98-99 Point Wines

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Made from 85% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Clos Fourtet is a powerhouse that does everything right and is borderline perfection in a glass. Awesome notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, graphite, tobacco, and scorched earth all flow to a full-bodied, thrilling concentrated, textured beauty that has sweet, sweet tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. I think it’s drinking perfectly today, but it has two more decades of prime drinking ahead of it. Don’t’ miss this stunning bottle of wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDense ruby/purple, with notes of crushed rock, blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with some licorice and chocolate, this full-bodied, massive wine from proprietor Philippe Cuvelier coincides with the resurrection of this premier grand cru classé in St.-Emilion. As the wine sits in the glass, notes of espresso roast and chocolate emerge. This full-bodied classic should continue to drink well for another 25 years. This is a killer effort.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Clos Fourtet is a dramatic, sweeping Saint-Émilion endowed with tremendous depth and unctuous intensity. Dark cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco and woodsmoke build as this rapturous, deeply textured wine shows off its allure. Silky, plush and wonderfully expressive, Clos Fourtet is fabulous in 2005. Bright saline notes, that are such a signature of Saint-Émilion’s plateau, balance all of the natural richness of the year. Readers lucky enough to own it can look forward to another several decades of exceptional drinking. This is a superb effort from the Cuvelier family.Vinous Media | 97 VMFeatures a lovely smoldering feel, with the currant and fig paste notes now melded seamlessly with apple wood and graphite details. Long and rich, this is starting to hint at a secondary phase, showing flashes of mulled spice, tobacco and tar. The structure has brightness and energy, but moves slowly to the background. Approachable now.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 3,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA perfumed, sweet wine, immediately attractive. Behind this friendly exterior is a dark core of firm tannins, along with spice, blackberries, and new wood—not too much, just right. This chateau is firmly back on form.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided. | 92 W&S

The purity of fruit in this is fascinating with plums, currants and other dark fruits. Then there is another layer of spices and chocolate. So much cassis. Full and very layered with chewy polished tannins and a long, long finish. Just starting to open. Changes all the time.James Suckling | 99 JSA lesson in genuinely great wine, the 2005 Cos d’Estournel is a monster of a wine that delivers an incredible level of opulence and decadence while staying weightless and elegant on the palate, with no sensation of heaviness. This is what truly great wine is all about. Based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the final 4% Cabernet Franc, this dense ruby/plum-hued Saint-Estèphe offers up a monster bouquet of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, licorice, toasted bread, classy oak, and cedar pencil. While it starts out reserved and almost understated, this is a wine that blossoms with air (I drank this bottle over two days, showing best on day two). Full-bodied, powerful, and decadent on the palate, with moderate acidity, it has a wealth of silky tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It reminds me of the 2009, if not an improved 1982, or even a slightly fresher 2003. Regardless, it’s a thrilling wine in every sense, and I fear with the focus on acidity and freshness in today’s wine world, we might not see this style of great wine for some time.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDWhile I am not convinced the 2005 Cos d’Estournel will eclipse the compelling 2003 Cos, it is unquestionably another superb classic from proprietor Michel Reybier and his brilliant winemaker, Jean-Guillaume Prats. Made from an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) and the balance mostly Merlot with a tiny dollop of Cabernet Franc, this superb effort requires plenty of time in the bottle. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as a glorious perfume of licorice, Asian spices, creme de cassis, blackberries, and toasty oak. This full-bodied St.-Estephe is exceptionally powerful, pure, and dense with a layered mid-palate that builds like a skyscraper. While there are massive tannins, they are remarkably velvety and well-integrated in this big, backstrapping effort that should enjoy an unusually long life. Forget it for 8-10 years, and drink it between 2017-2040.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Cos d’Estournel is a vintage that I have encountered several times over the years. Here, as part of a 2005 horizontal of the top Bordeaux, it mirrors previous bottles. It has a tightly-wound bouquet at first with blackberry, scorched earth, juniper and hints of leather. More backward that its peers and clearly requiring another three to five years or an extremely long decant. The palate is robust, masculine, dense and yet comes with fine tannins and plenty of energy. It has a precision that derives from its propitious terroir and yet there is no question that it needs 15, perhaps 20 years before it will reach its drinking plateau. Tasted at the Goedhuis’s 2005 Bordeaux pre-dinner tasting at the Savoy in London.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGSaint-Estèphe has a reputation for tannins, and this 2005 Cos lives up to that. But it does much more, because the tannins add richness along with intensely ripe black fruits, dark plums and figs. The dense tannins are finely balanced with fresh acidity, and a long-lasting aftertaste. Impressive.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEStill tight despite a gorgeous wave of rich melted licorice, fig bread, warm plum compote and steeped blackberry flavors. Lovely alder, black tea and balsam wood details give this added range and a sense of detail through the finish before a wall of graphite-edged grip shows up. We’re still in wait mode here.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis inky, dark wine is seductive and immediately approachable, with a nose of sweet black fruit touched with honey and a bit of earth. The texture is silky and dense but not lacking in substance or structure. The blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot with a bit of Cabernet Franc was one of the leading lights in the appellation in 2005, as is often the case. Drinking now, it should continue to improve for decades. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 95 DECJean-Guillaume Prats allowed the vintage to steer Cos toward unprecedented power in 2005; the wine comes in at 13.95 percent alcohol, and it’s grand in every sense. It smells like first-growth juice, with the kind of oak integration that accentuates the wine’s beauty rather than masks it. You can feel the tart black cherry fruit and the black tannin along with a burn in the end that is distinct to this vintage. With several days of air, the tumble and rush of the structure settles and the fruit becomes all-powerful, a taut density of sweet purple plum. There’s little doubt this will be an astonishing wine at 12 to 15 years of age; its ripeness leads into uncharted territory after that, which makes Cos one of the more interesting wines of the vintage to watch. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 95 W&S

A gorgeously silky, juicy and balanced glass of wine, this combines elegant richness of sweet cocoa and blackberry, with tons of power and a feeling of holding itself in check. This is signature St Julien, concentrated yet delicate, just an utterly lovely wine that has good acidity, with tannins that have melted into the rest of the structure and fruit that is still absolutely in control, followed by a saline edge to the finish. There’s a long road ahead still, but this is a standout Ducru. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Ducru Beaucaillou is a 10,000-case blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot (they used to produce 18,000-20,000 cases). It is an exceptionally powerful wine with a dense purple color, superb intensity, and a beautiful, sweet nose of spring flowers, raspberries, blueberries, graphite, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied with fabulous concentration, exceptionally high tannin, good acidity, and massive layers of richness that build incrementally on the palate, this monumental effort is more structured than their outstanding 2003. It may be the finest wine produced at this estate since the 1982 and 1961 Ducrus. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050.Robert Parker | 97 RPThis offers dreamy aromas of singed mesquite and warm fruitcake that meld into a lush swath of mulled currant, fig and boysenberry fruit flavors. Black tea and incense notes skitter throughout, with a mouthwatering iron edge buried deeply.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA nice, complex wine with notes of flowers, berries and leather in the nose. Full-bodied, with pure fruit that turns from light raspberry to cherry jam. This is balanced and silky, a beautiful harmony. Give this some time if you can.James Suckling | 95 JS94-96 Barrel sample. Huge blackcurrant fruits dominate a wine that is powerful and showing very ripe. There are flavors of smoky, balanced tannins, bitter cherries, black figs. As all the great wines in 2005, it finishes with a delicious lift of acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(contains a relatively high percentage of merlot, in the range of 30%) Good deep ruby-red. Wonderfully sweet, aromatic nose combines currant, chocolate and cedary oak. Fat, lush and silky, with atypical volume to the flavors of plum, tobacco and chocolate. Wonderfully supple, plump wine with layers of flavor, thoroughly sweet tannins and compelling aromatic persistence. Today the wine’s substantial baby fat is masking its impressive underlying power. According to Borie, this 2005 combines the best traits of the chateau’s 2003 and 2000.Vinous Media | 94 VMDucru delivers absolute deliciousness in 2005, a refined and elegant pleasure that just feels right in the end. It could be that after all the sleek, floral beauty, the polished chocolate-truffle tannin, there’s a formidable grip that tightens around the finish. Suddenly it feels as hard as iron. If the aromatic beauty of the fruit can survive while the tannin matures, this could well be a wine to covet in 20 years.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&S(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The 2005 Ducru-Beaucaillou, which was also raised in one hundred percent new wood, will have no difficulty carrying its new oak to the finish line and is a superb young vintage of this fabled estate. The nose is deep, pure and shows off a lovely tang to its aromatic mélange of black cherries, cassis, a touch of blood orange, tobacco leaf, soil and cedar. On the palate the wine is fullish, deep and rock solid at the core, with a nice girdle of tangy acidity, excellent focus and grip and a very long, ripely tannic finish. Today there is just a touch of oak spice that sticks out on the backend, but this should be absorbed with no difficulty over the next couple of years and the 2005 Ducru-Beaucaillou should prove to be one of the reference point vintages for this property. (Drink between 2020-2070)John Gilman | 93 JG

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.James Suckling | 97 JSMedium 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.Vinous Media | 93 VMHas 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.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPure crème de cassis, licorice and spice are all present in this wine from Xavier Borie. Medium to full-bodied and ripe, with sweet tannin and a nicely textured mouthfeel, this is a beauty that should continue to drink well for another 15 or so years.Robert Parker | 92 RPNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

Needs coaxing out of the glass, as is true with so many 2005s even at 16 years old, but straight off the first nose you get the most beautiful nuance and turmeric-strewn spice. It’s exotic if subtle, with a creamy texture, grilled oak, black chocolate shavings, cassis and raspberry, all with the most beautiful sense of tiptoing through the palate, holding the line. Exceptionally well balanced, slate and smoked earth, giving signature St Julien finesse. You have really had to be patient for this wine, but it is utterly spellbinding, and starting to show its potential. Harvest September 20 to October 10. This one really does benefit from being carafed, because it keeps so much of itself hidden (I tasted it once in a carafe and once straight from the bottle). Brilliant, full of flavour. Harvest September 20 to October 11, 35% new oak.Jane Anson | 98 JAThis tastes of great Cabernet Sauvignon, with its black currant, cedar and herbs and fresh, juicy acidity. It is as fresh as it is rich, but it has a structure of dense tannins that balances the wine. This is one of the best wines from Gruaud-Larose for several years.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAromas of blackberry, meat and earth follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a rich finish. Decadent, balanced and very approachable already. I thought it would have been a little better than this. Best after 2014.Wine Spectator | 91 WSLicorice spice and tough black tannins form tight boundaries around this wine. Within them, sweet red fruit lends a gracious impression, gentle and refined. Age will allow the wine to expand as the tannins relent, but this offers impressive drinking now, particularly if decanted with steak.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&SGood red-ruby. Redcurrant, leather and game on the expressive if slightly rustic nose. Sweet and concentrated but a bit youthfully aggressive, and not showing the refinement or definition of the 2006. Strong nutty oak component. Finishes with substantial tannins that are a bit richer and more fully buffered by the wine’s middle-palate material than those of the 2006. It will be interesting to compare these two vintages in ten years or so.Vinous Media | 90 VMThe 2005 Gruaud Larose has a deep ruby/purple color, excellent concentration, and clean, pure black and red currant fruit, licorice and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, lush, and very soft and round. I’m surprised how drinkable it is already, although it is certainly capable of lasting 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

From the tiny luxury jewel of the Neipperg family, the 2005 La Mondotte is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from a fabulous terroir. Super-rich and dense purple in color, it represents a concentrated essence in both its aromatic and flavor profile of blackcurrant, black cherry, earth and spice. Full-bodied, pure, and again, possessing sweet, sweet tannin and a tremendously deep, full, layered personality. This is another great example of La Mondotte, which should drink well for 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 99 RPThis has an incredible nose, with blackberry, black licorice and intense coffee and toasty oak character. Full-bodied, with layers of beautiful oak and ripe fruit. Long and voluptuous. Best after 2017.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2005 La Mondotte is the only wine in this tasting that is hard as nails and virtually impenetrable. Deep, inward and super-concentrated, the 2005 offers notable density and inkiness, but not much else today. It will be interesting to see what a few more years in bottle brings. Today, the 2005 Mondotte shows plenty of power, but less in the way of finesse.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

An incredible nose, so subtle with red fruits, mint, minerals, and all sorts of flowers give way to Cohiba cigar tobacco. The palate has such freshness and density, with perfectly polished tannins. Slightly leathery, like a wonderful Hermes bag. What a wine, please leave this for another ten years. Pull the cork in 2020. 10% Merlot. Find the wineJames Suckling | 100 JSA wine worthy of superlatives, the 2005 Lafite showed incredible concentration yet a superb balance. The lovely blackcurrant and plum fruit shows a fragrant floral edge, hints of oak spice, and a firm, earthy underpinning. The texture is superbly elegant, with a lovely freshness and a lilting, silky finish, yet it does not lack a tannic grip, and the finish is satisfyingly long. Near perfection. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot with just a drop of Petit Verdot, aged in new casks. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 99 DECThis wine is initially dense, almost thick enough to be cut with a knife. But then it becomes apparent that this is beautifully integrated and balanced, bringing together power, with the hallmark Lafite style and poise. In the end, you have a wine that promises an impressive aging potential along with delicious black currant fruits, acidity and a layer of striking tannins. Imported by Domaines Barons de Rothschild and multiple U.S. importers.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WELafite is the most elegant of the firsts in 2005; it also may be the most romantic. The wine’s heady scent of new oak rises in harmony with the succulent red fruit. Then the tannins come on with a gentle roar, layering the perception of flavors in subtle shadings. There’s not a trace of the hyperintensity that so many young 2005s wear as if required for their longevity. The stones of Lafite grow something more numinous than that, a wine with the power to strike an emotional chord through taste. This will be one of the longest lived wines of 2005. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 98 W&SDelivers blackberry, dried porcini, tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate, cigar box, currant, berry and mineral. The finish is long, with a coffee, almost meaty, aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2005 Lafite-Rothschild is a gorgeous wine, but it is also very young. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a very classic, gracious Lafite-Rothschild that still needs a few years to be at its best. Bright red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, mint and licorice open first, followed by darker aromas and flavors that develop as the wine gains volume with air. Tasted next to its peers, Lafite is so typical of itself and less marked by the year. And that is one of the signs of a truly great terroir. Lafite-Rothschild is not as showy as many other wines in this vintage, but it is so true to its own identity, and that is the highest compliment I can pay it. The 2005 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, done in 100% new oak, which is not at all noticeable. At the time, the Cabernet percentage was quite high, but that has now become the norm. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGWhile the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.Robert Parker | 96+ RP

Gorgeously pure blueberry and blackberry fruit along with some notes of cassis, charcoal and licorice jump from the glass of this inky purple wine. An absolutely fabulous success for Malartic Lagravière, this full-bodied wine has sweet tannin, and is complex and long. Drink it over the next 25 years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 95 RPA modern, lush wine, the 2005 Malartic Lagraviere packs a serious punch. Inky red/purplish fruit, leather, smoke, tobacco and mocha all race out of the glass. This is an especially flamboyant style shaped by a good deal of new French oak, but the wood is now nicely balanced. I am pleasantly surprised to see how youthful the 2005 is. I would prefer to drink this succulent, racy Pessac-Léognan over the next decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA deliciously black currant-flavored wine, with juicy fruit, plum skins and spice over the firm tannins. Great balance already shows through; a finely poised wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA little shy still but shows very pretty dark berry and wet earth with hints of stones. Medium-to-full-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh, delicately fruity finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JSThere's beautiful blackberry and toasty oak on the nose, with hints of licorice and meat. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a dark chocolate, fresh herb and currant aftertaste. Best after 2013. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Here we are fully crossing the threshold into younger, more primary aromatics, but they are also well integrated, beautifully softened and gorgeous. This is sappy with a chalky minerality and fully pliable tannins. It’s powerful, with a smile-inducing purity of fruit expression and excellent persistency of exotic coffee notes. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window: 2017 - 2042Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Montrose continues to show brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of blackcurrant, red fruits, loamy soil, black truffles and cigar ash. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it’s still brooding and tannic, with lively acids and an imposing chassis of structuring—and artery-cleansing—extract. Still an adolescent, it’s one of the last unrepentantly old-school vintages of Montrose, and Médoc purists couldn’t own enough. While this remains a very youthful wine, it is now apparent that the 2005 will, at maturity, surpass the 1989 and 1990.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2005 Montrose is spectacular. Bright, perfumed and vertically explosive, the 2005 possesses remarkable energy right out of the gate. In 2005, Montrose doesn’t quite have the heft that it can, but that actually works to its advantage. Readers will find a wine that marries elegance with power so well. Gravel, dried herb, lavender and mocha lend striking complexity to the dark fruit in this gorgeous, regal Montrose. If anything, the 2005 still needs more time in bottle!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis continues to be very tight yet I loved drinking it the other night at dinner. Loads of spices, berries, meat, cloves and chocolate on the nose. Full body with soft, silky tannins and lots of rich fruit. Still chewy. This is just starting to open up now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2005 Montrose continues to drink beautifully, with a complex yet powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, black raspberries, new saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and spice. This beauty has a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a supple style, sweet tannins, and is a charming, layered and ready to go Montrose that has loads to love. It continues to be surprisingly accessible and is a beauty to drink over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is still a bit dark and brooding, with a charcoal frame around well-steeped fig and black currant fruit. The long finish lets a deep river of smoldering tobacco and warm stone notes course through. Austere and seemingly taciturn, yet thoroughly beautiful. May not be your style, but this is undeniable.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2022 through 2042. 25,555 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is so big it is blinding, a storm of mineral tannin and plum-skin extract. The volume is turned up high, and even as the tannic noise factor begins to diminish with days of air, the wine is still closed tight. The comportment of its power shows this to be a wine from a great terroir; the property, in fact, has some parallels to Latour, with its similarly shaped gravel promontory above the Gironde. Montrose consistently grows one of the staunchest, long-lived wines of the Médoc and though accommodations have been made in recent years to soften it, the tannic index in February 2006 read at 82, a force to reckon with over the decades to come. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 93 W&S

Its bigger sister, the 2005 Château Palmer (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot), is one of the great efforts of this superlative vintage. Floral notes mixed with blackberry, cassis, plum, licorice and spring flowers soar from the glass of this dense ruby/purple wine. It is medium to full-bodied, surprisingly opulent (it has a big percentage of Merlot), long, multi-dimensional and textured. This wonderfully pure, stunning wine once again performs as a first-growth. It should drink well for the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Palmer has been absolutely magical both times I have tasted it recently. Still wonderfully deep to the core, the 2005 is dense, packed to the core and luxuriously opulent. Even with all of that intensity, the 2005 remains vibrant. Lush red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and sweet spice build into the towering finish. The 2005 is an epic wine that will have no problem reaching its fiftieth birthday. It is a rich, dramatic Margaux that checks all the boxes, and then some. I rated a second bottle even higher.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2005 was the first vintage where Thomas Duroux was in charge from beginning to end, having worked alongside his predecessor Bertrand Bouteiller on most of the 2004. Another great vintage in this all-star line-up, and the one that perhaps had the most exuberant sunny expression in the early years, although now at 15 years of age the tertiary aromatics are just starting to arrive, along with hints of earthiness and a savoury cassis fruit character as the Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate. There is a gentle truffled edging to the colour also, but the tannic frame is very much in play, and still cradling the fruit. A great wine that walks the tightrope between young and old Palmer, and between the welcome of a generous vintage and the natural elegance of a great Palmer. Harvest September 22 to October 7. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECNo written review provided | 96 W&SAromas of black tar, chocolate and berries lead to a wine that is so effortlessly delicious that it’s easy to forget the power the Merlot gives it. The center is round, but dark, filled with sweetness; the outer layers are full of red jelly and toast. There are tannins, but they, too, are sweet.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWhat a nose of milk chocolate, with raspberries and hints of plums and flowers. A wonderful nose. Full-bodied, with super velvety tannins and a chocolate, nut, and dark fruit character on the palate. The fine tannins and great balance make you want to drink this, but you should wait and let it all out. Pull the cork in 2016.James Suckling | 94 JSFeatures a bright flash of bay leaf and savory out front, with streak of tobacco and cedar amid the relatively open core of black cherry and black currant fruit. The long finish has a terrific iron note ringing through. Among the more approachable of this group, but no less serious.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Its bigger sister, the 2005 Château Palmer (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot), is one of the great efforts of this superlative vintage. Floral notes mixed with blackberry, cassis, plum, licorice and spring flowers soar from the glass of this dense ruby/purple wine. It is medium to full-bodied, surprisingly opulent (it has a big percentage of Merlot), long, multi-dimensional and textured. This wonderfully pure, stunning wine once again performs as a first-growth. It should drink well for the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Palmer has been absolutely magical both times I have tasted it recently. Still wonderfully deep to the core, the 2005 is dense, packed to the core and luxuriously opulent. Even with all of that intensity, the 2005 remains vibrant. Lush red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and sweet spice build into the towering finish. The 2005 is an epic wine that will have no problem reaching its fiftieth birthday. It is a rich, dramatic Margaux that checks all the boxes, and then some. I rated a second bottle even higher.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2005 was the first vintage where Thomas Duroux was in charge from beginning to end, having worked alongside his predecessor Bertrand Bouteiller on most of the 2004. Another great vintage in this all-star line-up, and the one that perhaps had the most exuberant sunny expression in the early years, although now at 15 years of age the tertiary aromatics are just starting to arrive, along with hints of earthiness and a savoury cassis fruit character as the Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate. There is a gentle truffled edging to the colour also, but the tannic frame is very much in play, and still cradling the fruit. A great wine that walks the tightrope between young and old Palmer, and between the welcome of a generous vintage and the natural elegance of a great Palmer. Harvest September 22 to October 7. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECNo written review provided | 96 W&SAromas of black tar, chocolate and berries lead to a wine that is so effortlessly delicious that it’s easy to forget the power the Merlot gives it. The center is round, but dark, filled with sweetness; the outer layers are full of red jelly and toast. There are tannins, but they, too, are sweet.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWhat a nose of milk chocolate, with raspberries and hints of plums and flowers. A wonderful nose. Full-bodied, with super velvety tannins and a chocolate, nut, and dark fruit character on the palate. The fine tannins and great balance make you want to drink this, but you should wait and let it all out. Pull the cork in 2016.James Suckling | 94 JSFeatures a bright flash of bay leaf and savory out front, with streak of tobacco and cedar amid the relatively open core of black cherry and black currant fruit. The long finish has a terrific iron note ringing through. Among the more approachable of this group, but no less serious.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Owned by Bernard Magrez, this great terroir a few miles from Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion has produced one of the superstars of the vintage. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, Pape Clement’s 2005 has an opaque purple color and smoky barbecue and chocolaty notes intermixed with cassis and blackberries. There is also some underlying minerality in this full-bodied, super-concentrated wine, which has wonderfully sweet, well-integrated tannins. This majestic, multidimensional wines is one of the great, great wines of the vintage. It should drink well for at least another 25 years.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe 2005 Pape Clément is a blockbuster. Rich, heady and explosive, the 2005 packs a serious punch. Inky black fruit, new leather, spice, menthol, chocolate, gravel and scorched earth are all kicked up in this decidedly flamboyant Pessac-Léognan. The 2005 boasts tremendous depth, but equally lavish new oak. Even with all of the oak, the 2005 is fabulous. It just could have been more, a lot more. Ultimately, the 2005 is a wine of its era more than anything else.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDark in color, offering wonderful aromas of licorice, berry, fresh tobacco and currant, with Indian spices. Complex and full-bodied, with supersilky tannins that caress every inch of the palate. Long and satisfying. A joy to taste this young wine. Best after 2015. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSIn addition to the gravel soils, what distinguishes this historic Péssac property is an alluvial deposit from the Gironde, which left a layer of sand in some portions of the vineyard, a layer of clay in others. It was holy ground of the church in the 13th century; this latest vintage seems to reverberate with numinous warmth. It feels plump with fat currant flavor when first opened, developing more muscular structure over the course of several days. The tannins have a pebbly articulation, a terroir character that extends the flavor of the wine and seems to guarantee its greatness over the coming decades.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SThis wine has great spice, nutmeg and black fig flavors. It is full of deep, brooding tannins, and packed with intense acidity. It’s fresh but has good concentration.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Always showing well, this bottle of 2005 Château Pontet Canet was just about pure perfection in a glass. Still youthful ruby/purple-hued, with a gorgeous core of pure cassis and darker currant fruits, it’s full-bodied and has a stacked mid-palate, building tannins, and textbook Pauillac graphite, lead pencil, and subtle tobacco and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s a big, rich, powerful 2005 with flawlessly integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a finish that won’t quit. While it’s still another 5-10 years away from being completely mature, it unquestionably offers incredible pleasure today.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDClass in glass. Deep ruby, youthful tone. Such sumptuous red berry, cassis and tobacco aromas. Juicy and full bodied, with smoothly textured tannins. The creamy mid palate texture is framed by an impressive arc of tension and balancing acidity, ensuring long life. Long finish. Super! Aged 50% new oak.Decanter | 97 DECPossibly the youngest wine of all the 2005 Médocs in terms of its evolution, at age 10 the inky purple 2005 Pontet-Canet tastes more like a two-year-old wine. Loads of pure blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit are present along with a hint of licorice and background oak. It is full-bodied, ripe, and excruciatingly fresh, vigorous and exuberant. This is a tour de force, and a sensational effort that rivals the first growths. Give it another 5-10 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 2005 Pontet-Canet is a heady, exotic wine. Inky dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, licorice, spice and tobacco are front and center. Readers will find an unabashedly opulent, full-throttle 2005 with quite a bit more oak influence and overall extraction than is the norm these days. Even so, the 2005 is a young, young wine with a bright future. This is one sexy Pauillac, that’s for sure.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWarm, fleshy and inviting, featuring a gush of blackberry, fig and boysenberry compote flavors that are both primal and approachable, with light anise, sweet tobacco and ganache notes filling in behind. Shows a serious, deeply buried iron and cedar spine, as the fruit is just pumping forth now.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 20,830 cases made. Wine Spectator | 96 WSDespite its core of strength and power and obvious aging ability, this is already a delicious wine, with mint aromas, ripe fruit masking the solid tannins. This estate has been on a roll for several years, and this 2005 shows why.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDrawn into a tannic trance, this wine’s fresh black raspberry flavor moves through blueberry skin into a graphite, mineral blackout. Before the tannin, it shows a deep reservoir of fruit and the rich espresso-roast scent of fine oak. The texture is meaty, the structure set for long evolution in the cellar. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 90 W&S

This sensational, opaque blue/purple-colored wine from Smith Haut Lafitte has a gorgeous floral nose with notes of graphite, blueberries, blackberries, and cassis that jump from the glass of this inky, very dense, yet strikingly pure wine. Light on its feet despite its stunning concentration and multi-layered mouthfeel, this wine has fabulous intensity, richness and length. Quite impressive, and still incredibly youthful, this is a superstar of the vintage, and capable of lasting another 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005s from Bordeaux continue to show youthfully, yet spectacularly well! The 2005 Smith-Haut-Lafitte is a prime example of the vintage and offers a huge, rich, concentrated style as well as classic dark fruits, tobacco, scorched earth and graphite aromas and flavors. While this is a tannic vintage, the tannins here are sweet and polished and covered by fruit. With stunning purity of fruit, notable freshness, and a great, great finish, drink this beauty anytime over the coming two decades. (Drink between 2018-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDI had two wines on the night of my birthday this year, shared among four of us on the terrace of Rouge bar at Sources de Caudalie hotel in Martillac. The first was Château Oliver 2014, a white wine that I have long championed as being one of the best in Bordeaux. Both were beautiful, but this Smith Haut Lafitte stood out for its grace, and its generosity of spirit. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the tannins were sweet, softened but still confident, rich with autumnal fruits, just the right dash of chocolate and liquorice without straying over the line. A wonderful bottle shared with some of my dearest friends, is there anything better? Oh, and the date of my birthday by the way, June 22nd. The day before the EU referendum. Somehow the year seemed more peaceful then – and it makes this wine all the sweeter.Decanter | 95 DECAn impressive nose of spices, dark fruits, and fresh forest flowers. Full-bodied, this has a solid core of fruit and super polished tannins. A fabulous wine, showing great structure and harmony, and a long, long finish. Beautiful stuff. Pull the cork in 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2005 Smith Haut Lafitte packs a serious punch. A blast of wild cherry, smoke, leather, tobacco and mint hits the palate as this powerhouse Pessac-Léognan shows off its personality. Black cherry, mocha, rose petal, spice and chocolate all saturate the palate. This is an especially lush, potent wine shaped by density, concentration and plenty of oak. I would prefer to drink the 2005 sooner rather than later, as it is starting to fray just a bit. Tasted two timesAntonio Galloni | 94 AGMulled blackberry, fig and black currant fruit leads the way here, as this has a richness that imparts appeal now, while ample bay leaf, tobacco and humus accents keep this grounded through the finish. Delivers a lovely mix of sweetness of fruit and mouthwatering savory notes. Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe Cathiards have invested heavily in this property since they purchased it in the early 1990s. It is one of the great terroirs of the Graves, a raised plateau of gravel where the vines produce a rich and powerful wine. That power is amplified in a vintage like 2005 into a huge, cassis-driven red with the velvet feel of a favorite childhood pillow. The Cathiards do not spare the new oak, a character that dominates this young wine, while the fruit underneath feels healthy and clean, vibrating with tension, set for a long life ahead.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SFull-bodied, this wine shows really ripe, generous fruit flavors, touched by wood, very round and intense. As an indication of its immaturity, the wood comes through to dominate the fruit. Give it 2–3 years.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2005 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is just about off the charts and shows how good this vintage is for Bordeaux. Still inky ruby/purple-colored with a huge nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, black cherries, and hints of scorched earth, it hits the palate with a huge, full-bodied, concentrated, yet impeccably balanced profile. This is an incredible wine that’s just now at the early stages of maturity and will keep for another two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA sensational effort, Tertre Roteboeuf’s 2005, along with the 2000, is one of the most profound wines made by Francois Mitjavile. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by a stunning perfume of sweet black currants, jammy cherries, licorice, and spice. Full-bodied and opulent with high, but remarkably sweet, velvety tannins as well as a stunning texture and a finish that lasts nearly a minute, this prodigious St.-Emilion should be drinkable in 3-4 years, and last for two decades or more. Kudos to the proprietor.Robert Parker | 98 RPBeautiful fruit with a Burgundian style. Pure and aromatic. Full-bodied, with gorgeous fruit and a long, long finish. Seductive. This is a fascinating and cerebral wine that wows you with its beauty. This could easily move up to a classic rating.Wine Spectator | 92-95 WSGood deep medium ruby. Wonderfully perfumed, fresh aromas of blackberry, raspberry, licorice, spices and violet pastille. Brilliantly pure and energetic, with outstanding flavor intensity and inner-mouth perfume. Still an infant today, with primary black fruits dominating. But this has the spicy, floral perfume of the greatest vintages of this wine. The ripely tannic, palate-saturating finish is wonderfully long and vibrant. "Our most beautiful vintage since 1990," notes Mitjavile.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Made from fruit coming predominantly from the Barossa Valley this year (97%) and containing 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Grange has been added to my list of favorite recent vintages. Deep garnet-purple colored, it’s still a little youthfully mute, offering notes of warm cherries, black currants, anise, coffee and toast with underlying hints of soy, yeast extract, black olives and Indian spices. Tight-knit and solidly structured on the medium to full-bodied palate, the concentrated fruit is densely coiled around the firm grainy tannins and very crisp acidity at this stage, but promises something very special in the years to come. It finishes very long, complex and layered with the cedar poking through the fruit purity. Patience is required for this vintage; it should begin opening out around 2016 and drink to 2030+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPBeautifully aromatic, with scents of blueberry, plum, cherry, coffee and toasted walnut rising from the glass with intensity. After a hit of tannins the rich, focused fruit flavors take over, showing glints of pepper, mint and cocoa and lingering effortlessly. Best from 2016 through 2030. 2,000 cases imported. — HSWine Spectator | 98 WSContaining 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 18 months, the 2006 Penfolds Grange is tightly wound and dense, possessing a core of smoky black fruits, lots of oak, espresso roast, dried spice, and mineral characteristics on both the nose and palate. Powerful, rich, and beautifully balanced on the palate, with a serious, concentrated, medium to full bodied feel, crisp acids, and a very long, tannic and structured finish, this age-worthy beauty needs a solid 5-8 years in the cellar to fully integrate its components, and should have a very long drink window.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JD(98% shiraz and 2% cabernet sauvignon): Deep ruby. Highly aromatic nose offers black raspberry, cherry pit, potpourri and minerals. Dense, lush and sweet but very energetic, offering spicy red and dark berry, dark chocolate, rose pastille and licorice flavors complemented by spicy, sweet oak. Shows bitter chocolate and cherry-cola nuances on the extremely persistent, spice-accented finish. This should be approachable on the young side.Vinous Media | 94 VMNot quite the massive monster that is the 2004 Grange, the 2006 is still no shrinking violet. It’s full bodied, muscular and extracted, and while the flavors veer toward espresso and dark chocolate, there’s also a ribbon of raspberry fruit running through the wine from start to long, dusty finish. Drink 2015–2025, and probably beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA balanced and intense red, with sliced meat, blackberries and spices. Full body, with silky and refine tannins and hints of new wood. Sweet tobacco and plums. A little shy now. Give it three to four years.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred. The year started off very warm but by August evening temperatures had moderated, leaving the fruit with a stunning combination of ripeness, perfume, acidity and tannin. The wine is simply glorious, that’s all there is to it. Layers of dark fruit meld into smoke, leather, violets, menthol, earthiness and tar as this profound wine opens up in the glass. The creamy, silky finish lasts an eternity, as waves of fruit caress the tannins with breathtaking elegance. Everything is in the right place in this magical Sassicaia. This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Tenuta San Guido 2006 Bolgheri Sassicaia is a timeless classic. This might just be the vintage to photograph in an encyclopedia entry for Sassicaia. This is especially true at this exact moment in its long and promising drinking window. The wine shows less volume compared to some of the more opulent vintages, but it absolutely excels in terms of length and finish. It offers amazing drive and momentum that are fueled by the extremely fine nature of the wine’s texture and the seamless unity of its flavors. It treads in light and delicate footsteps that will carry it far into the future. As they say in Italian: "Piano piano si va lontano" (slowly slowly you go far).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bolgheri, Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy, Red) The 2006 Sassicaia still has a dark garnet colour while nose has an impression of smoke and crushed dried flowers and some subtle, charred toast notes of oak. On the palate there is a lovely, soft, velvety texture together with dark, bramble fruit flavours. The fruit feels cooler in nature with leafy blackberry notes and again a thrilling spine of acidity. For Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta and the Tenuta San Guido team the 2006 was ’a rather fresher vintage … an elegant wine with good structure, the classic Sassicaia style with notes of juniper, myrtle, and Mediterranean forest, characteristic of this wine and the terroir where it is produced.’ (Drink between 2022-2033)Decanter | 96 DECSweet tobacco and berry with hints of currants. Full, soft and silky. Lots of fruit and a long finish. It’s subtle, dense and sophisticated. Please give this another five years to really show what it has.James Suckling | 95 JSDisplays sweet tobacco, plum and berry aromas, with a jammy undertone, turning to licorice on the palate. Full-bodied and balanced, with silky tannins, a lovely texture and plenty of fruit. Outstanding Sassicaia, with structure and finesse. 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Cabernet Franc. Best after 2013. 20,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis landmark wine (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc) shows herbal notes of chopped mint, wild berry, licorice, bramble and forest floor. Tasted young, Sassicaia never has the same impact it will 10 or 15 years from now when all those luscious aromas become more penetrating and warm. Built to age, the wine boasts drying tannins, good acidity and firm structure.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided | 92 W&S

The 2006 is performing even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sloan and McClellan decided to bottle it later than usual, recognizing the rugged, tough tannins of the vintage could be sweetened up with longer barrel aging. Their strategy worked. The wine’s dense ruby/purple color is followed by notes of white chocolate, burning embers, creme de cassis, coffee, and scorched earth (think Haut-Brion or La Mission Haut-Brion). It possesses terrific structure, melted, well-integrated tannins, full body, and is already bursting with complexity. A great success, it is one of the vintage’s most thrilling wines. Drink it over the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 98+ RPAn extraordinary effort, very tightly wound with a wealth of detailed flavors, exhibiting tiers of black cherry, plum, currant, berry jam, cedar, cigar box, black licorice and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied and well-structured, ending with tapered flavors that retain their focus. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2011 through 2025. 700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLovely violets, gardenias, and orchids on the nose with hints of dark fruits. Full bodied with fine tannins and firmly structured. This starts off slow, but then it really takes off and gives and gives. Very delicate and pretty. Pull the cork after 2016. Find the wineJames Suckling | 93 JS(70% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 5% cabernet franc) Full ruby-red. Superripe aromas of dark berries, hot stones, tobacco, bitter chocolate and licorice. Very ripe, broad and plush in the mouth, even a bit chunky, with black fruit, mocha, roast coffee, tar and licorice flavors coming across as a bit spiky today. Finishes with big, slightly tough tannins that call for at least five or six years of aging. "This vintage was more austere than either 2005 or 2007 early on," noted winemaker Martha McClellan, "and the tannins took longer to integrate." The wine was bottled barely a month before my visit.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The 2007 d’Alceo shows none of the Sammarco’s early appeal. It is a dark, inward wine imbued with black fruit, roasted coffee beans, grilled herbs and licorice, all of which build effortlessly towards the huge, explosive finish. This exquisite d’Alceo will require significant patience. d’Alceo remains a model of the level French varieties can reach in Tuscany. In 2007 the blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPDark raspberries, cloves, menthol and crushed rocks wrap around the palate in the 2007 d'Alceo. Rich, voluptuous and sexy, the 2007 is very much a product of a vintage that yielded a crop of resonant, generous wines. The ripe, silky tannins will make the 2007 accessible relatively early, but it also has more than enough depth to age well for years. Today, the flavors are naturally still quite primary and there is still quite a bit of baby fat that has to melt off before the 2007 enters its prime drinking window. Still, there is a lot to like, including the wine's huge, palate-staining finish. Grace meets power in the 2007. In a word: dazzling!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis has so much blackberry, porcini mushroom, and chestnut character. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a long finish. Love the way this changes from mushrooms and earth to blackberries. So impressive now, but will be better in three or four years.James Suckling | 97 JSSuave and silky, with rich black currant, blackberry and spice flavors backed by lively acidity and dusty tannins. It all hangs together beautifully, with a Bordeaux-like cast to the flavors and profile. There's intensity, without this being showy or heavy. Terrific length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2013 through 2030. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

As is common with this wine, the 2007 Bionic Frog is showing even better now than on release and offers up a ripe, dense, and meaty profile that has more in common with the ‘08 than the structured and firm ’09. It has aromas of peppered beef, green peppercorns, lavender, bacon fat, and the expected minerality giving way to a full-bodied, layered, and perfectly put together palate that has a decadent, thick texture, superb balance, and a blockbuster finish. Hard to fault and this is a profound Syrah that will benefit from an additional 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink beautifully for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDOften considered the iconic Cayuse wine, this bears the cartoonish label with the leering frog, though it is a single-vineyard offering like the others. Initially showing some fat and sweetness, it is supple and textural, with the density that comes from a mix of flavors: pain grillé, smoke, umami, fungus, coffee grounds and dark fruits. A richly organic compendium of scents and flavors, with black tea tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis is holding on beautifully with subtle meat, spice and tea aromas as well as ripe fruits. Full-bodied, layered and very flavorful with fantastic depth and length. Superb wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSLike the 2007 Cailloux Vineyard, the 2007 Syrah Bionic Frog is perfumed and complex, with gorgeous garrigue, dried flowers, olive tapenade and liquid rock aromas balanced nicely by a core of sweet red and black raspberry fruit. I’d like to see more mid-palate depth here, but this is pure silk on the palate and it shows the sexy, supple nature of the vintage beautifully. Possessing lots of polished tannin, beautifully pure fruit and no shortage of length, it’s a beautiful wine to enjoy anytime over the coming decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis has tremendous presence, graceful but forceful, playing out its flavors of plum, currant, black pepper and licorice against a background that hints at warm granite, cinnamon bark and bay leaf. Complex and harmonious. Drink now through 2020. 476 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(14.9% alcohol; harvested on September 18): Full, deep red. Wild aromas of raspberry, black olive tapenade, leather, meat and brown sugar, plus a mushroom nuance. Rich, plush, hugely mouthfilling wine with extravagant flavors of black raspberry, pepper, salami, leather and porcini; this bottle is crying out for a hunk of (raw) meat. Boasts outstanding sweetness and a great spreading, horizontal finish featuring substantial dusty tannins. From a very warm year that was affected by some rain in the middle of the harvest, but Baron told me he picked these vines first (as is typically the case), before the precipitation.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Deep garnet colored with a lingering hint of purple, the 2007 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine reveals the most seductive crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and licorice notions with touches of violets, eucalyptus, chocolate box and unsmoked cigars plus a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied with tantalizing opulence yet compelling restraint, the palate beautifully juxtaposes the rich, ripe fruit with wonderful freshness and a firm yet plush backbone, finishing beautifully perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP(14.5% alcohol): Saturated dark ruby! Ripe but reticent aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, bitter chocolate oak, licorice and mocha are very subtle and complex. Wonderfully pliant and balanced wine, with plush purple fruit and violet flavors displaying a smooth grain and superb depth. Spreads out to saturate the middle palate and builds slowly and inexorably on the aftertaste. This fully ripe, complete wine finishes with stylish tannins and outstanding length. There may still be more fireworks ahead for this beauty.Vinous Media | 96 VMAromas of blackberry, leather, lead pencil, and flowers. On the palate this is dense and velvety, with a gorgeous texture. Agile and balanced, this is hard not to drink right now. The finish is long, with notes of coffee and dark fruits. 15+24+23+33. Find the wineJames Suckling | 95 JSYou have to count this as another great Insignia, dry and complex and ageworthy, although the tannins are fierce now, and it may lack just a bit of the glamor of, say, the 2004 or 2001. It's certainly a big wine that floods the mouth with blackberry, black currant, cassis and new oak flavors. The tannins and acids make it aloof, resistant, tough. It wants time in the cellar. Best after 2013. Production was a hefty 13,500 cases.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPhelps's top red wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (88 percent), merlot and petit verdot, all grown at estate vineyards. Most of the fruit comes from the southern districts of Napa Valley—Suscol, a relatively cool site in South Napa, along with Stags Leap and Oak Knoll. That cool tone comes across in red currant flavors, in the quiet presence of a substantial wine. It's sleek with dark tannin that feels youthful and austere, hinting at a Christmas spice that predicts what holiday celebrations might be in store ten years down the line.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&SDense and tight, with a chewy core of mocha-laced blackberry and currant flavors, combining power with a measure of grace. Not shy on tannic strength, this has more power than finesse. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.--Blind 1997/2007 California Cabernet retrospective (January 2017). Drink now through 2025. 13,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This was a brilliant showing by the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve from Rayas, the finest bottle I’ve had to date. Offering a classic ruby color as well as gorgeous notes of kirsch liqueur, sappy green herbs, flowers, and rose petals, this beauty hits the palate with a full-bodied, rich, yet also fresh and vibrant texture that carries nicely integrated acidity and fine tannin. It’s certainly one of the gems in this great vintage and is going to have a long life. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDI think the Rayas 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape will turn out to eclipse the 2005. It is unequivocally the finest wine made here since Emmanuel Reynaud’s uncle, the late Jacques Reynaud, produced his brilliant 1995. This wine was just released this year, with the 2008 coming on the market in the next few months. The 2007 is a relatively dark ruby/purple-tinged wine, more intensely colored than most Rayas Chateauneufs tend to be, since they are made from 100% Grenache and color has never been one of their hallmarks. The extraordinarily youthful and still burgeoning aromatics of black raspberries, black cherries, truffles and licorice lead to a full-bodied, powerful Rayas with sweet tannin, adequate acidity, and an ethereal richness and unctuosity that delicately offers a sensual texture. It is full-bodied, concentrated and approachable, but won’t hit its peak for at least another 4-5 years and will last for 25 or more. This is a spectacular Rayas, the likes of which hasn’t existed at this qualitative level since 1995.Robert Parker | 98 RPBright ruby. Red berry, cherry and Asian spice aromas are lifted by sexy notes of rose petal and blood orange. Impressively pure and perfumed, with remarkable precision and cut to its concentrated but lively flavors of cherry and black raspberry. The weightless, mineral-driven character of this wine is something else. In a distinctly delicate, feminine style, with superb finishing cut and energy. This will probably cost a fortune when it lands in the U.S. , unfortunately.Vinous Media | 97 VMA very elegant, perfumy style, with shiso leaf and mulled spice notes up front, followed by silky black cherry, linzer torte and kirsch flavors that glide through the incense-tinged finish. There’s good latent depth and fresh acidity without the headiness typical of the vintage. Best from 2012 through 2022. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2008 Guado al Tasso is once again fabulous. In fact, it may be Tuscany's most improved wine over the last few years. Firm, vibrant tannins support expressive layers of dark fruit, plums, cherries, sage, espresso and mocha. The wine shows fabulous detail and nuance in a translucent, totally seductive style, with tons of focus, drive and verve. It is a striking wine that will be a joy to follow over the coming years. Guado al Tasso is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGBeautiful aromas of fresh flowers, herbs and currants. Full body, with velvety tannins and a fruity, balanced and silky textured finish. This is really balanced and gorgeous. Best in 2012.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2008 Guado al Tasso is once again fabulous. In fact, it may be Tuscany’s most improved wine over the last few years. Firm, vibrant tannins support expressive layers of dark fruit, plums, cherries, sage, espresso and mocha. The wine shows fabulous detail and nuance in a translucent, totally seductive style, with tons of focus, drive and verve. It is a striking wine that will be a joy to follow over the coming years. The 2008 Guado al Tasso is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028.Antinori seems to do everything well these days, from churning out millions of bottles of supermarket wines all the way to turning out superb versions of their many flagship bottlings. This is another impressive set of new releases with a number of highlights. Over the years oenologist Renzo Cotarella has moved away from the super-late harvests of the late 1990s/early 2000s in favor of picking slightly earlier, a decision that has paid off handsomely, especially over the last few years. Antinori’s 2008s, from a vintage that is quite inconsistent across the board, are superb. I remember spending a few days near the estate’s Tignanello and Badia a Passignano estates in mid-August 2008. The days were very hot, but the nights were so cool that a sweater or light jacket was a necessityRobert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is really hitting its stride, with cherry, black currant and spice flavors melding with the bright acidity and lively tannins. Builds on the palate to a fresh aftertaste of mineral and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2013 through 2022. 10,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported. — BSWine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2008 Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon contains 1% Merlot. It proffers a brooding aromatic array of toasty oak, Asian spices, incense, a hint of sage, violets, and assorted black fruits. More structured than the preceding wines, “No doubting it’s Red Mountain” say the Golitzins, it has plenty of ripe tannin more than balanced by loads of succulent fruit, exceptional density, richness and power. Give it 5-6 years and drink it from 2016 to 2033.At Quilceda Creek it’s the same old story, great wines made by unpretentious people. The Golitzins decline to raise prices because they feel loyalty to the people who supported them from the beginning and who might not be able to afford connoisseur/collector pricing. As for the latest wines, they regard 2008 as ”a regular vintage with no issues; you could pick at your leisure”. They are considerably more excited by the 2009 vintage which they describe as “wines with tons of aroma ... really good” which, given their understated manner, I interpret to mean really terrific. For this tasting, the 2009s were all tasted from barrel samples.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP(99% cabernet sauvignon with 1% merlot; all of the Quilceda Creek reds are aged in 100% new French oak): Complex, expressive aromas and flavors of redcurrant, minerals, menthol, smoke and tobacco. Fat, sweet and concentrated, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. This savory, chewy wine finishes with huge tannins that reach the incisors and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals.Vinous Media | 95 VMQuilceda Creek’s single vineyard Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon has the heft and structure for decades of aging; to drink it anytime soon is folly. Massively oaky, spicy and loaded with chunky ripe fruit, it’s full-flavored and big-boned; a young, raw Cab with unlimited potential.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE