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B-21 Top Recommendation
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A sweet deal on a cellar worthy assortment of under the radar gems, this treasure trove of irresistible “five lollipop” selections are all bargain priced under $50 for B-21 Bordeaux lovers to stash away to enjoy over the next few decades, a terrific opportunity to stock the cellar with high scoring, value priced Bordeaux whether choosing a few favorites or mixing a case.
- Described as “enormously elegant, with tons of St Julien balance” by Jane Anson of Inside Bordeaux, the impressive 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Lagrange St. Julien is “a benchmark for the estate" according to Neal Martin of Vinous, a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot crafted with Lagrange’s highest proportion ever of Cabernet Sauvignon. Employing rigorous selection in the vineyard with only a third of the harvest going into the Grand Cru, winemaker Matthieu Bordes and consultant Eric Boissenot aged the 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Lagrange for 21 months in 50% new French oak barrels, yielding “a dark sumptuous wine” with a “super finessed personality” according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous and summed up as “a wine for some long-term aging” by the Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss.
- Crafted by the same stellar team as its Super Second sibling Leoville-Barton, the elegant 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Langoa Barton is “a soft, seamless, beautifully textured Saint-Julien” according to Jeb Dunnuck, a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc offering lush concentrated dark fruit over a framework of velvety tannins. Sourced from vineyards bordering Leoville-Barton and Leoville-Poyferre and the remainder further south near Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, Antonio Galloni of Vinous describes the luscious 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Langoa Barton as “an especially succulent, richly textured Langoa” that “will drink well right out of the gate” while the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley calls it “a timeless classic for patient readers with cold cellars” promising to evolve over the next few decades.
- Described ” by Vinous critic Antonio Galloni as “a bold, sumptuous Pauillac with soft contours, generous fruit and tons of sheer appeal, the muscular 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal offers dark energetic fruit layered with minerality and refined tannins on a long-lived finish, an overachiever earning the #7 spot on James Suckling's Ten Best Value Buys 2019 Bordeaux. Sourced from vineyards situated on the gravelly plateau between Lynch-Bages and Pichon-Baron, the richly textured 2019 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, delivering “a dash of savory on the sleek finish” according to the Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth and an outstanding value “from an estate that deserves to be much better known” according to the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley.
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Complex nose of blackberries, currants, oyster shells, iodine, gravel, cloves, dried leaves and bark. Medium-bodied with firm, very fine tannins. Layered and serious. Extremely long in the finish. Classic Pauillac. 20% aged in concrete. 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2026.
96 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022)
The classed growth, whose vineyard is in the south of Pauillac, is now performing impressively. This release has succulent black fruits that are braced with tannins and a firm, spicy structure. It is a dense wine that will age. Drink from 2026. Organic.
95 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (Oct 2022)
The 2019 Haut-Bages Libéral is a gorgeous wine from Claire Lurton, even if it has closed down a bit post-bottling. Deep and translucent in feel, the 2019 gradually reveals hints of crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, rose petal and orange peel. I especially admire the overall energy and aromatic presence. All the 2019 needs is a few years to fully come together.
94+ points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)
The 2019 Haut-Bages-Libéral has turned out superbly, offering up aromas of wild berries, cassis, licorice, rose petals and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless palate, its powdery structuring tannins hidden in an ample core of lively, succulent fruit. From biodynamically farmed vineyards located on clay-limestone and gravel soils to the north of Château Latour (as well as a parcel of gravel sandwiched between Pichon-Baron and Lynch-Bages), this is a terrific effort from an estate that deserves to be much better known.
94 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)
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