As stated in my previous post Avi Davidowitz, from the Kosher Wine Unfiltered blog, and I went to Paris and had three organized tastings. This was the second organized tasting of the trip and it was with IDS. IDS is officially called Les Vins IDS and IDS stands for International Distribution Service. On a lovely Wednesday afternoon, Avi and I jumped in an Uber and went to see Ben Uzan at IDS’s offices.

Le Vin IDS Wines

Many of the wines I tasted that day were wines I had tasted 6 months earlier in May 2023. There were two wines that I had not tasted earlier, the 2022 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique Blanc. In May it was the 2021 vintage. The other new wine was the 2020 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. We got the chance to taste the 2018, 2019, and 2020 vintages side-by-side, which was very cool!

Ben was so kind to have aired out the office room before we came in, as the smell of tobacco ash is always insufferable. I understand France is one of the few advanced nations in the world where smoking is still a thing. I have never tolerated it, the smell makes me retch, so Ben is always so kind to air out the room before we begin tasting his wonderful wines.

Once that was done I took in the room and I realized this was going to be an awesome tasting. I was not expecting a full replay of the May tasting, it was a true treat, and my many thanks. The full outlay was not for me, this was a very kind gesture by Ben for Avi and Ben’s other guests/friends, I was just a lucky recipient. It also gave me the time to take in this tasting in a far less rushed approach, as the wines were mostly tasting the same as they were 6 months ago. However, and this is important, it did give me a chance to better appreciate some of the wines. So, you will see some scores and note changes from the previous tasting. I will note those by RESCORED at the start of the notes.

This tasting was beyond comprehensive, this tasting was essentially the entire current wine portfolio of IDS. If IDS sold the wine it was at the tasting. There will be new 2021 wines released soon, if not already, in France, but the wines in this tasting are all available in France unless they are sold out. For example, maybe the 2019 Chateau Smith Haut-Lafite, but again, I have no idea of IDS inventory stocks!

In regards to whether these wines are here in the USA, the vast majority of them are indeed imported by M&M Importers and should be available in the NYC area.

White and Roses

The first 8 wines we tasted were the current whites and roses from Les Vin IDS. One of them is a favorite of mine, the 2018 Clos des Lunes Lune D’Argent – a lovely white Bordeaux that started a bit slow for me in 2019 but it has blossomed recently and I love it!

We started with the lovely 2022 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique Rose, Cotes de Provence, followed by the 2022 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique Blanc, Cru Classe, Cotes de Provence. There is only one rose and white this year, the Cuvee Fantastique.

Then came the lovely 2018 Clos des Lunes Lune D’Argent, it continues to impress, improve, and show its age-ability. I have been so badly burned with poor aging white wines, even from France/Europe, that I pull back hard on my DW. I would rather enjoy than curse at my wines! This is one of the RESCORED notes.

Then came a wine, the lovely 2021 Gustave Lorentz Riesling, Grand Cru, Alsace, a baby of a wine from Alsace made in the way I love, dry, and screaming with acidity and minerality. The Petrol joy will come later!
Ben did not pour the Gewurtztraminer, as Avi had it earlier, it is a nice wine but the off-dry approach is one I have a hard time with. Still professionally made and a real wine that may come around for me in a few years.

Then came the 2021 Jean Luc et Paul Aegerter Pouilly Fuisse, Premier Cru, Vers Cras, Pouilly Fuisse. It is a wine we have not had in Kosher for a long time now. A lovely mineral bomb! I am not sure of the exact vintage of the last one, but it has been a while!

Then came a lovely Sancerre, the 2021 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre, Grand Champs. Lots of fun! This is one of the wines that I did do a RESCORED on. It has truly moved along since May.

Followed by the 2021 Tokaj-Hetszolo Sarga Muskotaly, Tokaji, a unique and fun wine.

Finally, there was the beautiful 2020 Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc, Pessac-Leognan. This is a famous white wine and it was a joy to taste. In the non-kosher market, the white Chevalier is more expensive than the red, as in this kosher production as well! This too, is one of the wines that I did do a RESCORED on.

Red Wines

The next 23 wines – yes TWENTY-THREE wines were all red. I had tasted them all before in May and other times before that, other than one, the 2020 Chateau Trianon.

We started with a run of Burgundy wines. I can hear it now, 2021 red Burgundies, they must have all been horrible! As I stated in May, I was not expecting much, even now after only 6 months, but they were exactly the same as they were 6 months earlier. They are all well-made, balanced, and enjoyable. In the end, nice wines indeed! There are three 1er Cru wines and 2 Village wines.

That was followed by the red Cotes de Provence, a blend of Grenache and Syrah, the 2021 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique, Rouge, Cru Classe. A nice, tart, refreshing red wine.

After that, we moved to Bordeaux country! Starting with the 2020 Chateau du Bosquay, Bordeaux Superieur, is a solid WINNER wine for those that live in France. Outside, of France, the price would just go too high. Next came the 2021 Tour du Barail Bordeaux Superieur. It is an okay wine, not as bad as the other 2021 wines out there. Then came two Medoc wines, the 2020 Chateau Larrivaux. The wine was balanced and approachable. Next came one of my eternal QPR WINNER wines from IDS, the 2020 Chateau La Tour de By.

Next came the 2020 Chateau Leydet-Valentin, Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru, which is a wine that I sadly cannot come to love, it is always a bit too ripe for me, maybe it would be great to taste further evolved, but such is life!

Next came THREE successive vintages from Chateau Trianon. I posted about Chateau Trianon here, when we tasted the 2017 Petit Trianon, the 2018 Chateau Trianon, and the 2019 Chateau Trianon. I said then, do not buy the Petit Trianon, it was a waste of money. The two big brothers, the 2018 and 2019 Chateau Trianon were lovely wines and should be bought for long storage. For all intent and purpose, my notes on the 2018 and 2019 vintages are unchanged, while the 2020 is new.

The next wines were the two other Chateau Tour de By wines, one was the Heritage and the other was the Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon. All three of the Chateau Tour de By wines are QPR WINNER.

The 2020 Chateau de Valois, Pomerol, is another wine I normally find too ripe, for me, even evolved ones that I have had the chance to taste. However, this vintage was more controlled and more balanced, IMHO, WINNER!

Then came a few wines we have had before, the 2020 Chateau Labegorce, a lovely QPR WINNER. Next, was the 2018 Virginie de Valandraud, another of those wines that I have a hard time with. Next came the 2019 Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker, a lovely, QPR WINNER, in France for sure, and a GREAT QPR in the USA.

Then came three epic wines, all back-to-back, the 2020 Chateau Lafon-Rochet, 2020 Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Leognan, and then the 2019 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte.

All three of those wines are incredible. The Lafon Rochet pricing in France is really good and it is a clear WINNER in France. The last two wines, while not QPR WINNER, given the comparative pricing and quality landscape, are still GREAT QPR wines and should be in your cellar if pricing and life permits! I will say, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier showed far better than in May and is another of those RESCORED wine notes.

My many thanks to Ben Uzan for setting up the meeting, sharing his wines with us, and taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with us. This was a massive wine tasting and as I have stated before, these tastings do not just happen. It takes a long time, lots of effort, preparation, and commitment to collect, bring them to the office, open, share, and pour all of these wines, in one sitting.

My thanks to Avi for the pictures, I was too lazy and he is far better anyway!! The wine notes follow below in the order they were tasted – the explanation of my “scores” can be found here and the explanation for QPR scores can be found here:

2022 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique Rose, Cotes de Provence – Score: 91+ (QPR: GREAT)
The wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Rolle. The nose of this wine is lovely with ripe strawberry, raspberry, peach, yellow plum, flint, smoke, redolent, and expressive. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is lovely, and balanced, with elegance, good fruit focus, and nice precision, with peach, strawberry, sweet spices, roasted herb, cloves, nutmeg, and raspberry, all wrapped in a lovely refreshing and plush mouthfeel. The finish is long, tart, and spicy, with great herbs and flint, lovely! Drink now. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique Blanc, Cru Classe, Cotes de Provence – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is pure heaven, funk, orange blossom, citrus blossom, green apple, quince, dry marmalade, intense flint, sweet oak, Asian pear, mineral, lovely! The mouth of this wine is balanced but shows the oak more now than in previous vintages, with intense acidity, peach, baked Asian pear pie, orange, flint, white flowers, apricot, and never-ending acidity. The finish is long, tart, oaky, ripe peach, yellow apple, smoke, sweet oak, flint, and intense acidity, LOVELY! Drink by 2025 (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

2018 Clos des Lunes Lune D’Argent, Bordeaux – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
RESCORED. This wine is a blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. The nose of this wine is now lovely, and richly funky, with flint, rock, tart gooseberry, citrus, and green notes, with orange blossom, yellow fruit, and earth.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine comes at you in layers of fruit, with a nice integrated acid, showing green notes, tart with asparagus, yellow plum, dry straw, with mineral, lovely smoke, tart fruit, rock, and grapefruit and lemon/lime.
The finish is long, and green, with orange notes, and minerality that lingers long forever. Bravo! Drink until 2025. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Jean Luc et Paul Aegerter Pouilly Fuisse, Premier Cru, Vers Cras, Pouilly Fuisse – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is crazy, intense, bright, redolent, expressive, elegant, and incredible, with dense fruit, ripe apple, pear, peach, quince, sweet flint, matchstick, graphite, and sweet spices. Some may be bothered by the clear lack of filtering but I could care less.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is incredible, layered, elegant, and precise, with intense apple, peach, pear, mineral, flint, and lovely expression, with a minerality that is deep and grabs your attention, an intense attack of acidity, ripe fruit, all wrapped in minerality and smoke. WOW!!
The finish is long, expressive, focused, and intense, with deep ribbons of flint, slate, matchstick, and ripe fruit, all perfectly balanced! Drink until 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre, Grand Champs, Sancerre – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER)
RESCORED. The nose of this wine is ripe while also showing green and mineral notes, white pepper, orange, orange blossom, gooseberry, white flower, jasmine, and white oolong tea, a truly unique nose. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is uniquely layered, and ripe, with sweet and ripe gooseberry, orange, nectarines, intense minerality, dense slate, and flint, intense acidity, expressive but the acidity takes front stage, incredible honeysuckle, honeydew, the minerality, and floral notes take over with crazy mineral and acid, what a lovely mouthfeel and fruit focus, wow! The finish is long, tart, ripe, layered, and expressive, with intense minerality, slate, and flint that goes on forever, a Sancerre like this is really unique, wow! Drink by 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Tokaj-Hetszolo Sarga Muskotaly, Tokaji – Score: 91 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is ripe, and tropical, with ripe mango, lychee, guava, tart pineapple, orange blossom, gooseberry, and passion fruit, very unique. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice with nice sweet and ripe fruit, more controlled and drier than in the nose, with intense acidity, dry mango, very floral with orange blossom, violet, elderberry, nice honeyed orange, and green notes. The finish is long, green, tart, and fruity, with great acidity, mango, pineapple, and waxy notes.
To be clear this is not a dry wine but it is also not a dessert wine, it fits in between, and it is off-dry. It would accompany dishes in the main meal as well if they are spicy or they are rich like cream sauces. Drink by 2024. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Gustave Lorentz Riesling, Alcase Grand Cru, Alsace – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is a baby, the petrol will come, for now, honeysuckle, honeydew, the intense minerality of flint and rock, peach, yellow plum, gooseberry, and smoke.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is layered, focused, and expressive, with intense minerality, gooseberry, rock, smoke, grapefruit, lemon/lime, graphite, and sweet herbs.
The finish is long, tart, herbal, and mineral-driven, honeysuckle, and honeydew, with slate, fruit, and rock. Drink by 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Gustave Lorentz Gewurztraminer, Alsace Grand Cru, Alsace Grand Cru – Score: 90 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is classic, pineapple, dry wax, white peach, apricot, orange blossom, orange, nectarines, and smoke.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is off-dry, with nice minerality, intense graphite, nice enough acidity, yellow apple, mango, lychee, and good earth, slate, and rich smoke.
The finish is long, sweet, mineral-driven, graphite, and sweet fruit. Drink by 2028. (tasted May 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

2020 Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc, Pessac-Leognan – Score: 94+ (QPR: GREAT)
RESCORED. This wine is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc & 25% Semillon. The nose of this wine is unique, ripe, smoky, earthy, dirty, and mineral-driven, with lovely and deep funk, smoke, toast, and rich apple, yellow plum, and peach. What a lovely nose! Bravo! The mouth of this full-bodied white wine is lovely with intense acidity, perfectly balanced, some will taste this and ask for more acidity, but they are wrong, this wine is perfectly balanced, with white peach, acidity, long ribbons of graphite and flint, intense spice, nutmeg, cloves, and lovely grapefruit/lime, with intense butterscotch, and minerality. The finish is long, dense, ripe, balanced, and extracted with a minerality that hurts to taste, acidity, peach, apple, sweet oak, butterscotch, and floral notes that linger long, forever, wow!! Drink until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

———————————- Red Wines ————————————————–

2021 Jean Luc et Paul Aegerter Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits, Les Petites Corvees, Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits – Score: 91 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is nice, herbal, smoky, tart, and refreshing, with intense minerals, smoke, and herbs. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is well-balanced, showing rosehip, floral notes, violets, dark cherry, smoke, great acidity, nice dirt, loam, and good smoke. The finish is long, tart, and floral. Drink by 2028. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Domaine Aegerter Beaune Premier Cru, Beaune Premier Cru – Score: 92 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is lovely, toasty, earthy, and smoky, with fewer flowers, more black and red fruit, and a lovely focus. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is rich, layered, and extracted, with some floral notes, with more focus on the smoke and dirt, dark cherry, sour cherry, black plum, and earth, with garrigue, sweet oak, and intense smoke, with an attack of mineral, graphite, and rock. The finish is long, ripe, and balanced, with intense acidity, and floral notes. Nice! Drink by 2028. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Domaine Aegerter Nuits-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges – Score: 92 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is really fun, smoke, earth, mineral, and dense black and red fruit, with graphite, flint, and rich loam. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is layered, extracted, and rich, with dense smoke, lovely black and red cherry, plum, hints of lime, minerality, sweet oak, intense acidity, and layers of fruit, nicely done! The finish is long, layered, tart, and focused, with great smoke, rich earth, loam, mushroom, cigar, green notes of roasted mint, and roasted meat. Nice! Bravo! Drink by 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Domaine Aegerter Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is further elevated, with more sweet oak, more smoke, richly focused with bright fruit, crazy mineral, redolence, and expression of classic Pinot! The mouth of this medium to full-bodied wine is now black and red with black plum, black cherry, and sour red cherry, with intense acidity, intense fruit focus, balanced, and mouth-drying tannin, elegance, and dense floral notes, dense red and black fruit that lingers forever. WOW! The finish is long, tart, dense, and layered, with elegance, mushroom, smoke, extraction, and bright/ripe fruit, Bravo!! Drink until 2032. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Domaine Aegerter Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Fonteny, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is ripe, dense, and layered, with rich saline, mineral, graphite, black plum, earth, mushroom, rosehip, and dense smoke. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is incredible, with nice floral notes, nice earth, mushroom, black and red plum, rhubarb, raspberry, strawberry, and rosehip. Nice! The finish is long, tart, ripe, and floral, with more loam, mushroom, and nice smoke. Bravo! Drink until 2032. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2021 Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cuvee Fantastique, Rouge, Cru Classe, Cotes de Provence, Cru Classe – Score: 91 (QPR: GREAT)
This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache & 30% Syrah.
The nose of this wine is nice, and balanced, with blueberry, raspberry, and nice smoke. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice, with great acidity, I wanted more to grab me, but the balance and the fruit are on point, with smoke, earth, blueberry, blackberry, cherry, and some floral notes. The finish is nice, smoky, dirty, and earthy, with graphite, coffee, and a nice balance. Drink by 2025. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

2021 Chateau Tour du Barail Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux Superieur – Score: 90 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is nice with green notes, herbal, floral notes, violet, cloves, vanilla, and rosehip, with some sweet tobacco, some nice funk, and lovely red fruit. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is a nice 2021 wine with lovely acidity, a nice mouthfeel, good red and green fruit, nice minerality, saline, graphite, loam, and a lovely approach, with good enough fruit focus, showing tart cranberry, cherry, rhubarb, lovely texture, and nice elegant tannin. The finish is long, tart, green, and fruity, with saline, graphite, and smoke. Drink by 2025. (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

2020 Chateau du Bosquay, Bordeaux Superieur – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER (France))
The nose of this wine is quite lovely with bramble, plum, and elegant, with green notes, foliage, ripe plum, iron, raspberry gastrique, tart cherry, and lovely spices. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is lovely, floral, and elegant, with green notes, good fruit structure, lovely acid, nice mouth-coating tannin, plum, raspberry, and dark cherry, with dried rosehip, and a focus and attack of acidity that pumps up the wine impressively. The finish is long, green, crazy acid, rich saline, graphite, more tart and juicy fruit, foliage, and forest floor. Nice! Drink until 2025. (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau Larrivaux, Haut-Medoc – Score: 90 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is nice enough, a bit green, herbal, smoky, with red fruit, and green herbs. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice, with great acidity, but the green notes throw me with green asparagus, nice mouth-draping tannin, earth, smoke, raspberry, cranberry, plum, and blackberry. The finish is long, green, herbal, and smoky. Drink by 2025. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2018 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose on this wine is dynamite, really lovely, dirty, earthy, smoky, with rich blue and black fruit, great earth smoke, mineral, and rich loam, wow! The mouth on this medium to full-bodied wine is lovely, plush, layered, rich, and concentrated, without crazy extraction, with pure elegance, and good acidity that takes time to come out, with blackberry, blueberry, green notes, foliage, and lovely tension, fruit focus, and mineral. WOW! The finish is lovely, green, fresh, and rich, with smoke, graphite, dirt, and rock. Lovely!! Drink from 2025 until 2033.  (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2019 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose on this wine is even better than the 2018 vintage, tasting them side-by-side, what a lovely wine!! The nose of this wine is crazy fun, with rich minerals, smoke, loam, lovely blue and black fruit, rich graphite, iron, and roasted herbs, lovely!!! The mouth on this full-bodied wine is lovely, layered, rich, plush, very elegant, without intense extraction, rich saline, mineral, blackberry, blueberry, saline, lovely roasted herbs, oregano, mint, rosemary, and plushness that is beautiful and elegant, lovely! The finish is lovely, rich, with mouth-draping and drying tannin, plush, scraping, and elegant graphite, leather, smoke, and dark chocolate, green notes, foliage, and anise galore, lovely!!! Drink from 2026 until 2035.  (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is like much of the 2020 wines, very approachable, very open with soy sauce, dark and brooding, with smoke, herb, root beer, tar, and rich loam.
The mouth on this full-bodied wine is ripe, layered, rich, and plush, with more extraction, saline, mineral, blackberry, blueberry, saline, lovely roasted herbs, oregano, mint, rosemary, and plushness that is beautiful and elegant, nice, but less precise than 2019.
The finish is lovely, rich, with mouth-draping and drying tannin, plush, scraping, and elegant graphite, leather, smoke, and dark chocolate, green notes, foliage, and anise galore, lovely!!! Drink until 2030. (tasted November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14.5%)

2020 Chateau La Tour de By, Medoc – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is ripe, balanced, smoky, earthy, and dirty, with sweet oak, chocolate, garrigue, and black pepper, nice! The mouth of this full-bodied wine is bright, dark, brooding, and balanced, with blackberry, cassis, plum, smoke, herbs, and raspberry, all coming together nicely, with mouth-draping tannin, smoke, and green notes, all balanced with a plush mouthfeel and roasted herbs. The finish is long, dirty, smoky, and earthy, with black and red fruit, great acidity, and a nice mushroom. Nice! Drink by 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau Leydet-Valentin, Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru – Score: 90 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is ripe, and candied, with jammy fruit, blackberry, cassis, herb, and nice smoke. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe, candied, jammy, and smoky, with nice acidity, and minerality, that helps to calm the fruit, with earth, smoke, and some nice sweet herbs. The finish is long, herbal, smoky, dirty, and ripe, too ripe for me. Drink by 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau La Tour de By Cuvee Heritage, Medoc – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER)
The wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon & 25% Merlot. The nose of this wine is lovely, black, herbal, smokey, and dirty, with mushroom, black and red fruit, intense minerality, and lovely roasted herbs. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is layered, dirty, and smokey, with incredible acidity, mouth-draping tannin, a rich mouthfeel, plush, and dense, all wrapped in blackberry, plum, raspberry, and graphite that balances the dense and extracted fruit, really nice! The finish is long, dirty, and herbal, but intensely mineral, with graphite, and pencil shavings, and impressive. WOW! Drink from 2025 until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau de Valois, Pomerol – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is lovely, and more balanced than in 2011, with lovely black and blue fruit, dirt, anise, and lovely loam. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe, less so than in 2011, with anise, earth, smoke, plum, blackberry, blueberry, smoke, earth, and rich mouth-coating tannin, lovely! The finish is long, dense, green, and herbal, with lovely tannin, smoke, dark chocolate, and mushroom. Nice! Drink from 2024 until 2030. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau la Tour de By Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Medoc – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER)
This is 100% Cabernet and wow! This one shows more roasted herbs, more minerality, less ripe fruit, and more graphite and loam, Cabernet in Medoc is a joy, with dense anise, menthol, garrigue, and sweet herbs. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is lovely, dense, and layered with intense minerality, with rich concentration, with blackberry, cassis, raspberry, anise, herbal, and smokey, with scraping graphite, loam, and lovely green notes. Bravo!! The finish is long, green herbal, smokey, and dense, with a minerality that scrapes and lingers long. Bravo!!! Drink from 2025 until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau Labegorce, Margaux – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER (FRANCE))
This wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot.
The nose of this wine is epic, dense, ripe, rich, buttery, and creamy, with toasted cedar, lovely, great bright, and ripe fruit, rich minerality, sweet loam, roasted animal, iron, and rich licorice. The mouth of this full-bodied wine starts a bit closed but with time the wine opens with lovely dense fruit, rich salinity, dense minerality, plush, layered, concentrated, and ripe fruit of blackberry, plum, earthy, and smoky, with dark raspberry, dense and mouth draping elegant tannin, so lovely, with rich loam and lovely smoke. The finish is lovely, ripe, dense, and rich, with elegant extraction, the most elegant extraction we have seen so far from the 2020 vintage, with scraping graphite, gravel, rock, iron, and floral notes of violet, with ripe red fruit, tannin, black pepper, leather, and smoke lingering very long, forever. BRAVO! Drink until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2018 Virginie de Valandraud, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 90 (QPR: POOR)
This is the 5th time I have had this wine and I tasted it blind the 2nd time and liked it even less than the previous time. The nose on this wine makes me think that Bordeaux moved to Israel for a year. One can say it has no “flaw” but to me, it is too ripe and it has too much oak at this time, maybe it will blow off, who knows!
The nose of this wine is rich, ripe, dark fruit, dense floral notes, with milk chocolate, mineral galore, mushroom, and green notes. The nose throws me as the wine is so ripe yet also so green and it feels unbalanced. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is rich, dense, layered, and incredible but too ripe, with mineral, dense blackberry, boysenberry, rich acidity, dense fruit, with great balance, intense, still ripe, with mouth-drying and draping tannin, with green foliage, asparagus, a bit too much green as well, roasted herbs, and foliage.
Again, here, the mouth starts with green notes from the oak, and the oak notes also cause me to think the wine is unbalanced. With time, that shows more as pure oak and ripe fruit, two “qualities” I do not love. The finish is long, ripe, green, and smoky, with ripe fruit, anise, leather milk chocolate, smoking tobacco, and green notes. Time will tell, for now scary, but it may come around. Drink from 2027 until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 15%)

2019 Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker, Margaux – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER (France), GREAT (USA))
This wine is a blend of 44% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 13% Cabernet Franc.
The nose of this wine is dense, rich, expressive, fruity, and redolent, with black, blue, and red fruit, with graphite, mineral, rich spice, earth, and dense smoke, impressive! The mouth of this full-bodied wine is dense, layered, rich, extracted, and expressive, while also elegant, smoky, and draped in a rich tannin coat, quite an experience, with saline, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, iron shavings, graphite, a bit of pith, and intense smoke, really impressive. The finish is long, with black, dense, and green notes, with sweet tobacco, green notes, and milk chocolate, really impressive! BRAVO! Drink from 2026 until 2035. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 14%)

2020 Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estephe – Score: 93+ (QPR: WINNER (FRANCE), GREAT (USA))
This wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon & 45% Merlot.
The nose of this wine is a less ripe wine, with savory notes, lovely green and red fruit, elegant redolence, minerality, lovely iron shavings graphite, beautiful pencil shavings, with incredible raspberry, cherry, and rich smoke. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is lovely, elegant, extracted, rich, and beautiful with ripe and juicy cherry, elegant tart/juicy raspberry, beautiful smoke, intense and elegant charcoal/graphite, just lovely, with red fruit, loam, and mouth-scraping tannin. The finish is long, red, ripe, and smoky, with great tobacco, rosemary, savory notes, dark chocolate, loam, leather, and lovely smoke. Drink from 2023 until 2033. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

2020 Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Leognan – Score: 95 (QPR: GREAT)
RESCORED. This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, & 5% Petit Verdot.
What a wine, still, like all 2020 scary approachable, tasting side-by-side with so many great wines, this wine is really impressive, with black and red fruit, graphite, dirt, herbal notes, plum, and dense smoke. Bravo!
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is perfectly balanced, with crazy acidity, mouth-draping tannin, so plush, so elegant, showing rich blackberry, plum, cassis, and sweet jammy raspberry, intense and layered and concentrated, with intense graphite and smoke. Bravo!!!
The finish is long, scarping, and dirty, with lovely precision, fruit focus, iron shavings, graphite, pencil shavings, intense acidity, and dense fruit, wow!!! Drink from 2025 until 2035. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13.5%)

2019 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan, Grand Cru Classe – Score: 96+ (QPR: GREAT)
This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.
The nose of this wine is incredible, dense, expressive, and elegant, with blue, black, and red fruit, really impressive.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is full-stop, wow! The mouth of this wine is incredible, dense, elegant, rich, layered, smoky, extracted, and so present, with a rich structure of mineral, graphite, backed by incredible acidity, good oak, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, dense structure, sensual, yet powerful, with a plush yet extracted mouthfeel, truly a unique experience.
The finish is long, green, expressive, rich, layered, and impressive, with tobacco, smoke, earth, scraping minerality, graphite, and rock, wow! Drink from 2030 until 2038. (tasted May & November 2023) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 15%)