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A prodigious offering, the 2001 Climens’ light medium bold color with a greenish hue is followed by ethereal aromas of tropical fruits (primarily pineapple), honeysuckle, and flowers. It is a medium-bodied wine of monumental richness, extraordinary precision/delineation, great purity, and moderate sweetness. The finish seemingly lasts forever. This monumental effort is the stuff of legends. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+.Robert Parker | 100 RPLoads of orange peel and dried apricots on the nose here. Full-bodied, with a wild and exciting palate. Sweet yet racy. Electrifying. Great class and elegance. One of the best Climens I have tasted. Best after 2010. 1,955 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2001 Climens has a well-defined, complex bouquet of dried honey, peach skin, quince and a light beeswax scent. Tight at first, it only takes a few swirls of the glass to get going. The palate is where the action is: very intense and concentrated with layers of botrytized fruit, lightly spiced with tangy marmalade, quince and nectarine notes, merging into saffron and gingerbread toward the very engaging, persistent finish. This is a magnificent Barsac that is only beginning to show what it is capable of.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Gorgeous, a clear step up from the 2000 vintage as it approaches its second decade. This is not quite ready to drink, although a few hours in a decanter could open it up sufficiently. It’s full of intense, tight and spirited black fruits, replete with this château’s signature richness of structure, which seems to ooze naturally through the tannins. There’s a real sense of energy and zest, with liquorice, slate, spice, cassis and black cherry. The second half of August was hotter in 2001 than 2000 in St-Estèphe, and the grapes were left to reach a long, slow maturity. Harvesting did not begin until 1 October when the nights were getting cooler –this will have helped the wine keep its remarkable freshness. Matured in 80% new oak. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECThe 2001 Cos d’Estournel is blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot—a very high percentage of Merlot in this vintage and a very late harvest, which started on October 1st. Deep garnet in color, the nose is singing with savory notes of smoked meats, tapenade, bay leaves and beef drippings with a core of plum preserves, redcurrant jelly, dried cherries and baked blackcurrants with wafts of peppermint tea and dried roses. Medium-bodied, the palate practically tingles with vibrant dried herbs, red fruit preserves and minty notes, structured with firm, finely grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and minerally.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2001 Cos d’Estournel has a fresher nose than the 2000, showing more focus and vigor and delivering black cherries mixed with fig, blood orange and light cigar box aromas. Side by side, this is certainly more youthful. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, and fine grip and freshness. This is still quite tight at 20 years old and would certainly benefit from decanting. Blood orange and a light sprinkling of white pepper appear toward the finish. In this face-off, I have a preference for the 2001 over the 2000.Vinous Media | 93 VMVelvety textured with soft and silky tannins and a chocolate, meat and berry character. Full and round. Slightly forgotten and delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSSuave, with a cool, minty hint weaving around the core of mulled red currant, blackberry and plum fruit. Lovely spice, black tea and singed juniper notes are perfectly inlaid throughout, showing a tug of charcoal at the very end.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2025. 17,705 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

A brilliant showing for Christian Moueix’s well-known Napanook Vineyard, the 2001 Dominus is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. A classic in the making, this is a flawless, seamless example of elegant, complex Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that possesses a Bordeaux-like personality. This gorgeous, sexy, opulent, dense ruby/purple-colored wine reveals sweet caramel, mocha, creme de cassis and kirsch notes intermixed with a hint of espresso roast as well as underbrush. Ripe, long and full-bodied with well-integrated tannin, acidity, alcohol and wood, this prodigious 2001 is drinkable now and over the next 25+ years given this estate’s longevity track record. A virtually perfect wine, it is one of the most complex 2001s at present.Robert Parker | 98 RPAs good as the 2001 Napanook is, this wine is more intense. The fruit is lusher, the oak newer, the control more complete, but the kicker is the tannins. They’re powerful and dusty, and conceal the flamboyance, for now. Needs time.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEGood ruby-red. Superripe aromas of plum, cherry, licorice, mocha, smoke and minerals. At once sweet and gripping, with very intense, nuanced flavors of cherry, plum, currant, tobacco, minerals and currant leaf. Despite the very high pH of 4.01, this shows no shortage of energy in the mouth. A muscular, firmly tannic, serious wine for aging. (A second sample that had been decanted for four hours prior to my visit was sweeter and more seamless, but still showed solid tannic spine.)Vinous Media | 93+ VM(Dominus Estate, Napa Valley, California, USA, Red) A mature and somewhat torrefied bouquet of ripe plum, dark berries, scorched earth, licorice, grilled meat and coffee is the prelude to a fleshy, richly savoury wine that is surprisingly mature for such a large-scaled, structured vintage. (Drink between 2016-2021)Decanter | 92 DECThis is very precise and focused with red fruits with polished and round tannins. One note to it. But beautiful and delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS

The 2001 Barolo Cascina Francia has entered a period of extreme stubbornness, which has been my experience the several times I have tasted the wine recently. The sweet, candied notes that were once present in the bouquet have developed into a much more classic melange of roses, tar, licorice and red berries. The 2001 boasts tremendous structure, while some of the overt raciness that was present when the wine was young has dissipated. One of the bottles I tasted, from my cellar, only began to show some expressiveness after it had been opened for two days! The 2001 Cascina Francia is neither young nor mature, rather it is in an adolescent stage where the best option is to leave the bottles alone for at least a few more years. On a side note, a recent bottle of the 1997 was breathtaking. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2031.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2001 Barolo Cascina Francia has entered a period of extreme stubbornness, which has been my experience the several times I have tasted the wine recently. The sweet, candied notes that were once present in the bouquet have developed into a much more classic mélange of roses, tar, licorice and red berries. The 2001 boasts tremendous structure, while some of the overt raciness that was present when the wine was young has dissipated. One of the bottles I tasted, from my cellar, only began to show some expressiveness after it had been opened for two days! The 2001 Cascina Francia is neither young nor mature, rather it is in an adolescent stage where the best option is to leave the bottles alone for at least a few more years. On a side note, a recent bottle of the 1997 was breathtaking.Vinous Media | 94+ VMIt is crystal clear that the 2001 is destined to be a great vintage for the Conterno estate, but what is not yet certain is whether this, or the 1999 vintage will ultimately end up superior. At our San Francisco tasting we had a flight of both 2001 bottling alongside their 1999 counterparts, and it will be a very close race between these two vintages for the next five decades. The 2001 Cascina Francia is a brilliant bottle in the making, as it offers up a pure and youthfully reserved mélange of cherries, tar, vinesmoke, a bit of cherry stone, fresh herbs, soil and a touch of orange rind in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and quite tight, with plenty of ripe, well-integrated tannins, fine acids, impeccable balance and excellent length and grip on the finish. A superb bottle in the making that is very shut down today, and consequently, I may be underrating it a bit. (Drink between 2020 - 2060)John Gilman | 93+ JGHas wonderful aromas of fresh porcini mushroom, subtle ripe red fruits and citrus. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins. Shows lots of berry, blackberry and milk chocolate flavors on the aftertaste. This is just starting to open up. Drink now through 2016. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(Château Le Pin, Pomerol, Red)

Right now, at 20 years old, this wine is approaching its perfect drinking beginning - by which I mean it is now stepping up onto the plateau that the best wines get to, where you don’t need to worry about opening them immediately, but you can feel confident that you are going to be getting the best of them if you choose to do so. Although we didn’t taste the 2000 in this particular lineup, on recent openings it is a more muscular and closed down than the 2001, and will probably last longer, but this is just blindingly delicious right now. The descriptions that are most often associated with Château Margaux must surely be finessed tannins and floral aromatics, and you have both of them in spades, along with gentle roasted fruits of plum and blackberry, violet, cedar spice, liquorice and tobacco. The tannins are fine and full of pleasure. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 97 DEC“For me, this vintage is what makes Margaux special,” says Margaux winemaker Paul Pontallier. He is right: With its denseness, spice, flavors of black currants layered with dryness and fresh acidity, this is a huge and impressive wine that never forgets that it is Margaux. It is still young, and the dry tannic aftertaste, which lasts for many minutes, shows this.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WESuave from the start, with beguiling tea, singed sandalwood and lilac notes backed by alluring, gently steeped red and black currant fruit. The long finish has an alder edge that stays in lockstep with the fruit, ending with a minerally echo.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2001 Chateau Margaux continues to evolve in impressive fashion. The nose feels sensual, veering towards red rather than black fruit, with disarming purity and perhaps showing more floral/violet character than the 1999. Both display tremendous precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, edgy and tensile with crisp acidity, so fresh and vital in the mouth. Tasted next to the 1996 Château Margaux, it is clear to see that the 2001 is several steps behind, yet the way it fans out with such confidence and brio on the finish assures that this has a prosperous future. Tasted May 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMThe 2001 Château Margaux, last tasted five years previously, is slightly deeper in color compared with the 2001 Pavillon. Featuring black plum, raspberry and touches of orange peel, rose petal and light bay leaf aromas, the bouquet is not intense, but it is well defined and focused. The palate is fresh on the entry with fine-boned tannins and a taut line of acidity – a strict Château Margaux that doesn’t want to muck about. It’s little short on the finish, yet sophisticated and providing unadulterated buvabilité. Drinking perfectly now, and it will be enjoyable over the next 15–20 years.Vinous Media | 94 VMNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

The 2001 Mouton-Rothschild contains 20% vin de presse and 12.6° alcohol. It has a vibrant, captivating bouquet that explodes from the glass with precocious black cherries, sous-bois, mint and a touch of Seville oranges, displaying precision and class. The medium-bodied palate shows good density and offers sappy black fruit, white pepper and just a touch of tobacco. Quite muscular for a 2001, and perhaps missing the clarity and pixelation that the next winemaker, Philippe Dhalluin, subsequently imparted. This is a thoroughly enjoyable Mouton-Rothschild, even if it is not the same pedigree as recent vintages.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery smoky, with berry, coffee and tobacco aromas. Full-bodied, with polished velvety tannins, plenty of fruit and a cedary aftertaste. Tight and compacted. This is better than the 2000 Mouton. It’s a baby 1986 Mouton. Solid and very, very fine. Persists for a long time on the palate. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis complex on the nose with black cherry, black currant and graphite aromas. It’s very fleshy on the palate with chewy tannins and lots of fruit. This is still a reserved and structured Bordeaux, but with power lurking beneath. Still a baby.James Suckling | 94 JSNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

(Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) In contrast to the mildly odd nose of the Chapelle, this is perfumed, elegant and cool with its ultra-pure aromas of all but fully mature red berry fruit, underbrush and soft earth tones. There is really lovely detail and plenty of minerality on the strikingly intense medium weight flavors that terminate in a slightly austere finish that is less generous than that of the Chapelle. I like the balance and punch though some may find this to be a bit more austere than they prefer. Note that for my taste this could easily be drunk now but I would be inclined to hold this for another 2 to 3 years in the hopes that the finale will flesh out just a bit more. (Drink starting 2016)Burghound | 92 BH

No written review provided. | 95 W&S(Châteauneuf du Pape- Château Rayas) The 2001 vintage of Château Rayas is one of the most youthful examples of this vintage in Châteauneuf du Pape that I have tasted in recent times and the wine still needs another five years of cellaring to really start to blossom. The youthful nose delivers scents of cherry, raspberry, fruitcake, Christmas spices, pepper, soil and a topnote of bonfires. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, ripe and soil-driven, with a rock solid core, moderate tannins and fine length and grip on the nascently complex finish. This will be an outstanding vintage of Rayas with a bit more bottle age, but even with extended decanting, the wine is still too young and bound up in its structure for primetime drinking. (Drink between 2021-2060).John Gilman | 93 JGThe 2001 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is more structured and slightly deeper ruby-colored than the light-colored 2000. It also possesses more acidity as well as depth. This terroir-driven effort reveals aromas of raspberries and sweet kirsch as well as a medium-bodied, vigorously fresh, lively style. There is also good flavor authority. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 15.Robert Parker | 92 RPMedium red. Nose initially dominated by meat, toasted nuts and orange peel; showed a lively raspberry aroma with aeration. Tight, dense and peppery on entry, then lush and silky in the middle palate, with strong pepper and spice notes. Less fruity in its youth than the Pignan, and considerably less showy. But this really coats the palate and lingers on the back end. Will require a good eight to ten years of aging, but will it be a very good or a great Rayas?Vinous Media | 91 VMThis vintage has not expanded as the great Rayas vintages do, but it has held steady, with supple notes of cherry compote, red licorice, shiso leaf and sandalwood, all laced with a hint of bay leaf. Keeps the house style, but doesn't show quite the depth of the more recent vintages, since Emmanuel Reynaud got rolling.—2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape non-blind retrospective (November 2011). Drink now through 2016. 1,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Good bright dark red. Lively aromas of plum, violet, espresso and underbrush; a bit more primary than the Suchots. Impressively concentrated, dense and sweet, with vibrant red fruit and spice flavors. Impeccably balanced, generous 2001, finishing with superb sweetness and breadth. This, too, should reward several years of aging but is fat and pliant already.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis too is reference standard RSV with its wonderfully seductive panoply of spice and fresh crushed herb notes that seamlessly merge with rich, powerful yet refined flavors that pack plenty of punch and length. The length here is simply phenomenal and this is without question the finest wine in the line-up. In short, this is a compelling wine that is endowed with the potential to become a genuinely great wine. Burghound | 92-95 BHFloral, elegant, silky. Full-bodied, a lovely red Burgundy, with smoke, blackberries, black cherries and raspberries swirling around, seducing from start to finish. Clean, pure, long, balanced finish.Wine Spectator | 91 WSSugar-coated creamy red fruits and flowers are found in the aromatic profile of the 2001 Romanee-St.-Vivant. Armed with wonderful depth of fruit, it is medium-bodied, silky-textured, and offers loads of red cherry fruit. An elegant, concentrated wine, it is well-structured and lengthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-93 RP

Unfortunately there is only one new release from Dom Perignon on the market, but what a wine it is! The 2002 Brut Rose explodes from the glass with endless layers of huge, voluptuous fruit, A big, full-bodied wine, the 2002 is probably the most overly vinous, intense Rose ever made by long-time Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. Layers of cool, insistent minerality balance the fruit beautifully on the crystalline, vivid finish. The 2002 will be nearly impossible to resist young, but take my word for it; the wine is extremely closed right now. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2002 Dom Pérignon Rosé is a tremendous example of this vintage at its very best. A Champagne of vertical thrust and intensity, the 2002 is rich, opulent and hedonistic from the very first taste. Readers should expect a Rosé built on a huge core of fruit. Rose petal, passion fruit and exotic flowers add shades of dimension to the wine’s decidedly flamboyant personality. What a wine!Vinous Media | 98 VMExtraordinarily powerful yet astonishingly beautifully constructed, the 2002 rosé is subtly different to its siblings, yet still seamless of architecture and impressive of length. Beyond the herbs and mellow autumnal berries there’s salinity at the back of the mouth. It’s perhaps a little unexpected from a rosé, but undeniably adds further layers to an already multi-faceted persona. Youthful yet wise beyond its years, this makes a wonderful pairing with the final wine, the 1990 P2 rosé. Drink with the most lavish crustacean dishes. Served from magnum. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DEC(Moët & Chandon Brut - Dom Perignon Rosé (magnum) Rosé) As it often is, this is quite aromatically discreet with its elegant and beautifully layered blend of soft yeast, cherry, raspberry, apple and rose petal. The still tightly coiled, intense and beautifully textured medium weight flavors possess an extremely fine effervescence before terminating in a clean, delineated and sneaky long finish that is markedly dry but not really austere. While the 750 ml version is drinking perfectly well now, in magnum format this striking beauty could still benefit from a few more years of keeping. (Drink starting 2027).Burghound | 95 BH

Bright yellow. Powerful smoke- and ginger-accented aromas of poached pear, honey and white flowers, along with a suave mineral overtone and a hint of toasted brioche. Sappy and buttery on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors underscored by a chalky mineral nuance. At once fleshy and energetic, finishing with outstanding clarity, thrust and smoky length. Cream-colored label, indicating a later disgorgement, in this case 2012, as opposed to the earlier disgorged black label version, which was disgorged in 2011. LHWCB9.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Ruinart, Dom Ruinart, Champagne, France, White) Dom Ruinart 2002 is a blessed creation with 72% Avize and Chouilly and more surprisingly 28% Chardonnay from Pinot villages like Sillery and Puisieulx. Painfully youthful but already completely harmonious. All the bits and pieces are there in small portions and time will make them stronger and deeper. (Drink between 2016-2028)Decanter | 94 DE(Dom Riunart Blanc de Blancs Brut (Reims)) The 2002 Dom Riunart Blanc de Blancs is a pretty good example of the vintage, but in their rarefied air of pricing, I was expecting a bit more. Perhaps the wine is just too young to be showing a lot in the mid-palate, as it is certainly quite structured today, offering up youthful scents of lemon peel, grapefruit, sourdough bread, chalky minerality and a touch of straw in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, tight and frothy, with a fien core, brisk, snappy acids and good length and grip on the primary finish that closes with a touch of bitterness from citrus peel flavors. This may just need cellaring to come into its own. (Drink between 2018-2035)John Gilman | 92 JG

Jacquesson’s 2002 Brut Ay Vauzelle Terme oozes class. A big, intense wine, the Vauzelle Terme is endowed with stunning depth. Pinot Noir seems inherently better suited to vinification in oak, and it shows in this vivid, kaleidoscopic Champagne. Seemingly endless layers of fruit built to a huge, creamy finish that satisfies all of the senses. Even with all of its density, there is plenty of underlying energy and finesse to ensure many years of fine, highly pleasurable drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPJacquesson’s 2002 BrutAy Vauzelle Terme oozes class. A big, intense wine, the Vauzelle Terme is endowed with stunning depth. Pinot Noir seems inherently better suited to vinification in oak, and it shows in this vivid, kaleidoscopic Champagne. Seemingly endless layers of fruit built to a huge, creamy finish that satisfies all of the senses. Even with all of its density, there is plenty of underlying energy and finesse to ensure many years of fine, highly pleasurable drinking.Vinous Media | 96 VMPale yellow with the barest hint of rosé, indeed it is not at all obvious that this is made from 100% pinot noir. Initially the nose seems unduly fruity and lacking in nuance but with just a few minutes of air it delivers one of the more remarkable transformations I have ever witnessed in that it takes on superb breadth and depth and this knockout complexity is entirely in keeping with the cool, pure, intense and utterly delicious flavors. There is excellent verve and a very fine bead to the gorgeously long and balanced finish where the stunning depth reinforces that found on the nose and mid-palate. To be sure, this is a very understated wine of finesse and not at all fashioned like some of the bigger and bolder luxury marque rosés. In terms of drinkability, it’s a tough call as this is already dazzlingly good but if one wanted to cellar this, it would certainly reward medium-term, and perhaps even long-term keeping. In sum, this is genuinely exquisite and its only fault is that there is so little of it available - if you can find it, don’t hesitate.Burghound | 96 BHA small plot of old Pinot Noir produces this superb wine. It has all the richness of wines from Aÿ, with its red fruits and hint of sweetness. But it is the structure, the complexity that sets it apart, the grapes ripe and concentrated from a great year. Age for at least another five years. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The 2002 boasts an inky/purple color along with notes of graphite, violets, blackberries, creme de cassis and hints of charcoal and barbecue in addition to a full-bodied, multilayered mouthfeel that builds incrementally with great purity, staggering fruit concentration, and a long, velvety, 50+-second finish. This prodigious effort should continue to drink well for 20+ years.One of my all-time favorite vintages for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002 was warmer overall than 2001, but was cooler in May and throughout the summer. Unusually foggy conditions were apparent in July and August, and by September, when a warming trend began, the weather became remarkably dry and beautiful. That was followed by cool weather in early October, which allowed the grapes to be harvested under textbook conditions. Napa’s 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines tend to be flamboyant, All-American, juicy and extroverted with relatively high alcohols. There are 15,000 cases of the 2002 Insignia, a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec that hit 14.4% alcohol. Eighty-five percent of the fruit came from the estate vineyards and the balance from growers. I wish I had purchased more of this spectacular wine for my personal collection.Robert Parker | 100 RPRich flavors fan out, the way you hope for, coating the palate with layers of currant, fresh earth, mineral, cedar, tobacco, mocha, black licorice and espresso. The tannins are firm and the structure built for a longer haul. Very much in its infancy still at age 10, it finds that unusual bridge between dense Napa fruit and a Bordeaux build. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.--2002 California Cabernet blind retrospective (May 2012). Drink now through 2032. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA luscious vintage of Insignia, this ’02 has the sleek feel of fine Napa Valley cabernet. There’s fragrant red berry and forest-floor character at the center of the wine, then blacker currant flavors and tannin softened by luxurious oak in the end. Touches of super-ripeness add to the richness without diminishing the wine’s freshness. Readily enjoyable now, and balanced to mature through 2010.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S(from a year featuring three heat spikes in September): Full red-ruby. Slightly roasted, high-toned black raspberry nose show a slightly pruney ripeness (the VA here was a relatively elevated 0.85). Creamy, plush and sweet, displaying excellent breadth and still-considerable baby fat. This was quite flashy on release but now seems to be in an adolescent phase. Big, building tannins saturate the tongue and front teeth. Winemaker Hepworth described it as "like a teenager, and without the suavity of tannins of the 2001." I’d leave it alone for at least a couple more years, at which point it may well merit a higher score.Vinous Media | 92+ VMThis celebrated wine is not mind-blowing right now. It’s dry, oaky, tannic and soft. There’s a wealth of cassis and moo shu pork flavors, and huge new oak. Yet it holds itself back, teasing but withdrawing into its tannic cloak. Collectors, be reassured it’s worth stashing. Drink now through 2010, but after that, it’s a gamble.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The wine of the vintage? There are only 10,000 cases of this extraordinarily rich, dense 2002 that is as powerful as the 2003 (even the alcohol levels are nearly the same, 12.85%) . It is dark ruby/purple to the rim, with notes of English walnuts, crushed rocks, black currants, and forest floor, dense, full-bodied, and opulent, yet classic with spectacular aromatics, marvelous purity, and a full-bodied finish that lasts just over 50+ seconds. Huge richness and the sweetness of the tannin are somewhat deceptive as this wine seems set for a long life. Administrator Frederic Engerer seems to be more pleased with what Latour achieved in 2002 than in any other recent vintage. Hats off to him for an extraordinary accomplishment in a vintage that wouldn’t have been expected to produce the raw materials to achieve something at this level of quality. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2045.Robert Parker | 96 RPOne of the most pleasant surprises in this tasting, the 2002 Latour is just beginning to show the full breadth of its aromatic complexity, but it is also has more than enough depth to drink well for several decades. Tar, graphite, incense and smoke open up in the glass in a Latour that leans towards the more delicate, feminine side of things. Silky tannins add polish and creaminess through to the finish. The 2002 is surprisingly delicious today for a young Latour, but it also has the pedigree and density to age nicely for decades.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGLoads of ripe currants, licorice and toasted oak on the nose. Subtle yet impressive. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and chewy tannins. Big and juicy. Deep midpalate for a 2002. This is the wine of the vintage. A solid, classic Latour that needs bottle age. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2002 Opus One is a big step up from the 2001. Freshly cut flowers, juicy raspberries, anise and sweet spices literally jump from the glass in an Opus One that is all about opulence and huge, voluptuous fruit. Juicy, vibrant and impeccably balanced, the 2002 is firing on all cylinders today. The creamy, layered finish is simply impeccable. This is a fabulous showing. In 2002 Opus One is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.Vinous Media | 95 VMI tend to think that recent vintages of Opus One are even greater than vintages made during this era, but the 2002 is certainly one of the top wines Opus has produced during the early part of this century. It boasts a dense plum/purple hue along with a striking bouquet of graphite, toasty oak, creme de cassis and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, opulent and young, it offers accessibility as well as silky tannins. A thoroughly complete wine that is pure and rich, it tastes like a hypothetical blend of a great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon married to a Bordeaux Pauillac. Bravo! It will benefit from 2-3 more years of cellaring and should keep for 20-25 thereafter.Robert Parker | 94 RPConcentrated, rich layers of black cherry fruit, with savoury spice, anise and ground coffee bean, black chocolate and deep blackcurrant and bilberry fruits. This is intense, perhaps a little too much in that it ends a touch abruptly. Lowest yield of the decade, which explains this tight feel. It's got years ahead of it, will be interesting to see it evolves from here. 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 32 days skin contact. Drinking Window 2019 - 2034.Decanter | 93 DEC

(Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles-Vignes Grand Cru Red) There is even more aromatic complexity with similar and brilliant red and black fruit notes though not the spice with superbly sappy, concentrated and very pure flavors that display flat out incredible length and impeccable balance. This will join the ranks of some of the best vintages of Ponsot’s Clos de la Roche, which is saying something. It is however built for the very patient. (Drink starting 2017)Burghound | 93 BHPonsot’s 2002 Clos de la Roche was exotic and intriguing, but also rough around the edges.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

Here is heaven in glass. The 2002 Grands Echezeaux possesses one of those bouquets that stops you in your tracks and makes you wonder whether it is worth ever drinking another Pinot Noir again. Sensational red cherry, wild strawberry and bergamot scents abound with a sense of translucency that could bring a tear to the eye, so have your tissues ready. The palate is tense and shimmers in the glass, the acidity nigh on perfect, the texture satin-like and the finish brimming with energy undimmed by bottle age. There is no greater way to remember the late Philippe Engel. Simply fabulous.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2002 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru is one of the finest wines that Philippe Engel released towards the end of his life. It has a transcendental bouquet that exudes shimmering red cherries and bergamot, so precise that you have to sit down and get your breath back. The palate is medium-bodied and imbued with balletic precision. As I have remarked before, the acidity is nigh perfect and the silky texture is to die for. Tasting this wine, I am tinged with sadness thinking how many more Engel could have made if it were not for his untimely passing. Tasted at dinner in Tokyo.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe rich vibrant, still almost purple, colour is noticeably deeper than the Echezeaux of the same vintage. The idea of youth continues with a fair whack of new oak showing on the bouquet. Dense and brooding, with considerable unresolved structure, quite high-toned acidity at first. Later on the fruit expands in volume to match and indeed subdue the acidity but the message from this bottle was to hold the wine for several more years before trying again. Tasted: January 2019.Jasper Morris | 95 JMLoads of sweet fruit here and the depth and class of a grand cru. Very stylish oak spice is well-integrated into the berry, mineral and smoke flavors of this concentrated, silky red. The acidity and tannins are harmonious and it finishes with a sandalwood aftertaste. Best from 2007 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 94 WSCool and reserved aromas are composed of spice, a hint of the sauvage, a touch of sandalwood and still largely primary dark currant scents. There is evident power, intensity and mid-palate concentration to the beautifully textured and delineated medium weight plus flavors that terminate in a still relatively tightly wound, firm and mildly austere finish. While it would no longer be a vinous crime to crack a bottle of this now, I would continue to advise holding the ’02 GE for another 4 to 6 years and it may need up to another decade before this reaches its ultimate apogee. Be that as it may, this is a really lovely effort of obvious class and grace.Burghound | 94 BH

This is showing incredible complexity with notes of preserved lemons, beeswax, chamomile, quince and porcini mushrooms. Salted caramel also. It’s full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with rich and salty layers. Fantastic freshness, too. Powerful and keeps going. This was disgorged in 2012. Ten years on the lees and ten years in bottle. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSTaittinger’s 2002 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is off the charts. I have tasted the 2002 now many times, and it has never been less than thrilling. A vivid kaleidoscope of pure Chardonnay aromas and flavors opens up in the glass. The 2002 is at once incredibly rich yet also totally weightless and impeccable in its balance. All the classic Comtes notes are there, but with a level of detail and nuance I don’t think I have ever seen before. The 2002 is breathtakingly beautiful today, but also appears to have the stuffing to age for decades. Personally, I would be looking to buy the 2002 in magnums if at all possible. Sadly, there is little wine to go around as 2002 was a very short crop. Readers who can track down the 2002 are in store for something truly great. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2042.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTaittinger’s 2002 Comtes de Champagne (magnum) is one of the greatest Champagnes ever made. In magnum, it is especially explosive and heady, not to mention superb alongside Daniel Humm’s hors d’oeuvres, where the brilliance of the wine plays off the flavors and textures of the food brilliantly. What a great way to start this dinner.Vinous Media | 98 VM(Taittinger Comte de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut) The 2002 Comtes has been a legend in the making since its first release, and at age twelve, the wine is starting to really stretch its wings and aim for the stars. The utterly brilliant nose is still a tad on the reticent side, but as the wine warms up in the glass, it offers up a stellar constellation of pear, delicious apples, complex chalkiness, brioche, apple blossoms, incipient notes of pastry cream, plenty of smokiness and a topnote of lemon peel. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with stunning focus and balance, unrepentant refinement, elegant mousse, zesty acids and stunning cut and grip on the endless and dancing finish. I am hard-pressed to think of a finer young vintage of Comtes de Champagne that has ever crossed my path! It seems to me that it is still infanticide to be drinking this wine today, as there is so much more to unfold with more bottle age, and I would not touch a bottle until it starts to close in on its twentieth birthday. Chapeau! (Drink between 2020-2075)John Gilman | 98 JGA rich base of toasted brioche and briny mineral supports flavors of poached quince, white peach puree, fleur de sel, pastry and smoked almond. There’s a quiet verve to this wine, with a fine, silky texture throughout. Drink now through 2025. 150 cases imported. — ANWine Spectator | 94 WS(Taittinger Brut - Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Red) A beautifully elegant and ultra-pure nose serves up attractively layered and mature aromas of spiced pear, white rose, citrus, brioche and hints of green apple. There is very good if not stunning complexity to the moderately vibrant flavors that are supported by an impressively refined effervescence before terminating in a balanced, dry, clean and lingering finish. For my taste this has arrived at its apogee though it should have no trouble holding for at least another decade. (Drink starting 2020)Burghound | 94 BHThe latest release of the legendary Comtes de Champagne comes from a great vintage. It has full, toasty bottle-age notes that give the wine depth of flavor, with a ripe, rounded mouthfeel and taut acidity. An almond note combines with the citrus-driven acidity on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne, Champagne, France, White) From a warmer year, which is also transcribed into the glass. It’s richer and more concentrated, with some dried apricot and brioche aromas. It’s complex on the palate, with intensity and focus, showing a hint of vanilla alongside generous brioche and leesy characters. It has power and concentration, with some fruit development apparent, and a long-lasting finish. It was one of the favourites at the tasting, but I favoured the more elegant styles. (Drink between 2018-2030)Decanter | 93 DE

This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux.Robert Parker | 98 RPA wine with spices, meat, and very ripe fruit on the nose, with hints of dried flowers. Full bodied, and deeply layered, with loads of fruit and spices. Long and decadent, very complex. Pull the cork after 2013. Find the wine.James Suckling | 97 JSFull, saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose combines redcurrant, tropical chocolate, leather, woodsmoke and nutty oak with exotic chocolate mint and coffee liqueur; still manages to retain floral lift even in this beastly vintage. Then wonderfully fat, sweet and full, even if it comes across as almost heavy following the ineffable 2005 and 2004 examples. But "relatively inelegant" for Margaux still suggests a degree of refinement that few chateaux can match in the greatest vintages. A hugely rich and dense wine that finishes with elevated but ripe tannins and great length, with a subtle suggestion of dry spices. Pontallier says the terroir will take over in 20 years, "like with the ’82." Splendid.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis may be from the exceptional vintage of 2003, but Château Margaux remains true to form. First and foremost, it is a refined, elegant wine, with complex layers of flavors. But, yes, the hot summer is there the dense, dry tannins, but somehow they seem to float through the wine rather than sitting heavily in the middle. Acidity and freshness come to finish, giving the wine a delicious lift. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEShows a note of torrefaction typical of the vintage, but uses it to its advantage, coupling it with accents of ganache and dark tobacco leaf along with rich plum, currant and fig compote flavors. The finish is slightly firm, with alder and plum skin details, but this has pretty impressive composure considering the vintage.-Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

A heady, exotic wine, the 2003 Mouton Rothschild takes hold of all the senses. The ripeness and exuberance of the year comes through in spades as this dramatic, opulent wine shows off its radiant personality. The 2003 can be enjoyed now, but it could also use another few years for the tannins to soften. Still, the 2003 is pretty hard to resist today. This is an exceptional, deeply satisfying Mouton endowed with notable richness but also exceptional balance. Hints of toffee, torrefaction and dark spices are laced into the finish. In 2003 the blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all brought in between a fairly narrow window of ten days between September 15 and 25.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGShows the heat of the vintage, as well as the slightly extracted feel of Dhalluin’s predecessor, with a hint of jamminess to the mix of raspberry, plum and fig fruit, along with melted licorice, charred cedar and singed vanilla bean accents and a very light echo of caramel through the finish. Even with all that, there’s a flash of minty freshness lurking throughout. There’s lots here, but it’s a bit atypical.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Drink now through 2031. 23,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis wine is dominated by new wood, which goes right through the big, dark fruit flavors and tannins. Very ripe cassis flavors are under this wood, waiting likely for many years before the wood flavors subside. This is very much in the modern, polished style of Mouton today, made even more pronounced by the heat of the 2003 vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WETasted at Bordeaux Index’s "10-Year On" tasting in London. Comparing the Lafite-Rothschild and Latour with the Mouton-Rothschild, it is clear that it is lagging behind in terms of complexity and nuance, the growing season impinging upon the aromatics and dampening the fruit expression. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple, graphite tinged entry. It is nicely balanced but seems a little smudged towards the cedar-infused finish. This is a decent Mouton, though I prefer Latour and Lafite-Rothschild in this year. Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMThis has lots of phenolic character. Full-bodied and chewy with very ripe nuances. So much coffee and walnut character. A big and slightly overdone wine. Shows the extreme heat of the vintage. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

For the fourth time, the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo has been produced, and for the fourth time, it has received a perfect score although I might back off the 2000's perfect score based on the fact that it seems to be more of an upper-ninety point wine than pure perfection these days. The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo has distanced itself ever so slightly from the 2003 Cuvee Reservee. Before bottling and immediately after bottling, these two wines’ differences were not as evident. At present the Capo reveals that extra level of flavor, power, complexity and richness. It is a big wine (16.1% alcohol – less than in the 1998, but more than in the 2000 and 2007) boasting a dark plum/garnet color as well as a stunning bouquet of aged beef intermixed with pepper, herbes de Provence, and steak au poivre. This unctuously textured, full-bodied Chateauneuf possesses enormous body, huge flavors and sweet, velvety tannins. Still youthful, it has not yet begun to close down, and I’m not sure it ever will given this unusual vintage. It is a modern day classic that should continue to provide provocative as well as compelling drinking for 20-30+ years.Robert Parker | 100 RPVery tight on the nose with dark, fantastically rich and dense fruit, spice, black pepper (lots) and meaty notes; the 2003 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo continued to open up on the nose over the course of the evening but still remained slightly backward. The palate, however, is as good as it gets and is bursting at the seems with extract, fruit, and structure. Full bodied, absolutely massive and with a finish that goes on and on; this is really just a beast of a wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDEnormously concentrated, with notes of mushroom demi-glace, licorice, tar and hoisin sauce, but also marvelously textured, with additional layers of raspberry, fig and currant paste--all supported by thick, ripe tannins. The slashing finish leaves you both winded and begging for more. Best from 2008 through 2035. 455 cases made, 47 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 99 WSDeep, dark red. Multidimensional bouquet of kirsch, cassis, red plum, pipe tobacco, grilled meat, licorice pastille and roasted coffee; this has nearly all of the Chateauneuf food groups. Utterly mouthfilling in its richness, with tremendous concentration of red and dark berries, garrigue, bittersweet chocolate and aged beef. Finishes with a velvety lushness, round tannins and palate-staining persistence. A simply remarkable wine: it finished at 16.2% but the alcohol only shows in the wine's unctuous, almost oily palate feel.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM