2019 St. Emilion in Bottle Tasting Report, Wine Buying Guide, Pt 1

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2019 Saint Emilion is just about as close to a picture-perfect vintage as you can get for the appellation, especially when you consider the massive size of the region and the diverse array of vineyards and terroirs. 2019 St. Emilion produced outstanding wines just about everywhere, on the slopes with its deep limestone as well as in the clay, gravel, and even the sandy soils. The wines as you can see from my tasting notes and scores below should make any lover of the Right Bank feel giddy due to the embarrassment of riches in all the great wines available today.

Because I tasted close to 200 Saint Emilion wines from the 2019 vintage, the report has been divided into 3 articles sorted alphabetically. Part 1, which you are reading now covers the best wines A-G, Part 2 2019 St. Emilion Wines H-M and Part 3 concludes with all the best 2019 St. Emilion Wines N-Z

For a review of the vintage conditions or to look at tasting notes and ratings for more than 750 wines The Complete Guide To all the Best 2019 Bordeaux Wines

All of the following 2019 Saint Emilion Wines were tasted in my home office in non-blind conditions.

2019 Adaugusta – Wet, smoky earth, thyme and plums get everything off to a good start. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied, soft, round and fruity. You can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2022-2031. 89 Pts

2019 Angelus – Intellectual hedonism is the name of the game here. Opaque ruby in color, the first thing you notice is all the just-picked, spring flowers before moving on to all the smoke, fennel, espresso, black and red fruits and earthy nuances. Concentrated layers of velvety fruits are all over the place here with their continuous display of red and black fruits. The finish, with its cashmere tannins and vibrancy, sticks with you for over 50 seconds. This stunning wine is going to age and evolve for decades and will be seen as one of the top vintages of Chateau Angelus. Drink from 2034-2055. 98 Pts

2019 Angelus Carillon d’ Angélus – Fresh, vibrant, soft, silky and frankly, already just delicious to taste, the wine offers up its plummy, licorice, floral and chocolate-covered cherry-filled character with ease. Medium-bodied, ripe, pure and polished, you can enjoy this on release while waiting for its big sister to age and develop. Drink from 2022-2033. 93 Pts

2019 Angelus No 3 – Refined, silky, soft and polished, this charming, medium-bodied, elegant gem is fully-developed and ready to go. Easy to like, and even easier to drink, here, you find ample floral scents, sweet, fresh, red cherries and plums with a touch of spice, coffee bean and savory herbs in the endnote. This is perfect for ordering in cafes or bistros. Drink from 2022-2032. 90 Pts

2019 d’Arcole – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, sweet, ripe, juicy, red cherries, plums, strawberry and a touch of mint come across with ease on the nose and on the soft-textured palate. This is already quite pleasant to taste. Drink from 2022-2033. 91 Pts

2019 Badette – Black cherries, smoke, licorice, chocolate and a touch of spice hits your nose. Luscious, full-bodied, rich and hedonistic in texture, the finish packs a punch with its toasted vanilla, boysenberry, black cherry, espresso and touch of singed plums in the endnote. While it’s easy to enjoy this on release, give it a few years for the oak to better integrate and it will be a much better wine. Drink from 2025-2038. 93 Pts

2019 Balestard La Tonnelle – Fresh, juicy, sweet, soft and vibrant, the wine is loaded with layers of black and red plums, cocoa, dark chocolate, espresso and flowers. The medium-bodied finish lingers with elegant, ripe fruits, earthy nuances and freshness. There is nice lift and energy here. Drink from 2024-2037. 92 Pts

2019 Barde Haut – Smoke, licorice, black plums, dark cherries, violets and 5 spice aromatics gets you to take notice. On the palate, it is even better with all of its silky-textured, sweet, energetic red fruits. The finish lingers with a growing portfolio of dark red and black fruits with an endnote of dark chocolate and espresso. There is sweetness, length and complexity you can taste and feel. Drink from 2024-2038. 95 Pts

2019 Beau-Sejour Becot – Deep, dark, rich, full-bodied, concentrated and vivacious, the wine is packed with dark, black and red pit fruits, crushed stones, chocolate, licorice, flowers and forest leaf. The wine is powerful, refined, deep and fresh, with a finish that resonates with all of its ripe fruits and a touch of salinity in the long finish. This is their third vintage with Thomas Duclos as the consultant and each year seems to get better and better here. They are certainly on a hot roll at Beau-Sejour Becot these days! Give the wine a few years in the bottle and enjoy it for at least 2 decades after that. Drink from 2026-2055. 97 Pts

2019 Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse – Elegant, fresh, deep, long and packed with elements of crushed rocks and stones, the wine is all about its mineral essence. The salty tannins on the backend of all the sweet, ripe, energetic, black cherries, plums and black raspberries provides additional complexities that come along with for the ride. The full-bodied, intense, rich wine finishes with loads of dark red fruits, licorice, coffee bean, spice and cocoa. Give it a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork and it could score even higher after the wine has matured. Drink from 2026-2050. 96 Pts

2019 Belair-Monange – Showing off its spring flowers, wet earth, spice-box and red with black fruits easily, the wine hits all the right marks. Vibrant, elegant, rich, and silky, the finish continues down the same path with its sublime display of crushed rocks, spice, black and red pit fruits and sensuous, velvet-drenched textures. The salty endnote caps everything of nicely as the fruits glide across your palate. Drink from 2031-2055. 97 Pts

2019 Bellefont-Belcier – Flowers, dark chocolate, cherries, black raspberries, smoke and licorice permeate the perfume. On the palate, the wine is fresh, silky and vibrant, with a sweetness to the red fruits, minerality, chalky tannins and cocoa nuances that linger long after the wine has left the glass. Drink from 2024-2037. 94 Pts

2019 Bellevue St. Émilion Grand Cru – Soft, polished and fresh, the wine is medium-bodied and already displaying its core of flowers, espresso, crushed rock and plummy character. Medium/full-bodied, with chalky tannins and a chocolate-coated, plum, mint, espresso and licorice finish, give this 100% old vine Merlot gem a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork. Drink from 2025-2045. 94 Pts

2019 Bellevue-Mondotte – Opaque in color, initially you notice flowers, licorice, black plums, cherries, blueberries, chocolate, and espresso, though they take a bit of coaxing to come out. The wine is full-bodied, rich, deep and intense. The finish coats your palate with layers of dark fruits along with crushed stones and a background note of cocoa that lingers with a dash of salt at the end. Drink from 2030-2050. 96 Pts

2019 Berliquet – Loads of black plums, flowers, chocolate and citrus notes come through easily on the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, sweet and fresh, with a salty minerality accent to the red pit fruits in the endnote, this refined gem should age quite nicely. Drink 2024-2037. 93 Pts

2019 Bernateau – Medium-bodied with loads of ripe, vibrant plummy fruit, sweet, savory tinged cherries, espresso and licorice, with a round, supple, fruity filled finish. Drink from 2022-2035. 91 Pts

2019 Cadet Bon – Medium-bodied, soft, silky and fresh, the wine quickly focuses you on its core of elegantly-textured, sweet, plums, chocolate, mint and crushed rocks. You can enjoy this relatively early. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts

2019 Canon – One of the few wines I was not able to taste in barrel, what’s worth having is worth waiting for. This stunner presents an aromatic display combining crushed rocks, stones, flowers and red fruits. If that wasn’t enough, the wine really kicks in on the palate with its freshness, concentration, energy, purity and length, which is the perfect backdrop for all the layers of refined, elegant, silky textured, red fruits along with that often, elusive sense of minerality on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2034-2055. 98 Pts

2019 Canon Croix Canon – Forward, silky, fresh and vibrant, with a clear focus on its core of lifted red fruits and flowers. Medium-bodied, refined and vibrant, with an already delicious display of sweet, fresh, cherries, you can enjoy this beauty on release while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2022-2034. 91 Pts

2019 Canon la Gaffeliere – The color of a dark ruby, the first thing you notice is the perfume with all of its flowers, chalk, licorice, mint, smoke and dark plummy notes. On the palate, the wine is supple, fresh, ,concentrated, silky and soft. The fruit shows purity, freshness and spice with a finish packed with roasted cherries and blackberry with just a touch of mint and Indian peppers in the endnote. The wine should age and evolve for 30 years, though it should drink well with 5-7 years in the cellar. Drink from 2025-2049 96 Pts

2019 Cap de Mourlin – Smoke, flowers, espresso, truffle, dark red fruits, spice and licorice scents pop with no effort. Silky, soft, lush and polished with a beautiful sense of purity to the sweet, red pit fruits, the wine lingers on the palate and in the finish with fresh sweet berries, and touches of spicy chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2024-2037. 93 Pts

2019 Carteau – Blackberries, wet earth, flowers, and a hint of coffee bean make for a nice nose. However, here it is the elegant, soft, polished, layers of ripe, sweet, black cherries on the palate that steal the show, leaving you with a lushly textured, fresh finish along with a touch of cocoa on the backend. Drink from 2022-2033. 90 Pts

2019 Chapelle de Labrie – Earthy, smoky, red plums and lead pencil nuances come through the perfume with ease. Medium-bodied with soft, polished, textures with a wave of juicy plums with chocolate and espresso in the finish to top everything off nicely. Enjoy this while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2022-2032. 90 Pts

2019 Chauvin – Flowers, cedar, smoke, licorice and red fruit aromas create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, energetic and fresh, with a mid-palate and finish loaded with earthy, spicy, smoky plums and chocolate from start to finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 92 Pts

2019 Chauvin Folie de Chauvin – Soft, fresh, forward. early drinking, strawberry and red plum-oriented charmer that is already quite easy to enjoy. Drink from 2022-2027. 85 Pts

2019 Cheval Blanc – One of the few wines I did not receive a sample of to taste in barrel, it took only a moment to realize this was one of those rare, show-stopping gems that will blow your mind in the years to come. There is a unique, sensual texture here that screams opulence at every turn. The wines exotic nature is allowed to show its true character here. The non-stop layers of cashmere textured fruit is the perfect setting for all the perfectly ripe black plums, black cherries, blueberries, and blackberries, which are happy to display their gorgeous purity. The polished, silky finish holds your focus for over 60 seconds as it builds and expands. A worthy competitor to the incredible 2018, if you have the ability to purchase this wine, it is going to be a cellar treasure that people talk about for generations to come. Drink from 2035-2060. 100 Pts

2019 Cheval Le Petit Cheval – Soft, silky, floral, medium-bodied and fresh, this elegantly-textured, red berry focused wine offers a refined, forward, vibrant, expression of its terroir with all of its floral, cherry, mint, espresso, plum and dark raspberry character. Produced from a blend of 56% Merlot and 44% Cabernet Franc, you can enjoy this with pleasure on release and over the following 15 years or so. Drink from 2022-2034. 92 Pts

2019 Clarendelle Saint Emilion – With a touch of mocha, wet earth and red plums, the wine is soft, round, forward and already a pleasure to taste. You should feel free to drink this easy-going, Merlot dominated crowd pleaser in its youth. This is made by the same team that produces Haut-Brion. 87 Pts

2019 Clos Dubreuil – Deeply colored, the nose opens with flowers, chocolate, licorice, espresso and plum liqueur nuances. On the palate, the wine is lush, rich, deep and complex with layers of silky-textured, fresh, ripe, chocolate-covered plums, black cherry, espresso and spice that start at the mid-palate and continue all th way through to the long finish. Concentrated, lush, flashy, and fleshy in texture, this is a hedonistic treat. Drink from 2023-2040. 94 Pts

2019 Clos Fourtet – Even better in the bottle after its aging period, the wine explodes with flowers, black cherries, plums, mint, espresso, cocoa, licorice and crushed rocks. The wine is full-bodied, opulent, rich, silky, fresh and long. The palate is coated with layers of dark red pit fruits with that elusive touch of salt, silky tannins and purity in the fruits that radiate from the mid-palate continuing all the way through to the long, velvety, harmonious finish. Give this at least a few years in the cellar and it should offer pleasure for the following 3 decades with ease. Drink from 2025-2055. 98 Pts

2019 Clos Junet – The cigar wrapper, thyme, coffee bean, underbrush and red fruits come through easily on the palate. Deep in color, with silky textures and soft tannins, the round finish comes along with ample ripe, plums, cherries and earth. This is showing better in bottle than in barrel. The wine was made from blending 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2022-2035. 92 Pts

2019 Clos Les Grandes Versannes – Medium-bodied with a touch of oak that needs to integrate before all the ripe, juicy red fruits, herbs and cocoa really start to show. This will drink quite nicely on release, but with a year or two in the cellar, if everything comes together, and it should, this will be an even better wine. Drink from 2022-2029. 89 Pts

2019 Clos Saint Julien – Crushed rocks, stones and flowers take over the perfume here. On the palate, there is a wealth of ripe, red fruits, intensely chalky tannins, minerality and oak that demands time in the cellar before being ready to enjoy. Drink from 2025-2045. 93 Pts

2019 Clos Saint-Vincent – Medium-bodied, soft, silky, elegant, fresh, cherry and plum filled charmer offers plenty of sweet, ripe, red fruits on the mid-palate which carries all the way through to the finish. You find a nice, light touch of cocoa and plums on the backend as well. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts

2019 Clos St. Martin – Layers of elegantly-textured, silky fruits with equal amounts of freshness and polished opulence are what you will discover here. The waves of cherries and plums along with espresso, cocoa, smoke, licorice flowers and chocolate are perfect for the velvety tannins in the creamy endnote. Give it a few years to develop and it will be an even better experience. Drink from 2024-2047. 95 Pts

2019 Clos de Sarpe – Espresso, wet earth, chalk, smoke, licorice and dried flowers add complexity to the red fruits. Fresh, vibrant, polished and complex, the intense mineral influence shines through the layers of ripe berries like a surgeons scalpel. If you want to understand minerality in a wine, this is the one to teach you. The salt tinged finish comes with provides a minty accent and copious amounts of ripe, red fruits and berries. Drink from 2028-2050. 95 Pts

2019 Clos de la Cure – With a strong sensation of garrigue, savory herbs and red fruits on the nose, palate, the wine is forward, soft, polished and fruity with a chalky finish. You can enjoy this as soon as it is released. Drink from 2022-2030. 89 Pts

2019 Clos des Jacobins – Roses, licorice, espresso and black with red fruits come through easily on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky and lifted on the palate, with a savory finish loaded with red and black fruits and a hint of crushed stone in the endnote. Drink from 2023-037. 93 Pts

2019 Clos-de-lOratoire – Black raspberries, garden herbs, flowers, licorice and chocolate-covered cherries create the aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, soft, silky, polished and fresh, the wine is already so easy to taste, with all its layers of cocoa dusted plums and energy, it is going to be hard to wait a few years for it to develop more secondary notes. But give it a few years of sleep, it will be worth the wait. Drink from 2024-2036. 93 Pts

2019 Corbin – Elegant, silky, refined and fresh, the nose pops with flowers, plums, crushed stone and savory, leafy herbs. Lusciously textured, spicy red fruits with a touch of chocolate hit your palate in all the right ways and stick with you, letting you spend time with all those, sweet ripe fruits. Give it a year or two in the cellar and it’s going to be quite a treat. This is in contention for the best vintage of Corbin ever produced. Drink from 2023-2035. 93 Pts

2019 Corbin-Michotte – With a floral, savory, earthy, edge to the red fruits on the nose and palate, the wine is medium-bodied, and focused on its ripe, vibrant, red berry core of fruits. The finish is light, but, soft, clean and fresh. You can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2022-2032. 89 Pts

2019 Cote de Baleau – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, elegantly-textured, forward wine with loads of sweet, ripe, red fruits, touches of spice, cherries, plums, espresso and cocoa on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2022-2033. 91 Pts

2019 Couspaude – Roasted espresso beans, smoke, licorice, chocolate, black cherry and blueberry aromatics create the nose. The wine is lush, rich, round and loaded with dark, ripe, sweet, opulent, fruits, licorice and espresso beans and chocolate on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 92 Pts

2019 Couvent des Jacobins – Silky, fresh, vibrant, refined, red berry oriented wine with an olive and savory herbal edge on the nose and palate. You can drink this with pleasure now, or age it for a few years. Drink from 2023-2033. 92 Pts

2019 Couvent des Jacobins Calicem – Opulent, rich, full and deep, with layers of richly-textured, black, red and blue fruits from start to finish. The voluptuous ending lingers due to all the layers of fresh, perfectly ripe, sweet, dark fruits, licorice, chocolate and a touch of minerality in the endnote. Drink from 2024-2045. 95 Pts

2019 Couvent le Menut des Jacobins – Medium-bodied, forward, early-drinking, light, soft, sweet, fresh, cherry filled, soft-textured wine with a touch of cocoa in the endnote that is ready for consumption. Drink from 2022-2028. 86 Pts

2019 Croix de Labrie – Almost opaque in color, the wine exudes a complex aromatic profile with dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, licorice, smoke, flowers, cherries and plums. Rich, concentrated, full-bodied and deep. the wine has staying power as the finish clocks in at 50 seconds! The endnote delivers a wealth of ripe, sweet fruits, supple, polished tannins and richness with vibrancy to the fruit that does not want to quit. As I said from the barrel, this could be the best wine yet from Croix de Labrie! The wine is a blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2023-2043. 96 Pts

2019 Croque Michotte – Peppery red fruits and floral scents open the medium-bodied, fresh, lighter-styled, early-drinker wine. The red berry finish is crisp and already drinking well. Drink from 2022-2028. 85 Pts

2019 Dassault – Dark, lush, red fruits with black plums and coffee bean nuances form the core of the wine. On the palate, the wine is round, opulent, polished, and rich, with loads of black plums, licorice, and chocolate on the mid-palate and in the finish. This is already easy to taste, but a few years in the cellar will make it an even better wine. Drink from 2023-2035. 92 Pts

2019 Destieux – Smoke, espresso, flowers, chocolate and plummy aromatics come through on the perfume with no effort. On the palate the wine is round, lush, sweet, fresh and opulent with loads of dark red fruits covered with coffee and cocoa that sticks with you from the mid-palate all the way through to the back-end. Drink from 2023-2034. 92 Pts

2019 Faugeres – Deeply colored, the wine is fresh, vibrant and rich. The fruit blends black cherries, plums and strawberry with dried flowers, forest leaves and spice. Plushly-textured, long and packed with loads of ripe, sweet, dark red fruits, chocolate, licorice and spice, the soft, polished finish tastes and feels great. Drink from 2023-2038. 93 Pts

2019 Faurie de Souchard – Flowers, espresso beans, smoke, licorice, black and red fruits come alive on the nose as well as on the soft, round, plush, polished, vibrant, red berry packed palate. The oak almost fully integrated. Give this just a bit of time before pulling a cork. Drink from 2024-2036. 92 Pts

2019 d’Arcole – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, sweet, ripe, juicy, red cherries, plums, strawberry and a touch of mint come across with ease on the nose and on the soft-textured palate. This is already quite pleasant to taste. Drink from 2022-2033. 91 Pts

2019 de Ferrand – Showing much better in the bottle than it did from the barrel, the nose, with its display flowers, mint, espresso, coco and red fruits gets you ready for all the silky-textured, sweet, soft, polished, refined fruits with a touch of chocolate on the palate and in the finish. You can enjoy this on release or age it a few years before opening a bottle. de Ferrand has been kicking up the quality here over the past few years, which is nice to see. Drink from 2022-2035. 91 Pts

2019 Figeac – Not quite at the level of the over the moon 2016, but not too far either, this sublime gem is almost opaque in color. This is so concentrated, silky, rich and decadent, it’s almost off the charts. Blackberry, espresso, black currants, licorice, flowers and wet earth with cherry blossoms crowd into the perfume. Fresh, vibrant, lively and structured to age and evolve for decades, the wine ends with waves of perfectly ripe, vibrant, red and black fruits that simply do not want to quit! Drink from 2035-2060. 99 Pts

2019 Figeac Petit-Figeac – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, forward, and already just great to taste due to all the ripe, sweet, red plums, cherries, flowers, earth and herbs. Silky, refined and ready to go, you can enjoy this on release or age it for more complexity. Drink from 2022-2032. 91 Pts

2019 Fleur Cardinale – Dark in color with a nose that sports espresso bean, smoke, licorice, crushed stone and chocolate-covered plums. There is richness, freshness and balance and layers of black and red fruits liberally coated with cocoa, licorice and coffee. I am really liking how this is developing. The wine is a blend of 76% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2023-2039. 94 Pts

2019 Fleur Cardinale Croix Cardinale – Licorice, coffee, chocolate, black cherries and a tiny hint of fig open the nose. The wine is round, lush and polished with a wave of black cherries, plums and espresso in the finish. This is already nice in your glass. Drink from 2023-2034. 91 Pts

2019 Fleur Cardinale Intuition – Dark chocolate covered cherries and plums on the nose and in the forward, soft, round, sweet, fruit filled palate are what you find here. You can drink this on release. 2022-2032. 90 Pts

2019 Fombrauge – Deeply colored, with little effort you find roses. chocolate, licorice, smoke, espresso cherries and black plums. Lush, round, soft and polished, there is freshness and length in the fruit-packed, chewy finish. The wine blends 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2022-2037. 92 Pts

2019 Fonroque – The nose comes through with its leafy floral, spicy nuances that mesh perfectly with all of its ripe, dark red fruits and hints of cocoa on the nose and on the medium-bodied palate. Fresh, vibrant, elegant and refined, the wine finishes with elegance, energy and lift. Drink from 2023-2034. 91 Pts

2019 Franc La Rose – Smoke, slate, charcoal, underbrush and red plums come into the perfume. Medium-bodied, soft, forward, fresh and fruity, with a dusty, cherry and cocoa mid-palate and finish, give this a year or so in the cellar and it should be even better. Drink from 2023-2032. 89 Pts

2019 Franc-Lartigue – Medium-bodied, fresh, bright, early-drinking plummy wine with an earthy, spiced edge that will be best in its youth. Drink from 2022-2027. 85 Pts

2019 Franc-Mayne – Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine opens with floral, cocoa, licorice, smoke and plum aromatics. The medium-bodied wine is elegant, fresh and energetic, with a soft, polished texture that is perfect for all of its layers of sweet, ripe, fresh, red fruits and chocolate on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2036. 93 Pts

2019 Gabriel Lauzat – Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, crisp, crunchy red fruits are on the nose and palate of this red forward, ready to drink, peppery, strawberry and red plum filled wine. Drink from 2022-2027. 85 Pts

2019 Godeau – With its refined, medium-bodied character you are quickly able to dig into all of its layers of sweet, espresso tinged, polished, lush, ripe, dark red fruits. There is more than enough fruit and character to provide at least 15 years of pleasure. But, give it a year or two in the cellar for the oak to better integrate. Drink from 2023-2035. 92 Pts

2019 Gourdins – Medium-bodied, fresh, forward, soft and silky styled wine with a focus on its core of sweet, ripe, red fruits. You can drink this with pleasure on release and for at least a decade or so. Drink from 2022-2029. 87 Pts

2019 Grace Fonrazade – Medium-bodied with a core of espresso, green, leafy herbs, earth and peppery red fruits, the wine is forward, fresh and savory with an earthy herb and red berry finish You can drink this on release. 87 Pts

2019 Gracia – Round, lush, deep, dark fresh and loaded with licorice, smoke, chocolate, black cherries, espresso and smoke. Rich, full, plush and polished, the wine finishes with layers of chocolate coated blackberries and plums. This will be ready for enjoyment with only a modicum of cellaring. Drink from 2023-2039. 93 Pts

2019 Gracia Les Angelots de Gracia – Forward, round, fresh and fruity, the wine is packed with chewy-textured, red berries, oak and savory herbs. Give it a few years in the cellar to soften and integrate. Drink from 2024-2036. 91 Pts

2019 Grand Destieu – Soft, polished, fresh, silky red fruits and crushed rocks create the core of this little-known gem. Deep in color, fragrant, fresh and spicy with load of sweet fruits on the palate and in the finish, this is a nice find. Give it a bit of time in the cellar for more complexity. Drink from 2023-2034. 91 Pts

2019 Grand Mayne – Floral, earthy, smoky, and racy, the wine exudes class and charm with its layers of medium-bodied, soft, fresh, pure, silky, vibrant, mineralistic, red berries. Vibrant and refined, with length and complexity, this is so good now and it is only going to get better with age. This is a clear contender for the best vintage of Grand Mayne ever produced! Drink from 2024-2042. 94 Pts

2019 Grand-Barrail-Lamarzelle – Medium-bodied, soft, supple, forward and fruity, with a polished, plum and dark cherry finish. This will be just fine on release. 88 Pts

2019 Grand-Corbin – Flowers, licorice, red fruits and a touch of cocoa create the perfume. Medium-bodied, soft, vibrant and silky, with loads of sweet, ripe, refined cherries and plums on the mid-palate and in the elegantly-styled, fresh, energetic, polished finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 92 Pts

2019 Grand-Corbin-Despagne – This was just great from the barrel and it is even better now that it is bottled. The wine is lush, round, deep, rich and complex. There is depth, freshness and complexity that shines through with all of its layers of deep, red fruits, black cherries, plums, cocoa and wet earth. This is already showing well, but with a few years in the cellar, it is going to be even better. This is the finest vintage of Grand Corbin-Despagne ever produced. Drink from 2024-2036. 94 Pts

2019 Grandes Murailles – Dried flowers, smoke, licorice, plums, espresso and cherries show off easily in the perfume. Medium-bodied, elegant, silky, fresh and filled with ripe, pure, fruits, the finish leaves you with sensuously-textured, cocoa-topped sweet cherries, licorice, coffee bean and spice. Give this just a year or 2 in the cellar and it is going to even better! The wine is produced from 100% old vine Merlot. Drink from 2023-2036. 93 Pts

2019 Grangey – Silky, fresh, polished red fruits on the palate are already filled with charm and pleasure. Easy to like and even easier to drink this well-priced gem leaves with you a bushel of vibrant red fruits and a touch of spice. Drink from 2022-2031. 90 Pts

2019 Grangey Les 5 Parcelles – Supple textured black cherries, plums, dark chocolate and a dash of herbs hits all the right notes. Medium-bodied, soft, silky and fresh, the vibrant fruit offers a nice sense of purity on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 92 Pts

This is only Part 1. Look for Part 2 covering the 2019 Saint Emilion wines H-M in the next report followed by Part 3 with all the wines N-Z.

Post your comments or questions now