Opaque garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Sansonnet comes skipping out of the glass with vibrant notes of Morello cherries, blueberry compote, mulberries and warm black plums plus hints of raspberry leaves, Sichuan pepper, cassia and cumin seed with a waft of tree bark. The full-bodied palate is packed with crunchy black and red fruits, framed by exquisitely ripe, rounded tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. Beautiful!

Another beautiful wine from the Lefévère family that does everything right, the 2019 Château Sansonnet has a textbook Saint-Emilion bouquet of chalky minerality, ripe red and black fruits, notes of truffle and flowers, medium to full body, and beautiful overall balance. In the past, this wine has had a glossy, slightly modern style (in a good sense), but the 2019 has an incredibly classic feel with its oak nicely integrated and just a liquid rock-like minerality on the finish. It's a gorgeous wine that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for over two decades.

The 2019 Sansonnet offers a striking combination of fruit intensity and structure. There is plenty of the intense, inky fruit that readers have come to expect in recent years, but that opulence is beautifully balanced by the wine's energy and overall drive. Blackberry jam, spice, leather, tobacco, menthol, cedar and chocolate build as the 2019 shows off its alluring personality. Tasted two times.

This is both lush and structured, with a gush of dark, steeped cassis, blackberry and fig notes leading the way and quickly followed by singed alder and juniper, warm humus and cast iron notes, which really linger. This won't ever be a charmer, but it will develop nicely over time. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2038.