The Wine Independent (100)

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes tearing out of the glass with rambunctious scents of creme de cassis, juicy blackberries, and blueberry pie, leading to hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and tree bark with a touch of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of bright black fruits with loads of spicy sparks and a firm, wonderfully velvety texture, finishing long and energetic.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

Deep and shiny in color, tobacco leaf, cedar wood, pencil shavings and dark fruits appear with no effort at all. Full bodied, lively, vibrant and juicy fruits, this wine is long and intrepid with a strong tannic backbone. The tannins are perfectly polished and there is an established purity of fruit and a structure to age for decades. Like all the top vintages of Montrose, you will need to allow it time in the cellar, at least 10 to15 years, which in the world of Montrose is almost forward. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. The Grand Vin was made from 37% of the harvest, which took place September 12 to September 29.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

Deep and shiny in color, tobacco leaf, cedar wood, pencil shavings and dark fruits appear with no effort at all. Full bodied, lively, vibrant and juicy fruits, this wine is long and intrepid with a strong tannic backbone. The tannins are perfectly polished and there is an established purity of fruit and a structure to age for decades. Like all the top vintages of Montrose, you will need to allow it time in the cellar, at least 10 to15 years, which in the world of Montrose is almost forward. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. The Grand Vin was made from 37% of the harvest, which took place September 12 to September 29.

Wine Enthusiast (94)

This dense wine is full of generous fruits and a fine structure. Already balanced, notes of blackberry are hit with touches of spice and dark chocolate. Made by the team at Lynch-Bages, this has similar elegance.

James Suckling (94)

A red with very deep and intense fruit character, yet rich tannins to back it all up. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. The second wine of Cos d’Estournel is serious again in 2016. Try from 2025.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 1966 La Chapelle's bouquet possessed the most spectacular and persistent aromas of any wine in the vertical tasting. Dried herbs, new saddle leather, soy, roasted duck, grilled steak, and copious quantities of cassis, blackberry, and prune notes soared from the glass of this spectacularly fragrant effort. The promise exhibited by the bouquet did not come through on the palate. Nevertheless, there is still plenty of life remaining in this glycerin-imbued, expansive, lush, low acid, concentrated La Chapelle.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Matthew Jukes (20++)

Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.

Matthew Jukes (19++)

I fell for this wine in a microsecond – the very moment the first molecule of perfume exploded on my receptors. This is a step-change vintage for La Maison Bleue because I have not seen this degree of single-mindedness and overriding intention before in this wine. 2019 La Maison Bleue seems as if it has realised that it does not need to sit behind La Chapelle in Caroline Frey’s portfolio. It signals, loud and clear, that it ought to be seated alongside its more renowned stablemate and be accorded the opportunity to address the masses as an equal, not a subordinate. This is a bold move from this honed, sleek wine. In 2019, with just that little bit more power and ambition under its belt, it has broken free and it looks absolutely sensational. The fruit is regal and layered and the tannins are precision-cut and perfectly positioned making it every inch a superstar. By the end of day five of my tasting these amazing wines, La Maison Bleue seemed as if it were saying, let’s keep going! While this is a ‘finished barrel sample’, this wine wanted to be tested to its limits and I cannot fault its enthusiasm and excellence. You simply must track it down!

Matthew Jukes (18.5+)

With epic balance and stunning poise, La Maison Bleue is a Burgundian-shaped Hermitage in 2020, making it all the more intriguing and memorable. Like the others in this portfolio, the control here is remarkable, and the weight and length are astounding, too. Iodine and menthol hints coupled with garrigue and sanguineous moments add drama and detail to the sleek black core, but this is not an over-ripe or over-enthusiastic wine but a measured and contemplative soul. Delicious.

Matthew Jukes (19+)

There is extraordinary equilibrium in this sensational wine. It is so finely balanced it is baffling, and the depth and richness is offset with the most dramatic acid and strident minerality I have seen in a wine of this style. There are profound meadow-flower and stone fruit flavour here which enchant the senses but they are marshalled brilliantly by the citrus pith and green apple skin raspiness on the finish. This is the most exciting Chevalier I have ever tasted and it rivals the very best whites from this region and others besides.

James Suckling (94-95)

A super fragrant red with blackberry and blueberry aromas plus hints of blackcurrants. Full-bodied, powerful and structured. Tannic. Very long finish. A muscular and intense wine.

James Suckling (95-96)

This is the most powerful Phélan Segur I have ever tasted. A solid core of dense fruit and layered tannins that are so refined and polished. Remains fresh, energetic and bright. Yet, there’s plenty of harmony and balance.

James Suckling (96-97)

The complexity and depth is fantastic in this beautifully crafted, refined red. Such poise, finesse and length. Yet dense and very compacted. Love the texture precision. Goes on and on. Best ever?

Wine Advocate (93+)

A blend of 55% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Tronquoy-Lalande races out of the glass with bright, exuberant scents of Morello cherries, mulberries, warm plums and fresh blackcurrants plus touches of allspice, candied violets and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is laden with expressive black and red fruits plus loads of floral accents and a wonderfully plush texture, finishing long and fragrant.