Shop Wine

wines

A brilliant vintage and this is packed with gorgeously rich, concentrated black fruits. A beautiful wine that is starting to open towards tertiary aromatics and flavours, with the spiced rosemary, warm ash, graphite and black truffle notes coming to the fore. Everything is perfectly held in place, with the warmth of the vintage on display in confident, well balanced fruit. This is a wine you want to drink and share. Made with 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 98 DECThe 2007 Solaia saturates the palate with a heady array of super-ripe black cherries, plums, cassis, mocha and sweet French oak. There is an exotic quality to the Solaia I find totally irresistible. Despite its considerable ripeness and opulence, the 2007 Solaia is never heavy, rather it impresses for its extraordinary finesse and balance. Minerals, graphite and crushed rocks frame a long, seductive finish. This is a wonderful Solaia loaded with vintage and vineyard character. The 2007 Solaia is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged in 100% new oak. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSoft contours, silky tannins and textural volume are the hallmarks of the 2007 Solaia. A riper, denser version of the 2004 with the richness of the 1997, the 2007 will please readers with a long drinking window of pure pleasure. The style is intense and bold. Readers who prefer more subtlety will find that in other vintages, as the 2007 is a voluptuous, racy, turn-on with tons of immediacy but less in the way of detail or nuance.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is a subtle and racy wine. Balanced, with vibrant fruit and bright acidity and chocolate and spices. Full and racy. Very long. Austere. Fascinating. Very closed right now. Give it five or six years minimum now. Winemaker Renzo Cotarella says that Solaia is more reserved in character than the Antinori’s Guado al Tasso from Bolgheri, which is more flashy. Makes me smile.James Suckling | 97 JSA racy wine that offers so much currant and blackberry character. Full and very silky. Goes on and on. Fascinating. Best after 2012. 6,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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

Potentially 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 RPA 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 JSAt 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

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most exciting wines of the vintage. An exotic melange of freshly cut flowers, dark cherries and plums conquers all of the senses. Intense saline notes and the wine’s underlying minerality are buried under the massive fruit, but over time they emerge. Hints of graphite, spices, crushed rocks and sweet, juicy dark cherries wrap around the huge finish. This is a breathtaking effort from Diego and Nora Molinari, and more than a worthy followup to the epic 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most exciting wines of the vintage. An exotic mélange of freshly cut flowers, dark cherries and plums conquers all of the senses. Intense saline notes and the wine's underlying minerality are buried under the huge fruit, but over time they emerge. Hints of graphite, spices, crushed rocks and sweet, juicy dark cherries wrap around the massive finish. This is a breathtaking effort from Diego and Nora Molinari, and more than a worthy followup to the epic 2006.Vinous Media | 97 VM

Bright 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 VMAs 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 BHLightly-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

There are 550-cases of the perfect 2007 Cariad (original rating was 99), a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. One of northern California’s watershed vintages for Bordeaux varietals, according to Allison Tauziet, this wine revealed great potential from the day the first grapes were crushed. It possesses a dense purple color, massive fruit, soft but high tannin, and a structural profile somewhat similar to the 2002. There appears to be more underlying minerality in the 2007, but the sweetness of the tannin, the enormous concentration of fruit (blackberry, blueberry, cherry) intermixed with graphite, chocolate, coffee and crushed rock characteristics is striking. This is a compelling, even prodigious wine that hits all the palate’s sweet spots, possesses phenomenal upside potential, and is a modern day legend in the making. Approachable now because of its flawlessness and seamless characteristics, it should drink well for three decades or more.Robert Parker | 100 RPI am not sure what to say. This is like standing in a perfectly tended vineyard with stoney soil on a beautiful sunny day. Gorgeous nose of cardamon and cloves. Full bodied, with a breathtaking depth of fruit. The texture is perfect. The tannins are perfect. This is mind blowing wine that has left me speechless. Please don’t touch this until 2015. I am in love with this. Find the wine.James Suckling | 100 JSDense, chewy and extracted, rich and layered, with tightly wound blackberry, melted black licorice, new leather, shoe polish and herbal notes that are expansive and gain traction on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2012 through 2020. 550 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSBright, dark red with ruby highlights. Spectacularly complex aromas of roasted plum, cassis, currant, graphite, anise, licorice and tobacco. Wonderfully sweet, youthful and lively, with perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine an enticing combination of cool and warm qualities. Finishes very young and very long, still in need of more time in bottle to unwind. This perfumed blend reminded me of a Bordeaux from the RIght Bank owing to its seductive plum, dark berry and licorice notes and sexy sweetness. But its dusty tannins are still quite firm and in need of patience.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The opaque purple-colored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard possesses an extraordinary bouquet of crushed rocks, creme de cassis, bay leaf, and forest floor. It is an exuberant, full-bodied, pure Cabernet that should drink well for 25+ years. Given the vintage and the sweetness of the tannin, it is atypically accessible already.Robert Parker | 97 RPA gracious style, smooth and layered, full-bodied without being heavy, with a rich, elegant mix of dark berry, mocha, mineral and anise. The long, lingering finish turns delicate and spicy, with a wonderful lift. Drink now through 2020. 175 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis nose is really something. Minerals, mint, currants, and cassis. This is intense, with a full body and a lovely caressing texture and beautiful fruit. This is friendly and very long, but could still use three years of bottle age before pulling the cork.James Suckling | 94 JSGood deep ruby. Aromas of black raspberry, licorice and menthol. Fat, sweet and lush, combining a chocolatey ripeness with a slightly medicinal quality. Finishes with a very fine dusting of tannins. I find this slightly roasted, and yet there's enough energy to maintain shape and verve. This is the final vintage for this bottling as this vineyard on phylloxera-affected AXR rootstock required replanting and the Lambs currently plan to keep all the fruit.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The staggeringly rich, complex, harmonious, impeccably well-balanced 2007 IX Proprietary Red Estate (1,400 case produced) exhibits aromas of spring flowers, cedarwood, Asian spices, licorice, blueberries, and blackberries. A distinct liqueur of minerals buttresses the full-bodied, massive concentration, giving an overall impression of elegance, purity, and harmony. This is another seamless tour de force in winemaking. It should drink well for 25 or more years.Colgin’s 2007s, which include their final vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Herb Lamb Vineyard, are all extraordinary, world-class wines. The change in winemakers from Mark Aubert to Allison Tauziet has gone very smoothly, and was made easier by the retention of the highly respected French wine consultant, Dr. Alain Raynaud, who told me that tasting Colgin’s 2007s gave him his greatest emotional high since he tasted the Chateau Pavie 2000! The 2008s will not be available until 2011, but it appears to be a very successful vintage for Colgin. The crop was tiny, and there were no frost issues, but several heat spikes did occur. Both Allison Tauziet and Alain Raynaud thought that the small berries provided powerful fruit intensity.Robert Parker | 100 RPBeautiful aromas of flowers, currants, violets, and mint. The palate is incredibly elegant, full bodied, polished tannins, and beautiful fruit. A nice finish of minerals, slate, and sandalwood. This is very reserved right now, Don't touch this for another six years at least.James Suckling | 97 JSClassy, intense and vibrant, full-bodied and layered, with wonderful balance, this red delivers vivid blackberry, wild berry, mineral, anise and dusty, cedary oak flavors that are trim and focused, yet expansive, as they unfold. Ends with a long, detailed finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2011 through 2021. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSDeep ruby-red. Very dark aromas of blueberry, blackberry and licorice. Sweet, plush and highly concentrated; at once thicker and more savory than the Cariad blend, hinting at an exotic sweetness to its sappy, powerful mountain berry and tobacco flavors. If the Cariad is Right Bank in style, this one has the tannic structure of a Pauillac, but with Napa Valley sweetness of fruit. These two wines tasted side by side were remarkably different, which is as it should be, as the two sites have little in common.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

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 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

The 2007 Langhe Conteisa is impeccably ripe and silky on the palate, with expressive La Morra red fruits, flowers, mint and spices that emerge from the glass. This is another soft, seamless wine from Gaja, with gorgeous purity in the fruit that carries through all the way to the deeply satisfying, creamy finish. The tannins remain impeccably refined and beautifully balanced with the fruit. The wine is likely to firm up a touch in bottle, but it should be one of the most accessible of Gaja’s 2007s. The 2007 is easily among the finest Conteisas ever made. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027.My most recent visit to Gaja was quite an experience, as I tasted all of the estate’s 1989s, 1990s and 2007s. The 1989s and 1990s are reviewed in this issue’s What About Now feature. Angelo Gaja, always loquacious on a wide range of subjects, says virtually nothing about his wines, an approach I have increasingly come to appreciate in an era where so many producers are constantly in pitch mode. Then again, Gaja doesn’t really need to say anything, the wines speak for themselves. I tasted the 2007s at the winery in November 2009 and then again in New York in January 2010. Both times they were spectacular. Stylistically the 2007s remind me of the 1997s in terms of their opulence. Gaja’s wines are often immensely appealing when young – which is certainly the case with the 2007s – but then close down in bottle for a number of years, sometimes many years. My impression is that the Costa Russi and Conteisa are the most likely of these 2007s to offer the widest drinking windows throughout their lives with a minimum of cellaring. Fermentation and malolactic fermentation take place in steel. The wines then spend approximately one year in French oak and a second year in cask prior to being bottled. As has been the case for a number of years now, Gaja’s Langhe wines incorporate a small percentage of Barbera. On a final note, it’s great to see Gaja’s daughters Gaia and Rossana increasingly involved in the winery. They, and their younger brother Giovanni, have big shoes to fill, but couldn’t have asked for better teachers than Angelo and Lucia Gaja.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPBlueberry and lemon aromas follow through to a full body, with firm and racy tannins and a delicate finish. This is refined and polished. Drink after 2013.James Suckling | 95 JSFull medium red. Rather unforthcoming but mellow aromas of plum, mocha and licorice. Silky on entry, then more tightly wound toward the back in spite of its plush, layered texture. Lovely raspberry, spice and underbrush flavors blast through the building, granular tannins on the long aftertaste.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Deep garnet colored, the 2007 Ancient Way Vineyard Summer’s Vineyard sings of preserved plums, Christmas pudding, figs and incense with suggestions of spice cake, licorice and Morello cherries plus a waft of tobacco. Rich, spicy and full-bodied in the mouth, it offers an alluring texture of soft, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing very long and with loads of savory nuances coming through.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPInky purple. Superripe aromas of cassis, cherry preserves and dark chocolate, with complicating notes of licorice and mint. Densely packed and chewy, offering palate-coating black and blue fruit flavors that show serious depth and building sweetness. A hint of smoked meat comes up on the long, clinging finish, which is framed by broad, pliant tannins. I’m not exactly sure what I’d serve with this but it would definitely have to be part of a dead mammal and it would be roasted, braised or grilled.Vinous Media | 93 VMMeaty flavors step forward in this rich, decadent Shiraz, piling savory soy sauce and wet earth nuances around the core of dark, dense blackberry. Shows depth and power. Drink now through 2017. 500 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A profound wine from a superb Napa vintage for Bordeaux varietals, the 2007’s nose may cause one to overdose on blue, black and red berry fruit. The extraordinary intensity, purity and depth in this rich, flamboyant, exuberant wine are mindboggling. This bigger-than-life Cabernet Sauvignon appears set for 20-30 years of aging. It can be drunk now, but because of its sweet, velvety tannins, it will still be offering sensational drinking in 2040.Robert Parker | 100 RPFull ruby-red. Multifaceted aromas of currant, iron, licorice, tobacco, dried herbs and minerals. The youthful palate boasts outstanding depth and clarity of dark fruit flavors, offering an uncanny combination of powerful structure and finesse. Explosive on the back end, finishing with outstanding palate-saturating breadth and extremely fine-grained tannins. I could see this wine enjoying 25 years of development in bottle, but it should really be forgotten for at least the next 5 or 6. Owner/winemaker Jayson Woodbridge told me this is the best wine he has made to date.Vinous Media | 96 VMRobust, intense and fleshy, offering a full-bodied mix of ripe cherry, plum, wild berry and raspberry fruit that’s pure, rich and layered. Full-bodied, elegant and refined, ending with a subtle medley of ripe berry flavors. Best from 2012 through 2020. 600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Deep Time has a medium garnet color and sings of Indian spices, baked plums and crème de cassis with forest floor, black truffles and iron ore accents plus a waft of potpourri. The full-bodied palate delivers a firm yet plushly textured foundation to support the generous black and blue fruit preserves flavors with bags of earthy nuances and a very long finish. The sensuous mouthfeel on this wine, in particular, is to be commended!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Deep Time is gorgeous. The personality of the vintage is very well suited to the extended time in barrel (40-50 months) Woodbridge gives this wine. All the elements are in the right place. Rich, dark and sumptuous, the 2007 is totally seamless on the palate, yet at the same time, there is more than enough support from the tannins. This is yet another compelling, totally beguiling wine from Jayson Woodbridge.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 biggest surprise in these tastings was the phenomenal performance of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Quet. Normally a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Mourvedre, the 2007’s composition changed to 80% Grenache (all aged in tank) and 20% Mourvedre (aged in small oak barrels.) This wine literally blew me away. Since this is a PG-rated publication, I can not print my original comments upon tasting this wine. Let’s just say the exquisite aromatics were astounding. They include creme de cassis, lavender, roasted meats, new saddle leather, and spice box. The phenomenal aromatics were matched by equally compelling flavors, texture, and purity. Offering a thrill a second, this full-bodied wine exhibits awesome concentration, impeccable balance, and a finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. I had a difficult time spitting out this amazing elixir, and I kept returning to it during the course of the morning tasting just to confirm my initial impression. The good news is about 500 cases were produced. It should drink well for two decades or more.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2007 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet is a blend of 80% old vine (80+ year) Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre. I had just recently drunk through a full bottle of this and it was fun to get to taste it side by side with the ’06. Frankly, while I prefer the ’07, the two wines have more in common than not. The ’07 sports heavenly aromatics of roasted garrigue, melted licorice, flowers, and meaty notes that give way to perfectly ripe Grenache fruit. Even larger scaled on the palate than the ’06, this remains perfectly balanced, deft and almost elegant. Give these 5 or more years in the cellar and then drink over the following 15. If drinking anytime soon, give it plenty of air.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDeep ruby. Sexy, expansive aromas of red and dark berry preserves, smoky herbs, potpourri and exotic apricot; the smoky character reminds me of the northern Rhone. Mineral-driven raspberry and blackcurrant flavors are alluringly sappy and open-knit, with notes of candied flowers and fruitcake adding complexity. This very sexy wine is extremely complex right now.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis shows a noticeably burly edge, particularly for the vintage, with espresso, roasted chestnut, loam, bittersweet cocoa and licorice root notes wrapped around a core of black currant and braised fig fruit. The dark, muscular finish has lots in reserve. Best from 2010 through 2027. 500 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WS

Despite the stereotype of the vintage being a warm season, the 2007 Montevetrano shows no signs of over-ripeness. It is cool-toned and classic. Mentholated herbs, nuances of cacao, coffee grinds, dried cherries and invigorating hints of blood orange create a stimulating bouquet. Silken textures sweep across the palate, nearly creamy in feel, but a core of vibrant acidity balances as crisp red berry fruits cascade throughout. Gentle tannins and a pleasantly bitter note linger incredibly long, leaving hints of tart blackberry and dark chocolate.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2007 Montevetrano suggests a more prominent presence of Cabernet Sauvignon, aromatically speaking, compared to the other wines in this mini retrospective. The percentage of grapes used is the same but this impression is reinforced by the warmth of the summer growing season and the exuberance of the fruit. Blackberry aromas are followed by spice, leather and tar. There are subtle notes of balsam herb and green peppercorn as well. The wine is structured and firm but not astringent. The tannins are softly integrated and fine in texture.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPDark and sappy, with tightly wound layers of black currant, blackberry and plum skin. Hints of underbrush, ash and smoke are framed by firm tannins, which need time to resolve. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Aglianico. Best from 2013 through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits’ 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Montrose has a crisp, earthy, tobacco-scented bouquet with sage and clove developing in the glass—clearly a Saint Estèphe that is determined to succeed in an off-vintage, which this estate is masterful at doing. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin. This bottle felt compact for this vintage, one of the few 2007s that merit decanting. However, there is undeniably plenty of freshness and a welcome touch of spice towards the finish. Linear in style, this is one of the few 2007s that should improve with bottle age. Tasted February 2017.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

Superb aromas of toffee, coffee, prunes and lemons follow through to a full body, very sweet flavors of dried fruit, custard tart, butterscotch and more toffee. A joy to taste. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSAn impressive, balanced wine from master winemaker Dirk van Niepoort. Chocolate and licorice flavors dominate the fruit, giving a wine that has weight, complexity and at the same time elegance. The tannins offer a dense, dry structure. It is tight, solid and certainly for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEVery enticing aromas of violet, blueberry and sandalwood follow through to a full body, with medium sweetness, ultrarefined tannins and a very long finish. This just coats the mouth with fabulous fruit and supersilky tannins. Chewy, yet friendly and harmonious. So fine. Best after 2017. 2,200 cases made, 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFrom vineyards in the Pinhão Valley and at Ferrão on the edge of the Douro Superior. Foot-trodden in lagar and bottled in 2018. Lovely brick-red colour with fresh summer and candied fruit aromas, plus a hint of savoury smokiness. Refreshing on the palate above all; soft seductive fruit with a vestige of tannin, good acidity leading to an elegant, seemingly dry (despite 107g/l residual sugar) and lingering finish.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECA step above is the 2007 Niepoort Vintage Port which delivers a superb bouquet of fruitcake, plum, incense, blueberry, and licorice. Elegant on the palate but with layers of rich, succulent fruit, this intense, smooth-textured, impeccably balanced wine will have a lengthy drinking window extending from 2017 to 2037. It is one of the stars of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

For the fourth time, the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo has been produced, and for the fourth time, it has received a perfect score although I might back off the 2000’s perfect score based on the fact that it seems to be more of an upper-ninety point wine than pure perfection these days. The 2007 may come closest in style to the 1998, the debut vintage, although the tannins are sweeter and the wine is perhaps fatter and richer in the mouth. The alcohols in these cuvees can be very high, ranging from 16.1% in 2003, 15.8% in 2000, 16.3% in 1998, to 15.5% (the lowest ever) in 2007. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas of smoked meats, Peking duck, licorice, lavender, aged beef, grilled steak blood, black currants, plums, sauteed cepes and soy. Enormously concentrated, broad, expansive and massive but not over the top, this is a tour de force in winemaking that is impossible to imagine unless one has a bottle to work through over the course of 4 to 5 hours. Although they advertise using all 13 authorized varietals, this wine is over 90% Grenache, largely from the famed La Crau section of Chateauneuf du Pape. They do have other vineyards from which they pull some of the fruit that goes into the Cuvee da Capo, including St.-Jean, Esquilons and occasionally Monpertuis. The 2007 seems to be broader, fatter, more unctuously textured and more flattering to drink at this stage than the 1998 was. In that sense, the evolutionary development may resemble their 2003s. The 2007 was bottled in February, 2010, and my anticipated drinking dates are 2014-2030+.Robert Parker | 100 RPEven more impressive than the Réservée and a noticeable step up, the 2007 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo is one deep, dense puppy and yields awesome aromas of cassis and blackberry fruit, licorice, dry aged beef, and copious stem and garrigue on the nose. The purity and delineation are truly something and the wine has spectacular intensity, depth, and richness. The palate is full-bodied with a pure, precise texture, perfect balance through the mid-palate and a finish that delivers so much tannin and extract that it’s almost mouth-numbing. Give this rock star wine 7 to 10 years in the cellar and then drink over the following 2 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDInky ruby. Pungent, exotically perfumed aromas of dark berry compote, Asian spices and garrigue, with bright minerality adding vivacity. Powerful and deeply concentrated but also shockingly fresh and lithe, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and notes of candied flowers and licorice. The finish is smooth, sappy and extremely persistent, with echoing floral and herb notes.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis shows a remarkable marriage of density and grace, as layers of roasted fig, braised chestnut and dried blood orange stay supple and plush, embedded with rounded grip and alluring cocoa, graphite and incense notes. There’s a long, espresso- and hoisin sauce–filled finish. Best from 2011 through 2030. 670 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 96 WS

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

Balanced and very spicy, with almond paste and apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with a long, fruity, tangy finish. Layered and stylish.Wine Spectator | 93-96 WSThe 2007 Rieussec is a blend of 87% Semillon, 4.5% Muscadelle and 8.5% Sauvignon Blanc picked between 13 September and 31 October. It has an almost Barsac-like bouquet with barley sugar joining the ginger and honeyed notes, quite powerful although I feel this is just going through a sullen patch at the moment. The palate is very pure and balanced with a wonderful seam of acidity that slices through the viscous botrytis fruit, quite spicy on the finish, although it does not possess the persistence of the 2005 or 2009, just cutting away swiftly. Tasted April 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMBright, pale yellow-gold. Aromas of very ripe peach, honey and vanilla are a bit youthfully disjointed. Sweet, supple and fat, currently showing more spice than fruit. Finishes broad and spicy, with a suggestion of minerality.Vinous Media | 90-93 VM

The 2007 Sandeman Vintage Porto is much more primal and taciturn than the 2003: blackberry, juniper, licorice and cloves but all tightly constrained at the moment. The palate is well-balanced with succulent, ripe, spicy black fruit intermixed with touches of sea salt, marjoram, cloves and raisins. There is certainly very good depth to this 2007, perhaps more a sense of reserve than previous vintages, as if it is determined to hold back and reward those who cellar this for another 20 years. Very fine – a precursor to the 2011. Drink 2017-2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis has a great black color, with crushed blueberry and blackberry on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with chewy tannins and a slightly mouthpuckering finish. Not quite as impressive as I remember from barrel, but one of the best Vintage Ports from Sandeman in a long time. Best after 2017. 500 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAn immensely tannic wine, dark and solid. The fruit at this stage is less apparent, with the spirit and structure dominant. A wine to watch as it develops, and probably for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE