Best of Bordeaux 2019 En Primeurs: The 20 Top-Scoring Wines

Our expansive coverage of the 2019 Bordeaux En Primeurs includes 11 separate articles and a combined total of 505 wines reviewed—and that’s not counting the upcoming Bordeaux: 2019 Primeurs – Part 2 report that will be published in our July 2020 Week 1 issue.

First and foremost, The Wine Advocate remains a buyer’s guide. We work for our readers. And to that end, our Bordeaux 2019 Primeurs (futures) content thus far includes an in-depth 6,000-word article “France, Bordeaux: 2019 En Primeur Report – The Miracle Vintage” by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, our Bordeaux reviewer and editor-in-chief, published in the June 2020 Week 3 issue. Plus, the nine separate “Bordeaux Primeurs Flash Reviews” that we published almost daily, as leading châteaux released their prices to the market.

So, we’ve pulled from the aforementioned articles and wine reviews/tasting notes (only available to paid subscribers) to create this abridged excerpt and list of the 20 top-scoring 2019 Bordeaux wines just for you, our valued readers. Cheers!


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2019 Figeac – “This is a simply stunning, seemingly effortless, beautifully harmonious expression of the vineyard and the vintage—bravo!” 

2019 L'Eglise Clinet – “The 2019 L'Eglise Clinet has a powerfully fragrant nose…the palate is an exercise in poise and precision, possessing remarkably well-defined, bright, energetic black fruit…And if all that isn’t enough, it is also fantastically delicious.”

2019 La Mission Haut-Brion – “The full-bodied palate is densely laden with layers of black fruit, earth and floral-laced flavors, framed by exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and compelling freshness…. This is already a prodigious wine of indisputable beauty.”

2019 Mouton Rothschild – “The medium-bodied palate shimmers with energy, featuring tightly wound layers of black fruits, exotic spices and mineral notions…finishing with epic length and perfume. This year's profound expression is without doubt a legend in the making.”

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2019 Pontet-Canet – “The 2019 Pontet-Canet has the most gorgeous, lifted perfume of lilacs, dark chocolate, Morello cherries and rosehip tea…. A real head-turner, this beauty is absolutely going to steal your heart!”

2019 Château Margaux – “The medium-bodied palate quivers with energy, emitting loads of mineral sparks, featuring bold freshness and fantastically ripe, finely grained tannins to support the delicate, perfumed layers…. The juxtaposition between the acidity and the richness in this Château Margaux is just extraordinary!”

2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou – “The palate is a tightly wound coil poised to spring out with layer upon layer of minerals, rich black fruits and floral notes, framed by very firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and electric freshness.”

2019 Pavie – “Quaking with latent power and shimmering with a kaleidoscope of electric flavors, this could only be Pavie.”

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2019 Pichon-Longueville Baron – “This is an absolutely beguiling expression that is classic Pauillac, and yet it is Pauillac like no other.”

2019 Vieux Château Certan – “The acidity here is absolutely seamless, and the finish explodes into an array of mineral sparks. Be prepared to fall head over heels for this one.”

2019 Cos d'Estournel – “This wine so beautifully, clearly captures the juxtaposition between the periods of dry heat and those hallelujah moments of refreshing rain—the hallmarks of this great vintage. It's a vinous masterpiece in the making.” 

2019 Haut-Brion – “Given time, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it goes atomic and eventually takes top place for the vintage.”

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2019 Léoville Las Cases – “It appears to be holding just that little bit extra back right now. I have to call it as I see it today, but I wouldn't be surprised if when I come back to taste this from bottle, it shows me all that and a lot more.

2019 Angélus – “The intensity on the palate builds from delicate, beguiling nuances with ethereal weight to a full-on fireworks display of flavor sparks, framed by fantastic freshness.”

2019 Haut-Bailly – “The palate is achingly elegant, showing off perfumed black fruit layers with a firm frame of very fine-grained, silt-like tannins and seamless freshness… Just magic.”

2019 La Mondotte – “The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in poise and sophistication, featuring the most exquisitely ripe, velvety tannins and amazing freshness, beautifully countering the intense blue and black fruit layers.”

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2019 Lafite Rothschild – “And yet, the tannins here are unmistakably Lafite, featuring all the tannic grace, finesse and densely pixilated poise fans will expect. What an exciting paradox for the palate—bravo!”

2019 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande – “It sails out of the glass with a stunning array of Black Forest cake, warm cassis and wild blueberries scents with underlying hints of Morello cherries, redcurrant jelly, pencil shavings, menthol and aniseed with a touch of charcoal.”

2019 Trotanoy – “The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a heart-thumping interplay between profoundly rich black fruit and an incredible array of mineral and floral sparks.”

2019 Haut-Brion Blanc – “The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing hint of oiliness texturing the intense citrus and chalky layers, lifted by bold freshness and finishing with incredible length and perfume. Just stunning.”

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The offices at Château Lafite Rothschild

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