Château Saint-Pierre Saint-Julien - Grand Cru Classé 2019

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

This wine exhibits greater body than its counterparts in a blind tasting, a sign of the vines’ advanced age, but also shows progress in terms of texture and aging refinement, bringing it considerably closer to the appellation’s second growths. Remarkable value for money. Will reach its peak around 2034.

About the estate:

This wine, owned by the Triaud family, has ranked among the finest of Saint-Julien in recent vintages, sometimes even surpassing them in quality, thanks to its very old vines—averaging 50 years—ideally situated in the heart of the village. The wine, which has always been dense, concentrated, and powerful, continues with each vintage to gain in immediate elegance, with better-integrated oak, and always retains the texture of old vines that places it on par with the great classified seconds, and even the first growths. It is one of the most perfect expressions of the appellation’s originality, at prices that remain accessible.

Decanter

About wine:

The nose is very expressive, intense, and floral, with a slightly wild character and medicinal undertones, along with notes of coffee, leather, and cola. The texture is simply magnificent, with a mouthfeel typical of many St-Juliens, but here it is soft, generous, and round, filling the mouth beautifully. Next, a deep core of fruit emerges with black licorice, supported by excellent refreshing acidity and a minty freshness. I really like this wine. The floral notes and fragrance that envelop the fruit on the palate are also very present. This wine captivates with the richness of its fruit and spices. 2025–2043

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

This historic estate (17th century) has seen its share of hard times, having been completely broken up following several successions. Henri Martin began rebuilding it in 1982. The vineyard covers 17 hectares, planted on a beautiful gravel terroir resting on a layer of sandy clay. Henri Martin’s daughter, Françoise, and her husband Jean-Louis Triaud, who had been running the estate, handed it over to their son Jean in 2016.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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

About the estate:

This classified growth has long been the least well-known in the Saint-Julien vineyards. It was purchased in 1982 by Henri Martin, owner of the famous cru bourgeois Château Gloria, who restored its terroir to the condition it was in at the time of the classification. His daughter Françoise, her husband Jean-Louis Triaud—former president of the Girondins de Bordeaux—and their children, with the help of cellar master Rémi di Constanzo, have transformed the estate in recent years. Equipped with state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, it seems to be gaining, vintage after vintage, the subtle purity that it sometimes lacked.

James Suckling

About wine:

Very elegant and typical of the appellation, with aromas of blackcurrant, violet, and sandalwood that carry through into a full-bodied palate with layers of polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. The palate is long and persistent. Classic structure. Best enjoyed after 2027.

Le Figaro vins

About wine:

This wine has a beautifully deep nose, with aromas of dark fruit (concentrated blackberries and small berries) and cinnamon, which evolves with great flair into exhilarating, mysterious, mineral notes. The minerality persists on the palate, where it feels as though one is licking finely porous pebbles. A distinguished wine with controlled power. 2028–2047

Jean-Marc Quarin

About wine:

A deep, intense, and beautiful color. The nose is highly aromatic, refined, fruity, pure, and subtle. Delicate on the palate at first, smooth in the middle, and velvety, with good body and plenty of flavor; the wine lingers on the finish, full of vitality and length, with notes of black fruit and refined tannins. It’s very good.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About wine:

Blackberries, stone fruits, flowers, tobacco leaves, and red currants are the first notes to emerge. The wine is smooth, fresh, and creamy on the palate, with a finish bursting with vibrant, textured, rich, and sweet red and black fruits. This is a great vintage from Saint-Pierre. Best enjoyed between 2028 and 2050.