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A massive wine that is clearly of first-growth quality in this vintage, the 1982 Gruaud Larose remains a youngster. A broodingly dense, thick, unctuously textured, inky/plum/garnet/purple color offers up scents of beef blood, steak tartare, cassis, herbs, tobacco, and underbrush. One of the most concentrated wines of the vintage (as well as one of the most concentrated Bordeaux’s I have ever tasted), it is a huge, full-bodied, weighty, rich wine whose tannins are getting silkier and silkier. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life. This behemoth is a singularly profound example of Gruaud Larose that continues to justify its legendary status. Anticipated maturity: now-2050.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 1982 Gruaud Larose has long been one of my favourite Saint Julien wines from that vintage. From magnum, the exquisite bouquet of black fruit, leather and hints of game and antique bureau is fully mature yet vigorous and so joyful. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins that have melted in recent years. Here, there is more red than black fruit, suffused with tobacco, sage and cedar notes, impressive in terms of grip and fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bottles with sound provenance are à point and will continue to give pleasure for another 20, perhaps 30 years. Tasted at the Lafaurie-Peyraguey vertical in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 95 VMOne of the best wines ever made at this estate. Dense ruby color with a slight amber edge. Intense grape, berry and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit and mineral aftertaste.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Gruaud-Larose) The 1982 Gruaud-Larose is just starting blossom at age thirty and is a lovely example of the vintage. The deep and complex bouquet offers up a black fruity mélange of cassis, a bit of spiced meat, cigar ash, dark soil tones, a touch of petroleum jelly, nutskins and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just coming out of its adolescent phase, with a rock solid core of fruit, ripe tannins and lovely length and grip on the modestly tannic and impressively tangy finish. For purists, there is a touch of brettanomyces here that they may find off-putting, but it is quite modest and I have no problem with this level of brett in a wine. (Drink between 2015-2065).John Gilman | 93 JG

What an awe-inspiring nose of currants, shaved lead pencil, white truffles and earth. It’s full-bodied and enveloped by silky tannins that lead to an earthy, long finish. Old, traditional Bordeaux with soul and remarkable complexity. Sensational. Drink now.James Suckling | 99 JS(Château Mouton-Rothschild (served from magnum)) I know that I am in the minority, but at the present time, I much prefer the quality of the utterly classic 1985 Mouton to the highly regarded, but rather dense and recalcitrant 1986. There is a purity, complexity and classic profile to the 1985 Mouton that is yet to show itself in the much more powerfully constructed 1986, and which may never emerge from that much more extracted wine. Out of magnum, the 1985 Mouton is stunning and still a tad on the young side, soaring from the glass in a blaze of cassis, tobacco leaf, gravelly soil tones, a touch of coffee, fresh herbs and a very stylish base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively complex, with a fine core of fruit, moderate tannins and outstanding length and grip on the very poised and classy finish. Out of magnum this is still a fairly young wine. (Drink between 2018-2075).John Gilman | 94+ JGThe customary glamour of Mouton is on display here, with softened but welcoming blackberry, bilberry and raspberry fruits, still offering texture and juice through the palate. This is matched by clove, cinnamon, caramel and smoke. Another era at Mouton, making this even more delightful to drink - Baron Philippe was still heading up the estate as he had since 1922, and would continue to until his death in 1988, making this his 63rd vintage, and the legendary Raoul Blondin was cellarmaster (he oversaw 60 vintages before his eventual retirement in 1989). 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Paul Delvaux label. Harvest September 26 to October 11. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECThe 1985 Mouton-Rothschild came from magnum. Unfortunately, there was a little cork taint on the nose, so this tasting note actually comes from a bottle that I tasted in Bordeaux. The bouquet is open, very classic in style, perhaps blind more like the 1986 with scents of pine cones and undergrowth. It was always quite a backward and (for the vintage) quite surly on the nose. The palate is well balanced with cedar and truffle, firm tannins with gentle grip, maybe missing a bit of flair towards the finish. It is an enjoyable Mouton-Rothschild, though you might have wanted a little more panache. Tasted at the "Judgement of Clapham Junction" dinner in London.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe rich, complex, well-developed bouquet of oriental spices, toasty oak, herbs, and ripe fruit is wonderful. On the palate, the wine is also rich, forward, long, and sexy. It ranks behind both Haut-Brion and Chateau Margaux in 1985. I am surprised by how evolved and ready to drink this wine is. Readers looking for a big, boldly constructed Mouton should search out other vintages, as this is a tame, forward, medium-weight wine that is close to full maturity. It is capable of lasting another 15+ years. This estate compares their 1985 to their 1959, but to me it is more akin to their 1962 or 1953. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 10/97.Robert Parker | 90 RP

The late Michel Delon always thought that this was the greatest vintage he had produced. We often tasted it side by side with the 1982, because I always preferred the latter vintage. Of course, the two vintages are quite different in style, with the 1986 a monument to classicism, with great tannin, extraordinary delineation, and a huge, full-bodied nose of sweet, ripe cassis fruit intermixed with vanilla, melon, fruitcake, and a multitude of spices. The wine has always been phenomenally concentrated, yet wonderfully fresh and vigorous. The wine still seems young, yet it is hard to believe it is not close to full maturity. It is a great example of Leoville Las Cases, and another compelling reason to take a serious look at the top Cabernet Sauvignon-based Medocs of 1986. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035. Last tasted, 9/02.Robert Parker | 100 RPMichel Delon, then owner, believed this to be the greatest wine he ever made. It’s not often the case that wines with this much expectation riding on them live up to the hype, but this one did. A stunning wine that, at 33 years old, still feels fresh, concentrated and with a long way left to go. The tannins have the characteristic Las Cases weight and definition to them, giving form and shape to the sweet berry fruit, but the overall impression is of welcoming, juicy pleasure. Harvested from 1 to 17 October. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035.Decanter | 100 DECSaturated dark ruby. Cassis, shoe polish, camphor and rose petal on the nose; this reminded me of a great vintage of Latour. Dense and extremely concentrated; explosive yet totally backward. There nothing playful about this infant claret. Finishes with extraordinary, slow-building persistence. Very serious juice; one of the great Bordeaux of the 1980s. Drink 2010 through 2035.Vinous Media | 98 VMFirm and focused, with beautifully articulated currant, raspberry and nutmeg aromas and flavors; very supple for such a lean-textured Bordeaux. Approaching drinkability, but it can use until 2000 to soften.--Léoville Las Cases vertical.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Léoville Las Cases (St. Julien)) The 1986 Château Léoville Las Cases remains a stubbornly backward wine at age thirty-two, and I am beginning to wonder if it is just stuck in a seemingly endless adolescence or if the wine is going to turn out to be stillborn and never blossom. The bouquet offers up a still quite youthful blend of black cherries, cassis, a touch of mint, Galloise cigarette smoke, dark soil and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, simple and powerful in personality, with a rock solid core, firm tannins and a long, four-square and recalcitrant finish. Maybe this will blossom one day, but I do not have a ton of faith in the wine anymore. And, even if it does one day start to blossom, it still seems likely to not be a particularly complex example of Las Cases in the making. If it does one day start to soften up and open, it should merit a score at the top of my range, but that seems less than a fifty-fifty proposition at this point. I should mention that I have tasted this wine three or four times in the last decade and my impressions have been consistent, so this is the wine, rather than a reflection of a possibly atypical bottle (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 84-92 JG

Berry, cherry and chocolate on the nose, with hints of spices. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a spicy, cedary, dark chocolate aftertaste. Very silky and caressing. Grabs your attention. Muscular for Cheval. Overlooked by many Cheval fans.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(40 h/h; 12.5% alcohol): Bright red. Very pure floral nose with enticing aromas of redcurrant, violet, minerals, licorice, lead pencil and coffee: very cabernet franc! Then linear, pure and juicy, with pristine flavors of red berries, dark plum, minerals and coffee. This midweight finishes clean and smoothly tannic, offering amazing balance and an impression of seamlessness on the long, very floral finish. As much as I like its pure aromas and flavors, I find this Cheval Blanc lacks a little density for an even higher score. This was an overall dry and cool year, with some rain present only in the first part of the year, which caused some mildew pressure. The dry conditions started at the end of July and never really let up; from July to September, there was less than two inches of rain. Flowering was late, taking place on June 10, and veraison on August 20. Harvested during the first ten days of October.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 1989 Palmer has vied with the 1983 as the highlight of the decade, so it is fascinating to revisit it at 30 years old. It has a wonderful bouquet of degraded red berry fruit, singed leather and hints of game and mint, beautifully defined and still so fresh, yet undeniably old-school in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and still brimming with vigor, delivering a fine bead of acidity and a touch of cracked black pepper. A very detailed, engaging finish urges you back for another sip. A brilliant Palmer, and judging from this showing, it has another two decades of pleasure to give. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMTasted 6 Times Since Bottling With Consistent NotesPalmer has done a magnificent job with their 1989, which continues to be a wine of immense seduction. The expansive, rich, fat texture owes its opulence to the high percentage of Merlot used by this property. Opaque deep ruby/purple, this full-bodied, satiny wine has considerable alcoholic clout, is low in acidity, but splendidly concentrated and abundantly full of velvety tannins. It will be fascinating to see if this wine ultimately rivals the great Palmers made in 1983, 1970, 1966, and 1961. This is a thrilling 1989! Anticipated maturity: Now-2012.Robert Parker | 96 RP(Château Palmer) At our vertical tasting in October of 2007, the ’89 was corked, so I have had to go back to a note on this wine that is a few years old. I have always liked the 1989 Palmer quite well, but have never ranked it quite in the same league as the greatest vintages of this château. The nose on the ’89 offers up scents of ripe plums, mulberries, dark chocolate, tobacco, minerals, violets and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite lush and voluptuous on the attack, with a firm tannic structure kicking-up in the mid-palate, and a long, complex and chewy finish. While there is plenty of depth in the mid-palate, I do not find quite the reserves of fruit at the core as found in vintages such as the 1983 at a similar stage of development. The tannins here are ripe and quite buried in the fruit, and while it is more than drinkable today, it clearly will need another decade to allow some of the secondary layers of complexity to emerge.John Gilman | 92+ JGDisplays impressive sweet berry and floral aromas, with hints of cedar and light new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, offering fine tannins and a fresh finish. This wine is just now opening, with a racy backbone of tannins and dark fruits on the finish. This is turning out to be more balanced than I remember. Ready.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WSI find this a little austere with mineral, tar, and currant character. It’s a little subdued. Full and silky on the palate, it’s firm and bright, even tight. Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 91 JS

A time of serious changes at Mouton, with Baron Philippe de Rothschild passing away in 1988 after having overseen seven decades worth of harvests, and his longtime winemaker Raoul Blondin retiring in 1989. It was also three years before the introduction of Petit Mouton under Baroness Philippine (even Aile d’Argent the white wine didn’t arrive until 1991). Does all of this explain why the 1990 has suffered with its reputation from the beginning? Certainly it is far more mature at this 31-year-checkin than the others in the tasting, with strawberry and raspberry notes rather than the darker fruits that you more usually find in great Pauillac, with clear tertiary notes of tobacco, rust and woodsmoke. I had a better bottle of this in December 2020, and also in October 2018, so do expect bottle variation and you just might get lucky, but this was not the wine of the night. Label artist Francis Bacon, with one of his last works. Harvest 18 September to 3 October. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DECNotorious for not living up to the estate’s nor the vintage’s reputations, I have to say this 1990 Mouton Rothschild was not looking nearly as bad as I was expecting. This was a hot, dry vintage, which can be a challenge for vines on such free-draining soils as the deep gravel-mounds composing the backbone of Mouton’s vineyards. The effect of the struggling vines is apparent in the wine, yielding less density and chewier tannins. Nonetheless, the terroir’s pedigree clearly glimmers in the background.The wine displays a brick color with subtle, compellingly elegant redcurrant jelly, dried cranberries and powdered cinnamon notes plus wafts of potpourri, dried figs, unsmoked cigars and dusty soil. Medium-bodied, it is notably far more delicately fruited than one would expect of Mouton, structured with bold freshness and a light chew of tannins before finishing on a mineral note. Indeed, it is skinny compared to great vintages, but it is aging gracefully. For readers who love those soft-spoken, more delicately expressed styles, this one’s for you!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPA less-than-extraordinary Mouton with licorice and sandalwood on the nose. But this is still lovely and easy to drink. Medium body, good fruit and soft tannins.James Suckling | 90 JS

Dark ruby color. Decadent aromas of meat, figs and ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with a very good, compacted, fruity structure and a long, long, ripe fruit and earth finish. This is a seriously good bottle. Great value. Love it.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Outstanding quality from a weak year. Good darkruby color. Intense aromas of chocolate, berry andcedar. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a longfinish. Starting to show some bottle bouquet, butgood backbone and firmness. Textbook Latour from adifficult vintage.--Latour vertical. Best after 2004.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A terrific wine for the vintage, Latour’s 1993 reveals an opaque purple color, a backward, cedar, black walnut, cassis, and earth-scented nose, medium to full body, gorgeously rich, concentrated fruit, moderately high tannin (but no astringency), and a sweet, long, powerful finish. The wine does not possess any of the vegetal, green pepper characteristics of the vintage, nor any hint of hollowness or harshness. This wine may prove to merit an even higher rating. Is this vintage the modern day clone of the 1967 and 1971? Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. Last tasted 1/97Robert Parker | 90 RPSlightly oxidized with a coffee and spice character, as well as fruit. Medium body. Tea, tobacco and some fruit.James Suckling | 90 JS

This largely forgotten vintage seems to have turned the corner in the last year or two. Because of strict selections made at the top chateaux, the wines always had density, but the level of tannin was frequently too high, and the type of tannin was more green and astringent. Chateau Margaux’s 1994 has always been one of the candidates for the “wine of the vintage.” The wine still has a dense plum/purple color and a big, sweet nose of black fruits intermixed with licorice, camphor, vanilla, and a hint of flowers. The wine is dense and powerful, but the tannins have softened and do not seem as hard and intrusive as they did in the late nineties. This wine will last for decades and hopefully become even more seamless, although it is hard to believe all the tannin will gradually dissipate. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. Last tasted, 10/02.Robert Parker | 91+ RPVery good bright red-ruby color. Sappy, very floral nose hints at toasty oak. Sweet, supple. smooth and oaks in the mouth. A very consistent though fairly tannic wine without the grip or structure of the ’95. In fact, tasted after the ’95, this seemed much oakier and even a bit monolithic.Vinous Media | 90-91 VMNot a big Margaux, this is all in refinement. Pretty aromas of berries, raspberries and toasted oak and warm flavors that build on your palate. Medium-bodied, with fine, well-integrated tannins and a caressing finish. Better in 1999.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is still youthful in appearance with dark ruby color. It sets an excellent example for the 1994 vintage with a spicy, toasty nose showing lots of black currants and tar. It’s full-bodied, refined and chewy. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSAfter less than persuasive performances in two potentially great years, 1989 and 1990, Mouton-Rothschild appears to have settled down, producing fine efforts in recent vintages, culminating with the enormously promising, unquestionably profound 1995. The 1994 appears to be the finest Mouton-Rothschild made following the 1986 and before the 1995’s conception. The wine exhibits a dense, saturated purple color, followed by a classic Mouton nose of sweet black fruits intermingled with smoke, pain grillee, spice, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, with outstanding concentration, a layered feel, plenty of tannin, and rich, concentrated fruit, this wine is similar to the fine 1988. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. By the way, the Dutch artist, Appel, has created a gorgeous label for the 1994. Although Mouton-Rothschild can be among the most inconsistent first-growths, when this estate gets everything right, the wine can be as compelling as any produced in Bordeaux.Robert Parker | 91 RPDark-colored, with intense aromas of blackberries, tar and spice, and toasted oak notes as well. Full-bodied, with very silky tannins and a chewy, ripe fruit-accented finish. An impressive Mouton. Better in 1999.Wine Spectator | 91 WS1994 Mouton Rothschild: Sexy smoky, gingery oak, along with a hint of herbaceousness. Fruity and vinous, with good inner-mouth perfume, but the level of extract seems rather low for this wine. Finishes with slightly harsh tannins and some caramel oak. Lacks real precision and class. Not a strong performance for Mouton.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMThe great Michael Broadbent MW noted ’this is what my friends from across the pond would describe as a proper, classic luncheon claret’. Elegant and lighter on the palate, the fruit character here is more subdued with a cool, leafy edge. Toasty wood and spice notes in evidence but the acidity is more dominant than with the other vintages. Feels just a bit stringy and lean. At its best. Harvested 19 September to 1 October. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2021-2021)Decanter | 90 DEC

At 56% Cabernet Franc, this is a bright, floral Cheval Blanc, with white pepper, strawberry, mineral and oriental spice notes lingering nicely. Drinking Window 2015 - 2036Decanter | 95 DEC(a blend of 56% cabernet franc and 44% merlot; 40 h/h): Bright red. Fresh floral, white pepper, raspberry and strawberry aromas on the captivating nose, lifted by minerals and Oriental spices. Very fresh, balanced and pure on the palate, with bright red berry, floral and delicately smoky plum flavors. Very cabernet franc, and very Cheval Blanc! The lively, harmonious acids keep this wine light on its feet and really extend the flavors on the back half. The long finish features a subtly spicy kick and smooth tannins. A touch more density and it would have scored even higher. The harvest took place between September 28 and October 4.Vinous Media | 93 VMMedium ruby, with a garnet edge. Aromas of plum and fresh herbs, such as basil, that turn to cedar and cigar box. Full-bodied, with soft, silky tannins. Long and flavorful, with subtle chocolate, berry and light coffee aftertaste. Gorgeous.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe elegant, moderately weighted 1996 Cheval Blanc reveals a deep garnet/plum, evolved color. Quintessentially elegant, with a complex nose of black fruits, coconut, smoke, and pain grille, this medium-bodied wine exhibits sweet fruit on the attack, substantial complexity, and a lush, velvety-textured finish. It is very soft and evolved for a 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015.Robert Parker | 90 RP

A fine wine, this dark purple-colored effort reveals black raspberry, blackberry, mineral, and floral aromas in its complex, multidimensional bouquet. In the mouth, it is medium-bodied, with sweet, ripe fruit, firm tannin, good acidity, and a long, well-endowed, moderately tannic finish. Moreover, it will be a long-lived wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.Robert Parker | 91 RPExcellent ruby-red. Dark berries, licorice and minerals on the nose. Tightly wrapped and firmly minerally in the mouth, with a note of shoe polish. Extremely primary for the vintage. Plenty of richness here. Finishes with toothdusting tannins and excellent length.Vinous Media | 90+ VMPure fruit on the nose, with violet, berry and raspberry aromas. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, polished finish. Super well done for the vintage. Drink now through 2005.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A medium-bodied, lighter style of Mouton. Paler in colour, this has a cool, leafy, slightly herbal character with some cooked fruit on the nose. Fresh, black and raspberry characters on the palate. Lacking a bit of concentration, this is at its best now, and finishes a bit short. Harvested 11 September to 30 September. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 55% of production used for the Grand Vin. Drinking Window 2021 - 2021.Decanter | 91 DECOnly 55% of the harvest was utilized for the 1997 Mouton-Rothschild. One of the most forward and developed Moutons over recent years, it possesses all the charm and fleshiness this vintage can provide. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, and an open-knit nose of cedar wood, blackberry liqueur, cassis, and coffee. Fleshy, ripe, and mouth-filling, with low acidity, soft tannin, and admirable concentration and length, this delicious Pauillac will be drinkable in 2-3 years, and should age for 15+. It is an impressive effort for this vintage.Robert Parker | 90 RPDeep ruby. Exotic, enticing aromas of black fruits, cherry cough syrup, roast coffee and caramel, along with pungent oakiness. Sweet, fat and thick in the mouth, but with adequate framing acidity. Quite ripe on the back end, with much finer tannins than the foregoing ’97s.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

(Krug Vintage Brut (Reims)) It had been three years since I last crossed paths with a bottle of the 1998 Krug Vintage and the wine was just starting to blossom when I had it back in the summer of 2013. Three more years of bottle age have really done justice to this excellent wine and this most recent bottle was absolutely wide open and singing on both the nose and palate. The bouquet is deep, pure and shows a lovely, almost exotic sheen of fresh nutmeg and fresh coconut to augment more classic Krug notes of peach, tangerine, patissière, caraway seed and a glorious base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and inviting on the attack, with a rock solid core, great transparency, refined mousse and exceptional length and grip on the very long and focused finish. Just a beautiful vintage of Krug that is now reaching its apogee and promises to dazzle for the next several decades. (Drink between 2016-2045)John Gilman | 95 JG(LLLLPK 00178): Bright gold. Ripe orchard fruits, peach pit, toffee, marzipan and dried flowers on the pungent, smoky nose. Broad and fleshy on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering palate-staining pit fruit nectar, apple pie and brioche flavors, enhanced by a toffeed quality. Closes spicy and very long, with resonating smoke and toasted hazlenut qualities.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Deep plum, currant, and mineral notes emerge from the concentrated, beautifully balanced, pure 1999 Haut Brion. It seems to be cut from the same mold as years such as 1979 and 1985. There is a hint of graphite in the abundant fruit. The wine is medium to full-bodied, nuanced, subtle, deep, and provocatively elegant. It is made in a style that only Haut Brion appears capable of achieving. The finish is extremely long, the tannins sweet, and the overall impression one of delicacy interwoven with power and ripeness. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 1999 Haut-Brion is a very fine vintage from the estate, although it is probably overshadowed by the overachieving 1998. This bottle has the sensuality on the nose that I have observed before but is a little more opulent than I recall, yet very delineated with black truffle, cedar and cigar humidor infusing the black fruit. The palate is well balanced with soft, almost velvety tannin. There is a sweet candied core of fruit in situ, laced with orange peel and black cherries. It fans out nicely toward the finish, which is generous rather than complex. Perfect to drink now, though I can envisage this giving another 20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate.Vinous Media | 92 VMDelivers cooked berries, with light cream aromas that turn to tobacco and cedar. Full-bodied, featuring big, yet well-integrated tannins and a chewy finish. Needs time still to mellow. Serious.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2011. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAromas of tobacco, hints of forest floor. Full-bodied, open and flavorful. Herbs and spice. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 1999 Griotte is a bit more obviously ripe and generous than the cooler fruit-toned 2001, but it too will make an outstanding bottle of wine at full maturity. It will be interesting to keep tabs on the progress of the 1999 vis à vis the 2001 Griotte over the coming decades, as it is not clear which of these will ultimately be the superior bottling (though I give both vintages the nod over the potential of the 2002 at this early date). The bouquet on the 1999 Griotte is quite beautiful, as it offers up notes of black cherries, a touch of plum, chocolate, grilled meat, a lovely base of soil, woodsmoke and a delicate hint of cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and round on the attack, with a lovely black fruity core, ripe, buried tannins, sound acids and fine length and grip on the very long, meaty finish that closes with a note of bitter chocolate. A most impressive vintage of Griotte from the Drouhins, and one that should still be given another five or six years to fully blossom. Excellent juice. (Drink between 2014 - 2045)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe candied bing cherry-scented 1999 Griotte-Chambertin has a zesty, lively nose as well as a medium to dark ruby-colored character. It is packed with layers of raspberries, blueberries, and jammy cherries whose seamless flavors last from the attack through its supple finish. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWhile there are subtle secondary notes present, this remains largely primary and still quite fresh with mostly red berry fruit that is cut with nuances of earth, roasted cherry and stone hints. There is moderate austerity to the relatively precise and energetic medium-bodied flavors that are presently somewhat lean and while not hard, it’s clear that this is not yet ready for prime time drinking. Save for one recent bottle that was hard to the point of being unpleasant, I have had consistent notes.Burghound | 92 BHPalish red with a brick rim. Mellow, soil-driven scents of coffee, faded rose, mocha, cedar and truffle, with red berry notes in the background; comes across as complex and mature. Quite suave but a bit peppery and lean on first pour, showing moderate flesh but surprising energy thanks to its firm acidity and minerality. Initially seemed a bit lacking in intensity (perhaps from the vintage’s generally high yields) but gained in suppleness and volume with aeration. Finishes with a firm spine of dusty tannins that avoid dryness. I find this quite sexy now with some aeration and would certainly want to drink it within the next several years. Incidentally, Jérôme Faure-Brac did not start vinifying at Drouhin until 2005.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 1999 Château Margaux is an immensely charming wine that’s drinking beautifully today from both bottle and, in this case, magnum. Bursting with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and violets framed by subtle hints of cigar box, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and sensual, with an enveloping core of fruit, ripe and melting tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Analogies with the immensely charming 1985 vintage are very persuasive, as the 1999 is quite reminiscent of how the 1985 tasted fifteen years ago.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMedium ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, Cuban tobacco and grilled nuts; a bit more red fruit in character than either the 2000 or the 2001. Silky, seamless and enveloping, but the wine’s excellent vinosity gives its creamy fruit very good definition. Consistent from start to finish. Tannins are substantial but fine, allowing the fruit and floral flavors to linger impressively. Along with Latour, an early candidate for the wine of the vintage.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis has a rather friendly, fleshy feel, with a plump core of crushed plum, currant and cherry notes out front, backed by bergamot, lilac and sandalwood accents. Not superdense, but with lovely mouthfeel and a balance that carries the finish gracefully. A beautiful wine in a vintage where most of the Médoc struggled.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2022. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

(Maison Joseph Drouhin Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) In contrast to the subtlety of the Petits Monts, this is a full out bruiser with big, robust, admirably intense flavors that are, with the Amoureuses, perhaps the most complex of any wines presented today. Very structured and chewy but not at all hard yet purchasers should be prepared for at least a decade of patience as this will require time to reveal all of its considerable potential. A very impressive effort here. (Drink between 2011-2018)Burghound | 90-93 BHPure, expressive aromas of red cherries are displayed by the medium to dark ruby-colored 2001 Bonnes Mares. Medium-bodied, exhibiting outstanding depth of fruit, as well as a well-delineated personality, this is a red cherry, stony black fruit, and spice-flavored beauty. In addition, it wows the taster with an exceptionally long, flavorful finish. Projected maturity: 2004-2011.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPMedium red. Sweetly oaky aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, tobacco and fresh herbs. Dense, fat and lush, with vibrant flavors of red fruits, minerals, wild herbs and earthy underbrush. Not quite as silky-sweet as Drouhin’s Musigny, but finishes very long and aromatic, with firm but suave tannins.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2001 Latour is magnificent. A huge, structured wine, the 2001 Latour boasts notable depth to match its vertical, towering structure and pure power. At nearly fifteen years of age, the 2001 remains deep, virile and imposing. With air, the 2001 is a approachable now, but ideally it needs at least a few more years in bottle. This is a superb showing by any measure. Frédéric Engerer adds that 2001 was the last vintage that was lightly filtered prior to bottling.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGA wine that’s firing on all cylinders is the 2001 Latour and this beauty over-delivers in the vintage! Based on 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it offers incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, exotic spices, lead pencil shavings, forest floor and truffles. Deep, medium to full-bodied, and incredibly elegant, with polished tannin, it’s utterly irresistible today, yet given its balance and length, I suspect it has another 15-20 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA brilliant offering, which should be drinkable much earlier than the blockbuster 2000, the 2001 Latour boasts an inky/ruby/purple color to the rim as well as a glorious bouquet of black currants, crushed stones, vanilla, and hints of truffles and oak. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance primarily Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals a sweetness on the palate that is atypical for such a young Latour. The beautiful integration of tannin, acidity, and wood is stunning. The wine flows across the palate with fabulous texture, purity, and presence. This luscious, full-bodied Latour was surprisingly open-knit on the three occasions I tasted it from bottle. However, do not mistake its aging ability as this 2001, despite its precociousness, will last 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.Robert Parker | 95 RPExtremely attractive aromas of blackberries and currants with just a hint of mineral and oak. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, long finish. As it was from barrel; powerful and fast. Serious stuff.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

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