Château Lilian Ladouys Saint-Estèphe 2019 - Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

After passing Cos d’Estournel, and directly across from Lafon-Rochet, the two towers of Lilian-Ladouys rise from a sea of vineyards. This 47-hectare estate was purchased by Jacky Lorenzetti in September 2008. As at Pédesclaux, Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen oversees the winemaking. Dense and deeply colored, the wines are instantly captivating. The archetype of a “super Bordeaux.”

Decanter

About the wine:

A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, as good as new (starting with the 2018 vintage). I would rank it among Lilian Ladouys’s best vintages. It is extremely silky, with blackberries so plump that you could almost drink it right away, but there are tannins, and the wine’s body tightens as it develops on the palate, suggesting it intends to take its aging potential seriously. Excellent quality overall, easy to recommend, although the acidity is a bit higher than in 2018, which may not appeal to everyone. Recently expanded to 80 ha with the addition of vineyards from La Tour de Pez and Clauzet (two high-quality estates).

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

In the 14th century, La Doys was a farmstead belonging to Lafite. After enjoying its heyday at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries under the name Château Ladouys, this estate had all but disappeared. It was revived (and renamed after his wife) by Christian Thiéblot in the 1980s, then taken over by Natexis starting in 1989. In 2008, there was another change in ownership when Jacky and Françoise Lorenzetti (of Pédesclaux in Pauillac) took over; they had sold their network of real estate agencies to invest in the vineyard. They undertook an extensive restructuring program for the 45 ha of vineyards.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2019 vintage offers a lovely, silky texture, with smooth fruit and a nice roundness. It’s a well-structured wine, meant to be enjoyed fairly soon, but also capable of aging for a few years in the cellar. A great value.

About the estate:

After passing through the hands of several owners who did not always know how to realize its potential, the unassuming Château Lilian Ladouys was purchased by businessman Jacky Lorenzetti in 2008. Lorenzetti, who subsequently acquired Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac and Château Lafon Rochet in Saint-Estèphe, has great ambitions for his wines. Lilian Ladouys, which has undergone extensive renovations in recent years, has found a very respectable rhythm over the past few vintages. The wine deserves the attention of wine lovers.

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Produced from a large 77-hectare estate, this wine is dense, well-structured, and full of flavors of black coffee and spices, combined with rich tannins. Notes of blackberry shine through this texture, promising excellent aging potential. Best enjoyed starting in 2026.

James Suckling

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The Lorenzetti family was certainly right to purchase this “sleeping beauty” in 2008 and to showcase the estate’s expertise. This 2019 vintage once again reveals the full potential of this château. The nose offers subtle aromas of overripe black fruits. The attack is crisp and gives way to a full, ample palate that is already charming and supported by a lovely structure. The extraction is perfectly controlled, delivering round, medium-grained tannins. The overall impression is voluptuous and elegant, yet not lacking in body. Ready to drink in a few years or suitable for aging. It leaves you wanting more.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

This bouquet offers plenty of freshness, floral notes, and red berries. It also reveals hints of graphite. The palate is savory and crisp, thanks to a refreshing, briny touch on the attack. This Lilian-Ladouys is deeply imbued with its terroir, which lends it freshness and power through precise, tight, and well-integrated tannins. It is certainly one of the estate’s most accomplished wines. 2026–2044

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

With a beautiful, deep color, this wine immediately captivates with its notes of black cherry, blackcurrant, thyme, mint, tobacco leaf, spices, and smoke. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, fresh and vibrant. The fruit, with its hints of chocolate and mint, lingers in the long, slightly earthy finish. This wine will age and continue to develop for at least two decades or more. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2040.