Firm and silky, this pure merlot shows classy and structure for the 2013. Tight and dense palate with clean fruit. Old vines here. Better in 2018 but delicious already.

The nose is redolent with ripe plums and dark cherries, as well as abundant red and purple flowers and a faint, blonde-tobacco edge. The palate delivers an ultra-rich and flavorful palate with…

Made of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Belair Monange is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. With a little swirling, this baby comes bounding out of the glass with energetic notes of…

An absolute blockbuster is the 2015 Clos Fourtet, which is a blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. It offers a huge nose of black and blue fruits, loads of incense,…

#13 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2022. The magnificent Merlot in the blend has pushed up the alcohol, while also giving a velvet touch and power to the wine. This estate is now on top form, producing…

Juicy and focused, with a tasty core of bright plum and blackberry fruit, carried by a graphite edge and backed by tobacco and roasted apple wood accents on the finish. Fresh acidity keeps all the…

Attractive berry, sweet tobacco and olive aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky, tight tannins and a long, refined finish. Pretty. Best after 2008.

The 1998 Monbousquet is medium to deep garnet-brick in color with wonderful dried mulberries, kirsch and prune preserves notions with hints of cigar box, Chinese five spice and potpourri plus a waft…

Tasted from several bottles in recent months, the 2012 Canon is a stupendous wine for the vintage and if anything, it appears to be improving with each encounter. It clearly serves up more than…

91-93 The 2021 Château Berliquet is another red-fruited, vibrant, floral effort in the vintage that offers medium-bodied richness and depth, as well as beautiful balance. A blend of 61% Merlot and…

The gunsmoke character is immediately evident on the nose, as is richly expressed damson and raspberry fruit. This is pared back and held back right now, elegant, showing a seductive edge without…

Fragranced and nuanced on the nose, full of ripe blackcurrants with a milk chocolate dusting and heady floral aspects that immediately draw you in. Serious in the glass, this is broad-shouldered but…