March 26, 2024 - Canon vs. Duffau-Lagarrosse 2009-2020 tasted blind (Fribourg): Medium garnet, Nose of dark fruit, sweet spices, well judge oak, medium plus bodied, buttery oak notes. Lovely may be not the last word on complexity (yet). Has upside from here. 93+
January 16, 2024 - The 2019 is a blend of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV. From half-bottle. Decanted for two hours. Ripe red, blue, and black fruit, black currant, plum, ripe blueberry, ripe strawberry, ripe raspberry, espresso, smoke, spices, liquorice, coconut, and vanilla, with medium-minus acidity, light, fine, firm tannin, and very good length. Good structure and great concentration. Creamy texture. Light heat from the alcohol on the back-end. A modernistic interpretation of St. Émilion, and an outstanding wine. While accessible already, this young wine will need time to digest the generous oak. Drink from 2031+.
November 27, 2023 - Clearly too early to pass judgement (score should have a ?) but for me missing that freshness I have enjoyed in other 2019s - just a bit burly right now. A no- thanks for the cellar for now.
October 31, 2023 - 2019 Bordeaux Tasting, MW tasting (Vintner's Hall, London): 74% Mer 26% CF, 14.50%
angry, heady, black fruit, some pyrazine in the back
Palate shows edges, depth, herbs, ripe fresh black fruit, tannins, fruit liqueur, med finish, feels uneven, unbalanced
October 30, 2023 - Wine is technically well made, leaning toward Napa style. Drinking blind, could be Napa. Not a lot of earthiness, both tannin and acidity are high. Oak is present and not well controlled. A bit boring, I think.
September 25, 2023 - My colleagues and I organized a mini Canon vertical to redefine the scores in relation to the fabulous 2022 vintage. We cannot put 100 points everywhere. 2021 not tasted. Naturally these notes correspond to an "M" moment and are likely to vary at another moment
1) 2020 100/100
2) 2019 -2022 (sample) 98-99/100
4) 2018-2016-2015 97-98/100
7) 2014 94/100
8) 2017 93/100
June 29, 2023 - From a half bottle.
Strange bottle compared to earlier samples I've had. Disjointed and awkward. Flawed?
April 27, 2023 - Nez leger, red berries, smoke, sous-bois... Nice crisp red cherries, sappy finish.
March 19, 2023 - Confit fruits on the nose, shows a lot riper than its top-tier right bank peers (Figeac/Cheval Blanc/VCC/Eglise Clinet). On the palate shows pure blue fruit notes, almost a ‘wine gum’ note
January 29, 2023 - Agree with REMYWORLDPEACE but on higher end of his range. Dense and creamy wine with good acids, but a bit monolithic and a little oaky right now. Oakiness softened with a couple hours of air. A wine to lay down for 15-20 years and wait for some transparent elegance.