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This sports serious heft, with a core of brooding fig jam, ganache, Christmas pudding and pastis-soaked black currant notes, followed by a powerhouse finish of smoldering charcoal and tar. The feel is remarkably velvety and rounded overall, with a mouthwatering licorice root element adding to the already considerable length. Best from 2026 through 2056. 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 99 WSThough declared back in 2003, the 2001 Quinta do Noval Nacional was not officially released until 2016 because Christian Seely deemed it too backward and tannic in its youth. Matured in used wooden barrels for 20 months, it has a limpid purple hue with very slight bricking at the rim. The utterly captivating bouquet features multilayered black cherries, cassis, crushed violets and hints of iodine, all extremely delineated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-like texture that renders this Nacional deceivingly approachable, and yet this is clearly a Vintage Port with decades still ahead of it. Amazingly well focused, this 2016 has a brightness and vivacity that probably manifested during the years it was kept back. Stunning. 250 cases produced. Tasted at the Vinous off-line dinner at La Trompette.Vinous Media | 98 VMNacional Vintage Port comes from a small parcel of ungrafted vines on a series of terraces at the Noval estate. It is a legendary wine, produced only occasionally. This wine is still impressively young and shows that it will age for decades. With its dark black fruits and succulent tannins, it is powerful and concentrated. Drink this wine from 2021 and for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEI loved the 2001 Nacional, which is just singing right now. Possessing a huge nose of roasted herbs, black olives, licorice, coffee grinds, and sandalwood, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly layered texture that stays lively, balanced and clean. This heady, ripe, sensationally complex Port should continue to stay on this plateau of maturity for another 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2001 Vintage Port Nacional is a typical blend, mostly Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Aged for 20 months in old barrels in Douro, it comes in with 19.3% alcohol and 76.8 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is a late release, declared in 2003 but just now about to hit the market. Christian Seely said: "[T]he 2001 was extremely backward and quite closed up, dense and very tannic. Since we had just declared and released the 2000 Nacional, we decided to lay down the 250 cases of Nacional 2001 ..." The late release has certainly tamed this. It still feels very firm and has a real backbone, but it is not overly drying and it is a lot more approachable than newly-released Nacionals can be. By day three, though, it was showing a bit more pure power and complexity--and it seemed far better.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPTight and linear vintage Port with ripe berries, almonds, chocolate and hints of spices. Medium to full body, racy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Very beautiful now.James Suckling | 93 JS

It’s striking that is as fresh as it is given the ten years in the cellars. It has a fine citrus nose with plenty of lemons, grapefruit and yellow chalky notes, not to mention some lighter floral elements. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g), and there’s a silky, sherbet-like texture that makes this smooth fine and long. The citrus flavors give way to the surging acidity and the finish twists very slowly through to lightly toasted cashew nuts mingled with complex fruit and citrus flavors. Disgorged October 22, 2013.James Suckling | 99 JSWhen we tasted the 2002 Grande Année in 2012, I scored it 95 points, impressed by its pale chalk power, its muscularity and the freshness it expressed as a ten-year-old wine. It had the scent of a sunny meadow. With two years of additional time on the lees and a lower dosage, the current R.D. version of that wine is more extreme. If you break it apart you might consider how the barrel-aged base wines from 23 crus intensify the structure, or how the acidity of the vintage has sustained the bright, buzzing freshness of the peach and apple flavors. The fruit seems to be wedded to rock, so strong is the chalk streak of limestone. And yet the resonance of the wine, subsuming any and all of those factors, brings it together in a sumptuous texture, making it a pleasure to drink even now. It’s more sensible, however, to wait. In ten years, this should begin to fulfill its promise, at the start of its prime.Wine & Spirits | 97 W&SA wine that really needs time in the glass to show at its best, Bollinger’s 2002 RD comes from a total 23 different crus (71% being Grand Cru) and is a 60/40 split of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged in 2013 after spending 11 years in bottle, it offers a dry, savory style that quickly morphs toward more stone fruits, toasted nuts, dried earth and exotic spices. Deep, pure, and incredibly chiseled on the palate, with a gorgeous texture and great finish, this is a Champagne I’d decant if drinking anytime soon. The dosage is in the 3-4 grams range, and while it’s certainly on the dry/savory end of the spectrum, it offers incredible complexity and depth.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA fine example of power married to elegance, this is impeccably balanced, with a mouthwatering palate of crème de cassis, toasted brioche, fleur de sel and crystallized honey flavors. The rich, smoky underpinning is carried on a finely detailed bead. Disgorged March 2014. Drink now through 2030. 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(Bollinger “R. D.” Brut Millésime (Aÿ)) The 2002 Bollinger R.D. is comprised of a blend of sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent chardonnay, with the wine being finished with a low dosage of 3.5 grams per liter. This is one of the most beautiful young vintages of R.D. that I have ever had the pleasure to taste, as the wine soars from glass in a blaze of apple, peach, patissière, a touch of hazelnut, beautifully complex soil tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and generous with pure fruit at the core, with utterly refined mousse, bright acids, lovely focus and grip and a very long, focused and complex finish. At age fourteen, this wine is nicely open for business and utterly charming, but it has the balance to also age long and very gracefully. A simply beautiful vintage of R.D. (Drink between 2016-2040)John Gilman | 95 JGThe most remarkable thing about the 2002 Extra Brut R.D. is how tense and structured it is. Despite having been disgorged over two years ago, the 2002 is very much tightly wound. After several hours, the power and resonance of the vintage start to come through, along with the natural richness of Pinot from Aÿ. Whereas most 2002 Champagnes are quite ripe in profile, the 2002 R.D. has plenty of depth, but it is depth through concentration as opposed to elevated ripeness. The low dosage style further adds to that sensation. Hints of chamomile, sage, dried flower and red fruits emerge over time, but only with reluctance. I would prefer to cellar the 2002 for at least a few years. If that is not possible, readers should open the wine at least a few hours in advance. Even so, the 2002’s best drinking lies somewhere in the future. My sense is that the 2002 will be at its best between the ages of 20 and 30. Disgorged: September 11, 2015.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG(Bollinger Extra Brut - R.D. Red) Fully mature aromas are comprised by really lovely brioche, citrus and baked apple nuances. There is a notably refined bead to the mousse that is dense yet a little aeration allows the beautifully delineated yet subtly shaded full-bodied flavors to shine before culminating in a beautifully long, complex, intensely yeasty and classy finish. As the R.D. almost always is, this is full-flavored yet it arguably drinks like a blanc de blancs because of its purity and subtlety. In a word this is gorgeous. Note that I have experienced some bottle variation with some bottles seeming to be distinctly more youthful than others. (Drink starting 2020).Burghound | 94 BHThis late-release version of the vintage wine from Bollinger was 13 years on the lees before being disgorged in May of 2017 with an extra-brut dosage of just 3g/L. The initial blend was 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, fermented in cask, and aged under cork. The wine is a sublime expression of the late-disgorged style, both very fresh and showing characteristic notes of coffee and toast that long lees ageing brings. The texture is very lively and crisp, and the energy of the 2002 vintage carries this to an immense finish. This wine should age for decades. (Drink between 2021-2051)Decanter | 94 DECBig names do not help if you are not familiar with a certain house style, and so I can understand everyone who dislikes Bollinger’s 2002 RD Extra Brut, which at first sight reveals a matured if not an old wine displaying toffee, floral (hyacinths, narcissus, sage), vegetal and spicy aromas (oak, cannabis, frankincense, black bread) -- but almost no fruit (at least no fresh fruit). This wine was disgorged in March 2014, but just needs a lot of time in the glass to develop its complexity. On the palate this is a very pure, fresh, lively, firmly structured and almost ascetic wine with complexity, but almost no sensuality. Very distinctive style.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A massive Yquem, this has a dense palate that is almost chewy like a red. Full and very sweet, with notes of dried apricot, pineapple, and papaya on the palate. Long, with a vanilla-coconut tart finish. What a wine, voluptuous, sexy, and luscious. 147 grams of RS. Pull the cork after 2015.James Suckling | 98 JSSquarely on the tropical side of the spectrum, with mango, papaya and pineapple fruit laced with a marmalade note. Long and very caressing through the finish, but never heady or overpowering, as orange pâte de fruit, ginger and singed almond accents lend cut and precision. Shows the heat of the vintage while retaining energy and drive. Impressive.—Non-blind Yquem vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe average June temperature for 2003 was the warmest ever recorded at Yquem since they installed their first weather station in 1896. And things were only just starting to heat up. This notoriously hot vintage nonetheless produced some very pleasant Bordeaux surprises, Yquem being one. As readers can guess, obtaining the necessary sugar levels was not the problem this year. If it was a question of sugar alone, berries could well have been harvested in August. But come September, the wait was on for the botrytis. Fortunately, a little rain beginning on the 5th of September kick-started proceedings, and with the help of continued warm temperatures, the noble rot took off like a rocket! After this, frenetic harvesting and strict selection ensued. Harvest was over in a record nine days, resulting in a super rich, concentrated and full botrytized expression that beautifully does justice to both the vintage and to Yquem.Medium lemon-gold colored, the 2003 d’Yquem seems to be emerging from a slumber, awakening with gloriously expressive notes of ginger ale, pineapple upside-down cake, toasted hazelnuts, star anise, cinnamon stick and preserved mandarin peel plus hints of lemon butter, crushed rocks, musk perfume and chalk dust. Full-bodied, super concentrated and decadently unctuous, the palate exudes waves of preserved tropical fruits and citrus sparks charged with energetic freshness, finishing epically long and wonderfully spicy. Alcohol is 13.5% this year, while the residual sugar comes in at a whopping 147 grams per liter, nicely balanced by a total acidity of 4.2 grams per liter H2SO4.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2003 Yquem was a homogenous harvest picked over a single trie between 17 and 26 September. It has a rich and opulent nose, crème brûlée, marmalade and a melted candle wax aroma. The palate has more to offer than the nose: fine acidity, less closed than the aromatics, touches of orange rind and mandarin developing with time. This is very commendable given that I do not consider it a great Sauternes vintage. Tasted from ex-château bottle in London.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Intense blackberry and cherry, with hints of currant. Toasted oak and sweet tobacco too. Roses and other flowers, such as lilacs. Full-bodied, with masses of tannins yet incredibly long and seductive. Best after 2012. 18,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2003 Léoville Barton was sensational on release, closed down slightly for 4-5 years, and is just now starting to emerge from its adolescence and is on the early side of its drink window. Possessing a saturated purple/ruby color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, charcoal, lead pencil shavings and damp earth, it’s full-bodied, gorgeously concentrated, balanced and long. While from a freakishly hot vintage, it has terrific purity as well as complexity. In short, it’s a blockbuster yet classic wine from Anthony Barton that’s going to provide incredible amounts of pleasure over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA spectacular success, the opaque plum-colored 2003 Leoville Barton is still on the young side of its plateau of maturity. It exhibits a striking bouquet of forest floor and black currants as well as a full-bodied, exuberant, youthful style, an opaque plum/ruby color, a lot of complexity, and striking depth and richness. This is a profound, stunning effort from Anthony Barton and his team. Bravo! It should continue to provide immense pleasure for 20-30 years.Robert Parker | 96 RPSomehow Barton has overcome the heat of the 2003 vintage and has come out with a new wine that is rich and elegant. There are generous tannins, ripe black currant fruits, balancing acidity, all in an ensemble that is so much more than the sum of its parts.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEGood medium ruby. Explosive nose of black raspberry, coffee and leather. Hugely rich, dense and sweet, with deep flavors of currant, plum and chocolate complicated by underlying minerality. Wonderfully dense and full on the back end, with broad tannins and palate-staining length. Today, the 2005 comes off as dry by comparison. A standout of the vintage, and likely to be long-lived in the context of the year.Vinous Media | 93 VM69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Majoring on gourmet chargrilled black cherries, you feel the heat of the vintage, but in its exotic expression rather than a dusty one –there is clear integrity in the fruit, which is helped perhaps by the estate’s location close to the river. Luscious, with exotic spices; elegant and holding together well. Ready to drink now but will hold on. Drinking Window 2017 - 2032Decanter | 93 DECCurrants and plums with mint on the nose follow through to a full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a new wood, ripe fruit aftertaste. Tight and firm, but wait until after 2012 to pull the cork.James Suckling | 92 JS

Extraordinary nose of berry, chocolate and flowers. Amazing, jaw-dropping quality. Full-bodied, with supersilky, seductive tannins and a finish that lasts for minutes. Out of this world. Best after 2014. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSOne of the great successes of 2003, and a surprise given the problems with Merlot in Pomerol. This is a powerfully huge wine, but its fruit is so rich, so superb that the tannins have just become part of a complete whole.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEAn early September harvest in this hot year produced a 2003 that has reached full maturity. It offers notes of roasted coffee, melted chocolate, figs and black cherry jam. There are some rustic tannins in the finish, but this expansive, rich Petrus displays far more intensity and complexity than most expected given the difficulties in Pomerol in 2003. It should be consumed over the next 4-6 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2003 Petrus was born in a difficult vintage for Pomerol, although its blue clay a.k.a “smectite” soils probably gave Christian Moueix and Jean-Claude Berrouet a slight advantage given its propensity to retain moisture and prevent hydric stress. That said, I would not mark it down as a top tier Petrus. After a timid opening it settles down with attractive mulberry, wild strawberry and clove scents, quite rich but not overpowering. I would argue that it is not as detailed as other vintages. The palate is very well balanced and surprisingly well defined considering the heat of that summer. Rich and opulent for Petrus (maybe the most opulent that Jean-Claude Berrouet ever made) and yet it retains a sense of symmetry and freshness on the finish that I think is unique to this Pomerol. Who says there is no such thing as terroir? Tasted in London with a Bordeaux merchant.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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

Power and elegance merge effortlessly in this superb wine. Its pure black currant fruit is tightly coiled, supported by just the right amount of firm tannins. Great aging potential. A triumph.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2005 Léoville-Barton is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Powerful and strapping in the glass, the 2005 is a big, big wine. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of inky black fruit, new leather, spice, gravel, mocha and licorice. The wine’s sheer density is impressive, but its balance is even more compelling. I might be temped to give this another few years in the cellar. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a thrilling, potent Saint-Julien that overdelivers big time. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDelivers breathtaking aromas of blackberry, currant, licorice and flowers. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and supersilky tannins. Dark chocolate, currant, berry and licorice follow through. This is racy and beautiful. Best after 2015. 20,375 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis offers aromas of spices, dried dark fruits, meat and berries. Full and muscular on the palate, with strong tannins and a long, long finish. This is very powerful and chewy, but a little bit tight. This is a wine for the cellar. Don’t touch this until 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSPowerful and compelling, this blend of nearly 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot with a suggestion of Cabernet Franc was slow to open but with time produced polished aromas of red and blackberry fruit with hints of graphite, leather, and smoke. The texture is firm and tannic, but there is enough density to make it all work exceedingly well—one of the pleasant surprises of the tasting. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECLéoville Barton’s 2005 has an inky ruby/purple color and shows fairly high tannin levels, but the balance is slightly better that the Langoa Barton, which is very hard. This is probably a 30-year wine and needs at least another 20 years of cellaring, and while the tannins are high, they are balanced more thoroughly and competently. With deep cassis and red currant fruit, the wine is earthy, spicy, medium to full-bodied, and needs at least another decade. Drink it between 2025 and 2050.Robert Parker | 92 RP

Pale to medium gold colored, the 2007 d’Yquem delivers powerful scents of tropical fruits—dried mangoes and pineapple paste—accented by acacia honey, toasted almonds and woodsmoke with hints of chalk dust, kettle corn and lime blossom. The palate reveals one of those vintages that shape-shifts into an apparently drier style than it is, largely thanks to its uber-racy backbone of freshness and layered mineral-inspired flavors, finishing with a regal, satin-textured savoriness. Difficult to resist now, this will be one of those Rip Van Winkle vintages that can be predicted to cellar not just for decades but for generations. For number crunchers: 14.2% alcohol, 137 grams per liter residual sugar, and total acidity is 3.7 grams per liter H2SO4.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RP(Château d’Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France, White) Befitting a glorious Sauternes vintage, the 2007 Yquem stood out in this tasting like a beacon. Sandrine Garbay notes that it was ‘a great year for noble rot and feels that, like 2001, 2007 is a “classic” expression of Yquem.’ Burnished hue in the glass, remarkably powerful and concentrated with endless layers of flavour. Aged in oak for 2.5 years, remarkably this could still benefit from further ageing and integration of oak. Despite the power and weight, the wine remains fresh and vibrant with driving acidity. Should improve for a decade and drink well for 30-40 years. Residual Sugar: 137g/L. (Drink between 2022-2055)Decanter | 98 DECThis has really started to put on weight, with heather and ginger notes emerging from the core of dried pineapple, bergamot, candied grapefruit rind and mango. Long and creamy through the very rich, spicy finish, with lingering golden raisin and frangipane notes. Loads of power in reserve, as this sports the bold, hedonistic profile of the vintage in spades. Best from 2020 through 2050. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(There was only one way to finish: by switching over to Sauternes for the 2007 d’Yquem. This is a vintage I have tasted several times. Lucid amber in color, it has a reticent nose at first, though it blossoms with aeration to reveal captivating aromas of mirabelle, dried honey and beeswax. A subtle adhesive scent loiters backstage. The palate is medium-bodied with vanilla pod and almond on the entry, and very tensile with a seductive viscosity toward the close. Touches of nougat and white chocolate lace the finish of one of the finest Yquems of this decade. Glorious to drink now and doubtless glorious to drink in 50 years’ time!Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2008 Clos des Goisses is just as impressive today as it has always been. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2008 exists in three dimensions, with remarkable textural depth and vertical intensity to burn. Clos des Goisses is notoriously slow to develop. Readers who can be patient will be treated to a spectacular Champagne. The blend is 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, which makes the 2008 a rare Clos des Goisses that favors Chardonnay. About 75% of the lots were fermented in oak. Disgorged April 2017. Dosage is 4.25 grams per liter.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGFrom a cooler, fresher vintage and based on more Chardonnay than usual (55%), with 45% Pinot Noir, the Philipponnat 2008 Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut shows an exciting bouquet of bright fruits, crushed chalk, bread and iodine notes. On the palate, this is an excitingly vibrant, fresh and chalky Clos with lovely citrus and cumquat flavors on the finish. The 2008 is very complex, bright, super clear and fresh, with a tightly woven structure but still great finesse and elegance. This is a fabulous Clos for the next three decades. The dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged in April 2017 (?), tasted at the domaine in April 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPShimmering pale gold with green flecks. The slight majority of Chardonnay is a fine decision, as unlike a lot of ’08s, the wine is already a pleasure to drink - but it will continue to live a long and distinguished life. Terrific expression of a complex range of citrus scents, confit of lemon and a touch of bergamot. The palate is stunning, with a promise of burgeoning flavours into the 2030s. The fruit is ideally, subtly ripe in classic cooler conditions, but also mineral-stamped in the Clos’ tradition. The 2008 has everything - a true great. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035Decanter | 96 DECRefined and seamless, showing effortless integration of the expressive, chalk-tinged minerality, the frame of sleek acidity, and the flavors of poached apple, pastry dough, orchard blossom, ground ginger and graphite carried on a delicate mousse. Impressive for the finesse and grace it projects today, but the restrained power here suggests a long future in the cellar. Disgorged April 2017. Drink now through 2035. 2,300 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Brut Millésime (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) Magnum) I wrote about the 2008 Clos des Goisses back in June of last year, as it was part of a superb vertical tasting I had the pleasure to participate in at that time. As I mentioned, it is a pretty unique vintage of Clos des Goisses, as there is more chardonnay in the blend than pinot noir, and, to the best of my knowledge this has only happened once before back in 1964. The cépages of the 2008 is fifty-five percent chardonnay and forty-five percent pinot noir. After first tasting it last summer, I was delighted to cross paths with it out of magnum during my recent trip to Burgundy and the wine was showing beautifully. The superb bouquet offers up a youthful blend of apple, white peach, chalky soil tones, dried flowers, bread dough, a touch of citrus peel and incipient smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, young and nascently complex, with a great core of fruit, zesty acids, pinpoint bubbles and great cut and grip on the long and vibrant finish. This was still youthful out of regular-sized format in the summer and is even younger out of magnum! It will be a great, great vintage of Clos des Goisses, but it will need time. (Drink between 2030-2085)John Gilman | 95+ JGThe Clos des Goisses is a 13.6-acre parcel on a chalk hillside in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, a steep, 45-degree slope facing due south, planted to chardonnay (55 percent) and pinot noir. A majority of the wine ferments in oak casks...Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SVery fragrant chardonnay here, offering white flowers, sweet smelling honey, almond nougat, lemons and peaches. The palate is very crisp, very focused and long with brioche flavor and a finely layered texture. Some chalky lemons and peaches to close. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

One of my favorite vintages from this incredible terroir located on the upper plateau of Saint-Emilion, the 2009 Château Canon is just about pure perfection in a glass. It delivers a monster bouquet of blackberries, raspberries, white truffle, and flowery incense that develops beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s still classic Saint-Emilon, offering incredible minerality as well as structure. This brilliant wine can be drunk any time over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Canon is a little reticent to begin, opening out to notions of rare beef, cast iron pan, cigar boxes and cloves with a core of baked plums and mulberries plus a waft of dried lavender. Full, richly fruited and sill quite youthful, the palate has a firm yet velvety texture and seamless freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPA fleshy and generous St.-Emilion with a great interplay of fresh and super-ripe plum aromas. Behind this is quite a major tannin structure and plenty of chalky minerality that carries the bold finish beautifully. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 95 JSHugely dense, foursquare wine with great fruit and the purest tannins. Chocolate and coffee predominate at the same time as sweet tannins and acidity. A wine that combines charm with great power.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Château Canon) The 2009 Canon is an unequivocally great wine in the making and will probably end up resembling the 1982 Canon in style, but prove to be superior to that fine bottle. As is the style of classically made wines such as this, today the ’09 Canon is tight, structured and only hinting at the superb complexity to come, but with its superb quality clearly evident. The bouquet offers up an excellent aromatic mélange of black cherries, dark berries, espresso, woodsmoke, herb tones, tobacco leaf, lovely soil tones and a touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, ripe and rock solid at the core, with impeccable balance, firm, ripe tannins and great focus and grip on the long, properly reserved and chewy finish. A great classic in the making. (Drink between 2020-2070).John Gilman | 93-94+ JGThe director of Canon in 2009 was John Kolasa, a less deft touch perhaps than Nicolas Audebert today, but still making some great wines. This has ripe fruits and a generous attack. It’s still very young but there are hints of a wine that’s starting to evolve, with moments of tobacco and leather. The mouthwatering juiciness through the back half of the palate is really appetising, and although it’s less precise than a Canon of today, you can certainly see all the building blocks here. It has a slightly savoury quality to the fruit, not displaying the excess of some St-Emilions in this vintage. A good quality wine, this is entering its drinking window but has plenty of time left. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a creamy, lush, hedonist’s wine, with suave, textured layers of fig sauce, puréed plum and cassis woven with hints of mocha and pain d’épices. Picks up grip though, joined by a roasted mesquite hint on the finish for added length. Best from 2014 through 2025. 4,415 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2009 Canon has a surprisingly muted bouquet despite rigorous aeration, reluctantly offering black fruit, meat juices and light garrigues-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, slightly coarse tannin, quite spicy but overall, rather overbearing and lacking tension on the finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A major success of the vintage. The wine exhibits extreme richness of the fruit, with all its sweet blackberry flavors. It also has underlying firm structure, density and solid tannins. Bring in the acidity at the end, and this is both impressive and ready for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEMeasured and confident tannic hold with subtle grilled oak notes, a ton of ripe cassis and blueberry fruits, liquorice and eucalyptus on the finish, and a mouthwatering, moreish construction overall. This is a powerful St Julien, but with clear and present finesse. 60% new oak. A standout wine from this property, and a wonderful showcase of the slow burning brilliance of St Julien. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECA super-classic St.-Julien that only has a hint of the opulence of the vintage. The beautiful cassis fruit and elegantly dry tannins push briskly through the long and graceful finish. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2009 Léoville-Barton has a much better bouquet than the Langoa with better definition and focus: blackberry, raspberry coulis, cedar and touches of graphite that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced with a graphite infused finish that feels very persistent. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is powerful Cabernet, with gutsy weight, but also polished feel to the fresh plum, warm blackberry sauce, bittersweet ganache and roasted apple wood notes. Long and tarry through the finish, but still invigorating despite its heft. Needs some time to round fully into form. Best from 2017 through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 21,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Leoville Barton gives up expressive cherry cordial, warm cassis and blackberry tart scents with nuances of menthol, cigar box and fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and elegantly played with loads of freshness and soft tannins, it has a long, perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Let yourself go and sink into this deep dark chasm that will swallow you whole if you let it. Enormous concentration, but every bit as much finesse, the finish extremely long and fine. And this is just beginning to give its best! Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2009 Leoville Las Cases may be the most open-knit and forward Las Cases I have tasted to date. Analytically, it is high in tannin and the alcohol is 13.8%, nearly a record at this estate. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc was showing brilliantly at the 2009 tasting I did in Hong Kong and at a later tasting. It boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration and lots of sweet, jammy black currant, black cherry and kirsch fruit intermixed with crushed rock and mineral notes. As always, proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon has built a massive wine with exceptional precision, unbelievable purity and aging potential of 40-50 years. I was surprised by the lusciousness of this cuvee on several occasions, and how much more forward it is given the fact that Las Cases can often be forebodingly backward and in need of 10-15 years of cellaring (at age 30, the 1982 is still a baby in terms of development!). The super-concentrated 2009 needs another 5-7 years before additional nuances emerge. This is a brilliant, full-throttle St.-Julien.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThis is gorgeously layered with cassis bush, anise, roasted fig and plum reduction notes all framed by racy espresso and graphite. Very deep and very long, with terrific intensity on the finish thanks to razor cut from the seemingly endless iron spine. With its purity and precision, this mineral-driven Cabernet should cruise for two decades. Best from 2020 through 2035. 14,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSStill a baby, the 2009 Château Leoville Las Cases is largely in the mold of the 1990 and 1982, offering a sexy opulence while staying in the classic, structured style of the estate. Based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, its still ruby/purple hue is followed by a sensational array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, green tobacco, exotic spices, and incense. With incredible purity, ultra-fine tannins, full-bodied richness, and that rare mix of power and elegance, this magical Saint-Julien is just now starting to reveal some secondary nuances and won’t hit full maturity for another decade. It should see its 75th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA beautifully structured wine, with its tannins layered between the ripest black plums, damsons and black currants. It is opulent while remaining dense, concentrated and very serious. Certainly a wine for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Léoville Las-Cases simply delivers on the nose with intense blackberry, wild hedgerow, graphite and crushed stone aromas on the nose. You would put this down as a Pauillac if served blind, unsurprising given that it borders that appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, silky smooth in texture with immense depth. It is blessed with quite brilliant delineation and the precision on the finish is magnificent. Chapeau Mon. Delon. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMBeing Léoville-Las Cases, it is, as you would expect, still pretty determined to play its cards close to its chest. And yet the exuberance and generosity of 2009 is beginning to peep though. For those of us who lack patience, these kind of years are just brilliant for checking out what Las Cases is all about: brooding tannins are just starting to stir, controlling a tight-knit cassis, cigar box, pencil lead and liquorice body. You feel the skill in the unpeeling of the tannins, opening to reveal the perky fresh core, and you can see just why this is such a great estate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DEC(Château Leoville las Cases) The last vintage of Leoville las Cases to really move me was the 1978, so I am probably underrating this very powerful and seamlessly constructed wine a bit. The nose today on the ’09 is very deep, sappy and quite primary at this point in its evolution, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cassis, a touch of blueberry, dark chocolate, tobacco smoke and raw (but integrated) new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and sappy at the core, with plenty of firm tannins, excellent focus and balance and a very long, still somewhat woody finish. There is little doubt that there is sufficient stuffing here to fully absorb its sixty-five percent new oak with further evolution, and I am sure that there are other tasters that will really love this wine for its deep and powerful personality. But for me it is a bit of a brute and I have a hard time imagining the wine ever developing any breed or nuance to go with its raw power. Very well made in its style. (Drink between 2020-2050).John Gilman | 90-92+ JG

An extremely rich and ripe wine with currant, cherry and balsamic aromas. Hints of leather. Follows through on the finish. Full body, round and velvety tannins that are reserved and beautiful. Sweet and sour. Savory, too. Drink or hold. This has a long life ahead of it.James Suckling | 98 JS(80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% cabernet franc): Bright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of blackberry, cassis, lead pencil, violet and minerals, complicated by a superripe note of crushed raspberry. Extremely primary and pure, offering sharply defined cassis, violet and mineral flavors of great class. The perfectly integrated acidity and a vibrant floral character from the cabernet franc give the middle palate terrific lift. Though very ripe in its flavor profile, this wine conveys a rare lightness of touch that is typical of Sassicaia but rare for this vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Finishes with noble tannins and outstanding palate-staining length. For all its creamy power and charm, I really like this wine's balance and the subtle delivery of its complex flavors. I have tasted every vintage of Sassicaia on countless occasions and, other than the legendary 1985, I have no doubt that this is one of the two or three best Sassicaias at a similar stage of development. Though the 2009 won't surpass the once-in-a-lifetime 1985, it is starting out its life in bottle with almost the same perfectly balanced, opulent creamy texture and depth of that incredible wine, which I remembertasting both in Rome and in Tuscanyimmediately upon release. In fact, that wine was so good that even thoughI was still auniversity student (and thus on a studentbudget), it was the firsttime in my lifeI ever bought a full case. If I were a university student today, I'd do the same with the 2009, even though the price of Sassicaia is far higher today. There's profound potential here, but younger wine writers and consumers who weren't seriously involved in tasting back in the '80s may well be surprised by this wine's voluptuous, atypically opulent texture and thus miss its sheer greatness.Vinous Media | 97+ VMSome torrefied, caramel notes on the nose, this is a wine that vibrates with a beautifully held together crimson red colour. On the palate, there are signs of a hot vintage, with hints of exotic fig, yet it’s shot through with fresh crushed violet notes. Can feel some sun bleaching, although again a heady sweet spice fragrance takes over. This is grilled charcoal over a roasted blackcurrant Cabernet core. And then, just as you are wondering about the exoticism of the fruit, the sweet relief of fresh mint comes slipping in on the finish. What a beautiful wine. Elegant, but packs quite a punch.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2009 Bolgheri Sassicaia is the richest and darkest edition in recent memory. This super-charged Sassicaia boasts enormous power and concentration thanks to its impressive phenolic foundation. Black currant and blackberry confit are followed by spice, leather, tar, road paving and black truffle. It shows preliminary tertiary signs with licorice and crushed mineral. The wine wraps thickly over the palate delivering tight textural firmness and integrated structure. You taste the sweetness of the fruit and the depth of the oak tannins. No matter how you approach it, this wine scores very high on the intensity meter. For the record: Tenuta San Guido General Manager Carlo Paoli expressed concern about the integrity of his sample, but I remained extremely pleased by the gorgeous wine before me.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPSassicaia has been showing amazing results in recent years, and the 2009 vintage opens with all the intensity and beauty you should expect of Italy's flagship super Tuscan. Notes of blackberry, soft spice, chocolate, espresso and a touch of rosemary oil make for a beautiful bouquet. The mouthfeel is long, supple and rich. Drink after 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis tightly knit, dense red is full of black currant, cherry, herb and spice flavors. The tannins are aggressive now, but this is long and detailed, with an herb and spice aftertaste. A classy wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2014 through 2028. 17,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom the famed estate in Bolgheri, where the Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta first planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1940s, this is a grand vintage of Sassacaia that will need years to fully evolve. Plentiful spring rains prepared the vines for the hot summer of 2009, sustaining them with plenty of moisture in the stony, limestone-inflected soils. A portion of Cabernet Franc (15 percent) emphasizes the fresh tobacco and green herb scents in the blend, while the black olive flavors of young Cabernet Sauvignon fill out a plush, rich texture. This is silken in the middle, with acidity keeping it bright even as oak builds up in the finish. Cellar this for ten years or more to capture the vineyard’s fullest expression.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

Pale to medium lemon-gold color, the 2010 d’Yquem has retreated into its shell at this youthful stage, offering spritely suggestions of lemon curd, lime cordial and green mango with wafts of honeysuckle, spice cake, sea spray and beeswax plus a hint of gingerbread. The palate really comes through with super intense, tightly wound citrus, savory and mineral layers carried by a laser-precise backbone of freshness, finishing with crazy persistence that lingers a full three minutes and then some. This is going to be a very exotic, opulent Yquem!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP(Château d’Yquem (Sauternes)) The 2010 Château d’Yquem is an utterly stunning young wine and a very worthy follow-up to the magical wine produced at this estate in 2009. The bouquet is deep, complex and flat out brilliant, as it soars from the glass in a celestial mélange of pineapple, tangerines, a touch of passion fruit, honeycomb, beautifully complex and chalky soil tones, spring flowers and a very gentle touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and utterly seamless, with great mid-palate depth, bright acids and surreal length and grip on the dancing and very intensely flavored finish. The 2010 d’Yquem is not quite as ethereally complex at this stage as the hauntingly beautiful 2009, but in terms of sheer quality, it seems likely to be every bit as profound. (Drink between 2020-2100)John Gilman | 98+ JGA pure, racy, floral style, with bright white peach, heather and honeysuckle notes driving along. The core of fresh orchard fruit is unctuous, the finish long and lacy, with marvelous cut and finesse. This shows the balance and elegance of a cooler year with a longer harvest period.—Non-blind Yquem vertical (July 2014). Best from 2015 through 2045. 8,334 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe purity of Botrytis in this wine is so impressive with dried fruits such apple and mango. And then spicy character. Full body and very sweet but it is incredibly fresh and lively. Such class and elegance. Perfectly manicured wine. Everything in the right place. This shows a delicacy and intensity that are spellbinding. Drink in 2018.James Suckling | 97 JSStunningly rich in character, a wine with great power to go with its acidity and sweetness. It is dense, powerful and concentrated powered by honey and by spice from the wood. The finish has dried apricots, very aromatic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2010 Yquem has an attractive bouquet with marmalade, caramelized pear, orange pith and light puff pastry notes. It just needs a little more delineation. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced and impressive focus. Like the aromatics, I would have just liked a little more precision on the finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Bright aromas of sliced mangoes, papaya, botrytis, and lemon follow through to a full body. Medium sweet with a phenolic palate that gives the wine structure and beauty. Electric acidity and freshness combined with impressive energy and length. A strict selection was made. 40% of the production was destined to the grand vin. About 80,000 bottles made. This is 70% semillion and 30% sauvignon blanc. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 98 JSLightly toasted marshmallow and macadamia nut aromas lead the way, followed by incredibly juicy mirabelle plum, green fig, and glazed pear and peach flavors. As big as this is, there are still plenty of honeysuckle, quinine and chamomile notes kicking the finish into yet another gear. This has purity and length to burn, with decades more to go. Best from 2020 through 2050. 6,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSFirstly, you notice the color, which is a touch deeper than recent vintages at this stage. The bouquet is quite honeyed and rich for Yquem at this early juncture, with subtle scents of peach skin, white flowers, and a puff of chalk and frangipane. The palate is viscous on the entry, all about the texture at first, coating the mouth with luscious botrytized fruit. There are touches of Seville orange marmalade, fresh apricot, a hint of spice and passion fruit. This is imbued with impressive depth and weight, perhaps an Yquem that is determined to make an impression after last year-s absence. It might not possess the finesse of a top flight Yquem, but it has immense power and persistency.A majority of the 2013 Chateau d-Yquem was picked between September 25 and October 2, augmented by a second trie on October 11 after rains had provoked botrytis and then a third trie from October 21 and 24, before a final pass through the vineyard at the end of the month. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay told me that all the lots were used, but only 40% of the crop made it into the final blend, which equates to around 70,000 and 80,000 bottles. During assemblage of different lots, the blend ended up 30% Sauvignon Blanc, a little higher than usual, and 70% Semillon, while the residual sugar comes in at 140gm/L, which is a little higher than average. The reason is that the fermentation stopped naturally at this level, therefore the alcohol is a tad lower than average at 13.1 degrees.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95-97 RP-NMThe beautifully aromatic, honeyed scent leads into flavors of bitter orange and honey, along with extreme freshness. Notes of white peach and Rocha pear give richness to a wine that is not huge, but wonderfully balanced.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEExcellent intensity and density for this vintage, with ripe pineapple and mango flavours. High residual sugar at 140 grams per litre balanced by fresh, crisp acidity. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2013 Yquem is a wine that I tasted from barrel but for some inexplicable reason, never in bottle. It was picked over four tries from 25 September to 24 October. There is 140g/L residual sugar. As it was a relatively late vintage, they elected to use more Sauvignon Blanc (30%) to engender freshness. I feel this does not possess the dimension of the 2011 on the nose, clean and crisp, certainly well defined, yet maybe just denied amplitude by the growing season. The palate is well balanced and pure, very harmonious with fine weight. Here, there is more complexity than intimated by the nose, lightly spiced with Seville orange and marmalade towards the finish. Fine. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2016 Chateau D’Yquem is pure magic and dessert wines don’t get much better. Offering a pale gold color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of honeyed tangerines, tart apricots, liquid rocks, white flowers, and honeysuckle, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an opulent texture, vibrant acidity, and again, an incredible sense of minerality, despite having no shortage of sweetness or richness. The 2016 is a classic blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon that hit 14.2% alcohol with 135 grams of residual sugar. It’s already complex and approachable yet will keep for 3-4 decades. (Drink between 2019-2054)Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and textural complexity, in spite of the considerable concentration and extravagance. Very suave and sensual finish that goes on and on. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSContaining 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, the pale lemon-gold colored 2016 d’Yquem leaps from the glass with honeyed apricots, pineapple, green mango, crushed rocks, candied ginger, coriander seed and citrus peel with hints of orange blossom. The palate is very tightly wound, vibrant and refreshing with layer upon layer of minerals and spices, finishing with epic poise and persistence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPDespite a rich botrytis character, this balances impact with delicacy. Clear citrus on the nose with a hint of flint and smoke, allowing the soft white flowers and lime blossom to steal up on you slowly. There are caramel notes through the mid-palate and great persistency, as ever. Extremely elegant. This was the driest summer since 1898, and the harvest at Yquem lasted a full two months, from 4th September (for the dry white Y d’Yquem) through to 4th November for the final selection of botrytis berries. The final yield is 20hl/ha, the highest in recent years against their average of 9hl/ha, with 40% going into the grand vin compared to 50% last year. 135g/l residual sugar and 3.9pH. 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The 2015 will be released this September. (Drink between 2025-2050)Decanter | 97 DEC95–97. Barrel Sample. The bouquet opens with aromas of honey and citrus, offering richness and freshness at the same time. The mouthfeel is opulent, with honeyed flavors. There is some acidity underneath, although decadence and concentration are its defining attributes. It will age for decades.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Yquem was picked from 27 September until 4 November after drought-like conditions in the summer. It has an attractive nose with white chocolate, chamomile and Chinese white tea infusing the honeyed fruit. Very well defined and focused with more cohesion than previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous opening that demonstrates a little more weight than the 2015, a fine bead of acidity and touches of ginger and lemongrass enlivening the finish. I feel this has gained a bit more complexity in recent years. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is exotic, with very lush and seductive notes of coconut, honeysuckle, creamed white peach, glazed pear, mirabelle plum and yellow apple, all woven together seamlessly. Beautifully caressing in feel, with a long acacia echo on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a thrilling wine. Dense and beautifully layered, the 2016 is also quite a bit richer than it usually is. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure pulse through the wine. The red-toned fruit is incredibly primary at this stage. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2016 for at least a handful of years. It has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAs to the reds, the 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that saw an extended maceration, malo in barrel, and 18 months in just 35% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a powerful bouquet of tobacco smoke, damp earth, gravelly, rocky minerality, wood smoke, and loads of dark fruits. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated yet incredibly elegant and seamless on the palate, it’s a legendary Chevalier in the making. While I rated this as high as 99 points on one of the four separate occasions I was able to taste it, I’m being conservative with the score. it has some upfront charm but needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAromas of blackberries, red and dark plums, cedar and gravel, as well as red flowers and brown-leaf tea. It offers a very sleek and powerful array of ripe dark fruit and a very plush, focused and elegant bed of fresh, fine and powerful tannins. Plenty of aging potential, this is still quite tight. A blend of 55 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 35 per cent merlot, five per cent cabernet franc and five per cent petit verdot. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe core of fruit flavor here is sappy and dense, with lots of kirsch, raspberry pâte de fruit and plum reduction notes, yet this stays fresh and racy overall, with a bright iron spine, flashes of tea and tobacco and a long finish that shows a wonderful infusion of alder and tobacco flavors. Offers a lovely combination of prodigious fruit details, with a tug of earth. Best from 2024 through 2038. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis elegant wine wears its firm tannic structure lightly. It is densely textured, just starting on its road to maturity. Black-plum and berry fruits give the wine its weight as much as the tannins. It will age well over many years. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is so young right now, which seems crazy to say for a white wine, I know. But at two years old it has hardly begun to gather us to its side, let alone reveal its secrets. This will clearly have plenty to show in a few years’ time - white peach and pear flavours, and a gorgeous texture of slate caught against saline minerality. This is going to age, and then some. It has closed down since 2016 En primeur. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rocks up with expressive warm plums, blueberry compote and cassis scents with suggestions of sandalwood, baking spices and potpourri. Medium-bodied and delicately styled yet with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, it sports restrained earth-laced fruit and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2016 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion checks in as a Merlot-heavy blend, 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. About as pure and seamless (yet sexy) as they come in the vintage, it offers awesome notes of dried flowers, sweet currants, cedarwood, forest floor, and exotic spices. With a flawless texture, medium to full body, and ultra-fine tannins, this beauty builds incrementally on the palate with terrific mid-palate depth and a stunning finish. It’s sexier and more charming compared to the more backward Haut Brion, yet I suspect it will age just as long.Jeb Dunnuck Wine Spectator Wine Enthusiast | 98 JDThe 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is just a little muted to begin, soon unfurling to reveal slowly growing scents of crushed blackcurrants, black cherries, dark chocolate and candied violets with nuances of crushed rocks, tobacco leaf, forest floor and fragrant earth plus a hint of bergamot. Medium-bodied and exquisitely elegant, the palate offers perfectly ripe, fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness with layer upon layer of perfumed fruit and a very long, ferrous-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis is a wonderful wine, it’s absolutely precise, finely wrought and gorgeously balanced between richness and elegance, with notes of damson, black cherry, slate and rosemary. Silky soft tannins highlight the concentration of the fruit and the grilled oak notes that are La Mission’s signature, with a fresh core that stretches out the palate. A low pH gives tension through the palate, and is highly seductive. No Cabernet Franc this year. Drinking Window 2026 - 2044.Decanter | 98 DECThis is super vivid, offering cassis, blackberry, raspberry and blueberry compote flavors that bristle with energy while a mouthwatering frame of anise and apple wood adds electric energy. This is borderline rambunctious but it’s bridled well enough and when the fruit and wood sides mesh fully, this will be a rock star. Best from 2025 through 2040. 7,300 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 97 WSRegal wine, showing alluringly ripe and dark plums, that carries a wealth of complexity in its DNA - fine spices, leaves, graphite, violets and more. The palate has very precise drive and super focused style and delivers authoritative tannins that are arranged in linear fashion. Power with elegance. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion is flat out gorgeous. Today, La Mission is incredibly primary, with stunning purity in its red/purplish berry fruit. Readers will have to cellar the 2016 for the better part of a decade at a minimum before the telltale aromatics of this fabled château start to blossom in bottle. I adore the 2016 for its gracious personality, fine tannin and remarkable freshness, not to mention that it is absolutely delicious and the kind of wine that is so suggestive of a very bright future.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGAs so often with this estate, this is a generous, opulent wine. This year a strong tannic element gives the wine a good structure. Smoky, textured and powerful, it needs many years to mature. Do not drink this wine before 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

With a rare 94% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, this wine is packed both with black-currant flavors and impressive tannins and acidity. It moves Château Margaux into a new dimension with its dense, dry core of tannins that will power the wine into a seriously long-term future. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPIt’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VMRefined and typically elegant, 2016 Margaux adds great depth, structure and concentration to the mix. This is a wine to drink in 30-40 years! Only 28% of the production made it into the grand vin and in 2016 much of the Merlot was left out of the final bland. The result is an intense, mineral, black fruit-driven wine with pronounced floral and leafy hints, smooth, ripe tannins and layers of subtle oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2060Decanter | 98 DECBeautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 97 WSThe grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JD

A voluptuous wine, this is rich and fruity yet properly balanced by a magnificent structure. Pure, crisp and packed with a black currant flavor, this will be a remarkable wine as it develops. Still young, it needs many years to develop. Don’t think about drinking before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEThe 2016 Pontet-Canet is absolutely breathtaking. Powerful, ample and racy in the glass, the 2016 is one of the most exquisitely well-balanced young Pontet-Canets I can remember tasting. Savory, high-toned aromatics and brisk mineral notes lend energy and delineation as this vivid wonderfully alive wine opens up in the glass. The flavors are dark and incisive, but it is the wine’s total sense of harmony that is most compelling. All of the elements are simply in the right place. The 2016 is tremendous. It’s as simple as that. As is often the case, Pontet-Canet is one of the most singular wines in Bordeaux. Alfred Tesseron could have chosen to play things safe when he took over the management of the estate in the mid-1990s. Instead, he chose a very different path. No proprietor in Bordeaux has taken more risks over the last two decades than Alfred Tesseron. A commitment to biodynamic farming, sustainability across the entire estate more broadly, and the adoption of new concepts for Bordeaux, such as aging a portion of the wine in terra cotta, set Pontet-Canet apart from other properties in Pauillac and the Left Bank. Not surprisingly, the wine is also starkly different from the wines of neighboring estates.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Pontet-Canet hits the ground running with a hedonic nose of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis and blueberry pie plus suggestions of candied violets, hoisin, chocolate mint, charcuteries and forest floor with a waft of star anise. Full-bodied, rich, profoundly layered and powerfully fruited, the palate is built like a brick house, with very firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and harmonious freshness, finishing with incredible length and depth. Still incredibly primary and yet already strutting so many layers, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this warrants the three-digit score in a few years’ time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPReminding me of the 2010 and, I suspect, a wine that will merit a triple-digit rating in a decade or so (I tasted this on multiple occasions and thought it was perfect on one of them), the 2016 Château Pontet-Canet comes from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that spent 16 months in 50% new French oak, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second fill oak. Thrilling notes of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, crushed mint, graphite, and crushed rock notes all emerge from this deep, powerful, yet elegant Pauillac. The style of this wine has become more and more finesse-driven and pure, yet it hasn’t lost a beat on concentration or length. This singular, beautiful Pontet-Canet needs 7-8 years of cellaring (it has some accessibility today given its purity and balance) and will keep for 4-5 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2016 is a vintage that shows off the best of Pontet, and is similar in feel to their 2010. Gorgeously rich right from the first nose, it opens stunningly in the glass, showing waves of tight black fruits, touches of redcurrant, liquorice and aniseed, fine tannins and mouthwatering salinity. It manages to remain balanced without losing the punch and concentration of Pauillac, rising up through the palate. It’s hard not to fall in love with this wine, and it will clearly age with grace and ease. Bottled in July 2018. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 98 DECThe aromas of ripe blackcurrants, iodine, sweet tobacco and fresh flowers are spellbinding. Full-bodied with mouth-expanding, massive and natural tannins. Impressive fruit with hints of prunes. The finish is long and powerful. Needs six to seven years to soften and come together. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is sappy and rich in feel, with waves of red and black currant preserves, raspberry and bitter plum coulis. The long finish drips with sweet tobacco and anise notes, while a brambly layer courses underneath. The vivacious finish kicks into second gear as the fruit and grip come together. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A step up over the Carmes de Rieussec, the beautiful 2016 Château Rieussec has remarkable purity and freshness while still packing beautiful depth of fruit. Honeyed peach, apricot, flower oil, and even a hint of wet stone all emerge from this full-bodied, thick, opulent effort. I love it. It has a rounded, sexy style ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15-20 years. The 2016 is a final blend of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSo much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.James Suckling | 97 JSPale lemon colored, the 2016 Rieussec comes sashaying out of the glass with a beautiful floral and citrus perfume of orange blossom, pink grapefruit, yuzu, lime leaves, lemongrass and fallen leaves with hints of nutmeg and candied ginger. Having shed a lot of the puppy fat from when I last tasted this from barrel, the palate reveals loads of elegant, tightly wound layers and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA great Sauternes with a wonderful brightness and freshness, this gathers speed through the palate, developing flavours of cinnamon, caramel, white pepper, clove and smoked pineapple, all wrapped in an extremely silky texture. It’s still in barrel, and will be for another few months. Around 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECMade by the Lafite-Rothschild team, this is a powerfully dense wine. It has intense botrytis and fine acidity, as well as sumptuous ripe marmalade and apricot flavors. This is certainly for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Rieussec has plenty of botrytis on the nose, along with scents of honey, white peach, saffron, lanolin and walnut that gain intensity with aeration. The very well balanced palate presents a viscous opening and a fine bead of acidity. Generous and poised, with hints of marzipan and Turkish Delight decorating the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMQuite fresh, with acacia and honeysuckle notes out front, followed by a stream of mirabelle plum, yellow apple, pineapple and white peach flavors. Offers an unctuous feel on the finish while staying on the brighter side. Among the top efforts in the vintage. Best from 2022 through 2035. 500 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 93 WS

There was no frost at d’Yquem in 2017, and botrytis was very regular and even this vintage. The nose opens with very pure notes of freshly sliced oranges, yuzu and lemon barley water with hints of white pepper, fresh ginger and lime cordial. The incredibly rich, unctuous sweetness (148 grams per liter of residual sugar) is beautifully marbled with bright, vivacious citrus fruit and spice flavors, while lifted by well-knit freshness, and it finishes with epic length and great depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThis is a great Yquem, delivering thrilling purity and intensity. The nose offers intense aromas of fresh and dried apricot and peach pastry, as well as freshly baked creme brulee, candied and fresh orange and kumquat. Some marmalade, too. Smooth, glossy texture with flavors of grilled orange, dried apricot and an exceptionally long finish with a powerful, driving push to the end. A flicker of toasty-oak influence arrives late, but this wine has completely consumed the oak. The 2017 Yquem is a very powerful wine from a very rich and exceptional vintage. The acidity has a big hand in balancing the richness. Pithy finish. The phenolics deliver some great depth. Rain at the beginning of September prompted an extensive infection of noble rot. The harvest lasted from September 26 to October 13. Great quality and one of the best since the legendary 2001. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2017 Yquem is destined to be one of my favourite recent vintages. It has brilliant delineation on the nose with acacia honey, saffron, white flowers and a subtle crushed stone element. So much energy is palpable. The palate is supremely well balanced, surfeit with energy, spicy and feisty and yet paradoxically beautifully controlled and pixelated towards the extended finish. It’s not unlike the brilliant 2014 in style. Tasted at the château. Vinous Media | 97 VMVery flattering and unctuous in feel, with coconut, creamed papaya, toasted hazelnut and warmed peach and tangerine cream flavors gliding along in unison, all framed by warm brioche and piecrust notes on the finish. Remarkably rich, yet poised and pure. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,166 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSStill very youthful with light golden colours, showing flashes of green in the glass. Intensely aromatic with tropical fruit notes, pineapple, roasted apricot, honey and lime zest. Full-bodied and rich on the palate with plenty of botrytis notes showing through. Although unctuous and weighty, this Yquem retains plenty of acidity which freshens the palate and balances the concentrated fruit. Sandrine Garbay noted that 2019 reminded her of 2017, with the 2019 showing a little more opulence. Served with a dish of roasted pollock and smoked mussels, this was a wonderful combination, showing the sweetness and purity of Yquem. Residual Sugar: 148g/L. (Drink between 2024-2050)Decanter | 95 DEC

This is extremely aromatic and perfumed with crushed-berry, flower, currant and orange-peel character. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with fabulous depth and density that brings you down through the wine. Deep and serious. Very classic wine that reminds me of top Haut-Brions of the mid-1980s. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThis will be a magnificent wine. Its structure, acidity and richness all show considerable potential. A crisp edge contrasts with the concentration and density that comes from the swaths of fruit. Wood aging has opened out the tanginess of a wine that will age over many years. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEA hugely captivating wine, one of the contenders for red of the vintage. There's an incredible plush, dense texture to the fruit here, with just the slightest pulling back on the final section that suggests the damson, cassis and black cherry fruit is not at the full extent of ripeness seen in 2016 and 2015, but there is absolutely no question that this is a successful, rich and well-expressed wine. It's extremely powerful and well constructed, with great tannins and a succulence which grows through the palate. 3.73pH. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 97 DECA blend of 53% Merlot, 6.3% Cabernet Franc and 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Haut-Brion sashays gracefully out of the glass with fragrant notions of black raspberries, kirsch, dark chocolate, star anise and candied violets with a core of warm red and black currants and a touch of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with red and black fruit layers, superbly supported by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2017 Haut-Brion is rich and virile, even in a vintage where it has less power than is the norm. My impression is that the 2017 is going to lie dormant for many years before it awakens, but its pedigree is quite obvious. Black cherry, plum, gravel, smoke, licorice and dark spice all burst out of the glass. The 2017 is a powerful, vertical Haut-Brion endowed with a real feeling of gravitas and somber intensity. The long, substantial finish suggests readers can look forward to many years of fine drinking.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGFeatures red and black currant fruit flavors, laced with bramble, apple wood and anise notes, backed by a powerfully rendered finish. Despite the heft and density, this comes off as refined, with streamlined tannins, buried acidity and a long finish of incense and red tea elements. Not as dense and backward as the top years, but still exhibits pedigree. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2040. Wine Spectator | 96 WSA more structured, straight, focused wine than the La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2017 Chateau Haut-Brion is based on a similar blend of 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.3% Cabernet Franc brought up in 69% new French oak. Plenty of cassis and red currant fruits as well as notes of tobacco, Asian spices, cedar pencil, and violets all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured, and concentrated Haut-Brion. It's very much in the classic, sleek style of the vintage and has good acidity, plenty of polished tannins, and a great finish, yet not a massive amount of flesh or baby fat. This classic effort needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will have 30+ years of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JD

The richness and beauty of this wine is impressive with blackcurrant, cherry, berry and fresh cloves. The fruit is so pure here. Full-bodied with tannins that are so integrated and refined that you don’t feel them, yet they are there! Very creamy and layered with great length and beauty. It turns to tar and licorice at the finish. Tight now, but the texture is special. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSAn incredible wine from this estate that’s as good as anything in the vintage, the 2018 Château Cos D’Estournel checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 50% new French oak. While some 2018s are going to offer pleasure right out of the gate, this isn’t one of them, but rather it’s a backward, tannic powerhouse of a wine that has flawless balance as well as a level of purity that’s off the charts. Thrilling crème de cassis fruit, notes of lead pencil, damp earth, cedarwood, violets, and acacia flowers, full-bodied richness, masses of ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish all make for a legendary Saint-Estèphe that will need a good decade of bottle age yet evolve for 50 years or more. If you are tempted to try a bottle in its youth, it needs lots of air.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2018 Cos d’Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak barriques. The alcohol weighs in at just over 14.5%. Sporting a deep purple-black color, it needs a lot of swirling to begin to unlock a powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree and clove oil, plus a waft of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully earthy. A very impressive behemoth, this is going to need a good seven to 10 years to truly show its stuff and should drink for a good 40 years and beyond.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2018 Cos d’Estournel is a racy, powerful Saint-Estèphe that is going to need quite a bit of time to find its center. Today, it is tightly wound, but all the energy is there. Lush and extravagantly ripe, the 2018 possesses tremendous depth and plenty of energy to back it all up. Here, too, I found the wine a bit more expressive and giving en primeur.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGA little closed on the nose, and also on the attack. There is a wall of tannin here but backed up by voluptuously ripe fruits that major on damson and fig, overlaid with cinnamon and saffron spices. Lilting acidity through the finish keeps a sense of momentum. This is powerful with ambition, and it carries it off perfectly. 65% of production went into the grand vin. 1% Petit Verdot makes up the blend, and the wine was aged in 50% new oak (a little lower than the usual 60%). Drinking Window 2028 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECBig, rich and smoky in nature, with powerful fruits and dense tannins, this is a wine that is straining at the limits but still within balance. Rich, smoky flavors shine along with the black plum fruit and bright acidity. It will age for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is a bird of a different feather, with a ripe, sleek, and very polished feel as creamed loganberry, plum and boysenberry flavors spill forth, flanked for support by singed alder and incense notes, while black tea and savory threads curl around the finish. Long, showy and lovely. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 16,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS