Lilian Ladouys 2021

2019:

"Offering up aromas of sweet berries, cherries, licorice and spices, the 2019 Lilian Ladouys is medium to full-bodied, ample and charming, with a giving, easygoing profile and a clean, precise finish. It's a competent effort that shows none of the appellation's stereotypically hard edges." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Sweet currant and berry aromas with some very flowers follow through to a medium body, with firm and creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. I like the walnut and chocolate undertones. 59% merlot, 37% cabernet sauvignon, 3% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc. Better after 2023." - James Suckling

"Cru bourgeois exceptionnel. 59% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Organic certification in progress. Mid garnet. Some evolution at the rim. Really mellow and pleasing. A range of floral flavours and some ripe tannins add up to something very distinctive." - Jancis Robinson

"The 2019 Lilian Ladouys is absolutely beautiful, just as it was from barrel. The interplay of rich, radiant fruit and the savory, earthy notes that are typical of Saint-Estèphe make for a compelling, delicious and highly affordable wine to drink now and over the next handful of years." - Jancis Robinson

"From a large, 113-acre estate, this wine is dense, structured and full of dark coffee and spice flavors allied to rich tannins. Blackberry fruits shine through this texture promising aging. Drink from 2026." - Wine Enthusiast

"A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, freshly minted this year (from the 2018 vintage). I would put this right up there with the best vintages from Lilian Ladouys. It feels extremely silky, with such plump blackberry fruits that you could almost drink it straight away but there are tannins here, and the body of the wine closes down as it travels through the palate, suggesting it intends to get serious about ageing potential. Excellent quality overall, easy to recommend, although acidities are a touch higher than this in 2018 which may not please everyone. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, 30% new oak. 3.84pH. The harvest took place between 25 September and 9 October. Recently enlarged to 80ha with the addition of vineyards from both Tour de Pez and Clauzet (both good quality estates). Drinking Window 2026 - 2040" - Decanter