The 2019 Vintage: A Wine That Arrived on Its Own Terms

The 2019 growing season in Lalande-de-Pomerol was one of contrasts — and ultimately, one of quiet brilliance. A dry, warm summer pushed the vines hard, concentrating sugars and deepening colour with an intensity rarely seen in the appellation. Yields were modest, but the grapes that did come in were impeccable: dense, aromatic, and threaded through with the iron-laced character of Néac’s clay-limestone soils.

What made 2019 exceptional was its balance. The heat that could have produced an overripe, heavy wine was tempered by nights cool enough to preserve acidity and lift. The result was fruit of remarkable purity: wild strawberries, dark cherry, and blue plum, framed by the spice and structure that define this corner of Bordeaux.

At Château Canon Chaigneau, winemaker Thierry Garnaud, former maître de Chai at Cheval Blanc for 38 years — handled the vintage with characteristic precision: concrete vat vinification, plot selection, and careful ageing across new and once-used 500L French oak barrels from Taransaud, Sylvain, and Demptos. The wine earned 91–92 points from Antonio Galloni, Jeb Dunnuck, Neal Martin, and Jeff Leve independently, a rare consensus.

In Magnum format, the 2019 is already generous and approachable — soft, supple tannins, a palate of black cherry, blueberry, cocoa, and white pepper. But the larger bottle format means it will continue to develop and reward patience well into the 2030s. This is not a wine to open in a hurry. But if you do, it will not disappoint.