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Inventory updated: Wed, Sep 18, 2024 04:02 PM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Alsace |
| Dom. Trimbach |
2007 |
Riesling Clos Ste. Hune (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns  |
$1,967.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96 (4/2010): Trimbach’s 2007 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune displays genuine intrigue in its array of floral, mineral and animal shadings focusing on narcissus, musk, shimmering crystalline stoniness, alkalinity, and savory salinity. Grapefruit and orange are tinged with juniper berry, quinine, as well as hints of white truffle that enhance the resemblance to 1996 (although Trimbachs compare this with their 2001). And while less austere than the corresponding Frederic Emile, this is no less penetratingly or exhilaratingly long. An amazingly extract- and energy-rich, kaleidoscopically multi-faceted Ste-Hune, it should be absorbing to follow for a quarter century or more.
VM 95 (1/2014): Trimbach’s 2007 Riesling Clos Sainte Hune, one of my personal favorites, is a great wine to kick off the night. Endowed with total symmetry and a seamless personality, the 2007 is fat, rich and explosive from the very first taste. Bright citrus, white flowers and mint notes emerge from the glass, but the 2007 needs to lose some of its baby fat before it starts to shine. Today it is very pretty, but also quite young.
VM 94+ (11/2008): Very pale, clear color. Extremely unevolved aromas of quinine, mint, lime, white flowers and white truffle. Dense and exhilarating, with an oily texture and piquant lime and mineral flavors that saturate the palate. Wonderfully pure and stony riesling, but still a baby. Today this is all about grip. The r.s. here is just 1.7 grams per liter, according to Pierre Trimbach, who compares this wine to the superb 2001 Clos Ste. Hune (he's also a great fan of the '05). -
WS 94 (11/2012): Very elegant and refined, with good tension throughout from the racy acidity. Flavors of fresh-cut apple, white peach, lanolin, fleur de sel and blanched almond, with a hint of lemon zest, resonate through this tightly knit white, which should open up beautifully with time. Drink now through 2030. 825 cases made. |
|
|
2012 |
Riesling Clos Ste. Hune (1.5 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$878.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (9/2015): This has incredible white pepper and slate aromas and flavors with dried fruits such as lemons, limes and papaya. Full-bodied, dry and very intense. It goes on for minutes. This won't be available until 2019.
WS 95 (7/2017): This sleek, elegant white crackles with acidity. Tightly meshed today, showing more petrol and mineral character than white peach, spice and pine notes, but the density and length should make this a superstar of the cellar. To be released Spring 2020. Best from 2022 through 2035.
WA 95 (10/2015): Cool, aristocratic and iron-rich on the nose where some flinty notes are displayed the 2012 Riesling Clos Ste Hune starts very pure and demanding on the nose. On the palate you can find as much energy and tension as in an electric power station. The wine is very clear, fresh and pure, shows lots of salt on the very elegant and seductive palate. The finish is very long and complex and indicates a terrific aging potential. |
|
| | Australia |
| Jim Barry |
2016 |
The Armagh Shiraz (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,326.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Elderton |
2000 |
Command Shiraz (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$623.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 97 (9/2004): (Wine Spectator #27 wine of 2004) Big and powerful, brimming with tarry, spicy black cherry, dark plum, blackberry and chocolate flavors. Rich and gooey like a warm flourless chocolate cake, yet it finds a plush balance that keeps it from veering off into heaviness. This has grace, harmony and refinement, without losing an ounce of power. Drink now through 2025. 600 cases imported.
WA 92 (10/2004): The classic 2000 Command Shiraz (aged nearly three years in new oak) possesses an opaque purple color as well as aromas of melted licorice, new saddle leather, roasted meats, truffles, black currants, and blackberries. Full-bodied and chewy, with supple tannin and a blockbuster finish, it will drink well for 10-12 years.
VM 91 (8/2004): Full medium ruby. Superripe aromas of mocha, game, mulch and eucalyptus; here, too, the oak is less dominant than in past vintages. Huge, broad and mouthfilling, with very ripe, fat flavors of sweet red berries and woodsmoke. Offers impressive thickness and density without going over the top. Fairly high in alcohol at 14.5% but carries its weight reasonably gracefully. A real meal substitute of a shiraz , and quite showy already. |
|
| Henschke |
2006 |
Hill of Grace Shiraz (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,527.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2009 |
Mt. Edelstone Shiraz (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,725.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Mt. Edelstone Shiraz (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,233.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Hill of Grace Shiraz (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,434.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Moss Wood |
2017 |
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$523.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Penfolds |
2000 |
Grange (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,752.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (10/2005): Penfolds’ renowned 2000 Grange is only the fifth vintage to be made from 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, and 1999). It is also, atypically, 100% Barossa fruit. While it is not considered to be one of the great Granges, the 2000 exhibits Outstanding potential, and is much more accessible than usual. One of the top wines I tasted from this vintage (which has had to take a back seat to subsequent years), its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of blackberries, cherries, chocolate, and earth. With decent acidity, ripe, silky tannin, superb intensity, wonderful equilibrium, and a more open-knit, softer, accessible style than usual, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15-16 years. While this is no wimpy wine, it is an ideal example for readers who are unwilling to invest the patience required for the big, blockbuster Granges.
WS 89 (9/2005): Firm and chewy, with a gamy note running through the earthy, spicy finish. Has intensity and persistence but the flavor profile is not attractive at this point. Should soften with time. Best after 2008. 700 cases imported.
VM 89 (8/2005): Dark red. Pungent floral aromas along with suggestions of bitter cherry, chocolate, saddle leather and dried thyme on the nose. A medium-bodied, moderately concentrated Grange with a juicy quality, displaying sappy but dry flavors of cherry, red plum, anise and lavender. The finish begins plump and lingers impressively, but the tannins are slightly dry. |
|
|
2008 |
Grange (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,885.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (2/2013): Deep purple-black in color, the 2008 Grange puts forward a very complex nose packed with aromas of mulberries, layers of baking spices, cloves and cinnamon with nuances of minced meat, anise, potpourri and whiffs of dried mint and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, taut and very spicy in the mouth, it shows touches of sandalwood and Chinese five spice complementing the layers of dark fruit flavors. It is framed by firm, grainy tannins and a refreshing acid line before finishing very long with aniseed and lingering blackberry preserves notes. This is clearly a wonderfully opulent and a magic vintage for this label. Drink it from 2018 to 2035+. |
|
|
2016 |
Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,290.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Grange (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,235.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Torbreck |
2015 |
Run Rig Shiraz (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,343.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Two Hands |
2004 |
Aphrodite Cabernet Sauvignon (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$771.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (10/2006): Wine consumers often forget just how brilliant Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can be as the area is far more renowned for its old vine Shiraz and Grenache, but they should take a look at the 2004 Aphrodite, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new Taransaud barrels. This inky/blue/purple-hued, sexy Cabernet offers a glorious perfume of graphite, creme de cassis, smoke, and vanillin. Full-bodied and stunningly rich, with terrific purity, headiness, and laser-like definition as well as precision, this is a remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon that would turn heads even among Bordeaux first growths. It is a 30 year wine that should hit its peak in 4-5 years.
VM 95 (8/2006): Inky, opaque ruby. Huge, sexy bouquet of redcurrant, creme de cassis, fruitcake, candied licorice, exotic tobacco and dried flowers. This explodes on the palate, showing an array of concentrated, liqueur-like dark berry flavors, cherry preserves, plums-name a dark fruit and it's in here. Suave oak spice adds complexity and sweetness (this was aged in 100% new, large Taransaud barrels). The dense fruit is surprisingly fresh and suave, with a lightness of touch that belies the outsized flavors. Finishes with very fine, sweet tannins. It's remarkable that a wine with this flavor profile can be so elegant.
WS 91 (11/2006): Big and ripe, a mouthfilling Cabernet that offers a blast of raspberry and black cherry fruit, shaded with savory, meaty overtones that are reminiscent of roast game. A smoky note adds interest to the firm-textured finish. Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2011 through 2019. 96 cases imported. |
|
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. d' Aiguilhe |
2019 |
Cotes de Castillon (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$185.99 |
20 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Angelus |
2009 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,532.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (2/2012): A candidate for one of the finest Angelus produced to date (and there have been many, including 1989, 1990, 2000 and 2005), this blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc was fashioned from tiny yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts a black/purple color along with a gorgeous perfume of blueberry liqueur, spring flowers and graphite. In the mouth, notes of incense and cassis also emerge from this velvety-textured, full-bodied, intensely concentrated 2009. With silky tannins, low acidity and spectacular purity, texture and depth, it is already approachable (although I’m sure proprietor Hubert de Bouard would think drinking it now is akin to infanticide), but should keep for 20-30+ years.
JS 97 (2/2012): Gorgeous nose of crushed blackberries with bramble berries and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and polished tannins. Compacted texture. Long, long finish. Try in 2020.
WS 96 (3/2012): Rich and rather stolid now, this features a wall of roasted apple wood and charcoal flavors in front of the dense core of black Mission fig, steeped black currant fruit and espresso notes. Extremely dense on the finish, but the inlaid spice and tobacco hints are there just beneath the surface, needing only extended cellaring to emerge fully. One of the larger-scaled efforts of the vintage. Best from 2018 through 2035. 8,165 cases made.
VM 95 (7/2012): Deep, saturated ruby to the rim. Superripe, high-toned aromas of kirsch and dark chocolate. Large-scaled, ripe and chocolatey, conveying a distinctly exotic character and an impression of power. Finishes with huge but ripe tannins and a lingering note of mocha. For the first 24 hours in the bottle the vintage dominated the wine's cabernet franc character, but eventually blackberry, violet and licorice elements emerged. Built for a long life in bottle. |
|
|
2017 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,838.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (2/2020): The top wine here is terrific, and the 2017 Chateau Angelus is in the top two or three wines on the Right Bank. Checking in as 70% Merlot and a full 30% Cabernet Franc, it shows the slightly more elegant, polished style favored at the estate these days yet still packs ample richness and depth. Deep purple-hued with awesome creme de cassis-like fruit as well as plenty of unsmoked tobacco, new saddle leather, white truffle, and white chocolate aromas and flavors, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a wine of power and elegance. You could be excused for drinking bottles even today, but ideally, it should be given 7-8 years of bottle age, at which point it’s going to evolve for 25-30 years.
WA 95 (10/2020): Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Angelus wafts slowly, sensuously out of the glass with notes of warm red currants, Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and pencil shavings with nuances of rose oil, black tea, cloves and cumin seed. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing, sporting very finely grained tannins and layers of red and black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral fireworks. What a beauty!
VM 94 (3/2020): In 2017, Angelus leans much more toward finesse than power. Dark cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and mint are all finely knit. The 2017 was just bottled the month before this tasting - normal by the château's standards but late for the Right Bank. Today, the 2017 is powerful, brooding and closed, especially in its aromatics. My impression is that it needs time to recover from its recent bottling. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97 (12/2019): This is so pure and aromatic with a level of complexity and refinement for the vintage that few have. Sweet tobacco, flowers, herbs and stone with underlying richness of fruit. It opens on the palate to a full body that is tight and reserved with an extremely focused tannin mouth feel. Length and excitement at the end. Very polished Angelus. A blend of 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Drink in 2024 and onwards. |
|
| Ch. d' Armailhac |
2007 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$456.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Beau-Sejour Becot |
2016 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$988.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 93-94 (4/2017): This is really beautiful in 2016 showing blackberry, blueberry and walnut character. Full-bodied, tight and focussed with fantastic length. Serious. Best ever modern vintage?
WS 92-95 (4/2017): Inviting, with a core of warm fig and boysenberry fruit backed by a hefty dose of anise and fruitcake. Sweet spice accents through the toasted finish. |
|
| Ch. La Croix de Beaucaillou |
2017 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$588.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (3/2020): The 2017 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is bold, juicy and super expressive. A rush of blackberry jam, chocolate, licorice and spice all build in a Saint-Julien loaded with resonance and volume. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Belair-Monange |
2009 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$870.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Belgrave |
2015 |
Haut Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$488.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Haut Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$599.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Berliquet |
2008 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$145.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Beychevelle |
2016 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,473.98 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 94-95 (4/2017): The softness and finesse to this are indeed impressive with blackberry and blackcurrant character. Full-bodied, dense and polished. Lovely texture and length. It builds on the palate. Clearly better in 2015. This is the first year in from the new cellar.
WS 93-96 (4/2017): A textbook St.-Julien in the making, with crushed plum and warm cassis notes inlaid with anise and graphite accents. The muscular, driven finish is just a touch chewy in feel but gets soaked up quickly on the finish by the pure fruit. Really solid. |
|
|
2017 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,317.98 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 92-95 (5/2018): The 2017 Beychevelle is absolutely gorgeous. Creamy and beautifully layered on the palate, Beychevelle exudes exotic richness in its ripe red/purplish berry fruit. Even though the 2017 is rather flamboyant in style, it retains quite a bit of brightness to play off its more extroverted leanings. Beychevelle was impressive on the several times I tasted it. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93-94 (4/2018): Very fine tannins already with a solid core of blackberry and blueberry character. Hints of flowers. Full-bodied, well-integrated and tight, not to mention fresh and long.
JD 92-94 (4/2018): Only 52% of the production went into the 2017 Château Beychevelle (they normally shoot for 60%), and the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that’s still aging in 60% new oak. This inky purple-colored beauty gives up loads of blue fruits, black cherries, underbrush, and a touch of minerality in a medium to full-bodied, pretty, elegant package that’s very much in the style of the vintage. This estate has been on a serious roll lately, and the 2017 isn’t going to break the trend. Tasted twice.
WS 90-93 (4/2018): This has a soft core of pure plum and cherry preserve flavors. Light cedar, vanilla and tobacco notes fill in on the finish. Very rounded, displaying a jammy feel rather than the vintage’s overt freshness. A bit of an anomaly.
WA 90-92 (4/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Beychevelle opens with gregarious cassis and blackberry pie notes with touches of baking spices and underbrush plus a waft of lavender. Medium-bodied with a great core of ripe black fruits, it has a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins and balancing freshness, finishing long. The final blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4 Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. |
|
|
2018 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,364.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94-96+ (4/2019): The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Beychevelle wafts sensuously from the glass with fragrant Black Forest cake, potpourri, star anise and black tea scents over a core of black raspberries, warm blackcurrants and kirsch with touches of fallen leaves and lavender. Full-bodied and packed with fragrant red and black fruit layers, it has a firm, velvety texture and fantastic freshness lifting the very long, perfumed finish. Beautiful! Anticipated time in barrel is 18 months, 60% new and 40% second fill. The tentative blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.
WS 94-97 (4/2019): Ripe and concentrated, but very sleek, with a remarkably pure beam of cassis and plum reduction flavors. Sweet spice, violet and apple wood notes are thoroughly embedded throughout. Polished and very long.
VM 93-96 (5/2019): The 2018 Beychevelle is an exceptional, utterly vivid wine. Deep and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2018 has so much to offer. Super-ripe black cherry, crème de cassis, licorice, new oak and chocolate infuse this unctuous, spectacularly ripe Saint-Julien. Beychevelle is exotic, flamboyant and full-throttle, not to mention absolutely stunning. The high presence of Merlot in the blend gives Beychevelle much of its sensuality. What a wine! The 2018 is 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95-97+ (5/2019): Showing beautifully both times I was able to taste it, the 2018 Château Beychevelle checks in as a blend of 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that's aging in 60% new French oak. This ultra-pure, refined, gorgeously layered Beychevelle offers terrific notes of black cherries, blackberries, cassis, violets, and damp earth. Deep, concentrated, and layered on the palate, it has a thrilling sense of purity and elegance as well as building structure. This is the third vintage vinified in the new cellar, and the 2018 represents a selection of 50% of the total production. It hit 14.5% alcohol with a healthy pH of 3.74 and a massive IPT of 81. Hats off to director Romain Ducolomb for another brilliant wine that I suspect will surpass both the 2015 and 2016!
JS 93-94 (4/2019): This is concentrated with a solid core of fruit, yet it’s energetic and driven with plenty of pretty and forceful tannins. Dusty texture. Persistent finish. |
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|
2019 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,349.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 93-95 (6/2020): The 2019 Beychevelle, one of the only wines that I actually tasted at the château with Philippe Blanc prior to lockdown, has a wonderful bouquet with detailed blackberry, briary, cedar and light touches of mocha unfurling from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a discrete marine influence taking over towards the finish. There is a tang of seaweed and brine on the aftertaste. It keeps you coming back for more. This is a great 2019 from Blanc and his team though we must wait to see if it will surpass their 2018. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97 (6/2020): A killer wine in the making, the 2019 Château Beychevelle checks in as 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in barrels. Deep purple-colored, with classic Saint-Julien purity and elegance, it offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of red, blue, and black fruits, cedary herbs, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. With flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and again, and stunning purity of fruit, this quintessential Beychevelle is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars.
JS 93-94 (6/2020): Rich, layered red with lots of ripe fruit and creamy, round tannins. Yet, it’s fresh and refined at the same time. Flavorful finish. Ripe and solid. Equal to the 2018 in quality. |
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|
2019 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$675.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 93-95 (6/2020): The 2019 Beychevelle, one of the only wines that I actually tasted at the château with Philippe Blanc prior to lockdown, has a wonderful bouquet with detailed blackberry, briary, cedar and light touches of mocha unfurling from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a discrete marine influence taking over towards the finish. There is a tang of seaweed and brine on the aftertaste. It keeps you coming back for more. This is a great 2019 from Blanc and his team though we must wait to see if it will surpass their 2018. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97 (6/2020): A killer wine in the making, the 2019 Château Beychevelle checks in as 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in barrels. Deep purple-colored, with classic Saint-Julien purity and elegance, it offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of red, blue, and black fruits, cedary herbs, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. With flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and again, and stunning purity of fruit, this quintessential Beychevelle is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars.
JS 93-94 (6/2020): Rich, layered red with lots of ripe fruit and creamy, round tannins. Yet, it’s fresh and refined at the same time. Flavorful finish. Ripe and solid. Equal to the 2018 in quality. |
|
| Ch. Le Bon Pasteur |
2016 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$664.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 93 (2/2019): A surprisingly elegant, medium to full-bodied effort from the genius of the Rolland family (this is their property in Pomerol), the 2016 Château Le Bon Pasteur offers loads of barbecue smoke, graphite, violets, and vibrant black and blue fruits in a complex, layered, classy package. With fine tannins, good concentration, and a pretty, perfumed style, it’s not a blockbuster by any means, but it’s beautifully balanced, with everything in the right place. It will benefit from short-term cellaring and drink well for two decades.
VM 93 (1/2019): The 2016 Le Bon Pasteur was tasted at the Union de Grand Cru, although I felt this sample was not representative, so my note comes from two bottles sent from Bordeaux. It has a very fragrant bouquet that is much more open than I recall from barrel, and also more floral, with pungent violet scents joining the cassis and blueberry fruit. The palate is balanced and pure, offering a fine thread of acidity and precocious blue fruit on the silky finish. The alcohol is a notch higher than its peers, and tasting one bottle throughout an evening, it felt closer to 15% than to the 14.5% stated on the label. That said, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, joyous Pomerol that is perhaps just a step behind the 2015. Neal Martin.
WA 93 (11/2018): The 2016 Bon Pasteur has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of dark chocolate, kirsch and blackberries with tobacco, bay leaves, damp soil and tar nuances. Medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and a lively line, it gives good intensity and an earthy finish. |
|
| Ch. Branaire-Ducru |
2020 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$646.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 93+ (3/2023): Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.
WA 91-93+ (5/2021): The 2020 Branaire-Ducru displays a deep garnet-purple color and pronounced blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves and boysenberries scents, plus hints of sauteed herbs, unsmoked cigars and graphite. The medium-bodied palate has a lot of verve, delivering appealing tension among the tightly wound black fruits and grainy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): A polished, creamy red with blue fruit, such as blackcurrants, and pretty, ripe and fine tannins that fill your mouth. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$345.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 93+ (3/2023): Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.
WA 91-93+ (5/2021): The 2020 Branaire-Ducru displays a deep garnet-purple color and pronounced blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves and boysenberries scents, plus hints of sauteed herbs, unsmoked cigars and graphite. The medium-bodied palate has a lot of verve, delivering appealing tension among the tightly wound black fruits and grainy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): A polished, creamy red with blue fruit, such as blackcurrants, and pretty, ripe and fine tannins that fill your mouth. |
|
| Baron de Brane |
2016 |
Margaux (6x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$472.98 |
5 |
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| VM 90 (1/2019): Brane-Cantenac's 2016 Baron de Brane is a silky, gracious second wine from Brane-Cantenac that is ideal for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Expressive floral and savory notes add brightness to a core of sweet red berry and plum fruit. The 2016 is delicate and a touch lithe in the glass, with superb balance and tons of sheer immediacy. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2006 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$555.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/2009): I can’t say enough about how beautifully classic, racy, and gracious the wines of Brane Cantenac have become over the last decade. The stunningly elegant 2006 exhibits a sweet, subtle smoke note intermixed with creme de cassis in its medium-bodied style with superb nobility, concentration, and sweet tannin. Possessing a complex, luscious personality with strikingly beautiful, velvety tannins, it should be at its finest between 2012-2025+.
JS 90 (7/2013): Fresh and clean with pretty berry and currant character. It’s full-to-medium-bodied, with firm tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Drink now.
WS 90 (3/2009): Displays plum jam and currant bush on the nose. Full-bodied, with sweet, ripe fruit, soft, round tannins and a long finish. Slightly loose knit at the moment, but will come together with bottle age. Builds on your palate. Needs time. Best after 2013. 10,830 cases made.
VM 90 (6/2009): Deep red. Expressive nose offers black fruits, espresso and musky dark chocolate lifted by an exotic floral component. Juicy, sweet and pliant, with a generosity of texture in the context of the vintage. Has the mid-palate flavor intensity to buffer its tannins and finishes with noteworthy persistence.
NM 88 (3/2011): Tasted at the chateau with Henri Lurton. This is very closed on the nose: masculine with cedar and tobacco/smoke notes inflecting the dark berried fruits. Good definition, just a little too serious perhaps? Silky smooth on the entry, this is a very polished 2006, perhaps almost over polished. Seamless tannins, but needing more backbone, leading to a lactic textured, leafy finish with hints of thyme and sage on the aftertaste. Moderate length. This needs more vigour to really satisfy so perhaps it will one day turn round and surprise me? Stand off-ish at the moment. Drink 2014. |
|
| Ch. Canon |
2019 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$774.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Le C de Carmes Haut Brion |
2017 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$234.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 90-91 (4/2018): A pretty and clean red with currants and hints of chocolate. Hazelnuts, too. Medium body and a solid center palate. |
|
| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2021 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,182.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Carruades de Lafite |
1993 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,860.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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2019 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,089.98 |
25 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (6/2020): The 2019 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 19th of September to the 7th of October. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, fresh notions of wild blueberries, ripe plums and redcurrant jelly plus hints of cinnamon stick, cumin seed, oolong tea and violets with a waft of black olives. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers loads of rich, ripe, spicy flavors with a soft texture of nicely rounded tannins and with the freshness in the background, finishing on a lingering allspice note. In a word: Yum!
JD 94-96 (6/2020): The second wine of the estate, the 2019 Carruades De Lafite offers a beautiful, Lafite-like bouquet of crème de cassis, cedar pencil, tobacco, and new leather. Gorgeously complex, medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins, and a great finish, it's a brilliant wine that would certainly do just fine in a blind lineup of Lafite. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.
JS 95-96 (6/2020): The purity of fruit is so enticing here with strawberries, flowers, lavender and currants. Black earth, too. Some stone and cement. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine tannins. It shows so much cabernet sauvignon character. It’s 68% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. |
|
| Ch. Clinet |
2006 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,418.99 |
1 |
|
| |
NM 92 (2/2011): Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s Clinet vertical. Matured for 16 months in 60% new oak, this has a more expressive nose than the 2005 but perhaps not quite as complex. There are touches of blackberry and raspberry leave, complemented by bay leaf with time. The palate is full-bodied and very well balanced, the tannins just as fine as the 2005. The oak is prominent at first, but returning after an hour in bottle it has wonderful tension and vibrancy, great purity towards the finish that has more panache than post-millennial vintage. Superb - this just gets better year after year
WA 90+ (2/2009): Extremely backward, firm, and virile, this macho wine exhibits full-bodied power, a dense blackberry, smoky nose, huge tannins, but impressive stuffing and depth. This is not for the faint of heart, and also not for those who need immediate drinkability. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2027.
VM 90 (6/2009): Red-ruby. Highly aromatic, inviting nose offers black raspberry, mocha, chocolate, licorice and a minty nuance. Lush, sweet and round, with very good richness and vinosity to the black raspberry, smoke and mocha flavors. The broad, firm finish shows a distinct medicinal reserve, suggesting that this will be better for five years or so in the cellar.
WS 90 (3/2009): Pretty raspberry, mineral and vanilla aromas and flavors, with hints of dried herbs. Full-bodied, with good, silky tannins and a long finish that shows lots of raspberry and cherry fruit. Attractive and balanced for the vintage. Best after 2013. 2,915 cases made. |
|
| Ch. la Clotte |
2017 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$581.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 93-94 (4/2018): This is very pure and beautiful for the vintage with dark-berry and currant aromas. Violets, too. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a clean finish. From the owners of Ausone.
JD 92-94 (4/2018): The 2017 La Clotte, which the Vauthiers acquired in 2014, was cropped at 32hl/ha between 28 September and 2 October. It is matured in 100% new oak. Pauline Vauthiers ventured that this was one of her favorite wines in this vintage and I am inclined to agree. This has a lifted, more perfumed bouquet than the Moulin Saint-Georges at this point, quite perfumed with crushed iris aromas infusing the black fruit. Returning after 20 minutes there is just a touch of orange blossom. The palate is sweet and opulent with caressing tannin, almost Burgundy-like in fruit purity with crushed strawberry, cassis and blueberry towards the silky smooth finish. What a delicious Saint-emilion in the making. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2019 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$800.98 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Conseillante |
2014 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,928.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 94-95 (3/2015): Wow. This really kick in here with lots of subtle yet fresh fruit and a chewy and long finish. Muscular and long with a wonderful elegance. The winemaker says the cabernet franc gives the style and structure here. And he’s right.
WA 92-94 (4/2015): The Château La Conseillante 2014 is a blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, picked from 23 September to 2 October and 29 September until 6 October respectively at 35 hectoliters per hectare. There was just 2.5% vin de presse and the Grand Vin represents 88% of the total production this year. As you would expect, there is far more fruit intensity on the nose compared to the Duo, with dry tobacco-infused red and black fruit, hints of Provençal herb and black truffle - very Pomerol in style. The palate delivers the class. Supple in the mouth, very well judged acidity, poised and long, the Cabernet Franc drives this along and elevates the finish in terms of complexity. There are light spices entering the fray towards the finish that is feminine and nuanced with lovely salinity on the aftertaste that will urge you to take another sip. I was admittedly a little underwhelmed by the deuxième vin this year, but the grand vin makes up for it. It is another great Pomerol from ever-congenial winemaker Jean-Michel Laporte and his team.
VM 90-93 (4/2015): The 2014 La Conseillante is nicely supple and layered in the glass, with distinct cherry pit, plum, rose petal, wild flowers and subtle hints of spice are woven together in an open-knit, expressive Conseillante that is likely to start drinking well relatively early. The finish is decidedly silky and open-knit. The 2014 is quite pretty, but at this stage it is also lacking a bit in body. The blend is 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc a bit higher than the 15-18% that is more typical. |
|
|
2021 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,089.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2012 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$891.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 95 (2/2015): Wow. What a nose with currants, blackberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stones and wet earth. Full-bodied, refined yet muscular and trim. Fabulously polished tannins. Try drinking in 2020.
WA 93+ (4/2015): The 2012 Cos d’Estournel is a classic expression of St.-Estèphe, with notes of graphite, crushed rock, blackberry, blackcurrant fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, structured, but well-integrated tannins and a long finish of 35 seconds or more. This is a beauty and an undeniable top success in the Medoc for 2012. Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades or more. The final blend, which achieved 13.8% alcohol, is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
WS 92 (3/2015): Juicy raspberry, blackberry and plum confiture notes roll along, while the bramble-edged structure and accents of roasted apple wood and spice fill in. The finish has a lightly firm plum skin edge, but overall there's drive, intensity and depth to the pure fruit. A solid effort. Best from 2017 through 2025. |
|
| Ch. Coutet |
2019 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$536.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2021 |
St. Julien (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$861.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (4/2024): The 2021 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the top wines of the vintage. It’s based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, harvested from September 21 to October 10, that was vinified in wooden tronconique tanks and brought up all in new barrels. It has a deep ruby/plum hue to go with classic Ducru notes of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and violets, with a kiss of background tobacco and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and concentrated, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ripe, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Checking in as 12.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.88, hats off to the genius of Bruno Borie and his team for producing a truly Grand Vin in this challenging vintage.
VM 98 (2/2024): The 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou captures all the potential it showed from barrel. A delicate, understated wine, the 2021 impresses above all else with its finesse. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout. Time in the glass brings out the wine's inner sweetness and gorgeous perfume. The balance with oak, at times a challenge here, is also flawless. With lower alcohol and therefore also less extraction from oak than recent vintages, the 2021 is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The blend is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon ever here. What a wine. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2021 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,186.99 |
9 |
|
| |
JD 96 (4/2024): The 2021 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the top wines of the vintage. It’s based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, harvested from September 21 to October 10, that was vinified in wooden tronconique tanks and brought up all in new barrels. It has a deep ruby/plum hue to go with classic Ducru notes of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and violets, with a kiss of background tobacco and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and concentrated, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ripe, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Checking in as 12.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.88, hats off to the genius of Bruno Borie and his team for producing a truly Grand Vin in this challenging vintage.
VM 98 (2/2024): The 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou captures all the potential it showed from barrel. A delicate, understated wine, the 2021 impresses above all else with its finesse. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout. Time in the glass brings out the wine's inner sweetness and gorgeous perfume. The balance with oak, at times a challenge here, is also flawless. With lower alcohol and therefore also less extraction from oak than recent vintages, the 2021 is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The blend is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon ever here. What a wine. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2021 |
St. Julien (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,262.99 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 96 (4/2024): The 2021 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the top wines of the vintage. It’s based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, harvested from September 21 to October 10, that was vinified in wooden tronconique tanks and brought up all in new barrels. It has a deep ruby/plum hue to go with classic Ducru notes of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and violets, with a kiss of background tobacco and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and concentrated, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ripe, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Checking in as 12.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.88, hats off to the genius of Bruno Borie and his team for producing a truly Grand Vin in this challenging vintage.
VM 98 (2/2024): The 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou captures all the potential it showed from barrel. A delicate, understated wine, the 2021 impresses above all else with its finesse. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout. Time in the glass brings out the wine's inner sweetness and gorgeous perfume. The balance with oak, at times a challenge here, is also flawless. With lower alcohol and therefore also less extraction from oak than recent vintages, the 2021 is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The blend is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon ever here. What a wine. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Le Petite Eglise |
2019 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$464.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Pomerol (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$464.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2019 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,854.99 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98-100 (6/2020): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 L'Eglise Clinet has a powerfully fragrant nose of violets, star anise, powdered cinnamon and jasmine over a core of plum preserves, blackberry pie, Black Forest cake and camphor with wafts of crushed rocks and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise and precision, possessing remarkably well-defined, bright, energetic black fruit and minerally layers, supported by beautifully ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with a long-lingering, mesmerizing array of earth, rock and glittery fruit nuances. This is a wine that will stop you in your tracks and demand you to think, contemplate and reflect. And if all that isn’t enough, it is also fantastically delicious. The blend this year is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
VM 97-99 (6/2020): The 2019 L'Eglise-Clinet is destined to be remembered as Denis Durantou's last vintage before he passed away in May 2020. It is a fitting testament to the late winemaker. It is blessed with a bewitching bouquet laden with intense, vivid red berry fruit suffused with liquorice, black pepper and clove scents. Extremely complex. The palate is wonderfully proportioned with fine tannins that frame the layered black and red fruit, lightly spiced with hints of tobacco and cracked black pepper on the finish imparted by that seasoning of Cabernet Franc. Quintessential l'Eglise-Clinet, it will give half a century of drinking pleasure and the perfect way to remember and raise a toast to one of Pomerol's finest vignerons. Neal Martin.
JS 99-100 (6/2020): This is incredibly powerful with fantastic depth and length. It goes on for minutes. Full-bodied yet so tight and intense. Blackberries and hints of spice. It has such energy and persistence. It is a wine that makes you really reflect. Bravo. Tiny production. |
|
| Ch. L' Evangile |
2000 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,322.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 98 (6/2010): This is an absolutely spectacular L'Evangile. It remains to be seen whether 2009 will eclipse this great effort. Largely a Merlot-dominated blend with some Cabernet Franc in it, the greatness of this terroir is exhibited in the complexity of the nose, which offers up hints of subtle chocolate, blueberry, blackberry, truffle, barbecue smoke, and graphite. Dense, rich, and full-bodied, with an opulence and succulence that are prodigious, the tannins are present but extremely sweet, and the wine multi-dimensional and just emerging as a compellingly complex, head-turning beauty. Drink it now and over the next 20-25 years. Kudos to L'Evangile.
WS 96 (3/2003): Great concentration to this wine. Yet harmonious and classy. The ripe fruit and toasted oak jumps out of the glass in this one. Full-bodied, with an opulent fruit, coffee and milk chocolate character. Velvety and round textured. Best after 2010. 2,800 cases made.
VM 92-95 (6/2001): Saturated ruby. Superripe aromas of black and red fruits and dark chocolate; almost but not quite pruney. Then pliant, sweet and lush, with explosive black raspberry fruit and lots of early personality. This is downright hedonistic and deceptively soft. Finishes very long and ripe, with extremely fine tannins. |
|
|
2001 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,526.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$814.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Blason de l' Evangile |
2019 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$562.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Figeac |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,417.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (3/2008): This is subtle and complex, showing blackberry, fresh tobacco and light vanilla, with a hint of Indian spices. Full-bodied, with super well-integrated tannins and a finish that lasts for minutes. Refined and classy. The best modern wine from this producer. Best after 2015. 10,000 cases made.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good full medium ruby. The nose offers blackcurrant, licorice, graphite, violet, minerals and exotic spices. Broad, suave and fine-grained on the palate, with fleshy but sharply focused flavors of currant, minerals and tobacco. Finishes classically dry and very long. This is St. Emilion with Pauillac and Graves qualities-and a superb vintage for this chateau, whose wine is easy to underrate in the early going.
WA 90 (4/2008): The finest Figeac since the 1990 and 1982, the restrained, but complex 2005 exhibits notes of black olives, new saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and sweet cherry and black currant fruit. The wine is medium-bodied with racy tannins as well as a streamlined style built on finesse and delicacy rather than on power and concentration. Consume it over the next 15-20 years. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,445.99 |
10 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Figeac checks in as 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in new barrels. They also utilize plenty of press wine, and the 2020 has 8% in the blend. Straight-up awesome aromatics of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, iron, spring flowers, and an almost bloody, salty character emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and absolutely perfectly integrated oak. It's still tight and reserved, which is certainly the vintage, so do your best to hide these in the cellar. It should hit the early stages of its prime drinking window in 8-10 years and will have 30+ of overall longevity. It will unquestionably flirt with perfection at maturity.
JS 97 (1/2023): Very subtle and classy aromas of blackberries, hazelnuts and chocolate with some wet bark. It’s so subtle on the nose. Full-bodied, yet so fine and polished with an inner strength to this. Ultra-fine and polished tannins that run the length of the wine. This goes on for minutes. Classy. Sophisticated. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2027, but it’s one for the cellar.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Figeac is incredibly polished and refined. Bright saline underpinnings and lively acids shape the 2020 beautifully, lending notable energy throughout. This is the last vintage made in the transitional cellar before the new winery became operational with the 2021 vintage. My only question mark is a slightly gritty quality in the tannins that lurks beneath. There's terrific purity and drive, though. Figeac is a wine of saline tension and energy more than size. The 2020 will need a number of years in bottle to be at its best. Antonio Galloni.
WS 96 (3/2023): A broad-shouldered wine that captures the vintage's heat well in a core of cassis and blackberry fruit flavors, which are dotted with lively savory, tobacco leaf and warm earth accents. Reveals a tarry, grippy edge as well as polish as this pulls deeply from its terroir, leaving an echo of warm paving stone at the very end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2030 through 2040. 12,480 cases made.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): The 2020 Figeac is a blend of 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.9% and a pH of 3.7. Opaque purple-black colored, it bursts from the glass with a beautifully vibrant initial wave of pure, pristine black fruits: fresh black cherries, juicy black plums and ripe blackcurrants. With swirling, a whole array of floral and spice notes is unleashed: lavender, ground cloves, cumin seed, cardamom and rose oil. The medium-bodied palate is surprisingly graceful for the intensity of aromas, featuring ethereal, perfumed black berry notes, framed by a seamless line of freshness and ripe, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Far more cerebral and quietly introspective than it is hedonic, this could only be Figeac. |
|
| Petit Figeac |
2020 |
St. Emilion (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$331.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$800.98 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Petrus |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,346.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Les Forts de Latour |
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,298.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2016): A tannic and savory red with currant, blackberry and stone character. Full body, chewy texture and a fresh finish. Bright acidity. Iodine, oyster shell and black currant. Drink in 2019.
WS 89 (7/2016): This has lots of lively pepper, bay and briar notes leading the way, followed by red and black currant fruit flavors that show good energy. The racy, herb-edged finish is on the tangy side, but this has the flesh for balance. Best from 2017 through 2023. 7,650 cases made.
VM 89-91 (4/2014): Dark red cherries, plums, smoke and tobacco meld together gracefully in the 2013 Les Forts de Latour. Layered, supple and caressing on the palate, this is one of the juicier 2013s readers will come across. With its expressive floral and spiced notes, the soft, resonant finish is especially appealing. The blend is 62.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.1% Merlot and 2.2% Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni.
WA 87-88 (8/2014): The second wine, the 2013 Les Forts de Latour, is a blend of 62.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.1% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Approximately 44.5% of the production made it into this wine. Easygoing and supple, it reveals cedary, tobacco leaf notes intermixed with notions of black currants and fresh walnuts. It possesses a Pauillac-like character, but it is neither deep nor long. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. |
|
| Ch. La Gaffeliere |
2019 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$905.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 91-93 (6/2020): The flagship 2019 Château La Gaffeliere is mostly Merlot, yet the cuvee always includes around 15% Cabernet Franc. It offers a complex array of spiced red and black fruits, cedary herbs, lead pencil, and a kiss of tobacco to go with a medium-bodied, elegant, impressively balanced style on the palate. It shows the more classic style of the vintage, has no hard edges, and is going to be relatively accessible in its youth yet also age gracefully. |
|
| Ch. Le Gay |
2018 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$732.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2021): From one of my favorite estates in Pomerol, the 2018 Château Le Gay knocks it out of the park and has that classic Pomerol mix of sexy opulence paired with an incredible sense of finesse. Offering an already complex bouquet of crème de cassis, black cherries, white truffle, camphor, tobacco, and acacia flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, expansive texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar. It's going to put a smile on any wine lover's face over the coming 20-25 years.
WA 95 (3/2021): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Le Gay has a beautifully perfumed nose of lavender essence, chocolate-covered cherries and preserved plums, leading to a fragrant undercurrent of kirsch, licorice and fertile loam. The concentrated, full-bodied palate (15% alcohol) delivers bold, black fruit flavors with compelling red berry sparks and a plush texture, finishing long with just enough freshness.
VM 94+ (3/2021): The 2018 Le Gay is unusually reticent today. Lavender, rose petal, mint, blood orange and crushed red berry fruit emerge over time. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2018 packs serious punch. It is one of more sensual wines of the vintage in Pomerol, but readers will have to be patient, as the 2018 is in no mood to show its cards just yet. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97 (1/2021): Aromas of plums, violets and mushrooms with earthy notes. Fleshy and succulent texture to the full body with round, firm tannins and a salivating, savory finish. Very persistent. Opulent and res |
|
| Ch. Gazin |
2006 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$807.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2009): Complex aromas of green coffee bean, tarragon and blackberry, turning to licorice and violet. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and beautiful fruit. Very balanced and refined for the vintage. Exceptional for this estate. A real beauty. Best after 2014.
WA 92 (2/2009): This is a very strong effort from this estate, which sits just adjacent to Petrus. In fact, they sold part of their vineyard to Petrus in the early 1970s. This is a full-bodied, powerful 2006 with the oak more restrained than it normally is in a young Gazin. Copious quantities of sweet plum, fig, and black cherry fruit are intermixed with cedar and dried herbs in a medium to full-bodied, rich, long, impressively endowed style. This is an Outstanding wine, with enough stuffing, structure, and density to age beautifully over a 20- to 25-year period. |
|
| Ch. Gloria |
2016 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$339.99 |
6 |
|
| |
| JS 93-94 (4/2017): Dense and layered red with berry and tobacco character, a full body and a savory finish. Got it all here. |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2005 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,738.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 97 (11/2015): A fabulous GPL. Perhaps better than the legendary 1982? It shows laser-guide precision on the palate with aromas of currants, cedar, mint, flowers and chocolate. Full-bodied and extremely finely textured on the palate, lasting for minutes. A joy to drink now. Get some.
NM 97 (2/2015): The Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2005 has a brilliant, classic pencil-lead nose that is Pauillac through and through. There is no messin’ about here. The palate is very well defined with wonderful acidity, great depth of black fruit with an astonishingly precise finish that just takes your breath away. Is it the best 2005 of the vintage? Not quite, but it belongs in the top tier. And factor in value for money, I would be happy sitting on a big pile of this in my cellar to drink over the rest of my lifetime and the afterlife if that exists too.
VM 93 (6/2008): Medium red. Very ripe aromas of plum and musky brown spices; redder in character and less precise than the 2006. Then big, sweet and plump on the palate, with full, mellow flavors of red berries, tobacco and mocha, plus a light smoked meat note. Finishes with sweet tannins and lingering, fully ripe fruit. This is showing its lush side today and is hiding its underlying structure. Steohen Tanzer.
WS 93 (3/2008): Has subtle blackberry, licorice and currant on the nose, with hints of mint. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a very pretty texture. Caresses everything. Refined and balanced. A beautiful wine that's hard to keep your hands off now. Best after 2012. 14,165 cases made. |
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|
2018 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$881.98 |
10 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (3/2021): A beautiful Pauillac, the 2018 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a classic nose of ripe blackcurrants, scorched earth, cedarwood, and tobacco. This carries to a medium to full-bodied 2018 offering wonderful balance, ripe, polished tannins, and gorgeous purity of fruit. A wine that grows on you with time in the glass, it has building mid-palate depth and tannins, again, terrific balance, remarkable purity of fruit, and outstanding length on the finish. It should round into form in 4-5 years and keep for 20+. |
|
| Ch. Gruaud Larose |
2019 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$740.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Haut Bages Liberal |
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$794.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2012): Pretty nose of blueberries, currants and blackberries, follows through to a full body, with ultra-refined tannins and polished, caressing texture. Very refined and long. Perhaps the best ever from here. Try after 2018.
WA 92 (2/2012): Probably the finest Haut-Bages Liberal since the 1982, this beautifully rich wine has an inky purple color, a big, sweet kiss of creme de cassis, incense, some background spicy oak and forest floor. Its gorgeous fruit, full-bodied opulence, impressive purity, expansive texture and broad, savory finish make for a terrific wine to drink over the next 25+ years.
WS 91 (3/2012): Singed bay leaf and briar notes run along the edges, with ripe, almost sappy blackberry, black cherry and currant fruit leading to a finish of tobacco and olive. Latent grip hangs through the finish. Drink now through 2020. 10,000 cases made.
NM 90 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Haut Bages Liberal '09 has an earthier, undergrowth-scented bouquet with dusky, broody black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, slightly abrasive tannins. Good weight in the mouth. This is a bit of a rough diamond but time should polish the edges.
VM 90 (7/2012): Bright ruby-red. Aromas of cassis, licorice, bitter chocolate and spicy oak. Sweet, rich and vinous, with harmonious acidity giving shape and grip to the fine-grained flavors of dark berries, cedar, smoke and leather. Good structure and energy here. This firmly built wine spreads out nicely on the lingering aftertaste. A big success for this property. |
|
| Ch. Haut Bailly |
2015 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,403.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (2/2018): The 2015 Haut Bailly checks in as a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot that comes from the gravelly soils of the Graves region, just southeast of Bordeaux. It’s an incredibly beautiful, classy 2015 that offers a sexy bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, and exotic spices. Deep, full-bodied, and voluptuously textured, with ultra-fine tannin and building richness that never takes away from its incredible elegance and purity, it’s another heavenly 2015 that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and just sing for 2-3 decades. Hats off to winemaker Veronique Sanders – this might end up rivaling the out of this world 2009.
JS 98 (12/2018): This is an incredible young red with precision and focus that is second to almost none. Full body with a ultra-fine tannin drive that is seamless as it is endless. It ends with such power. Try in 2024 but already impressive to taste.
WA 97+ (2/2018): Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Haut-Bailly offers up a tantalizingly savory nose of smoked meats, chargrill, tapenade, unsmoked cigars and black truffles with a core of black currants, black cherries and wild blueberries plus wafts of iron ore and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and yet wonderfully plush with a powerful core of fruit—this vintage is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove. The finish goes on and on with persistent earthy/minerally notes and savory/sweet fruit. Although it is tempting and indeed delicious right now, the wine still possesses many restrained layers and should handsomely reward the patient.
VM 97 (2/2018): Once again, I am absolutely stunned by how vivid the 2015 Haut-Bailly is. Bright, red-toned fruit and floral overtones convey freshness. Deep and unctuous in the glass, with tremendous concentration, the 2015 has more than enough clout to age well for several decades. It will need at least a few years in bottle to be truly enjoyable. Antonio Galloni.
WS 95 (3/2018): Fresh and pure, with cassis and cherry preserve notes streaming through, guided gently by singed vanilla, tobacco and dried star anise details. Roasted apple wood accents drape the finish for now, but the fruit should soak that up easily with cellaring. Shows some sneaky depth here, only obscured by the freshness. Better to wait this one out. Best from 2020 through 2040. 6,665 cases made.
NM 95 (2/2018): The 2015 Haut-Bailly has an intense bouquet with raspberry preserve, blackberry and briary scents intertwined with cedar and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and superb acidity (more tensile than I remember it in barrel). I adore the focus and the class of this wine, the manner in which it gently fans out toward the finish. Classy and sophisticated, this is an outstanding Haut-Bailly. To repeat my sentiment from barrel, this 2015 is up there with the 2009 and 2010. |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
1994 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,745.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (2/1997): One of my favorite and most educational visits in Bordeaux is the time I spend with Haut-Brion's highly respected administrator, Jean Delmas. Delmas is the thinking man's winemaker, with a level of experience and success that is unequaled in Bordeaux. On this visit, we discussed at length the strong tendency in Bordeaux to produce wines with higher and higher percentages of Merlot. As Jean Delmas says, (1), Merlot provides grapes that can be picked earlier, and tend to ripen with higher degrees of sugar, thus producing wines with higher alcohol. (2) Merlot has less acidity, which, combined with its tendency to produce high alcohol, results in a sweeter, supple, and initially more seductive wine. (3) Winemakers can extract more from Merlot than they can from Cabernet Sauvignon, thus they can vinify Merlot at higher temperatures, ultimately producing exotic, opulent wines that are thrilling to taste young. However, as Delmas pointed out, it is the Cabernet Sauvignon that provides the structure, backbone, and, to his palate, ultimately the greatest measure of complexity, character, and Bordeaux typicity. Jean Delmas enjoys a sumptuous Merlot-based wine as much as any Bordeaux wine lover I know, but he is concerned by the replacement of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards with Merlot. In short, he worries that much of the intrinsic character of many Medoc and Graves chateaux could be muted or lost in a succession of exotic, flashy, glitzy wines that are garish Medoc imitations of Pomerols and St.-Emilions - something to think about. In contrast to the 1993's penetrating, upfront aromas, the 1994 is closed aromatically. With coaxing, some truffle-like, sweet, black fruit aromas, as well as those of mineral/stones come forward. This spicy, full-bodied, powerful wine is a more masculine, structured effort than the 1993, with a potentially more complex, richer character. It is superbly crafted, beautifully balanced, and as pure as a wine can be. The integration of new oak, acidity, and tannin is commendable. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. |
|
| L' If |
2021 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,089.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Kirwan |
2006 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$491.99 |
2 |
|
| |
NM 90 (7/2010): Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. This has a dense, oyster shell tinged bouquet with lifted blackberry, black olive and a touch of wet sand. Quite complex and well defined. The medium-bodied palate has a chewy entry, but very fine structure with fully ripe tannins, blackcurrants, raspberry, spice and a little leather. Very focused on the finish. This represents a very good performance from Kirwan.
WS 90 (3/2009): There's lovely fruit in this wine, with berry, chocolate and plum aromas and flavors. Medium- to full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long finish. A very balanced Kirwan. Best from 2011 through 2016. 7,080 cases made.
VM 89 (6/2009): Good ruby-red. Liqueur-like blackberry, bitter chocolate and mocha aromas are complemented by sexy oak. Supple, sweet and tactile, but with fruit currently overshadowed by notes of truffle and earth. A chewy wine with good stuffing, but the broad, toothdusting tannins call for several years of bottle aging.
WA 88 (2/2009): This wine seemed more impressive from cask than it is from bottle, as the oak seems to overwhelm much of its personality, and the wine’s austere, astringent tannins are cause for concern. It is concentrated and dark ruby purple, but the oak and tannin excesses seem to suggest an uncertain future. In any event, patience is most definitely required. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028. |
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|
2010 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$609.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 93 (2/2013): Dried berry and plum character on the nose and palate. Full body, with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Lots of beautiful and ripe fruit here. Better after 2017.
WA 92+ (2/2013): As always, this estate has produced a blockbuster style of Margaux in 2010, with the more masculine side of the appellation providing density, power, big body, loads of fruit, extract and richness. This wine is powerful and concentrated, but by no means excessively extracted. Dense purple, muscular, deep and impressive, it is a wine that allows for no compromise among wine lovers. Forget it for 6-10 years and drink it over the following 20-40 years.
VM 91+ (8/2013): Bright ruby-red. Brooding aromas of boysenberry, licorice and shoe polish. Dense, sweet and creamy but serious too, with excellent definition and underlying minerality to the blueberry, cassis and spice flavors. For all its richness, this rather powerful wine is currently dominated by its structure, but the tannins are supported by mid-palate concentration of material.
WS 91 (3/2013): Tangy and elegant, with lilac, iron, red currant and cherry notes all mingling together and carrying through the focused finish. Not big, but pure, lengthy and showing fine minerality. Drink now through 2025. 9,166 cases made. |
|
|
2013 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$286.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1983 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,323.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (3/1997): Finally, the 1983 Lafite is beginning to shed its tannin. The wine exhibits a deep ruby/garnet color with only a slight lightening at the edge. The intoxicatingly perfumed nose of lead pencil, pain grille, red and black fruits, minerals, and roasted herbs is provocative. In the mouth, this wine displays considerable body for a Lafite, plenty of power, and a fleshy, rich, sweet mid-palate. Long, elegant, plump, and surprisingly fleshy, this Outstanding example of Lafite seems largely forgotten given the number of high quality vintages during the golden decade of the eighties. Anticipated maturity: Now-2030.
WS 91 (10/1994): Another excellent vintage for Lafite. Extremely fresh, with lovely blackberry and cassis character, a medium body and full tannins. Needs time. Try after 1996. |
|
|
2021 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,351.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lafon Rochet |
2019 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$433.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| JS 93-94 (6/2020): The purity of fruit and balance in this young St.-Estephe is really beautiful with crushed-currant, stone and orange-peel aromas and flavors. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins and a pretty finish. We will see if this is better than the 2018 or not. |
|
| Ch. Lagrange |
2015 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$662.98 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$321 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2013 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$532.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Latour |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$9,539.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (4/2021): The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99 (10/2019): Very open and beautiful now with currants, light chocolate and spices. Incense as well. Full-bodied, tight and reserved with a fantastic center palate of fruit and firm tannins. Closed and hiding behind the structure and depth. Needs time to open still but already a joy to taste (drink!).
WS 99 (3/2008): Dark ruby black in color. Brilliant, intense aromas of mineral, blackberry and currant, with hints of Indian spices and cigar box, lead to a full-bodied palate, with ultrafine tannins and a beautiful balance of blackberry, raspberry and mineral. There's subtlety, yet also great depth. Lasts for minutes on the palate. This is a Latour with fabulous tone and vigor. Best after 2018. 12,500 cases made.
JD 98 (4/2020): A massive, powerful wine that tastes like the essence of the great estate, the 2005 Château Latour is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels. It reveals a saturated purple/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite, gravelly earth, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and massively concentrated, it has the more austere, masculine style of the estate front and center, yet has gorgeously sweet tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. This profound, regal 2005 can be drunk any time over the coming 40-50 years, and I suspect even longer.
WA 98+ (2/2019): 2005 was a very dry, warm and sunny vintage, causing vine stress in some areas of Bordeaux. Harvested from September 26 to October 6, the tannin/IPT levels were very high this year. The 2005 Latour is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is the biggest surprise of this tasting—until now, the wine was relatively closed and broody, but today the wine is just starting to reveal its personality—and what a stunner! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with provocative floral scents of roses and violets over a core of fresh blackcurrants, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberries with hints of fertile loam, unsmoked cigars and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, it has an epically long, savory finish sparked by floral notes. 12,000 cases were made. |
|
|
2005 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,829.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (4/2021): The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99 (10/2019): Very open and beautiful now with currants, light chocolate and spices. Incense as well. Full-bodied, tight and reserved with a fantastic center palate of fruit and firm tannins. Closed and hiding behind the structure and depth. Needs time to open still but already a joy to taste (drink!).
WS 99 (3/2008): Dark ruby black in color. Brilliant, intense aromas of mineral, blackberry and currant, with hints of Indian spices and cigar box, lead to a full-bodied palate, with ultrafine tannins and a beautiful balance of blackberry, raspberry and mineral. There's subtlety, yet also great depth. Lasts for minutes on the palate. This is a Latour with fabulous tone and vigor. Best after 2018. 12,500 cases made.
JD 98 (4/2020): A massive, powerful wine that tastes like the essence of the great estate, the 2005 Château Latour is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels. It reveals a saturated purple/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite, gravelly earth, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and massively concentrated, it has the more austere, masculine style of the estate front and center, yet has gorgeously sweet tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. This profound, regal 2005 can be drunk any time over the coming 40-50 years, and I suspect even longer.
WA 98+ (2/2019): 2005 was a very dry, warm and sunny vintage, causing vine stress in some areas of Bordeaux. Harvested from September 26 to October 6, the tannin/IPT levels were very high this year. The 2005 Latour is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is the biggest surprise of this tasting—until now, the wine was relatively closed and broody, but today the wine is just starting to reveal its personality—and what a stunner! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with provocative floral scents of roses and violets over a core of fresh blackcurrants, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberries with hints of fertile loam, unsmoked cigars and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, it has an epically long, savory finish sparked by floral notes. 12,000 cases were made. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2019 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$554.99 |
8 |
|
| |
VM 96-98 (6/2020): The 2019 Leoville-Poyferre has a typically seductive bouquet with layers of ripe black fruit laced with tobacco, sous-bois, touches of marmalade and dried orange peel. Give it another hour and more blue fruit begins to emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with lavish, luxuriant black fruit and a creamy texture that is instantly seductive. It is a more opulent Saint-Julien than the Barton with a satin-like texture on the finish. If you love the style of Leoville-Poyferre then you will adore this. Neal Martin.
JD 97-100 (6/2020): The 2019 Château Leoville Poyferre is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 27% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. It's a classic wine from this address, with a dense purple color as well as a blockbuster nose of blackberries, cassis, chocolate, toasted spices, graphite, and tobacco. This flamboyant, full-bodied, opulent wine has a massive, sexy texture, sweet tannins, and a finish that won't quit. It's better than the 2000, 2003, 2005, 2015, and 2016 and reminds me of the 2009 with its oversized yet balanced, beautiful profile. The alcohol checks in at just over 14%, but it isn't noticeable in the least. Buy this rock star by the case!
JS 96-97 (6/2020): Chewy and rich this year with lots of ripe tannins and solid depth of fruit. Chocolate and walnuts to the blue fruit. It’s full-bodied. Plenty of fruit at the end. Excellent length. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
1998 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,249.98 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 92+ (6/2001): Medium ruby. Cool, floral aromas of red berries, violet, cocoa powder, graphite and spicy oak, along with a whiff of smoked meat. Juicy, sharply delineated and austere; a classic, adamantly dry claret with superb intensity and grip. This is beginning to close up, unlike the '99. But really expands on the very long, perfumed finish. Tannins are dusty but even. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 91 (4/2001): The 1998 Margaux's color is a dense ruby/purple. The wine is tannic and austere, but elegant, with notes of asphalt, blackberries, acacia flowers, and sweet, toasty oak. Subtle, rich, nicely-textured, and medium-bodied, it is built for the long haul. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.
WS 91 (12/2013): Shows a lightly taut feel, with plum skin and cherry pit notes melded into the core of damson plum, blackberry and mulled cherry fruit. Shows the estate's telltale black tea and lilac hints through the finish, with lovely grace and charm that wins out over the sinewy structure. Drink now through 2020. |
|
| Ch. La Mondotte |
2008 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,477.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,434.99 |
9 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (4/2018): There was no frost here. Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Mondotte simply sings of gorgeous ripe blackberries, mulberries and black raspberries with touches of sandalwood, lavender, licorice and rose hips plus wafts of garrigue and exotic spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, very silky tannins and layer upon layer of black fruits and spices, finishing very long and beautifully perfumed.
VM 93-96 (5/2018): The 2017 La Mondotte is a total stunner, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage. Exquisitely layered in the glass, the 2017 possesses stunning freshness and vibrant to play off the characteristically dense Mondotte fruit. Lavender, chocolate, menthol, spice, crushed rocks and new leather add nuance to a core of plush, inky dark fruit. La Mondotte was spared damage from frost. For the first time, La Mondotte contains 30% Cabernet Franc. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96-97 (4/2018): Incredibly complete for the vintage, this cascades with its character of dark chocolate, blackberry coulis and Chinese spices. It’s so very beguiling on the palate with rich yet in-tune black fruit and complemented by regal, surrounding tannins. Bright acid carries this through to a long finish.
WS 93-96 (4/2018): Solidly built, with a ganache frame that marries well with the core of fig and plum compote flavors. Tobacco and chalky minerality line the finish, revealing an echo of savory at the very end. Starts big and gains refinement as it moves along.
JD 93-95 (4/2018): The deepest colored in the lineup from owner Stephan von Neipperg, the 2017 La Mondotte comes from a magical terroir covering 11.5-acres of clay and limestone soils located above Pavie and Pavie Decesse. It boasts a vibrant purple color to go with fresh, gorgeously pure notes of blueberries, violets, licorice, and ample minerality. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, present tannin, integrated acidity, and a great finish, it doesn’t have the volume or weight of the 2015 and is made in a more elegant, finesse-driven style. It’s a brilliant wine that’s going to need 4-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades or more. |
|
|
2017 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$750.99 |
22 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (4/2018): There was no frost here. Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Mondotte simply sings of gorgeous ripe blackberries, mulberries and black raspberries with touches of sandalwood, lavender, licorice and rose hips plus wafts of garrigue and exotic spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, very silky tannins and layer upon layer of black fruits and spices, finishing very long and beautifully perfumed.
VM 93-96 (5/2018): The 2017 La Mondotte is a total stunner, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage. Exquisitely layered in the glass, the 2017 possesses stunning freshness and vibrant to play off the characteristically dense Mondotte fruit. Lavender, chocolate, menthol, spice, crushed rocks and new leather add nuance to a core of plush, inky dark fruit. La Mondotte was spared damage from frost. For the first time, La Mondotte contains 30% Cabernet Franc. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96-97 (4/2018): Incredibly complete for the vintage, this cascades with its character of dark chocolate, blackberry coulis and Chinese spices. It’s so very beguiling on the palate with rich yet in-tune black fruit and complemented by regal, surrounding tannins. Bright acid carries this through to a long finish.
WS 93-96 (4/2018): Solidly built, with a ganache frame that marries well with the core of fig and plum compote flavors. Tobacco and chalky minerality line the finish, revealing an echo of savory at the very end. Starts big and gains refinement as it moves along.
JD 93-95 (4/2018): The deepest colored in the lineup from owner Stephan von Neipperg, the 2017 La Mondotte comes from a magical terroir covering 11.5-acres of clay and limestone soils located above Pavie and Pavie Decesse. It boasts a vibrant purple color to go with fresh, gorgeously pure notes of blueberries, violets, licorice, and ample minerality. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, present tannin, integrated acidity, and a great finish, it doesn’t have the volume or weight of the 2015 and is made in a more elegant, finesse-driven style. It’s a brilliant wine that’s going to need 4-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades or more. |
|
|
2019 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,593.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-99 (6/2020): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 La Mondotte needs a little coaxing before bursting onto the scene with flamboyant scents of plum pudding, blueberry compote, blackberry pie and red roses. Further swirling reveals provocative, emerging notes of sandalwood, cracked black pepper, baker's chocolate, unsmoked cigars and crushed rocks plus a waft of black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in poise and sophistication, featuring the most exquisitely ripe, velvety tannins and amazing freshness, beautifully countering the intense blue and black fruit layers, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks. Breathtaking!
VM 94-96 (6/2020): Liquified rocks, gravel, blackberry jam, smoke, licorice and dried flowers are some of the many aromas and flavors that infuse La Mondotte with tremendous character. Brooding and potent, the 2019 possesses dazzling richness married to structure. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. It is a wine of tremendous breeding.
JD 97-100 (6/2020): Magic stuff all the way, and certainly up there with the heavenly 2015 and 2016, the 2019 La Mondotte comes from a 12-acre vineyard of limestone (and some clay) soils located just above Pavie Decesse. It offers everything you could want in a Saint-Emilion with its rich, opulent texture, notable minerality, terrific balance, and an incredible sense of elegance, in both its texture and its tannins. Offering powerful notes of black cherries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco, chocolate, cedar, and violets, it has plenty of tannins, yet they're perfectly ripe and integrated. It's full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and just a joy to taste today, yet it's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for three decades.
JS 97-98 (6/2020): Tight and linear red with blackberry, chocolate and fresh-mushroom character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tight, chewy tannins and an attractive, chocolate and bitter-citrus aftertaste. Love the lively acidity at the finish. Minerally. |
|
|
2019 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$816.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 97-99 (6/2020): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 La Mondotte needs a little coaxing before bursting onto the scene with flamboyant scents of plum pudding, blueberry compote, blackberry pie and red roses. Further swirling reveals provocative, emerging notes of sandalwood, cracked black pepper, baker's chocolate, unsmoked cigars and crushed rocks plus a waft of black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in poise and sophistication, featuring the most exquisitely ripe, velvety tannins and amazing freshness, beautifully countering the intense blue and black fruit layers, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks. Breathtaking!
VM 94-96 (6/2020): Liquified rocks, gravel, blackberry jam, smoke, licorice and dried flowers are some of the many aromas and flavors that infuse La Mondotte with tremendous character. Brooding and potent, the 2019 possesses dazzling richness married to structure. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. It is a wine of tremendous breeding.
JD 97-100 (6/2020): Magic stuff all the way, and certainly up there with the heavenly 2015 and 2016, the 2019 La Mondotte comes from a 12-acre vineyard of limestone (and some clay) soils located just above Pavie Decesse. It offers everything you could want in a Saint-Emilion with its rich, opulent texture, notable minerality, terrific balance, and an incredible sense of elegance, in both its texture and its tannins. Offering powerful notes of black cherries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco, chocolate, cedar, and violets, it has plenty of tannins, yet they're perfectly ripe and integrated. It's full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and just a joy to taste today, yet it's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for three decades.
JS 97-98 (6/2020): Tight and linear red with blackberry, chocolate and fresh-mushroom character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tight, chewy tannins and an attractive, chocolate and bitter-citrus aftertaste. Love the lively acidity at the finish. Minerally. |
|
| Ch. Montrose |
2016 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,658.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (2/2019): Unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines of the vintage, the 2016 Château Montrose is a monument in the making. Checking in as a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new French oak (the balance was in once-used barrels) and representing a tiny 36% of the production, this deep purple-colored 2016 possesses powerful, incredibly classic Saint-Estephe notes of creme de cassis, graphite, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and burning embers. With a powerful, full-bodied style on the palate, a huge mid-palate, lots of underlying structure and tannic grip, and perfect balance, this magical wine will need upwards of a decade or cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Montrose is a little youthfully shy to begin, but with coaxing, it unfurls to reveal the most beguiling scents of wilted roses, oolong tea, crushed rocks, wild sage, star anise and candied violets over a wonderfully pristine, well-defined core of crushed blackcurrants, black raspberries and kirsch plus wafts of pencil lead and wood smoke. The taut, muscular, medium to full-bodied palate straddles jaw-dropping intensity and finesse superbly, featuring a solid backbone of ripe tannins and giving a firm frame right through the incredibly long, exquisitely nuanced finish.
JS 98 (12/2019): The floral and fresh aromas to this are mesmerizing. Roses and lilacs galore. The pure cab aromas coming from the glass -- blackcurrants and blackberries -- are so memorable. Full-bodied, deep and profound. The ultra-fine tannins on the palate are so polished and fine-grained. The finish goes on for minutes with subtle yet superb fruit. It’s all about precision and form here. A modern classic for Montrose.
VM 97 (8/2020): The 2016 Montrose displays a pixelated, detailed bouquet that is supremely focused. There is more “airiness” to this wine [compared to previous bottles], and an expressive floral component of pressed iris and incense that is wonderfully entwined with the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, quite sensual and utterly harmonious, leading to a caressing but very deep, quite profound finish. Like the 2016 Meyney that preceded it, this is very persistent and should age with style and charm. Neal Martin.
WS 96 (3/2019): Very pure, with lilac, violet, cassis, bitter cherry and damson plum notes streaming through in lockstep right from the start. A fine chalky underpinning gives the finish a sleek and racy edge. A beautifully precise wine, with a lot in reserve, that could benefit from a little added weight in the cellar. |
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|
2018 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,105.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96-98 (4/2019): Composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested from September 17 to October 5, the 2018 Montrose has a very deep purple-black color and opens with tantalizing notes of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake, hoisin and mocha with nuances of molten licorice, fertile loam, cast iron pan and incense. Big, rich, full and powerful in the mouth, the voluptuous fruit has a rock-solid backbone of very firm, very ripe tannins to match with tons of freshness and an epically long, exotic spice finish. A magnificent monster of a Montrose!
VM 95-98 (5/2019): The 2018 Montrose balances finesse and power to a degree I don't think I have seen in a recent young Montrose. The 2018 has plenty of depth, intensity and thrust - all signatures of Montrose - but it also has a striking sense of elegance. Crème de cassis, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice meld together in the glass. Although it is naturally very young, the 2018 Montrose appears to have a tremendous future. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, which is to say more Cabernet and less Merlot than is the norm. Readers will have to be patient with the 2018, but it is a stellar wine in the making. Montrose presents an en primeur sample aged 100% in new oak (while the final wine is aging in 60% new barrels) to show a wine that is more ready to taste young. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-99 (5/2019): The top wine of the estate as well as one of the wines of the vintage, the 2018 Château Montrose is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak. Crème de cassis, smoky oak, graphite, and violet notes all emerge from this magical Montrose that has thrilling purity, building, layered tannins, integrated acidity, and a blockbuster finish. Deep, concentrated, and built for the long-haul, yet with the sexiness of the vintage, it’s in the same league as the 2016 and will be drinkable in just 4-5 years and keep for 40+.
JS 98-99 (4/2019): This is a big and muscular wine with great structure and depth of fruit. Blackberry and blueberry character. Hints of fresh leaves. Cool earth. Incredible depth, yet so polished. Concentrated. |
|
| La Dame de Montrose |
2019 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$288.99 |
20 |
|
| |
VM 92 (2/2023): The 2019 La Dame de Montrose has an open, fresh and energetic nose with blackberry and cedar scents, joined by black pepper and graphite with time. You might describe it as a "strapping" bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with graphite-infused black fruit, pliant tannins, edgy with a persistent and satisfying finish. This is very promising and quite sophisticated - a Deuxième Vin that has improved since bottling. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 92 (3/2022): Very solid, with a core of lightly steeped plum and blackberry fruit, supported by a streak of iron and framed by smoldering tobacco and dark earth notes. Good energy throughout as well, with a mouthwatering echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.
JD 91 (4/2022): The 2019 La Dame De Montrose is another impressive second wine and certainly worth seeking out. Ripe darker cherries, currants, leafy herbs, tobacco, and a hint of classic Saint-Estèphe damp earth all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a silky, graceful texture, light tannins, and a great finish. It's everything a second wine should be and will evolve nicely for 10-12 years. |
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| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2006 |
Le Petit Mouton Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,934.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (2/2009): The 2006 Le Petit Mouton is the finest example of this cuvee I have yet tasted. A combination of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 14% Merlot, its dark ruby/purple color is followed by a wine with sweet tannins, an up-front, precocious personality, loads of fruit and exuberance, and a slightly flamboyant style that gives it considerable sensual appeal. It should drink beautifully for 15 or more years.
WS 87 (3/2009): There's some fruit and tobacco, but this is a little earthy and funky. Medium-bodied, with soft tannins and a tobacco and berry aftertaste. Best after 2011. 7,500 cases made. |
|
| Alter Ego de Palmer |
2009 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,657.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91 (2/2012): A second wine that has improved dramatically is the Alter Ego de Palmer. The 2009, a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, exhibits aromas of blackberries, cassis, chocolate, roasted espresso and a smoky/foresty note. This hedonistic, juicy, succulent Margaux is meant to be consumed in its first 10-15 years of life.
WS 90 (3/2012): Well-sculpted, with enough concentration to the dark plum, maduro tobacco, anise and warm tar notes to merit some cellaring, but enough bright acidity and juicy briar hints to make this accessible now. Drink now through 2020. 7,500 cases made.
VM 88-91 (6/2010): (a blend of 51% merlot and 49% cabernet sauvignon) Ruby-red. Precise aromas of red cherry, blackcurrant, cocoa and minerals. Bright and fresh in the mouth, with luscious flavors of red and black berries. Finishes clean and long, with an obviously inky/flinty note and mounting tannins that will need some time to resolve fully. A very successful Alter Ego. |
|
| Ch. Pape-Clement |
2014 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,068.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2017): Intense blackberry and blueberry aromas as well as mushroom undertones. Violets, too. Sweet tobacco. Full-bodied and layered with polished tannins. Very long and beautiful. Give it two or three years to show what it has but already a beauty.
JD 95 (2/2018): In a vintage that can lack a little pizzazz, the 2014 Pape Clement stands out for its exuberant, sexy, full-bodied style. Checking in as a blend of 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Petit Verdot, aged in 60% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a layered, ripe, sexy wine that has loads of currants, blackberries, smoke tobacco, and forest floor aromas and flavors, with just a touch of chocolaty oak. Silky and incredibly pure on the palate, with impeccable balance and sweet, yet present tannin, it’s already impossible to resist, yet is going to deliver the goods for another 20-25 years. It’s a beauty!
WA 94 (3/2017): The 2014 Pape Clement has quite a potent bouquet with lavish red cherry, kirsch, iodine and pastille-like scents, the oak probably needing another couple of years to fully integrate. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine line of acidity, quite refined and focused with appreciable tension towards the finish that comes laden with succulent, tobacco-infused blackberry fruit. This is a sumptuous and yet refined Pape-Clement that demonstrated the most matière or substance out of all the Pessac-Leognan 2014s that I tasted, except for the Haut-Brion. It is certainly a wine destined for a long future.
VM 94 (3/2018): The 2014 Pape-Clement has a very classy bouquet with red berry fruit, cranberry and strawberry mixed with clove, sandalwood and a hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very focused and beautifully integrated with the oak. It just builds in the mouth towards a very confidence, sophisticated, tensile finish with graphite lingering on the aftertaste. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 93 (3/2017): Lavish in profile, this sports a range of warm fruitcake, anise and black tea aromatics followed quickly by a gush of raspberry, plum and boysenberry confiture notes. Velvety, showing ample structure through the finish, pulling the fruit and wood notes together. A rare bird, stylistically, in this generally understated vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035. 11,667 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. |
|
| Pauillac de Latour |
2015 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,259.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2018): A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of Paulliac. Serious. Needs two or three years to come together.
WA 91 (3/2020): The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing! |
|
| Ch. Pavie |
2014 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,453.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (3/2018): This is a magnificent Pavie with full body and polished and integrated tannins. Shows a level of precision and balance that is always unexpected. Long and harmonious. Hard now to drink now, but will reward those with long-term patience.
VM 94 (7/2018): The 2014 Pavie may ultimately be seen as the vintage where Gerard Perse's jewel turned a corner in terms of more Cabernet, earlier picking and less new oak. It is certainly shining in bottle. Even compared to the 2000 and 2010 I find more precision and detail in the aromatics, more of that propitious terroir coming through. You can sense that limestone. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, more approachable than I expected, with the Cabernet Sauvignon more pronounced on the graphite-tinged finish. This has great potential. Tasted at Berry Brothers & Rudd Pavie dinner. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2014 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$983.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (10/2017): One of the highlights in a dark horse vintage for Bordeaux, the 2014 Pichon Lalande is absolutely exquisite. Aromatic and silky on the palate, with bright, finely sculpted fruit and mid-weight structure, the 2014 is a picture-perfect example of the best 2014 has to offer. I have always adored the 2014 Pichon Lalande. This tasting only serves to reinforce that feeling. Ideal conditions in September extended the harvest and yielded perfumed, silky wines. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (11/2017): Showing the hallmark elegance and seductiveness of this terrific estate, the 2014 Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is deeply colored (especially in the vintage) and delivers a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, ripe plums, graphite, cedar pencil, roasted coffee, and tons of building minerality and liquid rock-like nuances. Incredibly pure, textured, full-bodied, and with a seamless integration of its fruit, tannin, and acidity, it’s already approachable but will keep for two to three decades.
WA 93 (3/2017): The 2014 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an expressive bouquet with lively blackberry, cedar, flint and graphite aromas that are not powerful, yet display admirable precision. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, the Merlot content lending this Pauillac its trademark fleshiness and roundness, yet there is clearly structure here (not always a trait of this Pauillac growth). It will develop more complexity and personality with bottle age, but at the moment you can sit back and just admire the cohesion and superb length. Winemaker Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a quite wonderful Pichon-Lalande, one with inbuilt longevity.
JS 92 (2/2017): Aromas of cassis bush and shaved chocolate with berries. Full body, velvety-textured tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tangy undertones with fresh acidity. Drink in 2020. |
|
| Le Pin |
2016 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$21,068.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (2/2019): From Jacques Thienpont and a true superstar in the vintage, the 2016 Le Pin comes from a tiny vineyard of old vine Merlot and is raised all in new barrels. One of those magical wines that marries power with elegance perfectly, its saturated purple color is followed by a thrilling array of sweet kirsch, crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and Asian spices. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness and depth as well as an incredible mid-palate, it stays ethereal and elegant, with flawless tannins, awesome purity, and a blockbuster of a finish. The sexiest, kinkiest, most opulent wine in the vintage? I’d say yes. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-6 years, count yourself very lucky, and drink bottles over the following 3+ decades.
VM 99 (1/2019): The 2016 Le Pin is an extraordinarily beautiful vivid wine. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is a flat-out stunner. Nothing in particular stands out because all of the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of captivating, transcendental beauty, Le Pin has it all. Rose petal, red cherry, mint, blood orange and wild flowers all build in the glass, but it is the wine's breathtaking finesse and elegance that stand out most. What a gorgeous, arrestingly beautiful wine this is. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2018): The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Le Pin is still very closed, revealing glimpses of preserved plums, blackberry pie and raspberry compote plus suggestions of potpourri, star anise, tobacco, fenugreek and stewed tea plus a waft of hoisin. The medium-bodied palate is opulent, rich and plush with layers of black and red fruit preserves and loads of exotic spice accents, finishing very long and very decadent.
WS 97 (3/2019): This provides a pure, almost distilled note of raspberry ganache from start to finish, fleshy in feel, with a light brambly accent adding subtle, pulsating energy throughout. Black tea detail, a hint of warm gravel and mouthwatering black licorice nuances fill in through the finish, which has a beguiling feel. Best from 2022 through 2038.
JS 100 (1/2019): I am spellbound by the aromas of crushed blackberries, licorice, black tea and violets. It’s full-bodied yet so intense and linear. Powerful tannins with superb polish and focus give an amazing texture. Complex and fascinating flavors of hazelnuts and dark fruit. The balance and strength is uncanny. Perfect wine. Very direct and superb. Try after 2025. |
|
|
2016 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$10,315.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (2/2019): From Jacques Thienpont and a true superstar in the vintage, the 2016 Le Pin comes from a tiny vineyard of old vine Merlot and is raised all in new barrels. One of those magical wines that marries power with elegance perfectly, its saturated purple color is followed by a thrilling array of sweet kirsch, crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and Asian spices. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness and depth as well as an incredible mid-palate, it stays ethereal and elegant, with flawless tannins, awesome purity, and a blockbuster of a finish. The sexiest, kinkiest, most opulent wine in the vintage? I’d say yes. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-6 years, count yourself very lucky, and drink bottles over the following 3+ decades.
VM 99 (1/2019): The 2016 Le Pin is an extraordinarily beautiful vivid wine. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is a flat-out stunner. Nothing in particular stands out because all of the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of captivating, transcendental beauty, Le Pin has it all. Rose petal, red cherry, mint, blood orange and wild flowers all build in the glass, but it is the wine's breathtaking finesse and elegance that stand out most. What a gorgeous, arrestingly beautiful wine this is. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2018): The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Le Pin is still very closed, revealing glimpses of preserved plums, blackberry pie and raspberry compote plus suggestions of potpourri, star anise, tobacco, fenugreek and stewed tea plus a waft of hoisin. The medium-bodied palate is opulent, rich and plush with layers of black and red fruit preserves and loads of exotic spice accents, finishing very long and very decadent.
WS 97 (3/2019): This provides a pure, almost distilled note of raspberry ganache from start to finish, fleshy in feel, with a light brambly accent adding subtle, pulsating energy throughout. Black tea detail, a hint of warm gravel and mouthwatering black licorice nuances fill in through the finish, which has a beguiling feel. Best from 2022 through 2038.
JS 100 (1/2019): I am spellbound by the aromas of crushed blackberries, licorice, black tea and violets. It’s full-bodied yet so intense and linear. Powerful tannins with superb polish and focus give an amazing texture. Complex and fascinating flavors of hazelnuts and dark fruit. The balance and strength is uncanny. Perfect wine. Very direct and superb. Try after 2025. |
|
|
2018 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$9,188.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-99 (4/2019): The 2018 Le Pin is made of 100% Merlot, picked the last week of September with yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has a pH of 3.7, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 70 and 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little reserved to begin, offering glimpses of tar, fertile loam and truffles with slowly emerging notes of baked black cherries, stewed plums, mulberries and underbrush plus hints of black pepper, hoisin and chargrill with a waft of garrigue. Full-bodied, the palate is loaded with taut, muscular fruit and heaps of earthy accents, with a firm frame of ripe, rounded tannins and just enough seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully savory.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Le Pin is dense, rich and seductive, with all of the textural richness that is such a signature. Le Pin is, of course, 100% Merlot fermented entirely in new oak. There is a touch of new wood in the en primeur sample that needs time to fully assimilate, which I expect will not be a problem over time. More than anything else, I am impressed with the wine's freshness and overall energy. The 2018 comes in 14.5% alcohol, the highest ever here, and yet that is not especially evident. A closing burst of floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit leaves a lasting impression. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-99 (5/2019): About as sexy as wine gets, the 2018 Le Pin comes from a tiny vineyard located just across from Vieux Château Certan and is always 100% Merlot brought up in new barrels. It reveals a deep purple color as well as a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, roasted coffee, vanilla, and toasted spice. Deep, full-bodied, seamless, and incredibly layered on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, it's already approachable, with the flamboyant style of the vintage, yet should evolve for decades. It’s a brilliant Pomerol in the making.
JS 98-99 (4/2019): The density and texture to this Le Pin is very surprising. It’s tannic and intense with an angular and stony-mineral undertone. Full-bodied yet energetic and edgy. Great structure. Reminds me of the great 1986. |
|
|
2019 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$9,230.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Rauzan-Segla |
2016 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$634.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2019): I continue to love the 2016 Rauzan-Segla, a thrillingly complete, flawlessly balanced, and borderline perfect Margaux that should be snatched up by readers. Notes of cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, and earth all give way to a full-bodied effort that has building tannins, no hard edges, and a level of purity and elegance that’s just about off the charts. Given its purity and balance, it’s accessible today, but it will be best with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades.
JS 98 (1/2019): The aromas of blackcurrants, sweet tobacco and sandalwood are tantalizing. Then it turns to subtle, dried fruit. Full-bodied with dense and powerful tannins, yet ending with finesse and vertical nature. Very deep. Power with finesse. Try after 2025.
VM 97+ (1/2019): The 2016 Rauzan-Segla is simply stunning. Ample and generous in the glass, the 2016 is a positively stellar wine that will leave readers weak at the knees. The flavors and textures are generous as this sublime Margaux shows off its alluring personality. Sweet red cherry, plum, pomegranate, blood orange, spice and rose petal are some of the many notes that run through this absolutely exquisite wine. The 2016 is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel, maybe even more! Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (4/2020): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Rauzan-Segla drifts effortlessly from the glass with fragrant rose hip tea, candied violets and chocolate box scents over a core of fresh blackcurrants and black cherry compote plus wafts of tobacco and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a great mid-palate of softly textured black and blue fruits with loads of floral nuances and a refreshing lift on the finish.
WS 95 (3/2019): This has a lovely core of creamy anise-infused plum, blackberry and boysenberry flavors that showcase themselves a bit more vividly than many Margaux peers in this vintage do, with substantial but velvety grip and lots of extra violet, graphite and black tea notes adding to the long flow of a finish. Really beautiful feel. Best from 2023 through 2038. 10,000 cases made. |
|
| Clos Rene |
2019 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$472.98 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte |
2006 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$891.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 93 (2/2009): A top-notch success, the dense ruby/purple-colored 2006 Smith-Haut-Lafitte offers aromas of smoky, juicy black currants, graphite, earth, truffles, and forest floor. Full-bodied with superb purity, noticeable but sweet tannins, this round, generous, long wine should drink nicely for 15-20+ years.
VM 92 (6/2009): Full red-ruby. Expressive nose offers plum, black raspberry, tobacco, mocha, truffle, licorice and herbs. Suave, fine-grained and vibrant; generous and plush yet light on its feet. Finishes very long and classy, with sweet tannins, terrific energy and palate-coating persistence and perfume. Not as fat or full as the 2005, but just a step behind that wine.
WS 92 (3/2009): Gorgeous aromas of dark chocolate, cappuccino and berries lead to a full body, with luscious fruit and round tannins. Long and voluptuous for the vintage. Impressive. Best after 2014. 10,000 cases made. |
|
|
2017 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$614.99 |
1 |
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| JD 96 (2/2020): Moving to the grand vin and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot aged 16 months in 60% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is a beauty, with rocking levels of cassis and red currant fruits interwoven with hints of dried herbs, salty minerality, subtle oak, and crushed violets. Concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe tannins, a great mid-palate, and tons of charm and character. This is one of those wines that will be beautiful in just 3-4 years and yet age effortlessly for three decades. Hats off to winemaker Fabien Teitgen for a brilliant effort in the vintage. |
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| La Demoiselle de Sociando Mallet |
2017 |
Haut Medoc (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$202.99 |
20 |
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| Ch. Tour Saint-Christophe |
2017 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$454.99 |
1 |
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JS 93-94 (4/2018): Dense and layered red with dark berry, volcanic ash and white pepper. Full-bodied, layered and chewy. Muscular.
JD 91-93 (4/2018): I tasted the 2017 Château Tour Saint Christophe on two sperate occasions and it never failed to impress. A rough blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc that hit 14.3% natural alcohol, it has a rocking sense of minerality to go with big, broad, expansive aromas and flavors. Blueberries, black raspberries, flowers, and violets characteristics, medium to full-bodied richness, fine tannin, and excellent purity all make this a terrific 2017 that will drink nicely for 10-15+ years.
WA 89-91+ (4/2018): The tentative blend of the 2017 Tour Saint-Christophe is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it's purely scented of fresh blackberries, blackcurrants and mulberries with touches of pencil shavings and lavender. The palate is medium-bodied, finely crafted and refreshing in the mouth with firm, fine-grained tannins and an herbal lift on the finish. |
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| Ch. Troplong Mondot |
2015 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,530.99 |
1 |
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JD 99 (11/2017): A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It's one of the great wines of the vintage.
VM 97 (2/2018): One of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Troplong Mondot has come together beautifully over the last year and half. Rich and sumptuous to the core, it is a classic wine from this property, built on serious fruit density and textural richness. Dark red cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice are some of the many notes that build as the 2015 shows off its irrepressible personality. A viscerally exciting, resonant wine, it just needs a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97 (4/2016): A luscious and rich red with blackberry, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Full body, very harmonious and super bright. All about clarity. A majority of merlot with some cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.
WA 96 (2/2018): Blended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and full-throttle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!
WS 95 (3/2018): Offers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made. |
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| Ch. Trotte Vieille |
2012 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$913.98 |
5 |
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| Ch. Valandraud |
2011 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,199.99 |
2 |
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| La Violette |
2007 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,303.99 |
4 |
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WA 91 (4/2010): The first vintage from new proprietor Catherine Pere Verge, the 2007 La Violette is a 100% Merlot made from yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare. Aromas of violets, blueberries, raspberries, and lavender emerge from this perfumed wine. It is not the biggest Pomerol in 2007 (Clinet and Le Gay qualify for that prize), but it is ethereal in its finesse, purity, intensity, and layered mouthfeel. Luscious and delicate with admirable intensity, this beauty comes from a very special terroir. Sadly, production is so tiny, few consumers will ever get a chance to taste it. The 2007 should drink well for 10-15 years.
VM 90 (7/2010): Good deep red. Plum, graphite, licorice, fresh herbs and spices on the nose, plus a whiff of smoky underbrush. On the lean side but sweet and perfumed, with insidious intensity and good ripeness to its flavors of dark fruits, flowers, pepper and herbs. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and good spicy persistence. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed sexy blackberry and violet notes and a classic caramel quality I associate with Pomerol. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 88 (7/2010): Aromas of smoke, blackberry and flowers follow through to a full body, with fine tannins and lots of sweet, ripe fruit. Plenty of new wood. Best after 2012. 335 cases made. |
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2007 |
Pomerol (6x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,475.99 |
1 |
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WA 91 (4/2010): The first vintage from new proprietor Catherine Pere Verge, the 2007 La Violette is a 100% Merlot made from yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare. Aromas of violets, blueberries, raspberries, and lavender emerge from this perfumed wine. It is not the biggest Pomerol in 2007 (Clinet and Le Gay qualify for that prize), but it is ethereal in its finesse, purity, intensity, and layered mouthfeel. Luscious and delicate with admirable intensity, this beauty comes from a very special terroir. Sadly, production is so tiny, few consumers will ever get a chance to taste it. The 2007 should drink well for 10-15 years.
VM 90 (7/2010): Good deep red. Plum, graphite, licorice, fresh herbs and spices on the nose, plus a whiff of smoky underbrush. On the lean side but sweet and perfumed, with insidious intensity and good ripeness to its flavors of dark fruits, flowers, pepper and herbs. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and good spicy persistence. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed sexy blackberry and violet notes and a classic caramel quality I associate with Pomerol. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 88 (7/2010): Aromas of smoke, blackberry and flowers follow through to a full body, with fine tannins and lots of sweet, ripe fruit. Plenty of new wood. Best after 2012. 335 cases made. |
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2008 |
Pomerol (6x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,324.99 |
1 |
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| WA 95 (5/2011): Fashioned from yields of 18 hectoliters per hectare with 13.5% natural alcohol, the opaque ruby-hued 2008 exhibits tell-tale floral notes intertwined with raspberries, sweet black cherries, licorice and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and strikingly pure as well as multilayered, the 2008, despite its precociousness, will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years. It is one of the top successes of the vintage. |
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| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. Climens |
2009 |
Barsac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$881.98 |
1 |
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WA 97 (6/2016): The 2009 Climens is certainly more expressive on the nose compared to the 2010 Climens with potent honeysuckle, fresh pear and orange blossom that gently unfurl from the glass. Compared to the 2009 Rieussec for example, this is powerful but not quite as flamboyant. The palate is just fantastic, so energetic and tensile with layers of minerally, honeyed fruit laced with spice, sea salt, a touch of licorice and quince. It will be a multi-dimensional Climens that has a very long future ahead, a killer Sauternes that is going to give a great deal of pleasure over many years.
WS 95 (3/2012): Rounded and broad in feel for now, with richly layered toasted almond, ginger cream, brioche and glazed apple notes that all glide through the viscous finish, where a flash of green tea can be found. This has the buried zip for the long haul, which it will need to assimilate fully. There's lots in reserve. Best from 2015 through 2034. 4,165 cases made. |
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| Ch. Coutet |
2018 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$317.99 |
36 |
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| WS 90-93 (4/2019): Lush, creamy and overt, with almond, ginger cream and maple notes draped over a dried apricot core. Displays good oomph but needs to stretch out a bit. |
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| Ch. Doisy Daene |
2010 |
Sauternes (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$544.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. de Fargues |
2011 |
Sauternes (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$664.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. Nairac |
2011 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$321 |
5 |
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| Ch. Rieussec |
1997 |
Sauternes (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$751.98 |
10 |
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VM 92+ (8/2000): Captivating, tangy aromas of vineyard peach, pear, white flowers and curry powder. Supple and very concentrated; thick but lively thanks to perfectly integrated acidity. Fruit notes nicely complemented by spice tones. Conveys a tactile impression of extract. Long and strong on the back end. Still quite youthfully unevolved and built for long life.
WA 91 (4/2000): This wine contains an extremely high percentage of Semillon (usually about 90%), which was to its benefit in 1997. The wine is light medium gold-colored, with a blockbuster nose of Grand Marnier liqueur intertwined with flower blossoms, smoky new oak, and coconut. Well-integrated wood has resulted in a seamless, full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine with considerable sweetness. This is a stunningly proportioned, beautifully pure wine. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. |
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2007 |
Sauternes (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$613.98 |
11 |
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WS 93-96 (4/2008): Balanced and very spicy, with almond paste and apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with a long, fruity, tangy finish. Layered and stylish. Score range: 93-96
WA 93 (2/2012): Tasted single blind against its peers. The Rieussec 2007 has a subtle nose of dried honey, pear, a touch of quince and crushed stone on the nose, the oak better integrated than last year. The palate is well-balanced with stem ginger and honeycomb on the entry. It is linear compared to its peers, there is no flourish on the finish as yet, but it has fine definition and hints of tangy marmalade and lemongrass that should become more accentuated with time. Tasted January 2011.
VM 90-93 (8/2008): Bright, pale yellow-gold. Aromas of very ripe peach, honey and vanilla are a bit youthfully disjointed. Sweet, supple and fat, currently showing more spice than fruit. Finishes broad and spicy, with a suggestion of minerality. |
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