Laguna Cellar Wine of the Month - June 2023

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2019 - "Plenty of honeyed peach and nectarine notes emerge from the 2019 Château Carbonnieux Blanc. This nicely textured, medium-bodied white has good concentration, well-integrated acidity, and a clean, balanced style that's going to drink nicely out of the gate." - Jeb Dunnuck, Jebdunnuck.com, Ratings: 90-92

Château Gazin 2016 - "The 2016 Gazin is a blend of 87% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc this year, picked from 22 September with respect to the Merlot and from around 7 or 8 October for the Cabernet Franc. Now this has quite a powerful bouquet for Gazin, more heightened fruit compared to recent vintages with blackberry, briary and pressed flower aromas that are well defined (although my sample demanded two or three minutes to really find its voice). The palate is medium-bodied with a gently grip on the entry. I adore the tannic structure to this Gazin, equidistant between masculine and feminine, a backbone that will ensure this will age over many years. There is abundant, lightly spiced black fruit with a touch of cracked black pepper and clove towards the finish. The 50% new oak will add a little muscle onto the finish, thereupon you will have a really marvelous Gazin that will give three years of drinking pleasure, possibly more." Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Ratings: 94-96, Drink: 2023-2055

Château Les Gravieres 2019 - "Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 Les Gravieres opens slowly with subtle notions of stewed plums, baked black cherries and mulberries giving way to emerging scents of black tea, cracked pepper, cedar chest and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid structure of firm, ripe, rounded tannins and tons of freshness framing the tightly wound black fruit layers, finishing on a mineral note." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (6/17/2020), Ratings: 92-94

“The 2019 Les Gravieres is a wine of tremendous distinction, and a major sleeper.  Ripe red cherry, rose petal, spice, crushed rocks, menthol and licorice are fall finely sculpted.  Readers will find a deep, mineral-driven Saint-Emilion of real distinction.  The purity and vivid delineation of the flavors is just remarkable.  Tested two times.” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022, Ratings: 94

Château Talbot 2017 - ""The 2017 Talbot is powerful and rustic, just as it was en primeur. Black cherry, plum, grilled herbs, leather, menthol and scorched earth add to the wine's brooding, potent feel. The 2017 remains a rather rustic Saint-Julien. It will be interesting to see if the tannins soften over time. For now, there is a good bit of character, if not exactly a ton of finesse." - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, (March, 2020), Ratings: 91, Drink: 2022-2037