James Suckling (94-95)

This is firm and very tight with a ripe and compact tannin backbone to the blue fruit and hot-stone undertones. Medium to full body. Soft and lightly velvety tannins.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (95)

Joint ownership between Pradel de Lavaux and de Boüard de Laforest families, located on the plateau just above Angélus, with clay-limestone cool soils that are planted to 100% Merlot. This is beautifully deep in colour, and the tension and mouth-watering slate minerality that was evident during En Primeur is still here. Creamy blackberry fruits are brushed with smoked caramel, delivered with purity and poise, this is exceptionally good quality, and so different in character from its sister estate Angélus. Second to last vintage for longtime winemaker Emmanuelle Fulchi, showcasing her skills here.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

A riper, richer wine in the vintage, the 2019 Château Bellevue offers up lots of blackberry and currant-like fruits as well as spicy oak, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, polished tannins, shows the purity of the vintage, and just has loads of character. I like this today, but it should evolve positively over the coming 4-5 years and hold at a plateau for 15+.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (95)

Joint ownership between Pradel de Lavaux and de Boüard de Laforest families, located on the plateau just above Angélus, with clay-limestone cool soils that are planted to 100% Merlot. This is beautifully deep in colour, and the tension and mouth-watering slate minerality that was evident during En Primeur is still here. Creamy blackberry fruits are brushed with smoked caramel, delivered with purity and poise, this is exceptionally good quality, and so different in character from its sister estate Angélus. Second to last vintage for longtime winemaker Emmanuelle Fulchi, showcasing her skills here.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93-95)

The 2020 Bellevue is always so seductive out of barrel and this is no different, armed with glorious, extremely pure black cherries, blueberry, crushed violet and iris scents, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, and quite zesty on the midpalate, revealing veins of blood orange. Cohesive on the finish with a veneer of new oak that will require a few years to be fully assimilated. Lovely.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93-95)

The 2020 Bellevue is always so seductive out of barrel and this is no different, armed with glorious, extremely pure black cherries, blueberry, crushed violet and iris scents, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, and quite zesty on the midpalate, revealing veins of blood orange. Cohesive on the finish with a veneer of new oak that will require a few years to be fully assimilated. Lovely.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Even in a vintage such as 2003 there are wines that are youthful, unevolved and still in need of bottle age. The 2003 Bellevue Mondotte is one of those wines. From a tiny (5 acres) estate owned by Gerard Perse, this blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits youthful aromas of blue and black fruits, chalk dust, lead pencil shavings and Christmas fruitcake. Full, ripe and moderately tannic, it requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and could turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, lasting another 25-30 years.

Wine Advocate (100)

Made up of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the opaque bluish/purple 2005 from Bellevue-Mondotte offers amazing chocolate espresso notes along with blueberry and blackberry liqueur, some incense and a hint of flowers. Full-bodied and staggeringly concentrated, this blockbuster wine (in a blockbuster vintage) is unreal. Talk about a wine that is beyond belief – this is a great achievement from Chantal and Gérard Perse. Drink it over the next 25-30 years. Sadly, there were only 340 or so cases produced.

Wine Advocate (94)

Very little wine is produced (about 400 cases) from this tiny 5-acre vineyard, but it is always among the most concentrated and richest of Bordeaux. The inky/purple-colored 2007 offers sweet cassis fruit notes interwoven with notions of graphite, chalk dust, and toast. Full-bodied with terrific purity and intensity (14.5% alcohol), it should drink well for 20+ years.

Wine Advocate (95+)

An extraordinary effort in this vintage, this 2008 was made from lower yields than the 2010 (the 2008's equaled 20 hectoliters per hectare) and is a blend of 90% Merlot and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon that came in at 14% natural alcohol. Michel Rolland has been the consultant for all the Perse estates since their acquisition, and the 2008's fruit was harvested very late, October 20. The result is a backward, dense purple-colored wine revealing a crushed rock-like liqueur along with highly extracted, massive flavors of black currants, sweet cherries, licorice and toast. This full-bodied effort requires 5-6 years of bottle age and should last for 25-30 years.

Wine Advocate (100)

The inky/blue/purple-colored 2009 Bellevue Mondotte offers aromas of creme de cassis, mulberries, licorice, white flowers, forest floor and candied cherries. Extremely thick, rich and full-bodied, it is nearly overwhelming in its textural richness, colossal concentration and mind-blowing finish that lasts nearly a minute. Undeniably massive and over-sized, but perfectly balanced, it is made for those looking for something to put away for 30-50+ years. One has to admire a proprietor who is making a wine for the history books, not for near-term gratification.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94+)

Saturated dark ruby. High-toned aromas of black raspberry, blueberry and smoky oak. Superripe, lush, chewy and deep, with a distinctly high-toned quality to the fine-grained flavors of wild dark berries, espresso, graphite and dark chocolate. For all its sweetness, there's no shortage of acidity here. The broad, sweet, building tannins give shape to the fruit of this massive wine, which remained impressively fresh in the recorked bottle.

Wine Advocate (96)

The smallest of the Perse estates, this tiny property situated on pure limestone produces a wine made from a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the superstars of this vintage, the 2012 is opaque purple and exhibits tremendous concentration and richness, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a layered texture that builds incrementally without any heaviness or cloying characteristics. This is stunning, great, old-style, yet progressively made Bordeaux to drink over the next 25-30 years. The alcohol level is 14.3%.

Vinous (98)

Bellevue Mondotte is magnificent in 2016. Stunningly rich and concentrated, with tremendous structure, the 2016 has so much to offer. Crème de cassis, raspberry jam, lavender, graphite, game, menthol and a whole rush of inky blue/purplish fruit emerge from this explosive, captivating Saint-Émilion. In 2016 Bellevue Mondotte balances sumptuousness with saline-infused energy and persistence. It is without question one of the truly great wines of the vintage.

Vinous (98)

Bellevue Mondotte is magnificent in 2016. Stunningly rich and concentrated, with tremendous structure, the 2016 has so much to offer. Crème de cassis, raspberry jam, lavender, graphite, game, menthol and a whole rush of inky blue/purplish fruit emerge from this explosive, captivating Saint-Émilion. In 2016 Bellevue Mondotte balances sumptuousness with saline-infused energy and persistence. It is without question one of the truly great wines of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (96-98)

There was no frost in this vineyard in 2017, due to its elevation. Made up of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2017 Bellevue Mondotte has a seriously earthy character—molten rocks—with suggestions of truffles and fertile soil over a core of crème de cassis and plum preserves, plus a hint of camphor. The palate is medium to full-bodied, concentrated, intense and powerful with firm, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Grapes for this wine come from the plateau with yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare. Composed of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with a 3.5 pH and 14.56% alcohol, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Bellevue Mondotte slowly unfurls to offer profound scents of chocolate-covered cherries, preserved plums, blackberry compote and espresso, with hints of candied violets, tapenade, cast-iron pan and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied, opulently fruited palate is laden with black fruit and earthy layers, supported by a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long and perfumed. It's tempting to drink now, but give it a good 5 years in bottle for maximum impact and drink it over the next 25 years or more.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is a terrific wine that has everything, from seamless texture to great depth of fruit. Full-bodied, yet agile and energetic. Pure merlot. One of the best I have had from here.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is a terrific wine that has everything, from seamless texture to great depth of fruit. Full-bodied, yet agile and energetic. Pure merlot. One of the best I have had from here.

James Suckling (95-96)

An intense, full-bodied red with lots of fruit and dark chocolate. Round and juicy tannins. Flavorful finish. Very rich. Salt and minerals. Pure merlot.

Nestled in the vineyards of Bordeaux, France, enjoy a true viticultural masterpiece, l'Excellence de Belliard 2010. Crafted by the esteemed Belliard family, their passion and dedication to winemaking is evident in every bottle of this luxuriously crafted vintage. Evocative of the rich terroir from which it hails, the 2010 blend exhibits an eloquent expression of sophisticate harmony and depth.

Benefitting from the advantageous climate of Bordeaux, the l'Excellence de Belliard 2010 is matured for twenty-four months in French Oak barrels. This technique imbues a nuanced, complex character - a fusion of ripe red fruits, subtle licorice, and delicate spice notes. The robust structure and velvety tannins presente a sublime, lingering finish guaranteed to enrapture the palate.

Earning global recognition for its outstanding quality, the l'Excellence de Belliard 2010 is a treasure to be savoured. This rising star in the vinous firmament offers impeccable proof that perfection truly can be bottled.

Unveiling the splendour of classical French wine-making, the Belliviere Coteaux Loir Vv Eparses 2018 is a wine lover’s delight. Exquisitely crafted from 100% Chenin Blanc grapes, this distinguished creation originates from a collection of old vineyards found in Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir by the esteemed Bellivière family. The grapes from these respectful vineyards are meticulously handpicked and vinified separately to preserve their unique identities.

Applying the traditional biodynamic farming approach intertwined with modern vinification techniques, this result is a wine with an expressive bouquet marked by fruity undertones, flaunting a balanced acidity. Its elegance, combined with a lingering minerality, pays the truest homage to its terroir. Endowed with a potential for an extended cellar life, this gem is a testament to the Bellivière’s unyielding commitment to crafting wines vouchsafing superior quality. Delight in each sip of the Belliviere Coteaux Loir Vv Eparses 2018 and embark on a flavour journey through the revered French wine territories.