James Suckling (94-95)

A full-bodied wine but showing so much in finesse and beauty. It slowly builds on the palate to give an crescendo of subtle fruit and fine tannins. Subtle undertones of oyster shell and iodine. Unique. This only has 9% cabernet franc. Rest is merlot.

James Suckling (97-98)

This is very intense and mineral on the palate with so much salt and white pepper character. Full and powerful. A great and structured L’If.

James Suckling (97-98)

This is very intense and mineral on the palate with so much salt and white pepper character. Full and powerful. A great and structured L’If.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96+)

The 2016 L'If, 100% Merlot in this vintage, is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. The allure the 2016 showed as a young barrel sample has been replaced with huge structure and prominent yet well balanced tannins that both give the wine its strong-voiced personality. Readers should be prepared to be patient with the 2016, as it is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. Even so, the 2016 is super-impressive in the early going, not to mention a fabulous wine in the making. Cyrille Thienpont gave the 2016 14 months in French oak, 50% new.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2017 L'If is fabulous. Rich and dense in the glass, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts intensity and vertical explosiveness. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice, smoke and dried flowers infuse the 2017 with tremendous complexity as well as nuance. The tannins are pretty much buried by the sheer depth of the fruit, while bright floral and spice notes punctuate the super-expressive finish.

James Suckling (99)

Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, licorice, dried lavender, nutmeg and grated milk chocolate. Pure raspberries, walnut husks and crushed peppercorns as well. It’s full-bodied with firm, racy tannins that go on for minutes. So sleek and polished with a long finish. Really amazing and perhaps the best wine ever from here. Same ownership as the legendary Le Pin from Pomerol. Slightly more cabernet franc (30% instead of 20%) in the blend may have made the difference. The rest is merlot. Clearly the best wine ever from here, since the official first vintage 2011. Try from 2026.

James Suckling (99)

Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, licorice, dried lavender, nutmeg and grated milk chocolate. Pure raspberries, walnut husks and crushed peppercorns as well. It’s full-bodied with firm, racy tannins that go on for minutes. So sleek and polished with a long finish. Really amazing and perhaps the best wine ever from here. Same ownership as the legendary Le Pin from Pomerol. Slightly more cabernet franc (30% instead of 20%) in the blend may have made the difference. The rest is merlot. Clearly the best wine ever from here, since the official first vintage 2011. Try from 2026.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97+)

The 2019 L'If is the sort of wine I would like to spend hours with. There is just too much to it. At times the 2019 is opulent and quite racy, and yet in other moments its the underlying minerality and tension in the wine that are most evident. Black cherry, herb, incense, licorice and mocha gradually open over time. The 25% Cabernet Franc comes through nicely, both in the wine's aromatic profile and overall structure. L'If is a wine to buy and cellar for a decade or more. I loved it.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97-99)

Richly-textured, sensuous and silky, the wine opens with flowers, licorice, plums, spice box, roasted nuts and black, red and blue fruits. Opulent, fresh, long and velvety, the wine is refined, complex and concentrated. The fruit coats your palate, yet retains its freshness, lift, elegance and purity. The over 50 second finish leaves you with layers of vibrant, black and red fruits, savory herbs, minerality and spicy cocoa. This remains one of the new stars of St. Emilion and is a wine to follow before prices jump. The wine blends 84% Merlot with 16% Cabernet Franc, 14.8% ABV, pH 3.52.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97-99)

Richly-textured, sensuous and silky, the wine opens with flowers, licorice, plums, spice box, roasted nuts and black, red and blue fruits. Opulent, fresh, long and velvety, the wine is refined, complex and concentrated. The fruit coats your palate, yet retains its freshness, lift, elegance and purity. The over 50 second finish leaves you with layers of vibrant, black and red fruits, savory herbs, minerality and spicy cocoa. This remains one of the new stars of St. Emilion and is a wine to follow before prices jump. The wine blends 84% Merlot with 16% Cabernet Franc, 14.8% ABV, pH 3.52.

James Suckling (95-96)

A serious and saline red with blue fruit, cloves, iodine and black licorice. Oyster shells, too. Medium to full bodied with fine, firm tannins that run the length of the wine. Focused. 79% merlot and 21% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (95-96)

A serious and saline red with blue fruit, cloves, iodine and black licorice. Oyster shells, too. Medium to full bodied with fine, firm tannins that run the length of the wine. Focused. 79% merlot and 21% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (95-96)

A serious and saline red with blue fruit, cloves, iodine and black licorice. Oyster shells, too. Medium to full bodied with fine, firm tannins that run the length of the wine. Focused. 79% merlot and 21% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (98-99)

Gorgeous and very fine tannins with a fine velvet texture and wonderful berry, chocolate and hazelnut character. Medium-bodied with round and balanced tannins with serenity and a crunchy finish. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (98-99)

Gorgeous and very fine tannins with a fine velvet texture and wonderful berry, chocolate and hazelnut character. Medium-bodied with round and balanced tannins with serenity and a crunchy finish. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (96-97)

What strikes you about this wine is the center-palate and the purity of cool fruit notes, such as brambleberry and orange peel. Medium body. Whole and layered with ultra-fine tannins leading to a silky texture and persistent finish.

James Suckling (96-97)

What strikes you about this wine is the center-palate and the purity of cool fruit notes, such as brambleberry and orange peel. Medium body. Whole and layered with ultra-fine tannins leading to a silky texture and persistent finish.

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L'Ostal Cazes Minervois Liviniere 2021 is a distinguished wine from the renowned Minervois region in Southern France. Crafted by the esteemed L'Ostal Cazes estate, this 2021 vintage embodies the terroir's unique character. Handpicked Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre grapes are meticulously vinified using traditional fermentation methods in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, ensuring optimal expression of fruit and structure. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, imparting subtle complexity and refined tannins. The Côte de Livinière vineyard, renowned for its granitic soils and Mediterranean climate, contributes to the wine’s vibrant acidity and rich flavour profile, featuring notes of dark berries, black pepper, and earthy undertones. L'Ostal Cazes, with a legacy spanning generations, continues to uphold excellence through sustainable viticultural practices and a commitment to quality. L'Ostal Cazes Minervois Liviniere 2021 is an exemplary expression of fine French winemaking, perfect for discerning palates.

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Savour the splendour of La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006. Expertly crafted in the illustrious Rhône region of France, this prestigious wine offers an exquisite balance of floral and fruit notes with subtle hints of spice. Sublime Grenache dominates this blend, coupled with Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault in smaller proportions, offering a layered and complex palette.

Hailing from Domaine la Barroche, a family estate with a rich heritage dating back to the 17th century, this wine encapsulates centuries-old traditional winemaking techniques. With careful adherence to biodynamic practices, the estate ensures the purest expression of Terroir. Handpicked grapes, native yeast fermentation and ageing in a mixture of barrels, vats and amphorae enhance its distinguishing character.

La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 boasts a lively ruby hue and exhibits an elegant evolution, promising myriad dimensions of pleasure to discerning oenophiles. Truly, this wine stands as a testament to the artistry of French viticulture. Indulge in the finesse of La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006.

Wine Advocate (97)

Always showing well (which is a trait of the vintage), the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure is about as sexy as wine gets. Just layered with notions of sweet kirsch liqueur, raspberries, ground pepper, herbes de Provence and licorice, it's a wine I could see rating a few points higher if it wasn't in a retrospective lineup like this. Silky, seamless, full-bodied and perfectly balanced, with fine tannin and a blockbuster finish, drink it anytime over the coming 15 years.

Wine Advocate (100)

A wine that will rival the '05 in another handful of years, the utterly profound 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure offers the most purity and precision of any of the cuvees, yet backs it up with incredible concentration and depth. Giving up tons of blackberry, kirsch, black cherries, pepper, ground herbs and licorice, it's impeccably balanced and manages somehow to deliver an insane amount of fruit and texture in a lively, graceful and elegant style. Grenache at its finest, give bottles 2-3 years and count yourself lucky anytime you're able to drink this elixir. It should have 20-25 years of longevity.

Vinous (93-95)

Bright violet. Highly fragrant raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and Asian spice scents show excellent clarity and pick up a smoky mineral quality with air. Deeply concentrated but shockingly lithe red and dark berry flavors reach every corner of the palate and show no rough edges. Candied lavender and spicecake qualities emerge on an impressively long, focused and subtly tannic finish that emphatically echoes the blue fruit note.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

Offering more kirsch liqueur, lavender, incense and sweet spice, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure is another gorgeous, balanced, seamless beauty. Fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and solid freshness all develop in the glass, and it has a great finish. Like the traditional cuvée, it's elegant, long, and will keep for 15+ years. This cuvée is always from the same parcel located at the intersection of the le Grand Pierre, le Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits, is fermented all in concrete and spends 18 months in a single foudre. There are only 250 cases produced and it’s year in, year out, one of the greatest Grenache’s made in the world.

Wine Advocate (99)

There are nearly 300 cases of the nectar that is the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure. Produced from 100+-year-old Grenache vines grown in sandy soils, simply put, it's just awesome juice. A kaleidoscope of red fruits—cherries, raspberries and strawberries—swirl languorously across the palate, boasting great intensity while seeming weightless at the same time. Hints of dried herbs and spices add complexity to this luscious concoction, which must be tasted to be believed. Silky and endless, and showing no alcoholic heat on the finish, it's the poster child for great Grenache. Am I being too conservative at 99 points?