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Some people may enjoy this wine’s rather fat, rich and powerful fruit now, but I still find it too young for drinking. Deeply colored, with smoky mint, tar and fruit aromas, full-bodied, with concentrated fruit flavors and plenty of tannins.Wine Spectator | 96 WSTasted at the Vintners Company’s 650th anniversary celebration at Vintners Hall, the Fonseca 1970 was the finest bottle I have encountered. The bouquet opens beautifully with heady scents of clove, ginger, small red cherries, bergamot and allspice, displaying exquisite definition and harmony. The palate follows suit with lovely balance and poise in the mouth, notes of kirsch, shaved ginger and walnut building to an opulent, viscous finish that lacquers the mouth. Yet this bottle shows more control than the bottle tasted four years ago. The 1970 Fonseca is in a very nice place at the moment. You should join it. Tasted May 2013.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NM

Along with the 1982, 2000, and 2005, the 1990 is one of those monumental Grand Puy Lacostes that you can’t have enough of. Still inky/blue/purple-colored to the rim, it boasts a gorgeously sweet, pure nose of creme de cassis, spring flowers, and a hint of wet rocks. The wine is full-bodied, plush, and expansive with impressive levels of glycerin and purity as well as an endearing texture. This 1990 is evolving at a glacial pace, but the sweetness of the tannins and low acidity ensure a delicious treat whenever a bottle is opened. It should evolve for another 20-25 years. Robert Parker | 96 RPBig and juicy red. Dark color, with coffee bean and chocolate aromas. Full-bodied and velvety, with loads of ripe fruit and a long, flavorful finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now through 2010. 27,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A complex nose of subtle menthol intermixed with black currants, cherries, spice box, cedar, and herbs emerges from this fully mature 1990. It is a fleshy, round, generously endowed Margaux with silky tannins, low acidity, and beautiful purity. Drink it with great pleasure now, or cellar it for another decade. Release price: ($300.00/case)Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 1990 Rauzan-Ségla is another vintage that I have not tasted for some time. It was picked from September 17 to October 7. Now at 28-years of age it shows some maturation on the tawny rim, the core a little lighter in colour than the 1998 for example. The bouquet has certainly matured in recent years: blackberry, strawberry pastilles, touches of garrigues, clove and fennel, and freshly tilled soil. It is very...1990! There is little oak presence here (the new oak was in fact just 40%, so unsurprising.) The palate is medium-bodied with grainy, slightly rustic tannin. I love the flavor profile here: dark chocolate, leather, clove, oregano and a touch of soy that is, for me, quite Saint-Julien in style. One can tell that this 1990 will not improve with continued bottle age however, it has great depth and you come away with the sense that it wears its heart on its sleeve. Tasted at the Rauzan-Ségla vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 93 VMVery concentrated. Dark garnet color. Pretty licorice, plum and currant aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety, ripe tannins and a long black licorice and cherry aftertaste.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2004. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1996 Proprietary Red (a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) is not a very weighty (14.3% alcohol) offering. It has become more delineated with a year of bottle age, offering up classic creme de cassis, smoked meat, coffee, prune, and toasty new oak scents. Concentrated, with fabulously high extract, sweet tannin, and full body, this wine has an elegant feel on the palate, but is still a blockbuster. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.Robert Parker | 95 RPSaturated dark ruby. Superripe aromas of blackcurrant, minerals, licorice, oak spice and beefsteak tomato; a bit less flamboyant on the nose than the ’97. Firmer and subtler than the ’96 merlot, with superb flavor intensity and a more restrained sweetness. Finishes very long and firmly tannic, but the tannins are sweet and even. These are both great successes for the vintage.Vinous Media | 94 VMFresh aromas of ripe black cherry, currant and berry are enticing, turning rich and complex on the palate, with fine depth, balance and persistence. Impessive for its vitality and purity of flavor. The best of four bottles.--1996 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now through 2011. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1996 Champagne Cuvée Louis Tarlant Brut Nature is crafted from clay subsoils and exhibits both concentrated fruit and high freshness. This is not an enothèque release – it’s the first time they are releasing this wine. Full and round, it’s incredible on the nose, with apricot, croissant, and fresh nuttiness; it’s so good. Full-bodied, yet focused and precise, the mousse disappears into the fabric of the wine, and it lasts long on the palate with hazelnut and subtle coffee notes. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis straw-colored Champagne shows hazelnuts, quince, tobacco, pastries and salted caramel. It’s deliciously saline, sleek and intense on the palate, with tangy acidity and an intense yeasty, savory character. Bone dry. 50% pinot noir and 50% chardonnay. Zero dosage. Disgorged June 2024. Drinking beautifully now, so why wait?James Suckling | 95 JSDisgorged in June 2024 after 27 years of aging sur lattes, the 1996 Cuvée Louis Tarlant is sourced entirely from the 1996 vintage and composed of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in the lieu-dit Les Crayons in Oeuilly, a site near the Marne River with just 20 centimeters of clay-degraded chalk topsoil. Vinified in used Burgundy barrels, the wine opens with aromas of honeysuckle, nutmeg and dried fruit mingling with lemon zest and oyster juice. Medium- to full-bodied, it is taut, incisive and rather lean in structure—this is more about sapid nuances than roundness—culminating in a long, saline finish. It speaks eloquently of the vintage, shaped by a long, cool growing season and a late harvest, while the absence of malolactic fermentation further amplifies its high-acid profile.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Pale to medium garnet-brick in color, the 1998 Pavie Macquin simply sings with incredibly pure, spritely notes of blueberry preserves, blackberry pie and black cherry compote, revealing loads of eucalyptus, mocha, dried lavender and Chinese five spice accents. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is has wonderfully seductive blue and black fruit layers, framed by velvety tannins and the perfect amount of freshness to create tantalizing tension, finishing with incredible length and depth. Effortlessly delicious and yet possessing plenty of subtext for intellectual stimulation, I just love where this compelling ’98 is at right now!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 1998 Pavie-Macquin is by far the most important wine of the 1990s at Pavie-Macquin. All of the signatures of the estate are present. A wine of textural depth and resonance, the 1998 captures all of the intensity this site is capable of. Dark red cherry fruit, kirsch, smoke and spice build in a stunning, riveting wine that hits all the right notes. It was a near-perfect growing season, with hot days, cool nights and enough dryness to concentrate the fruit but not overly stress the vines.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGJust hitting its stride now, this pulls together fleshy yet elegant cherry, plum and blackberry fruit, along with notes of black tea, sandalwood and incense. The chalky spine is fully integrated and very long. This shows a caressing feel on the finish before the wine reasserts itself at the very end, adding lovely contrast and mouthfeel. Derenoncourt feels this is the first true grand vin of Pavie Macquin, for that minerality and precision.--Non-blind Pavie Macquin vertical (December 2014). Drink now through 2020. 4,091 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFully mature, yet with plenty of life ahead of it, the 1998 Château Pavie Macquin reveals a ruby/plum hue to go with straight-up textbook Saint-Emilion notes of red and black currants, white truffle, dried flowers, lead pencil, leather, and tobacco. These all carry to a deep, rich, concentrated wine that has a beautiful balance in its acidity, tannins, and fruit, a core of sweet fruit, plenty of mid-palate density, and outstanding length. While I don’t think the tannin quality matches what this estate is producing today, this is a brilliant, mature 1998 that brings loads of character and charm. This wine comes from a cooler, limestone terroir located above Château Pavie, on the upper plateau, and is based on 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

A dense, traditionally crafted wine for those with patience, the 2000 Calon-Segur rivals the estate’s finest wines of the last two decades, the 1995, 1988, and 1982. But be forewarned, this wine has already closed down, something totally in character with all top vintages from this estate. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc exhibits a plum/purple color along with gorgeous aromas of creosote intermixed with spring flowers, black cherries, cassis, licorice, and stony, liquid minerals. A powerful, tannic, full-bodied and opulent wine, it possesses considerable structure that is reasonably well-concealed by considerable glycerin and intensity. Look for it to be at its best between 2012-2040. Patience, patience, patience!Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2000 Calon-Ségur still appears quite youthful on the rim. The well-defined nose offers brambly red fruit, red currant, crushed strawberry, rose petals and cedar, and some sous-bois just loitering in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins. This has mellowed since I tasted it in London five years ago, and touches of tobacco and tart red cherries enliven the finish. I have always loved this millennial Calon-Ségur and now it is à point and drinking beautifully. Aged in 50% new oak and 50% one-year-old for 12 months (less than nowadays.)Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is a solid, huge wine, with rich but very dry tannins. With its dense, almost black color, and its sense of brooding power, it promises long aging. It will never be in the opulent Bordeaux camp, despite its prominent new wood flavors, but will probably outlive all but a handful top wines.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis shows a noticeable leafy edge, with tobacco, light cedar, bay and worn leather notes holding sway over a core of lightly mulled red currant and plum fruit flavors. Not as dense as the top examples, but everything pulls together nicely through the fine-grained finish.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 90 WS(Château Calon-Ségur) The 2000 Calon-Ségur is a very closed, very grumpy wine at the present time, and this is a characteristic that it shares at the present time with a great many wines from this vintage. The blend here included forty-two percent merlot in 2000 and the wine offers up a very deep-pitched and adolescent bouquet of black fruit, inky tones, damp, dark soil, dried eucalyptus, coffee grounds and cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, closed down and quite dense at the core, with a gritty edge to its firm and chewy tannins, little generosity at the present time, but also with impressive grip on the closed, but very, very long finish. The length on the backend here really gives me some hope for the future of this wine, but it is really in a very difficult place for current assessment and I do not have a strong sense of whether or not this wine will always be a bit charmless, or if this is simply a passing phase and it will blossom to deliver some of Calons’ inherent breed with sufficient bottle age. (Drink between 2025-2065)John Gilman | 88-92+ JG

A very strong effort for Gruaud Larose, possibly eclipsed by what they have done in 2009, this is a pure, full-bodied Gruaud Larose with plenty of new saddle leather, cedar wood, black currants, cherries, licorice, and Provencal herbs. Spicy, earthy, full-bodied, and rich, it has hit its plateau of full maturity, where it should stay for another 20 or more years.Robert Parker | 94 RPNo written review provided. | 94 W&SThere’s nice richness here, with velvety-textured blackberry, fig and boysenberry confiture flavors rolling through, edged by a graphite note that slowly takes over on the finish. This has serious spine, with tar and ganache echoes hanging in the background, boding well for continued development.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 18,750 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSFully mature (yet I’d say in the early stages of its drink window), the 2000 Château Gruaud Larose offers a ripe, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as lots of currant and darker fruits followed by cedarwood, tobacco, iron, and assorted meaty, spicy nuances. It’s a rich, almost chunky effort with a great mid-palate, still present yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. It lacks some of the purity and precision of today’s wines yet is a satisfying, rich, impressively textured Saint-Julien to drink over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2000 Gruaud Larose is a vintage that I have not tasted for some 10 years. It has a somehow sedate bouquet of dark red berry fruit, cola and tobacco scents, ever so slightly smudged with age. The mellow, soy-tinged palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins and fine acidity but maybe just a little sauvage on the ferrous, slightly bretty finish. I feel this had more pep several years ago.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Hello. Take textbook St.-Julien warmed fig, blueberry compote and blackberry reduction notes along with ample graphite, bramble and tobacco flavors, then dial it up a notch. This has terrific energy to offset the admirable depth and length, and hasn’t even started a second phase yet. One of the stars of the vintage.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Best from 2018 through 2033. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDecadent aromas of strawberry tart, earth, meat, spices, that gives way to flowers and currants. Full and very soft, with refined tannins with a very long finish. This is just starting to open up right now, a real beauty. Soft and delicious with a great future. This will be better in 5 years, but you can enjoy this now. Pull the cork in 2015.James Suckling | 96 JSRight from the early days of tasting in spring 2001, this was going to be one of the stars of the vintage. And a star it remains. There is big, ripe fruit, with solid, ageworthy tannins. It may not be as powerful as some of the blockbusters of the vintage, but it is certainly more opulent, less classical than Léoville-Barton can sometimes be.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEI found this to be one of the more backward wines of the 2000 vintage and gave it a window of maturity of 2015-2040 when I reviewed it in 2003. In my two recent tastings of it, I changed that window to 2018-2050, which probably says more than the following tasting note could say. This is a behemoth – dense, highly extracted, very tannic, broodingly backward, with a dense purple color and very little evolution since it was bottled 8 years ago. Wonderfully sweet cedar and fruitcake notes are intermixed with hints of creme de cassis, licorice, and earthy forest floor. It is full-bodied and tannic, with everything in place, but like so many wines that come from Leoville Barton, it makes a mockery of many modern-day consumers wanting a wine for immediate gratification. Those who bought it should continue to exercise patience and be proud to own a wonderful classic with five decades of longevity ahead of it.Robert Parker | 95+ RPNo written review provided. | 94 W&SThe 2000 Léoville-Barton has a juicy, ripe bouquet of macerated black cherries, incense, potpourri and veins of blue fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, good density, nice structure and a sappy conclusion. This has opened up in recent years and displays a touch of ash toward the finish. Drinking perfectly now, it’s a decent Léoville-Barton that never quite achieves the heights of recent stellar vintages.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Made in an over-the-top style that seems to get more classic as the wine ages, this special cuvee from the Fombrauge vineyard (made by Michel Rolland for Bernard Magrez) reveals a dense plum/purple color in addition to a big, sweet nose of camphor, creosote, blackberries, blueberries, espresso roast, graphite, and toasty oak, and a phenomenally layered, full-bodied, rich mouthfeel. I thought this 2000 would be close to full maturity by 2006, but it remains surprisingly youthful. It should drink well for 20-25 more years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 98 RPDecadent and rich with lots of dried mushroom, meat and ripe fruit character. Full body, silky and refined tannins and a flavorful finish. Gorgeous now.James Suckling | 94 JSOn the dark side of the profile, but alluring, with freshly brewed espresso and smoldering charcoal notes leading the way to a core of steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. The finish is driven by graphite, with a noticeable tobacco edge starting to emerge. Very solid.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 123 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A beautiful crushed rock/liqueur of minerality characterizes this inky/purple-hued St.-Emilion. Tannic, with lots of pure black raspberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with a notion of charcoal as well as the aforementioned rocky/powdered stone component, this long distance runner requires another 5-6 years of cellaring. It should age easily through 2030+.Robert Parker | 95+ RPThis is a beauty, with a really pure and still-youthful beam of plum, boysenberry and raspberry compote flavors streaming through, gilded with fruitcake and a hint of sweet cocoa, but ultimately carried by a long graphite spine. Rather open through the finish despite the youthful persona, and hard to resist now.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 4,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2000 Pavie-Macquin is opulent and intense, but also rather monolithic. I don’t expect that cellaring is going to make much of a difference. Dried cherry, leather, cedar, tobacco, menthol and licorice add a measure of nuance. I wanted more given the reputation of the year. In my view, the 2000 is too evolved for its age.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Cassis, spice, chocolate, truffle, and floral notes all emerge from the 2000 Château Péby Faugères, a gorgeous, absolute tour de force in world-class Merlot. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured, with beautiful balance and a layered, concentrated mouthfeel. This show-stopping, brilliant Saint-Émilion ranks with the crème de la crème of the region and has another 15+ years of prime drinking ahead of it. Drink 2026-2041.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe luxury cuvee from Faugeres (owned by Bernard Magrez), the 2000 Peby Faugeres is the real deal. Sadly, only 500+ cases were made of this compelling St.-Emilion. An inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by aromas of espresso roast, blueberry liqueur, smoke, and graphite. Thick and unctuously-textured with impressive purity and depth as well as full-bodied power and richness, it needs another 2-3 years of cellaring, and should last for two decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPImpressive saturated ruby. Roasted black cherry, dark chocolate, mocha and espresso on the nose. Lush and silky on the palate, with intense, nicely delineated dark berry and torrefaction flavors. Impressively concentrated and rich. Dense, vinous and solidly structured wine, with plenty of extract to support the firm tannins. Finishes with excellent length.Vinous Media | 90+ VMStill youthfully rich and dark, with fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors layered with ganache and well-roasted espresso notes. More heft than cut as the wood dominates, though there is good loamy drive through the finish. Tasted from magnum. -- Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 1,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSNice berries and cherry character on the nose that opens up to hints of green tea and a stemmy undertone. Full-bodied, with good fruit and a soft finish. Go ahead and pull the cork on this one.James Suckling | 90 JS

From magnum, a youthful colour, reflecting slow evolution. Aromas of cedar, lead pencil, roasted and primary fruit. Fine grained, noticeable tannin. Excellent balance of power and smooth texture. Noé Tesseron described it as ’older school Pauillac’, and I liked it a lot. Long finish. Aged 60% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2045)Decanter | 95 DECUpgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+.Robert Parker | 94+ RPI drank this fabulous 2000 Pontet-Canet in Hong Kong last summer at home with family. It was a wonderfully complex wine that was really starting to show its best. On the nose it displayed tar and currants with hints of dried fruits and berries. It was full-bodied yet so refined and delicious at the same time.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep red-ruby. Explosive nose combines raspberry, roasted currant, grilled nuts and exotic spices. Rich, sexy, silky and full in the mouth, with expressive flavors of black raspberry, game, smoke and truffle. Finishes with strong but suave tannins and excellent length. St. JulienVinous Media | 93 VMA lovely lead-in of singed cedar and vanilla notes gives way to slightly taut, racy red and black currant fruit flavors that drive nicely through an iron-edged finish. Rather sleek and tightly focused, relying more on minerality than power.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 2,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis is a very modern style of wine, with generous new wood and super-ripe fruit flavors, balancing with polished solid tannins. Very international in style, it is good, but could come from anywhere.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Extremely young with an unbelievable deep purple color, the 2000 Troplong Mondot has hardly budged since I tasted it in 2003. Two recent tastings confirmed that this is the greatest Troplong Mondot between their profound 1990 and more recent vintages such as 2005, 2008, and 2009. Copious chocolate, graphite, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and ink characteristics are present in this full-bodied, powerful, massive St.-Emilion. While the tannins are noticeable, they are better integrated than they were seven years ago, and the fruit, extract, and richness clearly outweigh the wine’s structure. This 2000 will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring (longer than I originally predicted), and has at least two decades of drinkability ahead of it.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2000 Troplong Mondot is another vintage that I have not tasted for a long time. This includes some Cabernet Sauvignon that was north-facing and subsequently removed for the 2001. The youthful bouquet of black cherries, cassis, marmalade and blood orange is vibrant and precocious and shows fewer secondary aromas than some of its peers. It opens nicely to reveal camphor and star anise aromas, almost Rhône-like. The palate is chewy, quite dense and backward but initially lacks a bit of charm. Licorice and sloes come through. Slightly granular in texture, it feels tight at first, but it deserves applause for its freshness and improves with aeration, loosening up and finally developing that missing charm.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 93 W&SA soft, rich wine that bears all the classic qualities of the Valette family’s winery - a strength of line along and complexity. The fruit is ripe, ultra-generous, but is still tempered with layers of acidity and soft tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WELovely berry, cherry and spice, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a pretty mineral and berry aftertaste. A sexy and refined red. Best after 2009. 7,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Bold and structured red. Dark color; black licorice, raspberry and mineral character and hints of dried flowers; full-bodied, with spicy fruit and undertones of black pepper. Chewy finish. This is fantastic. Best after 2007. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2001 Serpico is another wine that appears to need more bottle age. Today it is in an in-between stage where the fruit is no longer primary but the tertiary notes aren’t fully developed either. The 2001 is a powerful Serpico with impressive tannic clout that will require further cellaring to soften. With time, hints of wild cherries, herbs, chocolate and leather emerge but only with great reluctance. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Feudi di San Gregorio is one the leading estates in Campania and Italy. Enzo Ercolino spared no expenses in snapping up vineyards and building a state of the art facility that cranks out more than 4 million bottles per year. Along the way Feudi garnered considerable accolades from the press, perhaps too much attention for a winery that was just getting started. Today Feudi is owned and run by the Capaldo family. The estate makes a wide range of whites and reds, but the most consistently outstanding wines are the two Aglianicos; Serpico and the Taurasi Piano di Montevergine. From the outset Serpico was conceived as a more approachable interpretation of Aglianico than Taurasi. The softness of some early vintages suggests other grapes may have been used to help smooth the trademark Aglianico rusticity. The Taurasi di Montevergine was initially made from a number of different parcels although today it is a true single-vineyard wine made from a late-ripening plot that sits at 700 meters above sea level. Over the years, this site has proven to be exceptional in yielding structured Taurasis that at their best capture the full breadth of Aglianico. Consulting oenologist Luigi Moio, who had just returned from a stint in France, made the wines from 1995 through 1998, although he did not see all the wines through to their bottling as he left Feudi in 1999. Moio is one of the key figures in the development of the wines of the south. His consulting projects include Caggiano and Cantina del Notaio, in addition to the superb wines he is making at his own estate, Quintodecimo. At Feudi Moio favored lengthy fermentations often reaching more than 25 days (Moio has since adopted a shorter approach to fermentations with his own wines at Quintodecimo). Malolactic fermentation was done in steel. Moio used 100% new oak for Serpico and 60% new oak for the Piano di Montevergine. Oenologist Riccardo Cotarella made the wines between 1999 and 2006. Cotarella is another seminal figure in Campania, as he pioneered Montevetrano and Terra di Lavoro - two wines that were groundbreaking when they were conceived and that continue to set a high bar for the region - as well as Feudi’s 100% luxury Merlot cuvee, Patrimo. Cotarella preferred shortish macerations. After the alcoholic fermentation was completed, the wines were racked into oak until spring, when they were moved into steel for the malolactic fermentations. The wines were then moved back into oak, where they completed their aging. Cotarella favored 100% new oak for both Serpico and Piano di Montevergine. Since 2006 Feudi has moved most of its winemaking in house and relied less on outside consultants.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2001 Serpico is another wine that appears to need more bottle age. Today it is in an in-between stage where the fruit is no longer primary but the tertiary notes aren’t fully developed either. The 2001 is a powerful Serpico with impressive tannic clout that will require further cellaring to soften. With time, hints of wild cherries, herbs, chocolate and leather emerge but only with great reluctance.Antonio Galloni | 92+ AG

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is silky, racy and beautifully balanced...Dark, red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, dried flowers and herbs saturate the palate. This is an especially ripe, dense wine from Dunn, and yet all the elements are so well balanced, so integrated. Huge tannins suggest a long life. I admire the interplay of intense fruit and vibrant mountain energy. This is an especially strong showing from the 2002." Drink: 2022-2042.Vinous Media | 97 VMNotably elegant and refined, this shows good density. The core of mixed flavors includes dried currant, savory herb, cedar and mineral. Firm in body and tannins, ending with a cigar box-cedar-tobacco allure.--2002 California Cabernet blind retrospective (May 2012). Drink now through 2018. 4,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Amazing density; the aromas billow up from the glass and weave together sinuously, taking you on a magic carpet ride before the wine even hits your mouth. This wine has the power of a monster California Cab while retaining the subtlety of a first-growth Bordeaux. It is just a massive blast of dark fruit, incredible viscosity, silky textures and soft herbs, pepper and spice. The oak—all new, all French—is unobtrusive and perfectly integrated.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is mature and near-term in the glass with earthy and funky tones that resonate with the remnants of a once-sweet fruit frame that has shifted almost fully into a stewed fruit core. Full-bodied, I recommend drinking this in the next few years, as it currently offers elements of dried blackberries and tar across the mid-palate. For a generous wine, it’s starting to wind down and only has a few years left. I recommend enjoying this bottle with an aged ribeye steak.Robert Parker | 96 RP(bottled in August of 2004; includes bits of merlot and cab franc) Bright ruby-red. Superripe aromas of cassis, black raspberry, minerals and chocolate. Rich, lush and expressive; superconcentrated but not at all heavy. In fact, this broad, suave wine offers a compellingly silky texture. Finishes impressively rich, dry and long, with firm but fine-grained tannins. Wait until 2010 before drinking this superb cabernet, by which time it may merit an even higher rating.Vinous Media | 93+ VMFirm and taut, with dusky spice and freshly ground pepper nuances to the dark berry, currant and cherry aromas and flavors, lingering impressively on the chewy finish. Doesn’t have the pure fruit of previous vintages, but it should soften and broaden, developing more depth with cellaring. Best from 2008 through 2015. 3,400 cases made. —Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus ex Machina is a wine that can hit perfection on any given day. In this lineup, it seems just slightly behind the off-the-charts, 2010, 2007 and 2005. Just now starting to show hints of maturity (bottles from my cellar show more evolution than this one), it’s an incredible Chateauneuf that offers textbook kirsch, licorice, graphite, blackcurrants and spice to go with a full-bodied, layered and voluptuously-styled feel on the palate. Like the other 2003 from this estate, it shows no signs over ripeness, possesses sweet tannin and beautiful purity. I’d drink it over the coming 3-5 years, but it will evolve for longer.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPClos St. Jean’s 2003 Deus-Ex Machina hits all of my sweet spots and is reminiscent of the 2001 Mordoree with its thickness, unreal concentration and ripeness. The nose is massive with ripe blackberry, plum, licorice and meaty aromas that are about as good as it gets. The palate is full bodied, thick and unbelievably concentrated with a fantastic texture, huge underlying structure and amazing extract. This shows masses of ripe, mouth coating tannins on the long, long finish. Not traditional; not subtle; absolutely fantastic!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDeep, saturated red. Powerful, well-focused aromas of kirsch, loamy earth, game, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate and candied licorice. Dense, rich and sweet, with strongly extracted dark fruit character that emerges after some coaxing. The thick, slow-building finish features strong, musky garrigue notes. This needs time.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The prodigious, fantastic 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a candidate for “wine of the vintage.” A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon (unusually high for this chateau), 30% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, 17,500 cases were produced from low yields. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a compelling perfume of black fruits, subtle smoke, pain grille, incense, and flowers. With extraordinary richness, full body, and remarkable freshness, elegance, and persistence, this is one of the finest wines ever made by this estate. The good news is that it will be drinkable at a young age yet evolve for three decades or more. Kudos to winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier.Robert Parker | 98 RPA dense and powerful wine as always with very ripe fruit yet an underlying freshness and complexity with tobacco, dried fruit and fresh spices such as lemon grass and Thai basil. Layered and long. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a total knock out. Super-ripe and opulent from the outset, the 2003 is a big, ample Cos that takes over all the senses and never lets up. The bouquet alone – with its alluring notes of tobacco, cedar, spice, dark roasted fruits, leather and smoke – is stunning in its beauty. All of those nuances follow through on the palate, where the 2003 is thick, dense and concentrated. The 2003 is just beginning to enter the very early part of its optimal drinking window. Despite its very ripe feel, the 2003 needs further time in bottle to fully come together. Interestingly, the 2005 is quite a bit more expressive and rewarding to drink now. The 2003 is a superb Cos that captures the essence of this freakishly hot, record-setting vintage. Although the 2003 is the product of a very warm vintage, the wine was remarkably fresh, even two days after having been opened. In 2003 the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWith its aromas of new wood, spice and black fruits, this promises from the start to be a powerful, polished wine. It is dense, very ripe (from the high percentage of Merlot in the blend), but still packed with tannins. It’s a massive wine, bringing together the heat of 2003 with the big tannins of Saint-Estèphe. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis sports a pretty juicy edge, with dark currant and fig flavors and a hint of bramble in the mix. Ample tobacco, ganache and humus notes add range and character, leading to a long, smoldering finish. The slightly grainy structure is the only blip here.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSExcellent quality and surprisingly fresh given the vintage, this wine is clearly ready to drink now, however there’s no rush to drink this urgently - one of the key markers of a great Bordeaux wine is that, even if it evolves quickly, it reaches a point where it stops and sticks – and I feel that is what we have here. Expect the full array of soft leather, truffle, spice and fig. In early August, technical director Dominique Arangoïts remembers smelling cooked fruit in the vines at night-time. The levels of malic acid were one of the lowest on record, and the alcohol fairly reasonable also. This has aged far better than expected, no doubt helped by the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the clay subsoils of St-Estèphe and the old Merlot vines (between 80 and 100 years old). The harvest was finished by 25 September, earlier than most in the appellation. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028Decanter | 92 DEC

No written review provided. | 99 RPDoesn’t give much on the nose, with subtle lemon, honey, tangerine and apricot. Full-bodied and very sweet, with a long finish. Thick and compacted, with loads of mango and sweet candied fruit. Best after 2010. 150 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2003 has a very different oak management in style with toasted notes intertwined with a delicate array of dark berries, spices, graphite, and liquorice. It’s medium to full-bodied with nicely integrated oak aromas and delivers immense complexity and character. Black berries and spices with aeration. The palate is fleshy and has velvety tannins and long, penetrating finish. It’s already approachable yet will keep for 20 years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECA hot, dry summer resulted in a tiny production of under 10,000 cases of 2003 Ducru Beaucaillou from yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare. This beauty boasts a deep plum/ruby/purple color with a touch of lightening at the edge. Aromas of licorice, creme de cassis, incense and spring flowers are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine with loads of fruit and glycerin as well as a plush texture. It is just entering its plateau of maturity where it should remain for another 10-15 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPAlluring aromas and flavors of warm fig bread, espresso, roasted mesquite and blackberry confiture are fleshy and impressively rendered, with a noticeable plum skin and toothy loamy edge. Shows a bit more juicy energy than most in this retrospective, but doesn’t quite reach next-level quality.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2032. 17,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLots of aromas of roasted fruit, such as blueberries and raisins, and spices. It has full body with plenty of velvety tannins and a long, slightly chewy finish. Needs another two or three years to come together but outstanding now.James Suckling | 94 JSRuby-red. Sexy nose offers superripe currant, raspberry, graphite and coconut. Lush, very rich and fine-grained, with an almost confectionery sweetness and thickness for this St. Julien. Atypically powerful on the back end, but not hard. Bruno Borie took over direction of this property with the 2003 and immediately switched to a heavier bottle with a longer neck that could accommodate a 55-millimeter cork. A terrific showing-but I’d still give this wine another four or five years of aging.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis is a solid, powerful wine packed with tannins and heavy black fruits. As so often, Ducru is taking its time, and this wine is still knitting itself together. But in future years, watch for the generosity, the richness as well as the finesse and freshness. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE The initial scents of molasses and sweet fruit give way to an equally black, but more complex and potent wine with air. It’s extremely ripe, with the scent and feel of fruit skin in the tannins-almost pruney. But there’s also a sense of stature and elegance, a supple wine that should prove itself around ten years of age.Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, NY | 91 W&S

Solidly in the Hillside Select model, this vigorous young Cab is dramatically ripe and powerful. The flavors of red and black currants, milk chocolate, figs and smoky vanilla erupt in the mouth, making the tastebuds jump with joy. However, there is also the structure, among the greatest in California Cabs. The acidity is fine, but the tannins are stupendously rich, sweet and complex, practically a food group in themselves. Stunning and gorgeous now in its youth, this collectible wine will reward at least through 2015.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE...The 2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select has a dense, purple color, notes of creosote, graphite, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and scorched earth. It has a full-bodied mouthfeel and excellent purity, while some rather noticeable tannins kick in on the finish... it’s outrageously good Cabernet Sauvignon, and I expect myself, as well as any of my readers, would drink this 24/7.Robert Parker | 95 RP(bottled in the spring of 2006) Medium ruby. Aromas of black raspberry, currant, cocoa powder, cedar, graphite, violet, licorice and sweet oak. Lush and very sweet but with lively mint and naphtha notes lifting the flavors of black cherry, dark berries and dark chocolate. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and acids and yet this wine should give early pleasure. I find a wider range of ripeness here than in the supernal 2002.Vinous Media | 93 VMElias Fernandez produces a powerful, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the hillside blocks John Shafer planted in the 1970s. The 2003 vintage is about as potent as they come, its austere, mineral structure managing to hold all the richness of tannin and crushed berry fruit. Layers of flavor begin to take shape with air, from chocolate cake to blackberries and a hint of strawberry-a complex impression that lasts. Hillside Select will reward cellaring for ten years or more.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SBig and expressive, with intense notes of dark berry fruit, cedar, crushed rock and loamy earth, gaining depth, velocity and texture. Impressive on the finish, where the flavors taper and weave into the tannins. Best to drink this soon.—2003 California Cabernet blind retrospective (July 2013). Drink now through 2024. 2,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBlack raspberries, creamy new oak, liquorice and cherry compote meld in an expressive bouquet, introducing a ripe, open-knit and flamboyant palate. While a large-scaled, full-bodied wine, this ranks as a comparative middleweight in the context of Hillside Select. Drinking Window 2017 - 2020.Decanter | 92 DEC

A fabulous wine made by young proprietor Jean-Philippe Janoueix, with the assistance of the celebrated oenologist, Michel Rolland, this 12-acre estate (not far from Vieux-Chateau-Certan and Le Pin) has produced an inky/purple-tinged 2005 offering a gorgeous bouquet of spring flowers, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, espresso roast, chocolate, cedar, and spice box. High tannin, sensational richness, and a multilayered mouthfeel are the result of a blend of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. This gorgeous, opulent Pomerol should be ready to drink in 4-5 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPShows blackberry, chocolate and vanilla aromas. Full-bodied, with beautiful tannins and wonderful, juicy fruit. Firm and structured. Voluptuous, but very toned. Best after 2011.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2005 Le Gay is a massive, masculine Pomerol, very much in the style of Gazin, but showing much more minerality, abundant blue and black fruits, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and loads of tannin in a youthful, backward style, even at age 10. Give this wine at least another 5-10 years of cellaring and drink it over the following quarter-century.Robert Parker | 95+ RPDark purple in color, with aromas of coffee, green olive, blackberry and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with very polished yet present tannins and a long, rich, fruity finish. The best Le Gay in years. Best after 2014. 1,575 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDark red-ruby. Plum, mocha, minerals and coffee on the nose. Supple, lush and sweet, with captivating flavors of raspberry, toffee, coffee, mocha and iron. Wonderfully pliant and appealing Pomerol, finishing with sweet, tongue-dusting tannins and excellent length. (A second bottle of roughly equal quality showed a more serious tannic spine and appeared to be in the process of shutting down).Vinous Media | 92 VM