2019 Le Clarte de Haut Brion Blanc – Flowers, lemon, lime, green apple, honeysuckle, white peach and vanilla scents can be found with no effort on the nose and palate. Lush, round and fruity, with freshness, sweetness and lift, this is just great to drink already. In fact, I finished the bottle off with grilled seafood a few hours after penning this note! The wine blends 52% Sauvignon Blanc with 48% Semillon reaching 13.5% alcohol. 93 Pts
2019 Haut-Lagrange – With a hint of mint to accompany the earthy red fruits, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, elegant and forward. Already fun to taste, this will be fine to enjoy on release and is perfect for ordering in restaurants. 88-90 Pts
2019 Haut-Lagrange Blanc – Pomelo and white peach with a splash of green apple in the nose get the wine going. On the palate, the wine is fresh, juicy, ripe and sweet, with a vigorous, zesty, sweet, lemon finish. This should be delicious on release. 90 Pts
2019 Haut Nouchet – Situated close to Smith-Haut-Lafitte, this little-known vineyard produced a medium-bodied, round, earth, cherry, herb and green olive-filled wine for early drinking pleasure. 87-89 Pts
2019 La Garde – With a deep, ruby color, you find smoke, cigar box and red fruits with a hint of spice and earth on the nose. Medium-bodied and soft, with sweet, round red fruits on the palate, with just a hint of cocoa at the backend, give this a few years in the cellar. 89-91 Pts
2019 La Garde Blanc – Tangy, zesty and fresh with a bright, waxy lemon and grapefruit core of fruit on the nose and palate finishes nicely with an additional complexity of pineapple and orange zest. 91 Pts
2019 La Louviere – Lush, round, sweet, fresh, juicy red fruits with chocolate and smoky accents show up easily. The fruit expands on the palate with more of that sweet, chocolate overtone and silky tannins. Give this 5-7 years for more complexity and softness. 91-93 Pts
2019 La Louviere Blanc – Crisp green apples, lemon, lime, flowers and orange peel smell just great. On the palate, the wine pops with freshness, lifted yellow citrus, creamy textures and hints of honey and tangerine in the finish. 92 Pts
You have to admire the thoroughness of having your tasting note place card printed out for the Zoom session!
2019 La-Mission-Haut-Brion – Inky ruby in color, the wine blasts off with smoke, tar, hoisin sauce, oyster shell, thyme, black currants and plum aromas. The palate is full-bodied, powerful, rich, intense, mouth filling and long. The wine coats your palate, but there is nothing heavy about it. Everything is in balance, meshing power with precision, purity and depth with a finish of more than 60 seconds! This is one of the great vintages for LMHB! Created from a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.6% alcohol with a pH of 3.9. Picking took place September 11 through October 2. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. 98-100 Pts
2019 La Mission Haut Brion Blanc – The sting of all that crushed rock, grapefruit, honeysuckle, white peach, lemon oil and star anise makes you take a step back and go for it again. Sapid in nature, the wine is rich, concentrated, juicy and mouth-filling with a crisp, zesty, sweet finish that does not quit. The wine is a blend of 7% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. It is interesting to note that this is the first vintage of LMHB where the Semillon was picked before the Sauvignon. 99 Pts
2019 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion – Smoked black cherries, plums, licorice, herbs and earth create the nose. On the palate, the wine is supple, soft, filled with fruit and vivacity. There is length and freshness in the finish. There is a lot of LMHB character here. The wine blends 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc reaching 14.4% alcohol.
2019 Larrivet Haut Brion – Smoked cherries, flowers, licorice and plums show up on the nose easily. Medium-bodied, elegant and refined, with loads of freshness, silky textures and dark red, earthy fruits in the finish are found here. This should drink well with just 5 years or so in the cellar and provide pleasure for at least 2 decades after that. 92-94 Pts
2019 Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc – Floral in nature, this is all made better with all the sweet, ripe, yellow citrus lemon peel, white peach and honeysuckle in the perfume. The silky, round, lush palate with all the vanilla, vivacious green apple, lemon and crushed stone taste and feels great. 93 Pts
2019 La-Tour-Martillac – Forward, refined, soft and elegant, with ripe, warm, sweet fruits, a medium-body and polished, smoky, earthy berries on the nose and in the finish. 91-93 Pts
2019 La-Tour-Martillac Blanc – Honeysuckle and just-squeezed yellow citrus hits the spot in the nose. The palate is loaded with sweet, juicy grapefruit, orange rind and waxy lemon, with a dab of honey to sweeten things up and acidity to keep it all fresh. 92 Pts
2019 Lagrave Martillac – Light, fresh and easy-drinking, bright citrus and lemon filled wine for early drinking. 87 Pts
2019 Le-Pape – Elegant, medium-bodied, finesse driven, floral, silky and accessible, the wine is going to be beautiful on release, with all its ripe sweet raspberry and even sweeter cherries. 2019 marks their 8th vintage here, and the wine has never been better! The wine was produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 90-92 Pts
2019 Lespault-Martillac – Flowers and cherry tones with just a bit of smoky essence on the nose work perfectly with the fresh, sweet, ripe, juicy red fruits on the medium-bodied palate, and in the elegant, lifted finish. You can drink this just about on release, or age for 5-7 years for more complexity. 91-93 Pts
2019 Lespault-Martillac Blanc – Honeysuckle, orange blossom, white peach, pear and citrus rind are all over the place in this delicious, fresh, refreshing, lush, ready-to-go white Bordeaux wine. 92 Pts
2019 Malartic Lagraviere – Deep ruby in color, with polished, soft, fresh, ripe, sweet fruits from start to finish. The wine is elegant, lush and polished with silky tannins. The long, generous finish and its layers of ripe, lush fruits and drizzle of chocolate-covered plums tastes great and feels even better. 94-96 Pts
2019 Malartic Lagraviere Blanc – The honeysuckle, just-squeezed lemons, green apple and pears on the nose are just perfect. On the palate, the juicy, ripe, creamy, fresh citrus fruits, with their sweetness keep on going, due to all that racy acidity. This should age quite well. 95 Pts
2019 Malartic-Lagravière La Réserve de Malartic Blanc – Beautifully ripe yellow citrus and Granny Smith apples with floral accents really allows this to come alive in this second wine. There is good lift and a bright bite of juicy citrus in the finish. This is a very nice second wine. 89-91 Pts
2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière La Réserve de Malartic – Medium-bodied, soft, round and forward with a sweet, fresh, fruity palate that is perfect for restaurants and near-term drinking. 89-91 Pts
2019 ChateauOlivier – Smoked, sweet cherries with a hint of vanilla, lush, round, soft textures, medium-bodied and a good mid-palate to display all the sweet, ripe, lush, juicy fruit. 90-92 Pts
2019 ChateauOlivier Blanc – Fresh-squeezed pomelo, green apples and lemon peel hit the right notes on the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, zippy and zesty, with a shot of sweet, crisp citrus in the finish.
2019 Pape Clement – Dark in color, the tobacco leaf, cigar box, floral, blackberry and dark plum aromas are just fabulous to smell. Fresh, sweet, rich, long, full-bodied and lifted, the wine is concentrated, deep and intense. The balance is perfect, with all the sweet fruits and freshness in harmony. This is a beautiful thing, because the 60-second finish is something you want to hang on to. The wine was made from blending 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% of Petit Verdot, reaching 14% alcohol. The oak has been dialed back a bit. To help retain the freshness and purity in the fruit, 5% of the harvest was aged in oak foudres and 5% was aged in amphora. The harvest took place September 17 to October 10, the Grand Vin was made from 60% of the harvest. 95-97 Pts
2019 Pape Clement Blanc – Opening with strong notes of white peach, assorted notes of orange and yellow tropical fruits and honeysuckle, with a hint of candied grapefruit peel. Fresh, sweet, crisp and long, with loads of waxy, sweet, juicy yellow citrus blended with tangerines. The wine was made from 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon. 96 Pts
2019 Le Clementin du Pape Clément – Early drinking, soft, smoky, medium-bodied, earthy, fruity wine with soft, polished textured and ripe, juicy, smoked red fruits with a back note of cocoa in the finish. This definitely show’s some of the same character you find in its big brother, the Grand Vin. 90-92 Pts
2019 Rochemorin – Cigar wrapper and red fruits create the nose. The wine is medium bodied, round, forward and juicy, with soft, earthy, tobacco stained red fruits with freshness in the finish. This well-priced charmer is already fun and easy to drink. 89-91 Pts
2019 Rochemorin Blanc – A shot of lemon, lime and green apples hits you as soon as you nose the glass. Fresh, bright and lifted with a sweet, yellow citrus note in the finish really works well here. 91 Pts
2019 Rouillac – Tobacco and red berries open the medium-bodied wine, from there you find herbs, cigar box, olives and sweet with tart red berries on the palate and finish. 86-88 Pts
2019 Rouillac Blanc – Yellow citrus and white peach aromas open this easy drinking, light, sunny wine that finishes with crisp lemon and green apple notes. Drink this on the young side. 89 Pts
2019 Smith Haut Lafitte – Quite deep in color, the initial nuances of chocolate mint, flowers, spice, incense, espresso and smoky red fruits fills your nose and glass. On the palate, the wine is fleshy, seductive, soft and loaded with dark sweet fruits. Expansive, silky and long, the layers of sweet fruits linger in the finish. The fruit shows a beautiful purity and sensuous quality in the fruits. The wine was made from a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, reaching 14.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. The harvest took place September 23 through October 10. Yields were 38 hectoliters per hectare with the grand vin produced from only 40% of the harvest. 96-98 Pts
What an incredibly consistent lineup of wines from Smith Haut lafitte this year! Smith Haut Lafitte was one of the first 2019 Bordeaux wines to arrive. And as you might guess, the Zoom tasting with Fabien Teitgen was also my online tasting debut. It took a while to get acclimated to the new format, but we both caught on quickly.
2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc – Walk into a flower garden and squeeze lemons, grapefruit and white peach all over everything, with honeydew melon and you get an idea of the nose here. Great lift, vibrancy, elegance and mouth-feel, with length, purity and freshness. This is the best white wine from Smith Haut Lafitte in a few years! The wine was produced from a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon. 97 Pts
2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit – A deep shade of ruby, the wine pops with its smoke, licorice, roasted coffee bean and dark red fruit note. Fruity with structure and roundness, the wine feels good as it hits your palate with concentrated, soft, ripe, sweet fruit. The finish gives you a nice dusty quality to the ripe fruit, along with just a hint of bitter chocolate. The wine is made from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and paired with 40% Merlot. 91-93 Pts
2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Blanc – Juicy, sweet, fresh, ripe, bright, crisp citrus, orange rind and white flowers from start to finish. Pop this, pairing it with grilled seafood this summer. 91 Pts
2019 Les Hauts de Smith – The aromas of fresh flowers is the first thing you notice before moving to the smoke, espresso and fresh fruit charms found here. Soft, medium-bodied and clean, you can drink this on release or age it for up to a decade. The wine is perfect for restaurants, which is what the production is vinified for. The wine was made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. 90-92 Pts
2019 Les Hauts de Smith Blanc – Grapefruit, green apple, honeysuckle, mango, banana and a touch of vanilla make a beautiful nose. Lush, fresh, juicy and with sweet yellow fruits and white flowers in the mouth. This is a serious white Bordeaux that sells for a song. The wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 92 Pts
2019 Domaine de la Solitude – Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, forward-styled wine with a smoky, earthy, herb and floral nose. Refined, pure and fresh, with elegant red fruits in the finish. This will drink well shortly after release. 89-91 Pts
2019 Domaine de la Solitude Blanc – Fresh, bright yellow citrus fruits combined with white peach are at work here. Lively and fresh, with a sweet lemon and green apple finish, this going to be ready to go on release. 91 Pts
2019 Le Thil Comte Clary – With a nice dark color, the wine offers its flowery, ripe, sweet, dark cherry charms with ease. Round, sweet and fresh, with plenty of fruit and flesh in the finish, you should be able to drink this young. The wine was produced from 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 90-92 Pts
Tomorrow we will publish our notes and scores for the best 2019 Pomerol wines. The report is extensive as it covers 60 wines from the appellation!
