Relish in a symphony of flavours with the Gombaude-Guillot Pomerol 2019, a magnificent biodynamic libation heralding from the esteemed vineyards of Bordeaux, France. Recognised for their artisan approach, Château Gombaude-Guillot has maintained meticulous tradition since the 17th century, resulting in a wine of celebrated elegance and palpable personality.

Exclusively from certified organic grapes, Gombaude-Guillot Pomerol 2019 has a lavish, multi-layered palate presenting sumptuous dark fruits alongside softer notes of truffle and spice. Produced from a blend of exquisite Merlot and Cabernet Franc, a complex structure and buoyant acidity vivaciously waft from each glass, promising a lengthy finish that evolves superbly with age.

Rapturous reviews from world-class critics acclaim its bold intensity and expressive depth, affirming the Gombaude-Guillot Pomerol 2019 as the crown jewel of this iconic winery. Experience the harmonious marriage of tradition and ambition with each refined sip of this redolent Bordeaux classic.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2019 Grand Corbin Despagne turned out beautifully. Readers will find a big, statuesque Saint-Émilion built on vertical energy. Black cherry, plum, graphite, spice, licorice and gravel lend nuance to this explosive, potent Saint-Émilion. Gravel, scorched earth, tobacco and incense lend gravitas on the substantial finish. This is an especially powerful, earthy Saint-Émilion. Quite simply, the 2019 is a flat out stunner.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

The 2019 Hosanna is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2019 possesses off the charts fruit intensity. As always Hosanna leans towards the dark side of black/blue fruit. An exotic mélange of tar, gravel, licorice, incense and spice builds in the glass, filling out the layers effortlessly. Soft contours give Hosanna its allure, but I would not be in any rush here. The balance of opulent fruit and structure makes for a super-compelling Pomerol.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

The last vintage produced by Pomerol legend, Denis Durantou, (who sadly passed away May 2020), is one of his best. A testament to his devotion to his vineyards, the wine explodes with a gorgeous set of aromatics packed with flowers, chocolate, truffle, plums, black cherries, and wet earth. But it is on the palate where the magic takes place. Incredibly concentrated, rich, ostentations, silky and vibrant, the wine offers incredible purity to the fruit, which is a good thing because the finish is not something you want to lose sight of, as its showy display of chocolate-tinged, dark red fruits, licorice, spice, and black cherries lingers, builds and expands. Built to age and evolve, give it some time in the cellar and enjoy it for 3 decades with ease. This is exactly the type of wine Denis Durantou truly loved making. Owners of this beauty should toast him and his years of work at L'Eglise Clinet. I know I will.

James Suckling (97-98)

Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon.

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.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2019 La Clotte was picked from September 27 to October 7. It has a complex bouquet of detailed red berry fruit, wild hedgerow, crushed stone and wilted rose petal aromas, engaging and (for the vintage) understated. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe and beautifully poised, with pliant tannins and a judicious touch of spice. This builds wonderfully in the mouth and feels elegant and refined, almost Burgundian on the finish. Wonderful.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An utterly brilliant Pomerol and the finest wine from this estate to date, surpassing even the 2016, the 2019 Château La Conseillante checks in as 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc and was raised in 70% new French oak. A wine of incredible finesse, purity, and precision, its deep purple hue is following by an incredible array of blueberries, crème de cassis, spring flowers, damp earth, and violets. Flawlessly balanced, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ultra-fine, utterly seamless tannins, and a heavenly finish. It doesn't have the sheer density or outright power of some of the other top Pomerols, but as I wrote in the barrel sample review, no one marries elegance with opulence as well as Conseillante. This magical Pomerol will take a decade to hit full maturity and will evolve for 30 years or more. This is haute couture at its absolute pinnacle, and as I wrote in the barrel review, hats off to Marielle Cazaux for producing one of the top wines of the vintage.

Decanter (94)

Blackcurrant, coffee beans and toast on the nose. This is ample and so concentrated with a deep core of black fruit and liquorice. Tannic muscle but carefully integrated supporting the fruit to give a balanced frame overall. Feels sophisticated, heady and seductive. Long ageing potential.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2019 La Fleur-Pétrus is pure and total seduction. Trotanoy and perhaps also Hosanna have traditionally been viewed as more exclusive Pomerols in the Moueix portfolio. The more time passes, the less I share that view. Sure, La Fleur-Pétrus does not have the mystique associated from a small single vineyard - as many Pomerols do - and yet there is no denying the elegance and class here. Bright red fleshed fruit, blood orange and exotic spice race across the palate, framed by silky, plush tannins that wrap it all together. La Fleur-Pétrus is fabulous. That's all there is to it.

The Wine Independent (96+)

The 2019 La Gaffeliere is composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it spills from the glass with alluring notions of black raspberries, boysenberry preserves, Morello cherries, and roses, plus suggestions of Ceylon tea, dried mint, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly crafted and refreshing, bursting with bright, lively fruit, finishing long and achingly floral. This is an effortlessly gorgeous Saint-Emilion, not to be missed.

Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)

Magic stuff all the way, and certainly up there with the heavenly 2015 and 2016, the 2019 La Mondotte comes from a 12-acre vineyard of limestone (and some clay) soils located just above Pavie Decesse. It offers everything you could want in a Saint-Emilion with its rich, opulent texture, notable minerality, terrific balance, and an incredible sense of elegance, in both its texture and its tannins. Offering powerful notes of black cherries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco, chocolate, cedar, and violets, it has plenty of tannins, yet they're perfectly ripe and integrated. It's full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and just a joy to taste today, yet it's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for three decades.

James Suckling (95-96)

A really refined red with blue fruit, subtle chocolate and sandalwood. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and refined. Very pure. It goes on and on. One of the best I remember.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

Coming from the same team as Château Le Gay yet a tiny selection of Merlot, the 2019 Château La Violette offers a slightly more elegant, finesse-driven style that carries gorgeous blue fruits, violets, damp earth, and exotic, floral nuances. This beauty has ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and is just an incredible mix of power and elegance. Bravo.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

If tasting the 2019 Château Lafleur doesn't just blow you away, I'm not sure what will. A perfect wine, if such a thing exists, it offers such a complex, singular profile in its black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, licorice, exotic flowers, white truffles, and sandalwood. On the palate, it has serious structure, yet the tannins build with time in the glass, and the mid-palate density and balance are so flawlessly integrated, you have to actually hunt for the structure. Pure, sensationally rich, and at the same time elegant, with awesome depth of fruit, this is what wine dreams are made of. It might be the finest young wine to ever pass my lips. It needs a solid decade of bottle age, 15 years would be even better (it will still blow your mind any time over the coming decade), and it will evolve gracefully over the following 30-40 years.

James Suckling (98-99)

A full-bodied red that’s powerful, very rich and very deep. Floral and spicy with dried fruit, earth, tobacco and mushrooms. Dense center palate. Great depth. Traditional.

The Wine Independent (95+)

The 2019 Laroque, composed of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It sports cedary overtones to start off, giving way to notes of stewed black plums, blueberry pie, and Chinese five spice with hints of crushed rocks and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate has a formidable backbone of firm tannins, with a lively line and muscular fruit, finishing long. This one is built for the longhaul, so give it another 3-5 years in cellar and drink it over the following 15 to 20-years+.

James Suckling (94-95)

This is a very intense, focused red with blackberry and spice character. I am impressed with the polished tannins and flavorful finish. One of the best I have seen from here for a while.

Decanter (95)

Wonderfully evocative nose, rich and vibrant, floral and perfumed alongside red fruits with a tiny touch of wood spice. Rich but dark and cooling, a brooding and bewitching style with liquorice-laced fruit and firm tannins. Serious, mouth filling, concentrated and rich but well delivered. There is a clarity to the fruit but this is all muscle and sinew at the moment. Lovely but tight and tense, so focussed with a hint of crushed stone and mint on the finish. A characterful style.

James Suckling (96)

A perfumed nose of dark cherries, plums, mocha, tea leaves, cedar, hazelnuts and cigar box. Full-bodied with fine, creamy and supple tannins. Framed and balanced with a harmonious structure. The tannin backbone runs through the wine. Long and intense with wonderful purity of fruit. Drink from 2026.

James Suckling (94-95)

A really succulent, refined second wine with berries, chocolate and light toasted oak. It’s full and completely integrated with seamless tannins and a fresh finish. Lovely, sweet ripe fruit in the center palate. Extremely refined. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.

Wine Enthusiast (97-99)

This magnificently situated parcel of old-vine Cabernet Franc continues to impress. It is intensely perfumed in smoky black fruits, displaying a dark, tight structure that leads through to finely textured tannins. The wine's acidity and succulent ripeness come through strongly. This is for long-term aging.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

From one of my favorite estates in Pomerol, the deep purple-hued 2019 Château Le Gay checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in mostly new French oak. This is a ripe, sexy, superrich, blockbuster styled effort with awesome aromatics (cassis, spice, tobacco, damp earth, and chocolate), a deep, layered mid-palate, ripe tannins, and an awesome finish. This is a 2019 barrel sample I thought about drinking.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2019 Mazeyres is bright, effusive and so inviting. Blood orange, mint, rose petal, white pepper, espresso and incense are some of the many notes that soar from the glass. Mazeyres is not a big or obvious wine. Instead, it is a Pomerol that is all about understatement and class. As always, the Cabernet Franc is a strong marker.

James Suckling (98-99)

Really classy red, offering blueberries, minerals, salt, limestone and light fresh herbs. It’s full-bodied, but so refined. Fine layers of fruit and tannins. It’s like millefeuille. The 2018 is more exuberant, but I love the elegance and structure here. Subtle and complex. 78% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2019 Les Pensées has a very pure, floral bouquet of blackberry, crushed rock, pressed iris flowers and just a touch of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, very structured for a Les Pensées, and strict toward the finish, which has impressive substance. Don’t be afraid to give this 3–5 years in bottle.

Decanter (94)

Blackberry notes on the nose, with some herbal perfume touches too that are so appealing. Smooth and softly textured, with chalky nuances and grippy black cherry, strawberry and blackcurrant leaf aspects giving structure and body. Succulent and juicy with mouthwatering freshness. Great vibrancy and drive with life. Super approachable with the same vein of refinement and charm that Figeac does so well.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

I continue to love this wine, and I think it's undervalued in the market. Coming from a walled vineyard near Libourne and managed by the incredible team at Cheval Blanc, the 2019 Château Quinault L'Enclos reveals a deep purple/ruby hue to go with a gorgeous seamless, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced profile that epitomizes the style of the vintage. The tannins are flawlessly integrated, it has a great mid-palate, and it offers up a wonderful bouquet of darker cherries, currants, leafy herbs, and chocolate. It can be drunk today with incredible pleasure given its balance and purity, but it’s going to cruise in cold cellars for at least two decades.

James Suckling (96-97)

One of the firmest, most structured Quintus with lots of beautiful fruit and powerful tannins. It’s a very classically structured red with blackberry and blueberry character. Lavender and spice underneath. Extremely intense. 55% merlot and 45% cabernet.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2019 Rocheyron has a gorgeous bouquet of red berry fruit and rose petals, hints of freshly tilled loam coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied, perfectly balanced, poised and harmonious, with seamlessly integrated oak, the Cabernet Franc lending freshness and a hint of bell pepper on the finish. Superb.