Red Wines

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The 2006 Messorio (Merlot) is off the charts. This extraordinary wine possesses a breathtaking combination of super-ripe fruit that has been achieved with remarkable freshness, vibrancy and clarity. There is superb transparency to the wine’s fruit, along with a sublime finish that lasts forever. Ideally a few years of cellaring are called for, but readers will have a hard time exercising such patience. This profound Messorio from proprietor Cinzia Merli and oenologist Luca D’Attoma left me speechless. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026.Like many estates in Bolgheri, Le Macchiole has some beautiful wines that are coming into the market shortly. I visited the estate at the tail end of the 2006 harvest and already the early buzz in the air was palpable.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPMessorio (a 100% expression of delicious Merlot) is a wine that has already reached elite cult status and for very good reason. The opulence, richness and overall pleasure factor are unbeatable and the wine is sophisticated, elegant and balanced at the same time. The long fade is characterized by vanilla, chocolate, espresso, cherry and blackberry.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2006 is simply a flat-out great Messorio. Today it is the wine's density and structure that are most evident, but with time in the glass the inner perfume, minerality and sheer pedigree begin to emerge. This is a vintage that combines elements of sumptuous ripeness and structure to a degree that is highly unusual for Bolgheri. As such, the 2006 Messorio is best left alone for perhaps as long as another decade. When the wine finally emerges it will be spectacular. Hints of new leather, licorice and crushed rocks linger on the refined, classy finish.Vinous Media | 97 VMFresh herb and black olive aromas evolve into dark fruits and flowers. This is full-bodied, with chewy, polished tannins and lots of new wood, but there's plenty of fruit underneath. Opulent and powerful, verging on blockbuster. An extreme style of Merlot. Best after 2014. 670 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSSo much olive on the nose, like olive oil. And then I find dark fruits. Flowers too. Full and velvety, wtih beautiful tannins. And a long long finish. It’s a wine that makes you think.James Suckling | 93 JSThis complex, heady red developed a cult following as a merlot with intensity and ageworthy structure. The 2006 is tightly built and floral, with chocolate richness in the finish that gets shut down by its charry, youthful tannins. This needs several years of bottle age to mellow and show its best.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

From another outstanding vineyard, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard’s scorched earth/burning ember, blueberry, graphite, and black currant characteristics are reminiscent of a top Bordeaux such as La Mission Haut-Brion. Dense, full-bodied and chewy with fabulous concentration, sweet tannins, and remarkable length, this profound Cabernet Sauvignon should last for 25-30 years.Paul Hobbs is one of the most brilliant consultants working in California, and he is well-placed in Argentina with a number of projects there as well. His empire is in the Russian River, and it continues to expand, with a bevy of artisinal hand-made Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Sauvignons, and more recently, Syrahs. These are full-throttle wines that merit serious attention. He clearly fared very well with his 2006 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir programs, and seems to have hit veritable home runs with the brilliance of these wines as well as his Cabernets and Syrahs in 2007. Paul Hobbs’ 2007 Chardonnays are crisp, full-bodied, intensely flavorful wines with higher than usual levels of vibrancy and freshness because of the acid profiles and cool growing season. In addition to the great success he enjoys with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, Hobbs also hits all the high notes with his Cabernet Sauvignons. There are five offerings, starting with his Napa bottling, one of the better generic efforts in the marketplace. Another fabulous vintage for Paul Hobbs, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons may ultimately come close to resembling the great successes he has had, including his brilliant 2001s and 2002s.Robert Parker | 95 RPInky ruby. Red- and blackcurrant aromas, with an array of floral and herbal qualities adding complexity. Rich cherry and blackberry flavors are a touch brooding but gain sweetness and spiciness with air. The long finish features dark fruit and tobacco qualities. This one deserves patience.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

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

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard, located in the Red Mountain AVA, is 100% varietal. Dark ruby/purple in color, it delivers an enticing nose of pain grille, pencil lead, earth notes, spice box, violets, and assorted black fruits. On the palate it is dense, ripe, full-bodied, and structured. Still a bit tightly wound, it will reveal its full potential with another 5-7 years of cellaring. It will provide much pleasure from 2015 to 2026 at the least.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDeep ruby-red. Sweet blackberry, cassis, licorice pastille and violet on the nose, plus a whiff of mocha. Very fresh flavors of crushed blackberry, bitter chocolate and menthol boast excellent definition and lift, with exotic floral and spice notes adding nuance. The most complete vintage yet for this bottling, finishing with suave, building tannins and complex notes of cocoa powder, dried flowers and incense. Not at all overly sweet. Especially remarkable in light of the fact that these vines were planted in 2001 and 2002.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Mascarello’s 2007 Barolo shows just how compelling this vintage can be, even now. Sensual, layered and totally voluptuous in the glass, the 2007 shows the more flamboyant side of Barolo. I find the wine’s voluptuous, engaging personality impossible to resist. Sure, 2007 is not a classic vintage, but when a wine is this good, I say: Who cares?Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2007 Barolo has grown tremendously over the last few months. Some bottles have been more closed than others, but what is certain is that the wine is putting on weight. The 2007 appears to have a long drinking window ahead. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2037.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPMascarello presents an outstanding 2007 base Barolo (with fruit sourced from the Barolo and La Morra zones) that is packed extra tight with generosity, concentration and rich chocolate, cherry and leather aromas. The long finish is soft and velvety, but the tannins and acidity guarantee a long future ahead.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

No Hommage a Jacques Perrin was made in 2008, but the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is an utterly perfect wine. Composed of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah, and the rest Counoise and Grenache, this prodigious effort boasts an inky/blue/purple color to the rim in addition to an exceptional bouquet of camphor, roasted meats, blueberries, black cherries, black currants, truffles, beef blood, pepper, and incense. The sumptuous aromatics are followed by a wine of compelling intensity, full-bodied power, perfect balance, laser-like focus, and a finish that lasts more than a minute. The 2007’s texture reminds me of the 1998 Jacques Perrin, and the freshness of the fruit and explosive aromatics are to die for. There are only 500 cases of this legend in the making, but for those lucky enough to find any, it will last for 40-60 years.One of the great estates of the Rhone Valley, Chateau Beaucastel has been run by several generations of the Perrin family, beginning with the late Jacques Perrin (who died in 1978), then the brothers Jean-Pierre and Francois, and now their sons Thomas, Marc, Pierre, and Mathieu. Beaucastel has nearly 200 acres in vine in Chateauneuf du Pape, and they have branched out with an impressive operation under the Perrin et Fils label, purchasing grapes and acquiring land (in Vinsobres and Gigondas, for example). Their goal is to become the most recognized name for high quality wines in the southern Rhone. As shrewd consumers know, one of the best values in under $10 a bottle wine is La Vieille Ferme. The Perrin et Fils cuvees include wines made from purchased grapes as well as their new acquisitions in Vinsobres, Gigondas (25 acres), and the Cotes du Rhone village of Cairanne (35 acres). The Perrins enjoyed tremendous success with their 2008 red wines, largely because yields ranged between 18 hectoliters per hectare for Beaucastel, to only 20 hectoliters per hectare for Coudoulet. The mildew that affected everyone was the culprit. The entire family acknowledged there was an extraordinary triage and culling out of the grapes at the sorting tables.Robert Parker | 100 RPI continue to be blown away by the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin and it’s a magical, hedonistic, thrilling wine in every way. A blend of 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, and the balance Counoise and Grenache brought up in a large oak foudre, it offers to-die-for notes of roasted Provencal herbs, black truffles, assorted red and black fruits, ground pepper, lavender, and incense. Thick, opulent, full-bodied and incredibly powerful on the palate, it has the sexy, fruit-loaded style of the vintage front and center yet backs it up with masses of tannins and structure. Drink it any time over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis has all the heady, dense crushed fig, linzer torte, currant confiture and melted licorice flavors of the vintage, but carries them effortlessly, thanks to perfectly embedded tannins and gorgeous, creamy layers of tar, roasted mesquite, braised chestnut, maduro tobacco and iron. Offering amazing mouthfeel, a stunning array of flavors and awesome density, purity and length, this shows the glory of Mourvèdre in 2007. Best from 2012 through 2035. 580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 99 WSStill opaquely coloured. Interesting nose; meat stock, smoked duck, struck flint, cigar tobacco - a very smoky, savoury style. It’s opulent, with a soft, yielding texture, this is ready for business now. It’s very rich, exceedingly opulent, the alcohol is very high. Great depth and length, with star anise on the finish - almost has a mulled character. Incredible length; a narcotic vintage of Hommage that is atypical and unforgettable. A wine to share among friends, a glass would be enough. Perhaps two... Drinking Window 2019 - 2050.Decanter | 99 DEC(based on 70% mourvedre) Opaque ruby color. Remarkably complex bouquet of dark berry compote, potpourri, sandalwood, smoked meat and licorice, complemented by a smoky mineral overtone. Broad, palate-coating dark fruit flavors pick up notes of candied flowers and licorice with air and show a pungent Indian spice character. Becomes more floral with air and leaves sweet cherry and floral pastille notes behind. I’d buy all of this that I could afford.Vinous Media | 97 VM

Good full red. Flamboyant, soil-inflected nose offers raspberry, minerals and iodine, with exotic suggestions of white flowers and apricot. Then lush, silky and utterly seamless, combining an exotic perfume with great inner-mouth energy. The wonderfully subtle, kaleidoscopic finish throws off scents of raspberry, minerals, flowers and minerals and goes on and on.Vinous Media | 95 VMStill very young, this is showing the proper staying power of a powerful wine. The structure is complex and dense, the plum and cranberry fruits are wrapped in tannins and hints of wood. The wine powers through the palate, promising long-term aging. A great success for the vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WERose petal, fennel, licorice, raspberry and dark cherry, and decadent gaminess in the nose of Bouchard’s 2007 Chambertin Clos de Beze lead into a correspondingly complex palate that combines a silken texture with bright, penetrating fruit of a sort rare in 2007. Persistently alluring rose and peony perfume lends persistent allure as this finishes with delightful and profound interaction of fruit, mineral, floral, and animal elements. It should be worth following for at least 12-15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAs it usually does, this offers another level of aromatic complexity with a highly spiced nose trimmed in a subtle touch of wood that does not interfere with the overall transparency of either the nose or the palate as this is pure, classy and refined. Moreover, the tannins are also more refined, which is unusual, and this completely stains the palate on the hugely long finish. A balanced, stylish and beguiling Bèze that is built to age, and improve, for up to two decades.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is a massive, towering wine of majestic proportions. Everything comes together in the glass; expressive aromatics, striking fruit, powerful yet silky tannins and a long, impeccable finish. This complex, kaleidoscopic Barbaresco is a wine for the ages. The Riserva Asili is a surprisingly powerful wine from this vineyard. Readers will have to wait until 2011, when the wine is released, to taste this utterly profound Barbaresco. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2037.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPGiacosa’s 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is flamboyant, exotically ripe and stunning in its absolute beauty. Bright red cherry fruit, rose petal, violet and mint abound in a spellbinding, utterly thrilling Barbaresco. I have always adored the 2007. Once again, it is pure magic.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis will be in the market in 2012. This is full and rich with irresistible silky tannins. This brings more substance and richness than the white label. Lay this down until 2016. 10,000 bottles.James Suckling | 98 JSBursting with sweet cherry, floral, licorice and spice flavors, this ripe red is expressive, supple, balanced and dense, showing the structure to age and a finish of fig and tobacco notes. Best from 2016 through 2030. 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A very opulent, yet fresh nose. Perfumed with fresh mushrooms, currants, and blackberries. Full bodied with an amazing density of fruit, and ripe velvety tannins. So big and compacted, with a superb structure. Very 2006 in style but with much more intensity. The fruit amazing and intense. Leave this for another five or six years. 900 cases. Pull the cork after 2016. 15+25+24+34. Find the wineJames Suckling | 98 JSPotentially a candidate for perfection, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is the finest Bryant Family wine since the aforementioned 1997. Striking aromas and flavors of blackberries, blueberries, flowers, smoke, truffles, and sweet berries lead to a wine with profound concentration, a silky, layered mouthfeel, perfect integration of tannin and wood, and remarkable depth, intensity, and balance. The finish lasts nearly a minute. This stunning Cabernet should age nicely for 20-30 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPAt points rustic and rough-hewn, but also enormously complex and layered, with dense, elegant herb, olive, cedar, blackberry and wild berry fruit that is full-blown and tightly focused, rich and layered, gaining velocity on the finish while retaining a sense of wildness. Best from 2012 through 2024. 850 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(14.9%): Healthy ruby-red. Wild plum, dark berries, musky espresso, mocha and graphite on the varietally expressive nose. Shows wonderful mineral verve but this utterly seamless wine still conveys a musky suggestion of reduction. It's also more red than black fruit in style and shows its site more than the vintage character. Really lovely inner-mouth aromatic perfume here. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely slowly building lift. This wine blew away many of the portier, clunkier examples in my 2007 group tastings but it may need earlier drinking than some vintages of Bryant. The silky, seamless finish features a light touch and terrific spice and mocha lift.Vinous Media | 95 VM

As it usually does, this brings another dimension of complexity with notably ripe yet elegant, even airy red berry fruit aromas, earth, underbrush, spice hints and a touch of jerky, all of which are picked up by the layered, seductive, rich, and full-bodied flavors that are blessed with ample dry extract on the palate staining, velvety and impressively long finish.Burghound | 93 BHBright medium red. Strawberry, raspberry, game and a hint of rust on the nose. The silkiest and most opulent yet of these 2007s, with complex flavors of red berries, chocolate, animal fur and mineral dust framed by harmonious acidity. Offers lovely sweetness in the middle, but really excites the palate on the classically dry finish.Vinous Media | 93 VMLightly-cooked cherry and red currant, mingle on the nose of Claude Dugat’s 2007 Charmes Chambertin, then re-emerge on an infectiously juicy, silken, subtly sweet palate. When tasted immediately after his 2008s, this offers both striking and welcome contrast due to its generosity of fruit, textural polish, and spiciness. Faint hints of game add complexity and a slightly drying hint of tannin diminishes the otherwise impressively persistent finish slightly. Still, this ought to perform impressively for at least the next 5-7 years, and quite possibly beyond that, though I would want to monitor it in a few years’ time to properly assess that possibility.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Medium garnet in color with a hint of purple, the 2007 Maya Proprietary Red Wine possesses the most alluring nose of blueberry compote, Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, licorice and espresso with suggestions of truffles, beef drippings, dried sage and forest floor. Powerful, rich and substantial on the palate, it explodes with profound black fruits and earthy layers with a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2007 Maya is deep garnet-brick in color. Notes of blackberry pie, creme de cassis, and black cherry preserves pop from the glass, followed by hints of cinnamon toast, red roses, and fallen leaves. The full-bodied palate is packed with bold black fruit layers, supported by plush, beautifully ripe tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and opulent. Andy Erickson started here in January 2007 and it was also the first year of organic farming.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIWhat a difference a year makes. The 2007 Maya is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Sexy and racy to the core, the 2007 captures the sensuality of the year in spades. Raspberry jam, white flowers, mint and spices are nicely shaped by silky tannins. Production was tiny, at around 270 cases, partly because 2007 is the vintage in which Dalla Valle introduced their second wine, Collina Dalla Valle. It’s great to see Maya back on track after the less than stellar 2006.Vinous Media | 96 VMShows a juicy side to the loamy earth, tobacco, cedar and tar flavors. Complex and layered, if starting to show signs of age and a drying edge. The initial burst of fruit is captivating. -- Blind 1997/2007 California Cabernet retrospective (January 2017). Drink now. 300 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The estate’s 2007 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate is quite a bit fresher and firmer than the Gavarini. The exuberant personality of the vintage is also a bit more balanced and restrained. This is a beautifully layered, textured Ginestra Casa Mate endowed with endless layers of dark, mineral-infused, balsamic-tinged dark fruit, all of which flow through effortlessly to a long, sumptuous finish that lasts forever. The stunning bouquet, purity of the fruit and overall balance are simply breathtaking. The Ginestra Casa Mate will be a fascinating wine to follow over the coming years and decades. Could it be a modern-day 1990? Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe estate's 2007 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Matè is quite a bit fresher and firmer than the Gavarini. The exuberant personality of the vintage is also a bit more balanced and restrained. This is a beautifully layered, textured Ginestra Casa Matè endowed with endless layers of dark, mineral-infused, balsamic-tinged dark fruit, all of which flow through effortlessly to a long, sumptuous finish that lasts forever. The stunning bouquet, purity of the fruit and overall balance are simply breathtaking. This will be a fascinating wine to follow over the coming years and decades. Could this be a modern-day 1990?Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is really wonderful with an fabulous depth of fruit and savoriness. Full-bodied, with super velvety tannins and chalky, cedar and dried meat undertones with fruit. So subtle yet full of everything. Better in 2014.James Suckling | 95 JS

Vrucara represents a new, exciting page in the story of Sicily’s most important indigenous grape, Nero d’Avola. The purity of the fruit comes through loud and clear, and the wine doesn’t deliver that bittersweet finish you sometimes get. Instead, it shows cherry, spice and an elegant mineral tone.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThe 2007 Nero d’Avola Vrucara is one of the more unusual Nero d’Avolas readers will come across. A blast of super-ripe red fruit hits the palate with authority as the Vrucara struts its stuff. This is a decidedly opulent, flashy Nero d’Avola that sits on the razor’s edge of ripeness. Soft and supple on the palate, the wine flows effortlessly towards the caressing, intense finish. Floral notes add a touch of lift on the finish. The Vrucara, a single-vineyard old-vine selection from high-altitude hillside vineyards, shows the extreme of ripeness Nero d’Avola is capable of. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017.I tasted a wide range of wines from Feudo Montoni this year. The standouts are the two Nero d’Avolas.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2007 Nero d’Avola Vrucara is one of the more unusual Nero d’Avolas readers will come across. A blast of super-ripe red fruit hits the palate with authority as the Vrucara struts its stuff. This is a decidedly opulent, flashy Nero d’Avola that sits on the razor’s edge of ripeness. Soft and supple on the palate, the wine flows effortlessly towards the caressing, intense finish. Floral notes add a touch of lift on the finish. The Vrucara, a single-vineyard old-vine selection from high-altitude hillside vineyards, shows the extreme of ripeness Nero d’Avola is capable of.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

The 2007 Barolo Vigneto Cannubi emerges from the glass with layers of sweet red fruit supported by the silkiest of tannins. Sweet floral and spiced notes follow, adding further complexity. The Cannubi captures the essence of the generous vintage in this site, in an expressive, open style that shows beautifully. The warm growing season gave the wine a little more mid-palate stuffing, not a bad thing for this very classic producer. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2027.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2007 Barolo Vigneto Cannubi emerges from the glass with layers of sweet red fruit supported by the silkiest of tannins. Sweet floral and spiced notes follow, adding further complexity. The Vigneto Cannubi captures the essence of the generous vintage in this site, in an expressive, open style that shows beautifully. The warm growing season gave the wine a little more mid-palate stuffing, not a bad thing for this very classic producer.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2007 Cannubi bottling from Fabio Alessandria is not quite as transparent as the Monvigliero in this vintage, but it too shares lovely elegance on both the nose and palate. The fine bouquet is also probably a touch deeper, wafting from the glass in a blend of red and black cherries, a touch of anise, gentle tarry notes, a beautifully complex base of soil, woodsmoke and fresh oregano in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off lovely mid-palate depth, with ripe, fairly firm tannins, lovely focus and grip and a very long, well-balanced and youthful finish. (Drink between 2020 - 2050)John Gilman | 93 JG

I still remember tasting the the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins just after bottling (which, given the long elevage here, wasn’t that long ago) and it’s still open and sexy today, with that classic, incredible perfume that only seems to come from this estate. Kirsch, garrigue, new saddle leather, truffles and spice are just some of the nuances, and this ruby colored beauty is stacked on the palate, offering full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and a bombastic style that’s reminiscent of the 1990. It’s a heavenly wine that I suspect will have a long life and drink beautifully for all of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTasting like the essence of Provence, Bonneau’s 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Célestins is ruby-hued with an incredible perfume of kirsch liqueur, new saddle leather, Provençal garrigue, lavender, and exotic spices, and it just about jumps out of the glass with overflowing character. Deep, full-bodied, exuberant, and incredibly sexy, with sweet tannins and a great finish, it reminds me of the 1990 and is a heavenly bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA slightly roasted nose with coffee bean and kirsch aromas and freshly cut mushrooms. Full-bodied and very rich with high alcohol but the acidity remains strong. Very much of its powerful, roasted vintage, taking a little leathery, mushroom side. Complex and ready now, don’t wait too long.Decanter | 98 DECDeep ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes blackberry and cherry preserves, candied flowers, licorice and incense, with a bright mineral overtone. Stains the palate with sappy, spice-tinged dark berry and fruitcake flavors that are deepened by a suggestion of fruitcake. At once ripe and lively, finishing with superb energy and length and supple, building tannins. This is surprisingly graceful for a 2007 Chateauneuf, especially at this stage when most of them have gone to sleep or at least are in a sullen mood.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Very deep purple in color, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is still a baby on the nose, sporting extravagant crème de cassis, blueberry pie and spice box notes with hints of dried lavender, aged meat, tilled soil and Sichuan pepper notes with a touch of tobacco. Medium-bodied and firm with fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, it gives layer upon layer of black fruit and earth notions, finishing very long. Give it another 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPSaturated dark ruby. Less expressive and more medicinal and brooding on the nose than the Roberta’s, offering extremely primary scents of cassis, licorice, bitter chocolate and violet. Then fat, full and strong on the palate, showing the sweetness of the Roberta’s but not that wine’s plushness of texture. Currently dominated by intense black fruits, spices and violet. Finishes with a savory dryness and slightly tough, chewy tannins that still need time to resolve. This wine strikes me as being in a rather clenched phase of its evolution, but it has the mid-palate extract to support its serious tannic load. (14.4% alcohol; 98% new French and 2% new Hungarian oak)Vinous Media | 95+ VMThis is a very dense and layered wine with blackberry, stone and currant character. Full body, chewy tannins and angular tannins. Holding on beautifully.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2007 Ornellaia is a masterpiece blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a tiny element of Petit Verdot. The intensity and purity are outstanding and the wine delivers beautiful notes of chocolate, black cherry, leather, cedar and spice. It’s a big, modern expression that closes long with luscious softness and opulent fruit. Hold 10 years or more.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThis has fascinating aromas of seaweed, oak, iodine, rosemary, and currants. A subtle wine at first, but then it takes off. A phenomenal wine that is full bodied, tight, then hits you with mint, berries, currants, and minerals. Pure class.James Suckling | 98 JS2007 was an old-school vintage whose steady growing season - sun and rain at the right times, no unwelcome surprises - culminated in a sunny but cool harvest period. This cool finale partly explains Ornellaia 2007’s really remarkable Peter Pan-like freshness and its benign but still purposeful tannins. The fruit has a tactile feel, the customary ’Made in Bolgheri’ silkiness given an unusually tight weave in this case, which holds your attention, not least because this is oak- as well as fruit-driven. And the fruit is generous, crunchy-smooth and stimulating. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2021 - 2037.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2007 Ornellaia is a wine of texture above all else. What the 2007 lacks in aromatic intensity it more than makes up for with its sumptuous, generous personality. Silky and inviting, with soft contours and seemingly endless layers of dark red-fleshed fruit, the 2007 is absolutely delicious today.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA wine that does everything right and puts it all in beautiful balance. Full-bodied, yet reserved, silky and elegant, with wonderful fruit and friendly tannins. Best after 2012. 10,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2007 Ornellaia is remarkably open and accessible, very much in keeping with the personality of the vintage. Clean, minerally notes frame a core of silky, perfumed dark fruit, mocha, spices, licorice, grilled herbs and leather that impresses for its exceptional length. Tasted next to the 2007 Le Serre Nuove, the 2007 Ornellaia shows more muscle (from the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), but in terms of pure quality the wines are very close. The 2007 is not a big, massive Ornellaia, but rather a wine built on elegance and finesse, both of which are on full display. The 2007 should drink well with a minimum of cellaring, but whether it will make old bones remains a question mark at this point. The 2007 Ornellaia is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

As fine as the Griotte and Charmes are in 2007, the Chapelle takes the quality up to the next level in this vintage, as it combines the precision and nascent complexity of the Charmes and the deeper and sappier profile of the Griotte. The bouquet is outstanding, as the wine jumps from the glass in a blaze of black cherries, cocoa, game, blood orange, and black soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very sappy at the core, with great focus and balance, fine-grained tannins, tangy acids and outstanding length and grip on the complex and classy finish. A great bottle of Chapelle. (Drink between 2014 - 2040)John Gilman | 94 JGLicorice, game, and sweetly-ripe dark berries inform a broad-shouldered Ponsot 2007 Chapelle-Chambertin that is both less refined and less striking than the corresponding Griotte, but hugely convincing in its expansive and energetic way: palpably dense and finely-tannic, finishing with wave-like dynamic and intensity of sappy berry juices, bitter-sweet herbal essences, and meat stock. Yet another Ponsot 2007 remarkable for its vintage, this should reward 15-20 years of cellaring.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSeems marked by oak, yet with substance underneath. Cedar and sandalwood aromas are backed by cherry, currant, anise and mineral flavors, but overall this is sweet, intense and saturated on the finish. Best from 2012 through 2025. 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA ripe liqueur-like nose featuring red and blue berry fruit that has violet and rose fragrances around the edges that precede rich, full, sappy and well-muscled big-bodied flavors that are seductive, minerally and textured and culminate in a punchy, energetic and driving finish. I like the underlying sense of tension here and while the big tannins are less sophisticated than those of the Griotte, there is perhaps a bit more overall depth here, at least at present.Burghound | 92 BH

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

Blackberry, black truffles, red fruits, minerals and flowers. This is superb with a dense and powerful palate of dark fruits and minerals. Goes on for minutes. Tight and racy. Try after 2014.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2007 Barolo Brunate is likely to leave most tasters speechless. It is a fabulous, deeply-pitched, totally seamless Barolo of the highest level. The richness and depth of the fruit is almost obscenely opulent. Dark cherries, plums, licorice and menthol are some of the aromas and flavors that flow from this textured, brilliant Brunate. The length, persistence and definition are all spellbinding purity. This is pure magic in a glass, but readers will have to be patient to catch the wine at its peak. A recent magnum of the 1990 was stupendous. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2007 Barolo Brunate is likely to leave most tasters speechless. It is a fabulous, deeply-pitched, totally seamless Barolo of the highest level. The richness and depth of the fruit is almost obscenely opulent. Dark cherries, plums, licorice and menthol are some of the aromas and flavors that flow from this textured, brilliant Brunate. The length, persistence and definition are all spellbinding purity. This is pure magic in a glass, but readers will have to be patient to catch the wine at its peak. A recent magnum of the 1990 was stupendous.Vinous Media | 98 VMMentholated herbs and black cherry are the main flavor themes, with a touch of rhubarb, while a firm grip of tannins anchors the finish. A lean, sinewy 2007, with a long finish of tar and spice. Not the typical elegance of this cru. Best from 2016 through 2035. 270 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2007 Sassicaia (Cabernet Sauvignon) explodes onto the palate with masses of rich, opulent fruit that caress the palate with gorgeous length and a seamless beauty that is hard to fully capture. Dark wild cherries, plums, spices, minerals and herbs develop in the glass. This is an especially bold, perhaps slightly uncharacteristic Sassicaia in its extroverted personality, but it is beautiful all the same. The inner perfume and sweetness carries through the long finish, where the sheer weight and glycerol of the fruit leaves a lasting impression. The 2007 is more than a worthy follow-up to the profound 2006. While it may lack that wine’s freshness, structure and potential longevity, the 2007 is immensely appealing today, and should drink beautifully pretty much out of the gate. That said, Sassicaia is always the most restrained of Bolgheri’s heavy hitters. This is a superb effort from Tenuta San Guido.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis iconic Italian wine from Bolgheri’s landmark Sassicaia vineyard (characterized by little rocks, or “sassi”) offers an elegant bouquet comprised in equal measure by mineral, fruit and spice nuances. The wine consists of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc and the finish is long, smooth and very fine. This is an ageworthy wine that should not be opened before 2018.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEHere’s a wine of power, determination and confidence—as far as first impressions go. The 2007 Bolgheri Sassicaia leaves little hidden behind the curtain. It presents a frank and straightforward array of bold fruit, spice, leather and tobacco-like aromas that emerge from the bouquet with energy and force. The aromas are complete and genuine. The palate, however, offers more space for interpretation and review. It is finessed and nuanced, thus requiring more time to fully comprehend and appreciate. Silky tannins are followed by fine textural smoothness and a long finish. The outgoing nature of the aromas make for a fascinating contrast against the inward and reticent nature of the mouthfeel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPVery enticing aromas of spices, meat and berries. Full-bodied and juicy, soft and velvety, with a long, succulent finish. Best after 2011. 20,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis is classy on the nose with subtle currant, sweet tobacco, cigar box and dried flowers. Cassis too. Full body, with refined tannins and a solid core of fruit. Polished and very pretty. Long and delicious already. But you have to wait on this. It has so much more to give. Try after 2015.James Suckling | 93 JSThere’s tension in this vintage of Sassicaia, its rich, generous fruit held within a tight, lean structure. Fresh scents of flowers and herbs come up from under the ripe fruit, tamped down again by a meaty smokiness that hints at Brett. Youthful and inaccessible, this gains clarity with air, as it will in the cellar. One of Italy’s most sought-after collectibles, this is suited to aging ten years or more. Kobrand, Purchase, NYWine & Spirits | 92 W&SA splash of sweet strawberry purée just slightly indicating the age of this wine, and it is a vintage that is already drinking well. Beautiful, dancing acidity and some attractive red fruits. But it doesn’t have the full complexity of the 2008 vintage. It has a complex array of tertiary aromatics and flavours, with full leather and soft black truffle. Gentle, with softly lingering flavours.Decanter | 91 DEC