Château Larrivet Haut-Brion 2019

Luscious ripe fruits are underlined by tannins to give a wine that is both structured and concentrated. Rich tannins, spice aromas and power are all enclosed in this wine that is ready to age. Drink from 2026. Roger Voss.

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.

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 25 to 20 years.

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.

Generous and fleshy, the 2019 Larrivet Haut-Brion bursts with aromas of smoky blackberries, plums, forest floor and spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and muscular, with ripe acids and a generously extracted, chewy profile. This will need a bit of time to round out in bottle.