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The 2008 Sori Tildin is impressive. I confess I wasn't quite prepared for the assault of fruit and tannins here. Sori Tildin is so often a graceful, elegant wine, but that is not the case in 2008. That's not to say elegance is missing, but this is a big, big wine with tons of intensity and richness, all woven together beautifully. It's tough to find a comparison with a previous vintage, as this is a pretty singular Tildin. The flavors are familiar if a touch on the dark side, but the structure is closer than that of Sori San Lorenzo. Flowers, tar, leather and licorice wrap around the palate. This is a fabulous showing and a great wine in the making.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe 2008 Sori Tildin is impressive. I confess I wasn’t quite prepared for the assault of fruit and tannins here. Sori Tildin is so often a graceful, elegant wine, but that is not the case in 2008. That’s not to say elegance is missing, but this is a big, big wine with tons of intensity and richness, all woven together beautifully. It’s tough to find a comparison with a previous vintage, as this is a singular Tildin. The flavors are familiar if a touch on the dark side, but the structure is closer than that of Sori San Lorenzo. Flowers, tar, leather and licorice wrap around the palate. This is a fabulous showing and a great wine in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.This is a stunning set of wines from Angelo Gaja and his team in Barbaresco. Those who think 2008 is a truly great year for Nebbiolo must have tasted these wines. In a vintage that is inconsistent across the villages of Barbaresco, Gaja has produced not one but four stellar wines. As fabulous as these wines are, they aren’t especially true to type, as I explain in these notes. The 2008s I tasted in the US showed far better than the bottles I tasted in Barbaresco during the summer. Perhaps the onset of the cool fall weather gave these wines a little more spine than they had during the sweltering heat of August. Readers who want to learn more about the 2011 harvest at Gaja may want to take a look at my video interview with Gaia Gaja and vineyard manager Giorgio Culasso.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPEspresso, plum, black cherry and toast aromas and flavors mark this powerful, muscular red, which is angular and out of sorts today, but dense and grainy, with a firm, tannic structure. The oak dominates the finish, so give this time. Best from 2015 through 2032. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 The Maiden is a beautiful wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers and licorice. Gorgeous inner perfume and a super-refined personality are some of the qualities found in the 2008 Maiden. A weightless, subtle finish rounds things out nicely. Stylistically the 2008 Maiden is quite a bit more delicate – at times even fleeting – next to the 2008 Harlan Estate. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2008 The Maiden is a beautiful wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers and licorice. Gorgeous inner perfume and a super-refined personality are some of the qualities found in the 2008 Maiden. A weightless, subtle finish rounds things out nicely. Stylistically the 2008 Maiden is quite a bit more delicate – at times even fleeting – next to the 2008 Harlan Estate.Vinous Media | 92 VMLoamy earth notes and mouthcoating tannins provide the baseline for this rich, layered effort, which is full-bodied, with toned-down dried currant, mocha, spice, cedar and sage notes. Drink now through 2020. 988 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

An undramatic, cloud-filled season came right in a late harvest in October. A textbook cool vintage of great ageing potential. The perfect 50/50 balance of mineral-stamped Chardonnay and powerful, masculine Pinot makes this a champagne for patient drinkers, as it will take time to reach its peak. Vibrant acidity is joined by notes of white flowers and that magnificent mineral structure. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035Decanter | 96 DECPacked with fruit while hinting at mature toastiness, this wine is now in perfect balance. Its white fruits are from half-and-half Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, shot through with acidity while having a ripe character. Rich while also crisp, it is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThere is ample petrol character to the cool, pure and beautifully fresh nose that combines notes of citrus and yeast with those of green apple and a whiff of pain grillé. I really like the sense of tension and energy to the intense, delineated and solidly complex flavors that are supported by a firm and reasonably fine effervescence before culminating in a very dry, highly complex and superbly persistent finish. The outstanding 2008 vintage in Champagne can count another winner as this is a wine to buy and age in quantity. Note that while this could certainly be enjoyed now, I would continue to hold it for another 2 to 5 years.Burghound | 93 BH(Henriot Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2008 Henriot Brut Millésime is composed of its traditional cépages of fifty percent chardonnay and fifty percent pinot noir. It was aged eight years sur latte and finished with a dosage of six grams per liter. The wine is beautifully pure on the nose in the style of this lovely vintage, wafting from the glass in a blend of pear, delicious apple, brioche, a touch of almond pastry dough, lovely, chalky soil tones and a bit of orange zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused and superbly well-balanced, with bright acids, refined mousse, a fine core and a long, complex and vibrant finish. This is drinking very well at age eleven, but is still a tad tightly-knit and more mid-palate generosity will emerge with another five year or so in the cellar. Very impressive juice. (Drink between 2019-2050)John Gilman | 93 JGAn elegant version, featuring expressive ripe white peach and strawberry fruit flavors, layered with biscuit, kumquat, smoky mineral and ground ginger notes. Finely knit and creamy in texture, with vibrant acidity driving the racy finish. Drink now through 2028. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSHenriot's 2008 Brut Millésimé spent eight years sur lattes before disgorgement with six grams per liter dosage and is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine displays a gently reductive nose with notes of citrus and stone fruit mingling with suggestions of freshly baked bread, oyster shell and smoke. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a voluminous but notably fine mousse, bright acids and an elegantly chalky finish that's delicate but penetrating. This is a comparatively supple, open-knit example of the taut 2008 vintage, but I suspect it will gain appreciably with bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RPHenriot's 2008 Brut Millesime is rich, creamy and super-expressive, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Pastry, apricot, lemon confit, green pear and white flowers all grace this subtle, inviting Champagne from Henriot. The 2008 has enough fruit to drink well now, but also more than enough vibrancy to develop nicely in bottle.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGTight and austere, focused on brisk grape flavors and the savory richness of its lees, this is a finely blended wine with pale yeasty flavors that last. Maisons & Domaines Henriot America, NYWine & Spirits | 91 W&S

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Precious has a medium garnet color and gives up bold, gregarious baked plums, warm cassis and black cherries on the nose with wafts of licorice and tilled soil. The palate is full-bodied, very firm, grainy and fresh, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Precious is endowed with tons of sheer richness, depth and concentration. Black cherries, mocha, espresso, new leather and grilled herbs are some of the aromas and flavors that power through to the finish. The 2008 is all about intensity. It is a totally irresistible wine, even if the alcohol comes through from time to time.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2008 La Mission Haut-Brion has an open, feisty, lively bouquet with blackberry, briary, cedar, black olive and a light seaweed (Japanese nori) aroma. This is wonderful, an intoxicating bouquet. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very focused with good weight and structure. This is a very convincing showing, at the moment more pleasurable than the 2008 Haut-Brion, just so fresh and complex, offering a discrete tertiary, smoke-tinged finish that goes on and on. One of the best 2008s out there. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 96+ VMA muscular wine, with well-defined tannins. The acidity is high, hiding the power and richness of the fruit behind. Then dark tannins come through, with other ripe fruits, finishing with a mineral character.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA beautiful, high-class effort that offers incredible pleasure, the 2008 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. Ripe black cherries, sweet currants, cigar tobacco, and exotic spices all emerge from this medium to full-bodied effort that has beautiful concentration, sweet tannins, and again, a pleasure-bent, even sexy character that’s a joy to drink. It’s capable of lasting another 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDLike a lot of wines in this underrated vintage, the 2008 La Mission was one of the great bargains of recent vintages. Its healthy blue/purple color is followed by aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, licorice, truffles, underbrush and forest floor. The scorched earthy/smoky character of this estate’s terroir has not yet emerged. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated with good acidity, freshness and delineation, this is a big wine for the vintage, but also very classic in its balance of tannin, acidity and extract. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades. The final blend was 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker | 95 RPElegant and fresh, with beautiful crushed raspberry fruits - proof that 2008 is a vintage where terroir wins out. This all happens on the retro-olfaction: there you are thinking it’s a little under-perfumed for a Mission, but then it kicks back with a smoky swirl through the palate and the aromatics take hold. It’s very good, showing savoury black fruits on the finish and the gentlest hint of cigar box and cedar oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036Decanter | 94 DECFascinating aromas of crushed berry, plums, sweet tobacco and stones. Full bodied, with chewy and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and rich with a bright and tangy acidity. Needs time to come together, obviously. Try after 2015.James Suckling | 93 JSTangy and lightly firm, with cherry pit, pomegranate and blackberry notes, followed by sage and tobacco. There’s nice focus, with a tarry hint for added length on the finish. Rather tight now, with the edgy feel holding sway, but this should settle into itself nicely enough. Best from 2013 through 2018. 5,300 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A dense, beautifully structured wine. It shows intense, ripe fruit with balanced acidity. It’s the fine tannins that give it such class, surrounding the fruit, promising long aging. This is a classic for Léoville-Barton.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis was always one of the wines of the vintage with currant, cassis and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full body, chewy and polished tannins and a fresh and fine finish. Tight now but so beautiful. Decant a couple of hours before serving.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2008 Léoville Barton has a lovely, heart-warming bouquet of ripe blackberry and cedar, touches of graphite, precise and supremely well focused. Classic Barton. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and lively with impressive density; structured with a firm backbone on the graphite-tinged and tensile finish that suggests that it deserves another 3-4 years in bottle. Excellent. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 93+ VMTypically extracted and powerful (which is atypical in a vintage such as 2008), this offering may lack charm, but it is “locked and loaded” with plenty of background oak, huge black cherry and black currant fruit, medium to full body and a boatload of tannin. Forget it for 8-10 years and drink it over the following three decades.Robert Parker | 92 RPA fresh, elegant, incredibly classic wine from this estate, the 2008 Léoville Barton shows the concentrated yet focused, masculine style of the vintage. Ample graphite, cassis, violets, and cedarwood notes all flow to a medium-bodied Saint-Julien that has good acidity, present tannins, and terrific purity of fruit. It offers pleasure today, in a firm, classical sense, yet needs another 4-5 years of bottle age to hit maturity and will cruise for another 25+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is an excellent St-Julien with a brisk attack and a rather lovely restrained, savoury edge to the tightly structured black fruits. It has great texture, and a silkier flesh to the fruit which has depth and persistence. Fully ripe but not tiptoeing a single centimetre over the line - nor under it, unlike a few in this vintage. A good job. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035Decanter | 92 DECAlluring, with warm fig sauce, plum and currant paste notes liberally laced with espresso bean and dark roasted vanilla bean notes. Fleshy but focused, with the roasted edge adding definition and length. Drink now through 2019. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, broody, earthy bouquet with intense tobacco and graphite aromas, more like a Pauillac than a Saint Julien, no surprise given that it lies on the border. The palate is very impressive: layers of tobacco-tinged black fruit, sea salt and graphite. This is very precise and harmonious with a persistent and multi-layered finish that leaves you mightily impressed. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 96 VM(Château Leoville Las Cases) The 2008 Leoville Las Cases is the finest wine that I have yet tasted from this great vintage and is destined to one day be ranked up at the very pinnacle of Michel Delon’s accomplishments during his tenure at the superb estate. I have recently tasted the 1982, 1986 and 1989 Leoville Las Cases, and there is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 will eventually eclipse those top flight vintages here, so this is a wine that fans of this estate should make every effort to secure before it disappears from the market. Wines like the 1982 and 1986 here share a sense of density that seems to come across as a slight flaw in hindsight, once one compares them to the seamless structure and effortless power of this young 2008 Las Cases. The bouquet is absolutely profound, as it soars from the glass in a classic blend of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, a magically complex base of soil, French roast, a touch of violet and an utterly suave base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and stunningly transparent down to the soil, with a sappy core of fruit, flawless focus and balance, ripe, firm tannins, really lovely acidity and stunning grip on the very long, reserved and monumental finish. This is 13.4 percent alcohol- all natural- and it shows off the finest sense of focus, balance and signature of soil in a young vintage of Leoville Las Cases that I can ever recall. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Las Cases- young or old- that so beautifully embraced its terroir and translated it into the finished wine as the 2008. Stunning juice. (Drink between 2022-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JGAnother underrated vintage for this estate, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is a vibrant, youthfully primary wine that’s aging at a slower pace than the 2009. Unfurling to reveal aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, taut and layered, with tangy acids, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Displaying compelling purity and energy, it’s a serious Las Cases that will richly reward the patient but which is still some way away from its drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPOne of the most classic, regal wines in the vintage, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is made from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot. Possessing an incredible Cabernet character in its graphite, crushed rocks, green tobacco, and crème de cassis-like fruit, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has integrated acidity, a deep, layered texture, and a distinct minerality and salinity on the finish. It’s just now at the early stages of its drink window, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. It should hit prime time in another 4-5 years and keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDSuper racy and balanced. Masses of licorice and currants, intense aromas. Full and very silky with an intensity of fruit. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSWith its superb tannins, the wine has a great solid core of structure. Over it is an edifice of direct black berry fruits, elegant texture and intense acidity. Impressive, a wine for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is loaded for the vintage, with layer upon layer of crushed blackberry, fig paste and mulled black currant offset by smoldering tobacco, charcoal and anise notes. The finish is all iron and roasted earth for now, with the density to be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2023. 14,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFirm, rich tannins quietly declare their confidence - this is not yet at its real drinking window as the structure will require another five years to soften. The emphasis is clearly on the primary Cabernet, with an attack that focusses on cassis and the finish on menthol. This is Médoc personified, showing graphite notes, forest floor and tobacco, barely revving out of the gate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038Decanter | 94 DEC

The purity and precision in this wine is very exciting. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long finish of currant and spice. Black tea and bark too. Better in 2020 but beautiful now. Decant before serving.James Suckling | 95 JSOne of the superstars of the vintage, this classic Montrose is not as showy or opulent as the 2010, 2009 or 2003, but it offers a dense purple color followed by gorgeously sweet black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with loamy, earthy, forest floor notes, a floral component and a long, full-bodied finish. The 2008 was fashioned from yields of 44 hectoliters per hectare which is slightly less than the 2010’s 45 hectoliters per hectare. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 20+.Robert Parker | 95 RPMontrose always takes its time, and this is still very much young and austere but with a commanding presence. It’s a classically structured Montrose showing crushed slate, tobacco and bilberry and there’s no question that it has plenty of life ahead of it. The tannins are among the most chewy on display so far, the fruit tucked in between the layers of acidity, the overall feel one of subdued power. Give it another few years before opening then settle in for the long haul. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DEC(Château Montrose) My goodness, Château Montrose is making such profound and classic wines these days that it is hard not to argue that this is the golden age for this estate! The 2008 Montrose is a great, great wine in the making, as it offers up a deep and very complex nose of black cherries, cassis, Cuban cigars, a wonderfully complex base of gravel, espresso and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, tight and very, very pure, with a rock solid core of fruit, stunning soil signature, plenty of firm tannins and plenty of lift on the backend from the superb acidity of this vintage. The finish here is very, very long, displays excellent focus and grip and is still very, very closed. This great wine will live forever, but will take at least a good dozen years to blossom. Under the direction of Jean Delmas, Château Montrose is the claret purists’ perfect wine. (Drink between 2022-2100).John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2008 Montrose has a lifted perfumed bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, iris and limestone scents, nicely defined and opening with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, layers of cedar-tinged black fruit, spicebox and white pepper, leading to a persistent, structured finish that probably needs another year or two to soft. Impressive. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits’ annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 94 VMPowerful yet still retaining a sense of restrained style, this wine is packed with ripe plum and sweet berry fruit flavors, laced with firm, dusty tannins. Acidity filters through the dense texture to give great freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a density that sets it apart, with a pleasantly firm edge to the plum, black cherry and currant fruit, all wrapped with notes of iron, tobacco and savory herb. The long, rock-solid finish is still a bit tight, but it should meld nicely in the cellar. A fine effort for the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2020. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2008 Champagne Rare is luxurious with aromas of graham cracker, honeysuckle, quince, and orange zest. It is round and opulent, with a fine and pillowy mousse, and retains freshness throughout, with apricot and yellow flowers. It is impressive and long, and fully luxurious. Drinking well now, it is sure to hold its own for years to come. Drink 2022-2044.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA lively first nose of candied lemon, guava, also a hint of lime. With aeration, notes of almonds and almond flowers come to the fore. On the palate, there is a nervy tension that energises its fine, crystalline texture. This is an upright and elegant Champagne whose long, airy finish is mouthwatering. After some time in the glass, it evolves towards notes of smoke, flint and vanilla. A sumptuous Champagne. Disgorged: November 2019. Dosage: 9g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe newly released 2008 Brut Cuvée Rare is very promising, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved nose of citrus oil, crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, iodine and oyster shell, as well as some rather herbaceous characteristics that depress my score a little, even if I suspect that they will resolve with a bit more bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, incisive and tightly wound, if the 2006 vintage was gourmand and demonstrative, the 2008 is slower to show all its cards. Built around racy acids and complemented by a pillowy mousse, this rendition of Cuvée Rare will reward a few years more on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

A massive, intense wine that’s close to perfection. Right out of the gate there’s layered aromas of blackberry pie, ripe blueberry, sagebrush and black tea. The freshness is extraordinary, as is the seamless mouthfeel and texture. Opulent blackcurrant, blackberry pie, mocha, Asian spices and sage flavours lead to a long finish. While wonderful now, it will cellar well for at least another decade.Vinous Media | 99 DECThe flagship wine from Quilceda Creek offers exotic scents of plum, cassis, loam, coffee and pine sap, a rich and evocative blend. The wine delivers all that is promised and more; it is deep and dense with flavor, polished, focused and persistent. Vanilla, espresso, fine tannins, luscious acids and cascading fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon shows delicious and juicy on the nose with a clearly delineated frame of red and black fruit expressions that are open-knit and accessible. Full-bodied, flavors of dusty plum, juicy dark cherry and blackberry essence sway on the palate with a lively and juicy structure, offering fine-grained tannins before elegant oak tones and exotic baking spices shine through the mid-palate. The wine offers an elegant yet underlining mineral tension that adds complexity to the wine before concluding with a long evolving finish. I feel the need to elevate the previous score, as it has certainly earned the “plus sign” originally given to it back in 2013.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP(cabernet sauvignon blended with 2% merlot): Good full red-ruby. Complex, slightly high-toned aromas of plum and brown sugar. Wonderfully sweet but firmly built; dense, smooth and complex, with the terrific definition of the 2008 vintage at its best. A hint of nutty ripeness is countered by a lively suggestion of eucalyptus. This is harmonious from day one. Comes across as less sweet than the Palengat, finishing with great length and breadth but no undue weight, and spreading out to coat the mouth with flavor.Vinous Media | 96 VMFirm in texture, with sandy tannins around a supple core of ripe, plush cherry, tobacco and tar flavors. Finishes with persistence and flashes of sage and bay leaf. Long and inviting, this is built for the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2020. 3,625 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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

The 2008 Palengat Proprietary Red Wine is made up of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot. The fruit was sourced entirely from the Palengat Vineyard. Pain grille, pencil lead, Asian spices, incense, violets, dried herbs, black currant, and blackberry aromas compose the bouquet of this impeccably balanced offering. It opens in the glass to reveal plush, succulent flavors, superb concentration, plenty of ripe tannin, and at least 4-5 years of aging potential. It will deliver optimum drinking from 2015 to 2028.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP(76% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc, 7% merlot and 3% petit verdot; this used to be a single-vineyard wine but Palengat is now used as the name for a proprietary Bordeaux blend): Expressive aromas of cassis, cocoa powder and brown spices. Sweet and smooth on entry, then intensely flavored and tactile in the middle, with a plush creme de cassis flavor framed and intensified by mounting graphite minerality. Wonderfully suave wine with terrific back-end volume, very smooth tannins and lingering spiciness. Paul Golitzin describes 2008 as "focused and complex," while the 2009s, he says, are "ripe and fruity, like the 2005s." He says that he may prefer 2009 at this stage.Vinous Media | 94 VMQuilceda’s single-vineyard Bordeaux-style blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, from a vineyard just across the road from Champoux. Dusty and fragrant, it suggests soft leather, toast, caramel and coconut, hiding its fruit at first in a wash of luxurious barrel flavors. That fruit emerges with some hours of decanting, a tart and racy mix of berry and sweet tomato.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2008 Sloan Estate is racy and totally elegant from start to finish. It shows gorgeous freshness and vibrancy in its expressive dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and tobacco. Today the 2008 comes across as a relatively understated, subdued vintage for this wine. It should be absolutely fabulous in another few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP(14.8% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Pure and high-pitched if reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, menthol and sweet oak lifted by an element of dusty stone. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with a sexy oak element complementing the black raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Very dense but not at all heavy, showing terrific floral energy and a light touch for this bottling, with no sign of dehydrated berries. The fruit still conveys a distinctly primary character but the wine’s verve makes it delicious already--in fact, I’m tempted to say that anyone who doesn’t love this is a spoilsport or a masochist. Wonderfully harmonious wine with the underlying spine to support a long evolution in bottle. The substantial dusty tannins show some obvious new oak.Vinous Media | 95 VMA rich, maturing Napa cabernet sauvignon with rich redcurrant-jelly character and a lot of subtle notes, ranging from cedar to savory chocolate caramel. Then comes a much more serious structure on the palate than the nose suggested, the tannins firm but well integrated. Long finish with some mineral character. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The perfect blanc de blancs. Full-bodied with a lovely framework of acidity and dry fruit, such as apples, pears and peaches. Opulent. Dense and muscular. Yet, it’s balanced and harmonious. Line of acidity at the end. Totally in tune. Superb. Deep and complete. Has everything. One for the cellar. It is the greatest Comte ever. It has everything. A perfect upgrade from two years ago. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 100 JSTaittinger’s 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is being released this year, and it will be worth a special effort to track down. I wrote in August 2019 that this is the finest Comtes de Champagne since the brilliant 2002, and this tasting confirmed that. Offering up a deep and complex bouquet of citrus oil, crisp orchard fruit, warm brioche, crushed chalk, blanched almonds and smoke, it’s full-bodied and incisive, with excellent concentration, racy acids and a long, searingly chalky finish. While this is already immensely impressive out of the gates, this 2008 is clearly built for the long haul, and three decades’ longevity won’t be a challenge.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTaittinger’s 2008 Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is simply breathtaking. I have tasted it many times over the years in various trial disgorgements and it has never been anything less than compelling. The final, finished wine captures all of that potential. Bright, focused and wonderfully deep, Comtes is a fabulous example of a vintage that expresses so much energy but with real fruit intensity, the signatures that distinguish it from other vintages (1996 comes to mind) that were similarly taut, but more austere in the early going. Although the 2008 impresses right out of the gate, it only really starts to open up with several hours of air. The 2008 Comtes represents the purest essence of the Côtes des Blancs in a great, historic vintage. Readers who can find the 2008 should not hesitate, as it is a truly brilliant epic Champagne that no one who loves the very best in Champagne will want to be without.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AG(Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2008 Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” Blanc de Blancs is a beautiful young wine, with stunning precision on both the nose and palate, a serious girdle of acidity and stellar depth and mineral drive on the palate. This is not anywhere near as accessible and charming out of the blocks as the 2006 was at a similar point in its development, but there is even superior potential here for those with the patience to allow it to truly blossom with some further cellaring. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a vibrant blend of apple, pear, lemon zest, warm bread, chalky minerality, white lilies and just a whisper of buttery oak buried down deep. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with a fine structure and grip, refined mousse, beautiful backend mineral drive and a long, complex and still quite youthful finish. This is a gorgeous wine in the making, but it is realistically still probably a good decade away from blossoming completely and drinking with a semblance of full maturity. (Drink between 2028-2080).John Gilman | 97 JGThe balance between ripeness and acidity that is the hallmark of this fine vintage is expressed well in this impressive wine. Tangy, with a strong streak of minerality, it is crisp and rich at the same time. For its fruitiness, it is ready to drink; for more maturity, it will need to age until 2018.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

The proportion of Pinot Noir in Comtes de Champagne Rosé has tended to increase in recent years, as evidenced by this 2008 vintage, which is almost 70% Pinot Noir. There is 15% red wine, and the rest is Chardonnay. With notes of spices, black cherry, morello cherry and black fruit, the bouquet is impressively complex and delicious. On the palate, the vinous texture, fine bubbles, depth and complexity allow for a long, chalky, chiselled finish. This is a gastronomic Champagne rosé with great ageing potential.Drinking Window 2021 - 2040Decanter | 97 DECTaittinger’s 2008 Brut Comtes de Champagne Rosé, which arrives on the market this year, has unwound considerably since I last tasted it. Offering up inviting aromas of red berries, plums, sweet spices, orange rind and freshly baked bread, it’s medium to full-bodied, pillowy and vinous, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and an elegant pinpoint mousse. As I wrote in 2019, Taittinger is using more Pinot Noir and opting for longer sur lattes maturation for this bottling, and the result is that Comtes Rosé is becoming a more gastronomic Champagne. Deceptively charming as this 2008 is today, I suspect it will tighten up with a little age on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2008 Comtes de Champagne Rosé presents a classically austere façade. Crushed berry, mint, chalk and dried herbs emerge on the bouquet, and yet the wine remains very tight, even with aeration. The Comtes Rosé has a track record of aging brilliantly. Today, though, I am not sure the fruit will ever fully emerge.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

A blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is utter perfection, and man, what a wine. Deep, inky, incredibly concentrated, yet also silky and weightless, it delivers that rare mix of intensity and weightlessness on the palate. Offering layers of blackcurrants, crushed flowers, lead pencil, incense and loads of spice-box, it shows the intensity and rich of the 2009 vintage yet is perfectly balanced, has building tannins, and a huge finish. It’s as good as it gets. Give bottles another 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis big wine (nearly 15% natural alcohol) is a blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts an opaque blue/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of charcoal, incense, truffles, blackberry jam, black currants, raspberries and flowers. While enormous in the mouth, the limestone soils in which the grapes are grown give the wine good freshness as well as laser-like clarity and precision. Amazing to taste, this massive, super-concentrated powerhouse comes across as ethereal and almost feminine despite its extravagant fruit, density and richness. It is a modern day legend for sure! Anticipated maturity: 2025-2050+As I wrote after I tasted this cuvee from barrel, it is clearly the greatest Beausejour-Duffau since the immortal 1990. Under new management, the brilliant duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt is in the process of developing what is one of the great hillside terroirs of Bordeaux and St.-Emilion.Robert Parker | 100 RPFocused power. This muscular red shows drive, yet remains graceful, with fresh plum and currant flavors, backed by mineral, tar and floral notes. The dense texture stays fresh through the sweet, spicy finish. Best from 2014 through 2030. 1,540 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSAromas of sliced fresh mushrooms, with dark berries and hints of lemons. Full-bodied, with tight and chewy tannins that are very polished and rich. A finish of dark berries and polished tannins. Serious austerity to this. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSFresh blackberry fruits give a smooth wine, rich and with an immediately attractive fresh acidity. It does have the density of fruit along with relatively soft tannins. At the back there is a more chocolate character.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2009 Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse has a very composed and focused bouquet with brambly red fruit, mulberry, loam and cedar aromas, maybe just a little new oak still waiting to be fully subsumed after 10 years. The palate is well balanced with a medicinal, honey textured opening, plenty of cough candy infusing the red fruit, good depth but just missing some grip and density on the rather one-dimensional finish. This has not aged as well as some of the others from Nicolas Thienpont’s stable, such as Larcis Ducasse and this is one example where I prefer the preceding vintage. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The inky/blue/purple-colored 2009 Bellevue Mondotte offers aromas of creme de cassis, mulberries, licorice, white flowers, forest floor and candied cherries. Extremely thick, rich and full-bodied, it is nearly overwhelming in its textural richness, colossal concentration and mind-blowing finish that lasts nearly a minute. Undeniably massive and over-sized, but perfectly balanced, it is made for those looking for something to put away for 30-50+ years. One has to admire a proprietor who is making a wine for the history books, not for near-term gratification.This is a tiny jewel in the empire of entrepreneur and quality conscious Bordeaux visionary, Gerard Perse. It is a 5-acre parcel of nearly 50-year old vines planted on pure limestone at an elevation above that of his neighboring property, Pavie-Decesse, not far from Pavie-Macquin. Bellevue Mondotte is generally a blend of approximately 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since Perse got control of this estate and renovated the cellars, he has been draconian in reducing yields, which were a mere 22 hectoliters per hectare in 2009. The fruit was picked very ripe and the wine was fermented in oak tanks with malolactic in barrel, aged on its lees (a la Burgundy), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. At all the Perse properties the wine stays in oak about six months longer than at other Bordeaux estates.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPLoads of fruit with blueberries and blackberries. Cassis. Full and juicy with super fine tannins. Very flamboyant. Powerful structure. Goes on for minutes. 90% Merlot with 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 97 JS(90% merlot with 5% each cabernet franc and sauvignon): Deep ruby. Superripe, slightly inky aromas of blueberry liqueur and violet. Like liquid silk in the mouth, but with surprisingly firm acidity leavening the wine’s sweetness and giving shape to its blue and black fruit flavors. A compellingly rich, thick wine with palate-staining length and the tannic clout to support at least a couple decades of positive evolution in bottle.Vinous Media | 95+ VMA very dark, almost brooding style, with loads of ganache, espresso and roasted fig aromas and flavors, backed by extra notes of black forest cake, warm currant preserves and melted black licorice. There’s a gorgeous polished feel despite its heft, with a purity buried deep on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 415 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2009 Champagne Blanc De Blancs Louis Salmon Brut comes from Mesnil, Cramant and Chouilly and was all fermented in stainless steel tank. Since 2009 was a warmer vintage, they did not use wood, as they were looking to preserve the freshness of the wine. A seductive wine that’s almost identical in appearance to the 2017 Blanc de Blancs, this 2009 jumps from the glass with a buoyant personality in its perfume of lemon custard, honeysuckle, fresh brioche, a hint of almond, and juicy pear. Full-bodied, its wonderfully rich texture coats the palate with citrus oils, and it has a finish that won’t quit. It balances its warmth and solar feel with a lovely embrace and retains a powerful yet balanced finish. Drink 2024-2040. 3.8 grams per liter dosage.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2009 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is a rich, heady wine. In 2009, Billecart-Salmon opted not to use lots aged in oak, which, along with partially blocked malolactic fermentation, helps explain the wine’s freshness and verve. Lemon peel, white flowers, white pepper and chalk are all beautifully delineated. There’s gorgeous density and power here, along with a good bit of vintage 2009 radiance. What a gorgeous Champagne this is. The Louis Salmon is a blend from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant. Dosage is 3.75 grams per liter. Disgorged: second trimester 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSDisgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart’s style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate. It derives from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant and was aged exclusively in steel tanks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPChardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs presents its mineral texture and impressively fresh white fruits. Its taut character gives the Champagne a nervy character that helps keep its surprising youthfulness. Drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFreshness and finesse define the Louis Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs 2009 Grand Cru from the Côte des Blancs, a cuvée that pays homage to the first Chef de Cave at Billecart-Salmon. Cold fermented in stainless steel and aged on fine lees until the third quarter of 2022, it was finished Extra Brut with a 3.75 grams per liter dosage. Expressive and alluring aromas of citrus confit, pear tart, freshly baked brioche, clover honey and a whiff of verbena blossoms open onto a light to medium-bodied, creamy palate brimming with ripe citrus and stone fruits that are amplified by exhilarating acid tension, perceptible salinity and a lengthy finish with a chalky grip. Lot: L84146The Wine Independent | 95+ TWIA vivid Champagne, with a fine mouse acting as a creamy swath around well-honed acidity, which defines this wine and carries flavors of poached apricot and ripe green apple, toast point and roasted nuts, preserved lemon and saffron. Salt-tinged finish. Disgorged summer 2022. Drink now through 2029.Wine Spectator | 93 WSNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

This strikes exactly the right note aromatically: it’s wonderfully sexy, smoky, intriguing and tantalising. On the palate it follows up these aromatics perfectly with silky-smooth tannins and well brushed damson and black cherry fruits. It’s fully ripe but still with give and subtlety. Great stuff! 2009 saw the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever included in this wine. Drinking Window 2020 - 2044Decanter | 96 DECThe 2009 Calon-Ségur is deep garnet in color and opens with a beautiful fragrance of redcurrant preserves, cassis, black cherry compote and red roses plus nuances of cigar box and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied and wonderfully elegant in the mouth, it has a compelling line of very ripe, fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the fragrant layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDelivers gorgeous aromas of blackberry, blueberry and licorice, with hints of tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, offering a lovely texture and refinement. Very long and beautiful, with tangy acidity and lively fruit. A rich, yet very balanced, Calon. This is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon instead of the normal blend with 40 percent Merlot. The château is now using 100 percent new wood. Like the changes.Wine Spectator | 96 WSWith a lot of fennel and earth character this is a classic St.-Estèphe, but on the palate it has a suppleness that’s modern in the best sense. Needs time to soften. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSA big step up over the 2008 and, I suspect, the finest wine from this estate in the 2000s, the 2009 Château Calon Ségur reveals a healthy ruby hue to go with textbook notes of red and black currants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, gamey meats, and Asian-like spices. This is classic, traditionally made Bordeaux, with full-bodied richness, a layered, structure mouthfeel, wonderful sweetness of fruit, and a great finish. A wine that starts out tight and reserved yet builds with air, don’t be afraid to give bottles plenty of air if drinking any time soon. It’s certainly in its drink window, yet also has another 30-40 years of longevity ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Calon-Ségur) Our vertical tasting in Washington was again the first time I had seen the 2009 Calon- Ségur, as I had not tasted the wine during En Primeur, and I was very, very impressed with the quality and style of this wine. The cépages is fully ninety percent cabernet sauvignon in this vintage, and the perfectly ripe, but not overripe cabernet has made this an instant classic. The beautifully ripe and pure nose wafts from the glass in a vibrant blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, cigar smoke, dark soil tones, pungent violets and a suave base of nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very classy on the attack, with a rock solid core of pure fruit, superb soil inflection, impeccable focus and balance, ripe, fine-grained tannins and outstanding length and grip on the seamless and youthfully complex finish. This is a great vintage of Calon-Ségur in the making! (Drink between 2022-2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2009 Calon-Ségur has a classic Saint-Estèphe bouquet with pencil box and freshly tilled earth on the nose, beautifully defined if not with quite the same pedigree that François Millet imparts into the Grand Vin nowadays. (Less Merlot here than other examples.) The palate is medium-bodied, masculine in style, a little closed at first, strict and detailed yet missing some flesh and density on the finish. Unlike the bottle poured blind a week later that was much more exuberant and higher-toned. It is a fine Calon-Ségur but it is shaded by say the 2014, 2015 and 2016. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The freshness on the nose is striking and you could easily mistake this for a 4-5 year old wine. Ripe elderberry and wild blackberry notes are married to elegant tannins and a lively acidity, making this leap and bound across the palate. Long mineral finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 96 JSThis is well-cloaked for now in roasted vanilla and espresso notes, but there’s ample, fleshy fig sauce and mulled blackberry fruit in reserve. The long finish sports a melted licorice snap feel. Dense, but beautifully polished and pure. For the cellar. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2015 through 2030. 5,140 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAn intriguing blend of nearly 50% Merlot, a whopping 35% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon (a somewhat unusual combination for this region), the 2009 reminds me of the 1990. A big, inky/purple-tinged wine with just over 14% natural alcohol, it exhibits exotic, flamboyant aromas of espresso roast, incense, sweet black cherries, black currants, licorice, asphalt, barbecue smoke, Christmas fruitcake and herbs. Full-bodied with silky tannins, luscious fruit, a hedonistic yet complex personality, low acidity, noticeable tannin and enviable purity, this head-turning beauty can be enjoyed over the next 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 95 RPOne of the peculiarities of St.-Émilion’s classification is that Canon la Gaffelière is not classed in the top rung. Because, as this wine shows, it produces superb wines. This is ripe while so elegant, with great intensity and sweet perfumes.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2009 Canon-la-Gaffelière has a very attractive bouquet with truffle and smoke infused black fruit, hints of roasted chestnut, secondary aromas beginning to come through nicely. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, very well balanced with hints of black toast and white pepper filtering through. This is well defined and more persistent than some of its peers, likewise it has become more classic in style in recent years. Superb. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ annual Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMCanon-la-Gaffelière has clay-limestone and sandy-clay soils that are well drained and early-ripening, and in a generous year like 2009 they provide a clear route to the kind of fleshy ripe fruits on display here. This has nicely handled damson and blackberry jam notes with gourmet patisserie cream and baking chocolate touches, but it shows welcome restraint on the long finish. The quick tannic build up through the palate makes an impression, but they have a lovely soft quality that make them extremely pleasurable. Lots to enjoy. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038Decanter | 92 DEC

Deep, meaty, and incredibly savory, the 2009 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog is dark ruby/purple and offers up a knockout, textbook northern Rhône bouquet of meaty black cherry fruit, pan drippings, bacon fat, peat moss, ground pepper, and searing minerality. Every bit as good on the palate, this full-bodied, structured Syrah is gorgeously concentrated and rich, while at the same time, staying very light on the palate, with brilliant focus, precision, and length. It’s the most firm and structured of the ‘09s, without much baby fat, and needs lots of air to shows at its best. It will ideally be given 3-5 years of bottle age, and should have two decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDLike the 2009 Cailloux, the 2009 Syrah Bionic Frog was closed aromatically, yet offered incredible depth, richness and purity on the palate. Reluctantly giving up lots of dark fruits, chocolate, mineral and roasted herbs, as well as more exotic notes of blood orange and mint, this inky colored, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Syrah should be forgotten for 3-4 years, yet will have 20 years or more of overall longevity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe Frog is a bit reductive, a bit shy in 2009 and needs extra decanting. With proper breathing time, it shows inviting notes of violets and strawberries, and it gains concentration through the midpalate, with additions of cherry and an almost liquid minerality. An almost delicate version of this wine.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFocused, with nice density to the juicy blueberry and black plum flavors, hinting at black pepper, Lapsang souchong tea and tar as the finish sails on and on. Shows presence and depth, deftly balanced on the finish. Drink now through 2019. 437 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(14.7% alcohol; picked on September 22): Dark red-ruby. Fresh but a bit stunted on the nose, hinting at olive tapenade, truffle, black pepper, furry game and Herbes de Provence (Baron mentioned "hare entrails"). Wonderfully juicy, sweet and ripe but also firmly built and powerful, and not yet showing the compelling smoky, earthy complexity of the more recent vintages. Notes of chocolate and menthol convey a hot-year character but there’s still plenty of verve here, not to mention brooding black raspberry fruit that needs more time in bottle to express itself and expand. Finishes very long, with building tannins. This wine was very tight when I originally tasted it back in 2012 and it’s every bit as inscrutable today.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

After tasting it three times from bottle, I am convinced this prodigious wine is one of the greatest young Bordeaux I have ever tasted. Inky blue/purple with notes of camphor, forest floor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherries, licorice, the wine has stunning aromatics, unctuous texture and an almost inky concentration, but without any hard edges. With considerable tannin and just enough acidity to provide definition, this wine transcends even its premier grand cru classe terroir. It is certainly the finest Clos Fourtet ever produced. Give it 5-7 years of cellaring to allow some of its baby fat to fall away. There is certainly enough structure underneath to keep for 30-50 years. Bravo!From my barrel score of 95-98, I suppose I should have seen this perfect score coming, particularly considering what proprietor Philippe Cuvelier and estate manager Tony Ballu have accomplished over the last decade. This is one of the great terroirs of St.-Emilion, nearly 50 acres high on the clay beds and deep limestone plateau of the region, just a stone’s throw from the luxury hotel and restaurant Hostellerie de Plaisance. Yields were moderate at 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend is 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon (somewhat unusual) and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 80% new oak.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe greatest Clos Fourtet I’ve ever tasted, eclipsing the heavenly 2005 and 2015, the 2009 Château Clos Fourtet offers an insane bouquet of black cherry and black currant fruits as well as a loads of smoked tobacco, chocolate, licorice, and toasted spices. It shows a touch of classic limestone-influenced white truffle with time in the glass and is as majestic as they come on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a seamless texture, beautiful tannins, and a monster of a finish. A blend of 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 80% new French oak, this magical Saint-Emilion can be enjoyed any time over the coming 30-40 years. Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDStrikingly different in construction from the Pomerol that it was paired with in the blind tasting, this is rich and hedonistic both on the nose and the attack, with a punch of ripe raspberry, blueberry fruits and clear oak finessing. Give it a minute in the glass, and the definition and precision pulls everything into an orderly line, with lift, spiced clove and salinity on the finish that stretches out in your mouth, giving a reflection of the Asteries limestone terroir that is covered with just 40cm of topsoil in much of the vineyard (up to 1m in other sections). Tasting more in line with its En Primer promise than when I had this wine two years ago, a brilliant St Emilion and a classic of its type. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2009 Clos Fourtet has a generous and opulent bouquet with red cherries, kirsch, fig and light mocha aromas that gently unfold, retaining admirable definition and poise. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, good structure. A more masculine, serious finish exerts impressive control. This is a classy Saint-Émilion with plenty of ageing potential. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMElegant as well as rich, this is a beautiful wine. It has great depth of flavor, the sweetest fruit, deliciously ripe. At the same time, the tannins are an underlying sustenance to the impressive ageworthiness.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WETons of black fruit, plenty of smoke and some balsamic character make a dramatic statement on the nose. On the palate there’s rather sweet fruit at the front, then major tannins come through at the finish that still need time to fully resolve. Better after 2022. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 94 JSRather ripe, but nicely framed by singed apple wood, which keeps the core of damson plum, black currant and black cherry flavors at bay for now. Licorice root and black tea notes undercut the finish, which is on the grippy side. This opens steadily in the glass, too. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2014 through 2027. 3,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century.Robert Parker | 100 RPAnother magical wine from this property, the 2009 Château Cos D’Estournel reminds me slightly of the 2005 with its incredibly rich, powerful, opulent style married to stunning finesse and elegance. Still youthful yet with a touch of maturity, its deep ruby/plum color is followed by classic Saint-Estèphe notes of blackcurrants, dried tobacco, loamy earth, Asian spices, and licorice. Deep, full-bodied, and massive on the palate, it’s flawlessly balanced and has building tannins hiding under its wealth of fruit, with no hard edges and a great, great finish. This tour de force is still 5-7 years away from maturity and is a legendary wine to follow over the coming 40-50 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA very bold, ripe and complex wine with excellent concentration and a warm, engaging personality (cinnamon and allspice) that’s hard to resist. With aeration a hint of dried fruit character emerges. Massive, yet polished finish. It’s been rated 100 in the past. We will see. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 98 JSThis shows why everyone loves the vintage. Features a gorgeous display of perfectly melded plum, red currant and blackberry fruit that flows beautifully over very creamy tannins. Still nearly all fruit, with flecks of warm stone and iron on the finish. This could easily sit in this phase for some time, but will be hard to resist. Totally modern and beautifully done.—Non-blind Cos-d’Estournel vertical (December 2015). Best from 2020 through 2040. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA hugely rich wine, where the tannins seem initially lost in the overwhelming fruit. It has power and concentration, showing its alcohol a little. There is great intensity, but an edge of Portiness from the super-rich fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEIntense, pureed damson fruit aromas remind me of its impact at En primeur, although then it was a little overblown. The terroir is starting to come through now, but the fruit still feels a touch overripe and overly concentrated, not enabling the juiciness that the clay soils of St-Estèphe should be highlighting. It’s still extremely young with a great life ahead of it, so this is one to put away for a while longer and give that terroir more of a chance to exert itself over the vintage character. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038Decanter | 93 DECThe 2009 Cos d’Estournel has an expansive and undeniably seductive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit, cold slate, damp earthy bordering on mulch-like aromas all delivering with ample freshness and certainly better delineation that it showed in its infancy. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite rich in style, decadent with a sweet core of fruit that is attractive but very un-Bordeaux like. Cos d’Estournel? Plush but bereft of intellect. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Fine colour. Really quite closed on the nose: even more so than the Richebourg. Lovely perfumed cassis nose. A big, backward, quite tannic wine with excellent grip. More austere than the Richbourg. But it has even more depth and intensity. Very lovely.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is still a decade away from the plenitude of maturity, but it’s already a head-turning wine, soaring from the glass with an extravagant bouquet of rose petal, Asian spices, grilled meats, rock salt, espresso roast, rich soil tones, plums and dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and richly structured around fine-grained chalky tannins, with a deep and multidimensional core and succulent underlying acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. This is an utterly classic La Tâche that ranks among the vintage’s high points.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most ethereal of the three wines in this flight. Whole cluster influence is especially marked here. A whole range of spice, dried flower, mint and savory overtones infuse the 2009 with layers of nuance. Next to the other wines in this flight, La Tâche is ethereal and harder to fully capture with words, an attribute many, if not most, of the world’s greatest wines share.Vinous Media | 98 VM(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) A discreet but incredibly complex nose features notes of spicy, pure and relatively high-toned fruit that is laced with plenty of rose petal and violet hints. There is excellent energy and freshness to the lacy and stunningly precise broad-scaled flavors that build in intensity from the densely concentrated mid-palate to the explosive and mouth coating finish that seemingly goes on without end. This is a big LT with ample muscle and very firm but not aggressive structure along with superb depth of underlying material and positively mind-blowing length. But the real genius of this wine is the Zen-like harmony and poise though note that it is very tightly wound and will need many years of cellaring before it will be completely ready. In a word, magnificent. (Drink starting 2034).Burghound | 98 BHNoticeably oaky and darker than its siblings, evoking black cherry, licorice and spice. On the palate, there’s depth and concentration, with a menthol note that persists through the long finish. The mouthcoating tannins will require some time to integrate.--Non-blind 2009 DRC tasting (February 2012). Best from 2016 through 2042.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

This has some subtle power, but in appearance it’s all silk and finesse. Cherry, strawberry, currant and mineral aromas and flavors advance stealthily, as this builds in intensity to a long, lingering conclusion. The finish is its best feature. Best from 2016 through 2035. 28 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Musigny- Maison Joseph Drouhin) The 2009 Drouhin Musigny is ripe and very, very pure, with great mid-palate succulence and a stunning base of soil complexity. The celestial nose offers up a beautiful mélange of red and black cherries, dark plums, mustard seed, coffee, beautiful soil tones and a nice framing of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and seamless, with a great core of fruit, impeccable focus and balance, ripe tannins and simply great length and grip. This is very different in style from the hauntingly transparent 2008 Musigny, but this is a beautiful, beautiful wine that perfectly captures all of the best attributes of the 2009 vintage. (Drink between 2022-2075).John Gilman | 97 JG(Maison Joseph Drouhin Musigny Grand Cru Red) A notably more complex nose of violets, red berries and spice notes, especially anise leads to full-bodied and generous broad-scaled flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel as there is superb dry extract which buffers the very firm tannins and coats the palate on the strikingly long finish. This is a wonderfully harmonious, indeed to the point that the word "Zen-like" comes to mind which will enable it to be approached young but as the extended drinking window prediction suggests, the impeccable balance will enable this to live for decades. (Drink starting 2024).Burghound | 96 BHThe 2009 Musigny possesses dazzling aromatic complexity. This is a totally seamless, silky wine that fully captures the essence of its hallowed origins. It is beautifully nuanced throughout, with rose petal, spice and licorice overtones that add complexity and class. The finish is substantial and impeccably balanced. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.Drouhin farms 75 hectares of vineyards according to biodynamic principles. Maceration and fermentation lasts about three weeks. The wines are then racked into oak in a cold part of the cellar to slow down the malos, although in 2009 they were entirely done by December. The estate leaves the wines on their lees for several months with one racking, or two if needed, prior to being assembled for bottling. New oak ranges from 25% for the entry-level wines to 50-65% for the grand crus. Veronique Drouhin thinks the 2009s will stay open throughout their lives, much as the 1985s have. All of these 2009s were bottled between early December, 2010 and January, 2011.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPGood medium red. Musky soil tones complicate aromas of raspberry, minerals, flowers, mocha and menthol. Wonderfully sweet and rich, with seamless raspberry, spice and mineral flavors nicely lifted by an edge of white pepper. Very deep, ripe, sweet Musigny with supple, fine-grained tannins and lovely grip for the year. As with so many very rich 2009s, I wondered if this wine had a hidden dimension that would be revealed with extended bottle aging. (Please note that a number of notes on the finished 2009s appeared in Issue 154).Vinous Media | 93 VM