En Primeur Bordeaux 2012

Owned by Hubert de Bouard, the 2012 Angelus was harvested between October 8-18, yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the natural alcohol was over 14%. The final blend was 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the superstars of the vintage, the dense opaque purple/blue-colored 2012 offers up notes of barbecue smoke, graphite, charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, sweet cherries and forest floor. With terrific fruit intensity, a powerful, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel and full body, it should be drinkable at an early age given the sweetness of the tannin. It should easily evolve for 15-20 years.

Score: 94 - 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2013-2033

This is powerful and rich with lots of blackberries and cherries. Loads of richness and intensity. We will see but shows loads of potential. Intense.

Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

Inky with black core. Sweet charred oak is the first impression. And the second. But there is finesse to the tannins and some nice (hidden) dark fruit. Firm grip on the finish and just about fresh, though it is very hard to judge this wine now when the oak is all dominant. Tannin texture is very fine and I am sure this will become elegant if you can be patient enough and wait for the oak to subside. Too oaky for my taste but I know it will be admired by others.

Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2022-2035

The 2012 Ausone is another prodigious effort that should turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. It boasts a dense purple color along with abundant notes of mulberries, black currants, blueberries and a hint of raspberries interwoven with spring flower and crushed chalk-like characteristics presented in a full-bodied yet ethereal, stylish, racy, noble manner. This is a high class, aristocratic, nearly perfect wine to cellar for a decade and then watch it unfold over the following 40-50 years.

Score: 95 - 97 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2013-2063

Wonderful aromas of blackberries and blueberries with flowers. Very Cabernet Franc. Full body, with intense fruit, tannins and fresh acidity. Tangy and lively. Minerals with lemon and orange peel undertones. Super lively. Texture is beautiful. Same blend as always. 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

32 hl/ha. Two-thirds of the crop in the grand vin. 55% Cabernet Franc (picked 13, 15, 17 October), 45% Merlot (9, 11, 12 October) - very late. Fermented in small wooden cuves, (will have) 20 months in barrique, 85% new. Rich dark purple and inky. Touch of oak but not overworked. A touch reduced so has a smoky edge. Supple on the mid palate. Elegant and still richly fruity and a light Cabernet Franc leafiness in the empty glass. Great length. No excess of extraction or oak.

Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2022-2035

A spectacular wine from this nearly 50-acre vineyard situated atop St.-Emilion’s famed limestone plateau, the final blend for the 2012 Beau-Sejour Becot was 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. It achieved 14% natural alcohol and yields were 31 hectoliters per hectare. One of the stars of the vintage, it is elegant yet powerful, rich and authoritative with abundant black raspberry, blueberry, graphite and toasty vanillin notes. Full-bodied and super rich for a 2012, it is packed with potential. The tannins are ripe as well as abundant suggesting several years of bottle age will be required. It should turn out to be a 20 year proposition. Kudos to the Becot family for producing this beauty.

Score: 92 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2013-2033

This is bouncy, with a briary backdrop to the blueberry, lingonberry and cherry fruit. Delivers a mouthfilling finish of fruit cake and anise.

Score: 89 - 92 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Lovely silky texture with very pretty fruit and character. Medium to full body. Well-integrated and a fresh finish.

Score: 91 - 92 James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

Inky with black core. Intense, very dark yet fresh fruit, heading towards savoury with all that intensity. Lighter on the palate than I expected, the tannins fine and reined back. A little abrupt on the finish.

Score: 16 Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2016-2023

The 2012 exhibits a black/purple color along with a striking nose of incense, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries and hints of mulberries and crushed chalk. The sumptuous aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, super-concentrated, rich, layered wine that builds incrementally across the palate, finishing with an explosion of fruit, spice, tannin, glycerin and minerality. While neither as backward nor impenetrable as the 2009 and 2010, the 2012 should be approachable in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades. A massive, concentrated effort from this great terroir, the 2012 Beausejour Duffau comes from a 16+-acre vineyard located on the clay and limestone southern slopes of St.-Emilion. It was cropped at 23 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend was 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Only 66% of the production went into the top wine, which boasts 14.3% natural alcohol. Readers can usually count on this cuvee being one of the finest wines of the vintage given the talented team behind it, Nicolas Thienpont, Stephane Derenoncourt, David Suire and Julien Lavenu. (93-95+ Points)

Score: 93 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2017-2047

Quite juicy, with notes of anise, blackberry, blueberry and raspberry all wrangling with one another, while singed wood spice and licorice snap fill out the finish. A touch chewy and briary in the end, but there’s ample fruit in reserve.

Score: 91 - 94 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The ripest of the Nicolas Thienpont line-up so far. Ripe sweet cherry. Merlot energy and generosity. Rich but held in check by the finesse of the tannins and the freshness. Lovely and long too. All well judged. But has the firmness and freshness for a good long life. (17+ Points)

Score: 17 Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2025

Yields for the 2012 Bellevue were 27 hectoliters per hectare and the wine came in at 13.8% natural alcohol. The final blend was 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The harvest occurred between October 10-12. Dense, rich, full-bodied and concentrated with a strikingly intense chalkiness/minerality that gives it a formidable personality as well as sweet tannin, it appears to be slightly closed at present despite its obvious concentration and depth. Forget it 4-5 years then keep your fingers crossed as, hopefully, the fruit will hold up to the wine’s structural components. This will endure and evolve for 20+ years. (91-93+ Points)

Score: 91 - 93 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Shows good cut, with a piercing edge to the red currant, cherry pit and blood orange notes. The long, chalk-driven finish exhibits lots of spine.

Score: 89 - 92 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

A wine with blueberry, chocolate and spice character. Full body, with silky tannins and a refined and pretty finish. Long and polished.

Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

Inky with black core. Deep cassis fruit overlaid with strong savoury oak char. Dense and dark, with dark chocolate finish. Powerful but not a lot of charm, though the fruit fills the structure. Just a bit tough on the finish.

Score: 16 - 17 Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2025