Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion 2019

An appealing sweetness on the nose alongside touches of blackcurrant leaf. This is lovely, a dark and cool style focussed on liquorice and clove flavours backed by a core of blue fruits - blueberries, cherries and plums. You can feel some tension to this too, layers of fruit are elegantly presented but with energy and a deep mid palate. Tannins are fine and soft, gently supporting the fruit which is almost in the background at this point. A touch of austere dryness towards the finish while the spiced elements take over. Needs time to come together more but this has lots of delicious aspects. A soft stoniness lingers in the background giving a dry, wet stone texture and almost spicy, mineral edge overall. Good quality, I like this a lot.

The 2019 Larrivet Haut-Brion has an intriguing, well-defined nose showing more red than black fruit, with touches of camphor and blood orange seeping through. The palate is well-balanced and poised, with ripe blackberry and raspberry fruit and a slightly granular texture. The cohesive finish perhaps does not quite have the panache of, say, Carbonnieux. Still, this is very fine and should offer 25–30 years of drinking pleasure.

Medium-bodied, elegant, soft, silky, vibrant, and floral, the cherries and plums are sweet, balanced, and fresh, with a black raspberry and tobacco leaf note on the finish. Drink from 2022-2042.

A refined nose of blue fruits (blueberries), with chocolatey, spicy aromas and a hint of tobacco. A generous, elegant palate, seducing with notes of musky flowers, iris, and sandalwood. Fresh and appetizing on the palate, it’s a wine as edible as it is drinkable. We only want one thing: to have more!

Dark color, with moderate intensity. Highly aromatic nose, fruity and subtle. This is a remarkable wine that combines the aromatic advantages one might find in a white wine with the gentle tannic structure of the great Grands Crus of Graves. Ultra-perfumed, this wine also brings to mind Côtes-Rôties, with added oceanic vibrancy. It’s unspittable and very original. A superb outsider.

Open-knit, with a good ripe and friendly core of plum and black currant preserve flavors. Offers licorice root, tarry and savory notes that streak the finish and add range. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 12,000 cases made.

Black fruit, cherry stones, tar, walnut husk and undergrowth on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm, finely knit tannins. Layered and polished with a firm, mineral finish. Try after 2024.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Initial impression is sweet oak spice as well as rich black fruit. Pretty oaky on the palate too, a bit charry. Compact tannins yield to ripe black fruit. A little bit heavy-handed but lots of flavour. (JH)

Deep ruby, purple glints, slightly lighter at the rim. An aroma of fine cassis and blackberry jam, inviting bouquet. In addition, savoury wood undertones. Juicy, lovely fruit expression, elegance, refined tannins, and persistent. Nougat reverberations, good ageing potential.

A modern and dense example, with ripe dark fruit, new oak and oak-derived spiciness, vanilla and butterscotch, a dense palate, rounded extract, some oak presence on the palate, with ripe acidity and good length.

Moving to the red, the 2019 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion is a rich, broad, mouth-filling, spicy, complex and full-bodied style that has loads to love. Giving up lots of mulled red and black fruits as well as tobacco leaf, loamy soil, and chocolaty nuances, I love its balance, it has ripe tannins, and it will drink nicely for 20 to 25 years.

Deep ruby red. Opulent bouquet with prunes and licorice, backed by red fruit compote and Brazilian tobacco. On the palate, a finely firm texture with delicate, hearty notes underneath. A focused finish with blue berries and verbena.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 14.28% vol. alcohol, production 150,000 bottles) Sweet, creamy, full bouquet, blackberry jelly, plum, tobacco, chocolate, mocha. Balanced, finely textured palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, elegant structure, powerful dark aromatics, long, fresh finish.

(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 14.28% alc./vol., production 150,000 bottles) Sweet, creamy, full bouquet, blackberry jelly, plum, tobacco, chocolate, mocha. Balanced, fine‑grained palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, elegant structure, powerful dark aromatics, long, fresh finish. 17/20 2024 - 2042

Deep, bright fruits, beautifully smoky and nuanced. A high-quality wine with sleek damson fruit and a kick of cocoa bean, showcasing the improvements of the past few years at this well-placed estate, located right next to Haut-Bailly. Yield of 35 hl/ha, 70% new oak.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Larrivet Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with bold notes of blackcurrant cordial, redcurrant preserves, and baked plum, plus a hint of sautéed herbs and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, it is jam-packed with opulent fruit framed by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.

A superb bouquet thanks to its intensity, style and complexity. Inviting notes of cherries, blackcurrant and eucalyptus. A luscious attack followed by tannins that provide good breadth and pair well with the acidic structure. This Larrivet manages to stand out both for its elegance and for its fine, supportive tannins that promise aging, while also offering a gourmand character!