When measured against the gold standards of the estate—2009, 2010, 2015, 2020—this 2019 is a wine that must be in the conversation. We’ve adored it since En Primeur, and there’s no shortage of acclaim, including Jane Anson’s 99-point mark that places it shoulder to shoulder with names like La Mission, Latour, and Montrose. The fact that it can still be had at this pricing makes it one of the greatest upside buys from Pessac, and a Grand Vin that is destined for great things. At the heart of it, the Cathiards and Fabien Teitgen continue to pursue excellence and excel at an incredible rate, and this 2019 is just one piece of evidence in a compelling case that describes the heights of Pessac-Léognan. There’s a polish to the structure here—tannins are firm but fine, textured, deeply fruited, but refined. The wine moves with precision, gaining volume through the midpalate, and then narrows again into a finish that just won’t let go. It has clarity, depth, and the kind of length that feels both intentional and earned. This is Grand Vin in form and feel—substantial, composed, and just entering the long stretch of its evolution.