Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Also utterly true to itself, in terms of aromatic character (the notes of cedar and spice are unsurpassed for sheer class and complexity) and especially that rich density of texture typical of old vines. It’s as if perfect vineyard management had canceled out any vintage effect. The wine is full-bodied and well balanced with an aristocratic finish. Not quite as stunning as the Ducru-Beaucaillou (but it could have been the sample). 18.5

Michael Schuster: Dense nose of freshly ripe fruit, minerals, and creamy new oak; elegantly balanced, medium-full wine with a very fine-textured, subtle tannin, and fresh acidity; crisply rich red fruit, long, graceful, refined, and subtle flavor, gently minerally, restrained, effortless dry claret; not big or particularly sweet-cored, but even and classy, in the slightly more severe style of the vintage, and with excellent gravelly length. Classically elegant, long-term Las-Cases. 2020–35+. 17/17.5+