Capbern 2019

I love the nose on the 2019 Château Capbern, a medium to full-bodied, spicy, rich, tobacco and cedar pencil-filled beauty with ripe yet building tannins, a great mix of richness and freshness, and a blockbuster of a finish. It's incredibly impressive, and while it offers pleasure even today, it deserves 5-6 years of bottle age, and I can't imagine it not evolving for two decades.

Score: 94

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2027-2042 11 April 2022

The 2019 Capbern is ripe and flamboyant, with soft edges and superb balance. It's a big wine, there is no doubt about that, and yet it also boasts terrific harmony. Dark fruit, new leather, licorice and chocolate build as the 2019 gains intensity through the mid-palate and into the finish. The 15.1% alcohol is not terribly evident.

Score: 91

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024 - 2034 01 February 2022

Capbern is bold and exuberant in 2019. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice are kicked up a few notches here. Exuberant and racy to the core, Capbern is a total knock-out in this vintage. At 15.1% alcohol, this is an especially unctuous, rich and ripe style, but it works well in this vintage for this cru.

Score: 89 - 91

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 18 June 2020

The 2019 Capbern is a wine that I did not score out of barrel because of some disquieting overripeness on the nose. Now in bottle, that is less evident, but I find it a little flat compared to other vintages, missing a little energy. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a bit hard. I am seeking more flesh toward the finish, which feels slightly astringent.

Score: 86

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023 - 2028 01 February 2022

The 2019 Capbern (formerly Capbern-Gasqueton from the Calon-Ségur stable) comes across a little over-ripe on the nose. It is sweet and quite forward on the palate with plush blueberry and cassis fruit and powerful on the finish. I have tasted some great wines from this Saint-Estèphe in recent years but I will reserve judgement based on this sample for now.

Score: -

Neal Martin, Vinous.com 01 June 2020

A perfumed nose of mulberries, dark cherries, earth, black tea, cloves and cedar. Full-bodied with tight, sinewy tannins. Well structured and balanced with a fleshy texture and a flavorful, long finish. Big wine. Drink from 2025.

Score: 93

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2025+ 14 January 2022

This is a gorgeous young sample with wonderful blue fruit and spices, as well as a nice overlay of pretty wood. Medium to full body and firm, silky tannins. Hints of minerals. Better than 2018.

Score: 93 - 94

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 20 May 2020

Very deep purple-black in color, the 2019 Capbern explodes from the glass with notes of prunes, baked black cherries and fruitcake plus suggestions of mocha, Chinese five spice, tobacco leaf and cedar chest with a touch of peppercorns. Full-bodied, rich and voluptuous (15.1% alcohol!), the palate has a firm, chewy backbone and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.

Score: 89 - 91

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 18 June 2020

Powerful and impactful, and the alcohol although well balanced by fruit does have an impact on the texture and mouthfeel of this wine, which is gourmet and full of chocolate, damson and tar. High drama in this vintage. 60% new oak. A yield of 40hl/ha. 3.9pH.

Score: 92

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026 - 2042 09 June 2020